A soluble specific substance in spirochætes

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Abstract
A specific soluble haptene was isolated from a London strain of Spirochaeta (Leptospira) biflexa, which reacts by precipitation with its specific antiserum in dilutions up to 1:100,000. It was extracted by treatment with 0.5% NaOH, followed by differential precipitation with alcohol in alkaline and acid solution and final precipitation with acetone. The same method was also used successfully for isolation of specific soluble substances from 3 spp. of pathogenic spirochaetes. The substance obtained is highly specific, reacting by precipitation only with homologous anti-serum, and, so far as tested, not with any other antisera, including those of 6 other water strains and 8 strains of S. icterohaemorrhagiae. From its chemical reactions the substance appears to be a carbohydrate, or at least carbohydrate-containing. Results of precipitation tests show that this water Leptospira and that of infectious jaundice are sharply distinguished by serological reactions of their haptenes. 3 rabbits injected with this specific soluble haptene failed to develop immune bodies when subsequently injected with doses of spirochaetes sufficient to stimulate formation of a high titer of immunity in normal rabbits.

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