911 IgE AND IgG ANTI-POLLEN ANTIBODIES IN DOGS AFTER VIRUS INFECTIONS

Abstract

In infants born into allergic families,we reported a co-incidental association between viral infections and onset of allergy. Dogs are the only animals with frequent naturally occurring allergies. A colony of allergic dogs was established by screening 220 hunting dogs for high titers of IgE antibodies to grass and weed pollens. Six animals (4 females,2 males) that had 105+ IgE-PCA titer were bred and their offspring also inbred. At 4,8,12 weeks of age, puppies received their live attenuated distemper virus vaccine and 2 and 9 days later, 10 μg of 5% mixed grass and ragweed pollen extracts in alum were injected s.c. The vaccinated puppies made significantly more IgE antibodies to pollens than did their unvaccinated littermates. In May 1980, a parvovirus diarrhea epidemic struck the colony affecting all the dogs; 2 litters of young puppies died. During the diarrhea,all dogs were given 10 μg 5% pollen extracts in alum. IgE and IgG antibodies to pollens were measured by RAST using rabbit anti-canine e and γ-chain sera, respectively. In 6 litters (23 dogs),there was universally, a brisk 2 to 5-fold rise in IgE antibodies to one or both pollens within the next 6 weeks;in another 9 dogs the rise occurred in 3 months. In 8/32 dogs,IgG antibodies rose 2-fold. All infected dogs had a 4-fold+ rise in parvovirus antibodies. The high IgE anti-pollen antibodies have been maintained in 80%. Eczematous rashes developed in 10%. We suggest that certain virus infections cause “allergic breakthrough” by depressing TS-E cells for IgE antibody production.