Experimental study in scleroma

Kl.rhinoscleromatis was inoculated intranasally together with subcutaneous or intradermal inoculation in a group of nude mice and normal mice. Histopathological examination for the nude mouse that survived the experiment revealed granulomatous reaction with a Mikulicz cell like appearance in lungs, in orbit and liver. Normal mice showed granulomatous reaction only in lungs and was lesser in extent and in number of Mikulicz like cells. Kl rhinoscleromatis was isolated from lung tissue of all animals. The results showed that Kl rhinoscleromatis is responsible for the disease as it fulfilled Koch's postulates and that it is an organism with low virulence that can be potentiated by depressed cell mediated immunity. The significance of the findings in relation to scleroma in humans is discussed