Pyrogenic activity of bacterial mucopeptides

The mucopeptides of Group A streptococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Spirillum serpens and Escherichia coli were examined for pyrogenicity in rabbits. They were prepared from cell walls by various extraction procedures. Mucopeptides produced from Group A streptococcus and S. aureus by hot formamide or TCA provoked comparable fever responses. The pyretic response to the material obtained from S. epidermidis by TCA was of the same degree. The mucopeptide of S. pneumoniae isolated by hot formamide was also found highly pyrogenic. S. serpens and E. coli B were shown to contain 2 pyrogenic substances, namely mucopeptide and endotoxin. The results suggest that the pyrogenicity of the mucopeptide in various bacteria is a common characteristic.