[Piglets as a model for studying the activity of staphylococcal shock syndrome toxin (TSST-1)]

In this study the influence of toxic shock syndrome toxin produced by Staphylococcus aureus on the organism of piglets of Minnesota race is presented. Animals were tested in two groups: conventional and gnotobiotic and they were given the toxin intradermally in two doses 10 and 100 micrograms/kg of body weight. It was shown that piglets are sensitive to the toxin which induced rise of body temperature, various clinical symptoms and in functional changes of several organs as shown by analytical studies. Gnotobiotic animals showed lower susceptibility to the toxin as compared to conventional piglets what suggest a participation of endotoxin in pathologic process.