INFLUENCE OF TEMPERATURE ON THE EFFECTS OF ENTEROTOXIN AND ENDOTOXIN IN MICE

For optimum health, the host must control the proliferation of endogenous bacteria and neutralize harmful toxins. Staphylococcal enterotoxin B SEB produced by gram-positive bacteria and lipopolysaccharide endotoxin LPS produced by certain gram-negative bacteria can exert synergistic effects when injected into homothermic animals mice. In both acclimatized and nonacclimatized animals, exposure to temperature extremes of 4 deg C or 35 deg C-- except in one instance--either hastens or increases death in the presence of SEB and LPS when compared to room temperature 24 deg C. This research determines experimentally that ambient temperature is a meaningful variable in the resistance or susceptibility of a mammal to certain common bacterial toxins.