Immediate hypersensitivity to Metastrongylus spp. infection in the pig. II. Partial characterization of the allergens.

Saline extracts of adult Metastrongylus spp. were fractionated by both Sephadex gel filtration and anion exchange chromatography, and the fractions tested for allergenicity both by wheal and erythema tests in infected pigs, and by P-K tests in passively sensitized pigs. It is suggested that cross reactions, so commonly found when using nematode antigens in wheal and erythema reactions, can be eliminated by suitable dilution of the allergen. It was shown that the allergenic components had a molecular weight range of 5000 to 50,000, and were eluted from DEAE cellulose with a series of buffers of differing molarity.