THE USE OF MICE FOR VACCINATION STUDIES OF LEPTOSPIROSIS

Mice were used as experimental animals for the vaccination study of Leptospira autumnalis infection, basing on the previous information of growth of the leptospirae in each mouse body. No leptospiremia and no renal localization of the leptospirae were detectable in the mice administered with a phenol vaccine and challenged with the homologous organisms. In the control mice, however, leptospirae organisms were detected in the blood and kidneys. From the findings obtained in the present study, it was concluded that mice were, like other laboratory animals, useful for vaccination study of leptospirosis. The usefulness of the orbital bleeding technic in such an experiment was discussed.