Autotransplantation of splenic tissue after splenectomy in rats offers partial protection against intravenous pneumococcal challenge.

Thirty-six splenectomized Sprague-Dawley rats with omental implants of splenic tissue were challenged with intravenous pneumococci. The mortality rate in this group was compared to 31 similarly challenged splenectomized and 28 normosplenic rats. The results showed that while rats with implanted splenic tissue had a better survival rate (p = 0.04) than splenectomized rats, their survival was poorer than that of rats with normal spleens (p = 0.02) (Fischer's exact test).