The Journal of Medical Microbiology, Vol 19, Issue 1 77-84, Copyright © 1985 by Society for General Microbiology
Susceptibility of Mycobacterium leprae to the bactericidal activity of mouse peritoneal macrophages and to hydrogen peroxide
A. K. Sharp, M. J. Colston and D. K. Banerjee
Macrophages from athymic nude mice were infected in vitro with
Mycobacterium leprae to study the intracellular fate of this organism.
Using the proportional bactericidal test, we have shown that the viability
of M. leprae declines rapidly within these macrophages, although results of
clearance experiments demonstrate that live and killed organisms are
cleared at comparable rates. We have also shown that M. leprae is
susceptible to the bactericidal effects of hydrogen peroxide and we suggest
that hydrogen peroxide generated by macrophages is responsible for the
killing of intracellular M. leprae.
