Tetanolysin: in-vivo effects in animals

Tetanolysin, partially purified by gel filtration, was shown to cause rapid death when injected intravenously (iv) into mice. Death was preceded by pulmonary edema and by electrocardiographic changes. After the iv injection of the hemolysin into rabbits and monkeys, there was a rapid elevation in plasma hemoglobin; this was considered to be due to intravascular hemolysis. Immunization with tetanus toxoids induced the formation of an antihemolysin, but it did not prevent in-vivo hemolysis following the rapid iv injection of a large dose of tetanolysin. Three monkeys had altered electrocardiographic tracings following tetanolysin. These findings suggest that some of the cardiovascular and hematologic changes observed in clinical tetanus in man may be due to tetanolysin.