Cellular immune response to Mycobacterium bovis (BCG) in genetically-susceptible and resistant congenic mouse strains.

Congenic Begr (C.D2. resistant) and Be` (BALB/c. susceptible) mice were infected intravenously with Mycobacterium bovis (BCG. strain Montreal) in order to establish the relationship between different indicators of the cell-mediated imminé response and the bacterial load attained in the host. There was a correlation between the bacterial burden and the splenomegaly response, granuloma formation in the liver and cross-protection against an heterologous pathogen (Listeria monocytogenes) in Begr and Bcgs mice. No relationship was found between bacterial load or granuloma formation and the development of specific acquired protection against an homologous organism (BCG or M. tuberculosis. H37Rv) as assessed by the level of resistance attained in BCG-primed mice challenged with virulent H37Rv or by the adoptive immunity conferred by BCG-primed spleen cells transferred to naive irradiated recipients challenged with BCG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]