The effect of hyperimmunization with Neisseria gonorrhoeae on the presence of gonococcal antibody in serum, tissues, and secretions of the rabbit.

Antibody responses in sera, tissues, and secretions of the urogenital tract and lower respiratory tract of rabbits hyperimmunized with Neisseria gonorrhoeae were examined. Antibody was detected by passive hemagglutination, whole-cell agglutination, bentonite flocculation, and in some cases immunodiffusion-in-gel. Immunization of rabbits either intravenously or intramuscularly resulted in the presence of gonococcal antibodies in the sera, spleens, and tissue of the urogenital tract (vagina, cervix, uterus, and fallopian tubes). Gonococcal antibody was also found in secretions bathing the mucosa of the urogenital tract and lower respiratory tract. Antibodies were not detected in sera, tissues, and secretions of non-immunized rabbits. The spleen was shown to synthesize gonococcal antibody in vitro in response to hyperimmunization. Tissues of the urogenital tract did not appear to synthesize gonococcal antibody thus suggesting and antibodies present in secretions of the urogenital tract were derived mainly from serum.