[Microorganism persistence in hematopoietic tissue: means for detecting it and its significance]

Many microorganisms are capable of prolonged persistence in the marrow. In this study, carried out by the method of negative selection based on the treatment of mouse marrow cells with specific antimicrobial sera and complement, Mycoplasma arthritidis and L-forms of group B streptococci were found to be capable of persisting in the marrow in close association with the late category of clonogenic precursor cells, CFU-7, as well as, to a lesser extent, with late erythroid precursors, CFUe. Early colony-forming cells, CFUs-12 and PFUe, as well as granulocyto-macrophagal precursors, CFUgm, did not practically express antigens to the given infective agents on their surface.