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The exotoxins of Corynebacterium ulcerans

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 March 2010

H. R. Carne  and
Eleanor O. Onon
H. R. Carne
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology, Cambridge University, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QP
Eleanor O. Onon
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology, Cambridge University, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QP
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The exotoxins produced by ten strains of C. ulcerans (two human, six bovine and two equine) have been studied. On the criteria of toxin–antitoxin neutralisation and immunoprecipitation tests using highly specific diphtheria and C. ovis antitoxins with crude toxic filtrates, (NH4)2SO4 concentrates, and partially purified chromatographic preparations of these, together with the presence or absence of inhibition of the action of staphylococcal beta-haemolysin, and the reaction produced when injected intradermally into rabbits, two toxins could be identified, namely diphtheria toxin and C. ovis toxin. There was no evidence for the production of a third toxin specific for C. ulcerans. Five strains produced both diphtheria and C. ovis toxins. In four diphtheria toxin predominated, but in the fifth C. ovis toxin predominated. Two strains produced only diphtheria toxin and two only C. ovis toxin, though there was good but not complete evidence that a third strain (Revell) also fell into this latter group. Considerable variation occurred in the concentration of each toxin and, where both were present, in the proportion of each.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Hygiene , Volume 88 , Issue 2 , April 1982 , pp. 173 - 191
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1982

References

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