[Detoxification of staphylococcal-enterotoxin B in water (author's transl)]

Staphylococcal enterotoxin B contaminated water has been detoxified with calcium hypochlorite used in the water treatment procedure which is available now in order to get drinking water from surface water in emergency cases. Changes in toxin-activity were measured serologically by agar-gel-immuno-precipitation as well as biologically by the "monkey-feeding test" with young macaca mulatta. With an initial concentration of 50 ppm chlorine in tap water resp. 200 ppm in native surface water concentrations of toxin up to 40 fold average emetic dose of rhesus monkey could be inactivated safely. It was pointed out an obvious conformity between precipitation test and monkey-feeding test. The clinical efficiency of SEB on rhesus monkeys has been investigated and discussed subsequently.