Anemia Following Splenectomy in White Rats.

Abstract

Numerous European workers have observed that rats frequently develop a severe anemia following removal of the spleen. That this is not always the case, however, is shown by the fact that in certain laboratories splenectomy of rats has not been followed by anemia. Lauda 1 made an extensive study of this problem and found that in approximately 75% of his splenectomized rats, a very severe hemolytic type of anemia developed. He proved it to be of an infectious nature and transmissible to other splenectomized rats. Shortly afterward, Mayer, Borchardt and Kikuth, 2 in repeating Lauda's work, observed within 24 to 48 hours after splenectomy, small rod-like or dumb-bell shaped inclusions in the erythrocytes. These later increased in numbers until at the height of the anemia there were 12 or more within each erythrocyte, appearing with the Giemsa stain as reddish coccobacillary forms. They concluded that these inclusions were identical with the ones observed by Mayer 3 in 1921 and named Bartonella muris ratti because of their similarity to the inclusions found in the erythrocytes of patients with Oroya fever.

We have similar findings in white splenectomized rats. The effect depends primarily upon the source from which the rats were obtained. In 13 rats recently obtained from the Wistar Institute and the Albino Supply Company stock, we have found that no significant anemia follows removal of the spleen. In 2 Wistar rats, however, which had been in the animal room for several months, splenectomy was followed by a very severe anemia. We splenectomized 11 rats obtained from Chicago dealers and in every case, usually about the fifth day, a marked anemia has developed. This anemia appears to be identical with that described by Lauda as “the infectious anemia of rats.”