EXPERIMENTAL DIARRHEA IN CYNOMOLGUS MONKEYS BY ORAL ADMINISTRATION WITH CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS TYPE A VIABLE CELLS OR ENTEROTOXIN

Abstract
Purified C. perfringens type A enterotoxin fed orally (5 mg dose) caused vomiting and diarrhea in the monkey only when the gastric juice was neutralized. Exposure of enterotoxin to pH .ltoreq. 4.0 rapidly destroyed its activity. All 3 monkeys receiving NaHCO3 and 2.4 .times. 1010 viable cells grown in Duncan and Strong''s medium developed diarrhea; only 1 vomited once. The diarrhea lasted for 13, 18 and 19 h. The symptoms were similar to those reported in human cases of C. perfringens food poisoning. C. perfringens food poisoning should be categorized as a true intravital intoxication. The reversed passive hemagglutination test detected enterotoxin directly in most fecal samples. This method may be applicable for diagnosis of human cases of C. perfringens food poisoning. Neither enterotoxin nor anti-enterotoxin was detected in serum samples taken from any monkey up to 21 days after the challenge. No significant amount of C. perfringens enterotoxin is apparently absorbed from the intestine.