title: INFECTION OF WHITE SWISS MICE WITH AIRBORNE CRYPTOCOCCUS NEOFORMANS.
abstract: Smith, C. D. (Communicable Disease Center, Kansas City, Kansas), R. Ritter, H. W. Larsh, and M. L. Furcolow. Infection of white Swiss mice with airborne Cryptococcus neoformans. J. Bacteriol. 87:1364-1368. 1964.-A group of 39 white Swiss male mice were allowed to run 3 days on previously sterilized soil that had been seeded with Cryptococcus neoformans 1 year previously. It was determined that the soil contained an average of 1.6 x 10(6) viable yeast cells per ml. The mice were observed for 24 weeks, at which time the survivors were necropsied. The total mortality rate during this period was 44%; 67% of the mice had positive cultures, including all who had a fatal infection. Two additional experiments were done with the same strain with the use of aerosols produced by a Henderson apparatus. In experiment 1, 39 mice received 11,000 viable cells each; in experiment 2, 40 mice received 14,622 viable cells. Both groups of mice showed similar mortality rates, with a total of 77% dead after 20 weeks in experiment 1, and 80% in experiment 2. All of the mice in experiment 1 had positive cultures, as did 95% of the mice in experiment 2.
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols; D000391:Air Microbiology; D000818:Animals; D003453:Cryptococcosis; D003454:Cryptococcus; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D012106:Research; D012988:Soil Microbiology
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols
keywords: AIR MICROBIOLOGY; CRYPTOCOCCOSIS; EXPERIMENTAL LAB STUDY; MICE; SOIL MICROBIOLOGY