Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1982 Oct, (10), 33 - 7 {Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin}; Ianishevskaia MN et al.; Different P . aeruginosa strains have been found to differ in exotoxin synthesis . The strain isolated at the Mechnikov Research Institute for Vaccines and Sera (Moscow) and newly isolated cultures obtained from patients with the severe course of the infectious process have been found to possess the highest toxigenic activity and to synthesize exotoxins with the most complete set of pathogenically important antigens . The technological scheme for the production of stable exotoxin which can be used for the development of diagnostic, therapeutic and prophylactic preparations against Pseudomonas infections is proposed. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1982 Oct, (10), 29 - 33 {Experimental effect of Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin on the permeability of the microcirculatory bed of organs and tissues}; Dziubak ST; Experimental study with the use of 131I-albumin has revealed changes in the micro-circulatory blood channel and in the permeability of the blood vessels for albumin under the conditions of pyocyanic intoxication caused partly by purified P . aeruginosa exotoxin. Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1982 Oct, 253(1), 110 - 20 Comparison of the in vitro activity of new beta-lactams and aminoglycosides against clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Patzer J et al.; In vitro susceptibility of 338 clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to twelve antipseudomonal antibiotics were determined . Correlation between antibiotic resistance and serotypes was also performed . It was shown that the newer beta-lactams cefsulodin, piperacillin, azlocillin and mezlocillin had high biological activity against carbenicillin-resistant strains of P . aeruginosa . The most active aminoglycosides against gentamicin-resistant strains of P . aeruginosa were amikacin and netilmicin . Carbenicillin-resistant strains were most frequently observed among serotypes 4, 11 and NT group, and gentamicin-resistant strains among serotypes 3, 11 and NT group. Equine Vet J, 1982 Oct, 14(4), 329 - 32 Types of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from horses; Atherton JG et al.; Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from equine clinical material were categorised according to their serotype and phage type . Epidemiological evidence showed that serotypes 02a, 03, 04, 06, 09 and 010 were the cause of genital and non-genital infections; somatic type 03 accounted for 50 per cent of isolates . The laboratory tests used were of no value in predicting whether or not a particular isolate was likely to be a venereal pathogen, but all the serotypes encountered had the potential to be pathogenic, given a favourable environment in which to multiply. Antibiotiki, 1982 Oct, 27(10), 766 - 70 {Nature of the genetic control of antibiotic resistance in a Pseudomonas aeruginosa BS205 strain}; Anisimova LA et al.; The clinical strain BS205 of P . aeruginosa is characterized by a high level of resistance to streptomycin, kanamycin, chloramphenicol, sulfanilamide and mercuric chloride . These markers can be transferred to P . aeruginosa PAO by means of transduction with phage F116L or mobilization with plasmid RP4 . In the same way as in the initial strain of P . aeruginosa BS205 no plasmid DNA is detected in transducers or transconjugants . After transference to the strains of the transducers or transconjugants containing markers Sm, Km, Cm, Su, and Hg . plasmid Rip 64 of the incompatibility group is eliminated from the cells of these strains when they are grown on the nonselective medium . The genes of resistance to streptomycin, kanamycin, chloramphenicol, sulfanilamide and mercury and the gene(s) of incompatibility specific of the plasmid of the incompatibility group P-3 are included in the DNA fragment of the size of about 24 megadalton . This fragment is probably a defective plasmid not capable of autonomic existence which is integrated into the bacterial chromosome of P . aeruginosa BS205. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1982 Oct, 79(20), 6396 - 400 Normal coordinate analysis of the copper center of azurin and the assignment of its resonance Raman spectrum; Thamann TJ et al.; Normal coordinate analysis that utilizes a general valence force field and the Wilson FG matrix method has been applied to several structural models representing the active site of the blue copper protein, azurin . The models included tetrahedral and square planar CuN2SS', trigonal CuN2S, and trigonal bipyramidal CuN2SS'O structures in which the Ns are imidazole nitrogens of histidines, S is the thiolate sulfur of cysteine, S' is the thioether sulfur of methionine, and O is a peptide carbonyl oxygen . For constant Cu--ligand bond lengths and initial force constants, the force field was refined against the most intense of the observed frequencies (424, 404, 369, and 261 cm-1) in the resonance Raman spectrum of Pseudomonas aeruginosa azurin . The most satisfactory fit between observed and calculated frequencies occurs for tetrahedral and trigonal structures . The calculations provide detailed assignments for the resonance Raman spectrum of azurin and reveal considerable mixing of Cu--S(Cys) and Cu--N(His) vibrational modes . The trigonal model is favored because it is shown that the approximately equal to 260-cm-1 vibration is an invariant feature in the resonance Raman spectra of blue copper proteins, even those lacking a methionine in the vicinity of the copper atom . The present analysis ascribes the high frequencies of the Cu--ligand stretching modes and the resonance enhancement to the coupled nature of their vibrations and the Franck-Condon overlaps with predominant (Cys)S leads to Cu(II) charge transfer bands in the visible region. Infect Immun, 1982 Oct, 38(1), 206 - 11 Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A inhibits proliferation of human bone marrow progenitor cells in vitro; Stuart RK et al.; Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A, a potent inhibitor of eukaryotic protein synthesis, is produced in vivo during human infection . We tested the hypothesis that exotoxin A may be responsible for the leukopenia which sometimes accompanies pseudomonas disease by examining the in vitro toxicity of exotoxin A for human bone marrow granulocyte-macrophage progenitor cells (colony-forming units in culture {CFU-c} in the soft agar cloning system . Colony formation by freshly obtained marrow cells from five normal subjects was inhibited by exotoxin A in a concentration-dependent manner . The mean 50 and 100% inhibitory concentrations of toxin were 1.4 x 10(-10) and 1.4 x 10(-8) M, respectively, and significant inhibition was observed at a toxin concentration as low as 1.4 x 10(-13) M in two subjects . The inhibitory effect of exotoxin A on colony formation was specifically neutralized by antiserum to exotoxin A . Although mouse CFU-c were somewhat less sensitive to exotoxin A in vitro compared with human CFU-c, exotoxin A produced significant leukopenia in vivo in mice . These data suggest a possible mechanism for the leukopenia which sometimes occurs in human pseudomonas disease. Infect Immun, 1982 Oct, 38(1), 136 - 40 Temperature-sensitive mutants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa: isolation and preliminary immunological evaluation; Hooke AM et al.; The immunogenicity of two temperature-sensitive (ts) mutants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa immunotype 1, isolated and characterized for the development of a safe, live vaccine strain, was evaluated in a mouse protection model . One mutant, A/10/25, had a limited "coasting" property (i.e., continued replication for two divisions) at the nonpermissive temperature (36 degrees C), whereas the other mutant, E/9/9, continued replication for five generations after transfer to 36 degrees C . Groups of 3- to 5-week-old ICR mice were immunized intraperitoneally with various doses of the two ts mutants; at various times thereafter, the mice were challenged intraperitoneally with lethal doses of the parental wild type . The more extensive coaster, E/9/9, induced 100% protection at immunizing doses lower than those required for A/10/25 to induce the same protection (1 x 10(8) to 2 x 10(8) and 6 x 10(8) colony-forming units, respectively) . Both ts strains induced significant protection for up to 5 weeks after immunization . The results of these studies suggest that the use of P . aeruginosa ts mutants might provide a novel approach to the prevention of P . aeruginosa colonization of patients with cystic fibrosis. Arch Intern Med, 1982 Oct, 142(10), 1862 - 3 Pseudomonas peritonitis and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis; Krothapalli R et al.; In a population of 44 patients receiving continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) for a total of 591 patient months, there were 104 episodes of peritonitis . The organisms were gram-positive in 65.4%, gram-negative in 23.1%, and cultures of the dialysate were sterile in 11.5% . Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most frequently encountered gram-negative organism, accounting for 38.5% of the gram-negative infections or 9.6% of all infections . In all cases of P aeruginosa peritonitis, aminoglycoside antibiotic therapy for up to four weeks failed to eradicate the infection, and all patients required removal of the Tenckhoff catheter because of the presence of a sinus tract infection . We conclude that P aeruginosa is the most frequent cause of gram-negative peritonitis in patients receiving CAPD . The presence of a sinus tract infection should be suspected in all patients in whom peritonitis secondary to this organism develops . Removal of the Tenckhoff catheter will be required to cure the peritoneal infection. J Bacteriol, 1982 Oct, 152(1), 239 - 45 Phospholipase C (heat-labile hemolysin) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa: purification and preliminary characterization; Berka RM et al.; Phospholipase C (heat-labile hemolysin) was purified from Pseudomonas aeruginosa culture supernatants to near homogeneity by ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by a novel application of DEAE-Sephacel chromatography . Enzymatic activity remained associated with DEAE-Sephacel even in the presence of 1 M NaCl, but was eluted with a linear gradient of 0 to 5% tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide . Elution from DEAE-Sephacel was also obtained with 2% lysophosphatidylcholine, and to a lesser extent with 2% phosphorylcholine, but not at all with choline . The enzyme was highly active toward phospholipids possessing substituted ammonium groups (e.g., phosphatidycholine, lysophosphatidylcholine, and sphingomyelin); however, it had little if any activity toward phospholipids lacking substituted ammonium groups (e.g., phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, and phosphaditylglycerol) . Collectively, these data suggest that phospholipase C from P . aeruginosa exhibits high affinity for substituted ammonium groups, but requires an additional hydrophobic moiety for optimum binding . The specific activity of the purified enzyme preparation increased 1,900-fold compared with that of culture supernatants . The molecular weight of the phospholipase C was estimated to be 78,000 by both sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Sephacryl S-200 column chromatography and was 76,000 by high-performance size exclusion chromatography . The isoelectric point was 5.5 . Amino acid analysis showed that phospholipase C was rich in glycine, serine, threonine, aspartyl, glutamyl, and aromatic amino acids, but was cystine free. Immunology, 1982 Oct, 47(2), 337 - 44 Role of specific delayed-type hypersensitivity in Pseudomonas aeruginosa-infected mice; Colizzi V et al.; The role of specific cell-mediated immunity was studied in mice injected in the hind footpad with viable Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells . The results reported here show that a state of specific delayed-type hypersensitivity, evaluated both as footpad swelling and as weight increase of popliteal lymph node, occurs in P . aeruginosa-infected mice . Furthermore, a T-cell-enriched spleen population from infected animals was able to transfer delayed hypersensitivity to normal recipients . However, identity at the major histocompatibility complex to transfer delayed hypersensitivity was required . Acquired cellular resistance was not transferred to normal recipients by immune T lymphocytes . On the contrary, mice receiving immune T cells showed an increase in the severity of the lesion caused by a viable challenge . The dichotomy between acquired cellular resistance and delayed hypersensitivity, and the possibility that T-cell reactivity to P . aeruginosa may be actively controlled, is discussed. Gene, 1982 Oct, 19(3), 355 - 9 Cloning of Pseudomonas plasmid pMG7 and its restriction-modification system in Escherichia coli; Theriault G et al.; Plasmid pMG7 of Pseudomonas aeruginosa codes for a type II DNA restriction-modification (r-m) system, PaeR7 . This plasmid has not been observed to transfer to Escherichia coli either by conjugation or by transformation . We have cloned BglII linears (42 kb) and the BamHI large fragment (37 kb) of pMG7 into cosmid pHC79 (6.4 kb) and introduced the recombinant molecules into E . coli by in vitro packaging . Several clones were obtained which demonstrated in vivo restriction of phage phi 80 . One of these clones, GT138, was further tested and showed in vivo modification of phi 80 . Extracts from two clones, GT138 and GT125, yielded a restriction endonuclease activity which produced fragments of phi 80 DNA identical to those produced by PaeR7 . Cosmid cloning should be useful for obtaining substantial yields of large fragments of plasmids that are difficult to purify in their native strains. Angiology, 1982 Oct, 33(10), 680 - 4 Fallibility of intra-operative gram stain in the diagnosis of vascular infection; Samson RH et al.; Three cases of arterial-graft infection are presented . In all cases the gram stain obtained at surgery demonstrated white blood cells but no bacteria . Cultures obtained at operation subsequently grew Pseudomonas aeruginosa in two patients and Bacteroides fragilis in one patient . Failure to recognize the fallibility of the gram stain in the diagnosis of vascular infection may result in incorrect management decisions. Lancet, 1982 Sep 25, 2(8300), 688 - 90 Does pseudomonas cross-infection occur between cystic-fibrosis patients; Kelly NM et al.; Over a 12-months period respiratory Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from CF patients were typed by serology and pyocin production to determine whether cross-infection was occurring . Results of typing were interpreted in relation to the degree of contact patients had with each other . One strain appeared in 4 unrelated patients . However, since none of these patients had been in contact with each other the strains considered to have been acquired from the environment . Each of six pairs of siblings shared the same strain, but the pairs of strains were distinct from each other . These results suggest that the environment is the most important source of Pseudomonas strains for CF patients and that for cross-infection to occur prolonged intimate contact is required. Lancet, 1982 Sep 25, 2(8300), 683 - 5 Pseudomonas aeruginosa peritonitis associated with contaminated poloxamer-iodine solution; Parrott PL et al.; Pseudomonas aeruginosa was responsible for four cases of peritonitis and one of wound infection at the catheter site in outpatients on chronic peritoneal dialysis . All organisms had the same antimicrobial susceptibilities and serotype . Culture surveys showed that a strain of Ps . aeruginosa of identical susceptibility pattern, plasmid profile, and serotype was present in bottles of a poloxamer-iodine solution unopened until the time of culture . Both poloxamer-iodine and povidone-iodine solutions have now been shown to be vulnerable to bacterial contamination . Guidelines for their production and use must be reassessed to take this possibility into account. JAMA, 1982 Sep 24, 248(12), 1498 - 500 Osteomyelitis of the pubis . Report of seven cases; del Busto R et al.; Seven cases of osteomyelitis of the pubis are reported . Predisposing factors leading to osteomyelitis included parenteral drug abuse in six patients and pelvic surgery in one patient . The average duration of symptoms before diagnosis was three weeks . Needle aspiration of the symphysis pubis was performed in five patients, and culture results were positive in three of them . Two patients with negative cultures of needle aspirates had positive cultures from open biopsy specimens of the symphysis pubis . Blood cultures were done in all patients, and results were positive in two of them . Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the responsible pathogen in five patients, Escherichia coli in one, and Staphylococcus aureus in one . Most patients required several weeks of antibiotic therapy . None required surgical debridement. Cutis, 1982 Sep, 30(3), 405 - 9 Pseudomonas folliculitis; Alomar A et al.; Thirty-three patients were shown to have gram-negative folliculitis due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa . In nine women the eruption was mild and self-limited, occurring after depilation of the legs . The remaining twenty-four patients had recurrent papular skin rashes that were resistant to therapy and lasted between three months and three years . Circumstantial evidence implicated the hospital environment as the probable source of infection. Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1982 Sep-Oct, 133(2), 205 - 12 Outer membrane proteins in a carbenicillin-resistant strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Pataryas HA et al.; The outer membrane of a clinical isolate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa sensitive to carbenicillin, and its derivative adapted to grow in the presence of carbenicillin were analysed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis . The lack of beta-lactamase activity showed that the resistance of the adapted strain was not due to hydrolysis of carbenicillin . The appearance of several outer membrane proteins almost exclusively in the resistant strain supports the view of altered cell envelope properties in this strain. Pflugers Arch, 1982 Sep, 394(3), 271 - 3 A cytotoxin of Pseudomonas aeruginosa acts directly on the cortical thick ascending limb of Henle's loop of rabbit kidney; Weiner RN et al.; The present study examines directly the effect of a cytotoxin of Pseudomonas aeruginosa on the in vitro perfused rabbit cortical thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle (cTAL) . 25 cTAL segments were perfused at high rate . The open circuit transepithelial electrical PD (PDte) and the specific electrical transepithelial resistance (Rt) were recorded continuously . From PDte/Rt the equivalent short circuit current (Isc) was calculated . The Isc was 214 +/- 30 mu A.cm-2 under control conditions, and decreased significantly to 74 +/- 34 mu A.cm-2 60 s after the addition of toxin (2 mg.1(-1)) to the lumen perfusate . Microscopic observation and photographs taken at that time clearly indicated swelling of the cTAL cells . Thereafter inhibition of active transport proceeded further, Rt fell progressively, and cells started to desquamate from the basement membrane . This effect of the toxin was dose dependent, and was half maximal at approximately 1.2 mg.1(-1) . From the bath side the effect was less marked and higher doses of toxin had to be used (half maximal effect at 5 mg.1(-1)) . We conclude that this toxin of Pseudomonas aeruginosa exerts its toxic effect on the cTAL segment by increasing primarily the permeability of the lumen membrane. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1982 Sep, 22(3), 525 - 6 Cloning the gentamicin resistance gene from a Pseudomonas aeruginosa plasmid in Escherichia coli enhances detection of aminoglycoside modification; Prince AS et al.; Cloning the gene for gentamicin resistance from Pseudomonas aeruginosa plasmid pMG35 on the high-copy-number Escherichia coli cloning vehicle pMK20 allowed detection of 6'-N-acetyltransferase activity that was not readily detected when the parent plasmid was present either in P . aeruginosa or E . coli. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1982 Sep, 22(3), 406 - 8 Comparative activities of N-formimidoyl thienamycin, ticarcillin, and tobramycin against experimental Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia; Pennington JE et al.; The therapeutic efficacies of disodium ticarcillin, tobramycin sulfate, and N-formimidoyl thienamycin (MK0787) were compared in guinea pigs with experimentally induced Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia . Survival rates were 35% for ticarcillin, 80% for tobramycin, and 75% for N-formimidoyl thienamycin . Numbers of viable Pseudomonas organisms in lungs approximately 3 h after the first dose of drug were nearly 10-fold fewer in tobramycin- or N-formimidoyl thienamycin-treated animals than in ticarcillin-treated animals . Our data suggest that N-formimidoyl thienamycin may have therapeutic efficacy against respiratory infections with P . aeruginosa equivalent to that of tobramycin. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1982 Sep, 22(3), 358 - 63 Plasmid-mediated gentamicin resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and its lack of expression in Escherichia coli; Kato T et al.; We isolated 11 nonconjugative plasmids mediating resistance to aminoglycoside antibiotics, including gentamicin, from Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains . Their genetic properties were investigated in both P . aeruginosa and Escherichia coli transformants . The plasmid molecular weights ranged from 11 x 10(6) to 24 x 10(6) . A low level or complete absence of gentamicin resistance was observed when these plasmids were introduced into E . coli, but gentamicin resistance was restored when the plasmids were transferred back to P . aeruginosa from E . coli . Aminoglycoside-modifying enzyme activity was detected in P . aeruginosa harboring these plasmids, but was absent or greatly reduced in E . coli strains . This lack of expression may explain the observed decrease in aminoglycoside resistance. J Assoc Off Anal Chem, 1982 Sep, 65(5), 1155 - 61 Evaluation of glutaraldehyde and hydrogen peroxide for sanitizing packaging materials of medical devices in sterility testing; Eskenazi S et al.; External surfaces of packaging materials used for sterile medical devices may introduce contaminants into working areas used for sterility testing . Light wiping with tissues moistened with alkaline 2% glutaraldehyde (Cidex) or 3% hydrogen peroxide effectively reduced counts on 5 X 8 cm strips of packaging material (Tyvek) inoculated with 10(7) spores of Bacillus subtilis . The ability of antimicrobial agents to penetrate packaging material and kill contaminants on the medical device was tested by inoculating filter membranes with ca 100 cells of Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Staphylococcus aureus or ca 100 spores of Bacillus subtilis . A sterile square of test packaging material placed over the inoculated membrane (direct method) or 0.5 cm above the membrane (indirect method) was wiped with the antimicrobial agent . Except for polyethylene film (3 mil), all materials tested, including glassine and several types of coated and uncoated Tyvek, were penetrated by the agents, killing cells on the inoculated membranes . Death rates varied, depending on the organism, packaging material, and testing method . It is suggested that penetration tests be performed before using antimicrobial agents for sanitizing packaging materials during sterility tests. Surg Gynecol Obstet, 1982 Sep, 155(3), 363 - 8 Gentamicin and cefsulodin efficacy in a rat abscess model; Rubinstein E et al.; The pharmacokinetics and therapeutic efficacy of gentamicin and cefsulodin were studied in an abscess model in the rat induced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and a foreign body . Both agents reached therapeutic concentrations in the abscess fluid and its ultrafiltrate and persisted longer in the abscess fluid than in blood . Gentamicin did not prevent the development of abscesses or reduce the bacterial inoculum when administered immediately following the induction of the abscesses . Cefsulodin sterilized 82.7 per cent of abscesses in 61.5 per cent of injected rats . Low oxygen tension present in the abscess was probably responsible for the inefficacy of gentamicin in this model, while not significantly diminishing the antibacterial activity of cefsulodin. J Bacteriol, 1982 Sep, 151(3), 1411 - 9 Carbamate kinase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa: purification, characterization, physiological role, and regulation; Abdelal AT et al.; Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 possessed a carbamate kinase (CKase) distinct from carbamoylphosphate synthetase as well as from a constitutive acetate kinase which also catalyzes the phosphorylation of ADP by carbamoylphosphate . CKase was purified to homogeneity . Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of cross-linked CKase in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate showed that the enzyme consists of two subunits with identical molecular weights (37,000) . The optimal pH of enzyme activity is 7.0 . The double-reciprocal plot for carbamoylphosphate was linear at 2 mM ADP, yielding an apparent Km of 5 mM . However, at 0.25 mM ADP, the plot was concave upward, and a Hill plot of the data yielded a coefficient of 1.4 . This apparent cooperativity at low ADP concentrations might serve to reduce the extent of catabolism of carbamoylphosphate under growth conditions yielding high energy charge . Experiments on the regulation of synthesis under various growth conditions showed a response to three regulatory signals: CKase was induced to high levels by anaerobiosis, induced to moderate levels by arginine, and repressed by ammonia . Thus, CKase expression is regulated in a manner that allows the enzyme to function as a provider of ammonia under aerobic conditions and of ATP under anaerobic conditions . ATP was an effective inhibitor of CKase activity; this inhibition provides the cell with an effective mechanism for avoiding a futile cycle resulting from the simultaneous operation of CKase and carbamoylphosphate synthetase when cells are grown in the presence of exogenous arginine. J Bacteriol, 1982 Sep, 151(3), 1204 - 9 Exonuclease activity from Pseudomonas aeruginosa which is missing in phenotypically restrictionless mutants; Potter AA et al.; A phenotypically restrictionless strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was found to lack a deoxyribonuclease specific for linear duplex DNA . The purified enzyme had an optimum pH of 8.5, required MgCl2 (10 mM) for maximum activity, and did not require ATP . Neither the degradation of heat-denatured DNA nor the degradation of bacteriophage F116 DNA was detected . The genome of bacteriophage F116 was shown to possess single-stranded terminal regions, which account for the resistance to degradation and for the ability of the phage to transfect restriction-proficient strains. Immunol Lett, 1982 Sep, 5(3), 155 - 9 Study of helper and suppressor T-cells in cystic fibrosis; Van Geffel R et al.; The ratio between inducer and cytotoxic/suppressor subset T-cells was studied in 11 cystic fibrosis patients and 11 non-cystic fibrosis controls . No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups . It is suggested that the major immune deficiency in some patients suffering from cystic fibrosis is a state of tolerance to the same bacterial antigens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Inhibitory factors are present in the serum of the most affected patients. Genetika, 1982 Sep, 18(9), 1433 - 41 {Conjugation in Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides mediated by R plasmids}; Kameneva SV et al.; Plasmids R68.45, RP4, RP4::Mu cts62, RP1ts::Tn10, RP1ts::Tn9, Rts1 and RP41 were transferred into cells of photosynthetic nitrogen-fixation bacterium Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides from Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The transfer of plasmids occurred with high frequency of 10(-1) to 10(-2) per donor cell in all cases . Mobilization of R . sphaeroides 2R chromosome was obtained by RP4 and Rts1 plasmids at a frequency of 10(-7) to 10(-8) per donor cell in all cases . Mobilization of R . sphaeroides 2R chromosome was obtained by RP4 and Rts1 plasmids at a frequency of 10(-7) to 10(-8) per donor cell . Bacteriophage Mu cts62 could be induced from the plasmid DNA in R . sphaeroides 2R cells and was capable of the lytic growth and producing phage progeny . It was demonstrated that an increase in the efficiency of donor chromosomal genes transfer into recipient cells could be achieved in crosses with the donor carrying RP4::Mcts62 plasmid. J Hosp Infect, 1982 Sep, 3(3), 253 - 61 Amikacin, gentamicin and tobramycin resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a leukaemic ward . Epidemiology and genetic studies; Falkiner FR et al.; Four patients in a leukaemic ward were infected with multi-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Similar organisms were found in the environment and it appeared that lapses in aseptic routine contributed to the outbreak . Serological, bacteriophage and pyocin-typing revealed that a fifth patient was infected with a distinct strain, but agarose gel electrophoresis indicated that all patient and environmental strains carried the same plasmid . The plasmid had a molecular weight of 47 (s.d . +/- 2) X 10(6) dal and was transfer deficient . It conferred resistance to carbenicillin, gentamicin, kanamycin, streptomycin, sulphonamide, tetracycline and tobramycin and determined an aminoglycoside adenylyltransferase active against amikacin in-vitro and not in-vivo . Spread of this non-transferable plasmid to a different Ps . aeruginosa strain and dissemination of multi-resistant organisms led to serious infections. Infection, 1982 Sep-Oct, 10(5), 319 - 23 Gram-negative bacillary colonization and bacteremia in the compromised host; Young LS; A complex interaction of host and microbial factors is unquestionably related to the pathogenesis of gram-negative rod bacteremia in neutropenic, immunocompromised patients . In this paper we summarize evidence that colonization of the gastrointestinal tract often precedes systemic invasion by klebsiellae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, but that the factors directly responsible for the weakening of barriers to colonization remain poorly understood . Additionally, bacteremic isolates of Escherichia coli appear to segregate into commonly occurring groups by O and K antigens . A broadened investigation of E . coli surface (fimbrial) antigens indicates several common hemagglutination patterns of bloodstream isolates with various mammalian erythrocytes, but these patterns may also be strongly associated with commonly encountered O and K types . This epidemiologic and microbiologic information may be useful both in clinical management and in following measures to prevent infection in high risk immunocompromised patients. Can J Biochem, 1982 Sep, 60(9), 867 - 72 Dissociation and characterization of pilin isolated from Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains PAK and PAO; Watts TH et al.; Pili isolated from Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains PAK and PAO have been dissociated into subunits using the detergent octyl glucoside . Circular dichroism studies indicated that no change in protein conformation occurs as a result of this treatment . Ultracentrifugation measurements showed that both pilins have a Stokes radius of 21 A (1 A = 0.1 nm) corresponding to an axial ratio of between 3:1 and 5:1, when approximated as prolate or oblate ellipsoids . Sedimentation equilibrium measurements show that even at low protein concentrations the pilin-detergent complex exists as a mixture of monomers and dimers. J Bacteriol, 1982 Sep, 151(3), 1508 - 13 Formation of 9-nm filaments from pilin monomers obtained by octyl-glucoside dissociation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa pili; Watts TH et al.; Pili isolated from Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAK were solubilized in the detergent octyl-glucoside . Subsequent removal of the detergent by dialysis resulted in the formation of short rods of about 9 nm in diameter and various lengths . The aggregation process was followed by ultracentrifugation, viscometry, and electron microscopy to show that the aggregates produced in this way are distinct from pili produced by the bacteria, both in diameter, as measured by electron micrographs, and in their inability to compete in a biological assay for pili. J Bacteriol, 1982 Sep, 151(3), 1176 - 83 Characterization of glutamine-requiring mutants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Janssen DB et al.; Revertants were isolated from a glutamine-requiring mutant of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO . One strain showed thermosensitive glutamine requirement and formed thermolabile glutamine synthase, suggesting the presence of a mutation in the structural gene for glutamine synthetase . The mutation conferring glutamine auxotrophy was subsequently mapped and found to be located at about 15 min on the chromosomal map, close to and before hisII4 . Furthermore, in transduction experiments, it appeared to be very closely linked to gln-2022, a suppressor mutation affecting nitrogen control . With immunological techniques, it could be demonstrated that the glutamine auxotrophs form an inactive glutamine synthetase protein which is regulated by glutamine or a product derived from it in a way similar to other nitrogen-controlled proteins. J Biol Chem, 1982 Aug 25, 257(16), 9356 - 64 Structure and heme environment of ferrocytochrome c553 from 1H NMR studies; Ulrich EL et al.; Cytochrome c553 is a photosynthetic electron transport protein found in algae and cyanobacteria . We have purified cytochromes c553 from five cyanobacteria and studied the structures of the ferrocytochromes by 1H NMR spectroscopy at 360 and 470 MHz . Using standard NMR techniques and by comparing the amino acid sequences of four cytochromes c553 with their 1H NMR spectra, we have assigned in the spectrum of the Aphanizomenon flos-aquae protein 18 resonances to specific amino acid residues and 12 resonances to specific heme protons . Steady state and truncated driven nuclear Overhauser enhancement experiments indicate that a tyrosine and methionine are located near pyrrole ring IV of the heme and that a phenylalanine ring is near the heme alpha-mesoproton . The general folding of the cytochrome c553 protein backbone appears to resemble that of Pseudomonas aeruginosa cytochrome c551, but the chirality of the cytochrome c553 axial methine sulfur is R, the same as that of horse heart cytochrome c. Biochemistry, 1982 Aug 3, 21(16), 3794 - 7 Nitrogen-15 nuclear magnetic resonance investigation of nitrite reductase-substrate interaction; Timkovich R et al.; Nitrogen-15 nuclear magnetic resonance (15N NMR) spectroscopy at 30.4 MHz was employed to determine the interaction of the substrate nitrite (97.2% enriched) with bacterial nitrite reductase, denoted cytochrome cd1, from Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The addition of ferric enzyme to nitrite did not alter the chemical shift of the bulk nitrite resonance, nor was it possible to observe a new resonance from a hypothetical bound form . However, the spin-lattice relaxation time (T1) was lowered from 13.2 to 2.7 s, and the spin-spin relaxation time (T2) was halved . Values of T1 were measured by progressive saturation and values of T2 by line widths . Control experiments involving ferric cytochrome c and metmyoglobin demonstrated that the perturbations did not arise from the bulk paramagnetic properties of the protein solutions . Variable enzyme/substrate ratios were measured to assess the strength of interaction . The most reasonable model consistent with the data proposes a weak association between nitrite and ferric reductase with a value of 1.3 M-1 for the association constant. Schweiz Med Wochenschr, 1982 Aug 3, 112(31-32), 1099 - 100 {Studies on bacteriologic contamination of potassium chloride solution 25% in multidose containers regularly used on hospital wards}; Schramm G et al.; The use of multidose containers poses the problem of in-use microbial contamination . In a clinical investigation sterility tests of 25% potassium chloride solution (w/v) in multidose containers have been performed in-use on two surgical wards . The contents of 80 vials used for 1, 3, 7 or 10 days (with registered withdrawals) were sterility tested with the aid of blood agar plates . None of the 80 bottles were contaminated . It has been shown that lege artis withdrawals of 25% potassium chloride solution (w/v) from multidose containers involves a very low risk of contamination . However, the theory that contaminants have been killed must not be excluded . In final laboratory tests, multidose containers of 25% sterile potassium chloride solution (w/v) were artificially contaminated . Test microorganisms were E . coli ATCC 25922, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 and Staph . aureus ATCC 25923 . Microbial control after 1 or 2 days storage showed absence or significant germ reduction with the experimental technique described. Am Rev Respir Dis, 1982 Aug, 126(2), 306 - 11 The pulmonary response of C5 sufficient and deficient mice to Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Larsen GL et al.; Neutrophils have been shown to be important in the clearance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from murine lungs . The mechanisms responsible for the neutrophil influx into the lungs, however, remain poorly defined . This study was undertaken to define the contribution to this inflammatory process by the C5 molecule or its fragments . Congenic C5 sufficient (B10.D2/nSn) and CS deficient (B10.D2/oSn) mice were challenged by intrapulmonary administration of Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Differences in survival of the 2 strains of mice were noted over a 6-day period . In addition, host response was assessed at 6-, 24-, and 48-h time points by histologic examination, analysis of cells from pulmonary lavage, analysis of cells in the peripheral blood and culture of the lungs and blood of challenged mice . Mortality was consistently higher in C5 deficient mice . Neutrophil accumulation within the lung was greater at the 6-h time point in the C5 sufficient mice, and greater at the 48-h time point in the C5 deficient mice as demonstrated by both lavage and histologic examination . Differences in neutrophil accumulation could not be explained by differing blood neutrophils concentrations in the mice before challenge, or a lack of mobilization of neutrophils into the peripheral circulation after challenge in the C5 deficient mice . An early lack of clearance of the bacteria from the lungs of the C5 deficient strain was documented . We conclude that the C5 molecule and its phlogistic fragments are important neutrophil chemotaxins in murine lungs exposed to Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and, quantitatively, may be the most important early stimulus for neutrophil accumulation in this model. Surgery, 1982 Aug, 92(2), 212 - 9 Immunotherapy of gram-negative bacterial sepsis: enhanced survival in a guinea pig model by use of rabbit antiserum to Escherichia coli J5; Dunn DL et al.; A rough mutant of Escherichia coli (J5), which expresses a core lipopolysaccharide antigen common to gram-negative organisms on its cell surface, was used to immunize rabbits . Passively transferred anti-E . coli J5 rabbit antiserum (anti-J5 RS), normal rabbit serum (NRS), and saline were compared in a guinea pig model of intravenous gram-negative sepsis, with E . coli 0111:B4 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa as challenge organisms . Physiologic monitoring demonstrated a consistent pattern associated with gram-negative sepsis in this model: hypothermia, hypotension, bradycardia, a fall in white blood cell count and platelet count, and persistence of challenge organisms within the circulation . Pretreatment with anti-J5 RS prevented hypothermia and the fall in platelet count while augmenting bacterial clearance . Survival was markedly enhanced by anti-J5 RS, but not by NRS or saline . Concomitant heparin pretreatment was thought to be a significant factor in demonstrating the protective effect in this model . Parallel in vitro cross-reactivity measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and an opsonization assay demonstrated that anti-J5 RS extensively cross-reacted with a variety of gram-negative bacilli . Demonstration of enhanced opsonization by anti-J5 RS of gram-negative organisms was thus well correlated with enhanced systemic clearance of bacteria and improved survival subsequent to intravenous bacterial challenge. Arch Dis Child, 1982 Aug, 57(8), 582 - 6 Pseudomonas infection, allergy, and cystic fibrosis; Pitcher-Wilmott RW et al.; The clinical significance of the high prevalence of positive immediate skin tests in cystic fibrosis is unclear . Using analysis of variance, we have tested the hypothesis that patients with allergic cystic fibrosis have worse lung disease than non-allergic patients . Clinical data, skin prick tests, total or specific IgE antibody levels, chest radiographs, and pulmonary function tests were obtained in 104 cystic fibrosis patients . Patients with positive immediate skin reactions to at least one allergen were more likely to be persistently colonised by Pseudomonas aeruginosa than skin test negative patients . The skin test positive patients were also significantly older (mean difference 2.15 years) . Analysis of variance showed that pseudomonas infection was the most significant factor contributing to lung damage and the effect of allergy was not significant . Similar longitudinal analysis of pulmonary function over 5 years and study of the hospital admission rate showed that the only statistically significant factor associated with deterioration was colonisation with P . aeruginosa. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1982 Aug, 22(2), 255 - 61 Carbenicillin resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Rodriguez-Tebar A et al.; Four strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa obtained from clinical isolates which are carbenicillin resistant were studied to find the cause(s) of resistance to this beta-lactam antibiotic . The electrophoresis patterns of the four strains (PH20610, PH20815, PH4011, and PH4301) were found to be different from those of a wild-type strain, P . aeruginosa NCTC 10662, and appeared to lack penicillin-binding protein 2 . Affinity of other penicillin-binding proteins from strains PH20610 and PH20815 for carbenicillin seemed to be normal or slightly diminished . Electrophoretic patterns of penicillin-binding proteins from strains PH4011 and PH4301 had more profound differences, since the affinities of their penicillin-binding proteins 1a, 1b, and 4 for carbenicillin were decreased by nearly two orders of magnitude relative to the preparations from the wild-type strain . Kinetic studies on binding of carbenicillin to penicillin-binding proteins both in isolated membrane preparations and in intact cells revealed that carbenicillin penetration into resistant cells was a much slower process than in susceptible cells, suggesting that the outer envelope structures serve as an efficient barrier against carbenicillin entry into our P . aeruginosa strains from clinical isolates. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1982 Aug, 22(2), 242 - 9 Resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO to nalidixic acid and low levels of beta-lactam antibiotics: mapping of chromosomal genes; Rella M et al.; Resistance to high concentrations of nalidixic acid in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO was due to mutations in one locus designated nalA, which was mapped by transduction between hex-9001 and leu-10 . The nalA mutants were cross-resistant to pipemidic acid, a nalidixic acid analog, at relatively low concentrations . Replicative DNA synthesis was resistant to both drugs in permeabilized cells of nalA mutants . A locus coding for low-level resistance to nalidixic acid, nalB, was cotransducible with pyrB, proC, and met-28 . The nalB mutants were also resistant to low levels of pipemidic acid, novobiocin, and beta-lactam antibiotics (e.g., carbenicillin, azlocillin, and cefsulodin), but not to other drugs, such as gentamicin, rifampin, kanamycin, or tetracycline . In nalB mutants, DNA replication showed wild-type sensitivity to nalidixic acid, whereas carbenicillin-induced filamentation required higher drug levels than in the wild-type strain . Thus, nalB mutations appear to decrease cell permeability to some antibiotics . The sensitivity of replicative DNA synthesis to nalidixic acid and novobiocin was very similar in P . aeruginosa and Escherichia coli; by contrast, the concentrations of these drugs needed to inhibit growth of P . aeruginosa were higher than those reported for E . coli by one or two orders of magnitude. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1982 Aug, 35(8), 1086 - 92 Synergistic effects of a macrolide and a cell wall-affecting antibiotic on Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vitro and in vivo . 3 . Incorporation of {14C}midecamycin acetate (MOM) into P . aeruginosa pretreated with cell wall-affecting antibiotics; Kasai T et al.; The occurrence in beta-lactam treated patients of unstable L-forms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa insensitive to various antibiotics and synergistic effect of combined action of cell wall-affecting antibiotics and macrolide on Pseudomonas infection led us to examine the effects of macrolide on P . aeruginosa pretreated with cell wall-affecting antibiotics . The effects of macrolide antibiotics such as midecamycin acetate (MOM) on P . aeruginosa was investigated, a rapid killing effect by MOM was noted after treatment with suboptimal doses of cell wall-affecting antibiotics such as polymyxin B, carbenicillin, dibekacin or fosfomycin . Incorporation of {14C}MOM into intact P . aeruginosa cells was not significant, but was apparent into L-form cells or cells pretreated with cell wall-affecting antibiotics . The incorporated radioactivity was found in the 70 S ribosome fraction, binding with the 50 S subunits of ribosome in both cases . These results indicate that under certain conditions a macrolide antibiotic can enter the P . aeruginosa cell. Arch Microbiol, 1982 Aug, 132(2), 189 - 93 Regulation of proline catabolism in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO; Meile L et al.; Mutants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa deficient in the utilization of L-proline as the only carbon and nitrogen source have been found to be defective either in proline dehydrogenase activity or in both proline dehydrogenase and delta 1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate dehydrogenase activities of the bifunctional proline degradative enzyme . The latter type of mutants was unable to utilize L-ornithine, indicating that a single delta 1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate dehydrogenase activity is involved in the degradation of ornithine and proline . Proline dehydrogenase and delta 1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate dehydrogenase activities were strongly and coordinately induced by proline . It was excluded that delta 1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate acted as an inducer of the bifunctional enzyme and it was shown that the low level induction observed during growth on ornithine was due to the intracellular formation of proline . The formation of the proline degradative enzyme was shown to be subject to catabolite repression by citrate and nitrogen control. Antibiotiki, 1982 Aug, 27(8), 601 - 7 {Comparative study of the antibacterial activity of aminoglycoside antibiotics and their combinations with carbenicillin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa}; Iakushkina IV et al.; Antibacterial activity of 7 aminoglycoside antibiotics and combinations of tobramycin or gentamicin with carbenicillin was studied with respect to 33 clinical strains of Ps . aeruginosa . Tobramycin, sisomicin, gentamicin and amicacin showed high levels of antibacterial activity . Tobramycin and sisomicin were 3-4 and 2 times more effective than gentamicin . 100 per cent of the Ps . aeruginosa isolates was sensitive to tobramycin and amicacin . The number of the isolates sensitive to sisomicin and gentamicin amounted to 97 and 94 per cent respectively . The respective numbers for streptomycin and kanamycin were 32 and 11 per cent . No monomycin sensitive isolates were detected . Combination of tobramycin or gentamicin with carbenicillin increased the antibacterial activity of the aminoglycoside antibiotics by 2-16 times and that of carbenicillin by 2-32 times . The synergistic effect of gentamicin or tobramycin with carbenicilin was observed with respect to 50 and 58 per cent of the isolates respectively . No antagonistic effect was detected on the combined use of the antibiotics . The majority of the isolates (96 per cent) were sensitive to combinations of carbenicillin in a concentration of 50 micrograms/ml with tobramycin or gentamicin in concentrations of 0.15 or 0.3 micrograms/ml respectively. Am J Hosp Pharm, 1982 Aug, 39(8), 1302 - 5 Evaluation of three methods for detecting low-level bacterial contamination in intravenous solutions; Miller CM et al.; The accuracy of three sterility-testing methods in detecting low-level contamination in deliberately contaminated intravenous solutions was studied . One-liter bags of 5% dextrose (D5W) and 0.9% sodium chloride (saline injections were contaminated with Staphylococcus epidermidis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa; approximately 10(1) viable bacteria were injected into each bag . Two membrane-filtration methods (Ivex-2 and Addi-Chek) and one aliquot method {twice concentrated trypic soy broth (2X-TSB)} were used to test each of 10 diliberately contaminated solutions for both D5W and saline; 500 ml of each liter bag was filtered or added to 2X-TSB . Incubation containers were stored at 37 degrees C and inspected at 24, 48, and 72 hours for turbidity . There was no significant difference among the three methods in the detection of contaminated saline solutions . The Addi-Chek system was significantly less effective in detecting contamination in D5W than either of the other methods . It is concluded that the Ivex-2 system is accurate and the easiest-to-use system of the three tested. Isr J Med Sci, 1982 Aug, 18(8), 859 - 62 Comparative susceptibilities of 40 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to 10 antipseudomonal antimicrobial agents; Davidson S et al.; The in vitro susceptibility of 40 clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to 10 antipseudomonal antibiotics was determined . Of the strains examined, 100, 90, 85 and 80% were susceptible to netilmicin, amikacin, gentamicin and tobramycin, respectively; 93, 85 and 72% were susceptible to piperacillin, azlocillin and carbenicillin, respectively; and 93, 88 and 84% were susceptible to cefotaxime, moxalactam and cefsulodin, respectively . These data confirm that the newer antipseudomonal antimicrobial agents are more effective against Ps . aeruginosa than the older agents. Infect Immun, 1982 Aug, 37(2), 695 - 701 Selection of nonmucoid derivatives of mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa is strongly influenced by the level of iron in the culture medium; Boyce JR et al.; We investigated the effects of cations on the stability in culture of mucoid strains pf Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from patients with cystic fibrosis by studying their effects on the selection of nonmucoid derivatives which arise by spontaneous mutation in cultures of mucoid organisms . Calcium ion concentrations in the range 0.55 to 1.85 mM had no effect on the growth or stability of the mucoid cultures . Higher levels (5.0 mM) inhibited the growth of both mucoid and nonmucoid cells . Likewise, magnesium ion in concentrations of 0.3 to 3.0 mM had no effect . The concentration of iron (either Fe2+ or Fe3+) had a profound effect on the selection of nonmucoid mutants in unshaken cultures of mucoid organisms . In medium containing 0.01 mM iron, nonmucoid mutants rapidly accumulated to a greater than 100-fold-higher frequency than the mucoid forms . Rates of accumulation of nonmucoid derivatives were lower in media containing lower concentrations of iron . The possible role of iron in the selection of nonmucoid cells from a population of mucoid P . aeruginosa is discussed. Infect Immun, 1982 Aug, 37(2), 662 - 9 Utilization of human respiratory secretions by mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa of cystic fibrosis origin; Ohman DE et al.; Growth and exoproduct production were examined with sputum from patients with respiratory diseases serving as the growth substrate for mucoid strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from cystic fibrosis (CF) patients . Mucoid strains are uniquely common to chronic respiratory infections of CF patients . The mucoid colonial morphology of P . aeruginosa is due to the biosynthesis of the exopolysaccharide alginate . Alginate-producing (Alg+) strains utilized CF sputum for growth and high yields of alginate; however, sputum from patients with other respiratory diseases produced comparable results . Analysis of CF sputum medium indicated that amino acids and small peptides were major substrates for P . aeruginosa in respiratory secretions . Cultures of Alg+ strains in CF sputum medium were inhibited in growth and reduced in alginate yields by a low concentration (1 mM) of D-mannose, suggesting therapeutic applications . The rates of growth of two Alg+ strains in CF sputum medium were found to be slightly lower compared with their respective spontaneous Alg- mutants, indicating that the mucoid phenotype does not enhance the ability of P . aeruginosa to utilize respiratory secretions . At all stages of growth in CF sputum medium, two Alg+ strains produced lower yields of protease than did their respective Alg- mutants . When seven Alg+ strains of CF origin were compared with their respective Alg- mutants, the Alg+ phenotype correlated with reduced yields of extracellular proteases . These data are consistent with the hypothesis that mucoid strains of P . aeruginosa are more suited to chronic rather than to acute respiratory infections in that reduced yields of proteases temper the level of damage to the lungs and result in a reduced infiltration of phagocytic cells. Arch Dis Child, 1982 Aug, 57(8), 577 - 81 Circulating soluble immune complexes containing pseudomonas antigens in cystic fibrosis; Pitcher-Wilmott RW et al.; In order to investigate whether circulating immune complexes containing Pseudomonas aeruginosa antigens mediate pulmonary damage in cystic fibrosis, we studied lung function, serum immune complex levels, and immunoglobulin concentrations in relationship to chronic pseudomonas colonisation in 69 affected children . Sixteen of the children with cystic fibrosis had increased levels of immune complexes which contained pseudomonas antigens . There was no significant relationship between lung function corrected for the effect of chronic pseudomonas colonisation and the presence of such complexes or increased levels of complexes detected by Cl1 binding or raised serum immunoglobulin concentrations . Our results suggest that these abnormalities in cystic fibrosis are secondary effects of chronic infection and they do not provide evidence for immune complex mediated lung damage in this disease. J Bacteriol, 1982 Aug, 151(2), 783 - 7 Pseudomonas aeruginosa mutants altered in their sensitivity to the effect of iron on toxin A or elastase yields; Sokol PA et al.; Iron affects yields of toxin A, alkaline protease, elastase, pyochelin, and pyoverdin in Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Mutants of P . aeruginosa PAO1 resistant to the effect of iron on toxin (toxC) or elastase (elaC) yields were isolated . Two types of mutants were isolated: iron transport and iron regulatory mutants . The toxC regulatory mutants produced toxin A in medium containing iron; however, yields of elastase and alkaline protease remained sensitive to regulation by iron . The elaC regulatory mutants were resistant to the effect of iron on elastase yields, but toxin A and alkaline protease yields were decreased by iron, analogous to the parent strain . These data suggest that toxin A, elastase, and alkaline protease yields can be independently regulated by iron. J Bacteriol, 1982 Aug, 151(2), 729 - 36 Isolation and characterization of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO mutant defective in the structural gene for the LIVAT-binding protein; Hoshino T et al.; A mutant of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO which has a defect in the structural gene for a binding protein for leucine, isoleucine, valine, alanine, and threonine (LIVAT-binding protein) was isolated and characterized . DL-4-azaleucine was taken up via the high-affinity branched-chain amino acid transport system (LIV-I), but not via the low affinity system (LIV-II), and then inhibited the growth of P . aeruginosa cells . This finding enabled us to select mutants defective in the LIV-I transport system alone . Among such mutants, strain PAO3530 was found to produce an altered LIVAT-binding protein . The shock fluid of this strain contained a normal level of the protein which corresponded to the wild-type LIVAT-binding protein as judged by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and by an immunological test . However, the shock fluid showed almost no binding activity for branched-chain amino acids, suggesting that strain PAO3530 has a defect in the structural gene for the LIVAT-binding protein . The mutation locus (bra-310) was mapped in a region between cnu-9001 and oru-325 on the chromosome of P . aeruginosa PAO by conjugation mediated by plasmid FP5 or R68.45. J Bacteriol, 1982 Aug, 151(2), 620 - 8 Mutational separation of transport systems for branched-chain amino acids in Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Hoshino T et al.; Several types of Pseudomonas aeruginosa mutants defective in the transport systems for branched-chain amino acids were isolated by selection for resistance to 5',5',5'-DL-trifluoroleucine, a leucine analog, under certain conditions . Mutants resistant to trifluoroleucine in the absence of Na+ were defective in the high-affinity system . These mutants fell into two classes . One class showed a defect in the production of a periplasmic binding protein for leucine, isoleucine, valine, alanine, and threonine, and the other showed normal production of the binding protein as determined by a binding assay and by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis . Properties of the former class of mutants have been partly described (T . Hoshino and M . Kageyama, J . Bacteriol . 141:1055-1063, 1980) . Mutants selected for resistance to trifluoroleucine with Na+ and an excess amount of alanine showed a defect in the low-affinity system . Membrane vesicles prepared from such a mutant lost the transport activity for leucine . A mutant which showed increased activity of the low-affinity system with a defect in the high-affinity system was obtained from strain PML1453 (high-affinity system defective) by selecting for utilization of isoleucine as a carbon source. Ann Ophthalmol, 1982 Aug, 14(8), 757 - 9 Secondary bacterial infections in herpes simplex keratitis; Nissenkorn I et al.; In nine patients who had herpetic corneal disease, secondary bacterial infections developed . Five of the patients had the ulcers in their own cornea, whereas four had them in corneal transplants in which the graft had been performed because of herpes . All of the patients with grafts were receiving topical steroids when the ulcer developed . Four of the eyes had active herpetic disease at the time of onset, four had no known active disease, and in one it was unknown . The infections respond well to topical treatment except in eyes that had been grafted because of herpes . Staphylococcus was the most frequent invader in these corneas and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the second most common. J Bacteriol, 1982 Aug, 151(2), 569 - 79 A chromosomally located transposon in Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Sinclair MI et al.; A new transposon, Tn2521, coding for carbenicillin, streptomycin, spectinomycin, and sulfanilamide resistance, has been identified in Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The transposon occurs naturally in the chromosome of clinical strains of P . aeruginosa isolated in geographically separated hospitals . This has been demonstrated by its transductional linkage to the pur-136 marker and also by Southern hybridization . Tn2521 is 6.8 kilobases, can transpose from the chromosome to both IncP-1 and IncP-2 plasmid genomes, and has a pattern of restriction endonuclease sites unlike that of any previously described transposon . The carbenicillin resistance carried by Tn2521 is due to the PSE-4 type of beta-lactamase. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1982 Aug, 22(2), 266 - 71 Effects of azlocillin in combination with clavulanic acid, sulbactam, and N-formimidoyl thienamycin against beta-lactamase-producing, carbenicillin-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Calderwood SB et al.; We investigated the effects of the combination of azlocillin with the beta-lactamase inhibitors clavulanic acid and sulbactam and with N-formimidoyl thienamycin against strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa with R-factor-mediated carbenicillin resistance . The 10 strains tested (1 R-, 9 R+) were isogenic, except for the presence of individual plasmids determining each of nine plasmid-mediated beta-lactamases found in P . aeruginosa . We utilized a checkerboard technique for testing antibiotic combinations . Low concentrations of clavulanic acid produced synergy with azlocillin against the strains producing the TEM-1, TEM-2, PSE-1, PSE-3, and PSE-4 beta-lactamases; for the strains producing the OXA-1, OXA-2, OXA-3, and PSE-2 beta-lactamases, such synergy was not found . With sulbactam, synergy was demonstrated in all strains except that producing PSE-2 beta-lactamase; for several strains, however, the concentration of sulbactam required to produce synergy was substantially higher than that for clavulanic acid . N-Formimidoyl thienamycin was highly active as a single agent against all of the strains, regardless of beta-lactamase production . The combination of N-formimidoyl thienamycin and azlocillin produced synergy against only two of the strains tested. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1982 Aug, 22(2), 181 - 5 In vitro antibacterial activity of E-0702, a new semisynthetic cephalosporin; Katsu K et al.; E-0702 is an antipseudomonal cephalosporin derivative which has a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity against clinical isolates of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria . Its in vitro antibacterial activities were less than those of cefoperazone and cefotaxime against Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, but were significantly high against gram-negative bacteria including the Pseudomonas group . It was most characteristic that E-0702 showed high antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa . E-0702 was relatively stable to inactivation by plasmid-mediated penicillinases and cephalosporinases produced by gram-negative bacteria. Biochemistry, 1982 Jul 20, 21(15), 3556 - 61 Resolution of two distinct electron transfer sites on azurin; Farver O et al.; Pseudomonas aeruginosa azurin is stoichiometrically and specifically labeled upon reduction by Cr(II)aq ions, yielding a substitution-inert Cr(III) adduct on the protein surface . We investigated the effect of this chemical modification on the reactivity of azurin with two of its presumed partners in the redox system of the bacterium . The Pseudomonas cytochrome oxidase catalyzed oxidation of reduced native and Cr(III)-labeled azurin by O2 was found to be unaffected by the modification . The kinetics of the electron exchange reaction between native or Cr(III)-labeled azurin and cytochrome c551 were studied by the temperature-jump method . Though similar chemical relaxation spectra were observed for native and modified systems, they differ quantitatively . Analysis of the concentration dependences of the relaxation times and amplitudes showed that both obey the same mechanism but that the specific reaction rates of the Cr(III)-modified protein are attenuated . This decreased reactivity of Cr(III)-labeled azurin toward one of its physiological partners suggests the involvement of the labeled region in the electron transfer reaction with cytochrome c551 . Furthermore, the presence of a second active site, involved in the reduction of cytochrome oxidase, is suggested by the results. Pediatr Infect Dis, 1982 Jul-Aug, 1(4), 239 - 41 Pseudomonas aeruginosa septicemia in childhood cancer patients; Jackson MA et al.; Twenty-three pediatric cancer patients developed Pseudomonas aeruginosa septicemia during an 11-year period . Typically the patients had advanced neoplasia and were receiving immunosuppressive therapy . Severe myelosuppression was almost always present and antibiotic therapy during the prior 2-week period for proven or suspected sepsis was common . Disruption of the skin and mucosa in the anogenital regions was evident in the majority of patients, and the gastrointestinal tract represented the most common portal of entry . Patients who developed sepsis while relapsed had the highest case-fatality rate, and use of synergistic antibiotic combinations did not affect outcome in this group. Ann Ophthalmol, 1982 Jul, 14(7), 665 - 7 Scleral abscesses and ectasia caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Berler DK et al.; A 76-year-old woman had signs of endophthalmitis the third day after she underwent uneventful cataract surgery . Intravitreous antibiotics were given, but the eye was unresponsive to the therapy, and, two days later, a small scleral abscess was noted that was not connected to the cornea . Pars plana vitrectomy and appropriate antibiotic therapy were successfully used, and, eventually, the retina regained useful visual acuity . A ring of multiple scleral abscesses developed that persisted for three months, producing scleral thinning and concentric ectasia of the globe . The cornea was free of ulceration at all times . We are unaware of any published cases of Pseudomonas abscess of the sclera without corneal ulceration or scleral damage. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1982 Jul, 35(7), 858 - 65 Synergistic effects of a macrolide and a cell wall-affecting antibiotic on Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vitro and in vivo . 2 . Combined effects of a macrolide with a fosfomycin and an aminoglycoside antibiotic; Kasai T et al.; Synergistic effects of the cell wall-affecting antibiotics, dibekacin (DKB) and fosfomycin (FOM) and a macrolide antibiotic, midecamycin (MDM) or its derivative 9,3"-di-O-acetylmidecamycin (MOM) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa were investigated in vitro and in vivo . Synergistic effects were evaluated by estimating the number of viable bacteria at varying intervals after the two kinds of antibiotics were added to the logarithmic phase of the bacterial solution . Six hours after addition of antibiotic, the viable bacterial count of the culture treated with FOM and MOM underwent 2 log reduction compared to that which treated with FOM alone . Thus synergistic effect was significant . The number of viable bacteria treated with DKB and MDM showed slight reduction at 3 hours after addition of the two antibiotics and a marked reduction was noted after 20 hours compared with the control . Synergistic action was also demonstrated in in vivo experiments using mice . Three experimental mouse infection models, intraperitoneal infection, subcutaneous infection with carrageenan solution and burn infection were used . FOM was administered subcutaneously . DKB was administered intramuscularly . MDM or MOM was administered by the oral route . In all three experiments the survival rate of infected mice treated with FOM and MOM increased significantly compared to control mice . Similar synergistic effect was also obtained with DKB and MDM. Can J Microbiol, 1982 Jul, 28(7), 788 - 94 Death of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in soil; Zechman JM et al.; When incubated in natural (nonsterilized) soil, Pseudomonas aeruginosa died initially at a rate which approximated the rate for starvation of a pure culture in buffer . Predation by other soil microbes or phage did not appear to be involved, and pyocyanin either was not produced or was ineffective . The initial rate of death was followed by a second, considerably slower rate . Cells initially added in low numbers to soil also underwent biphasic death as above . Slow drying of the soil caused a period of rapid soil death of P . aeruginosa, but this then slowed to give residual numbers and a death rate similar to the second death rate noted for soil not allowed to dry . The cells in the dry soil had not changed genetically to a desiccation-resistant form . Pseudomonas aeruginosa died out completely in a relatively short time when the soil was first quickly dried to a water content similar to that obtained initially through slow drying and then further allowed to dry slowly . These observations appear to point to a dormant form, in some ways resembling a cyst, for P . aeruginosa in soil. Mikrobiologiia, 1982 Jul-Aug, 51(4), 689 - 91 {Chemotactic reactions of a paraffin-oxidizing strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa}; Koronelli TV et al.; The reactions of chemotaxis were studied in a paraffin-oxidizing Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain using the method of migration in viscous media . Diesel fuel and paraffin become attractants only if they are contaminated with hydrocarbon-oxidizing mycobacteria . A suspension of mycobacterial cells as well as their lipids (peptidoglycolipids, wax, triglycerides, methyl esters of mycolic acids) are attractants, too . A mycobacterial biomass containing no lipids does not cause chemotaxis of P . aeruginosa cells. Mikrobiologiia, 1982 Jul-Aug, 51(4), 673 - 7 {Lipids of a paraffin-oxidizing strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa}; Koronelli TV et al.; The qualitative and quantitative composition of lipids was studied in a paraffin-oxidizing Pseudomonas aeruginosa P-20 strain . The content of free lipids was 7% of the dry biomass weight in a medium with hexadecane and 6.7% in a medium with glucose . The content of bound lipids was 6.7 and 5.6%, respectively . Phospholipids and free fatty acids are main components of lipids in the both cases . Phospholipids are represented by diphosphatidyl glycerol, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, phosphatidyl glycerol, and phosphatidyl choline . The fatty acids of free lipids consist by 72% of even acids with an unbranched carbon chain, among which palmitic and octadecenic acids prevail no matter what is the composition of a medium . 'Uneven' acids are represented mainly by nonadecenic acid: 17.8% in the medium with hexadecane and 15.9% in the medium with glucose . The content of unsaturated acids is 55.95% in 'hexadecane' cells and 44.89% in 'glucose' cells; octadecenic and nonadecenic acids predominate among unsaturated acids . Fatty acids covalently bound to cellular proteins and polysaccharides contain much less unsaturated compounds (particularly in cells grown in the medium with hexadecane) and more branched acids; C18:1, C16:0 and C17:0-branched acids predominate among them. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1982 Jul, 22(1), 142 - 4 Transfer of IncN plasmids to Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Tardif G et al.; Three of four N plasmids tested were found to be conjugatively transferable from Escherichia coli to Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The plasmids in the Pseudomonas transconjugants differed from the plasmids in the donor E . coli with respect to molecular weight, transfer ability, phenotype conferred, and stability . In some cases, the antibiotic and UV resistance genes appeared to integrate into the P . aeruginosa chromosome. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1982 Jul, (7), 87 - 91 {Serological classification of Pseudomonas aeruginosa}; Akatova NS et al.; In this work the comparative data on the antigenic schemes of P . aeruginosa proposed by different authors are presented . The scheme of serological grouping, accepted in the USSR, has been brought into accord with the current nomenclature of O-antigens, proposed by Lanyi and Bergan . The O-antigen composition of the typing strains belonging to groups 3 and 9 according to the classification of Lanyi-Bergan has been deciphered, which allows one to extend the antigenic scheme of P . aeruginosa by introducing new antigenic variants. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1982 Jul, (7), 34 - 7 {Safety, reactogenicity and efficacy of pyoimmunogen in immunizing burn patients}; Grishina IA et al.; A study of pyoimmunogen, a new immunological preparation recommended for the prophylaxis and treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection, was carried out . The immunization of 20 patients with traumas caused by burns showed that the preparation induced no postvaccinal reactions and had no pathological effect on the hemogram and blood proteins, while normalizing temperature and producing the statistically significant increase of the specific antibody titer . The injection of pyoimmunogen improved the general state of the patients and the state of the burn wounds and reduced the period of hospitalization 1.5 times. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol, 1982 Jul, 320(1), 78 - 80 Permeability changes of Ehrlich mouse ascites tumor cells induced by a cytotoxin from Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Lutz F et al.; Ehrlich ascites tumor cells from mice were damaged during in vitro incubation with a cytotoxin from Pseudomonas aeruginosa at concentrations of greater than 1 microgram/ml . After a short time the cells started to lose potassium whereas their sodium content increased . When the protein concentration of the incubation medium was adjusted to the protein concentration inside the cells, swelling and release of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase was avoided . However, lysis of the cells still took place . Preincubation of cells with tetrodotoxin, 4-aminopyridine or tetraethylammonium did not influence damage to the cells . The cells showed a steep increase in toxin response between 17 degrees and 27 degrees C ranging from insensitivity to full sensitivity . An increase in electrical conductance was measured during incubation of cholesterol bilayer membranes with a cytotoxin concentration of 1 microgram/ml . The conductance was increased by a factor of ten within 30 min at 25 degrees C which indicates the involvement of membrane lipids in the cytotoxin action. J Gen Microbiol, 1982 Jul, 128(7), 1391 - 400 Thymine metabolism in Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain 1: the presence of a salvage pathway; Potter AA et al.; Exogenous thymine was found to be taken up very slowly by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in comparison to other pyrimidines, and most of it was catabolized by the cell . The existence of a functional, although inefficient, thymine salvage pathway was demonstrated and this pathway operated more effectively when de novo thymidine nucleotide biosynthesis was inhibited by trimethoprim or methotrexate . The mechanism of thymine salvage by P . aeruginosa appears to be different from that of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas acidovorans as thymidine was not incorporated into the DNA . Like P . acidovorans, P . aeruginosa lacked thymidine phosphorylase activity . Unsuccessful attempts were made to isolate thymine auxotrophs. Acta Pathol Jpn, 1982 Jul, 32(4), 613 - 20 Ascending pyelonephritis with Pseudomonas aeruginosa in mice; Tanaka N et al.; Elastase- and protease- producing strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa induced ascending pyelonephritis in mice by intracystic challenge . The pelvis was the site of primary foci development and necrotic, purulent lesions spread from the pelvis to the perihilar area and to the cortex . Severe necrosis was a characteristic of the present infection and caused systemic infection and host death without the development of chronic lesions . In animals challenged with inocula great enough to destroy the cystic mucosa, immediate hematogenous systemic infection without cellular responses led to host death. J Clin Microbiol, 1982 Jul, 16(1), 135 - 40 Azlocillin, a ureido penicillin active against Pseudomonas aeruginosa: interpretive zone standards and quality control parameters for tests with 75-mu g disks; Barry AL et al.; A nine-laboratory coordinated study was performed to establish tentative control limits for 75-mu g azlocillin disks tested against the standard control strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853) . Control limits for individual tests were 24 to 30 mm (25 to 29 mm for means of five separate tests) . To establish interpretive zone standards for 75-mu g azlocillin disks, three separate laboratories each tested 93 strains of P . aeruginosa or related species . Geometric mean minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were plotted against arithmetic mean zone diameters . Regression analyses were performed with zone diameter as the independent variable and also with MIC as the independent variable . The following interpretive categories were recommended: resistant, less than or equal to 14 mm (MIC, greater than 128 mu g/ml); intermediate, 15 to 17 mm (MIC, 128 mu g/ml); and susceptible, greater than or equal to 18 mm (MIC, less than or equal to 64 mu g/ml). Infect Immun, 1982 Jul, 37(1), 378 - 81 Phagocytosis and killing of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by mouse polymorphonuclear leukocytes in vitro promoted by antiserum to the slime glycolipoprotein; Bishop O et al.; The resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to phagocytosis by polymorphonuclear leukocytes was overcome by opsonization with antibody to slime glycolipoprotein or, to a lesser extent, with complement . Resistance was most effectively overcome in the presence of both . Protection against viable-cell challenge conferred by anti-glycolipoprotein serum in experimental infection is discussed briefly in the light of these findings. Immunology, 1982 Jul, 46(3), 635 - 42 Delayed hypersensitivity to syngeneic testicular cells induced by intratesticular bacterial infection in guinea-pigs; Sanui H et al.; Guinea-pigs were inoculated into the testis with viable Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Staphylococcus aureus and elicitation of skin reactions was carried out with 5 x 10(6) syngeneic testicular cells 1 week later . Delayed-in-onset erythematous skin reactions against testicular cells were detected only when guinea-pigs were inoculated into the testis with L . monocytogenes . However, erythematous skin reactions were not detected when guinea-pigs were inoculated with E . coli, P . aeruginosa or S . aureus . Histological examination showed many infiltrating basophils in the erythematous skin reaction sites, and erythema was not accompanied by induration . Accordingly, the type of delayed skin reaction elicited with testicular cells 1 week after the inoculation of L . monocytogenes was considered as Jones-Mote type . These reactions were specific for testicular cells since the erythema or infiltrating basophils could not be detected after elicitation with sheep blood cells . Histological examination showed many infiltrating basophils at the skin reaction sites when guinea-pigs were inoculated with E . coli or P . aeruginosa . Dissociation between erythematous skin reactions and basophil infiltration was observed . Erythematous skin reactions were not detected when guinea-pigs with L . monocytogenes intravenously or subcutaneously. Can J Microbiol, 1982 Jul, 28(7), 830 - 40 Adaptive resistance to polymyxin in Pseudomonas aeruginosa due to an outer membrane impermeability mechanism; Gilleland HE Jr et al.; The isolated outer membrane from cells of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain exhibiting adaptive resistance to polymyxin was not affected by polymyxin treatment, as monitored by electron microscopy of negatively stained preparations . This was in sharp contrast with extensive disruption by polymyxin of the outer membranes of the parent polymyxin-sensitive strain and the resistant strain following reversion to greater polymyxin sensitivity . The isolated cytoplasmic membrane of the polymyxin-resistant strain, on the other hand, remained sensitive to the disruptive effects of polymyxin treatment . The permeability characteristics of the resistant strains appear to be altered, as indicated by differences in minimal inhibitory concentrations for a variety of antibiotics between the polymyxin-sensitive and polymyxin-resistant strains . No evidence was found for a polymyxin-inactivating enzyme in osmotic shock fluid from the polymyxin-resistant strain . No evidence for a cytoplasmic membrane repair mechanism was found in the polymyxin-resistant strain . These observations suggest that the mechanism of adaptive polymyxin resistance in this model system is the alteration of the outer membrane so that it excludes polymyxin from reaching the still sensitive cytoplasmic membrane. Arch Intern Med, 1982 Jul, 142(7), 1335 - 7 Piperacillin and gentamicin v carbenicillin and gentamicin for treatment of serious gram-negative infections; Kohler RB et al.; Piperacillin sodium, a new penicillin with remarkable in vitro activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other Gram-negative bacilli, and gentamicin sulfate were compared with carbenicillin disodium and gentamicin in a prospective, randomized, double-blind comparison for treating serious Gram-negative infections . Of the 32 patients whose courses were "evaluable" for efficacy, 12 of 14 who received piperacillin and gentamicin and 13 of 18 who received carbenicillin and gentamicin had favorable outcomes . Of the 99 patients whose courses were evaluable for toxicity, nine of 51 recipients of piperacillin and gentamicin and 15 of 48 recipients of carbenicillin and gentamicin suffered clinical reactions possibly, probably, or definitely related to the penicillin . No statistically significant differences were found in the two groups in the frequencies of biochemical abnormalities, including hypokalemia, that occurred in 19 or 44 recipients of piperacillin and gentamicin and 16 of 45 recipients of carbenicillin and gentamicin . Thus, this study did not prove differences in efficacy of toxicity for piperacillin and gentamicin plus carbenicillin and gentamicin for serious Gram-negative infections. Am J Med, 1982 Jul, 73(1), 89 - 96 Empiric antibiotic therapy for suspected infection in granulocytopenic cancer patients: a comparison between the combination of moxalactam plus amikacin and ticarcillin plus amikacin; De Jongh CA et al.; Moxalactam is a new cephalosporin with a broad spectrum of activity which includes Pseudomonas aeruginosa in addition to Klebsiella species Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus . Moxalactam was combined with amikacin (M + A) compared to ticarcillin plus amikacin (T + A) in a prospective, randomized double-blind trial of empiric therapy for febrile episodes among granulocytopenic cancer patients . One hundred and ninety-one epidoses were evaluated; T + A, 93 episodes and M + A, 98 episodes . Median granulocyte count of initiation of therapy was less than 100/microliters . Overall response rates were good . In the T + A group, 21 of 29 (72 percent) microbiologically documented infections, including seven of 14 (50 percent) bacteremias, and 24 of 27 (89 percent) clinically documented infections improved . In the M + A group, 20 of 28 (71 percent) microbiologically documented infections, including 11 of 18 (61 percent) bacteremias, and 25 of 25 (96 percent) clinically documented infections resolved . Adverse effects were minimal and equivalent in both groups . Hypokalemia (decrease in serum potassium of greater than 11 mEq/liter from baseline) occurred in 14 of the 93 episodes in the T + A group and in 10 of the 98 episodes in the M + A group with decline in mean serum potassium level of 0.5 and 0.4 mEq/liter respectively . Nephrotoxicity (increase in serum creatinine greater than 0.04 mg/dl) occurred in only one patient in the T + A group and in two patients in the M + A group . Moxalactam plus amikacin has a broader in vitro spectrum, is as effective, and is no more toxic than ticarcillin plus amikacin as empiric therapy for febrile granulocytopenic cancer patients. Infect Immun, 1982 Jul, 37(1), 250 - 4 Immunological cross-reactivity in the absence of DNA homology between Pseudomonas toxin A and diphtheria toxin; Sadoff JC et al.; The immunodominant determinant of Pseudomonas toxin A was shown to cross-react with a normally inaccessible determinant in fragment A of diphtheria toxin . Trypsin-treated diphtheria toxin and fragment A of diphtheria toxin inhibited binding of toxin A antibody to whole toxin A, whereas whole diphtheria toxin did not inhibit this reaction . However, even at the lowest stringency no hybridization was detected between diphtheria tox probe and Pseudomonas aeruginosa DNA. J Bacteriol, 1982 Jul, 151(1), 22 - 8 Nitrogen control in Pseudomonas aeruginosa: mutants affected in the synthesis of glutamine synthetase, urease, and NADP-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase; Janssen DB et al.; Mutants were isolated from Pseudomonas aeruginosa that were impaired in the utilization of a number of nitrogen sources . In contrast to the wild-type strain, these mutants appeared to be unable to derepress the formation of glutamine synthetase and urease under nitrogen-limited growth conditions, whereas NADP-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase became derepressed . This GlnR- phenotype appeared to be caused by a mutation located in the early region of the P . aeruginosa PAO chromosomal map, close to hisIV59 . Partial suppression of the GlnR- phenotype due to a mutation located close to hisII4 was observed . These revertants were different from both the wild-type strain and the GlnR- mutant with respect to the regulation of the synthesis of glutamine synthetase, urease, and NADP-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase (GlnRc phenotype) . Also the regulation of glutamine synthetase activity by adenylylation/deadenylylation was altered in the revertants . The results suggest the presence of a regulatory gene that plays a role in the regulation of enzyme formation in response to the availability of ammonia. Biochem J, 1982 Jun 15, 204(3), 771 - 5 DL-a-Monofluoromethylputrescine is a potent irreversible inhibitor of Escherichia coli ornithine decarboxylase; Kallio A et al.; DL-alpha-Monofluoromethylputrescine (compound R.M.I . 71864) is an enzyme-activated irreversible inhibitor of the biosynthetic enzyme ornithine decarboxylase from Escherichia coli . This compound, however, has much less effect in vitro on ornithine decarboxylase obtained from Pseudomonas aeruginosa . These findings are in contrast with those previously found with the substrate analogue DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine (compound R.M.I . 71782) . The K1 of the DL-alpha-monofluoromethylputrescine for the E . coli ornithine decarboxylase is 110 microM, and the half-life (t1/2) calculated for an infinite concentration of inhibitor is 2.1 min . When DL-alpha-monofluoromethylputrescine is used in combination with DL-alpha-difluoromethylarginine (R.M.I . 71897), an irreversible inhibitor of arginine decarboxylase, in vivo in E . coli, both decarboxylase activities are inhibited (greater than 95%) but putrescine levels are only decreased to about one-third of control values and spermidine levels are slightly increased. Eur J Biochem, 1982 Jun 15, 125(1), 229 - 37 Somatic Antigens of Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The structure of the polysaccharide chain of Ps.aeruginosa O:6 (Lanyi) lipopolysaccharide; Dmitriev BA et al.; An O-antigenic lipopolysaccharide, manifesting a high serological activity in the reaction of passive haemagglutination and its inhibition, was isolated from Pseudomonas aeruginosa O:6 cells (Lanyi) . Splitting-off of the lipid component by mild acid hydrolysis resulted in the polysaccharide deprived of O-specific activity . The polysaccharide chain of the lipopolysaccharide was made up exclusively of the residues of amino sugars, among which have been identified: 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-galactose (GalNAc), 2-acetamido-2,6-dideoxy-D-glucose (QuiNAc), 2-acetamido-2,6-dideoxy-D-galactose (FucNAc) as well as 2,3-diacetamido-2,3-dideoxy-D-glucuronic acid {Glc(NAc)2A} found naturally for the first time . The principal methods of establishing the polysaccharide structure were 13C nuclear magnetic resonance, methylation analysis and solvolysis with hydrogen fluoride . Depending on solvolysis conditions, a disaccharide or a trisaccharide containing the diacetamidouronic acid residue was formed . From the results obtained it followed that the polysaccharide chain of the O-antigenic Ps . aeruginosa O:6 lipopolysaccharide represents an acidic hexasaminoglycan constructed of the repeating tetrasaccharide units of the following structure: leads to 4)DGalNAc(alpha 1 leads to 4)DGlc(NAc)2A(beta 1 leads to 3)DFucNAc(alpha 1 leads to 3)DQuiNAc(alpha 1 leads to. Eur J Biochem, 1982 Jun 15, 125(1), 221 - 7 Somatic antigens of Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The structure of the O-specific polysaccharide chains of Ps.aeruginosa O:2 (Lanyi) lipopolysaccharides; Knirel YA et al.; Structural and immunochemical studies have been performed on the O-specific antigens of two serologically related types of Pseudomonas aeruginosa O:2a,b and O:2a,c (Lanyi's classification) . The O-specific polysaccharide chains of the two serotypes were shown to be acidic polysaccharides composed of repeating trisaccharide units consisting of L-rhamnose, N-acetyl-D-quinovosamine and N-acetyl-L-galactosaminuronic acid residues . Based on 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, data of methylation analysis and selective solvolysis with hydrogen fluoride, the repeating unit of the O:2a,c O-specific polysaccharide was assigned the following structure: leads to 4)LGalNAcA(alpha1 leads to 3)DQuiNAc(alpha1 leads to 3) LRha(alpha1, where GalNAcA = N-acetylgalactosaminuronic acid, QuiNAc = N-acetylquinovosamine and Rha = rhamnose . The O:2a,b O-specific polysaccharide had the same structure of the trisaccharide repeating unit but was distinguished by the presence of O-acetyl groups on 70-80% of the rhamnose residues in position 2 . The O-acetyl groups were located both by methylation with methyltrifluoromethane sulphonate and by comparison of the 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of the native and O-deacetylated polysaccharides . Serological studies revealed the determinant role of the O-acetyl groups in the O-antigen O:2a,b and suggested the O-factor 2b to be related to the 2-O-acetyl-L-rhamnose residue, whereas the O-factor 2c was probably determined by the nonacetylated rhamnose residue . The dominant moiety of the determinant 2a common to the two antigens was obviously presented by the N-acetyl-L-galactosaminuronic acid residue. Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1982 Jun, 252(2), 248 - 56 Extracellular toxins of Pseudomonas aeruginosa . IV . Radioimmunoassay for detection of elastase; Obernesser HJ et al.; A sensitive and specific solid phase radioimmunoassay (RIA) for detection of the elastase (Ela) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) was developed and the RIA was used to assay 10 PA strains of various origin and serotype . A great strain variability of Ela production was found which differed from 94.1 to 0.1 microgram per ml of culture supernatant fluid (CSF) . The Ela and alkaline protease (AP) concentrations were converted to proteolytic activity and combined . The sum of the calculated enzymatic values of Ela and AP correlated well with the experimentally determined values of total proteolytic activity of the CSF. Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1982 Jun, 252(2), 239 - 47 Extracellular toxins of Pseudomonas aeruginosa . III . Radioimmunoassay for detection of alkaline protease; Doring G et al.; A sensitive and specific solid phase radioimmunoassay (RIA) for detection of the alkaline protease (AP) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) was developed and the RIA was used to assay 10 PA strains of various origin and serotype . A great strain variability of AP production was found which differed from 180 to 0.1 microgram per ml of culture supernatant fluid (CSF) . The AP concentrations were compared to the total proteolytic activity of the CSF and the results were discussed in relation to cystic fibrosis patients suffering from chronical PA lung infections. Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1982 Jun, 252(2), 230 - 8 {Comparative studies of the enrichment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in asparagine, malachite green, and acetamide broths and the isolation on cetrimide and endo agar}; Geuenich HH et al.; We studied the efficience of the following broths for the enrichment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa: asparagine broth, malachite green broth, acetamide broth I (1% acetamide) and II (0.2% acetamide) . A total of 275 P . aeruginosa containing sewage water samples was investigated . We isolated 784 P . aeruginosa strains . 6.3% of them produced no pyocyane . Until now the acetamide broth was used only diagnosticly but it can be employed also for enrichment . The acetamide broths had yields of 85.1%, 78.0% respectively . The asparagine broth showed a yield of 73.8% and the malachite green broth of 62.9% (Table 1) . The comparison of the two used agars showed isolation quotas of 77.1% on cetrimide agar and of 58.3% on endo agar (Table 1) . Incubation at 36 degrees C during 48 hours yielded more strains in all broths, the most in malachite green broth . However, the acetamid broth I showed already a decay of some organisms (Table 2). Pathol Biol (Paris), 1982 Jun, 30(6 Pt 2), 563 - 7 {Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteriaemia: new clinical and therapeutic aspects }; Janbon F et al.; Fifty one cases of Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteriaemia observed during the last 12 years are reported . Thirty five patients were over fifty years old; 92 p . cent were admitted for several days and about 50 p . cent were in post-operative period . A previous antibiotherapy and an impaired status are promotive factors . The respiratory or peritoneal origins are the most frequent . All patients were feverish; 24 have had an infectious shock which was inaugural in 12 cases . Seven pneumonitis, 3 endocarditis, one pericarditis and 2 osteitis were observed . An ecthyma gangrenosum was noted in three patients . Mortality was 70 p . cent . Comparison between recovered and died patients improved bad prognosis of old age, post operative period, neoplasic, previous organica weakness and pulmonary or peritoneal origins . Used alone, colimycin has seemed to be more effective than aminosid antibiotics; but their association with betalactamins was better . An in vitro study of the susceptibility of 100 Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains has proved the interest of piperacillin and cefsulodin; azlocillin, cefoperazone and ceftriaxone are just less effective. Pathol Biol (Paris), 1982 Jun, 30(6 Pt 2), 549 - 54 {Combined in vitro effect of new betalactam antibiotics and aminoglycosides against Pseudomonas aeruginosa }; Thabaut A et al.; The association of 11 betalactam antibiotics (carbenicillin, ticarcillin, azlocillin, piperacillin, mezlocillin, cefotaxim, cefoperazone, ceftriaxon, moxalactam, cefsulodin, ceftazidim) with each of the 3 aminoglycosides (gentamicin, tobramycin, amikacin) were studied by the broth dilution method ("checkboard" technic) against 6 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa chosen as a function of their "phenotype" . The coefficient of synergy (FIC and FBC) were calculated for the 198 combinations (33 combinations per strain) . Bacteriostatic synergy was observed in 18 per cent of the cases and bactericidal synergy in 48 per cent . Synergic association were found to be a function of phenotype . Synergy was rarely observed against bacterial strains resistant to aminoglycosides . Synergy was most frequently observed with two antibiotics in intermediate potency, or an active aminoglycosides combined with an active betalactam antibiotic . The combination containing amikacin produced the most synergy. Pathol Biol (Paris), 1982 Jun, 30(6 Pt 2), 510 - 2 {In vitro action of new beta-lactams on hospital strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa producing beta-lactamases }; Moillo-Batt A et al.; A list of 117 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa has been selected for the resistance to carbenicillin . The study of these strains has shown that 22 p . cent were producing a constitutive beta-lactamase . These enzymes could be classified in CARB, TEM-type enzyme and OXA . A relation between their production of beta-lactamases and the MIC has been established. J S Afr Vet Assoc, 1982 Jun, 53(2), 124 - 6 {The use of amikacin in the treatment of endometritis caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in mares}; van Dyk E et al.; After isolation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from endometrial biopsies of 6 mares they were treated with amikacin sulphate . Three were treated by intra-uterine application of the drug, in one the drug was given by intramuscular injection, in another the intravenous route was used while in the last mare simultaneous local and intravenous treatment was applied . An intra-uterine Tris-EDTA instillation preceeded the uterine amikacin instillations to aid in the breakdown of the capsule around the bacterium . Serum concentrations of amikacin were determined after intravenous and intramuscular administration . The highest concentration of 15 microgram/ml was reached 1 hour after intravenous injection . After 12 hours the blood concentration was below the therapeutic level . To maintain effective levels injection must be repeated 6-8 hourly . All mares treated by the intra-uterine or intravenous routes recovered . The importance of obtaining cultures from uterine biopsies is stressed as Pseudomonas was cultured only once from the conventional cervical swab while the other 5 mares had negative cervical swabs. Can J Microbiol, 1982 Jun, 28(6), 679 - 85 Interaction of pseudomonas exoproducts with phagocytic cells; Weber B et al.; Polymorphonuclear leukocytes play the major role in host defense against infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa; however, mononuclear cells also may contribute to defense against pulmonary infections with P . aeruginosa . Therefore, we examined the effects of three extracellular products of P . aeruginosa, exotoxin A, alkaline protease, and elastase, on the function of phagocytic cells . Phagocytosis or killing, protein synthesis, and membrane integrity were used as assays of cellular function . Pseudomonas toxin readily inhibited protein synthesis in mouse peritoneal macrophages; in contrast, proteolytic enzymes did not alter protein synthesis, but transiently decreased the sensitivity of macrophages to toxin . High levels of toxin reduced protein synthesis in human peripheral polymorphonuclear leukocytes but did not alter the ability of these cells to kill P . aeruginosa . Elastase and alkaline protease did not cause release of marker enzymes and did not directly inhibit the bactericidal activity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes; killing was reduced due to inactivation of complement components . In conclusion, these potential virulence products do not modify phagocyte function directly and thus do not directly interfere with host response in pseudomonas infections. Can J Microbiol, 1982 Jun, 28(6), 636 - 42 Glycogen and various other polysaccharides stimulate the formation of exolipase by Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Schulte G et al.; Glycogen enhances the formation of exolipase by Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027 although the cells cannot utilize it as sole carbon and energy source . Glycogen is unable to influence exolipase activities in conditioned media after removal of the cells . Treatment of cells with glycogen does not promote overall protein synthesis but inhibitors of protein synthesis (e.g., rifampicin and chloramphenicol) prevent the glycogen effect, suggesting that specific de novo protein synthesis is required . In addition to glycogen, 5 other polysaccharides (among 13 tested) were found to have exolipase-enhancing ability . The results are discussed with regard to the detachment hypothesis of U.K . Winkler and M . Stuckmann (1979 . J . Bacteriol . 138: 663-670) . According to this hypothesis polysaccharides are assumed to dislocate cell-bound lipase to the medium via specific interactions with the bacterial cell surface. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1982 Jun, 21(6), 939 - 43 Activities of various beta-lactams and aminoglycosides, alone and in combination, against isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from patients with cystic fibrosis; Scribner RK et al.; The inhibitory and bactericidal activities of carbenicillin, ticarcillin, moxalactam, cefoperazone, azlocillin, piperacillin, ceftazidime, and three aminoglycosides, alone and in various combinations, were determined against 60 isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from the sputum of patients with cystic fibrosis . Ceftazidime was the most active beta-lactam, with minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations for 90% of isolates of 4 micrograms/ml . Moxalactam was the least active of the new beta-lactams, with activity equivalent to that of carbenicillin; each had a minimum inhibitory concentration for 90% of isolates of 64 micrograms/ml and a minimum bactericidal concentration for 90% of isolates of 128 microgram/ml . All combinations of an aminoglycoside plus a beta-lactam showed favorable inhibitory effects . Combinations of beta-lactams showed mostly addition or indifference . Although little antagonism was seen with combinations of beta-lactams or with aminoglycoside-beta-lactam combinations, no consistent advantage of beta-lactam combinations was demonstrated in vitro . These results suggest several single drugs and combinations that merit clinical evaluation in cystic fibrosis patients with Pseudomonas pulmonary infections. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1982 Jun, 21(6), 1007 - 10 Penetration of the outer membrane of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by synergistic combinations of beta-lactam and aminoglycoside antibiotics; Scudamore RA et al.; The mechanism of the synergistic action of carbenicillin-gentamicin and moxalactam-tobramycin combinations against Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027 was investigated . Disruption of the outer membrane penetration barrier by EDTA treatment enhanced the activity of both combinations against the cells during growth for 100 min in exponential phase . However, there was no loss of the synergistic activity of the antibiotics as a result of this treatment . A procedure involving minimal inhibitory concentration testing in the presence of rifampin did not detect any destabilization of the outer membrane barrier by any of the four drugs over an 18-h period . The combined evidence indicates that beta-lactamaminoglycoside synergy is not mediated by the outer membrane of this organism. Antibiotiki, 1982 Jun, 27(6), 416 - 8 {Combined effect of ethonium and antibiotics on Pseudomonas aeruginosa}; Sologub VV et al.; The combined effect of ethonium and 5 antibiotics belonging to different groups was studied with 30 clinical strains of P . aeruginosa . A 2--8-fold increase in the activity of kanamycin and tetracycline against some strains was observed . The MIC of carbenicillin, polymycin M and cefotaxime was lowered by 2--6 times and with respect to some strains by 16--32 times . The detergent is recommended to be used in combination with some antibiotics in treatment of infections caused by resistant strains of P . aeruginosa. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1982 Jun, (6), 91 - 5 {Changes in the anti-infection immunity indices of esophageal cancer patients undergoing combined immunization against staphylococcal and Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections}; Kochetkova VA et al.; The method of the complex immunization of patients with esophageal cancer against the main causative agents of purulent infections has been developed . Purified concentrated staphylococcal toxoid and polyvalent corpuscular P . aeruginosa vaccine were used for the immunization of 26 patients . Immunization was carried out in 3 injections (11 patients) and 4 injections (15 patients) made at intervals of 7 days . This resulted in the activation of nonspecific immunity factors (the total bactericidal properties of the blood serum, the phagocytic activity of neutrophils, the increase of the IgG level) and in a considerable increase in the factors of specific protection against staphylococcal and P . aeruginosa infections: the titer of staphylococcal anti-alpha-toxin increased 7- to 11-fold and the titer of antibodies to P . aeruginosa antibodies increased 5- to 6.5-fold . The preoperative vaccination of patients decreased the occurrence of postoperative purulent complications from 71% to 11.5%. Pathol Biol (Paris), 1982 Jun, 30(6), 426 - 31 {Synergistic activity between ticarcillin, azlocillin, cefsulodin, ceftazidime and tobramycin or amikacin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (author's transl)}; Petit JC et al.; Activity of azlocillin, cefsulodin, ceftazidime, ticarcillin in combination with amikacin or tobramycin was investigated against 17 Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates . Synergistic activity was evaluated by the microtiter checkerboard technique . The bactericidal effect of the antibiotic combination was determined by subculturing onto agar and into broth . Synergistic activities of cefsulodin and ticarcillin combined with amikacin or tobramycin were similar in the inhibitory as well as in the bactericidal tests . Synergistic effects of the combination of ceftazidime and amikacin or tobramycin were moderate or indifferent in the inhibitory and bactericidal tests . The combination of azlocillin and amikacin or tobramycin produced synergistic effects greater in bactericidal tests than in inhibitory tests . The bactericidal synergistic activities of the combinations of azlocillin, cefsulodin, ticarcillin were similar . There was no difference between amikacin and tobramycin combined with a beta-lactamine . Antagonism was not observed . A synergistic effect of the combinations was observed against 4 isolates resistant to tobramycin and/or ticarcillin . However the result of the interaction seemed to depend upon the level of resistance to the antibiotic : if the MIC or the MBC of either antibiotic in the test combination was very high, synergy could not be achieved. Pathol Biol (Paris), 1982 Jun, 30(6), 398 - 404 {Regrowth in post-antibiotic period . A new approach based on the early response of the growth curve (author's transl)}; Yourassowsky E et al.; Growth curve studies (MS-2 Abbott) of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa cultures submitted to different beta-lactams concentrations showed that a) the maximal values of residual growth (MVRG) observed in the first hours of contact between antibiotic and bacteria was either concentration dependent (carbenicillin, ticarcillin, moxalactam, ceftazidime, cefsulodin against Escherichia coli) or concentration independent (azlocillin, mezlocillin, piperacillin against E . coli and all beta-lactams against P . aeruginosa) ; b) a relationship was found between MVRG and lag of regrowth in the postantibiotic period ; c) the MVRG independent of antibiotic concentration was associated with filament formation . This observation may contribute to athe best choice of the mode of administration of an antibiotic in therapeutic field (peak level or plateau). Pathol Biol (Paris), 1982 Jun, 30(6), 394 - 7 {Comparison of the antimicrobial activity of pefloxacin (1589 RB), nalidixic acid and flumequin (author's transl)}; Thabaut A et al.; The MIC of the four quinolones were determined for 839 bacterial isolates . The mean in vitro activity of pefloxacin against strains susceptible to nalidixic acid was found to be four times greater than flumequin, eight times greater than pipemidic acid, sixteen times greater than nalidixic acid . On resistant strains pefloxacin, at levels lower than 32 micrograms/ml, remained active against 67 go 100 per cent of the strains as a function of bacterial species . Streptocoques D and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, resistant to other quinolones, were found to be susceptible to pefloxacin. J Clin Microbiol, 1982 Jun, 15(6), 1054 - 8 Detection by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays of antibody specific for Pseudomonas proteases and exotoxin A in sera from cystic fibrosis patients; Jagger KS et al.; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were developed to measure serum antibody specific for Pseudomonas elastase, alkaline protease, and exotoxin A . Antibody responses to each Pseudomonas antigen were measured in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients who were not colonized with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, in those who were colonized, in those who were chronically infected with this organism, and in control subjects . Antibody levels for each antigen in the colonized and infected CF patients were higher than levels in uncolonized CF patients or non-CF control subjects . The antibody responses to elastase were similar in patients of the colonized and infected groups . However, infected CF patients had significantly elevated levels of antibody to exotoxin A (P less than 0.01) and alkaline protease (P less than 0.05) when compared with patients simply colonized with P . aeruginosa . These findings confirm that Pseudomonas alkaline protease, elastase, and exotoxin A are produced by Pseudomonas strains which colonize and infect CF patients . As an adjunct to established procedures (X-ray, microbiological culture, etc.), the antitoxin and anti-protease enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays may be clinically useful tests for differentiating colonized CF patients from those who have more severe Pseudomonas pulmonary infections. Infect Immun, 1982 Jun, 36(3), 1223 - 8 Contribution of toxin A and elastase to virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in chronic lung infections of rats; Woods DE et al.; A chronic pulmonary infection model in rats was employed to assess the role of individual Pseudomonas aeruginosa exoproducts in disease due to this organism . Groups of rats were inoculated transtracheally with agar beads in which were embedded approximately 10(4) colony-forming units of P . aerugijnosa PAO and the PAO derivatives PR1, T1, E64, and a mixture of T1 and E64 in equal numbers (10(4)) . Eight animals from each group were sacrificed at 3, 9, and 30 days after challenge, and their lungs were examined for histopathological changes, bacterial numbers, and the presence of P . aeruginosa exoproducts . The Tox- mutant T1 and the PR1 mutant, which produces enzymatically inactive toxin A, were both found to be less virulent in the rat lung model than was the toxigenic parental strain PAO . Pathological changes seen in animals infected with these mutants were restricted to intra- and peribronchial inflammation, whereas the toxigenic parental strain caused parenchymal changes, including a dense mononuclear-cell infiltration in the alveolar spaces in addition to intra- and peribronchial inflammation . Additionally, mutant E64, which produces a temperature-sensitive elastase, was also found to be less virulent in the rat lung model than was the parental strain . These data demonstrate that both active toxin A and elastase are required for maximum virulence of P . aeruginosa in this model. J Bacteriol, 1982 Jun, 150(3), 1221 - 6 Phospholipase C regulatory mutation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa that results in constitutive synthesis of several phosphate-repressible pro