Antigen presentation as a factor in the protective immune response to renal infection.

Host protection against renal infection may be augmented by active immunization against the causative organism. In these experiments we have investigated the effect of varying amounts and methods of presentation of bacterial antigen on the seconday immune response. Primary immunization with varying amounts of both killed and live antigen did not affect the nature of the secondary immune response although active renal infection did have a noticeable effect on the titre of serum antibody during the primary immune response. The experiments confirmed the presence of immunological memory to the somatic antigen of E. coli and showed that memory persisted for at least 6 months after primary immunization. Experiments have also been carried out which have demonstrated that memory to the somatic antigen of E. coli is carried by the B lymphocyte.