Cardiovascular and vomiting responses to a lethal intravenous dose of staphyloenterotoxin A in rhesus monkeys

Effects of a single intravenous dose of highly purified staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA; 0.5 mg/kg) were studied in conscious rhesus monkeys. The mean survival time for four of five experimental monkeys was 8.7 h. Vomiting, pallor, abdominal distension, occasional diarrhea and dehydration were observed. Tachycardia and sustained hypotension developed prior to death. During vomiting, transient hypertension was induced.