[Studies on the increase of weights of lymphatic glands, of lymph and peritoneal fluid and their contents of chymotrypsin and virus in pigs suffering hog cholera (author's transl)].

Swine fever is conceived as a disorder of the enzyme systems, that are controled by serine proteases. The virus is replicated in the cells of the lymphomycoid complex, whereby the production of a chymotrypsin is induced. In swine fever the lymphatic glands and the lymph flow are increased. Fifteen normal pigs had chymotrypsin contents in the lymph of the body lymphnodes of 0,4 U/l, nine pigs suffering hog cholera 1,5 U/l. In the intestinal lymphnodes the chymotrypsin concentration was normally 2,9 U/l and in swine fever 3,5 U/l. Chymotrypsin which is present may induce the production of further chymotrypsin. Fourteen pigs suffering from swine fever showed increased peritoneal fluids (50 to 120 ml), whereby chymotrypsin was found in 5 cases. The lymphflow was assumed to be five times higher, when compared to control animals. This entails a seven-fold increase of chymotrypsin which enters the blood stream. In some cases the virus titers are higher in the lymph specimen and peritoneal fluids than in the serum. Increase of chymotrypsin concentration reduces the resistance of the virus in the lymph. Obviously the virus is spread in the body migrating with the lymph flow. However, the increasing chymotrypsin concentration seems to inactivate the virus and lymph retains its defense character. Detection of the fluorescent antigen is correlated with the evidence of the proteolytic precipitating antigen. After infection with the virus of swine vesicular disease increase of chymotrypsin is also evidenced in the lymph but to a lower degree. Therefore in swine fever the lymphnodes cause chymotrypsin formation to an extent which may explain the pathophysiological disorders in those physiological systems, that are controled by serine proteases.