Dietary fatty acids modulate host bacteriocidal response, microbial translocation and survival following blood transfusion and thermal injury

The effect of dietary lipids on bacterial translocation, killing of translocated organisms and host survival was studied in a burned animal model. Balb/c mice were fed with one of the three experimental AlN-76A diets (containing 15% of energy from fish oil, safflower oil or a 50:50 mixture), AlN-76A without added lipids or a nonpurified stock diet. All animals were transfused on day 10. On day 15, the animals were gavaged with 10(10) C-14 radiolabelled Escherichia coli and given a 20% burn injury. Survival was 84% in the fish oil group versus 36% in the safflower oil and 50:50 diet groups, and 25% and 20% in the two control groups (P < 0.0001). The numbers of viable translocating bacteria were reduced in all tested organs in the fish oil groups compared to the other groups. It is concluded that a diet enriched in fish oil has beneficial effects during gut-derived sepsis.