Water-fed septic mice had significantly higher lung MPO activity than water-fed sham mice (A, p<0.0001), and alcohol-fed septic mice had significantly higher lung MPO activity than alcohol-fed sham mice (A, p=0.0002). However, there was no difference in lung MPO activity between alcohol-fed septic mice and water-fed septic mice (A, p=0.77, n=5-8/group). Representative histomicrographs are shown, magnification 100× (B). BAL cultures had similar amounts of bacterial detectable between water-fed septic mice and alcohol-fed septic mice (C, p=0.19, n=5-6/group). Blood cultures were sterile in sham animals, regardless of whether they drank alcohol. Systemic bacterial burden was similar between alcohol-fed septic mice and water-fed septic mice (D, p>0.99, n=6-10/group).