Granulocyte transfusions in recovery of neutropenic rats from induced E. coli toxicemia.

Rats made transiently neutropenic by intra-arterial administration of vinblastine (3 mg/kg) and infected with E. coli (6.02+/-0.45 X 10(8), per animal) have a mortality rate of 90% within 48 h post infection. Multiple transfusions of large numbers of granulocytes (harvested from Deca-Durabolin treated donor rats) protected the neutropenic animals from sepsis. Out of a group of 11 rats, 10 recovered completely after repeated granulocyte transfusions.