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Specific Precocious Protective Action of Toxoids

Nature volume 203, pages 312–313 (1964)Cite this article

Abstract

THERE have been several reports of a specific precocious protective action, not involving antibody response, of tetanus toxoid against tetanus toxin1–8. Massive doses of tetanus toxoid injected into mice protected them against a few lethal doses of tetanus toxin injected at the same time, or shortly before, or shortly after. Diphtheria toxoid, given in doses comparable on a basis of antibody-combining power units, had no such protective effect against tetanus toxin5,6. Suggestions have been made that the protective action of tetanus toxoid may be connected with its ability to prevent the fixation of tetanus toxin by nervous tissue7–9 and ganglioside10.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford,

    JANE MELLANBY & W. E. VAN HEYNINGEN

Authors
  1. JANE MELLANBY
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  2. W. E. VAN HEYNINGEN
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MELLANBY, J., VAN HEYNINGEN, W. Specific Precocious Protective Action of Toxoids. Nature 203, 312–313 (1964). https://doi.org/10.1038/203312b0

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