Studies on the mechanism of non-specific resistance to Brucella induced in mice by vaccination with BCG.

  • 1 January 1962
    • journal article
    • Vol. 5  (1) , 116-28
Abstract
Mice vaccinated with living or killed BCG become resistant to infection with Brucella abortus, as evidenced by a lower bacterial count in the spleen and liver as compared to controls. Some of the observed resistance is attributed to the ability of the treated mice to mobilize quickly a large number of macrophages in the abdominal cavity, since these macrophages could phagocytose and subsequently kill a proportion of the injected bacteria. However, the main antibacterial effect appears to take place in the spleen and liver. These organs contained most of the Brucellae found in the animal at 6 hours after challenge and showed the most significant differences between vaccinated and non-vaccinated animals.