The Effect of Ambient Temperature on the Immune Response in the Syrian Hamster

摘要

The influence of ambient temperatures of 15 and 25 deg;C on the primary immune response of the Syrian hamster has been investigated. Animals were immunized with a single intracardiac injection of either sheep red blood cells (SRBC) or Salmonella typhosa. Results show an increase in the latent period and an overall lower titer of agglutinating and hemagglutinating antibodies in hamsters kept at 15 deg;C. The antibody response to Salmonell lsquo;Hrsquo; antigen at this temperature was found to be more suppressed than the response to lsquo;Orsquo; antigen or to SRBC. No such differences were seen in rabbits kept at 15 deg;C as opposed to those kept at 25 deg;C.