THE NATURAL RESISTANCE OF PIGEONS TO TYPE III PNEUMOCOCCUS

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Summary: A search has been made for immunological reasons to account for the susceptibility of mice and the resistance of pigeons to challenge by Diplococcus pneumoniae type III. Comparative studies have been made of the abihty of mice and pigeons to respond to a pneumococcal vaccine. It has been shown that the pigeon responds with a higher antibody titre to small doses of pneumococcal antigen. A study has been made ofthenatural opsonins present in normal pigeon serum against this organism. Pigeons, in contrast to mice, show an immune‐type clearance after intravenous injection of these organisms and this clearance can be inhibited by the specific capsular polysaccharide, indicating its dependence on specific antibody. It is suggested that the natural resistance of pigeons can be accounted for by the existence of natural antibody and by the rapidly acquired antibody response to the injection of the organisms.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: