Abstract
Summary
Neonatally thymectomized rats infected with P. berghei develop higher percentage parasitemias and have a higher percentage mortality than sham-operated animals. The degree of lymphocyte suppression in a thymectomized group can be used as an index of impairment of the host response to infection. The increased morbidity and mortality in thymectomized rats could not be explained on the basis of decreased phagocytic activity or antibody production. These studies suggest that thymic-dependent cellular immunity is important in the development of acquired resistance to P. berghei infection.
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