ABSTRACT
In a trial to find out the effect of infection on glucose homeostasis, fasting and postprandial blood glucose, serum insulin and plasma glucagon were estimated using an anzymatic method and a sensitive RIA respectively in 25 subjects. They were classified into 10 healthy control subjects and 15 non-diabetic patients suffering of acute infection. Patients in acute stage of infection had a statistically significant [P < 0.01] high mean value of postprandial blood glucose, fasting and postprandial serum insulin, plasma glucagon, blood Glucose/Insulin ratio and Insulin/Glucagon ratio compared to controls and patients in recovery stage, whereas a non significant difference was observed between the various studied groups as regards to fasting blood glucose. Patients in recovery stage had a significant [P < 0.01] high mean value of fasting and postprandial serum insulin compared to the controls while fasting and postprandial blood glucose and plasma glucagon showed a non significant difference compared to the controls so, we concluded that acute infections are almost always associated with a decrease in glucose tolerance and insulin resitance together with hyperglucagonemia and this insulin resistance was corrected after a long duration of recovery