01803nas a2200277   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001200055653001600067653002300083653001100106653001200117653001600129653000900145653001800154653002400172653002500196100001600221700002100237700001500258245006800273300001100341490000700352520115200359022001401511       1980                            d  c1980 Sep10aAnimals10aBCG Vaccine10aBacterial Vaccines10aFemale10aleprosy10aLymph Nodes10aMice10aMycobacterium10aMycobacterium bovis10aMycobacterium leprae1 aShepard C C1 aVan Landingham R1 aWalker L L00aSearches among mycobacterial cultures for antileprosy vaccines.  a1034-90 v293 a<p>All mycobacteria species share some antigens, so there may be cultivable mycobacterial cultures that can provide vaccine protection against leprosy. Vaccine protection against Mycobacterium leprae infections in mice has been demonstrated for M. leprae itself, as living or heat-killed suspensions, and for Mycobacterium bovis (BCG), as living suspensions. Results are reported here with 17 other cultures. The mycobacterial suspensions were injected intradermally, and the mice were challenged in the footpad with infectious suspensions of M. leprae. In two experiments the mice were also challenged by footpad injections of 10(7) heat-killed M. leprae so the footpad enlargment could be measured. That some mycobacterial suspensions were immunogenic for some of their own antigens was suggested by reactions at the vaccine site and enlargement of the regional lymph nodes. Some mycobacterial suspensions also stimulated footpad enlargement on challenge by homologous suspensions or by challenge with M. leprae suspensions. Consistent protection against infectious challenge with M. leprae was observed only with BCG and M. leprae, however.</p>  a0019-9567