Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-mkpzs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T16:29:26.699Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The interplay of host and organism factors in infection of the mouse genital tract by Mycoplasma pulmonis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 October 2009

D. Taylor-Robinson
Affiliation:
Division of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, MRC Clinical Research Centre, Watford Road, Harrow, Middlesex HA1 3UJ
Patricia M. Furr
Affiliation:
Division of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, MRC Clinical Research Centre, Watford Road, Harrow, Middlesex HA1 3UJ
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Mice of strain TO, in groups of ten, were inoculated intravaginally with Mycoplasma pulmonis organisms. Seven mice became infected after inoculation of organisms with strong haemadsorptive capacity, four after inoculation of organisms with diminished adsorptive capacity following ten passes in medium, and none after inoculation of apparently non-adsorbing organisms which had been passed 50 times. There appeared to be a correlation, therefore, between the ability to infect and the cytadsorptive capacity of the organisms. There was only a minimal vaginal polymorphonuclear leucocyte (PMNL) response in the infected mice and most of them had ceased to be infected by 35–42 days. In contrast, mice treated with progesterone had enhanced infections; all those given strongly haemadsorbing organisms, and organisms passed ten times, became infected and remained so for at least 42 days. Furthermore, at least ten fold more organisms were recovered from progesterone-treated than from untreated mice, and the PMNL response was much greater. Most of the progesterone-treated mice given organisms passed 50 times did not become infected, but some did, and the organisms recovered from them were fully cytadsorptive. It is postulated that a few cytadsorbing organisms in this inoculum were induced to infect under the enhancing effect of progesterone.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1985

References

REFERENCES

Furr, P. M. & Taylor-Robinson, D. (1984). Enhancement of experimental Mycoplasma pulmonis infection of the mouse genital tract by progesterone treatment. Journal of Hyqiene 92, 139144.Google ScholarPubMed
Manchee, R. J. & Taylor-Robinson, D. (1968). Haemadsorption and haemagglutination by mycoplasmas. Journal of General Microbiology 50, 465478.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Taylor-Robinson, D., Furr, P. M., Davies, H. A., Manchee, R. J., Mouches, C. & Bove, J. M. (1981). Mycoplasmal adherence with particular reference to the pathogenicity of Mycoplasma pulmonis. Israel Journal of Medical Sciences 17, 599603.Google Scholar
Tuffrey, M. & Taylor-Robinson, D. (1981). Progesterone as a key factor in the development of a mouse model for genital-tract infection with Chlamydia trachomatis. FEMS Microbiology Letters 12, 111115.CrossRefGoogle Scholar