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The duration of bacteraemia in relation to the virulence of Brucella strains

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 October 2009

J. C. Cruickshank
Affiliation:
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
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The duration of bacteraemia in guinea-pigs following the subcutaneous inoculation of brucellae can be used as a measure of the virulence of the strains. Strains of low virulence (e.g. Brucella abortus S19) are almost always cleared from the blood stream within a week, whereas virulent strains produce a bacteraemia that regularly persists for 4 weeks and may last very much longer.

All of four strains of Br. melitensis isolated from cow's milk in Great Britain behaved in the same way as the typical and virulent strains of Br. abortus and Br. melitensis tested, regularly producing prolonged bacteraemia. These results do not support the suggestion that the strains of Br. melitensis isolated in this country are of low virulence.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1957

References

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