Chronic malarial infection in Balb/C mice. Effect on the immune response to sheep erythrocytes and histological changes in the liver and spleen.

Chronic malarial infection was established in Balb/c mice by following Plasmodium berghei yoelii with P.b. berghei infection. It was found that the IgG plaque-forming cell response to sheep erythrocytes was depressed for at least six months. A preliminary investigation of the histological changes in the spleen and liver is described. The possibility that chronically infected mice could serve as a model for the tropical splenomegaly syndrome is discussed.