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Biokhimiia, 1984 Jan, 49(1), 32 - 7 {Isolation and properties of tyrosine phenol-lyase from Citrobacter intermedius}; Demidkina TV et al.; A method for preparation of homogeneous tyrosine phenol lyase (EC 4.199.2) from Citrobacter intermedius has been developed . The cells were cultivated in the media with a view to obtain a cell culture with a high activity of tyrosine phenol lyase . The isoelectric point for the enzyme lies at pH 4.9 . Tyrosine phenol lyase is strictly stereospecific: it catalyzes the formation of pyruvate only from L-tyrosine, but not from D-tyrosine . Kinetic studies showed that K+ and NH4+ cations are non-competitive activators of the enzyme (Ka = 3.57 X 10(-3) and 1.34 X 10(-4) M, respectively). Prikl Biokhim Mikrobiol, 1984 Jan-Feb, 20(1), 79 - 87 {Immobilization of Citrobacter freundii cells with tyrosine phenol-lyase activity by entrapment in natural gels}; Tysiachnaia IV et al.; A comparative study on immobilization of Citrobacter freundii cells by entrapment in carrageenan, agar, agar-agar, and gelatin gels (5, 10, and 15%) was carried out . Gelatin gels were treated with glutaraldehyde to make them more rigid . As a result, the tyrosine phenol-lyase activity of these samples was less than that of free cells (about 40%) . The yield of TP-lyase activity was 40--60% when cells were immobilized in 5% and 7% agar and agar-agar gels . The cells entrapped in carrageenan gels, the concentration of which was varied from 2 to 10%, possessed the highest tyrosine phenol-lyase activity (up to 90%) . The efficiency of cell entrapment was high for all the carrier and equal to 70--90% . The plastic strength and swelling of the above gels, as well as the phenol adsorption on the carriers and the release of the bacterial cells from them were studied under the conditions of tyrosine phenol-lyase reaction. Chemotherapy, 1984, 30(3), 175 - 81 Influence of spontaneous and inducible beta-lactamase production on the antimicrobial activity of recently developed beta-lactam compounds; Cullmann W et al.; The activity of 9 recently developed beta-lactam compounds was evaluated in 185 ampicillin-resistant isolates of Enterobacteriaceae . Moreover, in all strains, spontaneous and inducible beta-lactamase production was quantified and correlated with the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of each compound . In most species, no correlation could be observed between spontaneously produced beta-lactamase and the MICs, with the only exceptions of Serratia spp . and Morganella morganii isolates for methoxyimino cephalosporins and azthreonam . On the other hand, the increase of MICs of third-generation cephalosporins and azthreonam correlated well with the total amount of enzyme produced . With respect to temocillin and the penem compound Sch 29 482, there was a significant correlation of enzyme production and MICs only among the Citrobacter spp . isolates . It can be assumed that the effectiveness of the new agents is not only due to the low rate of hydrolysis, but also to the rapid binding to the lethal target. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1984 Jan, 25(1), 98 - 104 In vitro and in vivo antibacterial properties of FK 027, a new orally active cephem antibiotic; Kamimura T et al.; FK 027 was more active than cefaclor, cephalexin, and amoxicillin against stock strains of a wide variety of gram-negative bacteria, including such opportunistic pathogens as Citrobacter and Enterobacter species and Serratia marcescens . FK 027 was significantly more active than the three reference drugs against clinical isolates of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, indole-positive and -negative Proteus species, Providencia species, Haemophilus influenzae, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae . It was less active than cefaclor, cephalexin, and amoxicillin against staphylococci, but it was similar to cefaclor in its activity against streptococci . With few exceptions, FK 027 was active against strains of E . coli, K . pneumoniae, and Proteus mirabilis that were resistant to the reference agents . The bactericidal activity of FK 027 against various gram-negative bacteria, including Proteus species, Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter aerogenes, and S . marcescens, was greater than that of cefaclor, cephalexin, and amoxicillin . The therapeutic activities of FK 027 in mice infected with gram-negative bacilli were far superior to the activities of cefaclor, cephalexin, and amoxicillin, but they were inferior to the activities of these reference drugs against infection with Staphylococcus aureus. Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz), 1984, 32(4), 493 - 7 Immunochemical characterization of lipopolysaccharides of Citrobacter chemotypes CC-G and CC-H; Romanowska A et al.; Lipopolysaccharides of Citrobacter serotypes 04, 027 and 036 indicate strong cross-reactivity in passive hemagglutination and their O-specific chains are homopolymers of (beta 1----2)--linked 4-deoxy-D-arabinohexose . Citrobacter serotype 023 cannot be placed in chemotype CC-H, since its O-specific polysaccharide does not contain 4-deoxy-hexose . The possibility exists that 4-deoxy-D-arabinohexosyl side chains of 023-specific-polysaccharide disappeared as a result of a mutation of the parent strain . Although Citrobacter strain PCM 1487 contains 4-deoxy-D-arabinohexose and belongs to the chemotype CC-G, it cannot be included to the serotypes 04, 027 or 036 . Instead, it represents a new serotype, with O-specific polysaccharide composed of 4-deoxy-D-arabinohexose, N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylgalactosamine. Clin Ther, 1984, 6(6), 839 - 43 Cefoperazone in the treatment of postsurgical wound infection, sepsis, and abscess of the spinal cord and brain; Woo JH et al.; Cefoperazone was used in the treatment of 23 cases of serious bacterial infection in 20 patients . Ten postoperative scalp wound infections, five infections at the site of tracheostomy, four cases of extradural spinal cord abscess, three cases of sepsis, and one abscess of the cerebellopontine angle were treated with cefoperazone (1 to 2 gm BID, usually for seven to 27 days) . There were excellent or good clinical responses in 87% (20/23) of the cases (14 of the 15 postsurgical wound infections, three of the four cases of spinal cord abscess, and all three cases of sepsis) . Most of the organisms isolated from the patients' cultures were sensitive to cefoperazone . Excellent or good responses occurred in ten of the 12 infections due to Staphylococcus aureus, in all three infections due to Pseudomonas sp, all three due to Citrobacter freundii, the two due to Serratia marcescens, one of the two due to Klebsiella sp, and the one due to Escherichia coli . Two patients with ventriculitis were clinically improved by three 1-gm infusions, via a shunt, of cefoperazone . No adverse effects of the antibiotic therapy were reported. Med Microbiol Immunol (Berl), 1984, 173(1), 45 - 8 Growth of clinical isolates in the cold; Flournoy DJ; Common clinical isolates were tested to determine their ability to multiply after 7 days at 4 degrees C in trypticase soy broth . 34% of the 214 isolates grew in the cold . Citrobacter freundii, Group D Enterococci, Klebsiella oxytoca, Proteus vulgaris, Providencia rettgeri and Serratia marcescens grew best of all . The importance of growth in the cold is discussed. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, 1984, 50(5-6), 711 - 27 Recognition and clinical significance of mechanisms of bacterial resistance to beta-lactams; Mouton RP; Resistance to beta-lactams may be difficult to recognize . This is due to the difficulty in detecting these resistances, when the routine tests performed in diagnostic laboratories are interpreted in the usual manner . Since failure to recognize this type of resistance may have serious consequences for the patient, it is essential that it be detected when present . For the detection of methicillin resistance of Staphylococcus aureus a standardized method using either a medium containing 5% NaCl or a low incubation temperature is advocated . Methicillin resistance of S . epidermidis can only be recognized reliably by means of a quantitative test and incubation for 42-48 h . Resistance of Haemophilus influenzae to ampicillin may be intrinsic or it may be caused by a TEM beta-lactamase; a beta-lactamase test should be used to detect the latter type of resistance . Inducible cephalosporinase may be responsible for the rapid development of resistance of some bacterial species to cefamandole, even during therapy . If a stable beta-lactamase production is attained by mutation, resistance to other beta-lactams will usually be present as well . Routine induction tests should be performed for all isolates of species of Enterobacter, Serratia, Citrobacter and Proteus, indole-positive . The same type of 'hidden' resistance may be present in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, with regard to cefotaxime and other third-generation cephalosporins . Beta-lactamase-positive Neisseria gonorrhoeae can easily be recognized by a beta-lactamase test . In addition, the results of diffusion tests allow one to distinguish between beta-lactamase-positive and beta-lactamase-negative strains . Recognition of those strains of N . gonorrhoeae having a decreased susceptibility to penicillin is only possible when well-standardized quantitative tests are used. Clin Ther, 1984, 6(4), 411 - 24 In vitro properties of ceftazidime, a highly active broad-spectrum cephalosporin with antipseudomonal activity; Harper PB; Ceftazidime is an aminothiazolyl cephalosporin that exhibits a high level of broad-spectrum activity, with particularly good activity against Pseudomonas sp . Although activity in vitro against staphylococci is moderate, the majority of enterobacteria are susceptible, with MIC50 values in the range from 0.06 to 4 micrograms/ml . This cephalosporin is also highly active against indole-positive Proteus sp, Providencia sp, Citrobacter sp, and Serratia sp, with MIC50 values ranging from less than or equal to 0.06 to 0.13 microgram/ml . Good activity against Pseudomonas sp is a notable feature, with MIC90 values in the range of 4 to 8 micrograms/ml . Ceftazidime is bactericidal at concentrations identical or close to the MIC . Antibiotic performance in vitro appears to be unaffected by the presence of body fluids . Good stability to hydrolysis by a range of the prevalent beta-lactamases, good penetration into the intact bacterium, and a high affinity for the essential penicillin-binding proteins combine to account for the broad spectrum and high activity of ceftazidime . Comparative in vitro studies have shown ceftazidime to be as active and sometimes more active than available aminoglycoside antibiotics . Since the mode of action of ceftazidime differs fundamentally from that of the aminoglycosides, high activity is maintained against the majority of aminoglycoside-resistant isolates . Ceftazidime should therefore represent a viable and potentially safer alternative to aminoglycoside antibiotics. Urol Int, 1984, 39(6), 345 - 51 Comparative efficacy of piperacillin versus carbenicillin for complicated urinary tract infections; Sharifi R et al.; In this controlled, randomized clinical trial we compared piperacillin and carbenicillin in the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections . 24 patients received piperacillin 150 mg/kg/day for 7.2 +/- 2.75 days and 17 patients received carbenicillin 200 mg/kg/day for 7.5 +/- 2.90 days . Patients were evaluated for clinical and bacteriologic responses and tolerance to therapy . Although the clinical cure rate significantly favored carbenicillin treatment (p less than 0.01), the sum of the percentages of cases with clinical cure and clinical improvement were similar between groups: 91.6% for piperacillin and 88.2% for carbenicillin . The bacteriologic cure rates for piperacillin and carbenicillin patients (54.1 and 47.0%, respectively) were not significantly different (p greater than 0.05) . The low cure rates in our study were probably the result of uncorrected/uncorrectable genitourinary tract abnormalities . Superinfections developed in 12.5 and 17.6% of piperacillin and carbenicillin patients, respectively, and were due to Klebsiella pneumonia, Proteus mirabilis, Citrobacter diversus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Overall, side effects were mild, reversible, and did not require discontinuation of treatment . However, carbenicillin caused elevations in liver enzymes more frequently than piperacillin (p less than 0.05) . Based on our data, we recommend reserving piperacillin monotherapy for patients who are poor candidates for aminoglycosides, or are on severe sodium restriction, and have serious complicated urinary tract infections due to susceptible organisms . We do not recommend piperacillin alone for empiric treatment of complicated urinary tract infections. Mol Biol (Mosk), 1984 Jan-Feb, 18(1), 115 - 29 {Specificity of new restrictases and methylases . Unusual modification of cytosine at position 4}; Ianulaitis AA et al.; Fourteen restriction endonucleases and 4 methylases were isolated and purified from 14 strains of Citrobacter freundii and Escherichia coli, which were isolated from natural sources . To determine the nucleotide sequence recognized by the endonucleases a comparison of DNA cleavage patterns, the evaluation of the cleavage frequency of some DNA with known recognition sequences and mapping was used . It was determined that Cfr101 is a new enzyme recognizing 5'PuCCGGPy . Other restriction enzymes isolated were isoschizomers of: Cfr5I, Cfr11I, Eco60I, Eco61I--EcoRII; Cfr4I, Cfr8I, Cfr13I--Sau96I; Cfr6I--PvuII, Cfr9I--SmaI, Eco26I--HgiJII; Eco32I--EcoRV; Eco52I--XmaIII; Eco56I--NaeI . Some of the enzymes in C . freundii and E . coli were found for the first time . The methylases MCfrI; MCfr6I, MCfr9I and MCfr10I recognize the same nucleotide sequence as specific endonucleases isolated from the same strain . DNA modification in vitro by MCfrI and MCfr10I yields 5-methylcytosine and 4-methylcytosine by MCfr6I and MCfr9I. Can J Microbiol, 1984 Jan, 30(1), 91 - 7 Characterization of anti-Citrobacter 036 specific polysaccharide monoclonal antibodies; Shearman PJ et al.; Monoclonal mouse antibodies specific for the 0 antigen of Citrobacter 036, a homopolymer of beta (1----2)-linked 4-deoxy-D-arabinohexose, were generated by the hybridoma technique . Balb/c mice were immunized with killed whole-cell vaccine and initial selection of active clones was based on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) employing purified lipopolysaccharide (LPS) . Concentrated culture supernatants from selected hybrid cultures were used to identify 10 0-antigen specific monoclonal antibodies using the multiple criteria of immunoprecipitation of 0 chains and LPS, inhibition by acid hydrolyzed 0 chains in the screening ELISA, and antibody class analysis . Four monoclonal antibodies were chosen for further study using dose-dependent 0-chain inhibition of ELISA and passive hemagglutination, passive hemolysis, and bacterial agglutination titres . When screened with Citrobacter serotypes known to contain the sugar 4-deoxy-D-arabinose, passive hemagglutination tests showed that the two monoclonal antibodies examined possessed titres which could be correlated with the reported 4-deoxy-D-arabinohexose content of the respective LPS's . This sugar is an antigenically important unit of several Citrobacter serotypes as defined by these well-characterized monoclonal antibodies. Clin Ther, 1984, 7(1), 33 - 9 Efficacy of ceftizoxime administered twice daily in hospitalized patients with respiratory tract infections; Lentnek A et al.; The efficacy and safety of ceftizoxime administered twice daily were evaluated in 215 hospitalized patients with documented lower respiratory tract infections . The majority of patients received 1 to 2 gm of ceftizoxime intramuscularly or intravenously every 12 hours; the mean dosage was 2 gm/day, and the mean duration of therapy was 8.9 days . Clinical cure was achieved in 204 (95%) of the 215 patients with lower respiratory tract infection . One hundred and thirty-eight patients were both clinically and bacteriologically evaluable . The clinical response rates, by organism, were: Streptococcus pneumoniae, 100% (50/50); Haemophilus influenzae, 96% (25/26); gram-negative bacilli (Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Enterobacter sp, Serratia sp, Pseudomonas sp, Klebsiella sp, Citrobacter sp, and Morganella morganii), 86% (32/37); and Staphylococcus aureus, 92% (12/13) . In the other 77 patients with clinical symptoms, no pathogen was isolated or insufficient follow-up data were collected to assess bacteriologic response . Adverse reactions, which were infrequent, were similar to those reported in other US trials of the drug . The findings indicate that ceftizoxime, 1 to 2 gm BID, is effective and safe in the treatment of lower respiratory tract infections in hospitalized patients . This low-dose regimen can significantly reduce the cost of cephalosporin therapy. J Am Vet Med Assoc, 1983 Dec 1, 183(11), 1198 - 201 Panophthalmitis and otitis interna in fire-bellied toads; Brooks DE et al.; Microbiologic and histologic studies were made of fire-bellied toads with signs of ocular and central nervous system disease . Providencia alcalifaciens, Citrobacter freundii, Aeromonas hydrophila, and other gram-negative bacilli were isolated from the eyes and multiple tissues of ill toads . The histologic evaluations revealed severe panophthalmitis and otitis interna. Can J Biochem Cell Biol, 1983 Dec, 61(12), 1292 - 303 Survey, purification, and properties of sugar phosphate phosphohydrolase among microorganisms; Choy FY et al.; Sugar phosphate phosphohydrolase was purified approximately 500- to 600-fold to apparent homogeneity from Escherichia coli B, Escherichia coli C, Escherichia coli var . communior, Escherichia acidilactici, Enterobacter aerogenes, Neisseria meningitidis, and Saccharomyces cereviseae . The molecular weights of the enzyme as estimated by gel filtration ranged from 97 X 10(3) to 101 X 10(3) . The enzyme was composed of two subunits with the same molecular weight which ranged from 50 X 10(3) to 52 X 10(3), as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis . Homogeneous enzyme preparations hydrolyse all the tested alpha-D-aldohexose 1-phosphate, D-(keto or aldo)hexose 6-phosphate, and pentose phosphate substrates significantly . When the microorganisms were transferred from growth medium with 1% glucose to that without glucose, there were dramatic increases in both the specific and total enzyme activities . At least three isozymes appeared to be present in S . cereviseae, and two appeared to be present in E . coli B, E . coli var . communior, and N . meningitidis . Rabbit antiserum immunized against sugar phosphate phosphohydrolase purified from E . coli B cross-reacted with both the crude extracts and purified preparations of the enzyme from the other microorganisms . The presence of neither sugar phosphate phosphohydrolase activity nor immunocrossreacting material was detected in the following microorganisms: Aspergillus niger, Azotobacter chroococcum, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus pumilis, Citrobacter freundii, Clostridium butyricum, Corynebacterium xerosis, Flavobacterium aquatile, Flavobacterium synxanthum, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Micrococcus coralinus, Neisseria perflava, Neurospora crassa, Penicilium expansum, Penicilium notatum, Proteus mirabilis, Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Saccharomyces fermenti, Sarcina lutea, and Streptomyces antibioticus . At present, no conclusive relationship can be established between the phosphoenolpyruvate phosphotransferase system and the enzyme sugar phosphate phosphohydrolase among microorganisms . The physiological role of sugar phosphate phosphohydrolase as a transferase and regulatory enzyme is discussed. Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1983 Nov, 256(1), 109 - 18 Influence of methoxy-substitution of beta-lactam compounds on the interaction with various beta-lactamases; Cullmann W et al.; The interaction of 6 alpha-(temocillin) and 7 alpha-methoxy substituted (cefoxitin) beta-lactam compounds with various beta-lactamases was studied employing enzyme kinetics and compared to that of unsubstituted compounds . Both chromosomally mediated enzymes from Enterobacter cloacae and Citrobacter freundii were competitively inhibited by the methoxy-substituted compounds . Higher concentrations of cefoxitin caused a competitive inhibition of the plasmid-mediated Tem-1 enzyme, whereas temocillin led to a non-competitive inhibition of the Tem-1 enzyme . These results indicate that the discrepancies in the interaction on the above mentioned compounds have to be attributed to the different molecular structure of the beta-lactam nucleus . Moreover, no predictions can be made on the basis of an analogy between 6 alpha-methoxy-penams and 7 alpha-methoxy cephems. Jpn J Antibiot, 1983 Oct, 36(10), 2887 - 92 {Sensitivity of the recent bacterial isolates to cefotaxime and other cephem antibiotics}; Fujita S et al.; Antimicrobial susceptibility of 703 nonselected strains of 14 different bacterial species to cefazolin, cefmetazole, cefotiam, cefoperazone latamoxef, and cefotaxime (CTX) was examined . CTX was the most active against E . coli, Klebsiella, Serratia, P . mirabilis, H . influenzae, beta-Streptococcus group A, beta-Streptococcus group B and S . pneumoniae . On the other hand, CTX-resistant (MIC greater than or equal to 50 micrograms/ml) strains were isolated at the following frequencies: Citrobacter, 21.7%; Enterobacter, 7.7%; Serratia, 4.6%; P . aeruginosa, 40.4% and B . fragilis, 28.6% . Of the 411 strains classified as very sensitive () or moderately sensitive (++) by disk method, 405 strains (98.5%) were inhibited by less than or equal to 12.5 micrograms/ml of CTX . Only 1 strain (0.2%) was falsely classified as moderately sensitive and no strains were falsely categorized as resistant. FEBS Lett, 1983 Sep 19, 161(2), 210 - 2 A new site-specific endodeoxyribonuclease from Citrobacter freundii; Janulaitis A et al.; Cfr10 I, a site-specific endonuclease from Citrobacter freundii strain RFL10, was isolated . It recognizes and cleaves the family of related sequences: 5'Pu decreases CCGGPy to generate DNA fragments with 5' tetranucleotide extensions . Cfr10 I may be useful in molecular cloning experiments, especially in conjunction with other enzymes which generate the same terminal extensions. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1983 Sep, 24(3), 437 - 9 Efficacy of BRL 25000 against Serratia marcescens, Enterobacter cloacae, and Citrobacter freundii in urinary tract infections; Nakazawa H et al.; Synergism between amoxicillin and clavulanic acid was not expected against cephalosporinase-producing bacterial strains because clavulanic acid has little inhibitory action on cephalosporinases . However, in a clinical trial of BRL 25000 (amoxicillin-clavulanic acid), excellent results were obtained in complicated urinary tract infections caused by Serratia marcescens, Enterobacter cloacae, and Citrobacter freundii strains which produced cephalosporinase and were highly resistant to amoxicillin alone . The good clinical efficacy of BRL 25000 in such urinary tract infections was probably due to the fact that the urinary concentration of clavulanic acid was higher than its minimal inhibitory concentrations for these strains. J Bacteriol, 1983 Sep, 155(3), 1297 - 305 Comparison of the overlapping frd and ampC operons of Escherichia coli with the corresponding DNA sequences in other gram-negative bacteria; Bergstrom S et al.; Specific DNA probes from Escherichia coli K-12 were used to analyze the sequence divergence of the frd and ampC operons in various species of gram-negative bacteria . These operons code for the fumarate reductase complex and the chromosomal beta-lactamase, respectively . We demonstrate that the two operons show the same general pattern of divergence, although the frd operon is considerably more conserved than is the ampC operon . The major exception is Salmonella typhimurium LT2, which shows a strong homology to the E . coli frd probe but none to the E . coli ampC probe . The operons from Citrobacter freundii and Shigella sonnei were cloned and characterized by physical mapping, Southern hybridization, and protein synthesis in minicells . In S . sonnei, as in E . coli K-12, the frd and ampC operons overlap (T . Grundstrom and B . Jaurin, Proc . Natl . Acad . Sci . U.S.A . 79:1111-1115, 1982) . Only minor discrepancies between the two operons were found over the entire frd-ampC region . In C . freundii, the ampC and frd operons do not overlap, being separated by about 1,100 base pairs . Presumably the inducible property of the C . freundii chromosomal beta-lactamase is encoded by this 1,100-base-pair DNA segment. Infect Immun, 1983 Sep, 41(3), 1056 - 61 Synthesis of plasmid-coded heat-labile enterotoxin in wild-type and hypertoxinogenic strains of Escherichia coli and in other genera of Enterobacteriaceae; Neill RJ et al.; The effect of host determinants on expression of plasmid-coded heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) was examined . A collection of LT plasmids was introduced into isogenic strains of Escherichia coli K-12 strains containing the wild type or hypertoxinogenic (htx-2) allele . For each plasmid tested, production of LT increased by approximately 1.5- to 3-fold in the host containing htx-2, indicating that the htx-2 allele affects a regulatory function for LT production that is common to many different enterotoxin plasmids . LT plasmids from E . coli were also introduced into strains of Shigella flexneri, Shigella sonnei, Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Salmonella typhimurium . The plasmids were stably maintained and determined production of LT in those genera, although the amounts of LT produced varied by more than 50-fold . These observations demonstrate that host factors have an important role in determining the level of expression of plasmid-coded LT genes and support the hypothesis that interspecific, conjugal transfer of enterotoxin plasmids may confer enterotoxigenicity to a wide variety of potentially pathogenic enteric bacteria. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1983 Aug, 12(2), 127 - 31 The origin and properties of beta-lactamase satellite bands seen in isoelectric focusing; Simpson IN et al.; Citrobacter diversus 2046E and Branhamella catarrhalis 2001E each produce a constitutive, chromosomally mediated broad-spectrum beta-lactamase . Isoelectric focusing of both enzymes revealed patterns of multiple 'satellite' bands . The principal satellite bands of each enzyme were isolated and characterized . Individual bands of each enzyme gave similar substrate profiles, molecular weights and responses to inhibitors to one another . The results support the theory that satellite bands are due to the loss and/or modification of specific amino acid residues resulting in biologically active molecules with altered nett charges. Antibiotiki, 1983 Aug, 28(8), 581 - 6 {TEM-type beta-lactamase coded by the plasmid from Citrobacter sp.}; Sazykin AIu et al.; beta-Lactamase was isolated from the cells of E . coli, strain 1039, a transconjugant carrying the plasmid first detected in Citrobacter sp . beta-Lactamase was purified to obtain a homogeneous preparation . The activity of the enzyme was estimated by a modification of the potentiometric method providing determination of up to 0.1 mumol of penicilloinic acid . The activity of the pure enzyme was 206 mumol per 1 mg of protein per minute . The molecular weight determined by gel filtration was 21500 . The substrate profile of beta-lactamase corresponded to the TEM type . Preliminary incubation with methicillin resulted in a significant decrease in the enzyme activity . Carbenicillin, dicloxacillin, oxacillin and cephalothin induced no decrease in the activity of the enzyme when subjected to preliminary incubation with it . The use of the functional group reagents allowed detecting residues of serine and lysine in the enzyme active centre or close to it . Km and Kcat for some antibiotics were evaluated . The ratio of alpha- and beta-structures in the molecule of beta-lactamase was determined with the method of circular dichroism (CD) . The fraction of the alpha-spiral areas amounted to 30 +/- 5 per cent and the fraction of beta-structures amounted to 20 +/- 5 per cent . On attachment of methicillin to the molecule of the enzyme the ratio of alpha- and beta-structures did not change which may be considered as a preliminary indication of the centre "immobility" in the process of catalysis . Slow hydroysis of methicillin by beta-lactamase was shown with the method of CD. Methods Find Exp Clin Pharmacol, 1983 Jul-Aug, 5(6), 375 - 83 Antibacterial activity of aztreonam: a synthetic monobactam . A comparative study with thirteen other antibiotics; Paradelis AG et al.; The in vitro activity of aztreoman (SQ 26, 776), a new monocyclic beta-lactam antimicrobial agent, was determined against 1720 bacteria, all clinical isolates, and compared with that of thirteen beta-lactam and aminoglycoside antibiotics . Aztreonam inhibited 90% of Citrobacter diversus, Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter agglomerans, E . coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Proteus morganii, Proteus rettgeri, Proteus vulgaris and Salmonella sp . by less than or equal to 0.4 micrograms ml-1 . This activity was superior to moxalactam, piperacillin, cefamandole, cefoperazone, cefoxitin, cefsulodin, ceftazidime and aminoglycoside antibiotics . Aztreonam was as active as moxalactam against Enterobacter aerogenes, Enterobacter cloacae and Shigella species . Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains resistant to moxalactam, piperacillin, cefamandole, cefoperazone, cefotaxime, cefoxitin, cefsulodin and ceftazidime were inhibited by aztreonam 50% by 6.3 micrograms ml-1 and 90% by 16 micrograms ml-1 . Aztreonam was as active as ceftazidime against Serratia marcescens, all strains were inhibited by 3.1 micrograms ml-1 and 90% by 1.6 micrograms ml-1 . There was no major difference between MBC and MIC values of aztreonam and the effect of inoculum size upon MIC values was observed at 10(7) CFU. Pediatr Med Chir, 1983 Jul-Aug, 5(4), 205 - 9 {2 cases of osteomyelitis in acute leukemia in the induction phase of treatment}; De Bernardi B et al.; Whereas children with Acute Leukemia are highly susceptible to infectious complications, the occurrence of acute osteomyelitis is extremely rare in these patients . The authors describe two such cases in children at onset of an acute lymphoblastic and of a myelomonocytic leukemia, respectively . In the former case, the clinical course has been characterized by the progressive involvement of several joints and bones . A citrobacter Freundii was isolated in the synovial fluid of an involved knee . This complication was successfully treated with proper antimicrobic agents and surgical toilet, while the patient was vigorously treated for her leukemia, achieving a complete remission . The latter case developed a right humerus osteomyelitis from an Enterobacter . The patient failed to respond to antibiotics, and his leukemia also turned refractory to antiblastic therapy . The difficulty in the differential diagnosis among the X-graphic aspects of leukemic, inflammatory and degenerative disease of bones are discussed by the authors . Some pathogenetic hypothesis of leukemic osteomyelitis are also presented. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1983 Jul, 24(1), 31 - 8 In vitro evaluation of Augmentin by broth microdilution and disk diffusion susceptibility testing: regression analysis, tentative interpretive criteria, and quality control limits; Fuchs PC et al.; Augmentin (Beecham Laboratories, Bristol, Tenn.), a combination drug consisting of two parts amoxicillin to one part clavulanic acid and a potent beta-lactamase inhibitor, was evaluated in vitro in comparison with ampicillin or amoxicillin or both for its inhibitory and bactericidal activities against selected clinical isolates . Regression analysis was performed and tentative disk diffusion susceptibility breakpoints were determined . A multicenter performance study of the disk diffusion test was conducted with three quality control organisms to determine tentative quality control limits . All methicillin-susceptible staphylococci and Haemophilus influenzae isolates were susceptible to Augmentin, although the minimal inhibitory concentrations for beta-lactamase-producing strains of both groups were, on the average, fourfold higher than those for enzyme-negative strains . Among the Enterobacteriaceae, Augmentin exhibited significantly greater activity than did ampicillin against Klebsiella pneumoniae, Citrobacter diversus, Proteus vulgaris, and about one-third of the Escherichia coli strains tested . Bactericidal activity usually occurred at the minimal inhibitory concentration . There was a slight inoculum concentration effect on the Augmentin minimal inhibitory concentrations . On the basis of regression and error rate-bounded analyses, the suggested interpretive disk diffusion susceptibility breakpoints for Augmentin are: susceptible, greater than or equal to 18 mm; resistant, less than or equal to 13 mm (gram-negative bacilli); and susceptible, greater than or equal to 20 mm (staphylococci and H . influenzae) . The use of a beta-lactamase-producing organism, such as E . coli Beecham 1532, is recommended for quality assurance of Augmentin susceptibility testing. Clin Pediatr (Phila), 1983 Jul, 22(7), 515 - 7 Citrobacter ventriculitis in a neonate responsive to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole; Greene GR et al.; There are increasing reports of citrobacter central nervous system infections in neonates . These organisms cause brain abcesses in a high percentage of patients . They may be resistant to commonly used antibiotics . We report a term male infant with underlying meningo-myelocoele and hydrocephalus in whom Citrobacter diversus meningitis and ventriculitis developed . Initial antibiotic therapy including intraventricular amikacin failed to sterilize the ventricles or alter a deteriorating clinical course . Adding intravenous trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole to the therapeutic regimen resulted in reversal of a progressively worsening condition and eventual recovery . Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole should be considered as a potentially useful alternative antibiotic for susceptible central nervous system infections. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1983 Jul, 12 Suppl A, 81 - 8 Early results of a comparative trial of ceftazidime versus cephalothin, carbenicillin and gentamicin in the treatment of febrile granulocytopenic patients; Ramphal R et al.; Ceftazidime was compared with a combination of cephalothin, carbenicillin and gentamicin as empirical therapy for fever in granulocytopenic patients . Forty-eight patients were studied in this randomized trial . In the 44 evaluable cases, favourable clinical responses were seen in 9/21 ceftazidime-treated cases and 13/23 patients treated with the combination . Four of 5 bacteraemias were cured with ceftazidime and 3 of 4 with triple therapy . Comparable numbers of patients developed new fevers while on therapy . Five ceftazidime-treated patients developed documented superinfection compared to 6 patients in the other group . Five patients treated with ceftazidime died from the initial infection or a superinfection compared with 3 on the combination . The overall results appear to be similar at this time . However, remarkable differences were observed between the types of superinfecting organisms with the two regimens . If all 48 patients are considered the isolates were as follows: ceftazidime treatment--5 clostridia, 3 enterococci, 1 Staphylococcus epidermidis and 1 Citrobacter; cephalothin-carbenicillin-gentamicin treatment--4 Pseudomonas, 1 Escherichia coli, 1 Bacteroides fragilis and 2 Candida spp . These results suggest that Gram-positive coverage should be added to ceftazidime in the empirical treatment of febrile granulocytopenic patients. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1983 Jul, 24(1), 23 - 30 Kinetic studies on inactivation of Citrobacter freundii cephalosporinase by sulbactam; Yamaguchi A et al.; The inactivation kinetics for inhibition by sulbactam (CP45,899) of Citrobacter freundii GN346 cephalosporinase were studied in detail and compared with those of type Ib penicillinase or TEM-2 beta-lactamase mediated by R plasmid RGN823 . The rate constant for progressive inactivation of the cephalosporinase was significantly larger than that measured with the penicillinase . The number of sulbactam molecules required to cause complete inactivation of one cephalosporinase molecule (turnover number) was 80 . The turnover number for the penicillinase was 5,200 . The powerful inhibition by sulbactam of this cephalosporinase is similar to clavulanic acid inhibition of the penicillinase (turnover number, 115; reported by others) . The affinity of sulbactam for the cephalosporinase, expressed as Ki, was 500 microM; this value was much higher than that for the penicillinase, which was estimated to be 0.5 microM . These results indicated that sulbactam is an effective progressive inactivator but a poor competitive inhibitor for the cephalosporinase . Our study also revealed that the cephalosporinase and sulbactam formed a long-lived inhibitor-enzyme complex which we termed the pseudo-irreversible complex . The half-life of the complex was 550 min at pH 7.0 and 30 degrees C. Minerva Med, 1983 Jun 16, 74(25), 1457 - 62 {Effects of lysozyme treatment on immune reactions in viral hepatitis . Preliminary report}; Fiori GP et al.; The effect of orally administered Lysozyme (2 g per diem for 6-15 days) on serum immunoglobulins, C3 complement component, its C3A properdine activator and intestinal flora was studied in 45 subjects with acute viral hepatitis . Comparison of the data before and after treatment revealed a significant decrease in IgA, IgM and C3A and an equally significant increase in C3 . Coproculture tests revealed important changes in many case in which one or more pathogenetic species (Enterobacter, Proteus, Citrobacter) had completely disappeared . The mechanisms used by Lysozyme in the modulation of immunological responses during viral hepatitis are discussed . These include reduction of the enteric antigen stimulus by inhibiting the growth of bacterial flora, the blocking of anti-complement factors and the modification of antibody response. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1983 Jun, 11(6), 577 - 81 Selection of variants of Gram-negative bacteria with elevated production of type 1 beta-lactamase; Gwynn MN et al.; Variants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Citrobacter freundii and Enterobacter cloacae were isolated that produced elevated levels of type 1 beta-lactamase . The variants were readily isolated on antibiotic-containing agar and showed resistance to a wide range of beta-lactam antibiotics including some regarded as being relatively stable to the beta-lactamase produced. Jpn J Antibiot, 1983 Jun, 36(6), 1521 - 43 {Comparison of antibacterial potencies of oral and parenteral antibiotic preparations against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Citrobacter, and Proteus isolated from urinary tract infections (3 . 1981) . 3 . Patient backgrounds and bacterial sensitivities}; Kosakai N et al.; Routine susceptibilities testing of microorganisms isolated from patients are of restricted usefulness in the treatment of patients because of the delay in obtaining results . Thus, the empiric chemotherapy based on the susceptibility of microorganisms isolated from patients is necessary for the majority of patients with simple and complicated urinary tract infections . In this study the relation between changing susceptibility and background factors such as age, a sex distinction, antibiotics, areas in Japan, simple and complicated UTI and so on, has been investigated. Jpn J Antibiot, 1983 Jun, 36(6), 1504 - 20 {Comparison of antibacterial potencies of oral and parenteral antibiotic preparations against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Citrobacter, and Proteus isolated from urinary tract infections (3: 1981) . 2 . Changes in bacterial sensitivities}; Kosakai N et al.; Since 1979 the antibacterial activity of antibiotics against E . coli, Klebsiella, Citrobacter and Proteus isolated from patients with urinary tract infections has been investigated . The serious transition of susceptibilities of E . coli and Klebsiella could not be recognized in these antibiotics (MPC, ABPC, NA, PPA, CEX, CEZ, CTM, CMZ and CFX) . However, a few resistant organisms against the third generation's antibiotics (CTX, CMX, CZX, LMOX and CPZ) have already been appeared, we have to observe these results, continuously. Jpn J Antibiot, 1983 Jun, 36(6), 1469 - 503 {Comparison of antibacterial potencies of oral and parenteral antibiotic preparations against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Citrobacter, and Proteus isolated from urinary tract infections (3: 1981) 1 . Susceptibility distribution}; Kosakai N et al.; In vitro activities of antibacterial agents against E . coli, Klebsiella, Citrobacter and Proteus which were isolated from patients with urinary tract infections at 8 hospitals in Japan, were investigated by dilution broth method using MIC 2000 (Dynatec) during July to October in 1981 . The summarized results are as follows: Among oral antibacterial agents, MPC and PPA have showed potent antibacterial activities against E . coli and Klebsiella . In vitro activities of oral antibacterial agents against Proteus and Citrobacter showed not so potent . Among the first and second generation's parenteral antibacterial agents, CTM has showed potent antibacterial activities against E . coli and Klebsiella . Among the third generation's parenteral antibacterial agents, CMX, CTX and CZX have showed potent antibacterial activities against E . coli, Klebsiella, Proteus and Citrobacter. J Clin Pathol, 1983 Jun, 36(6), 670 - 3 Phenomenon of resistance to Augmentin associated with sensitivity to ampicillin: occurrence and explanation; Brumfitt W et al.; Ampicillin was found to be some tenfold more active than amoxycillin against Enterobacter cloacae . This finding explains the observation that some Ent cloacae strains are sensitive to ampicillin in the disc test but resistant to Augmentin . Ampicillin was also found to be more active than amoxycillin against Citrobacter freundii and Serratia marcescens . In view of these findings, the practice of using ampicillin discs to predict sensitivity to amoxycillin should be reconsidered . The use of both ampicillin and amoxycillin discs is appropriate if errors are to be avoided. Immun Infekt, 1983 Jun, 11(4), 140 - 2 {Spectrum of resistance of various bacteria against cefotiam in 3 Berlin clinics}; Hahn H et al.; The in vitro activity of Cefotiam ( Spizef ) was tested using the agar diffusion test method according to DIN 58940 and compared with the antibacterial activity of 12 other routinely tested antibacterial chemotherapeutics . A total of 3000 strains from patients' specimens from the University Hospital of the Free University of Berlin and the Municipal Wenckebach Hospital, West Berlin, was tested . Cefotiam proved effective against strains of Staphylococcus aureus in 99,4%, Escherichia coli in 99,7%, Klebsiella species in 97,8%, Enterobacter species in 91,7%, Citrobacter in 92,6%, and beta-hemolytic Streptococci in 99,3% of all strains tested . There were only few sensitive strains of Enterococci and of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1983 Jun, 23(6), 907 - 13 In vitro activity and beta-lactamase stability of cefodizime, an aminothiazolyl iminomethoxy cephalosporin; Scully BE et al.; Cefodizime, an iminomethoxy aminothiazolyl cephalosporin similar to moxalactam and ceftazidime, was less active (minimal inhibitory concentration, 1.6 to 12 micrograms) than cefazolin or cefotaxime against Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis . It inhibited Haemophilus and Neisseria spp . at less than 0.5 microgram/ml . It did not inhibit methicillin-resistant staphylococci, enterococci, or Listeria spp . and was 8- to 32-fold less active than cefotaxime, moxalactam, or ceftazidime against Escherichia coli, Citrobacter spp., Klebsiella pneumoniae, Providencia spp., and Serratia spp . Cefotaxime-resistant Enterobacter cloacae, Citrobacter freundii, and Proteus vulgaris were resistant to cefodizime . Cefodizime was less active than cefoxitin or moxalactam against Bacteroides fragilis . Cefodizime was not hydrolyzed by common plasmid or chromosomal beta-lactamases, and it inhibited type I beta-lactamases. Eur J Clin Microbiol, 1983 Jun, 2(3), 266 - 9 Norfloxacin versus cotrimoxazole in the treatment of lower urinary tract infections; Giamarellou H et al.; In a randomised prospective study 61 patients with lower urinary tract infection received either 200 mg norfloxacin (33 patients) or 480 mg cotrimoxazole (28 patients) twice daily for ten days . Pathogens included Escherichia coli in 48 patients, Proteus mirabilis in ten patients, and Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Citrobacter freundii and Staphylococcus saprophyticus in one patient each . The MICs of norfloxacin and cotrimoxazole were less than or equal to 0.03 mg/l and less than or equal to 1 mg/l respectively . On the tenth day of treatment 94% of the patients receiving norfloxacin and 89% of the patients receiving cotrimoxazole were clinically cured, and the pathogens were eradicated in 94% and 96% of the patients respectively . At six week follow-up one patient given cotrimoxazole and two given norfloxacin had a reinfection . No side-effects or toxicity were observed with the exception of a diffuse rash in one patient receiving cotrimoxazole in whom treatment was discontinued . It is concluded that norfloxacin is safe and as effective as cotrimoxazole in the treatment of lower UTI and should have an important role to play whenever multiresistant organisms are implicated. Eur J Clin Microbiol, 1983 Jun, 2(3), 230 - 4 In vitro antibacterial activity of norfloxacin compared with eight other antimicrobial agents; Body BA et al.; The antibacterial activity of norfloxacin, an organic acid structurally related to nalidixic acid, was compared with that of the oral cephalosporins cefaclor and cephalexin, and with that of nalidixic acid, cinoxacin, amikacin, ampicillin, trimethoprim alone and the combination of trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole . Agar dilution studies were performed with a total of 398 clinical isolates of gram-negative bacteria . Norfloxacin was found to be the most active drug studied against each of the different groups of organisms tested . MIC90 values for norfloxacin were as follows: Citrobacter spp., 2 micrograms/ml; Enterobacter spp., 0.13 micrograms/ml; Escherichia coli, 0.06 micrograms/ml; Klebsiella spp., 0.13 micrograms/ml; Proteus spp., 0.06 micrograms/ml; Salmonella spp., 1 microgram/ml; Serratia spp., 0.13 micrograms/ml; and Pseudomonas spp., 2 micrograms/ml . MIC90 values for the other drugs were 4 micrograms/ml or greater and many organisms were totally resistant to one or more of the other drugs (MIC greater than 128 micrograms/ml) . Cross resistance between norfloxacin and the related drugs nalidixic acid and cinoxacin was not observed. Immun Infekt, 1983 Jun, 11(4), 140 - 2 {Resistance spectrum of various bacteria against cefotiam in 3 Berlin clinics}; Hahn H et al.; The in vitro activity of Cefotiam (Spizef) was tested using the agar diffusion test method according to DIN 58940 and compared with the antibacterial activity of 12 other routinely tested antibacterial chemotherapeutics . A total of 3000 strains from patients' specimens from the University Hospital of the Free University of Berlin and the Municipal Wenckebach Hospital, West Berlin, was tested . Cefotiam proved effective against strains of Staphylococcus aureus in 99,4%, Escherichia coli in 99,7%, Klebsiella species in 97,8%, Enterobacter species in 90,3%, Proteus mirabilis in 98,7%, indolpositive Proteus species in 91,7%, Citrobacter in 92,6%, and beta-hemolytic Streptococci in 99,3% of all strains tested . There were only few sensitive strains of Enterococci and of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J Chromatogr, 1983 May 13, 274, 27 - 35 Head-space gas-liquid chromatography for the rapid laboratory diagnosis of urinary tract infections caused by enterobacteria; Hayward NJ; Urine specimens were analysed in parallel in a hospital laboratory by routine methods which were regarded as the standard of correct diagnosis and by the rapid test already developed in a research laboratory . Technical modifications made to the rapid test ensured that its results agreed with those from routine methods and increased its rapidity so that a result was possible 4 h after receipt of the specimen . When 382 urine specimens were analysed by the modified test which is described in detail, there were neither false negatives nor false positives for infections with Escherichia, Klebsiella, Citrobacter or Proteus species. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol, 1983 May-Jun, 4(3), 668 - 71 Complications of Citrobacter neonatal meningitis: assessment by real-time cranial sonography correlated with CT; Levine RS et al.; Real-time cranial sonography via the anterior fontanelle was used serially over a 3- and 6-week period, respectively, to evaluate two infants who developed multicystic encephalomalacia secondary to Citrobacter neonatal meningitis . Sonographic findings included heterogeneous parenchymal echogenicity, gyral prominence, periventricular hypoechoic areas from which cystic spaces evolved, and development of hydrocephalus . Serial cranial computed tomography over the same time period confirmed the sonographic observations in each case. Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1983 May, 254(3), 413 - 22 Investigations on beta-lactamase stability of recently developed beta-lactam compounds: study of enzyme kinetics; Cullmann W et al.; The plasmid-mediated TEM-1 enzyme (E . coli K12 R6K) and chromosomally mediated enzymes from Enterobacter cloacae (IEP 8.5) and Citrobacter freundii (IEP 9.5) were highly purified . Enzyme kinetics were studied with various therapeutic compounds as substrates and lamoxactam, azthreonam, and N-formimidoyl thienamycin as inhibitors . Lamoxactam and azthreonam failed to inhibit the TEM-1 enzyme, whereas N-formimidoyl thienamycin was a competitive inhibitor . KI was 5 mumol/l--thus corresponding to KM--and independent of the substrate . With respect to chromosomally mediated enzymes, there was a time-dependent inhibition of beta-lactam hydrolysis . KI ranged from 0.06 to 0.2 mumol/l in dependence of the inhibitor . Enzyme kinetics suggested a non-competitive type of inhibition thus indicating that binding of these compounds to both chromosomally mediated enzymes must be followed by a further reaction step . It is evident that the stability against beta-lactamases of recently developed compounds is based on different mechanisms--characteristic for the enzyme being considered. Wien Klin Wochenschr, 1983 Apr 15, 95(8), 261 - 3 {Intraocular penetration of netilmicin}; Radda TM et al.; The penetration of netilmicin, a semisynthetic aminoglycosid into the primary human aqueous humor was determined . The antibacterial spectrum of netilmicin is adequate to gentamicin . The efficacy also covers gentamicin resistant strains . After intramuscular injection of 5 mg/kg body weight aqueous levels higher than the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Citrobacter and Proteus morganii were obtained . In the therapy of bacterial endophthalmitis the synergistic effect of netilmicin with beta-Lactam antibiotics in the form of a combined therapy should be made use of . For perioperative prophylaxis the newer aminoglycosids are not indicated because there is the danger of a development of resistant strains. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1983 Apr, 23(4), 630 - 3 Bacteriological studies of the enteric flora of patients treated with bicozamycin (CGP 3543/E) for acute nonparasitic diarrhea; Harford PS et al.; During a therapeutic trial of bicozamycin (BI) for traveler's diarrhea, aerobically grown, gram-negative bacteria, predominantly Escherichia coli, were decreased by 2 to 3 logs per g of stool; the number of BI-resistant gram-negative bacteria did not increase . Resistant species were most often Citrobacter freundii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Morganella morganii, and few BI-resistant E . coli strains were isolated . Cross-resistance between BI and other antimicrobial agents was not found . Resistance to BI could not be transferred or mobilized to an E . coli K-12 recipient. J Hyg (Lond), 1983 Apr, 90(2), 233 - 9 Citrobacter koseri (syn . C . diversus): biotype, serogroup and drug resistance patterns of 517 strains; Gross RJ et al.; The names Citrobacter koseri and C . diversus are synonyms for a species of enterobacterium with a particular ability to cause neonatal meningitis . 517 strains belonging to this species were examined using biotyping and serotyping techniques . 40% of the strains belonged to serogroups O2 and O1 and 72% belonged to biotypes d and a . Strains isolated from cerebrospinal fluid belonged to several different serogroups and biotypes but serogroups O2 and O3 and biotypes d and a were the most common . All the strains were resistant to ampicillin, 42% were resistant to neomycin/kanamycin and 38% were resistant to cephaloridine . 37% of the strains were resistant to three or more drugs. Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {B}, 1983 Apr, 177(3-4), 342 - 9 The bacterial flora of fruits and vegetables in Lebanon and the effect of washing on the bacterial content; Abdelnoor AM et al.; Washed and unwashed vegetables and fruit specimens including radish, lettuce, mint, carrots, parsley, strawberries, green almond, akadinya, green-gages, cherries, plums, peaches, pears, and apples were investigated for their bacterial content . Tested specimens had a high content of bacteria belonging to the genera Enterobacter, Citrobacter, Klebsiella, Proteus, Pseudomonas, Providencia, Escherichia, Staphylococcus, and Salmonella . The washing procedure followed was effective in reducing the number of bacteria, but did not eliminate them . Enterobacter agglomerans was present in most specimens tested, and 11 out of 28 E . coli isolates were serotypable and may be enterotoxigenic or enteropathogenic . These findings are of concern in view of the fact that food-borne illnesses including "Traveler's diarrhea" are common in Lebanon. Infect Immun, 1983 Apr, 40(1), 133 - 8 Differential toxicity of inhaled gram-negative bacteria; Baseler MW et al.; The toxicity by inhalation of various gram-negative bacteria, isolated from settings associated with inhalation disease, was studied by a variety of means . These microorganisms were not equally toxic . Citrobacter freundii aerosol challenges of rabbits provoked significant (up to fivefold) increases in plasma haptoglobin 24 to 48 h after inhalation . Other strains tested failed to provoke such statistically consistent increases . Measurements of C-reactive protein in these same animals did not lead to as reliable results, due to the variability of the responses . Mice responded differently to inhalation in that haptoglobin responses were either unaffected or depressed . When a strain of mice was used that exhibits more severe inflammatory responses to endotoxin (C3H/HeJ), C . freundii and Escherichia coli aerosols provoked significant haptoglobin increases . Free lung cell analyses demonstrated that the macrophage and neutrophil responses differed depending on the strain of bacteria used . Again, C . freundii induced the greatest responses . When murine B lymphocytes were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide preparations from different gram-negative bacteria, distinctly different dose-response curves were obtained . The types of responses obtained indicate that (i) brief inhalation of bacterial aerosols previously thought to be innocuous may lead to pulmonary inflammation, and (ii) that these bacteria differ in their toxicity, with C . freundii being the most toxic organism of the five studied. Rev Infect Dis, 1983 Mar-Apr, 5 Suppl 1, S9 - 20 The emergence of bacterial resistance and its influence on empiric therapy; Neu HC; The discovery of antimicrobial agents had a major impact on the rate of survival from infections . However, the changing patterns of antimicrobial resistance caused a demand for new antibacterial agents . Within a few years of the introduction of penicillin, the majority of staphylococci were resistant to that drug . In the 1960s the production of the semisynthetic penicillins provided an answer to the problem of staphylococcal resistance . In the early 1960s most Escherichia coli were susceptible to the new beta-lactam antibiotic ampicillin; by the end of that decade, plasmid-mediated beta-lactamase resistance was found in 30%-50% of hospital-acquired E . coli . Use of certain agents resulted in the selection of bacteria, such as Klebsiella, that are intrinsically resistant to ampicillin . The original cephalosporins were stable to beta-lactamase, but the use of these agents was in part responsible for the appearance of infections due to Enterobacter species, Citrobacter species, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . These bacteria, as well as Serratia, were resistant to many of the available beta-lactam agents . Aminoglycosides initially provided excellent activity against most of the facultative gram-negative bacteria . However, the widespread dissemination of the genes that cause production of the aminoglycoside-inactivating enzymes altered the use of those agents . Clearly, the evolution of bacterial resistance has altered the prescribing patterns for antimicrobial agents . Knowledge that beta-lactam resistance to ampicillin or cephalothin is prevalent is causing physicians to select as empiric therapy either a combination of two or more agents or agents to which resistance is uncommon . The new cephalosporins offer a broad spectrum of anti-bacterial activity coupled with low toxicity . However, physicians must closely follow the changing ecology of bacteria when these agents are used, because cephalosporins can also select bacteria resistant to themselves and thereby abolish their value as empiric therapy. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1983 Feb, (2), 25 - 31 {Characteristics of Proteus, Klebsiella, Enterobacter and Citrobacter strains isolated in urological infections}; Petrovskaia VG et al.; The comparative study of more than 300 Proteus, Klebsiella, Enterobacter and Citrobacter strains isolated from patients with urological infections and parenteral infections of other localization, as well as from the feces of healthy persons has been carried out . The strains causing inflammatory processes in the urinary tract have been shown to possess no strict specificity . The ability of opportunistic enterobacteria to cause urinary tract lesions is their polydeterminant property ensured by the combination of different factors . A number of characteristics which can be considered as the markers of "nephritogenic" strains have been revealed . Thus, among Proteus mirabilis strains the largest percentage is constituted by strains fermenting sucrose and producing hemolysin . The urological pathogenicity of "nephritogenic" strains belonging to the genera Proteus, Klebsiella and Enterobacter has been found to be linked with their resistance to complement and their capacity for producing substances increasing capillary permeability . In C . freundii strains differences in O serogroups and a number of markers (the fermentation of raffinose, the formation of hemolysin and permeability factor) have been revealed . These data may be useful for the prognosis and evaluation of the course of urological infections. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1983 Feb, 45(2), 484 - 92 New medium for improved recovery of coliform bacteria from drinking water; LeChevallier MW et al.; A new membrane filter medium was developed for the improved recovery of injured coliforms from drinking water . The new medium, termed m-T7, consists of 5.0 g of Difco Proteose Peptone no . 3, 20 g of lactose, 3.0 g of yeast extract, 0.4 ml of Tergitol 7 (25% solution), 5.0 g of polyoxyethylene ether W-1, 0.1 g of bromthymol blue, 0.1 g of bromcresol purple, and 15 g of agar per liter of distilled water . Additional selectivity may be obtained by aseptically adding 0.1 microgram of penicillin G per ml to the medium after autoclaving . In laboratory studies, m-T7 agar recovered 86 to 99% more laboratory-injured coliforms than did m-Endo agar . m-T7 agar also recovered an average of 43% more verified coliforms from 67 surface and drinking water samples than did the standard m-Endo membrane filter technique . From drinking water, m-T7 agar recovered nearly three times more coliforms than did m-Endo agar . Less than 0.5% of the colonies on m-T7 agar gave false-negative reactions, whereas greater than 70% of the typical yellow colonies from m-T7 agar produced gas in lauryl tryptose broth . Most of the verified coliforms isolated on m-T7 agar belonged to one of the four common coliform genera: Escherichia, 17.6%; Klebsiella, 21.7%; Citrobacter, 17.3%; Enterobacter, 32.2% . The results demonstrate that m-T7 agar is superior to m-Endo agar, especially for the isolation of injured coliforms from drinking water. Vet Med Nauki, 1983, 20(2), 58 - 65 {Enterococci and coliforms in yellow sheep cheese}; Aleksieva V; The developmental dynamic of enterococci and coliforms was followed up in the entire technologic process and the storage of kashkaval (yellow cheese of ewe milk) under the conditions of modern industrial production . It was found that during the whole industrial cycle up to the steam cooking of curd the amount of enterococci grew and reached its peak value in the cheddarized cheese curd (2.4--30 million per gram), increasing from 10 to 34 times as against its level in the initial milk used . The coliform bacteria also rose in number, and their amount reached maximum values of 10 to 120 mill/g in the processed and dipped curd, after which a slowly advancing reduction set in . Species of the Enterobacter (55.1%), Escherichia (14.1%), Citrobacter (19.2%), and Klebsiella (11.5%) genera were isolated . The steam cooking of cheddarized curd produced an unfavourable effect on enterococci (pasteurization effect of up to 98.3 to 99.9%) and a lethal effect on the coliforms . Enterococci that resisted steaming multiplied in kashkaval and reached their highest level--960 000 up to 39 mill/g--between the 30th and the 60th day of production after which their numbers dropped . Their amount in the ripened product varied from 95000 to 17.8 mill/g, and on the 240th following production--from below 100 to 1.6 mill/g . Coliform bacteria were not found in 0.1 g of the product mass during ripening and storage of kashkaval . Out of the 196 strains that were differentiated as enterococci 30.7 per cent of the fecalis subgroup, and 69.3 per cent--of the Sp . faecium-durans subgroup . After steaming 92.3 per cent of the strains were of the Str . faecium and Str . durans species. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1983 Jan, 11 Suppl, 73 - 8 In-vitro activity of cefotetan, other beta-lactams and netilmicin; Shah PM; In-vitro activity of cefotetan was compared to that of other cephalosporins netilmicin . Cefotetan at very low concentrations inhibited Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis and Serratia marcescens . Poor activity was seen for all beta-lactams against Enterobacter and Citrobacter spp . Activity of cefotetan against Staphylococcus aureus was comparable to that of ceftazidime and moxalactam . Netilmicin was the only agent equally active against all Gram-negative bacilli and Staph . aureus tested . Under conditions simulating serum levels cefotetan demonstrated rapid and long-acting bactericidal activity and bacteria exposed to these concentrations required up to 10.2 h to recover from the effect of the antibiotic . Six out of 15 strains did not recover fully. Microbiol Immunol, 1983, 27(1), 1 - 5 Incompatibility group K plasmids in bacteria isolated from a urinary tract infection; Araki Y et al.; Citrobacter freundii and Klebsiella pneumoniae were concurrently isolated from a patient with a urinary tract infection . Transferable drug resistant plasmids were isolated from both strains, pMS434 and pMS435 . These plasmids belonged to incompatibility group K and both carried genes governing resistance to various aminoglycoside antibiotics, i.e., kanamycin, gentamicin C complex, streptomycin, and 3',4'-dideoxykanamycin B, in addition to those governing resistance to sulfanilamide and ampicillin . They inactivated kanamycin, gentamicin C complex and 3',4'-dideoxykanamycin by adenylylation and kanamycin by phosphorylation . Electron microscopic observations disclosed that the molecular weights of the plasmids were about 67.8 megadaltons . These results indicated the similarity in genetic constitution of the two plasmids . This was the second isolation of incompatibility group K plasmids, following that reported by Hedges and Datta (Nature 234: 220-221, 1971). J Antimicrob Chemother, 1983 Jan, 11 Suppl, 159 - 67 Comparative activity of cefotetan on Escherichia coli K12 possessing plasmid-mediated beta-lactamases; Chabbert YA et al.; The antibacterial activity of cefotetan, a new cephamycin, was compared with that of cephalothin, cefoxitin, cefamandole, cefoperazone and cefotaxime on 12 substrains of Escherichia coli K12 BM13 harbouring single and multi-copy plasmids coding for plasmid-mediated beta-lactamases TEM, SHVI, OXA-I and OXA-III . The 99% inhibitory concentrations (IC99) for the recipient strain were increased in proportion to the enzyme activity in the case of cefamandole and cefoperazone . In contrast, the activity of cefoxitin, cefotaxime and cefotetan was not significantly modified . Since these enzymes are responsible for the resistance of Enterobacteriaceae in the great majority of clinical isolates, cefotetan can be expected to be fully active against strains producing them . Cefotetan was not hydrolysed by chromosomal cephalosporinase and it was active against Enterobacter, Citrobacter and Morganella strains producing a low level of enzyme but hyperproducing variants were highly resistant to cefotetan. Immun Infekt, 1983 Jan, 11(1), 30 - 4 {The antibiotic agent azthreonam: studies on plasmid-dependent resistance formation}; Cullmann W et al.; Two mechanisms can be assumed that are responsible for the stability of azthreonam against the attack of beta-lactamases: first, azthreonam lacks binding to the enzyme protein and second, rate of hydrolysis is extremely low, resulting even in inhibition of enzyme activity . Enzyme kinetics were studied from highly purified enzymes: azthreonam did not bind to the TEM-1 enzyme, whereas the compound revealed a time-dependent inhibition of the chromosomally mediated Enterobacter cloacae enzyme . With various cephalosporins as substrates marked discrepancies in the mode of inhibition were observed: cefacedone revealed merely noncompetitive inhibition, cefazolin and cefoperazone demonstrated mixed-inhibition kinetics, and with cephalothin as the substrate enzyme kinetics strongly suggested binding of a second azthreonam molecule . With cefacedone as the substrate KI was ascertained to be 0.8 X 10(-7) mol/l . Conjugative transfer of the TEM-mediating plasmids R6K and RP1 resulted in 20 to 50-fold increase of the MIC's for the Enterobacter cloacae and Citrobacter freundii recipients, in spite of the fact that azthreonam does not serve as a substrate for the TEM-1 enzyme . These findings have likely to be attributed to an impaired penetration of the compound through the "outer membrane" of the recipient strains. Mol Gen Genet, 1983, 190(1), 85 - 91 Cloning and expression of the gene(s) for cephalosporinase production of Citrobacter freundii; Yamamoto T et al.; The chromosomal gene(s) for cephalosporinase production of Citrobacter freundii GN346 has been cloned into vector plasmid pMK1, initially as a 7.3 kb EcoRI fragment . From the substrate profile and the response to anti-GN346 CSase serum of the enzyme produced, it was confirmed that the hybrid plasmid (pTY71) carries the relevant chromosomal cephalosporinase gene from C . freundii GN346 . A restriction endonuclease cleavage map of cloned EcoRI fragments was constructed, and the structural gene of the cephalosporinase could be limited in the 1.5 kb BamHI fragment . The cloned gene(s) was expressed at an extremely low level in Escherichia coli . Furthermore, its expression was constitutive in E . coli, although inducible in its own cytoplasm. Infection, 1983 Jan-Feb, 11(1), 47 - 51 {Microbiological studies with the new penicillin BRL 17421 (temocillin)}; Malottke R et al.; In vitro Evaluation of BRL 17421 (Temocillin), a New Penicillin . The in vitro antibacterial activity of BRL 17421 (temocillin), a new penicillin, was determined in quantitative serial broth dilution tests and was compared to that of mezlocillin, piperacillin, cefazolin and cefotaxime against 751 clinical isolates of the Enterobacteriaceae family . In addition, the sensitivity of 211 mezlocillin-resistant gram-negative rods to BRL 17421 was also determined . Temocillin exhibited a high level of antibacterial activity against various bacterial species of the Enterobacteriaceae family, including isolates resistant to mezlocillin . The 90% MICs against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter cloacae, Salmonella spp., Yersinia spp . and indole-negative and indole-positive Proteus strains ranged from 0.5 mg/l to 16 mg/l . Concentrations of 16 mg/l were required to inhibit 80% of the Serratia marcescens strains; some isolates were resistant . No significant difference between MIC and MBC values was observed. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1983 Jan, 23(1), 63 - 6 beta-Lactamase inhibitory activity of iodopenicillanate and bromopenicillanate; Neu HC; Iodopenicillanate and bromopenicillanate were shown to be effective inhibitors of a variety of beta-lactamases . Staphylococcus aureus isolates were synergistically inhibited by iodopenicillanate and bromopenicillanate combined with ampicillin . Methicillin-resistant S . aureus was not synergistically inhibited . Escherichia coli which possessed TEM beta-lactamase activity had a reduction in ampicillin minimal inhibitory concentration, but an E . coli isolate which had chromosomal beta-lactamase and a low ampicillin minimal inhibitory concentration showed no reduction in ampicillin minimal inhibitory concentration with either iodopenicillanate or bromopenicillanate . Of the Klebsiella isolates tested, 80% were synergistically inhibited by both iodopenicillanate and bromopenicillanate . Most Morganella isolates were synergistically inhibited by either iodopenicillanate or bromopenicillanate combined with ampicillin, as were many Salmonella, Shigella, Citrobacter diversus, and Citrobacter freundii isolates . No Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates were synergistically inhibited by iodopenicillanate or bromopenicillanate . Preincubation did not improve the inhibitory activity of iodopenicillanate or bromopenicillanate. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1983 Jan, 23(1), 15 - 8 Antibacterial activity of norfloxacin; Norrby SR et al.; Norfloxacin, a new quinoline derivative, was studied in vitro, and determinations of agar dilution minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and broth dilution MICs and MBCs were made . Nalidixic acid and cinoxacin were used as comparative agents . Norfloxacin was found to be extremely active against all strains tested of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., Proteus mirabilis, indole-positive Proteus spp . Serratia spp., Citrobacter spp., and Enterobacter spp., with MICs normally below 1 microgram/ml . It also was found to be highly active against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, and enterococci, which are all resistant to nalidixic acid and cinoxacin . The MICs for norfloxacin obtained by broth dilution were slightly higher than those obtained by agar dilution, whereas the reverse was true for nalidixic acid and cinoxacin . The MBCs of norfloxacin were only slightly higher than the MICs, even at high inocula . The in vitro activity of norfloxacin was not dependent on the inoculum size, whereas both the MICs and the MBCs of nalidixic acid increased markedly for many of the strains tested when the inoculum was increased in broth dilution from 10(3) to 10(6) colony-forming units per ml . Norfloxacin seems to be a promising antibacterial agent for the treatment of urinary tract infections, especially those caused by Pseudomonas spp . and other species today requiring the use of injectable antibiotics. Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1982 Nov-Dec, 133(3), 365 - 77 {Rapid determination of the synergy of clavulanic acid and beta lactams by measuring the intracellular ATP by bioluminescence}; Cornel E et al.; Twenty clinical isolates of ampicillin- and carbenicillin-resistant or susceptible (two strains) Gram-negative rods, producing at least one beta-lactamase, were examined for susceptibility to a combination of ampicillin or carbenicillin with clavulanic acid (enzymatic inhibitor) . Synergy was evaluated by the reduction of the beta-lactam agar dilution MIC and by the measurement of intracellular AYP using firefly bioluminescence . The potentiation effect of clavulanic acid was variable, depending on resistance levels, species and types of beta-lactamase (TEM, SHV-1, CARB, OXA, MAL and Cpase) . The synergy was significant, with 10 mg/l of inhibitor for all the strains producing TEM-1, TEM-2 and Carb-2 except for one strain of Serratia marcescens (TEM-2) . The synergy was weak for Levinea strains (Citrobacter diversus biotype b), biosynthesizing specific penicillinases as MAL-1 . No potentiation effect was observed for strains producing a cephalosporinase, such as Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . This effect appeared to be variable for strains producing the oxacillin-hydrolysing enzyme (OXA-1), such as E . coli and P . aeruginosa . A positive correlation was clearly demonstrated between the MIC values and the intracellular ATP concentration in bacteria within 2 h . The opportunity of using the firefly assay for the rapid determination of synergy between beta-lactam antibiotics and clavulanic acid is discussed. Pharmacotherapy, 1982 Nov-Dec, 2(6), 322 - 7 Ceforanide: antibacterial activity, pharmacology, and clinical efficacy; Barriere SL et al.; Ceforanide is a new cephalosporin with a longer elimination half-life than any currently available cephalosporin . Its activity is very similar to that of cefamandole, a second-generation cephalosporin, except that ceforanide is less active against most gram-positive organisms . Many coliforms, including Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, and Proteus, are susceptible to ceforanide, as are most strains of Salmonella, Shigella, Hemophilus, Citrobacter and Arizona species . However, most strains of Serratia marcescens and all Pseudomonas aeruginosa are resistant to this compound . Peak serum concentrations in excess of 100 micrograms/ml are achieved after a 1 g intravenous dose . The elimination half-life of ceforanide is about 3 hrs in patients with normal renal function; this allows twice daily dosing for the majority of patients . As renal excretion amounts for 85-90% of drug elimination, the serum half-life increases to approximately 20 hours in anuric patients . Tissue penetration studies demonstrate inhibitory concentrations in cardiac tissue, bone, and joint fluid . Minor adverse effects have been reported after large doses of ceforanide . Clinical trials indicate that ceforanide is effective in the treatment of skin and soft tissue, pulmonary and urinary tract infections, bone and joint infections, and endocarditis . Ceforanide also has been shown to be as effective as cephalothin or cephaloridine when given prophylactically for vaginal hysterectomy. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1982 Oct, 35(10), 1264 - 70 Studies on the OA-6129 group of antibiotics, new carbapenem compounds . II . In vitro evaluation; Sakamoto M et al.; The OA-6129 group of antibiotics, new carbapenem compounds, had relatively potent antimicrobial activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria . Synergism of compound OA-6129A in combination with conventional beta-lactam antibiotics was observed in antimicrobial activity against beta-lactamase producers such as Proteus vulgaris GN 76 and Citrobacter freundii GN 346 . The new carbapenem compounds were slightly superior to PS-5 in stability to kidney homogenates of various animal species. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1982 Oct, 44(4), 1001 - 3 Underestimation of total-coliform counts by the membrane filter verification procedure; Standridge JH et al.; Coliforms, primarily Citrobacter freundii, gave negative verification results in the total-coliform membrane filtration test . The organisms produced gas from lactose in brilliant green bile broth but not in lauryl tryptose broth . The discrepancy was related to the peptone sources used in the media. J Bacteriol, 1982 Oct, 152(1), 57 - 62 Evolutionary divergence of the Citrobacter freundii tryptophan operon regulatory region: comparison with other enteric bacteria; Blumenberg M et al.; The regulatory region of the trp operon of Citrobacter freundii was sequenced and compared with the corresponding regions of other enteric bacteria . Significant differences were noted in the promoter region . These differences are presumably responsible for the weak expression of the cloned trp operon in Escherichia coli . The presumed operator region, although nonfunctional in E . coli, has dyad symmetry, but the sequence of the symmetrical region differs appreciably from those of operators that can be regulated by the E . coli trp repressor . The sequence of the trp leader region of C . freundii resembles that of other enteric bacteria, suggesting that the C . freundii operon is also regulated by attenuation . Comparison of the sequence of the initial portion of trpE with the homologous regions of E . coli and Salmonella typhimurium indicates that the three organisms probably are evolutionary equidistant. Am J Clin Pathol, 1982 Sep, 78(3), 351 - 5 Comparison of two methods for same-day identification of Enterobacteriaceae; Appelbaum PC et al.; Two commercial methods, API 20E (as modified for same-day enterobacterial identification) and Micro-ID, were evaluated for ability to provide useful same-day information of 368 clinically isolated Enterobacteriaceae . Organisms included Escherichia coli (54), Shigella (7), Edwardsiella tarda (1), Salmonella enteritidis (10), Citrobacter (30), Klebsiella (55), Enterobacter (68), Hafnia alvei (2), Serratia (33), Proteus (64), Morganella morganii (24), Providencia (18), and Yersinia enterocolitica (2) . Methods were those of manufacturers without supplemental tests . API at five hours identified 78.5% of strains to species, 9.5% to genus only, 10.1% as part of a spectrum of identifications (SI), and 1.9% incorrect . Micro-ID at four hours yielded 90.0% correct identification to species and 3.3% to genus only, 4.0% SI, and 2.7% incorrect . API identification of many Serratia, Citrobacter, Providencia strains was to genus only; most incorrect results occurred in Serratia marcescens . Micro-ID identified most organisms to species; incorrect identifications were mainly S . marcescens and Klebsiella pneumoniae . Both systems provided excellent identification of E . coli . Both methods sacrifice a degree of accuracy that varies with the species tested, as compared to overnight systems, but both provide rapid information of potential clinical value. Rev Infect Dis, 1982 Sep-Oct, 4 Suppl, S416 - 20 Treatment of urinary tract infections with cefotaxime: noncomparative and prospective comparative trials; Madsen PO; Three studies evaluated the efficacy of cefotaxime for the treatment of urinary tract infections . An open, multicenter, noncomparative trial included 477 patients who received a usual dose of 2 g of intravenous or intramuscular cefotaxime daily for five to 10 days . The maximal daily dosage in severe cases was 12 g . Pathogens included Escherichia coli and species of Citrobacter, Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Serratia, Morganella, Providencia, and Proteus . Of all the causative organisms, 83.6% were eradicated in the 271 patients who could be evaluated . The other two studies were prospective, randomized comparisons of cefotaxime (392 patients) with cefazolin (250 patients) for the treatment of urinary tract infections caused by microorganisms susceptible to both antibiotics . The treatment schedule was the same as that in the first study . Results of these two prospective studies were pooled . Cefotaxime eradicated 90% of all pathogens, and cefazolin eradicated 72% . Cefotaxime was significantly more effective (P less than 0.01) than cefazolin in eradicating E . coli and Proteus mirabilis . A satisfactory clinical response was obtained in 98.1% of patients given cefotaxime and in 87.6% of those given cefazolin (P less than 0.01). Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1982 Sep, 22(3), 518 - 9 Synergistic activity of mecillinam in combination with the beta-lactamase inhibitors clavulanic acid and sulbactam; Neu HC; The beta-lactamase inhibitors clavulanic acid and sulbactam were combined with mecillinam . beta-Lactamase-containing Escherichia coli resistant to mecillinam was synergistically inhibited by both clavulanic acid and sulbactam . beta-Lactamase-containing Enterobacter was synergistically inhibited, but strains lacking beta-lactamases were not synergistically inhibited . Synergistic inhibition was noted for beta-lactamase-containing, mecillinam-resistant Klebsiella, Citrobacter, Serratia, and Salmonella isolates, but only 18% of beta-lactamase-containing Proteus mirabilis, Providencia rettgeri, Providencia stuartii, and Morganella morganii were synergistically inhibited by the combinations. Jpn J Antibiot, 1982 Aug, 35(8), 1977 - 86 {Susceptibilities of clinical isolates to aminoglycoside antibiotics . Susceptibility of clinical isolates from patients with complex and refractory infections}; Deguchi K; Four hundred strains (13 species, 8 genera) were obtained from patients with complicated and intractable infections . The antibiotic sensitivities of these isolates were determined in relation to aminoglycoside (AGs) (GM, DKB, AMK, HBK), beta-lactam (SBPC, PIPC, CMZ), and FOM . 1 . The frequency of clinical isolates that were resistant to GM and DKB in this study was high level in the case of S . aureus, Enterobacter spp., S . marcescens, Proteus spp . (indole positive) and P . aeruginosa . And some of them were also resistant to AMK and HBK . However HBK had potent antibacterial activity to S . aureus . The inactivating enzyme contributing to AGs resistance was AAC for almost Gram-negative bacillis and APH + AAC for S . aureus . But AGs was not permeable only to P . maltophilia . 2 . Almost similar resistant patterns were seen to SBPC and PIPC . However, the frequency of resistant strains of S . aureus to SBPC was less than one of PIPC, while that of Citrobacter spp . to PIPC was less than SBPC . Among of other bacteria, P . aeruginosa and Proteus spp . (indole positive) had moderate sensitivity to SBPC and PIPC . 3 . CMZ had poor antibacterial activity to Enterobacter spp . and S . marcescens and no activity to P . aeruginosa . It had moderate activity to Citrobacter spp . and potent activity to S . aureus, E . coli, K . pneumoniae and Proteus spp . (indole positive) . 4 . FOM had antibacterial activity to all the bacteria tested . Almost FOM-sensitive bacteria had moderate MICs (6.25-25 micrograms/ml). J Gen Microbiol, 1982 Aug, 128 (Pt 8), 1915 - 21 Cell and ATP yields of Citrobacter freundii growing with fumarate and H2 or formate in continuous culture; Lutgens M et al.; Out of 19 strains belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae only Escherichia coli and Citrobacter strains fermented fumarate exclusively to succinate . This fermentation was dependent on the presence of molecular hydrogen or formate . The inability of these micro-organisms to convert fumarate to succinate, acetate and CO2 correlated with their lack, or low activity, of oxaloacetate decarboxylase . Continuous culture experiments were performed with Citrobacter freundii in minimal or complex medium with fumarate + H2 of formate, and the growth parameters were determined . From the data obtained, a Ymax fumarate dissimilated value of 10.5 +/- 0.8 g dry wt per mol fumarate dissimilated was calculated . This value demonstrates that, per mol fumarate reduced, at least 0.6 +/- 0.05 mol ATP is produced and subsequently used for biosynthetic purposes. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1982 Aug, 35(8), 963 - 71 Beta-lactamase inhibitory activities and synergistic effects of 5,6-cis-carbapenem antibiotics; Okonogi K et al.; Twelve 5,6-cis-carbapenem antibiotics were examined for their beta-lactamase inhibitory activities, their types of inhibitions, and their synergistic activities with other beta-lactam antibiotics . All the carbapenems inhibited eight types of beta-lactamases including cephalosporinases which were insensitive to clavulanic acid and sulbactam . The sulfonyloxy ethyl carbapenems were the most active inhibitors; they inhibited all beta-lactamases in a progressive fashion, whereas some of the hydroxyl compounds exerted non-progressive inhibition against several beta-lactamases such as those of Escherichia coli TN713 and Proteus vulgaris GN4413 . Several carbapenems were inactivated by the beta-lactamases of Citrobacter freundii GN1706, P . vulgaris GN4413, E . coli TN713, and Klebsiella pneumoniae TN1698 . Most of the carbapenems potentiated the antibacterial activities of ampicillin and cefotiam against beta-lactamase-producing bacteria. Eur J Clin Microbiol, 1982 Aug, 1(4), 238 - 42 Comparative synergistic activity of netilmicin-piperacillin versus gentamicin-piperacillin; Machka K et al.; The synergistic action of the combination netilmicin-piperacillin in comparison to gentamicin-piperacillin was studied in 206 clinical isolates of staphylococci, enterococci, Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa by means of the checkerboard technique . Overall, netilmicin-piperacillin acted synergistically against 31% and gentamicin-piperacillin against 14% of the 206 strains . In particular, synergism was more frequently observed with netilmicin-piperacillin against Escherichia coli, Citrobacter spp., indole-positive Proteus spp . and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Synergy was uncommon with either combination against enterococci, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Serratia spp . Only partial synergy or indifference was seen with both combinations against Klebsiella spp . The interaction of netilmicin would appear to be superior to that of gentamicin in combination with piperacillin. Rev Ig Bacteriol Virusol Parazitol Epidemiol Pneumoftiziol Bacteriol Virusol Parazitol Epidemiol, 1982 Jul-Sep, 27(3), 199 - 210 {Antibiograms in ambulatory medical practice . Results with a group of gram-negative bacilli strains isolated by uroculture}; Rozen P et al.; During the April 1979--June 1978 period, 1161 tests were carried out on the sensitivity to antibiotics and chemotherapeutical agents of Gram-negative bacillus strains isolated from 7632 urocultures . Resistance was tested under qualitative control against 13 antimicrobial agents by the Kirby-Bauer diffusimetric method . The resistance sensitivity and the presence of intermediary strains is shown for E . coli Citrobacter, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Proteus, Morganella, Providencia, and Pseudomonas . Attention is drawn to the fairly high proportion of intermediary strains . Their role from the therapeutical point of view is reduced, but epidemiologically, their role is important since their evolution towards resistance or sensitivity cannot be foreseen. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1982 Jun, 21(6), 906 - 11 In vitro activity of apalcillin compared with that of other new penicillins and anti-Pseudomonas cephalosporins; Neu HC et al.; Apalcillin, a naphthydridine derivative of ampicillin, was compared with ticarcillin, azlocillin, mezlocillin, piperacillin, cefotaxime, and cefoperazone against gram-negative and gram-positive bacterial isolates and with cefsulodin and tobramycin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The minimal concentrations of apalcillin at which 50 and 90% of hospital isolates of Escherichia coli were inhibited were similar to those of mezlocillin and piperacillin (1.6 and 100 micrograms/ml, respectively) . Apalcillin had minimal inhibitory concentrations similar to those of piperacillin against Citrobacter freundii and Citrobacter diversus . Against Klebsiella, apalcillin inhibited 50% of organisms at a concentration of 6.3 micrograms/ml, similar to piperacillin . The activity of apalcillin against Enterobacter (E . aerogenes, E . cloacae, and E . agglomerans) was similar to that of mezlocillin and piperacillin and greater than that of ticarcillin . The activity of apalcillin against Proteus mirabilis was similar to that of the other agents, as was its activity against indole-positive Proteus and Providencia . Only 40% of Serratia were inhibited at an apalcillin concentration of 25 micrograms/ml . Apalcillin was as active as piperacillin but twofold less active than cefoxitin or moxalactam against Bacteroides fragilis . It was as active as piperacillin, cefoperazone, and cefsulodin against P . aeruginosa (apalcillin inhibited 90% of organisms at a concentration of 25 mg/ml) . There was an inoculum effect and a difference in the minimal inhibitory concentration and minimal bactericidal concentration with beta-lactamase strains . Apalcillin was hydrolyzed by plasmid beta-lactamase but not as well by cephalosporinases. J Clin Microbiol, 1982 May, 15(5), 902 - 5 Comparison of three automated systems for antimicrobial susceptibility testing of gram-negative bacilli; Kelly MT et al.; Several instruments for automated or semiautomated susceptibility testing are currently available . Three of these instruments, Autobac (General Diagnostics, Warner-Lambert Co., Morris Plains, N.J.), MS-2 (Abbott Laboratories, Dallas, Tex.), and AutoMicrobic system (AMS) (Vitek, Inc., Hazelwood, Mo.) were compared for antimicrobial susceptibility testing of gram-negative bacilli . A total of 207 isolates representing 29 species of gram-negative bacilli were tested simultaneously by each instrument and by a standardized disk diffusion reference method . Nine antimicrobial agents, including ampicillin, carbenicillin, cephalothin, gentamicin, tobramycin, amikacin, tetracycline, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and nitrofurantoin were tested . Discrepancies between the results of the automated and reference disk diffusion methods were resolved by agar dilution testing . Overall, 93% of the Autobac and MS-2 results and 83% of the AMS results were in agreement with the results obtained by the reference methods . The results of the Autobac, MS-2, and AMS systems respectively included 3.3, 2.3, and 4.2% major and very major discrepancies . Excessive testing discrepancies were found for certain drugs, including ampicillin, tetracycline, and nitrofurantoin, and for certain organisms, including species of Providencia, Serratia, and Citrobacter . The results of this comparison of three automated systems for antimicrobial susceptibility testing indicate that the Autobac and MS-2 instruments provided highly reliable results . The AMS need further development of its susceptibility testing capability to eliminate an unacceptably high number of minor discrepancies. J Med Microbiol, 1982 May, 15(2), 263 - 6 Rhodanese activity: a simple and reliable taxonomic tool for gram-negative bacteria; Lanyi B; The thiosulphate: cyanide sulphurtransferase (rhodanese) test of Vandenbergh, Bawdon and Berk (1979) has been simplified and 2469 strains from a wide variety of sources representing different biochemical, serological or phage-pattern entities were tested . The percentages of rhondanese-producing strains were: Escherichia coli 98%, Shigella flexneri serovars 1-5%, X and Y 0%, other shigellae 73-100%, Yersinia spp . 0%, Salmonella subgenera I-IV 0%, Citrobacter freundi 16%, Klebsiella 37%, Enterobacter 4%, Hafnia alvei 61%, Proteus spp . 0%, Pseudomonas spp . 98-100% . Rhondanese production by S . flexneri serovar 6 supports the view that this group of bacteria should be removed from S . flexneri and placed in another species of Shigella. J Clin Pathol, 1982 Apr, 35(4), 452 - 7 Comparative epidemiology of gentamicin-resistant enterobacteria: persistence of carriage and infection; Hart CA et al.; During a two-year period from January 1979, 260 patients have been involved in an outbreak of carriage and infection due to gentamicin-resistant enterobacteria . We have examined the duration of carriage of such enterobacteria and have compared the carriage of Klebsiella with that of other resistant enterobacteria . Carriage of gentamicin-resistant enterobacteria occurred most frequently and was least sporadic in the intestinal tract . Vaginal carriage was observed in 49 out of 68 patients tested and occurred more frequently in older patients . Oral carriage was noted in 36% of patients but was more sporadic than intestinal carriage . Rates of oral carriage were greater among moribund patients . Carriage at skin sites was related to their proximity to the perineum . Intestinal carriage of gentamicin-resistant Escherichia coli and Klebsiellae but not Klebsiella oxytoca nor Citrobacter persisted for long periods (half lives of 140 and 100 days respectively) . Cessation of carriage of gentamicin-resistant Klebsiellae was due to loss of both the organism and its plasmid rather than a shedding of the plasmid . Chronic bacteriuria with gentamicin-resistant E coli and Klebsiellae (half life 180 days) but not Klebsiella oxytoca nor Citrobacter persisted for long periods. Jpn J Antibiot, 1982 Apr, 35(4), 1022 - 44 {Compared studies of antimicrobial agents against E . coli, Klebsiella, Citrobacter and Proteus isolated from urinary tract infections}; Kosakai N et al.; In vitro activities of antibacterial agents against E . coli, Klebsiella, Citrobacter and Proteus which were isolated from patients urinary tract infections at 8 hospitals in Japan, were investigated by agar dilution method from July to October in 1979 . The summarized results are as follows . 1 . Among oral antibacterial agents, MPC and PPA have showed potent antibacterial activities against E . coli and Klebsiella . Among parenteral antibiotics, CTM was the most active against E . coli and Klebsiella . However, ABPC-resistant E . coli and Klebsiella have appeared to occupy about 40% and 96% of bacteria isolated from urinary tract infections, respectively . 2 . In vitro activities of antibacterial agents against Proteus and Citrobacter showed not so potent . 3 . Causative organisms in female patients with simple urinary tract infections were mainly E . coli and Klebsiella . 4 . Among oral antibacterial agents, PPA have shown similar antimicrobial activities against E . coli isolated from simple and complicated urinary tract infections . ABPC and MPC have been influenced in some degree by these factors . However, parenteral antibiotics are not influenced by these factors . On the other hand, in vitro activities of antibacterial agents against Klebsiella isolated from simple and complicated urinary tract infections were similar. J Clin Invest, 1982 Apr, 69(4), 979 - 84 Rapid differentiation of bacterial meningitides by direct gas-liquid chromatography; Thadepalli H et al.; Rapid identification of Haemophilus influenzae and other bacillary meningitides was attempted by gas-liquid chromatography (GLC) of the metabolic by-products in broth cultures and in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples obtained from experimental meningitis produced in New Zealand White male rabbits . These results were correlated with the GLC of CSF of meningitis patients . A major peak with retention time of succinic acid was found in the broth cultures of all bacilli tested including H . influenzae, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Citrobacter freundii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Listeria monocytogenes . Succinic acid was also found in the CSF of experimental meningitis and in the CSF of all patients with H . influenzae and Esch . coli meningitis . This peak was not detected in the blood samples of experimental animals . It was also absent in the broth cultures of all of the gram-positive and gram-negative cocci tested, such as Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis . Succinic acid, which appears to be a by product of fermentation, persisted as a clear cut marker in H . influenzae meningitis for at least 3 d after the initiation of treatment . In one patient, the succinic acid peak disappeared during treatment and reappeared with a clinical relapse . Clearly, the presence of succinic acid that can be rapidly detected by GLC in the CSF excludes pneumococcal or meningococcal meningitis and strongly suggests H . influenzae or other bacillary meningitides. J Clin Microbiol, 1982 Apr, 15(4), 582 - 8 Sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility of the automicrobic system (with the Enterobacteriaceae-plus biochemical card) for identifying clinical isolates of Gram- negative bacilli; Barry AL et al.; Two independent laboratories tested 1,743 clinical isolates by using the Enterobacteriaceae-plus Biochemical Card in the AutoMicrobic system (AMS) and identical standard reference methods . Included were 55 isolates representing 11 species that cannot be identified by the enterobacteriaceae-plus Biochemical Card computer program; 3 or these isolates were incorrectly identified as Pseudomonas cepacia . With the other 1,688 isolates, 5% of the AMS identifications were considered to be equivocal (probability value, less than 0.80), and the remaining test were 97% accurate (sensitive), Difficulty was observed in the ability of the AMS to identify some H2S-negative Citrobacter freundii species . An AMS response of P . cepacia was also considered nonspecific, because several other organisms were misidentified at P . cepacia . Reproducibility of the system was documented by testing 125 strains on 3-separate days; only 6 strains produced significantly variable results . The AMS (with the Enterobacteriaceae-plus Biochemical Card) was a very satisfactory, automated system for accurately identifying most gram-negative bacilli within 8 to 13 h. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1982 Apr, 21(4), 536 - 44 Antimicrobial and beta-lactamase inhibitory activities of carpetimycins A and B, new carbapenem antibiotics; Kobayashi F et al.; Carpetimycins A and B showed widely broad spectra and potent activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, including various species of anaerobic bacteria . The antimicrobial activity of carpetimycin A was 8 to 64 times greater than that of carpetimycin B and 4 to 128 times greater than that of cefoxitin . The inhibitory concentration of carpetimycin A required to inhibit more than 90% of clinical isolates was 0.39 micrograms/ml for Escherichia coli and klebsiella and 1.56 microgram/ml for Proteus and Staphylococcus aureus . At a concentration of 3.13 micrograms/ml, carpetimycin A inhibited almost all clinical isolates of Enterobacter and Citrobacter, which showed resistance to many clinically used beta-lactam antibiotics . Carpetimycins A and B furthermore were shown to have potent inhibitory activities against several kinds of beta-lactamases produced by beta-lactam-resistant strains; they inhibited not only penicillinase-type beta-lactamases but also cephalosporinase-type beta-lactamases, which were insensitive to clavulanic acid . In combination with beta-lactam antibiotics such as ampicillin, carbenicillin, and cefazolin, carpetimycins A and B showed synergistic activities against beta-lactam-resistant bacteria. Eur J Clin Microbiol, 1982 Apr, 1(2), 76 - 81 Comparison of three methods for identification of Enterobacteriaceae; Appelbaum PC et al.; This study compares the ability of three commercial overnight methods, API 20E, Minitek and Enteric-Tek, to accurately and completely identify 368 clinically isolated Enterobacteriaceae without supplemental tests . Organisms included Escherichia coli (54 strains), Shigella spp . (7), Edwardsiella tarda (1), Salmonella enteritidis (10), Citrobacter spp . (30), Klebsiella spp . (55), Enterobacter spp . (68), Hafnia alvei (2), Serratia spp . (33), Proteus spp . (64), Morganella morganii (24), Providencia spp . (18), and Yersinia enterocolitica (2) . Methods were those of the manufactures without supplemental tests . API 20E correctly identified 93.2% of strains to species and 3.3% to genus level only, with 3.0% as part of a spectrum of identifications, and 0.5% incorrect identifications . Minitek yielded 96.0% correct identifications to species and 0.5% to genus level only, with 2.5% spectrum identifications, and 1.0% incorrect identifications . Enteric-Tek correctly identified 97.0% of strains to species level with 3.0% spectrum identifications . API 20E identification of some Serratia and Citrobacter strains was to genus level only . Problem organisms for Minitek included Enterobacter agglomerans and Serratia marcescens . A comparison of these three commercial methods shows that all three have the ability to identify most clinically isolated Enterobacteriaceae without supplemental tests. Mikrobiologiia, 1982 Mar-Apr, 51(2), 216 - 9 {Cytochrome composition and content of Citrobacter freundii}; Zatsepin SS et al.; Citrobacter freundii, strain 62, produces considerable amounts of cytochromes c and b when it grows in media with different carbon compounds under both aerobic anc anaerobic conditions . The content of cytochromes c increases under anaerobic conditions, particularly in the presence of formate or DMSO, and under aerobic conditions if formate is added . In contrast, the amount of cytochromes b decreased when the culture is grown in media with formate under anaerobic conditions . Cytochrome o is principal terminal oxidase in C . freundii . Under certain growth conditions, the microorganism, just as E . coli, produced also cytochromes a and d. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1982 Mar, 21(3), 509 - 12 Activity of N-formimidoyl thienamycin and cephalosporins against isolates from nosocomially acquired bacteremia; Gutierrez-Nunez J et al.; The in vitro activity of N-formimidoyl thienamycin was compared with that of seven beta-lactam agents against bacteremic clinical isolates, including gentamicin-resistant, gram-negative bacilli, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, streptococci, and enterococci . N-formimidoyl thienamycin was the most active antibiotic against all of the gram-positive cocci studied, with the exception of Staphylococcus epidermidis, and the only agent active against the enterococci . N-formimidoyl thienamycin was less active than some of the other agents against Enterobacteriaceae, except for the strains of Serratia and Citrobacter studied . For Pseudomonas aeruginosa, N-formimidoyl thienamycin was the most active agent (4 micrograms/ml was the lowest concentration that inhibited 90% of the strains tested). Jpn J Antibiot, 1982 Feb, 35(2), 283 - 95 {Review {new antibiotics series I}: cefuroxime (author's transl)}; Nakagawa K; Cefuroxime (CXM) is a new injectable cephalosporin stable against beta-lactamases . The results of preclinical and clinical studies so far carried out in Japan on cefuroxime are summarized in this paper . 1 . CXM is stable to various kinds of beta-lactamases except the one produced by P . vulgaris GN 76 (RICHMOND type Ic) . Reflecting this action, CXM has been shown to have antibacterial activity, not only against organisms which respond to conventional cephalosporins, but also against Citrobacter, Enterobacter, Hafnia, and Indole positive Proteus which are resistant to conventional cephalosporins . 2 . After an intravenous or an intramuscular injection, satisfactory blood levels of CXM are attained with the half-life about 1 hour, and CXM is excreted into urine via kidney in an active form . Transfer of CXM to tissues or various body fluids such as bile, cerebrospinal fluid, prostatic fluid, etc., is also satisfactory . 3 . Of the total 826 evaluable cases treated in the open clinical study, 243 cases (29%) were assessed as 'excellent' and 404 (49%), as 'good,' and the efficacy ratio ('excellent' and 'good') was as high as 78% . 4 . In a double-blind comparative study vs . cefazolin in patients with respiratory or urinary tract infections, CXM was proven to be superior to CEZ in either the infection, both in terms of clinical efficacy and global utility . 5 . Incidence of side effect was very low . Of the total 1,057 cases treated in the open and double-blind clinical studies, side effects, mostly skin hypersensitivity and pyrexia, were noted only in 26 cases (2.5%). Antibiotiki, 1982, 27(7), 517 - 21 {Antibiotic sensitivity of opportunistic bacteria isolated from patients}; Arons RM et al.; Sensitivity of 147 Enterobacteria strains isolated from feces of various patients was determined with the method of serial dilutions on solid nutrient media . 8 antibiotics were tested . By genera (species) the microorganisms were arranged in the following order: E . coli (65 strains), Citrobacter (33 strains), E . cloacae (15 strains), Serratia liquefaciens (9 strains), Hafnia (6 strains), Klebsiella (4 strains), Pectobacterium (3 strains), non-identified organisms (13 strains) . The majority of the strains were resistant to levomycetin (chloramphenicol), morphocycline, tetracycline and tetraolean and at the same time sensitive to streptomycin, neomycin, monomycin and kanamycin . 18 combinations of resistance were found . Repeated examinations of the specimens from the same patient revealed changes in the species composition of the cultures and subsequently in the antibiotic sensitivity spectrum. Basic Life Sci, 1982, 19, 175 - 94 Genetic and molecular studies of the regulation of atypical citrate utilization and variable Vi antigen expression in enteric bacteria; Baron LS et al.; 1 . The atypical citrate-utilizing ability to two strains of E . coli has been shown to be plasmid-encoded . Strain V414 carries a 130 Mdal conjugative Cit+ plasmid that also specifies Tcr and Cmr . Strain V517 carries 9 different plasmid species but only the 36 Mdal species is correlated with Cit+ ability . These plasmids are different from previously reported Cit+ plasmids of E . coli and Salmonella, which express thermosensitive conjugal transfer systems . 2 . A 9 kb Pstl fragment, carrying the Cit+ genes of pWR60, has been cloned into the pBR325 plasmid . 3 . Metabolic studies indicate that intact citrate is not incorporated directly into whole cells . Rather, atypical citrate utilization by these E . coli strains appears to involve partial metabolism of citrate at the cell surface before or during uptake . 4 . The expression of atypical Cit+ ability by the parental pWR60 plasmid or by the recombinant pWR61 plasmid appears reversible and may involve an expression switch mechanism (i.e., insertion sequence element) . 5 . Two widely separated genetic loci, viaA and viaB, are necessary for Vi antigen synthesis in Salmonella and Citrobacter . In some strains of C . freundii, Vi antigen expression is reversible, a phenomenon which can be visualized by a colonial morphology transition between Vi-expressing and -nonexpressing forms . 6 . The C . freundii viaB locus appears to encode the Vi antigen as well as the genetic "switch" mechanism controlling reversible Vi antigen expression . The viaA locus, which is found in several different bacterial species, may encode some common property (e.g., cell surface structure or enzymatic activity) that is needed for Vi antigen expression . 7 . S . typhi and E . coli K12 hybrid strains which carry the C . freundii viaB locus have been constructed . These hybrid strains express reversible Vi antigen expression, even in the absence of general recombination (i.e., functional recA gene product) . 8 . The C . freundii viaB locus was transposed via Mu-mediated events to an F'lac plasmid in the E . coli K12 hybrid strain WR2376 . F' plasmids carrying the viaB locus should serve as a highly enriched source of viaB DNA for physical examination of the switch mechanism . 9 . Genetic manipulations such as those described herein can be used to study virtually any plasmid, viral, or chromosomally-encoded property . The resultant better understanding of biochemical pathways and of genetic regulatory control systems, and the isolation of desired gene sequences should provide ample information and materials for improving chemical processes and constructing vaccines against various organisms. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1982 Jan, 43(1), 97 - 103 Influence of diluents, media, and membrane filters on detection fo injured waterborne coliform bacteria; McFeters GA et al.; Pure cultures of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter aerogenes, and Citrobacter freundii were injured ( greater than 90%) in water from a dead-end section of the Bozeman, Montana, distribution system . The effects of the following laboratory variables on the enumeration efficiency of injured and undamaged control cells were examined: (i) diluent composition, temperature, and time of exposure; (ii) media, using various formulations employed in enumerating gram-negative bacteria; and (iii) surface pore morphology of membrane filters . The addition of peptone or milk solids to diluents and low temperature (4 degrees C) maximized the recovery of injured cells, but had little effect on undamaged cells . Control cells were recovered with high efficiencies on most media tested, but recoveries of injured cells ranged from 0 to near 100% . Most of the media commonly used in water analysis recovered less than 30% of injured cells . This was explained in part by the sensitivity of injured bacteria to deoxycholate concentrations greater than 0.01%, whereas control cells were unaffected by 0.1% . Membrane filter surface pore morphology (at 35 degrees C) had a negligible effect on total coliform recoveries . Recommendations are made regarding procedures to improve the recovery of injured coliforms by routine laboratory practices. Mikrobiologiia, 1982 Jan-Feb, 51(1), 21 - 6 {Effect of oxygen and substrates for growth on the superoxide dismutase and catalase activity of microorganisms}; Kulakova SM et al.; The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase in Azotobacter vinelandii, Citrobacter freundii, Rhodopseudomonas capsulata, Thiocapsa roseopersicina and Spirulina platensis is far higher when the cultures are grown under the aerobic conditions . The activities of SOD and catalase are higher in R . capsulata cells cultivated in a medium with glucose in the dark under the aerobic conditions than in cells grown under the same conditions but in the light . R . capsulata grown in a medium with glucose and T . roseopersicina cultivated in a medium with formate or pyruvate had higher activities of SOD and catalase than R . capsulata grown in a medium with acetate and T . roseopersicina cultivated in a medium with glucose . Irrespective of the growth conditions, the highest activity of SOD was manifested by C . freundii while that of catalase by A . vinelandii 1 . C . freundii and T . roseopersicina contained both Mn-SOD and Fe-SOD whereas A . vinelandii and Rh . capsulata contained only Mn-SOD . The SOD from R . capsulata was purified to a homogeneous state . Its molecular weight is about 40,000 and it contains 1 Mn mole per mole of the enzyme. Infection, 1982, 10 Suppl 3, S262 - 6 Complementary activity of mezlocillin and the combination of amoxicillin with clavulanic acid on Enterobacteriaceae; Roy C et al.; The MICs of amoxicillin, mezlocillin and BRL 25,000, a combination of two parts amoxicillin and one part clavulanic acid (2AM + 1CA), were measured for 331 Enterobacteriaceae strains which produced beta-lactamases as demonstrated by nitrocefin . The MIC values for mezlocillin and the combination 2AM + 1CA were very similar for the total number of the strains investigated . When investigated separately according to the bacterial species, three different sensitivity groups were established for the above-mentioned preparations: 1) species with the same or similar sensitivity to mezlocillin and 2AM + 1CA (Escherichia coli and Shigella spp., amoxicillin-resistant strains); 2) species which were more sensitive to mezlocillin than to the combination 2AM + 1CA (Citrobacter spp., Enterobacter cloacae, Serratia spp . and indole-positive Proteus as well as strains of E . coli and Shigella spp . which produce a cephalosporinase and are sensitive to amoxicillin); 3) species which are more sensitive to 2AM + 1CA than to mezlocillin (amoxicillin-resistant Salmonella spp., Proteus mirabilis and Klebsiella pneumoniae) . This complementary activity of mezlocillin and 2AM + 1CA against Enterobacteriaceae depended on the beta-lactamases produced. Neurology, 1981 Dec, 31(12), 1575 - 7 Citrobacter meningitis and cerebral abscess in early infancy: cure by moxalactam; Levy RL et al.; A 7-week-old boy developed multiple cerebral abscesses as a complication of neonatal Citrobacter diversus meningitis . He was successfully treated medically with the experimental beta-lactam antibiotic, moxalactam . This is the first nonsurgical cure of brain abscess in early infancy . Fifty-eight percent of all previously reported cases of Citrobacter meningitis were complicated by brain abscess, mandating early, and serial computed tomography scanning in patients afflicted with the disorder . Moxalactam may become the chemotherapeutic agent of choice for the treatment of this serious neonatal infection. J Med Microbiol, 1981 Nov, 14(4), 371 - 80 An R plasmid of broad host-range, coding for resistance to nine antimicrobial agents endemic in Gram-negative nosocomial isolates; Tantulavanich S et al.; Of 3952 clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae, 246 exhibited resistance to at least carbenicillin, gentamicin and tobramycin . All these isolates, representing eight genera, were resistant to at least nine antimicrobial agents in common, including the three key antibiotics and streptomycin, kanamycin, sisomycin, ampicillin, cephalothin and sulphonamide . The strains could be subdivided into seven groups depending upon additional resistance traits and some were resistant to as many as 15 antibiotics . When mated with a standard strain of Escherichia coli, 85% of 123 randomly selected donors transferred resistance to at least the nine core antibiotics . Some donors occasionally transferred resistance to two additional antibiotics, neomycin and tetracycline, while one Citrobacter freundi donor always transferred linked resistance to all 11 drugs . Although many donors were found to harbour more than one species of plasmid DNA, all except a strain of C . freundi contained at least a plasmid of mol . wt 89 x 10(6) . Analysis of E . coli transconjugants showed this plasmid to be responsible for transferable resistance to the nine core antibiotics . Restriction-endonuclease analysis indicates that the 89 x 10(6) plasmids originating from different isolates were essentially identical with each other . These results show that a particular R plasmid has established itself among the Enterobacteriaceae at Hines VA Hospital . This R plasmid appears to be the predominant genetic element responsible for linked resistance to carbenicillin, gentamicin and tobramycin among these hospital-associated bacteria. Aust J Exp Biol Med Sci, 1981 Oct, 59(Pt 5), 639 - 49 The inhibition of bacterial cell growth by ketone bodies; Potezny N et al.; The effect of ketone bodies on the growth, in culture, of Escherichia coli was investigated . Both growth and glucose utilisation were inhibited in the presence of 20 mmol/l D-3-hydroxybutyrate . Lower concentrations of D-3-hydroxybutyrate caused proportionally less inhibition of growth . Acetoacetate also inhibited growth but other glycolytic inhibitors and chemical analogues of D-3-hydroxybutyrate either did not inhibit or proved to be too toxic for bacterial growth . Citrate enhanced the ketone body effect . D-3-hydroxybutyrate also inhibited the growth of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter aerogenes, Citrobacter freundii and Salmonella typhimurium . The possible relationship between ketone body inhibition of cell growth and oxygen limitation is discussed. J Clin Microbiol, 1981 Oct, 14(4), 408 - 10 Evaluation of the Repliscan II System for identification of Enterobacteriaceae; Woolfrey BF et al.; In a precious report (Woolfrey et al., J Clin . Microbiol . 13:58-61, 1981), we indicated that the Repliscan system did not reliably identify Enterobacteriaceae . Recent improvements in the system prompted us to evaluate Repliscan II (Cathra International, Inc., St . Paul, Minn.) by using representative isolates of the population sample previously used to test the system . Isolates (692) representing eight genera were identified in parallel by the Repliscan II and API 20E (Analytab Products, Plainview, N.Y.) systems . Isolates given different identifications by the two systems were assigned reference identifications by using classical microbiological methods . Repliscan II identified 95.2% correctly, 4.0% incorrectly, and 0.7% as unknown . API 20E identified 99.4% correctly, 0.6% incorrectly, and none as unknown . Repliscan II correctly identified Salmonella and Shigella spp . to the genus level and isolates of six other genera to the species level as follows: Salmonella spp., 100%; Shigella spp., 97.7%; Escherichia spp., 95.2%; Citrobacter spp., 82.1%; Enterobacter spp., 85.2%; Klebsiella spp., 98.6%; Proteus spp., 97.2%; and Serratia spp., 97.9% . These findings indicate that Repliscan II is a significantly improved system and provides acceptable identification of Enterobacteriaceae. Eur J Biochem, 1981 Sep, 119(1), 125 - 31 Exclusive localization of colicin A in cell cytoplasm of producing bacteria; Cavard D et al.; The production of colicin A in Citrobacter freundii and in Escherichia coli was studied . After induction with low concentrations of mitomycin C, these organisms differed with regards to cell growth, cell viability, and kinetics of colicin A biosynthesis . Despite these differences, immunoferritin labelling on ultra-thin sections of induced frozen cells demonstrated that colicin A was located exclusively within the cell cytoplasm in both types of bacteria . By using protein markers, it was shown that at no time after induction was colicin A accumulated in the periplasmic space or in inner or outer membranes . These results were confirmed by a biochemical approach . For at least 3 h after induction, colicin A remained associated with producing cells and no colicin A activity was found in the periplasmic space . These results are discussed with reference to the synthesis and export of other bacteriocins. J Bacteriol, 1981 Sep, 147(3), 1110 - 2 Translocatable resistance to mercuric and phenylmercuric ions in soil bacteria; Radford AJ et al.; Of a sample of 42 gram-negative Hg-resistant bacteria, three (a Pseudomonas fluorescens, a Klebsiella sp . and a Citrobacter sp.) contained translocatable elements conferring resistance to Hg2+ (all three) and to Hg2+ and phenylmercuric acetate (P . fluorescens) . The discovery of transposable phenylmercuric acetate resistance extends the range of known resistance "transposons" from heavy metals and antibiotics to organometallic compounds. Zentralbl Bakteriol A, 1981 Aug, 249(3), 373 - 81 {Sero- and biovars of Levinea malonatica (syn . Citrobacter diversus, Citrobacter koseri) in clinical material (author's transl)}; Aleksic S et al.; The biochemical and serological examination of 31 strains of Levinea malonatica isolated from faeces, urine, sputum, wound infections and blood showed no correlation of bio- or serovars with the origin of the strains . Serological cross-reactions between O-antigens of L . malonatica and certain Salmonella, Shigella and Yersinia enterocolitica serovars were analysed . They are low-titred and seem to be of minor importance . Sensitivity testing revealed the resistance of L . malonatica against penicillin, ampicillin and carbenicillin. J Clin Microbiol, 1981 Aug, 14(2), 161 - 4 Rapid presumptive identification of Citrobacter diversus as an aid in controlling infections; Anderson RL et al.; During an outbreak of neonatal meningitis caused by kanamycin-resistant Citrobacter diversus, a field procedure for presumptive identification of the organism was evaluated, and using it resulted in the early recognition of patients colonized by the epidemic strain of C . diversus . Rectal and nasopharyngeal specimens were plated and incubated on MacConkey agar containing 10 micrograms of kanamycin per ml . After 18 h of incubation, lactose-nonfermenting colonies present on the selective medium were picked and identified 8 h later with the following biochemical tests: indole, adonitol, dulcitol, citrate, and triple sugar iron agar . This presumptive identification of C . diversus was later confirmed for all cases by conventional testing with a complete set of biochemicals . In 1 week, 253 specimens from patients were processed with this technique, and 49 strains of C . diversus were identified . The rapid identification of C . diversus and transfer of carriers into appropriate cohorts resulted in a 64% reduction in the prevalence of colonization. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1981 Aug, 20(2), 171 - 5 Beta-lactamase stability and antibacterial activity of cefmenoxime (SCE-1365), a novel cephalosporin; Okonogi K et al.; Cefmenoxime, a new cephalosporin antibiotic, has been shown to be stable to a Staphylococcus aureus penicillinase and R plasmid-mediated type I and type IV penicillinases . It was also resistant to hydrolysis by most cephalosporinases, but was susceptible to hydrolysis by a Proteus vulgaris beta-lactamase . Cefmenoxime was active against cephaloridine-resistant species, except Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which was moderately resistant to cefmenoxime . Cefmenoxime was an inducer of P . vulgaris beta-lactamase biosynthesis, but 1 microgram or more of the drug per ml, which inhibits most of the clinical isolates of P . vulgaris, was required for the production of detectable amounts of the enzyme . Cefmenoxime was a strong competitive inhibitor of beta-lactamases of Enterobacter cloacae, Citrobacter freundii, P . aeruginosa, and Serratia marcescens, but it did not inhibit penicillinases in spite of its resistance to hydrolysis. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1981 Jul, 34(7), 876 - 83 In vitro synergism of FR-31564, a new phosphonic acid antibiotic; Yokota Y et al.; Against most test strains of Gram-negative bacilli, the in vitro effect of FR-31564 together with beta-lactam antibiotics or trimethoprim was strongly synergistic; with tetracycline and nalidixic acid the effect was additive; and with gentamicin and sulfamethoxazole the effect was additive or antagonistic . FR-31564 was markedly synergistic with beta-lactam antibiotics against beta-lactam antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacilli such as Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter aerogenes, E . cloacae, Citrobacter freundii and Serratia marcescens . The combination of FR-31564 with beta-lactam antibiotics effected a reduction of MICs against most of the test strains to clinically achievable concentrations in human serum. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1981 Jul, (7), 39 - 42 {Quantitative and species composition of conditionally-pathogenic microorganisms of the families Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonadaceae in healthy subjects and intestinal dysbacteriosis}; Polikarpov NA et al.; The spread and quantitative content of opportunistic microorganisms belonging to the families Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonadaceae in clinically healthy persons and in somatic patients with intestinal dysbacteriosis were studied . Opportunistic enterobacteria were shown to be widely spread in healthy persons (K . pneumoniae in 45%, Citrobacter in 44%, E . aerogenes in 17%, E . cloaceae in 11%) . In clinically healthy persons most of these cultures (72.3%) were detected in an amount not exceeding 1 X 10(4) organisms per 1 g of feces, while in patients with intestinal dysbacteriosis opportunistic enterobacteria were detected in most cases (70.9%) in an amount of 1 X 10(5)--1 X 10(8) organisms per 1 g of feces . The results of this study suggest that the presence of the opportunistic enterobacteria K . pneumoniae, Citrobacter, E . aerogenes and E . cloaceae in an amount not exceeding 1 X 10(4) organisms per 1 g of feces is normal for healthy persons, while the increase of their presence in the intestine to 1 X 10(6)--1 X 10(8) is indicative of intestinal dysbacteriosis. Cancer Res, 1981 Jul, 41(7), 2616 - 20 Relationship of colonic mucosal background to neoplastic proliferative activity in dimethylhydrazine-treated mice; Barthold SW; Proliferative activity of background and neoplastic colonic mucosa was examined following five months of weekly injections of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (20 mg/kg) and one or four months of rest to determine whether previously reported changes may result from an acute or chronic effect of dimethylhydrazine and whether differences exist between stages of neoplasia . To determine whether neoplasia is responsive to a proliferative stimulus, 1,2-dimethylhydrazine dihydrochloride-treated mice were inoculated with Citrobacter freundii . The labeling index and the proliferative zone increased in background mucosa after one month; whereas after four months labeling index, proliferative zone and crypt heights increased, but the mitotic index decreased . There was a positive linear correlation between advancing tumor grade and increasing tumor labeling index and mitotic index . Background labeling index, even when elevated by C . freundii inoculation, had no effect upon tumor labeling index . Mitotic index diminished in background and neoplastic mucosa following prolonged rest and increased in both following C . freundii inoculation . These studies show that 1,2-dimethylhydrazine dihydrochloride causes long-term changes in background mucosa that are apart from a reparative response to cytotoxicity . As tumors progress, labeling index and mitotic index increase, suggesting a multistage process of evolution. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1981 Jun, (6), 64 - 7 {Citrobacter freundii interaction with epithelial cells and macrophages in vitro}; Bondarenko VM et al.; Electron-microscopic study has revealed the capacity of enteropathogenic C . freundii strain to adhere to the glycocalyx of epithelial HeLa cells, to proliferate on their surface and to induce the toxic damage of their organelles . C . freundii, possessing a fibrillar microcapsule, have been shown to be capable of resisting the action of the lysosome enzymes of guinea-pig macrophages and disorganizing macrophage cultures . The latter fact should be taken into consideration in working with C . freundii strains isolated in the process of diagnostic examination. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1981 Jun, (6), 49 - 52 {Enterobacterial taxonomy: Erwinia carotovora and Yersinia enterocolitica}; Vershinina VI et al.; The immunotyping of the intracellular protein complex in enterobacteria has allowed to reveal that the intracellular proteins of E . carotovora and Y . enterocolitica possess an antigenic profile characteristics of bacteria belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae . E . carotovora are similar to the main group of enterobacteria (Escherichia, Shigella, Salmonella, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Citrobacter, Arizona) in the degree of the antigenic homology of their intracellular protein complex . Y . enterocolitica considerably differ from other enterobacteria, forming an independent immunotype of the family Enterobacteriaceae. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1981 Jun, 19(6), 1013 - 23 In vitro and in vivo antibacterial activity of FR-31564, a phosphonic acid antimicrobial agent; Neu HC et al.; The in vitro and in vivo activity of FR-31564 {sodium hydrogen 3-(N-hydroxyformamido)propylphosphate} against gram-positive and -negative aerobic and anaerobic bacteria was investigated and compared with that of fosfomycin, cephalexin, carbenicillin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole . The in vitro activity of FR-31564 was markedly enhanced when combined with glucose 6-phosphate or fructose 6-phosphate, but not when combined with ribose phosphate, adenosine monophosphate, or glycerol phosphate . In vitro activity of FR-31564 also was enhanced by human or horse blood, but not by human serum . The type of medium had a great effect on the minimal inhibitory concentration, with the lowest minimal inhibitory concentrations achieved on nutrient agar, 8- to 16-fold less than with Mueller-Hinton, heart infusion, or Trypticase soy agars . FR-31564 was more active than fosfomycin, cephalexin, carbenicillin, or trimethoprimsulfamethoxazole against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus vulgaris, Enterobacter cloacae, E . aerogenes, and Citrobacter . It was less active than fosfomycin against Serratia marcescens and Proteus mirabilis and did not inhibit gram-positive cocci or anaerobic species . FR-31564 inhibited a number of E . coli, K . pneumoniae, and some Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains resistant to the other agents . In the presence and absence of human blood FR-31564 showed bactericidal activity, and P . aeruginosa exposed to FR-31564 for 3 h showed a 6-h lag in regrowth . FR-31564 administered by the subcutaneous route was more active in protecting mice challenged with P . aeruginosa than was fosfomycin, carbenicillin, or cefoperazone . It was as active by the oral route in protecting mice challenged with E . coli as was fosfomycin, ampicillin, cephalexin, or trimethoprimsulfamethoxazole. Eur J Biochem, 1981 Jun, 117(1), 33 - 40 Syntheses of L-tyrosine-related amino acids by tyrosine phenol-lyase of Citrobacter intermedius; Nagasawa T et al.; Degradation of tyrosine to phenol, pyruvate and ammonia by tyrosine phenol-lyase from Citrobacter intermedius (formerly named Escherichia intermedia) is readily reversible at high concentrations of pyruvate and ammonia . Spectrophotometric studies indicate that ammonia is the first substrate which interacts with bound pyridoxal 5'-phosphate . Kinetic results show that pyruvate is the second substrate bound, hence phenol must be the third . When an appropriate phenol derivative is substituted for phenol, the corresponding tyrosine analogue can be synthesized . 3-Fluoro-, 2-fluoro-, 3-chloro-, 2-chloro-, 3-bromo-, 2-bromo-, 2-iodo-, 3-methyl-, 2-methyl- and 2-methoxy-L-tyrosines have been synthesized by this reaction . By using various phenol derivatives or tyrosine analogues as substrates, the substrate specificity of tyrosine phenol-lyase is investigated and the situation of its active site is discussed. Eur J Biochem, 1981 Jun 1, 116(3), 615 - 20 Biosynthesis and export of colicin A in Citrobacter freundii CA31; Varenne S et al.; Synthesis of colicin A after induction with mitomycin C was studied . Specific inhibition of chromosomal protein synthesis occurred very shortly after mitomycin addition . There was no coordinate synthesis of colicin A (61000 Mr) and low-molecular-weight protein . Free and membrane-bound polysome fractions were isolated from cells induced with mitomycin C . Colicin A is synthesized in vitro in the free polysomes and not in the membrane-bound polysomes . Conditions are described which allow a practically specific labelling of colicin A in vivo . By using this system it was possible to demonstrate that colicin A is not transferred cotranslationally across the cytoplasmic membrane . In contrast, this protein leaves the cell where it was made long after synthesis . Preliminary evidence, suggesting that pauses occur during synthesis of colicin A, is presented. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1981 Jun, 34(6), 727 - 38 Effect of combination of cefsulodin and mecillinam; Kondo M et al.; The effect of cefsulodin in combination with mecillinam was examined against a wide range of bacterial species . The antibacterial spectrum was widened by the combination of cefsulodin and mecillinam in the ratio of 5:1 and 10:1 . In overall observations, in the in vitro test, a synergistic effect against clinical isolates was found on Klebsiella pneumoniae, Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter cloacae, Serratia marcescens, proteus mirabilis and Proteus vulgaris, and an additive effect was found on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Proteus morganii, Proteus rettgeri, Proteus inconstans and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . In in vivo tests, a synergistic effect was observed on S . marcescens TN 66 and K . pneumoniae DT infections and an additive effect was observed on S . aureus 308 A-1, E . coli O-111 and T-7, C . freundii TN 518, E . cloacae TN 603, P . vulgaris GN 4712, P . morganii Tn 373 and P . aeruginosa U 31 infections. Rev Esp Fisiol, 1981 Jun, 37(2), 153 - 8 {Influence of chloramphenicol on glutamic acid excretion in citrobacter intermedius C3 (author's transl)}; Juarez A et al.; Chloramphenicol inhibits growth of C . intermedius C3 along with glutamic acid excretion, isocitrate dehydrogenase, glutamate dehydrogenase and the percentage of glutamic acid excreting colonies in solid medium . Repression of isocitrate dehydrogenase and glutamate dehydrogenase may explain the observed decrease in extracellular glutamic acid accumulation even when media were supplemented with 2-oxoglutarate, a known inducer of excretion in C . intermedius C3. JAMA, 1981 May 15, 245(19), 1923 - 5 Citrobacter diversus brain abscess and meningitis in neonates; Graham DR et al.; Brain abscess is an infrequent complication of meningitis, including cases caused by Gram-negative enteric bacteria in neonates . Because brain abscesses recently developed in four of five neonates with Citrobacter diversus meningitis at one institution, we reviewed cases of C diversus meningitis reported in the literature and those enrolled in the Neonatal Meningitis Cooperative Study Groups and reported to the Centers for Disease Control . Seventy-four cases in neonates were identified, and a brain abscess had developed in 41 (77%) of 53 patients for whom the information was available . This high frequency indicates the need for rapid diagnosis of this complication of C diversus meningitis. Isr J Med Sci, 1981 May, 17(5), 370 - 1 Fatal neonatal central nervous system infection caused by Citrobacter diversus; Shahar E et al.; Citrobacter diversus is a serious, albeit rare, offender of the central nervous system (CNS) in the neonatal period and in early infancy . We report here a case of neonatal CNS infection caused by C . diversus . The course of the illness was one of rapid deterioration, leading to recurrent seizures, coma and death . Since neonatal C . diversus CNS infection carries a grave prognosis, intraventricular administration of gentamicin should be considered. Boll Ist Sieroter Milan, 1981 May, 60(2), 102 - 9 {Study of the minimum inhibiting concentration of a new cephalosporin (HR 756): comparative data with other beta-lactamic antibiotics}; Mascellino MT et al.; HR 756 is a new beta-lactamase resistant cephalosporin . The activity of HR 756 was compared in vitro to that of cefamandole, cefoxitine, cefuroxime and cephalothin . A concentration of 1 microgram/ml inhibited practically all isolates of E . coli, Salmonella, Shigella, Proteus indole + and indole --, Klebsiella, etc . A lower activity in vitro has been found regarding to Enterobacter, Serratia, Citrobacter and Pasteurella . The cefotaxime has some anti-Pseudomonas activity at concentrations of 7.5-15 micrograms/ml . For most Gram-negative organisms, HR 756 was most active . The cephalothin and the cefoxitine have resulted more active regard to Staph . aureus and Bacteroides fragilis, respectively. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1981 Apr, (4), 85 - 8 {Antigenic relations between enteropathogenic Escherichia O151:K, Citrobacter and Hafnia}; Kiseleva BS et al.; The strains isolated from acute dysentery patients and convalescents and identified as E . coli O151:K--were studied . Diagnostic errors due to inexact genus determination were revealed, and the isolated strains were found to belong to Citrobacter and Hafnia . The main biochemical differences allowing to differentiate E . coli O151:K--from these two genera were established . The study also showed the necessity of some tests, such as the tests for citrate assimilation in Simmons' medium and sodium malonate assimilation, the determination of indole production, the determination of differences in the methyl red and Voges--Proskauer reactions at different temperatures . The poor unilateral antigenic relationship of the strains under study, agglutinating with antiserum to E . coli O151, Citrobacter O1 and O14 and Hafnia C18 was revealed. Can J Microbiol, 1981 Mar, 27(3), 343 - 9 Plasmid specification of resistance to antibacterial compounds in environmental Citrobacter freundii; Austen RA et al.; Citrobacter freundii from an environmental source displayed resistance to a wide variety of antibacterials . Some of these resistances could be transferred by conjugation with frequencies as high as 10(-2) . The complexity of plasmid involvement in the antibacterial resistance of this species was demonstrated by isolation of plasmid DNA from two isolates . In one strain, resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics was specified by a 55 x 10(6) molecular weight plasmid, whereas kanamycin and neomycin resistance was specified by a 7 x 10(6) molecular weight plasmid . Resistance to chloramphenicol and tetracycline was not plasmid mediated . The other strain contained plasmids of molecular weight 113 x 10(6) and 80 x 10(6), which specified resistance to chloramphenicol, neomycin, kanamycin, tetracycline, and mercury. Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1981 Mar-Apr, 132(2), 191 - 5 {Utilization and fermentation of 2-ketogluconate by "Enterobacteriaceae" (author's transl)}; Buissiere J et al.; Two methods were compared: 1) the ability to use 2-ketogluconate (2-KG) as source of carbon and energy in defined medium, and 2) the ability to produce acid by fermentation of 2-KG (0.5 g/100 ml) in peptone water with phenol red . Results of growth on, and acid production from, 2-KG were identical . A total of 990 strains was studied . No strain of Escherichia coli, Shigella (4 species), Salmonella (4 sub-genera), Yersinia pestis, Y . pseudotuberculosis, Edwardsiella (2 species), Proteus vulgaris, P . mirabilis, P . morganii, Providencia (2 species) could utilize 2-KG . All strains of Citrobacter (2 species), Levinea amalonatica, Klebsiella pneumoniae, K . oxytoca, K . ozaenae, Enterobacter (5 species), Serratia (6 species) utilize 2-KG as sole carbon source . Different reactions were given by strains of P . rettgeri, Y . enterocolitica and K . rhinoscleromatis. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1981 Mar, 41(3), 597 - 602 Factors affecting salmonellae repopulation in composted sludges; Russ CF et al.; The repopulation potential and recovery of Salmonella sp . and their close relatives Arizona spp . and Citrobacter spp . in sewage sludge which had been composted was examined . Salmonellae growth in previously composted sludge was found to occur in the mesophilic temperature range (20 to 40 degrees c), require a moisture content of greater than or equal to 20%, and require a carbon/nitrogen ratio in excess of 15:1. Ann Sclavo, 1981 Mar-Apr, 23(2), 151 - 61 {Quantitative bacterial ecology of normal nasal mucosa}; Linoli O et al.; A quantitative research into the aerobic bacteria of human nasal cavities has been carried out; 183 healthy individuals observed, negative results 18 (9.83%) . Streptococcus, Enterococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Micrococcus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria, were numerically determined and the incidence of each single species or genus exactly specified . Among gram-negative bacteria, Enterobacter, Providencia, Proteus, Citrobacter freundii, Haemophilus influenzae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Serratia, Herella, Pseudomonas, and among the Hyphomycetes, Candida albicans have been identified and their number calculated . Diphteroid bacteria were also detected and counted; among them, the Corynebacterium pseudodiphtheriticum seemed to be the most frequent and numerous species . Finally, interference phenomena in vivo by Staphylococcus aureus and environmental and nourishment competition by Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus and Diphtheroids were noted. Zentralbl Bakteriol A, 1981 Mar, 249(1), 39 - 42 The murein of citrobacter O-serogroup Ci23 Vi+; Jastrzemski KB et al.; The isolation and analysis of the Citrobacter O-serogroup Ci23Vi+ murein are described . The murein consists of alanine, glutamic acid, diaminopimelic acid (occurring in the molar ratio 1.5 : 1: 0.9), N-acetylmuramic acid and N-acetylglucosamine . Dialysable products resulting from the digestion of the Citrobacter O-serogroup Ci23Vi+ murein with egg white lysozyme resemble closely those obtained from the E . coli B murein. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1981 Mar, 41(3), 657 - 63 Coliform species recovered from untreated surface water and drinking water by the membrane filter, standard, and modified most-probable-number techniques; Evans TM et al.; The species of total coliform bacteria isolated from drinking water and untreated surface water by the membrane filter (MF), the standard most-probable-number (S-MPN), and modified most-probable-number (M-MPN) techniques were compared . Each coliform detection technique selected for a different profile of coliform species from both types of water samples . The MF technique indicated that Citrobacter freundii was the most common coliform species in water samples . However, the fermentation tube techniques displayed selectivity towards the isolation of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella . The M-MPN technique selected for more C . freundii and Enterobacter spp . from untreated surface water samples and for more Enterobacter and Klebsiella spp . from drinking water samples than did the S-MPN technique . The lack of agreement between the number of coliforms detected in a water sample by the S-MPN, M-MPN, and MF techniques was a result of the selection for different coliform species by the various techniques. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1981 Mar, 41(3), 639 - 45 Biochemical characteristics and identification of Enterobacteriaceae isolated from meats; Stiles ME et al.; The isolation and identification of 2,220 Enterobacteriaceae from meats indicated that Escherichia coli biotype I, Enterobacter agglomerans, and Serratia liquefaciens were the principal types to be differentiated in meats . Citrobacter freundii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae, and Enterobacter hafniae were also commonly identified . Identification of isolates by the Encise II (Roche Diagnostics Inc., Nutley, N.J.) and Minitek (BBL Microbiology Systems, Cockeysville, Md.) coding systems gave similar results with only 255 (11.5%) discrepancies in identity, but both systems required large numbers of supplementary tests for identification of the isolates . Not only the distribution of Enterobacteriaceae types isolated from meats but also some of the biochemical reactions of the isolates differed from those of clinical isolates . The Minitek technique is recommended because of its versatility . However, with the addition of cellobiose and salicin disks and the inclusion of methyl red to the Minitek test and the use of the Voges-Proskauer test and gas production in EC medium at elevated temperature as standard tests, the identification of these Enterobacteriaceae from meats would be greatly facilitated . The inclusion of the motility test, for example, using nitrate motility agar, would also be of value to Enterobacteriaceae identification. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1981 Mar, 19(3), 424 - 8 Antibacterial activity of 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine in vivo and in vitro; Beskid G et al.; 2',3'-Dideoxyadenosine (DDA) was shown not only to possess antibacterial activity in vitro against a variety of Enterobacteriaceae, but also to be effective in vivo, DDA was active in experimental mouse infections by the oral route against 5 Salmonella strains, 2 of 3 Arizona strains, 5 of 7 Citrobacter strains, 3 of 8 Klebsiella strains, 3 of 5 Escherichia strains, 1 of 3 Shigella strains, and 3 of 15 Serratia strains at concentrations generally well below the toxic level . Closely related compounds, with the exception of 2',3'-dideoxyinosine, were found to be inactive in vivo, indicating that a high degree of structural specificity was required for activity . The synthesis of deoxyribonucleic acid was inhibited by DDA in those strains susceptible in vitro to DDA, whereas ribonucleic acid and protein syntheses were not affected . The concentration of DDA which inhibited bacterial deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis by 50% was calculated based on the relative rates of deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis in ;the absence and in the presence of DDA . This value correlated well with the minimal inhibitory concentration determined by the in vitro broth dilution assay but not always with in vivo activity determined by the mouse protection test. Nouv Presse Med, 1981 Feb 26, 10(8), 625 - 7 {Clinical evaluation of cefotaxime at various dosage levels in urinary tract infections (author's transl)}; Guibert J et al.; In this study, 63 patients with various urinary tract infections were treated with cefotaxime in different dosages . They were aged from 10 to 82 years (mean: 59) . The cases included 33 cystitis, 25 pyelonephritis, 4 chronic prostatitis and 1 orchiepididymitis . 85 strains of enterobacteria were identified: 20 E . coli, 2 Citrobacter freundi, 5 Proteus mirabilis, 12 indole positive Proteus, 1 Providentia, 11 Klebsiella, 3 Enterobacter cloacae and 31 Serratia marescens and liquefaciens . 80 of these strains had MIC less than or equal to 1 mcg/ml (median: 0,12 mcg/ml) . More than 2/3 of the patients were treated with a daily dose of 1.50 to 2 g, and 52 (median: 0.12 mcg/ml) . More than 2/3 of the patients results showed 43 cures (9 of these with reinfection) and 20 relapses . Isolated enterobacteria strains were sensitive to cefotaxime in patients with recurrence . Relapses were due to underlying urological pathology . Among reinfection organisms, only one, an Enterobacter cloacae, was resistant to cefotaxime . The clinical, local, systemic and biological tolerance was good . Cefotaxime has been very effective in the treatment of severe urinary tract infections, especially in chronic pyelonephritis and cystitis, at an average daily dose of 2 g. J Hyg (Lond), 1981 Feb, 86(1), 111 - 5 Antigenic scheme for Citrobacter koseri (syn . C . diversus, Levinea malonatica); three new antigens recognized in strains from Israel; Gross RJ et al.; An antigenic scheme for Citrobacter koseri was described previously and consisted of 14 'O' antigens . Three additional antigens are now added to the scheme and type strains for these antigens are designated . Their origins and their biochemical and serological reactions are described. J Bacteriol, 1981 Feb, 145(2), 1010 - 7 Genetic regulation of variable Vi antigen expression in a strain of Citrobacter freundii; Snellings NJ et al.; Certain strains of the genus Citrobacter exhibit a variable expression of the Vi surface antigen that appears to involve a special mechanism for regulation of gene expression . Two nonlinked chromosomal loci, viaA and viaB, are known to determine nonvariable Vi antigen expression in strains of Salmonella . To confirm the presence of analogous loci in Citrobacter and to ascertain whether either of them is involved in variable Vi antigen expression in this organism, donor strains were constructed from Citrobacter freundii WR7004 and used to transfer their Vi antigen-determining genes to ViaA- and ViaB- Salmonella typhi recipient strains . Vi antigen expression in C . freundii was found to be controlled by loci analogous to the Salmonella via genes . S . typhi recipients of the C . freundii viaA+ genes were restored to the full, continuous expression of the Vi antigen normally seen in S . typhi . Thus, the C . freundii viaA genes appeared to play no role in the variable expression of the Vi antigen . In contrast, S . typhi recipients of the C . freundii viaB+ genes exhibited the rapid, reversible alternation between full Vi antigen expression and markedly reduced Vi antigen expression that was seen to occur in the C . freundii parent . The C . freundii viaB locus was thus identified as the one whose genes are regulated so as to produce variable Vi antigen expression . Genes determining another C . freundii surface antigen, the synthesis of which is not affected by the mechanism regulating Vi expression, were coinherited with the C . freundii viaB+ genes . An invertible, insertion sequence element located within the C . freundii viaB locus is proposed to account for the regulation of variable Vi antigen expression. Biochem J, 1981 Jan 1, 193(1), 325 - 37 The effect of polyamines on the poly(adenylic acid)-induced inhibition of ribonuclease activity; Karpetsky TP et al.; Segments of poly(A) at the 3'-termini of 5 S rRNA inhibit the activities of ribonucleases from Citrobacter, Enterobacter, bovine pancreas, human spleen and human plasma . Certain polyamines, or compounds containing polyamine substructures, mediate reversal of this inhibition . Effective compounds contain three amino groups, at least two of which are charged and are separated from the others by no less than three carbon atoms . Spermidine and 9-aminoacridines, which contain substituted propyl- or butylamino moieties at the 9-amino position and which bear two positive charges per molecule, are efficacious at low concentrations (5 microM) . A decrease in effectiveness is associated with the removal of one aromatic ring from the 9-aminoacridines . However, the resulting 4-aminoquinolines, unlike the acridines, do not inhibit enzyme activity when present in concentrations above 30 microM . Relocating the diamino side chain from the 4- to the 8-position of the quinoline nucleus causes a decrease in charge density to +1, with the result that such compounds are ineffective . The orders of polyamine efficacy of reversal of inhibition were similar for enzymes from Citrobacter, bovine pancreas, and human plasma, and paralleled the order of binding of polyamines to either poly(A) or 5 S rRNA . This was not the case with Enterobacter and human spleen RNAases, indicating that the identity of the most effective polyamines depends on the RNAase studied . The combination of variable 3'-terminal poly(A) segment length and polyamine identity and concentration constitutes a system by which RNAase activities, and, therefore, substrate-degradation rates, may be easily varied. Vopr Med Khim, 1981, 27(4), 534 - 7 {Immobilization of Citrobacter L-asparaginase in polyacrylamide gel}; Galaev IuV et al.; Bacterial L-asparaginase, immobilized on polyacrylamide gel, exhibited higher stability to denaturation and to the effect of a proteolytic enzyme . The immobilized enzyme exhibited the pH optimum of activity displaced by one pH unit to the acid side as compared with the free enzyme . The apparent Km value was approximately 200-fold higher as compared with the free L-asparaginase . The immobilized asparaginase hydrolyzed both L- and D-asparagine isomers but the free enzyme was highly stereospecific. Jpn J Antibiot, 1981 Jan, 34(1), 33 - 40 {Fundamental and clinical studies on cefadroxil dry syrup in children (author's transl)}; Kobayashi Y et al.; Fundamental and clinical studies were made on cefadroxil, a new oral cephalosporin, and the following results were obtained . (1) Antibacterial activity of the drug against S . aureus, S . epidermidis, E . coli, Klebsiella, Salmonella and P . mirabilis was almost equal to that of cephalexin . The MIC of indole positive Proteus . Enterobacter, Citrobacter, S . marcescens and P . aeruginosa to cefadroxil was higher than 100 microgram/ml in almost all strains . (2) Serum concentrations following an oral administration of 10.0 to 14.3 mg/kg of cefadroxil dry syrup was highest at 2 hours in 2 cases and 1 hour in 1 case, respectively, which were 13.4 to 17.1 microgram/ml, and 1.8 to 6.8 microgram/ml at 4 hours with an T 1/2 of 1.04 to 1.62 hours and apparently longer continuation of serum concentration than that of cephalexin . Urinary recovery rate was 75-96% up to 6 hours . (3) Fourteen patients, i.e., 6 with tonsillitis and 8 with urinary tract infection, were treated with a daily oral dose of 30-50 mg/kg divided in 4 doses except 1 case divided in 3 doses . The overall efficacy rate was 100%, i.e., excellent in 13, good in 1 and no failure . Causative organisms disappeared in all cases . (4) Adverse reactions, such as diarrhea and skin rash, were not noted at all and 1 case presented a mild elevation of GOT and GPT . (5) Taste and flavor of the drug was well palatable to children . (6) Based on the above results, it is concluded cefadroxil dry syrup is a new potent cephalosporin for oral use in the treatment of acute bacterial infection in children . Daily dose of 40 mg/kg in 3-4 divided doses appeared to be appropriate. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1981 Jan, 41(1), 130 - 8 Failure of the most-probable-number technique to detect coliforms in drinking water and raw water supplies; Evans TM et al.; A procedure was developed to detect false-negative reactions (interference) in the standard most-probable-number (S-MPN) technique for coliform enumeration of untreated surface water and potable water supplies . This modified MPN (M-MPN) procedure allowed a quantitative assessment of the interference with coliform detection in untreated surface water and potable water supplies . Coliform interference was found to occur in the presumptive, confirmed, and completed tests of the S-MPN technique . When coliforms were present, interference with their detection occurred in over 80% of the samples . The inferior nature of the S-MPN was revealed by the 100% increase in the incidence of completed coliform-positive drinking water samples obtained with the M-MPN technique . The M-MPN procedure was also superior to the standard membrane filter technique . Eight different species of coliforms were recovered from false-negative tests, including Citrobacter, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, and Escherichia coli (in decreasing order of occurrence) . The use of standard MPN techniques for monitoring potable water supplies may lead to a false security that the drinking water supply is potable, i.e., free from indicator bacteria. J Clin Microbiol, 1981 Jan, 13(1), 58 - 61 Evaluation of the repliscan system for Enterobacteriaceae identification; Woolfrey BF et al.; A total of 1,013 isolates of Enterobacteriaceae were identified in parallel by the Repliscan (Cathra International, Ontario, Canada) and API 20E (Analytab Products, Plainview, N.Y.) systems . There was a 62% agreement at the genus level between the two systems . Of the 38% discrepant results, Repliscan classified 22% as "biochemical pattern not on file," 8% as a multiple-genus group which included the API 20E identification, and 8% as a genus other than that designated by API 20E . Relative to the various genera, Repliscan agreed with API 20E as follows: Escherichia coli, 80%; Klebsiella spp., 76%; Citrobacter spp., 75%; Proteus spp., 69%; Providencia spp., 54%; Serratia spp., 49%; Enterobacter spp., 25%; Shigella spp., 4%; and Salmonella spp., 0% . Repliscan identified 35% of Enterobacter spp . isolates as Citrobacter spp., 91% of Shigella spp . isolates as a multiple-choice-genus group, and 67% of Salmonella spp . isolates as "biochemical pattern not on file." Repliscan agreed with API 20E at the species level as follows: E . coli, 80%; Klebsiella spp., 56%; Citrobacter spp., 66%; Proteus spp., 55%; Providencia spp., 46%; Serratia spp., 39%; Enterobacter spp., 18%; Shigella spp., 4%; and Salmonella spp., 0% . These findings indicate that the Repliscan system in its present stage of development does not reliably identify the Enterobacteriaceae. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1981 Jan, 19(1), 56 - 65 Cefmenoxime (SCE-1365), a novel broad-spectrum cephalosporin: in vitro and in vivo antibacterial activities; Tsuchiya K et al.; The activity of cefmenoxime (SCE-1365), 7 beta-{2-(2-aminothiazol-4-yl)-(Z)-2-methoxyiminoacetamido}-3-{(1-methyl-1H-tetrazol-5-yl)thiomethyl}ceph-3-em-4-carboxylic acid, was compared with that of other cephalosporins . Cefmenoxime exhibited high activity against a wide variety of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria . The in vitro activity of cefmenoxime against Streptococcus pyogenes, Haemophilus influenzae, and Enterobacteriaceae, including indole-positive Proteus, Serratia marcescens, Enterobacter cloacae, and Citrobacter freundii, was 10 to 1,000 times greater than that of several other cephalosporins . Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, cefmenoxime showed activity two to four times that of sulbenicillin and carbenicillin but less than that of cefsulodin . Variation in pH, addition of horse serum, and type of growth medium had definite effects on the activity of cefmenoxime, and the inoculum size affected the activity against bacterial species . In Escherichia coli cefmenoxime showed marked affinity for penicillin-binding protein 3 (PBP-3), followed by PBP-1 (1A and 1B) . This affinity profile was well correlated with its filamentous cell-forming activity under extremely low drug concentrations and with its bactericidal activity against microorganisms . The high in vitro activity of cefmenoxime was reflected in the degree of protection observed in mice infected intraperitoneally with a wide variety of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria . Furthermore, cefmenoxime showed good therapeutic activity against infection models in mice such as respiratory tract infection caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae and urinary tract infection caused by Proteus mirabilis. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1981 Jan, 19(1), 130 - 3 Correlation of moxalactam (LY127935) susceptibility tests by disk diffusion and agar plate dilution methods; Hall WH et al.; Susceptibility of pathogenic aerobic bacteria to moxalactam (LY127935) was compared by two methods, diffusion from 30-microgram disks and agar plate dilution . The two methods gave a satisfactory degree of correlation when compared by linear regression, but the slope of the linear regression was significantly steeper for gram-negative bacilli (Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) than for coccal organisms (streptococci and staphylococci) . The largest zone diameters by disk diffusion were found with Citrobacter, Proteus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, and Enterobacter strains . The error rate-bounded method of Metzler and DeHaan (J . Infect . Dis . 130:588-594, 1974) gave useful breakpoints of disk zone sizes for moxalactam resistance and susceptibility. Microbios, 1981, 32(128), 71 - 6 Polysaccharides and their common proteinic carrier in the Vi antigens of Citrobacter ballerup and Salmonella typhi Ty2; Barber C; Immunochemical analysis of Citrobacter ballerup and Salmonella typhi Ty2 showed that the strains share native and heat-resistant proteins that are, apparently, the carriers of a common polysaccharidic determinant present in their respective somatic antigens . After the classic acetic acid hydrolysis, the somatic antigen of C . ballerup reacted, in agar gel, against the homologous antiserum by two precipitation lines, one of which also precipitated against the anti S, typhi Ty2 serum; the hydrolysis of the S . typhi Ty2 somatic antigen demonstrated that, in addition to the 'O' polysaccharide, reacting against all the S . typhi antisera, it contains a polysaccharide that precipitated against the anti-C . ballerup serum . The elusiveness in the agglutinability of only freshly isolated bacterial authorizes some doubt concerning the responsibility of the antipolysaccharide antibodies in the agglutinating Vi sera; in order to induce anitpolysaccharides hyperimmunizations are needed while antiproteins are easily induced by short immunizations. Biochem J, 1981 Jan 1, 193(1), 311 - 24 Poly(adenylic acid) in small amounts, free or covalently linked to substrate, protects RNA from hydrolysis by ribonuclease; Karpetsky TP et al.; Short lengths (18 residues) of poly(A), covalently linked to the 3'-termini of Escherichia coli 5 S rRNA, induce powerful inhibitions (38-87%) of the activities of RNAases (ribonucleases) from Citrobacter sp., Enterobacter sp., bovine pancreas, human spleen and human plasma . As the polypurine chain length is extended, enzyme activity declines . Furthermore, poly(A) sequences, present only on a small subpopulation of RNA, and accounting for less than 1% of total RNA, serve to protect all RNA, polyadenylated or not, from enzyme-catalysed degradation . The quantity of 3'-terminal adenylic acid residues, relative to the amount of substrate, determines enzyme activity . The exact distribution of a fixed amount of poly(A) residues on the 3'-termini of substrate molecules is unimportant in this respect . Comparison of the efficacies of inhibition of RNAase activity, by using linked poly(A) and similar quantities of free poly(A), revealed that although the free polypurine inhibits RNAase activity, covalent linkage of poly(A) to RNA is more advantageous to the stability of an RNA substrate . However, the ratio of inhibited activities obtained by using linked or free poly(A) may change considerably with alterations in either substrate concentration or polyadenylic acid segment length. Cancer Res, 1980 Dec, 40(12), 4451 - 5 Modification of early dimethylhydrazine carcinogenesis by colonic mucosal hyperplasia; Barthold SW et al.; The interaction of colonic mucosal hyperplasia with early 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) carcinogenesis was studied in random-bred NIH Swiss mice utilizing hyperplasia-inducing Citrobacter freundii . Mice inoculated with this bacterium developed significantly more DMH focal atypia than did mice without hyperplasia following a single dose of DMH (20 mg/kg) . Mice with hyperplasia also developed DMH focal atypia with diminished doses of DMH (10 and 5 mg/kg), while normal mice did not . The effect of C . freundii on early DMH carcinogenesis was shown to be due to the hyperplasia rather than to a direct interaction of the bacterium with DMH . Focal atypia arose in high incidence 1 month after a single dose of DMH (20 mg/kg) but did not appear to progress to later stages of neoplasia, since significantly fewer atypia were present at 2 to 4 months among a randomized population . Colonic focal atypia may represent a reversible preneoplastic or precursor lesion as seen in other tissues, with features more aligned to neoplasia than to hyperplasia. J Bacteriol, 1980 Dec, 144(3), 1094 - 7 Regulation of hydrogenase activity in enterobacteria; Krasna AI; Proteus vulgaris, Escherichia coli, and Citrobacter freundii cells were devoid of hydrogenase activity when grown on complex medium or minimal medium plus glucose in the presence of saturating levels of dissolved oxygen . Anaerobically grown cells had appreciable hydrogenase activity . Cells grown anaerobically in the presence of CO (an inhibitor of hydrogenase) or nitrate (an electron acceptor) lacked hydrogenase activity . To make hydrogenase essential for anaerobic growth, cells were grown on fumarate, a nonfermentable carbon source . P . vulgaris and C . freundii evolved H2 gas under these conditions, and the hydrogenase-specific activity was 8 to 10 times greater than that in cells grown on glucose . Cell growth was inhibited by CO, and the cells grew but lacked hydrogenase activity when grown in the presence of nitrate . E . coli grew on fumarate plus H2, and the specific activity was five times greater than that in cells grown on glucose . Thus, hydrogenase activity is inducible and is expressed maximally when the enzyme is essential for cellular growth . Under conditions of growth where the enzyme would not be catalytically active, cells contain little active hydrogenase . Under anaerobic conditions where the enzyme is not essential for growth, the level of hydrogenase activity is intermediate. J Gen Microbiol, 1980 Dec, 121(Pt . 2), 449 - 56 Purification and properties of chromosomally mediated beta-lactamase from Citrobacter freundii GN7391; Tajima M et al.; Both a penicillinase and a cephalosporinase are present in a strain of Citrobacter freundii (GN7391) resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics . The penicillinase was identical to the type Ia penicillinases (Type III by Richmond classification), mediated by Rms212 and R-TEM . A cephalosporinase, typical of enterobacteriaceae chromosomal beta-lactamase (Type I by Richmond classification), was purified from the strain . It gave a single protein band on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoelectrophoresis; the pI was 8.6 and its molecular weight was approximately 38 000 . Cysteine was not found among its amino acids . The specific activity was 388 units (mg protein)-1 for the hydrolysis of cephaloridine, and the optimal pH was 8.0 . Rabbit antiserum obtained against the purified enzyme showed cross-reaction with cephalosporinases produced by strains of Enterobacter cloacae in a neutralization test. Can J Microbiol, 1980 Dec, 26(12), 1503 - 5 Anaerobic co-oxidation of acetate and glucose by citrobacter intermedius and a species of Pseudomonas; Brosseau JD et al.; Analysis of gases evolved when Citrobacter intermedius and a Pseudomonas species are co-cultured on an acetate or glucose - nitrate - mineral salts medium indicates that acetate is anaerobically oxidized by CO2. Ann Neurol, 1980 Sep, 8(3), 269 - 72 Neonatal intracranial abscess: two cases caused by Citrobacter and a literature review; Curless RG; Intracranial abscesses are uncommon in the newborn . Observation of 2 infants and a review of the literature reveal that the offending organism was a Citrobacter in 12 of the 16 documented cases . In the Neonatal Meningitis Cooperative Study this organism was responsible for meningitis in only 4% . However, an analysis of all published cases of neonatal Citrobacter meningitis reveals a 42% incidence of intracranial abscess . Accordingly, early identification by computerized tomography is important in facilitating prompt surgical therapy. Ann Intern Med, 1980 Sep, 93(3), 420 - 4 Nosocomial bacteriuria: a prospective study of case clustering and antimicrobial resistance; Schaberg DR et al.; To investigate the role of cross-infection in nonepidemic nosocomial bacteriuria in a large, university-affiliated hospital, we identified in adult patients admitted over an 11-week period all cases caused by organisms of the same genus, species, and antimicrobial susceptibility and clustered by date of onset and hospital ward . Further laboratory studies were conducted to verify clustering . Among the 3452 patients studied, 194 cases of nosocomial bacteriuria were identified; 49 appeared clustered by epidemiologic evidence . Additional laboratory tests verified clustering in 30 cases (15.5%) . We found that 90% of clustered and 76% of nonclustered cases had had previous urinary catheterization; Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia marcescens, and Citrobacter freundii often caused clustered infection while Escherichia coli predominated in nonclustered cases; and resistance to gentamicin, sulfathiazole, and carbenicillin was significantly greater for pathogens from clustered cases than for nonclustered ones . This increased resistance emphasizes the need to prevent cross-infection, even in the absence of epidemics. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1980 Sep, 33(9), 1037 - 42 Cefoxitin resistance by a chromosomal cephalosporinase in Escherichia coli; Takahashi I et al.; Cefoxitin resistance, an unique property found in clinical isolates of Escherichia coli was investigated . Cefoxitin resistant strains, 255 and GN206, produced cephalosporinase constitutively . The cephalosporinase was located in the periplasm, and its production was considered to be mediated by chromosomal gene(s) . Cephalosporinase-less mutants from both strains were susceptible to cefoxitin as well as other beta-lactam antibiotics, suggesting that the cephalosporinase was responsible for the resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics including cefoxitin . The cephalosporinases from the E . coli strains were partially purified and their enzymological properties were compared with those of cephalosporinases of Citrobacter freundii and Proteus morganii . Although the cephalosporinases of E . coli, as well as other cephalosporinases, showed little activity for cefoxitin-hydrolysis, the E . coli cephalosporinases exhibited a significantly higher affinity for cefoxitin than other cephalosporinases . It was assumed that the E . coli enzyme located around the targets of cefoxitin protected the targets from the antibiotic by its high affinity for the antibiotic. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1980 Sep, 40(3), 446 - 51 Distribution of citrate utilization plasmids in Salmonella strains of bovine origin in Japan; Ishiguro N et al.; Attempts to detect transferable citrate-utilizing (Cit) ability in enterobacterial strains were carried out by conjugation experiments . Of 318 strains of Salmonella typhimurium and 1 strain of Salmonella bredeney isolated from cattle in Japan from 1970 to 1979, 107 (33.5%) strains contained transferable Cit characters . Most of the strains transferred the Cit characters to recipient Escherichia coli more efficiently at 28 degrees C than at 37 degrees C, indicating that their transfer of the Cit character is thermosensitive . Transferred Cit characters were found in association with drug resistance markers such as ampicillin, chloramphenicol, kanamycin, streptomycin, sulfonamides, and tetracycline or with mercury resistance, but Cit plasmids conferring Cit ability alone were also obtained . Of 221 conjugative Cit plasmids tested for fertility inhibition (Fi), all but 2 were Fi- and exhibited thermosensitive transfer; 2 Cit plasmids showing the Fi+ character were also isolated from 2 S . typhimurium strains . No transferable Cit character was detected from strains of Proteus, Serratia, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, and Citrobacter spp . isolated from humans or cows in the present study . The utilization of tricarboxylic acids by strains with plasmid-borne Cit ability was examined, and two different patterns of utilization were found in the Cit+ E . coli transconjugants. Rev Infect Dis, 1980 Sep-Oct, 2(5), 746 - 60 Citrobacter infections in humans: experience at the Seattle Veterans Administration Medical Center and a review of the literature; Lipsky BA et al.; The genus Citrobacter is a distinct group of human pathogens comprising three species: Citrobacter freundii (biotypes a and b), Citrobacter amalonaticus, and Citrobacter diversus . In this review the clinical and microbiologic experience during 1972-1978 at the Seattle Veterans Administration Medical Center (Seattle, Wash.) with 298 isolates of Citrobacter is analyzed in relation to a survey of the literature . The most common sources of citrobacter isolates were urine, sputum, and soft tissue exudates . Members of this genus can cause neonatal meningitis and, perhaps, gastroenteritis in both children and adults . Although deep tissue infections due to Citrobacter have been reported only occasionally, in this study a large number of cultures of peritoneal fluid and bone contained Citrobacter . Most isolates of Citrobacter were from elderly, debilitated patients and either represented secondary infections or were of indeterminate clinical significance. Boll Soc Ital Biol Sper, 1980 Aug 30, 56(16), 1629 - 32 {In vitro antimicrobial activity of pipemidic acid on strains isolated from urine cultures of hospitalized and nonhospitalized subjects}; Ceddia T et al.; It has been determined the in vitro antibacterial activity of pipemidic acid on 328 bacterial stocks isolated from urine cultures and composed by E.coli, Proteus, Pseudomonas, Citrobacter, Staphylococcus aureus . The pipemidic acid has shown to have activity against the stocks of B.coli and Proteus. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1980 Aug, (8), 46 - 50 {Quantitative and qualitative characteristics of representatives of the enterobacteriaceae family in postradiation intestinal dysbacteriosis}; Pinegin BV et al.; The irradiation of CBA mice with gamma quanta in a dose of 700 C/kg resulted in the development of postradiation intestinal dysbacteriosis in the animals . The dysbacteriosis was characterized by a considerable increase in the number of Escherichia and Proteus mirabilis in the large intestine and by the insemination of the small intestine with these microbial associations . Pr . vulgaris, Pr . morganii, Ent . aerogenes, Ent . cloacae, Citrobacter appeared in great numbers in the intestinal tract of the irradiated mice, while none of these organisms were found in the intact mice. Mikrobiologiia, 1980 Jul-Aug, 49(4), 489 - 92 {Conditions for the formation of molecular hydrogen by Citrobacter freundii}; Zatsepin SS; Cell suspensions of Citrobacter freundii grown under anaerobic and aerobic conditions are capable of evolving molecular hydrogen . Hydrogen evolution is more active by the cells of anaerobic cultures in the exponential growth phase in the presence of reduced methylviologen or formate . The optimal temperature for hydrogen evolution from formate is about 40 degrees C, the optimal pH is 6.2 to 6.4 . The presence of O2 in the gaseous phase inhibits hydrogen evolution by the cells; however the inhibition is incomplete and reversible . Nitrate also inhibits H2 formation from formate while fumarate does not inhibit the process. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1980 Jul, 33(7), 731 - 6 Effect of a combination of benzylpenicillin or ampicillin and dicloxacillin on peptidoglycan synthesis in a cell-free enzyme system from a beta-lactamase producing strain of Citrobacter freundii; Mizoguchi J et al.; The membrane fraction prepared from beta-lactamase producing Citrobacter freundii GN346 catalyzed in vitro peptidoglycan synthesis from uridine-5'-diphosphate-N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-glutamyl-meso-diaminopimelyl- D-alanyl-D-alanine and uridine-5'-diphosphate-N-acetylglucosamine, which was accompanied by the release of alanine from the carboxyl terminal end of the former substrate . Though this reaction was inhibited by benzylpenicillin (PCG) and ampicillin (ABPC), the reaction was relatively insensitive compared with that catalyzed by the membrane fraction from a derived beta-lactamaseless mutant strain GN346/16 . In contrast, the enzyme activity of the parent strain was strongly inhibited by a combination of PCG or ABPC and dicloxacillin (MDIPC) . The beta-lactamase present in the membrane fraction from the parent strain showed stronger activity than that from the mutant strain, and the activity was inhibited by MDIPC as in the case of the soluble enzyme localized in the periplasmic space. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health, 1980 Jun, 11(2), 302 - 7 A coagglutination method for presumptive identification of Salmonella typhi; Lesmana M et al.; Salmonella group D, Vi and d antisera were used to sensitize A-containing staphylococcal cells . The coagglutination (COAG) reagents thus obtained, termed D-COAG, Vi-COAG and d-COAG were used to test growth taken from Kligler Iron Agar slants following 8-10 hours incubation . In 188 recently isolated strains of S . typhi, the D antigen was detected in 134 (71%) by direct reaction with the D-COAG reagent and 51 (27%) others following a simple treatment with 50% ethanol . Group D antigen was detected in the remaining 3 only following boiling of a suspension of each culture . The Vi-COAG reagent reacted with 184 (98%) of the cultures . The 4 remaining cultures were also negative for Vi antigen by the conventional slide agglutination test but D-COAG reagent was specific for other group D Salmonella but with none of the other groups tested, while the Vi-COAG reagent also reacted with a strain of Vi-containing Citrobacter furendii . The d-COAG reagent agglutinated with all S . typhi strains but none of the other non-S . typhi isolates tested. Pediatrics, 1980 Jun, 65(6), 1105 - 9 Gram-negative sepsis in neonates: a nursery outbreak due to hand carriage of Citrobacter diversus; Parry MF et al.; An outbreak of Citrobacter diversus infections occurred in a newborn nursery at a 350-bed community hospital during September and October 1978 . Two infants developed sepsis and meningitis and nine additional infants had asymptomatic umbilical colonization . These infants did not differ from control, noncolonized infants with respect to numerous clinical and environmental variables . Surveillance cultures failed to implicate an environmental source for the Citrobacter . However, cultures of nursery personnel identified a hand-carrier whose removal eliminated neonatal colonization with C diversus and decreased the number of isolates of certain other enteric bacteria found on umbilical stumps . Factors implicated in the perpetuation of the carrier state in this nurse included marked dermatitis from repeated hand washing and hand care practices involving the overnight use of plastic gloves and nutritive hand cream . The mode of transmission within the nursery appeared to be from nurse's hands to infant's umbilicus . Use of triple dye on umbilical stumps and chlorhexidine hand washing preparations did not eliminate this cycle . Surgical manipulation of colonized umbilical stumps may have been responsible for illness in two infants. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1980 Jun, 17(6), 937 - 42 In vitro activities of moxalactam and cefotaxime against aerobic gram-negative bacilli; Jorgensen JH et al.; The in vitro activities of two new beta-lactam antibiotics, moxalactam disodium (LY 127935) and cefotaxime (HR-756), were compared with cefoxitin, cefamandole, cefuroxime, cephalothin, and, in some instances, carbenicillin, gentamicin, and amikacin against aerobic gram-negative bacilli . Test isolates included normally cephalosporin-resistant members of the Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas spp . and a variety of nonfermentative or oxidase-positive bacteria . Both moxalactam and cefotaxime demonstrated impressive in vitro activities against both groups of microorganisms . The two new drugs were clearly more active than any of the other beta-lactam antibiotics against species of Escherichia, Citrobacter, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Proteus, Providencia, Pseudomonas, and Serratia . An additive or synergistic effect could also be demonstrated with the majority of Pseudomonas and Serratia isolates when either moxalactam or defotaxime was combined with amikacin. Biokhimiia, 1980 May, 45(5), 889 - 95 {Isolation, purification and some properties of tyrosine-phenol-lyase from Citrobacter freundii cells}; Sysuev VA et al.; A new procedure for isolation of tyrosine-phenol-lyase from the cells of C . freundii strain 62 allowing to obtain a highly purified enzyme with a high yield at a reduced time expenditure has been developed . The procedure described differs from the well-known method for isolation of the enzyme from the cells of Escherichia intermedia and Erwinia herbicola . Some properties of the enzyme from C . freundii 62, e.g . stability, dependence of the enzyme activity on some mono- and bivalent cations and pH- and temperature dependences of the enzyme have been studied . It was shown that the enzyme is activated by NH4+, K+, Na+ and is inhibited by Ca2+, Cu2+ and Mg2+ . The enzyme loses up to 50% of its activity upon storage in glycerol with 2-mercaptoethanol during 1,5 months at -18 degrees. Arch Sci Med (Torino), 1980 Apr-Jun, 137(2), 221 - 4 {In vitro activity of fosfomycin}; Ceruti T et al.; The in vitro activity of phosphomycin has been compared with other antibiotics in 1703 bacterial strains isolated from pathological specimens sent to the Laboratory from various divisions of the hospital . Results were first class on both gram-positive and gram-negative flora . It was in first place as regards staphylococcus (97.4% sensitive strains), citrobacter (68.6%), proteus mirabilis (73.1%), indole positive proteus (48.2%) . It also predominated in pseudomonas (54.6%) and E . coli (86.7%) . In view of the fact that gram-negative infections are taking on a predominant position within the hospital environment, it is considered that phosphomycin should be rightfully included among the antibacterial drugs in routine use. Lab Anim Sci, 1980 Apr, 30(2 Pt 1), 167 - 73 The microbiology of transmissible murine colonic hyperplasia; Barthold SW; The relationship of Citrobacter freundii (4280) to the development of colonic hyperplasia in mice was investigated . The number of Citrobacter freundii (4280) in the descending colon were quantitated at intervals following experimental inoculation, and findings were correlated with previously reported histological and ultrastructural findings . Citrobacter freundii (4280) was a transient infection, lasting 2-3 weeks, after which time mice no longer harbored the organism . Neomycin sulfate and tetracycline hydrochloride, when administered in the drinking water, were useful in the prevention of infection as well as ablation of established infection . The presence of Citrobacter freundii (4280) for as little as 2 days was sufficient stimulus to result in detectable mucosal hyperplasia . The longer the bacterium was present, through 10 days, the greater the hyperplasia. Jpn J Antibiot, 1980 Apr, 33(4), 416 - 26 {Fundamental and clinical studies on cefamandole in the field of obstetrics and gynecology (author's transl)}; Hirabayashi K et al.; 1) Tissue concentrations of cefamandole (CMD) one hour after the end of 2 g/30 approximately 60 minutes drip infusion were 7.3 approximately 13.1 microgram/g in uterus, ovary and oviduct . These concentrations were higher than MICs of 70 approximately 100% of causative organisms, including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Proteus mirabilis, Enterobacter and Citrobacter, isolated from the infections in the field of obstetrics and gynecology . 2) CMD was administered to 14 patients with moderate infections in the field of obstetrics and gynecology at a daily dose of 4 g for 5 approximately 7 days . The overall clinical efficacy obtained was as follows; excellent in 7 cases (50%), good in 3 cases (21%) and poor in 4 cases (29%) . 3) Antimicrobial activity of CMD against causative organisms resembled that of CEZ . 4) No adverse effects and abnormal laboratory findings were observed . From the above, we considered that CMD was an effective and safe antibiotic against infections in the field of obstetrics and gynecology. J Clin Microbiol, 1980 Apr, 11(4), 328 - 31 Screening of bacterial isolates for mannose-specific lectin activity by agglutination of yeasts; Mirelman D et al.; A total of 393 clinical bacterial isolates were tested for their ability to agglutinate yeast cells of either Saccharomyces cerevisiae or Candida albicans . A positive agglutination of yeasts that could be prevented by methyl alpha-D-mannoside was taken as an indication for the possible presence of a mannose-specific lectin (carbohydrate-binding protein) on the surface of the tested bacteria . Agglutination tests on glass slides showed that 38% of all the isolates tested were positive in their capacity to agglutinate yeasts . Among the various strains tested, all isolates of Serratia marcescens, Proteus morganii, and Citrobacter diversus, as well as 94% of Klebsiella pneumoniae, were positive . On the other hand, only 46% of the Escherichia coli, 48% of the salmonellae, 44% of the Citrobacter freundii, and 71% of the Aeromonas hydrophila isolates were positive . A quantitative determination of the lectin activity done by observing the agglutination of yeasts in microtiter plates showed that S . marcescens isolates were the most avid binders to the yeast, whereas Klebsiella and Citrobacter isolates were the weakest. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1980 Apr, (4), 97 - 100 {Method of isolating conditionally-pathogenic Gram-negative microorganisms, agents of intrahospital infections, from air}; Vlodavets VV et al.; The possibility of detecting Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other Gram-negative bacteria in the air of the burn department at the Institute of Surgery was studied . The investigation of large volumes of air (0.5-1 m3) in the wards and the corridor with the use of a new bacteriological aerosol sampler, model IIAB-5, resulted in the detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Besides, in a number of other rooms Klebsiella, Proteus, Citrobacter and Enterobacter were detected in the air . The possibility of the spread of Gram-negative opportunistic bacteria through the air in hospital conditions is discussed. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1980 Mar, 17(3), 337 - 43 In vitro and in vivo antimicrobial activities of sporaricin A, a new aminoglycoside; Kobayashi F et al.; The in vitro and in vivo antimicrobial activity of sporaricin A, a new aminoglycoside, was compared with that of amikacin, dibekacin, and gentamicin . Sporaricin A showed a broad spectrum of activity against various gram-positive and -negative bacteria, including amikacin-, dibekacin-, or gentamicin-resistant strains . Sporaricin A inhibited more than 90% of clinical isolates of staphylococci, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Citrobacter, Serratia, and Proteus, except for P . morganii and P . inconstans, at the concentration of 3.13 microgram/ml . This activity, except for that against Serratia, was similar to that of amikacin . Against P . inconstans and S . marcescens, sporaricin A was more effective than amikacin, dibekacin, and gentamicin . However, its activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa was relatively weak in comparison with three other aminoglycosides . Sporaricin A was highly effective against bacteria that had various aminoglycoside-inactivating enzymes and that were resistant to the other drugs tested, but it was not active against those with aminoglycoside 3-acetyltransferase-I . The activity of sporaricin A tended to be greater with a reduction in inoculum size of bacteria and an increase in medium pH and decreased slightly in the presence of 10 to 50% horse serum . The in vitro activity was confirmed by in vivo tests in experimental infections with various bacteria . Its protective effect seemed to be equal to or greater than that of amikacin or dibekacin. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1980 Mar, (3), 29 - 34 {Formation of iron-binding metabolites by bacteria of the Enterobacteriaceae family}; Nazaruk MI et al.; The capacity of Enterobacteriaceae strains cultivated in a synthetic medium for the biosynthesis of catechols and hydroxamates has been studied . Among the strains under study all strains of the genera Salmonella (8 strains), Escherichia (102 strains), Citrobacter (5 strains), Enterobacter (2 strains), Serratia (1 strain) synthesize catechols . In the genus Shigella (128 strains) all Sh . flexneri serovars (79 strains) do not synthesize catechols, other representatives of this genus synthesize iron-fixing metabolites The synthesis of catecholsin the pathogenic Escherichia serovars is 1.5-2 times lower than in the non-pathogenic and opportunistic enterobacterial strains . Among the representatives of the genus Klebsiella (82 strains) catechols are synthesized by Kl . pneumoniae (68 strains) and not synthesized by kl . rhinoscleromatis (5 strains) and Kl . ozaenae (9 strains) . Catechols are not synthesized also by all Proteus organisms under study (12 strains) . All the enterobacteria under study show no capacity for the accumulation of hydroxamates under the conditions of catechol synthesis . The intensity of the synthesis of catechols depends on the composition of the medium and the conditions of cultivation. Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1980 Mar-Apr, 131A(2), 189 - 96 {Taxonomic study of "Citrobacter freundii" biochemical variants (author's transl)}; Popoff M et al.; Biochemical variants (ornithine-decarboxylase-positive and beta-galactosidase-negative) of Citrobacter freundii were characterized using numerical taxonomy, determination of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) base composition and DNA-DNA hybridization . Three clusters were detected by numerical taxonomy based on the assimilation of 146 carbohydrates . The atypical strains were dispersed into two clusters along with typical C . freundii strains . Furthermore, m-hydroxybenzoate metabolism, determination of base composition and DNA reassociation show that all three clusters are closely related . Therefore, the biochemical variants form a biogroup within C . freundii rather than a separate species. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1980 Mar, 17(3), 406 - 11 Pharmacokinetics and bacteriological efficacy of moxalactam (LY127935), netilmicin, and ampicillin in experimental gram-negative enteric bacillary meningitis; Schaad UB et al.; Moxalactam (LY127935) is a 1-oxa-beta-lactam which was active in vitro against the majority of 128 strains of gram-negative enteric bacilli isolated from meningitis in neonates . Pharmacokinetics and bacteriological efficacy of LY127935 were studied in a lapin meningitis model . The average penetration of this investigational oxa-cephalosporin into cerebrospinal fluid of infected rabbits was 23% compared with 25% for netilmicin and 11% for ampicillin . The cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of LY127935 produced median bactericidal titers of 1:64 to 1:128 against five coliform organisms (two Escherichia coli K1 strains, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella saint-paul, and Citrobacter diversus) used in these experiments compared with median titers of 1:2 to 1:8 for netilmicin and 1:2 to 1:4 for ampicillin . LY127935 was statistically significantly more effective than netilmicin or ampicillin in reducing cerebrospinal fluid bacterial colony counts and in sterilizing cerebrospinal fluid of experimentally infected rabbits . These results suggest that LY127935 has theoretical advantages over netilmicin and ampicillin for therapy of gram-negative bacillary meningitis. Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1980 Mar-Apr, 131A(2), 181 - 7 {Interest of gamma-glutamyltransferase in "Enterobacteriaceae" (author's transl)}; Giammanco G et al.; Gamma-Glutamyltransferase (gammaGT) could be detected in 86,6% of 3,027 strains of Enterobacteriaceae, by the use of gamma-L-glutamin-p-nitranilide acid for substrate . The following species produced gamma GT: Citrobacter freundii, Levinea malonatica, L . amalonatica, Klebsiella pneumoniae, K . oxytoca, K . ozaenae, Enterobacter aerogenes, E . cloacae, E . agglomerans, E . gergoviae, K . ozaenae, Enterobacter aerogenes, E . cloacae, E . agglomerans, E . gergoviae, Hafnia alvei, Erwinia carotovora, Serratia marcescens, S . liquefaciens, S . plymuthica, S . marinorubra, S . odorifera, S . ficaria, Proteus vulgaris, P . mirabilis, P . morganii, P . rettgeri, Providencia alcalifaciens, P . stuartii, Yersinia enterocolitica and Y . pseudotuberculosis . Most strains of Escherichia coli and Alkalescens Dispar group are gamma GT+ . The following species did not produce gammaGT: Shigella sonnei, Edwardsiella tarda, Klebsiella rhinoscleromatis and Yersinia pestis . Within the Salmonella, most strains of subgenus I, II and IV, and diphasic strains of subgenus III (S . arizonae) produced gamma GT, whereas monophasic strains of subgenus III did not produce gammaGT . Salmonella enteritidis (gammaGT+) and S . dublin (gammaGT-) can readily be distinguished . This test (gammaGT) could also serve as a biochemical marker for S . typhi-murium strains . Shigella dysenteriae serotypes 3 to 9 were gammaGT+ whereas other serotypes were gammaGT- . Within S . flexneri serotype 6, varieties Boyd 88 and Newcastle were found gammaGT+; and varieties Sussex and Manchester were gammaGT- . The use of gammaGT test as an epidemiological marker for other Shigella serotypes is suggested. Folia Microbiol (Praha), 1980, 25(6), 457 - 63 Effect of glucose on the biochemical properties of the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane; Janderova B et al.; The cytoplasmic membrane isolated from cells of Citrobacter freundii growing in a cultivation medium with glucose was found to exhibit a decreased ability to oxidize formate and succinate and a decreased activity of formate, succinate and lactate dehydrogenase as compared with the cytoplasmic membrane of cells growing on galactose . The activation energy for dehydrogenation and oxidation of succinate simultaneously increases . The quantitative content of cytochromes and quinones in both types of membranes does not differ considerably . The two types of membranes also do not mutually differ in the qualitative and quantitative representation of fatty acids in lipids and in the sensitivity to the effect of low concentrations of detergents . The mass ratio of proteins and lipids is lower in the membranes of cells grown on glucose. Arzneimittelforschung, 1980, 30(3), 491 - 5 Antimicrobial activity of netilmicin in comparison with gentamicin, sisomicin, tobramycin, and amikacin and their resistance patterns; Braveny I et al.; The antimicrobial activity of netilmicin, gentamicin, sisomicin, tobramycin and amikacin was determined by means of the microdilution test . 1000 fresh isolates of strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 7 species of the Enterobacteriaceae were tested . The activities were compared and cross-resistances were analyzed which appeared among the various drugs . Against amikacin, only 0.5% of all strains (3 P . aeruginosa, 1 S . aureus, 1 P . mirabilis) were resistant . Of the other drugs, netilmicin was the most active drug against S . aureus, Klebsiella spp., Enterobacter spp . and Escherichia coli . Against E . coli, too, sisomicin showed its best activity, and further against Citrobacter spp., Proteus spp . and P . aeruginosa . A total of 12% of all pathogens was gentamicin-resistant . With one exception, these pathogens showed cross-resistance to at least one of the other drugs . In 39% of the cases a cross-resistance between gentamicin and tobramycin was noted, in 26% a gentamicin-tobramycin-sisomicin cross-resistance, in 17% gentamicin-tobramycin-sisomicin-netilmicin cross-resistance, in 11% a gentamicin-sisomicin-netilmicin cross-resistance . A complete cross-resistance was observed between gentamicin and sisomicin with S . aureus, Serratia spp . and Proteus mirabilis, between gentamicin and tobramycin with E . coli, Citrobacter spp . and Enterobacter spp. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1980 Jan, 33(1), 36 - 43 In vitro and in vivo antibacterial activities of FR-31564, a new phosphonic acid antibiotic; Mine Y et al.; FR-31564, a new phosphonic acid antibiotic, was active against most Gram-negative bacteria except Serratia marcescens and glucose-nonfermenting Gram-negative rods excluding Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The antibacterial activity in vitro of FR-31564 was stronger than that of fosfomycin especially against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter species and P . aeruginosa . FR-31564 also was active against Gram-negative bacteria resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics and against gentamicin-resistant strains of P . aeruginosa . The antibacterial activity in vitro of FR-31564, like that of fosfomycin, was enhanced when 10% rabbit blood was added to the nutrient agar . The therapeutic efficacy of FR-31564 in experimental infections in mice was superior to that of fosfomycin in infections due to most Gram-negative bacteria used, and was similar to that of gentamicin in infections due to Citrobacter freundii, Proteus rettgeri and Proteus inconstans B . The protective effect of FR-31564, particularly in the P . aeruginosa infection, was superior to that of other control drugs including gentamicin. Chemotherapy, 1980, 26(1), 12 - 20 Netilmicin: its in vitro activity and synergism with penicillin compounds; Thadepalli H et al.; The in vitro efficacy of netilmicin and its synergism with penicillins were examined . Netilmicin was effective against E . coli, indole-negative and -positive Proteus, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Salmonella, Shigella and Serratia . Netilmicin was less effective than other aminoglycosides against Citrobacter and Pseudomonas . A combination of netilmicin and piperacillin synergistically inhibited Enterococci . Netilmicin was not synergistic with either penicillin or carbenicillin against Enterococci . Netilmicin with either carbenicillin, ticarcillin or piperacillin synergistically inhibited Pseudomonas aeruginosa, but no such synergism was noted against highly resistant strains of Pseudomonas. Am J Clin Pathol, 1980 Jan, 73(1), 114 - 6 A biotype of Enterobacteriaceae intermediate between Citrobacter and Enterobacter; Braunstein H et al.; The authors isolated two strains of an unnamed bacterial biotype with characteristics intermediate between those of Enterobacter and Citrobacter . The organisms did not produce acetyl-methyl carbinol, but decarboxylated lysine . Apart from the latter trait, they most closely resemble H2S-negative Citrobacter freundii . They differ biochemically from all other currently accepted species of enterobacteriaceae . Their pathogenic significance appears similar to that of the two genera they most closely resemble . Only by recognition and study of additional strains can their identity be more definitively delineated and their significance more fully assessed. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, 1980, 46(6), 551 - 63 Growth conditions and heat resistance of Citrobacter freundii; Verrips CT et al.; The influence of the growth medium and the growth temperature on the heat resistance of Citrobacter freundii has been established . Logarithmic growth phase cells grown on rich media have a higher heat resistance than cells of the same phase grown on minimal media . This finding was independent of type of carbon source in the growth medium, but the kind of carbon source has a definite influence on the heat resistance . Logarithmic phase cells grown at 37 degrees C are much more heat stable than cells grown at 20 or 41 degrees C . Stationary growth phase cells are much more heat resistance than logarithmic phase cells, whereas Mg2+ - or glucose-starved cells are even slightly more heat stable than stationary phase cells. Vet Med Nauki, 1980, 17(3), 70 - 4 {Psychrotrophic and coliform microflora of the udder in cows}; Slavchev G et al.; A study of the psychrotrophic and coliform microflora over the udders of cows was carried out . It was proved that the way and means of cleaning them exercise a great influence on the composition of the psychrotrophic and coliform microflora . The psychrotrophic flora over the udders consisted of 46.9% of specimens of p . Micrococcus, 8.7%-p . Streptococcus, 8.2% Staphylococcus, 7.4%-Corynebacterium, 2.8%-Saccharomyces, 10%-coliform bacteria, 12.5%-psychrophils, mainly of p . Pseudomonas and p . Flavobacterium . The coliform microflora over the udders consisted of 55.4% of p . Escherichia, 20.8%-p . Citrobacter, 16.8%-Klebsiella and 6.9%-p . Enterobacter. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg, 1980, 74(6), 752 - 5 Bacterial colonization of the upper intestine in mild tropical malabsorption; Tomkins AM et al.; The bacterial flora of the upper intestine has been examined in symptomatic expatriate adults with mild tropical malabsorption, without steatorrhoea, persisting for many months after return to a western environment . Seven of the 11 patients had enterobacteria in luminal fluid or mucosal samples in numbers ranging from 10(3) to 10(8) per ml or per g . The most common isolate was Klebsiella pneumoniae (in four cases); Citrobacter freundii, Serratia marcescens and Pseudomonas spp . were also detected . The signficance of bacterial colonization in the pathogenesis of mild tropical malabsorption is discussed. Arzneimittelforschung, 1980, 30(10), 1662 - 4 Laboratory evaluation of ceftizoxime, a new parenteral cephalosporin; Kamimura T et al.; (6,7R)-7-{(Z)-2-(2-Amino-4-thiazoyl)-2-methoxyiminoacetamido}-8-oxo-5-thia-1 -azabicyclo{4,2,0}oct-2-ene-2-carboxylate (ceftizoxime), a new parenteral cephalosporin, in more potently active in vitro and in vivo against various gram-negative bacilli including the opportunistic pathogens such as Enterobacter, Citrobacter species and Serratia marcescens than cephalosporins and cephamycins recently developed . Ceftizoxime is extremely stable to various types of beta-lactamases, and has a high ability to penetrate the outer membrane of gram-negative organisms. Arzneimittelforschung, 1980, 30(2), 301 - 3 {Bacteriological study on cefadroxil in vitro . Correlation between diameter of inhibition zone and inhibitory concentration (author's transl)}; Grimm H; There are only slight differences between the geometrical means of minimum inhibitory concentrations of (6R,7R)-7-{(R)-2-amino-2-2(p-hydroxyphenyl)-acetamido}-3-methyl-8-oxo-5-thia-1-azabicyclo{4.2.0}oct-2-ene-2-carboxylic acid (cefadroxil, Bidocef) and cefalexin against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria freshly isolated from clinical material . Enterococci are more susceptible to cefadroxil . Considering the different break point, cefadroxil is on the whole more effective than cefalexin, in particular so against Proteus mirabilis, Enterobacter, Citrobacter and Escherichia coli . With the aid of the described regression analysis a meaningful interpretation of the results of the cefadroxil agar diffusion test is possible. Rev Esp Fisiol, 1979 Dec, 35(4), 475 - 80 The effect of 2-oxoglutarate and biotin in the release of amino acids by Citrobacter intermedius C3; Vives-Rego J et al.; Excretion of amino acids by Citrobacter intermedius C3 was assayed in a mineral medium with glucose as carbon source . Glutamic acid is the main amino acid excreted in liquid medium and it is also detected at the colonial level in solid medium . Mutants with different behaviour with respect to the excretion of amino acids are studied . The presence of 2-oxoglutarate in the medium induced excretion in all strains . On the other hand when biotin was added to the culture media amino acid excretion was partially reduced. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1979 Dec, 16(6), 864 - 8 In vitro activity of LY127935, a new 1-oxa cephalosporin, against aerobic gram-negative bacilli; Delgado DG et al.; A total of 434 clinical aerobic gram-negative bacillary isolates were tested against LY127935, a new 1-oxa cephalosporin, and compared with other cephalosporins, penicillins, and aminoglycosides by a broth microdilution technique . Cefotaxime (HR756), a new semisynthetic cephalosporin, and LY127935 were more active, and showed lower minimum inhibitory concentrations (ranges, less than or equal to 0.12 to 2.0 micrograms/ml), than cefamandole, cefoxitin, and cefazolin against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., Enterobacter spp., Proteus mirabilis, indole-positive Proteus spp., Serratia marcescens, Providencia spp., and Citrobacter spp . Against P . aeruginosa, pepercillin, azlocillin, and mezlocillin were the most active beta-lactam agents; 64 micrograms/ml inhibited 99, 93, and 87% of the isolates, respectively . LY127935 and cefotaxime at 16 micrograms/ml inhibited 71% of Pseudomonas isolates, whereas the aminoglycosides gentamicin, tobramycin, and amikacin at a concentration of 4 micrograms/ml inhibited 84, 88, and 93%, respectively . Minimum bactericidal concentrations were determined for all isolates and were generally the same as the minimum inhibitory concentrations. South Med J, 1979 Dec, 72(12), 1598 - 9 Citrobacter freundii meningitis in an adult; Scheld WM et al.; We have described the first case of an adult patient with Citrobacter freundii meningitis, which was successfully treated without administration of intrathecal aminoglycoside. Strahlentherapie, 1979 Dec, 155(12), 849 - 55 {Investigations on combined injuries, 26th communication: investigations on the changes in the state of resistance following sublethal whole-body irradiation (author's transl)}; Schick P et al.; The risk of a bacterial invasion by pseudomonas, e . coli, proteus, citrobacter and gaffkya via an open skin wound was investigated in combined injured mice (infliction of a skin wound and irradiations) . Suspensions of different bacterial strains were applied on the wound and then the lethality was determined . Besides of apathogenic (citrobacter, proteus, gaffkya) and high pathogenic bacteria (e . coli and pseudomonas) an e . coli strain of the 0-Group 81 was found that seems to induce a decrease of lethality even after sublethal whole body irradiation. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1979 Dec, 32(12), 1319 - 27 Comparison of antibacterial activity of a new cephalosporin, ceftizoxime (FK 749) with other cephalosporin antibiotics; Nishida M et al.; FK 749 is a distinctive new parenteral cephalosporin antibiotic with a broad antibacterial spectrum which is more potently active against a wide variety of Gram-negative bacilli, including the opportunistic pathogens such as Citrobacter and Enterobacter species and Serratia marcescens, than SCE 963, T 1551 and cefmetazole . The activity of FK 749 against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, pyogenes was by far superior to that of the three other antibiotics . These test organisms were not resistant to FK 749 . The antibacterial activity of FK 749 against Pseudomonas aeruginosa was almost the same as that of ticarcillin but was inferior to that of gentamicin and T 1551 . The bactericidal activity of FK 749 against E . coli, K . pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis was more potent than that of the three other antibiotics . FK 749, like cefmetazole, was extremely stable to beta-lactamases . In studies in mice, the therapeutic effect of subcutaneous injection of FK 749 against various infections due to Gram-negative bacilli was by far superior to that of SCE 963, T 1551 and cefmetazole, was almost the same as that of SCE 963 and cefmetazole against Staphylococcus aureus infection and that of ticarcillin against P . aeruginosa infection. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1979 Dec, 16(6), 731 - 5 In vitro antibacterial activity of cefoperazone (T-1551), a new semisynthetic cephalosporin; Matsubara N et al.; Cefoperazone, a new semisynthetic cephalosporin, has a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity . It is as active as cefazolin and cefamandole against gram-positive bacteria and is more active than cefazolin and cefamandole against such gram-negative bacilli as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter cloacae, and Serratia marcescens . The superiority of cefoperazone over cefazolin and cefamandole with respect to activity against P . aeruginosa by more than 200-fold was especially remarkable . As with other beta-lactam antibiotics, there was only a small spread between the minimum inhibitory concentrations and the minimum bactericidal concentrations of cefoperazone and a significant decrease in activity with an increase in inoculum size . Activity was not altered significantly by the addition of human serum to the test medium . Cefoperazone is relatively stable to hydrolysis to beta-lactamases produced by gram-negative bacteria . Relative rates of hydrolysis of cefoperazone by cephalosporinases are 7.0 to 0.01, with reference to cephaloridine hydrolysis (base, 100) . Cefoperazone is also more stable than penicillin G and cephaloridine to various types of penicillinases. Prikl Biokhim Mikrobiol, 1979 Nov-Dec, 15(6), 827 - 31 {Synthesis of tyrosine and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine by bacteria Citrobacter freundii}; Kupletskaia MB; Among facultative-anaerobic bacteria utilizing formic acid, a large number of strains having tyrosine phenol lyase were found . The enzyme can catalyze synthesis of tyrosine and 3,4-dihydroxy phenyl alanine (DOPA) from pyruvate, ammonium and, accordingly, phenol and pyrocatechol . These strains were identified as Citrobacter freundii . Cell suspensions of the most active strains synthesized up to 75 g/l tyrosine for 12 hr, up to 86 g/l tyrosine for 24 hr, and up to 29 g/l DOPA for 42 hr . A medium containing yeast autolysate grown on hydrocarbons can be recommended to produce cells having a high tyrosine phenol lyase activity. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1979 Nov, 16(5), 540 - 8 Ceftizoxime (FK 749), a new parenteral cephalosporin: in vitro and in vivo antibacterial activities; Kamimura T et al.; FK 749 is a new parenteral cephalosporin derivative which is more active against various gram-negative bacilli, including the opportunistic pathogens such as Enterobacter, Citrobacter species, and Serratia marcescens, than cephalosporins and cephamycins such as cefotiam, cefamandole, cefuroxime, cefotaxime, and cefmetazole . FK 749 was especially active against gram-negative organisms resistant to these related antibiotics . FK 749 was more potent in bactericidal activity than the other antibiotics, and the activity was clearly enhanced in the presence of 90% defibrinated rabbit blood . The therapeutic effect of subcutaneously injected FK 749 in mice infected with various gram-negative bacilli was far superior to that of cefotiam, cefamandole, cefuroxime, and cefmetazole and was almost the same as that of cefmetazole in mice infected with Staphylococcus aureus and that of ticarcillin in mice infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa . FK 749 has, in general, nearly the same in vitro and in vivo antibacterial activities as cefotaxime . The former had more potent bactericidal activity in the presence of the blood than the latter and showed more excellent therapeutic effect than cefotaxime against infections caused by large inoculum sizes. Jpn J Antibiot, 1979 Nov, 32(11), 1161 - 4 {Experience with cefuroxime in pediatric field (author's transl)}; Hotta M et al.; Having resistance to beta-lactamase-producing strains and showing resistance to not only cephalosporin resistant strains of E . coli and Klebsiella but also to Citrobacter, Proteus and Enterobacter, Cefuroxime (CXM) was used in pediatric field for both fundamental and clinical studies . CXM was found to be a useful antibiotic in views of high clinical efficacy rate obtained and no side effect noted . As for the dose, the single dose of 25 mg/kg achieved sufficient blood levels . Also in view of good clinical effect, the dose of 25 mg/kg three or four times daily seems appropriate for treatment of children. J Gen Microbiol, 1979 Oct, 114(2), 355 - 9 Regulation of 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase synthesis in Citrobacter freundii by traces of oxygen in commercial nitrogen gas and by glutamate; Keevil CW et al.; Glutamate induced the synthesis of 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase 50-fold during anaerobic growth of Citrobacter freundii and, in the absence of glutamate, this enzyme was even more active in cultures sparged with N2/CO2(95:5, v/v) . Enzyme synthesis was partially repressed when the inlet gas was passed through heated copper but totally repressed when the inlet gas was passed through alkaline pyrogallol and reduced benzyl viologen (a treatment which would remove CO2 as well as O2) . Fumarate hydratase activity also decreased but alcohol dehydrogenase and the sum of the succinate dehydrogenase and fumarate reductase activities increased when residual O2 was removed from the sparging gas . Soluble cytochromes a1 and c552.5 were detected in rigorously anaerobic cultures . Thus traces of O2 which contaminate commercial compressed N2 are sufficient to induce 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase synthesis and to affect significantly the synthesis and incorporation of respiratory chain components into the cytoplasmic membrane. Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1979 Oct, 130B(3), 305 - 12 {Diagnostic value of the acid production from galacturonate to differentiate strains of "Salmonella" sub-genus I and monophasic sub-genus III from the other "Salmonella" strains belonging to sub-genera II, diphasic III, IV, "Citrobacter" and "Hafnia alvei" (author's transl)}; Le Minor L et al.; Two methods were compared: (1) the ability to use sodium glacturonate as source of carbon and energy in defined medium; (2) the ability to produce acid by fermentation of this substrate in peptone water with phenol red . Results of growth on, acid formation from, galacturonate are identical . Salmonella strains of sub-genus I and monophasic serotypes of sub-genus III do not use galacturonate . Salmonella of sub-genera II and IV as well as diphasic serotypes of sub-genus III use galacturonate . Glacturonate-negative Salmonella are isolated mainly from man and warm-blooded animals whereas galacturonate-positive Salmonella are most often isolated from cold blooded animals and from the enrivonment . Citrobacter and Hafnia alvei which may be confused with Salmonella spp . are galacturonate-positive. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1979 Oct, 16(4), 439 - 43 Mechanism of synergistic action of a combination of ampicillin and dicloxacillin against a beta-lactamase-producing strain of Citrobacter freundii; Mizoguchi J et al.; The mechanism of synergistic activity of a combination of ampicillin and dicloxacillin was studied on beta-lactamase-producing Citrobacter freundii GN346 and its derived beta-lactamaseless mutant GN346/16 . The synergistic activity was exhibited against the parent strain but not against the mutant strain . Precultivation of the parent strain with the combination reduced the amount of the subsequent binding of {14C}penicillin G to the membrane fraction from the treated cells, but no reduction was observed in the case of cells treated with ampicillin or dicloxacillin alone . On the other hand, the amount of binding of {14C}penicillin G to the membrane fraction from the mutant strain was reduced by ampicillin treatment alone . These results clearly indicated that dicloxacillin inhibited the beta-lactamase activity produced by the parent strain, and, consequently, ampicillin can penetrate through the outer membrane and periplasmic beta-lactamase barrier into its target sites on the cytoplasmic membrane. J Infect Dis, 1979 Oct, 140(4), 581 - 9 Lethal effect of complement and lysozyme on polymyxin-treated, serum-resistant gram-negative bacilli; Fierer J et al.; When genetically serum-resistant Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Citrobacter freundii, but not Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Proteus mirabilis, were exposed to polymyxin B, they became susceptible to the bactericidal action of normal human and rabbit sera . In constrast, beta-lactam and aminoglycoside antibiotics did not render any serum-resistant bacteria serum-sensitive . Synergy between polymyxin B and the serum bactericidal system could be demonstrated by the addition of polymyxin B to bacteria in vitro, as well as to bacilli in serum from rabbits injected with the antibiotic . Polymyxin B-treated bacteria were killed by normal, lysozyme-depleted, C2-deficient, and hypogammaglobulinemic sera, but not by heated or C6-deficient sera . These findings indicate that polymyxin B-treated bacteria can be killed via the alternative complement pathway . However, C3 and C3b were detected on the surface of serum-resistant E . coli, regardless of whether the bacteria had been treated with polymyxin B . This observation suggests that a change in susceptibility to the alternative complement pathway was not the only explanation for the acquired serum sensitivity . Polymyxin B may also affect a step in the complement sequence beyond the activation of C3, a step that is apparently blocked in serum-resistant gram-negative bacteria. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1979 Sep, 38(3), 351 - 8 Comparison of m-Endo LES, MacConkey, and Teepol media for membrane filtration counting of total coliform bacteria in water; Grabow WO et al.; Total coliform counts obtained by means of standard membrane filtration techniques, using MacConkey agar, m-Endo LES agar, Teepol agar, and pads saturated with Teepol broth as growth media, were compared . Various combinations of these media were used in tests on 490 samples of river water and city wastewater after different stages of conventional purification and reclamation processes including lime treatment, and filtration, active carbon treatment, ozonation, and chlorination . Endo agar yielded the highest average counts for all these samples . Teepol agar generally had higher counts then Teepol broth, whereas MacConkey agar had the lowest average counts . Identification of 871 positive isolates showed that Aeromonas hydrophila was the species most commonly detected . Species of Escherichia, Citrobacter, Klebsiella, and Enterobacter represented 55% of isolates which conformed to the definition of total coliforms on Endo agar, 54% on Teepol agar, and 45% on MacConkey agar . Selection for species on the media differed considerably . Evaluation of these data and literature on alternative tests, including most probable number methods, indicated that the technique of choice for routine analysis of total coliform bacteria in drinking water is membrane filtration using m-Endo LES agar as growth medium without enrichment procedures or a cytochrome oxidase restriction. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1979 Sep, 32(9), 909 - 14 The comparative beta-lactamase resistance and inhibitory activity of 1-oxa cephalosporin, cefoxitin and cefotaxime; Fu KP et al.; The beta-lactamase stability and inhibitory activity of 1-oxa cephalosporin, (6R,7R)-7-{{carboxy(4-hydroxyphenyl)acetyl}amino}-7-methoxy-3-{{(1-methyl-1H-tetrazol-5-yl)thio}methyl}-8-oxo-5-oxa-1-azabicyclo{4.2.0}oct-2-ene-2-carboxylic acid, was investigated and compared to that of cefoxitin and cefotaxime . There was no detectable beta-lactamase hydrolysis of 1-oxa cephalosporin, cefotaxime and cefoxitin when incubated with beta-lactamases of plasmid or chromosomal origin which were primarily cephalosporinases or enzymes which hydrolyzed both penicillins and cephalosporins . The beta-lactamase inhibitory activity of 1-oxa cephalosporin was comparable to that of cefoxitin and cefotaxime . At equal molar concentration of substrate and inhibitor, cefoxitin, cefotaxime and 1-oxa cephalosporin effectively inhibited cephalosporinase hydrolysis of cephaloridine . Cefoxitin and cefotaxime were more effective inhibitors than the 1-oxa cephalosporin against a Providencia enzyme, whereas cefotaxime and 1-oxa cephalosporin were more effective inhibitors of a Citrobacter cephalosporinase. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1979 Aug 15, 569(2), 249 - 58 Resolution of the coenzyme B-12-dependent dehydratases of Klebsiella sp . and Citrobacter freundii; Forage RG et al.; Diol dehydratase (1,2-propanediol hydro-lyase, EC 4.2.1.28) and glycerol dehydratase (glycerol hydro-lyase, EC 4.2.1.30) are shown to be distinct, separable enzymes that occur individually or together in different strains of Klebsiella sp . Anaerobic growth with propan-1,2-diol induces diol dehydratase alone, whereas glycerol fermentation induces both enzymes in K . pneumoniae ATCC 25955 and in Citrobacter freundii NCIB 3735 . The dehydratases can be resolved by polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis or separated by anion-exchange chromatography alone . Sucrose density gradient centrifugation failed to distinguish the enzymes and indicated a molecular weight of 1.9 . 10(5) for both . The enzymes can be assayed individually, even when present in the same crude extract, using the 67-fold difference in their Km values for coenzyme B-12 . For both enzymes inactivation kinetics are observed with glycerol as substrated, and monovalent cations influence both the inactivation rate and catalytic rate of the reaction. Can J Microbiol, 1979 Aug, 25(8), 915 - 21 Silver-resistant Enterobacteriaceae from hospital patients; Hendry AT et al.; The inclusion of agar medium containing 0.5 mM AgNO3 in the hospital laboratory replicating system for routine antibiotic-susceptibility determinations resulted in identification of species of Enterobacteriaceae (Escherichia coli, Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, and Citrobacter freundii) with silver resistance . Since the study began in October, 1975, 11 in-hospital patients receiving silver sulfadiazine for burn wound prophylaxis have yielded silver-resistant bacteria from their infected burns . During this treatment routine burn-site cultures from these patients yielded 230 isolates of Enterobacteriaceae, including 211 which were sulfonamide-resistant, 97 of which were also silver-resistant, and 38 of which were untested for silver resistance . Seven silver-resistant but sulfonamide-sensitive isolates were incidentally recovered from respiratory specimens from four nonburn patients with silver tracheostomy tubes, one silver-resistant sulfonamide-sensitive isolate was recovered from a small infected burn on the foot of an Emergency Room patient . Previous treatment of this burn was unknown . Representative AgNO3-resistant E . coli isolates from four patients were serologically untypable . Serotyping of representative isolates of K . pneumoniae showed a diversity of types except from two patients who had been in the same ward at the same time. Ann Sclavo, 1979 Jul-Aug, 21(4), 475 - 82 {Bacteriology of urinary infections in paraplegics (author's transl)}; Magnanelli P et al.; The AA . report the results of 300 urine cultures carried out on paraplegics hospitalized in the Centro Paraplegici of Ostia since 1970 to the end of 1977 . All the patients were catheterized . They found infections in the 73 to 92% of the examined cases in the different years . The most frequently isolated bacterial species in the years 1970, 1971, and 1972 were Escherichia, Staphylococcus and Enterococcus, whereas were Proteus, Citrobacter, Klebsiella and Psuedomonas in the following years . They believe that these findings are correlated with the more and more frequent use of large spectrum antibiotics, that are able to control the infections supported by Escherichia and by Gram-positive and make easy the establishement of bacterial species much more resistant against their action. Can J Microbiol, 1979 Jun, 25(6), 713 - 8 {Study of a new group of Enterobacteriacea (group H1) related to Enterobacter cloacae strain}; Izard D et al.; A DNA-DNA hybridization study was carried out on a new group of enterobacteria (group H1) previously studied by numerical taxonomy work on the genus Enterobacter . This group showed a very high genetic homogeneity since the average relative binding ratio of nine analysed strains is equal to 91% . The taxonomic position of this group into the family of enterobacteria is discussed with the species E . cloacae (37 to 61%), K . pneumoniae (44 to 60%), K . oxytoca (57-58%), L . malonatica (syn . Citrobacter intermedius, a:46 to 54%), L . amalonatica (syn . C . intermedius, b: 51%), and the group H3 (52-61%) . The group H1 is defined on phenotypic and genetic data. J Bacteriol, 1979 Jun, 138(3), 721 - 5 Excretion of glutamic acid in Citrobacter intermedius C3 associated with plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid; Jofre J et al.; Several mutants of Citrobacter intermedius C3 lacking both the ability to synthesize proline and the ability to excrete glutamic acid were isolated by treatment with nitrosoguanidine . No revertants for either characteristic were obtained from these mutants . The ability to excrete glutamic acid was transferred to those mutants with very high frequencies in mating experience by using auxotropic excreting strains as donors . Moreover, the ability to synthesize proline was transferred together with the ability to excrete glutamic acid when an excreting strain was used as donor . The transconjugants showed a rapid spontaneous curing of both genetic markers . It was shown by two different methods that a band of covalently closed circular deoxyribonucleic acid is present in the cesium chloride gradients corresponding to the wild type and excretor mutants . Nonexcretor mutants described herein lacked such a band . Pro + transformants that were also excretors were obtained with plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid isolated either from wild type or from an excretor mutant . These data strongly indicate that glutamic acid excretion in C . intermedius C3 is related to the presence of extrachromosomal deoxyribonucleic acid. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1979 Jun, 243(4), 542 - 6 The detection of nasal carriers of salmonella and other enterobacteria amongst young farm animals; Garg DN et al.; An investigation was conducted to detect the presence of Salmonella nasal carriers amongst young farm animals (Cow-calves, buffalo-calves, lambs, kids, piglets and foals) on farms having a previous history of Salmonellosis . Salmonella could be isolated from nasal swabs of 1.2% of the cow-calves and 2.9% of the piglets studied but not from other young animals . Isolated strains included S . typhimurium and S . weltevreden from cow-calves and piglets, respectively . Other members of family Enterobacriacteeae isolated from nasal passages of these animals were: E . coli (O106:H27 and O153:H12), Serratia rubidiae, Klebsiella spp., Enterobacter spp . and Citrobacter spp . One of the Citrobacter strains from piglet faeces which appear to be a new Citrobacter serotype had Salmonella 45(1), 45(3), 45(5) 'O' antigens . The results indicated that the upper respiratory tract of animals carried Salmonella and other potentially pathogenic enterobacteria which might contribute to the spread of corresponding infections among man and animals. Eur J Biochem, 1979 Jun 1, 96(3), 519 - 24 Purification and molecular properties of a new colicin; Cavard D et al.; The process of isolation and purification of a new colicin isolated from a Citrobacter strain is described . Escherichia coli sensitive cells are protected by vitamin B12 from the action of this bacteriocin; this suggests that it belongs to the E group of colicins . Therefore, we have called it colicin E4 . It has a molecular weight of 56 000 and two molecular forms of isoelectric points 9.4 and 8.2 are separated in electrofocusing on polyacrylamide gels . It has a sedimentation coefficient of 3.4 S and the absorption coefficient A1(280%) nm is 6.23 cm(-1) . Using an antibody raised against pure colicin E4, no cross-reaction was detected against colicins A, E1 or K . The physiological effect of colicin E4 on sensitive cells is very similar to that of colicins E1, K or I which disrupt the energized membrane state. Acta Trop, 1979 Jun, 36(2), 163 - 70 Resistance of gram-negative bacteria to antibiotics in large calf agglomerations; Raska K et al.; The antibiotic resistance of E . coli, Citrobacter, Enterobacter-Klebsiella and Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains isolated from calves was tested . A high proportion of multiresistance was found even in E . coli strains isolated from newborn calves . Gram-negative bacteria isolated from animals in three large calfhouses were almost 100% resistant to ampicillin, tetracyclines and sulphonamides . Multiresistance was general and varied from 5 to 12 antibiotics among different strains . Initial high sensitivity to antibiotics which had never been used before was observed . Antibiotic resistance rapidly increased after use started . The usefulness of antibiotics in E . coli induced diarrhea is questioned and oral rehydration is appraised. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1979 Jun, (6), 61 - 5 {Metabolism of dicarboxylic amino acids and their amides in bacteria of the genus Citrobacter}; Kulikova AI et al.; In 58 Citrobacter strains the pathways of the utilization of dicarbonic amino acids and their amides were studied . These organisms were found to be incapable of decarboxylating glutaminic and asparaginic acids, as well as their amides . All the strains could actively desamidizate asparagine . Not all of these strains showed glutaminase activity . Aspartate-aminotransferase occurred twice as often as alanine-aminotransferase, the level of activity being approximately the same . The Citrobacter strains desamidizated asparaginic acid with great constancy, but only in 1/3 of them this reaction occurred via an aspartase route . The desamidization of asparaginic acid in Citrobacter seemed to proceed in different ways . The desamidization of glutaminic acid was observed only in a part of the strains, and the reaction proceeded less actively. Lab Anim Sci, 1979 Apr, 29(2), 209 - 13 A natural outbreak of transmissible murine colonic hyperplasia in A/J mice; Silverman J et al.; Transmissible murine colonic hyperplasia was diagnosed in 6-month-old A/J mice kept under standard laboratory conditions . Bacterial cultures revealed the presence of Citrobacter freundii (4280) . Clinical signs included rough coats, feces adhering to the anus, slight dehydration and rectal prolapses . A nonclotting sanquinous intestinal fluid and gross colonic thickening were frequently seen at necropsy . Morbidity was approximately 50%; mortality approximately 25% . Tetracycline appeared to be effective in controlling the disease. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1979 Apr, 243(2-3), 381 - 91 Enterobacteriaceae infections in man and animals and detection of their natural reservoirs in India; Sharma VK; The study presents a summary of the results regarding the presence of Enterobacteriaceae in domestic animals and birds, endeavouring to explain the origin of the infections . Wild reptiles, amphibians, mammalia, rodents and birds were examined into the demonstration of Enterobacteriaceae, whereby particular attention was paid to the following species: Arizona, Edwardsiella, Citrobacter, Enterobacter, Serratia, Yersinia and Erwinia. Antibiotiki, 1979 Apr, 24(4), 267 - 70 {Sensitivity to antibiotics and antibacterial preparations of conditionally pathogenic bacteria isolated from patients with gastrointestinal tract dysfunctions}; Polikarpov NA et al.; Sensitivity of 690 cultures of the conditionally pathogenic microbes of Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonadaceae to 17 drugs was studied with the agar diffusion method . It was found that 98.6 per cent of the cultures had multiple resistance to 2--10 drugs . Most of the cultures were resistant to erythromycin, carbenicillin and ampicillin . Different species of the conditionally pathogenic microorganisms were resistant to different numbers of the drugs . Thus, Ps . aeruginosa cultures were resistant to 6--10 drugs, the cultures of Citrobacter were resistant to 3--8 drugs and the cultures of Kl . pneumonia were resistant to 2--5 drugs . Levomycetin, tetracycline, streptomycin and biseptol proved to be the most active antibacterial drugs. J Gen Virol, 1979 Apr, 43(1), 57 - 73 The strategy of infection as a criterion for phylogenetic relationships of non-coli phages morphologically similar to phage T7; Korsten KH et al.; Five phages which are morphologically similar to coliphage T7 but attack other host bacteria have been compared to T7 and to its relative, T3, by the following criteria: (a) cross-reactivity with antisera against T7 and T3, (b) DNA base sequence homologies, as determined by the C0t technique, (c) synthesis of two phage-coded enzymes: RNA polymerase and SAMase, (d) patterns of phage-directed protein synthesis, as determined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of phage coat subunits . As judged by all these criteria, Pseudomonas phage PX3 is not related to T7; thus, morphological similarity was attributed to convergent evolution . The other phages, i.e . Serratia phage IV, Psuedomonas phage gh-1, Citrobacter phage ViIII and Klebsiella phage No . 11, were considered to be related to T7 on the basis of similarities in the patterns of phage-coded proteins and because, early after infection, these phages induced, as T7 does, an RNA polymerase which specifically transcribes the DNA of thehomologous phage . Phages IV and No . 11 also induced the early synthesis of SAMase (previously only known to occur upon T3 infection) . With the exception of phage IV, however, DNA base sequence homologies with T7 or T3 seem to be poor or non-existent . The tested phages, again with the exception of phage IV, did not react with antiserum against T3 or T7 . It is concluded that a particular pattern of phage-directed protein synthesis (as characterized by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and enzyme tests) may provide evidence for phylogenetic relationships between phages, even in cases where other criteria, such as genetic recombination, serological cross-reaction, and DNA base sequence homologies, fail to indicate relatedness. J Bacteriol, 1979 Mar, 137(3), 1430 - 3 Association of tellurium resistance and bacteriophage inhibition conferred by R plasmids; Taylor DE et al.; Concomitant resistance to tellurium compounds (Ter) and inhibition of coli-phage development (Phi) are properties mediated by many H2 incompatibility group R plasmids which have been isolated from diverse bacterial and geographic sources . Ter plasmids from tellurium-resistant bacteria that were isolated from sewage and industrial wastes also mediated phage inhibition . Of these Ter plasmids, three from Citrobacter freundii belonged to the H incompatibility group, whereas three from Klebsiella pneumoniae did not. Minerva Med, 1979 Feb 18, 70(8), 617 - 20 {Studies of the incidence of healthy carriers of "pathogenic strains" or potentially pathogenic strains in the hospital environment}; Spina Gondoni D et al.; An investigation has been carried out on healthy carriers of "positive Staphylococcus coagulase" and "occasional pathogenic" strains among kitchen, canteen and dispensary staff in the IVth Geriatric Division and First Aid Clinic of the Bologna "M . Malpighi" Hospital . All stains of "positive Staphylococcus coagulase" and "occasional pathogens" considered (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Citrobacter) were put through antibiotic and chemotherapeutic sensitivity tests . The results are reported in detail. Am J Clin Pathol, 1979 Feb, 71(2), 172 - 6 Bacteriocin typing of Serratia marcescens . A simplified system; Sproat D et al.; The authors describe a simplified system for the detection of bacteriocin production by Serratia marcescens with the use of six indicator strains, which include Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Citrobacter diversus, Enterobacter aerogenes (two strains), and Serratia rubidaea grown on arabinose minimal medium plates . Of the 64 possible bacteriocin types, 11 were observed; 66% of the isolates tested were found to be one of three types . Occasionally more than one bacteriocin type was observed in an individual specimen; however, serotyping or antibiograms, or both, also indicated this was a different strain . The marcescin types were stable markers . With the use of this technic, different endemic strains of Serratia were shown to predominate in various areas of the hospital . In addition, when urinary tract isolates were compared with respiratory tract isolates, significant differences were found in the predominate types . The typing of these isolates by bacteriocin production was supported by serotype and antibiotype findings . The results suggest that this simple system may be a useful tool in a general hospital. Biochem J, 1979 Jan 15, 178(1), 237 - 40 Participation of quinone and cytochrome b in tetrathionate reductase respiratory chain of Citrobacter freundii; Novotny C et al.; Formate dehydrogenase, NADH dehydrogenase, a quinone and a b-type cytochrome characterized by maxima at 429 and 560 nm are shown to participate in the tetrathionate redox chain of Citrobacter. Mikrobiyol Bul, 1979 Jan, 13(1), 13 - 25 {The role of enteric bacteria in childhood urinary tract infections and their in vitro response to antimicrobial agents}; Gunalp A; In this study, 154 cases of suspected bacterial urinary tract infection were examined bacteriologically . Urine cultures yielded, E . coli in 84 patients Citrobacter in 22 (C . freundii: 9, C . diversus: 9) Proteus in 21 (P . vulgaris: 6, P . morgani: 4, P . rettgeri: 2 . P . mirabilis: 4, lactose fermenting strains: 5), Pseudomonas in 12 (P . aeruginosa: 5, other strains of Pseudomonas: 7), Klebsiella in 9 (K . aerogenes: 3, K . pneumonia: 6) and Enterobacter in 6 patients (E . aerogenes: 1, E . cloacae: 5) . In vitro antibiotic sensitivity tests showed that gentamicin, nalidixic acid, bactrim and gantrisin were the most effective antibacterial agents respectively . Multiple resistances was found in 39 strains of E . coli out of 84 . In other species multiple resistance was found in varying degrees . It is concluded that . Every measure should be taken to eradicate the causative organisms in the urinary tract in children. Vet Med Nauki, 1979, 16(9), 33 - 41 {Microfloral study of bull seminal fluid stored at low temperatures}; Korudzhiiski N; Hundred twenty three samples of bull semen fluid frozen at 196 degrees C including 83 plastic ampules, 20 granules and 20 plastic straws obtained from the containers of the insemination stations of 10 farms from the Sofia district were investigated . Two hundred twelve strains were isolated and identified as: Escherichia coli--25 strains, Hafnia--16 strains, Citrobacter, Enterobacter and Proteus mirabilis--9 strains of each . The remaining Gram-negative genera and species were more rarely encountered . Gram positive bacteria: Micrococcus--19 strains, Staphylococcus aureus--17 strains, Staph . epidermidis--15 strains, Bacillus cereus--15 strains, B . subtilis--12 strains . Other representatives of Gram-positive bacteria were also found but in lower percentages . Least bacteria were observed in semen fluid frozen in plastic straws and most--in plastic ampules which were mainly used until recently for cow insemination . It was established that the same bacteria isolated by other authors from fresh sperm were encountered in semen fluid stored at minus temperatures . The conclusion is made that semen fluid stored at low temperature is contaminated with bacteria . It is only natural that these bacteria are introduced in cow genitals by insemination. J Perinat Med, 1979, 7(5), 273 - 5 Neonatal meningitis due to Citrobacter koseri; Rose SJ; A five day old neonate was diagnosed as having bacterial meningitis and commenced on Ampicillin and Flucloxacillin . The organism was then found to be Citrobacter koseri and the antibiotics changed to Chloramphenicol systemically for two weeks . The child made an uneventful recovery . At four weeks of age her head circumference had increased unacceptably and a computerised axial tomography scan revealed a large frontal lobe abscess . Aspiration revealed a large pus filled cavity and Citrobacter koseri grown from the pus . The abscess was treated with repeated aspirations, often of 30-40 mls., and installation of Chloramphenicol combined with systemic Chloramphenicol for three weeks . At six months of age her head circumference was within normal limits and the was developmentally normal with no detectable neurological sequelae. Ann Sclavo, 1979 Jan-Feb, 21(1), 70 - 82 {Identification and antibiotic-resistance of microbial strains isolated from urinary infections (author's transl)}; Brodi S et al.; During the year 1977, 1491 urine samples were taken from patients living in the "Alta Valle del Tevere" (Umbria, Italy) . The isolated microorganisms were examined and tested against 15 antibiotics . 535 samples (35.88%) were free from bacteria . Among the 1095 isolates, 52.42% were Gram-negative, 46.85% Gram-positive, and only 0.73% Fungi . The genera Citrobacter, Escherichia, Proteus, Pseudomonas, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Staphylococcus and Enterococcus were identified . A high proportion of strains belonging to the genera Proteus and Pseudomonas were resistant to all the 15 antibiotics tested . However, although in a lower proportion, the multiple drug-resistance was present also in the strains of the genera Escherichia and Staphylococcus. Chemotherapy, 1979, 25(3), 157 - 61 Sensitivity of gentamicin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae to cefamandole and cefoxitin; Rosenthal SL et al.; A collection of gentamicin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae strains was significantly more resistant to cefamandole than a species-matched collection of gentamicin-sensitive organisms . Cefamandole and gentamicin resistance could be simultaneously transferred by conjugation from four different species, Citrobacter freundii, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Serratia marcescens, to a recipient E . coli strain . Plasmids specifying linked resistance to cefamandole and gentamicin are thus commonly present in the environment of our medical center despite the fact that cefamandole has never been used here . Gentamicin-resistant organisms were not more resistant to cefoxitin than gentamicin-sensitive isolates . Conjugal transfer of cefoxitin resistance could not be demonstrated . Relative resistance to cefoxitin was nevertheless common among Enterobacter and Serratia isolates. Infection, 1979, 7 Suppl 6, 540 - 2 {Bacteriological in vitro investigations with cefaclor . Correlation of inhibition zone diameter and minimal inhibitory concentration (author's transl)}; Grimm H; A comparison of the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of cefaclor and cephalexin shows that cefaclor is noticeably superior against Citrobacter . Enterobacter and Proteus mirabilis . Only slight differences are seen against other enterobacteria and Staphylococcus aureus . Both cefaclor and cephalexin are completely ineffective against enterococci and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Regression analysis to correlate the inhibition zone diameter and MIC of cefaclor produced a very good correlation (r = -0.9741) . Using 30 mcg discs on DST agar, inhibition zones of more than 20 mm are to be interpreted as "sensitivity" and zones of less than 13 mm as "resistance". Infection, 1979, 7(5), 256 - 9 In vitro investigations with fosfomycin on Mueller-Hinton agar with and without glucose-6-phosphate; Grimm H; Determination of the minimal inhibitory concentration of fosfomycin in the agar dilution test on Mueller-Hinton agar showed that the addition of glucose-6-phosphate to the nutrient medium potentiates the action of fosfomycin against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Citrobacter and Staphylococcus aureus, sometimes by as much as 256-fold . Such a potentiation of action was not detectable with Serratia marcescens, the individual Proteus species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa or enterococci . Fosfomycin is very effective against most medically important bacterial species on Mueller-Hinton agar containing 25 micrograms/ml glucose-6-phosphate . Over 90% of the cultures of E . coli, Citrobacter, Enterobacter, S . marcescens,Proteus mirabilis, Proteus vulgaris, Proteus rettgeri, P . aeruginosa, S . aureus and enterococci examined were inhibited by less than or equal to 64 micrograms/ml fosfomycin. Infection, 1979, 7(5), 231 - 6 {Antibacterial activity of cefotaxim in comparison with seven cephalosporins}; Braveny I et al.; The antibacterial activity of cefotaxim and seven cephalosporins was determined in 1,112 fresh isolates using the microdilution technique . All of the cephalosporins tested were ineffective against enterococci . Cefalotin was the most effective agent against Staphylococcus aureus . Cefaclor was superior to cephalexin against Escherichia coli and Proteus mirabilis, and thus inhibited 20% more Enterobacteriaceae . Cefazolin was as effective as cefamandole against E . coli . Cefuroxime and cefoxitin were almost equally effective against E . coli, Klebsiella and P . mirabilis; more than 95% of the strains were sensitive . Cefuroxime and also cefamandole were much more effective than cefoxitin against Citrobacter and Enterobacter . Cefoxitin on the other hand was superior against Serratia and indol-positive Proteus species . Cefotaxim was by far the most active cephalosporin against Enterobacteriaceae, only 2% of the strains being resistant . More than 90% of the strains of E . coli, Klebsiella, P . mirabilis and Serratia were sensitive to 1 mg/l, the lowest degree of activity being displayed against Enterobacter; 82% of the strains were inhibited by 16 mg/l . Cefotaxim was the only cephalosporin which showed appreciable activity against Pseudomonas. Infection, 1979, 7(3), 119 - 27 {Experience with sisomicin in pediatrics (author's transl)}; Weingartner L et al.; Sisomicin, an aminoglycoside antibiotic, is especially effective against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Citrobacter, Serratia, indole-positive and indole-negative Proteus species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus . It has a bactericidal action . Although sisomicin is similar to the other aminoglycoside antibiotics, there is not complete cross-resistance to them . Our own pharmacokinetic investigations showed that a dose of 2--3 mg/kg body weight of sisomicin twice daily is necessary in the neonatal period . Infants should be given 2.5 mg/kg body weight three times daily, and school children 1.5--20 mg/kg body weight, likewise three times daily . Excretion of sisomicin in the urine is lower in children than in adults, amounting within 24 hours to only 10--20% in newborns, and 30--40% in school-children . Sisomicin induces excretion of some enzymes in higher quantities from the tubular part of the kidneys, especially alaninaminopeptidase . A report is given on 58 patients, especially newborns and prematures, who were treated for about seven days with sisomicin . The results obtained with a wide variety of infections (such as omphalitis, aspiration of amniotic fluid with broncho-pneumonia, phlegmons of the galea, and also pyelonephritis and mucoviscidosis with pulmonary complications) can be described as good, with a success rate of 85% . On only seven occasions were insignificant transitory side-effects, such as slight increase in transaminases, toxic-allergic exanthema and pain in the region in injection, observed. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1979 Jan, 32(1), 59 - 65 The bacterial outer-membrane permeability of beta-lactam antibiotics; Sawai T et al.; Two penicillins and 5 cephalosporins were evaluated for their ability to pass through the outer-membranes of Proteus morganii, Citrobacter freundii and Escherichia coli . Cefazolin, ceftezole and cephaloridine showed high permeability through the outer-membranes of these Gram-negative bacteria . Benzylpenicillin and cephalothin, on the contrary, showed low permeability . The outer-membrane permeability of ampicillin and cephalexin varied from species to species . C . freundii was found to have the highest barrier against both the penicillins and the cephalosporins, and E . coli appeared to have a low barrier against the cephalosporins . The hydrophobic character of the beta-lactam antibiotics, which was estimated by a reversed-phase thin-layer chromatography was closely related to the outer-membrane permeability . In general, the more hydrophilic antibiotic showed the higher outer-membrane permeability . However, cephaloridine, the most lipophilic compound among the antibiotics tested, showed good permeability. Infection, 1979, 7 Suppl 6, 547 - 50 {The antibacterial efficacy of cefaclor in routine testing of clinical material from two Berlin hospitals (author's transl)}; Wagner J et al.; The agar diffusion method was used to test the antibacterial efficacy of cefaclor against bacterial strains isolated routinely from patients in two hospitals in Berlin . A comparison was made with the efficacy of oxacillin, azlocillin, amikacin, gentamicin, ampicillin, co-trimoxazole, tetracycline, penicillin, cefazolin, nalidixic acid and nitrofurantoin . A total of 1235 strains of Staphylococcus aureus, enterococci, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Proteus species, Citrobacter and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were tested . Cefaclor was superior to the other substances in its activity against E . coli, Klebsiellae, and Proteus mirabilis . Co-trimoxazole and tetracycline, on the other hand, proved more effective against indole-positive Proteus species and Citrobacter . Tetracycline was also more effective against Enterobacter . Ampicillin was the most effective agent against enterococci, and oxacillin the most effective against S . aureus . Cefaclor showed good antibacterial activity against strains which were resistant to the orally administrable agents ampicillin, tetracycline and co-trimoxazole. Med Microbiol Immunol (Berl), 1979, 167(4), 223 - 30 Identification of Bacteroides fragilis by indirect immunofluorescence; Weintraub A et al.; Rabbit antiserum against live or heat-killed Bacteroides fragilis NCTC 9343 bacteria was titrated against hot phenol water-extracted polysaccharide antigens from five different species of the 'B . fragilis group' of bacteria using an enzyme immunoassay and shown to be specific for the B . fragilis NCTC 9343 polysaccharide . When the antiserum was used in indirect immunofluorescence, 97.1% of 244 B . fragilis strains were correctly identified . Only 8 of the other 312 Bacteroides strains were stained by the anti-B fragilis serum . The 'cross-reactive' Bacteriodes strains all belonged to the "B . fragilis group" of bacteria (i.e., B; distasonis, B . ovatus, B . thetaiotaomicron, B . uniformis, and B . vulgatus) . None of the 425 aerobic enteric bacteria representing Salmonella, E . coli, Proteus, Yersinia, Shigella, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Citrobacter, and Pseudomonas were positive using the anti-B . fragilis serum . Likewise, all the 59 gram-positive strains representing Streptococcus, Bacillus, Peptostreptococcus, Peptococcus, Propionibacterium, Lactobacillus, Eubacterium, and Clostridium did not stain . Our data shows in accordance with other findings {11}, that B . fragilis strains possess a species-specific cell envelope antigen(s) which promises to be important for production of antisera, making a rapid identification of the species possible. J Gen Microbiol, 1978 Dec, 109(2), 305 - 11 Thermosensitive H1 plasmids determining citrate utilization; Smith HW et al.; Twelve thermosensitive H1 plasmids from strains of Salmonella typhi that had caused outbreaks of chloramphenicol-resistant typhoid fever in Vietnam, Thailand and India mediated citrate utilization (Cit+) in a prototrophic Escherichia coli K12 strain but not in the S . typhi strains from which they were derived . Four H1 plasmids from a similar outbreak in Mexico differed from the Far Eastern plasmids in not mediating citrate utlization but in mediating mercury resistance . H1 plasmids resembling the Far Eastern and the Mexican plasmids in regard to citrate utilization and mercury resistance were found in sewage in Britain . Citrate utilization was transferred to eight pathogenic strains of E . coli and to one strain each of Shigella flexneri and Shigella sonnei . Cultures of Cit+ bacteria grew more rapidly in citrate media at 28 degrees C than at 37 degrees C . Plasmid mutants that were more efficient at utilizing citrate were present in all such cultures--they grew equally well or better at 37 degrees C than at 28 degrees C . None of 222 strains of E . coli or Shigella that contained a variety of different plasmids were able to utilize citrate . This property was not transferred to the prototrophic E . coli K12 strain from Citrobacter (3 strains), Salmonella (39 strains), Proteus (44 strains), Klebsiella pneumoniae (33 strains) or Pseudomonas aeruginosa (44 strains). Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1978 Nov, 242(1), 52 - 62 Relative importance of enterotoxigenic and invasive enteropathogenic bacteria in infantile diarrhoea; Wadstrom T; Swedish children and adults (648 patients) with acute diarrhoea were investigated for enterotoxigenic strains in stool cultures . A total number 74 strains were isolated from 28 patients and assayed in the rabbit intestinal loop test and the adrenal cell test . Only three of the enterotoxigenic E . coli (ETEC) isolates belonged to classical enteropathogenic serotypes of E . coli (EPEC) . Two enterotoxigenic strains of Proteus morganii, two of Enterobacter hafniae and one of Citrobacter freundii were isolated . None of 67 EPEC strains were found to produce a heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) in either of the two test systems . A number of Yersinia enterocolitica and Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains from stool cultures often produced toxic effects in the cell test but no enterotoxin activity was detected for any of the strains investigated either in the adrenal cell test for heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) or the suckling mouse test for heat-stable enterotoxin (ST) . All EPEC isolates were also tested for ST and for invasive properties in the Sereny test; each isolate was negative in both test systems . It is concluded that production of LT and ST enterotoxin were common in stool isolates from Ethiopian children but a rare phenomenon among Swedish children with acute infantile diarrhoea . Isolation of aerobic stool bacteria with invasive properties seems to be uncommon both in Ethiopian and Swedish children . However, since both LT and ST as well as invasive properties seem to be very unstable genetic properties in many of these stool isolates improved sensitive methods for the last two properties will probably change this picture in the future. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1978 Nov, (11), 33 - 8 {Monosaccharide composition of the lipopolysaccharides of bacteria of the genus Citrobacter}; Tsvetkova NV et al.; The authors studied antigens obtained by Grasset's method from 13 strains of Citrobacter of the International collection . The strains possessed O- and H-antigens whose behaviur in the electric field differed . All the strains under study were divided into two groups (by the number of serologically-active components of their O-antigens); representatives of the second group had no cathode O-antigen component . Chemical composition of specific lipopolysaccharides (LPS) obtained by Westphal's method was determined . Fourteen different sugars were revealed . The strains under study were referred to the known chemotypes . Strain 16/52 (8a, 8c) was for the first time studied in respect to the monosaccharide composition of specific LPS, and was referred to chemotype designated as CC-L. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1978 Oct, 31(10), 1046 - 58 Cephamycin derivatives: comparison of the in vitro and in vivo antibacterial activities of SQ 14,359, CS-1170, and cefoxitin; Gadebusch HH et al.; SQ 14,359 is a new cephamycin-type (7alpha-OCH3) antibiotic belonging to a series containing a 7alpha-ureidoacetyl substituent . The compound is the most potent extended spectrum derivative of this type yet reported, surpassing CS-1170 and cefoxitin by a wide margin . This activity in vitro which extends throughout the Enterobacteriaceae is particularly prominent against Gram-negative organisms that are producers of "cephalosporinase-type" beta-lactamases such as Enterobacter, Serratia, Citrobacter and indole-positive Proteus species . Superior activity also is demonstrated in vitro against streptococci, beta-lactamase-producing staphylococci, Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and many Gram-negative pathogens resistant to aminoglycoside antibiotics . Experimental chemotherapeutic studies have confirmed these observations in wound and selected systemic infections in mice as well as acute pyelonephritis and meningitis in rats . The pharmacokinetics for each drug including antibiotic bound to serum was similar in both mice and rats . The pharmacokinetic profile in blood and cerebrospinal fluid favored SQ 14,359. J Dairy Sci, 1978 Oct, 61(10), 1498 - 508 Distribution of enterobacteriaceae in recycled manure bedding on California dairies; Carroll EJ et al.; The distribution of coliform organisms on three California dairies which use a system of automatic flushing of alley ways and composted, recycled manure solids as free stall bedding for utilization of waste was studied . There was a wide distribution of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, and Enterobacter and to less extent Citrobacter organisms . Klebsiella were not commonly in bovine feces . Composting manure solids effectively reduced coliform counts to few or to zero . However, if given proper conditions of moisture and temperature, coliforms could multiply to large numbers again in composted solids whether from survivors or from external contamination . Dried composted manure was satisfactory material for bedding of free stalls provided it was dried properly before application. Schweiz Med Wochenschr, 1978 Sep 9, 108(36), 1398 - 403 {Cefuroxim, a new beta-lactamase stable cephalosporin}; Simon C; In vitro activity of cefuroxime, a new cephalosporin stable to bacterial beta-lactamases, was compared with that of cefalothin and other cephalosporins by serial dilution test in more than 600 bacterial strains . Cefuroxime was more active than cefalothin on most strains of Gram negative bacilli (except Salmonella species) and also on most strains of cefalothin-resistant bacteria . In comparison to cefalothin, cefoxitin and cefamandol, cefuroxime exerted the strongest activity on meningococci, streptococci of group A and B and also on Citrobacter freundii . It was as active as cefamandol and more active than cefalothin and cefoxitin on Haemophilus influenzae (also in ampicillin-resistant strains) . Pharmacokinetic studies were performed in 10 healthy adult volunteers after i.v . injection of 0.75 g, 1 g, and 1.5 g cefuroxime and of 1 g cefalothin . Cefuroxime was superior to cefalothin by slower renal excretion, longer half-life, lesser or no metabolization and better tissue penetration . Cefuroxime is well tolerated and should be administered in adequate doses corresponding to the severity of the disease and the susceptibility of the causative agent. Ann Sclavo, 1978 Sep-Oct, 20(5), 724 - 38 {Report on Citrobacter strains having antigenic relationship with "E . coli", and their characteristics (author's transl)}; Barbuti S et al.; During a research done on the diffusion of enteropathogenic E . coli in a children's community, 24 strains of Citrobacter have been isolated . By agglutination and agar-gel diffusion techniques, they looked to have some somatic antigens in common with those serogroups of enteropathogenic E . coli . The results were as follows: 14 strains were correlated with the serogroup O111; 9 strains with the serogroup O125 and 1 strain with the serogroup O55 . The isolation of these strains has been made at the same period when we have found out the E . coli of homologous serogroups, even if they didn't belong to the same subjects . The colicine typing and sensibility to antibiotics tests made both on Citrobacter strains and on E . coli ones of homologous serogroups haven't pointed out other characteristics of identity . Furthermore, antigenic relationships between the 24 strains of Citrobacter and different serogroups of Salmonella have been demonstrated, that is: the strains containing the somatic antigen O111 were correlated with the serogroup O35; the strains having the somatic antigen O125, with the serogroup O6, 14, 24 and the strain containing the somatic antigen O55, with the serogroup O50 . The presence of these strains in normal subjects only, gives a further witness that their role in enteric infections remains to be demonstrated. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1978 Sep, (9), 23 - 6 {Aromatic amino acid metabolism in Enterobacteriaceae microorganisms}; Galaev IuV et al.; The authors revealed phenylalanine deaminase (PAD) in the majority of the Citrobacter strains investigated; the activity of PAD varied within a rather considerable range (0.3--4.58 micrometer of phenylpiruvate in 1 hr per 1 mg of bacterial protein) . The presence of this enzyme thus served as an auxiliary biochemical test characterising this group of conditionally pathogenic microbes of the Enterobacteriacea family . Tyrosine decarboxylase was absent in 26 of 50 strains of Citrobacter examined . In the rest of the strains the activity of this enzyme was low . Consequently, tyrosine decarboxylase could not be used for identification of microorganisms of the Citrobacter genus. Am J Clin Pathol, 1978 Sep, 70(3 Suppl), 539 - 47 Performance of enterobacteriaceae identification systems . An analysis of College of American Pathologists Survey data; Marymont JH 3rd et al.; Commercial systems designed and marketed for evaluation of Enterobacteriaceae are used in many clinical microbiology laboratories . Evaluations of these systems have been reported from several large laboratories . Identifications with one or more of these systems were compared with those obtained by conventional methods with many strains of organisms . The Microbiology Resource Committee of the College of American Pathologists designed two surveys to evaluate the performances of commercial systems with identical strains of organisms submitted to a large number of participants . The surveys used were the Special Bacteriology Survey D-D and the Comprehensive Microbiology Survey B-D submitted during 1975--1976 . Single strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Serratia marcescens in pure culture were submitted in the Comprehensive Survey and the same strains of these organisms plus one strain each of Pseudomonas stuartii and Citrobacter freundii in the Special Survey . The data obtained from participants permitted comparisons to be made between the API-20E, Enterotube, and r/b systems . These comparisons included individual biochemical test results shared by at least two systems as well as the ability of each to identify the unknown organisms to genus alone and to both genus and species . The results are presented and subjected to statistical analysis. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1978 Aug, 36(2), 394 - 5 H2-producing bacteria in digesting sewage sludge isolated on simmple, defined media; Holmes P et al.; Twenty percent of bacteria isolated on simple, defined anaerobic media produced H2 . Eighty-four percent of these were isolated on glucose . All were Enterobacteriaceae, primarily Citrobacter. J Med Microbiol, 1978 Aug, 11(3), 225 - 31 Differentiation of Serratia marcescens and Serratia liquefaciens by tests for lipase and phospholipase production; Legakis NJ et al.; The production of lipase and phospolipase by certain members of the Enterobacteriaceae was examined by thin-layer chromatography of resting-cell suspensions incubated with triolein or lecithin . Most strains of Serratia marcescens produced both enzymes while most strains of Serratia liquefaciens exhibited strong lipase but only a minor phospholipase activity . Enterobacter spp . (25 strains), Klebsiella pneumoniae (20 strains), Escherichia coli (15 strains), Citrobacter freundii (7 strains) and Proteus spp . (20 strains) lacked both types of enzymic activity except for the following: three strains of Enterobacter cloacae, two of Proteus mirabilis and three of Proteus vulgaris possessed slight lipase activity; about one-half of the Enterobacter aerogenes and Enterobacter hafniae strains examined produced slight phospholipase activity . It is suggested that tests for lipase and phospholipase should be used in conjunction with those for DNAase production and sugar fermentation for the differentiation of S . marcescens and S . liquefaciens. J Pediatr, 1978 Aug, 93(2), 288 - 93 Bacterial colonization of neonates admitted to an intensive care environment; Goldmann DA et al.; In order to elucidate some of the factors responsible for the high rate of nosocomial infection associated with neonatal intensive care, we studied bacterial colonization in 63 infants admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit . In a six-month period, cultures of nose, throat, umbilicus, and stool were obtained on admission and every three days from all infants staying in the NICU greater than or equal to 3 days . Study infants did not develop "normal" aerobic flora . Forty-eight percent of infants grew Escherichia coli from stool, but 52% had stool colonization with Klebsiella, Enterobacter, or Citrobacter, the only other Enterobacteriaceae encountered . KEC were also isolated from throat, nose, and umbilicus in 22%, 22%, and 24% of patients, respectively . The risk of stool colonization with KEC increased with duration of hospitalization: 2% of infants were colonized on admission, 60% after 15 days, and 91% after 30 days . Stool colonization with E . coli seemed to protect infants from colonization with other gram-negative bacilli . Thirteen of 20 infants, however, developed pharyngeal GNB colonization in spite of pre-existing abundant growth of alpha streptococci . Antibiotic therapy for greater than 3 days was associated with the isolation of KEC in stool and GNB in the throat, but birth weight less than 2,500 gm and lack of breast milk feedings were not. Am J Clin Pathol, 1978 Jul, 70(1), 37 - 40 Clinical significance of citrobacter isolates; Hodges GR et al.; Little is know about the clinical significance of isolating Citrobacter in the clinical laboratory . During a one-year period, 116 Citrobacter isolates were obtained from 77 patients with 83 suspected infectious episodes . The majority of the suspected infectious episodes involved the urinary tract (45%) or respiratory tract (41%) . Citrobacter diversus was associated with 42% of the episodes, Citrobacter freundii with 29%, and Citrobacter species with 29% . In 42% of the suspected infectious episodes, the presence of Citrobacter was considered clinically significant; in the others, the significance of the Citrobacter isolates was indeterminate or considered to be commensal . Two thirds of the significant infections were hospital-acquired . Most patients (73%) from whom Citrobacter was cultured had underlying diseases or factors predisposing to infection . These data suggest that Citrobacter is a cause of significant opportunistic nosocomial infection in the hospital. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1978 Jun, (6), 79 - 81 {Arginine metabolism in Citrobacter}; Priakhina ZhV et al.; The authors studied ways of utilization of arginine and of the products of its metabolism (ornithine, agmatine, and urea) in the microoganisms of Citrobacter genus . Arginine- and ornithine-decarboxylase activity was revealed by spectrophotometric method of decarboxylation products in the form of dinitrophenyl-derivatives in a small number of strains . Almost all the strains studied demonstrated a sufficiently high agmatine-ureohydrolase reaction . Arginase was constantly revealed . These microbes were capable of urea utilization in prolonged incubation. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1978 May, (5), 57 - 62 {Participation of conditionally pathogenic enterobacteria in the processes of intestinal dysbacteriosis}; Kalashnikova GK et al.; The presence of a number of conditioned-pathogenic enterobacteria (Klebsiella, Citrobacter, Enterobacter) in patients with intestinal dysbacteriosis, and also their detection in derangement of normal intestinal biocenosis in patients with chronic intestinal disturbances with clinical manifestations of this condition, even in the absence of known bacteriological indications of dysbacteriosis was revealed . Results of investigations led the authors to the conclusion on the participation of a number of conditioned pathogenic enterobacteria in intestinal dysbacteriosis, and permit a suggestion on the necessity of proper assessment of the fact of presence of these bacteria as a possible dysbacteriosis indication. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1978 May, 35(5), 930 - 6 Heterotrophic bacteria present in hindguts of wood-eating termites {Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar)}; Schultz JE et al.; Strict anaerobic culture techniques were used to quantitate heterotrophic bacteria present in hindguts of Reticulitermes flavipes . The grand mean number of viable cells per hindgut was 0.4 X 10(5) (first-instar larvae), 1.3 X 10(5) (third-instar larvae), 3.5 X 10(5) (workers), and 1.5 X 10(5) (soldiers) . Of a total of 344 isolates, 66.3% were streptococci that were always obtained regardless of the origin of termites, their developmental stage or caste, or their length of captivity . Most of the remaining isolates were strains of Bacteroides and Enterobacteriaceae . A small percentage were strains of Lactobacillus, Fusobacterium, and unidentified anaerobic gram-positive rods . Recovery of bacteria from worker hindguts was 13.0% of the direct microscopic count . Isolations performed aerobically failed to reveal strict aerobes . Attempts to isolate cellulolytic bacteria were uniformly unsuccessful . Of 145 streptococcal strains isolated from freshly collected termites, almost all were Streptococcus lactis and S . cremoris . Enterobacteriaceae isolates from the same termite specimens were indole-positive Citrobacter, citrate-negative Citrobacter, and Enterobacter cloacae . The possibility of in situ interspecies lactate transfer, between lactate producers (e.g., streptococci) and lactate fermenters (Bacteroides), is discussed. Antibiotiki, 1978 May, 23(5), 430 - 3 {Resistance to antibiotics of conditionally pathogenic enterobacteria of the genera, Citrobacter and Hafnia}; Balanin NV et al.; Antibiotic sensitivity of 363 strains of Citrobacter and 124 strains of Hafnia isolated from patients with acute intestine infections and healthy persons was studied . It was found that 44.6 per cent of the Citrobacter isolates and 36.3 per cent of the Hafnia isolates were resistant to one or more antibiotics . Different sensitivity of the bacteria of these 2 genera of the conditionally pathogenic enterobacteria to definite antibiotics was shown . The resistant strains of Citrobacter to negramon, monomycin, levomycetin, polymyxin, streptomycin and tetracycline amounted to 3, 6.1, 24, 14.3, 24.8 and 25.9 per cent, respectively . Among the Hafnia isolates the resistant strains to negramone, levomycetin, polymyxin and tetracyline amounted to 0.8, 8.9, 29.8 and 25 per cent, respectively . All the tested strains of Hafnia were sensitive to monomycin and streptomycin . Comparison of the culture antibiotic sensitivity with respect to the resistance spectra revealed 24 and 5 types of resistance in the cultures of Citrobacter and Hafnia, respectively. J Infect Dis, 1978 May, 137 Suppl, S38 - S50 A comparative study of the activity of cefamandole and other cephalosporins and analysis of the beta-lactamase stability and synergy of cefamandole with aminoglycosides; Fu KP et al.; The antibacterial activity of cefamandole against 445 clinical isolates was investigated and compared with the activity of other known cephalosporins (cephalothin, cephaloridine, cephalexin, and cefazolin) and of two penicillins (ampicillin and carbenicillin) . Cefamandole was the most active antibiotic against isolates of Citrobacter, Enterobacter, and Shigella, and its activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacteroides, and some members of the Enterobacteriaceae was comparable to that of the other antibiotics tested . The stability of cefamandole with respect to beta-lactamase was investigated and compared with that of cephalothin, cefazolin, and cephalexin . Cefamandole was stable with respect to the beta-lactamases of Enterobacter and some other members of the Enterobacteriaceae . No significant correlation was found between the antibacterial activity and the beta-lactamase stability of cefamandole, except with Enterobacter . The synergistic activity of cefamandole combined with gentamicin or amikacin was demonstrated by killing-curve techniques, isobolograms, and susceptibility data . Although 12%--46% of the isolates were synergistically inhibited by either combination, antagonism was not observed . No correlation between the hydrolysis of cefamandole by beta-lactamase and the synergistic activity of cefamandole combined with amikacin was demonstrated. J Bacteriol, 1978 May, 134(2), 462 - 9 Citrobacter O-antigens: structure of the O-antigenic polysaccharide from Citrobacter sp . 396; Jann B et al.; The structure of the O-specific polysaccharide moiety of the lipopolysaccharide from Citrobacter 396 was elucidated by composition, methylation, and periodate oxidation studies . The repeating unit consists of four 2-linked mannoses and one 3-linked N-acetylglucosamine . One of the mannose units is substituted at C3 with alpha-glucose, and one is substituted at C3 with alpha-(2-O-acetyl)-abequose . All the mannosyl linkages appear to have the beta-configuration; the N-acetylglucosaminyl linkage has the alpha-configuration . In bacterial agglutination and passive hemagglutination in some Salmonella antisera, Citrobacter 396 as well as its O-antigenic lipopolysaccharide expressed the serological factors 5 and 6 . In corroboration of our structural studies, this showed the presence of alpha-(2-O-acetyl)-abequosyl-1,3-mannose (factor 5) and alpha-glucosyl-1,3-mannose (factor 6). Intensive Care Med, 1978 Apr, 4(2), 79 - 82 Bacterial contamination of pulmonary artery catheters; Prachar H et al.; The catheter tips of 152 patients, who were haemodynamically supervised by pulmonary artery monitoring or continuous cardiac output determination, were bacteriologically examined . 106 cultures remained sterile, 21 cultures revealed a growth of non pathogenic organisms . Staphylococcus aureus was cultured 15 times, pseudomonas aeruginosa 4 times, Citrobacter as well as Escherichia coli twice, and Klebsiella and Enterobacter once each . There was no statistically significant connection between dwelling period and contamination . Also diabetes mellitus or corticoid medication in high dosage had no significant influence on contamination rate. Am J Clin Pathol, 1978 Apr, 69(4), 418 - 20 Hydrogen sulfide-producing Citrobacter diversus . A re-emphasis of the potential ability of all Enterobacteriaceae to manifest this quality; Braunstein H et al.; Among 68 strains of Citrobacter diversus isolated in a community hospital in a year and a half, six were characterized by late H2S production in iron-agar slants, while otherwise typical . Although not recorded in standard tabulations, the potential for Enterobacteriaciae to develop this quality by plasmid transfer appears to be virtually unlimited, and dictates caution in the use of failure to produce H2S as a criterion for exclusion . In the present group, the use of the adonitol reaction as a means of distinguishing these organisms from more typical H2S producers is emphasized. Can J Microbiol, 1978 Apr, 24(4), 473 - 9 {The GC content of a group of H2S- enterobacterial related to the genus Citrobacter}; Ferragut C et al.; The deoxyribonculeic acid (DNA) of 106 strains of Enterobacteria was analysed for the guanine + cytosine (GC) content . These strains, whose origin and principal characters are described in the text, belong to the genera Citrobacter (C . freundii H2S-) and Levinea (L . malonatica and L . amalonatica) . Four other groups or classes named C.D.E . and F . could not be classified on the base of the usual phenotypic criteria . DNA from the strains of Levinea has a GC% of 50.3 to 53.3, while DNA from the strains of C . freundii H2S- has a GC% of 48.6 to 51.7 . The representative values from the new classes are C, 50.9%; D, 54%; E, 52.7%; F, 49.5% . For the latter a genomic heterogeneity was shown, expressing itself as two subpopulations whose average GC% are 51.7 and 48.6 respectively . Statistical analysis of the averages give a significant individuality to these new classes. Vet Pathol, 1978 Mar, 15(2), 223 - 36 Transmissible murine colonic hyperplasia; Barthold SW et al.; After exposure to a variant of Citrobacter freundii, suckling and adult mice developed transmissible murine colonic hyperplasia of the same degree of severity . Mucosal hyperplasia was most severe 2 to 3 weeks after inoculation and then regressed . Suckling mice had a high mortality because of secondary inflammatory and erosive changes . Severe hyperplasia was characterized by mitotic activity along the entire crypt column and surface mucosa. J Clin Pathol, 1978 Mar, 31(3), 223 - 6 Some interesting isolates from a diagnostic laboratory; Lim PL; Citrobacter koseri, Plesiomonas shigelloides, Edwardsiella tarda, Yersinia enterocolitica, Alkalescens dispar, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and Vibrio alginolyticus were seven interesting microorganisms isolated recently in our diagnostic laboratory. J Clin Microbiol, 1978 Mar, 7(3), 279 - 81 L-Arabinose-ornithine-Irgasan medium for differentiating Serratia species; Gibson S et al.; A semisolid medium (designated Serratia differentiation medium) containing L-arabinose, ornithine, and selective inhibitor was used to differentiate three clinically encountered Serratia species . The inhibitor, Irgasan DP-300, was incorporated to eliminate false-positive reactions from most remaining Enterobacteriaceae . The suspected Serratia colony was inoculated as a stab into the medium . Serratia marcescens was indicated by a change in color from olive to purple following 18 h of incubation, whereas S . rubidaea (not listed in Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology) was indicated by a change to bright yellow . S . liquefaciens (described in Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology {8th ed., 1974} as Enterobacter liquefaciens) produced a small purple band at the top of the medium and a yellow or yellow-green butt . Absence of growth and color change following incubation indicates that the suspected colony is a non-Serratia . Thirty-six Serratia strains and 97 other Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonadaceae strains were tested . Two strains of the non-Serratia Enterobacteriaceae (one each of Citrobacter freundii and Proteus morganii) and two strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa produced a color change in the medium . All of the Serratia strains tested were correctly identified using this medium, while 96% of the other species tested were inhibited. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1978 Mar, (3), 50 - 6 {Flagellar antigens of E . coli serologically interrlelated to H40, 41 and H41, 42, 43 flagellar antigens of Citrobacter . New H-antigeny E . coli i Citrobacter.}; Ratiner IuA et al.; The authors confirmed the reference of the test strains H13 (P6c) and H22 (A231a) of the international collection of E . coli to Citrobacter; their antigenic formula was established . As shown, strains P6c possessed a variety of the H-antigen which was not described in Citrobacter earlier, designated as H41a, 97 . Three types of flagellar antigens characterized by the presence of an interrelationship with the partial factor H41 of the flagellar Citrobacter antigens were revealed in E . coli; the partial composition of H-antigenic components common for E . coli and Citrobacter was studied . Two of three new varieties of the E . coli H-antigen revealed was characterized by a cross correlation and a relation to the standard H19 E . coli antigen . The strain with the third variety of the H-antigen was capable of forming the H-antigenic mutants which acquired the antigenic component identical to the standard H16 E . coli antigen . E . coli strain is recommended for the replacement of the strain P6c in the International collection of E . coli. J Bacteriol, 1978 Feb, 133(2), 536 - 41 Comparative immunological studies on arylsulfatase in bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae: occurrence of latent arylsulfatase protein regulated by sulfur compounds and tyramine; Yamada T et al.; The arylsulfatases of 21 strains of the family Enterobacteriaceae were compared by measuring their enzymatic activities and immunological reactivities . Enzyme formation under repressing, nonrepressing, and derepressing conditions was tested . Antiserum prepared against pure arylsulfatase from Klebsiella aerobgenes W70 was tested against the enzyme extracts from the strains using double diffusion, quantitative precipitation, and immunoelectrophoresis . No close relationship was found between arylsulfatase activity and immunological cross-reactionship was found between arylsulfatase activity and immunological cross-reactivity . The strains in the family Enterobacteriaceae could be divided into two groups on the basis of the immunological properties of their enzyme . Antisera formed a precipitin band with both active and inactive enzyme proteins from Escherichia, Citrobacter, Salmonella, Klebsiella, and Enterobacter, but not with the proteins from Serratia, Proteus, and Erwinia, even though some strains of these species had enzyme activity . It was also found that the formation of arylsulfatase proteins, irrespective of whether they had enzyme activity, were under regulation by sulfur compounds and tyramine. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1978, (12), 55 - 9 {Characteristics of the enterobacteria strains isolated from the urine in urinary tract infections}; Andronova NI; Study of biochemical properties of 421 strains of enterobacteria permitted to refer them to the following taxonomic groups of which E . coli constituted 83,4 +/- 3.6%, Enterobactercloacae--97 +/- 3.0%, Klebsiella 4.0 +/- 2.0% . Enterobacter aerogenes, Enterobacter hafnia, Citrobacter, Proteus rettgeri, Proteus vulgaris were revealed in individual cases (0.2-1.0%) . As a result of serological typing there were revealed 105 serological types of Escherichia differing by 55 O-antigen variants, 26 H-antigen variants, and the presence or absence of K-antigen . The following groups occurred most frequently-01, 02, 04, 06, 08, 09, 015, 016, 017, 018, 025, 028, and 075 . There were also revealed new 0154 and 0155 groups . In 30.9 + 5,3% of cases Escherichia did not belong to the known 157 O-groups; among them 87.1 +7,2% of the strains had H-antigens which could not be referred to any of the known variants according to the international designation. Folia Microbiol (Praha), 1978, 23(6), 428 - 32 Instability of the tetrathionate respiratory chain of Citrobacter freundii; Novotny C; The formate--tetrathionate reductase redox pathway of Citrobacter freundii is associated with the cytoplasmic membrane fraction . A high concentration of phosphate in the buffer used for cell disintegration assists in the preparing of membrane particles capable of efficient tetrathionate respiration . A part of this effect at least may be attributed to the high ionic strength of the buffer. Curr Med Res Opin, 1978, 5(9), 743 - 8 In vitro activity of oxolinic acid and nalidixic acid against common urinary pathogens: a comparative study; de Rautlin de la Roy Y et al.; A study was carried out to compare the sensitivity of 500 bacterial strains, isolated from patients with urinary tract infections, to oxolinic acid and nalidixic acid . The results showed that whilst both antibacterial agents were similar in their bacterial spectrum they were not identical in terms of cross-sensitivity or resistance . Where there was a difference in sensitivity, this was always in flavour of oxolinic acid and was particularly evident in the case of Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, Serratia, Klebsiella, Proteus (especially P . rettgeri), and to a lesser extent Citrobacter. J Hyg Epidemiol Microbiol Immunol, 1978, 22(3), 338 - 43 The characteristic and clinical importance of bacteria of the genus Citrobacter isolated from patients with acute intestinal infections on the territory of Volgograd; Finn VG; A total of 309 Citrobacter strains isolated from patients with acute intestinal infections of obscure aetiology and from healthy subjects were investigated . Species specificity of the bacterial cultures was determined by biochemical tests recommended by the International Enterobacteriaceae Subcommittee . Citrobacter strains were titrated serologically in the reaction of agglutination on glass with a living culture and adsorbed 0-antisera . Eighteen serological 0 groups were identified; 0 groups 3, 9, 23, 1 and 8 were found most frequently . Citrobacter was isolated more frequently from patients with acute intestinal infections than from healthy subjects . Seasonal circulation of Citrobacter strains in spring and summer was established . The number of culture findings of Citrobacter in the patients increased against the background of reduction in the number of cases of bacteriologically confirmed dysentery. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, 1978, 44(3-4), 407 - 24 Characterization of motile and acetoin-negative Klebsiella pneumoniae strains by DNA: DNA by hybridization; Ferragut C et al.; Hybridization studies were carried out to determine the extent of divergence between different members of the Enterobacteriaceae and group D, previously described by numerical analysis of phenotypic characters, and comprising strains isolated from surface waters . This group, apparently belonging in or related to the genus Citrobacter on the basis of the IMViC tests differs from this taxon by numerical analysis and DNA base composition . Our work reveals a DNA relatedness of 81-89% between the centrotype strain of this group and the genus Klebsiella . Although strains of group D show positive motility and negative Voges-Proskauer reactions, a comparison of their phenotypic characters leads us to consider that the strains with a high level of hybridization within this group belong to K . pneumoniae . These results suggest a complete revision of the traditional classification scheme of the genus Klebsiella. Infection, 1978, 6(3), 116 - 20 Enterotoxin-producing bacteria stools from Swedish United Nations soldiers in Cyprus; Back E et al.; A study was designed to establish the role of heat-labile enterotoxin producing Escherichia coli and other intestinal pathogens in diarrhoeal disease in Swedish soldiers of the United Nations' Force in Cyprus . Before leaving Sweden for Cyprus, no enteropathogens were isolated from the soldiers . The study was performed from October 1975 through January 1976 and in August 1976 . Enterotoxigenic strains of E . coli, Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter cloacae and Klebsiella pneumoniae were the intestinal pathogens most frequently isolated from the cases of diarrhoea . Such strains were found in 14 of 79 diarrhoeal cases (18%) but also in 6 of 66 (9%) of next-bed-fellow controls and in 7 of 139 (5%) of healthy Cypriotic civilians . Few other pathogens were identified in the soldiers, but 9 of 139 (6%) of the Cypriots were carriers of cysts of Giardia lamblia . The results indicate that enterotoxigenic bacteria were probably the most important cause of diarrhoea of those agents identified among the Swedish UN soldiers on Cyprus . Several soldiers were colonized with these strains without contracting diarrhoea. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1978 Jan, 240(1), 16 - 21 {Experience with a new culture medium for salmonella diagnosis (author's transl)}; Onoz E et al.; A new medium for the cultivation of Salmonella is presented which enables an immediate distinction of Proteus bacteria and Citrobacter . The time needed for diagnosis is reduced, expenditure on staff and material will be reduced . The "positive" salmonella yield from faeces specimens is increased as compared to Leifson agar and SS agar. Infection, 1978, 6(6), 271 - 6 {Efficacy, tolerance, and pharmacokinetics of sisomicin in urinary tract infections (author's transl)}; Dobbelstein H et al.; Since 1973 30 patients with urinary tract infections (UTI) or pyelonephritis have been treated with sisomicin, a new aminoglycoside, in a daily dose of 2 mg/kg for a period of seven to nine days . From a clinical point of view the result of treatment was good . Complete resolution was achieved in 17 patients, improvement in nine, and there was no effect in four patients . Thirty-five causative organisms (Escherichia coli = 23, Proteus sp . = 7, Klebsiella sp . = 3, Pseudomonas aeruginosa = 1, Citrobacter = 1) were isolated before treatment . Thirty of the organisms were eliminated during treatment, but seven reappeared during the follow-up period; five strains persisted . Side effects observed consisted of reversible increase of serum creatinine in four patients, excretion of granular casts in 14 patients, and a transient rise of alkaline phosphatase, SGOT and/or SGPT in five patients . No signs of ototoxicity or any other adverse reactions were found and local tolerance was good . In 20 patients blood samples for assay were obtained daily one hour after i . m . injection of 1.0 mg/kg . No evidence of drug accumulation in the serum was found: the mean serum concentrations one hour after injection remained between 3.4 and 3,9 microgram/ml during the entire treatment period . Sisomicin is a highly effective antibiotic for the treatment of UTI caused by gramnegative pathogens . On account of its potential toxicity however, it should be used, like other aminoglycosides, only in selected cases. Infection, 1978, 6(3), 111 - 5 In vitro susceptibility of gentamicin and/or tobramycin resistant gram-negative bacilli to seven aminoglycosides; Watanakunakorn C et al.; The in vitro activity of gentamicin, tobramycin, sisomicin, netilmicin, amikacin, kanamycin and streptomycin was tested simultaneously by the agar dilution method against 584 clinical isolates of gram-negative bacilli that were resistant to gentamicin and/or tobramycin . About half of the gentamicin-resistant Pseudomonas were susceptible to tobramycin but cross-resistance was virtually complete between gentamicin and tobramycin for Enterobacteriaceae . Sisomicin was much more active than gentamicin against Klebsiella, Escherichia and Citrobacter species . Only 18.9%, 27.4% and 27.9% of Klebsiella, Enterobacter and Serratia respectively were resistant to netilmicin . Amikacin was the most effective aminoglycoside with an overall resistance of 15.6% . Kanamycin was effective against 40% of Proteus and Providencia species . Surprisingly, more than half of Klebsiella and Enterobacter species and 85.3% of Serratia species were susceptible to streptomycin.
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