Effect of hyaluronidase on skin reactions to the tuberculin patch test.

Abstract

DOES hyaluronidase enhance transepidermal penetration? An answer to this question was sought through experiments with the tuberculin patch test. It was not the primary intention of these experiments to improve the patch test; hyaluronidase is too unstable to be stored in a medium of tuberculin which contains hygroscopic glycerin. However, the answer to the question was of theoretic interest and if positive could find other practical applications. <h3>METHOD</h3> Solutions of hyaluronidase were freshly prepared by injecting 0.5 cc. of isotonic sodium chloride solution into a vial containing 150 turbidity-reducing units of lyophilized hyaluronidase.¹Of this solution 0.015 cc. was placed on one (marked "H") of the two tuberculin test squares of the tuberculin patch test.²The control square of the patch test was prepared with the same amount of hyaluronidase solution in order to rule out the possibility that hyaluronidase itself causes skin reactions. On the second tuberculin