[In vitro and in vivo efficacy of a toxin-neutralizing human staphylococcal immunoglobulin]

The pathogenic relevance of alpha-hemolysin of Staph. aureus in human infections is up to the present in discussion. Numerous therapeutic human trials to modify the outcome of a Staph. aureus infection by giving passively hyperimmune sera did not clarify the situation. First the work of Bhakdi22 has provided us with a rational approach for a systemic use of specific immunoglobulin preparations. A highly purified Staph. aureus alpha-hemolysin was carefully detoxified and injected into volunteers. From these sera were collected by plasmapheresis and a 5S immunoglobulin was prepared. In preclinical trials the antitoxin efficacy was evaluated. We examined in vitro cultures of human thrombocytes and monocytes, and of porcine pulmonary arterial endothelial cells. As in vivo models we used the intoxication of mice and monkeys and an intradermal test in rabbits. In all these models we were able to demonstrate the high antitoxic efficacy of a human anti-alpha-hemolysin-5S-immunoglobulin preparation.