Genetic control of natural resistance of mouse macrophages to Coxiella burnetii infection in vitro: macrophages from restrictive strains control parasitophorous vacuole maturation.

Macrophages from A/J and BALB/c mice were more susceptible to Coxiella burnetii phase II infection than were those from C57BL/6, C57BL/10, B10.A, C3H/HePas, and Swiss mice. Resistant macrophages effectively controlled the development of large replication vacuoles (LRVs), which accounted for the restriction of bacterial multiplication within the cultures. However, compared to fibroblasts, all macrophages controlled bacterial multiplication within LRVs.