The influence of maternal separation on humoral and cellular immunity in farmed deer

The effect of maternal separation on in vivo and in vitro immune parameters was studied in young hybrid deer. Groups of fawns separated from their mothers either 2 days prior to or 7 days post immunization with keyhole limpet hemocyanin were compared with a control group of immunized, unseparated fawns. Animals separated prior to antigenic challenge had significantly higher concentrations of antigen-specific IgG in their serum than control animals. There was no influence on the humoral immune response in animals separated following immunization. In contrast, Con A transformations were transiently depressed in separated animals compared to the control group. The time separation was imposed relative to challenge and therefore influenced the subsequent immune response.