Hypersensitivity responses to Staphylococcus aureus infections in rabbits. An experimental study.

Repeated weekly infections with S aureus, of bovine mammary origin, for three times evoked an immediate and a delayed type hypersensitivity in rabbits. The skin responses at 6 hr were characterized by oedema, haemorrhages and infiltration of polymorphonuclear cells. While at 24 hr it was dominated by mononuclear cells specially lymphocytes in the dermis.