Further studies on the effect of lung antibodies on the pathogenesis of tuberculosis.

A study was made to further clarify the role of lung reactive antibodies in tuberculous infection. Following intravenous infection with viable tubercle bacilli, mice received mouse anti-mouse lung antibodies for three weeks. Control groups consisted of tuberculous mice receiving non-lung antibody containing fluid and uninfected mice. A method was developed for quantitating tuberculous infection in these different groups by expressing the number of lesions produced per unit of cross-sectional surface area of the lung. Passive administration of lung antibodies was found to significantly potentiate the number of tuberculous lesions. It was concluded that the antibody in some way lowered the resistance of the tissue to invasion.