General and Cerebral Anaphylaxis in the Monkey

Abstract

Monkeys have rarely been used in anaphylactic experimentation because they were found to be refractory. Zinsser 1 concluded that “anaphylaxis is very difficult to obtain in the lower monkeys, probably cannot be obtained by a single preparatory injection, but that occasionally definite mild anaphylactic reactions can be obtained in these animals.” In continuing our studies on local cerebral anaphylaxis 2 we proceeded in the Macacus rhesus as in the dog, namely, with intravenous injections following repeated or continuous antigen contact in the brain. Four out of 7 monkeys (Nos. 3, 5, 8, and 9) responded with slight contralateral loss of tone in the hind leg following intravenous injections of the appropriate antigen.

One animal (14) however, which had been previously sensitized with egg-white intramuscularly and intravenously and subsequently injected directly into the left motor area of the brain with the same antigen responded 2 days later with striking convulsive twitchings of the right arm and right side of the face. The right motor area of the brain had received horse serum as a control but it failed to cause any reaction.

Another series of monkeys were given repeated intravenous injections of antigen. In these fatal anaphylaxis occurred.

Table 1 shows that 11 of the 12 monkeys died of acute anaphylactic shock.