The experimental inoculation with Mycobacterium leprae in autoimmune mice: results of MRL/lpr mice inoculated into the right hind foot (continued).

Using MRL/lpr, NOD and Crj:CD-1 (ICR) mice, inoculations of M. leprae were made into the right hind foot at a dose of 5.8 x 10(6) bacilli per foot in order to study the influence of the immunobiological characteristics of their mice on the growth of M. leprae. To summarize of the results, MRL/lpr mice showed the high susceptibility to M. leprae, while that of NOD mice were poor. In conclusion, the immunobiological characteristics of MRL/lpr, autoimmune mice bearing lpr gene had effect on the multiplication of M. leprae, this mouse is a suitable multibacillary model for the study of leprosy.