The Experimental Pathogenicity in Mice of Strains of Proteus of Animal Origin

Abstract

1. Strains of Proteus derived from animals produced septicaemia in mice when given in large doses intravenously, but smaller doses caused necrotic lesions in the kidneys. The organisms failed to produce kidney lesions when administered intra-peritoneally or subcutaneously but did cause septicaemia.2. Killed suspensions of Proteus failed to induce kidney lesions.3. Strain differences in pathogenicity were found, some strains producing naked-eye lesions in the kidney, others giving microscopic changes only in this organ; of those strains which caused no changes in the kidney tissue, some persisted for several days and others were eliminated rapidly.4. The mechanism of this localization in the kidney is discussed.The writer wishes to thank Dr A. Wilson Taylor and Prof. R. Lovell for their advice and helpful suggestions and Mr R. Hood for the photographs.