Maturation of humoral immune response determines the susceptibility of guinea-pigs to leptospirosis.

Baby guinea-pigs were susceptible to infection with Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona, but rapidly became resistant as they matured. Increased resistance with increasing weight of guinea-pigs was correlated with the development of ability to produce agglutinating antibodies to leptospires and with maturation of B-cell dependent (but not T-cell dependent) areas in lymphoid organs. These observations can explain the basis of species-resistance of adult guinea-pigs to infection with serovar pomona.