Cell-mediated and humoral immune responses in mice during experimental infection with Mycoplasma pulmonis

Cell-mediated and humoral immune responses in mice after challenge exposure with Mycoplasma pulmonis were investigated. The cell-mediated immune response was determined by means of the delayed-type footpad swelling and the humoral immune response by means of the indirect haemagglutination test. Delayed-type footpad swelling and serum antibody titres were detected at one week after the challenge exposure and persisted for 7 weeks until the end of the experiment. However, there was a poor correlation between the degree of delayed-type footpad swelling and that of serum antibody titre. Delayed-type footpad swelling in mice with gross pneumonic lesions was less than that of mice with no gross lesions. A weak negative linear correlation was observed between the delayed-type footpad swelling and the number of M. pulmonis isolated from lungs.