Abstract
In the rabbit, manifestations of serum sickness are apparent upon the ears 3 to 7 days after a primary injection of serum, and consist of a characteristic erythema with or without an edema. In some animals that have previously received serum there is noted upon a second injection of the serum, similar manifestation of serum disease occurring however, within a few hours to 3 days post-injection; these reactions are probably analogous to the immediate and accelerated types of serum sickness occurring in man incident to a second injection of serum. 1
It was of interest to determine whether or not this capacity for immediate or accelerated reaction acquired upon serum injection, was transmitted from serum-injected mother to offspring. Accordingly in a limited number of young rabbits born of serum-injected mothers an attempt was made to determine the extent of the latent period that would elapse between time of injection and the advent of serum sickness.
In a litter of 6 young animals 53 days old, offspring of rabbit injected with horse serum 50 days prior to birth of young, serum sickness as indicated by erythema and edema of the ears was observed in 2 animals within 7 hours after serum injection, in another animal serum sickness occurred on the 6th day after injection while in 3 animals no reaction was observed. The immediate reactions (those occurring within 7 hours) indicate probable transmission from serum-injected mother to offspring of potential capacity for hastened reaction upon serum injection, since similar early reactions have never been noted in more than 150 normal full-grown rabbits receiving a primary administration of serum.
In 9 young animals 53 to 129 days of age, the offspring of 4 animals which had been injected with serum 23 to 50 days prior to birth of young, serum sickness was observed only in 1 animal and at 5 days after injection.
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