Abstract: | Development of secondary immune response has been studied following reactivation of latent Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) infection in mice. The virus could be reactivated in 43% of the latently infected mice at 27 weeks p.i. by treatment with cyclophosphamide. The reactivated virus induced delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) and leucocyte migration inhibition (LMI) responses in mice, with peak activity on Day 5 post-reactivation (p.r.). The DTH persisted at low levels for long periods. Humoral immunity measured by haemagglutination-inhibiting antibody showed a four-fold rise in antibody titres. DTH was transferable by immune spleen cells for 5 days p.r. only. It is, therefore, concluded that JEV reactivation generates a quick and short-lived secondary immune response. |