[Antibacterial immunity in diphtheria. Experimental research].
A number of 700 guinea pigs were immunized by parenteral route with non-toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae strains, then inoculated with various doses of homologous and heterologous toxigenic C. diphitheriae strains. The results showed that non-toxigenic C. diphtheriae strains confer a certain degree of protection when the challenge is done with homologous toxigenous strains, especially when not more than 500 million germs/ml are used for the challenge dose. This suggests that the carriage of non-toxigenic diphtheriae bacilli is a useful phenomenon for maintaining an immune balance in diphtheria in the present epidemiological context, and that their sterilization is not opportune.
D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D002353:Carrier State / Q000276:immunology*; D003353:Corynebacterium diphtheriae; D004165:Diphtheria / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D014611:Vaccination
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines
Imunitatea antibacteriană în difterie. Cercetări experimentale.