Delayed hypersensitivity in Alzheimer's disease following BCG immunostimulation.
Forty-four patients with Alzheimer's disease were evaluated for delayed hypersensitivity responses using five ubiquitous antigens. Compared with a nondemented age-matched population, these patients evidenced a large number of deficient responses, especially in the zero-response group. Twenty-three patients were randomly selected for immunostimulation using BCG vaccine. The skin tests were repeated 2 weeks after a series of four weekly intradermal injections of BCG. Only 2 of 13 nonresponsive patients failed to convert at least one negative result into a positive response, and seven became normal.
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003704:Dementia / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology*; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012882:Skin Tests; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D001500:BCG Vaccine