Influence of Age on Amount of Normal Agglutinins in the Blood of Cattle

Abstract

The currently accepted explanation of the frequent presence in normal human adults, as contrasted with young children, of antibodies such as diphtheria antitoxin and the substance that neutralizes the virus of poliomyelitis, is that the antibodies have been specifically generated by an unnoticed or a subclinical infection. The occurrence of normal bacterial agglutinins in the blood of various adult domestic animals, as demonstrated by Burgi, Gibson and others, has suggested some observations upon the influence of age on the presence and abundance of these antibodies. These agglutinins are common in the blood of cattle, they are specific at least to the extent of being removed by absorption with specific bacterial cells and they comprise both the H and O antigenic types.The standard macroscopic agglutination technique was used. The serum was freshly obtained from cattle brought to the Chicago stockyards, and was from 3 groups: (a) calves (under 1 year); (b) heifers (approximately 1-2 years); (c) “cows and ...