Pseudomonas aeruginosa

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 proteins; Gray GL et al.; We describe here a new mutant of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO, strain D10C (genotype plcB), which produces phospholipase C and alkaline phosphatase constitutively . Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the extracellular proteins produced by this mutant in high- and low-Pi media revealed that the mutation resulted in a marked deficiency of one major Pi-regulated protein of 41,000 molecular weight and constitutive synthesis of all other major extracellular Pi-regulated proteins . Furthermore, the plcB mutant was deficient in phosphate transport . A plcA mutation, which also led to a loss of the 41,000-molecular-weight protein, was similarly deficient in Pi transport . The genetic loci, plcA and plcB, located at 22 to 23 min on the PAO chromosome, were indistinguishable by conjugational and transductional mapping, and may therefore be in the same gene or in a cluster of genes which regulate the synthesis of Pi-repressible proteins.

Pathol Biol (Paris), 1982 Jun, 30(6), 440 - 3
{Comparison of in vitro bacteriostatic effect of five betalactamins against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (author's transl)}; Lesage D et al.; In vitro activity of two penicillins (ticarcillin and azlocillin) and three cephalosporins (cefoperazone, cefsulodin and ceftazidime) was compared against one hundred clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa originated in two different Paris hospitals . Twenty strains were resistant to carbenicillin at a concentration of 128 mg/l . Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined by a twofold agar dilution method . The required ceftazidime concentration to inhibit 90 p . cent of the carbenicillin-susceptible isolates was 1,9 mg/l . To achieve the same inhibition, 3,9 mg of cefsulodin, 12 mg of cefoperazone, 14 mg of azlocillin or 38 mg of ticarcillin per liter were needed . Against the 209 carbenicillin-resistant isolates, ceftazidime remained active at concentrations lower than 2 mg/l in 90 p . cent of the cases . To obtain such an inhibition with the other antibiotics higher concentrations were needed.

Arch Otolaryngol, 1982 Jun, 108(6), 329 - 33
Moxalactam therapy . Its use in chronic suppurative otitis media and malignant external otitis; Haverkos HW et al.; Moxalactam disodium is a new broad-spectrum antibiotic structurally related to the cephalosporins . Eleven patients with chronic suppurative otitis media with mastoiditis and four patients with malignant external otitis were treated with moxalactam . Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated from external ear or mastoid in all patients . Twelve of 15 patients had undergone prior surgical procedures and 11 of 15 had failed recent antibiotic therapy . Three patients with malignant external otitis did not respond to parenteral carboxypenicillin and aminoglycoside therapy . Success rate for chronic suppurative otitis media was 73% as judged by eradication of P aeruginosa and resolution of symptoms 30 days after moxalactam therapy . Two patients with malignant external otitis were cured, and two were unevaluable since they may have died of noninfectious causes . Moxalactam disodium, at a dosage of 9 g/day, may be useful for serious Pseudomonas ear infections, including those refractory to other antibiotic therapy.

J Allergy Clin Immunol, 1982 Jun, 69(6), 500 - 8
Antigen-specific desensitization of patients allergic to penicillin; Sullivan TJ; Three penicillin-allergic patients with life-endangering infections requiring beta-lactam antibiotic therapy were desensitized by means of increasing oral then parenteral doses and were treated with full doses of beta-lactam agents . Malignant otitis externa caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, osteomyelitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus, and bacterial endocarditis caused by an enterococcus were treated with carbenicillin, nafcillin, and benzylpenicillin G, respectively . No acute allergic reactions occurred during desensitization or within 1 wk of the onset of therapy . Immediate wheal and flare skin-test reactions to beta-lactam determinants diminished or became negative after the desensitization procedure in each patient . Wheal and flare responses provoked by histamine, compound 48/80, and environmental antigens were not affected by the desensitization procedure or continued beta-lactam drug therapy . Mild urticaria appeared after 15 days of penicillin therapy in one patient and after 23 days of carbenicillin therapy in another patient . Skin-test reactions to penicillin reagents had reverted to positive at the time of the urticarial reactions . One patient developed a severe immune hemolytic anemia after 10 days of therapy with nafcillin . The results of this study indicate that acute clinical desensitization of these three penicillin-allergic patients was associated with antigen-specific desensitization of tissue mast cells.

Arch Microbiol, 1982 Jun, 131(4), 344 - 6
Regulation of amidase formation in mutants from Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO lacking glutamine synthetase activity; Janssen DB et al.; The formation of amidase was studied in mutants from Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO lacking glutamine synthetase activity . It appeared that catabolite repression of amidase synthesis by succinate was partially relieved when cellular growth was limited by glutamine . Under these conditions, a correlation between amidase and urease formation was observed . The results suggest that amidase formation in strain PAO is subject to nitrogen control and that glutamine or some compound derived from it mediates the nitrogen repression of amidase.

Lancet, 1982 May 22, 1(8282), 1152 - 6
Ceftazidime--a new extended-spectrum cephalosporin; Gozzard DI et al.; 65 patients with serious infections, including 25 with septicaemia, were treated with ceftazidime, a new extended-spectrum cephalosporin . 80% of the infection were cured by the antibiotic . 11 of 12 infected patients who had malignant disease or were otherwise immunocompromised responded satisfactorily to ceftazidime; 7 of these 12 had infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The serum half-life of ceftazidime was 1.9 h in a patient with normal renal function . After a 1 g intravenous dose the antibiotic was present in pus, sputum, and bile in therapeutic concentrations . The antibiotics should prove a useful and non-toxic alternative to the aminoglycosides.

Lancet, 1982 May 8, 1(8280), 1037 - 40
Evaluation of phenoxetol-chlorhexidine cream as a prophylactic antibacterial agent in burns; Lawrence JC et al.; A controlled clinical trial was conducted to compare the value of a cream containing 2% phenoxetol and 0.2% chlorhexidine as a prophylactic agent against wound infection in patients with burns affecting up to 15% total body surface area . The acquisition of bacteria was similar in the two treatment groups but the incidence of Staphylococcus aureus in the burns treated with phenoxetol-chlorhexidine cream significantly lower . The incidence of gram-negative bacilli was low in the two treatment groups, and no wound yielded Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Unlike preparations containing silver, phenoxetol-chlorhexidine does not cause electrolyte imbalance or stain materials with which it comes into contact, and it did not produce adverse effects during this trial.

Biochim Biophys Acta, 1982 May 3, 703(2), 196 - 203
A circular dichroism study of sheath contraction in pyocin R1; Uratani Y; Pyocin R1, a bacteriocin of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, is a protein particle shaped like a bacteriophage tail composed of a contractile sheath, core, baseplate and tail fibers . Alkaline treatment with sodium carbonate caused sheath contraction without considerable disassembly of other components . Circular dichroism (CD) spectra of pyocin R1 before and after the treatment, and of isolated sheath, were measured in wavelength regions around 220 and 290 nm at neutral pH . The alkaline treatment caused a red shift of the minimum from 208 nm to 212 nm . A marked difference in the CD spectrum was found in the near-ultraviolet region . THe difference is considered to be mainly due to a CD spectra change of tryptophan residues in the sheath subunits.

Jpn J Antibiot, 1982 May, 35(5), 1233 - 9
{Susceptibilities of Pseudomonas species to aminoglycosides and tetracyclines}; Igari J et al.; Pseudomonas aeruginosa has attracted much attention through its role in hospital outbreaks of disease . However, other members of the genus Pseudomonas, particularly Pseudomonas maltophilia and Pseudomonas cepacia, may be isolated as opportunistic pathogens of man, and can be found in hospital materials . These organisms have been less susceptible to the commonly used antibiotics . This report deals with the in vitro sensitivity of Pseudomonas strains except for P . aeruginosa to aminoglycosides and tetracyclines . The following bacteria were tested: P . maltophilia (50 strains), P . fluorescens (29 strains), P . putida (52 strains), P . cepacia (49 strains), P . putrefaciens (18 strains), P . acidovorans (12 strains) . All of the strains for this study were isolated from routine cultures of infected clinical materials which sent to the Clinical Laboratories, Juntendo University Hospital during the 1 year period of 1980 . The tests for susceptibility of the strains to the 3 aminoglycosides (gentamicin, tobramycin, amikacin) and 3 tetracyclines (tetracycline, doxycycline, minocycline) were all performed by the serial 2-fold agar plate dilution method on heart infusion agar, standardized by the Japan Society of Chemotherapy, using the microplanter apparatus with an inoculum size of approximately 10(8) CFU/ml . There were similar sensitivity patterns for the aminoglycosides tested; most of the strains of P . maltophilia, P . cepacia and P . acidovorans were resistant to the aminoglycosides, while most of P . fluorescens, P . putida and P . putrefaciens were sensitive . Minocycline and doxycycline were extremely active to the Pseudomonas species studied . Tetracycline was almost ineffective against P . maltophilia and P . cepacia.

Jpn J Antibiot, 1982 May, 35(5), 1240 - 8
{Studies on the antimicrobial activities of gentamicin, amikacin, and tobramycin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated at Hokkaido University Hospital}; Sato K et al.; Antimicrobial activities of 3 aminoglycoside antibiotics, including gentamicin (GM), amikacin (AMK) and tobramycin (TOB), were determined against 1,714 Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains isolated from clinical specimens in this hospital during 3 years since April of 1976 to March of 1979 . From these results, some discussions were made as follows . 1) MIC ranges, to which about 70% of strains tested distributed, were 3.13--6.25 micrograms/ml of GM, 3.13--12.5 micrograms/ml of AMK, and 0.78--3.13 micrograms/ml of TOB in each year . 2) Frequency of drug-resistant strain, which showed 12.5 micrograms/ml or more MIC value in any drug, was highest in AMK and lowest in TOB in each year . 3) Drug-resistant strain-frequency to any one of 3 drugs tested was lowest in 1977, and higher in 1976 than in 1978 . It was not supposed that this phenomenon should be undoubtedly caused by the amount of drugs used in each year in this hospital . 4) Frequency of highly TOB-resistant strain increased year by year during the period studied, unlike both cases of other 2 antibiotics . 5) Cross resistance was most frequently observed between GM and TOB, and more between GM and AMK than between TOB and AMK . 6) It was considered that anti- Ps . aeruginosa-activity was highest in TOB followed by GM and by AMK . 7) It was suggested that there seemed to be some qualitative difference between antimicrobial activity of AMK and those of GM and TOB.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1982 May, (5), 70 - 5
{Experimental immunological effectiveness and safety of pyoimmunogen vaccine against Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection}; Stanislavskii ES et al.; Pyoimmunogen, a polycomponent vaccine against P . aeruginosa infection, has been obtained in laboratory and semi-industrial conditions . The microbial biomass obtained from the strains belonging to O-serotypes (immunotypes) most frequently occurring in clinical practice has been used for producing protective antigens . The preparations have been found to contain proteins (peptides) and carbohydrates in the ratio 6 : 1 to 8 : 1, as well as traces of 2-keto-3-desoxyoctanate, which is indicative of the low content of endotoxin . The immunogenicity of the preparations has been studied experimentally by the active immunization of mice . In these experiments the animals vaccinated in a single injection were found to be protected from challenge with both homologous and heterologous P . aeruginosa strains . The high level of protection from infection caused by toxigenic strain PA-103 was registered . The preparations have low toxicity: LD50 for mice exceeds 2 mg (in protein content): after the multiple administration (7-10 times) of the preparation to mice and rats the weight of the experimental animals was not significantly different from the weight of the control animals.

J Clin Microbiol, 1982 May, 15(5), 926 - 30
Pseudomonas aeruginosa: changes in antibiotic susceptibility, enzymatic activity, and antigenicity among colonial morphotypes; Sheehan DJ et al.; Colonial variants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa have received renewed interest because of their occurrence in sputum cultures of patients with cystic fibrosis . We encountered 11 strains of P . aeruginosa from various body sites of non-cystic fibrosis patients . The strains showed two to three colonial variants, including smooth, rough, and iridescent morphotypes that arose from subculture of a single colony of P . aeruginosa originating from a primary source . The colonial segregants differed in antibiotic susceptibility (resistance to gentamicin, carbenicillin, chloramphenicol, and tetracycline), presence or absence of exoenzymes (gelatinase and elastase), degree of proteolytic activity (caseinase), pigmentation, and antigenicity . These observations suggest that in vivo dissociation with concomitant changes in enzymatic and surface properties might greatly enhance invasiveness . Concurrent differences in antimicrobial susceptibility among the colonial variants could account in some instances for the failure of antibiotic treatment in P . aeruginosa infections in which one would anticipate a positive therapeutic response.

Genetika, 1982 May, 18(5), 743 - 52
{Interaction of Pseudomonas aeruginosa plasmids and mu-like phages: the suppression of the early stages of cell infection by phage D3112 in the presence of plasmid RPL11}; Krylov VN et al.; The growth of Mu-like, D3112, B39 and B3 bacteriophages of Pseudomonas aeruginosa on bacterial strains containing R plasmids was studied . Plasmids RPL11, Rms148 and Rms163 were shown to interfere with phage growth: 1) D3112 and B39 phages do not produce plaques on a lawn of PAO1 (Rms148) giving e.o.p . less than 10(-9); 2) RPL11 plasmid restricts phage D3112 growth (e.o.p . less than 10(-9), the growth of phage B3 being also restricted by this plasmid, though in considerably less extent; 3) phage B39 makes small and very turbid plaques on a lawn of PAO1 (Rms163) with e.o.p . 0,13, while c mutants form clear plaques on this lawn and grow with e.o.p . 1,0 . The interference of plasmid RPL11 with phage D3112 growth was examined in detail . The plasmid did not affect phage D3112 adsorption and no restriction of phage DNA in R+ cells was found . However, phage genes controlling establishment of lysogeny and the lytic cycle were not expressed after infection . It was observed though, that if a cell contains both prophage D3112 and plasmid RPL11, no interference with repressor synthesis or phage development takes place after induction of prophage . The results obtained allow to conclude that: 1) RPL11 plasmid interference with phage D3112 growth is caused by the plasmid effect on one of the early stages in the development preceding phage DNA integration; 2) the process of primary integration after infection and that of reintegration of DNA after prophage induction are likely to differ.

Infect Immun, 1982 May, 36(2), 504 - 9
Differences in phagocytosis and killing by alveolar macrophages from humans, rabbits, rats, and hamsters; Nguyen BY et al.; Phagocytosis and killing by alveolar macrophages from humans, rabbits, rats, and hamsters, were compared in vitro . In the absence of serum opsonins, human alveolar macrophages could phagocytize Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I (protein A positive), but not S . aureus EMS (protein A negative) or Pseudomonas aeruginosa MN . In contrast, rabbit, rat, and hamster alveolar macrophages did not phagocytize S . aureus Cowan I or other nonopsonized bacteria . Human alveolar macrophages, but not other species, stained positively with fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated protein A . When opsonized bacterial were studied, phagocytosis by human, rabbit, and hamster alveolar macrophages was found to be mediated by both Fc and C3 receptors . However, only Fc receptor-mediated phagocytosis of bacteria was demonstrated for rat alveolar macrophages . Differences were also found in the kinetics of bacterial killing by alveolar macrophages from different species . Human and rabbit alveolar macrophages rapidly killed opsonized S . aureus Cowan I . However, bacterial killing by hamster alveolar macrophages proceeded at a slower rate, and rat alveolar macrophages completely failed to kill S . aureus . These significant differences in the function of alveolar macrophages from four different species emphasize the need to document the appropriateness of animal models before using them to predict the biological activities of human alveolar macrophages.

Am J Hosp Pharm, 1982 May, 39(5), 832 - 5
Microbiologic quality assurance for intravenous admixtures in a small hospital; Doss HL et al.; A simple, inexpensive method for end-product testing of intravenous admixtures for microbial contamination was developed and tested by challenging the system with low levels of microbial contamination . The 16-step procedure for testing i.v . admixtures for microbial contamination used total-sample membrane filtration A 0.2-micrometers Nalgene filter unit was used; the entire contents of randomly selected admixtures were to be filtered and discarded under the procedure . Filters were incubated on sheep-blood agar plates for 48 hours at 35 degrees C . Low concentrations (Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were used to contaminate admixtures deliberately to challenge the system . Seventy-two solutions were contaminated with each microbe; 72 other solutions were inoculated with sterile 0.9% sodium chloride; and 72 uninoculated solutions served as controls . Filtration was performed on a laboratory bench to prevent contamination of the laminar-flow hood . In deliberately contaminated solutions, a mean of 82% of inoculated organisms was isolated by membrane filtration . Five instances of adventitious contamination were noted among the 288 samples; these occurred across all experimental groups . Cost per sample was $4-5 . This system can be used by hospital pharmacists to produce documentation of quality assurance that will be acceptable in terms of cost, simplicity, and accuracy.

J Infect Dis, 1982 May, 145(5), 688 - 98
Toxoid from exotoxin A of Pseudomonas aeruginosa: preparation and characterization; Pollack M et al.; Toxoid was prepared by treating exotoxin A of Pseudomonas aeruginosa with formalin . Coincubation of exotoxin A for two to four weeks at 37 degrees C with 0.5% formalin and 10(-3) M lysine followed by one to two weeks of storage in the absence of these reagents reduced cytotoxicity, preserved antigenicity, and minimized subsequent reversion of the toxoid . Formalin enhanced the adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-ribosyl transferase activity of the toxin while decreasing its toxicity, whereas formalin plus lysine reduced both . Although no antigenic changes were detected by immunodiffusion analysis, analysis by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed minor alterations in the toxin structure . Toxoid induced high titers of antibody to exotoxin A in the sera of mice and rabbits . Antiserum to toxoid neutralized mouse lethality, cytotoxicity, and ADP-ribosyl transferase activity of untreated exotoxin A . Toxoid-immunized mice were resistant to large doses of exotoxin A administered iv.

Biochem J, 1982 May 1, 203(2), 445 - 51
The kinetics of electron transfer between pseudomonas aeruginosa cytochrome c-551 and its oxidase; Silvestrini MC et al.; The redox reaction between cytochrome c-551 and its oxidase from the respiratory chain of pseudomonas aeruginosa was studied by rapid-mixing techniques at both pH7 and 9.1 . The electron transfer in the direction of cytochrome c-551 reduction, starting with the oxidase in the reduced and CO-bound form, is monophasic, and the governing bimolecular rate constants are 1.3(+/- 0.2) x 10(7) M-1 . s-1 at pH 9.1 and 4 (+/- 1) x 10(6) M-1 . s-1 at pH 7.0 . In the opposite direction, i.e . mixing the oxidized oxidase with the reduced cytochrome c-551 in the absence of O2, both a lower absorbance change and a more complex kinetic pattern were observed . With oxidized azurin instead of oxidized cytochrome c-551 the oxidation of the c haem in the CO-bound oxidase is also monophasic, and the second-order rate constant is 2 (+/- 0.7) x 10(6) M-1 . s-1 at pH 9.1 . The redox potential of the c haem in the oxidase, as obtained from kinetic titrations of the completely oxidized enzyme with reduced azurin as the variable substrate, is 288 mV at pH 7.0 and 255 mV at pH 9.1 . This is in contrast with the very high affinity observed in similar titrations performed with both oxidized azurin and oxidized cytochrome c-551 starting from the CO derivative of the reduced oxidase . It is concluded that: (i) azurin and cytochrome c-551 are not equally efficient in vitro as reducing substrates of the oxidase in the respiratory chain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa; (ii) CO ligation to the d1 haem in the oxidase induces a large decrease (at least 80 mV) in the redox potential of the c-haem moiety.

J Bacteriol, 1982 May, 150(2), 730 - 8
Outer membrane protein P of Pseudomonas aeruginosa: regulation by phosphate deficiency and formation of small anion-specific channels in lipid bilayer membranes; Hancock RE et al.; A new major outer membrane protein, P, was induced in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 upon growth in medium containing 0.2 mM or less inorganic phosphate . Studies with media containing different levels of phosphate and with mutants of PAO1 suggested that protein P was coregulated with alkaline phosphatase and phospholipase C . Protein P was substantially purified and shown to form sodium dodecyl sulfate-resistant oligomers on polyacrylamide gels . The incorporation of purified protein P into artificial lipid bilayers resulted in an increase of the membrane conductance by many orders of magnitude . Single-channel experiments demonstrated that protein P channels were substantially smaller than all previously studied porins from P . aeruginosa and enteric bacteria, with an average single-channel conductance in 1 M NaCl of 0.25 nS . The protein P channel was apparently not voltage induced or regulated . The results of single-channel conductance experiments, using a variety of different salts, allowed a minimum channel diameter estimate of 0.7 nm . Furthermore, from these results it was concluded that the protein P channel was highly specific for anions . Zero-current potential measurements confirmed that protein P was at least 30-fold more permeable for Cl- than for K+ ions . The possible biological role of the small, anion-specific protein P channels in phosphate uptake from the medium is discussed.

J Clin Microbiol, 1982 May, 15(5), 777 - 86
Cefoperazone disk diffusion susceptibility test: confirmation of the tentative interpretive criteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa cross-resistance, and determination of quality control performance limits; Jones RN et al.; Cefoperazone disk diffusion test and minimum inhibitory concentration comparison studies were performed on 421 recent bacterial isolates, using 30- and 75-micrograms commercially prepared disks . Acceptable correlation coefficients (-0.82 to -0.86) and very major (false-susceptible) interpretive error rates (less than 1%) were obtained with both disk concentrations . The interpretive criteria for both disks were identical . Using the preferred 75-micrograms disk, the Thornsberry et al . criteria (J . Clin . Microbiol . 15:769-776, 1982) of greater than or equal to 18 mm = susceptible (less than or equal to 32 micrograms/ml) and less than or equal to 14 mm = resistant (greater than 64 micrograms/ml) resulted in only 5.5% of strains having indeterminate-range zone diameters; the 30-micrograms disk had 6.9% of strains with indeterminate zone diameters . The 75-micrograms disk, excluding the testing of enterococci, minimized the very major and other interpretive errors to less than 5% . Larger zone diameters will contribute few technical problems with either disk concentration . Data from 1,320 zone diameters submitted for each quality control strain indicated no significant (P greater than 0.05) difference between disks made by the three major manufacturers, and consistent results were obtained within each laboratory with numerous lots of Mueller-Hinton agar (except for one manufacturer) . Individual daily test and accuracy quality control ranges were calculated from clinical investigator laboratory data at 16 hospitals based on mean zone sizes and from an additional 8 laboratories with both mean and median calculations . The quality control data were nearly identical, and ranges calculated by the two methods were very similar . Susceptibility tests of Pseudomonas aeruginosa indicate that the cefoperazone disk or minimum inhibitory concentration test would accurately predict P . aeruginosa susceptibility test results for other pseudomonas-active cephalosporins (cefsulodin and ceftazidime), thus producing no very major interpretive errors.

J Immunol, 1982 May, 128(5), 2121 - 5
Induction in mice of cell-mediated immunity to Pseudomonas aeruginosa by high molecular weight polysaccharide and vinblastine; Pier GB et al.; The effect of the cytotoxic drug vinblastine on the development of immunity to high m.w . polysaccharide (PS) isolated from culture supernates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was investigated . One microgram of PS, a normally nonimmunogenic, nonprotective dose, plus 75 micrograms of vinblastine were administered to BALB/c mice, and afforded protection to live organism challenge with the homologous strain . The kinetics and serotype specificity of the immune response indicated an active immunization had occurred . Analyses of serum antibody levels of mice given the PS-drug regimen in a sensitive, radioactive antigen-binding assay (RABA) failed to show development of antibody to the immunizing PS . Immunity could be passively transferred with spleen cells but not by serum from PS-drug-immunized animals, and the effector cell was removed by antisera to the Thy-1.2 antigen . Nu/nu mice were also protected against challenge after immunization with PS and vinblastine, but this protection was observed in association with the development of serum antibody to PS in these mice, as measured in the RABA . Protective immunity could not be elicited in the BALB/c mice by PS plus cyclophosphamide . These data suggest that under certain conditions, PS antigens can elicit T cell-dependent immune phenomena, and this T cell-dependent immunity can protect mice from live organism challenge against an extracellular bacterial pathogen.

J Clin Gastroenterol, 1982 Apr, 4(2), 145 - 8
Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis with ecthyma gangrenosum due to Escherichia coli; Rajan RK; Ecthyma gangrenosum caused by Escherichia coli (E . coli) occurred in a decompensated alcoholic cirrhotic patient with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis due to the same organism . Ecthyma is usually associated with systemic sepsis from Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Isolated instances due to other bacteria have been reported, but its occurrence in spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, of which the predominant causative organism is E . coli, is unique . The frequency, varied etiology, and pathogenesis of ecthyma are briefly reviewed.

Eur J Clin Microbiol, 1982 Apr, 1(2), 112 - 7
Opsonization and phagocytosis of mucoid and non-mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains; Meshulam T et al.; The interaction between Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains (6 non-mucoid and 4 mucoid strains), serum factors and phagocytic cells was investigated . Strains were incubated in different concentrations of normal serum, chelated serum (with only the alternative complement pathway intact), IgG, Cls, C2 and C3 deficient serum and immune serum . After incubation complement consumption, C3 fixation and phagocytosis by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) were measured . In contrast to normal serum, immune serum raised against a mucoid and a non-mucoid strain exhibited heat-stable opsonic activity . All ten Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains were able to activate complement in 20% normal serum, leading to deposition of the activated form of the third complement component on the bacterial cell wall and to subsequent recognition and phagocytosis . One mucoid and four non-mucoid strains activated the alternative complement pathway and were effectively opsonized in chelated or in Cls, C2 or IgG deficient serum . Although mucoid strains were less able to activate complement via the alternative route, no differences were observed in opsonic requirements and phagocytosis between mucoid and non-mucoid strains.

In Vitro, 1982 Apr, 18(4), 369 - 76
A tracheal culture model of respiratory tract infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Baker NR et al.; The pathogenesis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa for the respiratory tract has been examined using hamster tracheal organ cultures . Tracheal rings prepared from male Syrian hamsters, strain LSH/LAK, were infected with P . aeruginosa for 4 h and processed at 4-h intervals for 24 h for examination by light- and electron microscopy . Tissue destruction was observed within 8 h after infection with 10(8) colony-forming units (cfu)/ml and within 12 h after infection with 10(4) or 10(6) cfu/ml . Ciliated cells that contained abnormal subcellular organelles were expelled from the epithelium . By 20 h the epithelial borders were composed primarily of nonciliated cells . Transmission- and scanning electron microscopy revealed details of the cellular destruction and attachment of P . aeruginosa to the ciliated epithelium . Pseudomonas aeruginosa causes a rapid destruction of the epithelium of hamster trachea in cultures . Hamster tracheal organ cultures have been shown to be useful in studying the pathogenesis of P . aeruginosa for the respiratory tract.

Can J Microbiol, 1982 Apr, 28(4), 414 - 24
Factors affecting the lytic susceptibility of some marine and terrestrial bacteria; Laddaga RA et al.; Eighteen gram-negative marine bacteria and two terrestrial species, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, were examined for their sensitivity to lysis in distilled water after exposure to a salt solution containing a sea water concentration of Mg2+ (0.05 M) or to 0.5 M NaCl . A spectrum of lytic susceptibility was observed among the marine bacteria ranging from those organisms which lysed in distilled water after exposure to the Mg2+-containing solution, through organisms which could be sensitized to lysis by washing with the NaCl solution, to organisms which failed to lyse in distilled water even after having been washed with a solution of 0.5 M NaCl . Pseudomonas aeruginosa and E . coli fell within this spectrum, the former being capable of being induced to lyse in distilled water by washing with 0.5 M NaCl, while the latter failed to lyse in distilled water after this treatment . It was thus concluded that no overall distinction could be made between marine and terrestrial bacteria on the basis of the sensitivity of the two groups of organisms to lysis in freshwater . Quite large decreases in optical density and increases in the release of ultraviolet-absorbing material took place when cells preexposed to the Mg2+-containing solution or to 0.5 M NaCl were subsequently suspended in distilled water even though in some cases no loss of cell numbers could be detected . In most cases two to three times as much K+ as Na+ and 1/10 to 1/100 as much Mg2+ was required to prevent these changes . For three of the marine bacteria and P . aeruginosa grown in a terrestrial type medium little difference in the requirements for Na+ and K+ to prevent the optical density changes was noted . For P . aeruginosa grown in a marine type medium, cells required more K+ than Na+ to prevent these changes.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1982 Apr, 21(4), 685 - 7
In vitro comparison of N-formimidoyl thienamycin (MK0787) and Azlocillin with three aminoglycosides and ticarcillin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Matzkowitz AJ et al.; The activities of N-formimidoyl thienamycin and azlocillin were compared with those of tobramycin, gentamicin, amikacin, and ticarcillin against 175 Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates, including 24 strains with known mechanisms of resistance to aminoglycosides . The 50% mean inhibitory concentration for azlocillin was lower than for ticarcillin, but the 90% mean inhibitory concentration was similar for both drugs . All susceptible and multidrug-resistant strains were susceptible to N-formimidoyl thienamycin.

Infect Immun, 1982 Apr, 36(1), 17 - 23
Effect of pyochelin on the virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Cox CD; A virulent isolate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1, which had been obtained from eight sequential intraperitoneal infections in mice compromised with iron and methotrexate, expressed greater lethality than the avirulent parent strain when both strains were injected into mice treated with iron . The present study demonstrates that pyochelin, a siderophore produced by P . aeruginosa, also increases the lethality of the virulent bacteria but not of the avirulent bacteria . Analysis of the growth and clearance of both virulent and avirulent strains in mice revealed that pyochelin increased the growth and lethality of virulent bacteria but only increased the survival of the avirulent bacteria . A streptomycin-dependent mutant of strain PAO1 (strd1) was used to demonstrate that pyochelin did not affect the clearance activity of mice . This strongly suggests that the effects of pyochelin in stimulating the persistence of avirulent bacteria and in increasing the lethality of virulent bacteria are due solely to the promotion of bacterial growth . Since the virulent bacteria were equivalent to the avirulent bacteria in utilizing pyochelin during in vitro growth in the presence of transferrin, it appears that the stimulation of growth by pyochelin allows the expression of additional virulence properties by the virulent bacteria.

J Infect Dis, 1982 Apr, 145(4), 554 - 60
Constant infusions vs . intermittent doses of gentamicin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vitro; Gerber AU et al.; Comparative studies were performed in vitro to test the advocated superiority of infusion over intermittent injection of aminoglycosides . Pseudomonas aeruginosa was exposed to constant and to continuously decreasing (simulating in vivo kinetics) concentrations of gentamicin . In comparing the effect with similar area-under-the-concentration-vs.-time curves, a substantial difference in killing and regrowth could not be demonstrated . Regrowth occurred only when the gentamicin concentration had continuously decreased below one fourth of the minimal inhibitory concentration for greater than 2 hr . Exposure of P . aeruginosa to gentamicin for 30 min was followed by persistent suppression of bacterial regrowth for 1.4-1.9 hr . Thus, intermittent exposure of P . aeruginosa to gentamicin is as effective as constant exposure in vitro . The demonstrated persistent postantibiotic effect might cover in part the periods between intermittent doses of gentamicin in vivo as well as in vitro.

J Clin Microbiol, 1982 Apr, 15(4), 571 - 4
Pseudomonas aeruginosa skin infections in persons using a whirlpool in Vermont; Vogt R et al.; Four guests at a ski resort in Vermont reported contracting a characteristic papular, pustular, or vesicular rash after using the resort's whirlpool . Pseudomonas aeruginosa serotype 1, bacteriophage type 86, was isolated from a pustule on one patient, water within the whirlpool, and the whirlpool diatomaceous earth filter . This appears to be the first outbreak of dermatitis associated with P . aeruginosa serotype 1 . Previous reports of whirlpool-associated dermatitis outbreaks have identified serotype 9 and 11 isolates of P aeruginosa as the causative agents.

J Bacteriol, 1982 Apr, 150(1), 60 - 9
Development of broad-host-range vectors and gene banks: self-cloning of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO chromosome; Olsen RH et al.; A host-vector system for Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO was developed . Scattered regions of the strain PAO chromosome were cloned by direct selection for complementation of auxotrophs or from a DNA gene bank which contains over 1,000 independently isolated chromosome-vector recombinant plasmids . The use of partially digested chromosomal DNA facilitated the selection of a variety of strain PAO chromosomal markers . The progenitor of the vector was a small, multicopy plasmid, pRO1600, found in a PAO strain which had acquired RP1 in a mating experiment . The bacterial host range that could be determined by transformation of vectors produced from pRO1600 resembles that for plasmid RP1 . Two derivative plasmids were formed: pRO1613, for cloning DNA cleaved with restriction endonuclease PstI, and pRO1614, which was formed by deleting part of pRO1613 and fusion with plasmid pBR322 . Plasmid pRO1614 utilizes known cloning sites within the tetracycline resistance region of pBR322.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1982 Apr, 35(4), 463 - 82
Synthesis and antibacterial activity of 1-oxacephem derivatives; Narisada M et al.; A number of new optically active 1-oxacephem compounds were synthesized and tested for antibacterial activity . Various 7 alpha-unsubstituted 1-oxacephem nuclei 2a approximately 3 and a 7 alpha-methoxy-1-oxacephem nucleus 3, reported previously, were converted into the corresponding phenylacetylamino-, 2-thienylacetylamino-, D-mandelylamino-, D-phenylglycylamino-, and arylmalonylamino-1-oxacephem carboxylic acids . All the compounds except for the phenylglycylamine derivatives exhibited four-to sixteen-fold enhanced antibacterial activity compared with that of the corresponding cephalosporins . A combination of the 7 alpha-methoxy-3-(1-methyl-1H-tetrazol-5-yl)thiomethyl-1-oxacephem nucleus and a 7 beta-arylmalonylamino side chain, as represented by compound 1 (disodium salt of 33), produced the highest efficacy among them: high antibacterial activity with a widely expanded spectrum against Gram-negative bacteria including resistant strains and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was observed.

Pediatrics, 1982 Apr, 69(4), 432 - 5
Management of Pseudomonas osteochondritis complicating puncture wounds of the foot; Jacobs RF et al.; Pseudomonas osteochondritis following puncture wounds of the foot is described in 13 children . All children had received at least one oral antibiotic and local wound therapy before admission; none had improved on these modalities . Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated alone from seven patients and with one or more other organisms from six patients . Initial administration of parenteral antibiotics active against Pseudomonas for one to 14 days did not result in clinical improvement . Eradication of Pseudomonas osteochondritis occurred in each patient only after thorough surgical debridement and curettage of all infected tissue . Following thorough surgical debridement, anti-Pseudomonas antibiotic therapy was continued for five to 14 days (10.8 +/- 2.7 days) . The successful treatment of Pseudomonas osteochondritis should include adequate surgical debridement of all infected tissue; following thorough debridement, only one to two weeks of anti-Pseudomonas antibiotic therapy appears to be necessary.

J Biol Chem, 1982 Mar 10, 257(5), 2498 - 503
Mercuric reductase . Purification and characterization of a transposon-encoded flavoprotein containing an oxidation-reduction-active disulfide; Fox B et al.; The flavoprotein mercuric reductase catalyzes the two-electron reduction of mercuric ions to elemental mercury using NADPH as an electron donor . It has now been purified from Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO9501 carrying the plasmid pVS1 . In this plasmid system, where the mer operon is on the transposon Tn501, mercuric reductase comprises up to 6% of the soluble cellular protein upon induction with mercurials . The purification is a rapid (two-step), high yield (80%) procedure . Anaerobic titrations of mercuric reductase with dithionite revealed the formation of a charge transfer complex with an absorbance maximum around 540 nm . Striking spectroscopic similarities to lipoamide dehydrogenase and glutathione reductase were observed . These two enzymes, which catalyze the transfer of electrons between pyridine nucleotides and disulfides, are flavoproteins which contain an oxidation-reduction-active cysteine residue at the active site . The expectation that mercuric reductase contains a similar electron acceptor was confirmed when it was shown that mercuric reductase has the capacity to accept four electrons per FAD-containing subunit, and that two thiols become kinetically titrable by 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoate) upon reduction with NADPH . These are characteristic features of the disulfide reductase class of flavoproteins . Further similarities with at least one of these enzymes, lipoamide dehydrogenase, include the E/EH2 midpoint potential (-269 mV), fluorescence properties, and extinction coefficients of E and EH2 . Preliminary observations relevant to an understanding of the mechanism of mercuric reductase are discussed.

Biochemistry, 1982 Mar 2, 21(5), 871 - 5
Purification and properties of an aminoglycoside acetyltransferase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Coombe RG et al.; An aminoglycoside 3-acetyltransferase {AAC(3)}, possibly a new isoenzymic species of the 3-N-acetyltransferase group, was purified to apparent homogeneity from a crude extract of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a gentamicin-resistant clinical isolate . The method of purification was consecutive column chromatography--(i) gel filtration, (ii) affinity chromatography, and (iii) ion-exchange chromatography--to give two protein peaks, one of which was coincident with activity and which indicated a purification of 600 (specific activity = 9.743 units mg-1 at pH 7.2, 34 degrees C) . Polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis indicated a single protein band coincident with enzymic activity . The molecular weight of the enzyme was about 39 000 . AAC(3)-V (provisonal designation) was further characterized by stability, substrate, pH, and kinetic studies . The Km was 0.724 microM (sisomicin), and the Vmax was 0.102 mumol min-1 mg-1 (sisomicin) at pH 7.2 and 34 degrees C . Substrate inhibition was exhibited by kanamycin A and tobramycin . Studies showed that enzyme activity was significantly stabilized when preparations contained substrate.

J Pharm Sci, 1982 Mar, 71(3), 365 - 7
Antibacterial N-{omega,omega'-bis(alicyclic and aryl)-sec-alkyl}-1,3-diamino-2-propanol dihydrochloride salts; Grier N et al.; A series of 14 antibacterial N-{omega,omega'-bis(cycloalkyl, bicyclo{2.2.1}heptyl, and substituted phenyl)-sec-alkyl}-1,3-diamino-2-propanol dihydrochloride salts were synthesized as potential topical antiseptics and disinfectants . Four derivatives which were particularly effective against Pseudomonas aeruginosa encompassed the three diverse ring-type substituents and an 8-n-pentadecyl moiety . The calculated Hansch hydrophobic parameter (pi) for the N-substituents of the more efficient compounds were in the range 7.0--9.0 and correlated with minimal inhibitory activity as a parabola for all of the products under the assay conditions . The potencies against Gram-positive and other Gram-negative bacteria were comparable to benzalkonium chloride and chlorhexidine.

J Bacteriol, 1982 Mar, 149(3), 1162 - 5
Affinity chromatography purification of Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A on specifically linked NAD agarose; Cukor G et al.; The specific binding of P . aeruginosa exotoxin A to NAD was exploited for the rapid purification of the toxin . Affinity chromatography on a column of agarose-N6-(aminohexyl)carbamoylmethyl-NAD resulted in an enzymatically, biologically, and immunologically active purified toxin preparation . Other NAD-agarose resins were not efficient substrates for toxin purification.

Rev Infect Dis, 1982 Mar-Apr, 4(2), 586 - 92
Parenteral trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and carbenicillin as empiric therapy for neutropenic patients with cancer; Braine HG et al.; A combination of parenteral trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and carbenicillin (TMP-SMZ-C) was compared with a gentamicin and carbenicillin combination (G-C) as empiric therapy for the febrile neutropenic patient with cancer in a prospective double-blind trial . Target plasma levels of TMP were achieved easily . When all trials were considered, TMP-SMZ-C was more effective (P less than or equal to 0.045) than G-C . When only proven infections were considered, the two regimens were equally effective . Adverse effects of both regimens were similar . Experience with infections due to individual organisms, particularly Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, was limited . General recommendations for use of TMP-SMZ-C in this patient population cannot be made until more comprehensive studies are done.

Ann Ophthalmol, 1982 Mar, 14(3), 242 - 4
Detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa eye infections by ultraviolet light; Weiss JN et al.; Pseudomonas aeruginosa elaborates several pigment fractions that fluoresce in ultraviolet light . This fact has been used by surgeons in burn units so that treatment of subclinical P aeruginosa infections may be initiated promptly . We have determined the minimum in vitro concentration of two strains of this organism that exhibit ultraviolet light fluorescence and have applied this principle to the early detection of P aeruginosa eye infections.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1982 Mar, 21(3), 412 - 5
Examination of Pseudomonas aeruginosa-gentamicin discrepancies encountered in an Autobac I-disk diffusion comparison; Mayo JB et al.; Seven Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains found to be susceptible to gentamicin by the Autobac I system and resistant by the Bauer-Kirby disk diffusion method were tested for the presence of mixed populations of cells . Double zones of inhibition randomly appeared on gentamicin disk diffusion plates, and susceptible and resistant subpopulations were isolated from these plates . Growth kinetic studies of separated strains and mixed subpopulations indicated that the susceptible organisms grew rapidly and were read as susceptible at 5 h with the Autobac I system . Resistant organisms entered a sustained lag phase and did not achieve sufficient turbidity to be read as resistant with the Autobac I system before 6 h . Thus, a false reading of susceptible could be obtained with the Autobac I system, depending on the ratio of susceptible organisms to resistant organisms selected for testing . A mixed susceptible and resistant population could be recognized by extending the incubation time of the Autobac I cuvette or by using other susceptibility methods to test isolates with light-scattering indexes of less than 1.0.

Biochem J, 1982 Mar 1, 201(3), 621 - 7
Active sites of beta-lactamases . The chromosomal beta-lactamases of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli; Knott-Hunziker V et al.; An acyl-enzyme was isolated from certain chromosomal beta-lactamases and a penicillin . The penicillin was cloxacillin which, although it is a substrate for these enzymes, has such a low kcat . that it functions as an inhibitor . The enzymes were from the mutant of Pseudomonas aeruginosa 18 S that produces the beta-lactamase constitutively {Flett, Curtis & Richmond (1976) J . Bacteriol . 127, 1585-1586; Berks, Redhead & Abraham (1982) J . Gen . Microbiol., in the press} and from Escherichia coli K-12 (the ampC beta-lactamase) {Boman, Nordstrom & Normak (1974) Ann . N.Y . Acad . Sci . 235, 569-586} . The acyl-enzymes have been degraded to determine the residue labelled, and the sequence around it . The residue labelled is serine . The sequences around the labelled serine in these two beta-lactamases are exceedingly similar . However, the sequences are quite different from those around the active site serine in the beta-lactamases previously studied . There is thus more than one class of serine beta-lactamases.

Mikrobiologiia, 1982 Mar-Apr, 51(2), 275 - 80
{Oxidation characteristics of the aromatic acids formed in DDT breakdown by a Pseudomonas aeruginosa culture}; Pertsova RN et al.; The purpose of this work was to study the process of oxidation of aromatic acids (benzoic, salicylic and phenylacetic acids) produced as the result of DDT degradation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa 640x . The cultural broth was analysed by thin-layer chromatography, chromato-mass spectrometry and the enzymes of aromatic acid oxidation were investigated . Benzoate was shown to be oxidized via p-hydroxybenzoic acid, protocatechuic acid and its ortho degradation . Phenylacetate, the principal of DDT degradation, was hydroxylated by the culture with simultaneous migration of the two-carbon fragment and decomposition of the resultant homogentisic acid . Salicylic acid was not oxidized by the culture; it was accumulated in the medium . Analysis of the enzymes involved in the oxidation of the aromatic cycle has shown that the culture lacks salicylate hydroxylase, metapyrocatechase and gentisate 1,2-dioxygenase . Instead, it manifested the activities of the enzymes catalysing ortho cleavage of the cycle, namely, pyrocatechase and protocatechoate 3 : 4 dioxygenase, as well as homogentisate oxygenase.

J Biochem (Tokyo), 1982 Mar, 91(3), 825 - 35
Isolation and characterization of pyocin R1 fibers; Kumazaki T et al.; By a mild alkaline treatment, pyocin R1 was disassembled into its structural parts, a contracted sheath (and its fragments), a core, and fibers . An alkaline sucrose density gradient centrifugation after this treatment was effective in obtaining fiber-density fractions . The pooled fractions were treated with IgGs against isolated sheaths and isolated cores, simultaneously, and then chromatographed on DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B . The final preparation of fibers purified in this way was confirmed to be homogeneous by electron microscopic observation and an immuno-precipitation reaction . The isolated fiber was found to consist of two major subunit proteins, No . 2 and No . 9, with molecular weights of 71,000 and 31,000, respectively . The fiber exhibited the ability to be adsorbed on sensitive bacterial cells (pseudomonas aeruginosa P14), and to protect against the inactivation of pyocin R1 by a lipopolysaccharide preparation from the bacteria.

J Biochem (Tokyo), 1982 Mar, 91(3), 817 - 23
A simple photometric method for determination of the activity of pyrocin R1; Kumazaki T et al.; A simple photometric method for rapid and accurate determination of the activity of pyocin R1, a bacteriocin produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain P15, has been developed . This method is based on the turbidity-decrease observed when the bacteriocin is added to a suspension of sensitive bacteria P . aeruginosa strain P11 . Optimum conditions for the turbidity-decreasing activity of pyocin R1 are in 0.01 M Tris-HCl buffer containing 0.2 M NaCl (pH 7.5) at 37 degrees C . A good correlation was found between the dose of pyocin R1 and the rate of the turbidity-decrease (with a correlation coefficient of more than 0.98) . The amount of pyocin R1 required for this assay is nearly the same as that used for the conventional colony-counts method . The assay for one sample takes less than 3 min, whereas an overnight wait is necessary for the conventional method . This method is shown to be very suitable for following the time course of activity change observed when pyocin R1 is treated with various chemicals, including receptor substances obtained from sensitive cells . The turbidity-decrease assay was also found to be applicable to the determination of activities of other R-type pyocins.

J Biochem (Tokyo), 1982 Mar, 91(3), 741 - 6
Essential regions of the lipopolysaccharide of Pseudomonas aeruginosa responsible for pyrogenicity and activation of the proclotting enzyme of horseshoe crabs . Comparison with antitumor, interferon-inducing and adjuvant activities; Tanamoto K et al.; Regions of lipopolysaccharide derived from Pseudomonas aeruginosa essential for pyrogenicity and activation of the proclotting enzyme of the horseshoe crab were examined . Free lipid A with intact fatty acids showed strong pyrogenicity but showed little activation of the proclotting enzyme . Chemical modification of the polysaccharide portion and deacylation of the lipopolysaccharide diminished activation of the proclotting enzyme . The native-protein portion attached to the lipopolysaccharide also inhibited the activation of proclotting enzyme by lipopolysaccharide, but not pyrogenicity . These results indicate that free lipid A is sufficient for pyrogenicity, whereas the complete lipopolysaccharide is the strongest activator of the proclotting enzyme . The lipopolysaccharide of P . aeruginosa, which showed the strongest activation of proclotting enzyme, showed the weakest pyrogenicity of all the lipopolysaccharides tested here . All these results demonstrate that there is not correlation between pyrogenicity and proclotting enzyme activation induced by lipopolysaccharides.

Ann Clin Lab Sci, 1982 Mar-Apr, 12(2), 116 - 8
Gentamicin-carbenicillin synergy among gentamicin resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Ryan RW et al.; Forty-five isolates of gentamicin resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa were evaluated for gentamicin-carbenicillin synergy . Only 9 percent (4/45) showed synergy . Of nine isolates with demonstrable zones around a gentamicin disc (8 to 12 mm), none showed a synergistic response . Effective treatment of gentamicin resistant Ps . aeruginosa with gentamicin and carbenicillin should not be assumed without additional test procedures.

Am J Ophthalmol, 1982 Mar, 93(3), 338 - 41
Noninfectious ring-shaped keratitis associated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Belmont JB et al.; Ring-shaped keratitis appeared in the left eye of a 37-year-old woman who had worn soft contact lenses for more than five years . The corneal ring began to appear within seven days of a central corneal abrasion . Gram staining of the patient's contact lens cleaning solution showed many gram-negative rods, and microbiologic investigations of the patient's soft contact lens and contact lens case disclosed Pseudomonas aeruginosa . There was no clinical or laboratory evidence of an infectious process . Prompt treatment with polymyxin B-bacitracin ointment and prednisolone acetate 1% eyedrops led to resolution of the opacity and a return to the patient's normal visual acuity . The P . aeruginosa endotoxin may have been transferred through the epithelial break into the superficial corneal stroma, leading to ring formation via endotoxin-initiated, properdin-mediated, antibody-independent complement activation.

Vet Pathol, 1982 Mar, 19(2), 169 - 78
Experimental nasal infection of normal and leukopenic mice with Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Brownstein DG et al.; Histological and ultrastructural changes in the nasal mucosa of normal and leukopenic mice exposed to Pseudomonas aeruginosa were compared and correlated with changes in the distribution of pseudomonads by use of immunoperoxidase labeling . Pseudomonas was limited to the surface of the nasal mucosa of normal mice and was cleared rapidly . Concurrently, granulocytes were recruited across unaltered nasal epithelium and contained phagocytosed bacilli within two hours . Pseudomonas was limited to the surface of the nasal mucosa of most leukopenic mice at two hours . By four hours, pseudomonads had penetrated interepithelial junctions of all leukopenic mice . Granulocytes were not recruited and nasal epithelium underwent necrosis at points of invasion . These results show that neutrophils participate in the clearance of P . aeruginosa from the surface of the nasal mucosa and that the failure to recruit granulocytes may be important in the breakdown of epithelial barriers . Possible mechanisms of mucosal invasion are discussed.

J Bacteriol, 1982 Mar, 149(3), 897 - 905
Characterization and genetic mapping of fructose phosphotransferase mutations in Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Roehl RA et al.; Pseudomonas aeruginosa transports and phosphorylates fructose via a phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent fructose phosphotransferase system (PTS) . Mutant strains deficient in both PTS activity and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity were isolated and were used to select mannitol-utilizing revertant strains singly deficient in PTS activity . These mutants were unable to utilize fructose as a carbon source and failed to accumulate exogenously provided {14C}fructose, and crude cell extracts lacked phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent fructose PTS activity . Thus, the PTS was essential for the uptake and utilization of exogenously provided fructose by P . aeruginosa . Mutations at a locus designated pts, which resulted in a loss of PTS activity, exhibited 57% linkage to argF at 55 min on the chromosome in plasmid R68.45-mediated conjugational crosses . The pts mutations in four independently isolated mutant strains exhibited from 11 to 20% linkage to argF, and one of these mutations exhibited 3% linkage to lys-9015 in phage F116L-mediated transductional crosses.

Eur J Respir Dis, 1982 Mar, 63(2), 130 - 9
Chemotherapy against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis . A study of carbenicillin, azlocillin or piperacillin in combination with tobramycin; Moller NE et al.; A comparative study was made on tobramycin combined with either carbenicillin (500 mg/kg/day) or one of the new penicillins: azlocillin or piperacillin (both 300 mg/kg/day) in 50 cystic fibrosis patients with chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection . Average 2-h levels of penicillins in serum were 46 micrograms/ml (piperacillin), 88 micrograms/ml (azlocillin) and 66 micrograms/ml (carbenicillin) . The Pseudomonas strains were significantly more sensitive to piperacillin and azlocillin than to carbenicillin (minimal inhibitory concentrations 1.9, 2.3 and 4.2 micrograms/ml) . In 21 of 54 treatment course temporary eradication of Pseudomonas was achieved . Improved ventilatory capacity and diminished proteolytic activity in sputum were seen in most patients with or without bacteriological treatment success . Resistant strains - often belonging to other types - appeared in the patients with treatment failure . With increased number of precipitating antibodies against Pseudomonas and with increased minimal inhibitory concentrations, the chance of eradication was smaller . Seven out of 20 treated with azlocillin and 14 out of 30 treated with piperacillin developed fever and exanthema by the end of treatment . Our experience suggests caution in the use of the new penicillins.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1982 Mar, 35(3), 343 - 8
Synergistic effects of a macrolide and a cell wall-affecting antibiotic on Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vitro and in vivo . 1 . Combined effects of a macrolide and a peptide antibiotic; Kasai T et al.; Synergistic effects of peptide and macrolide antibiotics against Pseudomonas aeruginosa were investigated in vitro and in vivo . Synergistic effects were evaluated by estimating the number of viable bacteria at varying intervals in the logarithmic growth phase . These bacteria were treated concurrently with polymyxin B (PL) at the final concentration of 1.56 U/ml and with 9,3"-di-O-acetylmidecamycin (MOM) at varying concentrations . Synergistic effect was observed when PL was used with MOM at 3.13 and 12.5 microgram/ml respectively . When MOM at 50 microgram/ml was used with PL, the viable bacterial count was reduced to below 1/300 of the control to which PL alone had been added . Thus, the synergistic effect was remarkable . Similar results were obtained when colistin methanesulfonate (CL) was used instead of PL . Subsequently, attempts were made to determine if this action could also be found in in vivo experiments using mice . PL or CL was injected intramuscularly and midecamycin (MDM) or MOM was administered once or repeatedly by the oral route . Simultaneously, Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain IFO 3455 was inoculated intraperitoneally to mice . In the case of treatment once or repeatedly using both PL and MDM or MOM, the survival rate of infected mice increased significantly compared to single treatment by PL alone . Thus, the synergistic effects were demonstrated in four experiments . (The significance levels for the experiments were P = 0.070, 0.015, 0.042 and 0.024) . Similar results were obtained when strain No . 5 was used to infect mice (P = 0.0096, 0.0027) . When CL and MOM were given to mice once prior to infection with strain No . 5, synergistic effects were obtained as well (P = 0.010, 0.034).

Am J Med Sci, 1982 Mar-Apr, 283(2), 83 - 8
Case report . Pseudomonas puncture wound osteomyelitis in adults; Siebert WT et al.; Pseudomonas osteomyelitis following a puncture wound is commonly reported in children, but very few cases have been recorded in adults . We describe ten adult patients with well documented Pseudomonas aeruginosa osteomyelitis consequent to puncture wounds . The disease in adults is similar to that in children with respect to bone involved, clinical features, and preferred antibiotic therapy; however, the prognosis for complete recovery without permanent sequelae seems much better in adults.

Allergy, 1982 Feb, 37(2), 93 - 100
Platelet 3H-serotonin releasing immune complexes induced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis; Permin H et al.; In vitro formation of immune complexes was studied by 3H-serotonin release from human platelets by P . aeruginosa antigens in the presence of serum from 22 cystic fibrosis patients, chronically infected with mucoid P . aeruginosa (CF + P) and with a pronounced antibody response against these bacteria, and in 24 patients without P . aeruginosa (CF-P) . All CF + P patients responded with 3H-serotonin release (16-34%), whereas CF - P patients released less than 15% . In group of CF + P patients the number of P . aeruginosa precipitins was correlated to the serotonin titer . Time courses indicated that 3H-serotonin release was maximal between 2 and 5 min, and that no further release was observed up to 20 min . There was a gradual increase in 3H-serotonin release with higher platelet concentrations . The response was not changed by complement inactivation, and fractionation of serum demonstrated that the serotonin release was dependent on the presence of the immunoglobulin fraction . These experiments support the suggestion of a type III reaction being involved in the lung damage in CF + P patients and also suggest a possible involvement of serotonin in he inflammatory reaction during chronic P . aeruginosa lung infection.

Klin Monatsbl Augenheilkd, 1982 Feb, 180(2), 166 - 8
{An iatrogenic epidemic of ophthalmia neonatorum (author's transl)}; Salminen L et al.; Report on an epidemic of five cases of ophthalmia neonatorum caused by pseudomonas aeruginosa . The patients represented about 8% of the infants born and treated in one department during a period of six weeks . In four cases the ON was protracted in two patients it was complicated by dacryostenosis . At first all the patients were treated with locally administered chloramphenicol, to which pseudomonas aeruginosa was resistant . The three cases the serous secretion ended after opening of the lacrimal ducts together with local treatment with polymyxin, neomycin and gramicidin . In one case the pseudomonas aerginosa, together with S . aureus found in the secretion in vitro, was found to be sensitive to a combination of trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole, given perorally, which terminated the secretion . The epidemic was evidently caused by the use of contaminated water in the nursery room.

Dig Dis Sci, 1982 Feb, 27(2), 169 - 70
Pseudomonas aeruginosa sepsis following retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP); Doherty DE et al.; Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) has become a routine examination in a number of medical centers within the past several years . We report a life-threatening case of acute pancreatitis with Pseudomonas aeruginosa sepsis immediately following ERCP . Cultures of the blood, the inner channel of the duodenoscope, and irrigating water bottles all were positive for Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from the blood and endoscope both reacted to three common antisera: serotypes 2, 15, and 16, suggesting a common source of infection . Although it is obvious that the ERCP procedure cannot be sterile, attempts should be made to prevent transmission of nosocomial pathogens by this procedure.

J Clin Microbiol, 1982 Feb, 15(2), 320 - 3
Use of chemotaxis chambers for studying in vitro bacterial colonization of biomaterials; Leake ES et al.; Blind-well chemotaxis chambers were used to study the in vitro bacterial adhesion and colonization of biomaterials . Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were selected for the bacterial inocula . Abundant growth on the surfaces of methyl methacrylate, polyethylene, stainless steel, and Vitallium was detected by using scanning electron microscopy after 24 h of incubation . The culture technique employed proved to be of value for the study of surface bacterial colonization of inert materials.

Clin Pediatr (Phila), 1982 Feb, 21(2), 123 - 4
Pseudomonas aeruginosa corneal infections in seriously ill children; Anderson EL et al.; Bacterial corneal ulcers can destroy vision if not treated early . Two seriously ill patients developed corneal infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa while in the pediatric intensive care unit . In one patient the eye was destroyed . The other patient was treated successfully, but early intervention was crucial.

Eur J Clin Microbiol, 1982 Feb, 1(1), 1 - 6
Serum-induced lysis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Meshulam T et al.; The sensitivity of 12 Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains (5 mucoid and 7 non-mucoid strains) to serum and the interaction of these strains with the complement system was studied . Five strains (4 mucoid and 1 non-mucoid strains) were lysed in 20% normal serum as measured by the release of radiolabelled material from 3H-adenine labelled bacteria . Three of these strains were also lysed in MgEGTA chelated serum . All strains activated complement via the classical pathway, and six strains were able to activate the alternative complement pathway as well . Slime production did not interfere with bacteriolysis and complement consumption.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1982 Feb, 21(2), 310 - 9
Chemical and chromatographic analysis of lipopolysaccharide from an antibiotic-supersusceptible mutant of Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Kropinski AM et al.; Lipopolysaccharides extracted from Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain K799 and its antibiotic-supersusceptible derivative Z61 were analyzed chemically and chromatographically . The side-chain polysaccharides purified by gel exclusion chromatography were compositionally identical, being composed of fucosamine (2-amino-2,6-dideoxygalactose), quinovosamine (2-amino-2,6-dideoxyglucose), and an unidentified amino sugar . In addition, low amounts of the core-specific components (glucose, rhamnose, alanine, and galactosamine) were found associated with the side chains from both strains . An average molecular weight of 38,000 to 50,000 was calculated for this fraction based on the glucose and rhamnose levels . Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicated that the lipopolysaccharides from these two strains were microheterogeneous . Qualitative analysis of the lipopolysaccharide neutral sugars, using a series of single-step revertants of mutant Z61, demonstrated that full revertants showed patterns indistinguishable from those of the wild-type strain K799, whereas partial revertants had intermediate levels and mutant Z61 low levels of neutral sugars . Quantitative analysis revealed that the core oligosaccharide fraction from the wild-type strain had a glucose/rhamnose/galactosamine ratio of 4:1:1, whereas the core from Z61 exhibited major deficiencies in both glucose and rhamnose . The lipid A from both strains contained five fatty acids, namely, 3-hydroxydecanoate, dodecanoate, 2- and 3-hydroxydodecanoate, and hexadecanoate . Whereas the overall fatty acid content was equal, the mutant strain showed markedly lower levels of dodecanoate and hexadecanoate and increased levels of 2-hydroxydodecanoate . Results of whole-cell fatty acid analyses were consistent with this observation . Evidence for an additional alteration of the lipid A of strain Z61 was obtained from acid hydrolysis studies and infrared spectra of isolated lipid A, although the actual chemical basis could not be determined by a variety of techniques . It is suggested that the state of the lipopolysaccharide is able to influence the number of open functional protein F pores in the outer membrane of P . aeruginosa.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1982 Feb, 21(2), 299 - 309
Outer membrane permeability in Pseudomonas aeruginosa: comparison of a wild-type with an antibiotic-supersusceptible mutant; Angus BL et al.; The Pseudomonas aeruginosa mutant Z61 has been shown to be highly supersusceptible to a wide range of antibiotics, including beta-lactams, aminoglycosides, rifampin, tetracycline, and chloramphenicol (W . Zimmerman, Int . J . Clin . Pharmacol . Biopharm . 17:131-134, 1979) . Spontaneous revertants were isolated, using gentamicin or carbenicillin as selective agents, and shown to have two patterns of susceptibility to a group of 12 antibiotics . Partial revertants had 2- to 10-fold greater resistance to these antibiotics than mutant Z61, whereas full revertants had antibiotic susceptibilities indistinguishable from those of the wild-type strain K799, from which mutant Z61 had been derived . Uptake of a chromogenic beta-lactam nitrocefin was studied in both uninduced and induced cells of all strains by measuring the steady-state rate of nitrocefin hydrolysis by the inducible, periplasmic beta-lactamase in both whole and broken cells . This demonstrated that outer membrane permeability decreased as antibiotic resistance increased in the series mutant Z61, partial revertants, wild type, and full revertants . The data were consistent with the idea of low outer membrane permeability being caused by a low proportion of open functional porins in the outer membrane as the reason for the high natural antibiotic resistance of wild-type P, aeruginosa strains . In addition, it was observed that levels of benzylpenicillin below the minimal inhibitory concentration for mutant Z61 failed to induce beta-lactamase production . The possibility that this was related to the observed increase in outer membrane permeability is discussed . Preliminary evidence is presented that the pore-forming outer membrane porin protein F is not altered in mutant Z61.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1982 Feb, 21(2), 216 - 23
Mutation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa specifying reduced affinity for penicillin G; Godfrey AJ et al.; A mutant of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PAO503 was isolated after ethane-methane-sulfonate mutagenesis and selection of ticarcillin . The mutant, PCC17, displayed reduced affinity for {14C} penicillin G at all of its penicillin-binding proteins as well as a general increase in resistance to all the beta-lactam antibiotics tested . The mutation designated pbpA has been mapped by FP-2-mediated conjugation and was located distal to the proA locus and 33% linked to it . The two loci were not cotransducible with phage F116L . PCC17 and exconjugants produced from it had similar phenotypes, displayed the reduced affinity for {14C} penicillin G, had similar resistance profiles, and had an increased amount of protein corresponding to penicillin-binding protein 6 . On back mutation the pbpA locus reverted to the PAO503 phenotype.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1982 Feb, 21(2), 204 - 9
Comparative antipseudomonal activity of some newer beta-lactam agents; Greenwood D et al.; The antipseudomonal activities of cefotaxime, ceftizoxime, ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, cefoperazone, and moxalactam were tested in conventional minimum inhibitory concentration titrations and according to morphological and turbidimetric criteria . Three groups of pseudomonal strains were tested: carbenicillin hypersusceptible, carbenicillin susceptible, and carbenicillin resistant . In minimum inhibitory concentration titrations, the carbenicillin-hypersusceptible strains did not differ greatly in their susceptibility to other beta-lactam agents, although moxalactam appeared to be rather less active than the other drugs . When tested against the remaining strains, ceftazidime was the most active compound, followed by cefoperazone and ceftriaxone . The turbidimetric experiments supported by microscopical observations, all of the agents induced bacterial lysis in the carbenicillin-hypersusceptible strains, but cefoperazone appeared to be less actively bacteriolytic than the rest of the antibiotics . None of the agents was able to prevent growth of the remainder of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains in the first few hours of drug exposure, during which time the bacteria elongated to form long filaments . However, the various agents differed in the length of time which elapsed before growth was completely halted . Judged in this way, moxalactam was the most active compound in relation to its minimum inhibitory concentration, but in comparative experiments in which the same concentration of each drug (64 microgram/ml) was used regardless of the minimum inhibitory concentration, ceftazidime appeared to be the most active antibiotic, followed by ceftriaxone and cefotaxime.

Int Ophthalmol, 1982 Feb, 4(3), 169 - 76
Pseudomonas aeruginosa: isolation from ocular tissues . Aeruginocin typing and its relationship to corneal pathogenicity in rabbits; Mahajan VM et al.; Fifty strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from human eyes were aeruginocin typed by the method of Shriniwas (1974) using ten indicator strains . These belonged to types A1 (3), B (2), F1 (1) and 14 (1) . Fifteen (30%) were nontypable and 28 (56.0%) were unclassifiable presenting twenty inhibition patterns . The strains showed a wide range of antibiotic sensitivities . The highest number of insensitive strains were those obtained from corneal ulcers . Experimental keratitis produced by strains of pseudomonas was either mild, moderate or severe and was unrelated to their source . Mild keratitis was produced by types UC 7-, UC 79- and 14 isolated from pre-operative, corneal ulcer and post-operative patients . Lesions of moderate severity were produced by types 189+ & A1 whereas the severest pathology was produced by UC 23478-, B and UC 810- types . The fact that strain 23478- always produced severest pathology irrespective of whether originated from group I, II, or IV strongly suggests relationship of pathogenicity with aeruginocin type.

Can J Microbiol, 1982 Feb, 28(2), 248 - 55
Role of exotoxin A and proteases of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in respiratory tract infections; Baker NR; Hamster tracheal organ culture has been used to study the role of exotoxin A and proteases of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in infections of the respiratory tract . Tracheal explants infected with a toxin producing, protease producing strain or a toxin deficient, protease producing strain displayed evidence of exfoliation and disorganization of the tracheal of the tracheal epithelium 12 h after initiation of infection . A toxin producing protease deficient strain caused some desquamation of cells and cellular swelling, but exfoliation was not evident . Each of the toxin producing and (or) protease producing strains inhibited protein synthesis of the explants . Purified exotoxin inhibited protein synthesis and caused some pathological changes similar to those observed with the toxin producing strain . Purified elastase from P . aeruginosa only inhibited protein synthesis at 10 microgram/mL but caused exfoliation at 0.01 microgram/mL . Alkaline protease had no detectable effect on the explants . The effects of active infection could be prevented by treatment with gentamycin . All the strains tested caused an inhibition of ciliary activity, but no correlation could be made with any of the extracellular products . Exotoxin A and elastase may be responsible for much of the destruction of respiratory tract tissue in Pseudomonas infections although other bacterial factors and host factors are of importance.

Am J Hosp Pharm, 1982 Feb, 39(2), 294 - 7
Sterility and use patterns of multiple-dose vials; Bawden JC et al.; The viability of microorganisms in multiple-dose vials (MDVs) and the use and in-use contamination rate of MDVs were investigated . Serial tenfold dilutions of stationary cultures of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were injected into 30-ml MDVs containing bacteriostatic agents, and samples were removed at 1, 16, 24, and 48 hours, and at seven days to test for viable organisms . All opened MDVs were removed from each patient-care area and the pharmacy in a hospital and tested for microbial contamination using an aliquot-sampling method . One nursing unit was visited each day, in random order, until all opened MDVs from all units and the pharmacy were collected . The day following collection, all newly opened MDVs at each unit were marked inconspicuously and tallied . On the first, sixth, and thirteenth day after marking, all marked MDVs remaining on the unit were tallied . Bacteria were isolated from deliberately contaminated MDVs when inoculated with 1-100 colony-forming units/ml or greater when the sample was tested within one hour after contamination . Only one product was positive in 16 hours, and none was positive beyond that time . A total of 928 opened MDVs was collected from 31 nursing units and the pharmacy; none was positive for microbial contamination, indicating that the contamination rate was probably less than 4 per 1000 . Lidocaine, insulin, diluents, and heparin constituted 57% of collected vials . The length of time that opened vials remained on a unit and the number of opened vials per unit varied considerably between units . The cost, feasibility, and effectiveness of control policies regarding use of MDVs should be weighed objectively against potential benefits.

J Clin Invest, 1982 Feb, 69(2), 303 - 8
Safety and immunogenicity of high molecular weight polysaccharide vaccine from immunotype 1 Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Pier GB; The safety and immunogenicity of a high molecular weight polysaccharide from immunotype 1 Pseudomonas aeruginosa were tested in a dose response fashion in adult volunteers . The vaccine lacked toxicity and pyrogenicity for experimental animals . Doses of 50, 75, 150, or 250 microgram were given to groups of individuals as a single dose subcutaneous injection . Doses of 150 and 250 microgram were associated with a significant rise in binding and opsonic antibody at 2 wk postimmunization . Titers remained unchanged for up to 6 mo . The vaccine was almost devoid of toxicity, eliciting no more than a slightly sore and tender arm at the site of injection . High molecular weight polysaccharide antigen appears to induce a good immune response following vaccination that is effective in mediating opsonophagocytic killing of live P . aeruginosa organisms.

J Bacteriol, 1982 Feb, 149(2), 787 - 8
Mapping of the arginine deiminase gene in Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Mercenier A et al.; A mutant of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO lacking arginine deiminase activity (arcA) was isolated by screening for a derivative of an arcB mutant (deficient in catabolic ornithine carbamoyltransferase) that did not excrete citrulline under conditions of limited aeration . The arcA mutation was highly cotransducible with arcB.

J Bacteriol, 1982 Feb, 149(2), 654 - 61
Isolation and characterization of Pseudomonas aeruginosa R' plasmids constructed by interspecific mating; Morgan AF; Plasmid R68.45 was used to construct R' plasmids carrying a maximum of 4 to 5 map minutes of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO chromosome by interspecific mating, using P . putida PPN as the recipient . These R' plasmids were used to determine the map location of the amiE locus and to identify tentatively a number of P . putida auxotrophic mutations . Some of these R' plasmids could not be maintained in recombination-deficient P . aeruginosa strains.

J Bacteriol, 1982 Feb, 149(2), 523 - 8
Dansyl chloride labeling of Pseudomonas aeruginosa treated with pyocin R1: change in permeability of the cell envelope; Uratani Y; Pyocin R1, a bacteriocin of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, caused an increase in binding of fluorescent label, 1-dimethylaminonaphthalene-5-sulfonyl chloride (dansyl chloride), to sensitive cells . In pyocin R1-treated cells, cytoplasmic soluble proteins and crude ribosomes as well as cell envelopes were labeled by dansyl chloride . The amount of bound dye was proportional to the multiplicity of pyocin R1 and reached a maximal level at high multiplicity . In addition, pyocin R1 rapidly caused an increase in fluorescence intensity of the hydrophobic probes N-phenyl-1-naphthylamine, pyrene, and perylene, which were mixed with cells . These results show that pyocin R1 damages locally a cell envelope barrier to hydrophobic solutes and allows dyes to penetrate into the intracellular space across the barrier.

Infect Immun, 1982 Feb, 35(2), 461 - 4
Modulatory effect of iron on the pathogenesis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa mouse corneal infections; Woods DE et al.; The iron concentration of the culture medium used to prepare the inocula influenced the pathogenesis of mouse corneal infections by Pseudomonas aeruginosa . When the parental strain PAO1 was cultured in high-iron medium (5 micrograms of Fe per ml), it was less virulent than when it was cultured in low-iron medium (0.05 microgram of Fe per ml) . The iron concentration of the growth medium had no effect on the virulence of a P . aeruginosa mutant which was resistant to the iron regulation of toxin A yields (PAO-toxFeR-18) . A severely defective iron transport mutant, PAO-toxFeR-10, was avirulent regardless of the iron concentration of the growth medium . These studies indicate that both iron acquisition and iron regulation of toxin production are important factors in the determination of P . aeruginosa virulence.

J Infect Dis, 1982 Feb, 145(2), 217 - 23
Lipopolysaccharide and high-molecular-weight polysaccharide serotypes of Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Pier GB et al.; The serotype distribution of bacteremic and nonbacteremic clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in relation to the Fisher immunotyping scheme, the International Antigenic Typing System (IATS), and high-molecular-weight polysaccharide determinants was investigated . Of 281 bacteremic isolates, 273 (97.2%) were serotyped by one of the seven IATS specificities that correspond to a Fisher lipopolysaccharide/high-molecular-weight polysaccharide specificity . In contrast, these seven serotypes accounted for only 68.5% of the 124 nonbacteremic clinical isolates . Review of the reported serotype distribution of P . aeruginosa isolates in Europe further supported the finding of a limited serotype distribution among bacteremic clinical isolates . Fifteen of the 17 IATS serotypes were found among all of the strains of P . aeruginosa serotyped, an indication that most of the IATS serotypes are present in the United States . Thus, only certain lipopolysaccharide immunotypes of P . aeruginosa occur as clinical bacteremic isolates, and a multivalent, high-molecular-weight polysaccharide vaccine directed at the lipopolysaccharide type determinants of P . aeruginosa has potential usefulness.

Can J Microbiol, 1982 Feb, 28(2), 169 - 75
Limited contribution of the outer-membrane penetration barrier towards intrinsic antibiotic resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Scudamore RA et al.; The role of the outer membrane (OM) was investigated in relation to the high level of intrinsic antibiotic resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027 . OM penetration barriers were measured by comparing turbidimetric growth curves of EDTA-treated and normal cells exposed to carbenicillin, moxalactam (LY 127935), gentamicin, tobramycin, rifampin, novobiocin, and vancomycin . OM barriers were also measured for carbenicillin and moxalactam in P . aeruginosa strain K 799/61, a hypersusceptible mutant presumed to have lost its penetration barrier in the cell envelope . Most antibiotics penetrated the OM efficiently and there was little difference between the two strains . The evidence therefore suggests that intrinsic resistance of P . aeruginosa, especially to the beta-lactam antibiotics, is not mainly due to the OM . A penetration barrier situated deeper within the cell envelope is hypothesized, the size of which in relation to any antibiotic may be estimated by comparing the IC50 values of EDTA-treated cells of the two strains.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1982 Feb, 35(2), 235 - 44
Purification and properties of two gentamicin-modifying enzymes, coded by a single plasmid pPK237 originating from Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Angelatou F et al.; A broad host range multiresistance plasmid pPK237, originating from Pseudomonas aeruginosa mediates high-level resistance to gentamicin and tobramycin . It was found to code for two gentamicin modifying enzymes, which from their substrate profile by radioenzymatic assay were characterized as aminoglycoside acetyltransferase AAC(3)-I and aminoglycoside adenylyltransferase AAD(2") . The two enzymes were studied after purification from an Escherichia coli K12 host . The two gentamicin-modifying enzymes coded by PPK237 were completely separated by DEAE chromatography . The purification (126 fold) of the acetyltransferase was achieved by (NH4)2SO4 precipitation, DEAE chromatography and affinity chromatography . The purification of the adenylyltransferase was performed by affinity chromatography directly after (NH4)2SO4 precipitation . Both purified enzyme preparations showed a single protein band on disc electrophoresis . The Km for gentamicin C1 of the acetyltransferase was 0.066 mM . The amino acid analysis of the acetyltransferase coded by pPK237 showed a different aminoacid composition than that of the gentamicin acetyltransferase AAC(3)-I purified by Williams and Northrop17) . The acetyltransferase after DEAE chromatography is stable for many months at -20 degrees C, while the adenylyltransferase after purification is highly unstable; it shows enzymatic activity only in the presence of Mg++.

Auris Nasus Larynx, 1982, 9(1), 9 - 14
Advanced necrotizing external otitis treated by suboccipital craniectomy; Funasaka S et al.; Necrotizing external otitis is a destructive infection caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa . It may spread to surrounding soft tissue, cartilage and bone from the skin of the external canal and cause cranial nerve palsy . Most of the disease occurs in elderly diabetics and is accompanied by high mortality in an extended case in spite of intensive antibiotic therapy . A case of advanced necrotizing external otitis with palsies of VI to XII cranial nerves was presented . The patient, 69-year-old male, took a favorable course after complete debridement by suboccipital craniectomy followed by intensive antibiotic therapy . This procedure was performed by co-operation with a neurosurgeon . Characteristics of the pathology, criteria for the diagnosis and method of treatment are discussed; the authors stress the importance of early diagnosis and necessity of complete meticulous debridement on the extended case with multiple nerve palsies.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {B}, 1982, 176(5-6), 425 - 34
{Scanning electron microscope demonstration of wall colonization of water-bearing plastic tubes}; Exner M et al.; A polyethylene and a silicone tube from water leading system of a dental unit, in which Pseudomonas aeruginosa could be isolated, were investigated by S.E.M . (Scanning Electron Microscopy) . In the tubes thick deposits of extracellular material were found, in which microorganisms were embedded or on which they were free-lying . Pretreatment of the water systems by irrigating and by disinfection was unsuccessful . The possible protection of microorganisms by the demonstrated extracellular material against hydraulic forces and disinfection is discussed.

Infection, 1982, 10 Suppl 3, S227 - 8
The pharmacokinetics of azlocillin in the perilymph of guinea pigs and otitis media; Federspil P; The results of studies on the pharmacokinetics of azlocillin in the perilymph of the guinea pig following the intramuscular administration of 200 mg per kg body weight are shown graphically . Similar to mezlocillin and the aminoglycoside antibiotics, this new acylureido penicillin is retained in the inner ear . The results of our studies, together with the data on the in vitro and in vivo activity of azlocillin and gentamicin and the applicable dosage for clinical purposes, indicate that the azlocillin levels in the perilymph are considerably more effective against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and many times more effective against the other microorganisms usually involved in acute otitis media than those of the aminoglycosides.

Clin Ther, 1982, 5(1), 21 - 43
Third-generation beta-lactam antibiotics for treatment of orthopedic infections; Mogabgab WJ et al.; Third-generation beta-lactam antibiotics are effective against a wider range of microorganisms than are older antibiotics . Cefotaxime, moxalactam, cefoperazone, ceftizoxime, ceftazidime, cefsulodin, and ceftriaxone were used to treat 102 patients hospitalized with orthopedic infections . Sensitivity of the pathogens to the antibiotic used was established in all cases . Patients allergic to penicillin were given either moxalactam or ceftazidime . Pathogens were eradicated in all but six instances, five of which were Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Four of these developed resistance during therapy . Only three patients had clinical responses that were less than satisfactory . No serious adverse reaction occurred, and no allergic reactions developed . This new class of antibiotics is thus safe and effective as the sole therapeutic agent for many orthopedic infections, including those that require long periods of treatment.

Microbios, 1982, 33(131), 53 - 64
A laboratory evaluation of a new disinfectant cleaner for fibreoptic instruments; Gilbert P et al.; The antimicrobial activity of Dettox ABC (DTX), a new disinfectant cleaner, developed for use in endoscopy, has been evaluated against sixteen strains of micro-organisms, nine of which were clinical isolates obtained from endoscope washings . In all cases the maximum growth inhibitory and lethal dilutions were considerably greater than those recommended for use (1/25) . Time-survival data was determined for DTX (1/750), in hard water, against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and the effects of horse blood, yeast cells, serum and porcine mucin evaluated . These date indicated that the activity of the product was adversely affected at this dilution by organic matter . Levels of organic debris, which were found capable of neutralizing a 1/750 DTX dilution were included in a multiple challenge of the product with P . aeruginosa at dilutions of 1/25, 1/50 and 1/100 prepared in hard water . Its performance was satisfactory . Similarly, the activity of DTX at these dilutions upon Staphylococcus aureus cells dried in blood and mucin on glass surfaces was satisfactory . The levels of organic debris used in this study were considerably greater than those expected in practice with endoscopes.

ORL J Otorhinolaryngol Relat Spec, 1982, 44(3), 121 - 5
Otitis externa - bacteriological survey; Feinmesser R et al.; Otitis externa is one of the most common problems faced by the otolaryngologist, and in some clinics constitutes up to 40% of patients . Although not lethal, it may be a most debilitating disease . The external ear is an epithelium-lined cul-de-sac with many sweat and cerumeniferous glands whose secretions are an excellent medium for bacterial growth . Bacterial surveys done in the USA and in Israel 30 years ago proved Staphylococcus aureus to be the major pathogen . During the years the major pathogen changed, and in recent surveys Pseudomonas aeruginosa was found to be the dominant pathogenic bacterium . The purpose of this article is to present the results of a bacteriological survey done in Israel on patients suffering from otitis externa in the years 1979-1980 . A discussion is presented with regard to the meaning of the review . We tried to establish whether a certain factor could be considered to be the cause of otitis externa.

Ophthalmic Res, 1982, 14(2), 129 - 34
Cefsulodin concentrations in rabbit eyes after intravenous and subconjunctival administration; Mester U et al.; Experimental studies on rabbit eyes were performed to examine the penetration capacity of cefsulodin into the anterior chamber and the vitreous body . One group of animals was injected with 50 mg/kg body weight intravenously, the other group received 20 mg subconjunctivally . Samples of the anterior chamber and the vitreous body were taken from the anaesthetized animals after 15, 30, 60 and 120 min (6 eyes at each time) . The corresponding serum concentrations were determined as well . Cefsulodin concentrations were measured microbiologically with agar diffusion tests . At each time studied, the antibiotic could be detected in the anterior chamber after intravenous injection . Concentrations ranged from 2 to 5.2 mg/l . Similar results were found after subconjunctival application . In no case the antibiotic was detectable in the vitreous body . The pharmacokinetics of cefsulodin in the rabbit eye seem to be comparable to the behaviour of other beta-lactam antibiotics and aminoglycosides . As cefsulodin is able to penetrate into the anterior chamber, it might be a useful antibiotic for therapy of eye infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Microbiol Immunol, 1982, 26(1), 67 - 76
Nonbacteremic pseudomonas pneumonia in immunosuppressed guinea pigs; Otani T et al.; An experimental model of nonbacteremic pneumonia with a virulent strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was successfully established in guinea pigs immuno-suppressed with cortisone acetate although the organisms were eliminated rapidly from the lungs without cortisone treatment . Using a pocket nebulizer, almost all the animals which received 10(6) organisms/g-lung developed bronchopneumonia without any septic findings as long as 10 days after challenge . The lesions produced in such animals were characterized by dissemination of multiple purulogranulomatous changes . In the early stage of infection, infiltration of polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) in the bronchiolar and alveolar spaces was diffuse, later showing multifocal accumulation with the formation of central spherical grains enclosing bacterial colonies . In the later stage, granulation tissue consisting of large mononuclear cells, fibroblasts and collagen fibers developed around the PMN accumulation . The animals which received 10(7) organisms/g-lung, on the other hand, developed severe pulmonary hemorrhages and necrosis followed by septic death.

J Gen Microbiol, 1982 Jan, 128 (Pt 1), 49 - 59
The role of oxygen in the regulation of glucose metabolism, transport and the tricarboxylic acid cycle in Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Mitchell CG et al.; The effect of dissolved oxygen concentration on the metabolism of glucose in Pseudomonas aeruginosa was studied with chemostat cultures using both single-step and gradual transitions from either ammonium or glucose limitation to oxygen limitation and studying transient and steady states . The pathway of glucose metabolism was regulated by the availability of oxygen . The organism responded to oxygen limitation by adjusting its metabolism of glucose from the extracellular direct oxidative pathway, which produces gluconate and 2-oxogluconate, to the intracellular phosphorylative route . This change was a consequence of decreased activities of glucose dehydrogenase and gluconate dehydrogenase and of the transport systems for gluconate and 2-oxogluconate, and an increased activity of glucose transport, while relatively high activities of hexokinase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase were maintained . Citrate synthase, isocitrate dehydrogenase and malate dehydrogenase activities responded to changes in dissolved oxygen concentration rather than to changes in the glucose or ammonium concentrations . The effect of oxygen limitation on the oxo-acid dehydrogenases and aconitase was probably due, wholly or in part, to repression by glucose consequent upon the increase in residual glucose concentration . Succinate dehydrogenase was repressed by an increase in ammonium concentration under an oxygen limitation.

Med Microbiol Immunol (Berl), 1982, 170(3), 191 - 9
Cell-mediated immunity and delayed-type hypersensitivity in Pseudomonas aeruginosa-infected mice; Campa M et al.; In mice repeated systemic injections of Pseudomonas aeruginosa viable cells were able to induce a specific delayed-type hypersensitivity, which was evaluated as increase both in footpad swelling and in the weight of popliteal lymph nodes, after a challenge in the footpad . Unfractionated spleen cells or T lymphocyte-enriched spleen cells from sensitized donors were able to specifically transfer the delayed-type hypersensitivity to syngeneic recipients but failed to protect them against a lethal challenge with P . aeruginosa . In contrast, serum or B lymphocyte and macrophage-enriched spleen cells from the same donors were capable of transferring protective immunity but failed to induce any delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction in the recipients . These results clearly show that in systemic P . aeruginosa infections a dissociation between delayed-type hypersensitivity and acquired cellular resistance occurs.

Arch Otolaryngol, 1982 Jan, 108(1), 36 - 7
Rhinorrhea and Pseudomonas meningitis associated with a rhinopharyngeal tumor; Sculier JP et al.; A patient with a neoplastic tumor of the rhinopharynx had Pseudomonas aeruginosa meningitis, the origin of which could be traced back to an occult CSF fistula caused by the tumor . From a review of the literature, it seems that this is a rare clinical occurrence.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1982 Jan, 21(1), 85 - 92
Azthreonam (SQ 26,776), a synthetic monobactam specifically active against aerobic gram-negative bacteria; Sykes RB et al.; Azthreonam (SQ 26,776) is a synthetic monocyclic beta-lactam antimicrobial agent belonging to the monobactam family (Sykes et al., Nature {London} 291:489-491, 1981), members of which are characterized by having the 2-oxoazetidine-1-sulfonic acid moiety . Azthreonam exhibits a high degree of stability to beta-lactamases and is specifically active against aerobic gram-negative bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Its activity against these organisms was in general equal or superior to that observed with the third-generation cephalosporins, cefotaxime and ceftazidime . Like penicillins and cephalosporins, azthreonam interacts with essential penicillin-binding proteins of gram-negative bacteria . Azthreonam protected mice against experimental infections produced by a range of gram-negative bacteria, exhibiting efficacy comparable to that of cefotaxime and ceftazidime.

J Clin Microbiol, 1982 Jan, 15(1), 178 - 80
Recovery of Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonial dissociants on a protease detection medium; Janda JM et al.; Dialyzed brain heart infusion-skim milk agar medium facilitated the recovery of colonial dissociants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Differences in colonial morphology as well as in proteolytic activity were readily visualized, thus permitting facile isolation of segregating colony types for further biochemical, serological, and susceptibility studies.

J Clin Microbiol, 1982 Jan, 15(1), 166 - 8
Isolation of chlorhexidine-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa from clinical lesions; Nakahara H et al.; The chlorhexidine resistance of 317 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from hospital patients was determined . The distribution pattern of their susceptibility to chlorhexidine clearly revealed two peaks, and the frequency of resistance to chlorhexidine was 84.2%.

J Clin Microbiol, 1982 Jan, 15(1), 115 - 22
Antibody response to Pseudomonas aeruginosa exoproducts in cancer patients; Crowe KE et al.; We analyzed sera from 28 patients with various types of malignancies for the occurrence of antibodies against exotoxin A of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and two Pseudomonas proteases . A total of 27 of these individuals were colonized or infected with P . aeruginosa at one time or another during the study, whereas the remaining patient was colonized with four non-P . aeruginosa species of Pseudomonas . Sera were obtained from several of these patients before P . aeruginosa colonization or infection of these individuals was detected, which provided an opportunity to evaluate their responsiveness to pseudomonal exoproducts as they acquired the organism . Exotoxin A was purified from culture supernatant fluids of strain PA-103, and the two proteases were purified from an isolate of strain JR3, a highly proteolytic strain originally recovered from the sputum of a cystic fibrosis patient . Antibodies to the exotoxin A and the two proteases were detected in these sera, and sera which contained relatively high antibody levels to exotoxin A afforded mice complete protection against lethal challenges with this substance . Statistical analyses showed that patients infected with P . aeruginosa had consistently higher antibody levels (P less than 0.005) to the exoproducts than patients who were colonized with this organism . Also, patients colonized with P . aeruginosa possessed significantly higher antibody levels (P less than 0.003) to these three exoproducts than uninfected, hospitalized patients . Parke-Davis type 1 was the strain most commonly isolated from these patients (46%), but colonization or infection due to this organism usually resulted in the production of low levels of antibody to Pseudomonas exoproducts . However, infections with Parke-David type 7 organisms were always associated with intermediate- and high-responder sera to exotoxin A . These results indicated that potentially toxic products were elaborated during the course of cancer-related colonization and infection with P . aeruginosa.

Acta Microbiol Acad Sci Hung, 1982, 29(4), 267 - 75
Active and passive mouse-protecting capacity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa protein vaccines; Joo I et al.; Six different vaccines were prepared, each containing the soluble, practically lipopolysaccharide-free protein extract of 2 or 3 Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains . In active mouse protection tests the vaccines were shown to give protection against both homologous and heterologous serotype strains, and against strain PA-103 producing exotoxin A . In rabbits the vaccines were found to stimulate the production of protective antibodies demonstrable in a passive mouse protection test . The immune serum had a protective effect against the exotoxin A-producing strain PA-103, too . Toxicity of the vaccines was studied in mice (mouse weight gain test) and in rabbits (intracutaneous skin test and pyrogenicity) . The vaccines were not or only slightly toxic.

Metab Pediatr Syst Ophthalmol, 1982, 6(3-4), 331 - 6
Growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and secretion of protease in the presence of the protease inhibitors; Kessler E et al.; The compounds benzyloxycarbonyl-L-leucyl-hydroxamate (Z-Leu-NHOH), benzyloxycarbonyl-glycyl-hydroxamate (Z-Gly-NHOH) and 2-mercaptoacetyl-L-phenylalanyl-L-leucine (HSAc-Phe-Leu) are potent inhibitors of Pseudomonas aeruginosa elastase . The effect of these inhibitors on growth and protease secretion by the bacteria was studied under conditions where the organisms secrete elastase as the major proteolytic constituent . Z-Gly-NHOH and Z-Leu-NHOH inhibited bacterial growth and enzyme secretion by 40 and 30%, respectively, although the inhibition by Z-Leu-NHOH was expressed only when growth was in dialysed medium . Inhibition of growth by both compounds was first observed at the end of the logarithmic phase of growth, suggesting that these compounds are not toxic to the bacteria . HSAc-Phe-Leu did not inhibit growth or enzyme secretion . The level of HSAc-Phe-Leu in the medium decreased constantly during incubation, probably because of gradual oxidation of the -SH group . The rate of this decrease was markedly enhanced in presence of the bacteria, suggesting that HSAc-Phe-Leu is either consumed or destroyed by the organisms . We propose that the partial reduction of growth exerted by the hydroxamate derivatives is the result of inhibition of the extracellular proteases by these compounds . HSAc-Phe-Leu failed to inhibit growth because of its rapid loss during incubation with the bacteria . Since the three inhibitors have no antibacterial effects, their therapeutic potential should be examined in combination with antibiotics . Experimental treatment with HSAc-Phe-Leu should be frequent in order to overcome its loss in presence of the organisms.

J Reprod Fertil Suppl, 1982, 32, 41 - 5
Effects of washing on the bacterial flora of the stallion's penis; Bowen JM et al.; Six stallions were subjected to extensive cleansing of the penis and prepuce with water, Ivory Soap and water, or Betadine surgical scrub and water . The stallions were all washed for 14 days, and then allowed 14 days respite . This pattern of washing and resting was repeated consecutively . Swabs were taken from all 7 stallions twice weekly and semen was collected once a week for bacteriological examination . All forms of cleansing altered the bacterial flora of the stallion's penis; the Ivory Soap tended to encourage the replacement of the normal flora with coliform organisms, while Betadine favoured the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella spp . This experiment showed that the systematic washing of a stallion's penis will cause the normal flora to be replaced with pathogens and potential pathogens.

Helv Paediatr Acta, 1982, 37(6), 547 - 54
Occurrence of nonfermentative gram-negative rods other than Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the respiratory tract of children with cystic fibrosis; Baltimore RS et al.; There have been no comprehensive microbiologic studies of the frequency of respiratory colonization with nonfermentative gram-negative rods (NFGNR) other than Pseudomonas aeruginosa in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) . Records of bacteria isolated from throats and sputa of CF patients of the Yale-New Haven Hospital CF Clinic from 1975-1979 were reviewed in order to determine the incidence of these species . Thirty-one strains were recovered . Twenty patients from the CF Clinic (with an average census of 170 patients) yielded at least one isolate of non-P . aeruginosa NFGNR, and eight of them showed more than one species on at least one occasion . Two patients also carried P . aeruginosa and ten carried Staphylococcus aureus on at least one occasion . Using a standardized method of clinical scoring, our patients had a course not unlike our general CF population.

Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg, 1982, 76(6), 806 - 9
Titres of antibodies to gut-derived antigens in patients with chronic schistosomiasis mansoni; Borojevic R et al.; Serum titres of antibodies against six intestinal, one ubiquitous and one non-intestinal bacteria were determined in patients with severe hepatosplenic schistosomiasis mansoni, with light intestinal schistosomiasis and in normal subjects . No significant difference was observed among the three groups of subjects for levels of antibodies against two non-intestinal bacteria and four of the intestinal bacteria . Patients with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis had titres of antibodies against one strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and one strain of Escherichia coli lower than those observed in other groups of subjects . Despite the partial obliteration of the hepatic blood outflow and the elevated portal pressure, hepatic clearance of the portal blood is efficient in chronic human schistosomiasis, and unlike alcoholic liver cirrhosis, avoids excessive stimulation of the immune system by a gut-derived antigens.

Ophthalmic Res, 1982, 14(6), 401 - 8
Experimental Pseudomonas exotoxin A mediated ocular damage in mouse pups: microscopic observations; Hazlett LD et al.; The ocular damage in mouse pups produced by purified Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A was examined microscopically following toxin A injection beneath the fused eyelid . In contrast to infection, in which lysis of ocular surface epithelium occurs within minutes, toxin A does not induce any lytic changes until 5 h after injection . Additionally, no phagocytic cellular response to toxin A was observed, whereas in infection, this response is seen within 1 h . We conclude that toxin A is not the bacterial extracellular factor responsible for mediating the rapid early destruction of the ocular epithelium allowing bacterial penetration and dissemination.

J Hyg Epidemiol Microbiol Immunol, 1982, 26(4), 417 - 27
Vaccines against Pseudomonas aeruginosa results and perspectives of investigations (survey); Joo I et al.; At the present time, there are many preparations for active immunization against P . aeruginosa infection (pseudomonas infection), but none of the proposed preparations has so far been widely used in medical practice . Development of P . aeruginosa vaccine (PV) should obviously be based on findings concerning the pathogenesis of infection, the mechanisms of immunogenesis and the factors of virulence of the causative agent . On the basis of results of their studies the authors believe that PV should include a non-toxic low-molecular component (or components) of the extracellular slime and water-soluble protein antigens of the cell wall, isolated from one or three selected strains of P . aeruginosa . Adoption of these components onto aluminium hydroxide can obviously increase the efficiency of PV.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1982, (11), 75 - 9
{Selective media for isolating Pseudomonas aeruginosa}; Kolker II et al.; The comparative study of 4 selective media (medium containing N-cetylpyridinium chloride, acetamide agar, cetrimide agar, medium containing irgasane) showed that their use permitted one to enhance the isolation of P . aeruginosa, especially pigment-free forms, from pathological material and to reduce the time of their isolation by 24-48 hours . Of all the media subjected to testing medium containing N-cetylpyridinium chloride and acetamide medium proved to have the highest selectivity.

Infection, 1982, 10 Suppl 3, S257 - 61
Activity and synergy of ureido penicillins and aminoglycosides against Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Hoogkamp-Korstanje JA et al.; The in vitro activities of piperacillin, azlocillin, mezlocillin, sulbenicillin and ticarcillin were compared with those of carbenicillin using 88 clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) were determined by standard techniques . The MIC for 90% of the strains was 7.5 mg/l for piperacillin, 10.0 mg/l for azlocillin, 26.5 mg/l for mezlocillin, 48.4 mg/l for sulbenicillin, 50.0 mg/l for ticarcillin and more than 100 mg/l for carbenicillin . The MBC/MIC ratio was 1.3 for piperacillin, 1.9 for ticarcillin, 2.1 for sulbenicillin, 3.3 for mezlocillin and 4.5 for azlocillin . The susceptibilities of the same strains to four aminoglycosides were tested . The MIC for 90% of the strains was 0.3 mg/l for sisomicin and tobramycin, 1.5 mg/l for amikacin, and 2.2 mg/l for gentamicin . The effect of combining piperacillin, azlocillin and mezlocillin with gentamicin, tobramycin, sisomicin and amikacin was studied using checkerboard titration . The highest degrees of synergy were found with the combinations of piperacillin and an aminoglycoside . Strong potentiation was observed in 85% of the strains with piperacillin - sisomicin and in 50% with piperacillin - gentamicin . The synergistic effects of azlocillin and mezlocillin in combination with an aminoglycoside (observed in 30-65% of the strains) were for the most part moderate or slight . No antagonism was observed.

Infection, 1982, 10 Suppl 3, S244 - 8
The in vitro activity of beta-lactam antibiotics against gentamicin and/or carbenicillin-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains; Aisa ML et al.; We studied the behaviour of 56 clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains against the following beta-lactam antibiotics: cefotaxime, cefoperazone, cefsulodin, lamoxactam, Ro 13-9904, azlocillin, mezlocillin and ticarcillin . Twenty-six strains were resistant to gentamicin and 30 to gentamicin and/or carbenicillin . The MICs were measured by the serial dilution test on solid agar . Cefsulodin was the most active cephalosporin against carbenicillin-resistant strains (MIC greater than or equal to 128 mg/l); it inhibited 56.6% of these strains at a concentration of 8 mg/l . Azlocillin was the most active penicillin, inhibiting 79.96% of the same strains at a concentration of 64 mg/l . Cefsulodin was the most active cephalosporin against the gentamicin-resistant group of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains (MIC greater than or equal to 8 mg/l) which were sensitive to carbenicillin (MIC less than or equal to 64 mg/l) . It inhibited 100% of the strains at a concentration of 4 mg/l . All of the penicillins studied inhibited all of the strains in this group . The required concentrations were the following: 16 mg/l for azlocillin, 32 mg/l for mezlocillin and 64 mg/l for ticarcillin.

Infection, 1982, 10 Suppl 3, S229 - 33
Combined action of decreasing concentrations of azlocillin and sisomicin on Pseudomonas aeruginosa as assessed in a dynamic in vitro model; Haller I; The effect of decreasing concentrations of azlocillin and sisomicin on Pseudomonas aeruginosa was examined . Logarithmically growing bacterial cultures were incubated in an ultrafiltration cell, and after adding the antibiotics, the culture medium was diluted every 20 min without any decrease in cell density . The turn-over of medium resulted in the elimination of azlocillin with a half-life of 75 min . This simulated serum kinetics in vivo . When testing sisomicin, small amounts of this agent were added during every dilution step to achieve a half-life of 120 min . Growth conditions were comparable in all experiments . The simultaneous combination of azlocillin and sisomicin resulted in strong synergism as assessed by higher killing rates and more prolonged growth inhibition of surviving bacteria . Comparable results were observed when both drugs were added at intervals of 40 min . When applied at intervals of 120 min, the combined effect of azlocillin and sisomicin was reduced, but still superior to the effect of double the concentration of each compound alone . Thus, neither pre-treatment with azlocillin nor with sisomicin impaired the antibacterial activity of the combination partner . This seems to be of clinical importance since the agents may be administered at different times during combined therapy.

Infection, 1982, 10 Suppl 3, S168 - 9
Pseudomonas aeruginosa meningitis treated with an azlocillin combination; Davidson S et al.; Pseudomonas aeruginosa meningitis following trauma or surgery is associated with a high mortality rate . This high rate is explained both by tissue damage which leads to infection and by the failure of antibacterial therapy . The latter is due to the relatively resistant microorganism and the insufficient penetration of antibiotics into the CSF . We are reporting the successful therapy of a case of postoperative P . aeruginosa meningitis treated with the combination of azlocillin and gentamicin administered systemically together with intraventricular gentamicin.

Zentralbl Mikrobiol, 1982, 137(6), 503 - 7
Formazans and tetrazolium salts as potential antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral agents; Awasthi LP et al.; Fifteen 1-aryl-3-(3'-nitro-4'-methoxyphenyl)-5-phenyl formazans and five 3-aryl-5-(3'-nitro-4'-methoxy phenyl)-2-phenyl tetrazolium bromides have been tested against Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa for their antibacterial and against Aspergillus flavus and Helminthosporium gramineum for their antifungal activities . Most of the compounds have shown promising antibacterial and antifungal action . These compounds were also found to exhibit significant antiviral activity against sunnhemp rosette virus in Cyamopsis tetragonoloba plants in vivo as well as in vivo.

Microbios, 1982, 34(137-38), 197 - 212
Comparative ultrastructure of a mucoid strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from cystic fibrosis patient and its spontaneous non-mucoid mutant; Dunne WM Jr et al.; The ultrastructure of a mucoid strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa of cystic fibrosis origin and its spontaneous non-mucoid variant was compared by transmission electron microscopy . Negatively-stained preparations of the mucoid strain obtained from plate cultures demonstrated dense, fibrous material projecting from the cell . No such material was observed in thin-sections or in negatively-strained preparations from liquid cultures . Thin-sections of ethanol-precipitated extracellular material from liquid cultures of the mucoid-strain revealed a cottony mesh of thin electron dense fibres . The non-mucoid strain did not produce such material . When prefixed with glutaraldehyde/malachite green mixture, cells of both strains demonstrated electron dense intracellular and extracellular malachite green-stainable structures . The internal complexes were frequently associated with the nucleoid or cell membrane and were replaced by electron transparent areas in cells prefixed with glutaraldehyde alone . Aeruginocins of the R-type were observed in mitomycin C induced cultures of both strains . Bacteriophages with 'claw-shaped' tail-tips were observed in the mucoid strain . Crystalline material was produced by the mucoid strain but only when plated on certain media.

Microbios, 1982, 34(137-38), 159 - 66
Effect of Pseudomonas aeruginosa lectins on phagocytosis of Escherichia coli strains by human polymorphonuclear leucocytes; Sudakevitz D et al.; The D-galactosephilic lectin of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA-I) agglutinates cells of E . coli O86B7, while its other lectin (PA-II) agglutinates E . coli O128B12 cells . Both lectins react with human peripheral leucocytes . Exposure of the human leucocytes to either of the two Pseudomonas lectins was found to depress their phagocytic activity towards E . coli O86B7 and O128B12 strains, as well as towards E . coli B cells, which are not agglutinated by the lectins . However, coating the E . coli O86B7 and O128B12 cells, respectively, with PA-I and PA-II lectins increased their phagocytosis by untreated human leucocytes . Control experiments in which E . coli O86B7 and O128B12 cells were exposed to PA-II and PA-I, respectively, did not lead to any increase in their phagocytosis.

Scand J Infect Dis, 1982, 14(3), 207 - 11
Treatment of pulmonary Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in cystic fibrosis with cefsulodin; Moller NE et al.; 20 patients with cystic fibrosis and chronic pulmonary Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection underwent a total of 23 courses of treatment with a new cephalosporin, cefsulodin . The patients were given 100-150 mg/kg/day in 3 divided doses for 14 days, alone or in combination with tobramycin . Maximum serum levels were around 150 microgram/ml and 6-h levels above 5 micrograms/ml . 90% of the infecting strains were sensitive to 5 micrograms/ml in vitro . Apart from discomfort in direct relation to intravenous bolus injection the drug was well tolerated . Clinical improvement was pronounced, and in 5 cases . P . aeruginosa disappeared from bronchial secretions . Patients allergic to carbenicillin tolerated cefsulodin without signs of allergy . Cefsulodin thus appears to be an effective alternative to carbenicillin in the treatment of severe P . aeruginosa infections.

Genetika, 1982, 18(8), 1236 - 44
{Pseudomonas aeruginosa plasmids controlling resistance to ultraviolet irradiation and increased mutability}; Anisimova LA et al.; 11 out of 35 different resistance (R) plasmids increased the survival of Pseudomonas aeruginosa exposed to ultraviolet irradiation (UV) in the wild-type and uvr and polA mutants but failed to alter the UV-response of a recA mutant . The two most thoroughly studied plasmids, pBS12 and pBS31 protect both uvr+ and uvr- strains from the lethal effect of methyl methane sulphonate and also enhance the UV-induced mutability of the wild-type strain . Sodium arsenite was shown to completely inhibit the UV-protection effect, mediated by pBS12 and pBS31 plasmids . It is suggested that the plasmids pBS12 and pBS31 contain genes, the functioning of which increases significantly the level of resistance of P . aeruginosa cells to UV-irradiation and their mutability, when recA+-dependent arsenite-sensitive pathway of dark DNA reparation is active . The conclusion was made that the genes enhancing resistance of bacteria to UV-irradiation and their mutability are wide-spread among R plasmids of P . aeruginosa belonging to the group of P-2 incompatibility.

Dev Comp Immunol, 1982 Summer, 6(3), 433 - 40
Effects of hemolymph from immune and non-immune larvae of Galleria mellonella on the ultra-structure of Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Chadwick JS et al.; The ultrastructure of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a pathogen of Galleria mellonella is rapidly altered after in vitro exposure to the hemolymph of vaccinated larvae . The bacteria were treated with normal and immune hemolymph for periods of time ranging from 7 to 28 min at 28 degrees C . In contrast to the apparent non-damaging effects of normal hemolymph, the immune hemolymph caused progressive damage to the cells within 7 min . The initial attack was directed towards the cell wall . Complete degradation was observed after 14 to 28 min exposure to the immune hemolymph.

Clin Invest Med, 1982, 5(2-3), 125 - 8
Opsonization of mucoid and non-mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa by serum from patients with cystic fibrosis assessed by a chemiluminescence assay; LeBlanc CM et al.; Since Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P . aeruginosa) is a major pathogen for patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), we compared serum from CF patients to serum from controls for opsonic activity against a mucoid and a non-mucoid strain of this organism . A chemiluminescence assay was employed to assess opsonic activity using control polymorphonuclear leukocytes and organisms opsonized with: (1) serum from CF patients who were colonized with P . aeruginosa; (2) serum from CF patients who were not colonized with this organism; and (3) pooled control serum . Serum from CF patients who were colonized with P . aeruginosa had 1.5-2-fold greater opsonic activity against mucoid and non-mucoid P . aeruginosa respectively than serum from non-colonized CF patients or pooled control serum . The increased activity was attributed to antibody, since adsorption of serum with the organism removed much of its opsonic activity . Heat inactivation also decreased opsonic activity indicating that complement plays an important role . We speculate that the increased levels of opsonic antibodies in patients colonized with P . aeruginosa may play a role in the pathogenesis of lung damage by triggering neutrophil migration to the lung.

Am J Vet Res, 1982 Jan, 43(1), 55 - 60
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of antibody to Pseudomonas aeruginosa and measurement of antibody titer in horse serum; Ueda Y et al.; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used for detection of immunoglobulin (Ig) M and IgG antibodies against a serologically common antigen (original endotoxin protein), protease, and elastase of Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The P aeruginosa antibody in horse sera was measured, using ELISA . Horseradish peroxidase-labeled rabbit anti-horse IgM and IgG antibodies were used for enzyme-labeled antibody conjugate . 5-Aminosalicylic acid and H2O2 were used for substrate . Sera collected from a vaccinated horse, a newborn foal, and 72 healthy racehorses were investigated for antibodies against P aeruginosa by ELISA and passive hemagglutination procedure . Changes in IgM and IgG antibody titers with vaccination were clear by ELISA . In the newborn foal, significant amounts of IgM and IgG antibodies from colostrum were present on the 1st day after birth . It was shown by ELISA that the level of antibodies in the newborn decreased initially and then increased . Some antibodies against original endotoxin protein, protease, and elastase of P aeruginosa were detected in almost all the healthy racehorses investigated.

J Gen Microbiol, 1982 Jan, 128 (Pt 1), 215 - 8
Role of DNA repair genes and an R plasmid in conferring cryoresistance on Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Williams DL et al.; The resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa wild-type, uvr, pol and rec strains to ultraviolet (u.v.) light, X-rays and freezing and thawing was determined . An R plasmid, pPL1, which increased resistance of the wild-type uvr, and pol but not rec strains to u.v . light, increased the resistance of only rec and pol mutants to X-rays and freezing and thawing . These findings reinforce the idea of DNA as a target in the organism for freeze-thaw stress and suggest that freeze-thaw-induced DNA damage might be similar to that produced by X-rays but different from that produced by u.v . light.

J Gen Microbiol, 1982 Jan, 128 (Pt 1), 155 - 9
Isolation and properties of an inducible and a constitutive beta-lactamase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Berks M et al.; The inducible beta-lactamase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa NCTC 8203 and the constitutive beta-lactamase from strain 1822 S/H have been isolated and compared . These two enzymes are apparently periplasmic since they are released by freezing and thawing . They resemble each other closely in their molecular weights, amino acid composition, isoelectric points and electrophoretic mobility as well as in their catalytic properties, and they may be identical . Neither enzyme contains a free thiol group.

Arch Otorhinolaryngol, 1982, 234(1), 65 - 71
Bacteriology in chronic otitis media correlated with the clinical state of ears; Ojala K; Bacteriologic findings in 702 cases of chronic otitis media were correlated with the clinical conditions of the ears . Statistically significant correlations with the severity of the clinical infection were noticed concerning Pseudomonas aeruginosa, St, aureus and E . coli . The bacteriological findings did not correlate with the results of Valsalva test . Pseudomonas aeruginosa was statistically more often present in ears without than in ears with cholesteatoma.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1982 Jan, 21(1), 62 - 5
Activities of tobramycin and azlocillin alone and in combination against experimental osteomyelitis caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Norden CW et al.; Azlocillin and tobramycin were used alone and in combination in the treatment of chronic osteomyelitis due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa in rabbits . This combination showed in vitro synergy measured by both the checkerboard technique and time-kill curves . A marked inoculum effect was demonstrated in vitro with azlocillin and the infecting strain of P . aeruginosa . The minimal inhibitory concentration of azlocillin, with an inoculum of 10(5) organisms, was 12.5 micrograms/ml; when the inoculum size was increased to 10(7) organisms, the minimal inhibitory concentration rose to more than 500 micrograms/ml . In therapeutic trials, the combination of azlocillin and tobramycin, given for 28 days, was significantly better than either no therapy or azlocillin alone, but was not significantly better than tobramycin alone . Even after 4 weeks of combined therapy with azlocillin and tobramycin, P . aeruginosa was recovered from the bones of 60% of the treated rabbits.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1982 Jan, (1), 33 - 7
{Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteriophages isolated in a surgical hospital}; Iskhakova KhI et al.; New data on P . aeruginosa bacteriophages isolated from patients, as well as from washings obtained from various objects, in a surgical hospital are presented . 14 pure strains of P . aeruginosa bacteriophages have been isolated from 90 specimens of the material under study . The morphology of the colonies, the titer and the spectrum of action of the phages are characterized . The spectrum of action of polyvalent combination obtained by the mechanical mixture of different phages has been studied . The most active phages have been found to lyse 71.1, 63.1, 59.2 and 41.8 per cent of P . aeruginosa museum strains (225 strains).

Mikrobiologiia, 1982 Jan-Feb, 51(1), 5 - 11
{Central metabolic characteristics of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa culture degrading DDT}; Mal'tseva OV et al.; The object of this work was to investigate the operation of enzymes of the citric acid cycle, the glyoxylate pathway, the glucose metabolism as well as of pyruvate and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylases in Pseudomonas aeruginosa 640x capable of complete degradation of DDT under the conditions of cometabolism . The activity of isocitrate and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenases producing reduced NADP, which is required for reductive dechlorination of DDT, appears to be high . Pyruvate carboxylase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (EC 4.1.1.31.) function simultaneously in the culture . Differences in the pathways of anaplerotic carbon dioxide fixation were found in P . aeruginosa 640x and the collection strain of P . aeruginosa PAO incapable of DDT degradation.

Am J Ophthalmol, 1982 Jan, 93(1), 107 - 10
Tobramycin levels in aqueous humor after subconjunctival injection in humans; Gorden TB et al.; Subconjunctival injection of 10 mg of tobramycin provided therapeutic levels in the aqueous humor of 25 patients (ranging in age from 51 to 89 years) who underwent cataract surgery . The absorption from the subconjunctival tissue into the anterior chamber was fairly rapid, reaching a peak in approximately two hours . Peak levels were usually 20 times the minimum inhibitory concentration for Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The drug then gradually disappeared from the aqueous but still exceeded the minimum inhibitory concentration for Pseudomonas organisms after eight hours.

Eur J Biochem, 1982 Jan, 121(2), 335 - 41
Tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine oxidase of Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Yang T; An oxidase complex has been solubilized and partially purified from the membrane particle of Pseudomonas aeruginosa grown under limited oxygen condition . The oxidase consists of two major cytochrome components, cytochrome c554 and cytochrome o (b561), with a molar ratio of about 9:1 in terms of c-heme to protoheme content . Ninety percent of the cytochrome c+o complex, corresponding to all of the cytochrome c554, is reducible by reduced N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine . This partially purified oxidase exhibited a maximal specific activity about 5 mumol O2 uptake x min-1 x mg protein-1, with a Km (of reduced N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine) = 7.2 x 10(-4) M at 30 degrees C . The oxidase is sensitive to KCN, NaN3 and NaNO2 . Oxidation-reduction potentiometric titration shows that cytochrome c554 has a midpoint potential of 289 mV and cytochrome o of + 25 mV at pH 7.2 in the partially purified oxidase preparation . The purity of the preparation has been estimated to be about 85--90% by gel electrophoresis.

Burns Incl Therm Inj, 1982 Jan, 8(3), 151 - 5
Changing patterns of Pseudomonas aeruginosa antibiotic sensitivity; Pegg SP et al.; Using a sample of 71 Pseudomonas aeruginosa infected burns patients admitted to the Burns Injury Unit of the Royal Brisbane Hospital within an 11-year period the pattern of sensitivity of the organism to 18 antibiotics was studied longitudinally looking at first and last cultures (either pus, blood or sputum) separately . Only 5 antibiotics reflected a significant change (towards resistance) in sensitivity patterns (chloramphenicol, gentamycin, kanamycin, tetracycline, achromycin) . Six of the other 13 antibiotics showed a trend towards increasing resistance but the changes were not statistically significant (polymyxin B, carbenicillin, sulphanomides, cotrimoxazole, streptomycin, teramycin) . The other 7 antibiotics showed no change, all but one (colistin) being resistant throughout.

Antibiotiki, 1982 Jan, 27(1), 25 - 9
{Comparative study of the resistance of hospital and nonhospital strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to antibacterial preparations}; Krasil'nikov AP et al.; The comparative study on 392 hospital and 160 out-of-hospital Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains showed that the hospital strains differed in the levels and spectra of resistance to antibiotics, bacteriostatic and bactericidal concentrations of antiseptics and disinfectants, the resistancevars composition, serogroups and biochemical activity . A scheme for dividing Ps . aeruginosa into resistancevars according to the antibiotic resistance spectra is presented . The hospital strains in this scheme belonged mainly to the variants with a resistance to 3--5 drugs and the out-of-hospital strains belonged to the variants resistant to 1--2 drugs . The biological characteristics of the hospital strains made them more advantageous as compared to the out-of-hospital strains when existing in the hospital ecosystem . The changeability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is considered to be geographically related (group, interpopulational) . The hospital strains of this species were classified as belonging to a higher taxon, i . e . ecological types or variants.

J Infect Dis, 1982 Jan, 145(1), 78 - 82
Activation of the alternative pathway of human complement by the extracellular slime glycolipoprotein of Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Lambris J et al.; The capability of the extracellular slime glycolipoprotein (GLP) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to activate human complement was investigated . When slime GLP was added to type AB human serum, C3 and factor B were converted to their respective major cleavage fragments, C3b and Bb . This activation also occurred when slime GLP was incubated with serum-ethylene glycol bis(trichloroacetate)-Mg++, a result which indicates that the alternative complement pathway is involved . Additional support for the hypothesis of alternative pathway activation was provided by the fact that when serum-ethylene glycol bis(trichloroacetate)-Mg++ was preheated to inactivate factor B, slime GLP did not induce conversion of C3 . The activation of the alternative pathway of human complement by slime GLP may represent an early nonimmune defense against P . aeruginosa infection.

Infect Immun, 1982 Jan, 35(1), 281 - 8
Flagellar preparations from Pseudomonas aeruginosa: isolation and characterization; Montie TC et al.; Flagella from various strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were isolated by shearing the flagella followed by differential centrifugation to obtain typical filaments as viewed through an electron microscope . Electrophoretic analysis showed a major protein band corresponding to a flagellin with molecular weight of 53,000 . Among the strains tested, flagellar antigen (FAg) preparations isolated from strains 1244 and 1210 routinely gave the highest percentage of flagellin, with the least amount of protein impurities, when grown on succinate-mineral salts medium . All FAg preparations contained 3 to 10 micrograms of 2-keto-3-deoxyoctonate-positive material per mg of protein . Strain PA-103 lacked flagella and exhibited no flagellin band, and preparations from PA-103 had a relatively higher content of 2-keto-3-deoxyoctonate . The isolation of highly purified, single-banded flagellin could be accomplished by elution of the 53,000-molecular weight gel band . Amino acid analysis showed 16 amino acids, but no proline . Antisera to FAg preparations were used to demonstrate inhibition of motility of strains RM-46 and M-2 . Heated RM-46 FAg antisera and PA-103 antisera did not inhibit motility.

Infect Immun, 1982 Jan, 35(1), 276 - 80
Flagellar preparations from Pseudomonas aeruginosa: animal protection studies; Holder IA et al.; Recent reports have suggested that motility is associated with virulence in Pseudomonas aeruginosa . We have confirmed this observation by showing that groups of mice immunized with P . aeruginosa flagellar-antigen preparations display enhanced survival when they are subsequently burned and challenged locally in the burned area with strains of P . aeruginosa . The protection appears to be due to the immobilization of the microorganisms in the burned skin tissue . Liver elongation factor 2 is also protected . The protection afforded by immunization with flagellar-antigen preparations is independent of the somatic antigenic type of the challenging strain but is flagellar-antigen specific . These data suggest that vaccination with flagellar-antigen preparations may provide a viable prophylactic or therapeutic alternative to antibiotic therapy for use in compromised patient population in which P . aeruginosa poses a serious infection threat.

Infect Immun, 1982 Jan, 35(1), 13 - 9
Evidence for autoantibody production associated with polyclonal B-cell activation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Garzelli C et al.; Experimental infection of mice with Pseudomonas aeruginosa resulted in the polyclonal activation of B lymphocytes, as assessed by the spontaneous plaque-forming cell (PFC) response to trinitrophenyl and sheep erythrocytes . Additionally, a PFC response to bromelain-treated syngeneic erythrocytes (Br-MRBC) could be detected in infected mice, suggesting that P . aeruginosa infection might also induce activation of self-reactive B-cell clones and consequently lead to autoantibody production . Furthermore, in cultures of mouse peritoneal cells, heat-killed P . aeruginosa enhanced the development of anti-Br-MRBC PFC, even under conditions where cell division was blocked, suggesting that the in vitro P . aeruginosa-induced enhancement of anti-Br-MRBC PFC was essentially related to cell differentiation, cell division playing only a minor role . The mechanism of the in vivo and in vitro P . aeruginosa-induced activation of anti-Br-MRBC PFC are discussed.

Acta Med Scand, 1982, 212(6), 379 - 84
Combination of amikacin and either ampicillin or cephalotin as initial treatment of febrile neutropenic patients; Palmblad J et al.; A prospective, randomized trial of two antibiotic combinations (amikacin plus either ampicillin or cephalotin) was performed on 39 consecutive episodes of fever in 30 patients with neutropenia and hematological malignancy . Infections were documented as the cause of fever in 37 episodes (95%): in 21 episodes (54%) bacteria or a virus (n = 1) were isolated, and in 16 (41% of all episodes) the infection was documented clinically but no pathogen was isolated . The most frequently isolated bacteria were Staph . aureus (38% of all strains), E . coli (13%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (13%) . Bacteremia occurred in 18% of the febrile episodes . Improvement followed treatment with the combination amikacin plus ampicillin in 73% of 19 cases, and with amikacin plus cephalotin in 55% of 20 cases (p less than 0.05), giving a total improvement rate of 64% . Failure of therapy was seen in episodes caused by multiple bacteria or Pseudomonas infections . Mild signs of nephrotoxicity were noted in 13% during both regimens . Audiograms were normal in all but two patients who showed slight high-frequency hearing loss . A second infection occurred in 7 episodes (18%) . Thus, the combination of amikacin plus ampicillin was as efficient (but less expensive) as amikacin plus cephalotin in the initial treatment of febrile episodes in neutropenic patients with hematological malignancies.

Adv Shock Res, 1982, 7, 91 - 100
Is endotoxin responsible for the cardiopulmonary lesions seen during acute burn wound sepsis?
Traber DL, Adair TH, Adams T Jr, Henriksen N, Traber LD.
Acute burn wound sepsis is a common clinical entity resulting from a showering of the circulation with gram-negative organisms which grow abundantly in the burn . We duplicate this state in our laboratory by creating 40%, third degree burns (anesthetic burns) in chronically instrumented sheep . Three days following the thermal insult, the burn wound is infected by injecting gram-negative organisms (3 X 10(10)) into it . Cardiopulmonary variables and pulmonary lymph flux data are monitored two hours prior to the injection of organisms and for three hours following it . Three different organisms were used in this study; Pseudomonas aeruginosa (N = 12), Escherichia coli (N = 9), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (N = 2) . The injection of all three organisms resulted in a similar response; an early marked pulmonary hypertension and a late increase in microvascular permeability . These changes occur concomitantly with an elevation in hematocrit and an early marked fall in neutrophils . The cardiac output gradually falls over the period of observation despite vigorous body shivering associated with a febrile response . The data from the sheep were compared to similarly instrumented animals (N = 12) which were not burned, but received a very small dosage of E coli endotoxin (0.75 micrograms/kg) . The cardiopulmonary response was qualitatively identical to that seen with live organisms . However, the quantitative changes in several of the cardiopulmonary variables were much more marked with endotoxin . It is concluded that the cardiopulmonary response noted with burn wound sepsis is produced by endotoxin.

J Infect Dis, 1982 Jan, 145(1), 110 - 7
A turbidimetric study of the responses of selected strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to eight antipseudomonal beta-lactam antibiotics; Greenwood D et al.; Turbidimetric and morphologic responses to eight antipseudomonal beta-lactam antibiotics were compared for selected strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa with different susceptibilities to carbenicillin . In conventional minimal inhibitory concentration tests, all of the newer antibiotics appeared more active than carbenicillin, and apalcillin and cefsulodin had the greatest overall activity . However, in turbidimetric tests the activity of apalcillin and three other N-acyl penicillins (azlocillin, mezlocillin, and piperacillin) was inferior to that of carbenicillin and the other agents . The N-acyl penicillins were also all susceptible to intrinsic pseudomonal beta-lactamase, so that dense bacterial populations inactivated these antibiotics in concentrations of greater 128 micrograms/ml during overnight incubation . Against carbenicillin-resistant strains, carbenicillin, ticarcillin, and sulbenicillin were the least active antibiotics, and cefsulodin had the best overall activity . Turbidimetric monitoring highlights the problems of interpreting the results of conventional minimal inhibitory concentration tests, particularly when large inocula are involved.

Arch Otolaryngol, 1982 Jan, 108(1), 38 - 40
Malignant external otitis . Cure with adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen therapy; Mader JT et al.; Malignant otitis externa developed in a 55-year-old man with diabetes . This Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection was refractory to high-dose moxalactam disodium therapy, despite sufficient in vitro tube dilution sensitivity results . When adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen therapy was added to the treatment regimen, the infection resolved.

Mol Gen Genet, 1982, 188(2), 292 - 8
Interactions of Tn7 and temperate phage F116L of Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Caruso M et al.; Tn7 insertions into the genome of F116L, a Pseudomonas aeruginosa generalized transducing phage, were isolated by repeated cycles of transduction and induction isolated by repeated cycles of transduction and induction of strains lysogenic for F116cts mutants with selection for trimethoprim resistance (Tpr) . Two non-defective F116Lcts:: Tn7 phage were characterized . They have reduced plaquing ability, produced non-lysogenic Tpr transductants, and have yielded a deletion mutant of the phage genome upon selection for plaque formation in single infection . F116L DNA is circularly permuted and terminally redundant . A circular restriction map of 61.7 kb has been defined, and a cleavage site common to many enzymes has been identified at coordinate 23.3 kb on the map . It is presumed that this site represents the sequence for the initiation of DNA encapsidation by a headful packaging mode . The Tn7 insertion targets and a 13.4 kb deletion define regions of the F116L genome non-essential for either vegetative growth or lysogenization . The restriction map of Tn7 has been determined for five enzymes . Non-lysogenic Tpr transductants reveal a Tn7 insertion hot-spot in the P . aeruginosa genome.

Chemotherapy, 1982, 28(5), 397 - 401
Combination effect of ceftriaxone with four aminoglycosides on nonfermenting gram-negative bacteria; Just HM et al.; The in vitro efficacy of ceftriaxone in combination with gentamicin, tobramycin, amikacin and netilmicin against 50 nonfermenting gram-negative bacterial strains was compared by use of the checkerboard agar dilution technique . On average 42.5% of all nonfermenting strains were inhibited by additive, 22.5% by synergistic ceftriaxone-aminoglycoside combinations . Great variations occurred between the different bacterial species . Ceftriaxone-tobramycin interactions were superior to combinations with other aminoglycosides . Ceftriaxone-aminoglycoside combinations were most active on Pseudomonas aeruginosa and least potent on Pseudomonas cepacia.

Chemotherapy, 1982, 28(5), 390 - 6
Effect of ceftriaxone on Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus in broth, serum, and in combination with human polymorphonuclear leukocytes; Bassler M et al.; We investigated the antibacterial activity of ceftriaxone at concentrations of 1/4 X minimum inhibition concentration (MIC), 1 X MIC and 4 X MIC against a serum-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and a serum-resistant STaphylococcus aureus strain in broth, serum, and in combination with leukocytes . Killing effect of ceftriaxone in broth was significantly better than in serum; ceftriaxone improved leukocyte bactericidal activity without serum on P . aeruginosa, but not on S . aureus . The antibacterial activity of ceftriaxone was most effective in combination with leukocytes and serum, achieving a marked bactericidal effect already at subinhibitory ceftriaxone concentrations.

Chemotherapy, 1982, 28(4), 257 - 60
Agar (disk) diffusion test susceptibility of clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to azlocillin, cefotaxime, cefsulodin, lamoxactam, mezlocillin, and piperacillin; Traub WH; The standardized Bauer-Kirby agar diffusion test served to examine 100 clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa against various recently introduced broad-spectrum penicillins and cephalosporins . Neither cefotaxime nor lamoxactam displayed significant activity against this microorganism . Azlocillin, cefsulodin, and piperacillin were significantly more effective (p less than 0.0001) than mezlocillin against the majority of isolates . When compared individually, azlocillin and piperacillin displayed comparable in vitro activity; the same was true for cefsulodin compared with piperacillin . On the other hand, cefsulodin was somewhat more active than azlocillin (p less than 0.05, greater than 0.01) against P . aeruginosa . These data should enable diagnostic laboratories to curtail the number of antimicrobial drugs routinely utilized to examine clinical isolates of P . aeruginosa for antibiotic susceptibility, i.e., piperacillin exclusively.

Microbiol Immunol, 1982, 26(3), 227 - 39
Antimicrobial effect of human serum IgA; Funakoshi S et al.; Serum IgA, IgG and colostrum secretory IgA prepared from specimens pooled from a large number of human beings were shown to have measurable levels of antibodies against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella Pneumoniae, poliovirus, Coxsackie B virus, echovirus and influenza virus . Serum IgA exerted a bacteriostatic effect in vitro on E . coli and P . aeruginosa, which increased in the presence of the iron-binding proteins lactoferrin and transferrin . This bacteriostasis was reduced when the iron-binding proteins were saturated with iron . Similar results were obtained with IgG and secretory IgA . The bacteriostatic effect of serum IgA was also shown in vivo, in the peritoneal cavity of mice . The effect was suppressed by iron . Iron-chelating substances, siderophores, excreted by E . coli diminished the co-operative bacteriostatic effect of serum IgA and transferrin . Siderophore production by E . coli was inhibited in the presence of serum IgA, but not when serum IgA was deprived of specific antibody by absorption with E . coli . These results indicate that serum IgA has a potent bacteriostatic effect in co-operation with transferrin or lactoferrin because of the inhibitory effect of the specific antibody on siderophore production by E . coli.

J Bacteriol, 1982 Jan, 149(1), 284 - 93
Physical and genetic analysis of deletion mutants of plasmid R91-5 and the cloning of transfer genes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Moore RJ et al.; We isolated deletion mutants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa plasmid R91-5 by both in vitro and in vivo means . Many of the deletion mutants selected on the basis of resistance to donor-specific phages fell into a few groups of apparently identical mutants, although the mutants were nonsibs . By analyzing plasmids with large deletions, we found that the essential replication genes of R91-5 were within a 3.85-kilobase region between coordinates 45.5 and 48.9 . The origin of plasmid transfer (oriT) was mapped to a 4.5-kilobase region between coordinates 1.7 and 6.2 . We indirectly determined the direction of plasmid transfer from oriT . By combining the data from our analysis of the deletions with data from complementation tests between cloned R91-5 fragments and known reference mutants, we ordered and mapped the 10 known transfer (tra) cistrons of R91-5 . All of the tra cistrons mapped within the Tra2 region, and their order was as follows: traX, -Y, -T, -Q, -(V, R), -U, -(S, Z), -W (the cistrons in parentheses could not be ordered with respect to each other).

Med Microbiol Immunol (Berl), 1982, 171(3), 123 - 33
Impairment of cell-mediated immunity in Pseudomonas aeruginosa pyelonephritis: lack of suppressor cell activity in vivo; Colizzi V et al.; Bacterial pyelonephritis was induced in mice by direct microinoculation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the kidney . In the acute phase of P . aeruginosa pyelonephritis, a state of cell-mediated immunity impairment, evaluated both in vitro as lymphocyte reactivity to concanavalin A and in vivo as host versus graft reaction has been observed . Furthermore, delayed-type hypersensitivity to specific bacterial antigen has been detected only when the kidney infection was subsiding, i.e., 3 weeks after bacteria inoculation . When investigating the mechanism of such T-cell impairment, we were unable to transfer the immunodepression, suggesting that suppressor cells are not involved in vivo . The role of P . aeruginosa inhibition of cell-mediated immunity in the pyelonephritic host is discussed.

Z Allg Mikrobiol, 1982, 22(5), 349 - 53
New anthracycline antibiotics produced by interspecific recombinants of streptomycetes . IV . Antimicrobial activity of iremycin; Fleck WF et al.; The in vitro antimicrobial activity of iremycin (10-(alpha-L-rhodosaminyl)-gamma-rhodomycinone) was determined in comparison to that of doxorubicin, a 14-hydroxy-derivative of daunorubicin, which exhibited a strong antitumor activity and is useful in chemotherapy of human tumors . The MIC values determined by means of a standardized agar diffusion plate test indicated a lower antimicrobial activity of iremycin in vitro in comparison to that of doxorubicin . In contrast to doxorubicin, iremycin was highly active against Mycobacterium smegmatis, but five-fold less active than doxorubicin against Staphylococcus aureus, seven-fold less active against Bacillus subtilis, and twenty five-fold less active against Commamonas terrigena . Furthermore, iremycin was hundred-fold less active against a highly sensitive permeation mutant of Pseudomonas aeruginosa . No inducing activity on prophages in lysogenic E . coli cells was demonstrable for iremycin and no growth inhibition in the repair test was observable . In contrast, iremycin inhibited the multiplication of gamma-phages in the BIP test, but the MIC values of violamycin BI, doxorubicin and iremycin in this test system indicated that iremycin is two hundred fifty-fold less active than violamycin BI and ten-fold less active than doxorubicin . No serum binding was demonstrable for iremycin.

Virchows Arch B Cell Pathol Incl Mol Pathol, 1982, 40(3), 327 - 37
Phagocytic capacity of hairy cells from seventeen patients; Rosner MC et al.; Hairy cells from 17 patients diagnosed as having hairy cell leukemia were evaluated with both light and transmission electron microscopy for their capacity to phagocytose zymosan, latex, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The hairy cells of fifteen of the sixteen patients which were tested with latex showed significant phagocytosis . Cells of thirteen of the seventeen patients showed phagocytosis of staphylococcus; six of the seventeen, phagocytosis of zymosan; and four of seventeen, phagocytosis of pseudomonas . Of the four substances tested, staphylococcus and latex yielded consistently higher numbers of ingested particles per hairy cell than did zymosan or pseudomonas . Observation of serial sections by transmission electron microscopy revealed that each type of particle is fully enclosed within the cytoplasm of the hairy cell . A Lysostaphin assay performed on the hairy cells of two patients showed that lysis of the phagocytosed particles by the hairy cell differs significantly from that by normal mononuclear cells . The results support our earlier study which suggested that hairy cells have phagocytic capabilities which differ not only among patients, but also within a single patient over time.

J Bacteriol, 1982 Jan, 149(1), 276 - 83
Tn7 and Tn501 Insertions into Pseudomonas aeruginosa plasmid R91-5: mapping of two transfer regions; Moore RJ et al.; We constructed a restriction endonuclease map of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa narrow-host-range plasmid R91-5 . Insertions of transposons Tn7 and Tn501 into the plasmid DNA were characterized physically and genetically . The distribution of sites of insertion showed some regional specificity for the insertion of these transposons, especially TN501 . The insertion of Tn7 was unusual in that all 42 of 43 insertions were in the same orientation . By relating phenotypic changes to the site of insertion, the Tn1 transposon that was already present on R91-5 and coded for carbenicillin resistance was mapped, and its orientation was determined . Two major transfer regions were identified . We believe that Tra1 is involved in conjugal DNA metabolism, whereas Tra2 is involved mainly in production of the sex pili.

Pediatr Pharmacol (New York), 1982, 2(4), 275 - 84
The safety and pharmacokinetics of cefotaxime in the treatment of neonates; de Louvois J et al.; Seventeen neonates with clinical signs of infection who would otherwise have received gentamicin with penicillin were treated with cefotaxime (50 mg/kg bd) for a period of 5 days . One hundred eleven bacteriological cultures were collected and those from 6/17 neonates yielded pathogenic or potentially pathogenic bacteria . Biochemical investigations undertaken before, during, and after the treatment revealed no adverse effects on renal or hepatic function associated with cefotaxime therapy . In addition to manual methods, a computer program was used to determine six pharmacokinetic variables . The mean peak serum level was 87.4 +/- 36.2 mg/liter, the mean trough level 8.0 +/- 6.9 mg/liter and the serum half life 3.1 +/- 0.8 hours . All the neonates showed clinical improvement following cefotaxime treatment with no adverse clinical signs and were discharged well from hospital . It is concluded that cefotaxime may be safely used in neonates and is a suitable alternative to gentamicin and penicillin for primary treatment in units that do not have a persistent and serious problem with infections due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Am J Vet Res, 1981 Dec, 42(12), 2129 - 33
Field studies: pseudomonas pneumonia of mink; Long GG et al.; Epizootics of pneumonia in mink caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa were investigated to characterize the serotype of organisms and to identify possible predisposing factors . Most epizootics were associated with P aeruginosa Fisher serotype 1, and a few were associated with 3 other serotypes . There were no predisposing factors identified that could be used to differentiate farms affected and those not affected with pseudomonas pneumonia . Cultural studies indicated that P aeruginosa was present in mink from affected and nonaffected herds . Organisms isolated included serotypes associated with naturally occurring disease . Serostudy results were similar among herds . A prospective field vaccination trial did not yield definitive results, since only slight losses occurred in both vaccinated and nonvaccinated mink . Significant levels of antibody were detected in mink 15 to 17 weeks after they were given a single dose of P aeruginosa lipopolysaccharide vaccine.

Infect Immun, 1981 Dec, 34(3), 1025 - 35
Microscopic characterization of ocular damage produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa toxin A; Hazlett LD et al.; The ocular damage in young adult mice produced by purified Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A was microscopically characterized at 1 and 5 h and at 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, and 21 days after toxin A challenge, using light, transmission, and scanning electron microscopic techniques . Similarly to previously described infection with viable organisms, toxin A killed both epithelial and endothelial cells and induced stromal cell swelling within 5 to 24 h after application onto the nonpenetrating wounded corneal surface . Other toxin-induced damage similar to the damage produced by infection with the viable bacteria was production of electron-dense particles within the corneal stroma, dispersal of undamaged collagen fibrils, and apparent loss of stromal proteoglycan ground substance . Toxin A damage differed from infection with the viable bacteria in essentially two ways . First, more purulent exudate and more polymorphonuclear neutrophilic leukocyte (PMN) infiltration of the corneal stroma were produced by infection with the viable organisms than by the toxin . Additionally, PMN did not appear within the toxin-treated corneas until 3 days after treatment, whereas in corneas infected with the viable organisms, PMN were numerous by 18 h . Secondly, toxin A produced cataract of the ocular lens, whereas infection with the viable organisms did not.

J Infect Dis, 1981 Dec, 144(6), 599 - 603
Type-specific vs . cross-protective vaccination for gram-negative bacterial pneumonia; Pennington JE et al.; Groups of guinea pigs received four injections intramuscularly of lipopolysaccharide vaccine derived from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, cross-protective core glycolipid vaccine derived from the J-5 mutant of Escherichia coli O111, or saline during a two-week period . Titers of passive hemagglutinating antibody to vaccine antigens in serum routinely increased fourfold or more . Experimental hemorrhagic pseudomonas pneumonia was then induced, from which the rates of survival were 15% among animals receiving saline, 81% among animals receiving pseudomonas vaccine (P less than 0.001), and 42% among animals receiving J-5 vaccine . Thus, only weak cross-protection against pseudomonas pneumonia was detected in the recipients of J-5 vaccine . Further studies revealed no protection against pneumonia due to either E . coli or Klebsiella in animals receiving J-5 vaccine . From these data, species-specific vaccination appears to be superior to vaccination with cross-protective antigen against experimental pseudomonas pneumonia.

Biokhimiia, 1981 Dec, 46(12), 2151 - 9
{Membrane potential of Pseudomonas aeruginosa spheroplasts having a cyanide-resistant respiration}; Trutko SM et al.; The membrane potential (delta psi) of Ps . aeruginosa spheroplasts was measured by a hydrophobic cation--tetraphenylphosphonium (TPP+) under conditions of simultaneous and separate action of the main respiratory chain and cyanide-resistant oxidase . In all cases, oxidation of endogenous substrates by spheroplasts was followed by generation of a membrane potential of the value of 127--156 mv . An addition of 1 mM cyanide did not practically affect the potential value . The discharge of the potential was attained by further addition of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD) or valinomycin . The oxidation of the substrates added by the main respiratory chain was accompanied by an additional increase in the potential by 20--30 mv . In this case, an addition of cyanide decreased the potential by the same value . Oxidation of all substrates, except for TMPD+ ascorbate under conditions of functioning of cyanide-resistant oxidase also increased the potential by 15--50 mv . However, in this case cyanide did not practically affect the increase of the potential . The gain in the potential under TMPD + ascorbate oxidation by cyanide-resistant spheroplasts is prevented by cyanide . A question is discussed as to whether the transfer of reducing equivalents directly via cyanide-resistant oxidase is associated with the generation of a membrane potential or its functioning is not connected with the accumulation of energy in the form available for the cell.

J Lab Clin Med, 1981 Dec, 98(6), 938 - 48
Pseudomonas aeruginosa: quantitation of maximum phagocytic and bactericidal capabilities of normal human granulocytes; Hammer MC et al.; The maximum phagocytic and bactericidal capabilities of normal human PMNs against a seroresistant strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were evaluated by morphological observation, uptake of radiolabeled bacteria, and quantitative killing methods . The number of bacteria killed per PMN increased from 3 to 23 as the bacteria-to-PMN ratio was increased from 3:1 to 100:1 . Conversely, the percent of bacteria killed decreased from 94% to 3% . In monolayers, an increase in the inoculum from 10(5) to 10(8) cfu/ml was associated with greater phagocytosis and a sixfold increase in PMNs containing greater than or equal to 5 bacteria/PMN . With the use of 75Se-labeled P . aeruginosa, optimal phagocytosis was observed with 10 to 20 bacteria/PMN in 20% NPS . Maximum uptake of 70% occurred in 40 min . No difference was observed in the uptakes of live or heat-killed bacteria . The maximum number of bacteria ingested per PMN was 32 +/- 5 at the highest ratio tested (100:1) . The use of altered opsonic sources indicated the need for the classical complement pathway for optimal phagocytosis . Thus study describes the requirements and necessary standardization parameters that were found to be essential for a highly reproducible method for measuring phagocytosis and killing of P . aeruginosa by normal human PMNs . This method could be employed for clinical assessment of partial opsonic or PMN dysfunction in the study of the interaction of PMNs and P . aeruginosa.

J Bacteriol, 1981 Dec, 148(3), 995 - 7
Ethylenediaminetetraacetate-extractable protein-lipopolysaccharide complex of Pseudomonas aeruginosa: characterization of protein components; Hedstrom RC et al.; Five major outer membrane proteins (D1, D2, E, G, and H1) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, but not proteins F (porin), I (lipoprotein), and H2, were detected in high-molecular-weight protein-lipopolysaccharide complex(es) solubilized from sucrose-stabilized cells on exposure to ethylenediaminetetraacetate and tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane.

Surg Gynecol Obstet, 1981 Dec, 153(6), 845 - 51
Pulmonary clearance of blood-borne bacteria; Crocker SH et al.; Clearance of blood-borne bacteria has been attributed primarily to a fixed macrophages in the liver and spleen . Although many important nonrespiratory functions of the lung have been reported, a major role for this organ in the clearance of circulating bacteria has not been described . To investigate mechanisms of sepsis induced lung dysfunction and pneumonia, we measured lung clearance, tissue accumulation and morphologic effect of blood-borne . Pseudomonas aeruginosa in pigs . Single pass pulmonary clearance of 60 to 80 per cent occurred over a wide range of infusion concentrations . Tissue concentrations of viable, hematogenously delivered bacteria were greatest in the lungs and exceeded inflowing blood concentrations in the lungs, liver and spleen but were less than inflowing blood concentrations in the heart, kidney and skeletal muscle . Electron microscopy showed phagocytosis of bacteria predominantly by mononuclear cells located within small pulmonary vessels . Viable test organisms were recovered from the upper airways of pigs receiving high dose bacterial infusions but not from pigs in the control group . In this experimental model, an important nonrespiratory function of the lungs is clearance of blood-borne bacteria . If lungs in humans have a similar capacity, retention of circulating organisms may be one mechanism of sepsis induced pulmonary failure.

Aust N Z J Surg, 1981 Dec, 51(6), 614 - 7
Piperacillin in surgical infections: a clinical trial; Morris WT et al.; Piperacillin was administered in eighteen patients with mixed infections . Three had osteomyelitis, two had peritonitis, two had gangrenous toes, one had bronchopneumonia, and the other ten had leg ulcers of various types accompanies by cellulitis . In eleven patients one of the infecting organisms was Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and another had Pseudomonas maltophilia . All had appropriate surgical treatment, which in nine patients included skin grafting in the presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa . All the patients were clinically cured except for one with osteomyelitis who relapsed and was found to have a residual sequestrum . None of the skin grafts failed . In other patient who underwent grafting, cloxacillin was also given because she had a beta-lactamase-producing staphylococcus . The only adverse reaction was thrombophlebitis of the vein used for drug administration in 15 out of 18 patients . One hundred and five other isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were tested in the laboratory against piperacillin and resistance to the drug was found to be rare . It was concluded that piperacillin is a safe drug to use, is effective against a wide range of organisms, and is particularly effective in preventing the destruction of skin grafts by Pseudomonas aeruginosa . It is likely to be ineffective against beta-lactamase-producing staphylococci, and when these are present also, it would be wise to use another drug such as cloxacillin in addition.

Gene, 1981 Dec, 16(1-3), 237 - 47
Specific-purpose plasmid cloning vectors . II . Broad host range, high copy number, RSF1010-derived vectors, and a host-vector system for gene cloning in Pseudomonas; Bagdasarian M et al.; Host-vector systems have been developed for gene cloning in the metabolically versatile bacterial genus Pseudomonas . They comprise restriction-negative host strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and P . putida and new cloning vectors derived from the high-copy-number, broad-host-range plasmid RSF1010, which are stably maintained in a wide range of Gram-negative bacteria . These plasmids contain EcoRI, SstI, HindIII, XmaI, XhoI, SalI, BamHI, and ClaI insertion sites . All cloning sites, except for BamHI and ClaI, are located within antibiotic-resistance genes' insertional inactivation of these genes during hybrid plasmid formation provides a readily scored phenotypic change for the rapid identification of bacterial clones carrying such hybrids . One of the new vector plasmids is a cosmid that may be used for the selective cloning of large DNA fragments by in vitro lambda packaging . An analogous series of vectors that are defective in their plasmid-mobilization function, and that exhibit a degree of biological containment comparable to that of current Escherichia coli vector plasmids, are also described.

Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand {B}, 1981 Dec, 89(6), 437 - 8
Stereo-isomeric dissociation of the antibacterial and the neuroleptic effect of clopenthixol; Kristiansen JE et al.; Measurement of the IC50 of cis(Z)-clopenthixol and trans(E)-clopenthixol on 188 bacterial strains from human clinical specimens shows that the antibacterial activity of clopenthixol is exerted by both isomerical components and trans(E)-clopenthixol is the most active antibiotic of the two drugs against the sensitive strains . It is known that the trans(E)-clopenthixol isomere is without neuroleptic effect . The possibility of creating new antibiotics by e.g . steric alteration of neuroleptical agents is stressed . These drugs have different antibiotic patterns from those of classical antibiotics . It seems particularly promising that Pseudomonas aeruginosa is sensitive to these drugs.

Respir Care, 1981 Dec, 26(12), 1255 - 61
In-use testing of four glutaraldehyde disinfectants in the Cidematic washer; Bageant RA et al.; Four glutaraldehyde disinfectants (Cidex, Glutarex, Sonacide, and Sporicidin) were tested in routine use in the Cidematic washer to identify the most economic, effective disinfectant among them . An in vitro killing test with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (10-min exposure) and Mycobacterium smegmatis (20-min exposure) was used . All four disinfectants were effective prior to first use . In the use tests, Cidex killed both organisms for its claimed effectiveness period of 2 weeks . Glutarex was effective against Pseudomonas for its claimed effectiveness period of 4 weeks but was effective against Mycobacterium only 3 weeks . Sonacide, claimed to be effective for 4 weeks, killed Pseudomonas for 2 weeks but was ineffective against Mycobacterium after 1 week . Sporicidin (1:15 dilution), claimed to be effective for 30 days, did not kill either test organism after 5 days . Glutarex used for a 3-week period was found to be the most economic, effective substitute for Cidex in the Cidematic machine.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1981 Nov, 34(11), 1434 - 46
Aminoglycoside antibiotics . XIV . Synthesis and activity of 6-O-(3-amino-3-deoxy-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-and 5-O-(beta-D-ribofuranosyl)apramycins; Abe Y et al.; 6-O-(3-Amino-3-deoxy-alpha-d-glucopyranosyl)apramycin (17) was prepared by glycosidation of a suitably blocked 5,6-dihydroxy derivative (11) of apramycin with a blocked 3-aminoglucosyl chloride (15) . Ribosylation of the 5-hydroxy-6-O-tetrahydropyranyl (THP) derivative (19) of apramycin gave 5-O-(beta-d-ribofuranosyl)apramycin (24) along with the 6 alpha (25) and 6 beta (26) isomers . Similar reaction with the 6-hydroxy-5-O-THP derivative (20) or 11 gave only 25 and 26, but not 24 . 17 was at least as active as apramycin against most Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria tested and more active than apramycin against most Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria tested and more active than apramycin against strains producing aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes . Strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were generally less sensitive to 17 than to apramycin . 24 was the most active of the three ribofuranosyl derivatives prepared though it was less active than 17.

Ann Intern Med, 1981 Nov, 95(5), 549 - 55
Infections during intensive chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma; Bishop JF et al.; Records of 133 infections occurring in 73 of 125 patients with late-stage non-Hodgkin's lymphoma on intensive chemotherapy programs for a median of 23 months were reviewed . Granulocytopenia, usually related to chemotherapy, was the major predisposing factor, association with 51% of infections . The incidence of infection in chemotherapy courses associated with less than 500 granulocytes/microL was higher than those with 500 or more granulocytes/microL (p = 0.0004) . Splenectomized patients tended to have a higher incidence of chemotherapy courses with an infection (p = 0.06); marrow involvement was not a significant predisposing factor to infection . The commonest sites of infection were lung, skin, and alimentary canal . Gram-negative organisms and Staphylococcus aureus caused 83% of documented infections; Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the major cause of pneumonia and bacteremia; and herpes zoster and fungi each caused only 3% of infections . Other infections associated with impaired cellular or humoral immunity were uncommon . Poor prognosis was associated with infections in granulocytopenic patients with stable or falling granulocyte counts, infection at multiple sites, and bacteremia, especially polymicrobial bacteremia.

Rev Infect Dis, 1981 Nov-Dec, 3(6), 1127 - 38
The significance of iron in infection; Bullen JJ; The iron-binding proteins transferrin and lactoferrin restrict the amount of ionic iron available in body fluids to 10(-18) M . This amount is insufficient for normal bacterial growth, and pathogens acquire iron either by producing iron-chelating agents or by utilizing heme compounds . Iron-binding proteins, in combination with antibodies, often have powerful bacteriostatic effects in vitro and are essential for protection against many infections . Lactoferrin appears to be essential for the bactericidal function of polymorphonuclear leukocytes against Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Fever lowers the concentration of iron in serum and favors resistance to infection . Liberation of heme compounds can enhance clinical infections.

Infect Immun, 1981 Nov, 34(2), 435 - 40
Effects of proteases on the structure and activity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A; Morihara K et al.; The effects of various proteases on the enzymatic or biological activity and structure of exotoxin A from Pseudomonas aeruginosa were systematically studied . The toxin was extremely resistant to treatment with various enzymes . The lethality of the toxin disappeared upon treatment with P . aeruginosa protease and elastase, thermolysin, and trypsin with a long incubation time (5h) in the presence of a high enzyme concentration (molar concentration of enzyme to toxin, 1:10 or 1:20), but was little altered by either alpha-chymotrypsin or subtilisin . The decrease of adenosine diphosphate ribosylation activity was moderate when the same treatment was used, regardless to the protease source, except in the case of papain, which was tested in the presence of reducing agents . The increase in activation of the treated toxin determined in the presence of a denaturant and a reducing agent was less than that of the intact toxin, except in the case of trypsin . The differences in disc and sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electropherograms of the toxins treated with these proteases, except for those treated with papain, suggested that the toxins had been nicked by the protease, which resulted in their degradation by sodium dodecyl sulfate treatment . Papain degraded the toxin into fragments and caused the disappearance of lethality or a marked decrease of adenosine diphosphate ribosylation activity.

Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1981 Nov-Dec, 132 B(3), 455 - 63
{Survival of "Pseudomonas aeruginosa" and "Escherichia coli" in cold water (author's transl)}; Laurence RA et al.; The survival rates of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in water were studied and compared at 4, 10 and 20 degrees C and pH 6 and 8, either separately or in mixed culture at four different concentration ratios . Under ceratin experimental conditions, the temperature, the pH and the bacterial concentration exerted a marked influence on the survival rate . At 4 degrees C, P . aeruginosa may be substituted to E . coli as an effective micriobiological pollution indicator.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1981 Nov, 250(4), 506 - 10
Transduction of amikacin, gentamicin and tobramycin resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa with phage F 116 and AP 19, a new wildtype phage; Knothe H et al.; Amikacin-, tobramycin-, gentamicin- as well as carbenicillin-resistance has been found to be transducible, in various combinations of spectra both with the phage F 116 propagated on an Amikacin-resistant wild-type strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (No . BE 11) and with the phage AP 19 isolated from a different Amikacin-resistant strain (No . 578) . Both strains were found to transfer Amikacin-resistance genes presumably by conjugation thus possessing an R plasmid coding for multiple antibiotic resistance . Evidence is presented that classical as well as wild-type phages may acquire and transmit antibiotic resistance genes among pseudomonads . This is particularly significant in view of the importance to preserve Amikacin as an effective reserve antibiotic for treatment of poly-resistant infections including those caused by P . aeruginosa.

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