title: Chronic zinc deficiency and listeriosis in rats: acquired cellular resistance and response to vaccination.
abstract: The functional significance of zinc deficiency on primary and secondary host responses to infection with a facultative intracellular pathogen was studied in specific pathogen free rats. Groups of female rats fed either a low zinc or normal diet for 8 or 10 weeks were infected with Listeria monocytogenes five days prior to sacrifice. Zinc-deficient rats demonstrated thymic atrophy, reduced delayed hypersensitivity responses to listeria antigen, and impaired lymphocyte response of spleen cells to phytohemagglutinin, but not to Concanavalin A. Separate groups of zinc-deficient or control rats were vaccinated with viable L. monocytogenes 10 days prior to respiratory challenge. Vaccination resulted in successful control of bacteria in both dietary groups.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004261:DNA Replication; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes; D008088:Listeriosis / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014611:Vaccination; D015032:Zinc / Q000172:deficiency*
chemical_list: D015032:Zinc