Host factors influencing outcome of Leishmania mexicana infection in mice

Studies were undertaken to determine the influence of several host-related parameters on the course of Leishmania mexicana mexicana infection in inbred C57B1/10 (C57) and outbred albino (OA) mice. An important influence of the following variables was demonstrated: Host strain: lesions in C57s were significantly less variable in size and outcome than those of OAs under the conditions studied and even when persistent developed at a slower rate. Host age: Subcutanous injection of 2 x 10 [raised to the power of 4] to 2 x 10 [raised to the power of 6] amastigotes into the dorsum of the rear paw produced significantly larger lesions which healed more slowly in 2 mo. old C57s than in 4 mo. old mice. Reduced healing ability was observed in older (8 mo. old) female C57s, and low mortality occurred after 15 months of age in infected mice of both sexes. Lesion site: Following amastigote infection, lesions in paws of most C57s regress within 15 - 25 wks. In contrast, perinasal legions produced with the same number of parasites tend to persist for the life of the animal as slowly spreading irregular nodules. In animals infected in both locations, each lesion site behaves similarly to that in singly infected animals of the same age, i.e. regression in the two sites is independent. Our results indicate that while host strain may strongly influence infection outcoem, such variables as lesion site and host age play important roles and may explain, in part, reported inter- and intraexperimental variability in responses of murine hosts to a given leishmanial parasite. Estudando a influência de alguns parâmetros relacionados ocm o hospedeiro no curso da infecção com Leishmania mexicana mexicana em camundongos singênicos C57B1/10 (C57) e não singênicos albinos (OA) demonstramos o papel importante das variáveis enumeradas a seguir: Cepa do hospedeiro: o desenvolvimento e tamanho das lesões variaram significativamente menos nos camundongos C57 do que nos OA. Idade do hospedeiro: inóculos subcutâneos de 2 x 10 [elevado a 4] a 2 x 10 [elevado a 6] amastigotas no dorso da pata trasiera produziram lesões significativamente maiores e que regrediram mais lentamente nos camundongos C57 de 2 meses de idade do que nos de 4 meses. Enquanto uma redução da capacidade de curar lesões foi também observada nas fêmeas C57 mais idosas (8 meses), uma mortalidade baixa ocorreu nos animais infectados de 15 meses de idade, de ambos os sexos. Local da lesão: as lesões de pata de C57 infectados com am