THE DIPHASIC NATURE OF TUBERCULOSIS IN RABBITS AFTER INTRAVENOUS INOCULATION WITH BOVINE TUBERCLE BACILLI

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Abstract
In 109 rabbits inoculated intravenously with bovine tubercle bacilli, strain B-l, correlated studies of mortality rates, blood counts, and pathologic findings showed the disease to resolve itself into 2 distinct phases: The 1st was characterized by diffuse widespread lesions of lungs, lymph glands, spleen, liver and bone marrow; by constant changes in blood cells, and by symmetrical rise and fall in mortality rate, which paralleled the extent of the pathologic findings. This phase was over after 80-90 days. The 2nd or chronic phase followed, and was characterized by regression of lesions in all organs save lungs and kidneys. Blood cell changes were sufficiently constant to offer a good estimate of the activity of the lesions. Blood-cell studies of a group of rabbits before inoculation indicated that those whose total cell counts deviated least from the mode value for the group survived longer than those whose counts deviated significantly.