Studies on the Mechanism of Immunity in the Intracutaneous Infection of Staphylococcus aureus in Rabbits with Special Reference to the Influence of α-Toxin upon Dermal Lesions

Abstract

After intramuscularly sensitized with living staphylococci, rabbits were challenged intracutaneously with α-toxin. Such marked hemorrhagic necrosis of the skin as noted in unsensitized rabbits was prevented from occurring and local lesions were healed in them. On the other hand, the skin reaction of the sensitized rabbits was accelerated with the prolongation of time for sensitization. However, the increased skin reaction was suppressed and the recovery of the local lesions accelerated more distinctly in rabbits sensitized by intravenous injection with vaccine or toxoid.
Marked ulcer was formed in unsensitized rabbits after challenged by living cocci together with α-toxin. Sensitized rabbits had local lesions not hemorrhagic and abscesses smaller than those of unsensitized controls. In them, the abscesses were absorbed rapidly following injection with toxoid or vaccine.
These results suggested that the hemorrhage-causing effect of α-toxin might have been prevented of in sensitized rabbits by the production of antitoxin.