01454nas a2200277   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001200055653000900067653002100076653001700097653001200114653000900126653000900135653002400144653002500168653002300193100001400216700001500230245007700245300001000322490000700332050003200339520079100371022001401162       1989                            d  c1989 Oct10aAnimals10aDiet10aDiet, Vegetarian10aDietary Fats10aleprosy10aMale10aMice10aMice, Inbred BALB C10aMycobacterium leprae10aProtein Deficiency1 aSanchez A1 aFoster R L00aEffects of dietary composition on growth of M. leprae in mouse footpads.  a432-60 v61  aInfolep Library - available3 a<p>The number of bacteria per mouse footpad were measured at intervals beginning with the third month in male, weanling BALB/c mice infected with M. leprae and fed for a period of 6 months to test the effects of diet on multiplication of bacteria. The mean bacteria count per footpad in mice remaining at 6 months in the two high fat diets was higher (p = 0.014) than the mean of the two low fat diets. Likewise, the pooled mean bacterial count of mice fed the two diets of animal origin had a tendency to a higher mean bacterial count compared to mice fed the two diets of plant origin. Low level of dietary protein in early life also seemed to predispose to M. leprae multiplication. Our data in mice suggest that the association of diet with human leprosy should be investigated.</p>  a0254-9395