An immunohematological study of chronic copper toxicity in sheep.

Direct and indirect Coombs tests were performed on six experimentally chronic copper poisoned sheep and on two control sheep. Initially, all sheep were direct Coombs test negative and five of six experimental and one of two control sheep were indirect Coombs test positive. During intoxication, five of six experimental sheep became direct Coombs test positive while controls remained negative. Eluates, prepared from the red cells of three experimental sheep, sensitized normal sheep red cells, as measured by the indirect Coombs test. Similarly prepared eluates from control sheep were negative.