SummaryThe following has been reported herein: The isolation of Rhodotorula rubra from a case of Keratitis. The development of experimental Keratitis in a rabbit by the Rhodotorula, and its re‐isolation from the infected eye. ZusammenfassungRhodotorula rubra (mucilaginosa) wurde aus dem Auge einer Patientin, die an einer Keratitis erkrankt war, gezüchtet.Mit diesem Sproßpilzstamm wurde ein Kaninchenauge infiziert. Es entwickelte sich eine Keratitis. Rhodotorula rubra wurde reisoliert.

Penetrating keratoplasties were performed in which grafts were exchanged between normal rabbits and rabbits previously infected with Herpes simplex virus (HSV). Clear grafts were obtained when surgery was performed during the latent stage of the disease (3 months after HSV inoculation). Polyinosinic acid: polycytidylic acid (poly I:C) was administered before and after keratoplasty when the rabbits had active herpetic keratitis. Clear grafts were obtained when the rabbits were inoculated with HSV and treated 18 hours later with poly I:C, which was continued until two weeks before keratoplasty. This treated group had a rapid decrease in HSV titer, inhibition of the migration of HSV from the infected cornea to the trigeminal ganglia, and a decrease in antibody titer to HSV in the sera. In rabbits inoculated with HSV, subjected two weeks later to keratoplasty, and then treated with poly I:C, three quarters of the graft rejections were milder than those in the control group.

Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was found to be a convenient method for the investigation of antibodies in mice immunized with Candida albicans ribosomes. Antibodies against the ribosomal antigen were detected in all the sera of mice (ICR and BALB/ c) immunized with ribosomes and incomplete Freund's adjuvant and in some of the sera of mice immunized with ribosomes only; the titer of antibodies varied from 1∶320 to 1∶10 240. Vaccination of mice with ribosomal protein and IFA resulted in a high titer of antiribosomal antibodies. Treatment of ribosomes with pronase abrogated the capacity of the ribosomes to elicit anti ribosomal humoral responses, suggesting that the antibodies detected were directed against the protein moiety of the ribosomes. The presence of antibodies in sera of immunized mice could not be correlated with the protection afforded by the ribosomal vaccination.

Alkaline phosphatase was used in an immuno-enzymatic procedure to detect tissue-bound and circulating antibodies in pemphigus vulgaris. Pemphigus antibodies were revealed by a direct method using alkaline phosphatase conjugated goat anti-human IgG. Cryostat sections were incubated with the specific antiserum, and alkaline phosphatase activity was then revealed histochemically either by Gomori's technique or by the azo dye method. The sections were examined by light microscopy and intercellular staining was demonstrated in the epidermis. The indirect method, in which the patient's serum was incubated with sections of normal skin, gave similar results. Using parallel sections, an immunofluorescent technique was used to demonstrate tissue-bound and circulating antibodies. The alkaline phosphatase method appeared to be slightly less sensitive than the immunofluorescent method.

The inhibition of herpetic keratitis by a combination of Poly I:C with DEAE-Dextran and IUDR was studied in rabbit eyes. This treatment was administered 72 h after HSV inoculation (daily) for 3 days and continued once daily for another 2–3 days.