Serological Studies ofClostridium botulinumType E and Related Organisms II. Serology of Spores

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Pure spore antigens for the immunization of rabbits were prepared by enzymic digestion of vegetative components and separation of the cleaned spores in polyethylene glycol. Spore antisera were prepared to strains representative of toxigenicClostridium botulinumtype E; nontoxigenic boticin E-producing variants; nontoxigenic nonproducers of boticin E; nontoxigenic “atypical” strains, which differ somewhat fromC. botulinumtype E in their physiology;C. botulinumtypes A and B; andC. bifermentans. They were tested against these and additional strains representative of the above groups, other types ofC. botulinum, and otherClostridiumspecies. There was no evidence of agglutination of flagellar or somatic antigens of vegetative cells by these antisera. Agglutination and agglutinin absorption tests showed common antigens among toxigenic type E strains and nontoxigenic variants, both producers and nonproducers of boticin E. Some nontoxigenic “atypical” strains varied in their ability to be agglutinated by type E antisera, and others did not agglutinate at all. Of those atypical strains that were not agglutinated, one was agglutinated byC. bifermentansantiserum. Antisera prepared againstC. botulinumtypes A and B andC. bifermentansdid not agglutinate the spores of type E or its variants nor share antigens common to each other. Similarly, antisera to type E, its nontoxigenic variants, and nontoxigenic atypical strains did not agglutinate otherC. botulinumtypes or any otherClostridiumspecies investigated.