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In order to develop an experimental model for human cedar pollinosis, 4 rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were subcutaneously immunized with crude cedar pollen antigen, which contained 1.0 μg or 10 μg protein with aluminium hydroxide gel, six times every month. All 4 animals showed immediate-type cutaneous reactivity. Serum IgE antibody responses against the pollen antigen, as quantitated by the Prausnitz-Küstner reaction, were seen in 3 of 4 monkeys. Radioallergosorbent test scores increased in 2 monkeys and remained at higher levels throughout the study. Histamine release from leukocytes was positive in all animals. In conjunctival provocation tests, they showed clinical signs such as eye-scratching after the antigen was dropped into their eyes. This reaction is similar to that observed in humans and suggests this animal model might be useful in studying human cedar pollinosis.

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A new method of preparing a chlamydial complement fixation (CF) antigen by treatment with β‐propiolactone (BPL) is presented. Chlamydia psittaci strains Pigeon‐1041 and Budgerigar‐No. 1, and Chlamydia trachomatis strain L2/434/BU, propagated in L‐929 cell monolayers, were inactivated with BPL. This BPL‐treated antigen was useful for detecting CF antibodies in both human and pigeon sera, and it did not cause false‐positive reactions, as are sometimes observed between some human sera and phenol‐treated antigen derived from eggs. When this CF antigen was treated with potassium periodate and tested for reactivity with mouse immune ascitic fluid, it was found that the antigen contained type‐ or strain specificity as well as genus specificity. Immunization with the BPL‐treated antigen elicited type‐ or strain‐specific neutralizing antibody.