Attempts to infect T lymphocyte-deficient mice with Babesia species of cattle.
Nu/nu, nu/+, splenectomised nu/nu and Lasat mice were inoculated with freshly collected bovine blood infected with Babesia divergens and B major. There was no evidence that either parasite became established in mice but B divergens persisted in mice up to 10 days whereas B major lasted only one day. B divergens infection generally persisted longer in splenectomised mice but absence of thymus made no apparent difference to persistence of infection. B divergens underwent morphological changes in mice to vacuolated and ring forms.
D000818:Animals; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000209:etiology*; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D013156:Splenectomy; D013601:T-Lymphocytes