Early and delayed skin reactivity to solubilized antigens of herpesvirus hominis 1 in psychiatric patients and guinea pigs.
Intradermal tests with a mixture of Herpesvirus hominis 1 (HVH 1) antigens containing quantitated neutralization antigen were done in 39 schizophrenics (SCH), 42 senile demented (DS) persons, 28 alcoholics, neurotics and psychopaths (ANP) and 33 control persons. Local induration, erythema and fading was evaluated according to diameter and intensity after 15 to 30 min for anaphylactic type I reaction, after 5 hr for Arthus type III reaction and after 24 and 48 hr for delayed hypersensitivity (type IV). The diagnosed clinical forms influenced the incidence of positive reactions I, III or IV at the level alpha = 0.01. The incidence of positivity in all reactions (I, III plus IV) was significantly higher in the patients than in the control group. Type I and III reactions were most intensive in ANP and SCH, respectively. Type IV reaction was most pronounced in SCH, including the highest incidence of purple lesions, eventually with a lightly cyanotic target. In the DS group, type IV reaction surpassed the control the least of all patients' groups. Unfavourable side effects of the skin tests were not observed. The importance of repeated contact with HVH 1 for a marked type IV reaction ws confirmed in experimentally infected guinea pigs, which also served for safety tests and selection of antigen preparations.
D000437:Alcoholism / Q000276:immunology; D000707:Anaphylaxis / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000276:immunology; D001183:Arthus Reaction / Q000276:immunology*; D003704:Dementia / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology*; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000276:immunology*; D009497:Neurotic Disorders / Q000276:immunology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000276:immunology; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000276:immunology*