Studies on Ragweed Pollen Sensitization in Rabbits and Guinea Pigs

Abstract

Rabbits were injected with ragweed-pollen-extract in water-in-oil emulsion containing killed tubercle bacilli, and observed over a period of two years. Repeated injections were found to produce more vigorous sensitization and antibody-formation than a single injection. Once a serum-antibody-level is reached which is characteristic for the animal it is usually maintained for six months without injection. Guinea-pigs injected with ragweed-pollen-extract with adjuvants were shown to develop antibodies capable of passively sensitizing normal human skin. These antibodies seem to be quantitatively unrelated to the collodion-agglutinative titer. No relation was observed between them and the degree of skin-sensitivity, nor to susceptibility to shock.