[Use of gnotobiotic animals for the study of the pathogenesis of cholera intoxication].

Germ-free suckling rabbits and minipigs can be recommended as models suitable for the study of different aspects of the pathogenesis of cholera intoxication. In minipigs, individual representatives of intestinal autochthonous microflora produce different effect on the sensitivity of the animals to the toxigenic and choleragenic action of Vibrio cholerae antigen introduced by oral administration, that should also be taken into consideration in the determination of residual toxicity during the trial of new vaccine preparations against cholera.