Appearance of Cytotoxic T Cells in Cerebrospinal Fluid of Mice with Ectromelia Virus-Induced Meningitis

In mice with meningitis induced by ectromelia virus, the influx of inflammatory cells into cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was shown to be triggered by an immunologically specific, T cell-dependent mechanism. These cells were counted, and their cytotoxicity assayed in vitro. Cell numbers reached a peak 6 days after infection and showed specific cytotoxicity for ectromelia-infected target cells, an effect that reached a peak at day 6 and was retained for at least a further 4 days. Treatment with anti-thymocyte serum 2 to 3 days before harvest of CSF cells depressed the numbers found and their cytotoxicity, suggesting that they reached the exudate from the blood.