Abstract
The effects were studied of serum iron binding capacity and iron overload on susceptibility to aspergillosis produced in leukemic mice.
All leukemic mice died of aspergillosis and demonstrated significantly decreased levels of unbound iron binding capacity; however, both serum iron and iron saturation were significantly increased, as compared with those of normal control. In addition, the group with iron administration died earlier than that without iron and Aspergillus involved more organs with markedly increased serum iron.
These results indicate that the deranged iron status in leukemia brings about a favorable milieu for the growth of fungus, and that the inevitable blood transfusion for leukemic patients carries with it a great vulnerability to Aspergillus infection.
