Pertussis vaccine pleurisy: a model of delayed hypersensitivity

Male Wistar rats have been sensitized to Bordetella pertussis using a mixture of Freund's incomplete adjuvant and pertussis organisms. Intrapleural challenge 12 days later with pertussis produced a marked delayed inflammatory response, maximal at 48 hours and dominated by influx of mononuclear cells. Dosing with D-penicillamine (25 mg/kg) and levamisole (5 mg/kg) at the time of challenge produced a significant enhancement of the reaction. A long period of dosing with either drug, or treatment with indomethacin (3 mg/kg), suppressed the response. The relevance of this to the testing and mode of action of antirheumatic drugs is discussed.