Toxin production by Burkholderia pseudomallei strains and correlation with severity of melioidosis.

An exotoxin lethal to cells in culture (cytolethal toxin, CLT) was identified in culture filtrates of Burkholderia pseudomallei, the causative organism of melioidosis. CLT could pass through a 10-kDa cut-off ultrafilter and its properties suggest that it is a peptide. Isolates from soil, animals and man showed differential cytolethality in vitro. The isolates were divided into low, medium and high CLT producers with soil isolates being low producers and isolates from patients with melioidosis encephalitis being high producers. CLT levels are subject to regulation, as a strain isolated from an infected goat was one of the highest producers whereas the same strain isolated from soil was a low producer. In addition to CLT, all isolates produced a protein with cell-elongating activity which was also present in culture filtrates.