EVALUATION OF THE PRIMARY IMMUNE RESPONSE IN UREMIA AND AFTER EXTRACORPOREAL IRRADIATION OF THE BLOOD

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Abstract
The development of cellular and humoral hyper‐sensitivity has been examined in seven uremic patients on chronic hemodialysis, following primary immunization with brucella bacteria. Both types of hypersensitivity were detected by the leucocyte migration test (LMT) and the agglutination reaction, respectively. The primary cellular response to an antigen, as measured by means of the LMT, varied with the serum creatinine level. Before dialysis, when the serum creatinine was high, the LMT was normal; after dialysis, when the serum creatinine was relatively low, the LMT was reduced. When estimations were performed shortly after dialysis treatment, i.e. at relatively low levels of serum creatinine, the seven uremic patients developed cellular as well as humoral hyper‐sensitivity to the same extent as non‐uremic controls. Three of the seven uremic patients received extracorporeal irradiation of the blood (ECIB) prior to immunization with brucella bacteria, whereas four were vaccinated without preceding ECIB. ECIB appeared neither to attenuate nor to abolish the primary immune response to brucella antigen, as measured by means of the LMT and the agglutination reactions.