Abstract

Levels of cell mediated immunity (CJMI) were monitored in pregnant and non-pregnant control ewes to assess the impact of pregnancy on CMI in sheep. Pregnant plasma caused a significant depression in lymphocyte culture reactivity with mitogens (PHA, Con A and PWM) or with antigen (BSA) in primed animals. No defect in transformation was evident in pregnant lymphocytes per se, which gave normal transformation when cultured in control plasma. Delayed- type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses to specific antigens were significantly lower during pregnancy in response to 1

N, Hudson, KP McNatty, K Ball, M Gibb, D Heath, S Lun, L Kieboom, and KM Henderson

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 45, , 51-54, 1985