ENDURING IMMUNITY FOLLOWING VACCINATION OF MICE WITH FORMALIN-INACTIVATED VIRUS OF RUSSIAN SPRING-SUMMER (FAR EASTERN, TICK-BORNE) ENCEPHALITIS

Abstract

A single course of two intraperitoneal injections of formalin-inactivated virus of Russian spring-summer encephalitis induced in albino mice a solidly immune state which endured almost throughout life. Active virus is therefore not essential for the production of a high degree of lasting immunity. The immune response to vaccination consists of resistance to peripherally introduced active virus and development of circulating antibody. A correlation has been found to exist throughout the long period of the immune state between the titer of neutralizing antibody, as determined by the intraperitoneal method described, and the degree of immunity to peripherally introduced active virus. Thus laboratory tests for the immunizing power of a vaccine suggest themselves, to be carried out by an estimation in vaccinated mice of (a) immunity to peripherally inoculated active virus, and (b) serum virus-neutralizing antibody determined by the intraperitoneal method. The rôles as indicators of immunity in vaccinated mice of complement-fixing antibody in the serum, of the intracerebral challenge dose of virus, and of the intracerebral method for testing neutralizing antibody are discussed. Finally, if the immune response of man to vaccination with formalin-inactivated virus of Russian spring-summer encephalitis follows the pattern of the response of mice as here described, and if the correlation of neutralizing antibody with immunity to peripherally introduced virus applies to man as to mice, then possibly the degree of immunity in human beings following vaccination can be appraised by a peripheral test for neutralizing antibody in the serum.