The effect of cortisone on the course of systemic moniliasis in mice

Summary

A mild to moderate moniliasis in mice was rendered more severe by periodic treatment with cortisone acetate. This enhanced severity of infection occurring in male and female animals was no greater, however, than could be atributed to the deleterious effect of the cortisoneper se, as evidenced by the results on uninfected animals treated similary with cortisone. Infected male animals treated periodically with the aqueous vehicle of cortisone revealed an enhanced severity of monilial involvement; female mice similarly infected and treated showed no modification of the severity of infection. A severe moniliasis induced by suspending theCandida cells in mucin was reduced in severity for male, but not for female mice by the same schedule of cortisone treatment as used above. The effect of the aqueous vehicle on such a severe monilial involvement was similar to that found with mildly infected mice. The possible significance of these observations are discussed.