Properties of the immunogenic and sensitizing activities of Bordetella pertussis in mice: I. Enhancement of peptone shock

Abstract

The capacity of pertussis vaccine to enhance peptone shock in mice paralleled the immunogenic and histamine-sensitizing activities in fractionation and was similarly labile to heat and to tryptic degradation. It is, therefore, suggested that the immunogen itself may be responsible for these sensitizing activities. Elicitation of heightened susceptibility to peptone shock by the administration of a beta-adrenergic blocking agent, propranolol, would suggest that pertussis vaccine may induce this effect, as had earlier been reported and is presently confirmed, with histamine, via autonomic nervous pathways. Several significant differences were found, however, between pertussis-mediated hypersensitivity to histamine and to peptone, including degree of sensitivity engendered, mouse strain specificity, and duration of symptoms.