The role of bovine mammary macrophages and peripheral blood monocyte-derived macrophages in natural resistance to bovine brucellosis was evaluated. A group of 11 naturally resistant and 10 chronically infected susceptible cows was studied following challenge with Brucella abortus. Macrophages from a greater proportion (P < 0.026) of naturally resistant cows were significantly superior to macrophages from susceptible cows in their ability to inhibit the in vitro intracellular replication of B. abortus after challenge exposure. Studies of a second group of cows used mammary macrophages from 12 heifers and blood monocyte-derived macrophages from 22 bulls and heifers. These tests were completed before exposure to B. abortus, using mammary macrophages (P < 0.039) and blood monocyte-derived macrophages (P < 0.045), and also showed that macrophages from naturally resistant cattle were significantly superior in their ability to control the in vitro intracellular replication ofB. abortus. Our data indicate that the mononuclear phagocytes from more than 80% of the resistant cattle controlled intracellular replication of B. abortus significantly better than did mononuclear phagocytes from susceptible cattle. Mononuclear phagocyte function appears to be an important factor in determining natural resistance to bovine brucellosis.

Feces collected from three asymptomatic horses and seeded with Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts (10 1 to 10 6 /g of feces) were evaluated by acid-fast staining (AF), an immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) technique, and flow cytometry. The thresholds of detection were 5 ؋ 10 5 oocysts/g of feces for the IFA and AF techniques and 5 ؋ 10 4 oocysts/g for flow cytometry.

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We have developed cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) lines specific for two determinants of the maternally transmitted antigen (Mta) and have used these CTL lines to study the tissue distribution of Mta. In previous reports, we characterized CTL lines specific for the Mta.1 determinant. Here, we describe CTL lines specific for the newly defined Mta.2 determinant. Mta.2-specific CTL lines lysed target cells from F1 mice of an NZB (Mtf beta) mother but did not lyse target cells from reciprocal F1 mice of any Mtf alpha mother. Backcross mice were used as the source of target cells to demonstrate that the Mta.2-specific CTL were H-2 nonrestricted in their recognition. Mta.-1- and Mta.2-specific CTL lines were used to demonstrate Mta expression on lymphoid cells taken from spleen, thymus, lymph nodes, and bone marrow. In addition, Mta was expressed on cultured cell lines of myeloid, epithelial, and mesenchymal origin. Our results suggest that Mta is not a differentiation marker restricted to lymphocyte subpopulations.