Studies on the Prevention of Mumps

[摘要] The effect of intradermal injection of mumps skin test antigen on stimulation of antibody formation and on immunity to mumps has been studied.Although development of antibodies as measured mainly by the complement-fixation technic, and in some instances also by hemagglutination inhibition tests, is not infrequent in individuals who had negative reactions prior to the skin test, it is suggested that these responses nevertheless must be termed in many instances a recall phenomenon and not de novo antibody formation. This suggestion is based particularly on the inverse relationship between age of the individual and height and frequency of antibody response to skin test. Whereas in the adult group more than 75% of the originally negative reactors responded, in children of 5 years of age of less, this figure decreased to 23%.Attempts to interrupt the course of mumps outbreaks in several institutions by application of skin tests did not conclusively demonstrate significant protective effects. The incidence of mumps in skin tested and control groups of children of the combined institutions was practically the same.

[学科分类] 生物科学（综合）