Response of X-irradiated Mice to Intravenous Inoculation of Intestinal Bacteria.

Summary Intravenous inoculation of mice with Proteus following moderate total body X-irradiation caused a marked increase in mortality and a much shorter median death time compared to control animals injected with saline. A severe bacteremia existed before death in these animals. Non-irradiated mice given the same inoculum of Proteus quickly reduced the number of bacteria in the blood with eventual complete clearing. No deaths occurred among these animals. Bacteremia caused by organisms common to the intestinal tract frequently occurred in the mice which died following irradiation and saline injection.