Attenuation of malaria infection, paralysis and lesions in the central nervous system by low protein diets in rats.
Young Wistar rats developed a fulminant infection when inoculated with the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei. Rats that died during the infection exhibited a progressive paralysis of the extremities, a rapidly decreasing body temperature and minute haemorrhages in the brain. Increasing the level of protein in the diet from 4 to 8 and 16% was accompanied by an increase in morbidity and mortality from 15 to 40 and 90% respectively on day 6 of the infection. Increasing the level of dietary protein also increased the reticulocyte count of the peripheral blood in infected and non-infected rats. The attenuation of the cerebral syndrome in rats fed a diet low in protein may be related to changes in erythropoiesis or to changes in immune reactivity.
Bakker
N P
NP
TNO Toxicology and Nutrition Institute, Zeist, Netherlands.
Eling
W M
WM
De Groot
A M
AM
Sinkeldam
E J
EJ
Luyken
R
R
D000818:Animals; D001831:Body Temperature; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000473:pathology; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D004920:Erythropoiesis; D008288:Malaria / Q000150:complications / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D016779:Malaria, Cerebral / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D009017:Morbidity; D010243:Paralysis / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010962:Plasmodium berghei; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012156:Reticulocytes; D015430:Weight Gain
D004044:Dietary Proteins