Antigen-specific lymphocyte transformation in patients with recent yersiniosis.

Lymphocyte transformation in patients with recent yersiniosis was studied. A micromethod using washed blood cells and Yersinia enterocolitica antigen was employed. The washed blood cells were incubated in the presence of various dilutions of heat-treated whole bacteria; these proved as antigen superior to gentamicin- or formalin-treated bacteria. Patients with recent yersiniosis had a significantly higher response against Yersinia antigen as compared to 20 healthy controls, who had either no response or a low response. No difference could be observed in responses against PPD or streptokinase-streptodornase, or in the mitogen responses between these two groups. A marked cross-reaction was observed between Yersinia and Escherichia coli antigen. The results show that patients with recent yersiniosis develop lymphocyte transformation response against Yersinia. Lymphocyte transformation test can be used in the study of host responses against infecting Yersinia in patients with different clinical pictures of yersiniosis.