THE BASIS FOR IMMUNITY TO MOUSE TYPHOID

Abstract

Summary A study has been made of the carrier state in mouse typhoid. The carrier state was induced using an avirulent strain of Salmonella typhimurium . The results indicate that the enhanced resistance to superinfection with the virulent strain of Salmonella typhimurium during this period is due to the production of specific antibody and not to any specific peculiarity of the phagocytic cells. The persistence of bacteria in tho reticulo‐endothelial system has been shown to be due to a heterogeneity in the bactericidal properties of the population of phagocytic cells. The importance of these observations with reference to the concept of cellular immunity is discussed.