Acinetobacter

Drugs, 1995, 49 Suppl 2, 43 - 7
Epidemiology of quinolone resistance . Eastern hemisphere; Turnidge J; Both nalidixic acid and fluoroquinolones are used widely in the Eastern hemisphere for a variety of infectious diseases . A surveillance programme for antibiotic resistance in common pathogens has been conducted in the Western Pacific Region of the World Health Organization since 1989 . Data on resistance to fluoroquinolones for the years 1992 and 1993 from the 16 participating countries in the Western Pacific, plus published data from Thailand, were collated for common and important pathogens in this region . Overall, fluoroquinolone resistance levels were highest in developing countries and lowest in developed countries, with transitional countries undergoing rapid economic improvement showing intermediate levels of resistance . There was also a trend towards increasing levels of fluoroquinolone resistance between 1992 and 1993 . In developed countries, levels of resistance to fluoroquinolones exceeded 10% for only Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Acinetobacter and Providencia species . Resistance levels of 25% or more in Escherichia coli were noted in 3 countries in 1993 . In contrast, resistant strains of Salmonella typhi and S . paratyphi A were rare or nonexistent in any country, and only low levels of resistance were detected in Shigella species . Fluoroquinolone resistance appears to be emerging slowly in developed countries and more rapidly in transitional and developing countries . Strenuous efforts will be required in some countries in order to prevent the early obsolescence of these valuable agents.

Drugs, 1995, 49 Suppl 2, 36 - 42
Epidemiology of quinolone resistance: Europe and North and South America; Goldstein FW et al.; After nearly 10 years of fluoroquinolone usage for a wide range of bacterial infections, a striking difference has been observed in the incidence of bacterial resistance to fluoroquinolones between bacteria responsible for community- and hospital-acquired infections, respectively . Resistance is only rarely encountered among common pathogens . In most studies, 97 to 100% of all pathogens are fully susceptible to fluoroquinolones . In contrast, resistance to fluoroquinolones has emerged and increased among bacteria responsible for nosocomial infections . The incidence of resistance to fluoroquinolones varies between bacterial species, clinical settings and countries, and is related to local epidemic spread of a few clones . The highest incidence of resistance is observed in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter spp., Serratia marcescens and, particularly, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA): some investigators have reported 95 to 100% fluoroquinolone resistance among MRSA . Follow-up of trends in the resistance to fluoroquinolones based upon surveillance programmes are needed.

Chemosphere, 1995 Jan, 30(1), 103 - 16
Degradation of propanil by bacterial isolates and mixed populations from a pristine lake; Correa IE et al.; The microbial transformation rates of propanil, a commonly used herbicide, were investigated using water from a pristine lake in northeast Georgia . Microbial degradation rates were measured using natural water microflora, the natural water microflora amended with five bacterial species (Aerobacter aerogenes, Aeromonas hydrophila, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Proteus mirabilis, and Aeromonas salmonicida) isolated from the same lake, and the five isolates individually . Transformation rate constants for propanil were compared for the mixed microbial assemblages and isolates at similar initial bacterial concentrations (approximately 5.0 x 10(-3) bacteria/mL) . Degradation started within 60 hours and was completed by 160 hours in all experiments . The mean first-order rate constant for natural microflora was -(4.80 +/- 0.620) x 10(-3) h-1 . Natural waters amended with the bacterial isolates yielded rate constants ranging from -(0.39 +/- 0.186) x 10(-3) h-1 to -(2.13 +/- 0.029) x 10(-3) h-1 with an overall mean of -(1.63 +/- 0.242) x 10(-3) h-1 . After 660 hours following the first amendment of propanil, (i.e., 500 hours after propanil degradation was complete), each sample was again amended with propanil . Subsequent degradation rates ranged from -(21.3 +/- 0.186) x 10(-3) h-1 to -(64.2 +/- 0.786) x 10(-3) h-1 and the mean rate constant was -(37.5 +/- 0.922) x 10(-3) h-1 . No significant differences were observed between first-order rate constants among isolates following the first or the second addition of propanil . After the second spike, however, the average of rate constants was approximately 20 times greater than that following the first spike . Rates for the individual isolates varied greatly from one isolate to another, ranging from virtually no degradation with A . calcoaceticus to -(21.6 +/- 0.332) x 10(-3) h-1 for the composite treatment of all isolates.

FEMS Microbiol Lett, 1995 Jan 1, 125(1), 95 - 100
Variability of peptidoglycan structural parameters in gram-negative bacteria; Quintela JC et al.; Muropeptide composition of peptidoglycan from the Gram-negative bacteria Aeromonas sp., Acinetobacter acetoaceticus, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Enterobacter cloacae, Proteus morganii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas putida, Vibrio parahaemolyticus Yersinia enterocolitica and Escherichia coli, was analyzed by HPLC . In all instances peptidoglycan was built up from the same subunits . A wide disparity in the relative abundance of muropeptides and all structural parameters was observed . The contribution of LD-A2pm-A2pm cross-linked muropeptides was extremely variable; from 1 to 45% of cross-linked muropeptides . Muropeptides with the dipeptides Lys-Lys or Arg-Lys, indicative of murein-bound (lipo)proteins, were detected in all instances although abundance was very variable.

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 1995 Jan, 21(1), 33 - 45
Multicenter in vitro comparative study of fluoroquinolones against 25,129 gram-positive and gram-negative clinical isolates; Prosser BL et al.; In vitro activities of fleroxacin, ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, and lomefloxacin were evaluated against 25,129 fresh bacterial isolates from 51 US hospital or medical center laboratories, beginning in October of 1990 . Susceptibility rates were > or = 85% against most species of Gram-negative bacteria . Notable exceptions were Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Xanthomonas, and Providencia . The study drugs displayed similar activity against most Gram-negative species . At least 90% of oxacillin-susceptible staphylococci were susceptible but, of oxacillin-resistant strains, only approximately 60% of Staphylococcus epidermidis and 25% of Staphylococcus aureus were susceptible to the quinolones tested . Staphylococcus saprophyticus strains were less susceptible to fleroxacin (42%) than to the other compounds (79%-97%) . Ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin were more active against streptococci, and none of the compounds demonstrated appreciable activity against enterococci . Thus, the spectra of activity of fluoroquinolones illustrate that they remain effective agents for the treatment of many types of infections caused by Gram-negative pathogens.

Przegl Lek, 1995, 52(2), 39 - 41
{Respiratory infections in the surgical intensive care unit}; Kubisz A et al.; The purpose of the study was to assess microbiological structure and the influence of the predisposing factors on frequency of lower respiratory tract infections . The study group consisted of 72 patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit between January and October 1994 . We found that 27 pts . (39%) developed respiratory infections . The risk of an infection was much higher in the group with long (over 5 days) stay on ICU, which required artificial ventilation as well as in the group of patients treated due to acute pancreatitis . More than 75% of isolated strains were Gram negative bacteria . Using susceptibility tests we conclude that Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia, and Acinetobacter baumanii are highly resistant to antibiotics . The results suggests that 3rd generation cephalosporins and imipenem are most efficient in vitro.

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol, 1995 Jan, 42(5), 738 - 43
The glucose dehydrogenase-mediated energization of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus as a tool for evaluating its susceptibility to, and defence against, hazardous chemicals; Loffhagen N et al.; Cells of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus 69-V could be energized by glucose oxidation after the growth on acetate, ethanol, hexanol and benzoate . The velocities of glucose oxidation-driven ATP syntheses were relatively constant in the range from pH 5.4 to 7.5 . With decreasing pH values (7.0, 6.0, 5.4) ATP synthesis was inhibited more strongly by the action of 2,4-dinitrophenol and at the same pH value glucose oxidation was nearly unimpaired or inhibited more weakly . This finding is expressed by a decrease of the P/O ratios, indicating the uncoupling of the electron-transport phosphorylation by 2,4-dinitrophenol . The sensitivity towards this uncoupling effect was higher in ethanol-grown cells of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus 69-V than in hexanol- or acetate-grown cells . This increase in sensitivity was accompanied by a decrease of the ratio of saturated (mainly C16:0) to unsaturated (C16:1, C18:1) fatty acids in ethanol-grown cells compared with hexanol-grown ones . The knowledge of such differences in the susceptibility and its molecular background, e.g . possible substrate-induced changes of the fatty acid composition of the cytoplasmic membranes, should help elucidate mechanisms of poisoning by membrane-active hazardous chemicals and develop defence strategies.

Curr Microbiol, 1995 Jan, 30(1), 7 - 10
Acinetobacter calcoaceticus liberates chromosomal DNA during induction of competence by cell lysis; Palmen R et al.; A transformation assay was used to assay the amount of DNA present in the extracellular medium of a growing culture of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus . It was observed that small amounts of DNA were liberated during the entire exponential growth phase in a batch culture . Release of DNA could be fully accounted for by lysis of cells . Lysis was quantified via simultaneous measurement of beta-galactosidase activity of cells and supernatant, with a strain that contained a plasmid (pAPA100) with lacZ under control of a constitutive beta-lactamase promoter . In conclusion, no evidence could be obtained indicating that Acinetobacter calcoaceticus actively excretes DNA, to be used for DNA exchange.

J Basic Microbiol, 1995, 35(1), 21 - 31
A periplasmic insulin-cleaving proteinase (ICP) from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus sharing properties with protease III from Escherichia coli and IDE from eucaryotes; Fricke B et al.; A periplasmic insulin-cleaving proteinase (ICP), purified to its electrophoretic homogeneity in the SDS-PAGE from the Gram-negative bacterium Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, was examined and compared in its properties with the protease III (protease Pi, pitrilysin, EC 3.4.99.44) of Escherichia coli and the insulin-destroying proteinase (IDE, insulinase, EC 3.4.99.45) from eucaryotes . The enzyme was proven to be a metalloprotease like protease III and IDE, as was shown by the inhibitory effects exerted by EDTA and o-phenanthroline . Furthermore, dialysis against EDTA and o-phenanthroline led to a complete loss of activity, which could be restored by addition of Co2+, and, to a lesser extent, but at a lower metal ion concentration by Zn2+ . Similar to protease III and IDE, ICP prefers the cleavage of small polypeptides (insulin, insulin B-chain, glucagon) to the cleavage of proteins (casein, human serum albumin, globin) and was inactive against synthetic amino acid derivates (esters, p-nitranilides, and furoylacroleyl substrates) of subtilisin, thermolysin, trypsin, and chymotrypsin . The peptide-bond-specificity of the ICP in the cleavage of the oxidized insulin B-chain was investigated and the results were compared to the specificity of protease III of E . coli, IDE, protease-24,11, and thermolysin . Cleavage sites in the oxidized insulin B-chain generated by ICP are Asn3-Gln4, His10-Leu11, Ala14-Leu15, Leu17-Val18, Gly23-Phe24, Phe24-Phe25, and Phe25-Tyr26 . Principally, ICP cleaves between hydrophobic amino acids and amides . The ICP shares one of the only two cleavage sites with the protease III and four sites with the IDE.

J Clin Microbiol, 1995 Jan, 33(1), 11 - 5
Identification of Acinetobacter genomic species by amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis; Vaneechoutte M et al.; A total of 53 field and reference strains, including the type strains of the seven named species (nomenspecies) and belonging to the 18 described genomic species (DNA groups) of the genus Acinetobacter, were studied by amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) . Restriction analysis with the enzymes AluI, CfoI, MboI, RsaI, and MspI of the enzymatically amplified 16S rRNA genes allowed us to identify all species except the genomic species 4 (Acinetobacter haemolyticus) and 7 (A . johnsonii), 5 (A . junii) and 17, and 10 and 11, which clustered pairwise in three respective groups . Further analysis with the enzyme HaeIII, HinfI, NciI, ScrFI, or TaqI did not allow us to differentiate the species within these three clusters . However, use of a few additional simple phenotypic tests (hemolysis, growth at 37 degrees C, production of acid from glucose, and gelatin hydrolysis) can be used to differentiate between the species within these clusters . ARDRA proved to be a rapid and reliable method for the identification of most of the Acinetobacter genomic species, including the closely related DNA groups 1 (A . calcoaceticus), 2 (A . baumannii), 3, and 13 . The results of this study suggest that ARDRA can be used for the identification of Acinetobacter species and as such may help to elucidate the ecology and clinical significance of the different species of this genus . Since ARDRA uses universal 16S rRNA gene primers, it is expected to be applicable to the identification of most bacterial species . Furthermore, ARDRA is less prone to contamination problems than PCR for detection, since the use of cultured organisms results in a large initial quantity of target DNA.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1995 Jan, 39(1), 264 - 7
Amikacin levels in bronchial secretions of 10 pneumonia patients with respiratory support treated once daily versus twice daily; Santre C et al.; In this study, concentrations of amikacin in blood and bronchial secretions of 10 patients with mechanical ventilation for acute respiratory failure due to pneumonia were measured . One-half of the patients received amikacin twice daily, and the others received once-daily administration . Concentrations in bronchial secretions of the patients treated twice daily ranged from 3 to 4 mg/liter, i.e., they were similar to those in previously published reports . Peak concentrations in bronchial secretions occurred between 3 and 4 h after the onset of infusion, and they reached 4.8 +/- 2.6 mg/liter on day 1 and 4.0 +/- 2.7 mg/liter on day 3 . For the patients treated with amikacin once daily, concentrations in bronchial secretions were more than twofold higher, above 8 mg/liter for 12 h . Peak concentrations in bronchial secretions occurred between 3 and 4 h after the onset of infusion and reached 13.6 +/- 9.3 mg/liter on day 1 and 10.4 +/- 3.5 mg/liter on day 3 . These concentrations are higher than the MICs for less sensitive bacterial strains, such as Acinetobacter spp . and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Przegl Epidemiol, 1995, 49(1-2), 65 - 71
{Effectiveness of endoscope disinfection process}; Dabrowiecki S et al.; The effectiveness of flexible endoscopes disinfection was evaluated . Since 1991 to 1994--157 inoculations were taken from endoscopic equipment--right after the examination and after their disinfection . Following the endoscopes examinations were contaminated by microorganisms normally resident in the throat, respiratory and digestive tracts, but also with bacteria (Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, Proteus) which could be source of severe nosocomial infections . Three times there was Ps . aeruginosa on an endoscope after its disinfection, which demonstrates ineffectiveness of the whole sanitary process . Constant surveillance demands sterility of the fluids employed during the disinfection process . The improvement in sanitary level is achieved when endoscope exposition to glutaraldehyde has been elongated, to each endoscope a new solution of detergent has been applied, and sterile water handling (its production, storage, and use) has been polished up.

Vestn Ross Akad Med Nauk, 1995, (6), 42 - 5
{Nosocomial infections in present-day traumatological-orthopedic hospitals}; Shaposhnikova IuG et al.; Nosocomial infection remains a significant problem in modern traumatology and orthopedics . Staphylococcus prevails in its etiological pattern . The activation of microorganisms such as Acinetobacter is noted . In addition to aerobic microorganisms, anaerobic bacteria, nonsporulating ones, play an important etiological role . Anaerobic infection is seedy in 30.4% of patients' blood samples . Great emphasis is placed on microbial adhesiveness in the pathogenesis of an infectious process . The authors' investigations have shown that highly adhesive Staphylococci are common in severe pathological processes . The adhesiveness of the bacteria has been shown to depend on environmental conditions and the patient's status . Among the nonsporulating anaerobes there are bacteroids which are most highly adhesive.

West Afr J Med, 1995 Jan-Mar, 14(1), 59 - 60
Hydrocephalus and cerebral palsy due to Acinetobacter meningitis in neonate; Ibrahim M; Earlier reports on acinetobacter infections in neonates described the infections as essentially opportunistic and indolent . We described here a case of acinetobacter infection in a neonate, which ran a relentless course and resulted in hydrocephalus and cerebral palsy . The difficulty encountered in establishing a bacteriological diagnosis in the absence of a qualified microbiologist is stressed.

Pathology, 1995 Jan, 27(1), 67 - 70
Antimicrobial resistance problem in a university hospital; Kumarasinghe G et al.; In a study conducted in 1991 in the National University Hospital, Singapore, the susceptibilities of a total of 2156 recent clinical isolates were tested against 25 antimicrobial drugs . The organisms were those isolated from routine specimens received in the microbiology laboratory . About 40% Staphylococcus aureus isolations in the hospital were resistant to methicillin . A high incidence of the resistance was noted among Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase negative staphylococci to antistaphylococcal drugs . Acinetobacter sp . and Klebsiella sp . are becoming major threats with regard to antimicrobial treatment as they are multi-drug resistant . Pseudomonas aeruginosa did not show a resistance problem except to pefloxacin (74%) . Ampicillin resistance of Acinetobacter sp . (93%) was reduced to 71% by ampicillin/clavulanic acid and to 7% by ampicillin/sulbactam . With regards to the urinary isolates higher rates of resistance were noticed with Pseudomonas aeruginosa to antipseudomonas drugs and for co-trimoxazole with other Gram negative organisms, compared to non-urinary isolates.

Zhonghua Zheng Xing Shao Shang Wai Ke Za Zhi, 1995 Jan, 11(1), 49 - 52
{Analysis of 1116 strains of pathogens isolated from infected burn wounds}; Zhang J et al.; We report the analysis of 1,116 strains of pathogens isolated from infected burn wounds of 536 patients hospitalized from 1989 to 1991 . From the 1,116 strains of pathogens, 39 species of aerobes and fungi were found, including 217 strains of staphylococcus aureus, 208 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 119 strains of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus . The positive rates of the above three bacteria were 19.4%, 18.6% and 10.6% respectively . Some opportunistic pathogens, such as bacillus cercus, aerococcus virdans and aspergillus etc . were also isolated from the burn wounds as well as the ward environments . The drug sensitivity of some of the common bacterial was determined.

Biosens Bioelectron, 1995 Fall, 10(8), 717 - 22
Biosensor based on an enzyme modified electrode for highly-sensitive measurement of polyphenols; Eremenko A et al.; The use of glucose dehydrogenase from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus for highly sensitive measurement of polyphenols, based on bioelectrocatalytic analyte recycling, has been demonstrated . A polyphenol (analyte) is oxidized on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode at an anodic potential and is regenerated by immobilized glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) in the presence of glucose, resulting in an amplified response . The dynamic properties of the enzyme-modified glassy carbon electrode allow the convenient monitoring of subnanomolar analyte concentration . The detection limits for p-aminophenol and norepinephrine are 0.2 nM and 0.5 nM, respectively.

Wiad Parazytol, 1995, 41(2), 139 - 47
{Occurrence of parasites, bacteria, viruses and fungi in fish that are pathogenic to men and fish}; Myjak P et al.; Parasitological examinations comprised above 20,000 fish which were searched for parasitic nematoda of Anisakidae . It was evidenced that herring were infected with anisakid larvae in 8%, cod and flatfish in 4% and the eelpouts in as many as in 52% . The species that prevails in these fish were: Anisakis simplex, Contracaecum osculatum C, Hysterothylacium auctum and Pseudoterranova decipiens, respectively . In direction of the bacteria pathogenic to man 765 fish were examined; in 38% there were found pathogenic strains such as coagulase-positive staphylococci, even Salmonella and Shigella . Besides there were cultivated 109 strains of bacteria pathogenic to fish belonging to the genera: Aeromonas, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter and Moraxella Virological evaluation comprised 527 fish, in that number Enteroviruses (Coxsackie, ECHO) were identified in 31% fish and viral agent, likely to be pathogenic to fish in 8% specimens . Not a one case of infection with Ichthyophonus hoferi fungus in the herring hitherto examined was noted.

FEMS Microbiol Lett, 1994 Dec 15, 124(3), 349 - 53
The phylogenetic structure of the genus Acinetobacter; Rainey FA et al.; 16S rDNA sequence analysis was performed on the type strains of all validly described Acinetobacter species and five unnamed Acinetobacter strains . The phylogenetic analyses confirm that Acinetobacter is a coherent genus within the gamma subclass of Proteobacteria and that the species are phylogenetically well defined . A . calcoaceticus, A . lwoffii, A . johnsonii and A . haemolyticus form one cluster of closely related species, the pair A . junii and A . baumannii forms a second cluster . A . radioresistens stands phylogenetically isolated . The study reveals that three undescribed strains can be assigned to individually described species, while strains DSM 30009 and DSM 590 may represent two novel Acinetobacter species.

J Bacteriol, 1994 Dec, 176(24), 7659 - 66
The pca-pob supraoperonic cluster of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus contains quiA, the structural gene for quinate-shikimate dehydrogenase; Elsemore DA et al.; An 18-kbp Acinetobacter calcoaceticus chromosomal segment contains the pcaIJFBDKCHG operon, which is required for catabolism of protocatechuate, and pobSRA, genes associated with conversion of p-hydroxybenzoate to protocatechuate . The genetic function of the 6.5 kbp of DNA between pcaG and pobS was unknown . Deletions in this DNA were designed by removal of fragments between restriction sites, and the deletion mutations were introduced into A . calcoaceticus by natural transformation . The mutations prevented growth with either quinate or shikimate, growth substrates that depend upon qui gene function for their catabolism to protocatechuate . The location of quiA, a gene encoding quinate-shikimate dehydrogenase, was indicated by its expression in one of the deletion mutants, and the position of the gene was confirmed by determination of its 2,427-bp nucleotide sequence . The deduced amino acid sequence of QuiA confirmed that it is a member of a family of membrane-associated, pyrrolo-quinoline quinone-dependent dehydrogenases, as had been suggested by earlier biochemical investigations . Catabolism of quinate and skikimate is initiated by NAD(+)-dependent dehydrogenases in other microorganisms, so it is evident that different gene pools were called upon to provide the ancestral enzyme for this metabolic step.

J Bacteriol, 1994 Dec, 176(23), 7352 - 61
Inducible cell lysis system for the study of natural transformation and environmental fate of DNA released by cell death; Kloos DU et al.; Two novel conditional broad-host-range cell lysis systems have been developed for the study of natural transformation in bacteria and the environmental fate of DNA released by cell death . Plasmid pDKL02 consists of lysis genes S, R, and Rz from bacteriophage lambda under the control of the Ptac promoter . The addition of inducer to Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, or Pseudomonas stutzeri containing plasmid pDKL02 resulted in cell lysis coincident with the release of high amounts of nucleic acids into the surrounding medium . The utility of this lysis system for the study of natural transformation with DNA released from lysed cells was assessed with differentially marked but otherwise isogenic donor-recipient pairs of P . stutzeri JM300 and A . calcoaceticus BD4 . Transformation frequencies obtained with lysis-released DNA and DNA purified by conventional methods and assessed by the use of antibiotic resistance (P . stutzeri) or amino acid prototrophy (A . calcoaceticus) for markers were comparable . A second cell lysis plasmid, pDKL01, contains the lysis gene E from bacteriophage phi X174 and causes lysis of E . coli and P . stutzeri bacteria by activating cellular autolysins . Whereas DNA released from pDKL02-containing bacteria persists in the culture broth for days, that from induced pDKL01-containing bacteria is degraded immediately after release . The lysis system involving pDKL02 is thus useful for the study of both the fate of DNA released naturally into the environment by dead cells and gene transfer by natural transformation in the environment in that biochemically unmanipulated DNA containing defined sequences and coding for selective phenotypes can be released into a selected environment at a specific time point . This will allow kinetic measurements that will answer some of the current ecological questions about the fate and biological potential of environmental DNA to be made.

FEMS Microbiol Lett, 1994 Dec 1, 124(2), 225 - 8
Cloning and expression in Escherichia coli of the gene encoding a novel L-2,4-diaminobutyrate decarboxylase of Acinetobacter baumannii; Ikai H et al.; The gene encoding L-2,4-diaminobutyrate decarboxylase (DABA DC) was cloned from Acinetobacter baumannii ATCC 19606 . The gene was evidently under the control of its own promoter . Interestingly, the host carrying this clone also produced an appreciable amount of 1,3-diaminopropane . Restriction mapping and subsequent subcloning of the cloned insert localized the DABA DC gene within a 2.45-kb SphI/EcoRI fragment . For endogenous production of DAP, a 1.75-kb EcoRI/PstI region downstream from the DABA DC gene was further required . Southern blot hybridization revealed some heterogeneity in the DABA DC genes among other Acinetobacter species.

J Chemother, 1994 Dec, 6(6), 399 - 403
Comparative in-vitro activity of fleroxacin against 480 nosocomial isolates; Sofianou D et al.; A total of 480 recent clinical isolates were tested for their susceptibility to fleroxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, gentamicin, piperacillin, cefoxitin, cefotaxime and imipenem . Fleroxacin showed potent activity against strains of Enterobacteriaceae, Acinetobacter spp . and gentamicin-sensitive Pseudomonas aeruginosa with MIC90s ranging from 0.06 to 2 mg/l, although the MIC90 for gentamicin-resistant P . aeruginosa strains was as high as 32 mg/l . The drug exhibited excellent activity against staphylococci, both methicillin-sensitive and -resistant . The overall activity of fleroxacin was comparable with that of norfloxacin and ofloxacin and higher than that exhibited by gentamicin and beta-lactam antibiotics tested.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1994 Dec, 38(12), 2925 - 8
Detection of aac(6')-I genes in amikacin-resistant Acinetobacter spp . by PCR; Ploy MC et al.; The distribution of aac(6')-I genes in 62 strains of Acinetobacter spp . resistant to amikacin, netilmicin, and tobramycin and susceptible to gentamicin, a phenotype compatible with synthesis of an AAC(6')-I enzyme, was studied by PCR and by DNA hybridization . Both methods gave similar results . Among the 51 Acinetobacter baumannii strains, aac(6')-Ib was found in 19 isolates and aac(6')-Ih was found in the remaining strains . The aac(6')-Ig gene was present in all 10 A . haemolyticus strains studied and was detected only in this species . A pair of degenerate oligonucleotides complementary to conserved regions of aac(6')-Ic, -Id, -If, -Ig, and -Ih enabled detection of these genes and also of aac(6')-Ij, recently recognized in Acinetobacter sp . strain 13.

J Biol Chem, 1994 Nov 25, 269(47), 29636 - 41
Purification and properties of a novel type of malonate decarboxylase from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus; Kim YS et al.; A novel type of malonate decarboxylase which is induced and located in periplasm of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus grown on malonate as sole carbon and energy source was purified to homogeneity . The purified 185-kDa decarboxylase was found to be an oligomer composed of three different polypeptides in a ratio of 2:1:1, designated alpha (65 kDa), beta (32 kDa), and gamma (25 kDa) . Optimum pH was 6.8, while pI was 6.39 . The enzyme was highly specific for malonate with Km 1.4 mM . This enzyme contained a biotin prosthetic group on alpha subunit which does not seem to be directly related to malonate decarboxylation . The purified enzyme showed almost no activity; activity was restored, however, by treatment with acetic anhydride or malonyl-CoA, which formed an acetyl-enzyme . The 14C-acylated enzyme was isolated by a gel filtration from the reaction mixtures containing {2-14C}malonyl-CoA and the enzyme or {2-14C}malonate, malonyl-CoA, and the enzyme . When treated by thiol-specific reagents, such as N-ethylmaleimide, 5,5'-dinitro-bis(2-nitrobenzoic acid), and 2-nitro-5-thiocyanobenzoic acid, the purified enzyme showed no increase in activity after the acetic anhydride treatment . The thiol-specific reagents failed to inhibit, however, the catalytically active acetyl-enzyme, suggesting that the site of acylation is the thiol group . Further evidence was provided when sodium borohydride inactivated the acetyl-enzyme . These results suggest that malonate decarboxylation by this enzyme may proceed by a catalytic cycle in which the acetyl group on the active enzyme is displaced by malonate, which binds covalently to a thiol group on the enzyme and is subsequently decarboxylated.

J Biol Chem, 1994 Nov 25, 269(47), 29509 - 14
Generation of a proton motive force by the excretion of metal-phosphate in the polyphosphate-accumulating Acinetobacter johnsonii strain 210A; van Veen HW et al.; The strictly aerobic, polyphosphate-accumulating Acinetobacter johnsonii strain 210A degrades its polyphosphate when oxidative phosphorylation is impaired . The endproducts of this degradation, divalent metal ions and inorganic phosphate, are excreted as a neutral metal-phosphate (MeHPO4) chelate via the electrogenic MeHPO4/H+ symport system of the organism . The coupled excretion of MeHPO4 and H+ in A . johnsonii 210A can generate a proton motive force . In membrane vesicles and deenergized cells, a membrane potential of about -70 mV and transmembrane pH gradient of about -8 mV were formed in response to an imposed outwardly directed MeHPO4 concentration gradient of 120 mV (initial value) . The MeHPO4 efflux-induced proton motive force could drive energy-requiring processes, such as the accumulation of L-proline and L-lysine and the synthesis of ATP via the membrane-bound F0F1 H(+)-ATPase . In vivo 31P NMR studies of polyphosphate degradation in anaerobic cell suspensions revealed the presence of a considerable outwardly directed phosphate gradient across the cytoplasmic membrane corresponding to a MgHPO4 concentration gradient of at least 100 mV . This MgHPO4 concentration gradient was maintained for several hours . Thus, energy recycling by MeHPO4/H+ efflux will contribute significantly to the overall production of metabolic energy from the degradation of polyphosphate in A . johnsonii 210A.

Biochim Biophys Acta, 1994 Nov 22, 1219(3), 601 - 6
A gene of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus BD413 encodes a periplasmic peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase of the cyclophilin sub-class that is not essential for growth; Kok RG et al.; Downstream of the Acinetobacter calcoaceticus estA gene, encoding a cell-bound esterase, an open reading frame (orf) was identified, which may encode a protein with a mass of 20.4 kDa . This protein shows extensive similarity to both prokaryotic and eukaryotic peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerases (PPIases) of the cyclophilin sub-class, especially to the periplasmic rotamase (RotA) of Escherichia coli . A putative signal sequence suggests that the product of the Acinetobacter gene, we termed rotA, is located outside the cytoplasm . Transcription of the gene is initiated from a promoter, just upstream of the rotA orf . The observation that two A . calcoaceticus rotA deletion mutants display no apparent mutant phenotype, suggests that this PPIase is not essential for growth of the organism . These mutants, to our knowledge, are the first prokaryotic PPIase mutants reported.

FEMS Microbiol Lett, 1994 Nov 15, 124(1), 49 - 54
Characterization of the aac(6')-Ik gene of Acinetobacter sp . 6; Rudant E et al.; The aac(6')-Ik gene which confers resistance to aminoglycosides in Acinetobacter sp . 6 CIP A165 was characterized . The resistance gene was identified as a coding sequence of 438 bases pairs corresponding to a protein with a calculated mass of 16627 Da . Alignment of aac(6')-Ik with aac(6')-Ig from Acinetobacter haemolyticus indicated 83% identity . Like aac(6')-Ig of A . haemolyticus and aac(6')-Ij of Acinetobacter sp . 13, the aac(6')-Ik gene was apparently located in the chromosome and was species specific . The high degree of identity between aac(6')-Ig and -Ik, compared with genomic DNA relationships between the host species, indicated that these genes have diverged from a common ancestor in a parental Acinetobacter species.

Lancet, 1994 Nov 12, 344(8933), 1329 - 32
Clinical and molecular epidemiology of acinetobacter infections sensitive only to polymyxin B and sulbactam; Go ES et al.; A nosocomial outbreak of infections due to imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii occurred in a New York hospital after increased use of imipenem for cephalosporin-resistant klebsiella infections . We identified all A baumannii isolates over 12 months, reviewed corresponding patient records, and compared strains with different antibiotic susceptibility patterns by restriction endonuclease analysis . Environmental surveillance cultures were done before and after institution of control measures . 59 patients harboured imipenem-resistant A baumannii, and 18 were infected . Isolates from patients were resistant to all routinely tested antibiotics, including imipenem . Further studies showed susceptibility to polymyxin B and sulbactam . These isolates were identical by restriction endonuclease analysis to A baumannii isolates susceptible to imipenem alone, or to imipenem and amikacin, but differed from broadly susceptible isolates . Surveillance cultures showed hand and environmental colonisation by imipenem-resistant strains . Infection and colonisation were eliminated by intensive infection control measures, and irrigation of wounds with polymyxin B . Increased use of imipenem against cephalosporin-resistant klebsiella may lead to imipenem resistance among other species, particularly acinetobacter . Such resistance appears to derive from a prior multi-resistant clone, in contrast to one which retains susceptibility to several antibiotics.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1994 Nov, 60(11), 4066 - 71
Characterization of Acinetobacter type strains and isolates obtained from wastewater treatment plants by PCR fingerprinting; Wiedmann-al-Ahmad M et al.; Acinetobacter type strains and isolates from wastewater treatment plants were differentiated by PCR fingerprinting . On the first level, PCR fingerprinting with two tRNA-gene specific primers (T5B and T3A) was used for the identification of species (genospecies 1 to 17) . On the second level, a single arbitrary primer (DAF 4) was employed for strain differentiation . Upon comparison of Acinetobacter type strains with 28 sewage sludge isolates, 2 could be classified as belonging to A . johnsonii, 8 isolates could be classified as A . lwoffii, 8 could be classified as A . baumannii, and 9 isolates were very closely related to the Acinetobacter species A . junii; only 1 isolate could not be classified as one of the Acinetobacter type strains . The PCR fingerprinting method was found to be a reproducible and fast method for differentiation and identification of Acinetobacter isolates . Because of some resulting discrepancies compared with previously described identification schemes, e.g., DNA-DNA hybridization methods, the original identification experiments should be repeated and the results should be reassessed.

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 1994 Nov, 20(3), 151 - 8
Antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of bacterial isolates at the American University Medical Center in Lebanon; Araj GF et al.; In Lebanon, knowledge of the prevailing pattern of bacterial resistance to antimicrobial agents has been limited, particularly because of 15 years of civil strife . Thus, the current study was conducted to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of nonselected bacterial isolates recovered from recent clinical specimens, using the standardized disk agar diffusion technique . A total of 5216 isolates (1443 Gram positive and 3773 Gram negative) were examined . Over 92% of Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) were resistant to penicillins . Methicillin resistance was more frequently noted among CNS (28%) compared with S . aureus (18%) . For the pneumococci, 27% of the isolates were resistant to penicillin G . High but variable rates of multidrug resistance were encountered among Acinetobacter spp., Pseudomonas spp., Serratia spp., Citrobacter spp., and Enterobacter spp . Ampicillin resistance was detected in 65% of Escherichia coli and in 20% of Haemophilus influenzae isolates . Although one resistant Salmonella typhi strain was observed, 17% of other Salmonella spp . and 60% of Shigella spp . proved to be resistant to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, and cotrimoxazole . Among Vibrio cholerae isolates, high resistance to tetracycline (71%) and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (94%) was observed . The overall antimicrobial resistance rates in Lebanon seem to fall between figures reported from the Arabian Gulf countries (higher) and those from medical centers in the United States (lower).

Am J Hosp Pharm, 1994 Nov 1, 51(21), 2671 - 5
Emergence of multidrug-resistant isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii; Okpara AU et al.; Patterns of antimicrobial resistance during an outbreak of nosocomial infections caused by Acinetobacter baumannii were studied . The medical records of all patients admitted to the hospital between February 1993 and February 1994 from whom A . baumannii was cultured were reviewed for demographic data, confirmation of the isolation report, admission date, date of first isolation of the organism, and antimicrobial use before and after the culture and susceptibility test results were obtained . The culture and susceptibility test data were reviewed for all specimens submitted to the laboratory during the review period . A total of 87 patients (mean +/- S.D . age, 37.9 +/- 8.7 years) with nosocomial infection or colonization with A . baumannii were identified . All the patients were surgical intensive care unit residents and had predisposing factors for acinetobacter infection . A total of 107 isolates of the organism were cultured from various sites; sputum was the most common source . The number of isolates per month increased steadily beginning in September 1993 and then declined over the winter . The median time between admission and first isolation of resistant A . baumannii was 11 days . Infections were manifested clinically as pneumonia (36 patients), bacteremia (8), wound infection (6), and urinary-tract infection (2) . Of the 107 isolates, all were resistant to formulary cephalosporins, extended-spectrum penicillins, quinolones, and aztreonam . Only nine isolates were susceptible to one or more aminoglycosides . All the isolates were susceptible to imipenem-cilastatin . During an outbreak of nosocomial infections with A . baumannii, all or nearly all of the 107 isolates were resistant to a broad range of antimicrobials with the exception of imipenem-cilastatin, to which all the isolates were susceptible.

J Clin Microbiol, 1994 Nov, 32(11), 2677 - 81
Characterization of a hospital outbreak of imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii by phenotypic and genotypic typing methods; Tankovic J et al.; During a 13-month period, 31 patients hospitalized primarily in two intensive care units (ICUs) were either colonized or infected by imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii . Typing of the isolates by three methods (antibiotyping, biotyping, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis) revealed that two distinct strains were involved in the first 9 cases of the outbreak and that one of these strains, which had acquired a higher level of imipenem resistance as well as resistance to all aminoglycosides, accounted for 21 of 22 cases in the second part of the outbreak . ICU environmental contamination was recognized as an important reservoir of this epidemic strain . The outbreak ceased only after the ICUs were closed for complete cleaning and disinfection.

J Clin Microbiol, 1994 Nov, 32(11), 2635 - 40
Discrimination of epidemic and sporadic isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii by repetitive element PCR-mediated DNA fingerprinting; Reboli AC et al.; In 1990, there was a significant increase in the number of lower respiratory tract infections and surgical wound infections in the adult intensive care units of our tertiary care teaching hospital caused by Acinetobacter baumannii compared with the number in 1989 . During the 5-month period from April through August 1990, 84 isolates of A . baumannii were recovered from 50 hospitalized patients . Biotyping, comparison of antibiograms, plasmid analysis, and DNA polymorphisms of 20 isolates from 20 different patients, determined by the use of repetitive element PCR with primers aimed at repetitive extragenic palindromic sequences and enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus sequences, were used to investigate this apparent outbreak . Biotyping, antibiograms, plasmid analysis, and enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus PCR were not useful epidemiologically . Repetitive element PCR-mediated DNA fingerprinting using repetitive extragenic palindromic primers discriminated between epidemic and sporadic strains of A . baumannii and demonstrated four discrete clusters which were unique epidemiologically.

Neurosurgery, 1994 Nov, 35(5), 851 - 5; discussion 855
Antibiotic-resistant Acinetobacter meningitis in neurosurgical patients; Nguyen MH et al.; Acinetobacter anitratus has emerged as one of the common pathogens responsible for postneurosurgical meningitis at the authors' institution . Seven patients with Acinetobacter meningitis were identified during the 4-year period of this study, five of whom acquired organisms susceptible only to imipenem and amikacin . Acinetobacter bacteremia occurred concomitantly in five patients . Despite late institution of therapy as a result either of organism misidentification on Gram stain or of unexpected acquisition of a highly resistant organism, the patients' outcome was favorable after the initiation of appropriate antibiotic therapy . Imipenem and amikacin, with or without intrathecal aminoglycosides, were effective in patients with resistant strains of Acinetobacter.

Kansenshogaku Zasshi, 1994 Nov, 68(11), 1359 - 66
{Studies on respiratory infections in primary care clinic (V) . The pattern of distribution on bacteria, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and virus isolated from patients with respiratory infections, who were seen in six private clinics, and clinical efficacy of ciprofloxacin and roxithromycin}; Watanabe A et al.; The pattern of distribution of bacteria, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and virus isolated from the same specimen recovered from the throat swab or the sputum of 479 patients with respiratory infections who were seen in six private clinics in Sendai City of Japan during the period from October to November in 1992 (period I) and from January to February in 1993 (period II) was documented . Of the 479 patients, 234 had acute pharyngitis, 145 had acute bronchitis, 96 had influenza, 21 had acute tonsillitis, 5 had acute pneumonia and 9 had other respiratory infections . One hundred (42.4%) strains of potential pathogen and one strain of M . pneumoniae were recovered from 236 cases in period I, and 66 (27.2%) strains of potential pathogen, one strain of M . pneumonae and 73 strains of Influenza virus (30.0%: 43 of type A Hong-Kong and 30 of type B) from 243 cases in period II . Of the 166 strains, major isolates were Staphylococcus aureus (56 strains), Streptococcus pneumoniae (12 strains), Streptococcus pyogenes (15 strains), Haemophilus influenzae (17 strains), Esherichia coli (4 strains), Klebsiella spp . (35 strains), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (4 strains) and Acinetobacter spp . (23 strains) . Only one strain of S . aureus was resistant to methicillin (MIC: 50 micrograms/ml) . None of S . pneumoniae was resistant to 1 microgram/ml of ampicillin . Ciprofloxacin was administered to 113 cases and roxythromycin to 220 cases by doctors in charge.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Zentralbl Bakteriol, 1994 Nov, 281(4), 389 - 405
Acinetobacter spp., saprophytic organisms of increasing pathogenic importance; Bergogne-Berezin E; Acinetobacter spp . are Gram-negative non-fermentative bacteria commonly present in soil and water as free-living saprophytes; they are isolated as commensals from skin, throat and various secretions of healthy people . There have been frequent changes in their taxonomy so that their pathogenic role in humans has been understood only recently: Acinetobacter has emerged as an important nosocomial pathogen involved in outbreaks of hospital infections . This ubiquitous organism can be recovered from the hospital environment, from colonized or infected patients or from staff (hand carriage) . Acinetobacter as an opportunistic pathogen is involved in nosocomial urinary tract infections, bacteremia, wound and burn infections . Its predominant role is observed in nosocomial pneumonia, particularly in fan-associated pneumonia . Acinetobacters are responsible for difficult-to-treat infections due to their frequent multiple resistance to major antibiotics available for the treatment of nosocomial infections . Various mechanisms of resistance to beta-lactams and aminoglycosides have been recognized in these bacteria . Combination therapy is usually recommended for the treatment of nosocomial infections . The increasing pathogenic importance of Acinetobacter spp . and the increasing frequency of hospital outbreaks of acinetobacter infections has made the development of reliable typing methods imperative . Beside conventional "phenotypic" methods (serology, phage typing), genotypic systems (ribotyping, plasmid profiles, pulse-field gel electrophoresis) are currently advancing.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1994 Nov, 34(5), 777 - 83
Comparative in-vitro activity of piperacillin-tazobactam against recent clinical isolates, a Dutch national multicentre study; Stobberingh EE et al.; In this Dutch national survey piperacillin-tazobactam had a MIC90 of < or = 8 mg/L for Enterobacteriaceae (Enterobacter cloacae excluded) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 64 mg/L for E . cloacae, and 4 mg/L for Acinetobacter spp . The corresponding MIC90 values for piperacillin alone were < or = 256 mg/L, 256 mg/L, 16 mg/L and 32 mg/L . Only 15 of 93 piperacillin-tazobactam resistant E . cloacae strains were sensitive for ceftazidime, whereas 41 of 93 ceftazidime-resistant E . cloacae were sensitive to piperacillin-tazobactam.

Infection, 1994 Nov-Dec, 22(6), 379 - 85
Bacteremia due to Acinetobacter species other than Acinetobacter baumannii; Seifert H et al.; The objective of this study was to describe the clinical features, possible predisposing factors and treatment outcomes associated with bacteremia du to Acinetobacter species other than Acinetobacter baumannii . A review of laboratory and medical charts over a period of 18 months revealed 61 cases of bacteremia due to Acinetobacter species other than A . baumannii occurring in 59 patients . Six of these were considered not significant . Fifty cases represented catheter-related bacteremia, one case was associated with meningitis following brain surgery, and four cases could not be classified . Clinical courses wre usually benign: all but four patients were cured, but death was not related to Acinetobacter bacteremia in any case . Therapy included catheter removal alone (32.8%), appropriate antimicrobials alone (12.7%), or both (49.1%) . Plasmid analysis showed distinct patterns in all strains isolated from different patients and did not reveal any epidemiological relationship among cases . Acinetobacter species other than A . baumannii are clinically significant organisms with limited pathogenic potential . They are almost exclusively involved in devise-related bacteremia . Clinical and epidemiological features of infections due to these organisms are clearly distinct from infections due to A . baumannii.

Carbohydr Res, 1994 Nov 1, 264(1), 73 - 81
Structure of the putative O10 antigen from Acinetobacter baumannii; Haseley SR et al.; A polysaccharide containing L-rhamnose, 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucose, and 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-mannose was obtained from an aqueous phenol extract of isolated cell walls from the reference strain for Acinetobacter baumannii serogroup O10 . By means of NMR studies and chemical degradations, the repeating unit of the polymer (the putative O10 antigen) was identified as a branched pentasaccharide of the structure shown.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1994 Nov, 60(11), 4100 - 6
Nucleotide sequence and functional analysis of the genes encoding 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid oxygenase in Pseudomonas cepacia AC1100; Danganan CE et al.; Pseudomonas cepacia AC1100 is able to use the chlorinated aromatic compound 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T) as the sole source of carbon and energy . One of the early steps in this pathway is the conversion of 2,4,5-T to 2,4,5-trichlorophenol (2,4,5-TCP) . 2,4,5-TCP accumulates in the culture medium when AC1100 is grown in the presence of 2,4,5-T . A DNA region from the AC1100 genome has been subcloned as a 2.7-kb SstI-XbaI DNA fragment, which on transfer to Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 allows the conversion of 2,4,5-T to 2,4,5-TCP . We have determined the directions of transcription of these genes as well as the complete nucleotide sequences of the genes and the number and sizes of the polypeptides synthesized by pulse-labeling experiments . This 2.7-kb DNA fragment encodes two polypeptides with calculated molecular masses of 51 and 18 kDa . Proteins of similar sizes were seen in the T7 pulse-labeling experiment in Escherichia coli . We have designated the genes for these proteins tftA1 (which encodes the 51-kDa protein) and tftA2 (which encodes the 18-kDa protein) . TftA1 and TftA2 have strong amino acid sequence homology to BenA and BenB from the benzoate 1,2-dioxygenase system of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, as well as to XylX and XylY from the toluate 1,2-dioxygenase system of Pseudomonas putida . The Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 strain containing the 2.7-kb SstI-XbaI fragment was able to convert not only 2,4,5-T to 2,4,5-TCP but also 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid to 2,4-dichlorophenol and phenoxyacetate to phenol.

Microbiology, 1994 Oct, 140 ( Pt 10), 2775 - 86
Cloning and sequencing show that 4-hydroxybenzoate hydroxylase (PobA) is required for uptake of 4-hydroxybenzoate in Rhizobium leguminosarum; Wong CM et al.; Mutants of Rhizobium leguminosarum bv . viciae MNF300 and R . leguminosarum bv . trifolii WU95 unable to accumulate 4-hydroxybenzoate lack 4-hydroxybenzoate hydroxylase . The capacity of these mutants to take up and grow on 4-hydroxybenzoate was restored by a 2.0 kb EcoRI-PstI DNA fragment . This contained only one ORF which had over 60% DNA sequence similarity with the structural gene for 4-hydroxybenzoate hydroxylase (pobA) from Pseudomonas spp . and Acinetobacter . Reported effects of metabolic inhibitors and substrate analogues on the apparent uptake of 4-hydroxybenzoate have now been shown to be due to their direct effect on 4-hydroxybenzoate hydroxylase . We propose that uptake of 4-hydroxybenzoate is via a metabolic 'drag' mechanism dependent on the activity of the pobA gene product.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1994 Oct, 34(4), 529 - 44
Microbiological surveillance during selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD)
Saunders GL, Hammond JM, Potgieter PD, Plumb HA, Forder AA.
The use of selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD) as prophylaxis against nosocomial respiratory tract infection remains controversial, largely because of concerns that, in the long term, it may promote the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains . This report describes the results of surveillance cultures and susceptibility testing undertaken during the course of a 2-year, double-blind study of the efficacy of SDD which was conducted in a respiratory intensive care unit (ICU) . Surveillance specimens from the alimentary tract and trachea were obtained from each patient on admission and then twice weekly until 48 h after discharge from the unit . Specimens were cultured semiquantitatively and organisms from morphologically distinct colonies were identified by standard methods; the susceptibilities of these isolates were determined by the disc diffusion method . Five thousand, nine hundred and sixty surveillance samples from 239 patients were processed in this way . Compared with the placebo group, SDD caused a significant reduction in the incidence of colonization of the alimentary tract with aerobic Gram-negative bacilli (AGNB), and Candida spp . were almost totally eliminated . The incidence of colonization with enterococci increased in both groups, while the incidence of both colonization of the alimentary tract with strains of coagulase-negative staphylococci and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and infection caused by these organisms increased in the SDD group . Acinetobacter spp . were the most common bacteria associated with unit-acquired colonization and lower respiratory tract infection in both groups . The acquisition of strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and cefotaxime- and/or tobramycin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae was significantly greater in the placebo group than in the SDD group, although tobramycin-resistant strains of Proteus, Morganella and Providencia spp . were isolated from three of 114 patients receiving SDD . The use of SDD did not lead to an overall increase in antibiotic resistance amongst the AGNB usually associated with ICU-acquired infection . However, colonization with strains which were either resistant to one or more of the antibiotic components of the regimen or which were not inhibited by the regimen was observed and may subsequently lead to infection.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1994 Oct, 34(4), 457 - 64
High level kanamycin resistance associated with the hyperproduction of AAC(3)II and a generalised reduction in the accumulation of aminoglycosides in Acinetobacter spp; Elisha BG et al.; The clinical isolate of Acinetobacter baumannii strain SAK contains an actively transcribed aacC2 gene and a latent aadB gene that encode the aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes, AAC(3)II and AAD(2"), respectively . In an attempt to activate the aadB gene, the strain was cultured in the presence of kanamycin which is a substrate for AAD(2") . Although it was possible to isolate kanamycin resistant derivatives these were not associated with detectable AAD(2") activity . Instead, there was a marked increase in the level of AAC(3)II activity which was associated with amplification of the aacC2 gene.

FEMS Immunol Med Microbiol, 1994 Oct, 9(4), 281 - 5
Studies on the influence of ozone on complement-mediated killing of bacteria; Doroszkiewicz W et al.; The role of ozone in the susceptibility of clinical isolates of Acinetobacter anitratus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa to serum was investigated . It was found that ozone-treated cells were more susceptible to complement-mediated killing serum . These results suggest that ozone damage or change of cell membrane leads to a more rapid penetration of the membrane attack complex of complement.

Am J Infect Control, 1994 Oct, 22(5), 319 - 21
Acinetobacter calcoaceticus anitratus outbreak in the intensive care unit traced to a peak flow meter; Ahmed J et al.; BACKGROUND: A cluster of seven cases of Acinetobacter caleoaceticus anitratus in a community teaching hospital intensive care unit was discovered (the seventh case was located in a step-down unit next to an infected patient recently transferred from the intensive care unit.) METHODS: An outbreak investigation, including detailed epidemiologic, clinical, and laboratory investigation, was performed . RESULTS: A single strain of A . calcoaceticus anitratus was responsible for infection in all seven patients . All patients had tracheostomies, were in respiratory failure, and were ventilator dependent . Patients ranged in age from 27 to 81 years . No common causative variable or explanatory findings were present except that the same peak flow meter (manual weaning criteria machine) was used to facilitate weaning all seven patients from mechanical ventilation . Culture of the mouthpiece isolated a A . calcoaceticus anitratus strain with the identical susceptibility pattern and biochemical profile as that from the infected patients . CONCLUSION: A . calcoaceticus anitratus was transmitted by a peak flow meter nosocomially to seven patients receiving mechanical ventilation . Disposable mouthpieces were introduced to prevent cross-contamination . A 2% glutaraldehyde solution was used to disinfect the machine between uses . No further outbreaks of A . calcoaceticus anitratus pneumonia were identified during 3 years of follow-up.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1994 Oct, 38(10), 2502 - 3
Antimicrobial susceptibilities of clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii from Singapore; Kuah BG et al.; The in vitro activities of 17 antimicrobial agents alone or in combination against 70 clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii from Singapore were determined by broth microdilution . The MICs of amoxicillin, ampicillin, ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, gentamicin, and piperacillin for 90% of the strains were > or = 128 micrograms/ml . Addition of sulbactam to ampicillin produced improved activity, whereas adding tazobactam to piperacillin did not . The MICs of amikacin, ciprofloxacin, and imipenem for 90% of the strains were 32, 32, and 16 micrograms/ml, respectively.

J Clin Microbiol, 1994 Oct, 32(10), 2353 - 8
Description of Leeds Acinetobacter Medium, a new selective and differential medium for isolation of clinically important Acinetobacter spp., and comparison with Herellea agar and Holton's agar; Jawad A et al.; Acinetobacter spp . are responsible for an increasing number of opportunistic, nosocomial infections . They have been isolated from diverse inanimate objects in the hospital environment and are resistant to most of the commonly used antibiotics . Existing media for the isolation of Acinetobacter spp . are either nonselective, allowing the growth of unwanted bacteria, or too inhibitory, inhibiting the growth of many Acinetobacter strains . For the rapid isolation and effective control of Acinetobacter infection, a new selective and differential medium, Leeds Acinetobacter Medium (LAM), has been developed to isolate Acinetobacter spp . from clinical and environmental sources . The concentration of antibiotics and other ingredients in this medium have been determined according to the results of MIC and viable counts performed for these ingredients . LAM was compared with other selective and differential media for the isolation of Acinetobacter spp . from a local hospital environment and proved to be better in terms of recovery and selectivity.

J Med Microbiol, 1994 Oct, 41(4), 244 - 9
A comparative study of ribotyping and arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction for investigation of hospital outbreaks of Acinetobacter baumannii infection; Vila J et al.; Arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR) and ribotyping were compared in an investigation of an outbreak of Acinetobacter baumannii infections . Twenty-five clinical isolates shown previously by other criteria to belong to two different groups, and nine randomly selected A . baumannii clinical isolates from other hospitals were investigated . Among the strains analysed, nine different EcoRI rRNA gene restriction pattern fingerprints were observed . While similarity was detected between strains of the same group, these fingerprints differed clearly between the two A . baumannii groups defined in the outbreak . Two of the nine strains selected randomly had the same ribotype as those strains involved in the outbreak, whereas the remaining seven strains each had a different ribotype . When the strains were tested by AP-PCR with 0.25, 0.5 or 1 microM of M13 forward primer, 10 different profiles were obtained . However, 11 profiles were observed if two different primer concentrations (0.25 and 1 microM) were used . It was concluded that ribotyping and AP-PCR exhibited a similar discriminatory power, although AP-PCR had the additional advantages of speed and simplicity.

Biochemistry, 1994 Sep 27, 33(38), 11645 - 9
Purification and characterization of 4-chlorobenzoyl CoA dehalogenase from Arthrobacter sp . strain 4-CB1; Crooks GP et al.; 4-Chlorobenzoyl coenzyme A dehalogenase was purified to homogeneity from Arthrobacter sp . strain 4-CB1 (previously known as Acinetobacter sp . strain 4-CB1), a bacterium isolated from PCB-contaminated soil . Purification was accomplished by four chromatographic steps, including a novel affinity chromatography step . 4-Chlorobenzoyl CoA dehalogenase is a homotetramer of 33-kDa subunits with an isoelectric point of 6.1 . The enzyme is stable between pH 6.5 and 10 . The optimum pH for kcat is pH 8 . The enzyme is able to dehalogenate substrates bearing fluorine, chlorine, bromine and iodine in the 4-position, although the rate of dehalogenation of 4-fluorobenzoyl CoA is quite slow . The enzyme is specific for dehalogenation at the 4-position, as 3-chloro- and 2-chlorobenzoyl CoA are not dehalogenated . The N-terminal sequence of the Arthrobacter sp . strain 4-CB1 dehalogenase is almost identical to that of the 4-chlorobenzoyl CoA dehalogenase from Arthrobacter sp . strain SU and shows 30% identity to that from Pseudomonas sp . strain CBS-3.

Jpn J Antibiot, 1994 Sep, 47(9), 1196 - 201
{Clinical evaluation of sulbactam/cefoperazone for infections during the chemotherapy of hematologic malignancy}; Kawai Y et al.; In 28 patients with hematologic malignancy, the clinical effect and the safety of sulbactam/cefoperazone (SBT/CPZ) were studied on 45 episodes during granulocytopenic stage after antineoplastic chemotherapy . The overall efficacy rate obtained with SBT/CPZ in combination with other drugs was 62% . The rates for sepsis, suspected sepsis and pneumonia were 67%, 94% and 38%, respectively . The efficacy in those cases that showed granulocyte count less than 300/microliters during the course of administration of SBT/CPZ was 53%, and in those cases that showed granulocyte counts recovery to more than 300/microliters was 73% . Prior antimicrobiological treatments had no influence on the efficacy of SBT/CPZ . SBT/CPZ showed an activity spectrum covering frequently isolated microorganism including Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter cloacae and Staphylococcus aureus . Mild adverse effect were observed in 4 episodes (8.8%) . These result suggested that SBT/CPZ was thought to be a useful drug for empirical therapy in granulocytopenic patients with hematologic malignancies.

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 1994 Sep, 20(1), 27 - 32
Comparative in vitro activity of FK-037, a new cephalosporin antibiotic; Clarke AM et al.; The in vitro activity of FK-037, a novel parenteral oxime-type cephalosporin, was compared with that of cefepime, cefpirome, ceftazidime, imipenem, and gentamicin against a total of 668 recent clinical isolates . Minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined by a standard agar dilution procedure, and all isolates were tested at two inocula (10(4) and 10(6) colony forming units) . FK-037 inhibited 90% of isolates of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella species, Proteus mirabilis, P . vulgaris, Morganella morganii, Serratia marcescens, Providencia stuartii, Citrobacter freundii, Salmonella typhi, Shigella sonnei, Yersinia enterocolitica, Aeromonas species, and Haemophilus influenzae at < or = 1 microgram/ml . FK-037 was less active against Enterobacter species, Acinetobacter species, and Pseudomonas species, requiring 16 micrograms/ml to inhibit 90% of isolates, and was inactive against Xanthomonas maltophilia . FK-037 inhibited 90% of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus at < or = 1 microgram/ml and 90% of methicillin-resistant S . aureus at < or = 8 micrograms/ml.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1994 Sep, 38(9), 1883 - 9
Characterization of the chromosomal aac(6')-Ij gene of Acinetobacter sp . 13 and the aac(6')-Ih plasmid gene of Acinetobacter baumannii; Lambert T et al.; The amikacin resistance genes aac(6')-Ih of Acinetobacter baumannii BM2686 and aac(6')-Ij of Acinetobacter sp . 13 BM2689 encoding aminoglycoside 6'-N-acetyltransferases were characterized . The 441-bp coding sequences predict proteins with calculated masses of 16,698 and 16,677 Da, respectively . Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequences indicated that the proteins belonged to a subfamily of 6'-aminoglycoside acetyltransferase type I enzymes from gram-negative bacteria . The aac(6')-Ih gene of BM2686 was located on a 13.7-kb nonconjugative plasmid . The aac(6')-Ij gene from BM2689 was not transferable either by conjugation to Escherichia coli or A . baumannii or by transformation to Acinetobacter calcoaceticus . Plasmid DNA from BM2689 did not hybridize with an intragenic aac(6')-Ij probe . These results suggest a chromosomal location for this gene . The aac(6')-Ij gene was detected by DNA hybridization in all 28 strains of Acinetobacter sp . 13 tested but not in other Acinetobacter strains, including A . baumannii, proteolytic genospecies 4, 6, 14, 15, 16, and 17, and ungrouped strains . The aac(6')-Ih and -Ij probes did not hybridize in dot blot assays with DNA from members of the families Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonadaceae that produced 6'-N-acetyltransferases . These data suggest that the genes are confined to the Acinetobacter genus and that the aac(6')-Ij gene is species specific and may be used to identify Acinetobacter sp . 13.

J Hosp Infect, 1994 Sep, 28(1), 39 - 48
Epidemiological markers of Acinetobacter baumannii clinical isolates from a spinal cord injury unit; Marcos MA et al.; During a period of 28 months, 114 isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii obtained from urine samples of 57 patients, were recovered in a Spinal Cord Unit; an unusual increase in the number of A . baumannii isolates was observed between February 1991 and January 1992 . Six different typing methods {biotyping, antimicrobial susceptibility, whole cell and cell-envelope protein analysis, plasmid analysis and chromosomal DNA analysis by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE)} were used to study the isolates to establish any potential relationships among them . Chromosomal DNA analysis by digestion with ApaI and separation of the fragments by PFGE was the most powerful tool to determine the relatedness of isolates . The results suggest that the isolates from 1991 and 1992 may have originated from strains present in 1990 that subsequently acquired resistance to amikacin and tobramycin during the epidemic.

Neurosurgery, 1994 Sep, 35(3), 422 - 6; discussion 426-7
Posttraumatic meningitis: bacteriology, hydrocephalus, and outcome; Baltas I et al.; To investigate the conditions that have developed in the treatment of posttraumatic meningitis with the use of new antibiotics, the authors studied cases with this infection retrospectively for a period of 68 months . Among 860 patients with moderate to severe head injuries, 12 (1.39%) sustained this complication . Of these, nine patients (75%) had a demonstrable basilar skull fracture and seven (58.3%) presented obvious rhinorrhea . Of these seven, four (57.1%) were treated conservatively and three (42.8%) finally underwent surgery for dural repair . The infecting agents were Gram-positive cocci (Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Staphylococcus warneri, Staphylococcus cohnii, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Streptococcus pneumoniae) in five patients and Gram-negative bacilli in six patients (Escherichia coli in two, Klebsiella pneumoniae in two, and Acinetobacter anitratus in two) . In one patient, the culture results were negative . All Gram-negative strains appeared resistant to ampicillin and third-generation cephalosporins, but sensitive to imipenem and to the quinolone ciprofloxacin . Gram-positive strains were sensitive to vancomycin . Hydrocephalus finally developed in the two patients who had received intrathecal infusions of amikacin . No other report of the relation of intrathecal infusion of antibiotics and the development of hydrocephalus was found . All patients survived, indicating that, for the present, posttraumatic meningitis is a nonfatal complication of head injury.

Gene, 1994 Aug 19, 146(1), 23 - 30
Contrasting patterns of evolutionary divergence within the Acinetobacter calcoaceticus pca operon; Kowalchuk GA et al.; The six enzymes required for catabolism of protocatechuate to succinate and acetylCoA are encoded by the pca genes in the Gram-bacterium, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus . The clustered A . calcoaceticus cat genes encode an analogous set of enzymes associated with the metabolic dissimilation of catechol . The nucleotide (nt) sequences of pcaIJFB and pcaK, reported here, complete evidence showing that all of the pca structural genes are tightly grouped in the order pcaIJFBDKCHG within a single operon . The pcaIJF region is nearly identical in nt sequence to the A . calcoaceticus catIDJF region which exhibits a G+C content and a codon usage pattern exceptional for A . calcoaceticus . In contrast, pcaD, pcaC, pcaH and pcaG have diverged substantially from their evolutionary counterparts in the cat region; all of these divergent genes exhibit G+C contents and codon usage patterns that are typical for A . calcoaceticus . The pcaIJF and catIJF regions are known to exchange DNA sequence information, and this property may have contributed to their nt sequence conservation . The pcaK gene has no counterpart among known cat genes . The deduced amino-acid sequence of PcaK indicates that it may be a transmembrane protein associated with transport.

Surg Neurol, 1994 Aug, 42(2), 98 - 104
Ethmoid sinus carcinomas: results and prognosis after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and combined surgery--a 10-year experience; Roux FX et al.; From June 1982 to June 1992, 144 ethmoido-sphenoido-orbital tumors have been referred to the neurosurgical department of Ste Anne Hospital . One hundred five of them were malignant lesions, among which 83 were included into our therapeutic protocol (1) neo-adjuvant chemotherapy (CDDP + 5-FU), (2) combined surgical procedure (subfrontal and transfacial), (3) postoperative radiotherapy . Fifty nine percent of the patients had no response to chemotherapy; 19% had a partial response (reduction of the tumoral volume > 50% and < 100%), 22% had a complete response . One patient had an immediate and transient postoperative rhinorrhea responsible for meningitis (acinetobacter) that was cured after a 3-day treatment . Four patients had postoperative meningitis without any cerebrospinal fluid leakage; they were also cured . Five patients had a local suppuration that was treated by subcutaneous drainage (n = 1) or the removal of the cranial basis graft (n = 4) . Oncologic results are presented for only adenocarcinomas (n = 63) because they represent the only population of this series large enough to assure significant statistical figures . The global actuarial survival rate was 53% at 3 years and 42.5% at 5 years . The 5-year actuarial survival rate was 80% for T1 tumors, 60% for T2, 40% for T3, and 25% for T4 . Patients with an intracranial extension had a 3-year survival rate of 19%; none survived after 4-year follow-up . Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy seemed to influence the survival: 100% survival rate at 5 and 10 years for the complete responders . We discuss the opportunity of intraorbital exenteration, the indications, and the limits of combined surgery . We emphasize the importance of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy and of combined surgical procedures, even when the patients are complete responders to chemotherapy: complete responders who had only a transfacial approach have a 5-year actuarial survival rate of 80% (instead of 100% when a combined procedure was performed) . Those who were not operated primarily recurred within 3 years and then had to be operated . We propose to follow such a combined surgery for all large ethmoidal cancers (T3 and T4) and for small tumors (T1 and T2) developed superiorly and posteriorly . Anterior T1 and T2 tumors should be operated through a single transfacial route.

Isr J Med Sci, 1994 Aug, 30(8), 649 - 51
Ambulatory treatment with ceftriaxone in febrile neutropenic children; Kaplinsky C et al.; We conducted a prospective nonrandomized study of outpatient therapy with ceftriaxone as a single agent in 50 episodes of fever and neutropenia in children treated with various myelosuppressive regimens for different malignancies . All patients underwent clinical and radiological evaluation and blood/urine cultures taken before starting therapy . Patients with dehydration, hypotension, rigor and clinical exit-site infection of indwelling right-sided catheters were excluded . Forty-one patients completed an antibiotic course of 7 days: in 12 patients fever returned to normal on day 2, in 10 patients on day 3, and in 8 patients on day 4 . The duration of neutropenia following the initial febrile episode was 3-10 days . In some patients fever returned to normal after 2 days, but neutropenia persisted up to 10 days . Two patients were bacteremic--Escherichia coli in one, and Acinetobacter/Staphylococcus coagulase negative in another; all isolates were sensitive to ceftriaxone . In nine episodes, antimicrobial therapy was modified because of persistent fever > 39 degrees C in five patients, bacteremia in two, enterocolitis in one, breakthrough fever in two, and bronchopneumonia in one . The low incidence of bacterial isolation is probably attributed to the selection of patients with low risk features . Patients and parents complied with and favored outpatient therapy to hospitalization.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol, 1994 Aug, 15(8), 520 - 8
Plasmid DNA profiles of Acinetobacter baumannii: clinical application in a complex endemic setting; Seifert H et al.; OBJECTIVE: To study the epidemiological, microbiological, and clinical features of infections due to Acinetobacter baumannii in a complex endemic situation over an 18-month period and to determine the clinical usefulness of plasmid DNA analysis of A baumannii in epidemiological investigations . DESIGN: Review of medical and laboratory records . Antibiotic resistance patterns, biotyping, and plasmid profile analysis were used to characterize clinical and environmental isolates . Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of chromosomal DNA was performed to verify results obtained with the other typing methods . SETTING: Four different intensive care units of an 800-bed tertiary care center in Cologne, Germany . RESULTS: 240 patients were colonized or infected with A baumannii during the study period . No seasonal variations were observed . The majority of isolates (53%) were recovered from the respiratory tract . Major infections occurred in 61 patients; these included 48 bacteremias and eight pulmonary infections . Five different epidemic strains were identified: one each was A baumannii biotype 2 and 6, and three were biotype 9 . A baumannii biotype 9 accounted for the vast majority of isolates (88%), which were clustered into three epidemic strains demonstrating distinct plasmid profiles . Two of these were considered genetically related as shown by PFGE . Epidemic strains were multidrug resistant, being uniformly susceptible to imipenem only . An epidemiological investigation failed to identify any point source of infection . Barrier precautions and improved handwashing was instituted in three of the four units and significantly reduced the incidence of colonization and infection in these units . Attack rates remained unchanged, however, in the burns unit where control measures were not implemented . CONCLUSION: Acinetobacter strains representing multiple biotypes and plasmid types were present in this endemic setting . Multidrug resistance in A baumannii is an important concern . Plasmid DNA analysis proved to be useful in epidemiological typing of A baumannii strains and may serve as a complementary typing system to traditional epidemiological methods.

Jpn J Antibiot, 1994 Aug, 47(8), 1030 - 40
{Susceptibilities of glucose non-fermentative gram-negative bacilli to antibiotics}; Tabe Y et al.; Glucose non-fermentative Gram-negative bacilli are important nosocomial pathogens . This study concerned with susceptibilities to antibacterial agents of strains of Glucose non-fermentative Gram-negative bacilli that were isolated from cultures of clinical materials at 123 hospital laboratories throughout Japan from September to December of 1991 . The tests for susceptibilities were performed according to the disk dilution method recommended by NCCLS . The following bacteria were tested: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas cepacia, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Alcaligenes spp., Alcaligenes xylosoxidans, Flavobacterium spp . and Xanthomonas maltophilia . The antibacterial agents tested were as follows: piperacillin (PIPC), ceftazidime (CAZ), aztreonam (AZT), imipenem (IPM), minocycline (MINO), gentamicin, amikacin (AMK) and ofloxacin (OFLX) . 1 . Eighty percent of the strains of P . aeruginosa and P . cepacia were sensitive to CAZ . More than ninety percent of the strains of A . calcoaceticus were sensitive to IPM, MINO, OFLX . To PIPC and IPM, about eighty percent of the strains of Alcaligenes spp . and A . xylosoxidans were sensitive . The strains of Flavobacterium spp . and X . maltophilia showed high sensitivities to MINO . 2 . Annual changes in antimicrobial susceptibility patterns over 4 years (1988-1991) show that there has been a gradual increase in sensitive strains of P . aeruginosa to PIPC, CAZ and AMK . Sensitive strains of P . cepacia to AZT, IPM and MINO, and A . calcoaceticus to CAZ and MINO also have gradually increased . No yearly changes were observed in high sensitivity to MINO of the strains of Flavobacterium spp . and X . maltophilia.

Jpn J Antibiot, 1994 Aug, 47(8), 1013 - 29
Evaluation of minocycline and cefuzonam for antimicrobial activity against clinical isolates; Igari J et al.; The Antibacterial activity of minocycline (MINO) and that of cefuzonam (CZON) were assessed with clinical isolates of 19 species, and compared with that of other antibiotics . MINO was highly active against methicilli-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis, Haemophilus influenzae, Helicobacter pylori, Flavobacterium meningosepticum, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Peptostreptococcus spp . and Propionibacterium acnes, but not as effective against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas cepacia and Alcaligenes xylosoxidans . CZON was highly active against MSSA, Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, N . Gonorrhoeae, M(B) . catarrhalis, H . influenzae, H . pylori, P . mirabilis, Peptostreptococcus spp . and P . acnes, but not effective against MRSA . It was minimally active against Gram-negative rods (E . coli, K . pneumoniae, etc.) and bacteria that do not ferment glucose.

Immun Infekt, 1994 Aug, 22(4), 142 - 5
{Epidemiology and resistance pattern of Acinetobacter species considering the new nomenclature}; Postulka A; 230 clinical isolates of Acinetobacter species were characterized according to genospecies (new taxonomy), relative frequency of isolation, distribution in clinical samples and resistance pattern . A.baumannii was more frequently found than any other species (42%), followed by A.lwoffii (28%), although only 60% of the former "A.lwoffi" corresponds to the new A.lwoffii . The other 40%, formerly A.lwoffi, were shared by A.junii and A.haemolyticus . Concerning habitat and resistance pattern, remarkable differences between the new biotypes were found . A.baumannii and A.lwoffii were isolated mainly from swabs . A.calcoaceticus was most frequently cultivated from samples of the upper respiratory tract, and from blood cultures preferably A.baumannii and, more rarely, A.lwoffii and A.haemolyticus were isolated . A.baumannii showed multidrug resistance against beta-lactam antibiotics, most of the tested penicillins and cephalosporins . The two most susceptible species in our study were A.junii and A.lwoffii . Resistance to imipenem, aminoglycosides and quinolones was rare with all strains.

J Chemother, 1994 Aug, 6 Suppl 3, 19 - 22
{Microbiological aspects of antibiotics with immunomodulating action}; Schito GC et al.; Through the introduction of a 7-mercapto-1,3-thiazole chain at position 3' of the dihydrothiazine ring, cefodizime, which is structurally similar to cefotaxime, has acquired a number of remarkable immunomodulatory properties while retaining a potent antimicrobial spectrum of activity . Cefodizime penetrates in fact readily through the bacterial cell wall and interacts with its molecular targets in such a way that at high concentrations cell death and lysis are rapidly induced . Its spectrum of action encompasses the Enterobacteria, Neisseriae, Haemophilus, Moraxella catarrhalis, methicillin-susceptible staphylococci and streptococci, with pneumococci included . Cefodizime is devoid of useful potency against Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter and enterococci . Given the wide occurrence of strains synthesizing beta-lactamases in several primary pathogens of community-acquired and nosocomial infections, the complete stability of cefodizime towards the most prevalent of these hydrolytic enzymes (TEM-1, TEM-2, SHV-1, BRO-1 and the staphylococcal penicillinases) seems reassuring . Only a few chromosomally-coded and extended spectrum beta-lactamases produced by gram-negative microorganisms inactivate the new cephalosporin . Since the distribution of pathogens carrying these enzymes depends on the local trends of antibacterial consumption and cannot be easily predicted, a large multicenter study in Italy has recently assessed the antibacterial potency of cefodizime, in comparison with suitable drugs, on 1985 selected nosocomial strains . In this survey cefodizime was more effective in vitro than amoxicillin-clavulanate, gentamicin and piperacillin while being substantially similar in the rates of eradication of gram-negative and gram-positive organisms to other third generation cephalosporins like ceftazidime and ceftriaxone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Tohoku J Exp Med, 1994 Aug, 173(4), 405 - 11
The pattern of respiratory infection in patients with lung cancer; Kohno S et al.; We examined retrospectively the pattern of respiratory infection in 579 patients with lung cancer admitted to Nagasaki University Hospital during the past 15 years . A total of 139 patients (24.0%) developed respiratory infection . The rates of pulmonary infection associated with large (36.2%) and small cell carcinomas (33.6%) were significantly higher than those with squamous cell carcinoma (26.0%) and adenocarcinoma (17.3%) . Advanced stages of lung cancer were associated with higher complication rates (stage I: 6.3%, stage II: 15.9%, stage III: 27.9%, and stage IV: 33.8%) . Deceased patients showed a significantly higher rate of pulmonary infection than alive patients during the period of investigation . Isolated organisms in excess of 10(7) cfu/ml in sputum or 10(4) cfu/ml in bronchial aspirate were mainly gram-negative bacteria (68.8%), such as Haemophilus influenzae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae, Acinetobacter sp . and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The number of patients infected with gram-positive bacteria increased markedly after 1982 . Our results suggest that a successful control of pulmonary infection associated with lung cancer is important in improving the prognosis of lung malignancy.

J Bacteriol, 1994 Jul, 176(14), 4366 - 75
Inability of muconate cycloisomerases to cause dehalogenation during conversion of 2-chloro-cis,cis-muconate; Vollmer MD et al.; The conversion of 2-chloro-cis,cis-muconate by muconate cycloisomerase from Pseudomonas putida PRS2000 yielded two products which by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy were identified as 2-chloro- and 5-chloromuconolactone . High-pressure liquid chromatography analyses showed the same compounds to be formed also by muconate cycloisomerases from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus ADP1 and Pseudomonas sp . strain B13 . During 2-chloro-cis,cis-muconate turnover by the enzyme from P . putida, 2-chloromuconolactone initially was the major product . After prolonged incubation, however, 5-chloromuconolactone dominated in the resulting equilibrium . In contrast to previous assumptions, both chloromuconolactones were found to be stable at physiological pH . Since the chloromuconate cycloisomerases of Pseudomonas sp . strain B13 and Alcaligenes eutrophus JMP134 have been shown previously to produce the trans-dienelactone (trans-4-carboxymethylene-but-2-en-4-olide) from 2-chloro-cis,cis-muconate, they must have evolved the capability to cleave the carbon-chlorine bond during their divergence from normal muconate cycloisomerases.

J Bacteriol, 1994 Jul, 176(14), 4277 - 84
Regulation of p-hydroxybenzoate hydroxylase synthesis by PobR bound to an operator in Acinetobacter calcoaceticus; DiMarco AA et al.; PobR is a transcriptional activator required for the expression of pobA, the structural gene for p-hydroxybenzoate hydroxylase . The pobA and pobR genes are divergently transcribed and separated by 134 bp in the Acinetobacter calcoaceticus chromosome . Primer extension analysis revealed that the pobA transcript begins 22 bp upstream from the structural gene and the pobR transcript begins 69 bp upstream from the regulatory gene . This arrangement requires superimposition of the -10 base pair and -35 base pair RNA polymerase-binding sites for the respective genes . Expression of a pobR-lacZ fusion was found to be repressed three- to fourfold by pobR when the functional gene was carried in trans on a plasmid . The pobR gene was placed under control of a lac promoter in an expression vector, and the recombinant plasmid inducibly expressed high levels of PobR in Escherichia coli . Cell extracts containing this protein were used to conduct gel mobility shift analyses . PobR binds specifically to DNA in the pobA-pobR intergenic region, and this binding does not appear to be influenced by p-hydroxybenzoate, the inducer of pobA expression . DNase I footprinting indicates that the DNA-binding site for PobR extends from about 10 bp to about 45 bp downstream from the site of the beginning of the pobR transcript . Within this putative operator is a region of inverted symmetry . Evidently, interaction of the inducer with the PobR-operator complex triggers elevated expression of pobA, beginning at a position separated by 55 bp of DNA . The general mechanisms by which PobR exerts transcriptional control resemble those that typify the LysR family of transcriptional activators, a group from which PobR is evolutionarily remote.

Infection, 1994 Jul-Aug, 22(4), 299 - 305
Bactericidal activity of cefpirome (HR 810) against 513 gram-negative bacteria isolated from blood of septicemic patients; Bergeron MG et al.; The profile of antibacterial activity of cefpirome was compared with that of nine other antimicrobial agents against 513 gram-negative bacteria isolated from septicemic patients . All strains were evaluated for their sensitivity by disc diffusion and broth dilution tests (MIC and MBC) . Cefpirome was compared to cefazolin, cefuroxime, ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, aztreonam, imipenem, ticarcillin, tobramycin and ciprofloxacin . Among the five cephalosporins tested in this study, cefpirome was the most active against all isolates . The MIC50 and MIC90 of eight isolates of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus were 2 and 4 mg/l and those of 89 Pseudomonas aeruginosa were 2 and 8 mg/l, respectively . The MIC90 values of cefpirome for all other groups of bacteria were < or = 1 mg/l . The activity of cefpirome against gram-negative bacteria is at least as good as that of aztreonam and imipenem . The only drug showing a better profile of activity than cefpirome is ciprofloxacin . The scattergram of the 513 isolates for cefpirome MICs and inhibitory zones with the 30 micrograms disc, showed that only eight isolates were not susceptible to cefpirome . These data suggest that the in vitro activity of cefpirome is comparable to if not better than that of other beta-lactams and tobramycin.

Intensive Care Med, 1994 Jul, 20 Suppl 3, S1 - 4
Epidemiology of nosocomial infections in adult intensive care units; Trilla A; Patients in intensive care units (ICUs) are a small subgroup of all hospitalized patients, but they account for approximately 25% of all hospital infections . Nosocomial infection rates among ICU patients are 5-10 times higher than among general ward patients . ICU infection rates are higher due to complex interactions between the patients' underlying disease, severity of illness, type of ICU, duration of stay, and invasive devices used . Antimicrobial resistance is a major clinical problem despite potent and newer antibiotics . Organisms that pose a clinically significant resistance problem among ICU patients include methicillin-resistant staphylococci, enterococci, a wide variety of enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas cepacia, Xanthomonas maltophila, Acinetobacter and Candida species . Traditional infection control measures include identification of reservoirs, halting transmission between patients, stopping progression from colonization to infection and modifying host risk . In addition, sound selection procedures and guidelines for antibiotic usage are necessary to control the spread of multi-resistant micro-organisms.

J Clin Microbiol, 1994 Jul, 32(7), 1816 - 9
Comparison of four different methods for epidemiologic typing of Acinetobacter baumannii; Seifert H et al.; A set of 103 epidemiologically well-defined Acinetobacter baumannii isolates obtained from nine hospital outbreaks and 21 unrelated strains were characterized by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of total genomic DNA digested with ApaI . Among outbreak strains, eight different patterns and five possible variants were identified by PFGE . Results were compared with those from traditional typing methods such as plasmid profile analysis, antimicrobial susceptibility, and biotyping . Plasmid analysis revealed six different and two related patterns; one outbreak strain lacked plasmids . A total of 16 of the 21 unrelated strains harbored plasmids and exhibited unique patterns . Epidemiologically unrelated strains were placed into only two biotypes and had similar antimicrobial susceptibility patterns but were clearly distinguished by PFGE . PFGE of A . baumannii chromosomal DNA yielded reproducible and easily readable results and showed excellent discriminatory power . However, plasmid profile analysis may provide a cost-effective first step in epidemiological typing of A . baumannii isolates obtained from well-defined hospital outbreaks.

Bioorg Med Chem, 1994 Jul, 2(7), 595 - 604
Microbial Baeyer-Villiger reaction of bicyclo{3.2.0}heptan-6-ones--a novel approach to sarkomycin A; Konigsberger K et al.; Racemic (1 alpha, 2 alpha, 5 alpha)- and (1 beta, 2 alpha, 5 beta)-2- bromobicyclo{3.2.0}heptan-6-one (rac-7, rac-10, respectively), (1 alpha, 2 alpha, 5 beta)- and (1 beta, 2 alpha, 5 beta)-2- benzyloxybicyclo{3.2.0}heptan-6-one (rac-15, rac-13, respectively), (1 beta, 2 alpha, 5 beta)-2-hydroxybicyclo{3.2.0}heptan-6-one (rac-17) and cis-bicyclo{3.2.0}hept-2-en-7-one (rac-18) were subjected to a microbial Baeyer-Villiger reaction by Acinetobacter calcoaceticus NCIB 9871 . In each case both regioisomeric lactones were formed (67-93% yield) having always the opposite configuration (20 to > 99 % e.e.) . Both the ratio of the regioisomers and the enantiomeric excess proved to be dependent on the type of substitution . Analogously cis-bicyclo{3.2.0}heptan-2,6-dione (rac-1) gave besides other products cyclosarkomycin (1b) (7 % yield, 97 % e.e.) . Compound 1b was also obtained from the Baeyer-Villiger product of rac-17 by Swern oxidation (total yield starting from rac-17 9 %, > 98 % e.e.).

Int J Syst Bacteriol, 1994 Jul, 44(3), 387 - 91
Phylogenetic relationships between some members of the genera Neisseria, Acinetobacter, Moraxella, and Kingella based on partial 16S ribosomal DNA sequence analysis; Enright MC et al.; We obtained 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequence data for strains belonging to 11 species of Proteobacteria, including the type strains of Kingella kingae, Neisseria lactamica, Neisseria meningitidis, Moraxella lacunata subsp . lacunata, {Neisseria} ovis, Moraxella catarrhalis, Moraxella osloensis, {Moraxella} phenylpyruvica, and Acinetobacter lwoffii, as well as strains of Neisseria subflava and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus . The data in a distance matrix constructed by comparing the sequences supported the proposal that the genera Acinetobacter and Moraxella and {N.} ovis should be excluded from the family Neisseriaceae . Our results are consistent with hybridization data which suggest that these excluded taxa should be part of a new family, the Moraxellaceae . The strains that we studied can be divided into the following five groups: (i) M . lacunata subsp . lacunata, {N.} ovis, and M . catarrhalis; (ii) M . osloensis; (iii) {M.} phenylpyruvica; (iv) A . calcoaceticus and A . lwoffii; and (v) N . meningitidis, N . subflava, N . lactamica, and K . kingae . We agree with the previous proposal that {N.} ovis should be renamed Moraxella ovis, as this organism is closely related to Moraxella species and not to Neisseria species . The generically misnamed taxon {M.} phenylpyruvica belongs to the proposed family Moraxellaceae, but it is sufficiently different to warrant exclusion from the genus Moraxella . Further work needs to be done to investigate genetically similar species, such as Psychrobacter immobilis, before the true generic position of this organism can be determined . Automated 16S rDNA sequencing with the PCR allows workers to accurately determine phylogenetic relationships between groups of organisms.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

J Biol Chem, 1994 Jun 10, 269(23), 16212 - 6
Substrate specificity of the two phosphate transport systems of Acinetobacter johnsonii 210A in relation to phosphate speciation in its aquatic environment; van Veen HW et al.; In natural waters and domestic waste waters in which divalent metal ions are present in excess of Pi, H2PO4-, HPO4(2-), and MeHPO4 prevail at pH values physiological for Acinetobacter johnsonii 210A (pH 5.5-8.0) . In view of the ability of this organism to extensively accumulate Pi and divalent cations in cytoplasmic polyphosphate granules, the substrate specificity of its two Pi transport systems was studied . The constitutive, proton motive force-driven Pi carrier, previously shown to be dependent on divalent cations, plays a major role in the divalent cation and Pi flux by translocating MeHPO4 rather than Pi . This notion is confirmed by the observation that divalent cations are cotransported with Pi in a 1:1 stoichiometry in proteoliposomes containing reconstituted Pi carrier protein . In contrast, the Pi repressible, periplasmic binding protein-dependent Pi transport system mediates the uptake of H2PO4- and HPO4(2-) . Pi uptake, but not MeHPO4 uptake, was stimulated in cells under Pi limitation, and the periplasmic Pi-binding protein has affinity for H2PO4- and HPO4(2-), but not for MeHPO4 . When operating in concert, both systems enable A . johnsonii 210A to efficiently acquire Pi from its habitat through uptake of the predominant Pi species.

J Bacteriol, 1994 Jun, 176(12), 3493 - 9
RpoN (sigma 54) is required for conversion of phenol to catechol in Acinetobacter calcoaceticus; Ehrt S et al.; Members of the sigma 54 protein family, encoded by rpoN, are required for the transcription of genes associated with specialized metabolic functions . The ability to grow with phenol appears to be a specialized trait because it is expressed by few of the microorganisms that grow with catechol, the metabolic product of phenol monooxygenase . A mutation preventing the expression of phenol monooxygenase in the bacterial strain Acinetobacter calcoaceticus NCIB8250 was complemented by wild-type DNA segments containing an open reading frame encoding a member of the sigma 54 protein family . DNA sequencing revealed a second open reading frame, designated ORF2, directly downstream of A . calcoaceticus rpoN . The locations of both ORF2 and the 113-residue amino acid sequence of its product are highly conserved in other bacteria . The mutation preventing the expression of rpoN results in an opal codon that terminates the translation of RpoN at a position corresponding to Trp-91 in the 483-residue amino acid sequence of the wild-type protein . Negative autoregulation of rpoN was suggested by the fact that the mutation inactivating RpoN enhanced the transcription of rpoN . Primer extension revealed independent transcription start sites for rpoN and ORF2.

Clin Infect Dis, 1994 Jun, 18(6), 896 - 900
Bacteremia with Acinetobacter species: risk factors and prognosis in different clinical settings; Tilley PA et al.; Acinetobacter species are widespread environmental gram-negative coccobacilli that are associated with nosocomial infections; these bacteria are considered to be of relatively low virulence and rarely cause invasive disease . Fifty-two cases of bacteremic episodes due to Acinetobacter species were reviewed, and risk factors and outcomes of these cases were examined . It was noted that these cases belonged to a few clinical groups with markedly different outcomes . Eighteen patients had malignancies (predominantly hematologic), and bacteremia often developed after respiratory infection . Nine patients suffered traumatic injuries and developed bacteremia with Acinetobacter species after endotracheal intubation in the intensive care unit and respiratory colonization . Four burn patients, three of whom had burns covering > or = 50% of their body surface areas, had burn infections prior to bacteremia . While many patients had central venous catheters, in only four cases were the catheters clearly infected prior to the positive blood culture . Prior use of antibiotics was widespread in all groups of patients, and isolates showed high levels of antimicrobial resistance, particularly to beta-lactam agents . The outcome of infection correlated more closely with the type of underlying illness than with other factors such as biovar, polymicrobial bacteremia, or appropriate therapy . Patients with malignancies and burn patients fared poorly (10 of 18 and 2 of 4 patients, respectively, died), while trauma patients and patients with other illnesses did well.

Mol Microbiol, 1994 Jun, 12(5), 779 - 87
Regulation of spvR gene expression of Salmonella virulence plasmid pKDSC50 in Salmonella choleraesuis serovar Choleraesuis; Abe A et al.; The expression regulation of spvR, a regulatory gene on the virulence plasmid (pKDSC50) of Salmonella choleraesuis serovar Choleraesuis, was investigated by spvR-lacZ translational fusion . The spvR gene was found to be positively regulated by its own product, the SpvR protein, and this unusual positive autoregulation was repressed by the products of spvA and spvB, virulence-associated genes present downstream from the spvR gene . Amino acid sequence analysis revealed that the amino-terminal region of SpvB had homology with the CatM repressor protein of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, which belongs to the MetR/LysR protein family . On the other hand, the sigma factor RpoS was required for expression of the spvR gene in the stationary phase of bacterial growth . The SpvR protein was also necessary for self-activation, suggesting that an RNA polymerase holoenzyme containing RpoS requires SpvR protein in order to recognize the spvR promoter.

Bioorg Med Chem, 1994 Jun, 2(6), 415 - 20
L-carnitine via enzyme-catalyzed oxidative kinetic resolution; Ditullio D et al.; L-Carnitine of high optical purity was prepared via kinetic resolution using a mutant strain of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus ATCC 39647 . This organism preferentially metabolized the D-enantiomer of the racemate to furnish L-carnitine . Recovery of L-carnitine was 93%, providing a total weight yield of 46.5% in 92% enantiomeric excess . The mode of degradation of carnitine was shown to proceed via a monooxygenase-catalyzed oxidative cleavage resulting in the formation of trimethylamine and malic acid . The data suggest that the stereoselective metabolism of DL-carnitine is probably the result of differential permeability of the cell membrane towards the optical antipodes.

Singapore Med J, 1994 Jun, 35(3), 257 - 62
Current logistics of acute burn care in Singapore; Ngim RC et al.; OBJECTIVE: To study logistic requirements in acute burn care in Singapore and to correlate statistics on fire, unnatural deaths and burns . DESIGN: Fire data (from Singapore Fire Safety Bureau), mortality data (from Institute of Science & Forensic Medicine) and burn data (from Burns Centre, Singapore General Hospital) were studied . SETTING: Severe burn victims often require prolonged treatment . Useful data was obtained in a 1,500-bed restructured government hospital . PARTICIPANTS: All reported and investigated fire incidents, coroner enquiries of unnatural deaths and admitted burn patients . INTERVENTION: General burn data obtained retrospectively from 398 burn admissions in 1988 and logistic burn data from 41 patients requiring fluid replacement regime . RESULTS: Fire data showed one burn admission in every 12 fires (398/4718), one burn death in every 314 fires (15/4174) or 55 unnatural deaths (15/828) . Mortality data showed 15 burn deaths, two prior to admission, 7/13 admitted died of suicidal injuries and mortality rate was 3.3% (national annual average is 1.9%) . General burn data showed adults 76% and children 24%, 3:1 male predominance; scalds (46%), fire (32%), explosions (11%) and others (11%) . Seventy-eight patients (adults 58, children 20) required fluid resuscitation . Logistic burn data (average burn 35%, 28 partial thickness and 13 full thickness burns) were: ALOS 19.5 days, 2.4 major operations per patient (range 2-7), 56 minor procedures and 2.9 L blood transfusion per patient (those who were operated required 3.8 L and those not operated, 1 L per patient) . Blood investigations increased with severity and pattern of injury, Acinetobacter species was commonest microorganisms, antibiotics were used in 66% of patients and commonest burn dressings were tullegra (T/G), followed by T/G with silverzine . CONCLUSION: Data presented useful for correlation of fire, mortality and burn statistics, resource allocation and new burn facility establishment.

Am J Infect Control, 1994 Jun, 22(3), 149 - 51
Community-acquired bacteremias from tunneled central intravenous lines: results from studies of a single vendor; Brown RB et al.; Tunneled central intravenous catheters are a common method for rendering prolonged outpatient intravenous therapy . Their safety, however, has not been well studied . We conducted a retrospective evaluation of bacteremias associated with tunneled central intravenous catheters managed by a single home health care vendor during a 1-year period . All catheters were inserted in the operating room under sterile conditions . To calculate total line days, the dates of catheter insertion and removal were obtained from either the hospital operating room or the home health care agency . Catheter care was conducted according to written protocols . Total line days were calculated . Community-acquired bacteremia (defined as bacteremia occurring more than 6 days after the patients' discharge from the hospital) was determined from records available in the infection control department . Sixty-eight patients received intravenous therapy from the vendor during the 1-year study period . Total line days were 5548 (median 52 days/patient) . Eleven episodes of bacteremia occurred in five patients, providing an incidence density rate of 2.0 infections/1000 catheter days . The most frequent bacteria encountered were Staphylococcus epidermidis (five), Klebsiella pneumoniae (two), and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus var anitratus (two) . Median time to bacteremia was 103 days . Two patients, both younger than 4 years, accounted for seven of the infections; both had short-bowel syndrome . On the basis of historical comparisons, outpatient intravenous therapy appears to be associated with a lower risk of bacteremia than in-hospital therapy . These data can provide quality improvement information and may be a means for comparing home infusion therapy vendors.

Mol Microbiol, 1994 Jun, 12(6), 985 - 92
Properties of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus recA and its contribution to intracellular gene conversion; Gregg-Jolly LA et al.; The Acinetobacter calcoaceticus pcaJ and catJ genes, nearly identical in DNA sequence, differ in transcriptional control and are separated by more than 20 kb of chromosomal DNA . The pcaJ3125 mutation is repaired frequently in organisms containing the wild-type catJ gene . This high-frequency repair is eliminated in strains lacking the catJ gene, which suggests that recombination between the homologous catJ and pcaJ genes contributes to the high-frequency repair of the pcaJ3125 mutation . We report here that the high-frequency repair also requires a functional recA gene . The A . calcoaceticus recA gene was cloned in Escherichia coli by complementation of a recA mutation in the host strain . The nucleotide sequence of a 1506 bp DNA fragment containing A . calcoaceticus recA was determined . The amino acid sequences of RecA from E . coli and A . calcoaceticus shared 71% identity . The DNA sequences differed in that a consensus binding site for binding of LexA repressor, represented upstream from recA in E . coli, is not evident in the corresponding region of the A . calcoaceticus DNA sequence . A Tn5 insertion was introduced into the A . calcoaceticus recA gene . Selection for Tn5-encoded kanamycin resistance allowed the inactivated recA gene to be recombined by natural transformation into the A . calcoaceticus chromosome . Strains that had acquired the mutant gene were sensitive to both MMS and u.v . light, were deficient in natural transformation, and failed to carry out catJ-dependent high-frequency repair of the pcaJ3125 mutation.

Microbiol Res, 1994 Jun, 149(2), 115 - 22
Analysis of the interaction between autochthonous bacteria and packaging material in PVC-bottled mineral water; Guerzoni ME et al.; A study with about 10,000 bottles produced by a mineral water company was undertaken in order to identify the causal agent of an off-odour occurrence in the bottled water . Some physiological attributes of the dominant species over an 8-month period, as well as their interaction with packaging material, were investigated . Pseudomonas maltophilia, P . acidovorans, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus var . lowffi, frequently associated with bottles having an off-odour, seemed to play a decisive role in the phenomenon due to their elevated lipolytic activity, their cell hydrophobicity and adhesivity to the PVC walls . Their ability to attack the sodium polysulfide included in the ultramarine blue dye present in PVC, transforming it to H2S was investigated.

J Med Assoc Thai, 1994 Jun, 77(6), 298 - 307
Susceptibility patterns of clinical bacterial isolates in nineteen selected hospitals in Thailand; Leelarasamee A et al.; Susceptibility patterns of 3,115 clinical isolates obtained from blood, urine, sputum and pus in 19 hospitals located in each part of Thailand, were studied using ampicillin, ampicillin plus sulbactam, piperacillin, gentamicin, amikacin, cefazolin, cefuroxime, cefotaxime, ceftazidime, ofloxacin and imipenem . E.coli, S.aureus, P . aeruginosa, Klebsiella spp., Acinetobacter spp., Proteus spp . and Salmonella spp., were the seven most common isolates and accounted for 28.3, 15.3, 14.6, 14.5, 5.2, 3.3 and 3.3 per cent of total isolates respectively . Susceptibility percentages of common bacterial isolates from blood to third-generation cephalosporins, amikacin, ofloxacin and imipenem were satisfactory and higher than those of clinical isolates from other specimens . As expected, nosocomial strains were more resistant than community-acquired strains . Isolates from government hospitals were more resistant to gentamicin and amikacin but more susceptible to ampicillin compared with those from private hospitals . Susceptibility to imipenem among isolates from private hospitals was less but did not reach statistical significance.

Carbohydr Res, 1994 May 20, 258, 199 - 206
Structure of a surface polysaccharide from Acinetobacter baumannii strain 214; Haseley SR et al.; A polysaccharide containing D-galactose, D-glucose, and 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-galactose was obtained from an aqueous phenol extract of isolated cell walls from Acinetobacter baumannii strain 214 . By means of NMR studies and chemical degradations, the repeating unit of the polymer was identified as a branched trisaccharide of the structure shown . {formula: see text}

Gene, 1994 May 3, 142(1), 23 - 9
Acquisition of apparent DNA slippage structures during extensive evolutionary divergence of pcaD and catD genes encoding identical catalytic activities in Acinetobacter calcoaceticus; Hartnett GB et al.; The pca operon from the Gram- bacterium Acinetobacter calcoaceticus encodes all of the enzymes required for catabolism of protocatechuate to common intermediary metabolites . This report presents the 2754-nucleotide (nt) sequence of a HindIII restriction fragment containing pcaD, the 801-bp gene encoding beta-ketoadipate enol-lactone hydrolase I . The deduced primary structure of A . calcoaceticus PcaD shares 44% amino acid (aa) sequence identity with the aligned primary structure of CatD (beta-ketoadipate enol-lactone hydrolase II) from the same organism, and the overall nt sequence identity of the two genes is 51.8% . In the 56% of the genes where selection for identical aa residues was not imposed, pcaD and catD have diverged so extensively that nt sequence identity of the aligned segments is only 28.2%; the G+C contents of these segments from the respective genes differ by 8% . Conserved within the aligned PcaD and CatD aa sequences is a Ser residue corresponding to the nucleophile within the alpha/beta-fold of many hydrolytic enzymes . In this region of primary structure, PcaD and CatD appear to have maintained some different aa sequences derived from a common ancestor . Conservation of the different aa sequences during extreme evolutionary divergence suggests that separate segments of primary structure, conserved within either PcaD or CatD, may be functionally incompatible within recombinant enzymes . Consequently, selection for avoidance of genetic exchange between pcaD and catD could account for the thorough nt substitution in regions where identical aa were not selected . Sequence repetitions within pcaD suggest that the multiple mutations required for its extensive divergence from catD were achieved in part by acquisition of a complex DNA slippage structure.

Chemotherapy, 1994 May-Jun, 40(3), 167 - 82
In vitro and in vivo antibacterial activities of FK037, a new parenteral cephalosporin; Nishino T et al.; In vitro and in vivo antibacterial activities of FK037, a new parenteral cephalosporin, were compared with those of cefpirome, ceftazidime and flomoxef . The advantages of in vitro activity of FK037 were as follows: (1) a broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, (2) the most potent activity (MIC90: 25 micrograms/ml) of the cephalosporins tested against highly methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (H-MRSA), (3) a strong activity against Enterobacter spp . and Citrobacter freundii resistant to the third-generation cephalosporins tested . The MICs of FK037 for 90% of the clinical isolates tested (MIC90s) were 0.012 microgram/ml for Streptococcus pyogenes, 0.05 microgram/ml for Escherichia coli, 0.1 microgram/ml for Streptococcus pneumoniae, 0.2 microgram/ml for Haemophilus influenzae and Proteus mirabilis, 0.39 microgram/ml for Klebsiella pneumoniae, 1.56 micrograms/ml for methicillin-sensitive S . aureus, Proteus vulgaris and Enterobacter aerogenes, 3.13 micrograms/ml for Staphylococcus epidermidis and Moraxella catarrhalis, 6.25 micrograms/ml for C . freundii, 12.5 micrograms/ml for low-level methicillin-resistant S . aureus (L-MRSA), Enterobacter cloacae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and 25 micrograms/ml for H-MRSA and Serratia marcescens . FK037 was similar in potency to cefpirome against strains except MRSA, and was superior to ceftazidime and flomoxef against strains except P . vulgaris and/or M . catarrhalis . The increase in MICs of FK037 against 2 L-MRSA strains (2- or 4-fold) was smaller than that of cefpirome and flomoxef (16- to 64-fold) after the third serial culture in the presence of each drug . FK037 was highly bactericidal against S . aureus, E . coli, K . pneumoniae and P . aeruginosa at the MIC or higher . FK037 had a potent protective activity against murine experimental systemic infections due to a wide variety of bacteria . Its protective activity was the strongest among the cephalosporins tested against H-MRSA and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus . Against the other strains, FK037 was as effective as cefpirome and similar or superior to flomoxef and ceftazidime though it was inferior to ceftazidime against P . aeruginosa . Transmission electron microscopic studies revealed that FK037 inhibited septum formation and induced thick cross walls and bacteriolysis at the division sites in MRSA after 4 h incubation.

J Bacteriol, 1994 May, 176(9), 2670 - 6
Energetics of alanine, lysine, and proline transport in cytoplasmic membranes of the polyphosphate-accumulating Acinetobacter johnsonii strain 210A; Van Veen HW et al.; Amino acid transport in right-side-out membrane vesicles of Acinetobacter johnsonii 210A was studied . L-Alanine, L-lysine, and L-proline were actively transported when a proton motive force of -76 mV was generated by the oxidation of glucose via the membrane-bound glucose dehydrogenase . Kinetic analysis of amino acid uptake at concentrations of up to 80 microM revealed the presence of a single transport system for each of these amino acids with a Kt of less than 4 microM . The mode of energy coupling to solute uptake was analyzed by imposition of artificial ion diffusion gradients . The uptake of alanine and lysine was driven by a membrane potential and a transmembrane pH gradient . In contrast, the uptake of proline was driven by a membrane potential and a transmembrane chemical gradient of sodium ions . The mechanistic stoichiometry for the solute and the coupling ion was close to unity for all three amino acids . The Na+ dependence of the proline carrier was studied in greater detail . Membrane potential-driven uptake of proline was stimulated by Na+, with a half-maximal Na+ concentration of 26 microM . At Na+ concentrations above 250 microM, proline uptake was strongly inhibited . Generation of a sodium motive force and maintenance of a low internal Na+ concentration are most likely mediated by a sodium/proton antiporter, the presence of which was suggested by the Na(+)-dependent alkalinization of the intravesicular pH in inside-out membrane vesicles . The results show that both H+ and Na+ can function as coupling ions in amino acid transport in Acinetobacter spp.

Clin Infect Dis, 1994 May, 18(5), 780 - 4
Complement deficiency predisposes for meningitis due to nongroupable meningococci and Neisseria-related bacteria; Fijen CA et al.; Nongroupable meningococci or bacteria related to the genus Neisseria rarely cause meningitis . Complement deficiency has been identified as a major predisposing factor for meningococcal disease . To assess whether patients with meningitis due to such strains have a complement deficiency, we studied 12 persons . Six patients had meningitis due to nongroupable strains of meningococci, and six patients had meningitis due to Moraxella species or Acinetobacter species . Inherited complement component C7 or C8 deficiency was found in two persons who had had meningitis due to nongroupable meningococci, and one C8-deficient person had had meningitis caused by Moraxella osloensis . Hypocomplementemia resulting from CSF drain-associated shunt nephritis was found in one person with meningitis due to Moraxella nonliquefaciens and in one person with meningitis due to Acinetobacter lwoffi . This rather high frequency of inherited or acquired complement deficiencies among patients with meningitis due to nongroupable meningococci, Moraxella species, and Acinetobacter species justifies the recommendation that such patients must be studied for complement deficiency.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1994 May, 38(5), 1071 - 8
In vitro and in vivo evaluations of A-80556, a new fluoroquinolone; Clement JJ et al.; A-80556 is a novel fluoroquinolone with potent antibacterial activity against gram-positive, gram-negative, and anaerobic organisms . A-80556 was more active than ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, lomefloxacin, and sparfloxacin against gram-positive bacteria . A-80556 was particularly active against Staphylococcus aureus (MIC for 90% of isolates {MIC90}, 0.12 microgram/ml, relative to fluoroquinolone-susceptible strains) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (MIC90, 0.12 microgram/ml) . A-80556 was also the most active of the quinolones tested against ciprofloxacin-resistant S . aureus, with an MIC90 of 4.0 micrograms/ml; that of ciprofloxacin was > 128 micrograms/ml . However, the significance of this activity is not known . A-80556 was slightly less active against Escherichia coli (MIC90, 0.06 microgram/ml) and other enteric organisms than ciprofloxacin (MIC90 for E . coli, < or = 0.03 microgram/ml) . A-80556 was slightly less active against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MIC90, 4.0 micrograms/ml) than ciprofloxacin (MIC90, 2.0 micrograms/ml) and more active against Acinetobacter spp . (respective MIC90s, 0.12 and 0.5 microgram/ml) . A-80556 was also the most active compound against anaerobes . Against Bacteroides fragilis, the MIC90 of A-80556 was 2.0 micrograms/ml; that of ciprofloxacin was 16 micrograms/ml . The in vivo efficacy of A-80556 in experimental models with both gram-positive and gram-negative infections was consistent with the in vitro activity and pharmacokinetics and oral absorption in mice.

Clin Exp Dermatol, 1994 May, 19(3), 259 - 61
Disseminated cutaneous botryomycosis--an unexpected diagnosis after 20-years' duration; Simantov A et al.; A 35-year-old man presented with nodular suppurative lesions of the buttocks and the neck evolving over 20 years . A diagnosis of botryomycosis was established . Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter baumanii and coagulase negative Staphylococcus were isolated from the biopsy specimen . Surgical excision was performed with success on the buttock.

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 1994 May, 19(1), 61 - 3
Evaluation of the Pasco gram-negative nonfermenter identification system; Edinger R et al.; The Pasco Gram-negative identification system was evaluated for use with nonfermenting organisms . Of 127 isolates tested, 109 (86%) were correctly identified to the species level . A total of 91% (93 of 102 isolates) of the Pseudomonas-Xanthomonas group and the Acinetobacter group were correctly identified to the species level . The system was found to be useful for the identification of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Xanthomonas maltophilia, and Acinetobacter species.

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 1994 May, 19(1), 33 - 8
Antimicrobial activity of cefepime tested against Bush group I beta-lactamase-producing strains resistant to ceftazidime . A multilaboratory national and international clinical isolate study; Jones RN et al.; The potency of cefepime, a parenteral aminothiazolyl methoxyimino cephalosporin, was assessed against 256 ceftazidime-resistant Gram-negative bacilli from five medical centers in the United States . In addition, cefepime activity was compared with that of ciprofloxacin and imipenem against 506 ceftazidime-resistant Gram-negative bacilli collected during an 11-medical-center international study . All US clinical isolates were susceptible (< or = 8 micrograms/ml) to cefepime except Enterobacter cloacae (94% susceptible) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (19% susceptible) . Enterobacteriaceae isolates from the 11-nation sample were > 80% cefepime susceptible with the exception of those from Brazil (48% susceptible) and Italy (55% susceptible) . These international, enteric isolates were also very susceptible to ciprofloxacin (55%-100% susceptible) and imipenem (84%-100% susceptible) . Nonenteric organisms (Pseudomonas, Xanthomonas, and Acinetobacter) from the same international locations had overall rates of susceptibility of 47% for ciprofloxacin, 28% for imipenem, and only 5% for cefepime . Cross-resistance between the broad-spectrum cephalosporins (cefepime or ceftazidime) with either imipenem or ciprofloxacin was incomplete . Cefepime appears to have a spectrum of use against a significant number of contemporary, ceftazidime-resistant Gram-negative bacillus isolates worldwide.

Pathol Biol (Paris), 1994 May, 42(5), 385 - 92
{In vitro antibacterial activity of a new fluoroquinolone, fleroxacin, against hospital bacteria and regression curve}; Soussy CJ et al.; Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of fleroxacin (FLE) were determined by agar dilution for 1261 bacterial strains isolated in 1992 in 4 university hospitals; in addition, antibiograms by agar diffusion were performed with 5 micrograms disks . Activity of FLE against nalidixic acid (NAL) susceptible (S) Enterobacteriaceae was close to that of other fluoroquinolones (FQ) (MIC 50 and 90: 0.12-0.25 micrograms/ml); like for other FQ, this activity was reduced against NAL intermediate and resistant (R) Enterobacteriaceae (4-32) . MICs of FLE against P . aeruginosa were between 1 and 128 (8-128) . FLE had also a good activity against NAL-S A . baumannii (0.12-0.5) but this activity is reduced against NAL-R Acinetobacter (64-128) . FLE was highly active against Haemophilus (0.06-0.12), Gonococci (0.03-0.25), Meningococci (0.016-0.03) and B . catarrhalis (0.12-0.25) . FLE showed activity close to the currently available FQ against methicillin susceptible Staphylococci (0.25-1); the resistant strains (32- > 128) are usually methicillin resistant . FLE is less effective against Enterococci (4-128), Streptococci (8-16) and Pneumococci (4-8) . The coefficient correlation of the regression curve is 0.93; for MIC breakpoints of 1 and 4 micrograms/ml, zone diameter breakpoints should be 20 and 15 mm.

FEMS Microbiol Lett, 1994 Apr 1, 117(2), 137 - 42
UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 1-carboxyvinyl-transferase from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus; Ehrt S et al.; We have analyzed the sequence downstream of rpoN from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus and identified an open reading frame encoding a protein with high similarity to UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 1-carboxyvinyl-transferase (MurZ) . Multicopy plasmids encoding this enzyme conferred phosphomycin resistance to A . calcoaceticus . The polar effect of a rpoN mutation on the phosphomycin resistance level suggests that murZ is, in part, cotranscribed with rpoN . These observations confirm that A . calcoaceticus represents the first exception from a conserved genetic context of rpoN observed in several other Gram-negative bacteria.

Biometals, 1994 Apr, 7(2), 170 - 6
Structure of acinetoferrin, a new citrate-based dihydroxamate siderophore from Acinetobacter haemolyticus; Okujo N et al.; From low-iron cultures of Acinetobacter haemolyticus ATCC 17906, a new hydroxamate siderophore was purified by XAD-7 adsorption followed by preparative thin layer chromatography . The siderophore, named acinetoferrin, released citric acid, 1,3-diaminopropane and (E)-2-octenoic acid upon hydrolysis with HCl, reductive hydrolysis with HI and oxidation with periodate, respectively . Structure elucidation by a combination of NMR spectroscopy and positive fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry revealed that acinetoferrin is a derivative of citric acid, both of its terminal carboxyl groups being symmetrically amide-linked with the 1-amino-3-(N-hydroxy-N-2-octenylamino)propane residues . The (E)-2-octenoic acid is novel as a component of the siderophores.

J Chemother, 1994 Apr, 6(2), 83 - 91
Levofloxacin in vitro activity: results from an international comparative study with ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin; Yamane N et al.; Levofloxacin, the S-(-)-isomer of ofloxacin, was compared to ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin against > 6000 recent clinical isolates of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria from six different countries . This international multicenter study demonstrated a high level of antibacterial activity of levofloxacin against all the members of Enterobacteriaceae {minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)50s, < or = 0.03 to 0.12 mg/L} except Providencia rettgeri (MIC50, 2 mg/L), and Providencia stuartii (MIC50, 1 mg/L) . Oxacillin-susceptible staphylococci (MIC50s, 0.12 to 0.25 mg/L), enterococci (MIC50s, 0.5 to 2 mg/L), and streptococci (MIC50s, 0.5 mg/L) were also susceptible to levofloxacin, but most isolates of oxacillin-resistant staphylococci had MICs of > or = 4 mg/L . Levofloxacin was also active against non-enteric Gram-negative bacilli, including Acinetobacter species (MIC50s, < or = 0.03 to 1 mg/L), Pseudomonas species (MIC50s, 0.5 to 1 mg/L) and Xanthomonas maltophilia (MIC50, 0.5 mg/L) . Overall, levofloxacin inhibited 50% and 90% of all the tested strains at the concentrations of 0.12 and 4 mg/L, respectively . The activity of levofloxacin was generally two-fold greater than ofloxacin and equal to or slightly less potent than ciprofloxacin.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1994 Apr, 38(4), 837 - 41
Comparative serum bactericidal activities of three doses of ciprofloxacin administered intravenously; Dan M et al.; The pharmacokinetics and serum bactericidal activities of three intravenous doses of ciprofloxacin were studied comparatively in 30 patients . Single 200-, 300-, and 400-mg intravenous doses of ciprofloxacin were given over 30 min to 10 patients each, and serum samples were obtained at 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, and 12 h after the start of the infusion . Serum drug concentrations were determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography . Pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated by using noncompartmental analysis methods . Serum bactericidal activity against clinical isolates of Escherichia coli, Enterobacter cloacae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, and Staphylococcus aureus was determined for samples obtained at 0.5, 4, 8, and 12 h . Excellent activity was demonstrated up to 12 h by all doses against E . coli and E . cloacae . Much poorer titers were observed for the remaining organisms, although the 400-mg dose prompted improved results against P . aeruginosa with a mean bactericidal titer of 1:2.9 at 8 h . In conclusion, while the 200-mg dose appears to be largely adequate for infections caused by members of the family Enterobacteriaceae, it seems that when P . aeruginosa is involved, 400 mg twice a day or even three times a day is more appropriate . Intravenous ciprofloxacin performs poorly against A . calcoaceticus and S . aureus, even at a higher dose.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1994 Apr, 38(4), 702 - 6
Characterization of transposon Tn1528, which confers amikacin resistance by synthesis of aminoglycoside 3'-O-phosphotransferase type VI; Lambert T et al.; Providencia stuartii BM2667, which was isolated from an abdominal abscess, was resistant to amikacin by synthesis of aminoglycoside 3'-O-phosphotransferase type VI . The corresponding gene, aph(3')-VIa, was carried by a 30-kb self-transferable plasmid of incompatibility group IncN . The resistance gene was cloned into pUC18, and the recombinant plasmid, pAT246, was transformed into Escherichia coli DH1 (recA) harboring pOX38Gm . The resulting clones were mixed with E . coli HB101 (recA), and transconjugants were used to transfer pAT246 by plasmid conduction to E . coli K802N (rec+) . Analysis of plasmid DNAs from the transconjugants of K802N by agarose gel electrophoresis and Southern hybridization indicated the presence of a transposon, designated Tn1528, in various sites of pOX38Gm . This 5.2-kb composite element consisted of aph(3')-VIa flanked by two direct copies of IS15-delta and transposed at a frequency of 4 x 10(-5) . It therefore appears that IS15-delta, an insertion sequence widely spread in gram-negative bacteria, is likely responsible for dissemination to members of the family Enterobacteriaceae of aph(3')-VIa, a gene previously confined to Acinetobacter spp.

FEMS Microbiol Lett, 1994 Mar 15, 117(1), 97 - 102
Characterization of restriction endonuclease AjoI from Acinetobacter johnsonii; Nowak A et al.; A new type II restriction endonuclease, named AjoI, was detected in Acinetobacter johnsonii . The enzyme AjoI, an isoschizomer of PstI, recognized the hexanucleotide sequence {5'-CTGCA/G-3'}, with a cleavage site generating fragments of DNA with protruding cohesive 3' termini.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1994 Mar, 60(3), 996 - 1005
Airborne environmental endotoxin: a cross-validation of sampling and analysis techniques; Walters M et al.; A standard method for measurement of airborne environmental endotoxin was developed and field tested in a fiberglass insulation-manufacturing facility . This method involved sampling with a capillary-pore membrane filter, extraction in buffer using a sonication bath, and analysis by the kinetic-Limulus assay with resistant-parallel-line estimation (KLARE) . Cross-validation of the extraction and assay method was performed by comparison with methanolysis of samples followed by 3-hydroxy fatty acid (3-OHFA) analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry . Direct methanolysis of filter samples and methanolysis of buffer extracts of the filters yielded similar 3-OHFA content (P = 0.72); the average difference was 2.1% . Analysis of buffer extracts for endotoxin content by the KLARE method and by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for 3-OHFA content produced similar results (P = 0.23); the average difference was 0.88% . The source of endotoxin was gram-negative bacteria growing in recycled washwater used to clean the insulation-manufacturing equipment . The endotoxin and bacteria become airborne during spray cleaning operations . The types of 3-OHFAs in bacteria cultured from the washwater, present in the washwater and in the air, were similar . Virtually all of the bacteria cultured from air and water were gram negative composed mostly of two species, Deleya aesta and Acinetobacter johnsonii . Airborne countable bacteria correlated well with endotoxin (r2 = 0.64) . Replicate sampling showed that results with the standard sampling, extraction, and Limulus assay by the KLARE method were highly reproducible (95% confidence interval for endotoxin measurement +/- 0.28 log10) . These results demonstrate the accuracy, precision, and sensitivity of the standard procedure proposed for airborne environmental endotoxin.

Hokkaido Igaku Zasshi, 1994 Mar, 69(2), 161 - 5
{Hospital infection in pediatric patients}; Fujita K; Hospital (nosocomial) infection means infection acquired by patients while they are in hospital, or by members of hospital staff . It will occur in modes of three categories; 1) cross-infection (infection acquired in hospital from other people, either patients or staff), 2) self-infection (infection caused by microbes which the patient carries on normal or infected areas of his own body) and 3) self-infection after acquisition of hospital pathogens from other people or the environment . Examples of hospital infections, that we experienced, were presented as follows; cross-infection due to gram-negative organisms as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter in neonatal intensive care unit, cross-infection due to viruses as RS in infants with cardiovascular diseases and varicella in immunocompromised patients, and self-infection supervening cross-infection due to potential pathogens including MRSA in immunocompromised children as patients with malignant blood diseases and surgeries . The most important preventive measure for cross-infection would be isolation of the infected or colonized patients and hand-washing . To prevent self-infection, it is essential to maintain the defensive ability of patient including normal flora, and active immunization or prophylactic antibiotic treatment will be needed in some patients . Administration of antibiotics often permits selection and overgrowth of multiply resistant microorganisms and results in serious infections . Therefore, antibiotic policy would be mandatory in each hospital.

J Bacteriol, 1994 Mar, 176(6), 1746 - 55
Isolation, phenotypic characterization, and complementation analysis of mutants of Methylobacterium extorquens AM1 unable to synthesize pyrroloquinoline quinone and sequences of pqqD, pqqG, and pqqC; Morris CJ et al.; Aerobic gram-negative methylotrophs oxidize methanol to formaldehyde by using a methanol dehydrogenase that has pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) as a prosthetic group . Seventy-two mutants which are unable to grow on methanol unless the growth medium is supplemented with PQQ have been isolated in the facultative methanol utilizer Methylobacterium extorquens AM1 . In addition, 12 previously isolated methanol oxidation mutants of M . extorquens AM1 were shown to be able to grow on methanol in the presence of PQQ . These putative PQQ biosynthesis mutants have been complemented by using previously isolated clones containing M . extorquens AM1 DNA, which were known to contain genes necessary for oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde (mox genes) . Subcloning and transposon mutagenesis experiments have assigned these mutants to five complementation groups in two gene clusters . Representatives of each complementation group were shown to lack detectable PQQ in the growth medium and in cell extracts and to contain methanol dehydrogenase polypeptides that were inactive . Therefore, these mutants all appear to be defective in PQQ biosynthesis . PQQ biosynthesis mutants of Methylobacterium organophilum DSM 760 and M . organophilum XX were complemented by using M . extorquens AM1 subclones, and PQQ biosynthesis mutants of M . extorquens AM1 and M . organophilum XX were complemented by using M . organophilum DSM 760 subclones . This analysis suggested that a total of six PQQ biosynthesis complementation groups were present in M . extorquens AM1 and M . organophilum DSM 760 . A 2-kb M . extorquens AM1 DNA fragment that complemented the MoxO class of PQQ biosynthesis mutants was sequenced and found to contain two complete open reading frames and the N-terminal sequence of a third . These genes designated pqqDGC, had predicted gene products with substantial similarity to the gene products of corresponding pqq genes in Acinetobacter calcoaceticus and Klebsiella pneumoniae . pqqD encodes a 29-amino-acid peptide which contains a tyrosine residue and glutamate residue that are conserved in the equivalent peptides of K . pneumoniae, PqqA (23 amino acids), and A . calcoaceticus, PqqIV (24 amino acids), and are thought to be the precursors for PQQ biosynthesis . The organizations of a cluster of five PQQ biosynthetic genes appear to be similiar in four different bacteria (M . extorquens AM1, M . organophilum DSM 760, K . pneumoniae, and A . calcoaceticus) . Our results show that a total of seven pqq genes are present in M . extorquens AM1, and these have been designated pqqDGCBA and pqqEF.

Microbiologia, 1994 Mar-Jun, 10(1-2), 159 - 68
{Degradation of oil derivatives by Acinetobacter calcoaceticus MM5}; Marin MM et al.; This paper describes the isolation of microorganisms from polluted heating oil . The growth of one of them has been studied (Acinetobacter calcoaceticus MM5) in several linear and branched hydrocarbons as well as the effect of its growth on commercial diesel oil . Acinetobacter calcoaceticus MM5 is not capable of using glucose as its only source of carbon, and it needs the presence of nitrogen and phosphorus sources to degrade any petroleum by-product.

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 1994 Mar, 18(3), 181 - 9
Multicenter in vitro comparative study of fluoroquinolones after four years of widespread clinical use; Waites K et al.; In vitro activities of ciprofloxacin, fleroxacin, lomefloxacin, ofloxacin, and seven other oral antimicrobials including amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (A/C), oxacillin, cefaclor, cefixime, cefuroxime, erythromycin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (T/S) were evaluated against 1708 fresh bacterial isolates from four hospital laboratories approximately 4 years after the introduction of ciprofloxacin . T/S and ofloxacin had the lowest MIC90s and greatest percentage of susceptible strains overall, followed by the other three quinolones . Quinolones were the most active drugs tested against Gram-negative bacteria, with little variation in the activity among the four compounds against most species . Quinolone resistance was detected to some degree in the majority of Gram-negative species tested, with Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Xanthomonas, and Providencia demonstrating the highest percentage of resistant strains . Ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin were relatively more active against Gram-positive bacteria than were fleroxacin and lomefloxacin, but T/S and A/C had more susceptible strains than any of the quinolones . Oxacillin-resistant staphylococci, enterococci, and streptococci exhibited the least quinolone susceptibility . This study showed that while resistance is developing among several previously susceptible bacterial species, quinolones remain important alternatives for the oral treatment of many types of infections . Actions to prevent or limit resistance will be important to maintain the viability of the quinolones as therapeutic agents in both hospital and community environments.

Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health, 1994 Mar, 25(1), 116 - 22
Increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance among organisms isolated from blood culture in a Singapore hospital; Kumarasinghe G et al.; The blood culture isolates obtained over the period 1985-1990 in a general teaching hospital were reviewed to determine trends in the prevalence of resistance to antimicrobial drugs . The percentages of Staphylococcus aureus isolates resistant to methicillin increased each year . Resistance among coagulase negative staphylococci also increased in prevalence: by 1990 approximately 50% of such isolates were resistant to methicillin, erythromycin, co-trimoxazole and gentamicin, 24% were resistant to clindamycin, 20% to fucidic acid but only 0.5% to vancomycin . Isolates of Enterobacteriaceae, excluding community-acquired salmonellae, showed increasing prevalence of resistance to beta-lactams, as did Acinetobacter spp isolates to gentamicin, co-trimoxazole and ceftriaxone . The isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were exceptional, having no evident increase in the prevalence of resistance during the period . The rapid increases observed in relation to the other pathogens indicate the need for an antibiotic policy based on continuous surveillance of susceptibility patterns in the hospital.

FEMS Microbiol Lett, 1994 Feb 15, 116(2), 221 - 4
Azide-resistant mutants in Acinetobacter calcoaceticus A2 are defective in protein secretion; Elkeles A et al.; Azide, an inhibitor of ATPase, and a specific inhibitor of protein export was used in order to select for protein secretion mutants in Acinetobacter calcoaceticus A2 . Two such mutants were isolated that were azide-resistant and defective in the general protein transport system . The mutation also conferred additional phenotypic changes, including an inability to grow on minimal media or at 40 degrees C . The existence of protein secretion mutants with a selectable phenotype may be useful for the genetic study of protein export.

J Mol Biol, 1994 Feb 11, 236(1), 372 - 3
Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus; Vetting MW et al.; X-ray quality single crystals of protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus were obtained by the hanging drop method . The intradiol dioxygenase crystallizes in the cubic space group I23 with unit cell dimensions a = b = c = 145.5 A . The dodecahedral crystals diffract to beyond 2.5 A resolution . The asymmetric unit contains one twelfth of the enzyme (alpha beta Fe+3)12 complex.

Gene, 1994 Jan 28, 138(1-2), 59 - 65
Unusual G + C content and codon usage in catIJF, a segment of the ben-cat supra-operonic cluster in the Acinetobacter calcoaceticus chromosome; Shanley MS et al.; The nucleotide (nt) sequence of a 5.3-kb DNA segment containing the Gram- Acinetobacter calcoaceticus catBCIJFD operon is reported . This information completes determination of a 16-kb nt sequence containing the twelve ben and cat structural genes encoding enzymes required for catabolism of benzoate via the beta-ketoadipate pathway . Many of these genes can be traced to a common ancestry with genes from other organisms containing DNA with widely divergent G + C content . The A . calcoaceticus ben and cat genes are arranged in a supra-operonic cluster containing one known regulatory gene and three additional open reading frames (ORFs) that may have regulatory functions . Thirteen of the ben and cat genes, including the three ORFs with unknown function, are typical for A . calcoaceticus in that they possess a G + C content of 44.9 +/- 2.5% . Three exceptional A . calcoaceticus genes (catI, catJ and catF) possess G + C contents of 56.5 +/- 1.3% . These differences in G + C content are reflected in the distinctive patterns of codon usage shared by catI, catJ and catF . Thus, the catIJF region, known to exchange genetic information with the pcaIJF region in the same chromosome directing isofunctional proteins associated with the beta-ketoadipate pathway, has avoided the evolutionary forces that conferred characteristics G + C content upon the other ben and cat genes in A . calcoaceticus.

Acta Haematol, 1994, 91(1), 42 - 5
Combined therapy of granulocyte transfusions, intravenous opsonins and antibiotics for gram-negative pneumonia in neutropenic cancer patients; Nagler A et al.; Four patients with hematological malignancies, following bone marrow transplantation, who developed documented gram-negative {Klebsiella pneumoniae (2), Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Acinetobacter calcoaceticus} pneumonia during absolute neutropenia, were treated with a combination of antimicrobial therapy, granulocyte transfusions, and high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin . The patients recovered following this regimen, including 2 who had septic shock and respiratory failure, necessitating intubation and mechanical ventilation . These data suggest that therapy combining antimicrobial agents, granulocyte transfusions and opsonins may be effective in neutropenic patients who develop gram-negative pneumonia.

Microbiology, 1994 Jan, 140 ( Pt 1), 173 - 83
NADP-dependent alcohol dehydrogenases in bacteria and yeast: purification and partial characterization of the enzymes from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Wales MR et al.; An NADP-dependent constitutive alcohol dehydrogenase that can oxidize hexan-1-ol was detected in several Gram-positive and Gram-negative eubacteria and in two yeasts . The enzyme was purified to homogeneity from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus NCIB 8250 and from Saccharomyces cerevisiae D273-10B . The bacterial enzyme appears to be a tetramer of subunit M(r) 40,300 and the yeast enzyme appears to be a monomer of subunit M(r) 43,500 . The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the bacterial enzyme has 34% identity with part of the sequence of a fermentative alcohol dehydrogenase from Escherichia coli . The pI value of the bacterial enzyme was 5.7 and the pH optimum was 10.2 . Both the bacterial and yeast enzymes were shown to transfer the pro-R hydrogen to/from NADP(H) . The substrate specificities of the two enzymes were similar to each other, both oxidizing primary alcohols and some diols, but not secondary alcohols . The maximum velocities of both enzymes were with pentan-1-ol as substrate and there was very low activity with ethanol; the maximum specificity constants were found with primary alcohols containing six to eight carbon atoms . Neither enzyme was significantly inhibited by metal-binding agents but some thiol-blocking compounds inhibited them . It appears that these two alcohol dehydrogenases, on prokaryotic and one eukaryotic, are structurally, kinetically and functionally different from members of the major known groups of alcohol dehydrogenases.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1994 Jan, 33(1), 111 - 8
Comparative crossover assessment of serum bactericidal activity and pharmacokinetics of ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin; Echols R et al.; The study compared the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin in 12 healthy male volunteers with normal renal function . Each volunteer received oral ciprofloxacin 500 mg, intravenous (i.v.) ciprofloxacin 400 mg, oral ofloxacin 400 mg, or i.v . ofloxacin 400 mg in a randomized, double-blind, crossover design with a one-week 'washout' period between doses . Mean peak serum concentrations were 4.48 and 5.44 mg/L for i.v . ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin, respectively . For the oral regimens, mean peak serum concentrations were 2.45 mg/L for ciprofloxacin and 4.44 mg/L for ofloxacin . Minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) and serum bactericidal activity (SBA) for each drug were measured against five strains of each of the following species: Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter aerogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter anitratus, Haemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pneumoniae, using the microdilution method of the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) . Ciprofloxacin was more active in vitro than ofloxacin against the tested species of Enterobacteriaceae and P . aeruginosa, while ofloxacin was slightly more active against A . anitratus . MBCs for the two drugs were similar for H . influenzae and S . aureus . Oral and i.v . ciprofloxacin in the doses given resulted in nearly equivalent SBA . Similarly, oral and i.v . ofloxacin had nearly equivalent SBA . For the i.v . and oral regimens of both agents, peak SBA was > or = 2 throughout the 12-hour test period against the Enterobacteriaceae and H . influenzae . At peak concentrations, both drugs had modest SBA against P . aeruginosa, A . anitratus, and S . aureus but little or no activity 8 and 12 h after dosing.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

J Clin Microbiol, 1994 Jan, 32(1), 82 - 6
Plasmid DNA fingerprinting of Acinetobacter species other than Acinetobacter baumannii; Seifert H et al.; During the last years Acinetobacter species have emerged as clinically significant pathogens . Most infections are nosocomially acquired and mainly due to Acinetobacter baumannii . Little is known about the epidemiology and clinical significance of unnamed Acinetobacter species 3 (the second most often encountered member of the genus Acinetobacter) and other Acinetobacter species such as A . johnsonii, A . junii, and A . lwoffii . Seventy-five clinical isolates of Acinetobacter species other than A . baumannii (Acinetobacter species 3, n = 37; A . johnsonii, n = 20; A . junii, n = 8; A . lwoffii, n = 10) recovered from 66 patients over a period of 12 months were analyzed by plasmid DNA fingerprinting . Plasmids were found in 84.4% of Acinetobacter species 3 isolates and in all A . johnsonii, A . junii, and A . lwoffii isolates . Strains harbored up to 15 plasmids each . Almost every isolate gave a unique plasmid pattern . With one exception, identical plasmid profiles were detected only in corresponding isolates recovered from blood cultures and intravascular catheters from a given patient . Plasmid DNA fingerprinting proved to be useful for typing Acinetobacter species other than A . baumannii . There was no evidence of patient-to-patient transmission or hospital outbreaks due to these species . This finding is in contrast to the results obtained in studies of the hospital epidemiology of A . baumannii.

Biometals, 1994 Jan, 7(1), 67 - 74
High levels of multiple metal resistance and its correlation to antibiotic resistance in environmental isolates of Acinetobacter; Dhakephalkar PK et al.; Forty strains of Acinetobacter were isolated from different environmental sources . All the strains were classified into four genospecies, i.e., A . baumannii (33 isolates), A . calcoaceticus (three isolates), A . junii (three isolates) and A . genospecies3 (one isolate) . Susceptibility of these 40 strains to salts of 20 heavy metals and 18 antibiotics was tested by the agar dilution method . All environmental isolates of Acinetobacter were resistant to multiple metal ions (minimum 13 metal ions) while all but one of the strains were resistant to multiple antibiotics (minimum four antibiotics) . The maximum number of strains were found to be sensitive to mercury (60% strains) while all strains were resistant to copper, lead, boron and tungsten even at 10 mM concentration . Salts of these four metal ions may be added to the growth medium to facilitate selective isolation of Acinetobacter . Rifampicin and nalidixic acid were the most toxic antibiotics, inhibiting 94.5 and 89.5% of the acinetobacters, respectively . A . genospecies3 was found to be the most resistant species, tolerating high concentrations of all the 20 metal ions and also to a greater number of antibiotics than any other species of Acinetobacter tested . An inhibitory concentration (10 mM) of Ni(2+) and Zn(2+) was observed to inhibit the growth of all of the clinical isolates but allowed the growth of the environmental isolates, facilitating the differentiation between pathogenic and non-pathogenic acinetobacters.

Biometals, 1994 Jan, 7(1), 49 - 56
Plasmid mediated silver resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii; Deshpande LM et al.; Acinetobacter baumannii BL88, an environmental isolate, was resistant to 13 metals and 10 antibiotics . Plumbagin cured resistance to silver, cadmium, antimony, streptomycin and ampicillin at varying frequencies . However, only silver resistance transferred (1 x 10(-6) recepient-1) to Escherichia coli K12 during conjugation . Correspondingly there was transfer of a 54 kb plasmid (pUPI199) from A . baumannii BL88 . The plasmid transformed E . coli DH5 alpha cells at a frequency of 1 x 10(-8) recepient-1 . The growth rate of E . coli DH5 alpha (pUPI199) was slower as compared with E . coli DH5 alpha . Plasmid pUPI199 was 76 and 9.6% stable in the host A . baumannii BL88 in the presence and absence of selection pressure, respectively . A . baumannii BL88 was found to accumulate and retain silver whereas E . coli DH5 alpha (pUPI199) effluxed 63% of the accumulated silver ions.

Res Microbiol, 1994 Jan, 145(1), 27 - 35
Biotyping, ribotyping and esterase electrophoresis as epidemiological tools for Acinetobacter baumannii; Sire JM et al.; An epidemiological survey was carried out over a one-week period to assess the spread of Acinetobacter baumannii in a medical intensive care unit . Fifty strains were isolated from patients colonized or infected by the organism and from a hospital environment . These strains belonged to biotypes 9 or 18 . The rRNA gene restriction patterns (using EcoRI and PvuII as restriction endonucleases) and the esterase electrophoretic profiles were determined on 31 strains, using as comparison strain isolates from another intensive care unit of our hospital and from two other French hospitals . Four EcoRI ribotypes, four PvuII ribotypes and six esterase profiles were identified . All biotype 9 strains isolated in our hospital presented the same ribotype after EcoRI digestion, the same ribotype after PvuII digestion and the same zymotype . The same observation was made on most of the biotype 18 strains . Biotyping is an appropriate method for screening of strains, and ribotyping and esterase electrophoresis could be used as additional methods to delineate outbreaks of nosocomial infections caused by A . baumannii.

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 1994 Jan, 18(1), 61 - 8
Antimicrobial activity of a new antipseudomonal dual-action drug, Ro 25-0534; Jones RN et al.; Ro 25-0534, a tertiary amine-linked dual action combination (DAC) of a catechol cephalosporin and ciprofloxacin, was compared with a previously described DAC (Ro 23-9424), ciprofloxacin and cefotaxime . A total of 688 recent clinical isolates were tested and an additional collection of 110 Gram-negative bacilli possessing documented resistance to broad-spectrum antimicrobials were used . Ro 25-0534 was active against all tested species of Enterobacteriaceae (MIC90 range, 0.06-2 micrograms/ml), oxacillin-susceptible staphylococci, beta-hemolytic streptococci, and penicillin-susceptible pneumococci (MIC90 range, 1-2 micrograms/ml) . Haemophilus influenzae (MIC90 range, 0.25-0.5 micrograms/ml), Moraxella catarrhalis (MIC90, 0.5 microgram/ml), and most nonenteric Gram-negative bacilli (MIC90 range, 2-4 micrograms/ml) such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter spp., and Xanthomonas maltophilia . Enterococci and Bacteroides fragilis isolates were resistant to Ro 25-0534 . The Ro 25-0354 potency against most susceptible strains was generally severalfold less than that of Ro 23-9424 (except for Pseudomonas-Xanthomonas) or ciprofloxacin alone.

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 1994 Jan, 18(1), 49 - 56
North American (United States and Canada) comparative susceptibility of two fluoroquinolones: ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin . A 53-medical-center sample of spectra of activity . North American Ofloxacin Study Group; Jones RN et al.; Ofloxacin, a newer broad-spectrum fluoroquinolone, was evaluated against > 12,000 clinical isolates in a multicenter surveillance trial in the United States and Canada using the standardized disk diffusion method . A total of 53 geographically diverse clinical microbiology laboratories contributed zone diameter results for ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and norfloxacin for urinary tract infection (UTI) isolates; and ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin for respiratory tract infection (RTI) isolates, skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI) isolates, and genital tract pathogen isolates . In both the USA and Canada, ofloxacin was shown to have the wide spectrum of activity as follows: RTI isolates, ofloxacin (92.2%-93.8% susceptible) > ciprofloxacin (89.5%-90.4%); SSTI isolates, ofloxacin (87.1%-93.6%) > ciprofloxacin (78.8%-90.4%); UTI isolates, ofloxacin (91.6%-92.5%) > norfloxacin (87.3%-91.7%) > ciprofloxacin (86.4%-89.7%); and genital tract isolates, ofloxacin (94.0%) > ciprofloxacin (85.4%) (Canada only) . US strains resistant to ofloxacin were confirmed by reference laboratory tests . Confirmed ofloxacin resistance, other than among staphylococci or nonenteric bacilli, was rare . The species most often found to be resistant to both ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin were methicillin-resistant staphylococci, Acinetobacter spp., and Enterococcus spp . From these contributing US and Canadian laboratory studies, ofloxacin appears to have a balanced spectrum of potential clinical use (91.8% susceptible aerobic isolates), particularly against Gram-positive pathogens and some species resistant to ciprofloxacin . The combined overall isolate (12,241 isolates) rates of susceptibility for ciprofloxacin (four infection sites) and norfloxacin (UTI only) were 87.3% and 88.8%, respectively . Monitoring for increasing fluoroquinolone resistance should be considered, however, as greater use of drugs in this class develops.

Br J Haematol, 1994 Jan, 86(1), 36 - 40
Interleukin 8 in serum in granulocytopenic patients with infections; Waage A et al.; Serum levels of interleukin 8 (IL-8) were examined in eight patients with acute myeloid leukaemia during 16 courses of chemotherapy . The patients experienced 14 episodes of fever which occurred in periods with granulocyte counts < 0.5 x 10(9)/l . Febrile episodes were classified as bacteriologically defined infection (n = 6), clinically defined infection (n = 2), and unexplained fever (n = 6) . IL-8 was detected in 18/25 (72%), 2/3 (67%) and 3/7 (43%) of the serum samples in the respective groups . In contrast, IL-8 was detected in 22/90 (24%) of the samples taken when no fever was present (P < 0.00003 versus bacteriologically defined infection) . The median concentration of IL-8 in samples taken during febrile episodes was 194 ng/ml (range 0-6358 ng/ml) and 0 (range 0-5392 ng/ml) on days without fever (not significant) . In three patients with infections caused by, respectively, Streptococcus sanguis, Acinetobacter calcoanitratus and Candida albicans, IL-8 rose to a peak levels and declined during recovery . We conclude that IL-I is released systemically during infections with gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and Candida albicans in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia and peripheral granulocytopenia due to chemotherapy . However, IL-8 can also be detected when no sign of infection is present.

Adv Perit Dial, 1994, 10, 210 - 3
Simultaneous catheter replacement-removal during infectious complications in peritoneal dialysis; Cancarini GC et al.; The aim of this study was to verify whether the replacement of the peritoneal catheter in a single operation and during infectious complications of peritoneal dialysis is effective and safe . Sixty-eight infectious complications refractory to appropriate antibiotic therapy were treated by this technique: 26 tunnel infections, 22 peritonitis-complicating tunnel infections, 12 refractory peritonitis, and 8 recurrent peritonitis . Operations were successful in all cases of tunnel infection and recurring peritonitis, and in all cases but one of peritonitis-complicating tunnel infection . Ten failures occurred among the 12 catheters removed for refractory peritonitis . Microorganisms cultured in these 10 failures were: Fungi (3 cases), Mycobacterium (2 cases), Pseudomonas (2 cases), Acinetobacter (1 case), Acinetobacter+Pseudomonas (1 case), and Enterococcus (1 case) . Complications were 3 one-way obstructions and 2 external dialysate leaks . This study supports the simultaneous catheter replacement-removal procedure during infectious complications of peritoneal dialysis (PD) with the exception of refractory peritonitis; this technique spares the patient the temporary vascular access, the shift to hemodialysis, and a second operation to insert a new catheter . There are few complications.

Adv Perit Dial, 1994, 10, 144 - 6
Is monotherapy with cefazolin or ofloxacin an adequate treatment for peritonitis in CAPD patients?
Gucek A, Bren AF, Lindic J, Hergouth V, Mlinsek D.
This prospective randomized study is an evaluation of efficacy of cefazolin and ofloxacin in 23 end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) who experienced 38 episodes of peritonitis (P) . Cefazolin was administered intraperitoneally: 1000 mg as loading dose and 250 mg every exchange as maintenance dose for ten days . Ofloxacin was given orally: first 300 mg, followed by ten daily doses of 200 mg . Microbes most frequently isolated from peritoneal effluent were Staphylococci (coagulase-negative in 55.3%, aureus in 7.9%), Acinetobacter (in 5.3%), Klebsiella (in 5.5%), and Micrococcus (in 5.3%) . Used as monotherapy, we found the efficacy of both cefazolin and ofloxacin inadequate for treatment of P in CAPD patients (cefazolin 65%, ofloxacin 67%) (NS).

Med Dosw Mikrobiol, 1994, 46(3), 161 - 7
{Infection of burn wound with Acinetobacter baumanii}; Gospodarek E et al.; This paper describes infection of burn wound with participation of Acinetobacter baumanii in three out of five patients . Species classification of 23 strains of Acinetobacter was performed by application of API 20 NE tests . The profiles obtained through these tests permitted for selection of 8 biotypes . Biotype 00010703 was isolated most frequently . All tested strains of Acinetobacter sp . were susceptible only to netilmicin, norfloxacin, pefloxacin, ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin and imipenem . Out of tested antibiotics, imipenem only was active to all isolated species of bacteria.

J Basic Microbiol, 1994, 34(5), 357 - 60
Radiation sensitivities of Acinetobacter strains isolated from clinical sources; Nishimura Y et al.; For twelve clinical strains genetically grouped together with Acnetinobacter radioresistens FO-1T, the radiation sensitivity was measured . Their D10 values in gamma-ray irradiation under N2-equilibrium were 0.24 to 0.93 kGy and about 1/10 to 1/3 of that of the radiation-resistant strain FO-1 . The results showed that the genospecies A . radioresistens contained some radiation-sensitive strains.

Arch Virol, 1994, 135(3-4), 345 - 54
Classification of Acinetobacter phages; Ackermann HW et al.; Eight phage species and type viruses are proposed . They belong to the Myoviridae, Siphoviridae, and Podoviridae families of tailed phages and are characterized by a combination of morphological and physicochemical properties . An unusual siphovirus species has an elongated head and transverse tail disks.

Med Dosw Mikrobiol, 1994, 46(1-2), 55 - 8
{Comparison of bacterial flora isolated from the urinary tract of patients examined in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology of the Pomeranian Academy of Medicine and from the bacteriology laboratory of the Municipal Health Care Group in Szczecin}; Szymaniak L et al.; The authors have analyzed 5305 urine samples from patients with significant bacteriuria, examined in 1988-1992 at the Department of Microbiology and Immunology of the Pomeranian Academy of Medicine, performing analyses for the State Clinical Hospital No . 2 in Szczecin, and in the Bacteriology Laboratory of the Municipal Health Care Group in Szczecin . The results obtained demonstrate a dominance of Escherichia coli among patients of general medicine ambulatories and internal medicine departments (70%), while patients of the urologic department and urologic out-patient clinic were positive for this bacteria in only 30-40% . It should be mentioned that a significant increase in the number of infections by Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, and Serratia strains has been observed, mainly among patients after urologic operations.

Med Dosw Mikrobiol, 1994, 46(1-2), 19 - 23
{Adhesion of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus to cheek epithelial cells}; Gospodarek E; Adhesive properties of 309 strains of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus were determined toward cells of cheek epithelium obtained from 13 healthy women . Most of strains adhered in number of > 0-20 bacterial cells for one epithelial cell . Adherence of A . calcoaceticus to cheek epithelium was dependent not only of variety, strain and temperature of bacterial culture, but also of individual properties of epithelial cells obtained from donors . Relation between hydrophobic properties and adherence to cheek epithelial cells in tested bacteria was observed . Strains with very strong hydrophobic properties (auto-aggregating strains) were exhibiting weaker adhesive abilities when compared with strains with lower hydrophobic properties (strains causing no aggregation).

Med Dosw Mikrobiol, 1994, 46(1-2), 13 - 8
{Hydrophobic properties of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus}; Gospodarek E; Evaluation of hydrophobic properties of 309 strains of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus was performed by a SAT method . Among investigated strains cultured at 22 degrees C, 103 strains were autoaggregating, representing very strong hydrophobic properties . Most of strains aggregated at concentration of 0.4-1.0 M (NH4)2SO4, exhibiting strong hydrophobic activities . Only 38 strains during culture at 22 degrees C exhibited hydrophilic surface properties . Differences between strains of anitratus variety and lwoffii variety were noted . Most auto-aggregating strains, in comparison to number of strains isolated from individual materials, were isolated from purulent materials . It is worth attention that hydrophobic activities were also present in strains isolated from nonclinical materials . Microorganisms of this group cultured at 22 degrees C auto-aggregated in as much as 50%, whereas this occurred during culture at 37 degrees C only in 26%.

Postepy Hig Med Dosw, 1994, 48(2), 127 - 41
{Strains of the genus Acinetobacter and their role in nosocomial infections}; Fleischer M et al.; The paper presents the taxonomy, biochemical and physiological properties, and virulence factors of Acinetobacter strains . Hospital epidemiology and mechanisms of resistance to antibiotics in Acinetobacter is also described.

Chemotherapy, 1994, 40(6), 384 - 90
Antibacterial activity of cefepime in vitro; Liu YC et al.; Cefepime is a new parenterally active fourth-generation cephalosporin which is undergoing in vitro and in vivo evaluations . Using the standard agar dilution method we compared the in vitro activity of this drug with other cephalosporins and ciprofloxacin against clinical isolates of Escherichia coli (98 strains), Klebsiella pneumoniae (99 strains), Acinetobacter spp . (24 strains), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (98 strains), Haemophilus influenzae (108 strains), Staphylococcus aureus (100 strains), Enterococcus spp . (45 strains), Streptococcus pneumoniae (10 strains), Streptococcus pyogenes (group A; 19 strains) and Streptococcus agalactiae (group B; 36 strains) . Cefepime showed excellent activity against E . coli and K . pneumoniae, inhibiting 90% of these isolates at 0.12 mg/l . The in vitro activity of cefepime was superior to or comparable to the third-generation cephalosporins tested but was inferior to ciprofloxacin against Acinetobacter spp . and P . aeruginosa . Against H . influenzae, whether or not the strains produced beta-lactamase, its activity was similar to comparable drugs . All 84 isolates of methicillin-susceptible S . aureus were inhibited by 8 mg/l of cefepime whereas, like other cephalosporins, it had little activity against methicillin-resistant S . aureus . Of the 45 enterococci isolates tested, 44.4% were inhibited by 8 mg/l of cefepime . Against streptococci, its activity was superior to any drug tested . This in vitro study indicates that cefepime has the potential to be a valuable agent for the treatment of community- and hospital-acquired cutaneous, respiratory and urinary tract infections.

Int J Occup Med Environ Health, 1994, 7(2), 125 - 34
Endotoxin in the occupational environment of bakers: method of detection; Domanska A et al.; The present study was conducted in a large mechanical city bakery . The AS-50 aspirators equipped with cellulose membrane filters were used for dust sampling . Airborne microbial content was assessed by means of sedimentation and aspiration using an Andersen sampler on Petri plates containing McConkey's medium . The following Gram-negative rods were detected in the bakery atmosphere: Erwinia herbicola, Acinetobacter Lwoffi and Klebsiella oxytoca, in concentrations ranging from 1.4 10(4) to 3.5 10(5) colony forming units per cubic meter (cfu/m3) . Endotoxin concentration in flour dust sampled in selected work areas of the bakery ranged from 6.7 micrograms of endotoxin per gram of dust (micrograms/g) to 20.3 micrograms/g . Endotoxin level in the air was 0.04-0.05 micrograms of endotoxin per cubic meter (micrograms/m3) . The results of our show that aspiration sampling is necessary for evaluation of airborne bacterial content and demonstrate the efficacy of the Limulus test of varying sensitivity to assay endotoxin level in the airborne dust . The advantage of this method is the possibility of assessing endotoxin in crude dust extracts.

Arch Microbiol, 1994, 162(4), 249 - 54
Isolation and structure elucidation of acinetobactin, a novel siderophore from Acinetobacter baumannii; Yamamoto S et al.; A novel siderophore, called acinetobactin, with both catecholate and hydroxamate functional groups was isolated from low-iron cultures of Acinetobacter baumannii ATCC 19606 . The structure was elucidated by chemical degradation, fast-atom bombardment mass spectrometry and 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy . Acinetobactin was composed of omega-N-hydroxyhistamine, threonine and 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid, the last two components forming an oxazoline ring . Acinetobactin was structurally related to anguibactin, a plasmid-encoded siderophore of Vibrio anguillarum . The only difference was that acinetobactin possessed an oxazoline ring instead of a thiazoline ring . Four of 12 other clinical A . baumannii strains examined produced acinetobactin, indicative of strain-to-strain variation in the ability to produce acinetobactin . In addition, a relatively small amount of acinetobactin was also detected in A . haemolyticus ATCC 17906.

Drugs, 1994, 47 Suppl 3, 1 - 8; discussion 8-9
Stability in the presence of widespread beta-lactamases . A prerequisite for the antibacterial activity of beta-lactam drugs; Schito GC et al.; Bacterial resistance to the beta-lactam drugs is extremely widespread, as a result of extensive drug use . Loss of susceptibility is primarily attributable to hydrolysis by inactivating enzymes, namely the beta-lactamases . While the number of characterised beta-lactamases may exceed 100, only a few are a problem in the treatment of community-acquired infections (TEM-1, TEM-2, SHV-1, BRO-1) . Chromosomally mediated and extended-spectrum beta-lactamases are usually dominant in nosocomial pathogens where oral antibiotic therapy is seldom used . Therefore, the threat posed by beta-lactamases must be considered in general practice . Several effective strategies have been implemented in order to overcome beta-lactamase-mediated resistance, e.g . use of non-beta-lactam drugs or beta-lactamase inhibitors . Another option has been the development of new beta-lactam compounds that possess a high intrinsic stability against the hydrolytic action of common beta-lactamases . Among these compounds, the oral third generation cephalosporins represent an important breakthrough . Cefetamet pivoxil, a new oral third generation cephalosporin, is characterised by excellent antimicrobial potency against Enterobacteriaceae, and Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis and Haemophilus influenzae, irrespective of their ability to produce beta-lactamases . The Gram-positive respiratory pathogens, Streptococcus pyogenes and penicillin-susceptible S . pneumoniae, are also satisfactorily covered . The activity of cefetamet has recently been corroborated in a survey conducted in Italy involving 4191 isolates . However, cefetamet shows no activity against enterococci, staphylococci, Listeria, alpha-streptococci, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter and anaerobes . Given this antibacterial profile, cefetamet pivoxil may provide a useful alternative to other oral antibacterial agents in the empirical therapy of acute community-acquired respiratory and urinary tract infections . From the results of the Italian survey, cefetamet emerged as the only agent among those considered (which included cefuroxime, cefaclor, cefalexin, cefadroxil, ampicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, ampicillin/sulbactam, doxycycline, erythromycin and clindamycin) that might be selected as the drug of choice in the empirical therapy of outpatient infections.

Epidemiol Infect, 1993 Dec, 111(3), 491 - 8
Genetic diversity and clonal relationships of Acinetobacter baumannii strains isolated in a neonatal ward: epidemiological investigations by allozyme, whole-cell protein and antibiotic resistance analysis; Thurm V et al.; Sixty-five strains of Acinetobacter baumannii which had been isolated from patients and the indoor environment of a neonatal intensive care unit and, for comparative purposes, isolates from three other wards, were examined by means of electrotyping and analysis of whole-cell protein and antibiotic resistance patterns . Fourteen different electrotypes were determined . The predominant type, a multiply resistant acinetobacter clone, persisted in the neonatal ward over several months . The results underline the usefulness of electrophoretic subtyping, in particular by means of allozyme pattern and as a supplement to whole-cell protein pattern analysis, in epidemiological investigations into the routes of transmission of nosocomial A . baumannii infections.

Ann Intern Med, 1993 Dec 1, 119(11), 1072 - 8
An outbreak of gram-negative bacteremia traced to contaminated O-rings in reprocessed dialyzers; Flaherty JP et al.; OBJECTIVE: To investigate an outbreak of gram-negative bacteremia in an outpatient hemodialysis unit and to identify the source of contaminating bacteria and the route by which bacteria gained access to the bloodstream . DESIGN: A matched-pair, case-control study and a bacteriologic investigation of the hemodialysis unit and the implicated dialyzers . SETTING: A university outpatient hemodialysis unit . PATIENTS: Eleven patients receiving long-term hemodialysis who had a total of 12 episodes of primary gram-negative bacteremia and 12 matched controls . MEASUREMENTS: Clinical and demographic data were obtained for patients and controls . Dialysis unit procedures were observed for compliance with aseptic technique . Cultures of potential environmental sources of bacteria were obtained . Hemodialyzers from bacteremic and nonbacteremic patients were dismantled, and the component parts were cultured . Inoculation of O-rings (from Hemoflow F-80 dialyzer) with bacteria and simulated dialysis were done . RESULTS: During January to October 1988, 12 episodes of primary gram-negative bacteremia caused by Pseudomonas cepacia, Xanthomonas maltophilia, Citrobacter freundii, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus var . anitratus, or Enterobacter cloacae occurred in 11 patients . In 11 episodes, symptoms developed within 3 hours of starting hemodialysis . Intravenous antibiotics were administered for 11 episodes, 3 episodes resulted in hospitalization, and all patients recovered . Case patients were more likely to have received high-flux dialysis with Hemoflow F-80 dialyzers (odds ratio congruent to 11) than were controls . O-rings from dialyzers used by bacteremic patients were culture positive for the organism responsible for bacteremia . Three of the four dialyzers were disinfected using the standard automated method and were recultured 72 hours later; the O-rings of all three dialyzers remained culture positive . Simulated dialysis using dialyzers with contaminated O-rings caused blood pathway contamination despite intervening reprocessing . When the disinfection method for F-80 dialyzers included removal and complete disinfection of the O-rings, O-ring and blood pathway cultures were consistently negative . After this procedure was made routine, no episodes of primary gram-negative bacteremia occurred during the next 6 months . CONCLUSIONS: Because dialyzers with removable headers and O-rings are widely used in patients receiving long-term hemodialysis, disinfection procedures should include measures to ensure adequate disinfection of O-rings.

Postgrad Med J, 1993 Dec, 69(818), 934 - 7
Community-acquired bacteraemic Acinetobacter pneumonia with survival; Achar KN et al.; A 65 year old man was admitted with segmental consolidation of the left upper lobe after having stayed in a hotel for 2 days . He deteriorated rapidly on conventional antibiotic therapy and required ventilatory support . Acinetobacter calcoaceticus var . anitratus was grown from the sputum and blood cultures, which was treated with a combination of anti-pseudomonal agent, aminoglycoside and cotrimoxazole . He made a slow but remarkable recovery from the pneumonia . Acinetobacter is a rare potentially fatal cause of community-acquired pneumonia.

Indian Pediatr, 1993 Dec, 30(12), 1413 - 6
Acinetobacter sepsis in neonates; Christo GG et al.; Twenty-six neonates were diagnosed to have acinetobacter sepsis during 1986-90, representing 6.5% of all cases of bacteriologically proven sepsis . Of these 19 neonates were low birth weight (LBW) 12 were small for gestational age (SGA) . Nineteen neonates had early-onset sepsis . The male to female ratio was 9:17 . The hematological profile was suggestive of sepsis in 17 cases . All infants had clinical evidence of multi system infection . Eleven babies died; the cases-fatality rate was 42.3% . Only 15/25 culture isolates were sensitive to gentamicin and resistance to other antibiotics was even more frequent . Acinetobacter was cultured from other sites: eye swabs, skin pustules and umbilical catheter tips . Environmental nursery surveillance cultures done during the study period yielded Acinetobacter once from a crib, but no cases of sepsis occurred around that time . The epidemiological features of this organism illustrate the value of vigilance and precautionary measures.

Semin Respir Infect, 1993 Dec, 8(4), 268 - 84
Combination antibiotic therapy is appropriate for nosocomial pneumonia in the intensive care unit; Lynch JP 3rd; Pneumonia in the intensive care unit (ICU) has been associated with highly virulent pathogens and mortality rates of 30% to 70% . Initial empirical therapy for pneumonia in the ICU remains controversial . Monotherapy with a broad-spectrum beta-lactam or fluoroquinolone may reduce toxicities associated with aminoglycosides but in nosocomial settings may fail to cover relevant pathogens and may promote antimicrobial resistance . Combining antibiotics that act by different mechanisms may achieve synergistic killing, expand the antimicrobial spectrum, and limit the emergence of antimicrobial resistance . Unfortunately, this approach may increase costs and toxicities . A plethora of studies have assessed monotherapy or combinations of antimicrobials for empirical treatment of fever in immunocompromised hosts, but these studies cannot be extrapolated to nosocomial pneumonia . Few studies have compared these disparate therapeutic strategies for nosocomial pneumonia . In this review, we emphasize the limitations of existing literature and present an approach to therapy of severe nosocomial pneumonia . Despite potential toxicities, aminoglycosides may have an important adjunctive role as empirical therapy of severe nosocomial pneumonias (pending clarification of the responsible organism) or when P aeruginosa, Acinetobacter spp, or beta-lactamase-producing aerobic gram-negative bacteria are suspected . The alarming increase in antimicrobial resistance noted in nosocomial settings in recent years, a trend that may be facilitated by extensive use of particular classes of antibiotics, provides a compelling argument in favor of combination therapy . Novel strategies employing beta-lactam and fluoroquinolone combinations also have promise.

J Formos Med Assoc, 1993 Dec, 92(12), 1040 - 8
In vitro antimicrobial activity of fluoroquinolones against clinical isolates obtained in 1989 and 1990; Chen YC et al.; The in vitro activity of nine fluoroquinolones, enoxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, lomefloxacin, tosufloxacin, sparfloxacin, fleroxacin and levofloxacin, and two earlier quinolones, nalidixic acid and pipemidic acid, against 1,346 bacterial strains isolated clinically between 1989 and 1990, was evaluated by agar dilution method . The bacteria studied were Staphylococcus aureus (including methicillin-susceptible and -resistant strains), Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus species (including high-level gentamicin-resistant strains), Escherichia coli, Salmonella species, Proteus mirabilis, Proteus vulgaris, Morganella morganii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae, Serratia marcescens, Citrobacter spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas cepacia, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Bacteroides fragilis . In contrast to the moderate to poor activity of two earlier quinolones, the fluoroquinolones acted well against most Enterobacteriaceae and A . baumannii . The minimum inhibitory concentrations for 90% of the drug strains (MIC90s) were < 1 microgram/mL against most tested species . Ciprofloxacin, tosufloxacin, sparfloxacin, and levofloxacin were more effective against multi-drug-resistant nosocomial pathogens . All fluoroquinolones assayed were very active against methicillin-susceptible S . aureus, with MIC90s < or = 1 microgram/mL . For methicillin-resistant strains, on the other hand, the MIC90s were > or = 4 micrograms/mL . There was no significant difference in fluoroquinolone susceptibility between methicillin-susceptible and -resistant S . epidermidis . Sparfloxacin, tosufloxacin, ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin were more active against enterococci . Most fluoroquinolones were relatively inactive against B . fragilis, with the exception of tosufloxacin, sparfloxacin and levofloxacin . The MIC90s of most quinolones assayed against K . pneumoniae, Citrobacter spp., E . cloacae, S . aureus and S . epidermidis were at least four-fold higher in our study . Therefore, it is important for physicians to use fluoroquinolones carefully so as to prevent or delay the emergence of resistant strains.

Zentralbl Bakteriol, 1993 Nov, 279(4), 553 - 64
Comparative characterization of Acinetobacter strains isolated from different foods and clinical sources; Gennari M et al.; Eighty-three Acinetobacter strains from clinical sources, and 170 from various foods (including fresh and spoiled meat and fish, vegetables, raw milk and cheese) were identified according to recently improved taxonomy, using a computer-assisted probabilistic method based on phenotyping tests . Apart from some atypical characters, most of the strains (94%) were identified to belong to the genospecies or groups of genospecies described in the literature . Among our strains from hospitals, the A . calcoaceticus- A . baumannii complex predominated, whereas the strains isolated from food were predominated by genospecies 7 (A . johnsonii), followed by genospecies 8/9 (A . lwoffii) . The isolates from clinical environments showed a major incidence of antibiotic resistance, haemolytic strains and strains producing polysaccharidic material.

Zentralbl Bakteriol, 1993 Nov, 279(4), 544 - 52
The distribution of Acinetobacter species in clinical culture materials; Seifert H et al.; A total of 584 Acinetobacter strains were isolated from 420 patients from 12 different hospitals over a period of twelve months . Identification of strains at the species level was done according to the new taxonomy proposed by Bouvet and Grimont . A . baumannii strains were isolated most frequently (n = 426; 72.9%), followed by A . species 3 (n = 55), A . johnsonii (n = 29), and A . lwoffii (n = 21) . Most isolates were recovered from respiratory tract specimens (n = 251; 42.9%), blood cultures (n = 116; 19.9%), wound swabs (n = 90; 15.4%), catheter tips (n = 75; 12.8%), and urinary tract specimens (n = 20; 3.4%) . Strains belonging to species other than A . baumannii were isolated more frequently (n = 158; 27.1%) than previously reported, mainly from blood cultures, respiratory tract specimens, and central venous catheters.

Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin, 1993 Nov, 11(9), 474 - 8
{Ciprofloxacin resistance in gram negative bacilli . Epidemiologic aspects}; Martinez-Martinez L et al.; BACKGROUND: The aim of the present was to study the resistance to ciprofloxacin (CIP) in gram negative bacilli (April 1990-March 1992) and to determine the temporary distribution of the resistant strains by species, samples and departments . METHODS: Seven thousand four hundred seventy-eight samples were studied . The identification and determination of the sensitivity was performed by the PASCO (Difco) system . Haemophilus spp . and Campylobacter spp . were excluded from the study . The microorganisms with CIM 2 mg/l were considered as resistant (CIPr) . RESULTS: Four hundred eighty-one CIPr isolations were identified (6.4%) . With regard to the percentage of resistant strains, the species with the highest were: Providencia stuartii (50%); Pseudomonas cepacia (44.4%); Xanthomonas maltophilia (26.9%); Acinetobacter baumannii (25.8%); Pseudomonas aeruginosa (16%); Citrobacter freundii (12.5%); Serratia marcescens (8.4%); Enterobacter cloacae (5.8%) and Escherichia coli (4.3%) . With respect to the absolute number of resistant strains, the most frequent resistant strains were: P . aeruginosa (205), E . coli (144), and A . baumannii (41) . Isolation of E . coli and A . baumannii CIPr increased over the study period . Forty-four point five percent of the E . coli CIPr were of extrahospitalary origin; most of the A . baumannii (92.9%) and P . aeruginosa (77.6%) in contrast were of intrahospitalary origin . CONCLUSIONS: P . aeruginosa, E . coli, and A . baumannii are the most frequently resistant species . The frequency of isolation of resistant strains of E . coli and A . baumannii significantly increased (p < 0.001) over the two years of the study.

Plasmid, 1993 Nov, 30(3), 303 - 8
Molecular characterization of an aberrant mercury resistance transposable element from an environmental Acinetobacter strain; Kholodii GY et al.; We present the complete nucleotide sequence of a mer operon located on a 60-kb conjugative plasmid pKLH2 from an environmental bacterium, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, isolated from a mercury mine . The pKLH2 mer operon has essentially the same gene organization as that of Tn21 and Tn501 from clinical bacteria . The pKLH2 mer operon nucleotide sequence shows 85.5% identity with the Tn501 and 80.9% identity with the Tn21 sequences . Vestigial sequences have been found at the ends of the pKLH2 mer operon, indicating that the pKLH2 mer operon was once a part of a Tn21-like transposon, which had committed suicide by an aberrant resolution event.

Clin Infect Dis, 1993 Nov, 17(5), 843 - 9
Nosocomial acinetobacter meningitis secondary to invasive procedures: report of 25 cases and review; Siegman-Igra Y et al.; The medical records of 25 patients with nosocomial meningitis due to Acinetobacter baumannii were retrospectively reviewed . Most cases occurred in the neurosurgical intensive care unit over a 5-year period, with an increased rate during summer . The majority of infections were associated with indwelling ventriculostomy tubes or CSF fistulae in patients receiving antimicrobial therapy . Repeated environmental cultures failed to reveal a source of the microorganism, and control measures had no apparent effect on the outbreak . However, no further cases appeared following a sharply reduced total intake of antibiotics in the neurosurgical department . Forty-one cases of acinetobacter meningitis, secondary to invasive procedures, were found in the English-language literature and were compared with the cases presented . To our knowledge, our series is the largest of acinetobacter meningitis reported hitherto . Although not one of the most common pathogens in hospitals, Acinetobacter constitutes an increasing threat for patients, especially those receiving antimicrobial therapy in intensive care units who are being maintained by various life-support systems.

APMIS, 1993 Nov, 101(11), 826 - 32
Acinetobacter in Denmark: II . Molecular studies of the Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-Acinetobacter baumannii complex; Gerner-Smidt P et al.; The Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-Acinetobacter baumannii complex consists of four closely related "genospecies" or DNA groups: DNA group 1 (A . calcoaceticus), DNA group 2 (A . baumannii), DNA 3, and Tjernberg & Ursing's DNA group 13 . Strains in this complex are so similar phenotypically that it is often impossible to identify them to the DNA group level by the use of biochemical tests . Twenty-three Danish clinical strains from 23 patients phenotypically identified to the A . calcoaceticus-A . baumannii complex were studied by ribotyping, plasmid profiling, and DNA/DNA hybridization . Multiple isolates were recovered from four patients . These were identical in each patient as judged by phenotype, ribotype and plasmic profile . Seventeen different ribotypes were observed among the 23 strains, and by using this method 19 out of the 23 strains could be identified to the DNA group level . Five strains were allocated to DNA group 2 (A . baumannii), eight to DNA group 3, and six to DNA group 13 . These findings were confirmed by DNA/DNA hybridization . Two of the four unidentified strains were genotypically most closely related to but different from DNA groups 1 and 3 . The last two strains were most closely related to DNA group 13 . These four strains represent two new DNA groups within the A . calcoaceticus-A . baumannii-complex . One to four plasmids in the size range 2.1 kb- > kb were detected in 13 of the strains . Nine plasmid profiles were seen, indicating the usefulness of this typing method if the strains contain plasmids . The study also indicates that ribotyping is useful both for typing and for identification purposes, and that the genetic relationship in this area are more diverse than hitherto perceived . Taxonomic reconsiderations are warranted.

APMIS, 1993 Nov, 101(11), 815 - 25
Acinetobacter in Denmark: I . Taxonomy, antibiotic susceptibility, and pathogenicity of 112 clinical strains; Gerner-Smidt P et al.; One hundred and twelve clinical strains of Acinetobacter were collected during a 7-month period in 1990-1991 from Danish clinical microbiology departments . According to the old notation, 37 strains were biovar anitratus and 75 b.lwoffii . Using the newest terminology, 35 strains were unambiguously identified as the species A . haemolyticus, A . johnsonii, A . radioresistens, and as the unnamed phenons 6, 10, and 14, by a numerical approach using a simplified phenotypical identification scheme . Most of the remaining strains were identified to the genotypically heterogeneous A . calcoaceticus-A . baumannii complex and the A . lwoffii phenotype . Sixteen strains (14%) were left unidentified . Eight A . lwoffii strains were glucose-oxidizing and were thus classified as b . anitratus using the old terminology . The strains were tested for susceptibility to ampicillin, piperacillin, ticarcillin, cefotaxime, ceftazidime, imipenem, gentamicin, tetracycline, sulphonamide, and nalidixic acid . All strains were susceptible to imipenem . The susceptibility to the remaining beta-lactams was variable, the A . lwoffii isolates being the most and the A . calcoaceticus-A . baumannii complex strains the least susceptible . All non-A . calcoaceticus-A . baumannii complex strains were susceptible to all other antibiotics tested, except for one A . lwoffii strain that was sulphonamide resistant . Twenty-two percent of the strains in the A . calcoaceticus-A . baumannii complex showed reduced susceptibility or resistance to gentamicin, but only sporadic resistance to sulphonamides, tetracyclines, and nalidixic acid . Eight infections were recorded: three cases of septicaemia, three cases of peritonitis related to continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis, and two cases of recurrent urinary tract infection . No epidemics were detected.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1993 Nov, 37(11), 2348 - 57
In vitro activity of Bay y 3118, a new quinolone; Fass RJ; MICs of Bay y 3118, ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, clarithromycin, azithromycin, cefuroxime, amoxicillin-clavulanate, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for 878 recent clinical isolates were determined by broth microdilution methods . Among the three quinolones, Bay y 3118 was the most active against Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, Acinetobacter baumannii, Xanthomonas maltophilia, gram-positive cocci, and anaerobes; MICs for 50% of the strains (MIC50s) and MIC90s were < or = 0.015 and < or = 0.015, < or = 0.015 and < or = 0.015, 0.03 and 2, 0.25 and 0.5, 0.06 and 1, and 0.12 and 0.25 micrograms/ml, respectively . For gram-positive cocci and anaerobes, these values were 16- to 32-fold (4 to 5 log2 dilution steps) lower than those for ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin . Bay y 3118 was similar in activity to ciprofloxacin and more active than ofloxacin against members of the family Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Bay y 3118 MIC50s and MIC90s were 0.03 and 0.25 and 0.5 and 8 micrograms/ml, respectively . Scattergrams and regression analyses comparing quinolone MICs indicated that, despite differences in activity, organisms relatively susceptible to one were relatively susceptible to all and organisms relatively resistant to one were relatively resistant to all . However, the greater in vitro activity of Bay y 3118 was most pronounced against relatively resistant organisms . Pending pharmacokinetic and safety data for Bay y 3118, there is reasonable anticipation that its enhanced activity against gram-positive cocci and anaerobes would broaden the clinical utility of the quinolone class of antimicrobial agents.

Chemotherapy, 1993 Nov-Dec, 39(6), 405 - 9
Silver sulphadiazine: a comprehensive in vitro reassessment; Hamilton-Miller JM et al.; The antimicrobial activity of silver sulphadiazine has been determined agonist 409 strains from 12 different genera . MICs were usually in the range 16-64 micrograms/ml . Multi-resistant species, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter spp., were uniformly sensitive . MICs always exceeded the reported aqueous solubility of silver sulphadiazine . No resistant strains were found, and there was no correlation between MIC of silver sulphadiazine and resistance to sulphonamides . Time-kill experiments showed that sulphonamide-resistant S . aureus (but not Staphylococcus epidermidis) were killed significantly more slowly than were sulphonamide-sensitive strains.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1993 Nov, 32 Suppl B, 21 - 9
In-vitro activities of cefepime against Enterobacter cloacae, Serratia marcescens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other aerobic gram-negative bacilli; Chong Y et al.; Infections caused by resistant bacterial pathogens such as Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter cloacae, Serratia marcescens and Pseudomonas aeruginosa have become an increasing problem with respect to therapy in large medical centres in Korea . The MICs of cefepime for aerobic Gram-negative bacilli isolated during 1991, mostly from in-patients in a hospital in Seoul, were determined by the agar dilution method and compared with those of several other antimicrobials . Of the agents tested, cefepime had the lowest MIC90s for C . freundii and E . cloacae (0.12 and 8 mg/L, respectively) . The MIC90s of cefepime and amikacin (both 8 mg/L) were the lowest for S . marcescens . The MIC90s of cefepime, ceftazidime and doxycycline (all 32 mg/L) were the lowest for Acinetobacter anitratus . For P . aeruginosa, the MIC90 was relatively high (32 mg/L) but still the lowest of the antimicrobials tested . Of the cefotaxime-resistant E . cloacae isolates studied, only 7% were resistant to cefepime, while 100%, 96% and 89% were resistant to ceftazidime, ceftizoxime and cefuzonam, respectively . Similarly, only 6% of gentamicin-resistant isolates were resistant to cefepime, compared with 91%, 72%, 69% and 63% to ceftazidime, ceftizoxime, cefuzonam and cefotaxime, respectively . In conclusion, isolates from Korean patients are often resistant to several antimicrobial agents . However, based on the results of this study, cefepime may be very useful as treatment for patients with nosocomial infections caused by aerobic Gram-negative bacilli, including those which are resistant to most of the third-generation cephalosporins and gentamicin.

Eur J Epidemiol, 1993 Nov, 9(6), 650 - 7
Molecular epidemiology of two genes encoding 3-N-aminoglycoside acetyltransferases AAC(3)I and AAC(3)II among gram-negative bacteria from a Spanish hospital; Alvarez M et al.; The molecular epidemiology of the aacC1 and aacC2 genes, encoding 3-N-aminoglycoside acetyltransferases AAC(3)I and AAC(3)II, respectively, was studied by DNA-DNA hybridization . The sample included 315 gentamicin-resistant Gram-negative bacilli collected over a six-month period from patients attending a Spanish Hospital . The aminoglycoside resistance phenotype of these strains was also determined . The aacC1 probe hybridized with 39 strains, the aacC2 probe with 146 strains and both probes hybridized with 26 strains . The aacC1 gene was most frequently detected in Pseudomonas aeruginosa whereas the aacC2 gene was most frequently detected in enterobacteria and Acinetobacter spp . Strains harbouring aacC genes were isolated from both in- and outpatients with different infectious diseases, mainly urinary tract infections . As inferred from the results of Southern hybridization, both genes showed a wide horizontal dispersion among plasmids and bacteria.

Infection, 1993 Nov-Dec, 21(6), 394 - 6
Acinetobacter septicemia: a threat to neonates? Special aspects in a neonatal intensive care unit; Regev R et al.; Acinetobacter is one of the organisms responsible for nosocomial infections in intensive care, neurosurgery, burn and hemodialysis units . There are only a few reports on Acinetobacter infections in neonatal intensive care units . Over a 31 month period, nine cases of Acinetobacter sepsis occurred in our unit, with four deaths . There was a cluster of four cases within 3 days . In this study the English literature on this pathogen is reviewed and it is suggested that Acinetobacter should be added to the list of organisms causing severe nosocomial infection in neonatal intensive care units.

J Mol Biol, 1993 Oct 20, 233(4), 784 - 6
Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic investigations of the soluble glucose dehydrogenase from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus; Schlunegger MP et al.; Single crystals of the soluble glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus have been grown by the vapour diffusion method . These crystals diffract to beyond 2.1 A and are suitable for X-ray crystallography . The space group was determined to be P2(1) with unit cell parameters a = 55.5 A, b = 104.5 A, c = 86.5 A and beta = 99.8 degrees . One asymmetric unit contains a dimer of the GDH molecule.

Clin Infect Dis, 1993 Oct, 17(4), 632 - 6
Vascular catheter-related bloodstream infection due to Acinetobacter johnsonii (formerly Acinetobacter calcoaceticus var . lwoffi): report of 13 cases; Seifert H et al.; Although Acinetobacter baumannii (formerly Acinetobacter calcoaceticus var . anitratus) is known to be an important nosocomial pathogen, the clinical impact of other Acinetobacter species is not fully understood . Acinetobacter johnsonii (formerly a subset of A . calcoaceticus var . lwoffii) is considered a commensal on human skin, and infections due to this organism have not been reported previously . During a study period of 18 months, however, 13 patients at 6 hospitals developed catheter-related bloodstream infections caused by A . johnsonii . All patients had an indwelling peripheral or central venous catheter, and 11 patients were receiving a continuous intravenous infusion of heparin via the offending catheter . The clinical course of A . johnsonii bacteremia was usually benign . Infections responded readily to removal of the catheter, with or without administration of appropriate antibiotics . No insertion-site infections were documented . Thus A . johnsonii must be regarded as an organism that can cause rare cases of bloodstream infection in immunocompetent patients.

Am J Infect Control, 1993 Oct, 21(5), 226 - 30
Bacterial contaminants of collected and frozen human milk used in an intensive care nursery; el-Mohandes AE et al.; BACKGROUND: Use of human milk for preterm and high-risk neonates conveys many potential benefits but also poses practical difficulties . This prospective study examined the prevalence and degree of bacterial contamination of human milk used in the intensive care nursery . METHODS: One hundred eight milk samples collected from 40 mothers were tested for contamination . Samples from mothers whose milk showed a high degree of contamination were retested after counseling on collection methods . RESULTS: Only 12.5% of the samples showed no bacterial growth . Of the contaminated samples, 38% contained > 30,000 colony-forming units/ml . The most common contaminants were Staphylococcus epidermidis (82%) and Acinetobacter (9%), but other contaminants were also encountered . CONCLUSIONS: There were not statistically identifiable common characteristics of mothers whose milk showed abundant bacterial contamination . Only 30% of these mothers showed improvement in the degree of contamination after counseling regarding techniques of milk collection.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1993 Oct, 37(10), 2093 - 100
Characterization of Acinetobacter haemolyticus aac(6')-Ig gene encoding an aminoglycoside 6'-N-acetyltransferase which modifies amikacin; Lambert T et al.; The amikacin resistance gene acc(6')-Ig of Acinetobacter haemolyticus BM2685 encoding an aminoglycoside 6'-N-acetyltransferase was characterized . The gene was identified as a coding sequence of 438 bp corresponding to a protein with a calculated mass of 16,522 Da . Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence suggested that it was the fourth member of a subfamily of aminoglycoside 6'-N-acetyltransferases . The resistance gene was not transferable either by conjugation to Escherichia coli or to Acinetobacter baumannii or by transformation into Acinetobacter calcoaceticus . Plasmid DNA from strain BM2685 did not hybridize with an intragenic aac(6')-Ig probe . These results suggest a chromosomal location for this gene . The gene was detected by DNA hybridization in all 20 strains of A . haemolyticus tested but not in 179 other Acinetobacter strains, including A . baumannii, A . lwoffii, A . junii, and A . johnsonii and genospecies 3, 6, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17, of which 162 were amikacin resistant . The probe did not hybridize in dot blot assays with DNAs purified from members of the families Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonadaceae that encode 6'-N-acetyltransferases . These data suggest that the aac(6')-Ig gene is species specific and may be used to identify A . haemolyticus.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1993 Oct, 37(10), 2080 - 6
Erythromycin, clarithromycin, and azithromycin: use of frequency distribution curves, scattergrams, and regression analyses to compare in vitro activities and describe cross-resistance; Fass RJ; MICs of erythromycin, clarithromycin, and azithromycin for 852 recent clinical isolates were determined by broth microdilution methods . Frequency distribution curves, scattergrams, and regression analyses were used to compare in vitro activities and describe cross-resistance . Clarithromycin was the most active drug against Bacteroides spp . but the least active against Haemophilus influenzae . Azithromycin was most active against H . influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, Pasteurella multocida, and Fusobacterium spp . but the least active against Streptococcus spp . and Enterococcus spp . All three drugs had equivalent activities against Staphylococcus spp . and gram-positive anaerobes . None of the three drugs was particularly active against members of the family Enterobacteriaceae or nonfermentative gram-negative bacilli, although concentrations of 4 micrograms of azithromycin per ml inhibited some strains of the family Enterobacteriaceae (particularly Escherichia coli and Citrobacter diversus) and Acinetobacter baumannii . Although relative drug activities varied by organism, organisms relatively susceptible to one were relatively susceptible to all and organisms relatively resistant to one were relatively resistant to all; an exception was fusobacteria, which were usually susceptible only to azithromycin . Cross-susceptibility and cross-resistance were, therefore, the rule (except for Fusobacterium spp.), although the percentage of susceptible organisms could be varied considerably on the basis of the selection of breakpoints.

J Gen Microbiol, 1993 Oct, 139 ( Pt 10), 2329 - 42
Growth-phase-dependent expression of the lipolytic system of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus BD413: cloning of a gene encoding one of the esterases; Kok RG et al.; Acinetobacter calcoaceticus BD413, when grown in batch culture in nutrient broth, produces both extracellular lipase activity and cell-bound esterase activity during and after the transition between exponential growth and the stationary phase . From a library of A . calcoaceticus DNA in Escherichia coli, plasmids were isolated that enabled E . coli to grow on media with tributyrin as the sole carbon source . Assays with model substrates classified the product of the cloned gene as an esterase . Via deletion analysis, the esterase gene was mapped on a 1.8 kbp chromosomal DNA fragment . This fragment was sequenced and found to contain one open reading frame, termed estA, which encodes a protein of 40.0 kDa . The amino acid sequence of this protein shows homology to a number of lipolytic enzymes, most notably to esterases . Deletion of estA only partially abolished cell-bound esterase activity in A . calcoaceticus, indicating that BD413 forms at least two esterases . Both esterases show the same temporal regulation of expression . beta-Galactosidase activity was measured in strains in which a promoterless lacZ gene was inserted into estA . Induction of lacZ expression in these strains also occurred at the end of exponential growth in batch cultures, indicating that production of the esterase is regulated at the genetic level.

J Clin Microbiol, 1993 Oct, 31(10), 2812 - 5
Effect of iron-limiting conditions on growth of clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii; Actis LA et al.; Different clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii, typed by plasmid profile, were able to grow in iron-chelated medium by secreting iron-regulated siderophores . This iron-scavenging phenotype was associated with the production of iron-repressible catechol . Siderophore utilization bioassays showed the presence of 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid in the growth medium, and neither enterobactin nor aerobactin was detected in culture supernatants obtained under iron-deficient conditions.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1993 Oct, 59(10), 3424 - 9
Metabolism of chlorinated guaiacols by a guaiacol-degrading Acinetobacter junii strain; Gonzalez B et al.; The metabolism of chlorinated guaiacols by a pure bacterial strain identified by its ability to use guaiacol as the sole carbon and energy source was studied . This strain, identified as Acinetobacter junii 5ga, was unable to grow on several chlorinated guaiacols and catechols . However, strain 5ga grown on guaiacol degraded 4- and 5-chloroguaiacol and 4,5-dichloroguaiacol . Under the same conditions, these cells did not degrade 6-chloroguaiacol, 4,6-dichloroguaiacol, 4,5,6-trichloroguaiacol, or tetrachloroguaiacol, suggesting that the substitution at the 6 position in the ring prevents metabolism of the compound . Degradation of 4-chloroguaiacol was dependent on the initial ratio between the chlorinated compound and viable cells . Transient formation of chlorocatechols resulting from incubation of cells with 4-chloroguaiacol or 4,5-dichloroguaiacol was suggested by UV spectroscopy . Gas chromatography analyses of samples from cultures of strain 5ga grown on guaiacol and incubated with 4- and 4,5-dichloroguaiacol confirmed the presence of 4-chlorocatechol and 4,5-dichlorocatechol, respectively . The formation of the latter was corroborated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry . Thus, this strain is able to initiate metabolism of specific chlorinated guaiacols by O-demethylation . The starting chlorinated guaiacols and their O-demethylated metabolites inhibited the growth of A . junii 5ga on guaiacol.

J Clin Pharmacol, 1993 Oct, 33(10), 923 - 8
In vitro activity of Ro 23-9424, a dual-acting cephalosporin-quinolone antimicrobial agent; Qadri SM et al.; In vitro activity of new dual-acting antibacterial Ro 23-9429 was tested against 1294 bacterial isolates from patients in a major tertiary care referral hospital in Saudi Arabia . Its activity was compared with that of ciprofloxacin, fleroxacin, ampicillin, cephalothin, cefoxitin, cefotaxime, ceftazidime, piperacillin, oxacillin, gentamicin, amikacin, imipenem, and vancomycin . Of the 621 members of Enterobacteriaceae tested, every single isolate was inhibited by Ro 23-9429 at minimum inhibitory concentration ranging between < .03 and 8 micrograms/mL . No other antimicrobial tested was as active as this dual-acting cephalosporin-fluoroquinolone . Similarly, all of the 255 isolates of Acinetobacter, Aeromonas hydrophila, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Xanthomonas maltophilia were susceptible to Ro 23-9429 . It inhibited all the 120 isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus . Its in vitro activity against coagulase-negative staphylococci and enterococci was superior or comparable to that of other drugs that are commonly used in clinical practice.

Biochem Genet, 1993 Oct, 31(9-10), 393 - 407
A novel ancestral protein of Drosophila alcohol dehydrogenase in Streptomyces?
Freriksen A, Heinstra PW.
Polyclonal antibodies raised against purified Drosophila alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) were used in Western blot analyses to search for structurally and/or immunologically related proteins in prokaryotes and eukaryotes . No immunological-reactive protein was detected in a flesh fly, a locust, and butterflies . Immunological similarity with the 50-kDa PQQ-glucose dehydrogenase (GluDH)-B enzyme of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus was found, but the cross-reactivity apparently is dependent on the high hydrophilic character of this protein . Antibodies against PQQ-GluDH did not recognize Drosophila ADH . In five of seven species of the gram-positive soil bacteria actinomycetes tested, a protein approximately 28-30 kDa in subunit size was strongly recognized by alpha-DADH . It is probably not one of the two proteins with known homology to Drosophila ADH, viz., the actIII gene product and 20 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase . The protein is present in both the soluble and the pellet-membrane fraction of the cells . The protein has a late temporal expression in surface-grown cultures and, therefore, might be involved in secondary metabolism.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1993 Oct, 59(10), 3219 - 24
Use of a simplified cell blot technique and 16S rRNA-directed probes for identification of common environmental isolates; Braun-Howland EB et al.; A simple technique in which rRNA-targeted oligodeoxynucleotide probes are used to identify bacteria immobilized on membranes is described . By using colony lifts, bacteria are directly transferred from plates to untreated nitrocellulose membranes . Alternatively, cells resuspended from colonies can be applied to membranes by using a vacuum manifold under high-salt conditions . Blotted cells are baked and hybridized under stringent conditions by using standard protocols . Treatment of blotted cells with sodium dodecyl sulfate, urea, formaldehyde, or protease had no apparent effect on hybridization signals . Hybridization to rRNA from cells that had been stored refrigerated for 6 days was readily detected; however, fivefold more cells (approximately 10(7) cells) were required to obtain hybridization signals comparable to those generated by cells not subjected to storage . The sequences of oligonucleotide probes specific for Pseudomonas cepacia, Comamonas testosteroni, and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus and a group probe identifying Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas mendocina, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Comamonas acidovorans, and "Flavobacterium" lutescens are presented . In conjunction with the colony lift hybridization procedure, bacteria isolated from river water were identified by using these probes.

J Biol Chem, 1993 Sep 15, 268(26), 19377 - 83
Mechanism and energetics of the secondary phosphate transport system of Acinetobacter johnsonii 210A; van Veen HW et al.; The mechanism and energetics of the secondary Pi transport system of A . johnsonii were studied in membrane vesicles and proteoliposomes in which the transport protein was functionally reconstituted . Pi uptake is strictly dependent on the presence of divalent cations, like Mg2+, Ca2+, Mn2+, or Co2+ . These cations form a MeHPO4 complex with up to 87% of the Pi present in the incubation mixture, suggesting that divalent cations and Pi are co-transported via a metal-phosphate chelate . Metal-phosphate uptake is driven by the proton motive force (interior negative and alkaline) . The metal-phosphate/proton stoichiometry was close to unity . The transport system mediates efflux and homologous exchange of metal-phosphate, but not heterologous exchange of metal-phosphate and glycerol-3-P or glucose-6-P . Exchange and counterflow were essentially pH-independent while efflux and uptake increased with increasing pH . Efflux was inhibited by the proton motive force, whereas exchange was inhibited by the membrane potential only . These observations are consistent with an ordered mechanism for binding and dissociation of metal-phosphate and proton to and from the carrier protein and point to the recycling of a positively charged, protonated carrier protein during exchange.

FEMS Microbiol Lett, 1993 Sep 15, 112(3), 275 - 80
Esterase from the oil-degrading Acinetobacter lwoffii RAG-1: sequence analysis and over-expression in Escherichia coli; Alon RN et al.; The est gene encoding an esterase from Acinetobacter lwoffii RAG-1 was cloned into E . coli under the control of the PL promoter of the phage lambda . The N-terminal sequence of the first 20 amino acids of the heterologous expressed esterase corresponded to that obtained from the nucleotide sequence . Antibodies prepared against the over-expressed recombinant esterase in E . coli were used to locate the enzyme primarily in the membrane fractions of A . lwoffii RAG-1 . Comparison with homologous proteins from both eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms suggest that the RAG-1 esterase exhibits sequence motifs characteristic of both serine proteases and of lipases.

J Clin Microbiol, 1993 Sep, 31(9), 2417 - 20
Epidemiological study of an Acinetobacter baumannii outbreak by using polymerase chain reaction fingerprinting; Graser Y et al.; A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique was applied to the fingerprinting of different strains of Acinetobacter baumannii from a cluster of patients infected or colonized with the incriminated pathogen . The DNA was extracted by boiling and was subjected to PCR amplification by using the core sequence of the M13 phase as a single primer . The amplified products were separated by agarose gel electrophoresis and were detected by staining with ethidium bromide . In 1990, 49 multiresistant A . baumannii strains were isolated from 13 patients from the same intensive care unit of the Charite Hospital; 45 of these outbreak isolates obtained from 12 patients showed the same PCR patterns, indicating an epidemiological relatedness of these strains . Four strains isolated from the same patient belonged to another genetic group, as revealed by a distinct amplification pattern . Another single subtype of A . baumannii was identified as the causative agent in patients during a second outbreak at a different intensive care unit in the same hospital . Seventeen isolates recovered from 10 immunocompromised patients had the same amplification patterns, which were distinct from all other PCR profiles . Five strains were obtained from two other hospitals; three isolates from the hospital of Magdeburg, Germany, had identical PCR patterns which, however, could be clearly distinguished from the patterns of all other strains . The remaining two isolates displayed individual patterns of amplified fragments . PCR fingerprinting may provide a useful and particularly rapid identification technique for epidemiological investigations of nosocomial infections.

Am J Clin Pathol, 1993 Sep, 100(3), 304 - 7
Evaluation of a commercial DNA purification system for plasmid analysis of nosocomial bacterial pathogens; Reed KD et al.; This study evaluated the Promega Magic Minipreps (MM) (Promega Corporation, Madison, WI) DNA purification system for use in plasmid analysis of common nosocomial bacterial pathogens . The MM system is a kit that includes lysis solutions and buffers and incorporates a minicolumn of DNA binding resin for recovery of plasmid DNA . The MM system was used according to the manufacturer's directions to recover plasmids for agarose gel electrophoresis from clinical isolates of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Enterobacter cloacae, and Klebsiella pneumoniae . For Salmonella enteritidis and Staphylococcus aureus, lysozyme and lysostaphin, respectively, were used for pretreatment . Plasmid DNA from ten isolates could be recovered in approximately one hour with very little manipulation and no phenol/chloroform extractions and was suitable for restriction endonuclease digestion . Compared with a standard miniprep protocol, the MM system was much easier to perform and resulted in significant cost savings due to a 50% reduction in technologist time . The authors conclude that the MM system is a convenient and cost-effective method for clinical microbiology laboratories for recovering plasmid DNA from nosocomial bacterial pathogens.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1993 Sep, 32(3), 413 - 9
Activity of imipenem, third-generation cephalosporins, aztreonam and ciprofloxacin against multi-resistant gram-negative bacilli isolated from Chilean hospitals; Zemelman R et al.; The activity of imipenem against nosocomial strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter spp . and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus resistant to some third-generation cephalosporins, aztreonam, or ciprofloxacin was assessed . These strains represent the most prevalent multi-resistant nosocomial microorganisms in Chile since they were isolated from clinical specimens in 11 Chilean hospitals . A high proportion of the strains were resistant to several beta-lactams, yet all strains of K . pneumoniae and Acinetobacter spp . were susceptible to imipenem; resistance was exhibited by only one strain of P . aeruginosa and 16 strains of S . aureus . Synergy between cefotaxime and clavulanic acid was found in almost all strains of K . pneumoniae, suggesting the presence of plasmid-coded beta-lactamases, probably with extended-spectrum activity . Killing A . baumannii by imipenem was rapid, but slower for P . aeruginosa . Killing of K . pneumoniae was also somewhat slower despite the lower MIC of imipenem for this strain . Bactericidal activity was even slower against one strain of methicillin-resistant S . aureus . These results suggest that imipenem would be an adequate alternative to other broad-spectrum agents in the treatment of infections due to nosocomial multi-resistant Gram-negative bacilli.

J Appl Bacteriol, 1993 Sep, 75(3), 259 - 68
Numerical classification and identification of Acinetobacter genomic species; Kampfer P et al.; A total of 211 Acinetobacter strains (representing all currently recognized genomic species) were tested for 329 biochemical characters . Overall similarities of all strains were determined for 145 characters by numerical taxonomic techniques, the UPGMA algorithm and the S(SM)) and the S(J) coefficients as measures of similarity . Seven clusters (two or more strains) and three unclustered strains were recovered at a similarity level of 80.0% (S(SM) . At this level a complete correspondence between phenotypic cluster and genomic species was found only for genomic species 12 (Ac . radioresistens) . At higher similarity levels (84.0% to 84.6% (S(SM)), however, several subclusters were found, each representing a single genomic species . An exception were the strains belonging to the genetically closely related species of the Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii complex . These were recovered scattered in several subclusters . The degree of genomic relatedness between some DNA groups correlated with phenotypic similarities, especially for DNA group 8 (Ac . Iwoffii) and 15 of Tjernberg and Ursing, and for DNA group 4 (Ac . haemolyticus) and 6 . For the majority of genomic species, two identification matrices were constructed consisting of 22 and 10 diagnostic characters, respectively . The correct identification rates for the matrices were 98.0% (22 tests) and 90.8% (10 tests) taking a Willcox probability > 0.9 . For unambiguous identification of some genomic species, however, additional methods (preferably DNA-DNA hybridization or ribotyping) should be used.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1993 Sep, 59(9), 2807 - 16
Isolation, characterization, and sequence analysis of cryptic plasmids from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus and their use in the construction of Escherichia coli shuttle plasmids; Minas W et al.; Three cryptic plasmids have been discovered in Acinetobacter calcoaceticus BD413 . These three plasmids, designated pWM10 (7.4 kb), pWM11 (2.4 kb), and pWM12 (2.2 kb), exhibited extensive homology to one another, as shown by Southern blot hybridization and restriction site analysis data, and also hybridized with three plasmids having slightly different sizes detected in a second strain, A . calcoaceticus BD4 . Plasmid pWM11 and a fragment of pWM10 were each subcloned into pUC19, yielding plasmids pWM4 and pWM6, respectively, and were used in a series of inter- and intraspecies transformation experiments . Both plasmids replicated as high-copy-number plasmids in A . calcoaceticus BD413, as well as in strains of Escherichia coli . However, when transformed into the oil-degrading strain Acinetobacter lwoffii RAG-1, both plasmids were maintained at low copy numbers . No modification of the plasmids was detected after repeated transfers between hosts . An analysis of a series of deletions demonstrated that (i) a 185-bp fragment of pWM11 was sufficient to permit replication of the shuttle plasmid in A . calcoaceticus BD413, (ii) the efficiency of transformation of A . calcoaceticus BD413 decreased according to the size of the deletion in the insert by up to 4 orders of magnitude, and (iii) the entire insert was required for transformation and replication in A . lwoffii RAG-1 . The sequence of pWM11 contained several small (150- to 300-bp) open reading frames, none of which exhibited any homology to known DNA or protein sequences . In addition, a number of inverted and direct repeats, as well as six copies of the consensus sequence AAAAAAATA previously described for a cryptic plasmid from A . lwoffii (M . Hunger, R . Schmucker, V . Kishan, and W . Hillen, Gene 87:45-51, 1990), were detected . Cloning and expression of the alcohol dehydrogenase regulon from A . lwoffii RAG-1 were accomplished by using the Acinetobacter shuttle plasmid.

Ann Intern Med, 1993 Sep 1, 119(5), 353 - 8
Nosocomial outbreak of Klebsiella infection resistant to late-generation cephalosporins; Meyer KS et al.; OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiology, antimicrobial susceptibility, and control of widespread ceftazidime-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae infections in a North American hospital and circumstances that led to delayed detection . DESIGN: A 2-year epidemiologic, microbiologic, and clinical cohort study . SETTING: A 487-bed general hospital in New York City . PATIENTS AND CLINICAL ISOLATES: Patient records were reviewed retrospectively and prospectively . Isolates were obtained from the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory . RESULTS: Four hundred thirty-two isolates of ceftazidime-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae were recovered during a 19-month study period . The peak incidence reached 17.3% of all Klebsiella isolates . One hundred fifty-five patients were colonized or infected, representing more than 70 per 1000 average daily census . Infections occurred in 39% of patients from whom ceftazidime-resistant Klebsiella was isolated . These included 14 bacteremias and 17 pulmonary infections among 52 infected patients . The outbreak coincided with increasing use of ceftazidime therapy for multiresistant Acinetobacter infections . Reduction in ceftazidime use and barrier precautions markedly reduced the incidence of colonization and infection . Ceftriaxone, ceftizoxime, cefotaxime, and cephamycins were inhibitory, but not bactericidal, against ceftazidime-resistant Klebsiella and appeared effective by routine disc diffusion tests . In contrast, imipenem provided consistent bactericidal activity . Preliminary studies indicated that the outbreak was caused by one or more plasmid-mediated beta lactamases . CONCLUSIONS: Nosocomial ceftazidime-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae may be resistant to the bactericidal activity of all cephalosporins and cephamycins . Such isolates appear susceptible to cephalosporins other than ceftazidime by routine disc diffusion testing . Ineffective therapy, delayed detection of resistance, and epidemic spread are potential consequences . Imipenem provides consistent bactericidal activity . Ceftazidime restriction and barrier precautions for colonized and infected patients are effective control measures.

J Hosp Infect, 1993 Sep, 25(1), 15 - 32
Nosocomial colonization and infection with multiresistant Acinetobacter baumannii: outbreak delineation using DNA macrorestriction analysis and PCR-fingerprinting; Struelens MJ et al.; The prevalence of nosocomial acinetobacter colonization and infection in a university hospital was reviewed and multiresistant Acinetobacter baumannii infections in an intensive care unit (ICU) were investigated using epidemiological typing and a case-control study . Acinetobacter colonization at various body sites was found in 3.2 to 10.8 per 1000 patients . Acinetobacter infection accounted for 0.3% of endemic nosocomial infections in critically ill patients and for 1% of nosocomial bacteraemia hospitalwide . Over a three-week period, four ventilated patients developed colonization, followed by pneumonia in two patients, with A . baumannii resistant to multiple antimicrobials . Cultures of samples from respiratory equipment and ICU surfaces (n = 27) as well as from hands of personnel (n = 14) failed to yield A . baumannii, except for one sample of respiratory tubing . Antibiogram, biotype, chromosomal DNA macrorestriction profiles and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) mediated fingerprints of A . baumannii isolates (n = 31) indicated that this outbreak was caused by two strains, one of which later spread to another hospital where it caused a second outbreak . Both strains were clearly discriminated from control strains from cases of sporadic infection . Risk factors for cross-colonization that were identified by a case-control comparison were neurosurgery, mechanical ventilation and treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics . Transmission was controlled by implementing contact isolation precautions and routine sterilization of ventilator tubing . Wider use of sensitive genotypic methods like DNA macrorestriction analysis and PCR-mediated fingerprinting for typing nosocomial pathogens should improve the detection of micro-epidemics amenable to early control.

Schweiz Med Wochenschr, 1993 Aug 21, 123(33), 1566 - 71
{Community-acquired Acinetobacter pneumonia}; Bernasconi E et al.; We report the history of a 38-year-old male native of Sri Lanka admitted to the emergency ward because of chest pain and shortness of breath . On physical and radiographic examination a bilateral predominantly right-sided pneumonia was found . The patient was admitted to the medical ICU and an antibiotic regimen with amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and erythromycin was initiated . Shortly afterwards septic shock developed . The patient was intubated and received high doses of catecholamines . He died 30 hours after admission to the hospital . Cultures from sputum, tracheal aspirate and blood grew Acinetobacter baumanni . Acinetobacter is an ubiquitous gram-negative rod with coccobacillary appearance in clinical specimens, that may appear gram-positive due to poor discoloration on Gram-stain . It is a well known causative agent of nosocomial infections, particularly in intensive care units . Community-acquired pneumonias, however, are quite rare . Sporadic cases have been reported from the US, Papua-New Guinea and Australia . Interestingly, these pneumonias are fulminant and have a high mortality . Chronic obstructive lung disease, diabetes, and tobacco and alcohol consumption appear to be predisposing factors . Due to the rapid course and poor prognosis, prompt diagnosis and adequate antibiotic treatment are indicated . Antibiotics use for community-acquired pneumonias, such as amoxicillin/clavulanic acid or macrolides, are not sufficient . Appropriate antibiotics for the initial treatment of suspected Acinetobacter infections include imipenem and carboxy- and ureidopenicillins combined with an aminoglycoside.

Prog Urol, 1993 Aug-Sep, 3(4), 569 - 75
{Oral ofloxacin versus intramuscular ceftriaxone in antibiotic prophylaxis in transurethral prostate resection}; Botto H et al.; This randomized prospective study evaluated the safety and efficacy of a single oral dose of OFL compared to a single parenteral dose of CTRX prior to TURP . 191 patients (mean age: 68.7 +/- 6.2 years) with bacterial free urine before surgery were enrolled and received either OFL: 400 mg per os (n = 95) or CTRX: 1 g intrasmuscularly (n = 96) at the pre-anaesthetic medication time (two hours prior TURP) . Two urine cultures were obtained: on the day of the patient's discharge and within one month after surgery . Blood cultures were performed in case of temperature > 38 degrees 5C . Treatment failure was defined as bacteriuria > 10(5) CFU/ml and/or in case of positive blood culture after surgery . 182 patients were evaluable for efficacy . They were similar with respect to age, prostatic resection, histology, duration of post operative catheterization in the two treatment groups . On discharge from the department, 93.2% of the patients in the OFL group had sterile urines versus 94.6% in the CTRX group . In failure, causative pathogens were in the OFL group: 3 enterococcus, 1 acinetobacter, 1 staphylococcus, 1 citrobacter; in the CTRX group: 1 acinetobacter, 2 citrobacters, 1 enterococcus, 1 streptococcus . No bacteremia occurred . After one month of follow-up, 171 patients were evaluable (success on discharge from the department): the rates of success were: 93.5% in the OFL group and 90.3% in the CTRX group . Tolerance was good in both groups . These two drugs are as effective and as well tolerated for prevention of post operative UTI in TURP . But Ofloxacin is cost effective and simplest for use.

Burns, 1993 Aug, 19(4), 345 - 8
Infection and antibiotic therapy in 4000 burned patients treated in Milan, Italy, between 1976 and 1988; Donati L et al.; The pathogenic flora, isolated from burn wounds of patients admitted to a burn care unit during the years between 1976 and 1988 were typed and the in vitro susceptibility to antibacterial agents was recorded . Between 1976 and 1988 the general therapeutic approach was changed three times, in congruence with the prevalent nosocomial bacterial resistance . The most frequent isolates were: Pseud . aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus spp., Proteus mirabilis, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella spp . and other Enterobacteriaceae, such as Acinetobacter, Citrobacter . The most striking finding was the increase in antibiotic-resistant Enterococcus isolates . Staph . aureus, Klebsiella and E . cloacae showed susceptibility to cephalosporins, imipenem, pefloxacin, vancomycin; Enterococcus susceptibility to pefloxacin and vancomycin, and Pseud . aeruginosa sensitivity to piperacillin, amikacin, tobramycin was generally good . E . coli showed a satisfactory susceptibility on average, and P . mirabilis showed a good sensitivity to piperacillin, cephalosporins, amikacin, tobramycin, aztreonam and imipenem . Thus, the general bacterial flora and susceptibility have remained mostly unchanged over the years, with the conspicuous exception of Enterococcus spp . and E . cloacae, which demonstrated a marked increase in incidence, with a concomitant dramatic decrease in the sensitivity of Enterococcus spp . to antibiotics.

J Bacteriol, 1993 Aug, 175(15), 4631 - 40
Three different 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl-1,2-dioxygenase genes in the gram-positive polychlorobiphenyl-degrading bacterium Rhodococcus globerulus P6; Asturias JA et al.; Rhodococcus globerulus P6 (previously designated Acinetobacter sp . strain P6, Arthrobacter sp . strain M5, and Corynebacterium sp . strain MB1) is able to degrade a wide range of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners . The genetic and biochemical analyses of the PCB catabolic pathway reported here have revealed the existence of a PCB gene cluster--bphBC1D--and two further bphC genes--bphC2 and bphC3--that encode three narrow-substrate-specificity enzymes (2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl dioxygenases) that meta cleave the first aromatic ring . None of the bphC genes show by hybridization homology to each other or to bphC genes in other bacteria, and the three bphC gene products have different kinetic parameters and sensitivities to inactivation by 3-chlorocatechol . This suggests that there exists a wide diversity in PCB meta cleavage enzymes.

Rev Med Chil, 1993 Aug, 121(8), 916 - 22
{Antimicrobial activity of amoxicillin versus amoxicillin/clavulanic acids . In vitro study against S aureus, H influenzae and A baumanii strains}; Trucco O et al.; The aim of this study was to compare in vitro activity, measuring minimal inhibitory concentration, of amoxicillin or its combination with clavulanic acid against 109 strains of Acinetobacter baumanii, 104 strains of Hemophilus influenzae and 94 strains of Staphylococcus aureus . All these were obtained from different hospitals of the Santiago Metropolitan Region . Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid association did not improve the activity of amoxicillin against Acinetobacter . The association was not active against methicillin resistant strains of S aureus; instead, it significantly increased the activity of amoxicillin against methicillin susceptible strains . All the H influenzae strains were susceptible to the combination.

Biochem Mol Biol Int, 1993 Aug, 30(6), 1081 - 92
S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus: purification and partial characterization; Franceschini N et al.; S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase (SAHase) was purified to homogeneity from the Gram negative strain Acinetobacter calcoaceticus 501 . The molecular weight of the native enzyme, estimated by gel permeation, was about 288 KDa, while sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis yielded a relative molecular mass of 48 KDa . The determination of the coenzyme content gave 4 mol of NAD+ and 2 mol of NADH per mol of enzyme . The isoelectric point of native SAHase was at pH 5.1 . When assayed in the hydrolytic direction, the Km for S-adenosylhomocysteine and the Vmax of the enzyme for this substrate were 84 microM and 357 mumol/min/mg, respectively; in the synthetic direction, instead, the Km for adenosine and the corresponding Vmax value were 1.6 microM and 37 mumol/min/mg . Substrate analogs were tested for their ability to act as inhibitors and inactivators of the enzyme . Among these compounds, 9-beta-arabinofuranosyl adenine (Ara A) appeared as the most powerful competitive inhibitor (Ki = 18 microM) as well as the strongest time-dependent inactivator . The common feature of all the assayed analogs was the presence of the adenine ring in their molecular structure . It can thus concluded that the presence of the adenine moiety is an essential element in substrate and/or inhibitor interaction with this bacterial enzyme.

J Biochem (Tokyo), 1993 Jul, 114(1), 45 - 9
Purification and characterization of homospermidine synthase in Acinetobacter tartarogenes ATCC 31105; Yamamoto S et al.; Homospermidine synthase, catalyzing the formation of homospermidine {H2N(CH2)4NH-(CH2)4NH2} from putrescine and NAD+ with concomitant liberation of NH3, was purified 600-fold over the crude extract with a yield of about 14% to homogeneity from Acinetobacter tartarogenes ATCC 31105 . The enzyme had a native molecular mass of 102 kDa, with a pI of 5.0, and was apparently composed of two identical subunits (52 kDa), suggesting that a single protein catalyzes two serial reactions, oxidation of putrescine to 4-aminobutyraldehyde and subsequent reduction of the putative Schiff base formed between this aldehyde and a second molecule of putrescine to homospermidine . The Km values for putrescine and NAD+ were 280 and 18 microM, respectively . 1,3-Diaminopropane and cadaverine were inactive as substrates, and NAD+ could not be replaced by NADP+ . 1,3-Diaminopropane and NADH were potent competitive inhibitors . The enzyme had a pH optimum of 8.7, was most active at 30 degrees C, and required K+ and dithiothreitol for full activity . Putrescine and NAD+ protected the enzyme from the inhibition by thiol reagents . The NH2-terminal amino acid sequence was AQWPVYGKISGPVVI . Some of these properties were compared with those of the homospermidine synthases from a photosynthetic bacterium, Rhodopseudomonas viridis and a plant, Lathyrus sativus.

Lab Anim, 1993 Jul, 27(3), 226 - 8
Isolation of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus from the gastrointestinal tracts of SCID mice; Ohsugi T et al.; Acinetobacter calcoaceticus colonization was observed in the gastrointestinal tracts of C.-B17-scid/scid (SCID) mice, while it was not observed in C.B17-scid/+ and C.B17-+/+ mice with normal immunity housed under the same conditions . A . calcoaceticus and other viable enteric bacteria were not isolated from any organs other than gastrointestinal tract in SCID mice . The mice colonized with this organism were apparently healthy and no significant visceral lesion was observed.

Equine Vet J, 1993 Jul, 25(4), 314 - 8
Streptococci and Pasteurella spp . associated with disease of the equine lower respiratory tract; Wood JL et al.; The likelihood of finding evidence of inflammation in 551 tracheal washes collected endoscopically from 278 Thoroughbred racehorses increased with the number of bacterial colony forming units (cfu) per ml of wash (P < 0.001) . The aerobic bacteria Streptococcus zooepidemicus, Pasteurella/Actinobacillus-like species and Streptococcus pneumoniae were significantly associated with lower airway inflammation whereas coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp., alpha-haemolytic Streptococcus spp., Acinetobacter spp., Bacillus spp., Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, non-haemolytic Streptococcus spp . and Enterobacteriaceae were not; Bordetella bronchiseptica was not isolated . Lower airway inflammation was particularly associated with bacteria in horses < or = 3 years of age . S . zooepidemicus, S . pneumoniae and Pasteurella/Actinobacillus-like species were isolated from 167 of 551 washes, either alone or in combination.

J Bacteriol, 1993 Jul, 175(14), 4499 - 506
Identification of the transcriptional activator pobR and characterization of its role in the expression of pobA, the structural gene for p-hydroxybenzoate hydroxylase in Acinetobacter calcoaceticus; DiMarco AA et al.; We have identified pobR, a gene encoding a transcriptional activator that regulates expression of pobA, the structural gene for p-hydroxybenzoate hydroxylase (PobA) in Acinetobacter calcoaceticus ADP1 . Inducible expression of cloned pobA in Escherichia coli depended upon the presence of a functional pobR gene, and mutations within pobR prevented pobA expression in A . calcoaceticus . A pobA-lacZ operon fusion was used to demonstrate that pobA expression in A . calcoaceticus is enhanced up to 400-fold by the inducer p-hydroxybenzoate . Inducer concentrations as low as 10(-7) M were sufficient to elicit partial induction . Some structurally related analogs of p-hydroxybenzoate, unable to cause induction by themselves, were effective anti-inducers . The nucleotide sequence of pobR was determined, and the activator gene was shown to be transcribed divergently from pobA; the genes are separated by 134 DNA base pairs . The deduced amino acid sequence yielded a polypeptide of M(r) = 30,764 . Analysis of this sequence revealed at the NH2 terminus a stretch of residues with high potential for forming a helix-turn-helix structure that could serve as a DNA-binding domain . A conservative amino acid substitution (Arg-61-->His-61) in this region inactivated PobR . The primary structure of PobR appears to be evolutionarily distinct from the four major families of NH2-terminal helix-turn-helix containing bacterial regulatory proteins that have been identified thus far.

Indian J Med Sci, 1993 Jul, 47(7), 177 - 9
Acinetobacter meningitis; Pearce P et al.; 10,468 CSF samples from cases of meningitis in different age groups were cultured during 1988-1991 . Acinetobacter calcoaceticus was isolated in 12 (5.6%) of 211 positive cultures . The strain were 100% resistant to ampicillin, cotrimoxazole and tetracycline 50% resistant to cephazolin gentamicin and kanamycin but 100% susceptible to chloramphenicol.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1993 Jul, 32(1), 23 - 35
Use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of aacA genes encoding aminoglycoside-6'-N-acetyltransferases in reference strains and gram-negative clinical isolates from two Belgium hospitals; Vanhoof R et al.; Genes encoding aminoglycoside 6'-N-acetyltransferases, were identified using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) . Four sets of primers delineating DNA fragments of 209 bp, 250 bp, 260 bp and 347 bp, specific for the four known aacA genes, and probes within these fragments, were constructed based on the nucleotide sequences of the aacA genes . The specificity of the primers was evaluated using reference strains encoding various aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes . The primers reacted with their corresponding aacA genes and did not cross-react with genes coding for other aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes . One hundred and sixty-one aminoglycoside resistant clinical isolates showing AAC(6')I activity were tested using the PCR assays . The gene described by Tran Van Nhieu & Collatz (1987) was the most frequently identified aacA gene . One strain of Citrobacter freundii contained two distinct aacA genes . However, in 46% of the strains, the majority being Serratia spp . and Acinetobacter spp . none of the specific amplified DNA fragments for any of the known aacA genes could be detected.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1993 Jul, 32 Suppl A, 39 - 47
Opportunistic nosocomial multiply resistant bacterial infections--their treatment and prevention; Bergogne-Berezin E et al.; One of the most difficult problems confronting the clinician who deals with nosocomial infections is that of microbial resistance . The predominant nosocomial infections (urinary tract infections, pneumonia, septicaemia, surgical wound infections) involve increasing numbers of Gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Corynebacterium jeikeium or resistant enterococci as well as new multiresistant Gram-negative bacilli such as Xanthomonas maltophilia, Acinetobacter baumannii and Alcaligenes xylosoxydans . The emergence and spread of Klebsiella pneumoniae and other Enterobacteriaceae producing novel plasmid-mediated beta-lactamases active against third-generation cephalosporins contribute to the difficulty in treating nosocomial infections.

Am J Phys Med Rehabil, 1993 Jun, 72(3), 117 - 21
A quantitative study of genital skin flora in male spinal cord-injured outpatients; Taylor TA et al.; Skin flora from the perineum, penis and urethra of 15 adult male outpatients with spinal cord injury (SCI) and neurogenic bladder dysfunction were compared with that of 10 neurologically normal controls . Gram-positive cocci and diphtheroids were the predominant isolates from controls with no enteric organisms recovered except Escherichia coli in four instances . Among SCI patients, in addition to normal Gram-positive flora, one species of Gram-negative rod was isolated from three patients, two species from five patients, three species from three patients, four species from three patients and five species from one individual . Skin isolates included various members of Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter and Enterococcus . Average bacterial counts in perineal, penile and urethral cultures from SCI patients were each 1 log greater than in controls . Bacteria were isolated from 12 of 14 urine cultures obtained from SCI patients immediately after collection of skin cultures . Organisms isolated from urine were present in one or more skin sites in every instance . Differences in skin flora between SCI patients and neurologically normal persons may be the result of variables such as antibiotic usage, presence of a condom catheter, skin moisture, urine leakage, pH, skin temperature, personal hygiene and/or neurogenic bowel management.

J Bacteriol, 1993 Jun, 175(11), 3529 - 35
Positive regulation of phenolic catabolism in Agrobacterium tumefaciens by the pcaQ gene in response to beta-carboxy-cis,cis-muconate; Parke D; An Escherichia coli system for generating a commercially unavailable catabolite in vivo was developed and was used to facilitate molecular genetic studies of phenolic catabolism . Introduction of the plasmid-borne Acinetobacter pcaHG genes, encoding the 3,4-dioxygenase which acts on protocatechuate, into E . coli resulted in bioconversion of exogenously supplied protocatechuate into beta-carboxy-cis,cis-muconate . This compound has been shown to be an inducer of the protocatechuate (pca) genes required for catabolism of protocatechuate to tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates in Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar trifolii . The E . coli bioconversion system was used to explore regulation of the pca genes in a related bacterium, Agrobacterium tumefaciens . The pcaD gene, which encodes beta-ketoadipate enol-lactone hydrolase, from A . tumefaciens A348 was cloned and was shown to be adjacent to a regulatory region which responds strongly to beta-carboxy-cis,cis-muconate in E . coli . Site-specific insertional mutagenesis of the regulatory region eliminated expression of the pcaD gene in E . coli . When the mutation was incorporated into the A . tumefaciens chromosome, it eliminated expression of the pcaD gene and at least three other pca genes as well . The regulatory region was shown to activate gene expression in trans . The novel regulatory gene was termed pcaQ to differentiate it from pca regulatory genes identified in other microbes, which bind different metabolites.

West Indian Med J, 1993 Jun, 42(2), 69 - 71
Resistance to third-generation cephalosporins in Barbados; Levett PN et al.; Resistance to third-generation, or extended-spectrum, cephalosporins caused by induction of class I beta-lactamases has been reported rarely from developing countries . Seven isolates of cephalosporin-resistant Gram-negative rods were recovered recently from urine, burns and ulcers in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Barbados . The isolates were identified as Acinetobacter calcoaceticus (2), Citrobacter freundii (1), Enterobacter cloacae (1), Morganella morganii (1), Providencia stuartii (1) and Proteus sp . (1) . Induction of beta-lactamase by cefoxitin was demonstrated, and minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were determined by agar dilution . beta-lactamases were demonstrated by isoelectric focusing; the presence of chromosomal beta-lactamases was confirmed in at least three of the resistant isolates . The only antibiotics which were uniformly active against these resistant strains were imipenem and ciprofloxacin . These data confirm the existence of resistance to the third-generation cephalosporins in Barbados, and emphasise the necessity for continuous surveillance of resistance patterns in the Caribbean region.

Am J Infect Control, 1993 Jun, 21(3), 139 - 45
A Flavobacterium meningosepticum outbreak among intensive care patients; Pokrywka M et al.; A Flavobacterium meningosepticum outbreak, involving 12 infected and 47 colonized intensive care patients during the months of February through July 1990, was investigated . F . meningosepticum was isolated from tap water and ice, but these environmental strains eventually proved to be distinct from those colonizing patients . A review of newly colonized patients' charts revealed that a common factor among the patients was daily changes of ventilator tubing pasteurized in the hospital's central sterile department . More than 90% of patients in the outbreak had been on ventilators that used the pasteurized tubing . An investigation of the pasteurization process found that two pasteurizer tanks had been operating at suboptimal temperatures (< 62 degrees C) . Cultures of water from the tanks and droplets of water found in the pasteurized tubing grew species of Acinetobacter, Moraxella, and Pseudomonas but did not grow F . meningosepticum . After deficiencies in the pasteurization process were corrected, the outbreak terminated . Despite the failure to culture F . meningosepticum, an analysis of gram-negative bacillary isolates showed that the deficiency in the pasteurization process was a major contributor to colonization of ventilated patients by bacteria ubiquitous in tap water.

J Clin Pathol, 1993 Jun, 46(6), 533 - 6
Endemic acinetobacter in intensive care units: epidemiology and clinical impact; Dijkshoorn L et al.; AIMS--To assess whether Acinetobacter isolates obtained over 20 months in a tertiary care hospital were epidemiologically related; to establish the clinical importance of the organisms; and to identify the isolates according to the recent taxonomy . METHODS--Fifty eight Acinetobacter isolates from 49 patients collected during 1984 and 1985 were investigated . Most isolates were from respiratory tract specimens from intensive care patients . The organisms were typed by cell envelope protein electrophoresis and by a quantitative carbon source growth assay; patients' charts were reviewed to differentiate between colonisation and infection; representative isolates were identified to species level by DNA-DNA hybridisation . RESULTS--Twelve protein profiles were distinguished in the isolates . Forty two isolates were of the same protein profile (profile I); other profiles were observed in a few or single isolates . Cluster analysis of carbon source growth divided profile I isolates into two groups--one of isolates from 1984 and one from 1985 . They were identified as A baumannii and associated with infections in eight patients . Four other infections were caused by acinetobacters with other protein profiles (three of A baumannii; one of the unnamed DNA group 3) . CONCLUSIONS--Apart from sporadic strains, two strains of the same protein profile, but distinguishable by carbon source growth, were successively endemic . Cluster analysis was a valuable tool in the interpretation of typing and epidemiological data . The 12 (28%) infections of Acinetobacter in 43 patients in intensive care suggest that the presence of these organisms in wards of severely ill patients should be a cause of concern.

Malays J Pathol, 1993 Jun, 15(1), 65 - 8
A comparative study of the in-vitro activity of cefepime and other cephalosporins; Lim VK et al.; Cefepime is a new cephalosporin antibiotic which is highly active against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms . The purpose of this study was to establish the in-vitro activity of cefepime and three other cephalosporins against recent clinical isolates from patients at the General Hospital Kuala Lumpur . A total of 334 strains comprising Enterobacteriaceae, non-fermentative Gram-negative bacilli and Staphylococcus aureus were tested for their sensitivity to cefepime, cefotaxime, ceftriaxone and ceftazidime . Minimum inhibitory concentrations of the antibiotics were established using an agar dilution method . With the exception of some strains of Flavobacterium meningosepticum, Xanthomonas maltophilia and other non-fermentative Gram-negative bacilli, cefepime was found to be active against a wide range of Gram-negative organisms . Cefepime was as or more active than the other cephalosporins against Acinetobacter, Enterobacteriaceae and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus . Strains of Klebsiella and Salmonella that were resistant to the third generation cephalosporins were sensitive to cefepime . Cefepime could be a valuable alternative for the treatment of nosocomial infections due to multiply resistant organisms.

Zentralbl Bakteriol, 1993 Jun, 279(2), 244 - 58
Immunobiology of Acinetobacter baumannii and genospecies 3; Traub WH et al.; Five representative, taxonomically and serologically defined clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii and genospecies 3, and A . baumannii strain ATCC 19606 were examined for immunogenicity in rabbits following experimental bacteremia . All rabbits seroconverted as determined with the aid of the tube O-agglutination, indirect hemagglutination, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) procedures . Immunoblots detected over twenty immunogenic, proteinase-K-degradable polypeptide antigens in trichloroacetic acid extracts, outer membrane protein fractions, and mechanically disrupted (type MM2 mixer drill) cell preparations . Sodium periodate-susceptible phenol-water and phenol-chloroform-light petroleum lipopolysaccharide (LPS) extracts proved to be immunogenic for the rabbits as well . Convalescent sera from two patients with documented bacteremia due to genospecies 3, serovar 4, likewise revealed numerous anti-polypeptide and anti-LPS antibodies comprising the immunoglobulin G (IgG) and the IgM class.

J Formos Med Assoc, 1993 Jun, 92(6), 540 - 6
Gram-negative bacillary meningitis in adults: a recent six-year experience; Jang TN et al.; Thirty-eight cases of Gram-negative bacillary meningitis in adults have been identified over the past six years at the Veterans General Hospital, Taipei . Twenty cases were associated with head trauma and/or neurosurgery, while 18 cases occurred spontaneously . The overall mortality was 58% . Within the spontaneous meningitis group, 13 cases (72%) were due to Klebsiella pneumoniae, 11 cases (61%) were associated with bacteremia and eight cases (44%) with diabetes mellitus . In spite of the administration of third-generation cephalosporins, most cases of spontaneous meningitis (15 patients, 83%) died soon after diagnosis . In contrast, the clinical course for the postneurosurgical patients was more benign . Only seven patients (35%) died during the course of therapy . Common causative agents in postneurosurgical patients included Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Escherichia coli . External cerebrospinal fluid drainage devices were thought to be the most important predisposing factor in Gram-negative bacillary meningitis in the postneurosurgical patients . Factors that adversely influenced the mortality of Gram-negative bacillary meningitis included the presence of bacteremia, shock, deep coma and a high initial cerebrospinal fluid leukocyte count.

Carbohydr Res, 1993 May 21, 244(1), 69 - 84
Synthesis of allyl O-{sodium(alpha-D-glycero-D-talo-2- octulopyranosyl)onate}-(2-->6)-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranosi de, a core constituent of the lipopolysaccharide from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus NCTC 10305; Gass J et al.; Reaction of methyl 2,6-anhydro-2,3-dideoxy-D-manno-2-octenoate 1 with 3-chloroperoxybenzoic acid gave the 2,3-anhydro derivative 2, which was converted into the per-O-acetylated anomeric methyl glycosides of D-glycero-D-galacto-2-octulopyranosylonic acid in good yield . Subsequent inversion of the configuration at C-3 and deprotection afforded sodium (methyl beta-D-glycero-D-talo-2-octulopyranosid)onate . Alternatively, 2 was transformed into methyl (alpha-D-glycero-D-talo-2- octulopyranosyl bromide(onate derivatives . Reaction with methanol or allyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy- 3,4-O-(1,1,3,3-tetraisopropyldisiloxan-1,3-diyl)-beta-D-g lycopyranoside, promoted by silver triflate, gave good yields of the corresponding orthoester derivatives . Me3Si triflate-catalyzed orthoester rearrangement and removal of the protecting groups afforded sodium O-(methyl alpha-D-glycero- D-talo-2-octulopyranosid)onate and the disacchanide, allyl O-{sodium(alpha-D-glycero-D-talo-2- octulopyranosyl)onate}-(2-->6)-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-D-gl ucopyranoside in high yield.

Mol Gen Genet, 1993 May, 239(1-2), 81 - 9
Comparison of the nucleotide sequences of the meta-cleavage pathway genes of TOL plasmid pWW0 from Pseudomonas putida with other meta-cleavage genes suggests that both single and multiple nucleotide substitutions contribute to enzyme evolution; Harayama S et al.; TOL plasmid pWW0 from Pseudomonas putida mt-2 encodes catabolic enzymes required for the oxidation of toluene and xylenes . The structural genes for these catabolic enzymes are clustered into two operons, the xylCMABN operon, which encodes a set of enzymes required for the transformation of toluene/xylenes to benzoate/toluates, and the xylXYZLTEGFJQKIH operon, which encodes a set of enzymes required for the transformation of benzoate/toluates to Krebs cycle intermediates . The latter operon can be divided physically and functionally into two parts, the xylXYZL cluster, which is involved in the transformation of benzoate/toluates to (methyl)catechols, and the xylTEGFJQKIH cluster, which is involved in the transformation of (methyl)catechols to Krebs cycle intermediates . Genes isofunctional to xylXYZL are present in Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, and constitute a benzoate-degradative pathway, while xylTEGFJQKIH homologous encoding enzymes of a methylphenol-degradative pathway and a naphthalene-degradative pathway are present on plasmid pVI150 from P . putida CF600, and on plasmid NAH7 from P . putida PpG7, respectively . Comparison of the nucleotide sequences of the xylXYZLTEGFJQKIH genes with other isofunctional genes suggested that the xylTEGFJQKIH genes on the TOL plasmid diverged from these homologues 20 to 50 million years ago, while the xylXYZL genes diverged from the A . calcoaceticus homologues 100 to 200 million years ago . In codons where amino acids are not conserved, the substitutions rate in the third base was higher than that in synonymous codons . This result was interpreted as indicating that both single and multiple nucleotide substitutions contributed to the amino acid-substituting mutations, and hence to enzyme evolution . This observation seems to be general because mammalian globin genes exhibit the same tendency.

Plant Foods Hum Nutr, 1993 May, 43(3), 267 - 72
Improvement of the traditional method of ogiri production and identification of the micro-organisms associated with the fermentation process; Nwosu CD et al.; Fermented products were developed from different proportions of melon (Citrullus vulgaris schrad) and groundnut (Arachis hypogea) seeds after a 96 hour fermentation period . Proximate analysis, carried out on both fermented and unfermented samples, indicated that only the total carbohydrate content was appreciably reduced by the fermentation process . Micro-organisms responsible for fermentation were identified by gram staining and lactophenol staining, as bacteria and fungi . Identified bacteria were of the Bacillus and Acinetobacter species while the fungi were yeasts, rhizopus and mucor . Samples containing 50-100% melon showed a decrease in pH with increasing fermentation period . Bacteria were largely responsible in samples containing up to 75% groundnuts . Sensory analysis of dried fermented products after fortification with salt, ascorbic acid and flour indicated that they were acceptable.

J Appl Bacteriol, 1993 May, 74(5), 570 - 7
Resistance to the antimicrobial agents of bacteria isolated from non-sterile pharmaceuticals; de la Rosa MC et al.; The in vitro antimicrobial resistance of 391 bacterial strains isolated from 389 samples of oral and topical medicaments was examined . The numbers of strains isolated (and percentage of samples that present them) were: 234 Bacillus (32.1%), 79 Staphylococcus (13.6%), 46 Micrococcus (11.3%), nine Pseudomonas (1.5%), eight Acinetobacter (1.5%), five Enterococcus (1.2%), three Alcaligenes (0.8%), two Escherichia and Enterobacter (0.5%), one each Providencia, Serratia and Streptococcus (0.2%) . Gram-positive bacteria were isolated from topical and oral medicaments and Gram-negative rods were detected only in topical medicaments . The 97.4% of Bacillus strains were resistant to lincomycin and B . cereus was resistant to beta-lactam and trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole . Staphylococcus spp . showed a high percentage of resistant strains to ampicillin (51.8%), tetracycline (40.5%) and trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole (48.1%) . Staphylococcus epidermidis had the highest number of multiresistant strains . The 23.9% of Micrococcus strains were resistant to colistin . Enterococcus and Streptococcus strains showed multiresistance to penicillin G, aminoglycosides and erythromycin . The 61.5% of Gram-negative rod strains showed multiresistance to beta-lactam antibiotics and erythromycin; Pseudomonas spp . were the most resistant.

Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 1993 May, 12(5), 372 - 7
Comparative activity of the new fluoroquinolone rufloxacin (MF 934) against clinical isolates of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria; Qadri SM et al.; The antibacterial activity of the new fluoroquinolone rufloxacin (MF 934) was evaluated against 1095 clinical isolates and compared with that of other quinolones and various commonly used antibiotics . Rufloxacin was highly effective against members of the Enterobacteriaceae, inhibiting 98% of the isolates at a concentration of 1 mg/l . Ninety-two percent of Aeromonas hydrophila and 65% Acinetobacter strains tested were inhibited by 1 mg/l of rufloxacin, whereas 98% of methicillin-susceptible and 87% of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains and 76% of coagulase-negative staphylococci strains required 4 mg/l for growth inhibition . The MIC values of rufloxacin for most bacteria were 4-16 times higher than those of ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin . Rufloxacin had little activity against xanthomonads, pseudomonads and enterococci . Approximately 95-96% of isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were inhibited by 2 mg/l of ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin as compared to 29% inhibited by rufloxacin at this concentration.

J Clin Microbiol, 1993 May, 31(5), 1286 - 9
Lipopolysaccharide profile typing as a technique for comparative typing of gram-negative bacteria; Aucken HM et al.; We have applied the technique of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) profiling in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to the typing of 124 isolates of 12 gram-negative species from suspected outbreaks of infection . LPS was prepared by proteinase K digestion or micro-phenol-water extraction . A total of 11 of the 12 species gave clear ladder band profiles, the exception being Acinetobacter baumannii . When compared with conventional typing for Enterobacter cloacae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Serratia marcescens, LPS profile type alone was sufficient to allow relatedness or distinguishability of isolates to be established, and this was corroborated by serotype and phage type data . Serologically nontypeable isolates invariably lacked O repeating units and thus could not be classified by their silver stain profile . We conclude that LPS profiling is useful for the epidemiological investigation of small clusters of isolates in order to determine whether or not cross-infection between patients has occurred.

Gesundheitswesen, 1993 Apr, 55(4), 206 - 7
{Infusion technique as a significant aspect of public health monitoring of hospitals--a case report}; Dobberkau HJ et al.; An outbreak of septicaemia caused by Acinetobacter involved eight patients of an ICU within a period of 6 days . All patients were treated with heparin infusions . We isolated Acinetobacter from the blood of all these patients and from a mixture of heparin and isotonic saline solution . As underlying causal event a combination of risk factors and mistakes is suggested . These may include the multiple reuse of infusion bottles by different users, the reuse of perfusor injectors, and underscores the necessity of strict hygienic precautions . This event points to a disseminated risk factor that should be considered within the frame of control systems for hospitals.

Int J Syst Bacteriol, 1993 Apr, 43(2), 210 - 20
Relatedness of three species of "false neisseriae," Neisseria caviae, Neisseria cuniculi, and Neisseria ovis, by DNA-DNA hybridizations and fatty acid analysis; Veron M et al.; DNA-DNA hybridization was used to determine the levels of genomic relatedness of the three species of "false neisseriae," Neisseria caviae, Neisseria cuniculi, and Neisseria ovis . The reference strains of these species exhibited high levels of intraspecies relatedness (93 to 100% for N . caviae, 79 to 100% for N . cuniculi, and 68 to 100% for N . ovis) but low levels of interspecific relatedness (less than 34%) to each other and to various species belonging to the beta subclass of the Proteobacteria (Kingella kingae, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Neisseria meningitidis, and Oligella urethralis) or to the gamma subclass (Branhamella catarrhalis, Kingella indologenes, Moraxella atlantae, Moraxella bovis, Moraxella lacunata subsp . lacunata, Moraxella lacunata subsp . liquefaciens, Moraxella nonliquefaciens, Moraxella osloensis, and Moraxella phenylpyruvica) . However, the levels of DNA-DNA hybridization for the three species of "false neisseriae" were significantly higher with the species belonging to the gamma subclass (average, 13.7%) than with the species belonging to the beta subclass (average, 4.5%) . These data suggest that N . caviae, N . cuniculi, and N . ovis are three separate genomic species in the gamma subclass . An ascendant hierarchical classification based only on fatty acid profiles distinguished four main classes containing (i) most of the "classical moraxellae," the "false neisseriae," and B . catarrhalis, (ii) only Acinetobacter spp., (iii) M . nonliquefaciens and "misnamed moraxellae" (M . atlantae, M . osloensis, and M . phenylpyruvica), and (iv) the "true neisseriae," the three Kingella species, and O . urethralis . Fatty acids that distinguish these four classes were identified . The fatty acid profiles of the two strains of Psychrobacter immobilis which we studied are not very similar to the profiles of the other taxa . Our results support the hypothesis that the three species of "false neisseriae," B . catarrhalis, the "classical moraxellae," and Acinetobacter spp . should be included in the same family.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1993 Apr, 37(4), 750 - 3
Antimicrobial susceptibility of Acinetobacter species; Seifert H et al.; The in vitro activities of 16 antimicrobial agents against 180 Acinetobacter strains isolated from blood cultures (n = 162), central venous catheters (n = 11), and cerebrospinal fluids (n = 7) were studied . MICs were determined by a microtiter broth dilution method . Considerable differences in antimicrobial drug susceptibility against strains belonging to different species could be demonstrated . Acinetobacter baumannii isolates (n = 108) were generally more resistant than isolates identified as species other than A . baumannii . Multidrug resistance was common among A . baumannii isolates . Of the antimicrobial agents tested, imipenem was highly active against all A . baumannii isolates, and the other agents tested were only moderately active or inactive . Good activity against Acinetobacter species strain 3 was demonstrated for imipenem, amikacin, and ciprofloxacin . Most of the strains belonging to other species were susceptible to imipenem, ciprofloxacin, expanded-spectrum cephalosporins, amoxicillin-clavulanate, and the aminoglycosides but were resistant to ampicillin and older cephalosporins.

Gene, 1993 Mar 15, 125(1), 35 - 40
Cloning and expression of the polychlorinated biphenyl-degradation gene cluster from Arthrobacter M5 and comparison to analogous genes from gram-negative bacteria; Peloquin L et al.; Arthrobacter M5 was characterized genetically to determine if the catabolic pathway (controlled by the bph genes), responsible for polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) biodegradation in this Gram-positive strain, was similar to the pathways characterized from various Gram-negative bacteria . Arthrobacter M5 was originally isolated as a contaminant from a culture of the PCB degrader, Acinetobacter sp . strain P6 . A bph-specific oligodeoxyribonucleotide (oligo) gene probe (bphC2) was designed by aligning the published sequences of two bphC genes (encoding 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl dioxygenase) and synthesizing a 29-nucleotide (nt) fragment from a conserved region of the gene . The bphC2 oligo was used as a probe to identify a 10-kb HindIII fragment of total DNA from Arthrobacter M5 and subsequently to isolate Escherichia coli clones possessing bphC . The PCB-degradation genes were expressed in E . coli, but expression was increased by subcloning in Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The nt and amino acid sequences of the region corresponding to the Arthrobacter M5 bphC gene showed a very high degree of homology with the published sequences of bphC genes from Gram-negative bacteria.

Gene, 1993 Mar 15, 125(1), 25 - 33
Evolutionary divergence of pobA, the structural gene encoding p-hydroxybenzoate hydroxylase in an Acinetobacter calcoaceticus strain well-suited for genetic analysis; DiMarco AA et al.; The pobA gene encoding p-hydroxybenzoate hydroxylase (PobA) from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus has been developed as a genetic tool for the analysis of structure-function relationships in this enzyme . By exploiting the favorable genetic system of A . calcoaceticus strain ADP1, it is possible both to select and to map mutations which disturb PobA activity; characterization and sequence determination of mutants derived in this manner may complement site-directed studies with the homologous Pseudomonas aeruginosa gene . We have determined the nucleotide (nt) sequence of A . calcoaceticus pobA and performed a systematic comparison of the deduced amino acid (aa) sequence with that of the PobA enzyme from Pseudomonas fluorescens, for which the three-dimensional structure is known . Despite a 26% difference in the G+C content of the homologous genes, constraints against structural divergence of the proteins were revealed by an overall identity of 62.4% in the aligned aa sequences of PobA . Clusters of identical sequence occur at previously identified sites of ligand binding and at regions associated with subunit-subunit interaction . Based on the conservation of specific residues involved in flavin binding, we have assembled a consensus sequence for nicotinamide-flavoprotein monooxygenases which differs from that of the oxidoreductase class of flavoproteins . In addition to the conserved regions shared by the two PobA homologs, there are isolated pockets of divergence . The nt sequence divergence in one such region within the A . calcoaceticus gene can be attributed to the acquisition of short nt sequence repetitions.

J Mol Biol, 1993 Mar 5, 230(1), 174 - 85
Precise deletions in large bacterial genomes by vector-mediated excision (VEX) . The trfA gene of promiscuous plasmid RK2 is essential for replication in several gram-negative hosts; Ayres EK et al.; We have developed a simple and efficient method of vector-mediated excision (VEX) for in vivo generation of precisely defined deletions in large bacterial genomes . The system uses homologous recombination with small cloned fragments on specialized pVEX plasmids to insert directly repeated bacteriophage P1 loxP sites at positions flanking the region to be deleted . In the presence of Cre recombinase, the loxP sites are efficiently recombined to produce the deletion . Deletion endpoints can be directed to specific nucleotides because they are defined by the termini of small homology-bearing fragments cloned into the pVEX plasmids . We have used VEX to delete trfA, the only known replication initiator gene of the 56.4 kb broad host-range plasmid RK2 . The RK2 delta trfA mutant was found to be conjugation proficient, but unable to replicate in the RK2 hosts Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Caulobacter crescentus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas putida, Rhizobium meliloti, or Rhodobacter sphaeroides . These results show that trfA is essential for replication in these hosts and indicate that the broad host-range of RK2 does not involve multiple replicons.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1993 Mar, 37(3), 566 - 73
In vitro activity and beta-lactamase stability of FK-037, a parenteral cephalosporin; Neu HC et al.; The in vitro activity of FK-037, 5-amino-2-{{(6R, 7R)-7-{{(Z)-2-(2-amino-4-thiazolyl)-2- methoxyimino) acetyl} amino}-2-carboxy-8-oxo-5-thia-1- azabicyclo{4.2.0}oct-2-en-3-yl}methyl}-1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1H-pyrazoli um hydroxide, inner salt, sulfate (1:1), a new parenteral cephem, was compared with those of cefepime, ceftazidime, imipenem, and ciprofloxacin . FK-037 inhibited methicillin-susceptible staphylocci at < or = 4 micrograms/ml . Of 98 isolates of homogenous methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, 55 (56.1%) were inhibited by 8 micrograms of FK-037 per ml, compared to 3.1% for cefepime . Imipenem was the most active beta-lactam tested against staphylococci . The MIC of FK-037 for 90% of the strains tested (MIC90) was 0.06 micrograms/ml for hemolytic streptococci, Streptococcus pneumoniae, viridans group streptococci, and Streptococcus bovis . The MIC90 for many of the members of the family Enterobacteriaceae was 1 microgram/ml, similar to that of cefepime and lower than those of ceftazidime and imipenem . The MIC90 for Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterobacter cloacae was 8 micrograms/ml, similar to that for cefepime, but all isolates were inhibited by 2 micrograms of imipenem per ml . K . pneumoniae isolates with cefotaxime and ceftazidime MICs of > 32 micrograms/ml with Bush type 2b' beta-lactamases were inhibited by 4 micrograms of FK-037 per ml . E . cloacae, Citrobacter freundii, and S . aureus stably resistant to FK-037 could be selected by repeated transfer in the presence of FK-037 . The FK-037 MIC90 for Pseudomonas aeruginosa was 4 microgram/ml, compared to 32 microgram/ml for cefepime and ceftazidime and 8 microgram/ml for imipenem . Xanthomonas maltophilia, Pseudomonas cepacia, Acinetobacter anitratus, and Bacteroides species were resistant to FK-037 (MIC, more than or equal 32 microgram/ml) . MBCs were identical to or within twofold of the MICs except for a 32-fold greater MBC for P . aeruginosa . Inoculum size and acid environment did not lower the activity of FK-037 . FK-037 was not appreciably hydrolyzed by Bush group 1, 2a, 2b, and 2e beta-lactamases but was hydrolyzed by 2b' and 2d enzymes at rates comparable to that of ceftazidime . Nonetheless, FK-037 inhibited bacteria possessing TEM-3, -5, and -7 and SHV -5 at less than or equal 8 microgram/ml . Overall, FK-037 has lower MICs against staphylococci and P . aeruginosa than the currently available iminomethoxy aminothiazolyl cephalosporins and has activity against members of the family Enterobacteriaceae comparable to that of cefepime.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1993 Mar, 37(3), 384 - 92
In vitro and in vivo antibacterial activities of T-3761, a new quinolone derivative; Fukuoka Y et al.; T-3761, a new quinolone derivative, showed broad and potent antibacterial activity . Its MICs for 90% of the strains tested were 0.20 to 100 micrograms/ml against gram-positive bacteria, including members of the genera Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and Enterococcus; 0.025 to 3.13 micrograms/ml against gram-negative bacteria, including members of the family Enterobacteriaceae and the genus Haemophilus; 0.05 to 50 micrograms/ml against glucose nonfermenters, including members of the genera Pseudomonas, Xanthomonas, Acinetobacter, Alcaligenes, and Moraxella; 0.025 micrograms/ml against Legionella spp.; and 6.25 to 25 micrograms/ml against anaerobes, including Bacteroides fragilis, Clostridium difficile, and Peptostreptococcus spp . The in vitro activity of T-3761 against these clinical isolates was comparable to or 2- to 32-fold greater than those of ofloxacin and norfloxacin and 2- to 16-fold less and 1- to 8-fold greater than those of ciprofloxacin and tosulfoxacin, respectively . When administered orally, T-3761 showed good efficacy in mice against systemic, pulmonary, and urinary tract infections with gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, including quinolone-resistant Serratia marcescens and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The in vivo activity of T-3761 was comparable to or greater than those of ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, and tosufloxacin against most infection models in mice . The activities of T-3761 were lower than those of tosufloxacin against gram-positive bacterial systemic and pulmonary infections in mice but not against infections with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus . The activities of T-3761 against systemic quinolone-resistant Serratia marcescens and Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in mice were 2- to 14-fold greater than those of the reference agents.

J Clin Microbiol, 1993 Mar, 31(3), 702 - 5
Correlation of typing methods for Acinetobacter isolates from hospital outbreaks; Dijkshoorn L et al.; Four methods, namely, biotyping, cell envelope protein electrophoresis, ribotyping, and comparison of antibiograms, were used for strain identification of Acinetobacter isolates from five outbreaks in hospitals . There was good agreement among the methods for the identification of an index strain, but biotyping and the comparison of antibiograms were the least discriminatory.

Chemotherapy, 1993 Mar-Apr, 39(2), 112 - 9
In vitro activity of cefdinir (FK 482, PD 134393, CI-983): a new orally active cephalosporin; Qadri SM et al.; Cefdinir is a new orally active cephalosporin which is undergoing in vitro and in vivo evaluations . Using the standard agar dilution method we compared the in vitro activity of this drug with other beta-lactam antibiotics against clinical isolates or Enterobacteriaceae (625 strains), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (68 strains), Xanthomonas maltophilia (36 strains), Acinetobacter (52 strains), Aeromonas hydrophilia (47 strains), staphylococci (364 strains) and enterococci (50 strains) . Against most members of Enterobacteriaceae, Acinetobacter and A . hydrophilia, cefdinir showed excellent activity, inhibiting 94% of these isolates at < or = 32 micrograms/ml . Like other oral drugs of its class, it had little activity against P . aeruginosa and X . maltophilia . All the 120 isolates of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus were inhibited by < 1.0 microgram/ml of cefdinir whereas 80% of methicillin-resistant S . aureus had a minimum inhibitory concentration of > 32 micrograms/ml . Of the 50 isolates of enterococci tested, 94% were inhibited by < or = 16.0 micrograms/ml of cefdinir . Against Enterobacteriaceae, its activity was superior to any oral drug tested . With the exception of vancomycin, the in vitro activity of cefdinir was superior or comparable to other antibiotics tested against methicillin-susceptible S . aureus, coagulase-negative staphylococci and enterococci.

Clin Neurol Neurosurg, 1993 Mar, 95(1), 71 - 3
Acinetobacter, an infrequent cause of community acquired bacterial meningitis; Reindersma P et al.; A 19-year-old previously healthy woman developed meningitis due to Acinetobacter calcoaceticus . This is a Gram-negative coccobacillus belonging to the family Neisseriaceae . Most reported cases of Acinetobacter meningitis were hospital-acquired and due to strains highly resistant to amoxycillin . Our patient was treated with amoxycillin and recovered without sequelae.

Am J Med, 1993 Mar, 94(3), 281 - 8
Nosocomial pneumonia in ventilated patients: a cohort study evaluating attributable mortality and hospital stay; Fagon JY et al.; PURPOSE: Although nosocomial pneumonia is a common problem in intubated and ventilated patients, previous studies have not clearly demonstrated that nosocomial pneumonia actually results in increased mortality or prolongs hospitalization of these patients . In an attempt to answer these questions, we have performed a cohort study in which patients who developed nosocomial pneumonia and control subjects were carefully matched for the severity of underlying illness and other important variables . PATIENTS AND METHODS: Case patients were 48 ventilated patients with nosocomial pneumonia identified on the basis of results of protected specimen brush quantitative culture and identification of intracellular organisms in cells recovered by bronchoalveolar lavage . For matching cases and their respective controls, the following variables were used: age (+/- 5 years), Simplified Acute Physiologic Score (+/- 3 points), indication for ventilatory support, date of admission, and duration of exposure to risk . RESULTS: Successful matching was achieved for 222 of 240 (92.5%) variables . The mortality rate in cases was 26 of 48 (54.2%) compared with 13 of 48 (27.1%) in controls . The attributable mortality was 27.1% (95% confidence interval {CI}, 8.3% to 45.9%; p < 0.01) and the risk ratio for death was 2.0 (95% CI, 1.61 to 2.49) . The mean length of stay was 34 days for cases and 21 days for controls (p < 0.02) . In the case of pneumonia due to Pseudomonas or Acinetobacter species, the mortality rate was 71.4%, the attributable mortality was 42.8% (95% CI, 14.5% to 69.0%), and the risk ratio was 2.50 (95% CI, 1.31 to 4.61) . CONCLUSION: Pneumonias occurring in ventilated patients, especially those due to Pseudomonas or Acinetobacter species, are associated with considerable mortality in excess of that resulting from the underlying disease alone, and significantly prolong the length of stay in the intensive care unit.

J Clin Microbiol, 1993 Mar, 31(3), 746 - 8
Characterization of Centers for Disease Control group NO-1, a fastidious, nonoxidative, gram-negative organism associated with dog and cat bites; Hollis DG et al.; Seventeen strains of fastidious, nonoxidative, gram-negative rods, isolated from human wounds resulting primarily from dog or cat bites, formed a distinct group, which was designated Centers for Disease Control (CDC) group nonoxidizer 1 (NO-1) . The phenotypic characteristics of CDC group NO-1 were most similar to non-acid-producing Acinetobacter species, with the major difference being a negative reaction in the transformation assay test for Acinetobacter spp . The cellular fatty acid composition of CDC group NO-1 was different from those of Acinetobacter species and all other bacteria tested to date . The isolates were susceptible to a variety of antimicrobial agents including the aminoglycosides, beta-lactam antibiotics, tetracyclines, quinolones, and sulfonamides . Fifty percent of the isolates were resistant to trimethoprim . Ubiquinone-8 was present as the major isoprenoid quinone in CDC group NO-1.

J Bacteriol, 1993 Mar, 175(6), 1838 - 40
Transposon mutagenesis in Acinetobacter calcoaceticus RAG-1; Leahy JG et al.; Molecular genetic studies of Acinetobacter spp . have been greatly limited by the lack of a method for transposon mutagenesis . In this study, a genetically engineered derivative of Tn10, mini-Tn10PttKm, was conjugally transferred in plate matings from Escherichia coli SM10{(lambda pir)(pLOFPttKm)} to Acinetobacter calcoaceticus RAG-1 . Transfer frequencies were dependent on mating ratios and varied from 7.9 x 10(-8) to 3.4 x 10(-7) per recipient cell . The 27 lipase-deficient transconjugants which were isolated exhibited several different phenotypes, including gelatinase mutants, esterase mutants, and putative auxotrophs . Southern blot analysis confirmed the insertion of the mini-Tn10PttKm transposon in single, unique sites in five transconjugants . Four of five lipase mutants contained single insertions of mini-Tn10PttKm in the same chromosomal restriction fragments . To our knowledge, this is the first report of the use of a transposon for direct, generalized mutagenesis in Acinetobacter spp.

J Bacteriol, 1993 Mar, 175(6), 1674 - 81
Identification of a catabolic transposon, Tn4371, carrying biphenyl and 4-chlorobiphenyl degradation genes in Alcaligenes eutrophus A5; Springael D et al.; Alcaligenes eutrophus A5 catabolizes biphenyl to CO2 via benzoate and 4-chlorobiphenyl to 4-chlorobenzoate . In curing and conjugation experiments, the A5 endogenous 51-kb IncP1 plasmid pSS50 was found to be dispensable for biphenyl and 4-chlorobiphenyl catabolism . Transfer of the biphenyl- and 4-chlorobiphenyl-degrading phenotype by means of pSS50 was observed at a frequency of 10(-5) per transferred plasmid in matings of A5 with other A . eutrophus strains . Transconjugants harbor enlarged pSS50 derivatives which contain additional genetic information governing the oxidation of biphenyl and 4-chlorobiphenyl to benzoate and 4-chlorobenzoate and originating from the chromosome of strain A5 . The following observations indicate that the catabolic genes reside on a 59-kb large transposon (Tn4371) for which a restriction map is presented . (i) Tn4371 transposes between different replicons and at different locations of the same replicon . (ii) Transposition was observed in a Rec- strain of A . eutrophus . (iii) Tn4371 transposes as a single, contiguous piece of DNA . Although an RP4::Tn4371 plasmid was stably maintained in different hosts, the plasmid conferred growth on biphenyl only when present in strains of A . eutrophus and in an Acinetobacter sp . strain.

Zentralbl Hyg Umweltmed, 1993 Feb, 193(5), 461 - 70
{Epidemic occurrences of multiresistant Acinetobacter baumannii strains in a neonatal intensive care unit}; Ritter E et al.; In a period of nine months (May 1991 to January 1992), 39 infants were colonized with Acinetobacter baumannii in a paediatric intensive care unit . Colonization was observed mainly in premature infants, weighing between 680 g and 2,000 g, who were artificially ventilated . Shortly after birth, A . baumannii was isolated regularly from tracheal washings, and less frequently from other material, such as gastric juice, catheter tips, and umbilical swabs . In older children or adults, the bacteria were found only in very low frequency . In the intensive care unit, A . baumannii could be isolated from tap water, sinks, water traps of the ventilation devices, the inner wall of incubators, and from the hands of medical personnel . Patients strains of A . baumannii, and those isolated monitoring the intensive care unit had an identical biochemical profile and a similar pattern of antimicrobial resistance, as well as a similar reaction in other typing methods . Anti-infective measures are discussed.

An Med Interna, 1993 Feb, 10(2), 55 - 8
{A urinary outbreak of Acinetobacter baumanii in a spinal cord injury unit}; Pedraza F et al.; From January 1990 to April 1992, 114 urinary strains of Acinetobacter baumanii were isolated in 57 patients with traumatic spinal cord {correction of medular} injury . The strains were characterized by having all of them the same biochemical identification, except for citrate, maltose and tryptophan-desaminase . Until December 1990, (5 strains) were resistant to all antibiotics, except to tobramicine, amikacine, cotrimoxazol and imipenem (6.3%, 33.9%, 26.7% and 0% of resistances, respectively); since January 1991, (99 strains) became resistant to all of them, except to imipenem . 39.5% of AB were isolated in pure cultures, 46% of them with pyuria . Between February 1991 and January 1992, we observed the highest number of affected patients, although without seasonal predominance . We observed as well a higher incidence among males (46 males, 11 females) . 80% of them carried a permanent probe . Only 6 patients presented clinical signs directly related to AB . The environmental study could not demonstrate any source of contagion or transmission mechanism.

J Appl Bacteriol, 1993 Feb, 74(2), 215 - 21
The colonization of solid PVC surfaces and the acquisition of resistance to germicides by water micro-organisms; Vess RW et al.; Six common water bacteria were examined for their ability to colonize polyvinyl chloride (PVC) surfaces, survive various germicidal treatment, and re-establish themselves in sterile distilled water (SDW) . For each test, two 30.4 cm PVC pipes attached to a 90 degrees PVC elbow were filled with 600 ml of distilled water inoculated with either Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Ps . cepacia, Ps . mesophilica, Acinetobacter anitratus, Mycobacterium chelonae or M . chelonae var . abscessus . After 8 weeks contaminated water was removed and the pipes were exposed to 600 ml of 1:213 iodophor disinfectant (ID), 1:128 phenolic detergent (P), 1:256 quaternary ammonium compound (QA), stock iodophor antiseptic (IA), 2% formaldehyde (F), 10-15 ppm free chlorine (C), 2% glutaraldehyde (G) and 70% ethanol (E) . These germicides were periodically sampled, neutralized and examined for surviving organisms . After exposure for 7 d the germicides were removed and each pipe was refilled with SDW . This was assayed at 7 d intervals to determine microbial re-establishment . Samples were removed during microbial conditioning and examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) . Pseudomonads were isolated directly from ID, QA, C, P and F, and mycobacteria from QA, IA, ID, P, G, C and F . Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Ps . cepacia survived in PVC pipes after 7 d of exposure to P, ID and C; Ps . mesophilica, after C and ID; and both mycobacteria, after C . SEM examination of PVC remnants revealed bacterial attachment and formation of extracellular material with embedded cells . These studies show that common water bacteria can attach and colonize the interior surface of PVC pipes and develop significant resistance to the action of certain germicides.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Am J Infect Control, 1993 Feb, 21(1), 34 - 8
Microbial contamination of enteral feeding solution and its prevention; Oie S et al.; In an investigation of microbial contamination of enteral feeding solutions, all 22 residual solutions obtained immediately after administration were contaminated at concentrations of 10(3) to 10(6) viable counts/ml . Major contaminants were glucose-nonfermenting gram-negative bacilli such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus var anitratus . Contamination seemed to have been caused by frequent reuse of bag-type containers and the infusion tubes connected to the bags, neither of which can be washed or dried . Decontamination methods were evaluated by using polypropylene containers that can be washed and disinfected for administration . Few Serratia marcescens on the inside wall of the container were removed by rinsing with tap water, alone or in combination with detergent scrub . Tap water and detergent plus air-drying at 56 degrees C for 1 hour reduced Serratia marcescens only somewhat . Tap water and detergent plus immersion in 0.01% sodium hypochlorite for 1 hour or in water at 70 degrees C for 3 minutes eliminated all 10(11) cells of Serratia marcescens.

J Gen Microbiol, 1993 Feb, 139 ( Pt 2), 295 - 305
Physiological characterization of natural transformation in Acinetobacter calcoaceticus; Palmen R et al.; Acinetobacter calcoaceticus BD413 develops competence for natural transformation immediately after the start of the exponential growth-phase and remains competent up to e few hours into the stationary phase, after which competence gradually declines . The transformation frequencies obtained strongly depend on the kind of transforming DNA and the incubation time with DNA . Up to 25% of the cells in a culture can be transformed . DNA uptake in Acinetobacter does not display sequence specificity, is Mg(2+)-, Mn(2+)- or Ca(2+)-dependent and is uncoupler sensitive . The transforming DNA enters the cells in single-stranded form . These properties constitute a unique combination, not previously observed in other bacteria, and make A . caloaceticus ideally suited for detailed studies of the bioenergetics of DNA translocation.

J Infect Dis, 1993 Feb, 167(2), 448 - 51
Effect of sulbactam on infections caused by imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter calcoaceticus biotype anitratus; Urban C et al.; A recent outbreak of multiresistant strains of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus biotype anitratus was observed mostly, but not exclusively, in the surgical intensive care unit in our hospital . Disk diffusion and microdilution susceptibility studies demonstrated resistance to imipenem, all aminoglycosides, and all individual beta-lactam antibiotics . Only ampicillin plus sulbactam, cefoperazone plus sulbactam, and polymyxin produced zone sizes and MICs in the susceptible ranges . Determination of MICs and MBCs demonstrated that sulbactam was the antimicrobial agent responsible for the killing of these organisms . Nine of 10 patients who were infected with imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter strains and received ampicillin plus sulbactam for > 3 days improved clinically, and in many cases organisms were eradicated from the site of isolation.

J Hosp Infect, 1993 Feb, 23(2), 133 - 41
Comparison of three typing methods in hospital outbreaks of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus infection; Kropec A et al.; During a period of 11 months Acinetobacter baumanii was isolated from 27 patients and 21 environmental samples in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and in one surgical unit of a University Hospital . The isolates were characterized by biotyping, antibiograms and plasmid profiles and compared with co-isolates . Plasmid fingerprinting distinguished three outbreaks, whereas other typing methods were less sensitive and discriminatory . Although plasmid profiles seem to be a simple and reproducible marker for epidemiological studies with acinetobacter strains, it might be useful to combine at least two typing methods since plasmids are unstable genetic structures, and not all strains possess plasmids.

Biometals, 1993 Spring, 6(1), 55 - 9
Metal resistance in Acinetobacter and its relation to beta-lactamase production; Deshpande LM et al.; Thirty nine clinical isolates of Acinetobacter belonging to six species were tested for resistance to 20 metal ions and their ability to produce beta-lactamase . Fifty two percent of the strains produced beta-lactamase . beta-Lactamase producers and non-producers were almost equally distributed in the different species . A . baumannii was the predominant biotype and was found to be most resistant to metals . Resistance to mercury was prevalent in beta-lactamase-producing A . baumannii only . Silver resistant strains of A . baumannii produced beta-lactamase . Sensitivity and resistance to copper and cadium was equally distributed between beta-lactamase producers and non-producers . beta-Lactamase-producer and -non-producer strains were uniformly sensitive to cadmium except Acinetobacter genospecies 1.

Can J Microbiol, 1993 Jan, 39(1), 13 - 24
Characterization of bacteria isolated from a bleached kraft pulp mill wastewater treatment system; Fulthorpe RR et al.; Water samples from the wastewater treatment system of a bleach kraft mill and from the river that supplies the mill were plated on six different media and culturable isolates were screened for substrate utilization patterns, taxonomic characters, plasmid content, and resistance to ampicillin, streptomycin, kanamycin, tetracycline, naldixic acid, mercury, nickel, copper, cobalt, cadmium, and zinc . A cluster analysis of the substrate utilization profiles and taxonomic characters revealed that Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, and Acidovorax spp . were common among the culturable isolates from the river, while Ancylobacter aquaticus, Klebsiella spp., and an unknown group of pleomorphic Gram-negative methylotrophs were common among the culturable isolates from the mill treatment system . Of isolates from the settling pond and aerated lagoon, 78 and 64% carried plasmids, while only 56% of isolates from the river carried plasmids . Plasmids were significantly associated with resistance to cadmium but not with any other resistance characters . Large numbers of plasmid-carrying A . aquaticus strains and pleomorphic methylotrophs accounted for high plasmid incidence levels in the mill treatment system, and the ability to dechlorinate simple aliphatic substrates was found in these two groups as well as in one Pseudomonas strain.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1993 Jan, 37(1), 138 - 41
In vitro antimicrobial production of beta-lactamases, aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes, and chloramphenicol acetyltransferase by and susceptibility of clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii; Vila J et al.; Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed on 54 epidemiologically unrelated clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii by using a standard agar dilution technique . On the basis of the in vitro activities, imipenem and doxycycline were the most active agents, whereas amikacin, isepamicin, and the new fluorquinolones ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin presented moderate activity . Cephalosporinase activity was found in 98% of the strains, whereas lactamases of TEM type 1 and one with a pI of 7 to 7.5 were present in 16 and 11% of the strains, respectively . Resistance to aminoglycosides was explained by the production of the three classes of aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes, with predominance of aminoglycoside-3'-phosphotransferase VI in 28% of the strains.

J Clin Microbiol, 1993 Jan, 31(1), 170 - 2
Rapid immunodot technique for identifying Bordetella pertussis; Sanden GN et al.; We developed and evaluated a rapid test with monoclonal antibodies to identify cultures of Bordetella pertussis . Samples of 5 microliters of cells suspended in formalin-saline were dried onto a nitrocellulose disk . The disk was placed in a filtration device, and 5-microliters volumes of murine monoclonal antibody directed against B . pertussis lipooligosaccharide and peroxidase conjugate were added consecutively, with washing after each addition . The disk was removed and immersed in peroxidase substrate solution . All of 66 B . pertussis isolates confirmed by direct fluorescent-antibody assay were correctly identified by using four different monoclonal antibodies . One of the monoclonal antibodies did not react with over 20 bacterial species tested, including other Bordetella, Acinetobacter, Haemophilus, Moraxella, Mycobacterium, Neisseria, and Staphylococcus spp . This technique detected > or = 2 micrograms of lipooligosaccharide per ml or > or = 5 x 10(8) B . pertussis cells per ml . This rapid procedure used small amounts of reagents, needed less equipment, and was less subjective and more specific than the direct fluorescent-antibody assay.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1993 Jan, 31 Suppl A, 23 - 8
Susceptibility survey of piperacillin alone and in the presence of tazobactam; Acar JF et al.; Among 325 fresh isolates of bacteria from 153 hospital patients with serious infections, 142 were susceptible to piperacillin, 129 were resistant and a further 54 exhibited a marked inoculum effect . Tazobactam restored the susceptibility of resistant isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis (except methicillin-resistant isolates), Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, Acinetobacter spp . and Bacteroides fragilis . Among 87 Enterobacteriaceae that were resistant to piperacillin, or showed an inoculum effect, 78 (89%) were restored to susceptibility by tazobactam . Pseudomonas spp . resistant to piperacillin were mostly resistant to the combination.

J Bacteriol, 1993 Jan, 175(1), 200 - 6
Characterization of two phosphate transport systems in Acinetobacter johnsonii 210A; Van Veen HW et al.; The transport of P(i) was characterized in Acinetobacter johnsonii 210A, which is able to accumulate an excessive amount of phosphate as polyphosphate (polyP) under aerobic conditions . P(i) is taken up against a concentration gradient by energy-dependent, carrier-mediated processes . A . johnsonii 210A, grown under P(i) limitation, contains two uptake systems with Kt values of 0.7 +/- 0.2 microM and 9 +/- 1 microM . P(i) uptake via the high-affinity component is drastically reduced by N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, an inhibitor of H(+)-ATPase, and by osmotic shock . Together with the presence of P(i)-binding activity in concentrated periplasmic protein fractions, these results suggest that the high-affinity transport system belongs to the group of ATP-driven, binding-protein-dependent transport systems . Induction of this transport system upon transfer of cells grown in the presence of excess P(i) to P(i)-free medium results in a 6- to 10-fold stimulation of the P(i) uptake rate . The constitutive low-affinity uptake system for P(i) is inhibited by uncouplers and can mediate counterflow of P(i), indicating its reversible, secondary nature . The presence of an inducible high-affinity uptake system for P(i) and the ability to decrease the free internal P(i) pool by forming polyP enable A . johnsonii 210A to reduce the P(i) concentration in the aerobic environment to micromolar levels . Under anaerobic conditions, polyP is degraded again and P(i) is released via the low-affinity secondary transport system.

Med Dosw Mikrobiol, 1993, 45(2), 233 - 6
{Bacteriologic examinations of patients with burns}; Ziolkowski G et al.; Bacteriological studies were performed on 189 patients treated during 1985-1989 . 800 samples were tested which were taken from various sites of burn wound (3-5 smears from a patient) . Surface of burn amounted to 15-86% and degree of burn was IIb/III . In 772 samples, 2073 bacterial strains were found . Most frequent were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (31%) and Staphylococcus aureus (29%) . Remaining strains consisted chiefly of Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas cepacia, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus . Serological typing of Pseudomonas aeruginosa carried according to Fisher demonstrated dominance of immunotype T3.7 (43%) . Staphylococcal strains were most frequently sensitive to group III phages and/or supplementary phages.

Med Dosw Mikrobiol, 1993, 45(2), 213 - 7
{Occurrence of species of the Acinetobacter genus in material from patients and in the hospital environment}; Fleischer M et al.; 370 clinical strains of genus Acinetobacter were classified in accordance of taxonomy of this group of bacteria introduced by Nouvet and Grimont (1986) . Most frequent species isolated was A . baumanii (195), followed by A . lwoffii (71), A . junii (79) and A . haemolyticus (27) . A . calcoaceticus and A . jonsonii were present only sporadically . A . baumanii was isolated from bronchial secretions (36.9%), sputum (20.5%), blood (8.7%), pus (8.2%) and ur@ine (8.2%) . A . lwoffi was isolated above all from throat smears (26.8%), sputum (16.9%), bronchial secretions (16.9%) and urine (16.9%) . A . junii was present in sputum (25.7%), blood (17.6%), throat smears (17.6%), bronchial secretions (13.5%) and urine (12.2%).

Scand J Infect Dis Suppl, 1993, 91, 7 - 13
Infection problems for the 1990's--do we have an answer?
Neu HC.
There is and has been continued change in organisms causing infection in the hospital . In the past few years, although Gram-negative bacteria have remained a major cause of mortality, Gram-positive bacteria and fungi have become increasingly important . This has caused organisms such as methicillin-resistant staphylococci, enterococci, Xanthomonas maltophilia and multiply resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa to be common pathogens . Can this difficult state of affairs be changed by better antimicrobial prescribing practices? Yes and no . Virtually any agent will select MRSA and MRSE since the chromosomal location of the resistance of multiple-antibiotics makes such selection common and explains the rapid rate of the fluoroquinolones as therapy of MRSA . Restriction of oral vancomycin will markedly reduce the pressure to select Enterococcus faecium and thus limit the spread of the organisms and delay transmission of glycopeptide resistance to S . aureus . Judicious use of antibiotics in the intensive care environment will be major factor in "saving" antibiotics for other patients since the ICU patient goes to other parts of the hospital carrying with him/her the baggage of resistant Staphylococcus haemolyticus, klebsiella, P . aeruginosa, acinetobacter, enterobacter, xanthomonas and Pseudomonas cepacia . All of these organisms have the potential to become resistant to the agents heretofore used to treat them and are common in ICU patients.

Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, 1993, 64(1), 75 - 81
Properties of polyphosphatase of Acinetobacter johnsonii 210A; Bonting CF et al.; Polyphosphatase, an enzyme which hydrolyses highly polymeric polyphosphates to Pi, was purified 77-fold from Acinetobacter johnsonii 210A by Q-Sepharose, hydroxylapatite and Mono-Q column chromatography . The native molecular mass estimated by gel filtration and native gel electrophoresis was 55 kDa . SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicated that polyphosphatase of Acinetobacter johnsonii 210A is a monomer . The enzyme was specific for highly polymeric polyphosphates and showed no activity towards pyrophosphate and organic phosphate esters . The enzyme was inhibited by iodoacetamide and in the presence of 10 mM Mg2+ by pyro- and triphosphate . The apparent Km-value for polyphosphate with an average chain length of 64 residues was 5.9 microM and for tetraphosphate 1.2 mM . Polyphosphate chains were degraded to short chain polymers by a processive mechanism . Polyphosphatase activity was maximal in the presence of Mg2+ and K+.

Microbiol Immunol, 1993, 37(9), 705 - 12
The structure of the chloramphenicol resistance gene on a transferable R plasmid from the fish pathogen, Pasteurella piscicida; Kim E et al.; The chloramphenicol resistance gene (pp-cat) was cloned from a transferable R plasmid of Pasteurella piscicida, pSP9351, and the sequence of the gene was determined . Subcloning and deletion analysis localized the resistance gene, pp-cat, to within a 2.3 kb HincII-BamHI fragment . The fragment as a probe hybridized with the type I chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene and did not hybridize to CAT types II, III, and CAT-VA . The fragment hybridized to transferable R plasmids encoded with resistance to chloramphenicol, which were detected from P . piscicida isolated in different years . Nucleotide sequences of the coding and flanking regions of pp-cat (2031 bp) identified an open reading frame coding type I CAT of a molecular mass of about 25,000 Da . Comparison analysis of the sequences outside the cat open reading frame showed also that pp-cat has homology, in part, with the gene that coding for the endonuclease EcoRII and those that flank the cat gene derived from the Acinetobacter baumannii chromosome.

J Basic Microbiol, 1993, 33(5), 291 - 9
Periplasmic aminopeptidases in Acinetobacter calcoaceticus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Fricke B et al.; The greater part of the intracellular aminopeptidases in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus is soluble . The localization of aminopeptidases in the cells was examined using the osmotic shock method with some modifications . When the cells of A . calcoaceticus and P . aeruginosa of the logarithmic phase were subjected to an osmotic shock, all aminopeptidases investigated were mainly localized in the sucrose supernatants and in the periplasm . Acid phosphatase as marker enzyme for periplasm showed a similar distribution between the fractions as the aminopeptidases . The periplasmic aminopeptidases of both microorganisms were separated by FPLC on Superose 12 and their molecular masses were determined . The results obtained show that at least four different aminopeptidases occur in the periplasm, a leucyl aminopeptidase (LAP, cleaving Leu-NH-NH2, 400 kDa), a glutamyl aminopeptidase (GAP, 200 kDa), an alanyl aminopeptidase (AAP, 80 kDa) and a prolyl aminopeptidase (PAP, 65 kDa) . The results are in agreement for both species . Our results show clearly that aminopeptidases of these typical members of Gram-negative bacteria are mainly periplasmic like degrading enzymes (alkaline and acid phosphatases, 5'-nucleotidase, cyclic phosphodiesterase), detoxifying enzymes and binding proteins for amino acids and sugars.

Med Dosw Mikrobiol, 1993, 45(4), 469 - 76
{Test of using plasmid DNA profile analysis for identification of Acinetobacter species}; Nowak A et al.; The analysis regarded 32 strains of Acinetobacter genus isolated from a variety of samples from human and animal sources (hospital environment, nonhospital source, water, burns) . The genus Acinetobacter is heterogeneous and has a complex taxonomy . For this reason, plasmid profile analysis has been used as a method of identification to study the genetic diversity of natural populations . Strains having an identical plasmid profile were pooled in the same plasmid group . According to these criteria, 32 isolates were grouped in 11 classes . Within the 11 plasmid groups, 2 were found in A . baumannii, 3 in A . lwoffii, 2 in A . johnsonii, 3 in A . haemolyticus and 1 in A . junii . Most frequently isolated species of Acinetobacter from burns was A . baumannii (11 out of the 13 isolates) . Plasmid profile analysis of those strains revealed a presence of only one plasmid group . Plasmid profile analysis of Acinetobacter strains can be an useful technique for characterizing isolates in epidemiologic studies as a complementary method . It can be used directly as a very rapid and convenient technique to type Acinetobacter strains.

Med Dosw Mikrobiol, 1993, 45(3), 373 - 8
{Bacterial flora of the hospital environment: identification, susceptibility to disinfecting agents, antibiotics and chemotherapeutics}; Rozalska M et al.; The studies were performed at the Intensive Care Unit of the Institute of Pediatrics . There were aimed at determination of cleanliness of boxes together with ante-rooms . At the same time bacterial flora of hospitalized children was investigated . The bacteria were isolated and identified by classical methods and by the API system . Among the identified strains, 60% constituted Gram-positive cocci with dominant participation of coagulase-negative staphylococci . Gram-negative rods (25% of total bacterial number) were represented mainly by Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter . Determination of susceptibility of tested strains toward 24 antibiotics and chemotherapeutics demonstrated wide occurrence of multiple antibiotic-resistance, particularly among enterococci and Gram-negative rods . Tests for susceptibility to disinfectants revealed presence of strains sensitive to chloramine in concentrations a dozen times higher when compared with standard strains . These strains occurred in the ward after systematic use of this disinfectant for many years . After replacement of chloramine by sterinol and chlorhexidine, these bacteria were not detectable after one year.

Med Dosw Mikrobiol, 1993, 45(3), 331 - 7
{Susceptibility to antibiotics and biochemical activity of strains of Acinetobacter sp . isolated from various sources}; Gospodarek E; The study was performed on 576 Acinetobacter strains isolated from clinical material, objects from hospital, environment, soil, water and from animals . Applying API 20NE system identification was following: A . baumanii (61.1%), A . junii (19.4%), A . haemolyticus (4.3%), A . lwoffii (3.3%), A . johnsonii (0.52%) and not belonging to above genus strains (11.3%) . Over 47% strains of Acinetobacter were isolated from clinical material as the only bacteria (mainly from samples received from intensive care units and surgical and urological wards) . Out of 23 antibiotics and antimicrobials used for investigation of 535 strains of Acinetobacter, most active were imipenem (99%) of susceptible strains, ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin (95%) and netilmicin (88%) . Multiple resistant strains were isolated more frequently from hospital environment than from other sources--these were mostly A . baumanii and A . junii.

Med Dosw Mikrobiol, 1993, 45(3), 323 - 9
{Hemagglutinating properties of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus}; Gospodarek E; Hemagglutinating activity was tested in 309 strains of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus with fresh and tannine human, horse, sheep, bovine, chicken and guinea pig erythrocytes . Determinations were performed with 0.1% D-mannose and without it, both in temperature 37 and 22 degrees C . Hemagglutinating activity was exhibited by 75-85% of strains, more frequently cultured at 22 degrees C A . calcoaceticus var . anitratus equally frequently was agglutinating both types of erythrocytes . Strains of A calcoaceticus var . lwoffii were agglutinating only chicken erythrocytes, but were agglutinating all tannin treated erythrocytes . The observed agglutination was mannose-resistant.

Med Dosw Mikrobiol, 1993, 45(3), 317 - 22
{Hemolytic properties of bacteria belonging to the Acinetobacter genus}; Gospodarek E; Direct and intermediate hemolytic activity of 526 strains of Acinetobacter was investigated . Their ability to produce lipase and lecithinase was also studied . Measurements were performed parallely on human, horse, sheep and bovine erythrocytes . Direct hemolytic activity was exhibited by 16% of tested strains (17 out of 24 strains of A . haemolyticus) . Human, sheep and bovine erythrocytes were useful for testing the hemolytic activity of Acinetobacter . The hemolysis was occurring faster and was visible more frequently during incubation at 37 degrees C . Indirect hemolytic activity was observed in 88% of strains . Over 90% of strains were lipolytic after 24-48 hours which was independent of incubation temperature (22 and 37 degrees C).

Med Dosw Mikrobiol, 1993, 45(3), 311 - 5
{Hemolytic properties of bacteria from the genus Acinetobacter}; Fleischer M et al.; Hemolytic activity of 370 strains of Acinetobacter was investigated . They represented species A . baumanii (195), A . junii (70), A . lwofii (71) and A . haemolyticus (27) and were isolated from hospitalized patients . Direct and intermediate hemolysins were tested in the plate test with application of human, sheep, bovine and rabbit blood, incubating cultures at 22 and 37 degrees C for 3 days . Hemolysins of A . lwoffii were more active at 22 degrees C against rabbit and sheep erythrocytes . Direct hemolysins produced by remaining species of Acinetobacter hemolyzed most easily human erythrocytes . Out of 27 strains of A . haemolyticus, 26 produced hemolysins . Intermediate hemolysins, produced only by A . junii (43% of strains) and A . haemolyticus (37%), were active only against animal erythrocytes . A . baumanii and A . lwofii produced only intermediate hemolysins and percentage of strains producing them was, respectively, 3.6 and 7.0.

Drugs, 1993, 45 Suppl 3, 24 - 8
The epidemiology of bacterial resistance to quinolones; Acar JF et al.; The new fluoroquinolones have been in use for nearly 10 years in the treatment of community- and nosocomially-acquired infections . Resistant clones may be selected during therapy and disseminate if favourable epidemiological conditions prevail . Resistance to the fluoroquinolones is still rare in common pathogens with 97 to 100% of strains remaining susceptible . Resistance has been reported in methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, Campylobacter jejuni/coli, Salmonella, Shigella and Escherichia coli . Among nosocomial pathogens, the incidence of fluoroquinolone resistance varies between bacterial species, countries and periods of study, and is dependent on local epidemiological factors and antibiotic policies . The highest incidence of resistance is observed in Serratia and Acinetobacter spp., and particularly in methicillin-resistant S . aureus . Surveillance programmes are needed to follow up trends in resistance to the fluoroquinolones and their possible association with clinical failures.

Ann Trop Paediatr, 1993, 13(3), 233 - 6
Ophthalmia neonatorum in Bangkok: the significance of Chlamydia trachomatis; Sergiwa A et al.; In a prospective 2-month case-controlled study, 17 cases of neonatal conjunctivitis were diagnosed . A statistically significant association between neonatal conjunctivitis and the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis (five cases) and Staphylococcus aureus (five cases) was shown . No cases of gonococcal conjunctivitis were found, perhaps because of the routine use of silver nitrate (1%) drops . C . trachomatis conjunctivitis could not be diagnosed on clinical grounds, nor was examination of Giemsa-stained conjunctival scrapes sufficiently sensitive to detect all cases . In order to prevent the long-term morbidity of C . trachomatis infection in both mother and child, specific aetiological diagnosis using immunodiagnostic or cultural procedures is requiredPIP: All 1033 children under 1 month of age attending the ophthalmology clinic at the Children's Hospital, Mahidol University, over the 2-month period July to August 1991 were entered in the study of ophthalmia neonatorum {ON} . Control neonates had either neonatal jaundice or mild respiratory distress but no signs of conjunctivitis . 2 controls matched for age and sex were chosen for each neonate with conjunctivitis . Demographic, social, medical, and obstetric histories were obtained from the mothers by direct questioning . 17 children (1.6%) had neonatal conjunctivitis . 5 neonates (30%) vs . none of the control neonates were infected by C . trachomatis as confirmed by ELISA and immunofluorescence . 5 (30%) of those with ON and significantly ( .03) fewer (6%) controls were infected with S . aureus . Coagulase-negative staphylococci, Acinetobacter anitratus, Pseudomonas spp., and diphteroids were isolated as or more frequently from control neonates . Chlamydial ophthalmia presented between 5 and 10 days after delivery . Of the neonates infected with S . aureus, 1 presented at less than 5 days of age, 2 presented at 5-10 days, and 2 at over 10 days; all of them were boys . Pus cells were on Gram-stained smears in all of the 15 patients tested and in 4 (12%) of the controls . 11 (64%) of the 15 patients had more than 5 pus cells per high power field, whereas only 1 ((3%) of the controls had similar numbers . Bacteria were seen in smears from 8 (53%) of the 15 patients tested and in 8 (23%) of the controls . Giemsa-stained smears of scrapes were available from 14 of the patients . Intracytoplasmic inclusions were seen in the conjunctival epithelial cells of 5 (35%) patients with ON, 3 of which were shown to contain C . trachomatis by ELISA and immunofluorescence . Of the various risk factors studied, only those women with a vaginal discharge during pregnancy (odds ration 6.7, 0.007), and those using non-barrier-type contraceptives (odds ratio 29.3, p 0.0002) were more likely to produce a child with ophthalmia neonatorum .

Am J Ophthalmol, 1992 Dec 15, 114(6), 697 - 9
Intraocular fluid cultures after primary pars plana vitrectomy; Cohen SM et al.; To determine what organisms enter the eye and remain in the eye after pars plana vitrectomy, vitreous cavity aspirates were cultured postoperatively . Two of 33 (6%) consecutive eyes undergoing primary pars plana vitrectomy had positive cultures . One sample grew a single colony of Staphylococcus epidermidis, the second grew two colonies of Acinetobacter lwoffi . Neither of these eyes developed endophthalmitis . This study demonstrates that bacteria enter the eye at a low rate during pars plana vitrectomy and that the eye on which a vitrectomy has been performed is capable of clearing a low inoculum of bacteria.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1992 Dec, 36(12), 2595 - 601
In vitro and in vivo activities of DQ-2556 and its mode of action; Tanaka M et al.; DQ-2556 is a recently developed cephalosporin with a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria . Its in vitro activity was roughly comparable to those of cefuzonam and cefpirome and greater than those of ceftazidime, cefepime, and cefclidin against gram-positive bacteria . Against gram-negative bacteria, DQ-2556 showed almost the same activity as those shown by cefpirome and cefepime . The activity was largely unaffected by culture medium pH or the addition of human serum . The protective effect of DQ-2556 in experimental gram-positive pathogen and Escherichia coli infections in mice was greater than those of ceftazidime, cefuzonam, cefepime, and cefclidin and was similar to that of cefpirome . Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus infections, DQ-2556 was more active than cefuzonam and had activity similar to or less than those of ceftazidime, cefpirome, cefepime, and cefclidin . When cells of E . coli were exposed to various concentrations of DQ-2556, filamentous cells were observed at concentrations of 0.0008 micrograms/ml and greater, spheroplasts started to form at 0.025 micrograms/ml, and subsequent cell lysis was observed . The affinity of DQ-2556 to PBP 3 of E . coli, which participates in septum formation, as suggested by morphological observation, was two times greater than that of ceftazidime . DQ-2556 also had high affinities for PBPs 1B and 1A of E . coli . These results suggest that DQ-2556 is worthy for subsequent clinical trials.

J Bacteriol, 1992 Dec, 174(23), 7670 - 9
Characterization of a high-affinity iron transport system in Acinetobacter baumannii; Echenique JR et al.; Analysis of a clinical isolate of Acinetobacter baumannii showed that this bacterium was able to grow under iron-limiting conditions, using chemically defined growth media containing different iron chelators such as human transferrin, ethylenediaminedi-(o-hydroxyphenyl)acetic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid, and 2,2'-bipyridyl . This iron uptake-proficient phenotype was due to the synthesis and secretion of a catechol-type siderophore compound . Utilization bioassays using the Salmonella typhimurium iron uptake mutants enb-1 and enb-7 proved that this siderophore is different from enterobactin . This catechol siderophore was partially purified from culture supernatants by adsorption chromatography using an XAD-7 resin . The purified component exhibited a chromatographic behavior and a UV-visible light absorption spectrum different from those of 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid and other bacterial catechol siderophores . Furthermore, the siderophore activity of this extracellular catechol was confirmed by its ability to stimulate energy-dependent uptake of 55Fe(III) as well as to promote the growth of A . baumannii bacterial cells under iron-deficient conditions imposed by 60 microM human transferrin . Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis showed the presence of iron-regulated proteins in both inner and outer membranes of this clinical isolate of A . baumannii . Some of these membrane proteins may be involved in the recognition and internalization of the iron-siderophore complexes.

J Med Assoc Thai, 1992 Dec, 75(12), 680 - 7
Antimicrobial resistance of 100 serial gram-negative isolates in two intensive care units; Leelarasamee A et al.; To determine antimicrobial resistance pattern among gram-negative bacteria isolated from suspected sources of infections in patients hospitalized in two Intensive Care Units (ICUs) at Siriraj Hospital from September 1991 to December 1991, minimal inhibitory concentrations of one-hundred consecutive gram-negative isolates for various antimicrobials were performed using the microbroth dilution method . Of all gram-negative bacterial isolates, 25 per cent were Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 22 per cent Acinetobacter anitratus, 16 per cent Klebsiella pneumoniae, 12 per cent enterobacter, 8 per cent E.coli, 5 per cent non-fermenter, 4 per cent pseudomonas, 3 per cent arizona, 2 per cent A . lwoffii, 1 per cent Aeromonas hydrophila, 1 per cent Aeromonas hydrophila, 1 per cent Proteus rettgeri, and 1 per cent shigella . The in vitro MIC study revealed that 50, 48, 43, 61, 59, 34, 47, 52, 31, 15 per cent of gram-negative isolates were resistant to gentamicin, tobramycin, amikacin, cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, ceftazidime, aztreonam, piperacillin, ciprofloxacin and imipenem respectively . In addition, 64 and 71 per cent of the isolates were resistant to aminoglycosides and cephalosporins being used in the same patients 48 hours before cultures were obtained respectively . The possible spread of resistant gram-negative isolates by cross contamination was not evident by looking at MIC co-variation in sequential isolates of P . aeruginosa . It was concluded that antimicrobial resistance was highly prevalent among gram-negative bacteria isolated from patients already hospitalized in the ICUs . Potent antimicrobials such as imipenem, newer fluoro-quinolones, ceftazidime and amikacin, are often needed for therapy of serious gram-negative bacterial infections in the ICUs.

Malays J Pathol, 1992 Dec, 14(2), 95 - 103
Antimicrobial resistance: patterns and trends in the National University Hospital, Singapore (1989-1991); Kumarasinghe G et al.; The commonly isolated organisms, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter species, Proteus species and Enterobacter species from clinical material other than blood, cerebrospinal fluid and stool, were analysed for their incidence and increasing trends of resistance to the commonly used antimicrobials . Staphylococcus aureus was tested against penicillin, methicillin, erythromycin, gentamicin and co-trimoxazole; Pseudomonas aeruginosa against amikacin, ceftazidime, gentamicin, piperacillin and cefsulodin; and gram negative bacilli against ampicillin, co-trimoxazole, cephalexin, cefuroxime, ceftriaxone, nalidixic acid and nitrofurantoin . Methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus exhibited a high degree of resistance to penicillin only (83%), but methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (34-46%) showed nearly 100% resistance to all drugs tested except for co-trimoxazole over the period of study . A high incidence of resistance was found among Klebsiella species, Enterobacter species, Acinetobacter species and Pseudomonas species . Increasing trends of resistance against cephalosporins were noticed with respect to Acinetobacter species, Klebsiella species and Enterobacter species for cefuroxime and ceftriaxone; Pseudomonas aeruginosa for ceftazidime and cefsulodin . The overall resistance of organisms is notably high . Methicillin-resistant S . aureus is endemic and accounts for about 39% of all S . aureus isolates . The typical nosocomial organisms like Acinetobacter species and Klebsiella species are increasingly developing resistance to useful drugs such as gentamicin, cephalexin and ceftriaxone.

Jpn J Antibiot, 1992 Nov, 45(11), 1421 - 50
{Antimicrobial activities of ceftazidime on fresh clinical isolates}; Deguchi K et al.; Antimicrobial activity of ceftazidime (CAZ) was compared with those of other cephem antibiotics against clinically isolated strains sent to us by medical institutions throughout Japan in 1989 and 1991 . Those strains separated and identified from samples collected from patients with various infections were also examined, and the following results were obtained . 1 . The results suggested that, compared with reports of studies conducted with clinical isolates in early 1980's, MIC90 of CAZ in 1991 were markedly higher against Staphylococcus spp., Streptococcus pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter spp., Serratia marcescens, Proteus vulgaris, Morganella morganii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Also, among other bacteria such as Providencia rettgeri, Providencia stuartii, Xanthomonas maltophilia, and Bacteroides fragilis group, strains resistant to CAZ were observed in high proportions . However, large time-course changes were not observed in microbial activities of CAZ on Streptococcus pyogenes, Klebsiella spp, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas cepacia, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Haemophilus influenzae and Anaerobic GPC (Gram-positive cocci) . 2 . Among the strains used in the study, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Benzylpenicillin (PCG)-insensitive S . pneumoniae (PISP), cephamycin and oxime type cephem-resistant Gram-negative bacilli of Enterobacteriaceae and new quinolone-resistant organisms were observed in high proportions . It appears therefore, that CAZ failed to exert sufficient antimicrobial activities to these strains because of combination of resistance in these strains . 3 . Antimicrobial activities of CAZ on recent clinical isolates showed problems as mentioned above . However, it was also demonstrated that CAZ maintained effective antimicrobial activities against most of the clinical isolates which could be causative organisms of infectious diseases in the clinical practice . When it is additionally taken into account that CAZ is one of those limited drugs with activity against P . aeruginosa, and it has excellent permeability through outer membrane, it is concluded that CAZ still is one of the clinically useful cephem drugs in 1990's.

J Appl Bacteriol, 1992 Nov, 73(5), 426 - 32
Analysis of polar lipids from some representative enterobacteria, Plesiomonas and Acinetobacter by fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry; Aluyi HS et al.; Fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry (FAB-MS) was used to analyse lipid extracts of bacteria to assess its usefulness for analysing anionic phospholipids of potential chemotaxonomic value . The following micro-organisms were tested: Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Acinetobacter sp., Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter cloacae (2 strains), Escherichia coli (3 strains), Hafnia alvei, Klebsiella oxytoca, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Morganella morganii, Plesiomonas shigelloides, Proteus mirabilis (3 strains), Serratia liquefaciens and Serratia marcescens . Negative-ion spectra provide data for twenty-seven major carboxylate anions (m/z 209-325) and for thirty-seven major phospholipid anions (m/z 645-774) . Generally, the largest carboxylate peaks were due to 16:1, 16:0, cyc17 and 18:1 while the largest phospholipid anion peaks were due to PE(32:1), PE(33:1), PE(34:1), PE(34:2), PG(30:2), PG(31:2), PG(32:2), PG(34:1) and PS(33:0) . However, quantitative differences were observed . For example, Acinetobacter lacked PE (33:1) but had exceptionally high peaks at m/z 748, PS(33:0), and m/z 281, octadecanoate . Unknown 'carboxylate' peaks were detected at m/z 254, 256, 261, 268, 282 and 301 . In some cases, unknown peaks appeared to constitute possible homologous series being separated by delta m/z of 14(identical to methylene) . For chemotaxonomic purposes, the complexity of the data required numerical analysis . Using the Pearson coefficient of linear correlation, as a measure of association, it was possible to compare all strains analysed . Typical results for strain comparisons were as follows: Ent . cloacae vs Ent . cloacae, r = 0.90 (Ent . cloacae vs Ac . calcoaceticus, r = 0.46) . Thus FAB-MS represents an excellent means of obtaining large quantities of data on polar lipids of a range of bacterial isolates, which may be suitable for chemotaxonomic purposes.

Rev Med Chil, 1992 Nov, 120(11), 1267 - 72
{Identification and sensitivity of acinetobacter sp isolated from clinical specimens and hospital environment}; Martinez MA et al.; One hundred thirty two strains of acinetobacter isolated between october 1989 and march 1991 at the San Juan de Dios Hospital, Santiago de Chile were included in this study . One hundred twelve isolates were obtained from patients and 20 from the hospital environment . Among the 112 clinical isolates, 108 (96.4%) were identified according to the new classification proposed by Bouvet and Grimont in 1986 as A . baumannii, and four as acinetobacter genospecies 3 . The 20 strains obtained from the hospital environment corresponded to A baumannii . No differences in the activities of the antimicrobial agents were found between clinical and environmental strains of A baumannii . Imipenem was the most active antimicrobial drug against A baumannii followed in descending order by sulbactam ampicillin and ceftazidime . The other antimicrobials tested showed poor activity against these strains as revealed for the MICs 50 and 90 in the resistance range.

J Clin Microbiol, 1992 Nov, 30(11), 2859 - 63
Rapid plasmid DNA isolation from mucoid gram-negative bacteria; Domenico P et al.; Exopolysaccharides interfere with the isolation and characterization of plasmid DNA from gram-negative bacteria . To repress capsular polysaccharide production, bacteria were cultured in medium containing bismuth nitrate and sodium salicylate . Rapid removal of other contaminating bacterial surface components was achieved by mild acidic zwitterionic detergent extraction . After treatment, bacterial cells were more readily lysed in alkaline detergents . The resulting plasmid preparations contained virtually no capsular polysaccharide and relatively small quantities of lipopolysaccharide and protein, yet they produced yields of nucleic acids similar to those of conventional plasmid preparations . Conventional preparations from encapsulated organisms were largely insoluble and appeared as smears following agarose gel electrophoresis, with indefinite plasmid banding . Plasmids prepared by the new method were highly soluble in conventional buffers and exhibited high-resolution plasmid banding patterns in agarose gels . Plasmids as large as 180 kbp could be isolated and visualized, without apparent nicking, and were readily digested by restriction endonuclease enzymes . The method proved effective with encapsulated or mucoid strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter anitratus, Salmonella typhimurium, and Enterobacter species . The complete method for plasmid isolation was not suitable for Pseudomonas aeruginosa because of the inhibitory effects of bismuth . Thus, removal of contaminating bacterial surface structures enabled the rapid isolation and characterization of plasmids from mucoid clinical isolates, without the use of organic solvents, CsCl gradients, or expensive, disposable columns.

Gaoxiong Yi Xue Ke Xue Za Zhi, 1992 Nov, 8(11), 628 - 31
A simultaneous bilateral attack of infectious corneal ulcers in an extended-wear soft contact lens wearer: a case report; Lin CP et al.; A case study was made of a 23-year-old female with simultaneous bilateral infectious corneal ulcers related to extended-wear soft contact lenses . Cultures revealed Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus . Multiple high risk factors were combined, including extended-wear, poor lens care, bilateral alternate wearing, and smoking . Amphetamine addiction may also have played a role . After treatment, a visual acuity of 20/20 was achieved in both eyes by the use of rigid gas-permeable contact lenses.

Nucleic Acids Res, 1992 Oct 11, 20(19), 4981 - 5
Alw26I, Eco31I and Esp3I--type IIs methyltransferases modifying cytosine and adenine in complementary strands of the target DNA; Bitinaite J et al.; The specificity of three DNA methyltransferases M.Alw26I, M.Eco31I and M.Esp3I, isolated from Acinetobacter Iwoffi RFL26, Escherichia coli RFL31 and Hafnia alvei RFL3+, respectively, was determined . All the enzymes methylate both strands of asymmetric recognition sites yielding m5C in the top-strand and m6A in the bottom-strand, as below: 5'-GTm5CTC 5'-GGTm5CTC 5'-CGTm5CTC 3'-Cm6AGAG 3'-CCm6AGAG 3'-GCm6AGAG (M.Alw26I) (M.Eco31I) (M.Esp3I) They are the first members of type IIs methyltransferases that modify different types of nucleotides in the recognition sequence.

Arch Biochem Biophys, 1992 Oct, 298(1), 238 - 46
Chimeric allosteric citrate synthases: construction and properties of citrate synthases containing domains from two different enzymes; Molgat GF et al.; The citrate synthases of the gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli and Acinetobacter anitratum, are allosterically inhibited by NADH . The kinetic properties, however, suggest that the equilibrium between active (R) and inactive (T) conformational states is shifted toward the T state in the E . coli enzyme . We have now manipulated the cloned genes for the two bacterial enzymes to produce two chimeric proteins, in which one folding domain of each subunit is derived from each enzyme . One chimera (the large domain from A . anitratum and the small domain from the E . coli enzyme) is designated CS ACI::eco; the other is called CS ECO::aci . Both chimeras are roughly as active as the wild type parents, but their Km values for both substrates are lower than those for the E . coli enzyme, and NADH inhibition is markedly sigmoid, while that for E . coli citrate synthases is hyperbolic . Curve-fitting to the allosteric equation suggests that these differences are the result of the destabilization of the T state in the chimeras . The ACI::eco chimera exists almost entirely as a hexamer, like the A . anitratum enzyme, while the ECO::aci chimera, like the E . coli synthase, forms three major bands on nondenaturing polyacrylamide gels, two of them hexamers of different net charge, and one a dimer . These findings indicate that subunit interactions leading to hexamer formation in allosteric citrate synthases of gram-negative bacteria involve mainly the large domains . The chimeras are also used to show that the NADH binding site of E . coli citrate synthase is located entirely in the large domain . Sensitivity of the chimeras to denaturation by urea, to which the A . anitratum enzyme is much more resistant than the E . coli enzyme, is determined by the large domains . Sensitivity to inactivation by subtilisin is intermediate between those shown by the E . coli (very sensitive) and A . anitratum (quite resistant) synthases . This result suggests that digestibility by subtilisin is determined by conformational factors as well as the amino acid sequences of the target regions.

J Chemother, 1992 Oct, 4(5), 263 - 7
In vitro interactions of aminoglycosides with imipenem or ciprofloxacin against aminoglycoside resistant Acinetobacter baumannii; Xirouchaki E et al.; The in vitro interactions between gentamicin, tobramycin, netilmicin and amikacin with imipenem and ciprofloxacin were evaluated by the killing curve technique against 20 clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii highly resistant to aminoglycosides which were susceptible or moderately susceptible to imipenem and resistant or moderately susceptible to ciprofloxacin . Imipenem enhanced killing by gentamicin, tobramycin, netilmicin and amikacin in tests with 9, 12, 10 and 15 strains (45-75%) while ciprofloxacin with 3, 7, 5 and 6 strains (15-35%) respectively . Interaction results were influenced by the height of aminoglycoside minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) but were independent of imipenem or ciprofloxacin MBCs and the presence of aminoglycoside modifying enzymes . It is concluded that enhanced killing after aminoglycoside interaction with imipenem or ciprofloxacin versus A . baumannii cannot be predicted but it should be carefully tested in vitro . The in vivo significance of the reported findings mandates clinical studies in humans.

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