Correlation of Temperature and Toxicity in Murine Studies of Staphylococcal Enterotoxins and Toxic Shock Syndrome Toxin 1

This study describes a quick (<12 h) assay for detecting temperature decreases in BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) with staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA), SEB, or SEC3 or toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 and a potentiating dose of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Toxin-specific antisera effectively neutralized the temperature fluctuations in this model. Orally administered SEA or SEB (50 μg/animal), with or without LPS, did not have an effect on temperature or lethality. Versus wild-type mice, transgenic knockout mice lacking the p55 receptor for tumor necrosis factor (TNF) or gamma interferon were protected against an i.p. challenge of SEA plus LPS. The p75 receptor for TNF and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 have a negligible role in this toxic shock model.