Premium
INFECTION OF ARVICOLA TERRESTRIS (VOLE RAT) WITH M. TUBERCULOSIS AND M. BOVIS
Author(s) -
Jespersen Andr.
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
acta pathologica microbiologica scandinavica section b microbiology and immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.909
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1600-0463
pISSN - 0365-5563
DOI - 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1974.tb00234.x
Subject(s) - spleen , bacilli , lymph , tuberculosis , biology , tubercle , vole , microbiology and biotechnology , mycobacterium bovis , subcutaneous injection , intraperitoneal injection , bacteria , virulence , immunology , pathology , medicine , mycobacterium tuberculosis , endocrinology , population , biochemistry , genetics , environmental health , gene
Arvicola terrestris (vole rats), which belong to the vole family, have not been used previously for infection experiments with tubercle bacilli. In the present study the susceptibility of these animals to M. tuberculosis and M. bovis has been examined by intraperitoneal, subcutaneous and intravenous injection of varying doses of finely dispersed bacterial suspensions. Characteristic for the infection with M. bovis is a strong multiplication of the bacteria and the development of macroscopically visible caseous processes in liver, spleen and lungs, and in the enlarged lymph glands. The organs—in particular spleen, lungs and lymph glands—contain enormous numbers of tubercle bacilli. Doses as small as a few viable units are able to induce lethal infection. In contrast, the virulence of M. tuberculosis is slight. The bacteria multiply sparsely and cause insignificant macroscopical changes in the organs. The course is markedly chronic unless use is made of giant doses administered intravenously. The susceptibility of vole rats to the two bacterial species resembles that of rabbits, and thus these animals can be used for differentiation purposes.