Kinetics of immunosuppression of sporozoite-induced immunity by Mycobacterium bovis BCG.

The data reported in this study demonstrate that the vaccination of NIH/Nmri mice with viable Mycobacterium bovis BCG organisms induces a state of immunosuppression that renders the recipient animals incapable of a protective immune response to the malaria sporozoite vaccine. The expression of this altered protective immune response is dependent upon the dosage of the two live vaccines, as well as upon the sequence of their administration. Data presented here show that the skin test responses (Arthus and delayed type) of BCG-vaccinated mice do not correlate with the suppression of sporozoite immunity. Evidence is also presented to support the hypothesis that the abrogated immune response to sporozoite vaccination induced by BCG is a result of a loss of immunological memory.