Effect of splenectomy on production of interferon and colony-stimulating factor in Listeria monocytogenes-infected mice.

Splenectomy of mice genetically susceptible to Listeria monocytogenes genetically susceptible mouse strains increased their resistance to L. monocytogenes infection but had no effect on the course of infection in L. monocytogenes-resistant mice. However, splenectomy led to a dramatic decrease in the production of colony-stimulating factor and interferon after L. monocytogenes infection in all mouse strains examined.