B Cells Inhibit CD4⁺T Cell-Mediated Immunity to<i>Brucella</i>Infection in a Major Histocompatibility Complex Class II-Dependent Manner

Abstract

Brucella spp. are facultative intracellular bacteria notorious for their ability to induce a chronic, and often lifelong, infection known as brucellosis. To date, no licensed vaccine exists for prevention of human disease, and mechanisms underlying chronic illness and immune evasion remain elusive. We and others have observed that B cell-deficient mice challenged with Brucella display reduced bacterial burden following infection, but the underlying mechanism has not been clearly defined.