Pigeon breeders disease. III. A study of a family exposed to doves.

A family of five individuals exposed to doves in their home were studied to evaluate possible factors leading to sympotmatic hypersensitivity pneumonitis documented in one member of the family, while the other exposed members remained asymptomatic. Antbodies against pigeon serum were domenstrated by radioimmunoassay in all subjects, and significant lymphocyte reactivity against pigeon antigens was demonstrable in three of the five members. The presence of serum antibody activity or lymphocyte reactivity against avian antigens or both did not differentiate the sick from the well family subjects. However, the possibility that increased exposure to antigen may correlate with higher degrees of antibody and lymphocyte reactivity as well as clinical disease is suggested from observation made in this family. No correlation was found between HL-A type and either symptomatic disease or immunological reactivity in these subjects.