Role of bacterial endotoxins of intestinal origin in rat heat stress mortality.

Using unanesthetized rats, the effect on heat stress mortality of endotoxin tolerance or zymosan treatment was determined. In addition, the incidence of invasion by gram-negative bacteria and their endotoxins was studied to evaluate the role of gut-derived bacterial endotoxins after heat stress. Endotoxin tolerance resulted in heat stress resistance.

Comparison of plasma extraction techniques in preparation of samples for endotoxin testing by the Limulus amoebocyte lysate test.

Due to the presence of inhibitory and possible mimicking substances in plasma difficulties have occurred in the use of the Limulus amoebocyte lysate test. Currently, there are a variety of extraction techniques discussed in the literature which are used to remove these interfering substances, but there is little information comparing these techniques. Five such procedures were compared in their ability to provide an extracted plasma sample in which low levels of endotoxin could be detected by the Limulus amoebocyte lysate test.