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A comparison of the collodion-particle technic with other methods of measuring antibody
434
THE
JOlZRNIL
OF
ALLERGP
human tubercle bacilli and to a few other mycobacterial tuberculins. The authors conclude that “these experiments offer no evidence for, and in fact represent evidence against, the view that the etiology of Besnier-Boeck’s disease is related to any member of the mycobacterial germs used in our series. ”
Immunology UNDER
THE
DIRECTION
MURRAY
ALBERT,
OF
M. WALZER, M.D., AND M.D., BROOKLYN
Allergy and Immunity in Tuberculosis, I. Immunization and Reinfection of Guinea Pigs With Homologous Variants of the Human Tubercle Bacillus H,,. Steiner, M., and Zuger, R. : J. Immunol. 46: 83, 1943. ,. Allergy and Immunity in Tuberculosis. Reactivity to Experimental Infection and Steiner, M. : J. Immunol.
PI. Relationship
of Tuberculin
in the Guinea Pig. Zuger, B.,
46: 93, 1943.
The writers demonstrated that animals injected with an avirulent strain of tubercle bacillus showed some degree of immunity against infection with the homologous virulent strain. The relationship of the associated cutaneous reactivity to tuberculin immunity was then studied. Groups of guinea pigs received sensitizing injections of the avirulent, strains. At various intervals up to one year, all the animals were simultaneously infected with the homologous virulent strain. Cutaneous tests with tuberculin were done every six to eight weeks with 3 per cent 0. T. There were no fatalities from tuberculosis in any of the animals inoculated with the avirulent strain. Those with no skin reactivity to tuberculin survived an average period of 409 days after reinfection with the virulent strain. Animals showing marked cutaneous reactions survived an average period of 415 days. In control animals inoculated only with the virulent strain, the average survival period was 218 days. After the infection with the avirulent strain, the cutaneous reactivity to tuberculin reached its height within four to six weeks, then gradually declined, and disappeared completely within 28 to 52 weeks after the It was concluded that guinea pigs infected with an inoculation. avirulent strain of tubercle bacillus are resistant to reinfection with the homologous virulent strain, and that the protection conferred is not proportional to the degree of tuberculin skin sensitivity.
A Comparison of the Collodion-Particle Technic With Other Methods of Measuring Antibody, Lowell, F. C. : J. Immunol. 46: 177, 1943. The collodion-particle technique for the detection of antibody was compared with the gelatin-interface test and the complement-fixation
435
SELECTED ABSTRACTS
test. The antisera employed in the study were prepared by sensitizing rabbits with ovalbumin, horse serum, or alum-precipitated ragweed pollen extract. The collodion particles were coated with 5 per cent ovalbumin solution, a calncentrated extract of low ragweed pollen (0.7 to 1.0 mg. N per c.c.), or horse serum. The gelatin-interface test was performed according to the technique of Hanks. In addition, antigen-dilution ring tests for precipitins were done with undiluted serum. Tests were made on 5 antiovalbumin sera, 7 antiragweed sera and 1 pooled antihorge-serum serum. It was found that the collodion-particle test permitted the greatest dilution of the antiserum without the loss of a visible antigen-antibody reaction. The gelatin-interface test was less sensitive than the collodion-particle method, and the complementfixation test was least sensitive. As a rule, the titers obtained with the antigen-dilution ring tests were highest in those sera which showed the highest titers by the antibody-dilution methods. In some instances, however, sera which showed appreciable differences in antibody content by antibody-dilution method failed to show such difference by the antigendilut,ion technique.
Rhinology UNDER THE DIRECTION
and Ophthalmology
OF FREXCH
K. HANSEL,
M.D., ST. LOUIS
The Reaction of the Normal and the Allergic Sinus to Virulent Pneumococci. Frank, I., Blahd, M., and Howell, B. M. : .Ann. Otol., Rhin. & Laryng.
52: 81, 1943.
A study on the reaction of the normal and allergic sinus to virulent pneumococci was presented by Frank, Blahd and Howell. The animals .were sensitized by repeated injections of egg white. Virulent pneumococci then were introduced into the sinuses, They report that the histologic clhanges in the tissues showed a similarity in the degrees and types of inflammation in this group, as compared with that in which only egg albumen was used.
THE
JOlZRNIL
OF
ALLERGP
human tubercle bacilli and to a few other mycobacterial tuberculins. The authors conclude that “these experiments offer no evidence for, and in fact represent evidence against, the view that the etiology of Besnier-Boeck’s disease is related to any member of the mycobacterial germs used in our series. ”
Immunology UNDER
THE
DIRECTION
MURRAY
ALBERT,
OF
M. WALZER, M.D., AND M.D., BROOKLYN
Allergy and Immunity in Tuberculosis, I. Immunization and Reinfection of Guinea Pigs With Homologous Variants of the Human Tubercle Bacillus H,,. Steiner, M., and Zuger, R. : J. Immunol. 46: 83, 1943. ,. Allergy and Immunity in Tuberculosis. Reactivity to Experimental Infection and Steiner, M. : J. Immunol.
PI. Relationship
of Tuberculin
in the Guinea Pig. Zuger, B.,
46: 93, 1943.
The writers demonstrated that animals injected with an avirulent strain of tubercle bacillus showed some degree of immunity against infection with the homologous virulent strain. The relationship of the associated cutaneous reactivity to tuberculin immunity was then studied. Groups of guinea pigs received sensitizing injections of the avirulent, strains. At various intervals up to one year, all the animals were simultaneously infected with the homologous virulent strain. Cutaneous tests with tuberculin were done every six to eight weeks with 3 per cent 0. T. There were no fatalities from tuberculosis in any of the animals inoculated with the avirulent strain. Those with no skin reactivity to tuberculin survived an average period of 409 days after reinfection with the virulent strain. Animals showing marked cutaneous reactions survived an average period of 415 days. In control animals inoculated only with the virulent strain, the average survival period was 218 days. After the infection with the avirulent strain, the cutaneous reactivity to tuberculin reached its height within four to six weeks, then gradually declined, and disappeared completely within 28 to 52 weeks after the It was concluded that guinea pigs infected with an inoculation. avirulent strain of tubercle bacillus are resistant to reinfection with the homologous virulent strain, and that the protection conferred is not proportional to the degree of tuberculin skin sensitivity.
A Comparison of the Collodion-Particle Technic With Other Methods of Measuring Antibody, Lowell, F. C. : J. Immunol. 46: 177, 1943. The collodion-particle technique for the detection of antibody was compared with the gelatin-interface test and the complement-fixation
435
SELECTED ABSTRACTS
test. The antisera employed in the study were prepared by sensitizing rabbits with ovalbumin, horse serum, or alum-precipitated ragweed pollen extract. The collodion particles were coated with 5 per cent ovalbumin solution, a calncentrated extract of low ragweed pollen (0.7 to 1.0 mg. N per c.c.), or horse serum. The gelatin-interface test was performed according to the technique of Hanks. In addition, antigen-dilution ring tests for precipitins were done with undiluted serum. Tests were made on 5 antiovalbumin sera, 7 antiragweed sera and 1 pooled antihorge-serum serum. It was found that the collodion-particle test permitted the greatest dilution of the antiserum without the loss of a visible antigen-antibody reaction. The gelatin-interface test was less sensitive than the collodion-particle method, and the complementfixation test was least sensitive. As a rule, the titers obtained with the antigen-dilution ring tests were highest in those sera which showed the highest titers by the antibody-dilution methods. In some instances, however, sera which showed appreciable differences in antibody content by antibody-dilution method failed to show such difference by the antigendilut,ion technique.
Rhinology UNDER THE DIRECTION
and Ophthalmology
OF FREXCH
K. HANSEL,
M.D., ST. LOUIS
The Reaction of the Normal and the Allergic Sinus to Virulent Pneumococci. Frank, I., Blahd, M., and Howell, B. M. : .Ann. Otol., Rhin. & Laryng.
52: 81, 1943.
A study on the reaction of the normal and allergic sinus to virulent pneumococci was presented by Frank, Blahd and Howell. The animals .were sensitized by repeated injections of egg white. Virulent pneumococci then were introduced into the sinuses, They report that the histologic clhanges in the tissues showed a similarity in the degrees and types of inflammation in this group, as compared with that in which only egg albumen was used.