Abstract
In the attempt to elucidate the immunological mechanism of bacterial vaccine therapy in bronchial asthma the therapeutical effect of a polyvalent vaccine, Broncasma Berna, was examined in 64 cases of bronchial asthma.
Result:
1) Of the cases showing positive immediate type skin reaction to Broncasma Berna (B.B.), there were a considerable number in which reagin against B.B, was present.
2) With B.B. treatment blocking antibody to B.B. became apparant and this trend was higher in the clinically effective cases.
3) The skin reaction threshold is reduced by B.B. treatment.
4) The rate of appearance of B.B. blocking antibody is not affected by increase in age but a trend for suppression was noted with long term administration of steroid.
5) The time for effect to become apparant was later in the cases showing a negative immediate type skin reaction to B.B. compared to the positive cases.
6) The result suggest that B.B. has both a specific desensitizing and a specific immunizing activity.
