Neutralization of Staphylococcus aureus exfoliatin by antibody.

Alum-precipitated exfoliatin was found to be an efficient antigen for eliciting high titers of neutralizing antibody in rabbits. Antitoxin thus produced, and transferred passively, was shown to protect neonatal mice against challenge with two to three lethal doses of preformed exfoliatin even when administration was delayed until 15 min before exfoliation began in control animals. The same dose of antitoxin afforded some protection against six to eight lethal doses of exfoliatin provided it was given before or at the time of challenge. Antitoxin, in the doses given, did not protect against infection with an exfoliatin-producing Staphylococcus aureus strain although the onset of exfoliation was delayed.