EFFECTS OF VARIOUS KINDS OF SERUM AND ENZYME ON INFECTIVITY OF MYC. LEPRAEMURIUM IN VITRO

Abstract

There have been no reports regarding the effects of a different kind of serum on the infectious activity of Myc. lepraemurium. To determine the most suitable serum for maintenance of the infectivity of Myc. lepraemurium would be very important for the studies on pure culture and tissue culture of this bacillus. Probably, this bacillus might slowly multiply in tissue culture as well as in the tube containing appropriatemedia with some kind of serum.Uraba and Yoshimura (1) described that Kirchner medium (2) was the most suitable one for maintenance of the infectivity of Myc. lepraemurium. In the previous paper (3), the infectivity of the bacillus was maintained for approximately 60 days at 37°C. in Kirchner medium containing bovine serum.On the other hand, it should be necessary to obtain the data concerning the resistance of the bacillus against various kinds of enzymes, because some enzymes would be available for isolation of the bacilli from infected tissues which might contain some inhibitors for the growth and development of the bacillus. In the previous papers (3, 4), the effect of trypsin on the infectivity of the bacillus was investigated as a tool of purification of the bacillus.This communication describes the effects of various kinds of serum and enzyme on the infectivity of the bacillus for the studies of tissue culture and pure culture of Myc. lepraemurium.