Endotoxin and other pyrogenic contaminants

Pyrogens are substances that, when they enter the blood stream, influence hypothalamic regulation of body temperature, usually resulting in fever. Medical control of pyrogen-induced fever proves very difficult, and in severe cases results in patient death. 

In many instances the influence of pyrogens on body temperature is indirect. For example, entry of endotoxin into the bloodstream stimulates the production of IL-1 (Chapter 9) by macrophages. It is the IL-1 that directly initiates the fever response (hence its alternative name, endogenous pyrogen ). 

Contamination of the final product with endotoxin is more difficult to control because  

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There are two types of pyrogens, endotoxins and other pyrogenic chemicals. Cleanliness and sterility of device manufacture are important critera required to keep it from endotoxin contamination. Inactivation of endotoxins in aqueous solutions has been reported previously using heat treatment. 

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