title: Comparison of anorexia, lethargy, and fever induced by bacterial and viral mimetics in rats.
abstract: Although it has been established that some acute phase responses present differently depending on whether a virus or bacteria activates the innate immune system, it has not yet been established whether fever and sickness behaviors, such as anorexia and lethargy, present differently. We therefore investigated the effects of administering lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and polyinosinic : polycytidylic acid (poly I:C) on body temperature, food intake, body mass, and activity (cage activity and wheel running). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to receive an intraperitoneal injection of one of LPS (75 microg/kg or 250 microg/kg), poly I:C (3000 microg/kg or 4000 microg/kg), or saline. Administration of LPS or poly I:C induced fever, anorexia, and lethargy. Although voluntary wheel running and cage activity were both significantly reduced after administration of LPS or poly I:C, they were not affected equally. Indeed voluntary wheel running was decreased on average by approximately 30% more than cage activity regardless of the dose or type of mimetic administered. Our results indicate that poly I:C is less effective at inducing anorexia, lethargy, and fever in rats than is LPS, and that avoidance of exercise in animals and humans during infection is likely to be a more prominent feature of illness than is avoidance of routine daily activity.
authors.affiliation: Brain Function Research Group, School of Physiology, Medical School, University of the Witwatersrand, 7 York Road, Parktown, Johannesburg, Gauteng 2193, South Africa.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hopwood
authors.forename: Tlangelani
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maswanganyi
authors.forename: Lois M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Harden
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000855:Anorexia / Q000209:etiology*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001831:Body Temperature; D004435:Eating; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology*; D055809:Illness Behavior; D053609:Lethargy / Q000209:etiology*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D011070:Poly I-C / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D011070:Poly I-C