Effect of Cortisone on Mumpsn Antibody Formation in Rabbits

Abstract

12 rabbits were simultaneously immunized with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and mumps vaccine and 6 of them were treated with cortisone. Antibody to BSA was measured by the quantitiative precipitin technic and mumps antibody by hemagglutination inhibition, complement-fixation and neutralization. The treated group showed a marked and uniform suppression of antibody to BSA but only a moderate and irregular suppression of mumps antibody. In 2 animals of the cortisone- treated group there was no apparent suppression of mumps antibody though the BSA antibody showed the same level of suppression as in the other treated animals.