Spontaneous and methylcholanthrene-enhanced thyroiditis in BUF rats. II. Induction of experimental autoimmune thyroiditis without completed Freund's adjuvant.

The immunization of Buffalo strain (BUF) rats with rat thyroid extract and Bordetella pertussis vaccine without complete Freund's adjuvant resulted in experimental autoimmune thyroiditis (EAT) in 90% of the rats by the 10th day after immunization. The treatment did not elicit thyroiditis in Lewis strain (LEW) rats. This susceptibility to the induction of EAT without the use of complete Freund's adjuvant was inherited by F1 hybrids of BUF and LEW. Neither histamine sensitizing factor from B. pertussus nor Escherichia coli vaccine substitute for whole pertussis vaccine.