Immune Responses to Rickettsia akari Infection in Congenitally Athymic Nude Mice
Abstract
Athymic BALB/c nude mice and euthymic BALB/c mice were infected with Rickettsia akari by the intraperitoneal route. The rickettsialpox infection was terminated in euthymic mice with only two intraperitoneal injections of the antibiotic oxytetracycline, whereas prolonged treatment was necessary to terminate the infection in athymic mice. Both athymic and euthymic mice produced specific antibody, but athymic mice were still susceptible to reinfection. Killed R. akari served as a protective immunogen in euthymic, but not in athymic, mice. When spleen cells from convalescent euthymic mice were transfered to syngeneic athymic mic, recipients showed protection against challenge. This suggests that a T-cell-dependent step is generally necessary to terminate the rickettsialpox infection.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1980
- Accession Number
- ADA090916
Entities
People
- Carl E. Pedersen Jr.
- Richard H. Kenyon
Organizations
- United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases