Differences in susceptibility to infection with Treponema pallidum (Nichols) between five strains of guinea pig.
Groups of 10 young male guinea pigs of inbred strains 2 and 13 and outbred strains Hartley A, Hartley B, and one deficient in the fourth component of complement (C4D) were infected intradermally with 80 X 10(6) Treponema pallidum (Nichols). The course of infection and production of antitreponemal antibody were examined. Strain C4D guinea pigs were the most susceptible to infection (100%); inbred strains 2 and 13 and outbred strain Hartley B showed 80-90% symptomatic infection; and the Hartley A strain was the least susceptible to infection (10%). Strain 13 animals responded with the highest antitreponemal antibody activity, and the Hartley A strain with the lowest. The results suggest that genetic factors or complement, or both, may influence the degree of susceptibility to infection with T pallidum in guinea pigs.
D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D002308:Cardiolipins / Q000276:immunology; D003181:Complement C4 / Q000172:deficiency; D015935:Complement C4b; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008297:Male; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000172:deficiency; D013045:Species Specificity; D013587:Syphilis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D014210:Treponema pallidum / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D002308:Cardiolipins; D003181:Complement C4; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D015935:Complement C4b; C032261:complement C4d