Studies on cell-mediated immune response to rabies virus immunization in dogs.

Peripheral blood leucocytes (PBL) from unvaccinated dogs and dogs vaccinated subcutaneously with beta-propiolactone (BPL) inactivated sheep brain antirabies vaccine were exposed in vitro to rabies antigen. A direct leucocyte migration inhibition (LMI) assay in agarose was used to study the cell-mediated immune (CMI) response. The CMI response could be detected as early as 7 days postvaccination. It reached a peak by 14 days postvaccination followed by a decline. The PBL from unvaccinated control dogs were not stimulated by rabies virus antigen.