Variations in the Plasma Cholesterol and Cholesterol Ester Content in Hog Cholera

1. The plasma cholesterol and cholesterol ester content of swine, experimentally infected with hog cholera, exhibit a regular succession of changes. During the period of incubation of the disease, for 3 or more days following inoculation with hog cholera virus, hypocholesterolemia prevails. This is followed by a period of hypercholesterolemia which is coincident with the onset of the clinical manifestations of the disease. The hypercholesterolemia after persisting for from 4 to 7 days, gives way to a second period of hypocholesterolemia more marked and more prolonged than that observed immediately after inoculation. In the experiments of the present work this second period lasted 8 and 11 days in the 2 animals surviving long enough for the study of it and was followed by a second period of hypercholesterolemia. In the one animal surviving this period for 8 days a third period of irregular and fluctuating hypocholesterolemia set in. 2. A comparison with the results in other acute infections indicates that hog cholera is unique in showing alternating periods of hypocholesterolemia and hypercholesterolemia. 3. A normal hog inoculated with Bacillus suisepticus rapidly developed the typical marked hypocholesterolemia whereas an animal infected with hog cholera and then inoculated with B. suisepticus failed to show the decrease in plasma cholesterol content.