Anaphylactic Shock in the Mouse Vaccinated with Hemophilus Pertussis

Abstract

Bovine serum and crystalline egg albumin (Ea) when mixed with Hemophilus pertussis phase I organisms and inoculated intraperitoneally proved to be strong antigens in that a high percentage of female albino mice thus injected were fatally shocked by challenge with the homologous antigen. Bovine plasma albumin and diphtheria toxoid were also effective in enhancing sensitization, although the manifestations thereof were to a lesser degree. Neither precipitating nor non-precipitating or univalent antibodies were detected in mouse anti-Ea serum. It is suggested that tissue or sessile antibodies may be responsible for the heightened sensitivity. Passive transfer could not be effected with homologous “antisera” in either control or pertussis inoculated mice. Some degree of transfer was found possible with rabbit antiserum in pertussis inoculated mice. The enhancement of antigenicity is probably not mediated by virtue of the adjuvant or “schlepper” effect of the pertussis cells. Pertussis admixture was found to be much more effective than Freund's adjuvant. Admixture is not necessarily a requirement but both the antigen and the pertussis organisms seem to be administered necessarily on the same day. Various fractions of the pertussis organisms were found to possess this capacity, i.e. sonically disintegrated supernatant, alcohol precipitate, saline extract, etc. The acetic acid-insoluble (nucleoprotein?) fraction of the latter is also markedly effective. No explanation is offered at the moment to explain this phenomenon.