In 1890,Emil Behring and Shibasaburo Kitasato reported an extra-ordinary experiment.They immunized rabbits with tetanus and then collected serum from these animals.Subsequently,they injected 0.2ml of the immune serum into the abdominal cavity of six mice.After hours,they infected the treated animals and Untreated controls with live,virulent tetanus bacteria.All of the control mice died within 48 hours of infection,whereas the treated mice not only survived but showed no effects of infection.This landmark experiment demonstrated two important points.One,it showed that following immunization,substances appeared in serum that could protect an animal against pathogens.Two,this work demonstrated that immunity could be passively acquired.Immunity could be transferred from one animal to another by taking serum from an immune animal and injecting it into a non immune one.These and subsequent experiments did not go unnoticed.Both men eventually received titles(Behring became von Behring and Kitasto became Baron Kitasto).A few years later,in 1901,Von Behring was awarded first Nobel Prize in Medicine.
These early observations and others paved the way for the introduction of passive immunization int clinical practice.During the 1930's and 1940's, passive immuno therapy,the endowment of resistance to pathogens by transfer of the agent of immunity from an immunized donor to an unimmunized recipient,was used to prevent or modify the course of measles and hepatitis A.During subsequent years,clinical experience and advances in the technology of preparation of immunoglobin for passive immunization have made this approach a standard medical practice.Passive immunization based on the transfer of antibodies is widely used in the treatment of immunodefiency diseases and as a protection against anticipated exposure to infectious agents against which one does not have immunity.
These early observations and others paved the way for the introduction of passive immunization int clinical practice.During the 1930's and 1940's, passive immuno therapy,the endowment of resistance to pathogens by transfer of the agent of immunity from an immunized donor to an unimmunized recipient,was used to prevent or modify the course of measles and hepatitis A.During subsequent years,clinical experience and advances in the technology of preparation of immunoglobin for passive immunization have made this approach a standard medical practice.Passive immunization based on the transfer of antibodies is widely used in the treatment of immunodefiency diseases and as a protection against anticipated exposure to infectious agents against which one does not have immunity.
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