Bactericidal

EMBO J, 1991 Feb, 10(2), 467 - 76
The peptide antibiotic microcin B17 induces double-strand cleavage of DNA mediated by E . coli DNA gyrase; Vizan JL et al.; Microcin B17 (MccB17) is a bactericidal peptide antibiotic which inhibits DNA replication . Two Escherichia coli MccB17 resistant mutants were isolated and the mutations were shown to map to 83 min of the genetic map . Cloning of the mutations and Tn5 insertional analysis demonstrated that they were located inside gyrB . The approximate location of the mutations within gyrB was determined by constructing hybrid genes, as a previous step to sequencing . Both mutations were shown to consist of a single AT----GC transition at position 2251 of the gene, which produces a Trp751----Arg substitution in the amino acid sequence of the GyrB polypeptide . The inhibitory effect of MccB17 on replicative cell-free extracts was assayed . In this in vitro system, interaction of MccB17 with a component of the extracts induced double-strand cleavage of plasmid DNA . In vivo treatment with MccB17 also induced a well-defined cleavage pattern on chromosomal DNA . These effects were not observed with a MccB17-resistant, gyrB mutant . Altogether, our results indicate that MccB17 blocks DNA gyrase by trapping an enzyme-DNA cleavable complex . Thus, the mode of action of this peptide antibiotic resembles that of quinolones and a variety of antitumour drugs currently used in cancer chemotherapy . MccB17 is the first peptide shown to inhibit a type II DNA topoisomerase.

J Med Microbiol, 1991 Feb, 34(2), 113 - 8
Growth of Legionella spp . under conditions of iron restriction; Goldoni P et al.; The growth inhibiting activity of transferrins, citrate, 2-2' dipyridyl and desferrioxamine methanesulphonate towards Legionella spp . and their serogroups was investigated . The inhibitory activity of all these compounds depended upon the iron-free state of the molecules and was abolished by saturation with iron . No bactericidal effect by transferrins was observed at concentrations up to four times the minimal bacteriostatic concentration . No interaction of transferrins with the legionella cell surface was detected by direct or indirect fluorescence assay, or by dialysis culture experiments in which transferrin was separated from the bacterial cells . The demonstration of a siderophore-like activity in supernates of iron-deficient legionella cultures may account for the ability of Legionella spp . to multiply in conditions of iron restriction.

Blood, 1991 Jan 15, 77(2), 393 - 9
Neutrophil function and pyogenic infections in bone marrow transplant recipients; Zimmerli W et al.; In a consecutive entry trial, the incidence and time course of decreased neutrophil function was assessed in 20 patients treated with allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) . The aim of the study was to assess the prognostic value of low neutrophil function for late pyogenic infections . Chemotaxis, superoxide production, and phagocytic-bactericidal activity were studied before and 2, 6, 9, and 12 months after BMT . Skin window migration was quantitatively assessed 2 months after BMT . Infectious complications were recorded prospectively with preset criteria during 1 year . Six of the 20 leukemic patients had defective neutrophil function before BMT . Two months after BMT all 10 patients with greater than stage II graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), and 6 of 10 patients with less than or equal to stage II GVHD had at least one decreased function . At this time, patients with subsequent pyogenic infections had lower chemotaxis (P less than .05), phagocytic-bactericidal activity (P less than .005), and superoxide production (P less than .025) than those without . Defective skin window migration and combined defects were predictive for late pyogenic infections . At 9 months all tests were normal in seven patients surviving without GVHD . In contrast, at 9 months three of three patients, and at 1 year two of three with chronic GVHD had still decreased neutrophil function . In conclusion, neutrophil function is frequently impaired during the first months after BMT . Combined neutrophil defects predispose to pyogenic infections and indicate the patient at risk.

Free Radic Res Commun, 1991, 12-13 Pt 2, 479 - 88
Bactericidal activity of catecholamine copper complexes; Aronovitch J et al.; Washed or growing E . coli cells are killed by epinephrine, norepinephrine or dopamine in the presence of non lethal concentrations of Cu(II) . Killing is enhanced by anoxia and by sublethal concentrations of H2O2 . The rate of killing is proportional to the rate of catecholamine oxidation . The copper epinephrine complex binds to E . coli cells, induces membrane damage and depletion of the cellular ATP pool . The cells may be partially protected by SOD or catalase but not by OH radical scavengers . Addition of H2O2 to cells which were sensitized by preincubation with the epinephrine-copper complex, causes rapid killing and DNA degradation . Sensitized cells are not protected by BSA.

Fiziol Zh, 1991 Jan-Feb, 37(1), 94 - 9
{Experimental studies of the effect of Rhabdovirus infection on hematological, immunological and biochemical indicators in cold-blooded animals}; Temnikhanov IuD et al.; Bactericidal activity of blood serum (BABC), content of lysozyme, protein in it were recorded as well as formula and form of erythrocytes, activity of digestive enzymes by results of free amino acid accumulation in the food substrate were determined ten days after rhabdovirus injection to one-year-old carp . It is shown that if there are no clinical symptoms of viremia in carps, BABC, relative number of stab neutrophils and the value of eccentricity index in erythrocytes increase . Simultaneously stimulation of the activity of digestive enzymes and formation of free amino acids in chyme whose content is higher than that in the intact fish are observed in such fish . Free amino acids are discussed for expediency to be used as an additive to the folder for increasing resistivity of fish to infections.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1991 Jan, 27(1), 127 - 36
Bactericidal effects of amoxycillin/clavulanic acid against a Legionella pneumophila pneumonia in the weanling rat; Smith GM et al.; Amoxycillin/clavulanic acid and clavulanic acid have been previously reported to demonstrate bactericidal activity in tissue culture studies against intracellular Legionella pneumophila . A rat model of legionellosis was therefore developed for the purpose of assessing the efficacy of these agents against L . pneumophila in vivo . Therapy by the subcutaneous route was started 12 h after infection when the majority of the bacteria observed in lavage fluid were residing in alveolar macrophages . Treatment with amoxycillin was ineffective in reducing the bacterial counts of L . pneumophila in lung homogenates whereas amoxycillin/clavulanic acid displayed bactericidal effects of the same order as the control antibiotic, erythromycin . Further in-vivo studies are planned to assess the clinical relevance of these findings.

Pediatriia, 1991, (3), 47 - 52
{T-activin in multimodal treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus in children}; Kartasheva VI et al.; The efficacy of taktivin was examined by comparison of the time-course of changes in cellular immunity, the course of the underlying disease and the incidence of infectious complications in two groups of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) . The first group included 49 patients aged 8 to 15 years receiving taktivin, the second one 34 children of the same age not given immunomodulatory therapy . The morphofunctional status of the thymus was studied in 9 cases on autopsy . The prolonged treatment with taktivin (for 4 weeks and over) resulted in an increase of the number of patients with the improved health status and reduction of SLE activity, in a rise of the content of serum thymic factor, activation of the processes of T lymphocyte differentiation, in an increase of the lymphocyte count in patients with secondary infection, activation of phagocytosis, rise of bactericidal activity of the serum, which entailed the elimination and prevention of the development of secondary infectious complications . Taktivin promotes the normalization of the thymic structure and exerts a replacement effect.

Am J Vet Res, 1991 Jan, 52(1), 169 - 73
In vitro and in vivo evaluation of effects of a heptanoyl tripeptide, FK-565, on porcine macrophage and lymphocyte function; Chitko CG et al.; A series of experiments was performed in vitro and in vivo to determine the influence of FK-565, a heptanoyl tripeptide, on lymphocyte and macrophage function in swine . Compared with values for control cultures, mitogen-stimulated lymphocyte blastogenesis and interleukin-2 production were unaffected in cells preincubated with 0.1, 1.0, and 10.0 micrograms of FK-565/ml . Natural killer cell activity was increased by preincubation with 1.0 microgram of FK-565/ml; however, this increase was not statistically significant . In vitro treatment of porcine alveolar macrophages with FK-565 did not enhance cytolytic activity or bactericidal activity . In in vivo experiments, FK-565 given orally to pigs at concentrations of 6 or 60 micrograms.kg-1.d-1 for 5 days did not affect lymphocyte blastogenesis, interleukin-2 production, or alveolar macrophage bactericidal activity . A trend toward increased natural killer cell activity was evident in pigs treated with FK-565 . In contrast, pigs treated with 6 micrograms.kg-1.d-1 had significantly (P less than 0.01) decreased alveolar macrophage cytolytic activity . These data indicate that at the dosages tested, FK-565 is not a suitable immunomodulator for enhancement of nonspecific immunity in swine.

Infect Immun, 1991 Jan, 59(1), 216 - 21
Cooperative complement- and bacterial lectin-initiated bactericidal activity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes; Kurashima C et al.; The recognition of glycoconjugate receptors on sialidase-treated polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) by the Gal/GalNAc-reactive fimbrial lectin of Actinomyces viscosus T14V has previously been shown to initiate lactose-inhibitable phagocytosis and subsequent killing of the bacteria . Although a mutant lacking fimbriae, A . viscosus 147, was not destroyed by this mechanism, the present studies demonstrate that the deposition of C3 fragments on this bacterium by anti-A . viscosus 147 immunoglobulin M (IgM) prior to incubation with either untreated or sialidase-treated PMNs correlated with a reduction in viability of approximately 2 log10 . This bactericidal activity was unaffected by lactose . A similar decrease in viability was observed following the addition of untreated PMNs to A . viscosus T14V preincubated with anti-A . viscosus 147 IgM and complement, conditions favorable for C3- but not lectin-mediated bactericidal activity . Neither IgM nor complement alone was opsonic for either strain, and individually they did not alter killing of A . viscosus T14V by sialidase-treated PMNs or inhibition of this bactericidal activity by lactose . The number of viable A . viscosus T14V cells was decreased by approximately 3.5 log10 when the bacteria were incubated with IgM and complement prior to the addition of sialidase-treated PMNs, and lactose only partially inhibited this response . Thus, the PMN-dependent bactericidal activity initiated by the participation of both the actinomyces lectin and complement was significantly greater than that achieved by either ligand alone.

Scand J Gastroenterol Suppl, 1991, 185, 1 - 6
The mode of action of colloidal bismuth subcitrate; Lee SP; Colloidal bismuth subcitrate (CBS) is very effective in the treatment of gastroduodenal disorders and appears to act via several mechanisms . It has little acid-neutralizing effect and does not affect acid secretion . It is uncertain whether CBS affects pepsin secretion, but it does inhibit peptic activity . It causes an increase in mucus glycoprotein secretion and may also bind to the gastric mucus layer to act as a diffusion barrier to HCl . CBS accelerates ulcer healing and causes an accumulation of epidermal growth factor around the ulcer . In addition, it has a cytoprotective effect and increases mucosal secretion of prostaglandins and bicarbonate . CBS has bactericidal effects against Helicobacter pylori (which is associated with gastritis and peptic ulcers) . It also prevents adhesion of H . pylori to epithelial cells and can inhibit enzymes secreted by H . pylori, such as proteases, lipases, glycosidases, and phospholipases.

Am J Nephrol, 1991, 11(2), 102 - 11
Impaired phagocytosis in dialysis patients: studies on mechanisms; Alexiewicz JM et al.; Dialysis patients have increased susceptibility to infection and this is, in part, due to impaired phagocytic and bactericidal activities of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) . The mechanisms responsible for the reduced phagocytosis are not known . Dialysis patients have elevated blood levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH), and available data indicate that PMNL is a target cell for PTH . Chronic exposure to excess PTH may cause accumulation of calcium in PMNL which in turn could adversely affect cellular events leading to their dysfunction . We studied phagocytosis, resting levels of cytosolic calcium {( Ca2+}i), ATP content and the rise in {Ca2+}i in response to ligation of Fc gamma RIII receptors with 3G8 monoclonal antibody in PMNL from 37 dialysis patients and 48 normal subjects . The PMNL from the dialysis patients displayed impaired phagocytosis, elevated resting levels of {Ca2+}i, decreased ATP content and a smaller rise in {Ca2+}i in response to various doses of 3G8 monoclonal antibody as compared to values obtained in PMNL of normal subjects . Our results suggest that derangements in cellular metabolism and possibly an abnormality in Fc gamma RIII interaction with antibody and/or the consequences of such interaction are responsible, at least in part, for the impaired phagocytosis of PMNL of dialysis patients . Our data are consistent with the notion that excess PTH may play an important role in the processes leading to impaired phagocytosis.

Acta Leprol, 1991, 7(4), 321 - 6
Ofloxacin for the treatment of leprosy; Ji B et al.; Among the major commercially available fluoroquinolones, ciprofloxacin was inactive against M . leprae in mice; pefloxacin was active, 50 mg/kg daily showed bacteriostatic activity but 150 mg/kg daily displayed bactericidal activity; ofloxacin was more active than pefloxacin, 50 mg/kg daily exerted the same level of bactericidal effect as pefloxacin 150 mg/kg daily, and ofloxacin 150 mg/kg displayed profound killing activity . Two clinical trials with 6 months of pefloxacin and/or ofloxacin in 31 previously untreated lepromatous patients have been completed . Pefloxacin 400 mg twice daily or 800 mg once daily or ofloxacin 400 mg once daily were equally effective; definite clinical improvement with drastically decrease of morphological index to the baseline were observed in all patients at 2 months after beginning of treatment; about 99.99%, or 4 "logs", of organisms viable on Day 0 were killed by 22 doses of either pefloxacin or ofloxacin . The side effects from the two trials were rare and mild, and the patients tolerated extremely well the combinations of pefloxacin/ofloxacin plus multidrug therapy (MDT) regimen for multibacillary leprosy recommended by WHO . The amount of rifampicin-resistant mutants in lepromatous patients before treatment are no more than 4 "logs", thus, all rifampicin-resistant mutants may be eliminated by 22 doses of either pefloxacin or ofloxacin . It is, therefore, possible that the combination of ofloxacin and rifampicin may considerably shorten the required duration of MDT.

Sov Med, 1991, (7), 29 - 31
{The clinico-laboratory assessment of the efficacy of dalargin in treating acute suppurative-inflammatory processes of the maxillofacial area}; Bazhanov NN et al.; The data obtained by the authors provide evidence on dalargin effect on immune condition of patients with pyoinfammation of maxillofacial soft tissues . Dalargin administration leads to a rise in T-sensitive lymphocyte subpopulation in all the patients as well as stimulates functional activity of peripheral blood polymorphonuclear neutrophils . Similar results were obtained in vitro with dalargin addition to leukocytic suspension despite the absence of the drug bactericidal activity.

Microbiol Immunol, 1991, 35(4), 315 - 24
The analysis of the defense mechanism against indigenous bacterial translocation in X-irradiated mice; Kobayashi T et al.; The defense mechanism against indigenous bacterial translocation was studied using a model of endogenous infection in X-irradiated mice . All mice irradiated with 9 Gy died from day 8 to day 15 after irradiation . The death of mice was observed in parallel with the appearance of bacteria from day 7 in various organs, and the causative agent was identified to be Escherichia coli, an indigenous bacterium translocating from the intestine . Decrease in the number of blood leukocytes, peritoneal cells and lymphocytes in Peyer's patches or mesenteric lymph nodes was observed as early as 1 day after irradiation with 6 or 9 Gy . The mitogenic response of lymphocytes from various lymphoid tissues was severely affected as well . The impairment of these parameters for host defense reached the peak 3 days after irradiation and there was no recovery . However, in vivo bactericidal activity of Kupffer cells in mice irradiated with 9 Gy was maintained in a normal level for a longer period . It was suggested that Kupffer cells play an important role in the defense against indigenous bacteria translocating from the intestine in mice.

Diagn Cytopathol, 1991, 7(1), 57 - 9
Fine-needle aspiration cytology in a case with features of chronic granulomatous disease; Drut R; Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of enlarged cervical lymph nodes of a 9-yr-old boy complaining of progressive weight loss showed a combination of a necrotizing granulomatous process and pigmented histiocytes . The diagnosis of chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) of childhood was proposed, and it was later confirmed by histology . Although the NBT test was negative, the patient responded well to prolonged bactericidal therapy with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole associated with parenteral nutrition, indicating a rare case of CGD with a negative Nitro-Blue Tetrazolium (NBT) test . The cytologic findings appear to be unique for this disease.

Prog Food Nutr Sci, 1991, 15(1-2), 43 - 60
Folate status and the immune system; Dhur A et al.; Folic acid plays a crucial role in DNA and protein synthesis, suggesting that every mechanism in which cell proliferation intervenes may be altered . Cell-mediated immunity is especially affected by folate deficiency: the blastogenic response of T lymphocytes to certain mitogens is decreased in folate-deficient humans and animals, and the thymus is preferentially altered . The effects of folic acid deficiency upon humoral immunity have been more thoroughly investigated in animals than in humans, and the antibody responses to several antigens have been shown to decrease . Conversely, the phagocytic and bactericidal capacities of polymorphonuclear cells have been studied mainly in folate-deficient humans . However results in this field are controversial . Alterations in immune system functions could lead to decreased resistance to infections, as commonly observed in folate-deficient humans and animals.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1991 Jan, 35(1), 180 - 1
In vitro activity of azithromycin against clinical isolates of Legionella species; Edelstein PH et al.; The activities of azithromycin, erythromycin, and ciprofloxacin against 21 Legionella isolates were measured by an agar dilution method and in macrophages . The MICs for 90% of strains tested were 2.0, 1.0, and 0.5 micrograms/ml for azithromycin, erythromycin, and ciprofloxacin, respectively . Azithromycin and ciprofloxacin were both bactericidal in the macrophage system, but erythromycin was bacteriostatic.

Acta Cient Venez, 1991, 42(5), 257 - 65
{Synthesis of 1-substituted nitroimidazoles and its evaluation as radiosensitizing agents}; Adams DR et al.; The synthesis of various substituted nitroimidazoles with lipophilic and hydrophilic side chains as potential radiosensitizing agents is described . The starting material employed was 4(5)-nitroimidazole, which was alkylated via the sodium salt with various chloro-methylated, substituted alcohols and esters, in order to obtain analogues of misonidazole, metronidazole and desmethylmisonidazole of known radiosensitizing and bactericidal activity . Some final products were assayed for their radiosensitizing properties giving negative results under the testing conditions used.

Gig Tr Prof Zabol, 1991, (8), 20 - 1
{Microbial contamination of the air in the wood-processing industry}; Petretskii VV et al.; Studies of the microbial dissemination levels in wood-processing and furniture-producing plants facilitated establishing of their increased bacterial and fungus contamination . Possible sensibilization of these factors necessitated hygienic and sanitary measures (ventilation, hermetization of the equipment, aspiration, dust-cleaning, bactericidal light devices provision) which lowered the bacterial contamination level by 40-60% . The high morbidity rate caused by upper respiratory diseases (56.1%) conditioned further elaboration of inhalation techniques as part of therapeutic and preventive measures . The techniques should be developed with due account of the bacterial and fungus contamination of industrial dusts and possible human sensibilization to these factors.

Rev Med Chir Soc Med Nat Iasi, 1991 Jan-Jun, 95(1-2), 63 - 5
The efficiency of some natural drugs in the treatment of burns; Zanoschi C et al.; In this paper we present an original product for burns . It is an ointment with bacteriostatic, bactericidal and epithelializing action and it is make up in accordance with technology of sunflower oil, beeswax, sintopholin, chloramphenicol, procaine, and vitamin E . An experimental study on burnt animals in order to prove the efficiency of the product was carried out . For histological investigation tegument was collected from the burnt area . A rapid evolution of epithelialization was found in case of treated animals as distinguished from control sample, where the infected crust was far from being healed . We also present some photos in account with the upper fact.

Braz J Med Biol Res, 1991, 24(11), 1099 - 102
Stability and expression of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli adherence plasmid pMS49 in the presence of human colostrum; Silva ML et al.; Adhesion of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) to HeLa cells is inhibited by human colostrum . In the present study we investigated the effect of colostrum on the stability of pMS49, an EPEC adherence plasmid coding for localized adhesion and ampicillin (Ap) resistance . The plasmid was highly stable after serial passage of bacterial cultures in Tryptic Soy Broth containing 67%, 50%, 10% (v/v) or no human colostrum . A few variants (0.4%) with a low adherence were observed regardless of the treatment given . Human colostrum did not enhance their emergence . No bactericidal or bacteriostatic effect of colostrum was observed under the experimental conditions used . A specific process regulating plasmid expression is supposed to occur in EPEC strains, giving rise to variants with a lower concentration of the outer-membrane adherence-related protein and consequently lower adherence ability . This process seems to also occur for Ap-resistance genes coded in the same plasmid.

Ann Rech Vet, 1991, 22(4), 387 - 94
{Pharmacokinetics of colistin sulfate administered by intravenous and intramuscular routes in the calf}; Renard L et al.; Pharmacokinetic characteristics of an extemporaneous form of colistin sulfate in young calves were studied for a dosage of 25,000 IU.kg-1 . The intravenous route (IV) is characterized by a 3-compartment model whose main parameters are: volume of distribution (1.02 l.kg), body clearance (0.15 l.h-1 kg-1) and mean residence time (3.87 h) . By intramuscular route (IM), a mean serum peak of 37 IU.ml-1 was reached at a mean time of 0.5 h . The mean half-time of terminal phase (6.47 h) does not differ significantly from that of the intramuscular route (4.52 h) . Absolute bioavailability calculated based on 4 calves was 109 +/- 28% . Repeated IM administrations seem to be adapted to maintain a bactericidal activity and to reduce risks of toxicity and neurological disorders (25,000 IU.kg-1) every 12 h over 3d.

Acta Microbiol Hung, 1991, 38(2), 107 - 15
Response of Escherichia coli strains carrying plasmid(s) and their plasmidless derivatives to bactericidal activity of human serum and polymorphonuclear leukocytes; Siegfried L et al.; Ten virulence plasmid(s) and antibiotic resistance plasmid(s) carrying Escherichia coli strains isolated from stool of infants with diarrhoea and their plasmidless derivatives were examined for response to bactericidal activity of human serum and intracellular killing of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) . Plasmid(s) carrying isolates exhibited a significantly higher resistance to serum and phagocytosis.

Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz), 1991, 39(1-2), 109 - 15
The effect of vitamin E on granulocyte function in patients with recurrent infections; Malkowska-Zwierz W et al.; The influence of vit . E treatment on metabolic and bactericidal granulocyte activity in patients with recurrent infections was studied by chemiluminescence and phagocytosis assays . Vit . E serum level was significantly diminished before therapy . Six weeks supplementation with 200-300 mg/day of vit . E resulted in improvement of clinical status and normalisation of alpha-tocopherol serum level . Bactericidal activity of granulocytes was lower in patients than in the respective controls and it slightly rose after vit . E therapy . Before, therapy, patients granulocytes showed metabolic activity above or within the control range . Vit . E treatment increased, had no effect or decreased granulocyte metabolic activity, but never below the control range.

Klin Khir, 1991, (12), 16 - 9
{The use of an electrolytic solution of sodium hypochlorite in acute suppurative diseases of the soft tissues}; Lelianov AD et al.; The effect of electrolysis sodium hypochlorite solution (ENaClO) on the course of an inflammatory process in 233 patients with purulent pathology of different etiology was studied . ENaClO was obtained by means of electrolysis of the isotonic sodium chloride solution in the electrochemical cell . It was established that ENaClO had a pronounced bactericidal action contributing to acceleration of an inflammatory focus clearance of purulent-necrotic masses, stimulation of local immunity, activation of reparative processes.

J Fr Ophtalmol, 1991, 14(10), 537 - 45
{Preventive chemo-antibiotic treatment of postoperative endophthalmitis in planned open eyeball surgery . Apropos of 2,337 cases}; Haut J et al.; A protocol combining chemoprophylaxis and antibioprophylaxis has been used since January 1st, 1990 for all patients (2,337 cases) undergoing planned open eyeball surgery (except emergencies) . The chemoprophylaxis is local, by eyedrops (picloxidin) during the days before surgery, and by eyewash of the conjunctival cul-de-sac with iodized polyvidone immediately before surgery . The systemic antibioprophylaxis associates two bactericidal antibiotics with a wide spectrum and good intraocular penetration, active on 89 to 90% of the bacteria incriminated in postoperative endophthalmitis: a ureidopenicillin, piperacillin, and a fluoroquinolone, ciprofloxacin; the adverse effects are minimal . Although the sample size does not allow statistical, analysis the results of this study (the absence of any endophthalmitis) are very encouraging in comparison with those of the literature, those of the same department during the years before the protocol, and those of the other departments in the same hospital which carry out the same surgery under the same conditions.

Arch Microbiol, 1991, 156(6), 449 - 54
A colicin M derivative containing the lipoprotein signal sequence is secreted and renders the colicin M target accessible from inside the cells; Olschlager T; Colicin M is only released in very low amounts by cells harbouring this plasmid encoded colicin, due to the lack of a release (lysis) protein . A fusion gene (lpp'cma) was constructed which determined two proteins: Lpp'-Cma composed of the signal sequence of the murein lipoprotein (Lpp) and colicin M (Cma), and unaltered colicin M . Cells expressing the fusion gene released 50% of the total colicin M into the culture medium, compared to 1% found in the medium of cells synthesizing only colicin M . The release resulted from partial cell lysis caused by colicin M since a colicin M tolerant strain remained unaffected . Lpp'-Cma thus mimics phenotypically the action of colicin release proteins but displays a different lysis mechanism . In strains defective in components of the colicin M uptake system, Lpp'-Cma caused lysis as effectively as in uptake proficient strains . Apparently, Lpp'-Cma renders the colicin M target site accessible from inside the cell which stands in contrast to the action of colicin M which is only bactericidal when provided from outside.

Proc Finn Dent Soc, 1991, 87(4), 549 - 54
Combination chemotherapy of dental plaque infections; Meurman JH et al.; Chemotherapy against dental plague micro-organisms has proved effective in combatting both caries and periodontal disease . Chlorhexidine is the drug of choice when a broad-spectrum antiplaque agent is called for . However, because its mechanism of action is unspecific and the high concentrations needed for maximum effect may cause side effects, combination chemotherapy has been suggested . Chlorhexidine has been successfully combined with fluoride and, more recently, with xylitol . The combination allows the use of less concentrated solutions than if the agents were administered alone . Further, the mode of bactericidal action of chlorhexidine, fluoride and xylitol appears to be additive . A new aspect in the prevention is to control the primary bacterial colonization at the very moment when teeth erupt . To achieve this, new ways of delivering chemotherapeutic and other preventive agents are called for.

Vutr Boles, 1991, 30(1), 41 - 4
{Changes in the clinico-functional and immunological indices of patients with chronic obstructive lung disease, the allergic form, following combined climatotherapy at Sandanski health resort}; Petrovska Ia et al.; 20 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who were treated in the resort of Sandanski, Bulgaria, during the autumn of 1988 were investigated for changes of some clinical, functional and immunologic indices--secretory immunoglobulins, lysozyme, serum bactericidal activity . The results revealed an improvement of the clinical indices mean in 50% of the patients, of the expiratory spirometric indices in mean 47% of the patients . Other findings were a distinct tendency towards a decrease of IgG and albumin in the saliva and an increase of the secretory IgA together with a statistically significant increase of the indices characterizing the nonspecific defence mechanisms of the lung.

Arkh Patol, 1991, 53(7), 30 - 6
{Structural-functional characteristics of phagocytes in the broncho-alveolar lavage fluid in acute focal pneumonia}; Kop'eva TN et al.; The alveolar macrophages and neutrophils of the bronchoalveolar fluid from 37 patients with acute focal pneumonia were studied cytochemically . A comparison group consisted of 20 patients with primary chronic bronchitis, 11 subjects without pulmonary affections served control . Phagocytes with a high motile, oxygen-dependent bactericidal and hydrolytic activity as well as with increased level of absorptive capacity prevailed during the peak of the disease and its regression . At the phase of convalescence the number of phagocytes with a high oxygen-dependent bactericidal and hydrolytic activity decreased but their high absorptive activity was retained.

J Med Microbiol, 1991 Jan, 34(1), 19 - 22
Protein- and RNA-synthesis independent bactericidal activity of ciprofloxacin that involves the A subunit of DNA gyrase; Lewin CS et al.; Ciprofloxacin, unlike nalidixic acid, can kill Escherichia coli cells in the absence of synthesis of protein or RNA . Hence, chloramphenicol or rifampicin do not abolish the bactericidal activity of ciprofloxacin against wild-type E . coli . Protein and RNA synthesis were not required for the bactericidal activity of ciprofloxacin against nalB, nalC and nalD mutants of E . coli . However, the addition of chloramphenicol or rifampicin abolished the bactericidal activity of ciprofloxacin against a nalA mutant in nutrient broth . It is concluded that the ability of ciprofloxacin to kill E . coli in the absence of protein or RNA synthesis involves the A subunit of DNA gyrase.

Ter Arkh, 1991, 63(12), 123 - 5
{The chrysotherapy of patients with Reiter's disease}; Kovalev IuN et al.; Chrisanol therapy was provided to 172 men suffering from Reiter's disease, having histocompatibility antigen B35 and its combination with B27 as well as B17 and B11 indicating that the articular syndrome may run a persistent and grave course . Chrisanol therapy brought about a decrease of the activity of complement, lysozyme, bactericidal activity of blood serum, a reduction of the content of serum IgG, and autoimmune reactions parameters . Chrisanol therapy was tolerated well . The ten-year follow-up revealed relapses in 8.3% of the patients.

Free Radic Res Commun, 1991, 12-13 Pt 1, 53 - 7
The use of water-soluble radical scavengers to detect hydroxyl radical formation by polymorphonuclear leukocytes; Thomas MJ et al.; The polymorphonuclear leukocyte secretes both O2- and H2O2 when stimulated by various soluble or particulate stimuli . Since a reaction involving iron, O2-, and H2O2 could generate the hydroxyl radical (HO.) there has been speculation that the HO . may participate in the bactericidal activity of the neutrophil . A variety of water-soluble HO . scavengers have been used to test for the participation of HO . and the results imply that HO . might participate . However, other workers have not been able to detect the formation of significant amounts of HO . by the activated neutrophil . We have examined the effect of several commonly used HO . radical scavengers on the ability of the neutrophil to secrete O2- and H2O2 . Several of these compounds actively inhibit secretion without affecting the viability of the neutrophil . After considering the various complications inherent in using water soluble radical scavengers, we suggest that they only be used with well defined experimental systems.

Pharm Weekbl Sci, 1990 Dec 14, 12(6A), 275 - 9
Pharmacokinetics of cefuroxime in pregnant patients with preterm premature rupture of the membranes; Roumen FJ et al.; To 6 pregnant patients with preterm premature rupture of the membranes, cefuroxime prophylaxis was given 1,500 mg three times daily intravenously . Cefuroxime concentrations were assayed in maternal plasma and amniotic fluid during pregnancy and in umbilical cord blood, placenta, and membranes after delivery . Our results showed a high rate of transplacental transfer of cefuroxime . Bactericidal levels could be demonstrated in maternal plasma, and in amniotic fluid leaking from the vagina . Therapeutically active levels were present in the newborns . The absorption of cefuroxime by the foetal membranes was high . Although the neonatal morbidity in this high-risk population was low, the data are still too preliminary to advise the routine prophylactic use of cefuroxime to pregnant patients with preterm premature rupture of the membranes.

Lepr Rev, 1990 Dec, 61(4), 330 - 40
Relationships between PGL-1 antigen in serum, tissue and viability of Mycobacterium leprae as determined by mouse footpad assay in multibacillary patients during short-term clinical trial; Chanteau S et al.; In connection with a 56-day controlled clinical trial for comparing the therapeutic effects between pefloxacin and ofloxacin in 21 lepromatous patients, we have studied the relationships between PGL-1 antigen level in serum and in skin and serum PGL-1 antibody titre on the one hand, and the viability of Mycobacterium leprae, as measured by serial mouse footpad inoculations, and other bactericidal parameters on the other . Before and during treatment, significant correlation was found between serum PGL-1 level and the morphological index (MI), and with the number of viable organisms per mg skin tissue . However, neither serum PGL-1 antibody titre nor skin PGL-1 antigen level showed significant change during the 56-day trial . Because the reduction of serum PGL-1 level was well correlated but less pronounced as compared with the evolution of viable organisms during treatment, the serum PGL-1 antigen assay may be useful as an early indicator of response to chemotherapy in short-term clinical trial, but it is unlikely to replace mouse footpad inoculation for the evaluation of viability of M . leprae.

Int J Lepr Other Mycobact Dis, 1990 Dec, 58(4), 641 - 50
A longitudinal study of the incidence of leprosy in a hyperendemic area in Zaire, with special reference to PGL-antibody results . The Yalisombo Study Group; Groenen G et al.; Between 1984 and 1988, yearly surveys for leprosy were done among the 1500 people living in a previous leprosy segregation village in Zaire . In 1984 lepromin tests and phenolic glycolipid (PGL) antibody tests were done in a significant part of the population . The prevalence of the disease at that time was 16.1%, the proportion of multibacillary cases was 11.3% overall and 22% among active cases . Prior to 1984, 23% of paucibacillary cases and 56% of multibacillary cases had presented themselves spontaneously to the Leprosy Service . The exposure to the infection is uniform, but there is a suggestion of family clustering of cases . In spite of a rapidly bactericidal treatment of all known cases in 1984 and thereafter, the annual incidence of 0.34% did not decrease during the 4 years of the study . The PGL antibody test did not contribute to the diagnosis, classification or prognosis of the disease.

Infect Dis Clin North Am, 1990 Dec, 4(4), 661 - 76
General principles of therapy of pyogenic meningitis; Tauber MG et al.; In bacterial meningitis, several pharmacodynamic factors determine therapeutic success-when defined as sterilization of the CSF: (1) Local host defense deficits in the CNS require the use of bactericidal antibiotics to sterilize the CSF . (2) CSF antibiotic concentrations that are at least 10-fold above the MBC are necessary for maximal bactericidal activity . Protein binding, low pH, and slow bacterial growth rates are among the factors that may explain the high antibiotic concentrations necessary in vivo . (3) High CSF peak concentrations that lead to rapid bacterial killing appear more important than prolonged suprainhibitory concentrations, probably because very low residual levels in the CSF prevent bacterial regrowth, even during relatively long dosing intervals . (4) Penetration of antibiotics into the CSF is significantly impaired by the blood-brain barrier and thus, very high serum levels are necessary to achieve the CSF concentrations required for optimal bactericidal activity . Beyond these principles, recent data suggests that rapid lytic killing of bacteria in the CSF may have harmful effects on the brain because of the release of biologically active products from the lysed bacteria . Since rapid CSF sterilization remains a key therapeutic goal, the harmful consequences of bacterial lysis present a major challenge in the therapy of bacterial meningitis . Currently, dexamethasone represents that only clinically beneficial approach to reduce the harmful effects of bacterial lysis, and novel approaches are required to improve the outcome of this serious infection.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1990 Dec, 56(12), 3888 - 9
Bactericidal effectiveness of modulated UV light; Bank HL et al.; Studies were designed to evaluate the effectiveness of pulsed modulated UV light waveforms for killing bacteria . Exposure of five strains of bacteria to the modulated information encoded in the light decreased the colony population from a confluent lawn to less than 20 colonies . However, approximately 2,000 colonies survived treatment with the same intensity and time of exposure to UV light lacking the modulated information.

Zentralbl Hyg Umweltmed, 1990 Dec, 190(5-6), 500 - 10
The assessment of the bactericidal activity of surface disinfectants . III . Practical tests for surface disinfection; Reybrouck G; The results of both previous articles on the comparison of practical tests for surface disinfection are summarized . They are the DGHM test of the German Society for Hygiene and Microbiology, the AFNOR test NF-T 72-190 of the French Association for Standardization, the quantitative carrier test (QCT) of Van Klingeren, the Leuven test and the quantitative surface disinfection test (QSDT) . The comparison of the techniques followed in these tests seems to indicate that the differences in the operating technique are likely to influence the test results . There is, however, a close correlation among the results of all but the AFNOR test, although there remains a statistically significant difference in the reduction factors: the Leuven test and the QCT are the more severe tests, whereas the AFNOR and DGHM tests are the less severe ones . The QSDT gives divergent results, which could be attributed to the influence on the resuscitation of the surviving bacteria.

Aust Dent J, 1990 Dec, 35(6), 505 - 8
Pulpal reactions in rat incisors to Caridex; Wedenberg C et al.; This study examined the in vivo effects of Caridex, a chemomechanical caries removal system, on rat pulpal tissue . Rat incisors were opened and the pulps exposed to Caridex or physiological saline and sealed with calcium hydroxide . After various time periods, teeth were extracted and examined by light microscopy . Histological evaluation revealed an almost identical response in both test and control teeth which consisted of a transient inflammatory reaction and a limited necrosis in adjacent pulp tissue . Within seven days, formation of hard tissue matrix was seen below the necrotic area and on pulpal walls . It was suggested that the high pH of Caridex may have contributed to the necrotizing effect of calcium hydroxide in adjacent pulp tissue and the formation of hard tissue matrix . Additionally, the solution is most probably bactericidal . The results suggest that the system can be used as a caries removal agent on humans without unfavourable side effects on the dental pulp.

Gematol Transfuziol, 1990 Dec, 35(12), 17 - 9
{Immunity status in persons participating in liquidation of the effects of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant}; Kozyreva TV et al.; The time course study of the immunity status of 57 subjects who were engaged in liquidation of consequences of the catastrophe at Chernobyl NPS in May-December, 1986, has revealed a high frequency of disorders in bactericidal and digestive activities of neutrophils, as well as in the functional activity of T-lymphocytes in the peripheral blood . The incidence rate of subjects with disturbed functional activity of T-lymphocytes is significantly higher in the group of subjects with suppressed capacity of blood lymphocytes for DNA repair as compared to those with normal levels of blood lymphocyte capacity for DNA repair.

Zentralbl Hyg Umweltmed, 1990 Dec, 190(5-6), 511 - 22
{Chlorine covers on skin surfaces . I . Determination of the covering strength with the DPD cuvette method}; Gottardi W et al.; A new photometric micro method for the quantitative determination of "chlorine covers" on skin surfaces is presented . It is based on the formation of the dye emerging from the reaction of the bound chlorine with iodide and diethyl-p-phenylene diamine (DPD) . In contrast to the already described "glove-method" (Hyg . + Med . 13 (1988) 157) it can be applied to all regions of the body and enables a valuation of the specific chlorine cover (micrograms Cl2/cm2) . Further features of the method are a small demand of time and work, and--on grounds of the high sensitivity--only a small measuring area (approximately 1.5 cm2) which allows repeated measurements for improving the statistical safety . However, since the different skin areas take up variable amounts of chlorine this can be done only at limited areas . Founded upon a comprehensive error analysis a precision (calculated variation coefficient) of +/- 3-4% for flat and +/- 8-9% for curved (finger tips) skin areas with not too small chlorine covers (greater than 0.3 microgram Cl2/cm2) has been evaluated . Failing a reference method resp . standard areas with known chlorine covers the accuracy of the method could not exactly be ascertained . Owing to an estimation of the most important systematic errors the method might yield results slightly to low (deviation from the true value: approximately -5 to -10%) . In spite of this restriction the DPD-cuvette-method is a very useful analytical procedure and the chlorine cover measured herewith and expressed as microgram Cl2/cm2 represents a new skin related parameter, which not only allows an estimation of persistent bactericidal effects on skin surfaces, but also might be useful as an indicator for the roughness of the skin.

FEMS Microbiol Immunol, 1990 Dec, 2(5-6), 245 - 58
Bacteria-phagocyte interactions: emerging tactics in an ancient rivalry; Cross AS et al.; Although phagocytes appear to have a redundancy of both oxidative and non-oxidative killing mechanisms, nevertheless, bacterial pathogens are still able to evade these defenses in vivo and cause lethal infection . As the mechanisms by which phagocytes function have become detailed at the molecular level, both the recognition of specific bacterial virulence determinants and their effects at specific sites in the phagocyte are also being identified . Knowledge of these interactions may permit the use of immunomodulators either to neutralize these virulence determinants or to enhance the bactericidal capabilities of the phagocyte.

Pediatr Res, 1990 Dec, 28(6), 667 - 70
Murine hybridoma antibodies enhance bactericidal activity of human cord blood against K1 Escherichia coli strains; Kim KS et al.; Murine hybridoma antibodies directed against the capsule and O-side chain determinants of the Escherichia coli strain Bort (018ac:K1:H7) were evaluated for their ability to enhance bactericidal activity of cord blood against K1 E . coli strains possessing O antigens common in neonatal E . coli infection, i.e . 018, 07, and 01 . The antibodies to the K1 capsule and O-side chain efficiently enhanced cord polymorphonuclear leukocyte-mediated killing of K1 encapsulated E . coli strain possessing a homologous O antigen, but the IgM antibody to the K1 capsule exhibited approximately 10-fold greater activity than did the IgG3 antibody to O-side chain (weight basis) . Both antibodies required complement for their opsonic activities . Our findings indicate that antibodies directed against the capsule and O-lipopolysaccharides are able to restore the opsonic activity of cord blood against K1 E . coli, suggesting that these antibodies may be useful in the prevention and therapy of neonatal E . coli infection.

Tubercle, 1990 Dec, 71(4), 287 - 91
Thiacetazone: in vitro activity against Mycobacterium avium and M . tuberculosis; Heifets LB et al.; Bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity of thiacetazone was determined for 68 M . avium clinical isolates and 14 wild drug-susceptible M . tuberculosis strains . The drug had equally low bactericidal activity against both mycobacterial species . The inhibitory activity against most of the M . avium strains was greater than it was against M . tuberculosis . The broth determined MICs for 65 of 68 M . avium strains were between 0.02 and 0.15 micrograms/ml, while the MICs for M . tuberculosis ranged from 0.08 to 1.2 micrograms/ml.

Am J Hosp Pharm, 1990 Nov, 47(11), 2508 - 10
Sterility of insulin in prefilled disposable syringes; Jackson EA et al.; The sterility of insulin in prefilled syringes that had been prepared by visiting nurses in patients' homes and stored in their refrigerators for one month was studied . Twenty elderly diabetic patients requiring weekly home-nursing visits were enrolled in the study . At the initial study visit, a nurse filled 15 syringes with the type and amount of insulin being used by the patient . Seven syringes constituted the patient's supply for the coming week; the remaining eight syringes were appropriately labeled and placed in a separate part of the refrigerator . Upon returning to replenish the patient's insulin supply during each of the following four weeks, the nurse removed two of the stored syringes for subsequent culturing . The culture medium used was appropriate for bacteria that are usual skin flora and therefore are most likely to cause touch contamination during the syringe-filling process . Control-positive cultures were prepared by intentionally contaminating two vials of 0.9% sodium chloride injection and two vials of NPH insulin with Staph . aureus and Staph . epidermidis . Insulin from 159 syringes was tested, and no bacterial growth was detected by daily readings of cultures for one week . Of the contaminated control syringes, those containing sodium chloride injection produced positive cultures at each of the study weeks; the contaminated insulin samples, although positive at week 0, had become negative by week 3, confirming the bactericidal activity of one or more of the components of this insulin product . Prefilled insulin syringes that are prepared by nurses using good aseptic technique and are stored in the patient's refrigerator appear to remain sterile for up to one month after preparation.

Kekkaku, 1990 Nov, 65(11), 719 - 21
{Bactericidal activity of ofloxacin against Mycobacterium kansasii}; Tsukamura M; Bactericidal activity of ofloxacin against Mycobacterium kansasii was observed in in-vitro experiment . Tested bacteria were suspended to a concentration of one mg wet weight per ml in 10 ml of Dubos liquid medium containing no drug or containing 1 or 3 micrograms/ml ofloxacin and incubated at 37 degrees C . The number of colony-forming units contained in a 0.02 ml-sample of the Dubos liquid medium was counted after incubation for 0, 1, 3 and 7 days . The number of colonies was counted in Ogawa egg medium, to which was inoculated a 0.02 ml-sample of dilutions of the medium by a spiral loop that can deliver a 0.02 ml-sample by one inoculation . The bactericidal activity of ofloxacin against M . kansasii appeared after incubation of 3 days or later . This characteristic was different from the bactericidal activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which appeared after incubation of 24 hours.

Infect Immun, 1990 Nov, 58(11), 3640 - 4
Chlamydicidal activity of human alveolar macrophages; Nakajo MN et al.; Pneumonia due to Chlamydia trachomatis is a disease limited mainly to infants under 6 months of age . Rare cases have been reported in immunocompromised adults . One possible reason for the propensity of the pneumonia to occur in the very young may be related to differences in the phagocytic and bactericidal capacity of alveolar macrophages (AMs) in young infants and adults . At birth a function of AMs is clearance of surfactant-related material from the alveolar surface . Studies in animals have suggested that engorgement of AMs with surfactant-related lipids may reduce the microbicidal capacity of these cells . In the present study we determined that AMs obtained from healthy, nonsmoking adults were capable of killing both human biovars of C . trachomatis, with complete killing observed by 48 h after inoculation . Preincubation of AMs from adults with surfactant did not reduce the capacity of the cells to kill C . trachomatis.

Infect Immun, 1990 Nov, 58(11), 3759 - 64
Bordetella pertussis adenylate cyclase toxin: intoxication of host cells by bacterial invasion; Mouallem M et al.; Bordetella pertussis produces extracytoplasmic adenylate cyclase toxin (AC toxin) which penetrates target cells and, upon activation by host calmodulin, generates high levels of intracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP) . As a result, bactericidal functions of immune effector cells are impaired . Since a considerable amount of AC toxin is associated with the bacterium, it was proposed that the toxin may be delivered by direct interaction of the organism with the target cells (E . L . Hewlett, M . C . Gray, and R . D . Pearson, Clin . Res . 35:477A, 1987) . Incubation of CHO cells with intact B . pertussis led to formation of intracellular cAMP at levels comparable to those produced in CHO cells by equivalent activities of isolated AC toxin . cAMP accumulation induced by the whole bacteria appeared after a lag of 40 to 60 min and reached high levels within 2 to 3 h, whereas adherence of the bacteria proceeded rapidly and reached a maximal level within 80 min . Sera of pertussis patients completely blocked cAMP accumulation induced by the whole bacteria without having a major effect on either bacterial adherence or cAMP production by the AC toxin . Cytochalasins B and D, inhibitors of bacterial invasion, abrogated the cAMP response to the whole bacteria but not the response to the AC toxin . These agents did not affect bacterial adherence . Transmission electron micrographs revealed that B . pertussis, within the time course of cAMP induction, invaded CHO cells . We suggest that cAMP induction by B . pertussis is caused by the entry of the whole bacteria into CHO cells rather than by delivery of AC toxin during bacterial adherence . This route of cell intoxication may be relevant to the pathogenesis of whooping cough.

FASEB J, 1990 Nov, 4(14), 3239 - 44
Relationship between growth of Escherichia coli and susceptibility to the lethal effect of paraquat; Minakami H et al.; Paraquat, which mediates increased O2- production within Escherichia coli, inhibits growth without causing cell death in a minimal medium, whereas it allows growth while decreasing viability in a rich medium . Agents or conditions that inhibit growth in the paraquat-containing rich medium prevent this loss of viability . Antibiotics, chelating agents, nutritional paucity, and excess paraquat all acted this way . NaCl added to 0.2 M to the plates used for enumeration after paraquat exposure did not significantly decrease viable cell counts, although it did so after exposure to a cationic detergent . DNA, rather than cell membranes, thus seems to be a more likely target for the oxygen-derived free radicals engendered by the cycles of enzymatic reduction and autoxidation of paraquat . Inhibition of growth decreases the likelihood that DNA replication will precede DNA repair . Investigators seeking to evaluate the bactericidal actions of paraquat under a variety of conditions will need to be cognizant of this need for growth.

Fiziol Zh, 1990 Nov-Dec, 36(6), 97 - 100
{Phagocytic activity of peripheral blood monocytes and peritoneal macrophages in the progeny of animals with experimental chronic liver disease}; Briukhin GV et al.; Peripheral blood monocytes and peritoneal macrophages (phagocytic index, phagocytosis intensity, metabolic level) in the offspring of mice with chronic experimental autoimmune liver affection have been studied for different parameters of their phagocytic properties . The obtained results testify to absorption and bactericidal activity disturbance of mononuclears studied in this group of animals.

Patol Fiziol Eksp Ter, 1990 Nov-Dec, (6), 34 - 6
{Sensitivity of phagocytes in the blood and bronchoalveolar tract to hydrocortisone in acute injury of the respiratory organs}; Makarova OP et al.; Pneumonia was modelled in experiments on female hybrid mice (CBA X C57Bl)F1 by intratracheal administration of 0.1 ml of 0.4% AgNO3 solution . The functional activity of alveolar macrophages and neutrophils of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and blood after administration of hydrocortisone (125 mg/kg) was studied in the early stage of pneumonia . The bactericidal and absorptive capacity of neutrophils of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and blood diminished considerably under the effect of the hormone . The inhibiting effect of hydrocortisone on the bactericidal activity of alveolar macrophages from the focus of inflammation was more marked than the effect on the cells of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from the lungs of intact animals.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1990 Nov, 34(11), 2061 - 4
Action of 1-isonicotinyl-2-palmitoyl hydrazine against the Mycobacterium avium complex and enhancement of its activity by m-fluorophenylalanine; Rastogi N et al.; In the present work, we investigated whether resistance to isoniazid (INH) of organisms belonging to the Mycobacterium avium complex was caused by the bacterial cell envelope, with the cell wall and the outer layer acting as an exclusion barrier . We observed that this exclusion barrier was most efficient in excluding the hydrophilic drug INH, as this drug could not penetrate a wall matrix formed of various polymethylated lipidic or amphipathic substances . Two main strategies were proposed for circumventing this drug resistance: (i) synthesis of amphipathic derivatives of otherwise highly hydrophilic drugs and (ii) inhibition of synthesis of the bacterial outer layer . The purpose of this work was to demonstrate that attaching a palmitic acid side chain to INH rendered it growth inhibitory against M . avium complex bacteria and that the concomitant use of this amphipathic INH derivative with m-fluorophenylalanine (an inhibitor of mycoside C biosynthesis which causes the disruption of the bacterial outer layer) resulted in further enhancement of its activity, leading to a bactericidal effect.

Anat Rec, 1990 Nov, 228(3), 306 - 14
Functional, physical, and ultrastructural localization of CD15 antigens to the human polymorphonuclear leukocyte secondary granule; Buescher ES et al.; A murine monoclonal IgM antibody, M3, which interferes with both polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) phagocytosis and bactericidal activity, was used to examine the subcellular location of antigens bearing 3-fucosyllactosamine (CD15 antigens) within this cell type . Percoll gradient-separated secondary granule fractions were rich in CD15 antigens, with at least seven antigens recognizable in SDS-PAGE/electroblot studies . Sonication/sedimentation experiments using secondary granule fractions showed that both soluble and sedimentable CD15 antigens were present . Exposure of purified PMN to the secondary granule secretagogue phorbol myristate acetate caused extracellular release of two or three CD15 antigens, which could be purified by immunoprecipitation using antibody M3 . Triton X-114 phase-partition experiments showed that secondary granule fraction CD15 antigens could be partitioned into hydrophilic (aqueous phase) and hydrophobic (detergent phase) antigens, suggesting that several of these antigens were integral secondary granule membrane components . Ultrastructurally, PMN intracellular granules showed two patterns of CD15 expression, localization over both granule matrix/granule membrane and localization to only granule membrane . Colocalization studies showed that lactoferrin and CD15 antigens were both present in a subset of intracellular granules, confirming a secondary granule location for these antigens.

Monatsschr Kinderheilkd, 1990 Nov, 138(11), 737 - 41
{Effect of natural porcine surfactant (Curosurf) on the function of neutrophilic granulocytes}; Speer CP et al.; In this study we have analyzed various phagocytic functions of human neutrophils exposed to either biochemically well defined porcine surfactant (Curosurf) or a phospholipid preparation . Adherence, random migration and chemotactic response to zymosan activated serum and formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine were normal in surfactant treated neutrophils; surfactant was not a chemotactic stimulus . In contrast, phagocytosis of S . aureus by neutrophils exposed to surfactant (100 micrograms/ml) or phospholipids (100 micrograms/ml) was impaired (surfactant: t30 49.5 +/- 9.0%, t60 65.0 +/- 8.0%; phospholipids: t30 66.3 +/- 12.6%, t60 78.0 +/- 7.8%; controls: t30 78.1 +/- 8.9%, t60 90.1 +/- 6.2%; p less than 0.001 at t30, t60 for surfactant, p less than 0.05 at t60 for phospholipids) . Due to the smaller number of S . aureus ingested, bactericidal activity of surfactant or phospholipid treated neutrophils was slightly reduced when compared to controls (surfactant t30 p less than 0.05, surfactant t60 p less than 0.001, phospholipids t60 p less than 0.05) . Surfactant or phospholipids had no bactericidal activity . Uptake of candida was identical in surfactant or phospholipid treated neutrophils with untreated controls; the same was true with the number of candida per cell ingested . Phagocytosis-associated chemiluminescence and production of superoxide anion by neutrophils of either source in response to phorbol myristate acetate and opsonized zymosan was also identical.

J Gen Microbiol, 1990 Nov, 136 ( Pt 11), 2165 - 72
Gonococcal outer-membrane protein PIB: comparative sequence analysis and localization of epitopes which are recognized by type-specific and cross-reacting monoclonal antibodies; Butt NJ et al.; Comparison of the inferred amino acid sequence of outer-membrane protein PIB from gonococcal strain P9 with those from other serovars reveals that sequence variations occur in two discrete regions of the molecule centred on residues 196 (Var1) and 237 (Var2) . A series of peptides spanning the amino acid sequence of the protein were synthesized on solid-phase supports and reacted with a panel of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) which recognize either type-specific or conserved antigenic determinants on PIB . Four type-specific mAbs reacted with overlapping peptides in Var1 between residues 192-198 . Analysis of the effect of amino acid substitutions revealed that the mAb specificity is generated by differences in the effect of single amino acid changes on mAb binding, so that antigenic differences between strains are revealed by different patterns of reactivity within a panel of antibodies . The variable epitopes in Var1 recognized by the type-specific mAbs lie in a hydrophilic region of the protein exposed on the gonococcal surface, and are accessible to complement-mediated bactericidal lysis . In contrast, the epitope recognized by mAb SM198 is highly conserved but is not exposed in the native protein and the antibody is non-bactericidal . However, the conserved epitope recognized by mAb SM24 is centred on residues 198-199, close to Var1 , and is exposed for bactericidal killing.

Z Kinderchir, 1990 Oct, 45(5), 267 - 72
{Prevention and treatment of necrotizing enterocolitis in the newborn infant from the pediatric point of view}; Pohlandt F; 1 . Enteral feeding and factors promoting hypoxia and ischaemia of the gut are thought to cause necrotising enterocolitis of the newborn but have not been proven as factors in the pathogenesis of NEC . Enteral feeding may be started in principle on the first day of life at a rate of 10-20 ml/kg/day . Controlled results to the contrary have not been published . 2 . Drugs which have a high osmolarity should be diluted with milk as far as possible to avoid mucosal damage . 3 . In cases of epidemic NEC, infants with proven disease should be isolated . The use of a bactericidal and virucidal disinfectant is imperative for hand disinfection . 4 . Early diagnosis and early treatment are necessary to prevent progression to advanced stages . 5 . Antibiotic treatment should be selected to cover the entire bacterial spectrum of the ward . 6 . Frequent physical, radiological and ultrasound examinations should be done to monitor the course of the disease . Laboratory analyses should include: acid-basis status, leukocytes, differential blood picture, thrombocytes, C-reactive protein, haematocrit, serum electrolytes . 7 . Large amounts of fluid may be necessary to prevent and treat hypovolaemic shock . 8 . Abdominal paracentesis helps to recognise peritonitis and intestinal gangrene and allows surgical treatment as early as possible.

FEMS Microbiol Immunol, 1990 Oct, 2(3), 125 - 7
Inhibition of Helicobacter pylori haemagglutination activity by human salivary mucins; Mentis A et al.; Thirty isolates of Helicobacter pylori from gastric biopsies agglutinated human erythrocyte suspensions . Crude mucin preparations derived from saliva of 20 different donors were examined for their ability to inhibit haemagglutination . All mucin preparations exhibited strong inhibitory activity . Removal of sialic residues from mucin preparations by treatment with neuraminidase resulted in a substantial reduction of their inhibitory activity . The mucin preparations had no bactericidal or aggregation activity for H . pylori . These results are discussed in the context of the role of mucins in colonization of the gastric mucosa by H . pylori.

Minerva Med, 1990 Oct, 81(10), 707 - 12
{Netilmicin in a single daily dose for treatment of systemic infections}; Andreoni M et al.; The Authors report the results obtained in 35 patients of either sex suffering from various systemic infections and treated with netilmicin . Netilmicin has been intramuscularly administered in once daily dose of 4.5 mg/kg (mean daily dose 294.3 mg) for a mean duration of 17.8 days . The clinical resolution of the infections has been achieved in 97.1% (34 patients) of the study population; only one patient showed failure . Thirty-three of the 35 baseline causative pathogens have been eradicated . The local and systemic tolerability was good . The serum pharmacokinetics showed bactericidal levels of netilmicin and no serum accumulation.

Biull Eksp Biol Med, 1990 Oct, 110(10), 372 - 5
{Effects of mineral dust on generation of superoxide radicals and hydrogen peroxide by alveolar macrophages, granulocytes and monocytes}; Gusev VA et al.; Phagocytosis of quartz dust by alveolar macrophages and monocytes of rabbits and human monocytes and granulocytes is accompanied by stimulation of substrateless recovery of nitroblue tetrazolium to formazan . It reflects activation of oxygen-dependent bactericidal phagocyte system and generation of active oxygen forms . Less fibrogenic and cytotoxic dust of aluminium oxide increased formazan formation insignificantly . Extracellular generation of superoxide radicals and hydrogen peroxide was not discovered during phagocytosis of quartz by alveolar macrophages and monocytes . Incubation of human granulocytes with silica caused, on contrary, considerable increase in exogenous generation of superoxide radicals and hydrogen peroxide . Less fibrogenic dust of aluminium oxide under the conditions had no effect on generation of hydrogen peroxide and induced acute decrease in generation of superoxide radicals by granulocytes . The obtained results testify both to the essential part of active oxygen form during pathologic processes with pneumoconiosis, and also to a great similarity among biochemical processes, characterizing interaction of alveolar macrophages and monocytes with mineral dust.

J Clin Lab Immunol, 1990 Oct, 33(2), 61 - 8
Differential function of polymorphonuclear leukocytes between in vivo and in vitro in tumor-bearing mice; Shinomiya N et al.; In the present report, we compared activities of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) such as phagocytosis and bactericidal activity in vivo with those in vitro in sarcoma 180 (S 180)-bearing mice . Mice showed a remarkable leukocytosis and in increase in PMN fraction of peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) after intraperitoneal injection of S 180 cells . Tumor-bearing mice infected with Escherichia coli (E . coli) intravenously and intraperitoneally showed an apparent delay in the clearance of bacteria compared to the non-tumor-bearing control mice . However, PBL of tumor-bearing mice showed a high phagocytic activity against beads and a high chemiluminescence (CL) activity . Dichlorofluorescein (DCFH) oxidation capacity of peripheral blood PMN in S 180-bearing mice after stimulation with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) was about the same or a little stronger than that in control mice . On the contrary, serum and ascites of tumor-bearing mice strongly suppressed the phagocytic and bactericidal activities of casein-induced PMN against E . coli . During the early phase of E . coli infection, serum level of complement (C3) was not depressed in tumor-bearing hosts . From these results, it is concluded that leukocytosis and activation of functions of PMN in tumor-bearing mice were observed in vitro but they were not effective for the protection in the early phase of actual E . coli infection in vivo . The delay of in vivo clearance may be accounted for by a suppressive effect of serum components in tumor-bearing mice.

Biochemistry, 1990 Sep 18, 29(37), 8529 - 34
Identification of a voltage-responsive segment of the potential-gated colicin E1 ion channel; Merrill AR et al.; The voltage dependence of channel activity of the bactericidal protein colicin E1 was found to be correlated with insertion into the membrane bilayer of a specific segment of the 178-residue COOH-terminal thermolytic colicin channel peptide . The insertion into the bilayer was detected by an increase in labeling by one of two different lipophilic photoaffinity probes or by a decrease in iodination of peptide tyrosines from the external solution . Imposition of a potassium diffusion potential of -100 mV resulted in an increase of 35-60% in the labeling of the peptide by the lipophilic probe in the bilayer and a concomitant decrease in labeling of Tyr residues in the peptide by the iodination reagent in the external solution . The change in labeling decreased upon dissipation of the membrane potential with a half-time of about 1 min . The labeling change was localized to a 36-residue peptide segment bounded by alanine-425 and by tryptophan-460 . This segment containing seven positively charged residues at low pH is a voltage-sensitive region that inserts into the membrane bilayer when the channel is turned on by the potential and is extruded from it when the voltage is removed and the channel is turned off.

Infection, 1990 Sep-Oct, 18(5), 291 - 3
Cardiobacterium hominis endocarditis in a patient with a hypersensitivity reaction to penicillin . Successful treatment with partial resection of the posterior mitral valve leaflet and antibiotic therapy with cefazolin; Christen RD; A 43-year-old patient with preexisting mitral valve prolapse and Cardiobacterium hominis endocarditis with partial destruction of the posterior mitral valve leaflet is described . Successful treatment was achieved with partial resection of the posterior mitral valve leaflet and antibiotic therapy . Because of a hypersensitivity reaction, initial therapy with penicillin G and gentamicin was stopped and substituted with cefazolin . No relapse of endocarditis was observed after 12 months of follow-up . Using micro broth dilution technique the isolated strain was shown to be most susceptible to penicillin G, cephalothin, and ciprofloxacin, with minimal inhibitory concentrations of 0.00025, 0.004, and 0.002 mg/l, respectively; and with minimal bactericidal concentrations (99.9% killing) of 0.25, 0.12, and 0.008 mg/l, respectively . We conclude that cephalosporins of the first generation or ciprofloxacin may be good alternatives to penicillin G in the treatment of C . hominis infection in patients known to be hypersensitive to penicillin.

Khirurgiia (Mosk), 1990 Sep, (9), 98 - 103
{Use of pervomur in surgery}; Melekhov PA et al.; The authors show the results of 15-year use of Pervomur solutions for sterilization of surgical material and treatment of the hands of surgeons in medical institutions of the country . Due to the high bactericidal properties of the agent its disinfectant effect is produced within a short time, which is of particular importance in mass admission of casualties in field conditions, in remote and mountainous wilderness, during natural disasters , and in performing surgical interventions on ships under conditions of prolonged autonomous cruises . The absence of an unfavourable effect of solutions of the agent on live tissue allows it to be considered a very promising antiseptic not only for sterilization but also for topical treatment of purulent wounds and cavities, particularly in contamination by polyinfection.

Cleve Clin J Med, 1990 Sep, 57(6), 558 - 62
Diagnosis and management of infective endocarditis; Keys TF; Advances in chemotherapy and surgery have significantly improved the outcome of infective endocarditis, but the disease remains a therapeutic challenge with an overall mortality of 20% . More cases of infective endocarditis seen today are associated with prosthetic heart valves, intravenous drug abuse, or complications of medical and surgical technology . Prosthetic valve endocarditis occurs in 1% to 4% of patients with prosthetic valves . Echocardiography is not a precise diagnostic test for endocarditis, but it helps detect a variety of cardiac lesions, including valvular incompetence, annular ring abscesses, and sometimes vegetations . Serum bactericidal titers are predictive of neither cure nor treatment failure . The principal indication for urgent surgical intervention is acute valvular dysfunction . Other considerations for surgery include evidence of myocardial invasion, infection by antibiotic-resistant organisms, and large vegetations . For patients at risk of infective endocarditis, antibiotic prophylaxis during invasive procedures is an accepted practice.

Pol Arch Med Wewn, 1990 Sep, 84(3), 138 - 43
{Effect of hemodialysis fluids with different pH values and buffer types used in peritoneal dialysis on the phagocyte system in the peritoneal cavity . The experimental part}; Szczylik C et al.; In a four-hour exchange of dialysing fluid in 120 healthy mice it was checked whether and in what degree changes of the pH of the dialysing fluid in the range from 5.09 to 7.02 and change of the buffer in the dialysing fluid (acetate, lactate) have an effect on the phagocytic and bactericidal ability of the phagocytic cells in the peritoneal dialysate . The study of the count of phagocytic cells, their bactericidal ability (NBT test) and phagocytosis ability (latex test) showed that neither the type of the used buffer nor pH changes of the dialysing fluid in the range 5.09-6.18 had no effect on the defensive properties of the phagocytes in healthy peritoneal cavity . The observation of a statistically significant increase in the proportion of cells of low phagocytic ability in the group of mice receiving acetate buffer of pH 7.02 requires further studies.

Tubercle, 1990 Sep, 71(3), 205 - 8
Minimal bactericidal and inhibitory concentrations of ofloxacin on Mycobacterium fortuitum at pH 7 and 5: therapeutic implications; Yew WW et al.; Mycobacterium fortuitum infections of sternotomy wounds have been successfully treated with ofloxacin, a fluoroquinolone . We studied the MBCs and MICs in vitro of this antibiotic on the organism under neutral pH (7) and acidic pH (5) and found marked escalation of these values under the latter condition . This provides hints on the therapy of these infections under in vivo settings.

Tubercle, 1990 Sep, 71(3), 199 - 204
In-vitro bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity of isoniazid on the Mycobacterium avium-Mycobacterium intracellulare complex; Tsukamura M; Isoniazid inhibited the growth of Mycobacterium avium-Mycobacterium intracellulare strains at concentrations of 0.1-25 micrograms/ml and was even bactericidal for several strains . The bactericidal activity was observed in relatively susceptible strains . The susceptibility did not correlate with colonial morphology but correlated with species identification . Mycobacterium avium strains were more resistant to isoniazid than Mycobacterium intracellulare strains.

Am J Vet Res, 1990 Sep, 51(9), 1363 - 9
Synovial fluid pH, cytologic characteristics, and gentamicin concentration after intra-articular administration of the drug in an experimental model of infectious arthritis in horses; Lloyd KC et al.; Chemical and cytologic effects and bactericidal activity of gentamicin in septic synovial fluid were evaluated in an experimental model of infectious arthritis in horses . Septic arthritis was induced by inoculation of approximately 7.5 X 10(6) colony-forming units of Escherichia coli into 1 antebrachiocarpal joint in each of 16 clinically normal adult horses . Clinical signs of septic arthritis were evident 24 hours after inoculation . Horses were allotted to 3 groups: group-1 horses (n = 5) each were given 150 mg of gentamicin (50 mg/ml; 3 ml) intra-articularly (IA); group-2 horses (n = 5) each were given 2.2 mg of gentamicin/kg of body weight, IV, every 6 hours; and group-3 horses (n = 6) each were given buffered gentamicin, consisting of 3 mEq of sodium bicarbonate (1 mEq/ml; 3 ml) and 150 mg of gentamicin (50 mg/ml; 3 ml), IA . Synovial fluid specimens were obtained at posttreatment hour (PTH) 0, 0.25, 1, 4, 8, 12, and 24 via an indwelling intra-articular catheter . Synovial fluid pH was evaluated at PTH 0, 0.25, and 24 . Microbiologic culture and cytologic examination were performed on synovial fluid specimens obtained at PTH 0 and 24, and gentamicin concentration was measured in all synovial fluid specimens . At PTH 0, E coli was isolated from synovial fluid specimens obtained from all horses . Synovial fluid pH was lower (range, 7.08 to 7.16) and WBC count was higher (range, 88,000 to 227,200 cells/microliters) and predominantly neutrophilic (95 to 99%) at PTH 0 than before inoculation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Przegl Dermatol, 1990 Sep-Oct, 77(5), 307 - 12
{Production of superoxide free radicals by peripheral blood leukocytes in patients with psoriasis treated by the Re-PUVA-C method}; Kaszuba A et al.; The investigations were carried out in 20 patients with severe forms of psoriasis, and in 18 healthy subjects . The generation of free superoxide radicals by polymorphonuclear leukocytes of peripheral blood was evaluated by Bellavite et al . (1983) method by use superoxide dismutase of Sigma firm . The obtained results may confirm alterations in PMNL functions in patients with psoriasis observed by many authors . It may confirm the probability of damage of membrane structures and alterations in their bactericidal functions.

J Infect Dis, 1990 Sep, 162(3), 700 - 4
Killing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by neutrophils: a nonoxidative process; Jones GS et al.; To determine the role of oxygen radicals in the killing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by neutrophils, the effects of free-radical inhibitors and enzymes, catalase, superoxide dismutase, taurine, deferoxamine, and histidine were evaluated . Changes in the viability of M . tuberculosis were determined by agar plate colony counts and a radiometric assay . No impairment in killing was seen with any of the inhibitors or enzymes . Patients with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) have a defect in the NADPH oxidase pathway, causing their neutrophils to be unable to generate oxygen radicals . If these radicals are involved in killing, then CGD neutrophils should be less effective killers of M . tuberculosis than normal neutrophils . There was no evidence by either measure of M . tuberculosis viability that CGD neutrophils were less bactericidal than normal neutrophils . Killing by normal neutrophils was also effective in the absence of serum . These results lead to the conclusion that the mechanism by which M . tuberculosis is killed by neutrophils is independent of the oxygen metabolic burst.

Pathol Biol (Paris), 1990 Sep, 38(7), 682 - 9
{Piperacillin-amikacin combinations: killing curves}; Chanal M et al.; Bactericidal activity as a function of time of piperacillin (PIP) and amikacin (AKN) alone and in combination was evaluated by killing curves technique on 23 clinical isolates: E . coli (6), K . pneumoniae (5), E . cloacae (6) and P . aeruginosa (6), for which the minimal inhibitory concentrations ranges of piperacillin were 0.25 to 64 mg/l and of amikacin 1 to 8 mg/l . For each species, the strains were chosen according to the most frequent phenotypes: beta-lactams susceptible, penicillinase (Pase), cephalosporinase (Case) and Pase + Case producers . Killing curves were carried out with the following concentrations (mg/l): piperacillin (2, 16, 64); amikacin (4, 8, 16); piperacillin (2) + amikacin (4); piperacillin (16) + amikacin (8); piperacillin (64) + amikacin (16) . Antibiotic concentrations corresponded to pharmacokinetics and/or to critical values of piperacillin and amikacin . Bactericidal activity was defined as a 4 log 10 decrease in CFU/ml between 2 and 24 hours . When piperacillin (64) was combined with amikacin (16), the bactericidal effects were nearly the same as those with amikacin alone . But piperacillin (16) + amikacin (8) combination had bactericidal effect for the majority of strains (21/23) and it prevented for some of them the bacterial regrowth observed with amikacin alone at the same concentration . A bactericidal activity without regrowth (until the 24th hour) was obtained for 9 strains; 2 susceptible E . coli, 3 K . pneumoniae (chromosomal Pase producer) and 4 cefotaxime susceptible E . cloacae, with low dose combination piperacillin (2) + amikacin (4) . Finally, only combinations piperacillin (64) + amikacin (16) or piperacillin (16) + amikacin (8) had bactericidal activity on 2 Ticarcillin-resistant P . aeruginosa, the two antibiotics being separatedly bacteriostatic.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr, 1990 Sep-Oct, 14(5 Suppl), 218S - 222S
Free radicals, arachidonic acid metabolites, and nutrition; Foegh ML et al.; Oxygen reactive species are normally formed in cells and play an essential part of the bactericidal activity of phagocytic cells . The damaging effect of these oxygen reactive species is prevented by the endogenous scavengers SOD, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, circulating transferrin, ascorbic acid, and membrane-bound alpha-tocopherol . However, when excess amounts of oxygen radicals and hydrogen peroxide are formed, as in reperfusion injury or trauma, the endogenous scavengers are insufficient to react with these active molecules . Lipid peroxidation is an important part of the formation of oxygen reactive species . Lipid peroxidation, especially peroxidation of LDL, may have a significant role in atherosclerosis . Thus dietary manipulation of PG and TX formation through either feeding cold water fish oils or plant oils containing high amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids may be a two-edged sword . Also, the dietary manipulation of arachidonic acid through increasing its precursor linoleate may cause a decrease in the immune response as seen in animal experiments . The marine oils may be regarded as a natural aspirin in that formation of PGs of the bisenoic series will be replaced by the PGs of the trienoic series . This results in the formation of TXA3, which is biologically inactive, and PGI3, which is biologically active like PGI2 . This may have no physiologic consequences but it is used to illustrate a possible mechanism for the postulated beneficial cardiovascular effects of these oils . The issues and the mechanisms are controversial and frequently highly speculative . The subject is a boon for the lipid biochemist and nutritionist.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

APMIS, 1990 Sep, 98(9), 828 - 38
Serum sensitivity of a diversity of Escherichia coli antigenic reference strains . Correlation with an LPS variation phenomenon; Stawski G et al.; One hundred and ninety-four E . coli O, K and H antigen reference strains and some strains of certain O:K types were examined for resistance to the bactericidal effect of normal human serum by the method of Olling . A strain was defined as serum-resistant when less than 50% and serum-sensitive when greater than 90% bacteria were killed . Fifty-seven reference strains were serum-sensitive, 21 of them produced K antigens which apparently had no protective role . Thirty-seven reference strains were serum-resistant, and 13 of these produced no K antigen; thus the O antigens might by themselves be protective in these cases . K- mutants of the serum-resistant O8:K87 strains were serum-sensitive, and the O9:K9 strain changed from being serum-resistant to being partly resistant when the K antigen was lost; mutants of the O6:K13 strain with no or a small amount of K13 were less resistant than the original K+ strain; similar mutants of the O22:K13 reference strain did not show any decrease in serum resistance . Strongly related to 022 is 083, and results with several 083 strains pointed to the importance of this O antigen for serum resistance . In an O83:K14 strain a spontaneous variation occurred in LPS from a few to many repeating units; this variation was accompanied by a change from serum sensitivity to serum resistance.

Cancer, 1990 Aug 15, 66(4), 684 - 8
Influence of chemotherapeutic agents on superoxide anion production by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes; Hara N et al.; The effects of 11 chemotherapeutic agents on superoxide anion (O2-) production were examined in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) . All drugs, except predonine, were found to suppress O2- production in PMNL . Adriamycin (doxorubicin), mitomycin C, vindesine, cisplatin, etoposide, nimustine, and pepleomycin suppressed O2- production at relatively low drug concentrations, whereas methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil and vincristine suppressed O2- production at high drug concentrations . Time-dependent suppression of O2- production was evaluated in four drugs, namely Adriamycin (doxorubicin; Adria Laboratories, Columbus, OH), cisplatin, vindesine, and methotrexate . Only Adriamycin showed suppressive effect on PMNL-derived O2- production in a time-dependent manner . Production of O2- by PMNL is a fundamental element for its bactericidal activity . The authors' results showed suppression of O2- production in PMNL in the presence of chemotherapeutic agents . This indicates a relationship between chemotherapy drugs and susceptibility to infection . The influence of chemotherapeutic agents on O2- production by PMNL should thus be taken into consideration when assessing defense mechanisms and susceptibility to infection of patients treated with these drugs.

J Infect Dis, 1990 Aug, 162(2), 560 - 3
The vir locus affects the response of Bordetella pertussis to antibiotics: phenotypic tolerance and control of autolysis; Tuomanen E et al.; Eradication of Bordetella pertussis from the respiratory tract occurs slowly even when bactericidal antibiotics are used . The rate of killing of B . pertussis was found to be proportional to growth rate: virulent, slowly growing strains were killed over days, while rapidly growing strains (either avirulent or virulent modulated by growth conditions to avirulent) were killed over hours . Minimum inhibitory concentrations and binding of antibiotics to membrane targets were equivalent in virulent and avirulent cells, suggesting differences in antibiotic response might reflect differences in activities of the autolytic cascade . This was supported by the finding that cell wall degradation was less than 40% per day in virulent strains and greater than 70% per day in avirulent strains . Penem antibiotics, known to rapidly kill even slowly growing bacteria, demonstrated a more-than-twofold greater rate of killing of slowly growing virulent strains compared with ampicillin or erythromycin . This suggests the potential for improved therapeutic efficacy in vivo . Thus, the vir locus, which determines phase transition in B . pertussis, is apparently the first example of a sensor-transducer system controlling phenotypic tolerance and antibiotic-induced autolytic activity.

Curr Eye Res, 1990 Aug, 9(8), 725 - 32
Tolerance of intravitreal povidone-iodine in rabbit eyes; Whitacre MM et al.; Povidone-iodine is frequently instilled on to the conjunctival surface prior to intraocular surgery in order to prevent septic endophthalmitis . A small amount of povidone-iodine is inevitably introduced into the eye when it is used in this manner . The toxicity of intravitreal povidone-iodine was assessed in rabbit eyes by injecting 0.1 ml of povidone-iodine in concentrations of 0.05%, 0.5% and 5% into the vitreous cavity . The injected eyes were evaluated by clinical examination, anterior segment and fundus photography, endothelial cell counts, electroretinography and histopathology . Compared to control eyes, no changes were observed in all 6 eyes injected with 0.1 ml of 0.05% povidone-iodine solution . 9 of 10 eyes tolerated a concentration of 0.5% with no detectable adverse changes . One eye developed a temporary mild iritis and mild suppression of the ERG . Intra-retinal hemorrhages, edema, arteriolar narrowing and retinal edema were seen one week following injection . Mild retinal necrosis of the same area was seen on histology . All 4 eyes injected with 5% povidone-iodine developed temporary hypotony and iridocyclitis . A dense cataract developed in all eyes . Full thickness retinal necrosis and a profound lasting reduction in the ERG was produced in all of these eyes . No corneal epithelial or endothelial changes were observed in any eye in this series . Low concentrations of intravitreal povidone-iodine likely to be produced by instillation prior to surgery are tolerated by rabbit eyes . The concentrations tolerated by the studied eyes are near reported bactericidal levels.

Kekkaku, 1990 Aug, 65(8), 519 - 25
{Bactericidal activities of rifampicin, ethambutol, enviomycin and streptomycin on Mycobacterium avium-Mycobacterium intracellulare complex strains}; Tsukamura M et al.; Bacteriostatic and bactericidal activities of rifampicin, ethambutol, enviomycin and streptomycin on Mycobacterium avium-Mycobacterium intracellulare complex (MAI complex) strains were determined . The susceptibility testings were made in Ogawa egg medium, and minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined as the lowest concentration of drugs, in which the growth of 20 to 100 colony-forming units was completely inhibited . The MICs correspond to the MICs that can inhibit the growth of 95 to 99% of bacterial population . Bactericidal activity was determined in a modified Dubos liquid medium (1.3 g of Dubos TB Broth Base were dissolved in 180 ml of distilled water and this solution was supplemented by 20 ml of bovine serum) . A one ml-sample of bacterial suspensions (10 mg wet weight per ml) was added to 9 ml of the Dubos liquid medium, and the medium was incubated at 37 degrees C for 0, 1, 3 and 7 days under shaking condition (56 strokes per minute; 8 cm amplitude) . The bactericidal activity was measured as the number of colony-forming units contained in a 0.02 ml-sample of the medium . The bactericidal activities of rifampicin and ethambutol were weak or absent even in strains 13008 and 13016, which were very susceptible to all four drugs . However, the bactericidal activities of streptomycin and enviomycin could be observed in these strains.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Clin Exp Immunol, 1990 Aug, 81(2), 352 - 6
Stimulation of neutrophil elastase and myeloperoxidase release by IgG fragments; Eckle I et al.; Human leucocyte elastase (HLE) cleaves IgG into Fab and Fc fragments . The Fc fragment bears an elastase-specific antigen and has previously been reported to be found in synovial fluid during rheumatoid arthritis . In addition, biological activity of elastase-specific Fc fragments has been described in modulating granulocyte oxidative metabolism . To investigate further regulatory effects of the elastase-induced IgG cleavage products, we tested the elastase and myeloperoxidase release of granulocytes . IgG fragments induce no enzyme release of unstimulated neutrophils . But elastase and myeloperoxidase release of cytochalasin b/FMLP-treated neutrophils is stimulated in a dose-dependent manner by the Fab fragments . The extent of stimulation depends on stimulus concentration and is at its maximum for low (e.g . 2.5 x 10(-8) M) FMLP concentration . Ten nanomoles Fab/4 x 10(6) PMN augment elastase release to 206% and myeloperoxidase release to 155% after pre-stimulation with 2.5 x 10(-8) M FMLP . Fc fragments stimulate elastase release to 162% but no MPO release . Untreated IgG1 and analog Fab and Fc fragments produced by papain cleavage react similarly . Elastase-generated IgG fragments may therefore up-regulate their concentration by simulating elastase release . The concomitantly stimulated release of myeloperoxidase may influence bactericidal activity and termination of oxidative burst.

Bull Tokyo Dent Coll, 1990 Aug, 31(3), 199 - 203
Bactericidal effects on subgingival bacteria of irrigation with a povidone-iodine solution (Neojodin); Nakagawa T et al.; This study was undertaken to determine the optimal concentration of a povidone-iodine solution (Neojodin: NJD) for irrigation of subgingival pockets . Three different dilutions were prepared (undiluted, 20%, and 10%) . Statistically significant reduction of total colony forming units (CFU) was shown after irrigation with undiluted NJD solution when compared to control sites . Although reduction was not significant after irrigation with 20% or 10% NJD solution, total CFU were reduced to less than 1% in several sites, which was not true with biological saline.

Zentralbl Bakteriol, 1990 Aug, 273(3), 344 - 61
A comparative study on the activation of J-774 macrophage-like cells by gamma-interferon, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and lipopeptide RP-56142: ability to kill intracellularly multiplying Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium avium; Rastogi N et al.; The J-774 macrophage-like cell line has been established as a model for intracellular multiplication of pathogenic mycobacteria, permitting assessment of the intracellular bactericidal action of the macrophages after addition of both the drugs and immunomodulators . In this study, the action of immunomodulators was investigated . Significant morphological changes were demonstrated under the optical and scanning electron microscope (SEM), and the degree of macrophage activation was also measured by acid phosphatase (AcPase) cytochemistry, release of free oxygen radicals and by their ability to hinder the intracellular multiplication of virulent strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) and Mycobacterium avium (M.av) . For This purpose, the macrophages were left to multiply during 3 days in the presence of 50 U/ml of recombinant murine gamma-interferon (INF), 4 micrograms/ml of 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D3 (D3) and 50 micrograms/ml of lipopeptide RP-56142 (RP) added separately or in various possible combinations, and these "activated" cells were then challenged with viable bacteria . Parallel controls included bacterial multiplication in nonactivated macrophages and also extracellularly but under the same experimental conditions as in the macrophage experiments . Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) using the AcPase marker to localize phagosome-lysosome fusion (PLF) in infected cells was also performed . Although all the immunomodulators used significantly changed the morphology of treated cells and increased the % of AcPase-positive cells, none had any effect on the release of oxygen radicals . On the other hand, guinea-pig alveolar macrophages which served as a parallel positive control, were activated by INF and D3 (but not RP) to release superoxide anions . Our data suggest that differential killing mechanisms for intracellular M.tb and M.av may exist . The results obtained also showed that established mycobactericidal mechanisms of the host could not solely account for the antimycobacterial effects observed . Consequently, mechanisms not yet revealed may account for some of the antimycobacterial effects observed.

Proc R Soc Lond B Biol Sci, 1990 Jul 23, 241(1300), 3 - 5
Resistance to human serum of gonococci in urethral exudates is reduced by neuraminidase; Parsons NJ et al.; Gonococci examined directly from urethral exudates are resistant to killing by human serum, but most strains become susceptible on subculture . Previous work with gonococci grown in vitro indicates that resistance in vivo is due to sialylation of gonococcal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) by a host factor, cytidine 5'-monophospho-N-acetylneuraminic acid (CMP-NANA) or a related compound present in urogenital secretions and blood cells including phagocytes, which exude during inflammation . This sialylation inhibits the reaction between bactericidal IgM in serum and its target LPS sites . Here, we confirm the indication by using gonococci grown in vivo . Crucial to the above conclusions was the marked reduction of CMP-NANA-conferred serum resistance when gonococci were treated with neuraminidase to remove sialyl groups from their LPS . We now show that the serum resistance of gonococci in urethral exudates was reduced by treatment with neuraminidase from more than 95% (calculated in relation to controls incubated with heated serum) to 2-11% according to sample and incubation time . Subculture of the gonococci also reduced resistance to 9-11% but resistance was restored to more than 95% by incubation with CMP-NANA . This work is the culmination of an investigation that underlines the need to identify specific host factors and the virulence determinants they induce in vivo in future studies of pathogenicity.

Arch Ophthalmol, 1990 Jul, 108(7), 942 - 4
Coryneform endophthalmitis . Two case reports; McManaway JW 3rd et al.; Recent clinical studies have emphasized the importance of diphtheroids, previously regarded as nonpathogenic bacteria or contaminants, as causes of ocular disease . We encountered two patients with endophthalmitis following cataract extraction and anterior chamber intraocular lens implantation . Both patients had previously been treated with subconjunctival and/or oral corticosteroids for presumed sterile endophthalmitis . Vitreous cultures in each case yielded pure growth of a diphtheroid that was subsequently identified as coryneform group A-4 . The clinical response to standard intraocular therapy with gentamicin and cefazolin was delayed, although both patients eventually had restoration of functional vision . A comparison of the antibiotic minimum inhibitory and minimum bactericidal concentrations of the isolates may help to explain the delayed response to therapy seen in these two patients.

J Assoc Physicians India, 1990 Jul, 38(7), 495 - 8
Free radicals: biology and relevance to disease; Das UN; Free radicals are the major mediators of the bactericidal and cytotoxic actions of polymorphonuclear leucocytes, macrophages and monocytes, and can stimulate lymphocytes mitogenically . Hydrogen peroxide induces interferon production by human macrophages and activates NK (natural killer) cells; interferon can in turn enhance free radical generation in the cells . Anti-cancer drugs such as doxorubicin, vincristine and adriamycin; radiation; and haematoporphyrin derivative-induced photosensitization all can augment free radical generation and thus, cause tumour cell lysis . Our recent studies suggest that some polyunsaturated fatty acids such as gamma-linolenic acid, arachidonic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid can selectively kill tumour cells but not normal cells in vitro by virtue of their capacity to augment free radical generation in the tumour cells . Thus, free radicals have both harmful and beneficial actions.

Biologicals, 1990 Jul, 18(3), 173 - 80
Acellular and whole cell pertussis vaccines protect against the lethal effects of intracerebral challenge by two different T-cell dependent humoral routes; Wiertz EJ et al.; Athymic (nu/nu) and euthymic (+/nu) BALB/c mice were immunized with a whole cell pertussis vaccine or with an acellular vaccine which contained detoxified pertussis toxin (PT) and filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA) . Only the euthymic mice were protected against intracerebral challenge with virulent Bordetella pertussis which implies involvement of T-cells . As a cell transfer from mice immunized with whole cell or acellular vaccine prior to the challenge did not protect naive euthymic recipients, cellular immunity seems to be non-protective as an effector mechanism . Mice could be protected passively against a challenge by administration of immune sera . Therefore, T-cell dependent humoral immune responses to B . pertussis appear to be crucial for protection . The humoral response was further studied with athymic and euthymic mice . In euthymic mice the whole cell vaccine induced antibodies to FHA, pililipopolysaccharides (LPS) and an outer membrane protein (OMP) preparation, whereas the acellular vaccine induced antibodies to PT, FHA and OMP . Both IgM and IgG could be detected . From the nude mice only those immunized with the whole cell vaccine showed an antibody response which consisted of low titres of IgM directed to LPS . Sera from both +/nu and nu/nu mice immunized with the whole cell vaccine were bactericidal in vitro . These data demonstrate that in the mouse model protection to intracerebral challenge with B . pertussis is T-cell dependent as is the humoral response to PT, FHA, OMP and pili . The T-independent B-cell activation by the whole cell preparation is due to the presence of LPS.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Gig Sanit, 1990 Jul, (7), 60 - 3
{Substantiation of the tactics of short-wave ultraviolet irradiation of the air in hospital premises}; Ioirish AN; It has been found out, that the level of microbic dissemination of the air of premises for the treatment of children increases 3-10 times following carrying out various functional activities in them . To reduce air contamination it is reasonable to use irradiation of bactericidal lamps of DB 30-1 type with specific power of 1.5 W/m3 for the first 20 min . after the work has been fulfilled in the premises.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1990 Jul, 26(1), 45 - 53
The effects of single and combined antibiotics on the growth of Legionella pneumophila using time-kill studies; Barker JE et al.; The combinations of erythromycin with rifampicin, with ciprofloxacin or with amoxycillin, and ciprofloxacin plus rifampicin were tested by the time-kill curve method to assess their bactericidal activity against Legionella pneumophila . Rifampicin-resistant strains were found in broth cultures of the micro-organism even before exposure to the drug . In the presence of MBCs of rifampicin, the sensitive organisms were killed, allowing the resistant mutants to multiply . In broths containing both erythromycin and rifampicin, the rifampicin-resistant mutants were killed more rapidly than by erythromycin alone . In addition, erythromycin was effective in preventing the growth of amoxycillin- and ciprofloxacin-resistant organisms . Fortunately resistance to erythromycin was not detected by these time-kill studies . Thus for patients with severe forms of Legionnaires' disease, erythromycin should be combined with other more inhibitory drugs, such as rifampicin or ciprofloxacin, to enhance bactericidal activity.

J Inorg Biochem, 1990 Jul, 39(3), 237 - 45
Stereochemical and biochemical aspects of some organoboron complexes of sulphur donor ligands; Singh VP et al.; Synthetic, structural and biochemical aspects of some organoboron complexes of sulphur containing ligands having ONS and SNNS donor systems have been described . The ligands were prepared by the condensation of 1-phenyl-1,3-butanedione, 2,4-pentanedione, diphenylethanedione, 2,3-butanedione, ethanedial and 1,4-benzenedialdehyde with 2-mercaptoaniline . The unimolar reactions between phenylboronic acid and these thio-ligands have produced Ph.B (ONS) and Ph.B . (SNNS) type of biologically active complexes . These have been characterized by elemental analysis, molecular weight determinations, and conductivity measurements . Based on UV, IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and 11B NMR spectral studies, a tetracoordinated state of boron has been established in all the derivatives . The ligands and their corresponding organoboron complexes have been tested in vitro against a number of pathogenic fungi and bacteria and found to possess remarkable fungicidal and bactericidal properties.

Pediatr Res, 1990 Jul, 28(1), 24 - 7
A sedative effect of dopamine on the respiratory burst in neonatal polymorphonuclear leukocytes; Matsuoka T; Studies were performed to examine the effect of dopamine on the functions of neonatal polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) . Cord blood PMN were treated with dopamine and assayed for their superoxide anion production by the ferricytochrome C reduction method and for their myeloperoxidase-hypochlorous system ability by the luminol-dependent chemiluminescence using a synthetic chemotactic factor, N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine, as a stimulus . Dopamine inhibited N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine-induced O2- production by neonatal PMN: when PMN were treated with 10(-5) M and 10(-4) M dopamine, the percentage inhibition values were 51 and 71%, respectively . Dopamine also inhibited the luminol-dependent chemiluminescence . PMN mobility and bactericidal ability were not affected by dopamine . Therapeutic dopamine plasma levels (873.5 +/- 174.0 ng/mL, n = 13, mean +/- SEM) observed in sick infants corresponded with the in vitro dopamine concentrations to inhibit the respiratory burst . Dopamine may be one of the drugs useful for reducing the oxygen-induced tissue damage associated with PMN in neonatal intensive care patients.

J Infect Dis, 1990 Jun, 161(6), 1262 - 8
Treatment of disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex infection of beige mice with liposome-encapsulated aminoglycosides; Bermudez LE et al.; Free and liposome-encapsulated amikacin are active in vitro against intracellular Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) . To examine whether liposome-encapsulated aminoglycosides might kill intracellular MAC more effectively in vivo, beige mice were infected with MAC strain 101 (serotype 1) and after 1 week were treated intravenously every other day (5 doses total) with amikacin liposomes (0.2, 1, or 4 mg/dose), amikacin solution (0.2, 1, or 2 mg), gentamicin liposomes or gentamicin solution (0.2 or 1 mg), placebo liposomes (without aminoglycosides), or buffer . Amikacin and gentamicin liposomes significantly reduced bacterial counts in blood, liver, and spleen (98.5%, 92.7%, and 92.8%, respectively, for the 1-mg dose of amikacin and 92.8%, 99.7%, and 99.4% for gentamicin; 95.7%, 69.7%, and 89.1%, respectively, for the 0.2-mg dose of amikacin and 49.9%, 76.7%, and 89.1% for gentamicin) compared with placebo liposomes and buffer . Equivalent doses of free drug were not associated with significant decreases in viable bacteria . Thus, aminoglycoside liposomes improved bactericidal effects over conventional treatment in disseminated MAC infection, offering potential application in treating MAC infection in humans.

Mol Gen Genet, 1990 Jun, 222(1), 37 - 40
Colicin M is only bactericidal when provided from outside the cell; Harkness RE et al.; The colicin M structural gene, cma, was subcloned in a vector which allowed temperature-inducible control of its expression . Induction of expression of cma in colicin M uptake proficient strains was lethal for the host cell when the colicin M immunity protein was not present . In liquid culture cells lysed, and no colonies were formed on solid media . These effects were not observed in mutants defective in the colicin receptor (FhuA) or uptake functions (TonB, TolM), nor in wild-type cells treated with trypsin prior to induction of cma expression . It was concluded that cytoplasmic colicin M is not toxic for the producing cell . To exert a lethal effect the colicin has to enter the cell from outside . Cells expressing cma released small amounts of colicin M.

Pathol Biol (Paris), 1990 Jun, 38(5 ( Pt 2)), 557 - 60
{Efficacy of the combination of ceftazidime/vancomycin in the first line treatment of infection in neutropenic children}; Schaison G et al.; Infection is the first reason of mortality in children with bone marrow aplasia . It justifies the immediate treatment initiation before bacteriological cultures results . First line probabilistic treatment must have a bactericidal activity on the pathogens and must be atoxic . The empirical therapy consisted of ceftazidime 100 mg/k/d and vancomycine 40 mg/k/d three times a day . We treated 41 patients, ranged from 0.5 to 17 years (mean 9.5 years) . 27 lymphoblastic leukaemias, 10 myeloblastic leukaemias, 4 lymphomas, presenting post therapeutic prolonged aplasia: PMN less than 500/mm3 . 23 strains were isolated from 15 patients . 12 Gram+: 7 ceftazidime sensitive, 12 vancomycine sensitive and 11 Gram-: 10 ceftazidime sensitive . Only one is resistant to ceftazidime + vancomycine . Apyrexia was obtained in less than 48 hours in 36 patients . Mean treatment duration was 16 days . Hyperthermia relapsed 17 times and was susceptible to ampho B ten times, although no candida was isolated . When ceftazidime + vancomycine combination failed, other antibiotic treatment was ineffective . There were 4 superinfections (2 in blood, 1 enteric, 1 pharyngeal) and 2 germs were ceftazidime resistant . In conclusion: ceftazidime + vancomycine combination is a very effective treatment of infection in the neutropenic children: 88% success . 95% of the germs are sensitive to, at least, one of the 2 antibiotics . There are very few superinfections . Tolerance is excellent.

J Dairy Sci, 1990 Jun, 73(6), 1508 - 14
Growth of Escherichia coli in milk from endotoxin-induced mastitic quarters and the course of subsequent experimental Escherichia coli mastitis in the cow; Lohuis JA et al.; The objective of this study was to assess growth of Escherichia coli in milk from endotoxin-induced mastitic quarters and to relate the in vitro findings to the course of experimental E . coli mastitis . Whole and skim milks from 24 rear quarters of 12 cows were inoculated with E . coli 0:157 and incubated at 38 degrees C . Growth of E . coli 0:157 was not inhibited in milk collected from rear quarters immediately prior to endotoxin infusion . However, growth inhibition occurred in all but one whole mastitic milk samples collected from mastitic quarters 18 h after infusion of .1 mg of endotoxin . Skim milk samples from mastitic quarters were bactericidal in four cows (7 quarters), whereas growth occurred in skim mastitic milk from 17 quarters of nine cows . Rear quarters of all cows were inoculated with 10(4) cfu of E . coli 0:157 19 h after the quarters had been infused with endotoxin . Clinical parameters and milk production were monitored during 36 h and 21 d, respectively . None of the inoculated quarters developed signs of inflammation, and secreta from inoculated quarters were bacteriologically negative after 48 h . Therefore, growth-inhibitory property of skim milk from endotoxin-induced quarters was apparently not a suitable parameter to monitor differences in susceptibility to E . coli mastitis.

Laryngorhinootologie, 1990 Jun, 69(6), 327 - 32
{Are cialit-preserved ossicles as middle ear implants still bacteriologically defensible? Their replacement by pre-formed implants fashioned from teeth}; Huttenbrink KB et al.; Recent studies have demonstrated a limited bactericidal activity of Cialit in the preservation of otologic transplants . The authors therefore performed several tests following routine treatment of the grafts . First, the contamination of allogenic ossicles was studied; afterwards, the bactericidal activity of Cialit was tested against standardized germs and clinical isolates . At the highly toxic concentration of 1:2000, Cialit is bactericidal . For clinical purposes, however, the less toxic solution of 1:5000 is generally used, which is not sufficiently safe against certain resistant clinical isolates . The fact that the activity of Cialit depends on its concentration explains the controversial findings in the literature . Furthermore, it is doubtful whether a weaker solution would prevent transmission of an HIV or hepatitis infection . Therefore, the authors recommend the autoclaving of otologic allografts . This also has forensic reasons; for example if the serologic status of the donor is unknown . As ossicles become brittle under this procedure, the authors now use sculptured parts of teeth, in which the hydroxyl-apatite is much more compact . The preformed prostheses can be autoclaved without problem . More than 150 reconstructions have proved the acceptance of this cheap implant material . Furthermore, forensic problems with ossicles from corpses do not arise.

Lepr Rev, 1990 Jun, 61(2), 157 - 62
A study of relapse in paucibacillary leprosy in a multidrug therapy project, Baroda District, India; Chopra NK et al.; In order to judge the value of therapeutic regimens in paucibacillary leprosy, knowledge of incubation time of relapses is essential, as this will define the length of time patients have to be followed up after treatment has been stopped . The prospective study of relapse includes paucibacillary cases of leprosy belonging to a non-lepromatous group consisting of tuberculoid, neuritic and indeterminate . Data are presented on the incubation time of 21 relapses after multidrug therapy in Baroda district; 76.19% of relapses occur during the first 2 years . This figure is most important in the analysis of results of drug trials in paucibacillary leprosy . This figure should also be relevant to regimens including drugs that are more bacteriocidal than dapsone, since the bacteriocidal activity has a bearing on the minimal necessary duration of treatment, but not on the incubation time of relapses . With the introduction of bactericidal drugs e.g . rifampicin in multidrug therapy, the incidence of relapse are very low, hence relapse rates fall down to a very low level after multidrug therapy . Our study shows a mean relapse rate of 0.19% after multidrug therapy . Factors associated with the occurrence of relapse are discussed.

Vestn Khir Im I I Grek, 1990 Jun, 144(6), 99 - 105
{Changes in the surface and activation of circulating leukocytes after autologous transfusion of UV-irradiated blood}; Samoilova KA et al.; Under study was the dynamics of functional properties of leukocytes of healthy people and patients after UV-irradiation of their blood, mixing the UV-irradiated and non-irradiated blood . It was shown that UV-irradiation and mixing the irradiated and non-irradiated blood facilitated the liberation of bactericidal cation proteins of leukocytes, higher expression of membrane receptors, growth factors, activation of reparation of DNA after its injury by gamma-rays . It proves the role of immediate activation of leukocytes of the circulating blood in trigger mechanisms of effects of autotransfusion of UV-irradiated blood.

Biull Eksp Biol Med, 1990 Jun, 109(6), 557 - 8
{Detection of myeloperoxidase in eye tissues of man}; Liukova TV et al.; Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is an enzyme which usually detected in leukocytes of peripheral blood . Its principal function is to produce bactericidal hypochlorite-ions in reaction of hydrogen peroxide with chlor ions . The present work deals with testing myeloperoxidase activity in different eye tissues . Evolution of MPO activity has been tested by means of dianisidine reaction and immunochemical identification in extracts . High activity of MPO was found for retina and lens of healthy men and elderly people with lens opalescence . It should be noted that cellular body, cornea, aqueous humor, vitreous humor do not manifest any noticeable activity . Iris has low activity.

J Appl Physiol, 1990 Jun, 68(6), 2384 - 90
Respiratory burst in alveolar macrophages of diabetic rats; Mohsenin V et al.; Bactericidal ability of alveolar macrophages is depressed in rats with diabetes mellitus . To define the mechanism of this abnormality, we measured the parameters of respiratory burst in alveolar macrophages, peripheral blood monocytes, and neutrophils of rats 8 wk after the induction of diabetes by streptozocin . Superoxide anion (O2-.) generation during basal conditions and after stimulation with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) was measured as superoxide dismutase-inhibitable cytochrome c reduction . NADPH, the principal substrate for NADPH-oxidase-dependent O2- . generation, was measured in the alveolar macrophages and quick-frozen lungs by the enzyme-cycling method . O2- . generation after PMA was significantly lower in the alveolar macrophages of diabetics than in the controls (14.4 +/- 2.0 nmol.10(6) cells-1.20 min-1 vs . 26.2 +/- 1.9, P less than 0.05) . Conversely the peripheral blood monocytes of diabetics demonstrated an enhanced O2- . production after PMA stimulation . There was no significant difference in the neutrophil O2-.-generation between the groups . The alveolar macrophage NADPH (control 0.44 +/- 0.15 nmol/10(6) cells vs . diabetic 0.21 +/- 0.04, P less than 0.05) and lung tissue NADPH levels (control 81.4 +/- 16.3 nmol/g dry wt vs . diabetic 35.8 +/- 20.5, P less than 0.05) were significantly lower in the diabetics than in the controls . These data indicate that the O2-.-generating capacity of alveolar macrophages is markedly depressed in diabetes, whereas their precursors, monocytes, are primed to generate O2- . with PMA stimulation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Khirurgiia (Mosk), 1990 Jun, (6), 39 - 42
{Comparative characteristics of bactericidal activity of various traditional and currently available antiseptics used in surgery}; Melekhov PA et al.; Comparative study of the microbicidal activity of some traditional (hydrogen peroxide, boric acid, nitrofurazone) and currently available (Baliz-2, dioxidine, chlorhexidine bigluconate, pervomur) antiseptics against the most commonly encountered causative agents of purulent surgical infection showed 0.8%, 1.2%, and 2.4% pervomur solutions to possess the highest bactericidal and sporicidal activity . This circumstance allowed weak (0.8 and 1.2%) solutions of pervomur to be used in the clinic in 68 patients for the management of purulent postoperative complications and localized purulent infection, which improved the results of treatment significantly.

Am Rev Respir Dis, 1990 Jun, 141(6), 1478 - 82
The effects of exposure time, drug concentration, and temperature on the activity of ethambutol versus Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Gangadharam PR et al.; In a series of dynamic in vitro studies designed to assess the activity of ethambutol (EMB) against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, we made the following observations . Ethambutol showed bactericidal action with 10 micrograms/ml concentration when in constant contact with M . tuberculosis . At a lower concentration, bactericidal action was evident up to 6 days; after that time, this effect was lost owing to the development of drug-resistant mutants . The bactericidal action of ethambutol in this model was similar to that of rifampin and isoniazid . Pulsed exposure for 96 h caused a four-log reduction in cfu counts, but the growth resumed rapidly . The bactericidal action of ethambutol was maximal at 37 degrees C and less at low temperatures . Ethambutol showed little activity against cultures growing at 8 degrees C continuously that were incubated for only 1 h at 37 degrees C . Against cultures growing at 8 degrees C that were brought to 37 degrees C for 6 h, its action was similar to that of rifampin . Ethambutol combined with other drugs showed bactericidal action, although the activity was less than that of the combination isoniazid-streptomycin.

J Med Microbiol, 1990 Jun, 32(2), 83 - 6
Conditions required for the bactericidal activity of fleroxacin and pefloxacin against Escherichia coli KL 16; Lewin CS et al.; Pefloxacin and fleroxacin showed biphasic bactericidal activity against Escherichia coli KL16 in nutrient broth . Bacteriostatic concentrations of chloramphenicol, an inhibitor of protein synthesis, and rifampicin, an inhibitor of RNA synthesis, could not completely abolish the bactericidal activity of either drug . Pefloxacin and fleroxacin were also active against non-dividing E . coli KL16 . Therefore, pefloxacin and fleroxacin are able to kill bacteria which are not dividing nor actively synthesising protein or RNA.

Schweiz Rundsch Med Prax, 1990 May 22, 79(21), 657 - 60
{Tuberculosis--recurrence: incidence, causes, treatment}; Karrer W; By reducing the anti-tuberculous therapy to six to nine months and the fact that tuberculosis occurs in immunocompromised patients raises the question of relapse after treatment . In order to avoid such relapses the drug therapy has to be optimized regarding duration (minimum six months) as well as combination (bactericidal antituberculous drugs) and the patients' compliance has to be monitored carefully . Special monitoring is necessary with immunocompromised patients . The problem of resistance against antituberculous drugs (especially Isoniazid) has to be taken into consideration . The most relapses occur during the first year after termination of therapy.

Am J Med, 1990 May 14, 88(5A), 28S - 32S
A comparison of serum bactericidal activity and phenotypic characteristics of bacteremic, pneumonia-causing strains, and colonizing strains of Branhamella catarrhalis; Jordan KL et al.; Four blood isolates, 12 pneumonia isolates, and seven colonizing isolates of Branhamella catarrhalis were compared with respect to their ability to grow in normal human serum and in convalescent serum of a patient with B . catarrhalis bacteremia . Disease-causing isolates showed seven of 16 serum-resistant strains (43 percent) compared with one of seven (13 percent) colonizing strains . Bacteremic strains were not more serum-resistant than pneumonia-causing strains . Trypsin zones of inhibition were higher for disease-causing strains . There was no correlation between source of isolation and colistin sensitivity or ability to hemagglutinate red blood cells.

Pathol Biol (Paris), 1990 May, 38(5), 477 - 82
{Comparative study of 2 methods to determine the in vivo bactericidal activity of antiseptics}; Chantefort A et al.; In France in 1990, there is no standardized method to study the bactericidal activity in vivo of antiseptics . A comparative study of the Williamson-Kligmann techniques (on the epidermis of the forearm) and of the bag of Gaschen (on the hands) has been carried out by using 11 products and 10 volunteers for each of them . On the forearm, the rates of reduction of the number of bacterias numbered in decimal logarithms are significantly much higher to those measured on the hand . After having stated the advantages and drawbacks of each of these two techniques, an account fort the differences in the activity that have been observed is suggested . None of these two techniques is universal and one or the other has to be used according to the therapeutic prescription (antisepsy of the normal skin or of the hands) of the patent medicine.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1990 May, 34(5), 697 - 701
Evaluation of piperacillin-tazobactam in experimental meningitis caused by a beta-lactamase-producing strain of K1-positive Escherichia coli; Kern W et al.; We evaluated the pharmacokinetics and therapeutic efficacy of piperacillin combined with tazobactam, a novel beta-lactamase inhibitor, in experimental meningitis due to a beta-lactamase-producing strain of K1-positive Escherichia coli . Different doses of piperacillin and tazobactam, as single agents and combined (8:1 ratio; dosage range, 40/5 to 200/25 mg/kg per h), and of ceftriaxone were given to experimentally infected rabbits by intravenous bolus injection followed by a 5-h constant infusion . The mean (+/- standard deviation) rates for penetration into the cerebrospinal fluid of infected animals after coadministration of both drugs were 16.6 +/- 8.4% for piperacillin and 32.5 +/- 12.6% for tazobactam . Compared with either agent alone, combination treatment resulted in significantly better bactericidal activity in the cerebrospinal fluid . The bactericidal activity of piperacillin-tazobactam was dose dependent: cerebrospinal fluid bacterial titers were reduced by 0.37 +/- 0.19 log10 CFU/ml per h with the lowest dose versus 0.96 +/- 0.25 log10 CFU/ml per h with the highest dose (P less than 0.001) . At the relatively high doses of 160/20 and 200/25 mg of piperacillin-tazobactam per kg per h, the bactericidal activity of the combination was comparable to that of 10 and 25 mg of ceftriaxone per kg per h, respectively.

Kidney Int, 1990 May, 37(5), 1310 - 5
Diversity in peritoneal macrophage response of CAPD patients to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3; Levy R et al.; A major complication of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) is peritonitis . Increasing the activity of the peritoneal macrophages, the predominant cell type found in the peritoneal cavity, may be a promising treatment for this infection . The effect of 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D3 {1,25(OH)2D3} on the activity of peritoneal macrophages from CAPD patients and nonuremic controls was studied . 1,25(OH)2D3 had a biphasic effect on superoxide generation in the concentration range of 2.5 10(-9) M to 5 x 10(-6) M with a peak at 2 x 10(-8) M . The addition of 2 x 10(-8) M 1,25(OH)2D3 to nonuremic control macrophages for 24 hours caused a significant twofold increase in superoxide generation in response to phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), from 2.21 + 0.2 to 4.1 + 0.2 nmol/10(6) mac (P less than 0.001), and enhanced the bactericidal activity from 60 + 7% to 85 + 9% (P less than 0.005) . CAPD patients were divided into two groups: Group A, patients with high peritonitis incidence (HPI); group B, patients with low peritonitis incidence (LPI) . Macrophages from HPI patients show a lower bactericidal activity (37 +/- 5%) and were not affected by 1,25(OH)2D3 after 24 hours of treatment . The increase in macrophage activity was seen only after three days of incubation with the hormone . Macrophages from this group generated a high amount of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) during the first 24 hours in culture (7.8 +/- 0.52 ng/ml as compared with 0.35 +/- 0.03 ng/ml in the controls).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Biochem J, 1990 May 1, 267(3), 795 - 802
Activation of superoxide formation and lysozyme release in human neutrophils by the synthetic lipopeptide Pam3Cys-Ser-(Lys)4 . Involvement of guanine-nucleotide-binding proteins and synergism with chemotactic peptides; Seifert R et al.; Upon exposure to the bacterial chemotactic peptide fMet-Leu-Phe, human neutrophils release lysozyme and generate superoxide anions (O2.-) . The synthetic lipoamino acid N-palmitoyl-S-{2,3-bis(palmitoyloxy)-(2RS)-propyl}-(R)-cysteine (Pam3Cys), which is derived from the N-terminus of bacterial lipoprotein, when attached to Ser-(Lys)4 {giving Pam3Cys-Ser-(Lys)4}, activated O2.- formation and lysozyme release in human neutrophils with an effectiveness amounting to about 15% of that of fMet-Leu-Phe . Palmitic acid, muramyl dipeptide, lipopolysaccharide and the lipopeptides Pam3Cys-Ala-Gly, Pam3Cys-Ser-Gly, Pam3Cys-Ser, Pam3Cys-OMe and Pam3Cys-OH did not activate O2.- formation . Pertussis toxin, which ADP-ribosylates guanine-nucleotide-binding proteins (G-proteins) and functionally uncouples formyl peptide receptors from G-proteins, prevented activation of O2.- formation by fMet-Leu-Phe and inhibited Pam3Cys-Ser-(Lys)4-induced O2.- formation by 85% . Lipopeptide-induced exocytosis was pertussis-toxin-insensitive . O2.- formation induced by Pam3Cys-Ser-(Lys)4 and fMet-Leu-Phe was enhanced by cytochalasin B, by a phorbol ester and by a diacylglycerol kinase inhibitor . Addition of activators of adenylate cyclase and removal of extracellular Ca2+ inhibited O2.- formation by fMet-Leu-Phe and Pam3Cys-Ser-(Lys)4 to different extents . Pam3Cys-Ser-(Lys)4 synergistically enhanced fMet-Leu-Phe-induced O2.- formation and primed neutrophils to respond to the chemotactic peptide at non-stimulatory concentrations . Our data suggest the following . (1) Pam3Cys-Ser-(Lys)4 activates neutrophils through G-proteins, involving pertussis-toxin-sensitive and -insensitive processes . (2) The signal transduction pathways activated by fMet-Leu-Phe and Pam3Cys-Ser-(Lys)4 are similar but not identical . (3) In inflammatory processes, bacterial lipoproteins and chemotactic peptides may interact synergistically to activate O2.- formation, leading to enhanced bactericidal activity.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1990 May, 34(5), 770 - 4
MICs and MBCs of Win 57273 against Mycobacterium avium and M . tuberculosis; Heifets LB et al.; A new quinolone, Win 57273 {1-cyclopropyl-7-(2,6-dimethyl-4-pyridinyl)-6-fluoro-1,4-dihydro-4-oxo-3 - quinolonecarboxylic acid}, synthesized by Sterling Research Group, was tested in vitro against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium avium strains . The broth-determined MICs of this agent ranged from 1.0 to 4.0 micrograms/ml for M . tuberculosis strains and from 0.25 to 8.0 micrograms/ml for M . avium strains . A distinctive feature of this agent, in comparison with ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin, is its substantially greater activity at the low pHs . For M . avium strains, the MICs of Win 57273 were 2.0 micrograms/ml or less for 54.5% of strains at pH 6.8 and 85.5% of strains at pH 5.0 . Win 57273 was more active than ciprofloxacin against M . avium strains, and this difference was very substantial for all M . avium strains at pH 5.0 . Taking into account that the predominant locations of these organisms in vivo are within the phagosomes and phagolysosomes of macrophages, i.e., in acidic environments at pH 5.0 or lower, the greater activity of Win 57273 at low pH makes this quinolone especially promising for M . avium infection . The bactericidal activity of Win 57273 for M . avium strains was the same as that of ciprofloxacin, with MBCs from 4.0 to 16.0 micrograms/ml.

Infect Immun, 1990 May, 58(5), 1210 - 6
Regulation of Mycobacterium bovis BCG and foreign body granulomas in mice by the Bcg gene; Sato IY et al.; Natural bactericidal resistance to Mycobacterium bovis BCG is under the control of a single gene, designated Bcg . Lung granuloma formation in susceptible (Bcgs) and resistant (Bcgr) mice was studied in two sets of Bcg-congenic systems, namely, the BALB/c (Bcgs)-C.D2 (BALB/c.Bcgr) pair and the B10.A (Bcgs)-B10.Ar (Bcgr) pair, by using BCG as well as foreign body granuloma-inducing agents (dextran beads) . Large granulomas of the lung induced by the intratracheal instillation of either BCG or dextran beads developed in Bcgs mice . In contrast, minimal inflammation was produced in Bcgr mice given BCG or dextran beads . Aqueous extracts prepared from pulmonary granuloma lesions induced by Bcgs mice by either BCG or dextran beads contained high levels of interleukin-1 (IL-1) activity but not interleukin-2 (IL-2) or interleukin-4 (IL-4) activity . Very low IL-1 activity was detected in extracts from Bcgr mice injected with BCG and dextran beads . The activity of IL-1 was correlated closely with the activity and size of the granulomatous inflammation in mice . These results suggest that pleiotropic effects of the Bcg gene are involved in the development of granulomas induced by either BCG or nonspecific foreign body agents (dextran beads) and that monokines participate in granuloma formation.

J Biol Chem, 1990 Apr 25, 265(12), 6675 - 81
Purification of a cellular (granulocyte) and an extracellular (serum) phospholipase A2 that participate in the destruction of Escherichia coli in a rabbit inflammatory exudate; Wright GW et al.; A granule-associated phospholipase A2 from rabbit polymorphonuclear leukocytes and a closely similar phospholipase A2 from rabbit serum have been purified to near homogeneity by ion-exchange and reverse-phase chromatography . The cellular (polymorphonuclear leukocyte) phospholipase A2 has been purified greater than 100,000-fold and the extracellular (serum) phospholipase A2 approximately 60,000-fold . The NH2-terminal amino acid sequence of the ascitic fluid phospholipase A2 that we have recently purified from inflammatory exudates produced in rabbits is nearly identical (15 of 16 residues) to that of the polymorphonuclear leukocyte phospholipase A2 and completely identical (19 of 19 residues) to that of the purified serum phospholipase A2 . The functional properties of these three phospholipases A2 are indistinguishable . Each enzyme is active against Escherichia coli killed by the bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein of polymorphonuclear leukocyte, a property shared only by a subset of phospholipases A2 . The presence of structurally and functionally very closely similar phospholipases A2 in the cellular and extracellular compartments of an inflammatory exudate is consistent with the apparent role of these enzymes in the destruction of certain microbial invaders during the acute inflammatory response.

J Biol Chem, 1990 Apr 15, 265(11), 6074 - 8
Reaction of compound III of myeloperoxidase with ascorbic acid; Marquez LA et al.; A relatively pure and stable compound III of bovine spleen myeloperoxidase was prepared from native enzyme using the aerobic oxidation of dihydroxyfumarate to generate O2-(.) . Spectral scans show well defined peaks at 450 and 625 nm and an isosbestic point between compound III and native enzyme at 440 nm . Compound III decayed to native enzyme without any detectable intermediate . The rate of decay was faster at alkaline pH values and also in the presence of superoxide dismutase . Ascorbic acid reduces compound III to native enzyme with a second order rate constant of (4.0 +/- 0.1) x 10(2) M-1 s-1 . The ascorbic acid reduction of compound III has potential physiological relevance since it could help maintain the catalytic cycle of myeloperoxidase to generate the bactericidal agent hypochlorous acid.

Biochim Biophys Acta, 1990 Apr 9, 1052(1), 211 - 5
Hydrocortisone inhibits the respiratory burst oxidase from human neutrophils in whole-cell and cell-free systems; Umeki S et al.; The effects of hydrocortisone on the respiratory burst oxidase (NADPH oxidase, EC 1.6.99.6) from human neutrophils in both whole-cell and full soluble (cell-free) systems were investigated . In the whole-cell system, hydrocortisone inhibited the generation of superoxide by neutrophils exposed to phorbol myristate acetate, suggesting that steroids inhibit the bactericidal capacity of the body in an acute inflammatory phase . Hydrocortisone, which was added to the cuvette after the addition of NADPH and before the addition of sodium dodecyl sulfate, in a cell-free system, was found to inhibit the activation of superoxide-generating NADPH oxidase by sodium dodecyl sulfate . The concentration of hydrocortisone required for 50% inhibition of oxidase was 40 microM . Its inhibition was dose- and time-dependent in the cell-free system . However, hydrocortisone did not alter the Km of the oxidase for NADPH . These results suggest that steroids inhibit the reconstitution of NADPH oxidase by sodium dodecyl sulfate in the cell-free system, and that they do not alter the affinity to NADPH of the oxidase.

N Engl J Med, 1990 Apr 5, 322(14), 959 - 65
An acquired chemotactic defect in neutrophils from patients receiving interleukin-2 immunotherapy; Klempner MS et al.; Bacterial sepsis is a frequent complication in patients with cancer who are receiving high doses of interleukin-2 . We evaluated the function of neutrophils from such patients to determine whether there was any abnormality in this form of host defense . Before interleukin-2 therapy, neutrophils from 31 patients with metastatic cancer were normal in assays of random migration and chemotaxis . Superoxide production, phagocytosis, secretion of granule proteins, and bactericidal activity were also normal . Neutrophils from the patients near the end of the first course of interleukin-2 had severely impaired chemotaxis in response to a formylated peptide stimulus (mean {+/- SEM}, 49.6 +/- 7.4 percent of base line; P less than 0.001) . The detect in chemotaxis improved 5 to 10 days after patients completed the first course of interleukin-2 therapy but recurred toward the end of the second course of such therapy (35.3 +/- 6.9 percent of base line; P less than 0.001) . The chemotactic response to a second stimulus (zymosan-activated serum) was also abnormal, but random migration, superoxide production, bactericidal activity, and the secretion of neutrophil granule constituents remained normal or increased throughout treatment with interleukin-2 . We conclude that patients who receive interleukin-2 immunotherapy acquire an acute, profound, and reversible defect in neutrophil chemotaxis that may contribute to the high morbidity resulting from bacterial infections in these patients.

Burns, 1990 Apr, 16(2), 83 - 8
Structural changes of Kupffer cells in rat liver following experimental thermal injury; Okabayashi K et al.; Changes in plasma haemoglobin levels and morphology of Kupffer cells were studied in rats following lethal thermal injury . Severe haemolysis was observed immediately after thermal injury . The plasma haemoglobin levels rapidly increased to a maximum level 15 min after injury and then rapidly decreased with time . However, the values were still higher 5 h after injury than those found before injury . Soon after burning the Kupffer cells phagocytized not only circulating cell debris including erythrocyte membranes and degenerate leucocytes but also large amounts of haemoglobin . The degradation of phagocytized haemoglobin was relatively slow compared to that of other cell debris . This phagocytized haemoglobin is considered to inhibit the generation of bactericidal-free radicals and to depress Kupffer cell function . The number of Kupffer cells was markedly decreased 5 h after thermal injury, and probably relates to the persistent depletion of the reticuloendothelial system function which follows lethal thermal injury . In contrast to the decreased number of Kupffer cells, a small number of monocytic cells appeared in the sinusoidal spaces and adhered to the endothelial cells . These monocytic cells may transform into Kupffer cells.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1990 Apr, 34(4), 534 - 8
Effects of production of abnormal proteins on the rate of killing of Escherichia coli by streptomycin; Wyka MA et al.; The role of abnormal membrane proteins in modulating the rate of killing by streptomycin was investigated . Davis et al . (B.D . Davis, L . Chen, and P.T . Tai, Proc . Natl . Acad . Sci . USA 83:6164-6168, 1986) have proposed that misread membrane proteins created by the action of streptomycin on translating ribosomes cause the formation of nonspecific membrane channels which allow increased uptake of the antibiotic and contribute to its bactericidal action . Pretreatment of Escherichia coli with a low concentration of puromycin enhanced the rate of killing by streptomycin . The effect of the pretreatment with puromycin was transient, since approximately normal rates of killing by streptomycin were restored after 30 min of incubation in antibiotic-free medium . This time period correlates with the time required to degrade labile polypeptides in puromycin-treated cells . The induction of a specific abnormal malE-lacZ fusion protein, which is capable of disrupting the normal membrane protein secretion process, also increased the rate of killing by streptomycin . Induction of malF-phoA fusion proteins, which have no significant effects on membrane integrity, did not alter susceptibility to streptomycin . These observations suggest that certain abnormal membrane proteins can contribute to the bactericidal action of streptomycin.

J Thorac Imaging, 1990 Apr, 5(2), 1 - 7
The microbiology, chemotherapy, and surgical treatment of tuberculosis; Boyars MC; Tuberculosis is a disease that has plagued humankind for centuries . The "white plague" is not only treatable and curable but also preventable . Initially, tuberculosis fell in the province of the general physician . With the advent of technologic advances in thoracic surgery, surgical management of tuberculosis was brought to the forefront . Effective bactericidal drug therapy became available by 1954 after the development of streptomycin in 1945 and isoniazid in 1952 . Additional effective antituberculous drugs have relegated surgical therapy for tuberculosis to a relatively minor role.

Kansenshogaku Zasshi, 1990 Apr, 64(4), 430 - 5
{Studies on defense effects of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) to infections . II . Priming effect for superoxide production by human neutrophil}; Kadota J et al.; In present study, we have investigated superoxide (O2-) production from human neutrophils by recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) using the microtiter plate for the purpose of being close to the inflammatory site . G-CSF by itself did not induce the release of O2- in human neutrophil on either Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS)-coated plate or plate uncoated with FBS, even if neutrophils were exposed for maximum 3 hr . However, the optimal concentration of G-CSF (50 ng/ml) was able to prime human neutrophils with enhance of O2- release stimulated by the chemotactic peptide, N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) from 10(-6) to 10(-8) M, but not by the non chemoattractant such as phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), concanavalin A, and ionomycin . These findings indicate that G-CSF might enhance bactericidal activity of neutrophils by priming them penetrating into the inflammatory site.

Mol Microbiol, 1990 Apr, 4(4), 519 - 26
Structure and dynamics of the colicin E1 channel; Cramer WA et al.; The toxin-like and bactericidal colicin E1 molecule is of interest for problems of toxin action, polypeptide translocation across membranes, voltage-gated channels, and receptor function . Colicin E1 binds to a receptor in the outer membrane and is translocated across the cell envelope to the inner membrane . Import of the colicin channel-forming domain into the inner membrane involves a translocation-competent intermediate state and a membrane potential-dependent movement of one third to one half of the channel peptide into the membrane bilayer . The voltage-gated channel has a conductance sufficiently large to depolarize the Escherichia coli cytoplasmic membrane . Amino acid residues that affect the channel ion selectivity have been identified by site-directed mutagenesis . The colicin E1 channel is one of a few membrane proteins whose secondary structures in the membrane, predominantly alpha-helix, have been determined by physico-chemical techniques . Hypothesis for the identity of the trans-membrane helices, and the mechanism of binding to the membrane, are influenced by the solved crystal structure of the soluble colicin A channel peptide . The protective action of immunity protein is a unique aspect of the colicin problem, and information has been obtained, by genetic techniques, about the probable membrane topography of the imm gene product.

Rev Prat, 1990 Mar 21, 40(9), 817 - 22
{Antibiotic therapy of nosocomial infections in children}; Bingen E et al.; The choice of antibiotics for the treatment of hospital-acquired infections in children is a rational choice based on the child's general condition, on the site of infection, on the most probable pathogens and on their current sensitivity to antibiotics . The antibiotic chosen must reach bactericidal concentrations at the site of infection for rapid reduction or the inoculum and to limit the systemic spread of infection, thereby decreasing the risk of a rapidly expanding infectious process in the younger children . The optimal antibiotic is selected on the basis of what is known about bacterial resistance . General therapeutic rules must be adjusted to the epidemiological situation prevailing in each hospital department.

Anesteziol Reanimatol, 1990 Mar-Apr, (2), 60 - 3
{Factors of nonspecific resistance in patients with cancer under various types of general anesthesia}; Poliakov SA et al.; The study of changes in the factors of natural resistance (blood serum bactericidal activity, lysozyme, B-lysines) and immunogenesis (T- and B-lymphocytes, immunoglobulins A, M, G) observed in cancer patients subject to 4 distinct types of anesthesia (ketamine anesthesia, hallothane anesthesia, ester anesthesia, neuroleptanalgesia + N2O) has demonstrated differences in the effect of various anesthesia techniques on the above homeostasis parameters . The changes in natural resistance factors proved to be more informative for predicting the course of the postoperative period . Heterogeneity of changes caused by various types of anesthesia and corresponding clinical and experimental results confirm the effect of anesthesia on the course of the postoperative period . It has been established that ketamine anesthesia affects the T-system (causing its significant inhibition), with ester anesthesia attenuating humoral immunity . Neuroleptanalgesia combined with N2O proved to be the most avequate technique of anesthesia in cancer patients, sparing their body resistance factors . Our results correlate with the data on postoperative complications.

Akush Ginekol (Mosk), 1990 Mar, (3), 16 - 8
{Immunologic indicators in mothers of low birth weight infants}; Muchaidze IuA et al.; Neutrophil function, circulating immune complexes, major immunoglobulins and lysozyme activity have been determined in mothers of 86 newborns, of whom 24 were term infants with normal birthweight, 27 had first-degree prematurity and 35 were term newborns with low-birth weight . The mothers of premature newborns showed prominent impairment of bactericidal properties and functional stores of neutrophilic phagocytes, while mothers of term newborns with low-birth weight had abnormalities of humoral immunity.

J Dermatol, 1990 Mar, 17(3), 159 - 63
Immunohistochemical study of lysozyme in human apocrine glands; Ezoe K et al.; The localization of lysozyme in human apocrine glands was studied by adopting the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex method . The results showed that the glands were enriched with lysozyme . The apical portion of secretory cells was most heavily stained . Eccrine glands did not stain for lysozyme . Although apocrine glands have been regarded as having no apparent function in man, it is suggested in the present report that they may have an excretory bactericidal role.

Rev Prat, 1990 Mar 1, 40(7), 609 - 12
{Immune deficits in hemodialysis patients}; Revillard JP; Patients with chronic renal insufficiency under maintenance dialysis present numerous immunological alterations to which renal impairment, nutritional disturbances, blood transfusions and biocompatibility of the dialysis system may contribute . Although presently less frequent, infections still represent an important source of mortality and morbidity . Polynuclear neutrophils chemotactic responses are decreased and bactericidal capacity reduced, especially in polytransfused patients with iron overload . Lymphocyte counts are diminished and T lymphocytes present several alterations, including defective IL-2 synthesis, spontaneous expression of the p55 (CD25) chain of IL-2 receptor with high serum levels of this molecule, and defective T helper function in antibody production . Such alterations may account for the defect of delayed hypersensitivity reactions and the diminished antibody response after vaccination . Complement activation, increased expression of adhesion molecules by leukocytes, production of IL-1 and reduced oxygen molecular species during dialysis might contribute to immunological disorders of these patients.

J Clin Invest, 1990 Mar, 85(3), 853 - 60
Separation of sublethal and lethal effects of the bactericidal/permeability increasing protein on Escherichia coli; Mannion BA et al.; Binding of the bactericidal/permeability increasing protein (BPI) of granulocytes to Escherichia coli promptly produces several discrete outer envelope alterations and growth arrest without major impairment of bacterial structure or biosynthetic capabilities, raising the question whether these early effects of BPI are sufficient to cause bacterial death . In this study, the bactericidal action of BPI was examined more closely . We have found that bovine or human serum albumin blocks bacterial killing without preventing BPI binding or an increase in outer membrane permeability . Moreover, addition of serum albumin after BPI results in growth resumption without displacement of bound BPI and without (early) repair of the envelope alterations . These effects are opposite to those produced by Mg2+ (80 mM), which displaces greater than 85% of bound BPI and rapidly initiates outer envelope repair without restoration of bacterial growth . The extent of rescue by serum albumin depends on the time and pH of preincubation of BPI with E . coli: e.g., for E . coli J5 treated with human BPI, t1/2 = 79 min at pH 7.4 and 10 min at pH 6.0 . The serum albumin effects on BPI action are the same in wild-type E . coli and in a mutant strain lacking an activatable phospholipase, indicating that serum albumin does not act by sequestering membrane-damaging products of bacterial phospholipid hydrolysis . The progression from reversible to irreversible growth arrest, revealed by the subsequent addition of serum albumin at different times, is paralleled by a decrease in amino acid uptake and an increase in the permeability of the cytoplasmic membrane to o-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactoside . These findings demonstrate at least two stages in the action of BPI: (a) an early, reversible, sublethal stage in which BPI has effects on the outer envelope and causes growth arrest, and (b) time- and pH-dependent progression to a lethal stage, apparently involving cytoplasmic membrane damage, possibly caused by penetration of a small subpopulation of BPI.

Biochemistry, 1990 Feb 13, 29(6), 1533 - 9
Assembly of dimeric myeloperoxidase during posttranslational maturation in human leukemic HL-60 cells; Taylor KL et al.; Myeloperoxidase is a major protein component of the azurophilic granules (specialized lysosomes) of normal human neutrophils and serves as part of a potent bactericidal system in the host defense function of these cells . In normal, mature cells, myeloperoxidase occurs exclusively as a dimer of Mr 150,000 while in immature leukemia cells, there are both monomeric (Mr 80,000) as well as dimeric species . Like other lysosomal enzymes, myeloperoxidase is synthesized as a larger glycosylated precursor (Mr 91,000) that undergoes processing through single-chain intermediates (Mr 81,000 and 74,000) to yield mature heavy (Mr 60,000) and light (Mr 15,000) subunits . To study the assembly of dimeric myeloperoxidase, azurophilic granules were isolated from either unlabeled or pulse-labeled ({35S}methionine/cysteine) HL-60 cells, and myeloperoxidase was extracted and separated into monomeric and dimeric forms by FPLC gel filtration chromatography . Steady-state levels of dimeric and monomeric myeloperoxidase were found to account for 67% and 33%, respectively, of the total peroxidase activity and were correlated with the levels of associated heme as measured by absorption at 430 nm . Labeled myeloperoxidase polypeptides were immunoprecipitated using a monospecific rabbit antibody and were identified and quantitated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis/fluorography and liquid scintillation counting . After a 2-h pulse, labeled myeloperoxidase species of Mr 74,000 and 60,000 were found in fractions coeluting with the monomeric form of myeloperoxidase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Res Microbiol, 1990 Feb, 141(2), 256 - 61
Mycobacteria and macrophage activation; van Furth R; Recent studies that challenged some older concepts have led to the following conclusions: 1) During an infection of mice with M . bovis, BCG macrophages are activated according to certain criteria, but the increase in their bactericidal or bacteriostatic activity is limited to a small number of bacteria species; 2) interferon-gamma can activate macrophages in vitro and in vivo, but these cells do not exhibit increased bactericidal activity; 3) a 65-kDa protein of mycobacteria can activate macrophages in vivo to a limited degree only; and 4) granulocytes stimulated with interferon-gamma kill ingested M . fortuitum more efficiently than normal granulocytes.

Pathol Biol (Paris), 1990 Feb, 38(2), 145 - 50
{In vitro bactericidal rate of amikacin at concentrations realizable in vivo}; de Rautlin de la Roy Y et al.; The bactericidal rate of amikacin in vitro was established by varying bacterial cell density (10(5) and 10(6) CFU/ml) and physiological state (lag phase and onset of exponential growth) at the moment the antibiotic was introduced . This was done with nine strains belonging to five different species . Antibiotic concentrations were those obtained in vivo at the valley (4 micrograms/ml) and the peak (20 micrograms/ml) with a dosage of 5 mg/kg . The concentration of 40 micrograms/ml is the peak value in the context of hypothesis of a short-term treatment with reinforced dosage (10 mg/kg) . The bactericidal effect of amikacin, generally rapid, increased with increasing drug concentration . A bactericidal effect of 99.9% or even 99.99% was obtained in one hour or less at the concentration of 40 micrograms/ml . Above all, this concentration prevented regrowth or rebound, observed at lower concentrations . This results from a rapid but above all powerful bactericidal effect, practically total and constitutes a bacteriological argument in favor of an increase in dosage combined with a reduction in the length of treatment.

Biochem J, 1990 Jan 15, 265(2), 359 - 64
Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor can stimulate macrophage proliferation via persistent activation of Na+/H+ antiport . Evidence for two distinct roles for Na+/H+ antiport activation; Vallance SJ et al.; Macrophages respond to a variety of extracellular stimuli which can modulate the proliferation, development, activation and functional activity of these cells . The effects of two such agents, granulocytemacrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF, which stimulates proliferation) and platelet-activating factor (PAF, which stimulates chemotaxis and bactericidal activity), on cellular signal transduction mechanisms were compared . PAF can stimulate inositol lipid hydrolysis leading to Ca2+ mobilization . GM-CSF on the other hand has no effect on these events . Both agonists do, however, share an ability to activate an amiloride-sensitive Na+/H+ antiport and, furthermore, amiloride analogues are shown to inhibit the proliferative effects of GM-CSF on these cells . Long-term incubations with either PAF or GM-CSF demonstrate that it is only those cells pretreated with the latter which show a persistent activation of the antiport together with a sustained increase in intracellular pH . PAF-treated cells exhibit only a transitory increase in antiport activity, their intracellular pH levels returning to resting levels in spite of the continuous presence of the agonist in the medium . These effects of GM-CSF and PAF on Na+/H+ exchange are observed in both bicarbonate-free and bicarbonate-containing medium . These results lead us to suggest that the Na+/H+ antiport has a role in macrophage proliferation and in the regulation of intracellular pH during the oxidative burst stimulated by PAF and other agonists, and that differential mechanisms whereby this antiport is regulated exist in macrophages.

Clin Ter, 1990 Jan 15, 132(1), 3 - 11
{Quinolones: confirmations and promises}; De Marino V et al.; The authors review new and old quinolones and their pharmacokinetics . The clinical usefulness of these compounds is discussed on the basis of their bactericidal properties and of the uncommon development of resistance.

Pneumologie, 1990 Jan, 44(1), 24 - 31
{Short-term chemotherapy of tuberculosis in children}; Hussein A; The effectiveness of short-term drug treatment of tuberculosis is based on the use of INH, RMP and PZA (with or without SM or EMB), that have a pronounced bactericidal and sterilizing effect in all tissues and on all populations of mycobacteria which, depending upon the oxygen content and acidity of their surroundings, multiply at different rates . Treatment regimens over 6 or 9 months have proved effective in numerous studies involving 1500 children with pulmonary or extra-pulmonary tuberculosis . The recommended treatment of choice comprises a 6-month regimen with INH, RMP and PZA, with or without EMB or SM, the drugs being administered daily for two months, followed by INH and RMP applied daily, or 2 to 3 times a week for 4 months . If resistance to INH and/or SM is suspected, initially four suitable drugs are required, and are effective . Nine months of treatment with INH and RMP (with PZA and/or EMB if resistance is suspected) administered daily for two months and followed by INH and RMP applied daily or 2 to 3 times a week, is also both effective and safe . Overall side effects were observed in fewer than two per cent of the cases, and were severe in fewer than one per cent . Recurrences occurred in fewer than one per cent of the cases . Complementary measures such as bronchological treatment in the case of bronchial invasion of lymph nodes, and surgical measures in tuberculosis of the bone, joints, body cavities, etc., are of decisive importance for the success of therapy.

Rev Infect Dis, 1990 Jan-Feb, 12 Suppl 1, S68 - 72
Prevention of diarrhea caused by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli: lessons learned with volunteers; Graham DY et al.; The effectiveness of bismuth subsalicylate in the prevention and treatment of diarrhea induced in volunteers by a single strain of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli and a standard inoculum size was evaluated . Bismuth subsalicylate (500 mg in a solid dosage form) was administered 8 hours and 2 hours before and 2 hours and 4 hours after the E . coli challenge; treatment was continued four times a day for three additional days . Volunteers experiencing diarrhea were re-randomized to receive placebo or bismuth subsalicylate (300 mg every 30 minutes, for a total of 2.4 g of bismuth subsalicylate, in eight doses) . Diarrhea occurred in nine (56%) of the 16 volunteers receiving placebo and in two (13%) of the 15 volunteers receiving bismuth subsalicylate (P less than .03) . In vitro studies revealed that bismuth subsalicylate and its components each were bactericidal at concentrations possibly attained during the clinical trial . The effect of the dosage form (solid vs . liquid), the relation of drug administration to meals, and how these variables might greatly influence the effectiveness of bismuth subsalicylate prophylaxis for travelers' diarrhea were considered.

Pediatriia, 1990, (3), 13 - 7
{Phagocytic activity of alveolar macrophages in children and adolescents with different bronchopulmonary pathological conditions}; Shesterina MV et al.; A total of 68 children and adolescents suffering from tuberculosis, chronic pneumonia in the phase of exacerbation, pulmonary cysts and hamartochondroma were examined for the phagocytic activity of alveolar macrophages . In pulmonary tuberculosis, the low absorption properties of alveolar macrophages were established in all the phases of a specific process . The patients afflicted with chronic pneumonia were characterized in the phase of exacerbation by discreteness of the parameters of the activity of alveolar macrophages in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid withdrawn from the focus of inflammation: the absorption activity increased whereas bactericidal one reduced.

Arkh Patol, 1990, 52(3), 12 - 5
{The characteristics of the oxidative metabolism of the blood neutrophils in patients with acute myeloblastic leukemia}; Guseva SA; Activity of enzymes involved in the bactericidal properties of neutrophils and their capacity to reduce nitroblue tetrazolium were studied in 60 patients with acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) . AML patients with infectious complications showed significantly higher values of enzyme activity than AML patients without such complications, although the values in the control group (patients without leukemia but with inflammatory conditions of the nasopharynx) were higher than in any of AML patients . The conclusion is drawn that the decrease of the bactericidal properties of neutrophils is linked with the disturbance of their oxidative metabolism thus resulting in frequent infections complications in patients with AML.

Kekkaku, 1990 Jan, 65(1), 9 - 12
{Bactericidal activity of antituberculosis drugs against Mycobacterium avium complex}; Tsukamura M; The bactericidal activity of antituberculosis drugs against two strains of M . avium complex 13008 (serotype 20) and 13016 (serotype 4), was observed using modified Dubos liquid medium (1.3 g of Dubos Broth Base (Difco) in 180 mil of distilled water plus 20 ml of bovine serum) . The strains were most susceptible to antituberculosis drugs among M . avium complex strains (Table) . The test strains were cultivated in Ogawa egg medium at 37 degrees C for 10 days, and growing colonies were homogenized by shaking with glass beads for 10 minutes and suspended in the modified Dubos liquid medium to a concentration of 2 mg wet weight per ml . The media containing drug and containing no drug were incubated at 37 degrees C for 24 hours under shaking (8 cm-moving range and 56 strokes per minute) . After incubation, the medium was diluted by a 0.1% Tween 80 aqueous solution to 10(-7), and each 0.02 ml-sample of 10(-4) to 10(-7) suspensions was inoculated onto Ogawa egg medium . The Ogawa egg medium slants were incubated at 37 degrees C for 28 days, and the number of colonies was counted . The bactericidal activity was determined as a ratio of the number of colony-forming units in 10 ml-aliquot of drug-containing Dubos liquid medium against the number of colony-forming units in the control Dubos liquid medium . The results are shown in Figures 1 and 2 . Under the condition tested, rifampicin, isoniazid, ethambutol, ethionamide and cycloserine did not exhibit any bactericidal activity, and only streptomycin and enviomycin exhibited bactericidal activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Dev Pharmacol Ther, 1990, 14(1), 29 - 34
Pharmacokinetics of cefotaxime in preterm infants; Gouyon JB et al.; Pharmacokinetic parameters of cefotaxime (CTX) and its metabolite desacetylcefotaxime (DCTX) were assessed on the 3rd day of treatment in 10 preterm infants (28-37 weeks gestation) aged 3-8 days and receiving 25 mg/kg CTX twice daily . Blood samples were collected from an umbilical artery catheter at 0, 0.08, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12 h after a short peripheral infusion (5 min) and were assayed by high-performance liquid chromatography . During the 12 h following the CTX infusion, serum concentrations of CTX remained above the mean bactericidal concentration for pathogens commonly isolated during the neonatal period . The mean (+/- SD) elimination half-life, volume of distribution, total body clearance and area under the serum concentration-time curve (AUC0-12 h) for CTX were: 3.68 +/- 1.48 h (range: 1.89-6.82), 431 +/- 149 ml/kg (219-636), 1.57 +/- 0.80 ml/kg/min (0.60-3.27) and 373 +/- 206 micrograms/ml/h (170-867), respectively . The AUC0-12 h for DCTX was 170 +/- 93 micrograms/ml/h (61-374) . A significant inverse relationship was found between gestational age and the elimination half-life of CTX, and the AUC of both CTX and DCTX.

J Leukoc Biol, 1990 Jan, 47(1), 25 - 30
Killing of Mycobacterium smegmatis by macrophages from genetically susceptible and resistant mice; Denis M et al.; The bactericidal function of macrophages was investigated in congenic mice expressing the phenotype of susceptibility (B10.A, Bcgs) or resistance (B10.ABcgr) to mycobacterial infection . When splenic and peritoneal macrophages from these two mouse strains were infected in vitro with Mycobacterium smegmatis, the Bcgr macrophages were shown to inactivate M . smegmatis more efficiently than their Bcgs congenic counterparts . The mechanisms of this superior antimycobacterial activity was studied further . Addition of catalase did not abolish killing to a significant degree in either allelic type of macrophage, suggesting that hydrogen peroxide production was not involved in the killing activity controlled by the Bcg gene . Activation of Bcgs macrophages by exposure to crude lymphokines rendered them equally as efficient as their Bcgr counterparts in their capacity to destroy M . smegmatis . This finding suggests that both the genetically resistant and susceptible macrophages have the potential to kill M . smegmatis in vitro . This potential is expressed constitutively by the Bcgr but not Bcgs macrophages and can be induced, by lymphokine treatment, in the Bcgs macrophages . In a final set of experiments, the macrophage killing of M . smegmatis was evaluated as a test system to type for the Bcg gene allelic type in vitro, using a set of AXB and BXA recombinant inbred strains of mice . Results obtained show that typing of AXB/BXA recombinant inbred strains for the trait of bactericidal activity vs . M . smegmatis in vitro revealed a perfect match with the strain distribution pattern of resistance/susceptibility to Mycobacterium bovis BCG in vivo.

Gig Tr Prof Zabol, 1990, (10), 37 - 40
{The activation of the oxygen-dependent bactericidal system of human and rabbit monocytes by dust with different degrees of fibrogenicity}; Vatolkina OE et al.; Phagocytosis of quartz dusts by the monocytes of man and rabbit goes together with the stimulation of the substrate-free reduction of nitroblue tetrasolium, which reflects the activation of the cells' oxygen-depending bactericidal system . The quantity of the formasan produced increases, as compared to the control group, depending on the volume of the added dust . A less fibrogenic and cytotoxic dust of aluminum oxide causes only significant formation of formasan at the reduction of nitroblue tetrasolium . No extracellular generation of superoxide radicals and nitrogen peroxide by the cells were traced in the phagocytosis of quartz dusts by human and rabbit monocytes . The data obtained reveals a close similarity of the biochemical processes in the action of alveolar macrophages and monocytes with mineral dusts, and confirms a possibility of using the substrate-free reduction of nitroblue tetrasolium in the assessment of the hazardousness of industrial dusts.

Lasers Surg Med, 1990, 10(6), 591 - 4
Comparative bactericidal exposures for selected oral bacteria using carbon dioxide laser radiation; Dederich DN et al.; Although relatively high CO2 laser energies have been shown to sterilize root canals, the response of several bacterial strains to decreasing exposures of CO2 laser energy remains unknown . Freshly grown bacterial cells were irradiated on glass microscope coverslips . A comparison of equivalent energy exposures with differing parameters was made on the bacterial viability . No statistically significant difference was found in the energy required to kill closely related bacterial species . However, the energy density required to kill greater than 99.5% of the bacteria is less than 200 J/cm2, much less than that shown to sterilize in a previous study.

Recenti Prog Med, 1990 Jan, 81(1), 41 - 6
{Pulmonary and tonsillar distribution of ceftriaxone and cefonicid and the resultant bactericidal activity of the organ}; Fraschini F et al.; The therapeutic efficacy of Ceftriaxone and Cefonicid 1 g I.M . single-dose against S . Pneumoniae, H . Influenzae and K . Pneumoniae in tonsil and lung infections was studied using bactericidal quotient (BQ) . Samples of lung tissue and serum were obtained from two groups of surgical patients, treated with Ceftriaxone or Cefonicid 1 g I.M., 2-8-16 and 24 hours before surgery . From two other groups of 10 surgical patients, treated as above, samples of tonsil tissue and serum were obtained . In lung tissue the higher levels of Ceftriaxone and Cefonicid appeared at the second hour (11.54 +/- 1.59 mcg/g and 11.4 +/- 2.49 mcg/g respectively); the lower values were observed at the 24th hour (2.18 +/- 0.47 mcg/g for Ceftriaxone and 0.64 +/- 0.21 mcg/g for Cefonicid) . Higher Ceftriaxone and Cefonicid levels also appeared in tonsil tissue at the 2nd hour (11.12 +/- 2.42 mcg/g and 9.22 +/- 3.12 mcg/g respectively); the lower values were observed at the 24th hour (1.54 +/- 0.46 mcg/g for Ceftriaxone and 0.42 +/- 0.23 mcg/g for Cefonicid) . BQ values were estimated using the ratio between the mean concentrations of Ceftriaxone and Cefonicid in tissue samples and the MBC mean values determined for the above mentioned pathogens, isolated in hospital . Ceftriaxone always showed BQ values greater than 1 during 24 hours versus levels observed for the three reported pathogens . Cefonicid showed BQ values greater than 1 during 24 hours against S . Pneumoniae and BQ values less than 1 for 6-8 hours against H . Influenzae and for 1-4 hours against K . Pneumoniae.

Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis, 1990, 13(2), 59 - 65
The interaction of Brucella melitensis 16-M and caprine polymorphonuclear leukocytes; Gallego MC et al.; In the present work, a study about the phagocytosis and intracellular killing of the polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PNMLs) of goat in animals clinically healthy, vaccinated and inoculated experimentally with Brucella melitensis has been done . During 6 weeks postvaccination and postinfection, the evolution in these animals has been studied . Although animals were inoculated or vaccinated, there was influence in the phagocytosis and intracellular killing phases, even though a very low indices in this last phase, and in every event were given . The nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction indices in PMNLs were also investigated with different fractions of B . melitensis . Very low indices were given, and no influence of a postvaccination or postinfection state was found . Finally, the serum bactericidal action in every animal was studied with Brucella melitensis and this effect was not found.

J Dent Que, 1990 Jan, 27, 13 - 6
{Sodium hypochlorite in endodontics}; Leclerc R; Sodium hypochlorite is still today the most popular irrigating solution used in endodontics . History, chemical and bactericidal properties, effect on periapical tissue, dissolution of pulp tissue, removal of debris and depth of penetration and attempts to improve its activity are discussed in this article.

Indian J Lepr, 1990 Jan-Mar, 62(1), 66 - 75
An in vitro culture method for screening new drugs against Mycobacterium leprae; Dhople AM et al.; An in vitro culture system has been devised for the maintenance and growth of M . leprae in a cell-free medium . Cells from four-week old cultures could be transferred to fresh medium and normal growth was observed in subcultures . Using this system, the M.I.Cs of dapsone and rifampicin were determined . Dapsone at 25 ng/ml and rifampicin at 300 ng/ml completely inhibited the growth of host-grown as well as in vitro-adapted M . leprae . It was further shown that the effects of both the drugs were bactericidal; this observation was subsequently confirmed using mouse foot-pad technique.

Int J Immunopharmacol, 1990, 12(4), 427 - 34
Effects of low molecular constituents from Aloe vera gel on oxidative metabolism and cytotoxic and bactericidal activities of human neutrophils; 't Hart LA et al.; In traditional South-East Asian medicine the therapeutic value of the parenchymous leaf-gel of Aloe vera for inflammatory-based diseases is well-reputed . The aim of this study is to investigate at which level gel-constituents exert their activity . We show here that low -Mr constituents of an aqueous gel-extract inhibit the release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by PMA-stimulated human PMN . The compounds inhibit the ROS-dependent extracellular effects of PMN such as lysis of red blood cells . The capacity of the PMN to phagocytose and kill micro-organisms at the intracellular level is not affected . The inhibitory activity of the low-Mr compounds is most pronounced in the PMA-induced ROS production, but is significantly antagonized by the Ca-ionophore A23187 . It is shown that the inhibitory effect of the low-Mr compounds is the indirect result of the diminished availability of intracellular free Ca-ions.

Vestn Akad Med Nauk SSSR, 1990, (2), 21 - 7
{Cytochrome P-450 and oxidative modification of macromolecules}; Archakov AI et al.; Depending on the localization and functional value, the reactions of the oxidative modification of macromolecules may be classified into two large groups: intracellular and extracellular . To exemplify the first-group reactions, cytochrome P-450 was studied, which is capable of generating different active forms of oxygen during the catalytic cycle . These forms were found to have bactericidal effects and to be able to cause DNA molecule break . In the course of the reaction, cytochrome P-450 also became inactivated under the effect of active oxygen . The involvement of hydrogen peroxide forming directly during peroxycomplex breakdown was proved . It was shown using a soluble reconstructed system that cytochrome P-450 inactivation is attended with the hemoprotein molecule decomposition, destruction and loss of heme, and a rise in the proteolytic vulnerability of the protein . The second reaction group was exemplified by human leucocyte myeloperoxidase which generated hypochlorite along with the active forms of oxygen . Myeloperoxidase showed its bactericidal effect against different strains of bacteria and fungi . The Ames test revealed mutagenic effects of the active oxygen forms generated by myeloperoxidase . In the course of the myeloperoxidase reaction, DNA degradation followed by splitting of the polynucleotide chain and specific pulling out of thymine residues were observed.

Adv Exp Med Biol, 1990, 275, 55 - 81
Purification and characterization of a phospholipase A2 from human osteoarthritic synovial fluid; Parks TP et al.; Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) from human osteoarthritic synovial fluid was purified to homogeneity in three steps . The NH2-terminal amino acid sequence and biochemical characteristics of the enzyme were identical to the Peak A PLA2 activity of rheumatoid synovial fluid (1) . The enzyme exhibited an apparent mass of 14,000, an absolute Ca+(+)-dependence, an alkaline pH optimum, and was inhibited by sodium deoxycholate (DOC), NaCl and 0.5 M Tris-HCl . The enzyme strongly preferred phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) as substrate over phosphatidylcholine (PC) or phosphatidylinositol (PI), and hydrolyzed PE containing arachidonic acid or linoleic acid in the sn-2 position at similar rates . Heparin bound to the enzyme but did not inhibit catalytic activity . In addition, the human enzyme was not inhibited by the acidic 'chaperone' subunit of crotoxin despite considerable sequence similarity with the basic PLA2 subunit of the neurotoxin . The enzyme was capable of hydrolyzing E . coli membrane phospholipids in the presence of the neutrophil bactericidal/permeability increasing protein (BPI) . This finding, coupled to the reported pro-inflammatory activity and presence of the enzyme in inflammatory cells, supports the hypothesis that it may be a component of the host defense mechanism which can, under certain conditions, contribute to the pathogenesis of inflammatory disease.

Sb Ved Pr Lek Fak Karlovy Univerzity Hradci Kralove Suppl, 1990, 33(5), 721 - 9
{The of effect of rolitetracycline on oxygen consumption in a suspension of E . coli}; Hirsch M et al.; Authors studied the oxygen demand by E . coli suspensions (serotypes 023 and 026) modifying it with various concentration of Rolitetracyclin, and proceeded by comparison of both serotypes . Time dependence of oxygen demand has been determined using the direct Warburg's manometric method . The obtained results are summerized as following four points: 1 . Tested Rolitetracyclin doses caused the decrease in oxygen demand of E . coli suspensions significantly for the majority of time intervals . Rolitetracyclin actioned similarly in both serotypes . 2 . Rolitetracyclin 0.5 microgram concentration actioned bacteriostatically on both serotypes, and showed more pronounced action on E . coli 026 serotypes with higher metabolic activity . 3 . Rolitetracyclin 5 and 50 micrograms bactericidal concentrations inhibited markedly the oxygen demand in both serotypes . 4 . Using this method allowed to determine the difference in metabolic activity of both E . coli serotypes tested.

Scand J Infect Dis Suppl, 1990, 74, 258 - 61
Dosing regimens in the treatment of tuberculosis; Blom-Bulow B; Specific antituberculosis chemotherapy started in the early 1940s . The development of isoniazid in 1952 enhanced the probability of achieving curative therapy . Introduction of rifampicin in the late 1960s and addition of the sterilizing agent pyrazinamide made it possible to shorten the length of treatment and to give it intermittently so that it could be fully supervised . The important principles to consider in the formulation of adequate therapy for tuberculosis are the different bacterial populations and drug resistance . The antituberculosis drugs vary in their bactericidal action, sterilizing action, ability to prevent the emergence of acquired resistance and suitability for intermittent use . The recommended regimen for newly diagnosed patients is a six month daily regimen of isoniazid and rifampicin, supplemented with pyrazinamide for the first two months . Variants of the standard six month regimen are used when fully supervised intermittent chemotherapy can be organised, when there is a high level of initial resistance or if it is suspected that the patient's strain is resistant to isoniazid . The recommended dosages are appropriate for all forms of tuberculosis and are the same for children and adults.

Acta Haematol, 1990, 83(4), 206 - 10
Combination of congenital nonspherocytic haemolytic anaemia and impairment of granulocyte function in severe glucosephosphate isomerase deficiency . A new variant enzyme designated GPI Calden; Neubauer BA et al.; In two siblings, children of non-consanguineous parents, glucosephosphate isomerase (GPI) deficiency was found to be the cause of recurrent haemolytic crises . Characterization of the variant enzyme found in both individuals revealed low specific activity in erythrocytes and leucocytes, increased electrophoretic mobility and pronounced thermolability . Evaluation of the electrophoretic data allows the conclusions that these siblings are compound heterozygous carriers of GPI deficiency . The new variant was designated GPI Calden . Further investigations revealed that isolated granulocytes of both siblings show marked reduction of bactericidal activity and decreased production of superoxide anion . With rare exceptions, deficiency of this enzyme was supposed to cause congenital nonspherocytic haemolytic anaemia only . Here we report on two siblings presenting with the characteristic haemolytic anaemia and a significant decrease in granulocyte function, both presumably as the result of GPI deficiency . Our data indicate that impairment of granulocyte function might be a more general feature of severe GPI deficiency than formerly noted.

Avian Dis, 1990 Jan-Mar, 34(1), 1 - 6
Hatching eggs sanitized with chlorine dioxide foam: egg hatchability and bactericidal properties; Patterson PH et al.; The efficacy of chlorine dioxide (ClO2) as an alternative sanitizing agent for hatching eggs was investigated because of the health concerns about formaldehyde fumigation . Hatchability of chicken eggs was reduced when the eggs were dipped in the ClO2 solutions for more than 5 minutes or in concentrations greater than 100 ppm Cl . However, treating hatching eggs with a ClO2 foam or fumigating with formaldehyde had no adverse effect on hatchability compared with untreated control eggs . Sanitizing soiled duck eggs with ClO2 foam improved hatchability by more than 10% and hatch by more than 6% compared with untreated eggs (P less than 0.05) . A novel method for assessing bactericidal potential of egg-sanitizing agents was developed . Using this technique, both chlorine dioxide foam and formaldehyde fumigation reduced the number of egg-contaminant bacteria inoculated on sterile chicken eggs compared with the number of bacteria on untreated eggs (P less than 0.05) . These findings suggest that sanitizing hatching eggs with ClO2 foam may be a viable alternative to fumigating with formaldehyde.

Pediatr Pathol, 1990, 10(1-2), 143 - 53
Chronic granulomatous disease of childhood: clinical, pathological, biochemical, molecular, and genetic aspects of the disease; Baehner RL; The pathobiology of chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) of childhood, a heterogeneous phenotypic disorder characterized by chronic and recurrent infection, has become more completely understood over the past three decades . Blood neutrophils, monocytes, and eosinophils lack a respiratory burst required for effective killing of catalase positive bacteria by reduced by-products of oxygen . The disease is transmitted in at least two genetic forms: X-linked and autosomal recessive . In the X-linked form, a gene coding for a beta subunit protein required for cytochrome b presence on the plasma membrane of phagocytic cells is not expressed . The protein appears to be a constituent of the cytochrome b complex that requires an additional alpha subunit for complete expression . Cytochrome b is likely a component of leukocyte oxidase, which catalyzes the respiratory burst . The autosomal recessive form of the disorder appears to be controlled by a set of genes coding for soluble cofactors essential for oxidase expression . One or more of these cofactors have recently been shown to be deficient in several patients with autosomal recessive CGD . Optional therapy for CGD patients is presently not available . Long-term use of antibiotics may be helpful . The cloned product interferon gamma has been reported to improve superoxide generation, bactericidal activity, and immunoreactive cytochrome b in some CGD neutrophils and monocytes, both in vitro and in vivo . Currently a prospective clinical evaluation of the efficacy of interferon gamma is in progress . Molecular studies of expression and function of the X-CGD gene in phagocytic cells are in progress as well.

Perit Dial Int, 1990, 10(3), 221 - 6
Ampicillin and sulbactam pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD); Blackwell BG et al.; The fixed combination antibiotic ampicillin/sulbactam may provide a new, safe, and effective method of treating dialysis-related bacterial peritonitis . The pharmacokinetics of this antibiotic combination were determined in patients receiving continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) . The pharmacodynamic activity of this drug was also determined by use of mean bactericidal titers against selected bacterial strains . Six noninfected CAPD patients in a randomized two-way crossover study were given a fixed dose of ampicillin (2 gm) and sulbactam (1 gm) either intravenously or intraperitoneally . The mean peak ampicillin and sulbactam serum concentrations following intravenous dosing were 170.3 and 87.5 micrograms/mL, respectively . The mean peak serum concentrations of ampicillin and sulbactam following intraperitoneal dosing were 48.0 and 27.8 micrograms/mL, respectively . Absolute bioavailabilities of the intraperitoneal ampicillin and sulbactam doses were 60% and 68% . Both drugs exhibited similar distribution and elimination characteristics . Renal failure markedly reduced drug elimination . Intraperitoneal administration of ampicillin/sulbactam provided satisfactory inhibitory and bactericidal antibiotic titers for most organisms in dialysate at 6 h but not 24 h . Ampicillin/sulbactam (2 gm/1 gm) should be administered every 12 h to patients with peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis.

Scand J Infect Dis Suppl, 1990, 74, 94 - 101
Pharmacodynamic effects of subinhibitory antibiotic concentrations; Tornqvist IO et al.; The pharmacodynamic effects of subinhibitory antibiotic concentrations (sub-MICs) on bacteria can be evaluated in different ways . A direct effect in vitro can be expressed as the minimum antibiotic concentration that produces a structural change in the bacteria seen by light or electron microscopy, or as the concentration that produces one log10 decrease in a bacterial population compared to controls . A direct effect of sub-MICs has also been reported in vivo, both in animals with normal host defenses and in humans . In these cases, it has been shown that subinhibitory antibiotic concentrations can be sufficient to clear an infection . Another effect of sub-MICs can be seen when bacteria are pretreated with suprainhibitory antibiotic concentrations and then exposed to subinhibitory concentrations . Here, sub-MICs may produce a long period of delay before regrowth and even yield a bactericidal effect, especially in antibiotic/bacterial combinations where a postantibiotic effect is present . It seems that subinhibitory antibiotic concentrations may be of great importance for the success of intermittent dosing in certain combinations of antibiotics and bacteria.

Scand J Infect Dis Suppl, 1990, 74, 173 - 8
Pharmacodynamics of antibiotics in experimental bacterial meningitis--two sides to rapid bacterial killing in the cerebrospinal fluid; Tauber MG et al.; In bacterial meningitis, several pharmacodynamic factors determine therapeutic success--when defined as sterilization of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF); (i) local host defense deficits require the use of bactericidal antibiotics; (ii) CSF antibiotic concentrations that are at least 10-fold above the MBC are necessary for maximal bactericidal activity; (iii) high CSF peak concentrations that lead to rapid bacterial killing appear more important than prolonged suprainhibitory concentrations, probably because very low residual levels in the CSF prevent bacterial regrowth even during relatively long dosing intervals; (iv) penetration of antibiotics into the CSF is significantly impaired by the blood-brain barrier, thus requiring high serum levels to achieve the CSF concentrations necessary for rapid bacterial killing . Beyond these principles, recent data suggest that rapid lytic killing of bacteria in the CSF may have harmful effects on the brain because of the release of biologically active bacterial products . The conflict between the need for rapid CSF sterilization and the harmful consequences of bacterial lysis must be addressed in the therapy of meningitis.

Ter Arkh, 1990, 62(11), 28 - 30
{The chemiluminescence of the polymorphonuclear leukocytes in food poisoning}; Popov PIu et al.; Luminol- and lucigenin-dependent chemiluminescence (CL) induced by zymosan, opsonized autoserum was used to study the oxygen-dependent bactericidal system of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PNL) in patients with food toxico-infections, at different disease periods . Different modifications of CL were established to have analogous dynamics on days 1 and 2 of the disease and differences as to the period of convalescence . A correlation was revealed between the amplitude of CL and the intensity of the intoxication syndrome . The conclusion is made about the role played by granulocytes in the disease pathogenesis . The authors review potential mechanisms of participation of PNL free radicals in the pathophysiological shifts responsible for the development, course and outcome of food toxico-infections.

Agressologie, 1990, 31(8 Spec No), 545 - 6
{Mechanisms of pulmonary host defense}; Voisin C et al.; Pulmonary host defenses prevent subglottic airways from bacterial colonization . Several mechanisms are involved . Some of these are purely mechanical or anatomical (cough, mucociliary clearance, epiglottis larynx) . Others are rather biochemical (bactericidal and anti-adhesive properties of oropharyngeal and tracheobronchial secretions) or immunological (opsonization and phagocytosis) . Distal airways and alveolar defenses are mainly conducted by alveolar macrophages which are directly involved as effectors of cell mediated immunity . They also have a key role in regulation of local and systemic immune responses . In critically ill patients failure of this mechanisms of defense is common, therefore predisposing to development of nosocomial infections.

Verh K Acad Geneeskd Belg, 1990, 52(4), 301 - 10; discussion 310-2
Therapeutic regimens in leprosy; Pattyn SR; Insight into the bacteriology, general pathology, pharmacology of the treatment of leprosy has increased most significantly during the last 30 years, through numerous studies, starting with the demonstration by Shepard, of the multiplication of Mycobacterium leprae in the mouse foot pad . Our studies showed that the treatment of the disease can be considerably shortened . The introduction of more drugs, highly bactericidal for M . leprae, provided toxicity and antagonism do not constitute a problem, can only improve the results in terms of length of treatment and absence of relapses . Only when the public realizes that leprosy can indeed be treated "like any other disease" will the fear for it decrease, will patients show up in earlier stages of the disease, will transmission and endemicity decline and will a situation be reached comparable to that of tuberculosis in the western world . In the meantime there is an increasing need for better understanding, prevention and treatment of the complications of the disease: reversal reactions and erythema nodosum leprosum . In endemic regions there will remain for some time to come a great need for rehabilitation activities.

Ann Dermatol Venereol, 1990, 117(10), 713 - 8
{"Pseudo-lupus" eruptions in a mother carrying X chromosome-linked chronic septic granulomatosis}; Cuny JF et al.; We report the case of a young woman whose son had X-linked chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) while she was gene transmitter and presented with erythematous-squamous dermatosis predominant in unprotected regions, photosensitivity and oral ulcerations . The diagnosis of discoid lupus erythematosus, suggested by the clinical complex, was not confirmed by paraclinical examinations . CGD is an X-linked or, less often, autosomal recessive disease underlain by a selective deficiency of intraleucocytic bactericidal ability . Its clinical manifestations are repeated and severe infections involving most of the body organs . A review of the literature yielded 20 cases resembling that of our patient; all concerned mothers or sisters of children with X-linked CGD . The skin disease usually begins during childhood . The authors describe cutaneous manifestations as a photosensitive infiltrating erythema, frequently suggestive of lupus erythematosus, and oral ulcerations . At light microscopy, these skin lesions show a lymphohistiocytic infiltrate which sometimes erodes the basement membrane or remains at a distance from it . Such images suggest lupus erythematosus or, for some authors, a Jessner-Kanoff syndrome or a lichenoid infiltrate . Direct immunofluorescence was negative in all but one case, and there was usually no laboratory evidence of autoimmunity . In women who transmit the X-linked form of the disease, the bactericidal activity of granulocytes is reduced by 50 p . 100, but infection is not a major problem . The pathogenesis of these disorders is not yet fully understood . However, we would like to draw attention to the studies by Roberts et al . who demonstrated a defective degradation of bacterial DNA by circulating monocytes in patients with systemic or discoid lupus erythematosus.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adv Perit Dial, 1990, 6, 114 - 9
Serial peritoneal macrophage function studies in CAPD patients with peritonitis; Lin CY et al.; Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis, peritoneal macrophage, IL-1, IFN-r, TNF, phagocytosis . Peritoneal macrophages (PM) perform first-line defense activity against peritonitis, the most important complication in CAPD therapy . Our longitudinal study compared the PM function in 14 patients in a low peritonitis occurrence group (LPOG) and 6 in a high peritonitis occurrence group (HPOG) before and during peritonitis; all started CAPD therapy after January 1988 . The results show that at the onset of peritonitis, PM function including bactericidal killing (BA) activity, phagocytosis index (PI), H2O2 release, interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) secretion can increase rapidly in the LPOG . However, this was absent in the HPOG . Both groups had a decrease of PM immunological function in the initial 7 to 10 days after onset of peritonitis, then PM functions began to return toward their pre-peritonitis state . However, in the HPOG, the recovery of PM function was very slow, resulting in significantly lower PM functions . In vitro, when normal PM were put into peritonitis dialysate, IL-1, TNF production and PI, BA activity of PM were decreased . This suppressor activity was absent in the peritonitis-free dialysate . These results suggest a suppressor factor(s) in the HPOG peritoneal dialysate may decrease the function of PM rather than cause easy peritonitis development.

Comp Biochem Physiol C, 1990, 96(2), 271 - 80
Relationship between selenium, immunity and resistance against infection; Dhur A et al.; 1 . Food selenium content, selenium supply and selenium needs are presented, along with methods of evaluation of selenium status . Glutathione peroxidase, a selenium-containing enzyme, is ubiquitous in the organism . 2 . Some experimental studies on animal models reported a positive relationship between selenium status and resistance against infections . 3 . Only one study in humans concerned the mechanisms of immune functions in selenium deficiency . Several experimental works suggest that severe selenium deficiency compromises T-cell dependent immune functions such as the blastogenic response to mitogens, but selenium deficiency was concomitant with vitamin E deficiency in most of them . Delayed hypersensitivity response is controversial in selenium-supplemented rats and guinea-pigs . 4 . Selenium deficiency in animals decreases the antibody response, especially if associated with vitamin E deficiency . Low dietary selenium supplementation of healthy animals has a positive effect upon humoral responses . 5 . Despite some controversies, most experimental studies on selenium-deficient animals report normal phagocytosis and an altered bactericidal capacity of neutrophils . The decrease in glutathione peroxidase activity of polymorphonuclear cells following selenium deficiency could explain some of these alterations . 6 . Splenic Natural Killer cells activity is enhanced in selenium-supplemented, healthy animals.

Am J Nephrol, 1990, 10(5), 368 - 73
Serial peritoneal macrophage function studies in new and established continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients; Lin CY et al.; Peritoneal macrophages (PM) perform first-line defense activity against peritonitis, the most important complication in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) therapy . Our longitudinal study has compared the PM function in 20 uremic patients during periods free of peritonitis since they started CAPD therapy in January 1987 . The results showed that at the initiation of CAPD, there was a higher bactericidal activity, phagocytosis index, H2O2 production and interleukin-1 (IL-1), gamma-interferon (IFN-gamma) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) production ability and MHC expression . As time went on, these progressively decreased, and by 9 months after CAPD therapy had started they were significantly lower than at the beginning . During the 1.5-year follow-up period, there was a significantly increased peritonitis rate in the period 6 months after the beginning of CAPD than in the period before the 6th month (88.3 vs . 11.7% respectively; p less than 0.001) . These results indicate that PM of new CAPD patients have a more active function than those of established patients . The established patients had a greater risk of peritonitis . A comparison of the immunological profiles of PM from patients who had a peritonitis history shows that phagocytosis index, bactericidal activity and IL-1 and TNF production of PM were significantly decreased during the period free of peritonitis . This result suggests that these parameters may serve as an indicator in developing peritonitis.

Scand J Gastroenterol Suppl, 1990, 173, 22 - 33
Stress bleeding prophylaxis with sucralfate . Pathophysiologic basis and clinical use; Tryba M; The development of acute stress bleeding in intensive-care patients occurs on a multifactorial basis . The basic mechanism lies in the imbalance between aggressive and protective factors . Most intensive care patients show a reduced acid secretion, a reduction of the gastric mucosal blood flow, and a decreased mucus and bicarbonate secretion . Sucralfate enhances most of the defensive mechanisms . These actions are the pathophysiologic basis of the efficacy of sucralfate in the prevention of stress bleeding . Because sucralfate has only a minor influence on the gastric pH and at the same time has proven bactericidal effects, gastric and gut bacterial overgrowth is significantly reduced . These effects explain the observed differences in mortality between sucralfate and alkalinizing drugs like antacids or H2-antagonists . The indications and limits of sucralfate in stress bleeding prophylaxis are pointed out.

Chir Narzadow Ruchu Ortop Pol, 1990, 55(2), 145 - 8
{"Taurolin-Gel" and Taurolin-Trockengel" in treatment of osseous tissue inflammation}; Zawadzinski S et al.; The activity and principles of administration of Taurolin have been presented . That drug was used in 15 patients with chronic osteitis . Healing by first intention was obtained in 10 patients, necrosis of the skin occurred in 3 patients, recurrence of inflammation was found in one patient in whom accessory sequestroctomy was performed in the last case of osteitis and arteriosclerosis healing was obtained by second intention . The clinical observation of 15 patients has revealed: a) irritating influence of Taurolin on the soft tissue, b) increased phase of secretion of exudate since the 5 day after surgery, c) bactericidal influence of the drug . Sterilization of the focus occurred at 2 to 3 weeks after surgery . The use of Taurolin requires experience, complete abiding by the principles of use of this drug and equipment with a set of Charrier's drains . The authors are carrying on further observation of the use of Taurolin in the treatment of osteitis.

J Chem Technol Biotechnol, 1990, 49(3), 243 - 7
Synthesis and biological activity of some 5-substituted aminomethyl-8-hydroxyquinoline-7-sulphonic acids; Yanni AS et al.; 5-Aryl (or alkyl)-8-hydroxyquinoline-7-sulphonic acids have been prepared by the Mannich reaction of 8-hydroxyquinoline-7-sulphonic acid with primary and secondary amines . Their bactericidal activities have been determined.

Adv Ther, 1990 Jan-Feb, 7(1), 1 - 8
The effect of povidone-iodine solutions used as surgical preparations on the bacterial flora of the skin; Georgiade GS et al.; One hundred fifty hospitalized patients undergoing elective surgery were enrolled in an open study designed to assess the bactericidal and clinical efficacy of a preoperative skin preparation procedure--application of 7.5% povidone-iodine surgical scrub followed by 10% povidone-iodine antiseptic solution . Of 99 patients with bacterial colonization of the skin prior to surgery, 84 patients (85%) had no detectable levels of bacteria at completion of surgery; bacterial flora persisted after surgery in the remaining 15 patients (15%) . The difference between pre- and post-surgical bacterial colonization was statistically significant (p = 0.004) . Clinically, none of the 146 patients evaluable for analysis of efficacy developed infections at the incision or suture site and there were no incidents of skin irritation at the surgical site during the postoperative observation period . Thus, preoperative cleansing with povidone-iodine surgical scrub followed by povidone-iodine antiseptic solution is an effective, non-irritating bactericidal regimen for use at surgical incision sites.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1989 Dec, 33(12), 2075 - 82
Binding and killing of bacteria by bismuth subsalicylate; Sox TE et al.; Bismuth subsalicylate (BSS) is a compound without significant aqueous solubility that is widely used for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders . BSS was able to bind bacteria of diverse species, and these bound bacteria were subsequently killed . A 4-log10 reduction of viable bacteria occurred within 4 h after a 10 mM aqueous suspension of BSS was inoculated with 2 x 10(6) Escherichia coli cells per ml . Binding and killing were dependent on the levels of inoculated bacteria, and significant binding but little killing of the exposed bacteria occurred at an inoculum level of 2 x 10(9) E . coli per ml . Intracellular ATP decreased rapidly after exposure of E . coli to 10 mM BSS and, after 30 min, was only 1% of the original level . Extracellular ATP increased after exposure to BSS, but the accumulation of extracellular ATP was not sufficient to account for the loss of intracellular ATP . The killing of bacteria exposed to BSS may have been due to cessation of ATP synthesis or a loss of membrane integrity . Bactericidal activity of BSS was also investigated in a simulated gastric juice at pH 3 . Killing of E . coli at this pH was much more rapid than at pH 7 and was apparently due to salicylate released by the conversion of BSS to bismuth oxychloride . It is proposed that the binding and killing observed for BSS contribute to the efficacy of this compound against gastrointestinal infections such as traveler's diarrhea.

Acta Orthop Scand, 1989 Dec, 60(6), 668 - 9
Small PMMA beads improve gentamicin release; Walenkamp G; The in vivo release of gentamicin base from conventional polymethyl methacrylate 7-mm beads was compared with that from the recently introduced 3 x 5-mm minibeads . The release in 14 days from minibeads was 93 percent of their gentamicin content, while the large beads released an average of 24 percent . The volume of the minibeads is one fifth of that of the large beads . Owing to the improved release combined with the smaller size, total release from minibeads in a cavity may be some seven times that from large beads . When in smaller cavities a strong bactericidal effect is desired, minibeads are to be preferred to large beads.

J Infect Dis, 1989 Dec, 160(6), 999 - 1004
Otitis media in children . I . The systemic immune response to nontypable Hemophilus influenzae; Faden H et al.; Twenty-one infants experienced 29 episodes of otitis media with effusion caused by nontypable Hemophilus influenzae (NTHI) during 2 y of observation . Bactericidal antibody was detected in acute serum of 26% of the subjects at a mean titer of 0.8 +/- 0.3 (log2) and was observed in convalescent serum of all of the individuals at a mean titer of 4.0 +/- 0.3 (log2, P less than .001) . The serum bactericidal antibody response was not age-dependent (r = .08, P greater than .05) . Serum concentrations of bactericidal antibody remained stable for the entire observation period in 90% of the children . The presence of serum bactericidal antibody correlated significantly with a reduction in the number of bacteria present in the middle ear fluid (P less than .025) . Eight children experienced a second episode of otitis media with effusion caused by a different serotype of NTHI . All those who lacked bactericidal antibody against the organism causing the second episode possessed bactericidal antibody against the first strain at the time of the second episode . These data suggest that the immune response to NTHI in otitis media with effusion is type-specific . The occurrence of second episodes of otitis media with effusion due to different strains of NTHI in the face of preexisting heterologous bactericidal antibody suggests a lack of NTHI in the face of preexisting heterologous bactericidal antibody suggests a lack of cross-protection.

J Biol Chem, 1989 Nov 25, 264(33), 19765 - 71
Oxygen-based free radical generation by ferrous ions and deferoxamine; Klebanoff SJ et al.; Deferoxamine accelerates the autooxidation of iron as measured by the rapid disappearance of Fe2+, the associated appearance of Fe3+, and the uptake of oxygen . Protons are released in the reaction . The formation of H2O2 was detected by the horseradish peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation of scopoletin, and the formation of hydroxyl radicals (OH.) was suggested by the formation of the OH . spin trap adduct (DMPO/OH) . with the spin trap 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) and the generation of the methyl radical adduct on the further addition of dimethyl sulfoxide . (DMPO/OH) . adduct formation was inhibited by catalase but not by superoxide dismutase . The oxidant formed converted iodide to a trichloroacetic acid-precipitable form (iodination) and was bactericidal to logarithmic phase Escherichia coli . Both iodination and bactericidal activity was inhibited by catalase and by OH . scavengers, but not by superoxide dismutase . Iodination was optimal in 5 x 10(-4) M acetate buffer, pH 5.0, and when the Fe2+ and deferoxamine concentrations were equimolar at 10(-4) M . Fe2+ could not be replaced by Fe3+, Co2+, Zn2+, Ca2+, Mg2+, or Mn2+, or deferoxamine by EDTA, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, or bathophenanthroline . These findings indicate that Fe2+ and deferoxamine can act as an oxygen radical generating system, which may contribute to its biological effects in vitro and in vivo.

J Leukoc Biol, 1989 Nov, 46(5), 461 - 6
Functions of purified mouse neutrophils isolated from gelatin sponges; Middleton MM et al.; When sterile gelatin sponges are implanted under the skin of a mouse and retrieved 6 hr later, approximately 10(6) neutrophils per mouse, in a 98-99% pure population, may be retrieved by simply squeezing and rinsing the sponges . These neutrophils behave similarly to peritoneal exudate neutrophils in chemotaxis and phagocytosis assays, but are bacteriostatic rather than bactericidal . The sponge method yields substantially more neutrophils than could be obtained by exsanguinating the mouse and isolating blood neutrophils, and a 5-fold purer population than is normally obtained by passage of peritoneal exudate cells over Ficoll . In addition, sponge-elicited neutrophils may be ready for use within a half hour after removal from the mouse, without being exposed to osmotic shock or Ficoll.

Can J Microbiol, 1989 Nov, 35(11), 1048 - 51
Bactericidal effect of lactoferrin on Legionella pneumophila: effect of the physiological state of the organism; Bortner CA et al.; Lactoferrin has been previously shown to be bactericidal for Legionella pneumophila . The current study showed that CaCl2, Mg(NO3)2, and MgCl2, but not NaCl, blocked killing . Activity was pH dependent with the greatest activity at 5.0 . Sensitivity of the organism was dramatically affected by the growth conditions . Log phase 12 h, broth-grown cells were most sensitive, with older cultures becoming more resistant . Plate-grown cells were completely resistant . Lactoferrin binding, as detected by immunofluorescence microscopy, was temperature dependent (no binding at 4 degrees C), but was independent of killing.

Immunol Lett, 1989 Nov, 23(1), 55 - 9
Influence of carrageenan on peritoneal macrophages; Vijayakumar RK et al.; BALB/c mice were given five intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of lambda carrageenan (CGN lambda) . Following this treatment, the viability, phagocytic capacity, bactericidal activity, interleukin 1 (IL-1)-producing ability and Ia+ cell content of the peritoneal plastic-adherent macrophage population was analysed . The present study demonstrates the enhancement of bactericidal activity, inhibition of the augmented Ia+ cell content after priming with sheep red blood cells (SRBC), and impairment of IL-1 production by peritoneal macrophages, although their viability and phagocytic function remained unaltered.

J Reprod Fertil, 1989 Nov, 87(2), 519 - 28
Effect of bovine seminal plasma on neutrophil phagocytosis of bull spermatozoa; Strzemienski PJ; Seminal plasma was obtained from bulls of known fertility and was assessed for its effect on serum-induced phagocytosis of bull spermatozoa . A non-dialysable component was found to inhibit neutrophil phagocytic uptake of spermatozoa . The component was not destroyed by heating (56 degrees C for 30 min) or removed by ether . Use of a bactericidal assay confirmed the inhibition and suggested that inhibition does not permanently impair neutrophil function . Immunoperoxidase staining demonstrated the presence of bovine IgM, IgG1 and IgG2 on spermatozoa incubated in serum . Affinity of spermatozoa for the immunoglobulins was reduced when seminal plasma was added to the serum . These results suggest that bull seminal plasma can regulate phagocytic ingestion of spermatozoa . While the mechanism of this regulation remains obscure, it may be important in providing protection to spermatozoa immediately after ejaculation.

J Prosthet Dent, 1989 Nov, 62(5), 605 - 7
Bactericidal effect of a disinfectant dental stone on irreversible hydrocolloid impressions and stone casts; Schutt RW; Infection control in dentistry focuses on the prevention of cross-contamination among patients, dentists, and dental auxilary personnel . This study evaluated the bactericidal effect of a dental gypsum material containing 0.25% chloramine-T on oral irreversible hydrocolloid impressions and dental casts . Eighty irreversible hydrocolloid impressions from 40 human volunteers were prepared . Forty impressions were poured with the disinfectant dental stone and a similar number were poured with a comparable, nondisinfectant stone . After setting for 60 minutes, the impressions and separated casts were sampled for bacterial contamination . The disinfectant stone inhibited bacterial growth in 39 of 40 impressions and casts, whereas all casts and impressions poured with the nondisinfectant stone were contaminated . The disinfectant dental stone containing chloramine-T was effective in eliminating bacterial contamination of both the irreversible hydrocolloid impression and stone cast.

Trends Biochem Sci, 1989 Nov, 14(11), 459 - 63
Invasive adenylate cyclase toxin of Bordetella pertussis; Hanski E; Bordetella pertussis produces an adenylate cyclase which is a toxin . The enzyme penetrates eukaryotic cells and, upon activation by host calmodulin, generates high levels of intracellular cAMP; as a result bactericidal functions of immune effector cells are considerably impaired . The toxin is composed of a single polypeptide that possesses both the catalytic and the toxic functions . It penetrates the host cell directly from the plasma membrane and is concomitantly inactivated by a proteolytic degradation.

J Wildl Dis, 1989 Oct, 25(4), 514 - 20
Comparison of pulmonary defense mechanisms in Rocky Mountain bighorn (Ovis canadensis canadensis) and domestic sheep; Silflow RM et al.; Alveolar macrophages were obtained from Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis canadensis) and domestic sheep for the purpose of comparing pulmonary host defense mechanisms in the two species . Specific variables studied included (1) characterization of the cell types present in the lung, (2) alveolar macrophage phagocytic and bactericidal functions, (3) measurement of protein levels in lavage fluid, and (4) measurement of cortisol levels in lavage fluid . While phagocytic cell populations were similar between bighorn and domestic sheep, a significantly higher percentage of lymphocytes were present in bighorns than domestics (20% in bighorn versus 6% in domestic sheep) . Significant differences were not observed in the phagocytic or bactericidal functions of macrophages between the two species . Significant differences were not observed in either lavage fluid protein levels or in cortisol levels.

Orthopedics, 1989 Oct, 12(10), 1333 - 6
Vancomycin prophylaxis and elective total joint arthroplasty; Ritter MA et al.; A series of 201 consecutive patients treated with unilateral or bilateral total joint arthroplasty were given a single-dose prophylactic antibiotic regimen consisting of 1 g vancomycin infused over 1 hour on the morning of surgery and 80 g gentamicin given upon arrival in the operating room . Bactericidal blood levels were maintained during and for 24 hours after surgery . Elevated serum creatinine levels developed postsurgically in 8 patients but returned to normal . No serious hypersensitivity reactions occurred; minor reactions responded to antihistamine therapy . No postoperative infections were reported . Cost of administration compared favorably with 24- and 48-hour regimens employing cephalosporins . The investigators concluded that a combined single dose vancomycin/gentamicin regimen is a safe, effective, and cost efficient method of orthopedic implant prophylaxis.

J Surg Res, 1989 Oct, 47(4), 283 - 7
Pneumococcal vaccine improves pulmonary clearance of live pneumococci after splenectomy; Hebert JC; The efficacy of pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide vaccines after splenectomy to decrease the incidence of postsplenectomy pneumococcal sepsis is controversial . We examined the effect of pneumococcal vaccine on clearance of live pneumococci from lungs of splenectomized and sham-operated mice following an aerosol challenge of pneumococci . Splenectomy impaired clearance of pneumococci from mouse lungs and allowed for increased translocation of pneumococci to tracheobronchial lymph nodes compared to shams (P less than 0.01) . Pneumococcal vaccine improved lung clearance in both splenectomized and sham-operated mice compared to saline controls (P less than 0.01), but the number of live pneumococci recovered from lung pairs was greater in splenectomized mice compared to shams (P less than 0.01) . Pneumococcal vaccination facilitated earlier translocation of pneumococci to tracheobronchial lymph nodes, and probably promoted bactericidal activity in these nodes, in both splenectomized and sham-operated mice . Survival in splenectomized mice was improved by vaccination, but remained significantly less than that in saline-treated sham-operated mice (P less than 0.0009) . The data show that pneumococcal vaccine can improve lung antipneumococcal defenses in splenectomized mice, but not to the same degree as in mice retaining their spleens . Pneumococcal vaccine should be given after splenectomy, but surgeons should caution patients that it may be less effective than when given to individuals with intact spleens or before elective surgery.

Med Trop (Mars), 1989 Oct-Dec, 49(4), 337 - 41
{Dapsone inhibition of the bactericidal action of rifampicin on Mycobacterium leprae in mice}; Millan J et al.; In the experimental infection of mice by Mycobacterium leprae, the bactericidal effect of 4 weekly doses of rifampicin (RMP) is completely suppressed if this administration is preceded by a daily treatment of dapsone (DDS) during one month then continued in conjunction with rifampicin . The application of this methodology: the delayed adding of rifampicin clearly shows the bacillary persistence induced by dapsone (DDS) . The rifampicin appears to be less effective on Mycobacterium leprae when its metabolism is inhibited either by the action of a drug such as dapsone (DDS), or spontaneously . The highlighting of this late-appearing antagonism between rifampicin and dapsone in mice, should not at present lead to the questioning of the therapeutic procedures recommended by the WHO, because of the limits of this experimental model, namely the small size of bacillary populations studied over relatively short periods of time.

Rinsho Ketsueki, 1989 Oct, 30(10), 1881 - 5
{Neutrophil dysfunction in chronic neutrophilic leukemia without rearrangements of bcr and immunoglobulin heavy chain genes}; Okada S et al.; A 67-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with abdominal distension due to hepatosplenomegaly . The peripheral blood revealed Hb content 6.5 g/dl, platelet count 4.7 x 10(4)/microliter, and WBC count 105.8 x 10(3)/microliter with 88% of mature neutrophils . The neutrophil alkaline phosphatase score was 421 . Bone marrow aspiration revealed hypercellularity with increased megakaryocytes and myeloid hyperplasia . 46, XY, del 20(q 11) without Philadelphia chromosome was identified by cytogenetic study . The patient was diagnosed as having chronic neutrophilic leukemia and was successfully treated with busulfan, but he died of atypical mycobacteriosis about 20 months later . Analysis of neutrophil function demonstrated diminution of deformability, random mobility, and chemotaxis, but almost normal phagocytosis and bactericidal capacity . Southern analysis showed no rearrangements of breakpoint cluster region (bcr) gene and immunoglobulin heavy chain gene.

Zhonghua Jie He He Hu Xi Za Zhi, 1989 Oct, 12(5), 275 - 7, 318
{Effects of smoking on human health}; Du BY; In this study, 30 cases of male smokers aged 35.7 +/- 5.2 years mean and 30 male nonsmokers aged 36.6 +/- 6.8 years were selected from a factory . Before the assay, everyone smoked one pack of cigarette in a day, after that these tests were done . The experimental results as follows . 1 . Comparing with control group, the levels of IgG and IgM in serum of smoking group are lower . It was shown that smoking has an inhibitive effect on phagocytosis and bactericidal of AM, so smoking has a damaging and prohibitive effect on the immunity of the body . 2 . Smoking increases the level of serum IgE . 3 . The increase of the level of CIC in serum in smoking individuals suggested that the defensive function decreases and the infectious susceptibility increases . So we should pay greatest attention to the occurrence of allergic disease of type III . 4 . Smoking increases the level of serum elastase . 5 . The level of TXB2 in human plasma of smokers increases . The result suggested that smoke plays an important role in cardiovascular diseases . 6 . The decrease of the level of cAMP in the plasma of smokers may be related to the release of some mediators . 7 . The increase of the level of vWF in the plasma of smokers may suggest that there are lesions in the endothelium of pulmonary blood vessels.

Immunobiology, 1989 Oct, 179(4-5), 395 - 41
Accessory cells with a morphology and marker pattern of dendritic cells can be obtained from elutriator-purified blood monocyte fractions . An enhancing effect of metrizamide in this differentiation; Kabel PJ et al.; Human monocytic cell fractions obtained by counterflow elutriation centrifugation (with regard to specific monocyte/macrophage characteristics: 82-88% were positive for nonspecific esterase; 86-94% for CD14) were cultured (overnight, 37 degrees C) under nonadhering conditions (polypropylene tubes) . Thirty to 40% of the cells were found to differentiate into large, monocytoid cells with a dendritic morphology . These cells expressed a marker of active dendritic cells RFD1 in 76-89% and were also positive for class II MHC antigens as identified by OKIa (95-97%) . An exposure of the blood monocytic cells to metrizamide (30 min, 14.5%) prior to the overnight culture enhanced this differentiation, and 47-58% of cells with a dendritic morphology were found (of which 80-87% RFD1 positive, and 95-97% Class II MHC positive) . The cultured cell populations containing the cells with the morphology and marker pattern typifying dendritic cells, appeared functionally more active as accessory populations when compared to freshly isolated blood monocytic cell fractions; the cultured cells had an enhanced stimulator capability in MLR, and cluster formation with lymphocytes was more prominent . At the same time, the cultured cell population showed a decreased bactericidal activity when compared to the freshly isolated monocytic populations, and in addition, all the cultured monocytoid cells had lost non-specific-esterase activity, while only approximately 10% of cells were still positive for the CD14 marker . When U937 cells were exposed to metrizamide (14.5% concentration, 30 min) and cultured under nonadhering conditions for 36 hours, similar changes were observed (30-45% became dendritic, 20% RFD1 positive).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1989 Oct, 33(10), 1819 - 21
Role of autolysins in the activities of imipenem and CGP 31608, a novel penem, against slowly growing bacteria; Cozens RM et al.; The carbapenem imipenem and the penem CGP 31608 demonstrated unusually good bactericidal activity against slowly growing bacteria . In contrast to that of penicillin, the rate of killing was independent of growth rate . In logarithmically growing cells, a decrease in growth rate was paralleled by a decrease in the relative activity of only one of four autolysins measured (membrane-bound endopeptidase), suggesting that autolysis induced by penicillin G may be rate limited by this enzyme . Imipenem, on the other hand, appeared to trigger different autolysins in Escherichia coli, as evidenced by differences in the structure of peptidoglycan after imipenem- versus penicillin-induced autolysis.

Microb Pathog, 1989 Oct, 7(4), 289 - 98
Oxidative and non-oxidative intracellular killing of Mycobacterium avium complex; Bermudez LE et al.; Among mycobacteria, those belonging to the Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) are the most common cause of bacteremia in AIDS patients . To understand better the mechanisms by which human macrophages kill intracellular MAC, we studied in an in vitro test system transparent morphotypes of the three most common bacteremic serotypes from AIDS patients and an opaque variant, obtained in vitro from the most mouse-virulent strain (MAC 101) . The three serotypes differed in susceptibility to oxidative bactericidal mechanisms of macrophages . The transparent morphotype of strain 101 (serotype 1) was completely resistant to the intracellular killing effects of a phagocyte's reactive oxygen radicals and hydrogen peroxide, whereas strains 109 (serotype 4), 100 (serotype 8), and the opaque variant from strain 101 were killed by oxidative bactericidal mechanisms . However, even for these bacteria, non-oxidative mechanisms appear to have a role in intracellular killing.

Cell Immunol, 1989 Oct 1, 123(1), 83 - 95
In vivo effects of interferon-gamma and indomethacin on murine alveolar macrophage activity; Stevens MG et al.; This study determined the effects of treatment with recombinant interferon-gamma (rIFN-gamma) and the cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin (INDO), on alveolar macrophage (AM) immune function in AKR/J mice . Bactericidal activity, interleukin 1 (IL1) synthesis and antigen presentation by AM were enhanced at 24 hr after a single intravenous injection with 5 X 10(4) U of rIFN-gamma . Concomitant treatment with 2 mg INDO/kg given subcutaneously did not further enhance the effects of a single injection of rIFN-gamma, even though the prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) concentrations in lung airways were reduced by 50% . These results suggest that the stimulatory effects of rIFN-gamma on AM are not altered by blocking potentially immunosuppressive cyclooxygenase metabolites such as PGE2 with INDO . Mice given three consecutive daily intravenous injections of 5 X 10(4) U of rIFN-gamma had suppressed AM bactericidal activity and IL1 synthesis, while PGE2 concentrations in the lungs were increased . Concomitant treatment with INDO prevented suppression of these AM functions and elevation of PGE2 concentrations in the lungs . Therefore, it appears that INDO can prevent suppression of AM activity induced by multiple injections of rIFN-gamma and this effect may be by blockage of PGE2 synthesis or other cyclooxygenase-derived products.

Res Vet Sci, 1989 Sep, 47(2), 253 - 6
Specific antibody in milk whey and phagocytosis of Actinomyces pyogenes by neutrophils in vitro; Watson ED; Milk samples were collected from 21 non-pregnant cows to study the ability of milk whey to support in vitro bactericidal activity of neutrophils against Actinomyces pyogenes . Significant differences (P less than 0.01) existed in opsonising ability of milk whey samples from individual cows . Antibody titres to A pyogenes in milk whey were determined using an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay . Bactericidal activity of neutrophils incubated with milk whey was positively correlated (P less than 0.05) with titres of IgG2 and IgM antibodies but not with IgG1 or IgA antibodies.

J Biochem (Tokyo), 1989 Sep, 106(3), 483 - 9
A serum lectin (mannan-binding protein) has complement-dependent bactericidal activity; Kawasaki N et al.; Serum mannan-binding protein (MBP), which is a lectin specific for mannose and N-acetylglucosamine and is known to activate complement via the classical pathway, has been revealed to have a complement-dependent bactericidal activity, as tested on rough strains of Escherichia coli, K-12 and B . The bacteria, which had been sensitized with purified human serum MBP in the presence of Ca2+, followed by incubation with guinea pig complement, showed a marked decrease of colony forming ability compared with those not sensitized with the lectin . The bactericidal effect depended on the concentrations of the lectin and complement . The C4-dependency of the reaction indicated that the complement-dependent bactericidal action by MBP is expressed through the classical pathway . The bacteria were aggregated by the lectin . Scatchard plot analysis of 125I-labeled MBP binding to the bacteria showed that the dissociation constant (Kd) and the maximum binding capacity were 6 x 10(-9) M and 30,000 molecules of MBP per cell, respectively . The binding was inhibited by mannose, N-acetylglucosamine, N-acetylmannosamine, L-fucose, manno-heptulose, and sedoheptulose, suggesting that MBP recognized L-glycero-D-manno-heptose and N-acetylglucosamine constituting the core oligosaccharide of the E . coli K-12 cell wall, and L-glycero-D-manno-heptose for E . coli B . These findings suggest the physiological significance of the serum lectin in host defense, being consistent with the avirulence of E . coli rough strains in mammals.

Semin Respir Infect, 1989 Sep, 4(3), 225 - 31
Treatment of extrapulmonary tuberculosis; Dutt AK et al.; The duration of therapy for pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is now shortened to 6 or 9 months with the use of bactericidal drugs . There are few reports on the results of short course chemotherapy (SCC) in extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EP) . It is unlikely that many controlled studies shall be forthcoming in the future because of involvement of many sites with the disease, each of which has special problems . However, available controlled studies and clinical experiences in EP indicate early success . The site of the disease appears to be less important since the bacterial population is much smaller in EP than in TB and is easily amenable to the bactericidal drugs . Present bactericidal drugs (isoniazid {INH}, rifampin {RIF}, pyrazinamide {PZA}) penetrate well into tissues and attain bactericidal levels to kill the organisms . Our experience with 9-month SCC consisting of INH 300 mg and RIF 600 mg daily for one month, followed by INH 900 mg and RIF 600 mg twice weekly for another 8 months in 478 cases of EP showed overall success in over 95% of those patients who completed therapy over a median follow-up of 42 months . The drugs may be given daily throughout with the same success . Thus, 9-month therapy with INH and RIF is highly effective in EP due to drug sensitive organisms . In TB, the duration may be shortened to 6-months with initial intensive four-drug therapy consisting of INH, RIF, PZA and streptomycin (SM) or ethambutol (EMB) daily for 2 months, followed by INH and RIF daily or twice weekly for another 4 months.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Rev Infect Dis, 1989 Sep-Oct, 11 Suppl 6, S1518 - 25
A perspective on the treatment of Lyme borreliosis; Luft BJ et al.; Lyme borreliosis has become the most common tick-borne infection in the United States . Although both beta-lactam and tetracycline antibiotics have been shown to be effective in the treatment of this spirochetosis, the development of optimal therapeutic modalities has been hampered by the lack of reliable microbiologic or immunologic criteria for the diagnosis or cure of this infection . In vitro sensitivity studies have been performed by several laboratories, but there has been no standardization of the methodology for measuring either inhibitory or bactericidal levels . Clinical studies have documented the efficacy of antibiotics, but therapy has failed in as many as 50% of cases of chronic infection . Although new antibiotic regimens appear promising, the optimal treatment of this infectious disease remains to be determined . In this report we review the clinical and experimental rationale for the antibiotic regimens that we currently use and the need for a more standardized approach to treatment trials.

Blood Rev, 1989 Sep, 3(3), 141 - 6
Hematologic aspects of renal insufficiency; Schiller GJ et al.; Renal dysfunction gives rise to a variety of hematologic disturbances, including anemia, leukocyte dysfunction, and coagulopathy . The anemia of renal failure has been attributed to a relative deficiency of erythropoietin, but contributing factors include an absolute deficiency of iron or folate . Other contributing factors include heavy metal toxicity, blood loss, and hemolysis . The treatment of the anemia of renal disease has advanced with the development of recombinant human erythropoietin . At doses from 15-500 micrograms/kg triweekly in selected patients, normalization of hemoglobin is presently possible . Transfusion may still have a role in patients with renal disease, although more as preconditioning for renal transplantation . In non-HLA matched transplantation, donor-specific transfusion, as well as immunosuppressives, may exert some benefit in graft survival . The coagulopathy of renal disease consists of an acquired qualitative platelet defect best remedied by dialysis but also treated successfully by cryoprecipitate or DDAVP . Infectious complications of uremia include diminished leukocyte chemotaxis, phagocytosis, and bactericidal activity . Cell-mediated immune defects and hypogammaglobulinemia have also been described . The pathophysiology involved in the protean hematologic manifestations of uremia are discussed; additionally, we describe therapeutic recommendations to deal with anemia, bleeding and infectious complications of renal failure.

Yakugaku Zasshi, 1989 Sep, 109(9), 672 - 6
{Anti-ulcer effect of extract from phellodendri cortex}; Uchiyama T et al.; In chinese medicine, Phellodendri Cortex (Phellodendron amurense Ruprecht) has been used to treat the patient who suffers from gastroenteritis, abdominal pain or diarrhea . Berberine has been identified as a major component in this plant, and it has biological activities, such as bactericidal activity, anti-cholera toxin effect, anti-inflammatory effect, stimulative effect of bile secretion or bilirubin discharge . In the previous study, we have shown the presence of anti-inflammatory activity in the berberine-free fraction of the extract from this plant . In the present study, we also found anti-ulcer activity in the fraction . The fraction significantly inhibited the formation of ethanol-induced ulcer, aspirin-induced ulcer (s.c., p.o.), pylorus-ligated ulcer (p.o., i.d.) in rats, as well as that of stress ulcer in restrained and water-immersed mice (p.o.) . In addition, gastric acid secretion was significantly reduced in pylorus-ligated rats by subcutaneous or intraduodenal administration of the fraction, but not by oral administration . These findings suggest that the suppression of ulcer formation may be due to the additive effect of the cytoprotection effect and the reduction of gastric acid secretion by administration of the berberine-free fraction.

Biofizika, 1989 Sep-Oct, 34(5), 814 - 8
{The effect of N-(1-methyldodecyl)-N,N-dimethylaminoxide on the conformation of hydrocarbon chains in phospholipid bilayers isolated from Escherichia coli}; Balgavy P et al.; Using the method of ESR spectroscopy of stearic acid spin probes labeled by the doxyl group on the 12th or 16th carbon, it has been found that bactericidal surfactant N-(1-methyldodecyl)-N,N-dimethylamine oxide increases the effective energy difference between trans- and gauche conformers Eg and decreases the probability of gauche conformers formation pg in lipid hydrocarbon chains in multilamellar liposomes prepared from Escherichia coli-isolated phospholipids, at low surfactant concentrations . Above the surfactant: phospholipid molar ratio of 1:14 to 1:17, the value of Eg decreases and that of pg increases . The results are interpreted using the cluster model of lipid bilayer . At low concentrations the surfactant molecules are inserted into the dynamical defects between the clusters, thereby increasing the packing density of chains in the bilayer . At high concentrations the surfactant molecules penetrate into the clusters perturbing the dense packing of chains in clusters.

Gaoxiong Yi Xue Ke Xue Za Zhi, 1989 Sep, 5(9), 510 - 5
{Comparison of the bactericidal effects of acid glutaraldehyde and alkaline glutaraldehyde}; Su SC et al.; Two glutaraldehydes, acid glutaraldehyde (sonacide) and alkaline glutaraldehyde (cidex) were evaluated for their bactericidal effect under different conditions . Two percent acid and alkaline glutaraldehyde could destroy vegetative bacteria and spores in twenty minutes . Less than 2.9 percent residual contamination rate could be achieved after immersing equipment in 0.1 percent acid glutaraldehyde or 0.5 percent alkaline glutaraldehyde for 30 minutes . Complete sterilization could be obtained by using two percent acid glutaraldehyde, while 0.5 percent residual contamination was noted after equipment had been immersed in two percent alkaline glutaraldehyde for one month . Acid glutaraldehyde could destroy bacteria completely in 30 minutes even after the solution had been standing for one month, but alkaline glutaraldehyde had an 11.4 to 26.9 percent residual rate . There were no deleterious effects on metal equipment after immersing for 14 days, but yellowish discoloration and hardening were observed on plastic and rubber equipment . It is concluded that both of these two glutaraldehydes are effective bactericides, but acid glutaraldehyde is more effective even after standing for one month or after dilution.

J Clin Periodontol, 1989 Sep, 16(8), 484 - 8
Direct measurement of the bactericidal effect of chlorhexidine on human dental plaque; Netuschil L et al.; The purpose of the present study was to determine by means of a fluorescence test the ratio between vital and dead bacteria in dental plaque before and after 0.1% chlorhexidine rinses . Plaque was stained by fluoresceindiacetate (FDA), which gave a green color to the living micro-organisms, and by ethidiumbromide (EB), which introduced a red color into the nucleic acids of the dead bacteria . 1-, 2- and 3-day-old undisturbed plaque harbored 80 to 85% living micro-organisms . 1 h after chlorhexidine use, this % was reduced to a plateau of 19 to 34% of vital bacteria present in the sampled plaque . Between 6 and 8 h later, this % rose towards its original value . This study has shown that FDA/EB staining provides a method for direct measurement of bacteria vitality in dental plaque and, as such, can be of great value for testing the efficacy of various antiplaque agents.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1989 Aug, 33(8), 1255 - 9
Activity and penetration of antituberculosis drugs in mouse peritoneal macrophages infected with Mycobacterium microti OV254; Dhillon J et al.; The activities of some commonly used antituberculosis drugs were investigated within unstimulated peritoneal macrophages and in 7H-9 medium without Tween 80 using Mycobacterium microti OV254 as the target organism . In macrophage cultures, serial concentrations of isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide, or streptomycin were added after a 2.5-h phagocytosis period . Viable counts were carried out at daily intervals for 5 or 6 days . The patterns of susceptibility to the four drugs were similar for M . microti and Mycobacterium tuberculosis . To ensure comparability with daily drug replacements in the macrophage experiments, the period of exposure to drugs in 7H-9 medium was kept to only 3 days . With in vitro culture at pH 6.4, drug penetration, measured as the ratio of MICs in macrophages to MICs in 7H-9 medium, was approximately 5 for isoniazid, 5 for rifampin, and 10 for streptomycin . With in vitro culture at pH 7.4, drug penetration was 100 for streptomycin, and at pH 5.6 it was 1 for pyrazinamide . Pyrazinamide was only bacteriostatic in macrophages but weakly bactericidal during the first day of exposure in vitro.

Zentralbl Veterinarmed B, 1989 Aug, 36(6), 402 - 8
Characterization of some parameters of non-specific immunity in beef cattle (II); Ponti W et al.; Serum protein, immunoglobulins, complement, lysozyme, serum bactericidal activity and blast transformation of peripheral blood lymphocytes were tested in beef cattle in different herds and age groups . These parameters were evaluated in their time-kinetics, in comparison with age-matched groups of dairy cattle . Like dairy calves, beef calves up to 4 months of age were shown to have low levels of serum bactericidal activity and haemolytic complement; besides, a worse profile was detected in serum protein and gamma 2 globulin levels . Al(OH)3 and oil-adjuvanted vaccines had a favourable influence on immunoglobulin and lysozyme synthesis . An acute stressing event like transportation was shown to decrease mitogen-driven lymphocyte stimulation for at least 10 days after arrival.

Ann Thorac Surg, 1989 Aug, 48(2), 228 - 31
Gentamicin solution for mediastinal irrigation: systemic absorption, bactericidal activity, and toxicity; Kopel ME et al.; Local irrigation with gentamicin sulfate represents a possible substitute for neomycin sulfate, used for many years but now no longer available for use as an irrigation fluid . In this investigation, mediastinal irrigation with gentamicin was used in 12 patients who had experienced problems after a heart operation . The regimen employed for mediastinal irrigation with gentamicin was equipotent with that using neomycin . We sought to determine the degree of absorption and risk of either inadequate or toxic blood levels that might follow gentamicin absorption . Irrigation periods were short, ranging from one to four days and determined by measurements of plasma gentamicin concentration using radioimmunoassay evaluation . Systemic gentamicin absorption occurred in all patients . Toxic levels of higher than 8.0 micrograms/mL occurred and were size related, ie, correlated with smaller body weight and surface area, and sex related, ie, female sex . Larger-sized patients often had inadequate levels . Despite the potential risk from toxic blood levels, major increases in serum creatinine levels were not seen . These findings suggest that monitoring of plasma gentamicin levels during mediastinal irrigation with gentamicin is mandatory to avoid both inadequate treatment and toxicity.

Am J Vet Res, 1989 Aug, 50(8), 1285 - 9
Interaction of turkey complement with Escherichia coli isolated from turkeys; Ellis MG et al.; The role of turkey complement in a serum bactericidal reaction was determined using serum-sensitive and serum-resistant Escherichia coli isolated from turkeys . Inactivation of complement by heating serum (56 C for 40 minutes) or by treating serum with 10 mM EDTA eliminated bactericidal activity . Serum-sensitive E coli organisms were killed by turkey serum treated with 10 mM ethylene glycol-bis-beta-(aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid and 5 mM MgCl2 . Exposure of normal turkey serum to serum-sensitive or serum-resistant E coli resulted in equivalent reductions in hemolytic activity of serum . Treatment of serum-resistant E coli with antibody rendered the bacteria sensitive to bactericidal effects of normal turkey serum . Serum-sensitive E coli organisms were readily killed by an alternative complement pathway, serum-sensitive and serum-resistant E coli activated the complement system equally well, and antibody was required for complement-mediated killing of certain serum-resistant E coli organisms from turkeys.

Endod Dent Traumatol, 1989 Aug, 5(4), 182 - 7
A histobacteriological assessment of nonvital teeth after ultrasonic root canal instrumentation; Rodrigues HH et al.; The purpose of this study was to evaluate and discuss the bactericidal effect of ultrasound when applied in the root canal of teeth with necrotic pulp and periapical lesions . Twenty newly extracted teeth were instrumented with an ultrasonic unit and K-files using 0.5% sodium hypochlorite as irrigating solution . Compacted debris and micro-organisms were frequently observed in the apical region and in dentinal tubules of the root canal wall . Overinstrumentation that sometimes occurred led to contamination of the periapical lesions with micro-organisms and debris from the root canal.

Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 1989 Aug, 8(8), 731 - 3
Bactericidal activity of enoxacin and lomefloxacin against Escherichia coli KL16; Lewin CS et al.; Enoxacin and lomefloxacin were found to display a biphasic response when their bactericidal activities were investigated against Escherichia coli KL16 in nutrient broth . Although enoxacin required bacterial protein and RNA synthesis to exert bactericidal activity, it was able to kill non-dividing bacteria . On the other hand, the protein synthesis inhibitor chloramphenicol and the RNA synthesis inhibitor rifampicin did not abolish enoxacin's killing activity against Escherichia coli KL16 in nutrient broth . Lomefloxacin was also shown to be active against non-dividing Escherichia coli KL16.

Biol Reprod, 1989 Jul, 41(1), 98 - 103
The effect of the antioxidant, butylated hydroxy anisole, on peroxide-induced and spontaneous activity of the uterus from the pregnant rat; Cherouny PH et al.; Chorioamnionitis is associated with preterm labor . Leukocytes infiltrate infected tissue and secrete hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and other reactive oxygen products as part of their bactericidal activity . We have therefore investigated the effect of H2O2 on activity of in vitro uteri from pregnant rats . Uteri from 18-day pregnant rats exposed to H2O2 showed a dose-dependent increase in both contractile activity and production of prostaglandins (PG) E2 and F2 alpha compared to untreated controls . The antioxidant butylated hydroxy anisole (BHA) inhibited the H2O2-induced uterine activity . Furthermore, BHA inhibited contractions and PG production from spontaneously contracting uteri from 21-day pregnant rats . H2O2 increased chemiluminescence of uterine tissue, an index of oxygen or lipid radical formation, whereas BHA inhibited this effect . The BHA inhibition of uterine activity was reversed by addition of PGE2 to the incubation chamber . These data support the hypothesis that reactive oxygen can regulate PG production by the uterus and suggests a role for reactive oxygen in infection-induced labor and perhaps normal term labor as well.

J Biolumin Chemilumin, 1989 Jul, 4(1), 602 - 8
Automation and computerization of chemiluminescence: a new methodological approach in the study of human phagocytes; Parente R et al.; Peripheral blood phagocytic cells (PMNLs) are activated by contact with opsonized particles . Metabolic activation of PMNLs is associated with a remarkable increase in the respiratory burst and generates high energy oxygen compounds which are responsible for the bactericidal activity of PMNLs and for their ability to produce luminol-dependent chemiluminescence (CL) . The CL phenomenon is measured by an automated and computerized photoluminometer (Berthold LB950) in whole blood stimulated with opsonized zymosan . This whole blood method of CL measurement has been applied to the study of the phagocytic process and to the investigation of cellular and humoral abnormalities in several pathologies, indicating this assay as a simple, rapid and reliable test.

Vrach Delo, 1989 Jul, (7), 26 - 9
{Nonspecific resistance of the body in patients with peptic ulcer and chronic gastritis}; Valenkevich LN et al.; Indices of unspecific resistance (bactericidal serum activity, phagocytic reaction of neutrophils, lysozyme) were examined in 128 patients with ulcer disease and chronic gastritis . Changes of local and general mechanisms of unspecific reactivity of the gastro-intestinal tract result not only in disorders of the defence system but also in a reduction of viability of the gastric and duodenal epithelium with development of alteration processes . In this condition bacterial and protein antigens may change the immunological status of the body.

Grudn Khir, 1989 Jul-Aug, (4), 64 - 8
{Use of electrochemically activated 0.8% potassium chloride solutions in the treatment of empyema and parietal abscesses of the lung}; Shraer TI et al.; Electrochemically activated 0.8% solutions of potassium chloride are marked by high bactericidal and bacteriostatic activity, do not possess toxic properties, are easily tolerated by the patients, and promote melting of fibrin and necrotic tissues . With their use granulations and epithelialization occur more rapidly and the terms of treatment and the associated economical expenditures are reduced.

Zentralbl Veterinarmed B, 1989 Jul, 36(5), 365 - 73
Characterization of some parameters of non-specific immunity in dairy cattle (I); Bonizzi L et al.; The concentrations of serum protein and immunoglobulin, complement, lysozyme, serum bactericidal activity and blast transformation of peripheral blood lymphocytes were assessed in dairy cattle in different herds and age groups . The study aimed at defining fundamental aspects of non-specific defence under the field conditions, related to age/season/management influences . The observed differences in the expression of these parameters are discussed, with regard to their role in the immune defence of calves and their relation to colostrum uptake . The possible use of these parameters in the control of animal welfare is stressed and the possibility is put forward of predicting possible unfavourable interactions with environmental pathogens.

Antibiot Khimioter, 1989 Jul, 34(7), 510 - 4
{Effect of aminoglycosides on the binding of C14-benzylpenicillin by penicillin-binding proteins in Escherichia coli}; Beliavskaia IV et al.; It was shown that preincubation of E . coli intact cells with gentamicin and streptomycin induced a marked increase in binding of 14C-benzylpenicillin to its final targets in the membrane i.e . penicillin-binding proteins (PBP) . The stimulating effect of the aminoglycosides was also confirmed in experiments with a membrane fraction isolated from the cells preincubated with the aminoglycosides . The PBPs of the cells preincubated with the aminoglycosides were studied with SDS-PAAG electrophoresis . It was revealed that under the action of the aminoglycosides the quantity of the labeled substance (intensity of the bands on the fluorograms) fixed by the low molecular PBPs i.e . D-alanine carboxypeptidases increased . Moreover, the composition of the high molecular less mobile PBPs (transpeptidases) changed . The data are discussed in regard to the peculiarities of the effect of the aminoglycosides on the cells (bactericidal action, membrane tropism) . The effect of the aminoglycosides can influence (along with the others) the results of their combined use with beta-lactams.

J Immunol, 1989 Jul 1, 143(1), 239 - 44
Comparative toxicity of the horse eosinophil peroxidase-H2O2-halide system and granule basic proteins; Klebanoff SJ et al.; Stimulated eosinophils release cytotoxic granule constituents, including eosinophil peroxidase (EPO) and a group of granule basic proteins (GBP) . EPO reacts with H2O2 formed by the respiratory burst and a halide to form cytotoxic oxidants . The relative potency of the EPO-H2O2-halide system and the GBP is considered here . Horse eosinophils were induced to degranulate, the degranulation products were separated by chromatography on Sephadex G-50 and comparable volumes of the column fractions were tested for toxicity to Escherichia coli and the schistosomula of Schistosoma mansoni in the presence and absence of H2O2 and halides . Both the EPO system and GBP were toxic . However, the peak EPO fraction could be diluted 1000-fold at pH 7.0 and 5000-fold at pH 5.0, and with a 10-fold dilution at pH 7.0 incubation time could be reduced to 5 s, with retention of bactericidal activity in the presence of H2O2 and halides, whereas the peak GBP fractions diluted 10-fold had a small bactericidal effect at 1 h which increased with prolongation of incubation to 24 h . A less than 1 log fall in E . coli viable cell count was produced by the GBP fractions under all conditions as compared to total destruction (greater than 5 log fall) with the EPO system . A 1000-fold dilution of the peak EPO fraction was schistosomulocidal in the presence of H2O2 and halides, with toxicity observed at 2 h with a 10-fold dilution . In contrast, no schistosomulocidal activity was observed at 18 h with a 10-fold dilution of the GBP fractions . However, toxicity was observed with a 5- or 50-fold increase in GBP concentration with maximum toxicity observed with fractions between the two major protein peaks . Thus, under the conditions employed, the EPO-H2O2-halide system contributed to a considerably greater degree to the toxic activity of the granule components than did the GBP.

Pediatr Res, 1989 Jul, 26(1), 43 - 8
The effects of recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor on in vitro cord blood granulocyte function; Frenck RW Jr et al.; Neonatal granulocytes are recognized to have functional defects which are thought to be important in the increased susceptibility to infection in the neonate . Recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rhGM-CSF), a member of a family of glycoproteins essential for the in vitro survival, proliferation, and differentiation of hematopoietic progenitor cells, has been shown to enhance the functional capabilities of adult granulocytes . This study tested the effects of rhGM-CSF on the locomotion, superoxide generation, phagocytosis, bactericidal activity, and membrane depolarization responses of cord blood granulocytes . Concentrations of rhGM-CSF between 100 and 1 pM significantly enhanced the leading front of cord blood granulocyte locomotion . The mean distance migrated by the cell population and the number of cells responding to the chemoattractant were also significantly enhanced in cord blood granulocytes treated with 1 pM rhGM-CSF . Superoxide anion production was significantly enhanced in cord blood granulocytes stimulated with fMLP after a 30- or 60-min exposure to 100 pM rhGM-CSF . However, this enhancing effect was not observed in cells incubated with rhGM-CSF for 2 h before formyl-methionine-leucine-phenylalanine stimulation . Phagocytosis, bactericidal activity, and membrane depolarization responses of cord blood granulocytes were not affected by exposure to rhGM-CSF . These findings demonstrate that selected cord blood granulocyte functions are enhanced by in vitro exposure to rhGM-CSF . Whether these in vitro observations have in vivo significance await further study.

Microb Pathog, 1989 Jul, 7(1), 63 - 72
Sialylation of lipopolysaccharide and loss of absorption of bactericidal antibody during conversion of gonococci to serum resistance by cytidine 5'-monophospho-N-acetyl neuraminic acid; Parsons NJ et al.; Changes in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) which occur when serum susceptible gonococci are converted to resistance by incubation with cytidine 5'-monophospho-N-acetyl neuraminic acid (CMP-NANA) have been investigated . Transfer of radioactivity to bacterial LPS from CMP-NANA labelled with 14C in the NANA moiety was detected by fluorography following lysis, proteinase K digestion and SDS-PAGE . Incorporation of radioactivity was inhibited by cytidine 5'-monophosphate (CMP) . Both the radioactivity of the LPS and the resistance of gonococci to fresh human serum were largely lost after incubation with neuraminidase . No evidence was obtained to suggest that CMP-NANA is an inducer of new protein synthesis as well as a substrate for the sialylation of LPS . Little radioactivity was incorporated into components other than LPS . Sialylated, serum resistant gonococci were less able than serum susceptible gonococci to absorb the bactericidal activity of fresh human serum . Hence, we conclude that serum resistance conferred on gonococci by CMP-NANA is due to transfer of sialyl groups to surface LPS sites and this inhibits their reaction with bactericidal antibody in human serum.

Mater Med Pol, 1989 Jul-Sep, 21(3), 231 - 3
Reciprocal effects of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and of thymic factor (TFX-thymomodulin) on bactericidal activity of human neutrophils; Szkaradkiewicz A et al.; Studies were performed on phagocytosis and on bactericidal capacity of human neutrophils (HN), isolated from healthy volunteers . Effects of indomethacin, PGE2, and TFX-Thymomodulin on function of the cells were examined . Only in a proportion of cases indomethacin was significantly reducing bactericidal activity of HN indicating that the activity might require the presence of endogenous prostaglandin . On the other hand, exogenous PGE2, inhibited bacterial killing in all cases and the suppression was abolished by TFX-Thymomodulin . The results might indicate antagonistic action on target cells of PGE2 on the one hand and of TFX-Thymomodulin on the other, which could point to the presence of receptors for thymic factors on HN.

J Immunol, 1989 Jun 15, 142(12), 4401 - 6
Depression of polymorphonuclear leukocyte functions by purified influenza virus hemagglutinin and sialic acid-binding lectins; Cassidy LF et al.; Infection of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) with influenza virus causes depression of PMNL metabolic and bactericidal activities . The studies reported here were undertaken to determine whether the hemagglutinin (HA) glycoprotein of influenza virus mediates this depression . PMNL were incubated with purified HA and the oxidative responses to exogenous stimuli were measured . The results indicate that HA, in either liposomes or protein aggregates referred to as rosettes, depressed PMNL oxidative responses . Depression was observed within 2 min of initial interaction of HA with PMNL and lasted more than 2 h . The membrane fusion activity of HA requires proteolytic cleavage of the HA, whereas the receptor binding activity does not . There was no difference in the ability of virions with cleaved or uncleaved HA to depress PMNL responses suggesting that the fusion event is not required for PMNL dysfunction . Inasmuch as the HA glycoprotein binds to sialic acid-containing receptors on the surface of the PMNL, we tested whether other sialic acid-specific binding proteins can mediate the reduction of PMNL responses . Sialic acid-specific lectins from Limulus polyphemus or Limax flavus were incubated with PMNL before measuring their responses to secondary stimulus . Depression was observed upon incubation with the lectins similar to that seen upon incubation with the HA or influenza virus . These results suggest that attachment of influenza virus to sialic acid-containing receptors is responsible at least in part, for suppressing PMNL oxidative responses.

Acta Chir Scand, 1989 Jun-Jul, 155(6-7), 347 - 50
Serum and tissue pharmacokinetics of intravenous metronidazole in surgical patients; Kling PA et al.; Intravenous administration of 1 g metronidazole during 30 min to 12 patients undergoing colorectal surgery yielded mean serum levels of 20.4 (+/- 4.9 SD) mg/l at 1 h, 15.6 (+/- 4.1) at 4 h and 3.9 (+/- 2.0) at 24 h after infusion . The mean elimination half-life of metronidazole was 8 h and the mean apparent volume of distribution 42 l . At 1-4 h after the infusion the median tissue/serum drug concentration ratio was 0.94 for rectus abdominis muscle and 0.76 for colonic mucosa . For adipose tissue the corresponding ratio was significantly lower (0.21, p less than 0.01) and highly unpredictable . Since in gastrointestinal surgery most wound infections develop in the cut surface of the abdominal fat, failure of metronidazole to reach bactericidal concentrations in adipose tissue could be a risk factor in this respect, contributing to the variable reported results of metronidazole prophylaxis.

Blood Rev, 1989 Jun, 3(2), 88 - 93
Assessment of phagocytic function using chemiluminescence; Hosker HS et al.; Chemiluminescence is a simple and reliable method of assessing phagocytic function . The bactericidal properties of phagocytes are dependent on the production of powerful oxidising species by the respiratory burst . These reactive oxygen radicals react with biological substrates to form excited compounds which then relax to their ground state by photon emission . This energy release is in the form of light which can be amplified by chemiluminescent probes and measured in a luminometer . Activation of cells is achieved using various agents that stimulate the respiratory burst . There is a close correlation between chemiluminescence and other methods of assessing phagocytic function, including bactericidal ability . The technique can be used to assess the function of polymorphonuclear leukocytes, monocytes, and tissue macrophages in response to disease, drugs, and toxins . This article describes the theory of cellular chemiluminescence, and the use of chemiluminescent probes and various cellular stimuli . Practical aspects of cell isolation and factors affecting chemiluminescence are considered . Finally, the clinical applications of chemiluminescence are discussed.

Lepr Rev, 1989 Jun, 60(2), 118 - 23
Combined regimens of one year duration in the treatment of multibacillary leprosy--II . Combined regimens with rifampicin administered during 6 months; Pattyn SR et al.; From 1981 to 1983 all multibacillary patients presenting at the collaborating centres in Zaire and Rwanda were treated with one of the following regimens: 6 months supervised daily RMP 600 mg, ETH 500 mg and DDS 100 mg or CLO 100 mg followed by 6 months unsupervised daily DDS 100 mg or CLO 100 mg with ETH 500 mg added or not . These regimens gave rise to hepatotoxicity, reversal and erythema nodosum leprosum reactions as described previously . Bactericidal activity was excellent . Among the 289 patients in the trial, with a mean follow-up period of 3.88 years, no relapses were observed, with an upper 95% confidence limit of 0.35 per 100 person years . Because of the hepatotoxicity, alternative short-course therapies need to be tested.

Mol Microbiol, 1989 Jun, 3(6), 807 - 12
Immunity protein is not required for the bactericidal activity of colicin E3; Escuyer V et al.; Plasmid pLAX3, carrying the colicin E3 gene, was used to direct the in vitro synthesis of a colicin E3* molecule totally devoid of its immunity protein . We established that this molecule is able to kill sensitive Escherichia coli cells in the total absence of immunity protein . Therefore, all of the information required for colicin E3 action is located on the colicin polypeptide itself . Furthermore, our studies indicated that immunity protein protects the C-terminal enzymatic part of native colicin E3 protein against proteolytic degradation before or during its translocation across the cell envelope . These results are discussed in relation to the mode of entry of colicin E3 into bacterial cells.

Clin Lab Med, 1989 Jun, 9(2), 191 - 202
Antimicrobic susceptibility testing . A personal perspective; Sherris JC; The development of antimicrobic susceptibility testing is outlined with particular reference to standardization of procedures and organizational developments that have led to substantially improved performance . Special problems continue to be posed by increased proportions of opportunistic pathogens and newly recognized mechanisms of resistance, and these require updating . The role of automated procedures and technical problems in MBC and serum bactericidal testing are considered.

J Clin Invest, 1989 Jun, 83(6), 1916 - 24
Modulation of polymorphonuclear leukocyte microbicidal activity and oxidative metabolism by fibrinogen degradation products D and E; Kazura JW et al.; Fibrinogen degradation products (FDP) D and E are typically present in blood of patients with disseminated intravascular coagulation and related conditions in which granulocyte (PMN) defense against bacterial infection may be compromised . This study was intended to determine whether FDP modify PMN functions critical to their bactericidal activity . Incubation of human PMN and Escherichia coli with 50-100 micrograms/ml FDP did not affect phagocytosis, but reduced by greater than 90% the cells' ability to inhibit bacterial colony growth compared with control PMN incubated with albumin or fibrinogen . FDP (10-100 micrograms/ml) inhibited PMN O2- release and chemotaxis stimulated by FMLP by 17-50% (P less than 0.005) and 41% (P less than 0.01), respectively . Fragment E3, and not fragment D1, was primarily responsible for inhibition of FMLP-induced PMN O2- release . Phorbol myristate acetate (10 ng/ml), 1-oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol (10(-6) M), AA (4.2 x 10(-5) M), and zymosan-activated serum-stimulated PMN O2- release were also decreased 37-63% by FDP compared with control protein . There are at least two mechanisms by which FDP may impair PMN responses . With respect to FMLP, FDP (16-100 micrograms/ml) inhibited specific binding to the cell surface over a ligand concentration range of 1.4-85 nM {3H}FMLP . In contrast, FDP did not effect the extent of phorbol ester binding to PMN but blocked activation of protein kinase C . These data suggest that elevated plasma FDP inhibit several PMN functions critical to the bactericidal role of these inflammatory cells.

Aliment Pharmacol Ther, 1989 Jun, 3(3), 277 - 84
Inappropriate use of metronidazole in gastrointestinal surgery; Ingoldby CJ et al.; Pharmacokinetic data suggest that current treatment regimens of metronidazole in abdominal surgery are not always appropriate . We have examined antibiotic concentrations during emergency and elective surgery using a specific and sensitive high pressure liquid chromatography assay . Serum and tissue concentrations were measured after intravenous infusion during intra-abdominal surgery and after suppositories given before appendicectomy . After intravenous dosage, bactericidal concentrations were reached in serum (13.6 +/- 7.8 micrograms/ml), bowel (9.0 +/- 6.6 micrograms/g), tumour (9.9 +/- 7.1 micrograms/g) and subcutaneous fat (4.9 +/- 3.2 micrograms/g) . After suppositories the concentrations were: serum 4.6 +/- 2.7 micrograms/ml, appendix 1.1 +/- 0.6 micrograms/g, fat 1.5 +/- 0.9 micrograms/g and peritoneal fluid 4.7 +/- 4.3 micrograms/g . These values were obtained at a mean interval of 86.9 +/- 27.5 min following administration of the drug . Serum concentrations were measured during post-surgical infusion of 500 mg i.v . 8 or 12 hourly . Mean concentrations after 8 hourly doses were 16.3 +/- 4.85 micrograms/ml pre-dose and 28.7 +/- 6.76 micrograms/ml post-dose, with evidence of drug accumulation by detection of metabolites . Twelve hourly infusions gave pre-dose levels of 7.4 +/- 3.86 micrograms/ml and post-dose levels of 17.1 +/- 3.69 micrograms/ml . Metronidazole (500 mg) intravenously at induction of anaesthetic gives effective prophylactic concentrations in all tissues including tumour, but a metronidazole 1 g suppository before appendicectomy does not provide reliable tissue concentrations . Metronidazole (500 mg) i.v . 12 hourly gives effective bactericidal concentrations of the drug and is more economical.

Rev Med Chil, 1989 Jun, 116(6), 543 - 8
{Bactericidal spectrum of pyocins on strains collected at Region IX and X hospitals in Chile}; Garcia-Quintana HG et al.; The inhibitory effect of 5 pyocins produced by wildstrains of Ps aeruginosa was tested by qualitative and quantitative techniques . 313 strains of 4 species: E coli, P vulgaris, Ps aeruginosa and St aureus were assayed . It was shown that the most active pyocin was P37, which inhibited 276 out of 313 strains tested . About 80% of E coli and 90% of St aureus strains were inhibited by the pyocins under being tested . It was established that sensitivity to pyocin was not restricted to close-related species but extends to unrelated families also.

J Leukoc Biol, 1989 Jun, 45(6), 538 - 45
Induction of interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor by Legionella pneumophila: augmentation of human neutrophil bactericidal activity; Blanchard DK et al.; We have previously reported that Legionella pneumophila antigens can induce interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in vitro and in vivo in mice . Furthermore, treatment of murine polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) cultures with these cytokines resulted in augmented killing of the bacteria in vitro . The purpose of the present study was to determine if these findings could be extended to human responses . Here we report that Legionella antigens induced IFN-gamma and TNF in nonimmune human leukocytes cultures, and that these cytokines were able to stimulate the bactericidal activity of isolated PMN against L . pneumophila in vitro . Furthermore, optimal production of IFN-gamma was found in cultures which were enriched for large granular lymphocytes (LGL) . The phenotype of IFN-producing cells was determined to be CD11+, CD16+, CD2+, and negative for CD4, CD8, CD14, and Leu 7 . Additionally, Legionella-infected monocytes were found to produce TNF in a dose-dependent response to the number of infecting bacteria, and the addition of recombinant IFN-gamma to infected monocytes resulted in augmented production of TNF in a synergistic manner . Finally, treatment of PMN with recombinant IFN-gamma and recombinant TNF augmented their bactericidal activity against Legionella in a dose-dependent response . Thus, cytokines which can be induced by L . pneumophila antigens are able to stimulate PMN function in vitro, suggesting that resistance to infection results from a complex interaction of cytokines and cell responses.

Vestn Otorinolaringol, 1989 May-Jun, (3), 27 - 32
{Treatment of exudative maxillary sinusitis with low frequency ultrasound}; Dainiak LB et al.; Low frequency ultrasound was applied to the treatment of suppurative maxillary sinusitis . The bactericidal activity of low frequency ultrasound was measured experimentally . Its effect on the mucous membrane of rabbit maxillary sinuses when they were sonicated from within was determined . This method allowed the therapeutic efficacy to be increased (83%) . The method can be recommended for the treatment of drug intolerant patients.

Allerg Immunol (Paris), 1989 May, 21(5), 201 - 3
{Ex vivo study of the effect of ribomunyl on the release of oxygen radicals by polynuclear neutrophils}; Rahimy MC et al.; The ex vivo study of the chemiluminescence index of polynuclear neutrophils before and after treatment of 6 children who were receiving injectable Ribomunyl for ORL infections showed an increase of more than 600% of the mean value of the index after treatment . Ribomunyl therefore potentiates the bactericidal activity of polynuclear neutrophils.

J Pediatr, 1989 May, 114(5), 748 - 52
Incidence and causes of sepsis in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase-deficient newborn infants; Abu-Osba YK et al.; To determine the susceptibility to sepsis in newborn infants deficient in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), we screened 33,943 Saudi Arab infants . Deficiency of G6PD was found in 18% . Sepsis was determined by the presence of clinical signs of sepsis and confirmed by positive blood cultures . Sepsis was documented in 75 infants (2.2/1000) . The incidence of sepsis was significantly higher in 6138 G6PD-deficient infants (3.4/1000) than in the 27,805 with normal G6PD activity (1.9/1000; p less than 0.02) . The incidence of catalase-positive organism sepsis was higher in G6PD-deficient infants (2.9/1000) compared with those with normal G6PD activity (1/1000; p less than 0.0002), whereas the incidence of catalase-negative organism sepsis did not differ (p less than 0.2) . Deficiency of G6PD was more common in infants with late sepsis (46%) than in those with early sepsis (21%) and in all infants screened (18%) (p less than 0.03 and p less than 0.001, respectively) . We conclude that neonates with G6PD deficiency are more susceptible to late sepsis and to infection with catalase-positive organisms . The exact mechanism for the increased susceptibility is not clear, but a partial explanation could be lack of leukocyte bactericidal activity associated with G6PD deficiency, and an increased susceptibility to infection caused by hyperferremia resulting from lysis of G6PD-deficient erythrocytes.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1989 May, 33(5), 767 - 70
Ceftriaxone-netilmicin combination in single-daily-dose treatment of experimental Escherichia coli endocarditis; Fantin B et al.; We evaluated the activities of ceftriaxone (15 mg/kg), netilmicin (6 mg/kg), and their combination given intramuscularly once daily for 4 days for the treatment of experimental Escherichia coli endocarditis in rabbits . In vitro, a greater rate of killing and an increased trough serum bactericidal titer (P less than 0.01) were achieved with the combination . In vivo, the combination had a greater bactericidal effect (P less than 0.01) and resulted in a greater number of sterile vegetations (P less than 0.05) than single-drug therapy . Thus, in vivo, an increased effect can be obtained despite a single daily dose of a long-acting cephalosporin and an aminoglycoside.

Cell Immunol, 1989 May, 120(2), 401 - 18
Differential induction of activation markers in macrophage cell lines by interferon-gamma; Lambert LE et al.; Macrophage cell lines were used in these studies as a model system to dissect the biochemical and functional mosaic of the macrophage activation process . In particular, the requirements for the induction of tumoricidal and bactericidal activity in the RAW 264.7 and WEHI-3 cell lines by interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were determined . Changes in expression of a series of macrophage markers traditionally associated with macrophage activation were monitored during stimulation of the cells in order to determine whether a detectable pattern of activation-associated changes is associated with the development of a particular functional activity . These markers included changes in the cell surface expression of major histocompatibility complex-encoded Class I and Class II antigens and antigens in the Mac-1/LFA-1 family, alterations in the levels of membrane enzymes (5' nucleotidase and alkaline phosphodiesterase), and production of secretory products including hydrogen peroxide and the monokines interleukin-1, interferons-alpha/beta, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha . Our results demonstrate that a given homogeneous macrophage population expresses a distinct subset of functional activities in response to single, defined activating signals such as IFN-gamma and LPS . The display of a variety of macrophage surface antigens, enzymes, and secreted products is activated simultaneously by such treatment; however, the particular pattern of such activation-associated markers cannot reproducibly be used to predict the ability of an activated cell to perform a particular function . The results also suggest that macrophage cell lines expressing differential response patterns following IFN-gamma stimulation provide a valuable system for dissection of the molecular and cell biology of macrophage activation.

J Allergy Clin Immunol, 1989 May, 83(5), 978 - 84
Interleukin-4 is a neutrophil activator; Boey H et al.; We investigated the ability of the lymphokine, interleukin-4 (IL-4), to function as a neutrophil (PMN) activator . IL-4 enhanced PMN-mediated killing of opsonized bacteria (by up to 91.6% at 3 units of IL-4; p less than 0.05) . IL-4 was a weak secondary granule secretagogue and did not by itself generate a respiratory burst . However, IL-4 did increase in a dose-dependent fashion the respiratory burst mediated by the peptide formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (10(-7) mol/L) . Maximal potentiation of PMN activity occurred at 100 units of IL-4 (6.3 nmol superoxide produced without IL-4 to 9.8 nmol at 100 units; p less than 0.01) . Enhancement of the respiratory burst was not a generalized phenomenon, since IL-4 did not potentiate the respiratory burst mediated by either phorbol myristate acetate, calcium ionophore A23187, or zymosan-treated serum . Similarly, IL-4 potentiated the formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine-stimulated secretion of both lysozyme (40.2%) and beta-glucuronidase (108.2%) . Finally, IL-4 was demonstrated to enhance the ability of PMN to phagocytose sheep erythrocytes opsonized with rabbit IgG (by up to 94.2% at 30 units of IL-4) . This increased phagocytosis correlated with the recruitment of a population of PMNs that did not phagocytose targets in the absence of IL-4 . In conclusion, IL-4 enhanced neutrophil-mediated bactericidal activity . This increase may have occurred secondary to the stimulation of phagocytosis by IL-4 or by potentiation of degranulation and the respiratory burst.

Indian J Pediatr, 1989 May-Jun, 56(3), 371 - 7
Bactericidal power of neutrophils in protein calorie malnutrition; Nayak KC et al.; The present study was undertaken to compare the disturbance in bactericidal power of neutrophils in 25 children having protein caloric malnutrition age and sex matched healthy control subjects . There was a highly significant reduction in the percentage of bacteria killed during incubation in children having PCM as compared to healthy control . A direct relationship existed between total serum proteins and bactericidal activity of neutrophils in children having PCM . The impaired bactericidal power of neutrophils can be attributed to impaired synthesis of lysosomal enzymes, glycolytic activity of neutrophils in children having PCM . The exact mechanisms still remain to be elucidated . Decreased bactericidal activity of neutrophils may be one of the mechanisms responsible for infection.

Inflammation, 1989 Apr, 13(2), 201 - 9
Influence of monoclonal IgM cold agglutinins on adhesiveness, phagocytosis, and bactericidal activity on human granulocytes and monocytes; Pruzanski W et al.; Monoclonal IgM cold agglutinins (CA) bind and, in the presence of complement, are cytotoxic to various mammalian cells . The impact of these autoantibodies on functional capacity of phagocytes has not been studied until now . Herein we report that sera with monoclonal IgM anti-I and anti-i CA significantly reduce adhesiveness, phagocytosis, phagocytic index, and intracellular bactericidal activity of human peripheral blood polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) at 37 degrees C and 24 degrees C . Anti-i CA were more active than anti-I . Sera with monoclonal IgMs without CA activity reduced the total number of ingested bacteria but otherwise had no effect on phagocytic functions . There was no difference in the degree of inhibition when anti-i and anti-I CA were tested against cord, maternal, and adult PMNs . Chromatographically purified a-I and a-i CA inhibited markedly phagocytosis in concentrations as low as 1 mg/ml . Phagocytic activity of peripheral blood monocytes was inhibited by CA at 18 degrees C but not at 24 degrees C or 37 degrees C . Pepsin digestion or reduction and alkylation of chromatographically pure IgM CA abolished completely their inhibitory activity . Thus, in physiological temperatures, monoclonal IgM cold agglutinins impair various phagocytic functions of human phagocytes . It may add to the susceptibility to infections in patients in which such autoantibodies are synthesized.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1989 Apr, 23(4), 547 - 56
Bactericidal effects of amoxycillin/clavulanic acid against intracellular Legionella pneumophila in tissue culture studies; Stokes DH et al.; The bactericidal effects of amoxycillin, clavulanic acid and amoxycillin plus clavulanic acid were determined against Legionella pneumophila growing intracellularly in MRC-5 human fetal lung fibroblast cells . The strain of L . pneumophila was shown to be growing within the cells by transmission electron microscopy and this was confirmed by the results of bactericidal tests in which gentamicin was shown to be ineffective in preventing growth of the organism in the tissue culture system . Amoxycillin failed to prevent infection of the cell monolayers and had no effect on the growth of intracellular L . pneumophila . Transmission electron microscopy showed the presence of large numbers of bacteria of normal morphology within the fibroblasts . In contrast, clavulanic acid and amoxycillin/clavulanic acid protected the cell sheets from the effects of infection with L . pneumophila and reduced the numbers of intracellular bacteria to the same extent as erythromycin . Also, bacteria of abnormal morphology were observed within fibroblast cells of the cultures treated with clavulanic acid and the combination . These data demonstrate the penetration of clavulanic acid, when used alone or in the presence of amoxycillin, into cells infected with L . pneumophila and the resulting bactericidal activity of the agents against intracellular bacteria.

J Biolumin Chemilumin, 1989 Apr-Jun, 3(2), 89 - 92
Opsonic activity of ascitic fluids by a chemiluminescent method; Huu TP et al.; Cirrhotic ascites are highly susceptible to spontaneous bacterial infection, whereas carcinogenic ascites are seldom infected . This difference may be explained by differences in their chemotactic, bactericidal and/or opsomic activities . We measured the chemotactic and opsonic activity of ascitic fluids from 35 alcoholic cirrhotic ascites and of 12 peritoneal carcinogenic ascites . Chemotactic activity was measured by the under-agarose technique and opsonic activity by a luminol-enhanced method . Ascitic fluids from alcoholic cirrhosis had low chemotactic (62 +/- 24.5% that of N-formylated peptide) and opsonic (67 +/- 50% of normal serum) activities on normal human neutrophils . In contrast, ascitic fluids from peritoneal carcinoma were found to possess high opsonic activity (114 +/- 49% of normal serum) and chemotactic activity similar to that of N-formylated peptide . During a 3-month follow-up, 11 spontaneous bacterial infections were observed among the first group against none in the carcinogenic group.

Am J Vet Res, 1989 Apr, 50(4), 455 - 8
In vitro function of bovine neutrophils against Actinomyces pyogenes; Watson ED; Factors that influenced the in vitro bactericidal activity of bovine neutrophils against Actinomyces pyogenes were investigated . Neutrophils and serum from 2 clinically normal donor cows were incubated with bacteria for 2 hours . To determine bactericidal activity, colony-forming units were counted after a 48-hour incubation on blood agar plates . Microscopic examination indicated that in the presence of serum, bacteria were cell associated after incubation, whereas when serum was replaced by medium, bacteria were not cell associated . Bactericidal activity of neutrophils was similar whether the sera were heat-treated at 56 C for 30 minutes or were not heated . Heating the serum at 65 C for 30 minutes significantly (P less than 0.001) reduced bactericidal activity . Bactericidal activity decreased (P less than 0.001) as serum concentration (less than 10%) decreased . More than 80% of the bacteria were killed within the 40 minutes of incubation . The opsonizing capacity of serum varied significantly (P less than 0.01) among 12 cows . Similarly, neutrophil bactericidal activity (by cow) was affected significantly (P less than 0.001) . Preincubation of serum with A pyogenes significantly (P less than 0.001) reduced the opsonizing ability of the serum . Culture filtrate of A pyogenes was not chemotactic for neutrophils in vitro.

Jpn J Antibiot, 1989 Apr, 42(4), 887 - 95
A new model of bacterial peritonitis in mice for evaluation of antibiotics . Effects of aspoxicillin and piperacillin; Matsushita T et al.; Experimental peritonitis was produced in mice with Escherichia coli TPRL 10760 derived from the intestinal flora of mouse and used to evaluate the chemotherapeutic effects of semisynthetic penicillins, aspoxicillin (ASPC) and piperacillin (PIPC) . The peritonitis was induced by inserting a gelatin capsule containing the bacterial cells, sterilized cecal contents and BaSO4 into the pelvic cavity of an anesthetized mouse . Infection with more than 10(6) colony forming units (CFU) of the bacteria/mouse resulted in an acute peritonitis associated with 100% mortality, whereas an inoculum size of 10(2) CFU/mouse produced a chronic peritonitis . In the mice with acute peritonitis, administration of 100 mg/kg x 5 times of ASPC reduced the mortality to 0% but administration of 100 mg/kg x 5 times of PIPC did not reduce the mortality . In the mice with chronic peritonitis, ASPC was more effective than PIPC in decreasing the number of viable bacterial cells in the peritoneal fluid . The superiority of ASPC over PIPC was attributable to its higher bactericidal activity as well as its high drug level and more persistency in the peritoneal fluid as compared to PIPC.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1989 Apr, 23(4), 565 - 76
The influence of subminimal inhibitory concentrations of netilmicin and ceftriaxone on the interaction of Escherichia coli with host defences; Raponi G et al.; The effect of sub-MICs of netilmicin and ceftriaxone on the interaction between encapsulated and unencapsulated strains of Escherichia coli and certain host defence mechanisms, i.e . complement activation, opsonization, phagocytosis by human polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN), and serum bactericidal activity have been studied . Experiments were carried out testing antibiotics either alone or in combination . Non-capsulated strains of E . coli activated complement rapidly and were easily phagocytosed and killed after opsonization in human pooled serum . Pretreatment of these strains with sub-MICs of antibiotics did not change the rate of opsonization or the degree of uptake by PMN, but did enhance serum sensitivity . Capsulated strains of E . coli were both poorly opsonized and resistant to serum bactericidal activity . Treatment of these strains with sub-MICs of antibiotics enhanced complement consumption as well as phagocytosis by PMN, but did not affect serum-resistance.

Biochem Pharmacol, 1989 Apr 1, 38(7), 1175 - 80
Thiol-mediated incorporation of radiolabel from 1-{14C}-methyl-4-phenyl-5-nitrosoimidazole into DNA . A model for the biological activity of 5-nitroimidazoles; Ehlhardt WJ et al.; 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-5-nitrosoimidazole (5NO), which has properties consistent with the biologically active form of a 5-nitroimidazole, was radiolabeled (1-{14C}-methyl) and shown to bind to DNA, but at a rate too slow to account for its bactericidal effect . In the presence of physiological intracellular concentrations of such thiols as glutathione, however, binding was enhanced by 2-3 orders of magnitude, which is quantitatively sufficient to account for the bactericidal effect of 5NO . That 5NO binding was greater for poly{d(G-C).d(G-C)} than for poly{d(A-T).d(A-T)} suggests that the reactive species binds to nucleophilic bases on DNA, a suggestion which is also supported by our finding of a thiol-dependent reaction to form an adduct between 5NO and aniline.

Viata Med Rev Inf Prof Stiint Cadrelor Medii Sanit, 1989 Apr, 37(4), 87 - 9
{Research on phagocytosis}; Cojocaru M et al.; A problem of particular importance, but also particularly difficult, is the investigation of the phagocytic system, considering its implication in various aspects of pathology . This has determined the authors to present the major modalities for the investigation of phagocytosis . They recommend as a diagnostic method for garnulocytopathies (including a series of metabolic abnormalities . Of the leucocytes with implications for the bactericidal capacity), a testing of leucocyte bactericidal capacity . The test with nitroblue tetrazolium is also recommended, for the screening and differential diagnosis of fever conditions of infectious origin and other etiologies.

Infect Immun, 1989 Apr, 57(4), 1311 - 7
Correlation between macrophage activation and bactericidal function and Mycobacterium leprae antigen presentation in macrophages of leprosy patients and normal individuals; Desai SD et al.; The killing of Mycobacterium leprae by resting and gamma interferon (IFN-gamma)-activated macrophages in normal subjects and leprosy patients was assessed . Resting macrophages from normal individuals demonstrated the ability to kill M . leprae . For macrophages from tuberculoid patients, killing of M . leprae was only achieved in the presence of IFN-gamma, suggesting that initial T-cell activation occurs prior to the killing of M . leprae . In contrast, though activation with IFN-gamma rendered the lepromatous macrophages microbicidal, it failed to induce lymphocyte proliferation, suggesting a defect at either the antigen-presenting cell or the lymphocyte level or both . The concept that T-cell anergy is primarily due to lack of lymphokine generation was ruled out by our results, since responsiveness was restored in only a small proportion of lepromatous patients after exogenous lymphokine addition . In conclusion, this study demonstrated that killing and antigen presentation are two independent events . It appears that the ability of the macrophages per se to kill M . leprae may be of greater importance than lymphocyte-mediated activation for protection against M . leprae infection.

Mater Med Pol, 1989 Apr-Jun, 21(2), 97 - 9
Reciprocal effects of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and of thymic factor (TFX-thymomodulin) on bactericidal activity of human neutrophils; Szkaradkiewicz A et al.; Studies were performed on phagocytosis and on bactericidal capacity of human neutrophils (HN), isolated from healthy persons . Effects of indomethacin, PGE2 and TFX-Thymomodulin on function of the cells were examined . Only in a proportion of cases indomethacin was significantly reducing bactericidal activity of HN indicating that the activity might require the presence of endogenous prostaglandin . On the other hand, exogenous PGE2 inhibited bacterial killing in all cases and the suppression was abolished by TFX-Thymomodulin . The results might indicate antagonistic action on target cells of PGE2 on one hand and of TFX-Thymomodulin on the other, which could point to the presence of receptors for thymic factors on HN.

Cell, 1989 Mar 10, 56(5), 731 - 40
The inducing role of tumor necrosis factor in the development of bactericidal granulomas during BCG infection; Kindler V et al.; Granuloma formation in the liver of mice infected with BCG coincides with local TNF synthesis . Injection of rabbit anti-TNF antibody, after 1 or 2 weeks of infection, dramatically interferes with the development of granulomas (both in number and size, large epithelioid cells failing to appear) and subsequent mycobacterial elimination . Furthermore, fully developed BCG granulomas, after 3 weeks of infection, rapidly regress after anti-TNF treatment . Antibody treatment also prevents or suppresses accumulation of TNF mRNA and protein, which resumes after disappearance of the antibody . Peritoneal macrophages exposed to TNF transiently accumulate TNF mRNA, and show an enhanced increase in TNF mRNA in response to gamma interferon . We propose that TNF released from macrophages in the microenvironment of developing granulomas is involved in a process of autoamplification: acting in an autocrine or paracrine way, it enhances its own synthesis and release, thus favoring further macrophage accumulation and differentiation leading to bacterial elimination.

Am J Otolaryngol, 1989 Mar-Apr, 10(2), 132 - 7
Effects of middle ear effusion on neutrophil function; Shimizu T et al.; The neutrophil chemotactic activity of middle ear effusions (MEE) was measured in patients with pediatric chronic, adult chronic, and acute otitis media with effusion (OME) . Chemotactic activity differed significantly among the three groups of otitis media in the following order: adult chronic less than pediatric chronic less than acute . Culture-positive effusions had higher chemotactic activity than did those that tested culture negative, suggesting that bacterial infection is related to neutrophil chemotactic activity . The chemotactic function of normal peripheral neutrophils was not enhanced by preincubation with MEE, but their bactericidal function was enhanced . In conclusion, bacterial infection in the middle ear is one of the major determining factors of neutrophil infiltration during OME, and MEE enhances the bactericidal function of neutrophils.

J Burn Care Rehabil, 1989 Mar-Apr, 10(2), 125 - 30
The effect of thermal injury on murine neutrophil oxidative metabolism; Gadd MA et al.; The ability of polymorphonuclear leukocytes to kill bacteria and yeast is reflected by cellular chemiluminescence or similarly by the production of H2O2 during oxidative metabolism . With the use of flow cytometry and 2'7' dichlorodihydrofluorescein-diacetate, we determined the direct effect of thermal injury and the indirect effect of burn serum on murine polymorphonuclear leukocyte oxidative metabolism after stimulation on days 1, 5, and 10 after 25% total body surface area burn . Control or burn peritoneal leukocytes and 10% control or burn serum were incubated in vitro with 2'7' dichlorodihydrofluorescein-diacetate for 15 minutes, then stimulated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate . The change in polymorphonuclear leukocyte fluorescence was calculated from fluorescence histograms before and after stimulation . The oxidative metabolism of burn polymorphonuclear leukocytes was clearly depressed on days 5 and 10 after burn injury . Control polymorphonuclear leukocytes in the presence of day 5 burn serum produced decreased levels of H2O2, returning to normal by day 10 . In general, bactericidal activity is markedly depressed on days 5 and 10 after thermal injury and may be associated with increased risk of sepsis.

Res Microbiol, 1989 Mar-Apr, 140(3), 243 - 54
Mathematical modelling of growth of Escherichia coli at subinhibitory levels of chloramphenicol or tetracyclines; Comby S et al.; A mathematical model is suggested to describe the subinhibitory effects of chloramphenicol upon growth of Escherichia coli . It represents a generalization of Monod's equation . Our model was constructed entirely on the basis of biochemical factors, such as the reversibility of the interaction between the drug and its ribosomal target or intracellular uptake . The subinhibitory effects of chloramphenicol were satisfactorily described by this law within the range of 0.4-2.4 micrograms/ml . After simplifying the equation, this model was extrapolated to provide an accurate description of the mode of action of other bacteriostatic antibiotics which also inhibit the 50-S ribosomal subunit (tetracycline and doxycycline) . The expanded model seems to accurately typify the effect of these antibiotics, whereas bactericidal aminoglycosides follow a completely different growth law.

J Appl Bacteriol, 1989 Mar, 66(3), 243 - 52
A comparative study of the bactericidal and growth inhibitory activities of the bisbiguanides alexidine and chlorhexidine; Chawner JA et al.; A comparative study of the growth inhibitory and bactericidal activities of two related bisbiguanide antiseptics, alexidine and chorhexidine is reported . Whilst overall bactericidal activities and MICs were similar, alexidine was more rapid in its action and it is suggested that (1) it might possess additional targets at the cell envelope to chlorhexidine, and (2) the nature of the interaction at the cytoplasmic membrane for the two compounds differs.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1989 Mar, 23 Suppl C, 7 - 16
Review of the in-vitro evaluation of FCE 22101; Wise R et al.; FCE 22101 is a broad spectrum beta-lactam displaying bactericidal properties, stable to a wide range of clinically relevant beta-lactamases, and sharing with other beta-lactams a modest post-antibiotic effect and synergistic interactions with aminoglycosides . The ability to administer the drug by oral and parenteral routes suggests that it could be clinically useful.

Am J Surg, 1989 Mar, 157(3), 359 - 65
Current use of skin and wound cleansers and antiseptics; Laufman H; Out of the tumult of a turbulent, eight-century-long background of surgical skin and wound cleansing methods has come a set of basic principles that serve as performance specifications for new developments . Alcohol remains the superior skin antiseptic . Its characteristic rapid-drying effect and consequent loss of bactericidal action can be overcome by maintaining wetness or by admixture with emollients or longer-acting antiseptics . Today's combinations of cleaners, alcohol, and either iodophores or chlorhexidine have emerged from previous eras characterized by the use of metallic compounds, halogen compounds, and tincture of iodine . Published guidelines are important but must be looked upon as current consensus rather than standard practice.

J Infect Dis, 1989 Mar, 159(3), 518 - 25
Immunologic regulation of E . coli K1 by serum from neonatal rats is enhanced following intraperitoneal administration of human IgG; Lassiter HA et al.; The effect of 1500 mg/kg intraperitoneal human IgG on the capacity of neonatal rat serum to opsonize and to kill Escherichia coli K1 and to deposit IgG and C3 onto this organism was investigated . Unlike serum from neonatal rats injected with albumin, serum from neonatal rats injected with human IgG opsonized and killed E . coli K1 efficiently . Heat treatment abolished the bactericidal effect of serum from IgG recipients, suggesting a role for complement . A radioimmunobinding assay demonstrated that the capacity of neonatal rat serum to deposit IgG and C3 onto E . coli K1 was impaired . However, intraperitoneal human IgG enabled serum from neonatal rats to deposit human IgG onto the bacteria and enhanced C3 deposition to a level equivalent to that observed with adult rat serum . Therefore, neonatal rats have a functionally competent classic pathway of complement . Human IgG ameliorates the opsonic and bacteriolytic inadequacies of neonatal rat serum that result primarily from a deficiency of antibodies to E . coli.

Vrach Delo, 1989 Mar, (3), 49 - 51
{Myeloperoxidase deficiency of the peripheral blood neutrophils and the incidence of infectious complications in patients with acute myeloblastic leukemia}; Tishchenko LM et al.; The myeloperoxidase activity of polymorphonuclear peripheral blood neutrophils was studied in 60 patients with acute myeloblastic leucosis . It was established that patients with low peroxidase activity, frequency of infectious complications was 3.7 times higher than in patients with normal peroxidase activity . Hence, reduced myeloperoxidase activity of polymorphonuclear neutrophils in acute myeloblastic leucosis causes a decrease of the bactericidal activity of the cells.

Gig Sanit, 1989 Mar, (3), 24 - 6
{Reaction of the immune system of the body to combined effects of chemical agents}; Setko NP et al.; A single and chronic inhalation exposure to a complex of chemical substances being part of hydrogen sulphide-containing natural gas (hydrogen sulphide, hydrocarbon, mercaptan, sulphur dioxide) results in a decline in humoral indicators of non-specific body resistance . At the same time the level of inhibition of lysozyme and complement activity along with the bactericidal activity of blood serum have direct dependence on the duration of chemical exposure and can be used as additional tests for early detection of body changes.

Infect Immun, 1989 Feb, 57(2), 359 - 66
Impaired antipneumococcal activity of bronchoalveolar lining material of neonatal rats; Coonrod JD et al.; Pulmonary clearance of inhaled pneumococci is markedly impaired in neonatal rats compared with that in adult rats . To determine whether this impairment is due to a deficiency of extracellular bactericidal factors, the antipneumococcal activity of free fatty acids (FFA) in lung surfactant and the levels of lysozyme and transferrin in lavage fluids were quantified . Surfactant from adult rats averaged 68 U of antipneumococcal activity per g (dry weight) of lung, compared with less than 0.25 U for rats less than 1 week old (P less than 0.001) . The kinds of FFA in surfactant of neonatal and adult rats were essentially identical, and the antipneumococcal activity of highly purified FFA from surfactant of neonatal and adult rats was also the same . However, the quantity of FFA in surfactant varied significantly with age, and rats less than 3 weeks old had much lower levels of surfactant FFA than did adults (P less than 0.001) . In addition, lavage fluids from neonatal rats inhibited the antipneumococcal activity of surfactant FFA more than lavage fluids from adults did (P less than 0.02) . This inhibitory activity did not appear to be due to protein binding . Lavage fluids from neonates showed an age-related deficiency of lysozyme (P less than 0.001), but lysozyme appeared to play no role in pneumococcal killing by the surfactant fraction of lavage fluids in vitro . Transferrin levels in lavage fluids were similar for neonates and adults . It was concluded that lung surfactant from neonatal rats was deficient in antipneumococcal activity, due mostly to low levels of FFA and to a lesser degree to increased levels of inhibitor(s) in lavage fluids.

Rev Esp Enferm Apar Dig, 1989 Feb, 75(2), 123 - 6
{Variation of C3 in ascitic fluid from cirrhotic patients subjected to intestinal sterilization or selective intestinal decontamination}; Soriano G et al.; Patients with liver cirrhosis with ascites and low levels of C3 and Total Proteins in ascitic fluid show a greater predisposition to the development of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis . The variation of C3 and Total Proteins levels in ascitic fluid in two groups of patients with liver cirrhosis was studied . Group I (n = 14) underwent intestinal sterilization (n = 7) or selective intestinal decontamination (= 7) . Group II was a control . A statistically significant increase in C3 (p less than 0.01) and Total Proteins (p less than 0.015) levels in ascitic fluid in Group I patients was found . There were no changes in the control group . The incidence of side effects was higher in those patients who underwent intestinal sterilization . Our results suggest that selective intestinal decontamination may be useful as a prophylactic measure against spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in those patients with liver cirrhosis at high risk of infection by increasing the bactericidal capacity of ascitic fluid.

Res Microbiol, 1989 Feb, 140(2), 143 - 50
Antagonism between dapsone and rifampicin in experimental Mycobacterium leprae infections in mice; Millan JP et al.; In experimental infections of normal mice with Mycobacterium leprae, the bactericidal activity of four consecutive weekly doses of rifampicin (RMP) was suppressed when this treatment was preceded, for one month, by daily administration of dapsone (DDS), and then the latter . Up until now, it has been impossible to detect this antagonism between the action of RMP and DDS, since all studies involved the simultaneous administration of these two drugs, and such a phenomenon would therefore have been masked by the rapid and potent action of RMP . Previous clinical observations suggest that such a delayed antagonistic effect may also occur in humans . The demonstration of this antagonism between RMP and DDS raises the problem of the long-term efficacy of therapeutic regimens currently used in leprosy and that of the role of DDS in induction of bacillary persistence . It is suggested that this particular methodology, the delayed combination of RMP with a less active drug, should be applied to the study of other drug combinations recommended in the treatment of leprosy.

Can J Microbiol, 1989 Feb, 35(2), 318 - 21
Bactericidal action of peptide antibiotic AS-48 against Escherichia coli K-12; Galvez A et al.; Peptide antibiotic AS-48 exerts a bactericidal mode of action on exponential cultures of Escherichia coli K-12 through a multi-hit kinetics interaction . AS-48 causes a parallel and gradual cessation of all biosynthetic pathways monitored (protein, RNA, DNA, and cell wall synthesis), the rate of incorporation of labeled precursors, the rate of O2 consumption, and cell growth . These effects have been attributed to alterations of cytoplasmic membrane functions.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1989 Feb, 33(2), 230 - 2
Enhanced gentamicin killing of Escherichia coli by tet gene expression; Merlin TL et al.; Time-kill studies were performed to determine the effect of tetracycline resistance (tet) gene expression on gentamicin killing of Escherichia coli . Expression of tet increased gentamicin killing in laboratory strains and clinical isolates . A role for tetracycline in inducing tet expression and increasing the bactericidal activity of aminoglycosides is suggested.

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