THE OPSONO-CYTOPHAGIC TEST IN CHILDREN WITH PERTUSSIS AND IN CHILDREN VACCINATED WITH H. PERTUSSIS ANTIGENS 1

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Abstract
The recent adaptation of the opsono-cytophagic test to the study of pertussis is scrutinized and the recent findings of Kendrick, Gibbs and Sprick are in general confirmed. Tests performed upon 160 children revealed the following: After injection of infants and children with a vaccine of Haemophilus pertussis in Phase I there is an increased phagocytosis of H. pertussis in vitro. This high opsono-cytophagic titre is maintained for at least 6-9 mos. During and after an attack of pertussis there is a similar rise in the phagocytic activity of the blood. A low degree of phagocytosis of //. pertussis is found in the blood of infants under 18 months of age if they have had neither the vaccine nor the disease. In children over 18 mos. of age more phagocytosis may be occasionally observed even though the history is negative. It is, however, rarely as marked as after vaccination or disease. After injection of H. pertussis Undenatured Bacterial Antigen, no increased phagocytosis of H. pertussis occurred. Titres similar to those in the non-injected control children of the same age range were obtained. After injection of a mixed respiratory vaccine increased phagocytosis of H. pertussis occurred. Although stimulation of non-specific opsonins would seem to indicate that the test is not specific for H. pertussis opsonins, this finding would not necessarily invalidate the test; an increase of non-specific: opsonin may be commonly associated with an increase in resistance. Variability of ease of sensitization and phagocytosis by the same blood was noted with different Phase I strains and with the same suspension of one strain as it aged. This together with other technical variables constitutes drawbacks to the opsono-cytophagic test in its present form.

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