A Note on the Production of Antipneumococcus Sera.
Abstract: Horses immunized to Type I pneumococci developed serum, 0.1 cc. of which protected against 0.5 cc. of a virulent culture, 0.000001 cc. of which killed mice in less than 40 hours. Protective tests of serum from horses immunized to Type II organisms varied, 0.1 cc. protecting, however, in certain instances against 0.1 and 0.01 cc. of virulent homologous culture. Types I and II sera obtained in our experiments with culture sediment and whole culture did not vary markedly for a given type and corresponded closely in their protective titer with samples of sera received from The Rockefeller Institute Hospital. It is therefore evident that the following minimum standard of 0.1 cc. of serum to protect mice against at least 0.2 cc. of virulent cultures can and should be maintained when serum is to be used for the treatment of cases. By further study and comparison of these different methods of immunization it is hoped that sera of greater potency may be produced, but as yet this has only been accomplished in exceptional instances. A horse immunized with Type III (Pneumococcus mucosus) developed serum having a slight degree of protection for mice against the corresponding organisms. This serum was sufficiently potent, however, to cause prompt and complete agglutination when combined with fresh untreated homologous organisms, thus avoiding the preliminary treatment to remove the capsule which has previously been held necessary. As a diagnostic aid in the differentiation of pneumococcus strains, the serum has proved of distinct value.
Publication Date: 1917-05-01 PubMed ID: 19868113PubMed Central: PMC2125514DOI: 10.1084/jem.25.5.629Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This research article presents findings on the immunization of horses with different Pneumococcus (a bacteria causing pneumonia) types, in an effort to produce protective serums. The study compares the results of different immunization methods, shares a new diagnosis aid for Pneumococcus strains, and puts forth a minimum standard for serum potency in treating infectious cases.
Immunization Experiment
- Horses were immunized with different types (Type I and Type II) of Pneumococcus bacteria. The goal was to make them produce protective serum – a component of blood that can fight off invading bacteria.
- The researchers then tested the protective nature of the serum. For instance, they found that 0.1 cc of serum from a horse immunized with Type I Pneumococcus was able to protect against 0.5 cc of a virulent (harmful) culture of the bacteria.
- However, the serum from horses immunized with Type II Pneumococcus showed varying protective capabilities, sometimes protecting against much smaller volumes of potent bacterial cultures.
Comparison with Existing Serums
- The protective powers (titer) of the newly produced serums were compared with serums received from The Rockefeller Institute Hospital. The results were fairly consistent – the serums from immunized horses and from the hospital offered similar protection.
- These findings led the researchers to propose a ‘minimum standard’ for potency: 0.1 cc of serum should be able to protect against at least 0.2 cc of virulent bacterial cultures.
Diagnostic Value and Further Study
- The researchers also immunized a horse with a third type of Pneumococcus (Type III — Pneumococcus mucosus). This produced a serum with only a slight protective effect, but great agglutinating (clumping) power.
- This property means the serum could help to diagnose Pneumococcus strains. It can immediately and completely cause these microorganisms to clump together, even without any previous treatment to remove their protective layers (capsules), which was previously thought necessary.
- Through further comparison and study of these immunization methods, the researchers aim to produce even more potent serums (though such outcomes had so far only been infrequent).
Cite This Article
APA
Wadsworth AB, Kirkbride MB.
(1917).
A Note on the Production of Antipneumococcus Sera.
J Exp Med, 25(5), 629-632.
https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.25.5.629 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Division of Laboratories and Research of the New York State Department of Health, Albany.
Citations
This article has been cited 5 times.- Smith T. THE RELATION OF THE CAPSULAR SUBSTANCE OF B. COLI TO ANTIBODY PRODUCTION.. J Exp Med 1928 Aug 31;48(3):351-61.
- Harris AL, Sugg JY, Neill JM. STUDIES ON IMMUNOLOGICAL RELATIONSHIPS AMONG THE PNEUMOCOCCI : II. A COMPARISON OF THE ANTIBODY RESPONSES OF MICE AND OF RABBITS TO IMMUNIZATION WITH TYPICAL TYPE III PNEUMOCOCCI AND TO IMMUNIZATION WITH A RELATED STRAIN.. J Exp Med 1928 May 31;47(6):933-43.
- Tillett WS. STUDIES ON IMMUNITY TO PNEUMOCOCCUS MUCOSUS (TYPE III) : I. ANTIBODY RESPONSE OF RABBITS IMMUNIZED WITH TYPE III PNEUMOCOCCUS.. J Exp Med 1927 Mar 31;45(4):713-26.
- Coulter CB. THE BIOLOGICAL IDENTITY OF THE FRIEDLANDER BACILLUS.. J Exp Med 1917 Dec 1;26(6):763-8.
- Blake FG. METHODS FOR THE DETERMINATION OF PNEUMOCOCCUS TYPES.. J Exp Med 1917 Jul 1;26(1):67-80.
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