The Virus of Psittacosis

Abstract

Purified suspensions of the elementary bodies of psittacosis virus were used as antigenic material and agglutinins for these agents were demonstrated in guinea-pig, rabbit, monkey and human sera. Titers of 1 in 320 were attained, while control sera were consistently negative. The L.C.L. bodies were anti-genically complex, the heat-labile agglutinogen being destroyed by heating at 70[degree] C for 1 hour. No significant agglutinin titer for several Proteus vulgaris strains could be demonstrated in antipsittacosis serum. The quantity of antigen needed to produce visible agglutination corresponded closely to the theoretical amount required according to the mass factor theory of Merrill. Some evidence of precipitin production was obtained. Neutralizing antibodies could not be satisfactorily demonstrated using the egg membrane technique. A summary of the available evidence indicates that the elementary body represents the etiologic agent of psittacosis.