Suppressed tuberculin reaction in guinea pigs following laser irradiation.

Tuberculin reactions were tested at the bilateral sites of the backs of sensitized guinea pigs. Laser irradiation at an energy fluence of 3.6 J at one site of reaction suppressed the reaction not only at the irradiated site but also at the contralateral nonirradiated site. These phenomena were observed when mononuclear cells were dominant in the perivascular cellular infiltration. The results indicate that local irradiation with a low-power laser has systemic inhibitory effects on delayed hypersensitivity reactions.