Potential pathogenic mechanisms of animal-passed virulence-enhanced strains of Campylobacter jejuni/coli.

In order to study the potential pathogenic mechanisms, live cultures, culture-f ilterates and Polymyxin B released extracts from original and animal-passed strains of C jejunh/coli were compared by a neonatal mouse infection and in-vitro Vero-Cell cytotoxicity. The cell fractions from mouse-passed strains elaborated strong cytotonic and cytotoxic activity causing elongation, granular appearance and lysis of Vero-Cells. Only weak enterotoxic activity Was associated with the original strains. Partial neutralization of the cytotonic activity by mono-clonal anticholera toxin (CT) suggested immunological relationship between the toxins which was also demonstrated by Ouchterlony immunodiffusion using polyclonal anti-CT serum. The in-vivo significance of CT like and other toxic materials produced by Campy/obacter strains during animal-passage remains to be assessed (JPMA 37 : 97, 1987).