A study upon passive immunity in experimental trichiniasis

Abstract

Protection against infection with Trichinella spiralis is conferred upon mice by the passive transfer to them of a specific immune serum from rabbits. A smaller percentage of mice treated with the immune serum die, and fewer larvae invade the muscles of the treated mice than among control animals. The action of the antibody of the immune serum appears to be directed specifically against the ingested larvae which are maturing to adult worms in the intestine of the infected animals. The results obtained thus far indicate that an immune serum would have little therapeutic value in the later stages of the disease.