Immunological reactivity of animals with tuberculosis under the influence of ionising radiation

Abstract

Effective control of animal tuberculosis is possible only with a comprehensive examination of the biology of the pathogen, epizootiology, pathogenesis, prevention methods, economic and environmental factors that affect the course of the disease. It is known that radiation exposure leads to autosensitisation of the body by the breakdown products of its tissues and the development of non-specific (false) immunological reactions. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to examine the immunological (serological) reactivity of tuberculosis patients exposed to gamma radiation in laboratory animals. Radiological, bacteriological, allergic, serological, and pathoanatomical research methods were used in the study. Guinea pigs were consistently irradiated with various doses of gamma rays, infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis of various types, and, for 90 days, were examined by clinical, allergic, pathoanatomical, and serological methods in the complement fixation reaction (CFR) and passive hemagglutination reaction (PHGR) according to Boyden to detect antitubercular complementbinding antibodies and tissue autoantibodies. 45 and 90 days after infection with M. bovis and M. tuberculosis antitubercular complement-binding antibodies were recorded in serum samples of irradiated and non-irradiated animals in diagnostic titres (1:20-1:80), which indicates the active development of the infectious process. In irradiated and intact guinea pigs infected with M. avium, no anti-tuberculosis antibodies were detected in since guinea pigs are not susceptible to infection with the causative agent of avian tuberculosis. In serum samples from uninfected guinea pigs, both irradiated and intact, antitubercular complement-binding antibodies were not detected during the entire follow-up period (90 days). The high content of tissue autoantibodies in blood serum samples of animals irradiated with a dose of 200 R (0.0516 C/kg) is a manifestation of autosensitisation of the body by the breakdown products of its tissues due to radiation damage. The presence of tissue autoantibodies in blood serum samples of irradiated and Mycobacterium-infected animals did not affect serological indicators for the indication of anti-tuberculosis antibodies, which should be considered when conducting diagnostic studies by veterinary medicine laboratories

Keywords

• tuberculosis
• radiation
• tuberculin
• gamma radiation
• mycobacteria
• complement-binding antibodies
• tissue antibodies