The Cellular Transfer in Humans of Delayed Cutaneous Reactivity to Hemolytic Streptococci

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Abstract
Summary: In a series of 472 adult patients without apparent streptococcal disease or its complications, the incidence of positive delayed cutaneous reactions was as follows: To intact Streptococcal cells—39% of 67 patients. To SK-SD—69% of 112 patients. To M Substance—36% of 293 patients. Of the total 472 patients, the overall incidence of positive reactions to the streptococcal materials was 45%. It has been possible to transfer passively, in 14 consecutive instances, generalized cutaneous streptococcal reactivity of the delayed tuberculin type to streptococcus-negative human recipients by means of viable leucocytes obtained from streptococcus-positive human donors. This was accomplished with intact streptococcal cells as the test material in 4 instances, with SK-SD as the test material in 6 instances, and with M Substance as the test material in 3 instances. In one instance it was possible to induce delayed cutaneous reactions to intact streptococcal cells, SK-SD and M Substance simultaneously in the same negative recipient. Delayed cutaneous reactions did not develop in the streptococcus-negative recipient when the transferred leucocytes were obtained from streptococcus-negative donors. The endowment of the negative recipient with the capacity to develop generalized delayed cutaneous reactivity to streptococcal materials, following leucocytic transfer, is a transient phenomenon. The results of leucocytic transfer of delayed cutaneous reactivity to hemolytic streptococcal materials in humans generally appear to parallel those reported in humans using tuberculin as the test substance.