A Study Of Metabolic Factors Involved In The Intracellular Germination Of Clostridium Botulinum Spores After Phagocytosis

Abstract

The environment within the metabolically active polymorphonuclear leucocyte during phagocytosis is conducive to the germination of phagocytically ingested spores of Clostridium botulinum type A. Specific metabolic inhibitors of leucocyte function—glyceraldehyde, hydrocortisone, colchicine, methimazole and azide—were used to study metabolic pathways during phagocytosis that may be responsible for inducing spore germination within the leucocyte.