Chitin assay used to demonstrate renal localization and cortisone-enhanced growth of Aspergillus fumigatus mycelium in mice.
Aspergillus fumigatus mycelium in untreated mice (N-mice) and cortisone acetate-treated mice (C-mice) has been quantified by chemical assay of fungal chitin. Cortisone pretreatment rendered mice more susceptible to infection by A. fumigatus (mean lethal dose at 20 days, congruent to 10(6) for N-mice; less than 10(4) for C-mice). In both N- and C-mice there was renal localization of mycelial infection at conidial doses less than the mean lethal dose. At a conidial dose greater than the mean lethal dose, mycelial infection was found in the kidneys and brain of N-mice and in the kidneys, liver, and heart of C-mice. Chitin assay results showed that A. fumigatus mycelium grew more rapidly in C-mice. It is suggested that the resistance of N-mice to mycelial development may be an important mechanism whereby natural resistance to A. fumigatus is conferred.
D000818:Animals; D001232:Aspergillus fumigatus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D001921:Brain / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D002686:Chitin / Q000032:analysis*; D003348:Cortisone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006321:Heart / Q000382:microbiology; D007668:Kidney / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology
D002686:Chitin; D003348:Cortisone