Clinical Chemistry of Staphylococcal Enterotoxin Poisoning in Monkeys

Abstract

values were examined in 90 monkeys administered a purified preparation of staphylococcal enterotoxin, type B, intravenously. These studies showed an early release of epinephrine accompanied by a mild increase in blood glucose. This was followed by progressively developing prolonged hypoglycemia. An early increase in bloodurea nitrogen occurred, presumably as a result of both prerenal azotemia and functional renal failure seen in association with the observed hypotension. Serum protein, Ca, and Cl concentrations decreased with time. Pi levels increased, whereas Na and K concentrations in serum remained unchanged. Serum enzyme concentrations were unchanged, with the exception of serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, which rose rapidly when compared with prechallenge control observations or with values from sham-challenged monkeys. These changes were statistically significant. These results suggested that enterotoxin administered intravenously produced early change in glucose metabolism, possibly related initially to catecholamine release and later to increased utilization of glucose and metabolic acidosis. Other findings were compatible with tissue breakdown at as yet undetermined locations and with loss of endothelial membrane integrity, as evidenced by loss of protein from the vascular space.

Staphylococcal Food Poisoning and Novel Perspectives in Food Safety

“…In early studies, animal testing experiments had been commonly used for the observation of SE activity, requiring monkey, feline, or cavy models [47][48][49]. After feeding with contaminated food, animals exhibited abnormal behavior or gross morphology changes, and the SEs contained in food were determined by the number of vomiting events, the time until the first vomiting event, and behavioral changes [47]. These types of animal feeding experiments had been commonly used for the characterization of emetic activities of SEs, thus determining the roles for emetic activities of SEs during SFP.…”

“…These types of animal feeding experiments had been commonly used for the characterization of emetic activities of SEs, thus determining the roles for emetic activities of SEs during SFP. However, such methodologies were also significantly limited by low sensitivity and specificity, poor reproducibility, high expense and laboratory operation, diversity in animals, and incapability of quantification and accurate identification [47]. Therefore, the identification of individual single type of SEs was reported by the availability of serological assays.…”

“…As a superantigen capable of cross-linking APCs and T cells to form a ternary complex between MHC-II and TCR at specific Vβ chain, SEB had been well studied as a causative agent for food poisoning, TSS, atopic dermatitis (common colonization of S. aureus and frequent occurrence of SEB-specific antibody from patients with AD), and respiratory diseases (asthma and nasal polyps) [32,77,80,81]. As a well-characterized protein, SEB had been found to be extremely stable (retaining its activity even in acidic environment), water soluble, heat stable (among the most heat-stable proteins, with intact protein under 78°C to 80°C for 30 min), broadly pH tolerant [4][5][6][7][8][9][10], and resistant to proteolytic digestion (such as pepsin, trypsin, and papain) [47,82,83]. Nevertheless, SEB formation and production were influenced by a number of factors, including inhibition of SEB formation in BHI broth by medium filtrates (such as K 2 HPO 4 , KCl, CoCl 2 , NaF, acriflavine, phenethyl alcohol, streptomycin sulfate, chloramphenicol, spermine phosphate, spermidine phosphate, and Tween-80) [82], decrease of SEB production by either temperature depletion (without affecting staphylococcal growth) or curing salt concentration elevation (more rapid reduction of SEB production than staphylococcal growth) [84], catabolite repression [85], and minerals (double SEB production was obtained when magnesium and potassium are under appropriate concentration) [34,86,87].…”

The botulinal, tetanal, and enterostaphylococcal toxins: A review

“…Increased catecholamine levels have been reported in monkeys following intravenous injections of the purified enterotoxin. 305 Enterotoxin is relatively nontoxic to the mouse intraperitoneally in a dose of 3,000 p.g per kilogram. In this dose it caused death in only 16 per cent of the animals; a dose of 50 p.g per kilogram caused no mortality.…”

Role of the Kidney in Staphylococcal Enterotoxemia

“…Highly purified staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) produces shock and death in monkeys after its intravenous administration (2,3).…”