SUPPRESSED ANTIBODY AND INTERLEUKIN-6 RESPONSES TO ACUTE PYELONEPHRITIS IN PREGNANCY

This study examined the effect of pregnancy on the host response to ac ute pyelonephritis. Urine and serum samples were obtained at the time of diagnosis and after two weeks, from nonpregnant and pregnant women with acute pyelonephritis. The samples were analyzed for interleukin-6 (IL-6) and specific antibody activity to antigens extracted from the Escherichia coli strain infecting each patient. The host response to i nfection was further quantitated as fever, C-reactive protein, and ren al concentrating capacity. Acute pyelonephritis in non-pregnant and pr egnant women was accompanied by a significant serum and urine antibody response. The serum antibody response was significantly lower in the pregnant group. The IL-6 levels in serum and urine at diagnosis were s ignificantly higher in the non-pregnant compared to the pregnant women . These results demonstrate that the immunosuppression of pregnancy in cludes the mucosal IL-6 and specific antibody responses to acute pyelo nephritis caused by E. coli.