Susceptibility of Young Mice (Mus musculus) to Leptospira icterohaemorrhagiae

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Abstract
Young white mice (M. musculus) 3 to 4 weeks of age are uniformly susceptible to infection with L. icterohaemorrhagiae. After an incubation period of 3-7 days they develop signs of a generalized infection which is followed by jaundice of varying intensity. Death occurs soon after onset of icterus. Gross lesions consist of hemorrhages of the lungs and subcut. tissues, generalized icterus and liver damage. As mice increase in age, they become more resistant to infection. While 100% of 3-week-old mice succumb to exptl. leptospirosis, there may be only a 30% mortality among 7-week-old animals. Lepto-spirosis is produced by oral, subcut., and intraperit. inoculation of the organisms into mice. Isolation of the organism from wild rats was accomplished by injn. of emulsions of rat kidney into white mice.

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