Comparative study of the virulence of two Leishmania donovani isolates of different origin.
The virulence of two isolates of Leishmania donovani (LMU-6 isolated from a human case in Ethiopia and LMU-16 isolated from an asymptomatic dog in the south-east of Spain) in BALB/c and C57Bl/6 mice and in hamsters was observed over a period of 14 weeks. Regular measurements of the liver parasite burdens and observations of external signs of infection were made, and the humoral and delayed type hypersensitivity responses were tested. No major differences were observed in the infection patterns produced by the two isolates in mice, except for a slightly stronger humoral and lower delayed type hypersensitivity response detected in C57Bl/6 mice infected with LMU-16. However, LMU-16 showed a higher virulence in hamsters than did LMU-6.
Segovia
M
M
Martin-Luengo
F
F
D000818:Animals; D006224:Cricetinae; D004285:Dogs; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology; D007893:Leishmania donovani / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000276:immunology; D008099:Liver / Q000469:parasitology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D014774:Virulence