[Role of allergic responses of peripheral blood leukocytes in the pathogenesis of experimental allergic (pertussis) encephalomyelitis].

Stable leukocytosis and lymphocytosis were observed in the peripheral blood of guinea pigs from the 14th day after their sensitization with B. pertussis oil suspension. A shift to the left occurred in the leukocytic count. After the contact of leukocytes with the specific cerebral antigen both in vivo and in vitro leukolysis and allergic alteration of leukocytes which occurred at the last stages of sensitization i.e. at the period of clinical manifestation of the experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) involved mainly the granulocytes. These phenomena are supposed to be caused by the anticerebral antibodies which appear in the blood at this stage of EAE, i.e. in the mechanism of development of EAE allergic reactions of the immediate type in combination with allergic reactions of the delayed type.