Susceptibility of inbred mice to Leishmania tropica infection: genetic control of the development of cutaneous lesions in P/J mice.

Leishmania tropica infections of P/J mice are characterized by the development of progressive nonhealing cutaneous lesions, followed by visceral metastases to liver and spleen. To analyze the genetic control of this disease, we produced F1, backcross (BX), and F2 progeny by breeding susceptible P/J mice with L. tropica-resistant C3H/HeN mice. Infections in these hybrid animals suggested that genetic control of the cutaneous lesion was by a single, autosomal, dominant gene. Resistance was the dominant trait. Analysis of liver and spleen impression smears in these animals, however, indicated that development of the cutaneous lesion segregates independently of the second component of L. tropica infections, systemic disease.