RESPONSIVENESS OF SUSCEPTIBLE INBRED MICE TO YERSINIA-PSEUDOTUBERCULOSIS SEROVAR-III INFECTION

The susceptibility of BALB/c, C57BL and BDF1-hybrid mouse strains to Y ersinia pseudotuberculosis serovar III infection was studied. The bact erial load in the viscera and brain and the host responses at differen t levels, i.e. blood, peritoneal cavity and organs were determined. Bl ood cell parameters and peritoneal exudate cell population were evalua ted during the infection using the automated hematologic analyzer Tech nicon H-l. It was found that BDF1-hybrid mice produced an early perito neal inflammatory response, while in BALB/c and C57BL mice it was not observed. The high susceptibility of C57BL was associated with a great number of microorganisms in the organs and with the corresponding his tological changes. It was shown that the magnitude of the inflammation induced by Y. pseudotuberculosis varied among the host strains used. The variations of the susceptibility to Y. pseudotuberculosis among in bred mouse strains suggest the possible role of genetic factors regula ting the host defence.