The Effect of Ambient Temperature on the Immune Response in the Syrian Hamster

Abstract

The influence of ambient temperatures of 15 and 25 °C on the primary immune response of the Syrian hamster has been investigated. Animals were immunized with a single intracardiac injection of either sheep red blood cells (SRBC) or Salmonella typhosa. Results show an increase in the latent period and an overall lower titer of agglutinating and hemagglutinating antibodies in hamsters kept at 15 °C. The antibody response to Salmonell ‘H’ antigen at this temperature was found to be more suppressed than the response to ‘O’ antigen or to SRBC. No such differences were seen in rabbits kept at 15 °C as opposed to those kept at 25 °C.