Edward C. Curnen

Complement Fixation with Dissimilar Antigens in Primary Atypical Pneumonia

In complement-fixation tests with sera from patients with primary atypical pneumonia of unknown etiology, it was found unexpectedly that the convalescent serum from a number of patients reacted positively in high dilution with various and apparently unrelated antigens. Since this peculiar and as yet unexplained property can lead to difficulty in the interpretation of the results of complement-fixation tests with sera obtained from patients with this clinical syndrome the phenomenon has been studied. Materials and Methods. Specimens of serum were obtained from patients acutely ill with primary atypical pneumonia in the Rockefeller Hospital. Additional specimens of serum were obtained from these patients throughout the course of the illness and during convalescence. The sera were stored at 4°C. Mouse lung antigens. Antigens were prepared from the lungs of normal albino Swiss mice and from the lungs of similar mice which had been infected with one or another of the following viruses: a. pneumonia virus of mice, Horsfall and Hahn; 1 b. influenza A virus, PR8 strain; c. cat pneumonitis virus, Baker; 2 and d. meningo-pneumonitis virus. 3 Mice infected with agents a, b, and d were killed usually on the fifth day after intranasal inoculation, while mice infected with agent c were killed on the second day. The lungs were removed aseptically, ground with abrasive and suspended in a final concentration of 2% by wet weight in 0.85% NaCl buffered at pH 7.2. The suspension was centrifuged at 1500 RPM for 10 minutes and the supernate withdrawn and used as antigen. When parallel tests were done with different antigens they were all prepared on the same day from mouse lungs which either had been freshly removed or stored as intact specimens at −70°C for some days. Other tissue antigens. Antigens were prepared also in a manner identical with that described above from the following individual normal tissues: mouse liver. mouse spleen, rabbit lung, rabbit liver, rabbit spleen, rabbit kidney, guinea pig lung, hooded rat lung.

STUDIES ON A NON-HEMOLYTIC STREPTOCOCCUS ISOLATED FROM THE RESPIRATORY TRACT OF HUMAN BEINGS

The results of studies on the immunological relationship between streptococcus MG and Streptococcus salivarius type I are described. Evidence is presented to show that Streptococcus salivarius type I, like streptococcus MG, possesses a capsular polysaccharide antigen. Similarities in the capsular polysaccharides of these two different species of non-hemolytic streptococci appear to be responsible for their immunological relationship.

Toxicity for Dogs of a Bactericidal Substance Derived from a Soil Bacillus

Summary A study has been made of the toxicity for dogs of a protein-free preparation of the bactericidal substance described by Dubos when injected by the intravenous route. Seven of the 8 animals which received 0.4 mg/kg or more daily died as a result of the injections, and in 6 of these death occurred before the course of 10 daily injections was completed. All animals receiving 0.3 mg/kg or more snowed well-marked acute or chronic changes in the liver, spleen, kidneys, heart and lungs. Animals which received daily 0.2 mg/kg or less for 10 days showed only minor evidence of toxicity.

Hypoaminoacidemia in Patients with Pneumococcal Pneumonia

Summary Observations on the plasma amino acid nitrogen of 6 patients with pneumococcal pneumonia are presented. In each instance luring the acute phase of the disease the patient showed a plasma amino acid concentration significantly below the average normal value. During convalescence there was a gradual rise in the concentration of plasma amino acid nitrogen, with a return to a normal level on complete recovery from the disease. Present data indicate the normal average value to be 4.50 mg per 100 cc.

CHLORIDE METABOLISM AND PLASMA AMINO ACID LEVELS IN PRIMARY ATYPICAL PNEUMONIA

In pneumococcus pneumonia, a tendency to store excessive amounts of ingested salt and water during the acute stage and to excrete this excess following the crisis has been described by numerous observers (1 to 4). Another characteristic metabolic disturbance in this disease, noted by Farr et al. (5), is a depression of the plasma amino acid level, as measured by the ninhydrin technique (6), during the acute phase, with a rise to normal at the time of the crisis. In order to discover whether or not such disturbances occur in primary atypical pneumonia (7, 8) (so-called virus pneumonia, acute pneumonitis, etc.), chloride balances and plasma amino acid levels have been followed in 10 adult male patients, showing the common signs and symptoms of this disease.