Salk vaccine prepared from virus grown in monkey kidney tissue might sensitize the recipient to Rh antigens

September 24, 1955

In the last two years many physicians have been concerned that the repeated injection of Salk vaccine prepared from virus grown in monkey kidney tissue might sensitize the recipient to Rh antigens. Concern has been mainly for the Rh-negative girl who might become sensitized to the D factor, which is the most potent of the Rh antigens, but the question of possible sensitization of Rh-positive individuals to other blood factors also can be raised. Wiener¹ has stated that such sensitization could not occur because the Rh antigens in the monkey are slightly different from those in man. This reassurance has not satisfied the majority of physicians, and indeed it need not, for the question is subject to experimental study. Francis and associates² quote two investigators who found no Rh antibodies in 32 Rh-negative children (Milzer) and 2 Rh-negative laboratory workers (Frisch) who received poliomyelitis vaccine prepared from virus

Salk vaccine prepared from virus grown in monkey kidney tissue might sensitize the recipient to Rh antigens