No abstract

Cowpox soluble antigen is shown by gel-diffusion studies to contain at least nine precipitable substances whose presence is induced by virus infection. One of these substances, pattern component d, is not produced in white cowpox infections, and its production in vaccinia infection can be inferred only from the presence of small amounts of anti-d in anti-vaccinia sera.Comparison of cowpox with vaccinia has led to the recognition of a further line pattern component f which is readily demonstrated as a soluble precipitable substance in simple buffer extracts of vaccinia-infected tissue, but is demonstrated in extracts of cowpox-infected tissue only with difficulty; anti-f antibody is readily detected in antisera prepared against cowpox, white cowpox, and vaccinia.

SUMMARYA serological analysis of the extracellular antigens of Micropolyspora faeni by immunodiffusion with a combination of sera revealed 29 individual antigens. A survey was made of the incidence of precipitins to the antigens in sera from patients with clinical farmer's lung disease (FLD) and other respiratory diseases.Precipitating antibody was found in 75 % of farmer's lung cases and in 20 % of other cases who had been exposed to the same environment. More precipitin reactions were seen in sera from severe forms of FLD than from milder forms. The distribution of precipitins to individual antigens was not significantly affected by severity of disease.Most of the patients with precipitins to M. faeni, but without the symptoms of FLD, were suffering from mild or moderate symptoms of other respiratory diseases with a history of chronic onset of symptoms. The distribution of precipitins to individual antigens in this group was similar to that in clinical FLD patients but the incidence was considerably lower.The significance of these results is discussed.

SUMMARYThe growth of vaccinia and cowpox in RK13 cells was studied by measurement of infective virus production, gel diffusion and haemagglutination. The effects of virus growth inhibitors on the normal course of infection were then followed. Although the results with the two viruses were essentially similar some differences were detected between them. Inhibitors of DNA synthesis permitted production of many virus-specific soluble antigens. Compounds which inhibit DNA function and compounds that affected energy-yielding reactions had more dramatic effects. The different results obtained suggested that the synthesis of virus-specific materials was sequential and a possible part of the sequence is suggested.

SUMMARYSeveral methods were used to obtain serologically active materials from cultures of Micropolysporafaeni. From the results of immunodiffusion and immunoelectrophoresis tests on these materials it is suggested that preparations for the laboratory diagnosis of farmer's lung disease (FLD) should contain concentrated culture supernatant (CS) and extracts of mycelium obtained by ultrasonic treatment (HU). Although CS and MU have many serological activities in common they also possess activities unique to each.Extraction of mycelium with trichloracetic acid, boiling water or methanol yielded a product which gave simple patterns in immunodiffusion tests. The products contained little protein but were rich in carbohydrates, particularly arabinose, galactose and glucosamine. A similar material was obtained from a cell-wall preparation by treatment with lysozyme. Antibodies to the serologically active substances in these materials occurred more frequently in sera of patients with FLD than antibodies to any other M. faeni antigen.Attempts to obtain serologically active materials from spores were unsuccessful. Moreover antibodies to M. faeni could not be removed from patients' sera by absorption with partially purified spore preparations. It is suggested that the hypersensitivity in FLD arises from exposure to mycelial antigens.