Increased Susceptibility of Mice with Brucellosis to Bacterial Endotoxins

Infection with Brucella melitensis or Brucella abortus strain 19 increases the susceptibility of ABC mice to the lethality of brucella endotoxin. Mice infected with B. melitensis die within 8–48 hr after challenge with brucella endotoxin. This susceptibility is maximal between 2 and 4 weeks and persists for at least 8–12 weeks. The degree of susceptibility to brucella endotoxin has no correlation with quantitative spleen cultures in brucella-infected mice. Mice infected with B. melitensis are also more susceptible to the lethality of typhoid and coli endotoxins.