人癩菌をマウス精巣に接種して分離された抗酸菌の研究(第1報)

Abstract

There is no doubt that many attempts to transmit human leprosy to rabbits have been made by intratesticular inoculation. We found that the epididymis was often intensely attacked when atypical mycobacteria were inoculated into the testicle of rabbits. From this fact, it was thought, that inoculation with human leprous material into the epididymis of rabbits, might serve as a suitable site for the inoculation. Accordingly, the investigation was carried out with the object of ascertaining if the rabbits were susceptible to human leprosy when inoculated into the epididymis of the rabbits. After repeated tests its showed that rabbits were not susceptible to human leprosy after the third generation. At the same time the same material was also inoculated into the testicle and extratesticle of mice. In this report the results of the experiments injected into the mice are stated. The human leprous material (LL2) was injected into the testis of mice. One of the ten mice lived for one year and more, but, 14 months after the inoculation, this mouse died showing marked evidence of infection; in direct smears and sections of liver, spleen and lung, abundant acid-fast bacilli and globi were found. The acid-fast bacilli were transmitted from mouse to mouse and all cultures proved sterile. It is inferred that the lesion may be mice leprosy. There is convincing evidence of an immunologic relationship between M. Leprae and M, tuberculosis. According to the method of preparing Mitsuda antigen, antigen of LL2 in mouse and murine leprosy were made. And then 0.1ml, of the "Old Tuberculin", Mitsuda antigen, LL2 in mouse and murine leprosy (Hawaii) antigen, were injected at the two sites intracutaneously in two parallel rows along the backs of guinea pigs sensitized with the tubercle bacillus. After that the animals were observed for four weeks, and the skin reactions for each group were averaged. From the results ; it is inferred that both LL2 in mouse and murine leprosy are identical.