Search for Mycoplasma in Germfree Leukemic Mice

Summary

Specimens of thymus, lung, liver, spleen, and bone marrow were removed aseptically from 47 germfree leukemic, 27 conventional leukemic, and 30 conventional “disease-free” mice of AKR, Swiss Webster, and BALB/c strains, and cultured for Mycoplasma. Sera from the germfree leukemic, conventional leukemic, and conventional disease-free mice were tested for specific growth-inhibiting antibody and complement-fixing activity against 4 murine Mycoplasma species. Growth-inhibiting antibody or complement-fixing activity was not detected in germfree leukemic sera. Mycoplasma were not found in the tissues of 47 “germfree” leukemic mice; however, Mycoplasma were isolated from the tissues of 2 conventional leukemic animals and from 7 of the conventional “disease-free” mice.