Immunity development in mice receiving killedCoccidioides immitisspherules: Effect of removing residual vaccine

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Abstract
Earlier studies showed that immunity in mice to Coccidioides immitis developed slowly after vaccination with formalin-killed spherules, becoming optimum only after approximately 35 days. In the present study it was determined that removal of the vaccination site by surgery at 40 days postvaccination in mice injected into the footpad, or at 32 days after intramuscular injection, impaired the development of immunity. No such impairment was detected when the sites were removed 62 days postvaccination. Spherules were demonstrable in the vaccination site (footpad) for at least 30 days after injection, spherule walls (the major locus of the spherule immunogens) for at least 15 days, and immunogens for at least 35 days. These observations were in accord with others on the extent of resistance at intervals after intramuscular and footpad injection. The findings suggested that immunity development was governed by the rate at which immunogens were released catabolically from the highly insoluble walls and also by the rate of spherule transport from vaccination sites to lymphatic and reticuloendothelial loci. The possibility that persisting immunity reflected the continuing presence of immunogen in vivo is discussed.