Dietary iron and recovery from peritonitis in guinea pigs

Ninety female Hartley guinea pigs underwent gastrostomy placement. One week later they underwent implantation of an osmotic pump, which allowed constant delivery of bacteria into the peritoneal cavity. Three days after pump implantation the animals were begun on enteral diets differing only in iron content (the None [no Fe], Low [1 X RDA], and High [10 X RDA] groups). When survivors were killed no differences were found in body, carcass, or organ weights among the three groups. Serum Fe and percent Fe-binding sites occupied were significantly lower in the None group although total Fe-binding capacity was similar. Mortality was not statistically different (p = 0.29): 18/32 in the None group (56%), 14/24 in the Low group (58%), and 25/34 in the High group (73%). We conclude that although deprivation of dietary sources of Fe does affect available circulating Fe, diet-induced hypoferremia does not alter mortality rates from bacterial peritonitis in the guinea pig.