Intranasal and Intraperitoneal Infection of the Mouse with Coccidioides immitis *

With the recognition of San Joaquin Valley fever4' 5 as the primary form of coccidioidomycosis, "the experimental production of pulmonary infection with Coccidioides immitis has become a problem of practical importance."3 Since man generally recovers from this phase of the infection, the acute pathological changes induced remain undetermined,7 in contrast to the well-established reaction of the chronic coccidioidal granuloma. The effect of Coccidioides immitis on the rabbit and guinea-pig has been extensively investigated. Relatively little, however, is at hand regarding the changes induced in the mouse, an animal, nevertheless, of well-established susceptibility to the fungus, and one which has recently even become suspect of serving as a reservoir of the infection in the desert.6 Experimentally induced coccidioidomycosis in this animal, furthermore, affords an opportunity to observe the acute reaction to the fungus, a phase of the infection in man concerning which no information is available. The main object of this report is to describe the production of pulmonary infection in the mouse following intranasal instillation of the fungus, and to present the acute and chronic pathological changes induced by intranasal and intraperitoneal infection.