Specific and nonspecific immune resistance enhancing activity of staphage lysate.

The immunopotentiating activity of staphage lysate (SPL) was evaluated in terms of its immune protection against lethal bacterial infection and its antitumor activity. Mice were pretreated weekly with 10(8) viable, Staphylococcus aureus, strain 18Z for 3 weeks (Induction), followed by intraperitoneal SPL injections (Elicitation) at various times in relation to infectious challenge or tumor implantation. Induction without elicitation, or elicitation alone failed to provide protection against Klebsiella pneumoniae infection and resulted in only 30-40% survival against homologous infection with pathogenic S.