Immunobiological characteristic of antigens from the parasitic phase of Coccidiodes immitis.

The possibility of obtaining serologically active antigens from tissue spherules extracted from the lungs of albino mice infected with C. immitis has been demonstrated. Unlike the method of obtaining spherules in vitro, the accumulation of sufficient quantities of tissue spherules does not involve special difficulties.

[Transfer of cellular immunity to the causative agent of coccidioidosis using the transfer factor in mice].

Experiments conducted on non-linear mice demonstrated a possibility of transfer by the intact recipient of delayed hypersensitivity by means of Lawrence'transfer-factor from mice immunized with Coccidioides immitis. The transfer factor administered 48 hours before the intranasal infection protected mice from the lethal dose of coccidioides. This indicated that in coccidioidosis it was possible to transfer delayed hypersensitivity and cellular immunity with the transfer factor.

[Quantitative test for evaluating immunoreactivity in vaccinated mice with coccidioidosis].

The interaction between hypersensitivity of delayed type and the severity of infection was studied in albino mice vaccinated and survived after the intranasal infection with 100 LD50 of Coccidioidosis immitis (pulmonary model of coccidiasis). The method of determination of the weight of the lungs and edema of the paw pads after the administration of the specific antigen permitted to assess the intensity of immunity quantitatively. There was an inverse correlation between the weight of the affected lungs and edema of the limbs, and in case of pregressive development of coccidioidosis--between the weight of the body and the lungs.

Studies on mediators of cellular immunity in experimental coccidioidomycosis.

The time course of delayed hypersensitivity (DH) to spherulin was regularly detected 3 days before and up to 140 days after sensitization of guniea pigs by repeated testing with the in vitro macrophage migration inhibition method. The properties of mycelial and spherule-derived coccidioidins in dermal sensitivity reactions were studied with regard to infected or vaccinated with Coccidioides immitis guinea pigs. The mediators for cellular immunity such as promotion of phagocytosis, skin reactive and fungicidal factors can be found in the supernatant of lymphocyte cultures from vaccinated or infected animals with mild disease in much greater quantity than those in control or infected with severe disease.