Abstract
Biological properties of Myc. lepraemurium have not been completely understood. The presenting paper is to report the fundamental data concerning the effects of chemical treatments on the infectivity of Myc. lepraemurium in order to contribute toward the experimental attempts of cultivation of Myc, leprae which is, at present, an obligate intracellular parasite,
1) Phenol: The infectivity of the bacilli was completely destroyed within 30 min. by treatment of more than 5 per cent phenol.
2) NaCl: Hypertonic salt solution, especially 7% NaCl, destroyed the infectivity of the baci.lli for 3 days at 37°C.
3) SDOC and urea: Protein denaturing agents, such as sodium desoxycholate (SDOC) and urea, had no inactivating effect on the infectivity of Myc. lepraemurium, under the conditions of treatment in the concentration of 0.01% to 1.0% for 60 to 120 min. at 37°C.
4) Organic solvents: Among the organic solvents used, chloroform, ether, toluene and butanol had inactivating effect, but petroleum ether had no destroying effect on the infectivity of the bacilli.
5) Dye: Crystal violet solution in the concentration of 0.1% inactivated the infectivity for 24 hours at 37°C, however, it would be seemed that the solution of 0.00001% crystal violet enhanced the pathogenecity of the bacilli to mice.
