[Studies of the toxic components of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae. 2. Communication: Detailed characterization of an extracted endotoxin (author's transl)].

The endotoxins of different Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae strains were examined in various biological systems, since in earlier investigations (Leimbeck and Böhm, 1975) the lethal effect for 10 day old chick embryos had been found to be highly dependent upon the virulence of the strains. The lethal effect for mice and rats was found to be much less. The toxin of the strain T28 proved to be highly pyrogenic for rabbits and inducing acute shock-effects in swine SCHULZ et al. (1961) already suggested that a shock-like pathogenesis existed in the swine erysipelas infection. Furthermore the endotoxic nature was confirmed by the typical course of temperature after i.v. application of the toxin, the ability to cause the Sanarelli-Schwartzman-reaction (both in rabbits), the protection against toxicity by cortisones, and heat stability. An erysipelas antiserum did not neutralize the toxin. It was found to have low antigenic and apparantly no immunogenic properties and an allergic skin-reaction in experimentally infected swine could not be induced. The toxins of various strains were tested by the macrophagemigration-inhibition test. In respect to a preliminary classification the toxin could be identified as a complexed water-soluble and heat-stable glucoproteid with an estimated molecular weight of 31.700. The polysaccharides were found to be the presumable carriers of toxicity.