Differences in the susceptibility of field mice from the Altai Territory and Moscow Province to Leptospira of serovar mozdok and serogroup Pomona

Adult striped field mice (Apodemus agrarius) caught in the Altai region proved to be insusceptible to experimental infection when inoculated with Leptospira of serovar mozdok, serogroup Pomona. In pregnant females, though infected with this organism, no leptospiruria was observed. At the same time nonpubescent animals became Leptospira carriers, females becoming carriers 4.5 times more frequently than males. The formation of antibodies to Leptospira in the test rodents was poorly pronounced and did not depend on their sex, age, physiological state and the presence of renal leptospirosis. But all adult striped field mice belonging to the population of the Moscow region became Leptospira carriers in such experiments.