Non-specific and specific stimulation of resistance against Leishmania donovani in C57BL/6 mice.

Stimulation by intravenous injections of glucan, a beta 1,3 polyglucose, provided a significant degree of resistance in mice against Leishmania donovani. The response of C57BL/6 animals was dose-dependent. A single glucan injection before or after infection induced significant resistance but to a lesser degree than two or three injections. Immunization by injections of formalin-killed promastigotes with glucan via the subcutaneous or intravenous routes provided greater resistance than glucan or dead parasites alone against subsequent infection with viable parasites. Subcutaneous immunization with promastigotes from cultures passaged 10 times in vitro and those from cultures maintained for 25 passages elicited a similar degree of resistance against infection and induced positive skin test responsiveness against leishmanial antigen prior to infection.