title: The effect of body temperature and cell-mediated immunity on the growth of Mycobacterium marinum and Mycobacterium leprae in mice.
abstract: Evidence is presented that the high susceptibility of armadillos to infection with Mycobacterium leprae cannot be explained solely in terms of body temperature because mutant mice maintained with a body temperature similar to that of armadillos do not become heavily infected with M. leprae. The depression of cell-mediated immunity accompanying the low body temperature is not sufficient to produce an overwhelming infection. The results obtained with M. marinum suggest that whereas lack of cell-mediated immunity or a low body temperature result in a moderately enhanced infection in the mouse a combination of both of these factors is required to produce an overwhelming infection involving the internal organs.
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000382:microbiology; D000818:Animals; D001831:Body Temperature; D004423:Ear / Q000382:microbiology; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008819:Mice, Nude; D008820:Mice, Obese; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000254:growth & development*; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000254:growth & development*; D009170:Nontuberculous Mycobacteria / Q000254:growth & development*; D013154:Spleen / Q000382:microbiology