Experimental allergic myositis in rats

Experimental allergic myositis (EAM) closely resembling human polymyositis was produced in rats by a single injection into two inguinal lymph nodes with either homogenates or purified subcellular fractions of homologous muscle in Freund's complete adjuvant. EAM is not necessarily accompanied by clinically evident arthritis and is manifest by elevated serum enzymes, and widespread but focal necrosis and phagocytosis of muscle fibers. EAM was transferred to normal animals of the same strain by infusion of washed lymphocytes from affected animals.