The Effect of Alcohol on Natural and Acquired Immunity of Mice to Infection with Trichinella spiralis

Abstract

Expts. were performed with mice to determine the effect of alcohol on natural and acquired immunity to T. spiralis. Under the exptl. conditions, it was not possible to demonstrate any effect of alcohol on natural resistance even in instances in which the alcoholic animals exhibited striking debilitation. The same was true regarding the effect on immunity acquired from one stimulating infection. In both cases, the numbers of adults and larvae were similar in alcoholic and control mice. By using repeated stimulating infections, it was possible to show that the alcohol had a striking effect on the immune response. All alcoholic animals showed significantly greater numbers of adults and larvae than the controls, but the greatest parasite burden was shown by the mice given alcohol both before and after the stimulating infections.