Characterization of an endotoxic lipopolysaccharide from Coxiella burnetii.

Phase I Coxiella burnetii antigen isolated by phenol extraction from purified suspensions of C. burnetii in phase I is a complex lipopolysaccharide (LPS) molecule containing substances typical of the bacterial LPS. Some endotoxic properties of this C. burnetii LPS, namely pyrogenicity and skin epinephrine reaction in rabbits, hypothermia in white rats, lethal effect on chicken embryos or on actinomycin-D-treated mice are similar to those of LPS isolated from other Gram-negative bacteria.