The antibiotic activity of the lactoperoxidase-thiocyanate-hydrogen peroxide system in the calf abomasum

The lactoperoxidase system which had been previously shown to kill Gram-negative organisms (eg, coliforms, salmonellae, pseudomonads) in vitro, was found to be activated in vivo. The lactoperoxidase was provided by the milk and the thiocyanate either by the milk or by its secretion in the abomasum. The third factor was provided either by a H2O2 generating system (glucose oxidase and glucose) or by H2O2 producing lactobacilli. The latter occur naturally in large numbers in the abomasum of the calf.