Abstract
ADULT mice are highly resistant to experimental vaccinial infection, but suckling mice succumb to relatively low doses of virus introduced into the inter-scapular fat pad1. Transfer of protective antibody from immunized dams to their offspring has been described in this species for the viruses of variola2, herpes3, foot and mouth disease4 and Friend leukaemia5. In this communication, I report the transfer of antivaccinial immunity from actively immunized pregnant mice to their young. The Porton strain of albino mice and the WR strain of vaccinia virus were used throughout. The biological characteristics and method of assay of WR vaccinia virus are recorded by Turner6. A single batch of virus (titre 2 × 107 plaque forming units (P.F.U.)/ml.) was used, collected from chick embryo fibroblasts and stored in small volumes at −70° C.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Duran-Reynals, M. L., and Johnson, P., Biologie Med., 52, 76 (1963).
Mahnel, H., and Munz, E., Z. Hyg. Infek., 150, 340 (1965).
Berry, G. P., and Slavin, H. B., J. Exp. Med., 78, 305 (1943).
Campbell, C. H., Amer. J. Vet. Res., 21, 697 (1960).
Mirand, E. A., Grace, J. T., and Buffett, R. F., Nature, 209, 696 (1966).
Turner, G. S., J. Gen. Virol., 1, 399 (1967).
Bell, J. F., Moore, G. I., and Raymond, G. H., Arch. Inst. Past. (Tunis), 43, 47 (1966).
Kempe, C. H., Yale J. Biol. Med., 21, 328 (1952).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
MALKINSON, M. Transference of Maternal Passive Immunity to Vaccinia Virus in Mice. Nature 216, 1117–1118 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1038/2161117a0
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/2161117a0
- Springer Nature Limited