TABLE 1.
Characterization of M. leprae obtained from experimentally infected armadillos and nude mice
| Origin | Batch (organ) | No. of globia | No. of bacilli/g of tissue | Presence of:
|
PRA fragment size (bp) after digestion withb:
|
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phenolic glycolipid | Tuberculostearate | BstEII | HaeIII | ||||
| Armadillo | AV (leproma)c | +5 | 4.0 × 1010 | + | + | 315/135 | 265/130 |
| Armadillo | AV (liver) | +5 | 9.0 × 1010 | + | + | 315/135 | 265/130 |
| Armadillo | AV (spleen)c | +5 | 7.0 × 1010 | + | + | 315/135 | 265/130 |
| Armadillo | AP(leproma) | +5 | 1.1 × 1011 | + | + | 315/135 | 265/130 |
| Armadillo | AP (liver)c | +2 | 1.6 × 1010 | + | + | 315/135 | 265/130 |
| Armadillo | AP (spleen) | +5 | 4.7 × 1010 | + | + | 315/135 | 265/130 |
| Armadillo | AJ (leproma) | +1 | 7.7 × 109 | + | + | 315/135 | 265/130 |
| Armadillo | AU (spleen)c | +4 | 5.2 × 1010 | + | + | 315/135 | 265/130 |
| Armadillo | A10 (leproma) | +4 | 3.6 × 1011 | + | + | 315/135 | 265/130 |
| Armadillo | A10 (liver) | 0 | 4.0 × 107 | − | − | 315/135 | 265/130 |
| Armadillo | A10 (spleen) | +3 | 2.7 × 1010 | + | + | 315/135 | 265/130 |
| Nude miced | L1 (foot pad)ce | +5 | 3.2 × 1010 | NDf | ND | 315/135 | 265/130 |
| Nude mice | L2 (lymph node) | +1 | 8.7 × 107 | ND | ND | 315/135 | 265/130 |
| Nude mice | L3 (liver) | 0 | 4.7 × 106 | ND | ND | 315/135 | 265/130 |
| Nude mice | L4 (spleen) | 0 | 4.0 × 103 | ND | ND | 315/135 | 265/130 |
The numbers of globi were counted in a smear of 100 mm2 (made with 5 μl of bacterial suspension) on a field of 0.02 mm2.
The values for the PRA fragments are mean values that varied within a range of ±5 bp.
These samples were also used in parallel after being irradiated with 106 rads. Similar PRA results were found for samples containing viable or irradiated organisms.
For nude mice, the infected organs from five animals inoculated with bacilli obtained from a single patient were pooled.
The sample was also run in parallel as a partially purified bacterial preparation that contained significant amounts of host tissues, and PRA results were similar to those obtained for the purified bacterial suspension.
ND, not done.