Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-94fs2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T14:43:50.219Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The intracerebral infection of mice with Bordetella pertussis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

Jean M. Dolby
Affiliation:
The Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine, Elstree, Hertfordshire
A. F. B. Standfast
Affiliation:
The Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine, Elstree, Hertfordshire
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

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.

The growth of virulent strains of Bordetella pertussis in the brains of mice was studied by carrying out viable counts on mice killed at various times during the infection. The results suggested that this system conformed to the general model which postulates that the organisms causing death multiply in vivo at a rate which is constant for all doses and that death is certain to occur when the number of organisms reaches a certain constant figure.

Perhaps the most important factor in this route of infection is the lodgement of the parasite in the host, for if this is accomplished a single organism grows until the lethal level is reached. There is no sublethal infection.

In actively and passively protected mice, the growth of the organism is approximately the same as in unprotected controls for the first 4–5 days. At this time there is a striking change in protected animals and the viable count falls rapidly and progressively and the animals survive. At the same time the blood-brain barrier becomes permeable and circulating antibodies diffuse into the brain. In vitro, specific antisera plus complement are highly bactericidal.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1961

References

REFERENCES

Andersen, E. K. (1957). Demonstration of promunity in the early immunity of Pertussis vaccinated mice. Acta path. microbiol. scand. 40, 227.Google Scholar
Berenbaum, M. C., Ungar, J. & Stevens, W. K. (1960). Intracranial infection of mice with Bordetella pertussis. J. gen. Microbiol. 22, 313.Google Scholar
Blyth, W. A. (1955). The effects of immunity on the intracerebral infection of mice with Haemophilus pertussis. Thesis, Victoria University of Manchester.Google Scholar
Burnet, F. M. & Timmins, C. (1937). Experimental infection with Haemophilus pertussis in the mouse by intranasal inoculation. Brit. J. exp. Path. 18, 83.Google Scholar
Cairns, H. J. F. (1950). Intracerebral inoculation of mice. Fate of the inoculum. Nature, Lond., 166, 910.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dolby, J. M. (1958). The separation of the histamine-sensitizing factor from the protective antigens of Bordetella pertussis. Immunology, 1, 144.Google ScholarPubMed
Dolby, J. M. & Standfast, A. F. B. (1958). A comparison of passive protection tests against intranasal and intracerebral challenges with Bordertella pertussis. Immunology, 1, 144.Google ScholarPubMed
Dolby, J. M., Thow, D. C. W. & Standfast, A. F. B. (1961). The intranasal infection of mice with Bordetella pertussis. J. Hyg., Camb. 59, 191.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Holt, L. E., Spasojevic, V., Dolby, J. M. & Standfast, A. F. B. (1961). Immunity in mice to intracerebral challenge using Bordetella pertussis. J. Hyg., Camb. (in the Press).Google Scholar
Hughes, D. E. (1951). A press for disrupting bacteria and other micro-organisms. Brit. J. exp. Path. 32, 97.Google ScholarPubMed
Kendrick, P. L., Eldering, G., Dixon, M. K. & Misner, J. (1947). Mouse protection tests in the study of pertussis vaccine. Amer. J. publ. Hlth, 37, 803.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Miles, A. A. & Misra, S. S. (1938). The estimation of the bactericidal power of the blood. J. Hyg., Camb. 38, 732.Google Scholar
Mims, C. A. (1960). Intracerebral injections and the growth of viruses in the mouse brain. Brit. J. exp. Path. 41, 52.Google Scholar
Norton, J. F. & Dingle, J. H. (1935). Virulence tests for typhoid bacilli and antibody relationships in antityphoid sera. Amer. J. publ. Hlth, 25, 609.Google Scholar
Pittman, M. (1956). Bacteriology—Pertussis and pertussis vaccine control. J. Wash. Acad. Sci. 46, 234.Google Scholar
Standfast, A. F. B. (1958). The comparison between field trials and mouse protection tests against intranasal and intracerebral challenges with Bordetella pertussis. Immunology, 1, 135.Google ScholarPubMed
U.S., N.I.H. (1948). Minimum Requirements. Pertussis Vaccine. National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md., U.S.A.Google Scholar