NEUTRALIZING AND COMPLEMENT-FIXING ANTIBODY PRODUCTION AND RESISTANCE FOLLOWING VACCINATION IN EXPERIMENTAL ENCEPHALITIS INFECTIONS

In mice vaccinated subcutaneously with different doses of virulent W.E.E. virus or with formolized vaccine, neutralizing and complement-fixing antibodies paralleled resistance to some extent yet appeared in groups in which resistance remained undetectable, persisted at a similar maximum level in spite of different titers of resistance, and after resistance had become negligible. In mice vaccinated subcutaneously with different doses of virulent St. Louis encephalitis virus or with formolized vaccine, neutralizing and complement-fixing antibodies bore little relation to resistance. Neutralizing antibodies appeared only in the group showing resistance but not until resistance was diminishing. Complement-fixing antibodies developed equally well in groups with or without resistance.