The Effect of the Scorbutic State on Tuberculin Hypersensitivity in the Guinea Pig

Abstract

Summary: An attempt to characterize the previously noted depression of tuberculin skin reactivity in the scorbutic guinea pig was made, utilizing cell transfer techniques. Scorbutic guinea pigs manifested markedly reduced tuberculin skin responses after receiving complete Freund's adjuvant. This was accompanied by an almost completely absent mononuclear inflammatory response. The inflammatory response to 1% benzyl alcohol, an irritant, was likewise reduced in these animals. In the majority of experiments, pooled cells from these scorbutic animals were able to transfer tuberculin hypersensitivity to normal recipients. By contrast, equal numbers of cells from tuberculin-sensitive donors did not transfer tuberculin hypersensitivity to scorbutic recipients.