The Relationship between Inoculation with Human Leprous Bacilli in Mice, and Body Temperature

• Published in: Repura Vol. 41; no. 4; pp. 167 - 171
• Main Author: SUSHIDA, KIYO
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: Japan JAPANESE LEPROSY ASSOCIATION 01.10.1972
• Subjects: Animals; Body Temperature; Injections, Subcutaneous; Iodates; Iodine Isotopes; Leprosy - etiology; Male; Mice; Mycobacterium leprae; Sodium; Testis
• ISSN: 0024-1008; 2185-1352
• DOI: 10.5025/hansen1930.41.4_167

Thyroid tissue had become destroyed in mice previously injected with Sodium Iodine (131I) This destruction caused the body temperature to fall, and also lessened the resistance of RES (1, 2). However, uniform results for all the mice were not found. Therefore the amount of decrease in the body temperature and the amount of destruc-tion in the thyroid tissue of the Sodium Iodine injected mice varied among the animals and were not uniform. 131I-doses between 100μc to 300μc administered to each mouse caused the same level of destruction of the thyroid tissue. It was then assumed that we might be able to foretell the lessening of native resistance in these mice injected with 131I, by measuring the body temperature. The body temperature was taken in the anus of the mouse by means of a thermistor probe for mice. These treated mice had also, of course, been injected with the primary human leprous material (LL26, 27, 28, 29 and 30 strains) in the testes. Acid-fast bacilli were proved to be present in stamp-smears made from the testes. The results of the experimental transmission of the leprous bacilli in the mouse and its effect on body temperature, and the results in the control animals (those having no 131I) were compared. The relationship was examined by the x2 test by means of which the results of the inoculation with leprous bacilli and the fall of body temperature in mice were compared (Table 4). Sixty-seven percent of the positive 131I-mice (showing acid-fast bacilli in the testes, +G) showed also lower temperatures. Seventy-seven per-cent of the negative (-) mice showed higher temperature, and in about 90 per-cent of the higher temperature mice acid-fast bacilli were not found. Acid-fast bacilli (+G), however, were not present in any large amount in mice having a lower body temperature.