Indian Journal of Veterinary Pathology

The effect of paper and pulp industry effluent on cell mediated immune response was studied in two weeks old 256 mice procured from Small Animal Experimental House, CVASc, Pantnagar. The mice were randomly divided into four equal groups of 64 mice each viz. control (group 1), vaccinated (group 2), effluent treated (group 3) and vaccine+effluent treated (group 4). Groups 2 and 4 mice were immunized with Ranikhet disease vaccine (R₂B) strain at every 15 day up to 120 days. Group 1 was kept as control, while groups 3 and 4 mice were given paper and pulp industry effluent daily orally ad libitum instead of drinking water. Cellular immune response in mice was measured by Lymphocyte Stimulation Test (LST), Macrophage Function Test (MFT) and Total Leucocyte Count (TLC). The results revealed significant decrease in lymphocyte stimulation index, MFT and TLC, resulting in suppression of cell mediated immune response in paper and pulp industry effluent administered mice in comparison to control.