The Tuberculin Reaction. I. Passive Transfer of Tuberculin Sensitivity with Cells of Tuberculous Guinea Pigs.

Abstract

Homologous passive transfer of cutaneous sensitivity to tuberculin was accomplished with living cells from induced peritoneal exudates of guinea pigs previously infected with living Mycobacterium tuberculosis bovis of the B.C.G. strain. The exudates were induced by intraperit. injn. of 30 ml. of paraffin-oil and were composed of approx. 47% lymphocytes, 42% large mononuclear cells and 11% polymorphonuclear leucocytes. Positive results were obtained more regularly by this method than with cells obtained from donor guinea pigs sensitized with heat-killed M. tuberculosis H 37 Rv. The recipient guinea pigs were injd. intraperit. with the combined peritoneal washings of from 2-8 donors suspended in guinea pig serum-Tyrode soln. The recipient animals became tuberculin sensitive approx. 48 hrs. after the transfer. The skin reactions were of the typical tuberculin type and could be elicited with 0.1 ml. of a 1:100 dil. of Old Tuberculin. Preliminary trials indicated that sensitivity to the systemic tuberculin reaction can likewise be passively transferred with living cells.