Complex surveillance of streptococcus pyogenes. VI. Relationship between hypersensitivity to zymosan and indicators of immunity against group A streptococci.

A prospective study involving 20 volunteers was designed to test relationships between the sensitivity to zymosan and the indicators of nonspecific immunity against streptococci (inhibitory activity of blood and production of mediators). The immunization with Mannozym produced a conversion of zymosan-induced MIF with a subsequent improvement of immunity indicators in 4 out of 7 primovaccinated and 2 revaccinated subjects. This effect was detectable in some vaccines within 2-4 days after immunization and persisted for up to 5 months. Initially detected changes, their kinetics in the vaccinated subjects as well as time-related variations in the pattern of indicators during a one-year period of observation seem to suggest that there was a relationship between the natural and induced cellular sensitivity to zymosan and the inhibitory activity of blood. The inhibitory activity of blood was effectuated through enhanced mediator-induced phagocytic activity and nonspecific opsonin mechanisms. The mediators fluctuated in their values with time and were demonstrable in immunized subjects. There were observed interlinked reactions of cellular immunity with zymosan, peptidoglycan and streptococci. The mechanisms found are believed to constitute a fundamental, relatively easy-to-stimulate means of human immunity which may explain the experimental and epidemiological inconsistencies in the strictly type-specific interpretation of the M - anti-M system. Under in vitro conditions the effect of nonspecific immunization was bacteriostatic, but the role of these nonspecific mechanisms under conditions in vivo remains unclear. It is recommended that effectiveness of nonspecific immunization be verified under conditions of natural infection in man.