In Vitro Studies on the Role of Collagen in the Induction of Hypersensitivity to Flea Bites

Abstract
Summary: Acid soluble collagen and in vitro collected saliva of fleas were allowed to react at pH 3.5, 7.2 and 10.6 Whereas all the activity of saliva is dialyzable, the nondialyzable products of the reactions at both the acidic and the basic pHs had the capacity to induce hypersensitivity to flea bites in recipient guinea pigs; the product of the reaction at neutral pH was not immunogenic. The ratio between the amounts of saliva and of collagen was shown to be important in the production of immunogenic products.