Proposals for quality control methods of bacterial vaccines for immunostimulation. II. In vivo and in vitro stimulation of lymphocytes by BCG

Abstract

An in vitro test for measuring the reaction of the draining lymph node after BCG vaccination and an in vitro test based on the stimulation of lymphocytes by concanavalin A were used to demonstrate immunostimulating properties of different BCG vaccines. A marked difference was seen between vaccines grown as a surface pellicle and ground in a ball mill, and those which were prepared from dispersed homogeneous cultures. In both systems the ball mill preparations were the less active.