PHAGOCYTOSIS OF COXIELLA-BURNETI BY MACROPHAGES

  • 1 January 1975
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 19  (5) , 426-431
Abstract
Live or killed purified phase I and phase II C. burnetii organisms were phagocytized to a similar extent by mouse or guinea pig peritoneal macrophages and polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN); phase II was much more susceptible to phagocytosis than phase I. Phagocytosis of phase I was enhanced only by immune sera containing phase I antibodies. Increased in vivo phagocytosis of phase I organisms by macrophages from animals immunized with live phase I C. burnetii was lost following their in vitro cultivation and washing.