Inactivation of Clostridium haemolyticum toxic fluids and their antigenicity.

One hundred fifty-one isolates of Clostridium haemolyticum were examined for consistent toxin production following repeated serial transfers in laboratory media. Most of these isolates produced only small amounts of toxic materials and serial transfers appeared to reduce toxigenic characteristics. Eleven of the isolates consistenly produced measurable amounts of toxic materials. One of these isolates was used for production of toxic fluids that were concentrated by lyophilization and reconstitution to a smaller volume or by precipitation with ammonium sulphate followed by dialysis against water and glycerol. Known amounts of these substances were inactivated with formalin, heat, beta-propiolactone, ultra-violet irradiation and glutathione. The resulting toxoids were inoculated into guinea pigs and most were judged to be nonimmunogenic because the animals were unable to resist dermal challenge. Toxic materials with added glycine were inactivated with formaldehyde as readily as those without the amino acid but the resulting toxoids were immunogenic while those prepared without the amino acid were not.