Immunochemistry of the capsular polysaccharides from Clostridium perfringens: selected Hobbs strains 1, 5, 9, and 10.

The properties of the immunochemically distinct substances isolated from four strains of Clostridium perfringens, mucoid variants of Hobbs 1, 5, 9, and 10, were shown to be compatible with the hypothesis that polysaccharides are generally responsible for the "type-specificity" of these organisms. The presence of "group-specific" substance was demonstrated by the cross-reaction of recent preparations of Hobbs 5 antisera with the isolated polysaccharides. The cross-reactions were not observed with specific antisera of the other strains studied and were independent of the "type-specific" phenomenon.