Mycoplasmal toxins.

Mycoplasmal toxins cover a wide range of substances, including diffusible components of microbial metabolism that are toxic for host cells, endotoxin-like compounds in the mycoplasma membrane, or toxins with characteristics of some classical exotoxins. There is little definitive evidence that the diffusable metabolic products play a primary role in mycoplasma pathogenicity, although they may provoke profound secondary host responses to potentiate infection. Like-wise, although the lipoglycans isolated from acholeplasmas produce potent endotoxin-like responses, their role in pathogenicity is still uncertain. There seems to be little question that the toxin from Mycoplasma neurolyticum is intimately connected to the neurological consequences observed in natural or mixed infections with this organism. Whether this is a true exotoxin may now be open to some doubt. Further information on this neurotoxin may clarify the role of mycoplasmas in a number of infections where neurological complications occur.