EN
The main purpose cf the studies was to evaluate the possibility to replace alive monovalent vaccines with a combined one possessing a wide spectrum of activity. The experiments were carried out on calves (16 animals) in two periods, i.e. in autumn-winter season (group I and Ia) and in spring-summer season (group II and IIa). The group I was given the combined vaccine twice at intervals of 10 days intramuscularly, and group II apart from the vaccine received levamisole 4 times, i.e. before vaccination and at day 3, 10 and 17 after the first dose of the vaccine. The combined vaccine contained an inactivated suspension of the Trichophyton verrucosum and T. mentagrophytes var. granulosum strains, prepared separatelly according to the method described previously (61) and inactivated with formaldehyde. It was found that the combined vaccine elicited a distinct immune response of cellular type. At week 4 after the first dose of the vaccine there was found in all the animals except one a positive result of leukocyte migration inhibition (from 22% to 54%). The increased values of the test lasted for the next two weeks. After 8 weeks they decreased especially in the group of animals that had not received levamisole. A delayed type of hypersensitivity accompanied the positive reactions assessed by the cell migration inhibition test. A drop of lymphocytes producing rosettes took place at day 3 after vaccination, however, at day 10, particularly in the group treated with levamisole, there was observed an increase of the percentage of T lymphocytes (p ≤ 0.001). With the both groups of calves the percentage of T lymphocytes forming E rosettes came back to the state before vaccination at day 17. Fungicidal activity of leukocytes, determined in the same periods of time increased at day 3 following vaccination. However, at day 10 there was observed not only a drop of fungicidal activity but a growth stimulation of the fungus. After 4 weeks fungicidal activity attained the level before vaccination. The challenge trial performed at week 6 after the first dose of the vaccine confirmed a distinct resistance of the animals immunised (tab. 4). The calves treated with the combined vaccine possessed a congenial immunity against the two species of Trichophyton which had been used for experimental infection.