LYMPHOCYTE IMMUNOSTIMULATION IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF CORYNEBACTERIUM-EQUI PNEUMONIA OF FOALS

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 41  (12) , 2073-2075
Abstract
A lymphocyte stimulation test using antigens of C. equi was used to compare the response of peripheral blood lymphocytes from foals with C. equi pneumonia with those of clinically normal foals and adult horses. The test clearly distinguished infected foals from normal foals when tested in animals .ltoreq. 2 mo. old. After the 2nd month, the stimulation response from individual normal foals sometimes exceeded that from infected foals but mean stimulation response to C. equi antigens was significantly (P < 0.025) greater in 3-5 mo. old infected foals when compared with mean values of 3-5 mo. old normal foals. Mean stimulation responses in 5-7 mo. old foals, which had recovered from C. equi pneumonia, could not be distinguished from mean responses of normal foals. The test could still be used diagnostically in foals > 2 mo. of age if stimulation responses were low. The test indicated the great extent of exposure to C. equi in the normal horse population.