title: Lack of endotoxin in Borrelia hispanica and Treponema pallidum.
abstract: Borrelia hispanica from infected guinea pigs and Treponema pallidum from testicular syphilomas of rabbits were assayed for the presence of endotoxin with the Limulus lysate test. A suspension of Borrelia, containing 1.3 X 10(8) spirochetes/ml, was nonreactive both when it was tested as intact organisms, and when tested after disruption of the spirochetes by sonication. Eight different suspensions of treponemes, ranging from 0.6 X 10(9) to 3 X 10(9) treponemes/ml, were negative at a 1:10 dilution and were no more active than control suspensions of normal rabbit testes. Therefore, it was concluded that T. pallidum, as well as the Borrelia, possessed no endotoxin.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001898:Borrelia / Q000032:analysis*; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000032:analysis*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008033:Limulus Test; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D013010:Sonication; D013737:Testis / Q000032:analysis; D014210:Treponema pallidum / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D004731:Endotoxins