Gamma interferon is essential for clearing Mycobacterium genavense infection.
Factors determining the in vivo replication of the opportunistic pathogen Mycobacterium genavense are largely unknown. Following intravenous injection of a patient isolate, M. genavense could not be recovered by culture or detected by PCR in the livers or spleens of infected BALB/c mice. In contrast, M. genavense was found to chronically persist and multiply in the livers and spleens of intravenously infected syngeneic gamma-interferon-gene-deficient (GKO) mice as evidenced by acid-fast stains of infected tissues and recovery by both PCR and liquid culture following organ homogenization. In GKO mice, M. genavense elicited a chronic inflammatory response, resulting in marked splenomegaly and extensive lymphadenopathy. Granulomatous lesions in the livers of GKO mice were diffuse, were composed of monocytes, neutrophils, and CD3(+) cells, and were histochemically negative for inducible nitric oxide synthase.
Ehlers
S
S
Division of Molecular Infection Biology, Research Center Borstel, D-23845 Borstel, Germany. sehlers@fz-borstel.de
Richter
E
E
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology; D000818:Animals; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D006099:Granuloma; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D007371:Interferon-gamma