Role of the major histocompatibility complex in resistance and granuloma formation in response to Mycobacterium lepraemurium infection.

Resistance to a subcutaneous infection with a moderate dose of Mycobacterium lepraemurium was investigated in C57BL/6 mice and in three congenic strains with the BALB background (BALB/c, BALB/B, and BALB/K). Resistance after 10 weeks of infection was found not to be linked to the major histocompatibility complex. The ability to develop a delayed hypersensitivity response to an ultrasonicate of M. lepraemurium was associated with the background genes, and this ability had no influence on resistance to M. lepraemurium. Granuloma formation at the infection site in the early stages appeared to be linked to the H-2b haplotype. The types of cells involved in the granulomas were also investigated.