The effect of BCG on experimental cutaneous leishmaniasis in mice.
The effect of administration of live Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG), a nonspecific immunostimulant, on the course of experimental cutaneous leishmaniasis in mice was investigated. BALB/c mice were injected in the footpad with Leishmania tropica, NIH S-strain; in mice that were not pretreated with BCG this produced a reproducible fatal infection characterized by local inflammation, regional lymphadenopathy, and dissemination of parasites with hepatosplenomegaly. In mice that were pretreated with BCG and similarly infected with L. tropica there was a reduction in the severity of cutaneous disease and a significant (p less than 0.005) decrease in mortality without evidence of visceralization.
D000818:Animals; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot / Q000276:immunology; D007891:Leishmania; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000209:etiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C
D001500:BCG Vaccine