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Bacillus Species Are Present in Chewing Tobacco Sold in the United States and Evoke Plasma Exudation from the Oral Mucosa

Departments of Medicine,¹ Biopharmaceutical Sciences,² Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois at Chicago,⁴ Chicago VA Health Care System West Side Division,Chicago, Illinois 60612³

Received 6 March 2002/ Returned for modification 10 April 2002/ Accepted 28 May 2002

Five Bacillus species, predominantly Bacillus megaterium and Bacillus pumilus, were isolated from two popular brands of commercially available chewing tobacco [(5.0 ± 1) x 10⁶ CFU/ml of supernatant; results for four experiments]. Moreover, the supernatant of the Bacillus culture evoked plasma exudation from postcapillary venules in the intact hamster cheek pouch, exudation that was mediated by the kallikrein/kinin metabolic pathway. Taken together, these data indicate that Bacillus species contaminate chewing tobacco commercially available in the United States and elaborate a potent exogenous virulence factor(s) that injures the oral mucosa.