[Cell-free pseudomonas vaccine. I. Enzyme properties and virulence of strains of P. aeruginosa; protective activity of their water-soluble antigens].

The enzymatic (protease, catalase and gelatinase) activity and virulence of the typing strains obtained from the Hungarian National Collection of Medical Bacteria, as well as those of highly toxigenic PA-103 strain and 2 newly isolated P. aeruginosa strains were studied. No correlation between these properties of the strains was observed. Aqueous extracts prepared from some of the typing strains contained soluble specific and non-specific protective antigens. The partially purified, low toxic, water-soluble antigen(s) of typing strain No. 170015 (serogroup 07 according to Lányi or immunotype 2 according to Fisher) protected mice against infection with the homologous strain(s) belonging to immunotypes 3, 4 and 7, and to O-serogroups 8, 10 and 13. The immunization of mice with a single injection of partially purified protective antigen No. 170015 ensured pronounced protection of the animals against P. aeruginosa infection.