Fever and survival in the rat. Metabolic versus temperature response

Summary In infected rats, survival was directly proportional to the metabolic cost of fever (O₂%°C) during its rising phase and inversely proportional to the height of fever. It is suggested that some febrile, metabolic response may be beneficial, while the rise in temperature may be harmful for the host animal.I thank Dr W. Mannheim from the Institute of Hygiene for kindly furnishing the cultures ofS. enteritidis. This work was supported by the Schwerpunktprogramm Temperaturregulation und-adaptation of the DFG.