268 IMMUNO-CATALYSIS 



Zinsser and Williams (1949) tested 60 strains of Gram negative 

 bacilli for fibrinolytic capacities. Fibrinolytic activity w^as found in 31 

 of 60 strains of E. colt. They found an association between fibrinolytic 

 and hemolytic capacities of E. coli and virulence. Fibrinolytic capacity 

 and virulence disappeared simultaneously in artificial media even 

 though hemolytic capacity remained. Virulence in lactose non-ferment- 

 ing groups seemed to bear no relation to hemolytic or fibrinolytic 

 capacities. The lysis by E. coli was found to proceed at a slower rate 

 than in the case of Stre-ptococcus 'pyogenes. No cell-free extract was 

 found to have activity. Lysis occurred only in the presence of living 

 and metabolizing bacteria. Cysteine and adenylic acid inhibit lysis by 

 E. coli, but accelerate that by streptococci. 



Madison (1936) reported that 15 rodent strains of B. pestis are 

 strongly active in fibrinolysis, particularly when tested with rat- or 

 guinea pig-fibrin. He also found that one human strain of B. pestis 

 yielded lytic factors of relatively high titer for ground squirrel and 

 human fibrins. Filtrates of C^ histolyticum grown on various protein- 

 rich media were shown (Carlen, 1939) to contain highly active lytic 

 factor. Reed, et al. (1941, 1943) reported that pathogenic species of 

 gas-gangrene anaerobes produce fibrinolytic factor. Eleven species of 

 genus Clostridium (some 77 strains) tested fell into two distinct 

 groups. A majority of cultures of CI. welckii, CI. novyi, CI. septiciim, 

 CI. sordelli, CI. chauvoei, CI. histolyticum, CI. sporogenes and CI. tyro- 

 sinogenes produced fibrinolytic factor effective in lysis of fibrins from 

 man, guinea pig, rabbit (except CI. sordelli^ and sheep (except CI. 

 welchii^. In contrast, no cultures of CI. fallax, CI. tertium., CI. aero- 

 foetidum. produced a measurable amount of the factor active on human, 

 guinea pig, rabbit or sheep plasma fibrin. 



According to Reed, et al., in the case of human plasma, CI. welchii 

 produced the most active fibrinolysis; 83 per cent of 26 strains produced 

 complete solution in 24 hours or less, 17 per cent produced complete 

 solution in seven hours or less and a few in one to two hours. CI. his- 

 tolyticum cultures were about equally active. All the other active 

 species required from 7 to 24 hours to complete solution of coagu- 

 lated human plasma. For the most part, guinea pig and rabbit plasma 

 were more rapidly, and sheep plasma less rapidly lyzed than plasma 

 from man by all the fibrinolytically active species of Clostridium. 

 According to these investigators, the activity of the fibrinolytic factors 



