Differences in susceptibility to infection with Treponema pallidum (Nichols) between five strains of guinea pig.

Abstract

Groups of 10 young male guinea pigs of inbred strains 2 and 13 and outbred strains Hartley A, Hartley B, and one deficient in the fourth component of complement (C4D) were infected intradermally with 80 X 10(6) Treponema pallidum (Nichols). The course of infection and production of antitreponemal antibody were examined. Strain C4D guinea pigs were the most susceptible to infection (100%); inbred strains 2 and 13 and outbred strain Hartley B showed 80-90% symptomatic infection; and the Hartley A strain was the least susceptible to infection (10%). Strain 13 animals responded with the highest antitreponemal antibody activity, and the Hartley A strain with the lowest. The results suggest that genetic factors or complement, or both, may influence the degree of susceptibility to infection with T pallidum in guinea pigs.

Neuropathogenesis of Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection: Disease Mechanisms and Prospects for Intervention

“…As reviewed above, the guinea pig placenta is hemomonochorial, containing a single trophoblast layer separating maternal and fetal circulations, a feature that is histologically very similar to the human placenta (127,150). This feature of the guinea pig has enabled the exploration of the pathogenesis of a number of clinically important transplacentally acquired infections, including syphilis (282) and listeriosis (18,19).…”

Factors Affecting the Clinical Course of <i>Treponema pallidum </i>Infection in Guinea Pigs

“…The benefit of the guinea pig model, how ever, cannot fully be realized until optimal experi mental conditions for reproducible symptomatic manifestations of the disease are established. We have recently reported genetic variations in susceptibility of guinea pigs to T. pallidum infection [25], Here we present evidence of the modulating effects of age, sex and site of infection on the development of syphilitic lesions in inbred strain 2 guinea pigs.…”

“…Guinea pigs of inbred strain 2 used in this study were the same as previously reported [25]. Male and female guinea pigs were divided into 8 groups consist ing of 8-10 animals each according to sex and age (1, 2, 3-5 and 10-20 months old).…”

“…19,24] and to the concept that this host offers no advantages as a model for studies of syphilis. It has recently been shown that the guinea pig is a suitable alternative model for studies of the immunopathology of syphilis [18,19,25]. The benefit of the guinea pig model, how ever, cannot fully be realized until optimal experi mental conditions for reproducible symptomatic manifestations of the disease are established.…”

“…Infection: T. pallidum (Nichols) was extracted with phosphate-buffered saline from testes of infected Nys:(FG) rabbits at the peak of orchitis as reported elsewhere [25]. Seventy guinea pigs were depilated in the pubic area and on one hind leg and infected intradermally under light anesthesia (Ketaset; Bristol Laboratories, Syracuse, N.Y., USA) with 5x 107 or ganisms at each site.…”