Three groups of macaques [1 control, vaccinated with QS-21 adjuvant only; and 2 groups vaccinated with QS-21 + (2 doses of) culture filtrate protein (CFP) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB)] were followed clinically and by blastogenesis and blood mononuclear cell subset analysis while waiting for new space in which to house the animals after challenge with live MTB. The space has recently become ready for our use. We challenged 2 additional rhesus monkeys (RM) with approximately 6 X 106 live MTB (strain H37Rv) and 2 RM with approximately 100 MTB, to determine the appropriate dose for use in the challenge of the 12 animals in the vaccine study. The 2 high-dose RM developed positive skin tests to old tuberculin and clinical tuberculosis, including MTB-positive lung lavages, within 4-6 weeks; the low dose pair of RM have not yet skin test converted nor have they shown signs of clinical disease to date more than 2 months postinoculation. The 12 vaccine macaques will be challenged with 1 X 106 MTB.
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