On the Nature of Bacterial Allergies

Abstract

In the light of the experimental facts which have accumulated since Baldwin's (1) first investigation of the problem, it would seem dear that the tuberculin reaction cannot be regarded as a manifestation of typical protein anaphylaxis. While it is true that all the phenomena of protein anaphylaxis with all the demonstrable mechanism that this term implies can be simulated by experiments with bacterial substances, everyone who has worked on the subject will agree that it is a matter of considerable difficulty to accomplish this. Both active and passive sensitization with bacteria require special and intensive methods (2) and the results, while recognizable and valid, are never so dear-cut or so simple of interpretation as are the classical experiments so easily performed with, let us say, horse serum or egg white. This is probably due to the relatively small amount of coagulable protein present in the bacterial body. But, however this may be, the fact remains that the study of true bacterial anaphylaxis has been disappointingly sterile in its influence upon our comprehension of infection and immunity. Of much more immediate significance in these processes are those types of bacterial hypersensitiveness of which the tuberculin reactions are the classical examples, and of which the general significance is indicated by the observation of analogous phenomena in the mallein, typhoidin, and abortin reactions, and in such experiments as our own with typhoid-and staphylococcus-injected guinea pigs.' It appears, therefore, that two distinct types of hypersensitiveness may result from the contact of bacterial materials with the animal ' The differences between the immediate skin reactions of protein anaphylaxis and the "delayed" tuberculin type have been discussed in one of our previous papers (6).

Influence of Dose and Route of Antigen Injection on the Immunological Induction of T Cells

“…There are, however, some well known circumstances that give rise consistently to a more or less sustained state of DTH. Infection was such a common cause of this type of h:y2oersensitivity that DTH was once known as bacterial allergy (17,18). There are, however, some artificial ways of inducing DTH.…”

Reactions of Rabbits to Non-Hemolytic Streptococci: Iii. A Study of Modes of Sensitization

“…This suggests that the kind of lesion rather than the amount of bacterial substance is the important factor. Indeed, lesion--tubercle production--is the sine qua no• for the development of tuberculin allergy; and it is highly suggestive that Zinsser and Mueller (8) found that the production of multiple skin tuberculous lesions in rabbits yielded the best conditions for passive transfer of tuberculin allergy. They stress the r61e of the focus in the induction of "allergy;" but later Zinsser (9) thought that the peculiar manner in which the bacteria are disintegrated was the important factor.…”

The Purification and Concentration of Diphtheria Toxoid

“…The full extent of the immunity may not be accurately indicated either by the intracutaneous test, or by the estimation of antitoxin in the blood. It is not only conceivable that the several activities of toxin or toxoid which give rise to antitoxin in the blood may differ from those that induce the reaction in the skin after intracutaneous injection, but there are experimental observations indicating real differences (16). The variation in the response of the individual animals obscures the precise significance of a comparison of the results.…”