Mouse Food-Pad Swelling Reaction by Inoculation of Acid-Fast Bacilli

Abstract

The authors discovered a swelling phenomenon of mouse foot-pad following approximately one week by subcutaneous inoculation of 100616 strain of nonphotochromogen, atypical acid-fast bacilli.
The factors concerning the mouse foot-pad swelling reaction by the acid-fast bacillus inoculation were investigated and the following results were obtained:
1. The mouse food-pad swelling reaction appears about one week after subcutaneous inoculation of such acid-fast bacilli as 100616 (nonphotochromogen), 3717 (Myc. tbc avium) and P-6 (scotochromogen). The swelling grades were independent from the multiplication grades of acid-fast bacilli in this site, pathogenesis of the bacilli for mice, and from types of acid-fast bacilli. Therefore, this swelling reaction seems to be not type specific, but strain specific.
2. The reaction factor of the bacilli which are capable of swelling mouse foot-pad is relatively thermostable and exists in the cell wall fraction.
3. It seems that the mechanism of the reaction is not caused by the delayed type tuberclin allergic charactor, because the swelling grade is not parallel with multiplication of the bacilli in susceptible organs of mouse.