154 IMMUNOLOGY 



a relationship between tlie group A substance of human red cells 

 and the polysaccharide of Forssman's antigen. Interest in hetero- 

 phile antibodies has increased since Paul and Bunnell (1932) noted 

 their presence in high titer in many cases of acute infections 

 mononucleosis. The subject has been extensively investigated by 

 Davidsohn, 



While the term heterophile antibodies has been used almost 

 exclusively to indicate antibodies for nonspecies specific antigens 

 of the Forssman type which will cause agglutination of old sheep 

 red cells, it should be remembered that there are other examples of 

 nonspecies specific antibodies. Among the well-known antibodies 

 that cause cross reactions are those that are produced by im- 

 munizing with Friedlander's bacillus. Such antibodies will ag- 

 glutinate not only suspensions of B. friedVdnder but also suspen- 

 sions of Pneumococcus Type II. Another example of heterophile 

 antibodies are those found in the blood of typhus fever patients. 

 These antibodies will react with both Proteus 0X19 and the 

 Rickettsia of Mexican and European typhus fever. While these 

 antibodies giving cross reactions are for nonspecies antigens and 

 therefore are heterophile antibodies they do not cause agglutination 

 or hemolysis of sheep cells. 



References 



Bordet, J.: Studies in Immunity, Translated by F. P. Gay, New York, 1909, 

 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 



Bordet, J., and Gay, F. P.: Sur les relations des sensibilisatrices avec 

 I'alexine, Ann. Inst. Past. 20: 467, 1906. 



Bordet and Strang (1909): See Zinsser, H.: Kesistance to Infectious Dis- 

 eases, New York, 1931, The Macmillan Co., p. 192. 



Buchner, H.: Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. Orig. 5: 817, 1889; 6: 1, 1889. 



Bull, C. G.: Heterophile Antigens and Antibodies. Newer Knowledge of 

 Bacteriology and Immunology, Chicago, 1928, University of Chicago 

 Press, p. 733. 



Burmeister, J.: Cited from Mackenzie. 



Coriell, L., Miller, W. E., and Sherwood, N. P.: Studies on Natural Bac- 

 teriolysins, 1940. (Unpublished work.) 



Davidsohn, I.: Heterophile Antigens and Antibodies, Arch. Path. 4: 776, 

 1927. 



Davidsohn, L: Heterophile Antibodies in Serum Sickness, J. Immunol. 16: 

 259, 1929. 



Davidsohn, I.: Further Studies on Heterophilic Antibodies in Serum Sick- 

 ness, J. Immunol. 18: 31, 1930. 



Davidsohn, I.: Heterophilic Antibodies in Serum Disease, III, J. Infect. 

 Dis. 53: 219, 1933. 



Davidsohn, I.: Infectious Mononucleosis, Am. J. Dis. Child. 49: 1222, 

 1935. 



