OBSERVATIONS ON IMMUNITY IN MUMPS

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Abstract
A brief review is presented of certain immunologic phenomena noted in infections with the virus of mumps. Using an antigen consisting of a suspension of infected monkey parotid gland, complement-fixation tests on the sera of monkeys and man in the early stage of the disease have indicated that little or nd antibody is present. Such antibody makes its appearance and rises to high conc. in early convalescence. Similar results have been obtained in cases of meningoencephalitis suspected of being caused by the virus of mumps but which did not exhibit swelling of the parotid gland. This test would seem to offer a means of diagnosis in obscure cases of the disease. A study of the sera of normal individuals has shown a high correlation between the presence of antibody and a past history of mumps. The test has been positive in about 50% of individuals with no known history of mumps. This suggests that inapparent infection is not uncommon and indicates a possible means of determining susceptibility. When injd. intradermally into persons giving a history of mumps, a heat-inactivated suspension of the virus has given rise, within 24-36 hrs., to a mild inflammatory reaction in nearly every instance. Material similarly prepd. but obtained from normal monkeys gave only rarely any reaction. In individuals with no history of mumps, positive skin reactions were obtained in about 50%. The remainder gave no reaction. Thus the results of the skin test correlate with those of the complement fixing test and, since the former is easy to perform, it may represent a simple and practical means of detecting susceptibility.

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