IMMUNOLOGICAL RESPONSE TO A KILLED BACTERIAL ANTIGEN IN FOETAL AND NEONATAL RATS

  • 1 January 1966
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 11  (6) , 589-+
Abstract
Rats given killed Brucella abortus at birth produced specific agglutinins from 7 to 10 days of age and consistently thereafter. When the antigen was given in fetal rats, at least 10 days elapsed before specific agglutinins could be detected. Rats given prenatal and neonatal injections of antigens, or single concentrated doses of antigen at birth, did not develop specific agglutinins before 8 or 9 days of age, but both forms of treatment induced higher titers of antibody. The implications of these results are discussed.