The prevention of experimental Clostridium novyi and Cl. perfringens gas gangrene in high-velocity missile wounds by active immunisation.

Abstract

SUMMARY Sheep were immunised with a mixed vaccine containing the toxoids of Clostridium perfringens, Cl. septicum and Cl. novyi and challenged at different intervals after immunisation. The sheep were wounded and challenged in the thigh muscle by a high-velocity bullet that passed through a piece of battledress impregnated with a suspension of either Cl. novyi spores or Cl. perfringens culture. Immunisation was almost completely effective in preventing the onset of gas gangrene due to Cl. novyi even 1 yrafter immunisation, the survival rate being 82.5-94.5 percent, within 90 per cent, confidence limits (rate for unvaccinated controls: 2·5-8·5 per cent.). Vaccinated sheep that survived challenge with Cl. novyi werelater challenged with Cl. perfringens and survived this, the rate of survival being 83-94.5 per cent, (rate for unvaccinated controls : 12-50 per cent.). The role that such a vaccine might play in the prevention of gas gangrene in man is discussed.