Response to Secondary Antigenic Stimulus after Whole Body X-irradiation in the Beagle. Lf-17.

The results of the administration to healthy beagles of a secondary antigenic stimulus (booster dose) of Leptospira canicola and infectious canine hepatitis virus (ICH) are reported. Twelve previously vaccinated animals were used. Six were exposed to a 335 r dose of x-irradiation. Three controls and three irradiated dogs received the booster dose two days after the irradiation and the remaining six, seven days after. Agglutinin titres for Leptospira canicola of 1:32 to 1:256 were observed in the 12 beagles before the booster dose. No increases of significance were found in either the controls or the experimental group after the booster dose. Complement fixing titres for the ICH virus of 1:16 to 1:64 were seen in all animals before revaccination. There was no significant difference in the titres of the control group and the experimental group which were given the ICH booster seven days after irradiation. However, the response observed in the controls given the booster after two days was absent in the irradiated animals.