[The relationship between the fate of the agent of toxoplasmosis, Toxoplasma gondii, in macrophages cultivated in vitro and the virulence of the parasites].

Comparative light microscopic and electron microscopic studies of development of a highly-virulent RH strain and a less virulent Lagrave strain of Toxoplasma cultivated in macrophages in vitro were made. Contrary to active multiplication of the highly virulent strain most of toxoplasmas of a less virulent strain disintegrated the first hours, degenerating completely in 24-48 hours after the penetration into the macrophages. Submicroscopic study showed no marked cytological changes of macrophages infected with a less virulent strain in comparison with the marked changes of the nuclei in macrophages infected with the RH strain. Disintegration of parasites within the phagosome was accompanied by a gradual transformation of an originally double (or triple) vacuolar membrane to a single membrane and by the disappearance of an additional layer of mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum elements surrounding the vacuolar membrane. It is likely that the capacity of toxoplasma to develop in macrophages in vitro could become an additional marker to its virulence for albino mice.