FACTORS INVOLVED IN THE PRODUCTION OF IMMUNITY WITH PNEUMOCOCCUS VACCINE : I. ACTIVE AND PASSIVE IMMUNITY DURING THE FIRST SEVEN DAYS AFTER INJECTION OF ANTIGEN.
1. The antigenic function of a pneumococcus vaccine made from the intact cell was compared with that derived fron a watery extract of the cell free from formed elements. In each instance, the immunity produced was dependent upon type-specific protective substance and not upon the elaboration of the common protein antibody. 2. The vaccine made from the intact cell resulted in both active and passive immunity which began on the 3rd day, increased markedly to the 5th, and remained approximately stationery to the 7th day. In the case of the Berkefeld filtrate of the shaken bacteria and the filtrate of the broth culture, the immunity began on the 4th day, increased to the 5th, and remained approximately stationery to the 7th day. The immunity produced by Pneumococcus Type I vaccine is greater than that produced by Type II. On the 3rd day, mice vaccinated with Type I vaccine resisted 100,000 minimal lethal doses, whereas mice immunized with Type II resisted 10,000 minimal lethal doses. On the 5th day, a larger percentage of mice survived these doses than on the 3rd day. 3. Certain factors related to the preparation and dosage of the vaccine are discussed. 4. As far as the time interval and the degree of immunity produced are concerned, these results suggest the possibility of employing pneumococcus vaccine in suitable doses in the treatment of lobar pneumonia. That an earlier activity of the immunity mechanism could actually be initiated in a patient with lobar pneumonia has still to be demonstrated.
Barach
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Department of Medicine, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, and the Presbyterian Hospital, New York.