HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Hyde, C. L. Articles by Evans, C. B. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Hyde, C. L. Articles by Evans, C. B.

Antibody and Immunoglobulin Synthesis in Germfree and Conventional Mice Infected with Eperythrozoon Coccoides^*

Germfree (GF) and conventionally-reared (CV) mice were inoculated with a rodent blood parasite, Eperythrozoon coccoides. The parasitemia increased rapidly in GF and CV mice, and both groups of animals showed similar parasite levels 3 to 4 days after inoculation. The parasitemia started to decrease first in GF mice, but it was the CV group in which the parasitemia first became subpatent. Serum antibody to E. coccoides was first detected in CV mice, but eventually the magnitude of the antibody response was the same in both the GF and CV mice. The GF mice, however, revealed the greater immunoglobulin response in both IgM and 7S globulins, whereas the CV mice manifested only an IgM response. The largest immunoglobulin response observed occurred in the 7S_2a and 7S_2b subclasses of CF mice. This study provided data on the serum antibody and immunoglobulin responses in GF and CV mice infected with E. coccoides. The inclusion of GF mice was invaluable because of the changes seen in 7S globulin levels which were not observed in the CV group.

Accepted for publication April 22, 1972.

^* Address reprint requests to: Dr. John F. Finerty, Laboratory of Microbial Immunity, NIAID, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20014.