Immune response to primary immunization with brucella antigen in mycosis fungoides.

The immune response to primary immunization with brucella antigen was studied in 8 patients with mycosis fungoides and 11 controls. The development of as well cellular as humoral hypersensitivity to brucella antigen was followed by in vitro techniques. Both, patients with mycosis fungoides and controls were studied for previously acquired delayed hypersensitivity to tuberculin by skin test. The distribution of B and T cells was encountered among the patients. Previously acquired cellular immunity was found equal in the two groups, however, induction of cellular hypersensitivity to brucella antigen was found depressed in mycosis fungoides patients compared with the controls. Also the humoral response to brucella antigen could seem depressed, only one of seven patients with mycosis fungoides had a positive titer, while seven of eleven controls had positive titres following vaccination; but the difference between the two groups was not significant.