A lack of correlation between antigen-specific cellular reactions and resistance to Mycobacterium lepraemurium infection in mice

Following infection subcutaneously in the footpad with 10(7) Mycobacterium lepraemurium organisms C57BL mice were able to limit multiplication of organisms at the infection site for the 6 months studied and to limit organism spread to the draining lymph node. Large numbers of organisms were present in the footpad and draining lymph node of BALB/c mice at 6 months. In spite of this difference in local immunity the changes in cellular reactivity to specific antigen as assessed by the delayed footpad response and the in vitro proliferative response of draining lymph node cells were similar in the two strains over the time studied.