Immunity to Experimental Keratoconjunctivitis Shigellosa in Guinea Pigs

Specific susceptibility of the eyes of guinea pigs and rabbits to dysentery bacilli makes it possible to use them as an experimental model for the studies of pathogenesis and immunity of bacillary dysentery (Manolov, 1957; Serény, 1957; Watkins, 1960; Mackel, et al., 1961; Stenzel, 1962; Lin et al., 1964 a, b ; LaBrec et al., 1964; Ogawa et al., in preparation) . As regards the immunity to dysenteric keratoconjunctivitis in guinea gigs, Manolov (1957) reported that only after several repeated attacks of the disease did the eye develop definite local immunity, while the other eye remained susceptible, and that a parenteral immunization with dysentery vaccine did not lead to local immunization of the eye. Serény (1958), Watkins (1960), Mackel, et al. (1961), Stenzel (1962) and Lin et al. (1964 a) reported that recovery from the first attack of keratocon junctivitis shigellosa imparted non-specific tissue immunity against reinfection with shigellae, while humoral immunity was type-specific to the infecting bacilli though in too low a degree to protect the eyes from massive infection.The present study, with use of keratoconjunctivitis shigellosa in guinea pigs as a model, was undertaken to compare the protective efficiency and immunological specificity in the systemic and local immunization with virulent, attenuated and heat-killed Shigella flexneri and virulent S. sonnei and Escherichia coli.