Pseudomembranous colitis: Presence of clostridial toxin.

A toxin was found in the faeces of nine out of nine patients with pseudomembranous colitis and two out of two with antibiotic-associated non-specific colitis. The toxin was neutralised by Clostridium sordellii antitoxin but not by a commercial mixture of C. welchii, oedematiens, and septicum antitoxins. The in-vitro and in-vivo properties of pseudomembranous-colitis toxin closely resemble those of the toxin of C. sordellii.