THE EFFECT OF BRONCHOVAXOM ON THE ONSET AND DURATION OF ALLERGIC ENCEPHALOMYELITIS

The bacterial extract Broncho-Vaxom has a beneficial effect on ongoing respiratory infections, based on its immuno-stimulating capacities. T o test whether such immunostimulation would not lead to aggravation of ongoing or latent auto-immune disorders the extract was tested in a r at model of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis. Acute allergic en cephalomyelitis was induced in two different rat strains by administra tion of Guinea pig spinal cord homogenate. The rats were monitored dai ly for clinical signs as various degrees of paralysis and weight loss. It was found that administration of the bacterial extract prior to th e induction of the disease reduced the severeness of the clinical mani festations. The results show that Broncho-Vaxom can reduce the clinica l signs of immunological disorders and does not lead to exacerbation o f autoimmune responses.