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Source: XDF

Why during sickness should body temperature of warm-blooded animal rise? It has long been known that the level of serum iron in animals falls during infection. Garibaldi first suggested a relationship between fever and iron. He found that microbial synthesis of siderophores -substances that bind iron -- in bacteria of the genus Salmonella declined at environmental temperatures above 37°C and stopped at 40.3°C. Thus, fever would make it more difficult for an infecting bacterium to acquire iron and thus to multiply. Cold-blooded animals were used to test this hypothesis. Kluger reported that of iguanas infected with the potentially lethal bacterium A. hydrophilia, more survived at temperatures of 42°C than at 37°C, even though healthy animals prefer the lower temperature. When animals at 42°C were injected with an iron solution, however, mortality rates increased significantly.

Question List: 1 2

If it were to be determined that similar phenomena occur in warm-blooded animals, which of the following, assuming each is possible, is likely to be the most effective treatment for warm-blooded animals with bacterial infections?

  • A Administering a medication that lowers the animals' body temperature
  • B Injecting the animals with an iron solution
  • C Administering a medication that makes serum iron unavailable to bacteria
  • D Providing the animals with reduced-iron diets
  • E Keeping the animals in an environment with temperatures higher than 37°C

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