EFFECT OF PRETREATMENT WITH BACILLUS CALMETTE-GUERIN ON COURSE OF A LISTERIA-MONOCYTOGENES INFECTION IN NORMAL AND CONGENITALLY ATHYMIC (NUDE) MICE

  • 1 January 1976
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 57  (3) , 310-315
Abstract
The effect of pretreatment with BCG on the course of a L. monocytogenes infection was studied in nu/nu mice and in their heterozygous littermates (+/nu). The nu/nu mice used apparently lacked functional T [thymus derived] cells, since BCG treatment resulted only in skin reactivity to tuberculin in +/nu mice and not in nu/nu mice. Acquired resistance to Listeria (based on lower spleen counts) was only obtained in BCG pretreated +/nu mice. BCG pretreatment in nu/nu mice failed to increase non-specific resistance in terms of spleen counts and survival rate. Functional T cells are apparently required for this type of non-specific resistance to heterologous antigens. Attention is drawn to the possible implication of BCG treatment in man.