The effect of chronic protozoan infection by Babesia rodhaini on leukemogenesis in mice.

The effect of chronic infection with the protozoan parasite Babesia rodhaini on the subsequent development of mouse leukemia was investigated in three different murine leukemia-lymphoma model systems: congenital lymphoma (in AKR mice), irradiation-induced lymphoma (in C57BL mice), and Rauscher-virus-induced leukemia in NMRI mice. Leukemia incidence was significantly greater than in controls in Babesia-infected (NMRI strain) mice that had been infected with an adjusted dose of Rauscher leukemia virus.