Studies of antigenic variants of leptospira isolated from experimentally infected mice.
Antigenic variants were isolated from mice inoculated with a virulent strain of Leptospira interrogans serotype copenhageni by cultivating the kidney cortex in the liquid or the solidified serum media containing the immune serum against the parent strain. The variants, which were isolated from the mice from 7 to 113 days after infection, were found to be antigenically different from the parent by the agglutinin-absorption test, precipitin-absorption test in gel and guinea pig protection test. The variants were antigenically stable and different from the 18 serotypes of the Icterohaemorrhagiae serogroup. The significance of antigenic variants of leptospira which appear in vivo is discussed.
D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D007668:Kidney / Q000276:immunology; D007919:Leptospira / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D051379:Mice
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial