[Antiendotoxic activity of the blood sera of typhoid fever patients]

The ability of blood sera obtained from healthy persons and typhoid patients to induce agglutination of red blood cells sensitized with chemotype Re glycolipid has been studied. The blood sera of healthy persons have been shown to possess low endotoxin-binding activity (the reciprocal titer amounts to 21.6 +/- 3.7). In typhoid patients with a severe clinical course of the disease the titers are slightly elevated (49.8 +/- 12.8), in patients with a moderate course a sharp elevation of the titers is observed (240.3 +/-32.8), and in chronic carriers the titers are at a medium level (119 +/- 24.7). The highest titers (288 +/- 72.2) were observed during the first 2 weeks in a moderately severe course of the disease, and by the end of the disease these titers dropped (143.1 +/0 27.4). The endotoxin-binding activity of the sera was inhibited by glycolipid Re and dextran sulfate. The activity of the sera decreased after treatment with 2-mercaptoethanol. The conclusion on a protective role played by antibodies to glycolipid Re and by proteins binding glycolipid and other polyanions has been made on the basis of the data obtained in this study.