Cell-mediated immunoprotection in blastomycosis

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Abstract
Delayed hypersensitivity can be induced in C57BL/6J mice by 2 s.c. injections of merthiolate-killed Blastomyces dermatitidis yeast cells in Freund incomplete adjuvant. Development of delayed hypersensitivity peaked at the day 18 post-primary antigen-emulsion injection, as determined by footpad sensitivity tests. Mice rendered hypersensitive to B. dermatitidis were protected from the lethal effect of a blastomyces infection. The protection effects were shown in mortality tests and in data from organ cultures as expressed by indices of resistance. There is a close parallel relationship between host resistance and the prevailing level of delayed hypersensitivity.