THE EFFECTS OF A RADIOPROTECTIVE DRUG, WR-1607E, ON SUSCEPTIBILITY TO INFECTION WITH LIVE PASTEURELLA TULARENSIS VACCINE,
Abstract
Mice were given intraperitoneal injections of the radioprotective drug, WR-1607E, immediately prior to whole body X-irradiation at doses varying from sublethal (100 R) to lethal (840 R). In order to test the effect of the WR-1607E on the susceptibility of mice to infection from an avirulent living bacterial vaccine, Pasteurella tularensis (living vaccine strain, LVS), was injected subcutaneously at times after irradiation varying from one hour to 28 days. WR-1607E is 100% effective in protecting non-infected mice against lethal irradiation and does not have any observable effect on non-irradiated mice infected with P. tularensis (LVS). However, if P. tularensis (LVS) is given to protected-irradiated mice earlier than the 10th day post-irradiation, 100% deaths resulted. Cultures from autopsied mice showed large numbers of the bacteria in the liver, spleen, lymph nodes and blood. The susceptibility of protected-irradiated mice to infection decreased as the time after irradiation increased. Thus, it appeared that a bacterial infection from an avirulent living vaccine given earlier than one week after irradiation may abolish or mask the protective effects of WR-1607E. There appeared to be no effect of WR-1607E on the immune response of mice surviving the irradiation and subcutaneous injection of P. tularensis (LVS). Aerosol challenge with P. tularensis (LVS), which is lethal to non-immunized mice, was used to test the immunity. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 14, 1968
- Accession Number
- AD0675032
Entities
People
- Frederick A. Hodge
- Myron S. Silverman
Organizations
- Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory