Complement-Fixing Murine Typhus Antibodies in Vitamin Deficiency States. III. Riboflavin and Folic Acid Deficiencies

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Abstract
The effect of riboflavin and and folic acid deficiencies on complement-fixing antibody production in male white rats when injd. with purified suspensions of inactive murine typhus rickettsiae (Rickettsia typhi) was studied. These studies indicate that the riboflavin requirement for antibody production was not as cirtical as the folic acid requirement. It appears that both riboflavin and folic acid deficiencies impaired the production of circulating complement- fixing antibodies when relatively small amts. of antigen were injd.; after more antigen was introduced, significant titers were obtained from the sera of riboflavin-deficient rats, but the folic acid-deficient rats produced significantly less antibody. The inanition control and the ad libitum control rats demonstrated antibody production of approx. the same titers when injected with either large or small amts. or rickettsial N.