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Evidence of Endotoxins in the Rumen Bacteria of Cattle Fed Hay or Grain¹

Kansas State University, Manhattan 66506

Abstract

The rumen bacterial fraction obtained from rumen fluids of cattle fed hay or grain was subjected to phenol-water or aqueous ether extraction procedures. The purified and lyophilized extract was endotoxic based on the following characteristics: 1. Proved lethal to mice and chick embryos. Toxicity in mice was potentiated by actinomycin D. 2. Enhanced susceptibility to streptococcal infection in mice. 3. Induced biphasic fever and leukocyte response in rabbits. 4. Elicited local Schwartzman reaction in rabbits. 5. Caused (in nanogram quantities) gelation of limulus lysate. A parallel study with commercial endotoxins of Escherichia coli or Salmonella typhosa showed that endotoxins from them were several times more endotoxic than those from rumen bacteria. This may be due to the presence of contaminating bacterial polysaccharides or to an inherently low endotoxicity of rumen bacteria.

¹ Contribution No. 955-j, Department of Dairy and Poultry Sciences, Contribution No. 1311-j, Division of Biology; and Contribution No. 15-j, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station.

² The authors gratefully thank the following: Dr. A. D. Dayton for statistical analyses of the data; Dr. T. Gopal for hisopathological examinations; and S. Dennis, D. Keck, L. Manthe, M. May, M. McGarity and S. Schorn for assistance in the laboratory and with the animals.

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