Campylobacter

Eur J Epidemiol, 1992 Jan, 8(1), 22 - 6
Campylobacter enteritis in Portugal: epidemiological features and biological markers; Cabrita J et al.; From 1984 to 1989, stool samples from 2811 gastroenteritis cases were examined for the presence of Campylobacter jejuni and C . Coli, Salmonella, Shigella and Yersinia species . Isolation rates were: Campylobacter jejuni and C . Coli, 5.3%, Salmonella spp., 14.8%, Shigella spp., 4.6% and Yersinia enterocolitica, 1.1% . Age group distribution analysis shows a higher Campylobacter isolation rate in children under one year of age . Seasonal distribution revealed a peak incidence in winter as in other Mediterranean countries . Predominant biotypes were C . jejuni I (51%), C . jejuni II (21.5%) and C . coli I (18.8%) . Antimicrobial susceptibility testing did not reveal resistance to erythromycin . Thirty of the strains harboured plasmids with 7 different profiles.

Microb Pathog, 1992 Jan, 12(1), 69 - 77
Production of an extracellular toxin by the oral pathogen Campylobacter rectus; Gillespie J et al.; The ATCC type strain and six clinical isolates of Campylobacter rectus were tested for toxicity against HL-60 cells and human polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) . After challenge with bacterial cell suspensions and media supernatants for up to 4 h, eukaryotic cell viability was assayed by trypan blue dye exclusion and lactate dehydrogenase release . Cells of the C . rectus type strain were not toxic . However, ethanol and (NH4)2SO4 extracts of culture media supernatants killed HL-60 cells in a time and dose dependent manner with 700 micrograms of supernatant protein killing 100% of HL-60 cells in 4 h . Concentrated media supernatants from clinical isolates also killed 100% of HL-60 cells in 30 to 60 min . The bacterial culture supernatants were toxic to PMNs with clinical isolates killing 70 to 90% of PMNs in 2 to 4 h . SDS-PAGE and immunoblot analysis of the toxic media supernatants revealed C . rectus specific proteins and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) . The toxic activity was inhibited by protease, indicating that the toxin was protein . Non-toxic and toxic media supernatants were obtained by altering hemin and fumarate in the growth media . SDS-PAGE analysis of these revealed that all toxic supernatants contained a 104 kDa protein.

Med Microbiol Immunol (Berl), 1992, 180(6), 289 - 303
In vitro binding of Campylobacter jejuni/coli outer membrane preparations to INT 407 cell membranes; Moser I et al.; Outer membrane fractions (OMs) of nine Campylobacter (C.) jejuni and two C . coli strains belonging to different serovars, from human and various animal origins, were extracted by treatment with sodium N-lauryl sarcosinate . Using n-octyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside a 42-kDa protein and a flagella-enriched fraction were obtained . The capacity of the crude bacterial OM preparations, the purified 42-kDa protein and the flagella to bind to membranes of the human embryonic intestinal cell line INT 407 was tested by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay . The crude OM and the 42-kDa-enriched fraction were found to bind very well to the cell membranes, whereas the flagella preparation showed only a weak binding . Using monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with HS 2-lipopolysaccharide (LPS) specificity, binding of crude HS 2 strain OM preparations to cell membranes was detected in a significant range, whereas with flagellin-specific mAbs binding of OMs and flagella to cell membranes was only detected to a very low extent . Binding of OMs to cell membranes was inhibited by preincubation of OMs with serovar-specific mouse hyperimmune serum, whereas on preincubation with mAbs directed against LPS or flagella binding was practically not inhibited . OMs extracted after pretreatment of the bacteria with proteinase K showed an altered SDS-PAGE pattern especially for the 42-kDa protein subunit and and their capacity to bind to cell membranes was significantly reduced . The binding was also reduced by preincubation of the OMs with L-fucose or D-mannose.

J Infect, 1992 Jan, 24(1), 55 - 62
Campylobacter species as a cause of diarrhoea in children in Calcutta; Bhadra RK et al.; From 1985 to 1988, 857 children (aged between 1 day and 60 months) admitted to hospital with diarrhoea and 241 controls (aged between 5 days and 60 months) were examined for campylobacters and other enteric pathogens by means of conventional methods . The difference between the isolation rates of campylobacters in those cases in which no other enteric pathogen was found (4.8%) and controls (6.2%) was not significant (P greater than 0.05) . Strains of Campylobacter jejuni/coli were isolated throughout the year with higher isolation rates during the summer and monsoon months . Mixed infections were very common . Watery diarrhoea (97.6% cases) was the most common clinical presentation of patients found to be infected solely by C . jejuni/coli . Most patients infected with campylobacters were mildly to moderately dehydrated . Biotype I of C . jejuni and C . coli was the dominant biotype associated with cases and controls . All strains of C . jejuni/coli, regardless of their source, were found to be sensitive to erythromycin . From this study, it appears that enteric infections with campylobacters among children in Calcutta are common but often asymptomatic.

Acta Med Austriaca, 1992, 19(2), 58 - 60
{Management of patients with traveler's diarrhea}; Diridl G et al.; Traveler's diarrhea starts 5 to 15 days after arrival with 3 or more watery bowel movements daily in 4 to more than 50% of travelers depending on geographical regions . Enterotoxin producing strains of E . coli are isolated in 20 to 50% of patients, followed by shigella, salmonella, campylobacter and vibrio spp . Rarely giardia lamblia, entamoeba histolytica and cryptosporidia are causative organisms . The cornerstone of treatment is oral rehydration . The efficacy of anti-diarrhetics is not convincingly proved and as to loperamid this drug may prolong invasive forms of diarrhea . Antibiotics are indicated if leucocytes or blood are found in stool . Cotrimoxazole and aminopenicillins are loosing efficacy because of growing resistance . The minimal . In a double blind placebo controlled trial with 500 mg ciprofloxacin b.i.d . for 5 days we were able to demonstrate a significant clinical and bacteriologic effect in 132 patients with salmonellosis and campylobacteriosis.

Microbiol Immunol, 1992, 36(8), 791 - 801
Production of a monoclonal antibody that recognizes the lipopolysaccharide of a Campylobacter-like organism; Kuan SK et al.; A monoclonal antibody was produced to a Campylobacter-like organism (RMIT 32A) which was isolated from the terminal ileum of a pig with proliferative enteritis . Isotyping of the antibody revealed that it was an IgG2a with kappa light chains . Immunoblots using the antibody against proteinase-K-treated whole cell lysates of RMIT 32A, a selection of Campylobacter species and other enteric bacteria showed that the antibody was specific for RMIT 32A and was directed against the lipopolysaccharide . This antibody can be used for the specific detection of RMIT 32A.

Diagn Cytopathol, 1992, 8(6), 563 - 6
Helicobacter (Campylobacter) pylori in gastric brushing cytology; Edmonds PR et al.; Helicobacter (formerly Campylobacter) pylori is frequently associated with chronic gastritis and peptic ulcer and has been implicated as an etiologic agent . Identification of H . pylori is important for specific treatment with antibiotics and bismuth compounds . We studied 27 patients who presented with symptoms of gastritis or peptic ulcer on whom paired gastric biopsies and gastric brushings for cytology had been performed . Biopsies were stained with H & E and Warthin-Starry or Giemsa for H . pylori . Previously, Papanicolaou-stained brushings were restained with Giemsa and reviewed blindly by two cytologists . Cytologic examination revealed the characteristic 1-3 mu curved or spiral gram-negative bacilli embedded in mucus in 12 of 27 (44%) of cases . Biopsies showed H . pylori in 13 of 27 (48%) of cases . Cytology and histology were concordant in 22 of 27 (81%) of cases . Three cases were positive on biopsy, negative on cytology; two of these were unsatisfactory cytology specimens . Two cases were positive on cytology, negative on biopsy, apparently sampling artifacts . Papanicolaou-stained slides were scored for several morphologic parameters; numbers of acute and chronic inflammatory cells and degree of cytologic atypia . None of these were predictive of the presence of H . pylori . We conclude that Giemsa-stained gastric brushings are a useful complement to gastric biopsies in establishing the diagnosis of H . pylori.

Scand J Infect Dis, 1992, 24(5), 685 - 6
Rapid emergence of quinolone resistance in Campylobacter jejuni in patients treated with norfloxacin; Wretlind B et al.; 15/60 subjects from one center, who all took part in a multicenter double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the effect of norfloxacin on acute enteritis, had norfloxacin sensitive strains of Campylobacter jejuni in pre-study stool specimens . Eight of the 15 subjects received active drug . In 3 of these 8, high-level quinolone resistant Campylobacter strains of the same serotype as in pre-treatment samples were isolated 4-90 days after the initiation of treatment.

Microbiol Immunol, 1992, 36(9), 961 - 7
Structural studies of peptidoglycans in Campylobacter species; Amano K et al.; Peptidoglycans (PG) from Campylobacter coli, Campylobacter jejuni, and Campylobacter fetus were composed of muramic acid, glucosamine, alanine, glutamic acid, and diaminopimelic acid in a molar ratio of 1.1:1:1.7:1.1:09 . Thirty percent of the amino groups of diaminopimelic acid were involved in cross-linkages between peptides . During cultivation, C . coli and C . jejuni changed from a spiral to a coccoid form . In C . coli, we could isolate PG only from the spiral forms in yields of 0.8-1.2% by dry weight . C . fetus did not change to a coccoid form, and always contained PG . Thus, it is possible that the morphological transformation from the spirals to the coccoid forms of C . coli and C . jejuni is accompanied by, and probably due to, the degradation of PG.

Annu Rev Microbiol, 1992, 46, 35 - 64
Genetics of Campylobacter and Helicobacter; Taylor DE; This article reviews the current state of genetic analysis of Campylobacter and Helicobacter . Chromosomal genes cloned from Campylobacter and Helicobacter species are listed along with the method used to identify the cloned gene . Campylobacter plasmid genes that have been cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli and that specify resistance to tetracycline, kanamycin, or chloramphenicol are presented . This review also examines our current knowledge of genetic exchange in Campylobacter, including conjugative plasmid transfer, natural transformation, electrotransformation, and bacteriophage transduction . In Helicobacter, natural transformation has been described and both plasmids and bacteriophages have been observed . Plasmid cloning vectors have been constructed for Campylobacter . Available vectors are discussed and restriction maps of some useful vectors that we have constructed are included . The genome sizes of C . jejuni and C . coli are approximately 1.7 megabases (Mb), whereas the genome size of H . pylori ranges from 1.60 to 1.73 Mb . The positions of various genes on the C . jejuni and C . coli genome maps have been determined using both homologous and heterologous DNA probes . Genomic maps of these organisms are presented.

Life Sci, 1992, 51(17), 1333 - 7
Alcohol dehydrogenase mediated acetaldehyde production by Helicobacter pylori--a possible mechanism behind gastric injury; Roine RP et al.; Two standard Helicobacter pylori strains showed significant cytosolic alcohol dehydrogenase activity and produced considerable amounts of acetaldehyde when incubated with an ethanol containing solution in vitro . The alcohol dehydrogenase activity of the Helicobacter pylori strains was almost as high as that found in Klebsiella pneumoniae and far greater than that in Escherichia coli or Campylobacter jejuni . The amount of acetaldehyde produced by cytosol prepared from Helicobacter pylori exceeded that by any of the other bacteria studied . The bacterial production of acetaldehyde--a highly toxic and reactive substance--could be an important factor in the pathogenesis of Helicobacter pylori associated gastric injury and increased risk of gastric cancer.

Kansenshogaku Zasshi, 1992 Jan, 66(1), 51 - 8
{In vitro antimicrobial activity of DR-3355, a new quinolone antibacterial agent, against clinical isolates of enteritis-causing bacteria}; Horiuchi S et al.; We determined the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of DR-3355, a newly developed quinolone-derivative antibacterial agent, against clinical isolates of various bacterial species from enteritis patients, and compared them with those of ofloxacin (OFLX), ciprofloxacin (CPFX), nalidixic acid (NA), ampicillin (ABPC), kanamycin (KM) . MIC90 of DR-3355 against 94 strains of Shigella spp . and 5 strains of Escherichia coli, 36 strains of Salmonella spp., 22 strains of Vibrio cholerae, 5 strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and 19 strains of Campylobacter jejuni were 0.05, 0.10, 0.0025, 0.39, and 0.78 micrograms/ml, respectively . These values were 1/2 of that of OFLX, and two times of that of CPFX . MIC90 of DR-3355, OFLX and CPFX against C . jejuni were 0.78 micrograms/ml . MIC90 of DR-3355 against isolates from enteritis patients except for Vibrio spp., were 1/30 to 1/60 of those of NA, ABPC, and KM.

J Clin Microbiol, 1992 Jan, 30(1), 207 - 10
Serotype distribution of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli isolated from hospitalized patients with diarrhea in central Australia; Albert MJ et al.; Campylobacter jejuni and/or Campylobacter coli was cultured from 218 of 1,078 patients of all age groups admitted to Alice Springs Hospital, Alice Springs, central Australia, between July 1988 and June 1989 for treatment of diarrhea . One hundred sixty-six Campylobacter colonies from 127 patients were subjected to O serotyping by using the Penner typing scheme . All except 29 colonies could be serotyped . A total of 46 serotypes were identified, and the predominant serotypes were O:8, 17, O:22, O:1,44, and O:19 . A large proportion of colonies reacted with more than one antiserum, and nine serotypes had antigenic compositions not observed previously . Several patients had multiple infections with more than one serotype, and some patients were shown for the first time to be infected with up to three different serotypes . Repeated reinfections with different serotypes were seen in some patients . In some patients, provided it was not due to reinfection with the same serotype, long-term excretion of the same serotype was seen, and for the first time, one patient showed evidence of excretion of the same serotype for up to 73 days.

Rev Latinoam Microbiol, 1992 Jan-Mar, 34(1), 17 - 22
{Preparation and use of fish fillet infusion as a basic medium for culturing bacteria}; Alvariza MC et al.; The authors present the first results on the utilization of fish infusion (IFP) as a basic medium for the cultivation of bacteria . The infusion was obtained from a common marine fish, corvina (Micropogonias furnieri) according to the technique used in the preparation of beef infusion broth . Streptococcus pyogenes, S . pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, Campylobacter jejuni, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Serratia marcescens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis were cultured in liquid and solid media prepared with IFP as well as in recommended standard media . Solid media used for cultivation of S . pyogenes, S . pneumoniae, N . meningitidis and C . jejuni were supplemented with 5% of defibrinated sheep blood and for the latter, substances recommended to increase aerotolerance were included in solid and liquid media . All of these strains grew on the media prepared with IFP except S . pneumoniae when cultured in IFP diluted 1:2 with a sodium chloride solution . Only S . pyogenes produced colonies smaller than those of the standard medium . No more differences were detect in the observation of colony morphology . The growth of E . coli, K . pneumoniae, S . marcescens, P . aeruginosa, S . aureus and B . subtilis was measured in liquid media after 8 hours . In solid media, the growth index was expressed by dividing the number of colonies produced in IFP-agar and Nutriente Agar by the number of colonies on Trypticase soy agar plates . Some differences were observed in colonial size and morphology when compared with those generated in standard media . The average value obtained from the analyses of total proteins by biuret reaction in twelve batches of IFP was 5.03 mg/ml . The experiments showed that culture media prepared with IFP supported the growth of bacterial strains used in this work . It suggests that fish infusion has promising conditions of being an alternative substrate for cultural purposes.

Res Microbiol, 1992 Jan, 143(1), 15 - 26
Cloning of Campylobacter jejuni genes required for leucine biosynthesis, and construction of leu-negative mutant of C . jejuni by shuttle transposon mutagenesis; Labigne A et al.; Campylobacter jejuni is a Gram-negative pathogen responsible for diarrhoeal diseases in humans . To date, very little is known about the genetic organization and molecular biology of this microorganism . The cosmid vector pHC79 was used to construct a genomic library from the total genomic DNA of C . jejuni strain C31 in Escherichia coli and recombinant cosmids capable of complementing the auxotrophic defect in leucine biosynthesis of E . coli HB101 were identified . Three of 400 clones tested were found to be capable of complementing the nutritional defect of E . coli HB101 as well as those of independent leuB mutants of E . coli strains . These results indicated that the cloned genes responsible for leucine complementation encoded an enzyme analogous to the beta-isopropylmalate dehydrogenase specified by the leuB gene in E . coli strains . The sizes of the recombinant cosmids which became stabilized in E . coli cells ranged from 12.9 to 15.4 kb compared to the expected, originally packaged, 45- to 50-kb molecules, attesting to major rearrangements occurring in this background . The recombinant plasmid pILL547 was shown to carry genes that were analogous to the leuB gene and also to the leuC and leuD genes of E . coli . The gene required for leuB complementation was subcloned on a 1.6-kb restriction fragment and was mapped more precisely by insertional mutagenesis using as transposon a newly constructed (MiniTn3-Km) element engineered to mutagenize Campylobacter genes . The leuB gene of C . jejuni was shown to be expressed from its own promoter in E . coli cells . In E . coli minicells, the cloned insert encoded a polypeptide with an apparent molecular weight of 40 kDa . A leucine auxotrophic mutant of C . jejuni strain C31 was constructed in vitro by allelic exchange, replacing the original copy of the leucine gene by an allele mutated by the insertion of the kanamycin transposable element.

Pediatrie, 1992, 47(3), 175 - 7
{Neonatal Campylobacter fetus septicemia: a case secondary to maternal-fetal contamination}; Billaud N et al.; A favourable outcome of a severe Cambylobacter fetus sepsis in a neonate is reported . The transmission was probably vertical . His mother experienced diarrhoea 15 days before birth . No infecting organism was isolated from maternal stools, but maternal antibody response was significant . Such a perinatal infection with meningitis and septicemia is uncommon . Bacteriological diagnosis requires an enriched medium and a long incubation . The diagnosis should be evoked in view of an anamnestic context, a negative culture or a resistance to antimicrobial drugs.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1992 Jan, 29(1), 9 - 17
Detection of ciprofloxacin resistance in gram-negative bacteria due to alterations in gyrA; Power EG et al.; Two plasmids containing the cloned Escherichia coli wild-type gyrA gene were used to transform ciprofloxacin-resistant Gram-negative clinical isolates to screen for DNA gyrase A-mediated quinolone resistance . The results show that the technique is simple and applicable to a wide range of Gram-negative species including E . coli, Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella aerogenes, Morganella morganii, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Campylobacter jejuni and Neisseria gonorrhoeae . The use of an arithmetical MIC series of dilutions (as opposed to standard geometrical ones) was found to be essential during screening for the detection of altered gyrase A . The observations were consistent with the suggestion that DNA gyrase is highly conserved among different species of bacteria and that gyrase A-mediated resistance can occur in all.

Arch Inst Pasteur Alger, 1992, 58, 239 - 46
{Result of the refinement of a technique for the isolation and identification of Campylobacter from food commodities}; Mouffok F et al.; Campylobacter jejuni has been researched in raw milk, skin and excrement of chicken . All milk samples are negatives but 66% of chicken skin and 12% of chicken excrements are positives . An enrichment phase using brucella broth added with horse blood and antibiotics is necessary.

Acta Microbiol Hung, 1992, 39(2), 133 - 6
Colonization of infant mice with flagellar variants of Campylobacter jejuni; Diker KS et al.; The role of flagella in the colonization of the intestine by Campylobacter jejuni was investigated by challenging infant mice with two flagellated strains and their nonflagellated variants . The intestinal tracts of infant mice were regularly colonized with motile strains, but not by nonmotile variants . Colonization of mice with motile C . jejuni occurred with as few as 1000 bacteria per mouse.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1992, (11-12), 32 - 4
{The leading routes and factors in the transmission of the causative agent of campylobacteriosis under current conditions}; Minaev VI et al.; Epidemiological investigations carried out at the foci of Campylobacter infection in Moscow and the Moscow region in 1987-1990 demonstrated that Campylobacter infection was recently registered as sporadic cases in a few foci . The alimentary route of the transmission of this infection was the main factor of its spread . A high role of everyday contacts in the spread of this infection was noted . The possibility for outbreaks and sporadic cases of Campylobacter infection to be masked by very frequently occurring associations of these bacteria is discussed.

S Afr Med J, 1991 Dec 7, 80(11-12), 575 - 8
Evaluation of various laboratory techniques to diagnose Helicobacter pylori in patients with upper gastro-intestinal tract symptoms; Miller NM et al.; Helicobacter (Campylobacter) pylori is strongly associated with type B gastritis . The detection of H . pylori, which entails histological examination and culture of gastric biopsy specimens, takes several days . There has been much interest in developing more rapid tests, including non-invasive ones . Using histology and/or culture as the 'gold standard', several methods to detect H . pylori were compared and evaluated . The organism was detected in 84 of 100 consecutive patients attending the Gastrointestinal Unit of King Edward VIII Hospital for upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy . Histological examination was the most sensitive (98%) and specific (100%) method used in detecting H . pylori in gastric biopsy specimens . An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect specific IgG antibodies to whole H . pylori organisms is a moderately sensitive (82%), non-invasive method but it is nonspecific (38%) . Although culture was specific (100%), it was less sensitive (68%) than histological examination . The 'conventional' urease assays must be performed under controlled conditions (37 degrees C) for optimal results (sensitivity, 71%).

Infect Immun, 1991 Dec, 59(12), 4398 - 404
High-affinity binding of the basement membrane proteins collagen type IV and laminin to the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori; Trust TJ et al.; The ability of 16 isolates of the human gastroduodenal pathogen Helicobacter pylori to bind 125I-radiolabelled tissue proteins was quantitated by liquid-phase assay . While capable of binding generally low levels of collagen types I and II, vitronectin, and fibronectin (average binding, 8%; highest binding, 23%), the various H . pylori isolates were good binders of the basement membrane proteins collagen type IV and laminin (average binding, 27%; highest binding, 60%) . Campylobacter species tested bound lower levels of collagen type IV and laminin (average binding, 12%; highest binding, 17%) . Trypsin and proteinase K treatment of H . pylori cells markedly reduced the binding of collagen type IV and laminin, as did heat treatment, suggesting that the binding of basement membrane proteins is mediated by bacterial surface proteins . Binding of both basement membrane proteins was rapid and saturable . 125I-collagen type IV binding to H . pylori 915 was inhibited by preincubation with unlabelled collagen type IV but was not inhibited by laminin or a number of other proteins . Once bound, radiolabelled collagen type IV but was not displaced by an excess of unlabelled collagen type IV, indicating that the binding interaction was of high affinity . Binding of laminin was partially reversible, and analysis in a solid-phase nonradiolabel assay showed that the interaction was of high affinity, with a Kd of 7.9 nM . This interaction was affected by salt, indicating the presence of a hydrophobic component in the ability of H . pylori to bind laminin.

J Korean Med Sci, 1991 Dec, 6(4), 338 - 47
Development of epidemiological method for the Helicobacter pylori by polymerase chain reaction; Lee WK et al.; The polymerase chain reaction was used to develop a method for the detection of Helicobacter pylori, a causative agent of gastritis, as well as for the elucidation of its mode of transmission . A genomic library of Helicobacter pylori DNA in Escherichia coli JM109 was constructed by cloning Hind III-digested DNA fragments into plasmid vector pUC18 . The nucleotide sequences from seven recombinant clones were determined and five sets of oligonucleotide primers were synthesized on the basis of the sequences from five clones (B4, B9, B10, C15 and I22) . The PCR amplifications with these primers were performed using DNA samples from five strains of Helicobacter pylori, two Campylobacter spp . and eleven species of enteric bacteria . Amplifications of the target DNA fragments in all of 5 strains of Helicobacter pylori were observed from the PCR with primers derived from clone B4, B9, C15 and I22 . When the specificity was checked with the DNA samples from 13 other bacteria as template DNA for the PCR, specific amplification that produced the correct size of the target DNA of Helicobacter pylori was shown only in the PCR with primers derived from clone B9 and C15 . The detection limit in the PCR amplification, determined by the heat-lysis method, was 500 cells of Helicobacter pylori.

Rev Saude Publica, 1991 Dec, 25(6), 473 - 5
Campylobacter intestinal carriage among stray and pet dogs; Fernandez H et al.; The natural distribution of thermotolerant Campylobacter sp . in dogs (150 stray animals and 64 pets) was studied . Campylobacters were more frequently isolated (p < 0.01) from stray dogs (51.3%) rather than from pet dogs (21.9%) . All the biotypes described by Lior for C . jejuni and C . coli were found among stray animals, whereas only C . jejuni biotypes I and II and C . coli biotype II were found among pet dogs . The need for more studies related to the role of environmental sanitary conditions in the spreading of Campylobacter species is noted.

Rev Sci Tech, 1991 Dec, 10(4), 1101 - 29
Organisation of veterinary public health in the south Asia region; Joshi DD; In the South Asia region vast human populations are exposed daily and with considerable intensity to close contact with vast animal populations and their excreta . There is no veterinary public health unit in the World Health Organisation (WHO) South-East Asia Regional Office (SEARO) in New Delhi (India), the Western Pacific Regional Office (WPRO) in Manila (Philippines) or the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (EMRO) in Alexandria (Egypt) . However, these offices do support a number of activities on zoonoses and food-borne diseases in WHO member countries of the region . Maintenance of the health of farmers and of their families (often termed "rural health") has assumed increasing importance in most member countries of the region . In most of the countries, there is no actual veterinary public health unit functioning as a national body common to the ministries of health and agriculture . Among the commonest zoonotic diseases prevalent in member countries are rabies, brucellosis, Japanese encephalitis, echinococcosis, tuberculosis, visceral leishmaniasis, taeniasis, salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis and leptospirosis . A national plan is necessary for each country to give priority to controlling these diseases, based on health systems research or primary health care, with intersectoral and regional cooperation through the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) under Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries (TCDC) . There should be a strong unit for veterinary public health in all WHO regional offices to coordinate zoonotic disease surveillance, training and control programmes in countries of the region.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1991 Dec, (12), 28 - 31
{Risk factors and transmission routes of the causative agents of campylobacteriosis in commercial poultry plants}; Cherkasskii BL et al.; The study, carried out in two regions of the USSR and aimed at estimation of the contamination of products supplied by industrial poultry complexes (IPC), revealed that the contamination of these products was closely related to the Campylobacter contamination of the personnel of IPC . The causes of high Campylobacter contamination of the products of IPC at all technological stages of their production are described . The species, serovars and biovars of Campylobacter strains isolated from different sources were determined, which made it possible to carry out the specific and intraspecific differentiation of these strains.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1991 Dec, (12), 25 - 8
{The epidemiological aspects of campylobacteriosis in children in arid area}; Minaev VI et al.; Specific epidemiological features of Campylobacter infection in children in Samarkand Province during the period of 1987-1990 are discussed . The specific proportion of this infection in the total structure of acute enteric infections was, on the average, 8.5%, and Campylobacter carriership among healthy children, 7.0% . Among children with Campylobacter infection, children aged up to 1 year constituted 71.5% . The results of the study of the biological properties of Campylobacter strains isolated from sick and healthy children and their difference from strains isolated in other regions are discussed.

Mol Microbiol, 1991 Dec, 5(12), 2875 - 82
Alternative sigma factors and the regulation of flagellar gene expression; Helmann JD; Synthesis of bacterial flagella and the accompanying array of chemotaxis receptors and transducers represents a major commitment of energy and resources for a growing bacterial cell and is subject to numerous levels of regulation . Genes for flagellar and chemotaxis proteins are expressed in a complex transcriptional cascade . This regulatory hierarchy acts to ensure that the highly expressed filament structural protein, flagellin, is synthesized only after a prerequisite set of structural proteins has been expressed and properly assembled . Recent evidence suggests that many bacteria utilize an alternative sigma (sigma) subunit, similar in specificity to the Bacillus subtilis sigma 28 protein, to direct transcription of flagellin, chemotaxis and motility genes . In Caulobacter crescentus and Campylobacter spp., both a sigma 54-like factor and a sigma 28-like factor participate in the transcription of flagellar and chemotaxis genes . Conversely, a sigma 28-like factor controls non-motility functions in at least one non-flagellated organism.

J Diarrhoeal Dis Res, 1991 Dec, 9(4), 315 - 7
Campylobacter and enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) associated gastroenteritis in Turkish children; Hascelik G et al.; From May 1989 to April 1990, stool specimens of 677 children less than 15-years old who were admitted to the Hacettepe University outpatient department of Pediatrics with acute enteritis were collected to search for four common enteric pathogens: Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter, and enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) . At least one of the three bacteria was detected in 107 (15.8%) of the patients . Campylobacter was found in 72 (10.6%) of the samples . Shigella and Salmonella spp . were isolated in 26 (3.8%) and 11 (1.6%) children respectively . EHEC was not isolated from any of the stool samples . None of the 100 healthy children examined as a control group yielded any of the four pathogens in their stools . Campylobacter should be considered as an important aetiological agent of diarrhoeal diseases in Turkey, where EHEC is not a common pathogen.

J Diarrhoeal Dis Res, 1991 Dec, 9(4), 305 - 9
A study of the bacterial and parasitic causes of acute diarrhoea in northern Jordan; Na'was TE et al.; The prevalence of bacterial and parasitic diarrhoeagenic agents in 200 patients suffering from acute diarrhoea and reporting to hospitals and health centres in northern Jordan, and in controls was determined . One or more bacterial or parasitic enteropathogens was isolated from 79 patients (39.5%) . Prevalence rates for these pathogens was as follows: Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, 9%; enteropathogenic E . coli, 9%; Salmonella spp . 7%; Campylobacter spp, 5.5%; Yersinia enterocolitica, 4.5%; Shigella spp, 4%; Aeromonas spp, 3.5%; enterotoxigenic Clostridium perfringens, 2%; Vibrio spp, 2%; and Plesiomonas shigelloides, 0.5% . Both Giardia lamblia and Entamoeba histolytica were detected in 2% of the stool samples examined . Although the determination of the aetiologic role of the identified enteropathogens was complicated by more than one factor, the data collected will serve as a baseline for future studies of the subject.

Ultraschall Med, 1991 Dec, 12(6), 269 - 71
{Bacterial ileocecitis: a "new" disease}; Seelen JL et al.; In cases of clinical suspicion of an acute appendicitis sonography uncovers another disease as the real cause of the symptoms in about one-quarter of such cases . Bacterial ileocaecitis is most frequently diagnosed (11.6% of N = 786) . In special bacteriological stool cultures, Yersinia enterocolitica and Campylobacter jejuni were identified, whereas Salmonella enteritidis was a rarer finding . The typical sonographic manifestation of bacterial ileocaecitis compared against Crohn's disease of the ileocaecal region is described . These two diseases can be differentiated against each other by means of sonography; likewise, it is also possible to distinguish them from appendicitis . Since stool cultures--which are not always prepared if diarrhoea is only mild or completely absent--are received relatively late in acute cases, knowledge of the sonographic manifestation of bacterial ileo caecitis can help save many an unnecessary laparotomy.

J Rheumatol, 1991 Dec, 18(12), 1929 - 31
Campylobacter spondylodiscitis and deficiency of cellular immunity; Mathieu E et al.; We describe a case of spondylodiscitis caused by Campylobacter fetus in a previously healthy patient . This is the first report of this agent causing discovertebral infection, which generated cellular immune deficiency, reversible with the cure.

Chin Med J (Engl), 1991 Dec, 104(12), 1005 - 10
Electron microscopic appearance of the chronic Campylobacter jejuni enteritis of mice; Gao JX et al.; Campylobacter jejuni is a major cause of human enteritis which mimics the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) . In this study, microstructural changes on the surfaces of the murine gastrointestinal tract persistently colonized by Campylobacter jejuni, strain GJ-S131, were investigated by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) . The results revealed that the appearance of the gastrointestinal mucosa in both BALB/C and KM mice resembled that in human with inflammatory bowel disease . Under SEM, the mucosa of the jejunum and ileum, with broken or distorted villi had a "worm eaten" look; crypts were irregular in shape and size, and the mucosa showed atrophy, especially in the colon . Epithelial junctions demonstrated furrows, clefts or deep crevasses, with exudates containing a large number of leukocytes . Cytologic appearances were characterized by microvilli dysplasia and/or atrophy, patchy erosions or necrosis and pelade-like appearance due to absence of microvilli, which were similar to the findings under TEM.

Ann Rheum Dis, 1991 Dec, 50(12), 934 - 8
Rheumatic symptoms following an outbreak of campylobacter enteritis: a five year follow up; Bremell T et al.; Eighty six of 106 (81%) guests attending a party were followed up after an outbreak of Campylobacter jejuni enterocolitis . Acute diarrhoeal illness was reported in 35 subjects (33%), of whom seven showed acute rheumatic symptoms either alone or with other symptoms of infection with C jejuni . The antibody response to C jejuni corresponded well with the intensity of the disease . In the early phase of the gastrointestinal disease the patients with acute rheumatic symptoms displayed significantly higher IgM antibody levels in serum samples than the other patients in this study . Levels of antibodies to C jejuni were increased in serum samples from 31 patients (29%) without symptoms of infection with C jejuni . At a follow up after five and a half years, four of these patients suffered from chronic rheumatic disorders . One HLA-B27 positive woman developed reactive arthritis with a relapse seven years later . The remaining 20 subjects (19%) remained healthy and their antibody tests and stool cultures were negative for C jejuni . It is concluded that C jejuni enterocolitis is significantly associated with rheumatic symptoms in the early phase and may also cause chronic rheumatic disorders.

Baillieres Clin Gastroenterol, 1991 Dec, 5(4), 861 - 86
Gastroenterological emergencies in the tropics; Cook GC; Significant differences exist in the prevalence of most gastroenterological emergencies in tropical compared with temperate countries . Both ethnic and environmental (often clearly defined geographically) factors are relevant . The major oesophageal lesions which can present acutely in tropical countries are varices and carcinoma; bleeding and obstruction are important sequelae . Peptic ulcer disease (and its complications), often associated (not necessarily causally) with Helicobacter pylori infection, has marked geographical variations in incidence . Emergencies involving the small intestine are dominated by severe dehydration, and its sequelae, resulting from secretory diarrhoea, most notably cholera . However, enteritis necroticans ('pig bel' disease), paralytic ileus (sometimes caused by antiperistaltic agents) and obstruction (secondary to luminal helminths, volvulus and intussusception) are other important problems, especially in infants and children . Enteric fever is occasionally complicated by perforation and haemorrhage; the former (which is notoriously difficult to manage) is accompanied by significant mortality . Ileocaecal tuberculosis is a major cause of right iliac fossa pathology--sometimes associated with malabsorption; amoeboma is an important clinical differential diagnosis . The colon can be involved in invasive Entamoeba histolytica infection (which, like complicated enteric fever, is difficult to manage if the fulminant form, with perforation, ensues), shigellosis, volvulus and intussusception . Acute colonic dilatation occasionally follows Salmonella sp., Shigella sp., Campylobacter jejuni, Yersinia enterocolitica and rarely E . histolytica infections . Acute hepatocellular failure is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the tropics and subtropics . It usually results from viral hepatitis (HBV, sometimes complicated by HDV, and HCV), but there is a long list of differential diagnoses . Hepatotoxicity resulting from herbs, chemotherapeutic agents or alcohol also occurs not infrequently . Chronic liver disease and its sequelae (often long-term results of viral hepatitis) are commonplace . Haematemesis and hepatocellular failure are usually very difficult to manage due to a lack of sophisticated support techniques in developing countries . Invasive hepatic amoebiasis usually responds well to medical management; however, spontaneous perforation can occur and the consequences of this are serious . Pyogenic liver abscess, although far less common than amoebic 'abscess', carries a bad prognosis whatever the method(s) of management . Hydatidosis and schistosomiasis also involve the liver, and helminthiases are important in the context of biliary tract disease . Gall stones are unusual in most tropical settings . Acute pancreatitis is overall unusual, but chronic calcific pancreatitis can present as an acute abdominal emergency.

J Trop Med Hyg, 1991 Dec, 94(6), 388 - 92
Potential sources of Campylobacter species in the homes of farmworkers in Zimbabwe; Simango C et al.; Chicken faeces, houseflies, household stored drinking water, cooked or prepared foods and handwashings of people of all age groups and hands of children under 5 years old were examined as potential sources and transmission routes of Campylobacter species in a farmworker community . Campylobacter species were found to be common in chicken faeces collected from the homesteads of the farmworkers but were rarely isolated from houseflies or household stored drinking water . They were not isolated from foods and hands of people of all ages . A comparison of Campylobacter species isolated from humans and chickens showed Campylobacter jejuni to be more common than Campylobacter coli in human isolates while the two species were evenly distributed in chickens . Most of the C . jejuni isolates from humans and chickens belonged to biotype II and none belonged to biotype III . There was some similarity in some C . jejuni serotypes isolated from humans and chickens . Chickens were therefore found to be the main potential source of Campylobacter species in the homes of farmworkers.

Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin, 1991 Dec, 9(10), 637 - 9
{Utility of the L-alanine-aminopeptidase test for differentiating the cell wall structure of bacteria}; Hernandez Molina JM et al.; Evaluation of a detection test for L-alanine-aminopeptidase enzyme (Bactident Aminopeptidase) for determining the structure of bacterial cell wall . In a total of 246 clinical isolates of aerobic, microaerophilic and anaerobic bacteria, we detect the presence or absence of L-alanine-aminopeptidase using commercial kits (Bactident Aminopeptidase, Merck Diagnostica) . We also identify and further classified the 246 strains . In nearly all gram-negative bacteria L-alanine-aminopeptidase was found, with the exception of Campylobacter spp and gram-negative anaerobic bacilli . All gram-positive and gram-variable bacteria were negative for the L-alanine-aminopeptidase presence . The results suggest a good correlation between the presence or absence of L-alanine-aminopeptidase and Gram stain method.

J Clin Microbiol, 1991 Dec, 29(12), 2831 - 4
Detection of Helicobacter pylori in stomach tissue by use of a monoclonal antibody; Husson MO et al.; Monoclonal antibodies were produced against an acid glycine extract of Helicobacter pylori ATCC 43504T . One of these appeared to be specific for H . pylori; it recognized all H . pylori isolates by an indirect immunofluorescence assay (IIF) but it did not cross-react with the other strains tested, including different species of the genera Helicobacter, Campylobacter, and Wolinella . Different strains of members of the families Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonadaceae or other gram-negative bacteria tested also gave negative reactions . Indirect immunofluorescence assay of antral biopsy specimens identified 54 of 56 infected patients (96.4%), and it may be able to detect nonviable organisms after antibiotic therapy.

Lab Anim Sci, 1991 Dec, 41(6), 553 - 8
Clostridium difficile typhlitis associated with cecal mucosal hyperplasia in Syrian hamsters; Ryden EB et al.; A sudden increase in mortality occurred in a closed breeding colony of Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) . The colony consisted of approximately 40 hamsters, 8 of which were affected . Four adult males died suddenly . One pregnant female and one weanling died after having been observed as depressed for 1 day and 2 weeks respectively . One weanling and one adult male were euthanized . All affected hamsters had signs of diarrhea . At necropsy, hemorrhagic fluid-filled ceca were noted in five of eight animals . Clostridium difficile cytotoxin B was present in high titers {10(-3) to 10(-8)} in cecal contents of six of six animals tested, whereas C . difficile culture yielded positive results in only one of six animals . Histopathologically, findings consistent with Clostridium-induced typhlitis including necrosis, epithelial denudation, vascular congestion, and hemorrhage were present in six of six ceca evaluated . In addition, signs of a more chronic disease process included cecal mucosal hyperplasia in five of six hamsters . A silver stain of cecal hyperplastic mucosa for intracellular organisms including Campylobacter-like organisms was negative in all affected hamsters . Antibiotics had not been administrated to any hamster in this colony, nor had the affected animals been experimentally manipulated . Testing for antibiotic residues in the feed was negative, and C . difficile was not isolated from feed, water, or feces of unaffected hamsters . Thus C . difficile-induced typhlitis should be included in the differential diagnosis of deaths in hamsters which have no clinical histories of prior antibiotic administration or experimental manipulation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd, 1991 Nov 16, 135(46), 2176 - 80
{Bacterial ileocecitis, a "new" disease}; Puylaert JB et al.; 786 patients with suspected acute appendicitis or appendiceal mass were examined by ultrasonography to distinguish appendicitis from bacterial enteritis . 533 of these patients were described before . In 91 (11.6%) ultrasonography revealed the characteristic picture associated with bacterial enteritis of the ileocaecal region-enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes and mural thickening of the terminal ileum and caecum--but no image of an inflamed appendix . In 64 of these a bacterial infection was confirmed (Yersinia enterocolitica in 28, Campylobacter jejuni in 24, Salmonella enteritidis in 11, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis in one) . In the other 27, bacteriological tests were negative (17) or not performed (10) . Only 34 of 91 had diarrhoea . Six of the 91 patients underwent surgery, in all of them the removed appendix was normal . The other 85 patients recovered with conservative treatment . In 38 a planned appendicectomy was cancelled because of the sonographic findings . Bacterial enteritis limited to the ileocaecal region (bacterial ileocecitis) appears to be responsible for an appreciable number of unnecessary appendicectomies . It has characteristic sonographic features which distinguish it from appendicitis.

Rev Paul Med, 1991 Nov-Dec, 109(6), 273 - 7
{Cidade Leonor slum, São Paulo . III . Environmental contamination and natural feeding practice}; Torres AL et al.; In this study the authors report the high rate of environmental contamination to which children living in slum areas are exposed . The authors performed a bacteriologic and parasitologic survey in children with acute diarrhea and in controls . Feeding habits were also recorded . The feeding habits revealed that 176 out of 520 children (33.8%) were never breast fed, whereas the remaining 344 (66.7%) were breast fed for an average of 2.2 months . The parasitologic survey was positive in 89% of the stool samples obtained from 83 children, mostly with multiple infections . The bacteriologic survey revealed the presence of enteropathogens and, in particular, invasive E . coli and Campylobacter in 46.7% of the children with acute diarrhea, and in 32.5% of the children in the control group . These findings allow the authors to state that environmental conditions of slum areas directly predispose to the appearance of the diarrhea-malnutrition binomial.

Nippon Saikingaku Zasshi, 1991 Nov, 46(6), 921 - 7
{Morphological changes of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli under various culture conditions and the accompanied changes in the cell composition}; Shibata Y et al.; The morphological transformation from the spiral form to the coccoidal form Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli was studied under various conditions by such techniques as electron microscopy, SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and chemical analyses . The conversion from the spiral form to the coccoidal form of Campylobacter in microaerophilic cultivation occurred in about 50% of the cells in 48 h and in about 90% of the cells in 72 h . At higher temperatures (37 C and 42 C) under aerophilic conditions, the spiral-form cells converted easily to the coccoidal form in phosphate-buffered saline . Electron-microscopic studies revealed that the envelopes of the coccoidal-form cells were soft in comparison with those of the spiral-form cells . The LPS and protein contents of the cells reached the highest levels after cultivation for 48 h under microaerophilic condition . The 33 K and 28 K polypeptide contents of 24-h and 48-h cultures were higher than those of 72-h and 96-h cultures.

Angew Parasitol, 1991 Nov, 32(4), 193 - 7
Cryptosporidium sp . in stool specimens from diarrhoeic and asymptomatic individuals in the Magdeburg area (East Germany); Schuster W et al.; Unselected stool specimens from a total of 2,944 individuals with diarrhoea including 1,172 children under 14 years of age were investigated for Cryptosporidium oocysts in the Magdeburg area from 1987 to 1988, 43 (1.46%) were found positive . Three of these were additionally infected with bacterial pathogens (Campylobacter species) . In all cases the symptoms of diarrhoea ceased spontaneously after an average of 8 days . The incidence was highest among children and infants under 6 years of age (2.50%) . No cryptosporidia were found in stool specimens of 570 healthy individuals of all age groups . Cysts of Giardia sp . were detected more frequently in healthy than in diarrhoeic individuals (3.3% and 2.0%, respectively) . The postulation to search for cryptosporidia in all cases of diarrhoea lasting longer than two days is inferred from these results.

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 1991 Nov-Dec, 14(6), 507 - 8
Campylobacter jejuni infected bursitis; Schieven BC et al.; Campylobacter jejuni is a common cause of enteritis, and has been isolated from patients with bacteremia, meningitis, and cholecystitis . We describe here an unusual case of a chronically inflamed bursitis infected with C . jejuni.

Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg, 1991 Nov-Dec, 85(6), 796 - 8
Acute diarrhoeal diseases in infants aged below six months in hospital in Calcutta, India: an aetiological study; Ghosh AR et al.; In a prospective 2-year study, 218 infants aged less than 6 months admitted to a children's hospital in Calcutta with acute diarrhoea and 102 infants (control group) from the out-patient department of the same hospital with similar age, sex and socio-economic composition as the diarrhoea patients, were concurrently investigated for enteropathogenic agents in the faeces . Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, enterotoxigenic E . coli, and enteroadherent E . coli constituted the 3 types of diarrhoeagenic E . coli most frequently (57.4%) detected in the faeces of diarrhoeic infants either as a sole pathogen or in association with other microorganisms . Other enteropathogens detected were rotavirus, Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella typhimurium and Aeromonas hydrophila . The frequency of detection of various aetiological agents was 72%; in the remaining 28% an infectious aetiology could not be determined . The study suggests that diarrhoeagenic E . coli plays a major role in the causation of acute diarrhoea in infants aged under 6 months in Calcutta.

East Afr Med J, 1991 Nov, 68(11), 865 - 8
Evaluation of culture media and antimicrobial susceptibility of Helicobacter pylori; Sang FC et al.; Isolation of Helicobacter pylori on artificial culture is hampered by the lack of reliable and cheap media . In this study, three different types of culture media were evaluated for isolation of H . pylori from clinical specimens . These media included: Modified Thayer-Martin (MTM), Skirrow's campylobacter agar and chocolate agar . Modified Thayer-Martin agar was superior in isolation to others with an isolation rate of 47% (31/66) . The size of colonies on this media were larger and clearly defined . Growth was detectable after 4 days of incubation, with a maximum growth after 7 days . Thirty one strains of H . pylori isolated from cases were tested against ten antibiotics (ampicillin, tetracycline, gentamicin, erythromycin, chloramphenicol, nalidixic acid, colistin, kanamycin, sulpharazole and metronidazole) in Mueller-Hinton agar, to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) . H . pylori was very susceptible to most drugs but resistant to nalidixic acid.

Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 1991 Nov, 10(11), 953 - 7
Development of resistance to quinolones in five patients with campylobacteriosis treated with norfloxacin or ciprofloxacin; Adler-Mosca H et al.; Development of resistance to nalidixic acid, norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin was observed in five patients with Campylobacter jejuni or Campylobacter coli infection . From all these patients nalidixic acid- and quinolone-susceptible strains were isolated initially, whereas after therapy with norfloxacin or ciprofloxacin strains resistant to these antibiotics were found . Campylobacter strains from the same patient always belonged to the same species and, with the exception of one case, showed identical rRNA gene restriction (rDNA) patterns . This indicates that double-infection with a susceptible and a resistant strain was not responsible for the phenomenon but rather that the infecting strain rapidly developed resistance following treatment.

Minerva Pediatr, 1991 Nov, 43(11), 665 - 74
{Current developments in the use of intravenous immunoglobulins}; Bardare M et al.; The use of intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG) has provided a substantial therapeutic advance in the treatment of antibody deficiency syndromes improving the quality of life of the affected patients . Among the advantages there are the possibility to employ higher doses to reach higher serum levels, with a more efficacious prophylaxis against infections; the prevention of chronic lung disease if IVIG are prescribed early, at diagnosis or at least at the onset of symptoms; the significant improvement of pulmonary function . The IVIG which are likely to be the best choice are the "intact Fc" preparations . In these products, or at least in some preparations, all IgG subclasses are present, which are endowed with specific and differentiated functions . Another important requirement is the presence of specific antibodies (e.g . anti Mycoplasmas, anti Campylobacter, anti Echovirus, anti pyogenic bacteria) . The benefits of the prophylactic use of IVIG in preterm and low birthweight infants to prevent neonatal and late-onset infections are widely accepted . Lastly, IVIG are employed successfully in some autoimmune diseases as PTI and immune cytopenias, myasthenia gravis, acute and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, Kawasaki syndrome, childhood recurrent seizures, juvenile chronic arthritis.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1991 Nov, 57(11), 3388 - 9
Recovery of injured Campylobacter jejuni cells after animal passage; Saha SK et al.; Sixteen freeze-thaw-injured nonculturable stocks of Campylobacter jejuni were passed through rat gut, and seven were reisolated . These reisolated strains were converted to toxin producers, as they were before preservation, following consecutive passages through rat gut . This observation indicated the existence of an injured, viable, but nonresuscitated form of C . jejuni which can be resuscitated to a culturable and fully virulent form by passaging the organism through a susceptible host.

Rev Infect Dis, 1991 Nov-Dec, 13(6), 1066 - 8
Use of ciprofloxacin for successful eradication of bacteremia due to Campylobacter cinaedi in a human immunodeficiency virus-infected person; Sacks LV et al.; A 36-year-old homosexual man who was infected with human immunodeficiency virus presented with a 2-month history of fever and intermittent diarrhea . Stool cultures were negative for bacterial pathogens, ova, parasites, and acid-fast organisms . An initial blood culture became positive after 5 days for a curved, gram-negative rod that was identified later as Campylobacter cinaedi . The patient received a series of antibiotic regimens, including a 2-week course of erythromycin followed by a 2-week course of tetracycline, but follow-up blood cultures continued to yield C . cinaedi . The patient was then treated with a 2-week course of oral ciprofloxacin; he remained asymptomatic 11 weeks later, at which time a blood culture was negative for C . cinaedi . To the best of our knowledge, this is the first documented case of symptomatic bacteremia due to C . cinaedi that was successfully treated with ciprofloxacin.

Pediatr Pathol, 1991 Nov-Dec, 11(6), 827 - 38
Nonsyphilitic spirochetosis in second-trimester fetuses; Abramowsky C et al.; Four female fetuses (17-23 weeks) spontaneously aborted by young women (15-19 years old) showed spirochetal microorganisms predominantly in the intestinal lumen and mucosa and to a much lesser extent in other organs . Fetal tissues showed a brisk lymphocytic-plasmacytic response in intestinal mucosa, lungs, and meninges in some cases . In all instances the placenta had chorioamnionitis and severe chronic villitis, with villous vasculitis in some . One fetus had a concomitant cytomegalovirus infection . The observed lesions were reminiscent of Treponema pallidum infections; however, the spirochetes were morphologically different by light and ultrastructural microscopy from T . pallidum and did not react with a silver-enhanced, gold-labeled anti-T . pallidum antibody . In addition, serologic tests for syphilis of the women before or after the abortions were nonreactive . On the basis of clinical pathologic considerations as well as the absence of immunostaining, it is possible also to rule out infections caused by Lyme and relapsing fever Borrelia, Leptospira, and Campylobacter . The spirochetes' prominent tropism for the intestinal tract raises the possibility of a congenital infection with gastrointestinal spirochetal species described in recent years . The placental findings suggest an ascending transamniotic infection, with initial colonization of the intestinal tract and systemic dissemination of the organisms in the fetus and placental villi.

J Clin Microbiol, 1991 Nov, 29(11), 2587 - 9
Comparative evaluation of three selective media and a nonselective medium for the culture of Helicobacter pylori from gastric biopsies; Tee W et al.; Plating on solid media is the standard technique used in most laboratories for the isolation of Helicobacter pylori from gastric biopsies . Recently, various selective media were developed for this purpose . We compared and evaluated three selective media, Skirrow's, Dent's CP, and modified Glupczynski's Brussels campylobacter charcoal media, and chocolate agar medium for the isolation of H . pylori . Gastric biopsies taken from a total of 203 patients were plated in parallel on all four media . An isolation rate of 51% (104 of 203) was obtained with a combination of all four media . Of the 104, 92 (88%) were positive with Dent's medium and with modified Glupczynski's medium . Skirrow's medium gave the highest isolation rate, 96% (100 of 104) . However, growth of H . pylori was scant (only one to five colonies) when growth occurred on Skirrow's medium alone . Overall, modified Glupczynski's medium provided significantly heavier growth . Chocolate agar medium yielded a 76% (79 of 104) positivity rate . We recommend the use of a combination of two selective media for the maximum recovery of H . pylori from antral biopsies.

Scand J Gastroenterol, 1991 Nov, 26(11), 1205 - 8
Dental plaque: a permanent reservoir of Helicobacter pylori?
Desai HG, Gill HH, Shankaran K, Mehta PR, Prabhu SR.
The aim of the study was to observe the relationship between the two reservoirs of Helicobacter pylori--that is, dental plaque and the stomach . With the Campylobacter-like organism (CLO) test, H . pylori was detected in dental plaque and in gastric antral and body mucosa in 98%, 67% and 70%, respectively, of 43 consecutive patients with dyspepsia . The rapidity of the CLO test indicates that the density of H . pylori is heaviest in dental plaque, less in the antrum, and least in the body mucosa of the stomach . Triple drug therapy (bismuth, tinidazole, and amoxycillin or doxycycline) was administered for 15 days to 24 patients . By the CLO test, H . pylori was eliminated from the gastric mucosa in all 24 patients but persisted in dental plaque in all of them . Our observations indicate that dental plaque is unaffected by triple drug therapy and is perhaps a permanent reservoir of H . pylori if local therapy also fails to eradicate the organism.

Equine Vet J, 1991 Nov, 23(6), 405 - 9
The prevalence of enteric pathogens in diarrhoeic thoroughbred foals in Britain and Ireland; Browning GF et al.; A survey of 77 normal and 326 diarrhoeic foals in Britain and Ireland from 1987 to 1989 revealed a significantly higher prevalence of Group A rotaviruses and Aeromonas hydrophila in diarrhoeic foals . The prevalence of cryptosporidia, potentially pathogenic Escherichia coli, Yersinia enterocolitica and Clostridium perfringens was similar in normal or diarrhoeic foals . Rotaviruses had a similar prevalence in all age groups of scouring foals up to three months of age, with an overall prevalence of 37 per cent among diarrhoeic foals . The number of cases of diarrhoea varied considerably from year to year, but in all three years of the survey rotavirus was a significant pathogen . A comparison of diagnostic tests for rotavirus in the faeces showed electron microscopy (EM) and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) to have similar sensitivity . The Rotazyme ELISA test kit was found to have the same sensitivity as a combination of EM and PAGE . A . hydrophila had an overall prevalence of 9 per cent among diarrhoeic foals, although its prevalence was higher in some age groups . A . hydrophila has not been established previously as a significant enteric pathogen in foals . Other putative pathogens found at very low prevalence were coronavirus, the putative picobirnavirus, Campylobacter spp . and Salmonella spp . No evidence was found of synergistic effects between rotavirus, cryptosporidia and potentially pathogenic E . coli . Neither coccidia nor non-Group A rotaviruses were found in any of the samples examined.

Klin Wochenschr, 1991 Oct 31, 69(17), 813 - 6
Campylobacter fetus subspecies fetus infection; Allerberger F et al.; During a six-year period five patients with Campylobacter fetus subspecies fetus infections were seen at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota . Bacteremia was observed in two patients, one presenting with aortic valve endocarditis and the other with abdominal atherosclerotic aortic aneurysm . C . fetus subsp . fetus was isolated from tibial tissue of a patient with osteomyelitis . Diarrhea was the main complaint of two further patients, and was also mentioned by the patient with the aortic aneurysm . Despite the use of incubation conditions and selective media geared to detect only Campylobacter jejuni, C . fetus subsp . fetus was isolated from stool specimens of the two patients with gastrointestinal symptoms . The fact that three of five C . fetus subsp . fetus infections observed in this study were associated with intestinal symptoms further supports the importance of the gastrointestinal tract in the pathogenesis of C . fetus subsp . fetus infections.

Cas Lek Cesk, 1991 Oct 18, 130(16-17), 497 - 500
{Helicobacter (Campylobacter) pylori in stomach and duodenal biopsies}; Chlumska A et al.; In bioptic specimens of the gastric mucosa of 57 patients with dyspeptic complaints and/or a duodenal ulcer Helicobacter pylori was detected under the microscope in 82,4% of chronic active gastritis and in 28,6% and 61,5% resp . of chronic gastritis grade I and II . The finding of helicobacteria depended on the number of collected specimens . They were never found at sites with intestinal metaplasia and their numbers did not correspond to the intensity and character of the inflammatory changes . As compared with the antrum, in the corpus of the stomach helicobacteria were found more frequently not only in mild forms of the inflammation but also in the normal mucosa . In the duodenum the finding was negative and the inflammatory changes were only mild . In all patients with a duodenal ulcer and a scar after ulceration in the antrum chronic active or inactive gastritis grade II was found with helicobacteria in 84,6% of the observations . Cultivation was consistent with microscopic evidence in 50 patients (87,7%).

J Appl Bacteriol, 1991 Oct, 71(4), 379 - 82
Survival of Escherichia coli and Campylobacter jejuni in untreated and filtered lake water; Korhonen LK et al.; The survival of Campylobacter jejuni and Escherichia coli in lake water was studied using viable counts . Escherichia coli survived better than C . jejuni in all the test conditions studied . Both the species survived better in filtered than in untreated water . This suggests that predation and/or competition for nutrients affect the survival of both the species in an aquatic environment . Campylobacter jejuni survived less well in filtered autoclaved water and in 0.9% NaCl than in filtered water without autoclaving . The lack of some essential nutrients, which may be degraded by autoclaving, might explain these results.

Epidemiol Infect, 1991 Oct, 107(2), 363 - 72
Jackdaws and magpies as vectors of milkborne human Campylobacter infection; Hudson SJ et al.; In 1990 we reported that milk bottles pecked by jackdaws and magpies were a probable source of human campylobacter infection . During April to June 1990 an extended study of campylobacter infections was carried out in the Gateshead area . Prior to the study a health education programme was undertaken in an attempt to reduce human infection . Fifty-nine cases of human infection were recorded and 52 were interviewed . Thirty were entered into a case control study which demonstrated a very strong association between consumption of pecked milk and human campylobacter infection (chi 2 = 12.6, P less than 0.0004) . It was estimated that between 500 and 1000 jackdaws (Corvus monedula) were present in the area where milk bottles were pecked and 63 isolates of campylobacter were made from the bill and cloaca . Target bottles were put out in the early mornings and campylobacters were isolated from 12 of 123 pecked bottles . Typing of the campylobacters revealed a wide distribution of strains amongst birds, pecked milk and human infections . The health education programme had only limited success.

Ann Med, 1991 Oct, 23(4), 403 - 6
Gastric Helicobacter and upper gastrointestinal symptoms in chronic renal failure; Ala-Kaila K et al.; We studied histologically antral biopsies from 89 consecutive patients with chronic renal failure for Helicobacter pylori (previously Campylobacter pylori) . A dose-response gastric secretion test was also performed . The frequency of Helicobacter-positive subjects was low (15/89, 17%), corresponding to figures reported in the literature for young symptomless volunteers . Helicobacter-positive patients had significantly more frequently upper gastrointestinal symptoms than Helicobacter-negative individuals (P less than 0.05) . Antral gastritis was more common in the Helicobacter-positive than in the Helicobacter-negative renal patients (P less than 0.01), but the incidence of body gastritis did not differ between them . The Helicobacter-positive patients had lower serum urea levels (P less than 0.01) and higher acid outputs (P less than 0.001) than Helicobacter-negative subjects . All patients had raised fasting serum gastrin levels, which possibly obscured the difference between Helicobacter-positive (283 pg/ml) and -negative (331 pg/ml) patients . We conclude that in chronic renal failure gastric colonization of Helicobacter pylori is not more frequent than usual . It correlates positively with antral gastritis, gastric acid output and upper gastrointestinal symptoms, but negatively with serum urea levels.

Arch Neurol, 1991 Oct, 48(10), 1080 - 2
Serologic evidence of Campylobacter jejuni/coli enteritis in patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome; Gruenewald R et al.; We performed serologic testing for Campylobacter jejuni in 17 consecutive patients with acute Guillain-Barre syndrome from the Boston, Mass area to compare the frequency of this preceding infection with the high rates reported from other areas of the world . The rate of seropositivity, 18%, was considerable, but it was lower than that reported in Australia . Moreover, all of our patients with definite serologic evidence of infection had severe enteritis before Guillain-Barre syndrome, usually with the organism cultured from stool samples . Campylobacter enteritis is an important antecedent illness for Guillain-Barre syndrome but did not precipitate the disease without enteritis.

J Neuroimmunol, 1991 Oct, 34(1), 43 - 51
Association between glycoconjugate antibodies and Campylobacter infection in patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome; Walsh FS et al.; In a retrospective study, we have analysed sera from a well-characterised Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) patient group for antibodies that react with gangliosides . Of 95 GBS patients and 85 control patients analysed, we found that 14 (15%) of GBS patients but only one control patient had antibodies that react with the gangliosides GM1 and/or GD1b but not GM2, GD1a and GT1b using a sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) . This pattern of reactivity suggests binding to the carbohydrate structure Gal(beta 1-3)GalNAc which is shared between some glycolipids and glycoproteins . Similar antibodies have been found previously in a subpopulation of patients with lower motor neuron disease . In the present study, the predominant immunoglobulin class of these anti-glycoconjugate antibodies was IgG rather than IgM . A correlation was found between the presence of these antibodies and prognosis in terms of disability at 3 and 12 months after presentation . Patients with anti-glycoconjugate antibodies also had a higher incidence of previous Campylobacter infections than the rest of the patient group, although the significance of this remains to be determined.

Infect Immun, 1991 Oct, 59(10), 3694 - 9
Inhibition of acid secretion from parietal cells by non-human-infecting Helicobacter species: a factor in colonization of gastric mucosa?
Vargas M, Lee A, Fox JG, Cave DR.
Helicobacter pylori has been shown to produce a protein that inhibits acid secretion from parietal cells . We have examined other non-human-infecting Helicobacter species for this property by measuring the uptake of {14C}aminopyrine into rabbit parietal cells as an indirect assessment of acid secretion . Helicobacter felis and an isolate from a rhesus monkey were shown to inhibit acid secretion . Isolates of Helicobacter mustelae gave variable responses . Whole bacteria and cell-free sonicates impaired the uptake of {14C}aminopyrine . We also tested other bacteria, including Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Klebsiella oxytoca, and Campylobacter jejuni . As whole organisms, these control bacteria had little effect on acid secretion, but sonicates caused pronounced inhibition that was partially heat labile . Pronase treatment of H . pylori destroyed its inhibitory effect . These results suggest that most Helicobacter species, but not all isolates, are able to inhibit acid secretion from rabbit parietal cells . This property may be a factor in the establishment of long-term infection by these species.

Indian J Pathol Microbiol, 1991 Oct, 34(4), 247 - 52
Prevalence of Campylobacter pylori in non-ulcerative dyspepsia; Ahmed N et al.; Endoscopic biopsies were taken from the gastric antral mucosa, in 150 cases of non-ulcerative dyspepsia at the Gastroscopic Clinic, Dist . Hospital, Belgaum . Spiral or curved bacilli, were demonstrated in specimens from 99 patients . The histologic demonstration of the organism by Warthin Starry stain (66%) was superior to Haematoxylin and Eosin (47.33%), Urease test (42%) and Gram's stain (35.33%) . There was a strong association between C pyloridis in the gastric mucosa and histologically defined gastritis (95.55%).

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1991 Oct, (10), 5 - 8
{The adhesive properties of bacteria of intestinal origin}; Gorskaia EM et al.; Differences between strains of nonpathogenic Escherichia and lactobacilli, as well as some pathogenic bacteria of enteric origin (Escherichia, Shigella, Campylobacter), in their capacity to adhesion to rat enteric and colonic cells have been shown in vitro . The strains under study have been found to possess more pronounced adhesiveness with respect to colonic cells, which is indicative of their higher receptive capacity in comparison with enteric cells . In the absence of normal microflora lactobacilli and Escherichia exhibit increased adhesiveness with respect to enteric cells . Escherichia enterotoxigenic strains, Yersinia enterocolitica and Salmonella typhimurium virulent strains, Campylobacter jejuni clinical isolates possess more pronounced capacity for adhesion to enteric cells of Peyer's plaques than to other types of epithelial cells, which may be of importance in the pathogenesis of these infections.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1991 Oct, (10), 47 - 50
{An immunoenzyme test system for the detection of antibodies to Campylobacter}; Kuz'mina TI et al.; An enzyme immunoassay system for the detection of antibodies to bacteria of the genus Campylobacter in human blood serum has been developed . The system is based on the use of ethanol-treated C . jejuni and C . coli whole cells as antigen . The study of sera obtained from healthy donors in this assay has made it possible to establish the value of the tentative diagnostic titer: 320.

Kansenshogaku Zasshi, 1991 Oct, 65(10), 1325 - 30
{In vitro antimicrobial activity of rokitamycin, a macrolide antibacterial agent, against clinically isolated strains of Campylobacter and other enteritis-causing bacteria}; Horiuchi S et al.; We determined the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of rokitamycin (TMS-19-Q, RKM), a macrolide antimicrobial agent, against strains of various bacterial species isolated from enteritis patients, and compared them with those of josamycin (JM), erythromycin (EM) and ofloxacin (OFLX) . MIC90 of RKM against 147 strains of Campylobacter jejuni, and each 25 strains of Shigella spp., Salmonella spp . and diarrheagenic Escherichia coli were 1.56, 200, 800 and 200 micrograms/ml, respectively . There was only one RKM resistant (MIC greater than 100 micrograms/ml) C . jejuni strain, while most of the strains of the other species were resistant to RKM . MIC values of the other drugs were all similar to those of RKM . MIC90 of OFLX against 147 strains of C . jejuni was 0.78 micrograms/ml, lower than other drugs.

Avian Dis, 1991 Oct-Dec, 35(4), 750 - 5
Phagocytosis and intracellular killing of Campylobacter jejuni by elicited chicken peritoneal macrophages; Myszewski MA et al.; In vitro phagocytosis and intracellular survival of Campylobacter jejuni (strains B540 and Clin 1) in chicken peritoneal macrophages were studied . Macrophages were induced with Sephadex G-50 and harvested 48 hr later by peritoneal lavage . The extent of phagocytosis over time was determined by enumerating the intracellular C . jejuni after removal of extracellular C . jejuni with gentamicin . Pre-incubation of C . jejuni with antiserum generally enabled the macrophages to ingest greater numbers of cells than when the organism was pre-incubated in phosphate-buffered saline . C . jejuni were exposed to macrophage uptake for 30 minutes in a 5% CO2 incubator at 42 C . This suspension was then exposed to 12.5 micrograms gentamicin/ml to eliminate extracellular bacteria . Subsequently, the intracellular survival of C . jejuni was examined by monitoring its number within the macrophage at 30 minutes, 3 hr, and 6 hr after phagocytosis . Macrophages from C . jejuni-colonized chickens and from uncolonized control chickens were able to almost destroy the organism within the experimental period.

Can J Microbiol, 1991 Oct, 37(10), 785 - 90
Survival and injury of Escherichia coli, Campylobacter jejuni, and Yersinia enterocolitica in stream water; Terzieva SI et al.; Experiments were done to describe the survival and injury of three strains each of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, Yersinia enterocolitica, and Campylobacter jejuni in agricultural surface water . Bacterial suspensions within membrane diffusion chambers were immersed in two large vessels of stream water that were held at 6 and 16 degrees C and changed daily . The results of daily plate counts, using selective and nonselective media, revealed some variation among strains and genera . Injury increased rapidly in all of the bacteria examined during an initial 4-day period of population stability . Bacterial persistence was generally prolonged at 6 degrees C, while the occurrence of injury was directly related to temperature . However, both survival and injury in C . jejuni were less dependent on temperature, while Y . enterocolitica displayed the greatest survival at both 6 and 16 degrees C . These results suggest that surface water in the temperate zone might serve as a persistent vehicle for the transmission of these enteropathogenic bacteria between animals and humans.

J Gen Microbiol, 1991 Oct, 137 ( Pt 10), 2477 - 82
Recovery of viable but non-culturable Campylobacter jejuni; Jones DM et al.; Suspensions of Campylobacter jejuni became non-culturable after storage in sterilized pond water at 4 degrees C for periods between 18 and 28 d, depending on the strain . Suspensions of four strains of C . jejuni that had been in water for 6 weeks, and shown to be non-culturable, were fed to suckling mice . Colonization of mice was established with two of the strains and failed with the other two strains . Examination of these suspensions under the electron microscope showed some cocci having the appearance of being viable, but most cocci and all remaining spiral forms showed extensive degeneration . The results indicate that non-culturable coccal forms of C . jejuni are capable of infecting mice but that this property may differ between strains.

Am J Vet Res, 1991 Oct, 52(10), 1699 - 705
Mass screening of cattle sera against 14 infectious disease agents, using an ELISA system for monitoring health in livestock; Behymer DE et al.; Mass screening ELISA methods were developed for testing cattle serum for antibodies against 14 common livestock diseases simultaneously . The absorbance values were transformed to a %ELISA (spectrophotometric antibody end point) by a computer interfaced with a microplate reader . A histogram indicating a cutoff point and a report for the veterinarian also was generated . The computer program produced a print-out of the antibody profile for each animal tested, the antibody concentration against each disease, and a histogram (antibody profile) showing the prevalence of each disease in the herd . Serum samples were obtained from 1,953 cattle, including 880 dairy cattle from 10 herds and 1,073 beef cattle from 20 herds . These samples were obtained from June 1988 through June 1989 . The highest antibody prevalence was against bluetongue virus . Of the 1,953 cattle tested, 1,223 (63%) were seropositive for bluetongue virus, including 502 (57%) of the dairy cattle and 721 (67%) beef cattle . Other antibody prevalences, in descending order, were: rotavirus (44%), Pasteurella spp (25%), Leptospira spp and Haemophilus spp (22%), Mycoplasma spp (18%), parainfluenza virus (17%), Campylobacter spp (16%), Anaplasma marginale (15%), bovine leukosis virus (13%), Brucella spp (8%), Mycobacterium paratuberculosis (8%), bovine viral diarrhea virus (3%), and infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus (3%) . Major differences in antibody prevalence between dairy and beef cattle were that only 4% of the dairy cattle were seropositive for A marginale, compared with 25% of the beef cattle, and conversely, 29% of the dairy cattle were seropositive for bovine leukosis virus, compared with 1% of the beef cattle.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1991 Oct, 35(10), 2065 - 9
Emergence of fluoroquinolone resistance in Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in subjects from Finland; Rautelin H et al.; The in vitro susceptibilities of 102 human campylobacter strains isolated between 1978 and 1980 and 100 strains isolated in 1990 to ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, erythromycin, gentamicin, and doxycycline were examined . The biotypes and heat-stable serotypes of the strains as well as antimicrobial treatments and travel history of the campylobacter-positive patients were also studied . The results indicated that susceptibility to erythromycin, gentamicin, and doxycycline has remained the same during the past 10 years . No gentamicin-resistant strains were found . Resistance to erythromycin was 3% in both groups of strains . However, the number of norfloxacin-resistant strains increased from 4 to 11% in the follow-up period, and ciprofloxacin-resistant strains, which had not occurred 10 years ago, composed 9% of the strains isolated in 1990 . Thus, the increase of fluoroquinolone resistance in Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli has been significant in Finland in the past 10 years.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1991 Oct, 35(10), 1989 - 96
Characterization of erythromycin resistance in Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli; Yan W et al.; The mechanism of resistance to erythromycin, the drug of choice in the treatment of campylobacter gastroenteritis, was investigated . Erythromycin resistance (MICs, greater than 1,024 micrograms/ml) in three clinical isolates of Campylobacter jejuni and one C . coli isolate was determined to be constitutive and chromosomally mediated . In vivo protein synthesis in erythromycin-susceptible C . jejuni and C . coli strains was completely inhibited by low levels of erythromycin (5 micrograms/ml), whereas a high concentration of the antibiotic (100 micrograms/ml) had no effect on protein synthesis in erythromycin-resistant strains . Biological assays showed that extracellular degradation of erythromycin was not responsible for erythromycin resistance in strains of Campylobacter species . The rates and amounts of uptake of {14C}erythromycin by resistant and susceptible campylobacter cells were determined to be similar . Binding assays with purified campylobacter 70S ribosomes as well as 50S ribosomal subunits showed that those from erythromycin-resistant strans bound much less {14C}erythromycin than did those from susceptible strains . Genomic DNA from C . coli UA585 was used to transform erythromycin resistance to C . coli UA417 . The erythromycin resistance marker was associated with a 240-kb SmaI fragment of the C . coli UA585 genome . Our results rule out erythromycin inactivation or efflux and are not consistent with the production of an RNA methylase, although they are consistent with a mutational mechanism of resistance due to a change in a ribosomal protein gene . This study constitutes a detailed biochemical and genetic characterization of erythromycin resistance in Campylobacter species.

Tierarztl Prax, 1991 Oct, 19(5), 469 - 73
{The significance of sheep and goats as carriers of zoonoses in this country}; Weber A; The significance of sheep and goats in this country in connection with the zoonoses rabies, tick-borne encephalitis, contagious ecthyma, Q-fever, chlamydiosis, brucellosis, campylobacteriosis, echinococcosis and toxoplasmosis is discussed.

Nippon Koshu Eisei Zasshi, 1991 Oct, 38(10), 815 - 20
{Isolation of Yersinia, campylobacter, Plesiomonas and Aeromonas from environmental water and fresh water fishes}; Nakajima H et al.; Yersinia, Campylobacter, Plesiomonas and Aeromonas are known causative agents in waterborne diseases . For about 10 years, outbreak of diarrhea has been observed, especially among children, in the mountain areas of Okayama . Y . pseudotuberculosis recently isolated from non-chlorinated drinking water sources such as mountain streams and wells has been suspected to be the causative bacteria of the disease . Attempts were made to isolate Yersinia and Campylobacter from water samples from rivers in rural areas and Plesiomonas and Aeromonas from samples of well water and fresh water fishes in Okayama prefecture from 1987 to 1990 . The isolation rate of Yersinia from river water samples was 7.5% with a higher rate in the mountain areas than in the nonmountain areas . While Y . enterocolitica was isolated throughout the year, Y . pseudotuberculosis was only seen during the winter . Various serogroups including human types of Y . enterocolitica and serogroup 2B, 4A and UT of Y . pseudotuberculosis were detected . Campylobacter was isolated from 0.5% of river water samples . Plesiomonas from 1.5% of fresh water fishes, and Aeromonas was isolated from 6.9% of well water samples and 47.1% of fresh water fishes.

J Clin Gastroenterol, 1991 Oct, 13(5), 537 - 40
Can isolation of Aeromonas hydrophila from human feces have any clinical significance?
Qadri SM, Zafar M, Lee GC.
A total of 27,480 stool specimens from 15,548 patients with gastroenteritis were analyzed for bacterial enteropathogens during a 4-year period between 1986-89 at a major referral center in Saudi Arabia . Bacterial pathogens were isolated from 1,152 patients, Salmonella being the most frequent, followed by Campylobacter, Shigella, and Aeromonas hydrophila . The latter bacterium was found in 58 patients; seven of them were associated with other enteric pathogens, but A . hydrophila was the only organism in 51 patients . All had gastrointestinal symptoms, the most common being diarrhea (92%), followed by abdominal pain (68%), fever (37%), and vomiting (27%) . Stool specimens from 1,368 control patients were negative for A . hydrophila.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1991 Oct, 35(10), 2020 - 5
A DNA sequence upstream of the tet(O) gene is required for full expression of tetracycline resistance; Wang Y et al.; The DNA sequences upstream of the tet(O) and tet(M) open reading frames (ORFs) (ca . 300 bp) were found to share a higher degree of homology than those of the tet(O) and tet(M) ORFs themselves . A transcription initiation site for tet(O) was located by primer extension analysis . Campylobacter coli was found to use a promoter sequence different from that used by Escherichia coli . The sequence upstream of tet(O) was shown to be required in cis for high-level resistance to tetracycline.

J Clin Microbiol, 1991 Oct, 29(10), 2093 - 8
Evaluation of a simplified procedure for serotyping Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli which is based on the O antigen; Mills SD et al.; A simplified procedure for serotyping Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli on the basis of thermostable antigens was developed and tested for its applicability as a routine typing method . The assay involves the sensitization of erythrocytes with an antigenic extract and performance of a slide agglutination assay with specific antisera . In order to simplify the typing system to a greater extent, the standard typing antisera were pooled into nine groups for C . jejuni and four groups for C . coli . The five antiserum samples allocated to each pool were selected so that pairs or groups of cross-reacting antisera were included in the same pool . When this system was tested with the serotype reference strains, it was found that, in most cases, a strain reacted in only one pool . The specific serotype of that strain could then be further defined by typing in each of the antisera belonging to that pool . To evaluate the specificity of the simplified method, 246 clinical isolates of C . jejuni and 57 clinical isolates of C . coli were typed at the same time by the standard passive hemagglutination assay and by the rapid slide agglutination system . Although both schemes effectively differentiated isolates and results from both schemes were generally very similar, differences were noted for a few isolates . On the basis of these findings, the simplified procedure may be recommended as an alternative means for serotyping these species for epidemiological purposes.

Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 1991 Oct, 10(10), 813 - 20
Spectrum of activity of azithromycin; Williams JD; In recent years, a number of newer macrolides have been developed . One such antibiotic is azithromycin, which has a 15-membered ring structure and is classed as an azalide . The limitations of erythromycin and the discovery of pathogenic bacteria such as Campylobacter, Legionella and Chlamydia species provide incentives to study the usefulness of newer antibiotics of this class . Azithromycin has good activity against staphylococci, streptococci, Moraxella catarrhalis and other rapidly growing pyogenic bacteria . The good activity of azithromycin against Haemophilus influenzae (MIC90 0.5 mg/l) is particularly important as erythromycin has only marginal activity against this organism . Azithromycin has also been shown to be more potent than the macrolides against Enterobacteriaceae . In common with erythromycin and tetracycline, the agent has good activity against Legionella, Chlamydia and Campylobacter . Opportunistic infections involving Toxoplasma gondii and Pneumocystis carinii are an increasing problem and azithromycin is particularly interesting in view of its activity against these difficult-to-treat organisms.

Muscle Nerve, 1991 Oct, 14(10), 1013 - 20
In vivo effects of sera from Guillain-Barré subgroups: an electrophysiological and histological study on rat nerves; Oomes PG et al.; Serum from 20 patients with Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), 10 healthy controls and 10 patients with recent cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, or Campylobacter jejuni/coli infections was injected into rat sciatic nerve . The 20 GBS patients consisted of 2 groups of 10 patients with different electrophysiological and clinical disease patterns . The main aim of the study was to investigate possible differences in humoral (auto)-immunity between these subgroups . We found no statistically significant differences in electrophysiological or histological parameters between nerves injected with sera from the 2 GBS groups . The sera of the GBS groups caused significantly more compound muscle action potential reduction at 3 to 5 days postinjection than the healthy control sera . No significant difference in nerve conduction was found between nerves injected with GBS serum and serum of patients with proven infections without GBS . Histological analysis of the same nerves that were studied electrophysiologically showed no significant differences in demyelination or other histological parameters between patients and controls at 5 days postinjection . Based on the findings in this study that sera of GBS groups with important differences in disease pattern and sera of patients with proven infection but without GBS show similar in vivo effects on rat nerves, we suggest it may be more likely that these effects are caused by aspecific serum factors associated with immune-system activation, especially by precedent infections, than by specific disease-related factors such as anti-myelin antibodies.

Neurology, 1991 Oct, 41(10), 1561 - 3
HLA-B35 and acute axonal polyneuropathy following Campylobacter infection; Yuki N et al.; We performed HLA typing for class I antigens on five Japanese patients with acute polyneuropathy following Campylobacter infection, all of whom showed axonopathy causing pure motor dysfunction associated with IgG anti-GM1 antibodies . We demonstrated a statistically significant association between the disease and the HLA-B35 antigen.

Med Clin (Barc), 1991 Sep 7, 97(7), 262 - 4
{Bacteremia from Campylobacter fetus . Increasing interest and incidence}; Pedro-Botet Montoya ML et al.; Three bacteremias of Campylobacter fetus were described . One was a male patient and two were females . Underlying illnesses were present in all of them (Hodgkin disease, AIDS and hepatic cirrhosis respectively) . They were all admitted because of fever and no other symptoms of infectious focus were present . Physical findings were not relevant . The blood cultures became positive in days 6, 7 and 9 respectively . Antibiotic treatments were not standardised, so no conclusions can be drawn . The evolution was correct except for the patient infected by the human immunodeficiency virus who carried out a recurrent course . The authors comment on the increasing interest of this pathogen causing extraintestinal infection.

J Biol Chem, 1991 Sep 5, 266(25), 16363 - 9
Identification, purification, and characterization of major antigenic proteins of Campylobacter jejuni; Pei ZH et al.; Evidence from developing countries and volunteer studies indicates that immunity to Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli may be acquired, but the antigenic basis for this protection is poorly defined . We have purified to homogeneity four proteins with molecular weights of 28,000 (PEB1), 29,000 (PEB2), 30,000 (PEB3), and 31,000 (PEB4) from epidemic C . jejuni strain 81-176 using acid extraction and sequential ion-exchange, hydrophobic interaction, and gel filtration chromatography . The relative amino acid compositions of these four proteins are similar . NH2-terminal sequence analysis indicates that all four proteins are different, although the first 35 amino acids of PEB2 and PEB3 are 51.4% homologous . Isoelectric focusing showed that all four are basic proteins with pI of 8.5 for PEB1 protein and greater than 9.3 for the others . Use of the purified proteins as antigens in an IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) found that seroconversion to the PEB1 or PEB3 proteins occurred in 15 of 19 patients with sporadic C . jejuni or C . coli infection . In comparison, only two, six, and 14 of these patients seroconverted to PEB2, PEB4, or the acid extract antigen . In an ELISA with whole bacterial cells as antigens, antiserum to the acid-extracted antigens showed broad recognition of C . jejuni, C . coli, C . fetus, C . lari, and Helicobacter pylori . Antiserum to PEB1 recognized all 35 C . jejuni and all 15 C . coli strains but none of the isolates of the other three bacterial species . The PEB1 and PEB3 proteins appear to be candidate antigens for both a Campylobacter vaccine and for serological assays for the pathogen.

Mil Med, 1991 Sep, 156(9), 484 - 7
The etiology of diarrhea among American adults living in Peru; Pazzaglia G et al.; During 1984-1989, 655 diarrheic and 287 nondiarrheic stool specimens from adult U.S . citizens living in Lima, Peru were tested for presence of bacterial enteropathogens . Frequencies of isolation among diarrheic specimens were: Shigella 9.8%; Campylobacter 6.1%; enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) 6.0%; Plesiomonas 2.0%; Salmonella 1.4%; and Vibrio 0.6% . Isolates recovered from non-diarrheic stools were: Shigella 4.5%; Campylobacter 2.1%; Salmonella 1.0%; ETEC 0.7%; Plesiomonas 0.7%; and Vibrio 0.3% . Aeromonas, an unproven cause of diarrhea, was isolated from 9.2% of cases and 3.5% of controls . Disease occurrence was strongly associated with isolation of Shigella, ETEC, Campylobacter, or Aeromonas (p less than or equal to 0.01) . During the 6-year period of study, shifts in the dominant phenotypes of Shigella and Campylobacter occurred which may have important implications for vaccine development and intervention strategies.

J Pathol, 1991 Sep, 165(1), 69 - 73
Helicobacter pylori in gastric biopsy specimens . Comparison of culture, modified giemsa stain, and immunohistochemistry . A retrospective study; Loffeld RJ et al.; Antral biopsy specimens of 302 different endoscopic investigations of 200 patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia were studied for the presence of Helicobacter pylori in order to determine the most sensitive detection method . Part of the biopsy was cultured, and part stained using a modification of the Giemsa stain, and with an immunoperoxidase technique using a polyclonal rabbit anti-H . pylori antiserum . Cross-reactivity of this antiserum with other Campylobacter species was minimal . Material from 244 investigations was studied using all three detection methods . Culture was positive in 44 per cent, Giemsa in 78 per cent, and immunoperoxidase in 89 per cent of these biopsy specimens . Only five positive Giemsa stains with negative immunoperoxidase stain were found, whereas in 32 cases a negative Giemsa stain with a positive immunoperoxidase stain was seen . In the latter cases, the bacterial load was very low . The specimens revealed bacteria only sporadically, always confined to the deep layers of the gastric pits . Culture results correlated significantly with the bacterial load observed in the Giemsa stain . It is concluded that culture of H . pylori is the least sensitive detection method, whereas immunoperoxidase staining is the most sensitive . For daily practice the modified Giemsa stain, however, appears to be sufficient to diagnose the presence of the micro-organism.

Infect Dis Clin North Am, 1991 Sep, 5(3), 681 - 701
Enteric infections associated with exposure to animals or animal products; Fang G et al.; The epidemiology and clinical presentation of enteric infections are discussed in this article . These include bacterial, viral, and parasitic illnesses, and are associated with the increasing popularity of drinking unpasteurized milk; eating raw fish and shellfish; consuming undercooked pork, poultry, and eggs; and having contact with pets . Salmonella, Campylobacter jejuni, Vibrio, Yersinia, Aeromonas, Edwardsiella, hepatitis A virus, Norwalk virus, Anisakis, Eustrongylides, Diphyllobothrium, Nanophyetus, Isospora, and Cryptosporidium are included . The importance of preventing these increasingly recognized enteric infections is emphasized.

Am J Vet Res, 1991 Sep, 52(9), 1518 - 22
Comparative study of colonizing and noncolonizing Campylobacter jejuni; Meinersmann RJ et al.; Campylobacter jejuni A74/O and A74/C are congenic strains . An oral dose of 10(5) organisms of strain A74/C colonizes chicken intestines . Strain A74/O, from which A74/C is derived, does not colonize the chicken intestines with an oral dose of 10(5) organisms . In this study, the congenic bacteria were compared to identify possible colonization mechanisms . Differences were not observed in plasmid content or by HindIII, Pst I, Acc I, HincII, Ava I, Ava II, Xba I, and BamHI restriction enzyme digestion of total DNA . Transmission electron microscopy of negatively stained samples revealed no differences between the strains . Sections of cecal tissue from nonfed day-of-hatch chicks were cultured with each strain for 2 hours and then examined by light and electron microscopy . Both strains caused necrosis of villus epithelial cells . Immunofluorescent or silver staining revealed strain A74/C located deep in numerous epithelial crypts, but strain A74/O only was present in one sample mixed with sloughed necrotic cells . Similarly, organisms were detected by transmission electron microscopy deep in crypts in tissues cultured with A74/C, but not A74/O . Cells of A74/C detected in crypts did not appear to associate with epithelial cells . The strains did not differ in chemotactic behavior to mucin or fucose.

J Med Microbiol, 1991 Sep, 35(3), 162 - 7
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli associated with infant diarrhoea in Galicia, north-western Spain; Blanco J et al.; To assess the role of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) in infantile diarrhoea, 482 children with diarrhoea and 103 healthy controls, from three localities of Galicia, north-western Spain, were investigated between 1985 and 1988 . Rotavirus (37.3%) and Salmonella spp . (12.8%) were the most common causal agents, followed by ETEC (3.9%), Campylobacter jejuni (2.3%), Shigella spp . (0.9%) and Yersinia enterocolitica (0.5%) . ETEC were significantly more frequently isolated from children with diarrhoea who were under 1 month of age (26.5%) than from older diarrhoeic children (2.2%) (p less than 0.001) or from healthy children who were under 1 month of age (0%) (p less than 0.05) . Among children who harboured ETEC, five of the nine children under 1 month of age developed diarrhoea in hospital, whereas none of the 10 children over 1 month of age did so . Seventeen ETEC isolates produced heat-stable enterotoxin (STa) only, four produced only heat-labile enterotoxin (LT), and two produced both toxins . Colonisation factor antigens CFA/I and CFA/II were detected in 11 (55.0%) of the 20 ETEC isolates that remained enterotoxigenic after maintenance in the laboratory . Most ETEC isolates belonged to serotypes O153:K-:H45 (nine STa+ CFA/I+ isolates), O27:K-:H7 (three STa+ isolates) or O6:K15:H16 (two LT+ STa+ CFA/II+ isolates) . Our results suggest that ETEC constitute an important cause of neonatal diarrhoea in this part of Spain.

Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 1991 Sep, 10(9), 735 - 41
Causative role of Yersinia and other enteric pathogens in the appendicular syndrome; Van Noyen R et al.; In 2,861 consecutive patients undergoing appendicectomy for clinically suspected appendicitis an enteric pathogen was isolated from the appendix in almost 7% using an optimal combination of culture media . The pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica serotypes 03 and 09 predominated (3.6%), followed by Campylobacter and nontyphoid Salmonella . The same pathogen was isolated from the stool in 72.5% of patients with a culture-positive appendix and in 84.1% of those positive for a pathogenic Yersinia . Conversely, no pathogenic Yersinia were isolated in 326 gynaecologic control patients, in whom a normal appendix was removed . No frank appendicitis but mesenteric adenitis and/or terminal ileitis were found in 62.3% of 138 patients with a culture positive appendix, and in 74.6% of those positive for a pathogenic Yersinia . Histologic findings available in 135 patients showed acute suppurative appendicitis in only six (4.5%) patients, and in only one of 73 (1.4%) positive for a pathogenic Yersinia . In contrast, 46.8% of a group of 345 culture-negative appendices showed acute inflammation . A positive stool culture in a patient with suspected appendicitis, if consistent with sonographic and clinical findings, should be taken as strong evidence against the presence of true appendicitis.

Acta Gastroenterol Belg, 1991 Sep-Dec, 54(5-6), 368 - 74
{The role of serology in the diagnosis of Helicobacter (Campylobacter) pylori infection}; Fannes F et al.; The purpose of the communication is to review the different aspects of the Helicobacter (Campylobacter) pylori infection . The first part of the communication is devoted to the description of the different gastric pathologies induced by the Helicobacter pylori infection and to the different methods used for the detection of this infection . Today a consensus assesses a causal role to Helicobacter pylori in the development of chronic active gastritis (or type B gastritis), in the pathogenesis of duodenal ulcer, and a major contributing factor in the development of peptic ulcer disease . The possible role played by this bacterium in the development of non-ulcer dyspepsia is still unclear . H . pylori infections can be detected using different methods including invasive methods--requiring an endoscopy (e.g.: culture of the micro-organism, urease test, microscopy) and non-invasive methods (e.g.: breath test, serology) . Each of these methods has advantages but also some disadvantages, and none shows an absolute sensitivity and specificity . The second part of the presentation analyses the results obtained with a serologic method using a specific fractioned and purified antigenic complex extracted from Helicobacter pylori . This report demonstrates a good correlation with the other detection methods . Serology appears also as a useful tool for the therapeutical monitoring of infected patients . Serological results must however be interpreted in the light of the complete clinical examination of the patient.

J Diarrhoeal Dis Res, 1991 Sep, 9(3), 244 - 9
Childhood diarrhoea in a low-income urban community in Bangkok: incidence, clinical features, and child caretaker's behaviours; Punyaratabandhu P et al.; A one-year surveillance study of childhood diarrhoea in a low-income urban community in Bangkok revealed an annual incidence of 2.2 episodes per child among infants, and that the overall annual incidence among children under five years of age was 0.9 per child . Rotavirus, Salmonella and Campylobacter jejuni were common aetiologic agents . In children less than one year, diarrhoea was caused mostly by rotavirus and Salmonella . In 1-2 year old children, the major causative agent was rotavirus while E . coli, Campylobacter jejuni and Shigella were subsequent aetiologic agents . In grown up children (aged 2-5 years), the more common diarrhoeal pathogens were Shigella and E . coli . The clinical characteristics of diarrhoeal illness due to different pathogens were shown . The sources of drugs and the usage of available facilities in treating diarrhoea are also described . Caretakers treated childhood diarrhoea with ORS (53%), antibiotics (10%), and a combination of these in 15% of cases . These findings imply that the available facilities in this community can be better utilised to obtain more effective control of diarrhoeal morbidity and mortality.

Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg, 1991 Sep-Oct, 85(5), 667 - 9
Diarrhoeal disease in children less than one year of age at a children's hospital in Guangzhou, People's Republic of China; Ming ZF et al.; We performed a case-control study of diarrhoea to determine its causes in children less than 1 year old in Guangzhou, People's Republic of China, in April to September 1989 . Stools were cultured for Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter and vibrios by standard techniques; rotavirus (RV) was identified by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; and specific deoxyribonucleic acid probes were used to identify Escherichia coli containing genes coding for Shiga-like toxin I and II, enteropathogenic E . coli adherence factor, and enteroinvasive E . coli (EIEC) . E . coli isolates were tested for heat-labile toxin (LT) and heat-stable toxin (ST) production and mannose-resistant adherence to HeLa cells . Rotavirus was identified in 13 of 174 children with diarrhoea (cases) and in 2% of 174 age-matched children without diarrhoea (controls), P less than 0.001 . C . jejuni was identified in 10% of cases and 2% of controls, P = 0.003 . Giardia lamblia was identified in 4 cases, LT and ST enterotoxigenic E . coli (ETEC) in 2, and S . flexneri in 1 case; they were not found in controls . ETEC that produced LT only was isolated from 5 cases and 3 controls, P = 0.721; E . coli that adhered to HeLa cells in a diffuse pattern was isolated from 30 cases and 40 controls, P = 0.229; and E . coli that adhered in an aggregative pattern was isolated from 20 cases and 18 controls, P = 0.863 . EIEC was not isolated from cases or controls . Nine cases (5%) developed persistent diarrhoea (greater than 14 d duration) . C . jejuni and aggregative E . coli were isolated from different children with persistent diarrhoea.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Zentralbl Veterinarmed B, 1991 Sep, 38(7), 523 - 8
The barren camel with endometritis--isolation of Trichomonas fetus and different bacteria; Wernery U; This study constitutes the first reported isolation of Trichomonas fetus from the uterus of breeding camels . Twenty-four of 68 camels, which were barren for 1-4 years were found to be positive for T . fetus . One preputial washing of a camel bull which had served the herd was found to be positive for T . fetus . The uterine flora of all camels were examined . Ten different bacterial and 2 fungal species were isolated . All samples were negative for Campylobacter sp., Taylorella equigenitalis and Streptococcus zooepidemicus.

Zentralbl Veterinarmed B, 1991 Sep, 38(7), 497 - 504
Comparison of surface antigens of some Campylobacter fetus subsp . fetus strains of ovine origin by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting; Varga J; Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and immunoblotting were used to identify and to compare the surface antigens of eight C . fetus subsp . fetus strains . Seven strains (one of serogroup A and six of serogroup B) were isolated from aborted ovine fetuses, while one strain (serogroup A) originated from an aborted calf fetus . Saline extracts at 56 degrees C and 100 degrees C were used as antigens . Antisera were produced in rabbits . In saline extracts (56 degrees C) of the strains at least 19 fractions were identified by SDS-PAGE, with molecular masses ranging from approx . 4,800 to 205,000 . The major bands appeared at 205,000, 66,000, 31,500, 25,000, 21,000 and 17,500 . Despite the fact that the strains were cultured from 4 different sheep flocks and belonged to serogroup A or B, the SDS-PAGE profiles of the strains were very similar . When boiled (100 degrees C) extracts were used, a band migrating at 32,500 in sheep strains and a band at 97,500 in the calf isolate were missing . Most of the bands obtained by SDS-PAGE could be identified also by the immunoblot procedure . A or B type specificity of the ovine isolates was due to an LPS fraction, migrating at approx . 21,000, while the other LPS fractions appearing under this region although reacted with antisera did not influence the type specificity . Using alkaline extracts (pH 12) in SDS-PAGE, LPS fractions gave more pronounced profiles . In two of our C . fetus subsp . fetus isolates, plasmids with a molecular mass of 31,500 were identified.

J Clin Microbiol, 1991 Sep, 29(9), 1785 - 8
Reproducibility of tolerance tests that are useful in the identification of campylobacteria; On SL et al.; Twenty type or other reference strains, each representing a different Campylobacter, Helicobacter, or Arcobacter taxon, were used to assess the reproducibility of 25 phenotypic tests that are used in the identification of such organisms . Twenty-two of the tests depended on growth inhibition, and each of these tolerance tests was performed by using three different basal media . Although the overall reproducibility of the tests with each basal medium exceeded 89%, the proportion of strains that were able to grow in a reproducible manner on the basal media varied from 100% for blood agar and 50% for nutrient agar to 5% for brucella agar . In general, test reproducibility was highest with the basal medium that supported the most luxuriant growth . For the majority of tests, the basal medium which gave the optimum reproducibility could be determined.

Vnitr Lek, 1991 Sep-Oct, 37(9-10), 768 - 71
{Chronic active surface-positive Campylobacter antrum gastritis-- morphological changes 1 year after treatment with bismuth}; Sorf M et al.; The works is based on a previous investigation published in the journal Vnitrni Lekarstvi, 36, 1990, 8, pp . 759-762 . The authors investigated morphological changes of the gastric mucosa and the presence of Campylobacter pylori (CP) in probands with chronic active surface CP positive antrum gastritis one year after treatment with a bismuth preparation (Bismuth citrate 120 mg per capsule made on prescription) for a one-month period 4 capsules per day . This concerned probands with functional dyspepsia without a history of alcohol intake . After a one-year interval eradication of CP persisted in 8 probands (53.3%); in 7 patients (46.7%) there was a relapse of CP positivity . The authors confirmed that CP and active chronic gastritis are associated . Chronic non-specific inflammatory cellulitis persisted after one year with the same intensity in 17 probands (74%), in 6 it increased by one grade (26%) . Improvement or complete recovery of the histological finding was not recorded in any of the patients . In the corpus of the stomach the unaltered finding persisted . Morphological changes were always directly proportional to the presence of CP . Its eradication appears to be causal treatment of chronic active surface CP positive antrum gastritis, one of the groups in the wide spectrum of chronic gastritis.

Kansenshogaku Zasshi, 1991 Sep, 65(9), 1165 - 82
{Comparison of clinical efficacy of rokitamycin (RKM) and ofloxacin (OFLX) for the treatment of Campylobacter enteritis by a double-blind method . The Research Committee for the Effect of Rokitamycin, Research Group for Infectious Enteritis}; Obana M et al.; The clinical efficacy, safety and usefulness of Rokitamycin (RKM), a new macrolide antibiotic, were compared with those of Ofloxacin (OFLX) for the treatment of Campylobacter enteritis by a double blind method . The daily dose level of RKM or OFLX was 600 mg . They were orally administered in three divided doses for 5 days . Of 223 cases studied, 106 cases were diagnosed as Campylobacter enteritis . Ninety cases (RKM group: 50, OFLX group: 40) except for 16 excluded or drop-out cases were analysed . There was no significant difference between the two groups in any background factors . The effectiveness and usefulness was evaluated in 88 cases (RKM group: 48, OFLX group: 40) . The results obtained were as follows: 1 . In a total of 82 strains of Campylobacter jejuni/coli (RKM group: 42, OFLX group: 40), the bacteriological efficacy rate of RKM (95.2%) was superior to that of OFLX (70.0%) with a significant difference (p = 0.006) . 2 . In 76 symptomatic patients (RKM group: 42, OFLX group: 34) on the day of the beginning of drug administration, the clinical efficacy rate was 97.6% in the RKM group and 85.3% in the OFLX group with no significant difference between the two groups . 3 . In 88 evaluable patients, the global clinical efficacy rate of RKM (95.8%) was superior to that of OFLX (67.5%) with a significant difference (p = 0.001) . 4 . Side effect was observed in 1 (1.9%) of the 54 patients in the RKM group and none of the 44 patients in the OFLX group . Slightly abnormal laboratory findings were seen in 4 (10.8%) of the 37 patients treated with RKM and 3 (9.7%) of the 31 patients treated with OFLX, but there was no significant difference between the two groups . 5 . In 88 evaluable patients, the clinical usefulness of RKM (91.7%) was superior to that of OFLX (67.5%) with a significant difference (p = 0.01) . From these results, RKM is considered to be a very useful agent for the treatment of Campylobacter enteritis.

Kansenshogaku Zasshi, 1991 Sep, 65(9), 1153 - 64
{A clinical experience of rokitamycin on Campylobacter enteritis . Research Group of Rokitamycin on Infectious Enteritis}; Irimajiri S et al.; Rokitamycin, a newly developed macrolide, was administered to a total of 107 cases, 16 years old or more, in order to evaluate its clinical efficacy, safety and usefulness on Campylobacter enteritis . Daily dosage of 600 mg of rokitamycin was administered orally in three divided doses for 5 days . Bacteriological and clinical efficacies were judged by the attending doctors from the evaluation criteria made by the committee and from the days required for improvement of diarrhea, defervescence and so on, respectively . Antibacterial activities against the isolates were tested of rokitamycin (RKM), erythromycin (EM), josamycin (JM) and ofloxacin (OFLX) . The results were as follows; 41 symptomatic patients and 5 carriers were evaluated . Clinical efficacy (n = 41) was 100% (excellent; 34.1%, good; 65.9%) . Bacteriological efficacy (n = 41) was 97.6% . Eight of the 9 cases with consecutive stool cultures were free of the bacteria on and after one day of the drug administration . Clinical usefulness (n = 46) was 97.8% . Slight epigastric pain was seen in only one as a side effect . The items of abnormal laboratory findings were 4 elevated GPT and/or GOT and one increased number of WBC in 4 cases . MIC90 of RKM, EM, JM and OFLX against 41 clinical isolates of C . jejuni were 1.56, 3.13, 3.13 and 0.78 micrograms/ml, respectively . Rokitamycin was considered clinically useful to treat Campylobacter enteritis.

Med Parazitol (Mosk), 1991 Sep-Oct, (5), 23 - 4
{The pathogenesis of stomach and duodenal involvement in chronic opisthorchiasis . 1 . The urease test}; Serdiukov AE et al.; The study using the urease test on mucous biopsies from the antral gastric part and from the duodenum of patients with chronic opisthorchiasis with endoscopic evidence of antral gastritis and gastroduodenitis, and from noninvaded patients with gastritis and duodenitis, some of them with the gastric or duodenal ulcers showed that the test was positive . The test was negative in both groups of patients when the mucosa of the gastric body was examined as well as in those without gastroduodenal pathology . It is supposed that in the both groups of patients gastroduodenal pathology was provoked by the colonization of the gastric and duodenal mucosa by gastric campylobacteria.

Zentralbl Hyg Umweltmed, 1991 Sep, 192(2), 116 - 23
A note on the comparative efficacy of three selective media for isolation of Campylobacter species from environmental samples; Holler C; The efficacy of three selective broths and agars, i.e . Preston-, mCCD- and CAR medium, were compared to each other in various combinations . Twelve Campylobacter coli and 9 Campylobacter jejuni strains that had been isolated from sewage were used as test strains . To evaluate the applicability for highly contaminated environmental samples 15 sewage samples were examined, subsequently . Significant differences between the media could not be ascertained . The application of Preston broth/agar or CAR broth/Preston agar, however, is strongly recommended for investigation of highly contaminated environmental samples, as bacterial overgrowth (CAR agar) and difficult retrievability from agar surfaces (mCCD agar) were observed . A necessity of blood-supplementation is assumed.

Hua Xi Yi Ke Da Xue Xue Bao, 1991 Sep, 22(3), 278 - 81
{Analysis of outer membrane proteins from eight strains of Campylobacter in SDS-PAGE}; Diao J et al.; The outer membrane proteins (OMPs) from 8 strains of Campylobacter, including 5 reference strains and 3 local strains, were isolated and examined by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) . The results showed that the population distributions of molecular weight of OMPs from different species and sources were alike based on the Rank Sum Test analysis . The number of bands of major OMP was around 2-3, the molecular weight of which varied from 33-68 kd . Moreover, three C . jejuni local strains isolated from patients in China showed common characteristics of OMPs to the reference strains . It is suggested that the OMPs of Campylobacter are of a conservative and stable structure.

J Pak Med Assoc, 1991 Sep, 41(9), 211 - 3
Etiology and management of diarrhoeal diseases in Karachi; Hafiz S et al.; The incidence of diarrhoeal disease are very high in our population and bacterial etiology amounts to 43.55% of all cases . Pathogen such as Aeromonas hydrophila, Plesiomonas shigelloides, Yersinia enterocolitica and Campylobacter are also present in significant numbers, they make up 50% of bacterial causes . All enteric pathogens can be easily isolated on commonly used media and could be precisely identified by simple biochemical tests.

J Clin Microbiol, 1991 Sep, 29(9), 1812 - 7
Oligodeoxynucleotide probes for Campylobacter fetus and Campylobacter hyointestinalis based on 16S rRNA sequences; Wesley IV et al.; Deoxyoligonucleotide probes were constructed for the identification of Campylobacter fetus and Campylobacter hyointestinalis based on 16S rRNA sequence data . Probes were targeted to hypervariable regions of 16S rRNA . Specificity of oligonucleotide probes was tested in a colony blot assay with type strains of 15 Campylobacter and Arcobacter species as well as in a slot blot format using genomic DNA extracted from field strains of C . fetus and C . hyointestinalis . Two oligonucleotides were constructed for C . fetus that hybridized with equal specificity with each of 57 biochemically confirmed isolates of C . fetus but not with any other Campylobacter species . The C . hyointestinalis probe reacted with 47 of 48 biochemically confirmed field isolates of C . hyointestinalis . In Southern blot hybridization of BglII digests of genomic DNA, the respective probes reacted within three restriction fragments of either C . hyointestinalis (7.2, 8.2, and 10.1 kb) or C . fetus (7.0, 7.7, and 9.0 kb) . This suggests multiple copies of genes encoding 16S rRNA.

J Hosp Infect, 1991 Sep, 19 Suppl A, 3 - 9
A comparison of the in-vitro activity of clarithromycin, a new macrolide antibiotic, with erythromycin and other oral agents; King A et al.; On the basis of minimum inhibitory concentrations clarithromycin (6-O-methylerythromycin), a new macrolide, was found to be slightly more active than erythromycin against Staphylococcus aureus, enterococci . Moraxella catarrhalis, Gardnerella vaginalis, Bacteroides fragilis (sensu stricto) and B . ureolyticus and slightly less active against coagulase-negative staphylococci, alpha- and beta-haemolytic streptococci, Haemophilus influenzae, Campylobacter coli/jejuni and the B . melaninogenicus/oralis groups . There was complete cross-resistance between the two agents . Reports of potentiation of the activity against Haemophilus influenzae of clarithromycin by its own metabolite and by human serum appear to operate in vivo, and therefore the new agent shows great promise, especially for the treatment of respiratory tract infections.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1991 Sep, 35(9), 1917 - 8
In vitro susceptibilities of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli to azithromycin and erythromycin; Taylor DE et al.; MICs of azithromycin and erythromycin for 20 Campylobacter coli and 20 Campylobacter jejuni strains were determined . The results demonstrated that, for Campylobacter species, all high-level erythromycin-resistant strains were also resistant to azithromycin and that azithromycin did not exhibit increased potency in comparison with that of erythromycin.

J Med Microbiol, 1991 Sep, 35(3), 168 - 73
Antigenic shifts in serotype determinants of Campylobacter coli are accompanied by changes in the chromosomal DNA restriction endonuclease digestion pattern; Mills SD et al.; Changes in somatic (O) lipopolysaccharide (LPS) antigenic specificities of Campylobacter coli serostrains were observed after continuous laboratory subculture . Two serostrains (C . coli O34 and C . coli O48) lost O specificity and did not react with homologous or any of the available heterologous antisera . The C . coli serostrain for serogroup O5, after subculture, yielded a variant that had acquired a new specificity which was detectable with a heterologous antiserum . In a repeat experiment with the original isolate of the O5 strain, a second variant was obtained which had not only acquired the same new determinant but had, unlike the first variant, lost reactivity with the homologous antiserum . Immunoblot experiments with homologous and heterologous antisera indicated that changes in antigenic specificity were associated with the O side chains of the LPS molecules . Results of restriction endonuclease analysis of chromosomal DNA of the variants and their parents revealed minor differences in restriction patterns which suggested that C . coli is capable of undergoing genomic re-arrangements that lead to changes in LPS specificity and structure.

N Z Med J, 1991 Aug 28, 104(918), 356 - 8
Waterborne outbreak of Campylobacter jejuni in Christchurch: the importance of a combined epidemiologic and microbiologic investigation; Stehr-Green JK et al.; Campylobacter is a common cause of gastroenteritis in New Zealand; however, the source of infection usually remains unknown . Reports of two cases of Campylobacter jejuni enteritis at a camp and convention centre near Christchurch were investigated . Through interviews of persons living at or attending the camp, 42 additional cases were identified . Epidemiologic and microbiologic data strongly suggested the water supply as the source of infection . The combined epidemiologic and microbiologic investigation was useful in quickly defining the magnitude and source of the outbreak, allowing for rapid implementation of control measures.

Dig Dis Sci, 1991 Aug, 36(8), 1084 - 8
Seroepidemiology of Helicobacter pylori infection in India . Comparison of developing and developed countries; Graham DY et al.; Helicobacter pylori (previously Campylobacter pylori) is now accepted as the major cause of type B gastritis and thus what is known about the epidemiology of type B gastritis can reasonably be transferred to H . pylori . We used a specific ELISA for anti-H . pylori IgG to study the prevalence of H . pylori infection in a population of lower socioeconomic class from Hyderabad, India . The results from India were compared to studies from other parts of the world . Two hundred thirty-eight individuals ages 3 to 70 participated . The frequency of H . pylori infection increased with age (P less than 0.01) and was greater than 80% by age 20 . H . pylori infection was present in 79% of the population studied; there was no gender-related difference in prevalence of H . pylori infection . IgG antibody against hepatitis A (HAV) was rapidly acquired in Hyderabad; in a subset of 58 children between the ages of 3 and 21 tested, the frequency of anti-HAV was 98.2% . The prevalence of H . pylori infection increases with age in both developed and developing countries . The high age-specific prevalence of H . pylori infection in developing countries is probably a reflection of the lower socioeconomic level of those areas.

EMBO J, 1991 Aug, 10(8), 2055 - 61
Inactivation of Campylobacter jejuni flagellin genes by homologous recombination demonstrates that flaA but not flaB is required for invasion; Wassenaar TM et al.; The role of the Campylobacter jejuni flagella in adhesion to, and penetration into, eukaryotic cells was investigated . We used homologous recombination to inactivate the two flagellin genes flaA and flaB of C . jejuni, respectively . Mutants in which flaB but not flaA is inactivated remain motile . In contrast a defective flaA gene leads to immotile bacteria . Invasion studies showed that mutants without motile flagella have lost their potential to adhere to, and penetrate into, human intestinal cells in vitro . Invasive properties could be partially restored by centrifugation of the mutants onto the tissue culture cells, indicating that motility is a major, but not the only, factor involved in invasion.

Aust Vet J, 1991 Aug, 68(8), 272 - 5
Diagnosis by ELISA of bovine abortion due to Campylobacter fetus; Hum S et al.; An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to detect antigen-specific secretory IgA antibody in bovine vaginal mucus after abortion due to Campylobacter fetus subsp venerealis . Abortions were diagnosed by isolating the organism from 8 foetuses and/or foetal membranes and by histopathology . Vaginal mucus was collected from 7 cows shortly after abortion . All showed a high level of IgA antibody in their vaginal mucus when they were compared with an uninfected control group . The new ELISA is simple and practical and provides a useful tool for diagnosis of bovine venereal campylobacteriosis.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1991 Aug, (8), 18 - 21
{The laboratory diagnosis of campylobacteriosis today}; Minaev VI et al.; Different conditions necessary for the successful isolation and cultivation of Campylobacter (culture media, inoculation techniques, gas mixtures, etc.) are described . Of these, the most effective conditions and methods, as well as those available for practical health service, have been determined . The main trends in further improvement of the laboratory diagnosis of Campylobacter infection is presented.

Nippon Yakurigaku Zasshi, 1991 Aug, 98(2), 73 - 82
{Effect of AS-2646, a novel antiulcer agent on gastric mucosal defensive factors in rats}; Kawashima K et al.; The effects of AS-2646 on the acute gastric mucosal lesions induced by various noxious agents and the gastric mucosal defensive factors were studied in rats, and the following results were obtained: 1) AS-2646 (5-100 mg/kg, p.o.) dose-dependently inhibited the formation of the mucosal lesions induced by ethanol, ethanol-HCl, taurocholate-HCl and serotonin, and its anti-lesion spectrum was the widest among the compounds (cimetidine, pirenzepine, sulpiride and prostaglandin E1) examined here . 2) AS-2646 (5-10 mg/kg, p.o.) not only improved the changes of gastric mucosal hemodynamics induced by the blood removal and/or the reserpine treatment, but also inhibited the mucosal lesions induced by them . 3) AS-2646 (2-20 mg/kg, p.o.) antagonized the decrease in the surface gastric mucus and mucosal hexosamine contents induced by stress and/or aspirin . 4) AS-2646 (2-20 mg/kg, p.o.) caused no significant effect on the gastric mucosal prostaglandin E2 levels . 5) AS-2646 inhibited Campylobacter pylori in vitro . These results indicate that AS-2646 may be useful as a novel antiulcer drug with the defensive factor-potentiating and anti-Campylobacter pylori effects.

J Bacteriol, 1991 Aug, 173(15), 4757 - 64
Role of two flagellin genes in Campylobacter motility; Guerry P et al.; Campylobacter coli VC167 T2 has two flagellin genes, flaA and flaB, which share 91.9% sequence identity . The flaA gene is transcribed from a o-28 promoter, and the flaB gene from a o-54 promoter . Gene replacement mutagenesis techniques were used to generate flaA+ flaB and flaA flaB+ mutants . Both gene products are capable of assembling independently into functional filaments . A flagellar filament composed exclusively of the flaA gene product is indistinguishable in length from that of the wild type and shows a slight reduction in motility . The flagellar filament composed exclusively of the flaB gene product is severely truncated in length and greatly reduced in motility . Thus, while both flagellins are not necessary for motility, both products are required for a fully active flagellar filament . Although the wild-type flagellar filament is a heteropolymer of the flaA and flaB gene products, immunogold electron microscopy suggests that flaB epitopes are poorly surface exposed along the length of the wild-type filament.

Infect Immun, 1991 Aug, 59(8), 2555 - 9
Identification of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli antigens with mucosal and systemic antibodies; Wu SJ et al.; The development of a rapid and specific diagnostic assay for Campylobacter infections is important in determining the etiology of acute diarrhea in humans . Studies have shown that sonicated whole bacteria or partially purified antigens cross-reacted with antibodies against other closely related bacteria . To solve the problems of specificity, we identified specific antigens of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli for use in diagnostic assays . We investigated the responses of serum, urine, and intestinal lavage antibodies in infected (fed live bacteria) and parenterally immunized (intraperitoneal injection of sonicated whole bacteria with adjuvant) mice directed against C . jejuni or C . coli by Western blot (immunoblot) analysis . Antibody responses were examined weekly for up to 28 days . Fewer antigens were detected by urinary and intestinal lavage fluid immunoglobulin A (IgA) than serum IgG and IgM for both parenterally immunized and infected mice . Serum from parenterally immunized mice detected more antigens than that from infected mice . Two high-molecular-weight antigens (62,000 and 43,000) were predominantly detected by serum, urine, and intestinal lavage fluids of both parenterally immunized and infected mice . Serum antibodies from 28-day parenterally immunized mice detected one antigen specific to C . coli with a molecular weight of 38,000 and one antigen specific to C . jejuni with a molecular weight of 27,000 . An immunodominant protein with a molecular weight of 31,000 common to both C . jejuni and C . coli was also recognized by serum antibodies from parenterally immunized mice.

Rinsho Shinkeigaku, 1991 Aug, 31(8), 882 - 4
{Guillain-Barré syndrome preceded by diarrhea with the infection of Campylobacter jejuni}; Yamada S et al.; We report a 77-year-old woman with Guillain-Barre syndrome following Campylobacter jejuni infection . She was admitted complaining of mild weakness in the left leg . Seven days before, she had severe diarrhea, which continued several days . After admission, the weakness soon worsened resulting in tetraparesis, and the respiration became so impaired that she was supported by the artificial ventilator . Deep tendon reflexes were absent in four limbs, and no sensory disturbance was noted . CSF contained the protein as low as 20.4 mg/dl in concentration; no pleocytosis was seen . Muscle action potentials evoked by the stimulation of nerves were markedly reduced in amplitude, but conduction velocity along the nerve was decreased mildly . Campylobacter jejuni was detected by bacterial culture of the stool; the antibody was positively raised against this bacteria in serum . By 90 hospitals days, she was restored to spontaneous respiration.

Trop Anim Health Prod, 1991 Aug, 23(3), 157 - 60
Prevalence of bovine campylobacteriosis in indigenous cattle of three states in Nigeria; Bawa EK et al.; A survey of bovine campylobacteriosis in breeding bulls and cows was carried out in the states of Kaduna, Kano and Borno . Six hundred and eighty nine cattle composed of 585 and 104 breeding bulls and cows respectively were sampled . Campylobacter fetus subsp . venerealis was isolated from 12 bulls while Campylobacter fetus subsp . fetus was isolated from three of them . Campylobacter fetus subsp . fetus was isolated from four cows while Campylobacter fetus subsp . veneralis was isolated from one cow . The overall prevalence of campylobacteriosis in the three states was 2.9% (20/689) . The result of the study identifies Campylobacter fetus subsp . venerealis as the agent of enzootic infertility in Nigeria and suggests that it may be a significant problem.

J Clin Microbiol, 1991 Aug, 29(8), 1670 - 6
Restriction fragment length polymorphisms in the ribosomal genes for species identification and subtyping of aerotolerant Campylobacter species; Kiehlbauch JA et al.; Whole-cell chromosomal digests of 84 strains of aerotolerant Campylobacter (AC) were examined by using PvuII restriction fragment length polymorphisms of rRNA genes followed by hybridization with Escherichia coli 16S and 23S rRNA (ribotyping) . The AC strains belonged to Campylobacter cryaerophila (n = 13) and a newly defined species, "C . butzleri" (n = 64) . Strains of C . cryaerophila belonged to two hybridization groups: DNA group 1A (including the type strain of C . cryaerophila) and DNA group 1B (J . A . Kiehlbauch, D . J . Brenner, M . A . Nicholson, C . N . Baker, C . M . Patton, A . G . Steigerwalt, and I . K . Wachsmuth, J . Clin . Microbiol . 29:376-385, 1991) . Six AC strains not classified as C . cryaerophila or "C . butzleri" were also included . All 35 sporadic human and animal isolates of "C . butzleri" sent to the Centers for Disease Control for identification showed different ribotype patterns . However, most "C . butzleri" strains contained common bands at approximately 3.0, 6.2, 12.0, and 15.0 kb; the 3.0-kb band was present in all but four strains . An additional 23 strains of "C . butzleri," isolated as part of special studies, contained the 3.0-kb band . Thus, on the basis of visual identification of the 3.0-kb band, 94% of available strains were correctly identified as "C . butzleri." Ribotyping demonstrated that C . cryaerophila strains (DNA groups 1A and 1B) were different from C . butzleri strains . All C . cryaerophila strains demonstrated a common ribosomal DNA restriction fragment of 3.2 kb; DNA group 1B strains contained an additional common band at 2.6 kb . Ribotyping patterns of AC species were easily distinguished from patterns of other Campylobacter, Helicobacter, and Wolinella species.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

APMIS, 1991 Aug, 99(8), 735 - 8
No signs of Campylobacter jejuni/coli-related antibodies in patients with active ankylosing spondylitis; Andreasen JJ et al.; Twenty-two patients with active ankylosing spondylitis were investigated to assess the levels of specific serum IgG, IgA and IgM titres against Campylobacter jejuni/coli before and during treatment with sulfasalazine . An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used, and the results were compared with the antibody levels in 300 healthy blood donors . Three patients had elevated levels of serum anti-Campylobacter-IgA before treatment, and a two-fold decrease in the antibody titre was observed during treatment . Three patients had elevated anti-Campylobacter-IgG titres before treatment . One of these patients also had elevated anti-Campylobacter-IgA and IgM titres . Elevated IgM titres were not seen in any other patient . The results do not support the hypothesis that C . jejuni/coli plays an important role in the pathogenesis of active AS.

Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi, 1991 Aug, 71(8), 434 - 7, 32
{ELISA for detection of anti-urease antibodies of Campylobacter pylori and its application}; Chen Z; The urease extracted from 6 strains of Helicobacter pylori (HP) was used as antigen to detect sera anti-urease antibodies of HP in 136 patients with gastric diseases and 13 persons with normal gastric mucosa by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) . The antigen proved to be pure and specific for ELISA . For a titre of 450EU or over 450EU the test had a sensitivity of 91.96% and a specificity of 86.49% . The results of the ELISA showed excellent correlation with microbiological detection of HP and histological examination of the antrum . The level of sera antibody showed a relation to the bacterial amount of HP in gastric mucosa, but no connection with the severity of gastritis . While ELISA may be effective for the serodiagnosis of HP infection and is able to distinguish patients with normal antrum mucosa from those with gastritis . The test does not help to distinguish those with antrum gastritis from those with peptic ulcer . It also provides a reliable method for epidemiological investigation of HP infection.

Infect Immun, 1991 Jul, 59(7), 2259 - 64
Significance of flagella in colonization resistance of rabbits immunized with Campylobacter spp; Pavlovskis OR et al.; Cross-protection among different Lior and Penner serogroups of Campylobacter spp . was studied . Rabbits were orally immunized by gastric feeding with Campylobacter spp., and 27 to 30 days later, they were challenged with matched or unmatched serogroups by the removable intestinal tie adult rabbit diarrhea (RITARD) procedure . When immunized animals were challenged with different Lior serotypes, no protection against colonization was seen; however, when challenged with homologous Lior serogroups, protection was demonstrated . Immune animals were colonized for an average of 1 day or less versus at least 6 days for nonimmune animals . Rabbits challenged with matched Penner-unmatched Lior strains showed only marginal protection . Our study also demonstrated that flagella are important in initiating colonization and eliciting protective immunity . Campylobacter coli VC167B3, an isogenic, nonflagellated mutant, did not colonize rabbits regardless of the route of administration . Single feeding of the mutant strain did not protect the host, whereas three feedings, 48 h apart, resulted in complete protection against the flagellated parent strain . When mutant strain immunized rabbits were challenged with other strains of the same Lior serotype, marginal protection was obtained . Immunogold labeling indicated that there is one or more antigens on the cell surface of the nonflagellated mutant which reacts with a polyclonal antiserum from organisms of the same Lior serogroup . These data implicated the flagellum as the cross-strain protective component of the Lior antigen complex.

Klin Med (Mosk), 1991 Jul, 69(7), 64 - 6
{Status of humoral and cellular immunity in patients with a frequently recurring form of stomach ulcer in the presence of Campylobacter pylori}; Preobrazhenskii VN et al.; The findings at examination of 42 patients with gastric ulcer exhibiting frequent relapses were comparatively assessed in relation to humoral and cellular immunity, presence of mucous microflora and Campylobacter pyloridis at the ulcer site . It is shown that in the presence of Campylobacter pyloridis specific differences in the immune response were not recorded . The same results were true for mucous microflora.

Klin Med (Mosk), 1991 Jul, 69(7), 34 - 8
{Characteristics of blood flow in the gastric mucosa in relation to its structure and function in patients with peptic ulcer}; Fisher AA et al.; Hydrogen clearance was used to assess blood flow in fundal and antral gastric mucosa as well as in the lobule of the auricle in 127 patients with ulcer (99 duodenal and 28 gastric ulcer cases), 34 patients with gastric, duodenal, pancreatic and biliary ++non-ulcer lesions against 20 healthy subjects . The findings underwent analysis in relation to the disease form and phase, baseline characteristics of the mucosa (morphological, functional and bacteriological) and changes in them in response to pentagastrin (6 micrograms/kg), alupent (0.0075 mg/kg), clofelin (0.0015 mg/kg) administration . For ulcer involving the body of the stomach and sutured perforated duodenal ulcer, fundal and antral mucosa blood flow showed a decrease by 1/3, the lowest values presenting in the active disease phase . Diminution in gastric mucosa blood flow correlated with gravity of its gastritic lesion and was not directly related to its Campylobacter contamination . Pentagastrin stimulated blood flow in fundic mucosa and led to its 30% increase whereas the flow intensity remained unaffected in the antral mucosa and skin (lobule of the auricle) . Acid production in response to pentagastrin introduction rose 3.5-fold, pepsin 2.1-fold . Alupent and clofelin do not affect blood flow causing a 30-50% increase and decrease in acid and pepsin production, respectively . Separate neurohumoral regulation of gastric mucosa blood flow and secretory activity of the latter permits differential correction of each of the impaired functions.

Mod Pathol, 1991 Jul, 4(4), 498 - 502
Immunocytochemical identification of Helicobacter pylori in formalin-fixed gastric biopsies; Cartun RW et al.; H&E and special histochemical stains are used by most laboratories to identify Helicobacter pylori (H . pylori) in gastric biopsy specimens . However, background staining can complicate recognition of H . pylori and small numbers of organisms may be overlooked . Additionally, histochemical stains do not distinguish H . pylori from other spiral organisms . We investigated two commercially available monoclonal antibodies, one directed against Campylobacter coli and C . jejuni (MAB002) and the other against a Campylobacter species flagellar antigen (MAB001), to evaluate potential use in immunocytochemical examinations of fixed tissues . MAB002 reacted with C . jejuni but not H . pylori organisms . MAB001 labeled C . jejuni as well as H . pylori and, therefore, was used to study 220 gastric biopsies from patients undergoing endoscopy . Acute and/or chronic gastritis was present in 60.5% (133/220) of the biopsies examined . MAB001 positivity was identified in 62.4% (83/133) of the tissues with gastritis . Only 2 of 87 (2.3%) specimens without gastritis demonstrated MAB001 labeling . The resulting immunoreactivity was easily identified, allowing specimens to be screened quickly and accurately . No labeling was seen with the non-Helicobacter/Campylobacter bacteria or normal tissues evaluated in this investigation . MAB001 can be used to identify H . pylori in histologically processed tissue and will assist pathologists, clinicians, and researchers studying the distribution and pathogenicity of this organism in humans and animals.

J Assoc Off Anal Chem, 1991 Jul-Aug, 74(4), 651 - 4
Comparison of Preston agar and a blood-free selective medium for detection of Campylobacter jejuni in food; Peterz M; The present collaborative study compares recovery of Campylobacter jejuni from food in 2 agar media . Six laboratories analyzed 8 samples each of chicken liver inoculated with Campylobacter jejuni . Samples were enriched in Preston broth and isolation was carried out on Preston agar (PA) and campylobacter blood-free selective medium (CBFS), a charcoal-based medium with cefoperazone and amphoteracin as antibiotic supplements . There was no difference in the recovery rate between the 2 agar media; however, the specificity of CBFS was better than that of PA . There was a slightly better growth of campylobacters, and competing organisms were more inhibited on CBFS than on PA.

FEMS Microbiol Lett, 1991 Jul 1, 65(3), 291 - 7
Comparative study of lipopolysaccharides from Wolinella recta, W . curva, W . succinogenes and Campylobacter sputorum ssp . sputorum; Kokeguchi S et al.; Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) were extracted from cells of Wolinella recta ATCC 33238, W . curva ATCC 33224, W . succinogenes ATCC 29543 and Campylobacter sputorum ssp . sputorum A 3563 by a hot phenol-water method and purified by nuclease treatment and by repeated ultracentrifugation . Chemical compositions of the purified LPS including fatty acid and sugar composition were examined and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was performed . All LPS preparations contained a monosaccharide identified as L-glycero-D-mannoheptose, and another heptose isomer identified as D-glycero-D-mannoheptose was a typical constituent of the LPS from all three Wolinella species.

Eur J Epidemiol, 1991 Jul, 7(4), 427 - 30
Screening of children for enteric bacterial pathogens in the outborn neonatal ward in Lagos, Nigeria; Odugbemi T et al.; Babies, on admission into a neonatal ward at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, had their rectal swab specimens examined bacteriologically and screened for enteric bacterial pathogens over a one-year-period at two-week intervals . It was found that on the average there were 3 (9.68%) enteric bacterial pathogens out of an average of 31 admissions at each screening period . The enteric bacterial pathogens isolated included: non-typhoid salmonellae, which accounted for 55 (80.88%) isolates out of the 68 enteric bacterial pathogens, Salmonella typhi 2.94%, Shigella dysenteriae 2.94%, Shigella flexneri 4.41%, S . boydii 1.47%, S . sonnei 1.47%, Campylobacter jejuni 1.47% and Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) 2.94% . The main clinical conditions associated with those babies in whom the enteric pathogens were isolated included sepsis, prematurity, neonatal jaundice and tetanus . It is concluded that the enteric bacterial pathogens, even though they were not directly associated with diarrhoeal disease in the newborns in this study, might have contributed to other illnesses like sepsis and meningitis . It is also noteworthy that the enteric bacterial pathogens isolated sporadically from the babies could have been over-looked in view of the fact that it is not conventional to search for enteric bacterial pathogens in babies without diarrhoea on admission . Rectal swab investigations could provide additional information which might be of epidemiological importance in ill neonates in the clinical settings that prevail in developing countries.

Can J Microbiol, 1991 Jul, 37(7), 530 - 3
Comparison of the survival of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in culturable form in surface water; Korhonen LK et al.; Six Campylobacter jejuni and six Campylobacter coli strains were isolated from cows and pigs, and their survival in lake water was compared by viable counts . Campylobacter jejuni survived longer in culturable form than C . coli in untreated and membrane-filtered water both at 4 and 20 degrees C . This difference in survival time may be a reason why C . jejuni is generally isolated from surface waters more frequently than C . coli . Both species survived better in filtered than in untreated water . This suggests that predation and competition for nutrients affect the survival of both Campylobacter species in the aquatic environment.

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 1991 Jul-Aug, 14(4), 353 - 4
Simultaneous infection with multiple serotypes of Shigellae in a patient; Albert MJ et al.; We isolated three different serotypes of Shigella on admission from a patient with dysentery as well as a Shigella-like organism and Campylobacter jejuni upon follow-up . The patient produced serum antibodies to all three serotypes of shigellae.

Revmatologiia (Mosk), 1991 Jul-Sep, (3), 23 - 8
{Campylobacter pylori gastroduodenitis in children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis}; Shakhbazian IE et al.; Clinico-morphological study of the gastroduodenal system and also morphometric investigations of the degree of gastroduodenitis activity and the condition of the local immune system were made in 30 children aged from 4 to 15 years with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) . Microbiological, histological and electron microscopic methods for revealing Campylobacter pylori (CP) were used . Interrelationship between various clinical manifestations of JRA with the nature of gastroduodenal system affection and with the incidence of microbial colonization of SP was determined . All the patients with JRA had lesions in the gastric and duodenal mucosa, and some morphological features were revealed in them . SP was diagnosed in 86.7 per cent . There was a relation between the microbial clonization of SP and the degree of the rheumatoid process activity . It is suggested that SP does not play an etiological role in the development of gastroduodenitis in JRA but may serve as a pathogenetic factor in the development of an erosive-ulcerous lesion.

J Neurol Sci, 1991 Jul, 104(1), 56 - 63
Clinical and serological studies in a series of 45 patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome; Boucquey D et al.; We retrospectively reviewed the clinical files of 45 Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) patients admitted to our Department between 1979 and 1989 . The age distribution was bimodal with a first peak in young adults (20-40 years), and a second one between 60 to 70 years . Seasonal distribution showed a late fall and a hivernal predominance . Three patients experienced a second attack of GBS 2-9 years after the first one . Thirty-one (69%) presented antecedent events, most often a respiratory tract infection (n = 20) or enteritis (n = 6) . Serological studies were systematically performed, including antibody titers against herpes simplex virus, Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus (CMV), respiratory syncytial virus, human immunodeficiency virus, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Campylobacter jejuni/coli and cardiolipin . These studies showed the presence of antibodies indicative of a CMV primary infection in 22% cases and of a Campylobacter jejuni/coli infection in 13% . Co-infection was observed in 3 cases . Serology remained negative in 12 patients with a preceding respiratory infection . There was no correlation between serology and the severity of the disease . Absence of antecedent events and of positive anti-infectious serology was observed in only 10 patients.

Kansenshogaku Zasshi, 1991 Jul, 65(7), 864 - 74
{Isolation of enteropathogenic microorganism from patients with infection of the digestive tract during 1976 to 1988 in Tenri Hospital}; Aihara M et al.; Enteropathogenic microorganisms isolated from feces of 9,393 patients with diarrhea or enteritis in our hospital between 1976 and 1988 were analyzed . As the result of the examination of 5,443 outpatients, 1,811 strains of pathogens were isolated from 1,686 cases (31.0%) . Several species including Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli serotype, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, were isolated before 1978, and the incidence of pathogens was low (14.8%) . For the 10-year period since 1979, the incidence markedly increased to 34.4%, and the number of pathogens isolated also increased to about twice that before 1978 . The main cause of the increase was Campylobacter species . The major pathogens detected since 1979 were Campylobacter spp., E . coli serotype, Salmonella spp., V . parahaemolyticus, etc., but Rota virus, Clostridium difficile, Aeromonas spp., Vibrio fluvialis, etc . have also been detected, showing an increase in the number and diversity of the detected pathogens . As the result of the examination of 3,950 inpatients, 835 strains of pathogens were isolated from 800 cases (20.3%) . The incidence of C . difficile was the highest, 423 of 800, followed by E . coli serotype, Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp., V . parahaemolyticus and Aeromonas spp., in that order . All the inpatients from whom C . difficile was isolated manifested diarrhea or enteritis after administration of antimicrobial agents . The pathogens causing communicable disease were Salmonella spp . serovar Typhi, Salmonella spp . serovar Paratyphi A, Shigella flexneri, Shigella sonnei and Entamoeba histolytica, which were isolated from 5, 1, 3, 2 and inpatients, respectively.

J Trop Med Hyg, 1991 Jun, 94(3), 175 - 9
Study on the pathogenicity of Campylobacter jejuni by modifying the medium; Siddique AB et al.; Campylobacter jejuni has been documented as one of the major aetiological agents of diarrhoeal illness all over the world . Studies revealed its pathogenicity by different assay methods, but none could be strongly recommended as a tool for differentiating toxigenic strains of C . jejuni . This study was an attempt to demonstrate better its pathogenicity by media modification . Fifteen isolates of C . jejuni recovered from diarrhoeal patients at the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B), Dhaka Hospital were included in this study . The standard medium for C . jejuni was modified by the incorporation of FeCl3 at different concentrations . The pathogenicity of the test isolates were studied by rabbit ileal loop assay; Chinese hamster ovary (CHO), human epithelial cervical carcinoma (HeLa); Y-1 adrenal cell lines and suckling mouse assay . Sonicated extracts of the test organisms, grown with FeCl3 supplement, were also assayed . An enhanced growth of C . jejuni was obtained with the increasing concentration of FeCl3 supplementation in the medium . Only five isolates of C . jejuni produced cytotoxic effect on HeLa cell monolayer . Other cell lines were not affected by the test specimens or sonicates . Rabbit ileal loop assay did not reveal any fluid accumulation but on dissection, the test loops were found highly haemorrhagic . No heat-stable (ST) toxin could be detected . Cell-free culture supernatant of patients' isolates of C . jejuni had an effect on HeLa cell monolayer . Sonicated extracts of patients' extracts had a greater effect on HeLa cell monolayer . Pathogenic strains of C . jejuni might be distinguished on HeLa cell monolayer using its sonicated extracts.

Epidemiol Infect, 1991 Jun, 106(3), 523 - 30
Haemolytic anaemia after childhood Escherichia coli O 157 .H7 infection: are females at increased risk?
Rowe PC, Walop W, Lior H, Mackenzie AM.
We conducted a 4-year retrospective cohort study to better define the risk of haemolytic anaemia and haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) in children following sporadic gastrointestinal infection with the O 157.H7 serotype of Escherichia coli . Of the 72 children infected with this organism, 9 (12.5%) developed haemolytic anaemia, 6 of whom had HUS . No child in a cohort of 72 age-matched controls with Campylobacter jejuni gastroenteritis developed haemolytic anaemia (P = 0.003) . Females had a significantly greater risk of developing haemolytic anaemia after E . coli O 157 . H7 infection than did males (8/29 females v . 1/43 males; P = 0.003) . In a logistic regression model, female gender emerged as the only statistically significant risk factor for haemolytic anaemia (odds ratio 3.85; 95% confidence interval 1.24-12) . These results are consistent with recent reports of a moderate increase in the risk of HUS for females.

Clin Exp Immunol, 1991 Jun, 84(3), 472 - 5
Bacterial antibodies in ankylosing spondylitis; Maki-Ikola O et al.; Antibodies to Salmonellae, Yersiniae, Campylobacter jejuni, Borrelia burgdorferi, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis and Chlamydia trachomatis were measured by ELISA in the sera of 99 patients with ankylosing spondylitis . Increased prevalence of IgA and IgG class antibodies against K . pneumoniae and of IgA class against E . coli was observed in ankylosing spondylitis . No clear correlation between the disease activity and occurrence of antibodies was revealed . The results are in line with the previously published findings suggesting that K . pneumoniae may have a role in the aetiopathogenesis of ankylosing spondylitis.

Eur J Biochem, 1991 Jun 1, 198(2), 459 - 69
Structural analysis of the lipid A component of Campylobacter jejuni CCUG 10936 (serotype O:2) lipopolysaccharide . Description of a lipid A containing a hybrid backbone of 2-amino-2-deoxy-D-glucose and 2,3-diamino-2,3-dideoxy-D-glucose; Moran AP et al.; The chemical structure of Campylobacter jejuni CCUG 10936 lipid A was elucidated . The hydrophilic backbone of the lipid A was shown to consist of three (1----6)-linked bisphosphorylated hexosamine disaccharides . Neglecting the phosphorylation pattern, a D-glucosamine (2-amino-2-deoxy-D-glucose) disaccharide {beta-D-glucosaminyl-(1----6)-D-glucosamine}, a hybrid disaccharide of 2,3-diamino-2,3-dideoxy-D-glucose and D-glucosamine {2,3-diamino-2,3-dideoxy-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1----6)-D-glucosamine}, and a 2,3-diamino-2,3-dideoxy-D-glucose disaccharide were present in a molar ratio of 1:6:1.2 . Although the backbones are bisphosphorylated, heterogeneity exists in the substitution of the polar head groups . Phosphorylethanolamine is alpha-glycosidically bound to the reducing sugar residue of the backbone, though C-1 is also non-stoichiometrically substituted by diphosphorylethanolamine . Position 4' of the non-reducing sugar residue carries an ester-bound phosphate group or is non-stoichiometrically substituted by diphosphorylethanolamine . By methylation analysis it was shown that position 6' is the attachment site for the polysaccharide moiety in lipopolysaccharide . These backbone species carry up to six molecules of ester- and amide-bound fatty acids . Four molecules of (R)-3-hydroxytetradecanoic acid are linked directly to the lipid A backbone (at positions 2, 3, 2', and 3') . Laser desorption mass spectrometry showed that both (R)-3-hydroxytetradecanoic acids linked to the non-reducing sugar unit carry, at their 3-hydroxyl group, either two molecules of hexadecanoic acid or one molecule of tetradecanoic and one of hexadecanoic acid . It also suggested that the (R)-3-(tetradecanoyloxy)-tetradecanoic acid was attached at position 2', whereas (R)-3-(hexadecanoyloxy)-tetradecanoic acid was attached at position 3', or at positions 2' and 3' . Therefore, the occurrence of three backbone disaccharides differing in amino sugar composition and presence of a hybrid disaccharide differentiate the lipid A of this C . jejuni strain from enterobacterial and other lipids A described previously.

Infect Immun, 1991 Jun, 59(6), 2017 - 22
Correlation between molecular size of the surface array protein and morphology and antigenicity of the Campylobacter fetus S layer; Fujimoto S et al.; The correlation between the molecular size of the surface layer protein (S protein) and both structure and antigenicity of the Campylobacter fetus surface layer (S layer) was investigated in several clinical strains and their spontaneous variants which produce S proteins of molecular weights (MW) different from those of the parents . Only three molecular sizes of the S proteins were observed (98, 127, and 149 kDa) in the parental and variant strains . Immunologically, the 98-kDa protein and the 149-kDa protein but not the 127-kDa protein were cross-reactive . Freeze-etching analysis showed that the 98-kDa S protein formed a hexagonal arrangement with a 24-nm center-to-center space and that the S proteins with larger MW (127 or 149 kDa) formed tetragonal ones with an 8-nm center-to-center space . Thus, the MW changes of the S proteins seen in the variant strains were associated with both morphological and antigenic changes in S layer . These observations support the hypothesis that the pattern and antigenicity of the C . fetus S layer is determined by the particular type of S protein . Furthermore, the presence of the two different S layer patterns on a single bacterial cell indicates that multiple S proteins can be produced and expressed in a single cell.

Res Microbiol, 1991 Jun, 142(5), 591 - 6
Prevalence of virulence markers of enteric Campylobacter in France and Tunisia; Fendri C et al.; Forty-nine strains of Campylobacter jejuni and C . coli were isolated from the stools of 49 patients clinically documented for diarrhoea and fever, and living either in the Paris metropolitan area (30) or in the Tunis area (19) . The strains were identified biotyped, serotyped and studied for association with HeLa cells and the ability to elongate Chinese ovary cells (CHO) . The C . jejuni biotype I was more frequent among Tunisian strains and the C . jejuni biotype II was more frequent among French strains . Twenty-four strains associated with HeLa cells (A phenotype) and 21 elongated CHO (E phenotype) . These 2 phenotypes were independently distributed in individual strains and were not related to the biotypes . We defined 4 pathovars according to the presence (A and E) or absence (a and e) of these 2 markers . The prevalence of the 4 pathovars was not correlated with the origin of the strain . The lack of a virulence marker (phenotype a/e) was correlated with the lack of clinical signs of diarrhoea and fever (p = 4 x 10(-5)) . We concluded that at least 1 of the 2 in vitro virulence markers is related to the pathogenicity of the strains in the humans.

Leber Magen Darm, 1991 Jun, 21(4), 148 - 52
{Traveler's diarrhea . Incidence--pathogens--pathophysiology--clinical aspects--prevention and therapy}; Leiss O; About one-third of travellers will be affected by travellers' diarrhoea . Regions with low risk are Northern Europe, the United States, Australia and New Zealand . Intermediate risk is found in Southern Europe, most islands of the Caribbean, Japan, Israel and Southern Africa and high risk in developing countries . Among the most commonly isolated pathogens are enterotoxigenic E . coli, Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter, G . lamblia, E . histolytica and viruses . The individual risk depends on the age and constitution of the traveller, on styles of travel and on previous expositure in developing countries . Travellers' diarrhoea is usually a short self-limited disease for 2-5 days . Nutritional prophylaxis along the principle "boil it, cook it, peel it, or forget it" is useful . Prophylaxis with non-antibiotic drugs is only justified in special cases.

FEMS Microbiol Immunol, 1991 Jun, 3(3), 143 - 9
Phagocytosis of enteric Campylobacter by human and murine granulocytes; Bar W et al.; The phagocytosis of enteric Campylobacter strains by murine and human granulocytes was studied in vitro . The number of fluorescein isothiocyanate-labelled bacteria per granulocyte was determined microscopically . The phagocytic index is strain-dependent, ranging from 0.05 to 0.4 bacteria per granulocyte . Human granulocytes phagocytose Campylobacter sp . with a twofold higher effectivity than murine cells . Opsonization with immune sera increased phagocytosis 11.6-fold; flagella-defective mutants were phagocytosed without opsonization with 3.3-fold higher effectivity than the isogenic mother strain . Stimulation and phagocytosis of granulocytes by 14 clinical isolates of Campylobacter sp . was monitored by measuring the oxidative burst and phagocytosis . Stimulation of granulocytes varied from 0.4 to 1.8 (relative units) and phagocytosis ranged from 0.03 to 0.68 bacteria per granulocyte . No statistically significant correlation among bio- or serovars and the degree of stimulation and phagocytosis was observed.

Radiology, 1991 Jun, 179(3), 689 - 91
Helicobacter pylori gastritis mimicking gastric carcinoma at CT evaluation; Urban BA et al.; The abdominal computed tomographic (CT) scans from 61 patients with biopsy-proved Helicobacter (formerly Campylobacter) pylori gastritis were retrospectively reviewed . The CT scans were interpreted on the basis of the original report of the findings at CT examination and without knowledge of the results of biopsy . Of 19 patients (31%) with gastric abnormalities at CT, 14 (74%) had inflammatory changes initially reported as suspicious for gastric malignancy; malignancy was entertained as the primary diagnosis in four of those patients . In five of the 19 abnormal cases (26%), the diagnosis with CT was gastritis . The two major patterns of severe H pylori infection identified were (a) circumferential antral wall thickening and (b) thickening of the posterior gastric wall along the greater curvature, with or without evidence of ulceration . Thickening averaged 1.5-2.0 cm in cases suspicious for malignancy . The majority of abnormalities involved the gastric antrum (68%) . No cases demonstrated significant adenopathy, obliteration of fat planes, or invasion of adjacent organs.

Am J Vet Res, 1991 Jun, 52(6), 826 - 32
Evaluation of Campylobacter jejuni colonization of the domestic ferret intestine as a model of proliferative colitis; Bell JA et al.; Forty 3- to 17-week old domestic ferrets, including 2 gnotobiotes, were inoculated orally and/or rectally with 10(6) to 10(9) colony-forming units of 1 or more of 4 strains of Campylobacter jejuni, 3 of mink and 1 of human origin . Feeding or gavage of any of the 4 strains, in milk or broth, with or without preinoculation sodium bicarbonate treatment to neutralize stomach acid, induced colonization in 38/40 ferrets; diarrhea lasted 2 to 4 days in conventional kits, 6 days in gnotobiotes . Bacteremia was detected in 4 of 18 tested, 2 to 5 days after inoculation . Two strains caused no more severe disease or prolonged colonization after 3 serial IV passages in kits than they did before passage . Multiple inoculations with a given strain resulted in progressively briefer colonization and milder disease, but subsequent inoculation with a different strain induced colonization and gastrointestinal disease similar to a primary infection . Five kits inoculated rectally after 4 previous homologous inoculations were resistant to colonization as well as to disease . Agglutinin titers of ferrets inoculated orally or rectally once were low or undetectable, but increased in response to repeated inoculation . Pretreatment with a 1% formalin enema caused mild colon irritation without clinical or histologic evidence of proliferative colitis in ferrets concurrently inoculated orally and/or rectally, whether or not they had preexisting antibodies to any strain of C jejuni . Histologic examination of tissues revealed leukocytic infiltration of intestinal lamina propria in 29 of 35 infected kits and 5 of 8 noninfected controls, and cryptosporidiosis in 5 infected kits plus 1 control.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Am J Vet Res, 1991 Jun, 52(6), 810 - 2
Use of embryonating eggs for isolation of Campylobacter species from intestines of swine with proliferative enteritis; Ward GE et al.; Intestinal tissues from swine affected with proliferative enteritis were ground, filtered through a 0.65-micron pore membrane filter, diluted, and injected into 7-day-old embryonated hens' eggs via the yolk sac . At 2, 4, and 7 days later, yolk sac swab specimens taken from live embryos were cultured for Campylobacter species . Campylobacter hyointestinalis was recovered from eggs injected with tissues of swine with acute hemorrhagic proliferative enteritis at dilutions up to 10(-4) . Campylobacter mucosalis was recovered from eggs injected with tissues of swine with chronic proliferative enteritis at dilutions up to 10(-6) . Campylobacter coli was recovered from several specimens without lesions of proliferative enteritis and also from some specimens with lesions of proliferative enteritis . Two previously undescribed hemolytic Campylobacter species designed as hemolytic number 1 and hemolytic number 2 were recovered from normal and experimentally inoculated swine tissues . Few contaminating organisms grow in eggs and these were usually recovered at dilutions of 10(-2) or less . Recovery of Campylobacter species by use of these techniques was seldom successful in tissues stored at -70 C for more than 6 months.

Nippon Ika Daigaku Zasshi, 1991 Jun, 58(3), 342 - 4
{Campylobacter enterocolitis complaining of melena}; Hara I et al.; A 38-year-old man was admitted to our hospital complaining of 5 episodes of melena without abdominal pain or diarrhea . No abnormalities were noted through an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, but a proctoscopy revealed a large amount of coagulated blood within the rectum immediately before his admission . A colonoscopy revealed spotty redness with dark-red coagulation in the region from the splenic flexure down to the rectum except oral colon beyond the transverse colon . A presumptive diagnosis of campylobacter enterocolitis was made by a microscopy performed on the stool specimen, then an oral administration of erythromycin was started . A colonoscopy done on the 5th hospital day proved improvement on the mucosal changes . The final diagnosis of campylobacter enterocolitis was made by the stool culture . The patient took a satisfactory course of hospitalization and was discharged on the 10th day . Bacteriological examination of stool specimen together with endoscopy has been confirmed to be useful for the diagnosis of melena cases without manifestation of infectious enterocolitis.

J Clin Microbiol, 1991 Jun, 29(6), 1262 - 4
Incidence of toxigenic Campylobacter strains in South Africa; Bok HE et al.; Campylobacter strains can produce a heat-labile cytotonic toxin (CTON) and various cytotoxins (CTOX) . Of 22 South African Campylobacter strains tested, 86% were toxigenic (77% produced CTON, 41% produced CTOX, and 32% produced both types) and 14% were toxin negative . Campylobacter jejuni strains were 67% CTON positive and 47% CTOX positive, whereas Campylobacter coli strains were 100 and 29% positive, respectively.

J Clin Microbiol, 1991 Jun, 29(6), 1151 - 6
High frequency of coinfecting enteropathogens in Aeromonas-associated diarrhea of hospitalized Peruvian infants; Pazzaglia G et al.; Rectal swabs from 391 infants less than 18 months of age who were hospitalized with acute diarrhea and from 138 similarly aged healthy infants were examined for the etiologic agents of diarrhea . Aeromonas spp . were recovered from 205 of 391 (52.4%) diarrheic patients, whereas they were recovered from 12 of 138 (8.7%) controls (P less than 10(-11) . Among the 205 Aeromonas-positive diarrheic patients, 118 (57.6%) were found to be coinfected with other common enteropathogens . Of the 164 Aeromonas-positive initial diarrheic specimens, 82 (50.0%) had one or more other enteropathogens present; 30 patients were coinfected with rotavirus, 20 with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, 16 with Campylobacter spp., 14 with Shigella spp., 13 with enteropathogenic E . coli, 4 with Vibrio spp., 1 with Salmonella spp., and 1 with Plesiomonas spp . of Aeromonas strains from cases compared with that from controls supports an etiologic role for this organism . However, frequent concomitant infections with other well-recognized enteropathogens and a lack of disease correlation with common Aeromonas phenotypes suggest that only a subset of Aeromonas strains may be diarrhea causing and that such strains may be common to several of the existing species.

Vet Med (Praha), 1991 Jun, 36(6), 373 - 80
{The effects of some technologies on survival of Campylobacter jejuni in food of animal origin}; Tomancova I et al.; The effects of some technologies (cooling, freezing, salting, packaging, fermentation, cold smoking, heat treatment) on the survival of Campylobacter jejuni were investigated . The different technological procedures can be considered as barriers influencing to a certain degree the survival of C . jejuni . The low value aw on the surface of chilled meat and oxygen presence reduce the occurrence of C . jejuni, but the low storage temperature prolongs the survival of C . jejuni to two days . In chilled poultry the high relative water content is combined with the low temperature and C . jejuni is able to survive even for five days . In the freezing process the low temperature has only partial effects on C . jejuni devitalization; C . jejuni can survive in this case for two to eight weeks . The survival of C . jejuni is prolonged considerably by packaging: six to seven days in polyethylene sheet, 10 days in vacuum packing and 10 to 13 days in gas packing (80% N2 and 20% CO2) . NaCl can partly devitalize C . jejuni, and in comminuted meant it survives for five to seven days . In the non-precooked meat products (TNMV) and with the minimally fortnight time of ripening a number of barriers play their role which are destroying C . jejuni (aw, pH, antagonistic microflora) . Due to these barriers C . jejuni was isolated in these products maximally for seven days . In this type of products with short durability (two to three days) the action of barriers is limited, that means C . jejuni could be demonstrated for two to six days.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Bull Acad Natl Med, 1991 Jun-Jul, 175(6), 791 - 800; discussion 801-2
{Development of genetic and molecular approaches for the diagnosis and study of the pathogenicity of Helicobacter pylori, agent of gastric inflammatory diseases}; Labigne A et al.; Helicobacter pylori (H . pylori) is a small gram-negative bacillus, recently discovered, found in the stomach of patients with active chronic gastritis and duodenal ulcers . Production of a potent urease has been described as a trait common to all H . pylori so far isolated . To clarify the role of urease in the pathogenic process, as well as to engineer genetic tools useful for the diagnosis of H . pylori, we cloned the genes responsible for urease activity . A genomic library was constructed in Escherichia coli (E . coli) from the chromosomal DNA of the H . pylori strain 85P using a shuttle cosmind vector that we constructed in vitro capable of replicating both in E . coli and Campylobacter jejuni (C . jejuni) . The genes responsible for the urease biosynthesis were cloned into E . coli host, then mobilized into C . jejuni where they were expressed . At least six different genes were shown to be required for the expression of the synthesis of an active enzyme; these genes belong to the same cluster and are regulated at the transcriptional level . The two genes encoding the two subunits of the urease enzyme were identified and sequenced; the products of these genes were compared to the other bacterial ureases . The genetic approach allowed to determine the amino-acid sequence of the most immunogenic antigens of H . pylori . In addition, it provides us with genetic tools: a 294-base pairs (bp) DNA fragment internal to one of the urease genes, was shown to be specific of H . pylori strains . This fragment was selectively amplified by polymerase chain reaction (P.C.R.) using two primers designed to target the urease region of all H . pylori isolates present in biological specimen . In addition, P.C.R . followed by direct DNA sequencing of the 294-bp amplified product was shown to be useful to identify and to distinguish between different H . pylori isolates.

J Dent Res, 1991 Jun, 70(6), 961 - 5
Atypical structure of the 23S ribosomal RNA molecule in certain oral bacteria; Sunday GJ et al.; Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) isolated from Wolinella recta and seven related bacteria was examined by agarose gel electrophoresis . The 23S rRNA molecule could not be detected in W . recta, Wolinella curva, Bacteroides gracilis, or Bacteroides ureolyticus . In place of the 23S molecule, there were three smaller molecules of approximately 1700, 650, and 600 bases designated 23S alpha, 23S beta, and 23S delta, respectively . An intact 23S rRNA molecule could be isolated from Wolinella succinogenes, Campylobacter concisus, and Campylobacter sputorum . The cleavage sites of the W . recta 23S rRNA molecule were located by direct RNA sequence analysis and were found to be in similar locations, nucleotides 546 and 1180, as cleavage sites described in other prokaryotes . The presence or absence of the 23S rRNA molecule may be a useful marker for these micro-organisms.

J Am Vet Med Assoc, 1991 May 15, 198(10), 1739 - 44
Costs of veterinary services and vaccines/drugs used for prevention and treatment of diseases in 86 Colorado cow-calf operations participating in the National Animal Health Monitoring System (1986-1988); Salman MD et al.; Eighty-six cow-calf operations involved in the Colorado National Animal Health Monitoring System were monitored for a 12-month period, and data were collected on the incidence, prevention, and costs of disease . The costs of veterinary services and vaccines/drugs used in the treatment and prevention of disease conditions in these beef herds were determined and expressed on a per cow basis . Beef producers in this study spent an average of $2.04 ($0 to $29.88) per cow annually on veterinary services for treatment of disease conditions . The cost of veterinary services was a relatively small percentage (5.4%) of the total mean cost of disease incidence . The reproductive tract disease class was the most costly class in terms of veterinary services for disease treatment ($0.99/cow) . Dystocia was the disease condition with the largest veterinary treatment cost . The total mean annual cost of drugs used in the treatment of disease conditions was $1.22/cow . The enteric, miscellaneous, and respiratory tract disease classes had similar mean drug costs for disease treatment and ranged from $0.31 to $0.39/cow . The total mean annual cost of veterinary services for administration of preventive measures in these herds was $1.85/cow ($0 to $12.03) . Pregnancy examination, breeding soundness examination in bulls, brucellosis vaccination, pulmonary arterial pressure test, and campylobacteriosis vaccination accounted for over 90% of the money spent for preventive veterinary services . Approximately 60% of the total mean annual disease prevention cost was attributed to the purchase of vaccines/drugs ($6.59/cow).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Gene, 1991 May 15, 101(1), 51 - 8
Complete sequence of the Campylobacter jejuni glyA gene encoding serine hydroxymethyltransferase; Chan VL et al.; The complete nucleotide sequence of the Campylobacter jejuni glyA gene was determined and the amino acid (aa) sequence of its product, serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT), was deduced . The deduced polypeptide has 414 aa residues (Mr 45,758) . The aa sequences of C . jejuni and Escherichia coli show 55.6% identity . Comparative analysis of the aa sequences of the SHMTs of E . coli and C . jejuni identified two new putative functional domains . The translational product of the C . jejuni glyA gene was identified using both minicell and maxicell systems and the transcription start point was mapped . The deduced transcription-regulatory signals, -10 and -35 sequences, show high homology to the corresponding consensus sequences for sigma 70 promoters in E . coli . The C . jejuni glyA promoter may be useful in the construction of shuttle vectors between E . coli and C . jejuni.

Gene, 1991 May 15, 101(1), 117 - 20
Sizing and mapping of the genome of Campylobacter coli strain UA417R using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis; Yan W et al.; Agarose-immobilized chromosomal DNA from the nalidixic-acid-resistant Campylobacter coli strain UA417 and its streptomycin-resistant (StrR) derivative, UA417R, were digested with the restriction enzymes SalI (GTCGAC) and SmaI (CCCGGG) . The sizes of the resulting fragments were determined using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis . The two genomes showed similar restriction patterns of seven and 13 fragments for the two respective enzymes and the total genome size was determined to be approx . 1.7 Mb . Analysis of partial digestion fragments, as well as Southern-blot hybridization, were used to construct a physical map of the C . coli UA417R genome . Natural transformation studies using DNA fragments extracted from UA417R, as well as the erythromycin-resistant (EryR) C . coli strain UA585, were used to locate the StrR and EryR resistance markers on the genomic map.

Public Health, 1991 May, 105(3), 199 - 203
A study of risk factors for Campylobacter infection in late spring; Lighton LL et al.; A case-control study was carried out to investigate possible reasons for the large increase in the number of cases of infection caused by Campylobacter species reported in the Regional Epidemiology Section of Manchester Public Health Laboratory in late spring each year . The hypothesis tested was that a risk factor peculiar to campylobacter infection is responsible for this phenomenon . Interviews about a wide variety of risk factors were conducted with 29 patients suffering from campylobacter enteritis and 41 out of a control group of 42 with acute diarrhoeal illness from other causes . The only statistically significant association with campylobacter infection was having had milk bottle tops pecked by birds, while previously recognised associated factors such as outdoor activities, pet ownership and consumption of chicken showed no significant association . Interviewees identified the birds responsible as magpies.

J Clin Microbiol, 1991 May, 29(5), 923 - 6
Effect of inoculum size on the phenotypic characterization of Campylobacter species; On SL et al.; The type strains of six Campylobacter species or subspecies were examined in eight tests used for the identification of such organisms . False-positive results were obtained in certain tests (growth on 1% bile, brilliant green, selenite, trimethylamine-N-oxide, 2,3,5-triphenyl tetrazolium chloride, and minimal media) when an inoculum yielding 10(7) to 10(8) CFU/ml was used . Each tolerance test was examined with blood, nutrient, and brucella agars as basal media . The type of basal medium used could also affect the test outcome . With the inoculum standardized to a density yielding approximately 10(6) CFU/ml, reproducible and pertinent results were obtained, provided an appropriate basal medium was used . However, 95% confidence limits for viable counts done on these basal media indicated that blood agar may yield more consistent results than the other agars examined.

J Clin Microbiol, 1991 May, 29(5), 1011 - 5
Cloned DNA probes specific for the intracellular Campylobacter-like organism of porcine proliferative enteritis; Gebhart CJ et al.; Although the etiology of porcine proliferative enteritis is not understood, the consistent presence of intracellular Campylobacter-like organisms (CLOs) in proliferating pig intestinal epithelial cells suggests that the organism is involved in the disease process . In order to obtain information about this organism, we generated and characterized specific DNA probes to the intracellular CLO which was purified without culturing . Intracellular CLOs were isolated from mucosa by homogenization, filtration, and absorption to wheat germ agglutinin-Sepharose . The DNA was purified, and a CLO genomic library was constructed . The specificity of recombinant plasmids was confirmed by both dot blot hybridization and Southern analysis of normal and diseased mucosa, as well as of a variety of Campylobacter species . Several of the CLO-specific probes hybridized with porcine mucosa obtained from pigs with proliferative enteritis but not with nondiseased mucosa . The probes hybridized equally with mucosa or DNA obtained from each of the two clinical forms of proliferative enteritis, i.e., proliferative hemorrhagic enteropathy and porcine intestinal adenomatosis . The CLO-specific probes failed to hybridize with any of the commonly isolated porcine Campylobacter species, including Campylobacter hyointestinalis, C . mucosalis, and C . coli . Therefore, the intracellular CLO of porcine proliferative enteritis may be an as yet unidentified or uncultured species.

J Clin Microbiol, 1991 May, 29(5), 1007 - 10
Comparison of six media, including a semisolid agar, for the isolation of various Campylobacter species from stool specimens; Endtz HP et al.; A recently described semisolid blood-free selective motility medium (SSM) (J . Goossens, L . Vlaes, I . Galand, C . Van den Borre, and J . P . Butzler, J . Clin . Microbiol . 27:1077-1080, 1989) was compared with two charcoal-based selective media (charcoal-based selective medium {CSM} and modified charcoal cefoperazone deoxycholate agar {CCDA}), two blood-based media (Skirrow medium {SKM} and CampyBAP), and a passive, 0.65-microns-pore-size cellulose acetate membrane filter technique for the recovery of campylobacters from stools of patients with diarrhea . A total of 1,980 specimens were tested, 161 of which were found to be positive for campylobacters . Campylobacter jejuni was isolated in 148 specimens (91.9%), C . coli was isolated in 27 (7.5%), and "C . upsaliensis" was isolated in 1 (0.6%) . After 72 h of incubation with a single medium, the cumulative percentages of Campylobacter-positive specimens isolated on CSM, CCDA, SKM, and SSM were 87, 83, 80, and 72%, respectively . The filter method alone enabled us to recover 61% of all campylobacters . The "C . upsaliensis" strain was isolated by this method only . The highest isolation rates were observed when two media, including CSM, were combined . The combination of CSM and SSM yielded the highest rates (96%), but these were not statistically different from the rates observed with combinations of CSM and SKM (94%) or of CSM and the filter method (91%) . Extending the incubation time from 48 to 72 h led to an increase in the isolation rate regardless of the medium used (P less than 0.001) . CSM and CCDA were the most selective media . SKM and CampyBAP appeared to be the most inhibitory media for the isolation of C . coli.

J Infect Dis, 1991 May, 163(5), 1068 - 72
Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli genomic DNA and its epidemiologic application; Yan W et al.; Genomic DNA from 12 different Campylobacter jejuni and 10 Campylobacter coli isolates was digested with SmaI and analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and 16S rRNA hybridization studies . Although the two Campylobacter species displayed species-specific restriction and hybridization patterns, significant intraspecies differences were observed . Combined PFGE and hybridization pattern analysis failed to provide any more epidemiologic information than was obtained from PFGE restriction profiles alone . Therefore, results from these studies indicate that PFGE analysis of SmaI-restricted genomic DNA provides a reliable means of differentiating C . jejuni from C . coli and may represent a more practical approach to epidemiologic studies than combining conventional DNA restriction digestion pattern with RNA hybridization procedures.

J Infect Dis, 1991 May, 163(5), 1062 - 7
Isolation of group 2 aerotolerant Campylobacter species from Thai children with diarrhea; Taylor DN et al.; Campylobacter species were isolated from 93 (15%) of 631 Thai children with diarrhea using the membrane filter technique on nonselective blood agar incubated at 37 degrees C . Campylobacter jejuni was isolated from 62 (10%), Campylobacter coli from 14 (2%), and atypical campylobacters from 17 (3%) . The 17 atypical strains were first characterized biochemically and by dot blot DNA hybridization . Catalase-negative strains also were characterized by DNA hybridization and ribotype pattern . One strain was a catalase-negative "Campylobacter upsaliensis" and another was a nitrate-negative Campylobacter jejuni doylei . Fifteen isolates were aerotolerant strains most closely resembling Campylobacter cryaerophila or "C . upsaliensis" by dot hybridization . These aerotolerant strains, designated group 2 ("Campylobacter butzleri"), had ribotypes distinct from C . cryaerophila and have previously been shown to be related by DNA hybridization at the species level to the group 2 aerotolerant Campylobacter type strain (D2686) . Group 2 aerotolerant Campylobacter were the atypical Campylobacter species most frequently isolated from Thai children with diarrhea.

Mol Microbiol, 1991 May, 5(5), 1151 - 8
Common and variable domains of the flagellin gene, flaA, in Campylobacter jejuni; Fischer SH et al.; The organization of the flagellin gene locus in Campylobacter jejuni strain IN1 (Lior 7) was determined using the polymerase chain (PCR) reaction and a series of oligonucleotide primers . Two tandemly arranged flagellin genes of approximately 1.7 kb were found to be joined by an intervening segment of c.0.2kb, similar to that reported for Campylobacter coli . The 5' flagellin gene, flaA, was generated by PCR and both strands sequenced . Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence for C . jejuni FlaA with the published sequence for C . jejuni FlaA with the published sequence for C . coli FlaA showed 77% identical amino acids between the proteins . Two common regions, C1 and C2, comprising the N-terminal 170 amino acids and C-terminal 100 amino acids, exhibit amino acids 94% and 96% identical to those of C . coli, respectively . The variable region, V1, comprising the middle of the protein, shows 61% identical residues with C . coli . Comparison of these regions with other bacterial flagellins reveals a similar pattern but with much less identity . Several areas within the V1 region correspond to predicted surface-exposed regions and may represent areas in which surface epitopes are located.

Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg, 1991 May-Jun, 85(3), 399 - 400
Survival of Campylobacter jejuni and pathogenic Escherichia coli in mahewu, a fermented cereal gruel; Simango C et al.; The survival of strains of Campylobacter jejuni and enteropathogenic and enterotoxigenic (LT) Escherichia coli was investigated in mahewu, a traditional fermented cereal gruel . The mahewu was inoculated with 10(6) to 10(7) colony forming units of the bacterial cells per ml of the cereal gruel . None of the strains of C . jejuni were detected 30 min after inoculation . All the strains of E . coli were detected after 24 h in mahewu but did not show any increase in numbers of surviving cells . The enterotoxigenic E . coli strains showed a more marked decrease in numbers than did enteropathogenic E . coli strains during the 24 h period after inoculation in the mahewu . This suggests that mahewu has some antimicrobial qualities and is unlikely to play a major role in the transmission of these 2 enteric pathogens.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1991 May, (5), 2 - 6
{The capacity of microorganisms in the genus Campylobacter for mobile growth}; Zhukhovitskii VG et al.; The capacity of Campylobacter for mobile was studied on the cultures of 5 reference strains and 153 newly isolated strains of clinical origin, used as an experimental model . The study revealed that the capacity of Campylobacter for mobile growth was best manifested in cases of its cultivation in nutrient media based on tryptose agar with the density of 0.35% at 37 degrees C in the usual atmosphere: under these conditions the capacity for mobile growth was exhibited by 92.8% of all cultures of the strains under study . The description of the cultural properties of Campylobacter cultures exhibiting mobile growth demonstrated the difference between the phenomenon of mobile growth and the phenomenon of clustering . The possibility of using the capacity of Campylobacter for mobile growth for the rational diagnosis of Campylobacter infection was suggested.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1991 May, (5), 14 - 7
{The experimental and clinical effect of ciprofloxacin on the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract}; Korshunov VM et al.; The study of the influence of cyprofloxacin on the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract has been made under experimental and clinical conditions . As revealed in this study, cyprofloxacin produces a corrective effect on the intestinal microflora; the action of this preparation, in contrast to that of other antimicrobial preparations, is retained for a long time . In patients having duodenal ulcer with bacteriosis caused by Campylobacter pylori and with intestinal dysbacteriosis the combination of cyprofloxacin and cimetidine yields a higher therapeutic effect than the use of cimetidine alone.

Int J Food Microbiol, 1991 May, 13(1), 41 - 6
Rates of detection of Salmonella and Campylobacter in meats in response to the sample size and the infection level of each species; Tokumaru M et al.; Pork, beef and chicken meat samples were collected from slaughter houses, poultry-processing plants and meat shops . Rates of incidence of Salmonella spp., Campylobacter jejuni and C . coli with respect to the sample size were compared and the most probable number for these species were determined . Salmonella spp . were detected in 69 (24.1%) of 286 chicken meat samples, in three (3.2%) of 94 pork samples, and in one (1.9%) of 52 beef samples . With chicken meat, the rates of detection were: 19.9% in 25-g, 15.7% in 10-g, and 12.2% in 1-g samples . The populations in most probable numbers, that gave positive results in 31 (20.8%) of 149 samples, ranged from 30 to 10(4) per 100 g, the majority (93.5%) being between 30 and 10(3) per 100 g . C . jejuni and C . coli were detected in 106 (67.9%) of 156 chicken meat samples, in two (2.1%) of 94 pork samples, and none of 52 beef samples . The results obtained with different sample sizes of chicken were compared . Positive rates were 55.8%, 39.7%, 27.6% in 10 g, 1 g, and 0.1 g, respectively . The most probable numbers in 107 (68.6%) positives out of 156 chicken samples examined ranged from 30 to 10(6) per 100 g: 46 (29.5%) contained between 10(2) and 10(3) per 100 g, 22 (14.1%) between 10(3) and 10(4) per 100 g, and the other 19 samples (12.2%) between 10(4) and 10(5) per 100 g.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1991 May, 35(5), 813 - 8
Role of the beta-lactamase of Campylobacter jejuni in resistance to beta-lactam agents; Lachance N et al.; We studied the role of the beta-lactamase of Campylobacter jejuni in resistance to beta-lactam agents . beta-Lactamase-positive strains were more resistant than beta-lactamase-negative strains to amoxicillin, ampicillin, and ticarcillin (P less than 0.05) . With penicillin G, piperacillin, imipenem, and six cephalosporins, the susceptibility levels were similar for both beta-lactamase-positive and -negative strains . By using spectrophotometric and microbiological assays, the beta-lactamase from three strains hydrolyzed ampicillin, amoxicillin, penicillin G, cloxacillin, and, partially, cephalothin . Ticarcillin and piperacillin were partially hydrolyzed in the microbiological assay . There was no activity against five other cephalosporins or imipenem . Isoelectric focusing of the enzyme showed a pI of 8.8 . Tazobactam was the best inhibitor of the enzyme, followed by clavulanic acid, sulbactam, and cefoxitin, while EDTA and p-chloromercuribenzoate had no activity . All beta-lactamase-positive strains became susceptible to amoxicillin and ampicillin with 1 micrograms of clavulanic acid per ml . With the same inhibitor, there was a reduced but significant effect for ticarcillin but no effect for penicillin G or piperacillin . Sulbactam had no effect and tazobactam was effective only at 2 micrograms/ml on amoxicillin and ampicillin . The beta-lactamase of C . jejuni seems to be a penicillinase with a role in resistance for only amoxicillin, ampicillin, and ticarcillin.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1991 May, 35(5), 840 - 5
Characterization of high-level quinolone resistance in Campylobacter jejuni; Gootz TD et al.; High-level resistance to quinolones has previously been shown to occur in Campylobacter spp . both in vitro and in patients treated with quinolones . We have selected isolates that are resistant to quinolones by plating cells from a susceptible C . jejuni strain, UA535, on medium containing nalidixic acid at 32 micrograms/ml . Fluctuation analysis indicated that resistance occurred by mutation at a frequency of 5 x 10(-8) per cell plated . Unlike what is observed with other gram-negative organisms, the nalidixic acid-resistant mutants demonstrated high-level cross-resistance (MIC, greater than or equal to 4 micrograms/ml) to newer quinolones, including ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, and temafloxacin, yet remained susceptible to coumermycin A1 and several other unrelated antibiotics . Mutants with an identical resistance phenotype could also be selected from UA535 with ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin at a similar frequency . To study the mechanism of quinolone resistance, DNA gyrases were purified from C . jejuni UA535 and two resistant mutants by heparin-agarose and novobiocin-Sepharose chromatography . After the respective enzyme concentrations were adjusted to equivalent units of activity in the DNA supercoiling reaction, the DNA gyrases from the resistant mutants were found to be 100-fold less susceptible than the wild-type enzyme to inhibition by quinolones . Subunit switching experiments with purified A and B subunits from the wild type and one of the quinolone-resistant mutants indicated that an alteration in the A subunit was responsible for resistance . These results show that a single-step mutation can occur in vitro in the gene encoding DNA gyrase in C . jejuni, producing clinically relevant levels of resistance to the newer quinolones.

Postgrad Med J, 1991 Apr, 67(786), 330 - 3
Helicobacter pylori in children; Sullivan PB et al.; The clinical manifestations of Helicobacter pylori (formerly Campylobacter pylori) infection in children overlap with those encountered in adults but there are some important differences . The aim of this review is to describe the range of manifestations of this infection in children, together with means of diagnosis and treatment.

Dtsch Tierarztl Wochenschr, 1991 Apr, 98(4), 152 - 5
{The occurrence of Campylobacter spp . and Salmonella spp . in gulls in northern Germany}; Glunder G et al.; Out of a total of 207 gulls--20 Black headed gulls, 185 Herring gulls and 2 Common gulls--128 (62%) and 23 (11%) birds, respectively, were infected with Campylobacter spp . (C.) and Salmonella spp . C . jejuni was predominant in gulls less than two years old (89%) and C . coli in older birds (75%) . Furthermore, the infection rate with Campylobacters was depending on the habitats of the birds . The rate for C . jejuni and C . coli, respectively, was in gulls from regional garbage dumps 78% and 4%, from the coast 58% and 21%, and from islands 47% and 47% of the isolations in the corresponding area . Salmonellae were mainly isolated in the period from September to February from gulls less than one year old and from birds from the coast.

Am J Med Sci, 1991 Apr, 301(4), 256 - 8
Aggressive Kaposi's sarcoma and campylobacter bacteremia in a female with transfusion associated AIDS; Aboulafia D et al.; The vast majority of patients with Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) of the epidemic, endemic or sporadic variety are men . Although 35 percent of men with AIDS will develop KS, only three percent of women will develop this malignancy . To date, a single case report of transfusion associated KS in an HIV-infected female has been described in the medical literature . We report a second case . A 54-year-old HIV-infected female without other identifiable risk factors for AIDS developed disseminated KS six years after a blood transfusion . Her illness was marked by rapidly proliferating tumors not responsive to a single course of chemotherapy . Another unusual aspect of this case is that, in conjunction with weight loss and diarrhea, Campylobactercinaedi was recovered from her blood . This enteric pathogen has previously been described exclusively in homosexual men . Autopsy studies showed KS tumors involving all major visceral organs . This case report demonstrates that in HIV-infected females KS may follow an aggressive course similar to that seen occasionally in male KS patients with profound immunosuppression.

Infect Immun, 1991 Apr, 59(4), 1448 - 56
Virulence of Campylobacter jejuni for chicken embryos is associated with decreased bloodstream clearance and resistance to phagocytosis; Field LH et al.; The 11-day-old chicken embryo has been shown to be a useful animal model for comparing the virulence of human isolates of Campylobacter jejuni . Virulence in this system is associated with the ability to invade the chorioallantoic membrane and to survive and proliferate in vivo . In this study, the survival and multiplication of C . jejuni in the embryonic host was investigated . It was possible to enhance the virulence of a relatively avirulent C . jejuni strain by passaging it intravenously through the embryos . The resulting isogenic variants demonstrated enhanced abilities to survive in vivo but were still unable to invade when inoculated onto the chorioallantoic membrane . The bloodstream clearance of C . jejuni was studied, and virulent, but not avirulent, strains persisted and multiplied both in the bloodstream and in embryonic liver . Virulent strains also were cleared significantly more slowly from the bloodstream of adult BALB/c mice after intravenous challenge than were avirulent strains . C . jejuni strains which were cleared slowly in vivo were also ingested slowly in vitro by mouse peritoneal macrophages . Clearance studies in mice pretreated with cobra venom factor demonstrated that opsonization by serum complement was not a prerequisite for clearance of campylobacters from the murine bloodstream.

Zentralbl Bakteriol, 1991 Apr, 275(1), 63 - 72
Urease production by Helicobacter (Campylobacter) pylori; Vogt K et al.; Urease activity of 50 Helicobacter pylori (H . pylori) strains was assessed employing a photometric assay . Urea hydrolysis reached a maximum in the late log-phase and during the plateau phase of bacterial growth . The reaction time of H . pylori urease was significantly shorter than that of other urease producing bacteria (P . mirabilis, P . vulgaris, K . pneumoniae, K . oxytoca) . Increasing the reaction temperature hardly led to an acceleration of the quick urea hydrolysis of H . pylori, in contrast to the situation with P . mirabilis . Acetohydroxamic acid showed a dose-dependent non-competitive suppression of urease production, whereas 9 antibiotics in subinhibitory concentrations did not influence urease production of H . pylori.

Nutr Clin Pract, 1991 Apr, 6(2), 55 - 64
Enteral feeding and infection in the immunocompromised patient; Moe G; Evidence is accumulating that immunocompromised individuals are at an increased risk of infection from foodborne pathogens including Campylobacter jejuni, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp . Normal bacterial flora and contaminants of foods and enteral feeds can also result in nosocomial infection in susceptible individuals . Safe food handling, low-microbial diets, and measures to reduce bacterial contamination of enteral foods can reduce exposure to potential pathogens in the food supply.

J Clin Microbiol, 1991 Apr, 29(4), 819 - 21
Egg yolk emulsion agar, a new medium for the cultivation of Helicobacter pylori; Westblom TU et al.; We developed a new agar, egg yolk emulsion (EYE) agar, for cultivation of Helicobacter pylori . EYE agar contains Columbia agar base (Oxoid), 10% EYE (Oxoid), 1% IsoVitaleX (BBL), and 40 mg of Triphenyleteraxolium chloride (Sigma) per liter . We compared EYE agar with the following agars: (i) brain heart infusion agar-7% horse blood-1% IsoVitaleX (GDW agar; C . S . Goodwin, E . D . Blincow, J . R . Warren, T . E . Waters, C . R . Sanderson, and L . Easton, J . Clin . Pathol . 38:1127-1131, 1985), (ii) brain heart infusion agar-10% horse serum-0.2% charcoal-1% yeast extract-40 mg of triphenyltetrazolium chloride per liter (GLU agar; Y . Glupczynski, M . Labbe, and F . Thiabaumont, p . 3-6, in F . Megraud and H . Lamouliatte, ed., Gastroduodenal Pathology and Campylobacter pylori, 1989), (iii) Columbia agar with 7% lysed horse blood (D&M agar; J . C . Dent and C . A . M . McNulty, Eur . J . Clin . Microbiol . Infect . Dis . 7:555-558, 1988), and (iv) brain heart infusion agar-10% EYE-1% IsoVitaleX (BHIE agar) . H . pylori CFU counts, expressed as average percentages of maximum growth, were as follows: EYE agar, 96; GDW agar . 76; BHIE agar, 57; D&M agar, 52; and GLU agar, 23 . Colony counts for EYE agar were significantly higher than for GDW agar (P = 0.027), BHIE agar (P = 0.005), D&M agar (P = 0.0001), and GLU agar (P less than 0.0001) . EYE agar also had higher CFU counts than two commercial chocolate media; the EYE agar count was 80%, versus 33% for BBL chocolate medium and 63% for Remel chocolate medium.

J Clin Microbiol, 1991 Apr, 29(4), 680 - 8
Evaluation of 10 methods to distinguish epidemic-associated Campylobacter strains; Patton CM et al.; We compared four phenotypic and six genotypic methods for distinguishing Campylobacter jejuni strains from animals and humans involved in four epidemics . Based on a comparison with epidemiologic data, the methods that correctly identified all strains in three milkborne outbreaks and one waterborne outbreak were heat-stable and heat-labile serotyping; multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MEE); DNA restriction endonuclease analysis with BglII, XhoI, PvuII, or PstI; and Southern blot and hybridization of PvuII- and PstI-digested DNA with Escherichia coli 16S and 23S rRNA (ribotyping) . Biotyping, phage typing, plasmid analysis, and probing of BglII and XhoI DNA digests with C . jejuni 16S rRNA genes failed to correctly separate one or more strains . MEE, restriction endonuclease analysis, and ribotyping were the most sensitive methods and identified nine types among the 22 strains . These methods were also capable of further distinguishing strains within the same serotype . Data from MEE were also analyzed to calculate genetic relatedness among strains . Serotyping was the most discriminating phenotypic method, with eight and seven types distinguished by the heat-stable and heat-labile methods, respectively . MEE and ribotyping had several advantages over the other methods because they measure relatively stable and significant chromosomal differences and are applicable to other species and genera . These methods, however, are complex and not easily quantified; they are currently limited to specialized laboratories . When antisera are available, serotyping appears to be an effective and more practical approach to the identification of epidemic-related strains.

Poult Sci, 1991 Apr, 70(4), 790 - 5
Simultaneous colonization of Campylobacter jejuni and Salmonella typhimurium in day-old chicks; Stern NJ et al.; Day-old chicks were challenged with Campylobacter jejuni or Salmonella typhimurium or both to assess the influence of these two bacteria upon the colonization of one another . Median colonization dose (CD50), a measure indicating the number of organisms required to colonize one-half of the challenged chickens, was used to assess the influence of these organisms upon the colonization of one another . Chicks were gavaged with serial dilutions of 1) C . jejuni, 2) S . typhimurium, 3) dilutions of C . jejuni and a fixed level of S . typhimurium, or 4) dilutions of S . typhimurium and a fixed level of C . jejuni . Six days postchallenge, cecal contents were quantitatively assayed for the challenge organisms . Birds challenged with only C . jejuni or birds challenged with both C . jejuni and S . typhimurium had a CD50 of 120 C . jejuni cells . The CD50 values for S . typhimurium alone (48 cells) and S . typhimurium simultaneously colonized with C . jejuni (180 cells) were not significantly different (P less than .05) . The colonization levels of either organism were generally correlated with the challenge dose and ranged up to 63 million cells per gram . It was concluded that the CD50 for both C . jejuni and S . typhimurium in 24-h-old chicks were similar, and the presence of one of these particular co-colonizers does not influence the CD50 of the other.

Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 1991 Apr, 10(4), 325 - 9
Use of quinolones in the treatment of gastrointestinal infections; DuPont HL; Bacterial enteropathogens are responsible for between 40% and 80% of diarrheal illness depending upon the age of the persons affected and geographic areas where illness occurs . Antibacterial agents will shorten the illness associated with enteric infection caused by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, Shigella spp . and Campylobacter jejuni . These drugs also are effective in the therapy of certain clinical conditions (presumably because they are due to the same agents) which are characterized by moderate to severe diarrhea with one or more of the following: high fever, dysentery (passage of bloody mucoid stools), or high leukocyte counts in stools . Antimicrobial agents are also effective in the therapy of travelers' diarrhea . The quinolone drugs have several advantages in the management of bacterial diarrhea where strains causing illness from nearly all regions of the world will show general susceptibility: high concentrations are achieved in the intestinal lumen following oral administration and resistance development is unusual . A quinolone probably represents the optimal agent for therapy of bacterial diarrhea in adults in areas where trimethoprim-resistant enteric pathogens are common.

Int J Syst Bacteriol, 1991 Apr, 41(2), 218 - 22
Wolinella recta, Wolinella curva, Bacteroides ureolyticus, and Bacteroides gracilis are microaerophiles, not anaerobes; Han YH et al.; Although the nonfermentative, asaccharolytic, putative anaerobes Wolinella curva, Wolinella recta, Bacteroides ureolyticus, and Bacteroides gracilis are phylogenetically related to the true campylobacters, the type strains of these species exhibited O2-dependent microaerophilic growth in brucella broth and on brucella agar . The optimum O2 levels for growth of these strains ranged from 4 to 14% in brucella broth and from 2 to 8% on brucella agar, when H2 was provided as the electron donor . No growth occurred under 21% O2, and scant or no growth occurred under anaerobic conditions unless fumarate or nitrate was provided as a terminal electron acceptor . Aspartate, asparagine, and malate also served as apparent electron acceptors . The organisms were catalase negative and, except for B . gracilis, oxidase positive . Catalase added to brucella broth enhanced growth . O2 uptake by all species was inhibited by cyanide and 2-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline N-oxide . We concluded that these organisms are not anaerobes but instead are microaerophiles, like their campylobacter relatives.

Pathol Res Pract, 1991 Mar, 187(2-3), 226 - 34
Chronic active gastritis after eradication of Campylobacter (now: Helicobacter) pylori . Results of a medium term follow-up study; Ruhl GH et al.; 11 patients with C.p.-associated chronic gastritis underwent a triple therapy with bismuth-subsalicylate, amoxicillin susp . and metronidazole . The C.p.-status and the inflammation parameters "polymorphonuclear leucocytes in the epithelium" . "polymorphonuclear leucocytes in the lamina propria", "lympho-plasmacellular infiltrate in the lamina propria", "congestion and edema of the lamina propria" and "inflammatory alteration of the epithelium" were determined semi-quantitatively in semi-thin-sections by light microscopy in the same sections . The C.p.-status was verified further by means of the CLO-test and cultures . The biopsy probes were taken before treatment, immediately after treatment, 1 month following treatment and in differing time intervals up to 9 months following treatment . Eradication of C.p . could not be attained in 2 of the patients . Spherical forms and vibrioforms of C.p . exhibiting degenerative alterations could be demonstrated by electron microscopy . Throughout the study the inflammatory parameters "intraepithelial polymorphonuclear leucocytes", "polymorphonuclear leucocytes in the lamina propria", "inflammatory alterations of the epithelium" showed concordance in their reactions . They were closely correlated with the light microscopical demonstration of C.p.-organisms in the biopsy specimens . The regression of the lympho-plasmacellular infiltrate was still incomplete after 5 months of eradication . The time relationship between the end of treatment and complete remission differed . The results of our studies suggest that C.p . was the sole etiological factor for the development of chronic active gastritis in at least 4 of the 11 patients.

Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi, 1991 Mar, 11(3), 150 - 2, 133
{Effect of fu-zheng qu-xie on gastric disease infected with Campylobacter pyloridis}; Fang JY; Chinese herbal medicine and gentamycin were used separately in the treatment of 75 cases of gastric disease by campylobacter pyloridis (CP) . Surveying the changes of the gastrofiberscope, pathological test, bacteriology and immunology . This study, found that in the Chinese herbal medicine group clinical symptoms were obviously improving the effective rate for CP being 80% (24/30), the death rate for CP 30% (9/30), and the effective rate for patho-histological changes 50% (15/30) . Differences of curative effective rate between the two groups were statistically insignificant (P greater than 0.05) . This text pointed out that the principle of Chinese herbal medicine treatment of gastric disease by campylobacter pyloridis was fu-zheng qu-xie . Fu-zheng was achieved by Astragalus membranaceus, Atractylodes macrocephala and Paeonia lactiflora, whereas qu-xie by Taraxacum monogolicum and Oldenlandia diffusa . Chinese herbal medicine for fu-zheng played an important role in modulating immune function . Qu-xie was directly disinfective and indirectly anti-bacterial . Chinese herbal medicine combined with western drugs will decrease the side effects and enhance the curative effect at the same time.

An Esp Pediatr, 1991 Mar, 34(3), 203 - 6
{Bacterial diarrhea in infancy: epidemiologic study of 256 cases}; Baselga Asensio C et al.; Infectious diarrhoea are common causes of morbility in children . Although viral agents are responsible for the majority of cases of acute diarrhoea during infancy, bacterial infections are also well recognized as causes of them . 256 patients with diarrhoea due to a bacterial pathogen were studied to determine the importance of different epidemiologic factors . The study group comprised 151 boys (59%) and 105 girls (41%) aged between first month and 14 years . Family history of acute diarrhoea was found in 15% of children . 63,7% of them were hospitalized by the severity of clinical features . 32% of cases were detected in summer . Salmonella enterica was isolated in 45% of stool samples and Campylobacter spp in 33,2% . Clinical evolution of diarrhoea differentiated the patients into three groups: acute diarrhoea (95,7%), prolonged diarrhoea (3,1%) and chronic diarrhoea (1,1%).

Infection, 1991 Mar-Apr, 19(2), 88 - 90
Campylobacter bacteremia: clinical experience with three different blood culture systems at Mayo Clinic 1984-1990; Kasten MJ et al.; The efficiency of three commercially available blood culture systems for isolating Campylobacter sp . was investigated . Thirteen of 189,688 blood cultures from patients seen at the Mayo Clinic from 1984 through 1990 were positive for Campylobacter sp . Eleven out of 13 blood cultures positive for Campylobacter sp . were part of a complete three bottle set of cultures (Isolator from Du Pont, Roche Septi-Chek from Hoffman-La Roche, and non-vented Tryptic Soy Broth from Difco), none of them providing a specific microaerophilic mileu . The aerobic Roche Septi-Chek seems to be more efficient for the detection of Campylobacter sp . in blood cultures than either the anaerobic Tryptic Soy Broth (Difco) or the Isolator (Du Pont) using the incubator condition of 5% CO2.

Rev Infect Dis, 1991 Mar-Apr, 13 Suppl 4, S226 - 30
Epidemiologic aspects of shigellosis and other causes of dysentery in Thailand; Taylor DN et al.; Nearly 20% of children seen in the outpatient department of Children's Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, for diarrheal disease had bloody diarrhea . Shigella species and enteroinvasive Escherichia coli--isolated from 13% and 2% of children with diarrhea, respectively--were the most frequent causes of bloody diarrhea . Campylobacter species and nontyphoidal Salmonella species were also isolated frequently but were much less often associated with bloody diarrhea . Shigella species were rarely isolated from patients who did not have diarrhea, while Campylobacter and Salmonella species were isolated frequently from well children . None of the species isolated always caused bloody diarrhea . Studies on infection with Campylobacter suggest that natural immunity may prevent bloody diarrhea and in fact may eventually prevent all disease due to this organism . Studies of endemic Shigella flexneri and epidemic Shigella dysenteriae 1 in Thailand have shown that immunity may also explain an age-related decrease in rates of S . flexneri infection but not in rates of S . dysenteriae 1 isolation.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1991 Mar, 35(3), 490 - 6
Lansoprazole, a novel benzimidazole proton pump inhibitor, and its related compounds have selective activity against Helicobacter pylori; Iwahi T et al.; The activities of various types of antiulcer agents against Helicobacter pylori (formerly called Campylobacter pylori) strains were determined by an agar dilution method . Among the compounds tested, two benzimidazole proton pump inhibitors, lansoprazole (AG-1749) and omeprazole, were found to have significant activities against this organism . The activity of lansoprazole was comparable to that of bismuth citrate, with MICs ranging from 3.13 to 12.5 micrograms/ml, and fourfold more potent than that of omeprazole . A major metabolite and two acid-converted rearrangement products of lansoprazole also exhibited good activities comparable or superior to that of the parent compound . Exposure to lansoprazole of H . pylori growing in a liquid medium led to an extensive loss of viability without a reduction in culture turbidity and produced an aberrant bacterial morphology characterized by the irregular constriction of cells and the collapse of cell surface structures . The antibacterial activity of lansoprazole and its related compounds was selective against H . pylori; common aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and Campylobacter jejuni were not inhibited by 100 micrograms/ml.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1991 Mar, 35(3), 471 - 6
Relationship between the Clostridium perfringens catQ gene product and chloramphenicol acetyltransferases from other bacteria; Bannam TL et al.; The nucleotide sequence of the Clostridium perfringens chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT)-encoding resistance determinant, catQ, was determined . An open reading frame encoding a protein of 219 amino acids with a molecular weight of 26,014 was identified . Although catQ was expressed constitutively, sequences similar in structure to those found upstream of inducible cat genes were observed . The catQ gene was distinct from the C . perfringens catP determinant . The deduced CATQ monomer had considerable amino acid sequence conservation compared with CATP (53% similarity) and other known CAT proteins (39 to 53%) . Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the CATQ monomer was as closely related to CAT proteins from Staphylococcus aureus and Campylobacter coli as it was to CAT monomers from the clostridia.

APMIS, 1991 Mar, 99(3), 244 - 8
The Helicobacter (Campylobacter) pylori-colonized duodenal mucosa and gastric metaplasia; Andersen LP et al.; Biopsies were obtained from non-ulcerated sites of the duodenum from 100 dyspeptic patients . Helicobacter (Campylobacter) pylori was cultivated from 19 of these biopsies . Active chronic duodenitis (ACD) was found in 17 biopsies and more than 5% gastric metaplasia in 20 biopsies . H . pylori as well as ACD occurred with a significantly increased frequency when more than 5% gastric metaplasia was found in the duodenal biopsies . H . pylori on metaplastic tissue without ACD was, however, seen in two cases . H . pylori was cultivated from 9% and ACD was found in 5% of the biopsies with less than 5% gastric metaplasia . Gastric metaplasia in the duodenum was found significantly more frequently in patients with endoscopic duodenitis or duodenal ulceration than in patients with normal endoscopy . No association between gastric metaplasia in the duodenum and gastric pH or serum antibodies against H . pylori was seen . This study indicates that there is an established, but not exclusive, connection between gastric metaplasia and the colonization of the duodenum by H . pylori, the most important role being played by the antral gastric mucosa rather than the duodenum.

J Bacteriol, 1991 Mar, 173(6), 1920 - 31
Shuttle cloning and nucleotide sequences of Helicobacter pylori genes responsible for urease activity; Labigne A et al.; Production of a potent urease has been described as a trait common to all Helicobacter pylori so far isolated from humans with gastritis as well as peptic ulceration . The detection of urease activity from genes cloned from H . pylori was made possible by use of a shuttle cosmid vector, allowing replication and movement of cloned DNA sequences in either Escherichia coli or Campylobacter jejuni . With this approach, we cloned a 44-kb portion of H . pylori chromosomal DNA which did not lead to urease activity when introduced into E . coli but permitted, although temporarily, biosynthesis of the urease when transferred by conjugation to C . jejuni . The recombinant cosmid (pILL585) expressing the urease phenotype was mapped and used to subclone an 8.1-kb fragment (pILL590) able to confer the same property to C . jejuni recipient strains . By a series of deletions and subclonings, the urease genes were localized to a 4.2-kb region of DNA and were sequenced by the dideoxy method . Four open reading frames were found, encoding polypeptides with predicted molecular weights of 26,500 (ureA), 61,600 (ureB), 49,200 (ureC), and 15,000 (ureD) . The predicted UreA and UreB polypeptides correspond to the two structural subunits of the urease enzyme; they exhibit a high degree of homology with the three structural subunits of Proteus mirabilis (56% exact matches) as well as with the unique structural subunit of jack bean urease (55.5% exact matches) . Although the UreD-predicted polypeptide has domains relevant to transmembrane proteins, no precise role could be attributed to this polypeptide or to the UreC polypeptide, which both mapped to a DNA sequence shown to be required to confer urease activity to a C . jejuni recipient strain.

J Bacteriol, 1991 Mar, 173(5), 1623 - 33
Freeze-substitution of gram-negative eubacteria: general cell morphology and envelope profiles; Graham LL et al.; Freeze-substitution was performed on strains of Escherichia coli, Pasteurella multocida, Campylobacter fetus, Vibrio cholerae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas putida, Aeromonas salmonicida, Proteus mirabilis, Haemophilus pleuropneumoniae, Caulobacter crescentus, and Leptothrix discophora with a substitution medium composed of 2% osmium tetroxide and 2% uranyl acetate in anhydrous acetone . A thick periplasmic gel ranging from 10.6 to 14.3 nm in width was displayed in E . coli K-12, K30, and His 1 (a K-12 derivative containing the K30 capsule genes), P . multocida, C . fetus, P . putida, A . salmonicida, H . pleuropneumoniae, and P . mirabilis . The other bacteria possessed translucent periplasms in which a thinner peptidoglycan layer was seen . Capsular polysaccharide, evident as electron-dense fibers radiating outward perpendicular to the cell surface, was observed on E . coli K30 and His 1 and P . mirabilis cells . A more random arrangement of fibers forming a netlike structure was apparent surrounding cells of H . pleuropneumoniae . For the first time a capsule, distinct from the sheath, was observed on L . discophora . In all instances, capsular polysaccharide was visualized in the absence of stabilizing agents such as homologous antisera or ruthenium red . Other distinct envelope structures were observed external to the outer membrane including the sheath of L . discophora and the S layers of A . salmonicida A450 and C . crescentus CB15A . We believe that the freeze-substitution technique presents a more accurate image of the structural organization of these cells and that it has revealed complex ultrastructural relationships between cell envelope constituents previously difficult to visualize by more conventional means of preparation.

J Infect Dis, 1991 Mar, 163(3), 660 - 3
Yersinia enterocolitica O:3: an emerging cause of pediatric gastroenteritis in the United States . The Yersinia enterocolitica Collaborative Study Group; Lee LA et al.; After an outbreak of Yersinia enterocolitica infections among black children in Atlanta, a seven-hospital study was conducted to determine the importance of this pathogen in other communities with large black populations . Of 4841 stool specimens from patients with gastroenteritis examined between November 1989 and January 1990, Y . enterocolitica, Shigella, Campylobacter, and Salmonella were identified in 38, 49, 60, and 98 specimens, respectively; 34 (92%) of 37 Y . enterocolitica isolates were serotype O:3 . Of the 38 patients with yersiniosis, 37 (97%) were children . Illnesses were clustered around the holidays, and 20 (62%) of 32 patients had been exposed to raw pork intestines in the 2 weeks before onset . Exposure was significantly associated with illness in a case-control study of eight patients identified at one hospital (P = .004) . Infants less than or equal to 6 months old with yersiniosis were more likely to have immature-to-total neutrophil ratios greater than 0.50 than were infants of comparable age with salmonellosis (P = .02) . Infrequently isolated in the past, Y . enterocolitica O:3 is emerging as an important enteric pathogen in this country, particularly among black children.

J Infect Dis, 1991 Mar, 163(3), 495 - 502
Measles-associated diarrhea in hospitalized children in Lima, Peru: pathogenic agents and impact on growth; Greenberg BL et al.; Because the causes of measles-associated diarrhea are not well known, 0- to 5-year-old children presenting to the hospital with measles-associated diarrhea (cases, n = 77) or acute diarrhea only (controls, n = 77) were compared . Growth and diarrheal morbidity were evaluated for 1 month after acute illness . Campylobacter jejuni was more frequently isolated from cases (31%) than controls (16%; P = .03) . Rotavirus was absent in all cases versus 28% of controls (P less than .001) . Incidence density for new episodes of diarrhea was significantly greater in cases (6.5 vs . 4.1; odds ratio, 1.6; confidence intervals, 1.09-2.34; P = .01), as was duration of episodes (3 vs . 2 days, P = .02) . Both groups showed similar positive cumulative percentage weight gains throughout follow-up . These data support the theory of measles as a risk factor for developing diarrhea . The bacteriologic and virologic findings may reflect the immunologic response of the host to measles infection.

Ann Acad Med Singapore, 1991 Mar, 20(2), 265 - 8
Gastrointestinal infections in Singapore children; Quak SH; Acute gastroenteritis is the commonest gastrointestinal disorder in children . It accounted for about 10% of the admissions to a general paediatric unit in Singapore . About 5% of total paediatric admissions to all the government hospitals in Singapore were due to acute gastroenteritis . Some 50% of the cases had no identifiable organism in the stools . Most of the remaining cases were due to bacterial or viral infections . The commonest bacteria responsible for acute gastroenteritis nowadays is Salmonella species . Other bacteria such as E . coli, Shigella and Campylobacter were responsible for a smaller proportion of bacterial diarrhoea in children . Rotavirus was the commonest viral agent responsible for acute diarrhoea among Singapore children . Most patients had mild diarrhoea and severe dehydration following acute gastroenteritis was not common . About 60% of the patients admitted to hospital were younger than two years of age . Bacterial infections were more common in infancy . Viral diarrhoea were more likely to be watery and bacterial diarrhoea were more likely to be bloody and mucoid . With regard to chronicity, it was the groups with mixed infection or bacteria infection which had a prolonged course . Treatment was directed at maintaining hydration and prevention of complications . Except for secondary lactase deficiency, other long term complications were rare.

J Diarrhoeal Dis Res, 1991 Mar, 9(1), 20 - 2
Enterotoxigenicity of human and animal isolates of Campylobacter jejuni in ligated rat ileal loops; Chattopadhyay UK et al.; Human and animal isolates of Campylobacter jejuni were tested for enterotoxigenicity in ligated loop of Charles-Foster rats . Of 21 isolates, 13 were proved to be toxin-positive in the initial experiments . However, the remaining 8 required one to three passages through the rat ileal loop before showing the capacity to produce enterotoxin . All isolates caused fluid accumulation comparable with the amount produced by the standard toxigenic strain of Vibrio cholerae 01 1naba 569B . The isolates of C . jejuni from human and animal sources did not show any quantitative difference in their capacity to produce enterotoxin.

J Biol Buccale, 1991 Mar, 19(1), 3 - 15
{Oral bacterial flora and its pathogenic potential}; Madinier I; The oral flora is a complex body formed by at least a hundred bacterial species which can be more or less regular residents in the oral cavity . Thanks to a developing taxonomy related to progress made in bacterial identification, these oral species can be separated into five groups based Gram staining and morphology: the Gram positive cocci group (Streptococcus, Staphylococcus and related geni), the Gram negative cocci group (Neisseria, Veillonella and related geni), the Gram positive bacilli group (Corynebacterium, Actinomyces, Lactobacillus, Methanobrevibacter and related geni), the Gram negative bacilli group (Haemophilus, Campylobacter, Bacteroides and related geni) and finally the spirochete group (Treponema).

Indian J Med Res, 1991 Mar, 93, 87 - 9
Simplified method for the detection of DNA hydrolysis by enteric campylobacters; Bhadra RK et al.; A simplified medium was developed for the detection of DNase produced by enteric campylobacters . Sensitivity and reproducibility of the test were similar to that of the improved toluidine blue DNA agar method . Logistically, the simplified DNA hydrolysis test was cheaper (5.5 times) than the earlier medium . Based on this study we recommend the routine use of the simplified medium to perform the DNase test for biotyping enteric campylobacters.

Recenti Prog Med, 1991 Mar, 82(3), 140 - 7
{Intestinal microbial pathology in AIDS . A clinical case series}; Dionisio D et al.; Microbial isolates from 60 diarrheic AIDS patients hospitalized to the Infectious Disease Division of Careggi hospital (Florence) are described . Clinical, microbiological and diagnostic features of each case are discussed with emphasis to some rare or underestimated entities in Europe: Campylobacter laridis bacteremia, Whipple-like disease by atypical Mycobacteria, Schistosoma mansoni proctocolitis . Results regarding newly AIDS-related microorganisms are also stressed.

Acta Cytol, 1991 Mar-Apr, 35(2), 204 - 6
Cytodiagnosis of Campylobacter pylori in Papanicolaou-stained imprints of gastric biopsy specimens; Pinto MM et al.; The use of Papanicolaou-stained touch preparations of gastric antral biopsies for the identification of Campylobacter pylori was examined using specimens obtained from 63 consecutive patients with endoscopic evidence of antral gastritis, with the results compared to routine histologic examination and Warthin-Starry silver staining . Organisms were readily identifiable in the Papanicolaou-stained imprints of the gastric mucus . The sensitivity in detecting organisms was 92.5% for the Warthin-Starry-stained sections, 71.4% for the Papanicolaou-stained imprints and 100% for both techniques combined . False-negative imprints were attributed to poor smears and/or the submission of duodenal tissue rather than antral biopsies . Properly performed touch preparations stained by the Papanicolaou method are a cost-effective adjunct to Warthin-Starry-stained section for improving the sensitivity of gastric biopsies for the diagnosis of C pylori.

Infect Immun, 1991 Mar, 59(3), 1100 - 5
Localization of immunogenic regions on the flagellin proteins of Campylobacter jejuni 81116; Nuijten PJ et al.; The purpose of this study was to localize antigenic regions on the flagellin protein of Campylobacter jejuni 81116 . This strain has two flagellin genes, flaA and flaB, which are 95% identical; only flaA seems to be expressed in motile C . jejuni 81116 cells . Fragments of flaA and flaB were cloned in the bacterial expression vector pEX, and the expression products were incubated with flagellin-specific antibodies . Monoclonal antibodies to broadly cross-reactive epitopes recognized fragments that are located in the termini (CF16 and CF17) and in the center (CF15) of both flagellin A and B proteins . Most of the serotype-specific monoclonal antibodies (CF1, CF2, CD3, CF4, and CF13) reacted with only the center of flagellin A in an area where flagellin A and B differ in 6 amino acid residues . The epitopes in this area were further characterized by competitive binding experiments . The charge and molecular weight microheterogeneity of flagellin, as determined by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, were unrelated to the expression of both flagellin genes or parts thereof.

MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep, 1991 Feb 22, 40(7), 116 - 7, 123
Campylobacter enteritis--New Zealand, 1990.
{Occurrence of Campylobacter pylori in gastric mucosa and selected parameters of cell-mediated immunity in patients with duodenal ulcer and individuals with non-ulcerative dyspepsia}
Slotwinski R, Muszynski J.

Katedry i Kliniki Chirurgii Gastroenterologicznej Instytutu Chirurgii AM, WarszawieThe study was aimed at investigating a relationship between Campylobacter pylori infection in the gastric mucosa and selected parameters of cell-mediated immunity in patients with duodenal ulcer and the individuals with non-ulcerative dyspepsia . A relationship between Campylobacter pylori and gastritis has also been studied . Endoscopic and immunological tests were carried out in the group of 45 patients, including 14 patients with duodenal ulcer and 29 with non-ulcerative dyspepsia . Specimens of gastric mucosa were collected endoscopically for histological and bacteriological examinations . Immunological tests included an assessment of the number of lymphocytes T (and their subpopulations) forming active rosettes (ARFC); total - (TRFC) and theophylline-resistant in active rosettes fraction (ARFC-TR); total (TRFC-TR) and theophylline-sensitive lymphocytes in both fractions (ARFC-TS and TRFC-TS) in 1 mm3 of the peripheral blood . Results suggest, that there is correlation between an infection of the gastric mucosa by Campylobacter pylori and duodenal ulcer and gastritis . No correlation between the infection by Campylobacter pylori and examined parameters of immunity in both patients with duodenal ulcer and non-ulcerative dyspepsia was found.

Kansenshogaku Zasshi, 1991 Feb, 65(2), 209 - 15
{Biohazard in clinical laboratories in Japan}; Masuda T et al.; This survey of occupationally acquired infections in clinical laboratory workers was made by questionnaires to 306 hospitals in which 698 doctors and 8654 technicians worked . There were 177 probable infections during the previous decade (1979-88) . In both doctors and technicians annual incidence rate of infection was 0.2% on an average . These included 77 cases of tuberculosis, 59 cases of HBV hepatitis, 24 cases of non-A, non-B hepatitis, 6 cases of rubella, 5 cases of HAV hepatitis, 2 cases of mycoplasmal pneumonia, one case of campylobacter enteritis, one case of paratyphus, one case of salmonellosis and one case of chicken pox . There were no fatal cases . In the recent two years the occurrence of HBV hepatitis among the clinical laboratory workers apparently has decreased, but tuberculosis and non-A, non-B hepatitis occurred unchangedly . Tuberculosis occurred frequently among the staff of the pathology laboratory (40 cases) and in bacteriology (25 cases), but rarely in biochemistry (3 cases) and in hematology (one case) . On the other hand, HBV hepatitis occurred frequently among the staff of the biochemistry laboratory (33 cases) and in hematology (11 cases), but rarely in bacteriology (one case) . These differences showed the existence of occupational exposure, but only 20% of these cases were due to recognized accidents . According to these results infection control practices for diminishing laboratory-associated infection must be performed.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1991 Feb, 27(2), 199 - 208
Quinolone resistance in campylobacter isolated from man and poultry following the introduction of fluoroquinolones in veterinary medicine; Endtz HP et al.; Eight hundred and eighty-three strains of Campylobacter spp . isolated between 1982 and 1989 from human stools and poultry products were screened for quinolone resistance . In this period the prevalence of resistant strains isolated from poultry products increased from 0% to 14% . During the same period the prevalence in man increased from 0% to 11% . The emergence of quinolone resistance has implications for the identification of campylobacter up to species level: the susceptibility for nalidixic acid can no longer be used as a criterion for identification in the laboratory . The rapid emergence of resistant campylobacter may also have important implications for the treatment and prophylaxis of diarrhoeal disease . The increase of quinolone resistance coincides with the increasing use of fluoroquinolones in human and veterinary medicine . Extensive use of enrofloxacin in poultry and the almost exclusive transmission route of campylobacter from chicken to man, in The Netherlands, suggests that the resistance observed is mainly due to the use of enrofloxacin in the poultry industry.

Bol Med Hosp Infant Mex, 1991 Feb, 48(2), 65 - 70
{Etiology of bloody diarrhea in children from a rural community}; Benitez O et al.; The etiology of bloody diarrhea was investigated in a cohort of 75 children followed longitudinally from birth during the first two years of life in a rural Village of Central Mexico . Of a total of 636 episodes of diarrhea, 71 (11%) showed presence of blood . A single associated pathogen was isolated in 59 (83%) of 71 children; 35% showed the presence of enteroaggregative E . coli (EAEC), 11% of E . coli producing Shiga-like toxins (SLT) I and/or II; 13% of Shigella, 7% of Campylobacterjejuni or enterotoxigenic E . coli (ETEC) and 4% enteropathogenic E . coli (EPEC), enteroinvasive E . coli (EIEC), Salmonella, Giardia lamblia or Hymenolepis nana . Mixed cultures were found in 16% of cases during the first year and in 18% during the second . These were mainly combinations of C . jejuni, with ETEC or EAEC . In 78% of children with bloody diarrhea the episode was single event during the first two years of life, lasting on average seven days . Epidemiologically, the incidence of bloody diarrhea rose steadily during the first two years of life, with a significant decrease after the tenth month . Prevalence was affected by seasonality in all pathogens, except for EAEC that had an endemic frequency . In the case of Shigella and SLT-producing E . coli clustering of cases and isolation of serologically identical strains indicated that infections were the result of common source outbreaks.

Int J Food Microbiol, 1991 Feb, 12(2-3), 271 - 4
Identification of thermotolerant Campylobacter species from poultry using an enzyme-labelled oligonucleotide DNA probe; Cudjoe KS et al.; A commercially available enzyme-labelled DNA probe for human Campylobacter strains has been tested and also found to hybridize with DNA from C . jejuni and C . coli isolates from poultry . DNA from 11 enteric, non-campylobacter organisms, included in the test as negative controls, failed to hybridize with the probe indicating that the probe might be used for identification of campylobacter from poultry too.

Int J Food Microbiol, 1991 Feb, 12(2-3), 151 - 6
Waterborne campylobacteriosis in northern Norway; Melby K et al.; A suspected waterborne outbreak of presumed campylobacteriosis involving approximately 680 of the 1000 inhabitants in a community is described . Twenty-two strains of Campylobacter jejuni were isolated from patients . Ten randomly chosen isolates were identified as biotype 1 LAU 0:1 (n = 9) and biotype 2 PEN 0:6, 7 (n = 1) and one from tap water as biotype 1 PEN 0:19, 22 . The majority of cases occurred within a period of 1 week . Examination of human sera obtained during the first 2 weeks of the epidemic (n = 38) revealed two patients producing antibodies directed only against the water isolate . The majority (89%) of sera collected 4 weeks later (n = 18) had antibodies directed against the most common human isolate . We suggest that all three serotypes of C . jejuni were involved in this outbreak, stressing the need for continuous surveillance and treatment of public drinking water sources.

Rheum Dis Clin North Am, 1991 Feb, 17(1), 25 - 42
Reiter's syndrome and associated arthritides; Keat A et al.; Several distinct arthritic syndromes now have been recognized in HIV-infected persons . These comprise seronegative spondarthritis, including classic Reiter's syndrome and psoriatic arthritis associated with HLA-B27, and undifferentiated arthritis usually confined to the lower limbs, unassociated with other lesions, and unrelated to any known genetic marker . In such cases great care should be taken to exclude infection . In addition, a syndrome of short-lived but sometimes severe arthralgias also occurs . Spinal pain is a major problem in some patients but ankylosing spondylitis appears to be rare among this group . Psoriasis probably occurs more often in the HIV-infected group than in the population in general and may be especially severe in those patients with arthritis . Arthritis has been reported in the United States, Europe, and Africa among persons considered to be at high and low risk for HIV infection . Arthritis can occur at any stage of HIV infection, but the true prevalence of arthritic syndromes and the nature of their association with HIV infection remains unclear . In view of the development of Reiter's syndrome in some patients, precipitating bacterial infections have been sought as the culprits . In a minority of cases, shigella, yersinia, and campylobacter infections have been implicated, but in the majority of cases, no specific infection has been identified . In most patients depletion of circulating CD4-positive lymphocytes is present by the time that arthritis is detected, but only limited data on synovial immunopathology are available . In some patients changes of nonspecific chronic synovial inflammation are present and synovial fluid cell counts are high . In other patients evidence of inflammatory changes is minimal . Human immunodeficiency virus has been isolated from joint fluid and identified in large mononuclear, probably dendritic, cells and lymphocytes . Synovium from patients dying with AIDS but with apparently normal joints also shows significant abnormalities that could lead to joint disease in long-term survivors . The possibility of a viral etiology of arthritis in some cases is suggested by the induction of arthritis in animals by lentivirus infection; it also is possible, however, that HIV enhances the effect of mechanisms that can operate in the absence of HIV infection . Conventional treatments of rheumatic lesions, including intraarticular steroids, appear to be safe and reasonably effective . Anecdotal evidence suggests that treatment with methotrexate and azathioprine leads to exacerbation of HIV disease and should be avoided.

Eur J Pediatr, 1991 Feb, 150(4), 277 - 8
Early onset neonatal sepsis with Campylobacter jejuni: a case report; Krishnaswamy R et al.; Perinatal infections with bacteria belonging to the genus campylobacter are being increasingly recognized . We present a case of early onset neonatal sepsis with Campylobacter jejuni (previously C . Fetus ss . jejuni or Vibrio jejuni) . The infant was born prematurely at 31 weeks of gestation and presented with respiratory distress and frequent apnoea from birth . The chest X-ray film demonstrated reticulogranular pattern consistent with hyaline membrane disease . The infant was successfully treated with ampicillin and gentamicin . C . jejuni infection should be considered in the differential diagnosis of early onset sepsis in the neonate and can mimic the radiological picture of hyaline membrane disease.

J Clin Microbiol, 1991 Feb, 29(2), 376 - 85
Campylobacter butzleri sp . nov . isolated from humans and animals with diarrheal illness; Kiehlbauch JA et al.; Seventy-eight aerotolerant Campylobacter isolates were characterized phenotypically and by DNA hybridization (hydroxyapatite method at 50 and 65 degrees C) . Two DNA relatedness groups were found . (i) Sixty-four strains belonged to aerotolerant Campylobacter DNA hybridization group 2 . These organisms were isolated from humans, primarily with diarrheal illness, and animals on several continents . Strains were aerotolerant at 30 and 36 degrees C and catalase negative or weakly catalase positive, grew in media containing glycine and on MacConkey agar, were susceptible to nalidixic acid, and were resistant to cephalothin . The name Campylobacter butzleri sp . nov . is proposed for this group . (ii) DNA hybridization group 1 consisted of the type strain of Campylobacter cryaerophila and 13 additional strains isolated from 10 animals outside the United States and from three humans within the United States . This group was genetically diverse; five strains were closely related to the type strain of C . cryaerophila (DNA hybridization group 1A), and eight strains were more closely related to one another (DNA hybridization group 1B) . Strains in DNA hybridization group 1B were phenotypically diverse, with two of eight strains resembling C . cryaerophila . The seven strains from DNA hybridization groups 1A and 1B which resembled C . cryaerophila and the C . cryaerophila type strain were aerotolerant only at 30 degrees C and catalase positive, did not grow in glycine or on MacConkey agar, were generally susceptible to nalidixic acid, and were resistant to cephalothin . The remaining six strains of DNA hybridization group 1B phenotypically resembled C . butzleri; however, they were generally catalase positive and susceptible to nalidixic acid and cephalothin . DNA hybridization group 1B is not designated as a separate species at this time since it cannot, with certainty, be separated genetically from C . cryaerophila or phenotypically from C . butzleri.

J Clin Microbiol, 1991 Feb, 29(2), 323 - 7
Evaluation of an immunofluorescence assay for specific detection of immunoglobulin G antibodies directed against Helicobacter pylori, and antigenic cross-reactivity between H . pylori and Campylobacter jejuni; Faulde M et al.; An immunofluorescence assay (IFA) for the detection of immunoglobulin G antibodies directed against Helicobacter pylori was evaluated by comparing 20 serum specimens from patients with a positive urease test on biopsy material and 20 serum specimens from patients with a negative test and with defined clinical symptoms . The resulting anti-H . pylori titers were classified as follows: negative, less than or equal to 64; borderline, 128; and positive, greater than or equal to 256 . By using these criteria, the IFA was subsequently tested, using 100 serum specimens from patients with gastric complaints . Overall, the titers were 71% positive, 10% borderline, and 19% negative . Depending on the patients' biopsy urease test results, the sensitivity and specificity of the assay were calculated to be 96% . Furthermore, these sera were classified into three subgroups on the basis of clinical manifestations: gastritis with 74% positive and 10% borderline titers, duodenal ulcer with 84% positive and 4% borderline titers, and gastric ulcer with 52% positive and 16% borderline titers . A serologic follow-up study was carried out with three patients with gastric ulcers who had been treated with colloidal bismuth subcitrate for 4 weeks and erythromycin for the final 2 weeks . The results indicate that a significant decrease in titer could be expected within 9 to 12 months after successful therapy, as determined by repeated negative CLO tests . Absorption experiments demonstrated that possible cross-reactivity between H . pylori and C . jejuni did not influence serodiagnosis.

J Clin Microbiol, 1991 Feb, 29(2), 283 - 6
Usefulness of a new serological test (Bio-Rad) to diagnose Helicobacter pylori-associated gastritis; van den Oever HL et al.; A semiquantitative serological test (G.A.P . test; Bio-Rad) to diagnose Helicobacter (Campylobacter) pylori-associated gastritis has recently become commercially available . This test was evaluated with sera from 72 dyspeptic patients with known H . pylori status . When the instructions provided by the manufacturer were applied strictly, the sensitivity of the test was only 32.7% . With a slight modification of the instructions, the performance characteristics were still unsatisfactory (specificity, 43.5%) . When a new cutoff value was determined by a receiver operating curve, the quality of the test (positive predictive value, 95.6%; negative predictive value, 77.8%) was slightly lower than that of a noncommercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (positive predictive value, 95.7%; negative predictive value, 84.0%) . It is concluded that the Bio-Rad G.A.P . test has low diagnostic yield, and it is stressed that commercial tests should be evaluated extensively before being applied in daily practice.

J Trop Med Hyg, 1991 Feb, 94(1), 50 - 4
Campylobacter jejuni as a cause of acute diarrhoea in children: a study at an urban hospital in Bangladesh; Haq JA et al.; The importance of C . jejuni as an aetiological agent of childhood diarrhoea was investigated at an urban children's hospital in Dhaka over a period of 1 year . C . jejuni was isolated from 25.5% of 102 diarrhoeal patients compared to 8.6% of 93 age and sex-matched healthy control children studied (P less than 0.002) . The organism was isolated as a single pathogen in 17.6% of diarrhoeal patients . No C . coli was detected . The infection rate was significantly higher (P less than 0.05) amongst children up to 1 year of age (32.8%) compared to those aged over 1 year (15.9%) . The clinical features of the majority of Campylobacter-positive cases resembled toxin-mediated secretory type diarrhoea . A fourfold rise of antibody titre against autologous Campylobacter strains was observed in the convalescent sera of Campylobacter-positive cases . The findings strongly suggest that C . jejuni is an important aetiological agent of childhood diarrhoea amongst Bengali children and therefore should be looked for in diarrhoeal illness.

Epidemiol Infect, 1991 Feb, 106(1), 77 - 82
Campylobacter diarrhoea and an association of recent disease with asymptomatic shedding in Egyptian children; Pazzaglia G et al.; A hospital-based case-control diarrhoea survey was conducted in Cairo, Egypt to determine the age-specific frequency of campylobacter infection among diarrhoeic and non-diarrhoeic children aged new born to 5 years . Campylobacter was the most common bacterial enteropathogen isolated from diarrhoeic stools . The overall prevalence of campylobacter isolations was 25.9% from stools of 143 diarrhoeic children compared to 15.2% of 132 non-diarrhoeic control children (P = 0.028) during the 4-month period of study . Children less than 1 year of age were at greatest risk of campylobacter infection with 32.6% of diarrhoeic patients culture positive, compared to 14.3% of controls . Asymptomatic shedding in controls was positively associated with a recent diarrhoeal episode (P = 0.019) and may be an important source of new infections.

Zhonghua Liu Xing Bing Xue Za Zhi, 1991 Feb, 12(1), 25 - 8
{Distribution of serotypes and biotypes of Campylobacter jejuni/coli strains from ten provinces/cities in China}; Fu HY; The Lior's schemes were used for serotyping and biotyping 301 C . jejuni/coli strains isolated from different hosts in ten provinces/cities of China . No difference was found between the serotype distributions of the strains isolated from various areas . Forty-one serotypes were detected . Of the isolates, 86.71% were typable and 3 new serotypes, LIO N-1, N-2 and N-3, were developed . The differences were proved among the serotype distributions of the isolates from different areas . It was shown that one host could be infected by two (or more) strains belonging to different serotypes at the same time . No association between a particular biotype and serotype was observed.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1991 Feb, 27 Suppl A, 1 - 9
The development of macrolides: clarithromycin in perspective; Neu HC; Macrolide antibiotics have been available and used clinically since 1952 . The class of drugs originated from a soil sample obtained from the City of Ilo-Ilo on the Island of Paray in the Philippines . Erythromycin has been the most widely used agent of this class called 'macrolides' because they possess the macrocyclic lactone nucleus . Many esters of erythromycin are well established as agents to treat a variety of respiratory and cutaneous infections, particularly in children . There has been a resurgence of interest in macrolides as a result of the recognition of pathogens such as Legionella, Chlamydia and Campylobacter spp . A number of new 14-membered macrolides have been synthesised in recent years with the goal of overcoming some of the problems of the older erythromycin agents . There has been variable activity of erythromycin against Haemophilus influenzae; there has been gastrointestinal irritation, particularly in adults; and the older agents are administered four times a day . Clarithromycin has increased activity against Legionella, and Branhamella spp., and Pasteurella multocida, and, with its 14-OH metabolite, inhibits Haemophilus spp . It is also more active against chlamydia and against anaerobic species while retaining excellent activity against streptococci including Streptococcus pneumoniae . It has increased plasma peak levels and a sufficiently long half-life for twice daily administration . Furthermore, it is well tolerated . Thus clarithromycin offers potential for use in those areas in which a safe, well tolerated macrolide will be used, namely respiratory, skin structure and selected diarrhoeal and genital infections.

J Bacteriol, 1991 Feb, 173(3), 937 - 46
Identification, characterization, and spatial localization of two flagellin species in Helicobacter pylori flagella; Kostrzynska M et al.; Flagellar filaments were isolated from Helicobacter pylori by shearing, and flagellar proteins were further purified by a variety of techniques, including CsCl density gradient ultracentrifugation, pH 2.0 acid disassociation-neutral pH reassociation, and differential ultracentrifugation followed by molecular sieving with a Sephacryl S-500 column or Mono Q anion-exchange column, and purified to homogeneity by preparative sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and transfer to an Immobilon membrane . Two flagellin species of pI 5.2 and with apparent subunit molecular weights (Mrs) of 57,000 and 56,000 were obtained . N-terminal amino acid analysis showed that the two H . pylori flagellin species were related to each other and shared sequence similarity with the N-terminal amino acid sequence of Campylobacter coli, Bacillus, Salmonella, and Caulobacter flagellins . Analysis of the amino acid composition of the predominant 56,000-Mr flagellin species isolated from two strains showed that it was comparable to the flagellins of other species . The minor 57,000-Mr flagellin species contained a higher content of proline . Immunoelectron microscopic studies with polyclonal monospecific H . pylori antiflagellin antiserum and monoclonal antibody (MAb) 72c showed that the two different-Mr flagellin species were located in different regions of the assembled flagellar filament . The minor 57,000-Mr species was located proximal to the hook, and the major 56,000-Mr flagellin composed the remainder of the filament . Western immunoblot analysis with polyclonal rabbit antisera raised against H . pylori or Campylobacter jejuni flagellins and MAb 72c showed that the 56,000-Mr flagellin carried sequences antigenetically cross-reactive with the 57,000-Mr H . pylori flagellin and the flagellins of Campylobacter species . This antigenic cross-reactivity did not extend to the flagellins of other gram-negative bacteria . The 56,000-Mr flagellin also carried H . pylori-specific sequences recognized by two additional MAbs . The epitopes for these MAbs were not surface exposed on the assembled inner flagellar filament of H . pylori but were readily detected by immunodot blot assay of sodium dodecyl sulfate-lysed cells of H . pylori, suggesting that this serological test could be a useful addition to those currently employed in the rapid identification of this important pathogen.

Vet Microbiol, 1991 Feb 1, 26(3), 279 - 89
Southern blot analysis of strain variation in Campylobacter mucosalis; Lin GF et al.; A panel of three DNA probes were derived at random from a genomic DNA library of Campylobacter mucosalis strain E8384-4 . Each probe hybridized specifically to C . mucosalis DNA from bacteria fixed to nylon membranes . The probes did not hybridize to DNA from other Campylobacter species or to other bacteria even at 100-fold higher amounts . Each probe hybridized to all of 24 isolates of C . mucosalis which had been collected over time from different geographic locations . Southern blot analysis of selected C . mucosalis isolates was carried out to determine if the probes would be useful for differentiating among various isolates . It indicated that restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) exist at the loci identified by our probes . These differences were used to characterize seven C . mucosalis isolates recovered from pigs in Minnesota . The results suggest that RFLP analysis may be a useful tool for epidemiological studies of C . mucosalis.

Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi, 1991 Feb, 71(2), 65 - 7,6
{Surveillance study on bacteriological etiology of 8371 children with diarrhea}; Wu S; The results of stool cultures from 8371 children of 0-13 years old with diarrhea during the years of January 1981 to December 1989 in Shanghai area are reported . 2906 strains of enteropathogenic bacteria were isolated, with total detection rate of 34.72% . Shigella were still the most common pathogens in 1981-1984, and Campylobacter jejuni took second place, whereas from 1985 on Campylobacter exceeded Shigella as the first pathogenic bacteria of children's diarrhea . Except in 1987 and 1988 Shigella sounei predominated over Shigella flexneri in detection rate within the past nine years, the detection rates of EPEC and Salmonella were lower . It was significant that Salmonella typhimurium was about half the number for Salmonella non typhi . During 1986 and 1987 we specially isolated and identified Vibrionaceae bacteria with 130 strains of Vibironaceae detected, occupying third place among pathogens of children's diarrhea in these two years, and among which aeromonas were the most common . This article analyses in detail the distribution of enteropathogenic bacteria with respect to their species, genus and serum type.

Dig Dis Sci, 1991 Jan, 36(1), 15 - 8
Helicobacter pylori and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome; Saeed ZA et al.; Helicobacter pylori (previously Campylobacter pylori) is almost invariably associated with chronic duodenal ulcer disease . The relationship between H . pylori infection and duodenal ulcer in Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is unknown . We investigated the frequency of H . pylori infection in Zollinger-Ellison syndrome and also what effect H . pylori infection had on gastric function in patients with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome . H . pylori infection was diagnosed based on a specific serologic (ELISA) assay based on high-molecular-weight cell-associated proteins of H . pylori . We studied 20 patients with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome; 15 men and 5 women ranging in age from 24 to 71 years, median age 51 . Six Zollinger-Ellison syndrome patients had H . pylori infection compared to 100 consecutive patients with chronic recurrent duodenal ulcer disease (P less than 0.05) . Pretreatment basal acid output in Zollinger-Ellison syndrome patients ranged from 7.9 to 95.0 mmol/hr, median 35.2 . Pentagastrin-stimulated maximal acid output ranged from 8.5 to 132 mmol/hr; median 52.7 . Acid secretion was lower in the H . pylori-infected patients than the uninfected patients (BAO 24.5 +/- 6.5 vs 45.4 +/- 6.6, and MAO 44.3 +/- 11.8 vs 67.9 +/- 10.7, for H . pylori infected vs uninfected patients, respectively) . The difference in BAO was statistically significant (P less than 0.05) . The present results indicate that H . pylori is not a major contributing factor in duodenal ulcer associated with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome . The association of a reduced BAO with H . pylori suggests that these findings may be related.

Mil Med, 1991 Jan, 156(1), 27 - 30
Travelers' diarrhea among United States military personnel during joint American-Egyptian armed forces exercises in Cairo, Egypt; Haberberger RL Jr et al.; A study was conducted of travelers' diarrhea in a United States military population on deployment in Cairo, Egypt, during July and August 1987 . Acute diarrhea requiring medical attention developed in 183 (4%) of 4,500 troops . A possible etiologic agent was identified in 49% of all diarrhea cases . Enteric pathogens associated with cases of diarrhea included: Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (17% ST-producers, 13% LT-producers, and 3% LT/ST-producers); Shigella (9%); Campylobacter spp . (2%); Salmonella (2%); and Vibrio cholerae non-01 serogroup (2%) . Other enteric pathogens isolated from one episode each of diarrhea included Aeromonas hydrophila group, Plesiomonas shigelloides, and Bacillus cereus . Yersinia enterocolitica, enteroinvasive E . coli, intoxications by Clostridium perfringens and Clostridium difficile, and pathogenic enteric parasites were not found in any of the 183 patients with diarrhea . A survey of military personnel not requesting medical care indicated that up to 40% of troops may have had diarrhea during this deployment . Acute gastroenteritis is a potential cause of substantial morbidity in U.S . military personnel deployed to Egypt.

Microb Pathog, 1991 Jan, 10(1), 15 - 26
Characterization of the Helicobacter pylori urease and purification of its subunits; Evans DJ Jr et al.; Helicobacter pylori (formerly Campylobacter pylori) is the causative agent of gastritis in man . Helicobacter pylori cells contain a large amount of an extremely active urease (E.C.3.5.1.5) . This enzyme is suspected to be a virulence factor since the ammonium ion produced from urea may be responsible for tissue injury and/or survival of H . pylori in the gastric environment . Helicobacter pylori urease, native relative molecular mass approximately 600,000, was purified by agarose gel filtration and ion exchange chromatography . DEAE-purified urease is highly active and has a Km of 0.48 mM for urea . The enzyme has a pI of 5.93 and is active from pH 4.0 to 10.0, with an optimum at pH 8.0 . The purified urease contains nickel and is composed of two protein subunits, with relative molecular masses of 66,000 and 31,000 . The subunits were separated and purified and the first 30 N-terminal amino acid residues were determined . A remarkably close relationship was found between both H . pylori urease subunits and jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis) urease, the subunit of which is a single 840 amino acid polypeptide . This subunit is also largely identical to the high molecular mass subunits of the ureases of Klebsiella aerogenes and Proteus mirabilis, evidence that these four ureases are derived from a common ancestral protein.

Ter Arkh, 1991, 63(4), 126 - 8
{The humoral and cellular immunity indices of patients with long-term nonhealing stomach ulcers with the presence of Campylobacter pylori}; Preobrazhenskii VN et al.; The authors relate the data on humoral and cellular immunity in patients with long nonhealing gastric ulcers . It has been shown that if these patients have Campylobacter pylori, there are no specific differences in the response of the immune system . During cicatrization, positive changes can be seen, namely an increase of T helper and decrease of suppressor activity of T lymphocytes together with a decline of the content of IgA and IgG.

Cent Afr J Med, 1991 Jan, 37(1), 20 - 3
Effect of iron-dextran on lethality of Nigerian isolates of Campylobacter jejuni in mice; Coker AO et al.; Mice were orally and intragastically challenged with standard suspensions containing 1 x 10(9-10) Colony Forming Units (C.F.Us) per ml of strains "2" and "5" of Campylobacter jejuni isolated in Lagos . Another group of mice received the same amount of C . jejuni and 1pc iron-dextran which was incorporated into the bacterial suspension ad Mueller-Hinton broth . Two sets of control mice were included in the study . One set received only 0.2 ml of phosphate buffered saline while the second set received a mixture of killed C . jejuni and 1pc iron-dextran . A standard control organism (C . jejuni) NCTC strain 11168 was included in the study . Results presented show that infection of mice with only C . jejuni did not result in clinical diarrhoea or death of the animals as was also observed in the two sets of control . However, when the mixture of 1pc iron-dextran and C . jejuni was given, 15 (75pc) and 13 (65pc) of twenty mice each given by infant mouse infection and intragastic challenge respectively died . All the surviving animals developed diarrhoea . The difference in this result when compared with controls and those that received only C . jejuni was statistically significant (P less than 0.05) . Incorporation of iron-dextran into C . jejuni suspension in the Mueller-Hinton broth enhanced virulence of the organism.

Antibiot Khimioter, 1991 Jan, 36(1), 46 - 8
{Comparative evaluation of the effectiveness of the treatment of gastroduodenal Campylobacter infection in children}; Korovina NA et al.; Schemes developed by the authors for antibacterial therapy of gastroduodenal bacterosis caused by Campylobacter spp . in children are described . The data on the treatment of 56 patients with duodenal ulcer and gastroduodenitis are presented . The efficacy of the treatment with medicines under the control of the clinical, endoscopic and microbiological indices was compared . The study showed that De-Nol, furazolidone and combination of trichopol (metronidazole) with vicair were the most efficient drugs for therapy of children with such diseases.

Ter Arkh, 1991, 63(2), 19 - 21
{Role of Campylobacter pylori and mucous microflora in the pathogenesis of long-non-healing stomach ulcers}; Prebrazhenskii VN et al.; Altogether 89 patients with long non-healing gastric ulcers were examined for Campylobacter pylori (CP) and mucous microflora . It is shown that in patients with long non-healing gastric ulcers, CP was only demonstrable in 19.8% of cases whereas pathological microflora (Candida and microbial associations) in 72.3% of cases . In patients with CP, the administration of de-nol, metronidazole and ampicillin were not sufficiently effective.

Pediatriia, 1991, (3), 15 - 9
{Gastroduodenal pathology in pyelonephritis in children}; Mazurin AV et al.; The authors describe lesions of the upper alimentary tract in 91 children aged 4 to 15 years suffering from pyelonephritis . Intragastric pH-metry, endoscopy and histological examination of biopsy specimens from the gastric and duodenal mucosa were carried out, as a result of which gastroduodenal pathology was diagnosed in 3/4 of the patients . In 69.4% of the children, biopsy specimens of the mucous membrane of the antrum of the stomach showed Campylobacter pylori . Such combined pathology requires, in addition to the treatment of pyelonephritis correction of the diet, administration of agents that may contribute to the decrease of upper alimentary tract inflammation . If Campylobacter pylori are detected, the treatment eliminating those bacteria is to be administered.

Pediatriia, 1991, (3), 11 - 5
{Clinical features of campylobacteriosis in children}; Vorotyntseva NV et al.; Campylobacters were found in 158 (6.7%) of 2,346 patients who were followed up for some years . The disease was more common among patients aged 1 to 3 years, particularly during summer . The clinical features of the disease are under discussion.

Rheumatol Int, 1991, 10(6), 231 - 4
Antibodies to arthritis-associated microbes in inflammatory joint diseases; Maki-Ikola O et al.; IgM, IgG and IgA class antibodies against Yersinia, Salmonella, Campylobacter and Borrelia were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in a group of 340 unselected patients with a recent inflammatory joint disease . The control group consisted of 340 and 100 healthy blood donors using Borrelia-ELISA and other ELISAs, respectively . Of all the patients, 27.4% had increased antibody levels against at least one of the microbes tested . The prevalence of positive antibody levels was highest in Yersinia antibodies (17.9%) . The corresponding figures for Salmonella, Campylobacter and Borrelia were 7.0, 6.2 and 1.8%, respectively . Patients with entero-arthritis or clinically typical reactive arthritis who had not had gastrointestinal or urogenital symptoms previously had the highest prevalence of the microbial antibodies (67.6 and 40.7%, respectively) . These findings indicate that arthritis may often have a reactive etiopathogenesis without recognized gastrointestinal infection, emphasizing the importance of microbial serology in the differential diagnosis.

Pediatriia, 1991, (1), 32 - 5
{Current problems of the treatment of duodenal ulcer in children}; Mazurin AV et al.; Having a large clinical material at their disposal, the authors base the necessity of the search and administration of more effective methods of duodenal ulcer treatment . Analyze the therapeutic effect produced by the enkephalin analogs (dalargin and its combinations with trichopol, de-nol, oxacillin) in connection with infection with Campylobacter . Comparison of the clinico-endoscopic data with the histological and cytological findings enabled arriving at a conclusion about the pathogenetic effect of the antimicrobial drugs . As a rule, the healing of ulcerous defects set in on days 11-14 of the treatment.

Zentralbl Mikrobiol, 1991, 146(1), 3 - 15
Environmental aspects of Campylobacter infections; Stelzer W et al.; Epidemiological data indicate high incidence of campylobacteriosis . Improperly prepared poultry-products, unpasteurized milk as well as non-chlorinated drinking water were shown to be the main vehicles of Campylobacter transmission to man . There is a lack of knowledge concerning the role of various environments in transmission of Campylobacter . The review summarizes the present knowledge about occurrence and survival of Campylobacters in various environments (sewage, sludge, surface water, drinking water) . In conclusion risk assessment for public health is discussed.

Ann Gastroenterol Hepatol (Paris), 1991 Jan-Feb, 27(1), 17 - 9
{Dyspepsia and Helicobacter (Campylobacter) pylori . Results of a randomized therapeutic trial using amoxicillin versus placebos}; Pouderoux P et al.; A population of non ulcer dyspepsia outpatients with a normal gastroscopy was assessed . Clinical complaints, the type of the gastritis, its activity and bacterial density were evaluated . Helicobacter pylori (HP) was sought by histology, urease test and culture, on 3 distinct locations . HP was found in 62 p . cent of the patients, always in association with gastritis . Urease test and histology had the same sensitivity in the detection of HP . A randomized double blind study with amoxicillin vs placebo was carried out in 23 patients . At the end of 4 week treatment, a gastroscopy with biopsies was performed . The amoxicillin treated patients were significantly cured or improved . HP was undetectable or the bacterial density was decreased in this group . After amoxicillin, urease test was more sensitive than histology . HP might be involved in the pathophysiology of non ulcer dyspepsia in patients where HP was found.

J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr, 1991, 4(6), 598 - 602
Incidence of campylobacteriosis among patients with AIDS in Los Angeles County; Sorvillo FJ et al.; The incidence and characteristics of campylobacteriosis among patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) in Los Angeles County were assessed by matching the Campylobacter and AIDS surveillance reporting registries for the years 1983-1987 . Campylobacter infection was reported in 29 (0.7%) of 4,433 AIDS cases . The average annual incidence of Campylobacter among AIDS cases (519/100,000) exceeded the crude population rate by 39-fold and exceeded the rate among males aged 15-55 years by 35-fold . Campylobacter infection was more common in female AIDS patients than male patients (p = 0.065) . A distinct seasonal variation was noted with peaks occurring in July and November . The median survival time for AIDS patients with Campylobacter (14 months) was lower than that for AIDS patients without Campylobacter (21 months); however, we were not able to assess potential confounders such as subsequent opportunistic infections or antiviral therapy and prophylactic regiment to validate this finding . Campylobacter cases with AIDS had higher rates of bacteremia and hospitalization than Campylobacter cases without AIDS . Attempts should be made to elucidate the sources of Campylobacter and other enteric infections among AIDS patients.

Indian J Med Res, 1991 Jan, 93, 26 - 8
Better preservation of Campylobacter jejuni/C . coli in a defined medium; Saha SK et al.; Campylobacter jejuni and C . coli strains were preserved at -10 degrees C in different stock media to determine their efficacy to preserve the organism for a longer period of time . An improved defined stock culture medium was developed for the organism by removal and effective neutralisation of the toxic metabolites . Comparative study revealed that phosphate buffer saline (PBS), pH 6.7 supplemented with 0.2 per cent charcoal, 0.025 per cent FBP (ferrous sulphate, sodium metabisulphate and sodium pyruvate), 0.1 per cent L-cystein and 10 per cent glycerol could support survival of C . jejuni coli strains for as long as 135 days at -10 degrees C followed by George's medium, brucella broth with 15 per cent glycerol, fetal calf serum with 50 per cent TSYB (tryplicase soy yeast-broth) and glycerol transport broth respectively.

Indian J Med Res, 1991 Jan, 93, 22 - 5
Comparison of selective medium supplemented with blood & a charcoal-based blood-free medium for primary isolation of campylobacters from human faeces; Bhadra RK et al.; A recently developed charcoal-based, blood-free selective medium-charcoal cefoperazone deoxycholate agar (CCDA) was compared with the conventional Butzler's agar (BA) for primary isolation of enteric campylobacters from human stool specimens . CCDA yielded higher percentage (93.6%) of positive isolations as compared to BA (76.6%) . The rate of isolation on CCDA was significantly higher (P less than 0.0001) than on BA . Cost-wise also, the CCDA medium was two times cheaper than BA . In addition to Campylobacter jejuni and C . coli, CCDA permitted the recovery of a recently described catalase-negative campylobacters which did not grow on BA . Based on these results the routine use of CCDA is recommended, particularly in developing countries, as blood is not required for this medium.

Int J Food Microbiol, 1991 Jan, 12(1), 9 - 16
Epidemiology of Campylobacter enteritis; Skirrow MB; Campylobacter enteritis is the commonest form of infective diarrhoea in most developed countries of the world . In England and Wales laboratory reports indicate an annual incidence of about 85/100,000, but the true rate is probably nearer 1100/100,000 . Measured costs run to many millions of pounds per year . Most infections are sporadic and believed to be foodborne; large outbreaks are infrequent and mostly due to the consumption of raw milk or unchlorinated water . Raw meats and animal products, notably broiler chickens, are the main source of campylobacters in food . A case-control study in the U.S.A., where eating habits are similar to those in Europe, attributed about one-half of human Campylobacter infections to the consumption of chickens . The production of Campylobacter-free chickens is not yet practicable, but considerable progress could be made to this end with sufficient motivation and resources from government and the poultry industry.

Int J Food Microbiol, 1991 Jan, 12(1), 77 - 89
The use of plasmid profiles and nucleic acid probes in epidemiologic investigations of foodborne, diarrheal diseases; Wachsmuth IK et al.; The application of nucleic acid analyses to investigations of infectious disease outbreaks has resulted in useful molecular strain markers that distinguish the epidemic clone of a particular pathogen and help identify specific vehicles of infection . We have successfully used plasmid profile analysis, restriction endonuclease digestion of plasmid and whole-cell DNAs, and nucleic acid hybridization to investigate recent outbreaks of foodborne diarrheal illness . Plasmid analysis has been important in identifying epidemic strains of Salmonella enteritidis and Escherichia coli O157:H7 . In a culture survey of S . enteritidis isolates from humans and a variety of animals, including chickens and chicken eggs, we identified 16 distinct plasmid profiles and used these to differentiate strains, especially within commonly occurring phage types (Colindale 8 and 13a) . HindIII digests of plasmid DNA were useful in distinguishing plasmids of similar mass but dissimilar enzyme target sequences; they clearly distinguished S . enteritidis strains causing systemic infections in children in parts of Africa from U.S . isolates . Investigations of outbreaks of hemorrhagic colitis have also been assisted by plasmid analysis . Restriction endonuclease digests of whole-cell DNA and Southern blot analysis, hybridizing with E . coli 16S and 23S rRNA (ribotyping), have been effective subtyping techniques, especially for plasmidless isolates of Campylobacter jejuni . In five outbreaks of C . jejuni infections, ribotyping of PvuII and ClaI digests distinguished individual epidemic strains within one commonly occurring C . jejuni serotype (Penner 2, Lior 4) . Preliminary data show that ribotyping of NcoI digests can also distinguish individual epidemic strains of E . coli O157:H7 and may provide a more stable marker than plasmid profiles . Specific DNA probes derived from cloned virulence genes of E . coli have been invaluable in epidemic investigations and surveys . Using colony hybridization, we found in one survey of stool specimens from 174 dairy cattle that 11% of animals were asymptomatically carrying Shiga-like toxigenic E . coli other than O157:H7 . We also found that newly synthesized oligonucleotide probes for the Shiga-like toxins I and II agreed 100% with cloned gene probes in a study of 613 E . coli strains . Future studies of these organisms will include the use of additional synthetic oligonucleotides as primers to amplify the toxin genes directly in patient and animal specimens by the polymerase chain reaction . There is a continuing and expanding role for molecular approaches in epidemiological investigations . The DNA methods described above are not based on the often complex expression of phenotypic characteristics, and, unlike sensitive and specific techniques such as phage typing, a single method can be used to study a variety of Gram-positive and negative bacterial pathogens.

Int J Food Microbiol, 1991 Jan, 12(1), 1 - 8
Campylobacter: pathogenicity and significance in foods; Butzler JP et al.; In the last 10 years Campylobacter jejuni has emerged as the most frequent cause of bacterial gastroenteritis in man . Acute enterocolitis, the most common presentation of C . jejuni infection, can affect persons of all ages . C . jejuni has been found in virtually every country where investigations have been carried out . The frequent finding of dysenteric stools suggests that mucosal damage due to an invasive process analogous to that seen in shigellosis is important in the pathogenesis . Campylobacteriosis in man is mainly a foodborne infection in which foods of animal origin, particularly poultry, play an important role . Epidemiological investigations have demonstrated a significant correlation between the handling and consumption of poultry meat and the occurrence of Campylobacter enteritis . Barbecues appear to present special hazards for infection, because they permit easy transfer of bacteria from raw meats to hands and other foods and from these to the mouth . Milk is sometimes found to be contaminated and consumption of raw milk has caused several outbreaks of campylobacteriosis . Campylobacter can remain viable in fresh cheese for only a short period of time . The organism is also found in shellfish, such as clams . Campylobacter is probably very vulnerable to factors such as high temperatures and dry environments, and also to the presence of oxygen in atmospheric concentrations . Therefore, it is assumed that the organism does not persist in products like pelleted feed, meals, egg powder and spices, which are often contaminated by Salmonella . A number of preventive measures on different levels, taken simultaneously, are needed to reduce the incidence of campylobacteriosis in man.

Ann Chir, 1991, 45(2), 182 - 4
{Late post-pneumonectomy hematogenous pyothorax . Apropos of 3 cases}; Bellamy J et al.; The authors describe three cases of patients who had previously undergone a pneumonectomy (two for cancer, one for bronchiectasis) with a favourable postoperative course, who subsequently developed pyothorax in the thoracic cavity . The bacteria isolated where in the first patient, Pasteurella Multocida; in the second, Campylobacter foetus foetus; in the third, a variety of anaerobic organisms . The characteristic of the organisms allow us to exclude the possibility that these cases of pyothorax were due to a contamination during the operation, in favour of transient bacteraemia with contamination of the fluid of the thoracic cavity . In a patient who has undergone pneumonectomy (as in patients with a joint or valve prosthesis) it is important to avoid (or to treat early) any infections which could give rise to bacteraemia, especially dental infections.

Can J Public Health, 1991 Jan-Feb, 82(1), 27 - 31
An outbreak of Campylobacter jejuni gastroenteritis linked to meltwater contamination of a municipal well; Millson M et al.; A large outbreak of Campylobacter jujuni gastroenteritis attributed to contamination of an unchlorinated municipal water system was investigated . Unlike most previous summer outbreaks, this one began in early spring and was attributed to meltwater entering one or more municipal wells . 241 suspected cases were documented, but retrospective information from local health care workers suggested a much larger outbreak . 45 laboratory-confirmed cases participated in a case-control study which showed a significant association between infection and amount of town water consumed . Stool specimens from 29 patients were studied with detailed serotyping by the method of Lior, with eight known serotypes and one previously unknown one identified . It is concluded that intensive surveillance of water quality during periods of spring runoff is essential, and that timely reporting of disease outbreak patterns in emergency department settings is necessary to protect the public's health.

Int J Syst Bacteriol, 1991 Jan, 41(1), 148 - 53
Helicobacter nemestrinae sp . nov., a spiral bacterium found in the stomach of a pigtailed macaque (Macaca nemestrina)
Bronsdon MA, Goodwin CS, Sly LI, Chilvers T, Schoenknecht FD.
A new microaerophilic, spirally curved, rod-shaped bacterium was isolated from the gastric mucosa of a pigtailed macaque (Macaca nemestrina) . The gram-negative cells of this bacterium are oxidase, catalase, and urease positive and strongly resemble Helicobacter pylori (Campylobacter pylori) cells . Like H . pylori, this organism does not metabolize glucose, does not reduce nitrate or produce indole, does not produce H2S from triple sugar iron agar, does not hydrolyze hippurate or esculin, and does not grow in the presence of 1% glycine, 1.5% salt, or 1% bile . Also like H . pylori, it is resistant to nalidixic acid and susceptible to cephalothin . However, unlike H . pylori, the colorless colonies are flat and have irregular edges . This organism has a unique cellular fatty acid composition, forming a new gas-liquid chromatography group, group K, and a distinctive DNA content (24 mol% guanine plus cytosine) . It exhibits less than 10% DNA-DNA homology (as determined by the nylon filter blot method at 65 degrees C) with other members of the genus Helicobacter . Although the levels of DNA relatedness between previously described Helicobacter species and the new organism are low (less than 10%) and the difference in guanine-plus-cytosine content is large (24 versus 36 to 41 mol%), the genus Helicobacter is the only genus in which it is logical to include the organism at this time . We propose that our single strain represents a new species, Helicobacter nemestrinae, and we designate strain T81213-NTB (= ATCC 49396) as the type strain.

J Clin Microbiol, 1991 Jan, 29(1), 99 - 103
Production and characterization of a monoclonal antibody specific for enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli of serotypes O157:H7 and O26:H11; Padhye NV et al.; A monoclonal antibody (MAb 4E8C12) specific for Escherichia coli O157:H7 and O26:H11 was produced by immunizing BALB/c mice with a rough strain of E . coli O157:H7 . The antibody reacted strongly by a direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with each of 36 strains of E . coli O157:H7 . No cross-reactivity was observed with strains of Salmonella spp., Yersinia enterocolitica, Shigella dysenteriae, Proteus spp., Escherichia hermanii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Campylobacter jejuni, Serratia marcescens, Citrobacter spp., Enterobacter cloacae, Hafnia alvei, Aeromonas hydrophila, and all except five strains of E . coli other than serotype O157:H7 (including strains of serotype O157 but not H7) . The E . coli strains (all of serotype O26:H11) that reacted with the antibody were enterohemorrhagic E . coli (EHEC) that were isolated from patients with hemolytic uremic syndrome or hemorrhagic colitis and produced verotoxin similar to that of E . coli O157:H7 . MAb 4E8C12 belongs to the subclass immunoglobulin G2a and has a kappa light chain . Tricine-sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of outer membrane proteins of E . coli of different serotypes followed by Western immunoblot analysis revealed that MAb 4E8C12 reacted specifically with two proteins of EHEC strains of serotypes O157:H7 and O26:H11 with apparent molecular weights of 5,000 to 6,000 . These proteins appeared to be markers specific for EHEC strains of serotypes O157:H7 and O26:H11 . This MAb, because of its specificity, may be a useful reagent of an immunoassay for the rapid detection of these types of EHEC isolates in clinical and food specimens.

J Clin Microbiol, 1991 Jan, 29(1), 90 - 5
Etiology of childhood diarrhea in Beijing, China; Kain KC et al.; To determine the role of recently recognized enteropathogens in childhood diarrhea in China, 221 children with diarrhea and 108 controls seen at the Beijing Children's Hospital were studied during April and May 1989 . Stools were examined for ova, parasites, and rotavirus, cultured for bacterial pathogens, and probed for enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), enteroinvasive E . coli (EIEC), enterohemorrhagic E . coli (EHEC), and enteropathogenic adherence factor-positive (EAF+) E . coli . Pathogens were identified in 56.5% of children with diarrhea and 43.5% of controls (P = 0.04) . Detection of enteropathogens was significantly greater in patients examined within 1 week of symptom onset (65%) than in patients examined later (39%; P = 0.01) . ETEC was the most frequently detected pathogen in children with diarrhea, accounting for 20% of the cases . Other agents identified in patients included the following: salmonellae, 12%; rotavirus, 7%; EIEC, 7%; EHEC, 7%; members of the Aeromonas hydrophila group, 6%; EAF+ E . coli, 5%; Ascaris lumbricoides, 3%; shigellae, 3%; campylobacters, 2%; and Vibrio spp., 0.5% . The isolation rates of salmonellae (P = 0.02), EAF+ E . coli (P = 0.04), and mixed pathogens (P = 0.05) were significantly greater for diarrhea patients than for controls . Resistance to multiple antimicrobial agents occurred in 39% of the Salmonella isolates, 22% of the Aeromonas isolates, and 17% of the Shigella isolates . Multiresistant salmonellae (P = 0.05) and shigellae were recovered from diarrheal stools only . Ciprofloxacin, cefotaxime, and imipenem were the only agents tested to which all bacterial isolates were susceptible in vitro . These results suggest that both traditional and newly recognized agents are important causes of childhood diarrhea in Beijing and that therapy may be complicated by indigenous antimicrobial resistance.

J Clin Microbiol, 1991 Jan, 29(1), 54 - 8
Biochemical and serological characterization of Campylobacter cryaerophila; Boudreau M et al.; Sixty-two isolates of Campylobacter cryaerophila were recovered from aborted porcine and bovine fetuses, from porcine, bovine, and equine feces, and from different tissues of a dead piglet . Phenotypic characterization was carried out on all isolates, and the results were compared with those obtained with the reference strains of C . cryaerophila, C . jejuni, C . coli, C . laridis, and C . hyointestinalis . The ability of C . cryaerophila strains to grow under aerobic conditions at 16 degrees C was found to be most useful in differentiating them from strains of other Campylobacter species . Studies were undertaken to develop a serotyping system for C . cryaerophila on the basis of the Lior serotyping system for C . jejuni and C . coli by use of a tube agglutination test with formalinized whole-cell (FWC) and boiled whole-cell (BWC) antigens . Antisera against 18 strains of C . cryaerophila were produced in rabbits . Thirty-five percent of C . cryaerophila strains were typed with the FWC suspension as an antigen, and 61% were typed with the BWC suspension as an antigen . None of the C . cryaerophila strains tested autoagglutinated in saline . BWC antigens of C . jejuni, C . coli, and C . laridis cross-reacted with C . cryaerophila, whereas FWC antigens did not cross-react . Neither FWC nor BWC antigens of C . hyointestinalis reacted with C . cryaerophila antisera.

J Clin Microbiol, 1991 Jan, 29(1), 51 - 3
Evaluation of techniques for isolation, subcultivation, and preservation of Helicobacter pylori; Ansorg R et al.; With sheep blood agar (SBA), Belo Horizonte medium, and Brussels campylobacter charcoal agar, 104 strains of Helicobacter pylori were detected in 309 gastric biopsies . Each medium revealed only 69 to 71% of the strains . Ten strains grew solely on SBA, and four strains each grew on Belo Horizonte medium and Brussels campylobacter charcoal agar . Subculturing of 50 fresh H . pylori isolates on SBA revealed a progressive reduction in growth with increasing passage . Thirty strains stopped growing between passages two and seven . Four strains survived more than 20 passages . The preservation of fresh H . pylori isolates at -193 and -70 degrees C and by lyophilization was compared by use of 10% porcine mucin solution, fetal calf serum, and a commercial cryopreservative fluid . Of 30 strains, 77 to 90% could be recultivated on SBA after preservation at -70 degrees C in all three storage media . The data indicate that for the primary isolation of H . pylori, not only one selective medium but several selective media with different antibiotic supplements plus at least one nonselective medium should be used to yield the highest culture rates . Frequent subculturing of H . pylori on SBA selects strains which may not be representative of clinical isolates . Storage of fresh H . pylori isolates at -70 degrees C in 10% mucin solution is a simple and effective preservation procedure.

J Clin Microbiol, 1991 Jan, 29(1), 183 - 9
Multivariate analyses of cellular fatty acids in Bacteroides, Prevotella, Porphyromonas, Wolinella, and Campylobacter spp; Brondz I et al.; The genera Bacteroides, Wolinella, and Campylobacter contain several similar species that require taxonomic revision . Fatty acid profiles of whole bacterial cells have proven useful for taxonomy . In this study, cellular fatty acids from Bacteroides, Prevotella, Porphyromonas, Wolinella, and Campylobacter spp . were identified and quantitated by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and the data were subjected to principal component analyses . Bacteroides fragilis, the type species of the genus Bacteroides, was distinct from the other organisms . While Bacteroides gracilis, Wolinella succinogenes, Wolinella curva, Wolinella recta, and Campylobacter fetus subsp . venerealis were close to each other, Prevotella (Bacteroides) buccae, Prevotella oralis, Prevotella oris, Prevotella disiens, Prevotella veroralis, Prevotella heparinolyticus, Porphyromonas (Bacteroides) endodontalis, and Bacteroides ureolyticus could be distinguished . B . fragilis was characterized by the presence of C3OH-i-1-, Ca-15, and Ci-15 and the absence of C12:0 and unsaturated fatty acids . For comparison, B . gracilis, B . ureolyticus, W . succinogenes, W . curva, W . recta, and Campylobacter fetus subsp . venerealis contained C12:0, C16:1, C18:1, and C3-OH-14 acids but lacked branched hydroxy and branched nonhydroxy acids . B . gracilis and B . ureolyticus are not "true" bacteroides.

J Bacteriol, 1991 Jan, 173(2), 618 - 26
Chemical characterization of Campylobacter jejuni lipopolysaccharides containing N-acetylneuraminic acid and 2,3-diamino-2,3-dideoxy-D-glucose; Moran AP et al.; Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) of four nonencapsulated strains of the human enteric pathogen Campylobacter jejuni were chemically characterized . When applied to two of the strains, extraction by a modified phenol-chloroform-petroleum ether method (H . Brade and C . Galanos, Eur . J . Biochem . 122:233-237, 1982) gave better yields of LPS than did extraction by the conventional hot phenol-water technique . Constituents common to all LPS were D-glucose, D-galactose, L-glycero-D-manno-heptose, 3-deoxy-D-manno-2-octulosonic acid, D-glucuronic acid, D-galactosamine, and phosphorylethanolamine . Phosphate was present in a relatively high amount . In addition, the LPS of three strains contained N-acetylneuraminic acid, whereas the LPS of the strain lacking this component contained 3-amino-3,6-dideoxy-D-glucose . The lipid A component contained phosphate with D-glucosamine and 2,3-diamino-2,3-dideoxy-D-glucose as the major amino sugars . Ethanolamine-phosphate was present also . The major fatty acids were ester- and amide-bound 3-hydroxytetradecanoic and ester-bound hexadecanoic acids, with a minor amount of ester-bound tetradecanoic acid . This is the first report of N-acetylneuraminic acid in the oligosaccharide moiety and diaminoglucose in the lipid A of C . jejuni LPS.

J Bacteriol, 1991 Jan, 173(2), 505 - 13
Isolation and biochemical and molecular analyses of a species-specific protein antigen from the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori; O'Toole PW et al.; A protein of Mr 26,000 which was present in large quantities in extracts of cells of Helicobacter pylori was purified to homogeneity by ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by gel filtration and reversed-phase chromatography or anion-exchange chromatography . The protein appeared to be associated with the soluble fraction of the cell, and antibodies raised against the protein were reactive with whole-cell lysates of a variety of H . pylori strains in a simple immunodot blot assay . This reaction was species specific . Protein sequence determination of the amino terminus and internal cyanogen bromide fragments and amino acid composition analysis were performed . An oligonucleotide derived from these data was used to clone a fragment encoding most of the coding sequence . Expression in Escherichia coli was dependent on vector promoters . The DNA sequence of the fragment was determined . DNA probes derived from the cloned fragment hybridized to genomic DNA of all H . pylori strains tested, but not to DNAs of Helicobacter mustelae, Wolinella succinogenes, various Campylobacter species, and a panel of gram-negative enteric bacteria . The apparent uniqueness of this protein may be exploited for the development of species-specific diagnostics for this gastric pathogen.

Dig Dis Sci, 1991 Jan, 36(1), 1 - 4
Diagnosis of Campylobacter pylori gastritis; Mertz H et al.; Campylobacter pylori is a bacterium that inhabits gastric mucosa . It causes chronic active gastritis and is highly associated with duodenal ulcer . Campylobacter pylori has a urease enzyme (not present in man), which allows diagnosis by a {14C}urea breath test . We compared two noninvasive tests, the breath test and serum ELISA, to biopsy and histologic diagnosis . Twenty-two patients who underwent gastroduodenoscopy for evaluation of possible peptic ulcer disease entered the study . The breath test detected the organism in eight of eight patients biopsy-positive for the organism (sensitivity 100%) . The breath test was negative in 12 of the 14 patients who were biopsy-negative (specificity 86%) . The ELISA was performed in 14 patients . It was positive in 5 of 5 patients biopsy-positive for the organism (sensitivity 100%) and negative in 7 of 9 patients who were biopsy-negative (specificity 78%) . We conclude that both the ELISA and the {14C}urea breath test are excellent noninvasive methods to detect Campylobacter pylori . However, only the breath test is suitable for following the response to treatment, as it detects the presence of the organism rather than an immune response to it.

J Hyg Epidemiol Microbiol Immunol, 1991, 35(3), 289 - 301
Antibiotic sensitivity pattern; experience at University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Chowdhury MN; Results of sensitivity testing were discussed based on examination of 5192 isolates of the various bacteria isolated from clinical specimens from King Khalid University Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia . Streptococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus pneumoniae were sensitive to penicillin and erythromycin . The sensitivity pattern of Staphylococcus aureus was also predictable as they were fairly sensitive to both methicillin (98%) and erythromycin (96%) . Neisseria gonorrhoeae (27%) showed a high level of resistance to penicillin . The resistance of Haemophilus influenzae to ampicillin and chloramphenicol was low . Brucella species was sensitive to tetracycline and rifampicin; resistance to streptomycin and cotrimoxazole was minimal being 1% and 6% respectively . The resistance of E . coli, Klebsiella species and Proteus species to second and third generation cephalosporins and amikacin was fairly low ranging from 1.3% to 3% . The gentamicin resistance for these organisms was also within the acceptable range (3%-10%) . Gentamicin and amikacin resistance for Pseudomonas aeruginosa was low (2-8%) . Salmonella typhi was sensitive to ampicillin, cotrimoxazole, and chloramphenicol . Salmonella enteritidis, Shigella species, and enteropathogenic E . coli were highly resistant to various antibiotics . Campylobacter jejuni was sensitive to gentamicin but 6% of isolates were resistant to erythromycin . Ninety six percent of Gram-negative rods except P . aeruginosa isolated from urine of patients having urinary tract infections were sensitive to amoxycillin-clavulanic acid . In addition, P . aeruginosa showed fairly low resistance to norfloxacin which is given orally to treat cystitis caused by this organism.

Scand J Infect Dis, 1991, 23(4), 473 - 9
Enterotoxin-producing bacteria isolated from Swedish travellers with diarrhoea; Jertborn M et al.; The isolation rate of bacterial enteropathogens of different species, particularly enterotoxin-producing Gram-negative bacteria, was determined in stool specimens from Swedish travellers with diarrhoea . Overall, bacterial enteropathogens were identified in 101 (47%) of the 217 travellers on their return home . The most common isolates were enterotoxin-producing bacteria (20%), Salmonellae (18%) and Campylobacter (8%), whereas Shigellae (3%) and Yersinia (0.5%) were rarely identified . Mixed infections were only found in 8 (4%) of the stool specimens . Enterotoxigenic bacteria of Escherichia coli (ETEC), Klebsiella, Morganella, Citrobacter, Pseudomonas and EF-group 10 species were identified . ETEC accounted for 37/43 (86%) enterotoxin-producing strains, and among them 54% produced heat-stable enterotoxin (ST) alone, 16% heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) alone and 30% both LT and ST . Four of the enterotoxin-producing non-E . coli strains produced ST and 2 produced LT alone . The isolation rate of enterotoxin-producing bacteria was somewhat higher in travellers visiting Africa, Asia and Latin America (24%) than in those travelling to Southern Europe (14%) . Salmonellae, on the other hand, were identified in stools significantly more often after travel to Southern Europe (26%) than to various subtropical and tropical areas (12.5%).

Arch Microbiol, 1991, 155(6), 566 - 71
Isolation of Clostridium propionicum strain 19acry3 and further characteristics of the species; Janssen PH; Two mixed cultures able to ferment acrylate to equimolar acetate and propionate were enriched from anaerobic sediments . From one of these mixed cultures a pure culture of a Gram-positive, obligately anaerobic bacterium was isolated . This strain, designated 19acry3 (= DSM 6251) was identified as belonging to the species Clostridium propionicum . Only a narrow range of organic compounds supported growth, including acrylate and lactate . Acrylate and lactate were fermented to acetate and propionate in a 1:2 molar ratio . When co-cultured with the non-acrylate-fermenting "Campylobacter" sp . strain 19gly1 (DSM 6222), the fermentation balance shifted to almost equimolar acetate and propionate . Strain 19acry3 was compared with Clostridium propionicum type strain X2 (DSM 1682) . The two strains displayed similar phenotypic properties . The mol% G + C of DNA isolated from both strains was 36-37 (by thermal denaturation) . Both strains displayed a characteristic fluorescence when observed by fluorescence microscopy . Cell-free extracts of both strains were examined by spectrophotofluorimetry . In both strains, two excitation peaks were observed at 378 and 470 nm . Excitation at either of these wavelengths resulted in an emission maximum at 511 nm.

J Hyg Epidemiol Microbiol Immunol, 1991, 35(2), 209 - 16
Characterization of Campylobacter jejuni strains occurring in the USSR and the Czech Republic; Lhotova H et al.; In 1986-1989 the microbiological laboratory in Prague obtained 100 Campylobacter jejuni strains while its counterpart in Moscow gained 120 such strains . The strains were primarily isolated from humans with diarrheal disease, from domestic and wild animals and from the environment . Most C . jejuni strains were successfully specified and classified using a Czechoslovak serotyping scheme proposed by Kahlich . Serotypes 1, 2, 7, 15, 22 and 24 occurred most frequently in the Czech Republic whereas in the Soviet Union the most common serotypes were 7, 16, 5, 2, 1 . The proportion of strains which could not be identified in the serotyping scheme was about 10% in the USSR and 20% in the Czech Republic . Our findings suggest differences between the USSR and the Czech Republic in the prevalence and incidence particular serotypes of C . jejuni strains.

J Hyg Epidemiol Microbiol Immunol, 1991, 35(2), 199 - 207
On the microbiological diagnostics of Campylobacter jejuni; Aldova E et al.; Investigation of campylobacteriosis cases in 1983-1989 resulted in the isolation of a total of 245 antigenically identified and 23 unidentified strains from humans, animals and foods . A commonly accepted method developed in 1985 using our own experience was used for strain isolation and culturing . A variety of nutrient media in combination with different supplementary substances (antibiotics, growth factors) and additives, such as horse serum, were verified as well as filtration and Fortner's procedures . The best results were obtained when material was stored in thioglycolate transport medium accompanied by cold enrichment (24 h at 4 degrees C) and repeated inoculation into appropriate solid nutrient medium . Owing to the simple culturing of C . jejuni, the number of not elucidated diarrheas was reduced and the incidence of campylobacteriosis (approximately 12 %) is higher than that of salmonellosis and shigellosis . A total of 245 C . jejuni strains was classified using Kahlich's antigenic scheme . The incidence of serovars 1 and 2 was greater than 10 % . Five serovars (13, 17, 25, 26 and 27) were represented by only one strain . The study of campylobacteriosis also revealed the long-term excretion of C . jejuni by convalescents (71 days at most) as well as the occurrence of family outbreaks . Procedures were developed to ensure short-term and long-term (freeze-drying) preservation of isolated strains . The number of cases reported by microbiological laboratories in the framework of the Hygienic Service throughout Czechoslovakia suggest an increase in positive findings with C . jejuni as the etiological agent.

Vutr Boles, 1991, 30(2), 72 - 4
{Campylobacter (Helicobacter) pylori in chronic erosive gastritis, duodenitis and gastroduodenitis}; Kolarski V et al.; The presence and degree of manifestation of Campylobacter (Helicobacter) pylori in gastroduodenal mucosa were studied in 100 patients (56 men, mean age 51.4 years, and 44 women, mean age 46.5 years) with endoscopically proved chronic erosive gastritis (52 patients), erosive duodenitis (36 patients) and erosive gastroduodenitis (12 patients) . The examinations revealed the presence of Campylobacter (Helicobacter) pylori in mean 77% of the patients with erosive gastritis, duodenitis and gastroduodenitis . Campylobacter (Helicobacter) pylori was found most often in patients with chronic erosive duodenitis--83.3%, whereas in the patients with erosive gastritis it was found in 73.07% . In 83.33% of the patients with chronic erosive gastritis, duodenitis and gastroduodenitis the campylobacter infection was well manifested--(++) according to Le Bodie et al (1987) . The results allow the conclusion that one of the important pathogenetic factors of erosive gastritis, duodenitis and gastroduodenitis is the Campylobacter (Helicobacter) pylori infection of gastroduodenal mucosa.

Aliment Pharmacol Ther, 1991, 5 Suppl 1, 129 - 43
Helicobacter pylori: review of research findings; Dooley CP; Helicobacter pylori attracted widespread interest from gastroenterologists because of its potential aetiologic role in disorders of the upper gastrointestinal tract . Based on extensive microbiological studies, Campylobacter pylori was renamed Helicobacter pylori, and the organism represents a new genus of bacteria . It is generally accepted that H . pylori causes chronic, non-specific gastritis (type B gastritis) . The inflammatory response occurs even though the bacterium does not penetrate the gastric epithelium; it is found on the surface of and adjacent to the epithelium . The clinical significance of histological gastritis is unknown . The bacterium is often found in asymptomatic subjects . In Caucasian adults, the prevalence of infection increases with increasing age . Higher rates of infection are found in blacks and Hispanics than would be expected for their age . Whether these different rates are the result of racial or socioeconomic factors is not known . It is theorized, but not proven, that high rates of infection with H . pylori at an early age may explain the high incidence of gastric carcinoma found in Hispanic populations . H . pylori is found in almost every patient with duodenal ulcer disease, although no direct evidence for a causal relationship exists . Indirect evidence is based on the findings that if H . pylori infection is eradicated, ulcer recurrence is less likely (up to one year of follow-up) . A small percentage of patients have a relapse despite eradication of the organism, suggesting a role for other factors in duodenal ulcer disease . The role of H . pylori in gastric ulcer disease is unknown . Seventy to eighty per cent of patients with gastric ulcer have evidence of H . pylori infection, and preliminary data seem to support the existence of two distinct aetiologic groups: those with gastric ulcers related to H . pylori infection and those with gastric ulcers related to use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs . The role of H . pylori in non-ulcer dyspepsia is unknown . Some clinicians believe that H . pylori causes non-ulcer dyspepsia and treat these patients for H . pylori infection . However, the data supporting this practice are poor . Treatment is only recommended for patients with resistant duodenal ulcers and patients who have frequent relapses of duodenal ulcers and who are willing to take triple-drug therapy (bismuth compounds, metronidazole, tetracycline) for the infection . As 95% of patients with duodenal ulcer have evidence of H . pylori infection, there is probably little need to confirm the diagnosis of H . pylori infection.

Scand J Infect Dis, 1991, 23(3), 369 - 71
Septicaemia caused by unusual Campylobacter species (C . laridis and C . mucosalis); Soderstrom C et al.; Two cases of campylobacter septicaemia are described . The first, caused by Campylobacter laridis was associated with gastroenteritis and occurred in a healthy individual . In the second case, a catalase negative species, C . mucosalis was isolated from blood in an immunocompromised patient with symptoms of pneumonia . Both campylobacter strains grew faintly under the routine culture conditions used . Improved diagnostic procedures for Campylobacter species may thus be warranted.

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