EFFECT OF ADMINISTRATION OF SERUM THYMIC-FACTOR (FTS) IN CALVES AND RABBITS INFECTED WITH BOVINE IMMUNODEFICIENCY-LIKE VIRUS

The effect of serum thymic factor (FTS) administration in bovine immunodeficiency-like virus (BIV)-infected calves and rabbits was examined. We previously found that some of the macrophage functions were depressed and humoral immune responses against foreign proteins were delayed in BIV-infected calves compared to uninfected calves. After FTS administration, however, no delay of antibody responses against foreign proteins was observed in BIV-infected calves. Though the chemiluminescence (CL) responses of macrophages in BIV-infected calves were significantly depressed (p<0.05), FTS administration resulted in the recovery of the CL responses in the BIV-infected calves comparable to those in the control calves. Antibody responses against foreign proteins in BIV-infected rabbits were significantly depressed (p<0.025) as compared with those in uninfected rabbits, though the depression became no significant after FTS administration.