Virulence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis CDC1551 and H37Rv in rabbits evaluated by Lurie's pulmonary tubercle count method

Authors
Bishai, WR Dannenberg, AM Parrish, N Ruiz, R Chen, P Zook, BC Johnson, W Boles, JW Pitt, MLM
Citation
Wr. Bishai et al., Virulence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis CDC1551 and H37Rv in rabbits evaluated by Lurie's pulmonary tubercle count method, INFEC IMMUN, 67(9), 1999, pp. 4931-4934
Citations number
27
Categorie Soggetti
Immunology
Journal title
INFECTION AND IMMUNITY
ISSN journal
00199567 → ACNP
Volume
67
Issue
9
Year of publication
1999
Pages
4931 - 4934
Database
ISI
SICI code
0019-9567(199909)67:9<4931:VOMTCA>2.0.ZU;2-B
Abstract
The virulence of the CDC1551 strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis was compa red to that of H37Rv in a rabbit inhalation model. While rabbits that inhal ed the two strains produced equal numbers of grossly visible primary tuberc les, CDC1551 tubercles were smaller and contained fewer bacilli than H37Rv tubercles. These findings suggest that a miniepidemic near the Kentucky-Ten nessee border caused by CDC1551 was due not to increased virulence but to i ncreased transmissibility.