Staphylococcus

Am J Clin Pathol, 1986 Nov, 86(5), 665 - 9
Rapid, direct antibiotic susceptibility testing of blood culture isolates using the Abbott Avantage system; Nolte FS et al.; The Abbott Avantage (AV) is an updated version of the MS-2 system that provides antibiotic-susceptibility results in four to six hours . Although the system compared favorably with reference methods in several laboratory evaluations, little information exists regarding its performance with inocula obtained directly from blood cultures . The authors compared AV and a modified disk-diffusion test using standardized inocula obtained directly from the blood culture bottles for 58 isolates (46 patients) . All isolates were also tested by the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards standard disk-diffusion method, using inocula obtained from subcultures of the positive bottles . AV results for 553 antibiotic tests agreed with the direct disk results in 92.6% of the tests, and the agreement with the standard disk results was 88.2% . The concordance between direct and standard disk results was 93.5% . There were 2.2% very major, 1.8% major, and 7.8% minor discrepancies between results obtained with direct AV and standard disk methods . False sensitivity of Klebsiella pneumoniae to ampicillin and carbenicillin and induced clindamycin resistance in staphylococci were noted with AV . When one considers only the clinically meaningful antibiotic-organism combinations, direct AV is an acceptable, rapid alternative to direct disk susceptibility testing.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1986 Nov, 30(5), 813 - 5
In vitro activity of imipenem against enterococci and staphylococci and evidence for high rates of synergism with teicoplanin, fosfomycin, and rifampin; Debbia E et al.; The in vitro activities of imipenem alone and in combination with teicoplanin, fosfomycin, and rifampin were tested against clinical isolates of enterococci and staphylococci . In both groups of organisms, the three combinations demonstrated high rates of synergism in both checkerboard and time-kill studies.

J Hosp Infect, 1986 Nov, 8(3), 233 - 41
Serious postoperative infections caused by coagulase-negative staphylococci: an epidemiological and clinical study; Dandalides PC et al.; We have reviewed all 3577 nosocomial infections occurring at our institution over a 49-month period and found coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) associated with 297 . Seventy-eight of 193 CNS tested for antibiotic sensitivity were multiple-drug resistant (MR-CNS) . There were 19 well-documented serious postoperative CNS infections including nine ventricular, seven bloodstream and three peritoneal infections . Each was associated with an indwelling device and 11 of the infections involved MR-CNS . Antibiotic therapy with or without removal of the device resulted in cure of all patients . Air samples taken during various surgical procedures frequently were positive for CNS but rarely revealed MR-CNS . Our results cause concern regarding current antibiotic prophylaxis regimens.

J Hosp Infect, 1986 Nov, 8(3), 224 - 32
Problems in the investigation of an apparent outbreak of coagulase-negative staphylococcal septicaemia following cardiac surgery; Houang ET et al.; Two hundred and twenty-six hospital staff and patients were investigated for the carriage of gentamicin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) during an apparent outbreak of infection after cardiac surgery . Of the four index strains from infected wounds, three were indistinguishable . The carriage of similar organisms was widespread, particularly among ITU staff (72%) and patients . Ninety-one of the 296 gentamicin-resistant isolates were further investigated, and of these 33 were indistinguishable from index strains even with the use of specialized techniques . Our experience indicates that in outbreaks of infection caused by gentamicin-resistant CNS, resources should be focused on the interruption of transmission and prevention of introduction of these organisms to susceptible patients.

Presse Med, 1986 Oct 18, 15(36), 1805 - 8
{Ventricular staphylococcal infections . Treatment with vancomycin by continuous venous infusion}; Barois A et al.; Thirteen cases of meningeal and/or ventricular infection and 1 case of septicaemia, all caused by staphylococci, were treated with continuous intravenous infusions of vancomycin . Repeated measurements of vancomycin plasma and CSF levels by microbiological assay or by high performance liquid chromatography showed that the antibiotic entered the CSF after 48 hours of treatment and that its concentrations in CSF remained stable at 1 to 4 micrograms/ml (mean: 2 micrograms/ml) throughout the 3 weeks' treatment period . After treatment was discontinued, vancomycin became undetectable in CSF within less than 24 hours . All the children were cured.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1986 Oct, (10), 93 - 5
{Immunologic memory for Staphylococcus studied by adoptive transfer}; Liashchenko KP et al.; The basic regularities of the formation and realization of immunological memory to staphylococcal corpuscular antigen were studied in adoptive transfer experiments on CBA mice . The capacity of spleen cells for generating anamnestic response to staphylococci in the body of irradiated syngeneic recipients appeared on day 3 after the immunization of donors . The formation of immunological memory to staphylococci in mice was shown to be directly related to the dose of the antigen . The study also revealed that intact splenocytes did not suppress the realization of immunological memory to staphylococci in the system of adoptive transfer . The conclusion of the absence of the "isogeneic barrier" for memory cells specific to staphylococcal corpuscular antigen was made.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1986 Oct, 39(10), 1386 - 94
Kibdelins, novel glycopeptide antibiotics . I . Discovery, production, and biological evaluation; Shearer MC et al.; A new subspecies of Kibdelosporangium aridum subsp . largum (SK&F AAD-609), was isolated and shown to produce novel glycopeptides related to aridicins, but containing a homologous series of glycolipids based on N-acylglucosamine . These compounds showed improvements over the aridicins in in vitro activity and were effective in mouse protection studies against a range of Gram-positive bacteria, including methicillin resistant staphylococci . Pharmacokinetic studies indicated that they have high serum concentrations and long-acting potential . The kibdelin complex modified rumen metabolism in a manner favorable for growth promotion.

J Clin Microbiol, 1986 Oct, 24(4), 629 - 32
Staphylococcal resistance to aminoglycosides before and after introduction of amikacin in two teaching hospitals; Hammerberg O et al.; A prospective study was conducted to determine the prevalence of aminoglycoside-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci before and after the introduction of amikacin as the sole aminoglycoside used in our burn unit, adult intensive care unit, and neonatal intensive care unit . Pharyngeal or endotracheal cultures, as well as superficial surveillance cultures, were collected weekly during the following four study periods: all units for 4 months before amikacin introduction, all units 4 to 8 months after, all units 12 to 13 months after, and the neonatal intensive care unit 30 months after . A total of 2,613 strains of coagulase-negative staphylococci and 316 strains of S . aureus were obtained from 916 patients . During the course of the study, amikacin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci increased from 0 to 22%, colonizing 43% of patients, whereas no amikacin-resistant S . aureus was detected . During the preamikacin survey, 68% of the coagulase-negative staphylococci and 12% of the S . aureus strains were resistant to tobramycin and gentamicin . This resistance did not decrease after amikacin was introduced . Initially, 83% of the aminoglycoside-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci were resistant to both tobramycin and gentamicin . During the last surveillance this value dropped to 40%, and 48% of the strains had become resistant to all three aminoglycosides . Resistance to aminoglycosides, including amikacin, develops quickly in coagulase-negative staphylococci from clinical areas where these antimicrobial agents are widely used . However, aminoglycoside resistance in S . aureus is much less frequent.

J Clin Microbiol, 1986 Oct, 24(4), 559 - 61
Persistent in vitro survival of coagulase-negative staphylococci adherent to intravascular catheters in the absence of conventional nutrients; Franson TR et al.; The in vitro survival of coagulase-negative staphylococci in media devoid of routine nutritional supplementation was assessed in the presence and absence of catheter materials to evaluate bacterium-device interactions . Strains of slime- and non-slime-producing coagulase-negative staphylococci were suspended in phosphate-buffered saline together with multiple segments of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), Teflon, Silastic, and polyurethane catheters and in control suspensions without catheters . Catheters were removed at 2 min and 24, 48, 72, and 96 h of incubation and washed thoroughly, and semiquantitative roll cultures were performed on blood agar . In addition, after 96 h catheters were introduced into tryptic soy broth (TSB), and roll cultures were performed after 18 h of incubation . Results demonstrated that after 96 h, 6 of 32 catheter specimens (4 PVC) had greater than 10 CFU of coagulase-negative staphylococci per catheter; after TSB addition, 18 of 32 catheter specimens had greater than or equal to 100 CFU per catheter (8 of 8 PVC catheters had greater than 1,000 CFU per catheter) . In control suspensions, no growth was seen at 96 h or after TSB addition . No differences in the survival of slime- versus non-slime-producing strains were observed in control or catheter studies . These findings suggest that both slime- and non-slime-producing coagulase-negative staphylococci survive in vitro on catheters (especially PVC) in the absence of conventional nutrients and can proliferate on catheters when nutrients are added . Catheter-adherent coagulase-negative staphylococci appear to possess survival mechanisms under adverse conditions which may relate to the genesis of occult foreign-body-associated infections.

Immunopharmacology, 1986 Oct, 12(2), 167 - 72
Selenium effects on human neutrophilic granulocyte function in vitro; Urban T et al.; The effects of an inorganic selenium salt on phagocytic functions of human neutrophilic granulocytes from donors with a low activity of glutathione peroxidase have been investigated . Granulocytes were exposed for 60 min in vitro to sodium selenite in two physiological concentrations (100 and 200 ng Se/ml) and one unphysiologically high concentration (2000 ng/ml) . The spontaneous and chemotactic migration, the nitroblue tetrazolium reduction, the phagocytosis of fluorescein-labeled yeast particles and the intracellular killing of staphylococci were then studied in such granulocytes and compared to control cells, which had not been exposed to selenium . The migration and nitroblue tetrazolium reduction abilities of granulocytes were not affected by selenium exposure . The phagocytic and bactericidal activities were significantly increased in granulocytes exposed to selenium in physiological concentrations . However, at 2000 ng Se/ml these activities were found to be equal to or lower than control levels . Thus selenium supplementation might enhance phagocytic and bactericidal functions of human granulocytes, thereby improving the host defense against bacterial infections.

J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg, 1986 Oct, 92(4), 776 - 83
Prosthetic valve endocarditis . Analysis of factors affecting outcome of therapy; Calderwood SB et al.; We analyzed the outcome of 116 patients with prosthetic valve endocarditis treated between 1975 and 1983 and used multivariate analysis to identify risk factors for in-hospital mortality and bad outcome during follow-up . Complicated prosthetic valve endocarditis was defined as the presence of a new or changing heart murmur, new or worsening heart failure, new or progressive cardiac conduction abnormalities, or prolonged fever during therapy . Complicated prosthetic valve endocarditis was present in 64% of patients; factors associated with complicated prosthetic valve endocarditis included aortic valve infection (odds ratio 4.3, p = 0.002) and onset of endocarditis within 12 months of the cardiac operation (odds ratio 5.5, p = 0.0001) . The in-hospital mortality rate for prosthetic valve endocarditis was 23%; patients with complicated prosthetic valve endocarditis had a higher mortality than patients with uncomplicated infection (odds ratio 6.4, p = 0.0009) . Combined medical-surgical therapy was used in 39% of patients; surgical therapy was more common in patients with complicated prosthetic valve endocarditis (odds ratio 16, p less than 0.0001) and in patients infected with coagulase-negative staphylococci (odds ratio 3.9, p = 0.003) . Survival after initially successful therapy for prosthetic valve endocarditis was adversely affected by the presence of moderate or severe congestive heart failure at hospital discharge (p = 0.03) . Bad outcome during follow-up (death, relapse of prosthetic valve endocarditis, or subsequent cardiac operation related to sequelae of the original infection) was more common in the medical than the medical-surgical therapy group (p = 0.02) . The difference in long-term outcome between patients treated initially with medical or with medical-surgical therapy was particularly evident in those with complicated prosthetic valve endocarditis (p = 0.008) . The presence of complicated prosthetic valve endocarditis is a central variable in assessing prognosis and planning therapy; the majority of patients with complicated prosthetic valve endocarditis are best treated with medical-surgical therapy . Those who are not treated surgically during their initial hospitalization are at high risk for progressive prosthesis dysfunction and require careful follow-up.

J Infect Dis, 1986 Oct, 154(4), 579 - 89
A prospective study of the mechanisms of infection associated with hemodialysis catheters; Cheesbrough JS et al.; Seventy-four subclavian hemodialysis catheters inserted into 53 patients were studied prospectively . Sixteen of 64 assessable catheterization periods were complicated by clinically documented catheter-related sepsis, and 13 had an associated bacteremia . One patient died from catheter-related sepsis, and in two others, sepsis contributed to death . Staphylococci accounted for 11 bacteremias . Semiquantitative culture of the catheters indicated that 28 were significantly colonized . Comparison of these isolates with skin cultures from the insertion site suggested that the origin of the colonizing organisms was the skin (10 cases), intralumenal contamination (16 cases), or both routes (2 cases) . Comparison of cultures taken during catheter insertion with those at removal rarely suggested that organisms introduced at insertion caused subsequent colonization . This study has demonstrated that infectious complications from using subclavian hemodialysis catheters exceed reported rates for all other modes of vascular access used for hemodialysis, as well as other indications for central venous catheterization.

Chemioterapia, 1986 Oct, 5(5), 297 - 301
Studies on lincosamide antibiotic resistance in methicillin-susceptible and -resistant staphylococci; Stefani S et al.; Lincomycin and clindamycin are still effective against anaerobic bacteria, and their antibacterial activity has also been indicated against gram-positive aerobic cocci, chiefly Staphylococcus aureus . The present emergency due to epidemiological circulation of Staphylococci, especially coagulase-negative, methicillin-resistant, and the question of the current validity of the lincosamides, induced us to study the activity of lincomycin and clindamycin against staphylococci belonging to different lyogroups in comparison to erythromycin . Clindamycin showed good antibacterial activity while methicillan-resistant strains showed an increase in resistance to erythromycin and lincomycin.

Jpn J Antibiot, 1986 Oct, 39(10), 2587 - 94
{A study of the disc sensitivity test for cephapirin}; Kanazawa Y et al.; Susceptibility of 203 strains of 34 bacterial species or subspecies to cephapirin (CEPR) was determined by the 2-fold agar dilution method in parallel with the determination of inhibition zone diameter in the single-disc method . These experiments demonstrated a significant correlation between the MIC by the dilution method and the diameter of inhibition zone determined by the conventional assay using an over-night (about 16 hours) incubation, the delayed assay (about 24 hours incubation), or the rapid assay (after 3-4 or 5-6 hours incubation), hence applicability of the single-disc assay for CEPR was confirmed . An analysis of the data obtained using CEPR discs (each containing 30 micrograms) revealed that primary regression equations were as follows: D (diameter, mm) = 25.8-9.7 log MIC (microgram/ml) in the conventional assay; D = 31.2-12.3 log MIC in the delayed assay; D = 21.7-7.1 log MIC in the 5-6-hour rapid assay and D = 17.9-5.0 log MIC in the 3-4-hour rapid assay, and especially for beta-lactamase producing Staphylococci, they were: D = 24.9-9.2 log MIC in the conventional assay, D = 20.4-7.4 log MIC in the 5-6-hour rapid assay and D = 17.5-5.8 log MIC in the 3-4-hour rapid assay.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1986 Oct, 18 Suppl C, 207 - 14
Epidemiology of antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus; Lacey RW et al.; The genetic equipment of Staphylococcus aureus is at least as comprehensive as other organisms . Transposons provide the potential for reassortment of genes between plasmids and the chromosome . At least six different mechanisms of gene transfer between cells are documented in vitro . Phage-mediated conjugation is the transfer mechanism most likely to occur between staphylococci in nature . MRSA have evolved from a single clone and are now heterogeneous in properties . Some may show decreased virulence . The origin of new resistant determinants is likely to be other human cultures of Staph . aureus rather than an animal staphylococcal reservoir.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1986 Oct, 30(4), 577 - 83
Beta-lactam-specific resistant mutants of Staphylococcus aureus; Tonin E et al.; In an approach to understanding the origin of methicillin resistance in clinical isolates of staphylococci, a series of Staphylococcus aureus mutants resistant to various beta-lactam antibiotics were isolated in the laboratory by antibiotic selection . Mutants with low- and intermediate-level resistance showed considerable specificity for the particular antibiotic used in the selection process (methicillin, cefotaxime, cephalexin, and amdinocillin), and resistance in such mutants also showed alterations in the antibiotic binding capacities of penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) . In each case the isolation of mutants resistant to high concentrations of antibiotics required sequential passage in gradually increasing concentrations of the drug . The acquisition of increasing levels of methicillin resistance was paralleled by a gradual decrease in the binding capacities of PBPs 2, 3, and, possibly, 1 . In a highly methicillin-resistant mutant (MIC, 150 micrograms/ml), PBPs 2 and 3 were no longer detectable by the penicillin binding assay . Instead, a new PBP of poor binding capacity and anomalous molecular size (about 78 kilodaltons {kDa}) appeared in these cells . This corresponds to the molecular size of PBP 2a, the unique PBP that appears to be the biochemical correlate of resistance in clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant S . aureus . Also, similar to the case of resistant clinical isolates, high-level beta-lactam resistance was highly pH dependent in the laboratory mutants . We compared the patterns of radioactive peptides generated by partial proteolysis from the penicillin-labeled PBP 2 of antibiotic-susceptible staphylococci and from the 78-kDa PBP 2a of a resistant clinical strain . Although the patterns were clearly different, seven of the eight characteristic peptides generated from PBP 2 of the susceptible strain were also detectable among the peptides released from PBP 2a . The results suggest that the 78-kDa PBP 2a of the resistant clinical strain evolved from PBP 2 of antibiotic-susceptible staphylococci and that in PBP 2a of the clinical isolate mutational changes have resulted in extensive alterations near the beta-lactam binding site.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1986 Oct, 30(4), 545 - 52
In vitro susceptibilities of four species of coagulase-negative staphylococci; Fass RJ et al.; The in vitro susceptibilities of 260 strains of coagulase-negative staphylococci to penicillin G, oxacillin, nafcillin, methicillin, cephalothin, and seven non-beta-lactam antimicrobial agents were determined and compared with the susceptibilities of 54 strains of Staphylococcus aureus with known patterns of susceptibility . Penicillin G susceptibility for S . aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, and Staphylococcus hominis was readily determined by using beta-lactamase tests with induced cells and with a standardized microdilution test . MIC criteria for susceptibility used for S . aureus were applicable to the coagulase-negative species . Percentages of organisms susceptible were as follows: S . epidermidis, 7%; S . haemolyticus, 5%; and S . hominis, 47% . Oxacillin susceptibility for these four species was readily determined by using a modification of the microdilution test . MIC criteria for susceptibility used for S . aureus were applicable to S . haemolyticus and S . hominis, but alternate criteria were necessary for S . epidermidis . Percentages of organisms susceptible were as follows: S . epidermidis, 29%; S . haemolyticus, 36%; and S . hominis, 97% . Staphylococcus saprophyticus differed from the other staphylococcal species; all strains were beta-lactamase negative and were penicillin susceptible but had higher penicillin G MICs than did susceptible strains of the other species . There was total cross resistance among the penicillinase-resistant penicillins and cephalothin for the coagulase-negative staphylococci as well as for S . aureus; oxacillin MICs were more reliable than MICs of the other drugs or a standardized disk diffusion test for distinguishing resistant from susceptible strains . Vancomycin, rifampin, and ciprofloxacin were consistently active against all staphylococci . Erythromycin, clindamycin, gentamicin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole were more active against oxacillin-susceptible staphylococci than against oxacillin-resistant staphylococci.

Acta Pathol Microbiol Immunol Scand {B}, 1986 Oct, 94(5), 369 - 71
Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis: microbiological diagnosis in peritonitis; Kjaeldgaard P et al.; Dialysate samples from 29 Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Patients (CAPD)-patients were taken in periods with and without peritonitis and cultured simultaneously in the Hemobact system and on conventional plate media, using a standard technique . Bacteria were demonstrated in 23 (92%) of 25 CAPD-patients with peritonitis by the Hemobact method and only in 6 (24%) by the standard technique . Sixty-four (100%) of the 64 samples taken during periods without peritonitis were negative by the standard technique . Sixty-two (97%) of the 64 samples were negative in the Hemobact system . In the remaining two samples coagulase negative staphylococci were demonstrated on the third day in only one of the bottles . In conclusion, blood cultivation systems should be preferred to conventional standard methods for adequate microbiological diagnosis in CAPD-patients with peritonitis.

Proc Soc Exp Biol Med, 1986 Oct, 183(1), 74 - 80
Rapid separation and quantitation of mixed microorganisms by filtration and bioluminescence; Tsai TS et al.; A membrane filtration/bioluminescence system was developed for the differentiation and quantitation of mixed populations of microorganisms . Samples containing microorganisms were filtered through two membrane filters of descending pore size . The microorganisms retained on the filter contain ATP that can be extracted and measured on the filter via the firefly luciferase-luciferin bioluminescence assay . Results, obtained in less than 20 min, show a good correlation (r greater than or equal to 0.95) between the light produced and the number of organisms in the sample . Using these techniques, Escherichia coli can be separated from yeast or mold and measured in samples containing both microorganisms . When lysostaphin is used to selectively lyse Staphylococci on the filter, the specific quantification of these bacteria among other microorganisms can also be accomplished . The filtration/bioluminescence technique offers the potential of being a rapid and sensitive method to differentiate and detect microorganisms, by selective sizing or lysing, in a variety of samples.

Eur J Clin Microbiol, 1986 Oct, 5(5), 518 - 22
Modulation of adherence of coagulase-negative staphylococci to Teflon catheters in vitro; Pascual A et al.; The mechanism of adherence of Staphylococcus epidermidis to commercially available catheters was studied in vitro in a quantitative assay employing 3H-labelled bacteria . It was found that adherence to Teflon catheters was significantly related to the degree of hydrophobicity of the strains . When hydrophobic groups were removed from Staphylococcus epidermidis by pepsin treatment, adhesion was almost completely abolished . Preincubation of catheters in human serum also caused a 80-90% reduction of adherence . Preincubation of Staphylococcus epidermidis in serum similarly decreased adhesion . This effect of serum was mainly due to albumin, while IgG and fibronectin were less effective . Culture of Staphylococcus epidermidis in subinhibitory concentrations (0.5 MIC) of cephalothin, clindamycin and vancomycin resulted in a 30-80% reduction in adhesion.

J Hyg (Lond), 1986 Oct, 97(2), 211 - 8
Plasmid profiling of epidemic staphylococci from around 1960: a comparison of epidemiological techniques; Noble WC et al.; Plasmid profiles have been established for 68 isolates of Staphylococcus aureus from 13 episodes of epidemic spread in hospital wards between 1958 and 1962 . Despite the original lack of care in preservation of strains the profiles give, in general, the same epidemiological patterns as were established originally on the basis of phage type, antibiotic sensitivity, ward and date of isolation.

Eur J Epidemiol, 1986 Sep, 2(3), 208 - 14
Epidemiologic study of Staphylococcus strains isolated from clinical material in 24 Italian hospitals; Varaldo PE; A nationwide epidemiologic study of clinical Staphylococcus isolates was performed in Italy by 24 operative units distributed throughout the country . A total of 7,017 Staphylococcus strains were examined according to a standard protocol . Three species of acknowledged importance in human infections (namely S . aureus, S . epidermidis, and S . saprophyticus) were identified singly, whereas the other staphylococci were considered as a whole and designated Staphylococcus spp . S . aureus totalled 55% of total isolates and was reported by most operative units as the predominant species among isolates both from various inpatient departments and from outpatients . S . saprophyticus was twofold more frequent among isolates from out- than from inpatients . Susceptibility to methicillin varied considerably from hospital to hospital, but a general tendency toward an increasing spread of resistance was noted . The overall incidence of methicillin resistance (29%) resulted from a wide range of values generally higher in isolates from inpatients (35%) than from outpatients (21%) . Particularly high percentages of resistance (45%) were recorded in isolates from intensive care departments . Susceptibility testing to four additional beta-lactams (cefoxitin, cefuroxime, cefotaxime, and piperacillin) and to four aminoglycosides (gentamicin, tobramycin, amikacin, and netilmicin) indicated that antibiotic resistance was widespread and in all species more frequent among methicillin-resistant than among methicillin-sensitive staphylococci . Netilmicin proved more active than the other antibiotics tested; its greater activity was most evident against methicillin-resistant strains . Coagulase-negative staphylococci were more resistant than S . aureus to methicillin and most of the other antibiotics, suggesting their increasing involvement in human infections.

Immun Infekt, 1986 Sep, 14(5), 165 - 9
{Infections caused by coagulase-negative Staphylococci in immunocompromised patients}; Peters G et al.; Coagulase-negative staphylococci are important members of the normal aerobic microflora of human skin and mucous membranes . Normally they are not pathogenic for men . But the increase in patients with implanted plastic foreign bodies or intravascular catheters had led to a dramatic change . In these patients, coagulase-negative staphylococci are the predominant organisms causing septicemia . Special pathomechanisms are involved in the colonization of polymers by staphylococci leading to a "plastic infection" . Intravascular catheters are also important factors in the origin of septicemia in premature neonates and in patients with malignant diseases, especially under cytostatic therapy . Premature or suppressed opsonophagocytosis mechanisms are responsible for the origin and maintainance of septicemia.

J Vet Pharmacol Ther, 1986 Sep, 9(3), 303 - 9
The effect of incorporation of cloxacillin in liposomes on treatment of experimental staphylococcal mastitis in mice; Anderson JC et al.; The effect of incorporation of cloxacillin in liposomes on the treatment of staphylococcal mastitis was assessed bacteriologically 18 h after treatment of experimental infections in mice caused by two strains of Staphylococcus aureus . Intramammary treatments were cloxacillin incorporated in liposomes, cloxacillin in combination with liposomes, empty liposomes, cloxacillin in saline and saline alone . In none of the experiments did entrapment of cloxacillin within liposomes enhance its antibacterial effects . Electron microscopic studies demonstrated the presence of liposomes in neutrophils which also contained staphylococci . The results support the hypothesis that intracellular staphylococci are metabolically dormant and therefore not susceptible to the action of inhibitors of cell wall synthesis such as cloxacillin.

J Pediatr Orthop, 1986 Sep-Oct, 6(5), 622 - 6
Primary osteomyelitis caused by coagulase-negative staphylococci; Paley D et al.; Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CONS) are occasionally cultured from foci of osteomyelitis in otherwise healthy individuals and are usually regarded as contaminants . The present report describes two children with subacute osteomyelitis of the distal tibia in which pure cultures of CONS were obtained from bone . In one patient, the infection was multifocal, and CONS were isolated from two anatomical sites at two different times . In the other patient, the infection was unifocal, and CONS were cultured from two separate specimens obtained from the same site . In both patients, the symptoms progressed until appropriate antibiotic treatment was initiated . CONS isolated from cultures of bone should not automatically be disregarded . Appropriate antibiotic therapy may result in clinical resolution.

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 1986 Sep, 5(3), 197 - 205
Comparison of microbiologic characteristics of pathogenic and saprophytic coagulase-negative staphylococci from patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis; Baddour LM et al.; Twenty-one microbiologically documented episodes of coagulase-negative staphylococcal peritonitis occurred in 21 continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients . All strains involved in these infections were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility and in vitro adherence assays . Twenty of the strains were species identified using two commercially available systems . For comparison, 20 saprophytic strains of coagulase-negative staphylococci obtained from the nares and axillae of 10 uninfected, peritoneal dialysis patients were included for in vitro characterization . Staphylococcus epidermidis was the species most often identified for both clinical and saprophytic strains . Eighteen of the 21 (86%) clinical strains were resistant to penicillin G . Methicillin resistance, which was present in five clinical strains, was not found in saprophytic strains . Adherence assay determinations showed marked differences between clinical versus colonization strains, with the clinical isolates significantly more adherent (p less than 0.025) than colonization strains . Electron microscopic examination of silastic catheter segments incubated with a strain of S . epidermidis in used and unused dialysis fluids demonstrated marked differences in attachment of bacteria to catheter material.

J Med Microbiol, 1986 Sep, 22(2), 179 - 82
A simplified system for the identification of staphylococci by multipoint inoculation of test media; Reuther JW; Most hospital bacteriologists have divided staphylococci into two groups: Staphylococcus aureus and the coagulase-negative staphylococci of which the novobiocin-resistant varieties are termed S . saprophyticus . The identification of S . aureus has been easy but that of the other staphylococci has provided some difficulties and most currently available methods are expensive or time consuming . Multipoint inoculation of a set of test media provides a convenient way of identifying large numbers of staphylococcal isolates . In tests with 118 isolates, mainly clinical but including some environmental isolates and some from the National Collection of Type Cultures, there was 90.7% agreement between identifications by the API-Staph system and by the multipoint system . The remaining 9.3% of strains was identified by the multipoint system but could not be identified by use of the data supplied in the API-Staph kit.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1986 Sep, (9), 53 - 7
{Lymphocyte subpopulations in sensitization and specific immunotherapy in an experiment . Lymphocyte subpopulations in the specific immunotherapy of microbial allergy and subsequent heterologous pollen sensitization}; Nugmanova DS et al.; The influence exerted by the specific immunotherapy (SIT) of delayed hypersensitivity (DH) to staphylococci and subsequent sensitization with tarragon pollen on the level of immunocompetent cells in the blood and lymphoid organs of guinea pigs was studied . On the whole, SIT normalized the characteristics of T- and B-lymphocytes, altered as the result of experimentally induced DH: the content of T-cells in the peripheral blood and the lymph nodes increased, while the number of B-cells in the blood and T gamma-suppressors increased . The subsequent heterologous sensitization with pollen abolished the effect of SIT, inducing the general decrease of the level of T gamma-lymphocytes and enhancing the number of T-lymphocytes in the lymph nodes.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1986 Sep, (9), 48 - 53
{Lymphocyte subpopulations in sensitization and specific immunotherapy in an experiment . Lymphocyte subpopulations in sensitization to staphylococci, Artemisia pollen and their combinations}; Nugmanova ZhS et al.; The distribution of T- and B-lymphocytes in the body of guinea pigs was studied in different groups of the animals . As shown in this study, in delayed hypersensitivity to staphylococci the number of PE- and E-rosette-forming cells increased in the blood, the spleen, and the lymph nodes and decreased in the thymus; the number of EA- and EAC-rosette-forming cells decreased in the bone marrow and the spleen, the number of T gamma-suppressors decreased in the bone marrow and the distant lymph node . Immediate hypersensitivity to tarragon pollen induced the general increase of the content of T- and B-lymphocytes; the number of T gamma-cells decreased in the thymus, the bone marrow, and the lymph nodes and increased in the spleen . The characteristic features of combined microbial-pollen sensitization were the high content of B-cells in all lymphoid organs (except the thymus), a low level of T-lymphocytes in the blood and the peripheral lymphoid organs, the decreased number of T gamma-cells in most of the immunogenetic organs.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1986 Sep, 262(3), 361 - 9
In vitro additive effect of imipenem combined with vancomycin against multiple-drug resistant, coagulase-negative Staphylococci; Traub WH et al.; Imipenem combined with vancomycin resulted in a marked additive effect in vitro against 9 clinical isolates of multiple-drug resistant (MDR), coagulase-negative staphylococci, including strains resistant against imipenem . The additive effect was documented with the aid of checkerboard MIC determinations and with time kill curve experiments . In contrast, imipenem combined with vancomycin merely yielded weak additive or indifferent effects against 10 MDR isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, all of which were susceptible to imipenem.

J Clin Microbiol, 1986 Sep, 24(3), 462 - 4
Modification of the Sceptor system for rapid detection of methicillin-resistant staphylococci; Denys GA et al.; The 24-h Sceptor MIC system (Johnston Laboratories, Inc., Towson, Md.) was modified to allow rapid (6 h) detection of methicillin-resistant staphylococci . For 105 methicillin-resistant staphylococci tested, 90% of the results obtained by the 6-h method agreed with those obtained by disk agar diffusion . In comparison, 88 and 93% of the results obtained by the AutoMicrobic system (Vitek Systems, Inc., Hazelwood, Mo.) and the 24-h conventional Sceptor system, respectively, agreed with disk agar diffusion results . No false-resistant results were observed with 52 methicillin-susceptible staphylococci tested by any of the three methods.

J Hosp Infect, 1986 Sep, 8(2), 184 - 92
Per-operative antibiotic treatment in cardiovascular surgery: the influence of methicillin versus cephalothin on post-operative infections and bacterial colonization; Hansen BG; This paper reports the results of a prospective study of antibiotic prophylaxis in 543 patients undergoing open-heart surgery . All patients were given per-operatively either methicillin, 1 g four times a day, or cephalothin, 1 g four times a day . There was no significant difference in the frequency of postoperative infections between the two groups . It was established that per-operative antibiotic prophylaxis selected resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) in the nasal flora of cardiac surgery patients, that this change occurred to the same degree whether methicillin or cephalothin was used, that cephalothin favoured colonization with antibiotic resistant species other than CNS . It was found that the staff of the intensive care unit formed a reservoir of multi-resistant CNS.

Q J Med, 1986 Aug, 60(232), 773 - 9
Serious infection in the intensive therapy unit: a 15-year study of bacteraemia; Forgacs IC et al.; A 15-year prospective study identified 468 episodes of bacteraemia in patients in the intensive therapy unit (containing 12 beds) . The mortality was 60.4 per cent compared with 13.1 per cent in those without detectable bacteraemia . The pattern of microbial isolates was similar to that in bacteraemia elsewhere in the hospital except for a relative excess of pseudomonas and yeasts . The commonest isolates were staphylococci; the source of these organisms was an infected intravenous line in two-thirds of hospital-acquired episodes of bacteraemia in the unit . Antibiotic resistance patterns were largely predictable with gentamicin resistance being especially uncommon . Although bacteraemia poses a serious threat to patients in an intensive therapy unit, the treatment of such infection seldom requires new and expensive antibiotics.

J Appl Bacteriol, 1986 Aug, 61(2), 149 - 55
The toxicity of potassium tellurite to Staphylococcus aureus in rabbit plasma fibrinogen agar; Sawhney D; The potassium tellurite concentration, 0.01% w/v, in Baird-Parker agar has been recommended for plasma coagulase media such as pig or rabbit fibrinogen agar . Comparative tests have shown that with some strains of Staphylococcus aureus this level of potassium tellurite is too inhibitory and it should be reduced four-fold to 0.0025% w/v to maximize the isolation rate . It is postulated that egg yolk in Baird-Parker agar has a protective effect on staphylococci against the inhibitory action of tellurite.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1986 Aug, (8), 75 - 9
{Formation of pollen-induced allergy in guinea pigs after specific immunotherapy with a bacterial allergen}; Sukhodoeva GS et al.; The investigation was aimed at elucidating the process of the development of allergy to exoallergens (e.g., to linear-leaf wormwood pollen) in the body after desensitization by specific immunotherapy (SIT) with heterologous (staphylococcal) allergen . The study revealed that in staphylococcal allergy the subsequent development of pollen sensitization occurred with greater intensity, and SIT was found to exert no influence on this process . For the first time pollen allergy was found to produce an unfavorable effect on the quality and effectiveness of SIT with heterologous staphylococcal allergen, this effect consisting in the acceleration and intensification of the process leading to the recovery of sensitization to staphylococci . The importance of measures for limiting contacts with heterologous allergens and their elimination during SIT is emphasized.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1986 Aug, (8), 48 - 52
{Immunosuppressor role of staphylococcal protein A}; Bobrovnik SA; The removal of protein A from the surface of staphylococci by means of proteolytic enzymes increases the immunogenic properties of staphylococci . Staphylococci containing protein A are less effective in mediating the immunological memory than those treated with proteolytic enzymes . The conjugation of protein A with staphylococci treated with proteolytic enzymes leads to the decrease of the immunogenic properties of staphylococci . Protein A not bound to staphylococci also suppresses antistaphylococcal immune response . The protective properties of corpuscular staphylococcal antigen are increased after the removal of protein A from the surface of staphylococci by proteolysis.

Acta Pathol Microbiol Immunol Scand {B}, 1986 Aug, 94(4), 291 - 2
Same-day confirmation of Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia by a thermonuclease test; Bergh K et al.; A test to detect thermostable DNase activity (TDNase test) was evaluated for rapid confirmation of S . aureus bacteraemia, using toluidine blue O DNA agar plates for the testing . A total of 226 blood cultures which grew bacteria were examined . S . aureus was identified in 76 of the cultures . All of the S . aureus isolates showed positive TDNase test after 2 h of incubation of the test plates . The remaining isolates examined, most of them coagulase-negative staphylococci, showed a negative test . The TDNase test enables reliable same-day confirmation of S . aureus bacteraemia.

Biull Eksp Biol Med, 1986 Aug, 102(8), 194 - 7
{Mechanism of formation of antibody production stimulating ability of bone marrow cells of mice immunized with staphylococci}; Liashchenko KP et al.; The mechanism of the increase in immune response to particular staphylococcal antigen was studied in CBA and BALB/c mice injected by primed bone marrow cells (BMC) . It was found that immunostimulatory effect of immune BMC is not mediated by macrophages or T cells, but is associated with staphylococcus-specific B memory cells present in the pool of primed BMC . Splenectomy performed in donor animals prior to immunization did not abolish the induction of stimulating BMC activity . It was concluded that primed B lymphocyte migration from spleen into bone marrow is not obligatory for the induction of staphylococcus-specific immunological memory in the bone marrow.

J Trauma, 1986 Aug, 26(8), 757 - 61
Infectious morbidity in extremity fractures; Roth AI et al.; To review infectious morbidity in extremity fractures, 265 patients with 280 open fractures and 573 patients with closed fractures requiring open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) were reviewed . Among open fractures, 32 (11%) became infected . Significantly fewer infections occurred in open fractures secondary to gunshot wounds (p less than 0.01) and in the upper extremity regardless of cause (p less than 0.05) . Preventive preoperative antibiotics did not appear to affect infection rates . Open fracture infections were consistently with hospital-acquired organisms, and these were consistently resistant to the preventive antibiotic employed . Closed fractures had only 18 (3%) infections after ORIF . Preoperative antibiotics did reduce infection rates compared to rates in patients with no preoperative systemic antibiotics (p less than 0.05) . Pathogens in ORIF patients showed a greater preponderance of Staphylococci . In conclusion, preventive antibiotics were only effective in the prevention of infection in the ORIF patients . Open fracture patients consistently develop infections with hospital-acquired pathogens, suggesting that contamination after hospitalization rather than at the time of injury is a major factor.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1986 Aug, 18(2), 171 - 5
In-vitro activity of coumermycin against methicillin-resistant staphylococci: a comparison with six other agents; Thomas MG et al.; The in-vitro activity of coumermycin was compared with that of vancomycin, rifampicin, fusidic acid, trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole, norfloxacin and cefamandole against seven isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and 97 isolates of methicillin-resistant coagulase negative staphylococci . Apart from one strain of methicillin-resistant S . aureus all isolates were inhibited by less than or equal to 0.06 mg/l of coumermycin . Cefamandole was more active against strains of S . epidermidis than against other coagulase negative staphylococci.

J Clin Microbiol, 1986 Aug, 24(2), 173 - 6
Comparative evaluation of identification systems for testing methicillin-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus; Smith SM et al.; Several commercial systems are available to distinguish between Staphylococcus aureus and the coagulase-negative species of the Micrococcaceae family . Four latex agglutination systems (Accu-Staph, SeroSTAT, Staphaurex, and Staphylatex) and two hemagglutination systems (Hemastaph and Staphyloslide) were compared for their performance in the rapid identification of 232 isolates of staphylococci, including 114 of methicillin-resistant S . aureus . Accu-Staph, Staphaurex, and Staphyloslide correctly identified 100% of the methicillin-resistant S . aureus isolates; Hemastaph and Staphylatex, 99.1%; and SeroSTAT, 94.7% . Most reactions were easy to interpret, although 15% of the SeroSTAT reactions were weak . Autoagglutination occurred only with isolates of coagulase-negative staphylococci . False-positive reactions were rare and occurred only with systems which did not detect autoagglutination . Five of these six systems appear to be adequate for the rapid identification of S . aureus, including methicillin-resistant isolates.

J Rheumatol, 1986 Aug, 13(4), 700 - 6
Circulating immune complexes in rheumatoid arthritis: a prospective study using five immunoassays; Reynolds WJ et al.; We evaluated 257 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to determine the frequency of circulating immune complexes (CIC) in the serum, relationships between the presence of CIC, clinical indices of disease activity and other laboratory features, and relationships between changes in CIC levels and changes in disease activity . CIC were detected by fluid phase Clq binding activity, conglutinin binding activity, anti-C3 assay, staphylococci protein A binding assay and the precipitation of cryoglobulins . CIC in the serum were found to correlate with indices of disease activity, extraarticular features and the presence of rheumatoid factor . A change in Clq binding activity correlated with a parallel change in the joint count.

J Med Microbiol, 1986 Aug, 22(1), 79 - 84
Characterisation of chloramphenicol resistance plasmids of Staphylococcus aureus and S . epidermidis by restriction enzyme mapping techniques; Tennent JM et al.; Chloramphenicol resistance (Cmr) plasmids pSK2 and pSK5 from Staphylococcus aureus and pSK102 and pSK103 from S . epidermidis have been characterised and detailed restriction endonuclease cleavage maps constructed . TaqI digestion profiles illustrated the identity of pSK5 and pSK102 and also revealed a high degree of similarity between these four Cmr plasmids from Australian staphylococci and three Cmr plasmids from S . aureus strains of geographically unrelated origin . DNA-DNA hybridisation indicated that the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase determinant carried by pSK5/pSK102 could be found on other structurally-distinct Cmr plasmids . The role of S . epidermidis as a reservoir for Cmr plasmids found in S . aureus is discussed.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1986 Jul, 30(1), 174 - 5
Interaction between rifampin and fusidic acid against methicillin-resistant coagulase-positive and -negative staphylococci; Farber BF et al.; We studied the interaction between rifampin and fusidic acid against a group of staphylococci . Of the 20 coagulase-positive strains studied, checkerboard studies revealed synergy in 3 and indifference in 17; time-kill studies revealed synergy in 18 of 19 coagulase-positive strains at both 24 and 48 h . Of the 19 coagulase-negative strains, checkerboard studies revealed synergy in 6 and indifference in 13; time-kill studies revealed synergy in 6 of 18 coagulase-negative strains at 24 h and in 17 of 18 coagulase-negative strains at 48 h . The combination of rifampin and fusidic acid warrants further evaluation in the therapy of staphylococcal disease.

Infect Control, 1986 Jul, 7(7), 370 - 2
Viability of staphylococci in various diluents; Essiain R et al.; Standardized suspensions of 78 staphylococci and micrococci were stored in different diluents and tested periodically for 3 weeks to determine their ability to maintain viability . In 92% of the tests, diluent suspensions yielded viable organisms for at least 21 days . Organism survival was maintained in the following order, from best to worst: skim milk, tap water, 0.9% NaCl, deionized water, Dianeal (peritoneal dialysis) fluid, 0.2% bovine serum albumin and 5% glycerol . In 81% of the instances, oxacillin-susceptible staphylococci survived better than oxacillin-resistant staphylococci.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1986 Jul, (7), 97 - 100
{Bacteriosorption reaction on a smooth surface for detecting antibodies and antigens}; Nikolaev VL et al.; The solid-phase technique for the detection of antibodies and antigens has been developed and named the bacteriosorption test . The test is based on binding staphylococci containing protein A with the Fc-regions of IgG-antibodies attached to antigens immobilized on polystyrene . The possibilities of this technique have been analyzed with the use of diphtheria toxoid, house-dust allergen and homologous rabbit antisera . In the detection of antibodies the proposed test is not inferior to the passive hemagglutination test, and its sensitivity in the detection of antigens by the sandwich technique reaches 0.05-0.1 micrograms/ml . The specificity of the technique has been experimentally confirmed by the inhibition of the reaction with soluble antigen and staphylococcal protein A . The variability factor of the technique does not exceed 10%.

Vet Microbiol, 1986 Jul, 12(2), 179 - 87
A comparison of the STAPH-Ident and STAPH-Trac systems to conventional methods in the identification of staphylococci isolated from bovine udders; Watts JL et al.; The STAPH-Ident and STAPH-Trac systems (Analytab Products, Plainview, N.Y.) were compared to conventional methods for identification of staphylococci isolated from bovine udders . The STAPH-Ident system identified 80.5% of isolates correctly . An additional 7.6% of Staphylococcus hyicus strains were delineated from S . epidermidis by characterizing acetoin and pigment production . Final accuracy of the STAPH-Ident system was 88.1% . The STAPH-Trac system identified 66.1% of isolates . Negative phosphatase tests for 42.3% of S . hyicus strains resulted in misidentification as S . simulans . Consequently, only 45.5% of S . hyicus isolates were identified correctly by the STAPH-Trac system . Minor modification of each system would permit accurate, rapid identification of staphylococci isolated from bovine udders.

Am J Med, 1986 Jul, 81(1), 166 - 8
Fatal bacterial endocarditis as a complication of permanent indwelling catheters . Report of two cases; Power J et al.; Two cases of endocarditis secondary to permanent indwelling catheters are described . In both cases, the catheters were used for parenteral nutrition and became infected with Staphylococci . Secondary endocarditis developed on the tricuspid and aortic valves . Despite removal of the catheters and appropriate antibiotics, both patients died.

J Hosp Infect, 1986 Jul, 8(1), 64 - 71
Biotyping and phage typing of coagulase-negative staphylococci from blood cultures of neonates; Alvarez JS et al.; One hundred coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from blood cultures of neonates have been biotyped and phage typed . These results have been compared with previous reports . The susceptibility of the strains to antimicrobial drugs has also been examined and a rise in resistance rates towards the end of the study was documented . The possible causes of this finding are discussed.

Am J Med, 1986 Jun 30, 80(6B), 161 - 5
Coagulase-negative staphylococci as nosocomial pathogens in neonates . The role of host defense, artificial devices, and bacterial hydrophobicity; Fleer A et al.; In contrast to the well-established pathogen Staphylococcus aureus, the coagulase-negative staphylococci--formerly collectively called Staphylococcus epidermidis--were until recently regarded as harmless commensals . During the last two decades, however, the coagulase-negative staphylococci have clearly emerged as pathogens in patients who have artificial devices implanted, such as prosthetic heart valves, hip prostheses, and cerebrospinal fluid shunts, and in those with compromised host defenses such as premature neonates, cancer patients, and transplant recipients . Recently, an increasing incidence of septicemia due to coagulase-negative staphylococci was detected in our neonatal intensive care unit . More than 90 percent of cases occurred in premature infants of low birth weight (less than 2,500 g) . All septicemic infants were receiving intravenous therapy, and total parenteral nutrition solutions had been administered to nearly 80 percent just before or during the septic episode . This led us to examine the role of host defense factors in neonates and the possible significance of bacterial surface characteristics in the pathogenesis of catheter-associated infections.

Antibiot Med Biotekhnol, 1986 Jun, 31(6), 440 - 5
{Colonizing resistance of rats born of animals with experimental dysbacteriosis}; Shenderov BA et al.; It was shown that long-term oral administration of rifampicin (40 mg/kg) to rats was accompanied by a marked decrease in the number of enterococci and staphylococci in their large intestine . A significant decrease in the number of colibacilli and anaerobic nonsporulating gramnegative bacteria was also observed . Discontinuation of the antibiotic administration resulted in rapid recovery of the intestinal flora with respect to all the indices tested . It was found for the first time that pregany of rats with experimental disbacteriosis was characterized by lowered colon resistance in spite of similarity in the intestinal flora of the experimental and control pregany . This was evident from increased periods of indicator microorganism retention in the animal intestine.

Infect Immun, 1986 Jun, 52(3), 798 - 802
Appearance of Fc receptors on polymorphonuclear leukocytes after migration and their role in phagocytosis; Targowski SP et al.; The effect of the migration of bovine blood polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) in vitro on their phagocytic activity was studied . PMNs were examined before and after migration through various membranes for rosette formation with sensitized sheep erythrocytes to detect Fc receptors (FcRs), phagocytic activity mediated through FcRs with opsonized staphylococci (Smith strain), and phagocytic activity mediated through nonimmunological receptors with unopsonized staphylococci (strain 305) . Migration of PMNs was observed from the upper to the lower compartment of the blind well chamber through Millipore and Nuclepore membranes; through Millipore, Nuclepore, and nylon membranes coated with collagen; and through collagen-coated Millipore, Nuclepore, and nylon membranes overlaid with MA-104, BHK-21, MDBK-99, TB, or FBHE cells . Random migration of PMNs toward the plain medium (the same medium in the upper and lower compartments) through the membranes with and without a monolayer of cells increased the percentage of PMNs forming rosettes . In contrast, migration toward the medium containing lipopolysaccharide (LPS), formyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl-L-phenylalanine (FMLP), or zymosan-activated serum (Act . serum) did not change the percentage of PMNs forming rosettes . The increased percentage of PMNs forming rosettes was associated with the enhanced phagocytosis of opsonized staphylococci (mediated by FcRs) . In contrast, migration of PMNs toward LPS, FMLP, or Act . serum did not enhance phagocytosis mediated through FcRs . However, PMNs after migration toward LPS, FMLP, Act . serum, and plain medium enhanced phagocytosis of unopsonized staphylococci (mediated through the nonimmunological receptors).

Pathol Biol (Paris), 1986 Jun, 34(5 Pt 2), 600 - 3
{Evaluation of the Rapid-ATB system for testing the sensitivity of staphylococci to antibiotics . Comparison with the agar dilution reference method}; Le Noc P et al.; Rapid ATB Staph is a new, automated, four-hour procedure for testing the susceptibility to antibiotics of staphylococci . Results obtained with this method were compared to those recorded using agar dilution . For all tested antibiotics as a group (5 on 201 strains, 8 on 100 strains), overall agreement between the two sets of results was 96% . 1,809 susceptibility tests were performed, with only 24 minor discrepancies (1.3%) mainly involving cotrimoxazole, and 50 major discrepancies (2.7%) mainly involving doxycycline and chloramphenicol . Rapid ATB Staph clearly demonstrates the heterogeneous oxacillin-resistance of staphylococci as well as their inducible resistance to erythromycin . Our results show that this new system is a very accurate means for testing the susceptibility to antibiotics of staphylococci.

Eur J Clin Microbiol, 1986 Jun, 5(3), 277 - 81
Current problems of chemotherapy of infections with coagulase-negative staphylococci; Davies AJ et al.; A review is given of current problems in the chemotherapy of infections caused by coagulase-negative staphylococci . Along with the recent increase in the number of these infections has come the realisation that such infections may be difficult to treat . The sites of infection caused by coagulase-negative staphylococci are considered and recent advances in the understanding of the molecular biology of these organisms reviewed . Appropriate antibiotic therapy for individual infections is discussed, likewise the contribution the laboratory can make to ensure that the most effective antibiotics are used.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1986 May, 29(5), 803 - 6
Antimicrobial activity of borate-buffered solutions; Houlsby RD et al.; A minimal salts medium adjusted to physiological pH and osmolality was buffered with either 0.3% phosphate or 1.2% borate and evaluated for antimicrobial activity . The borate-buffered medium, either with or without a carbon source, exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against 15 Pseudomonas strains, 12 strains of enteric bacteria, and 7 strains of staphylococci . The borate-buffered system appears suitable for use as a generic vehicle for ophthalmic pharmaceutical agents.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1986 May, 29(5), 733 - 40
Plasmid-encoded trimethoprim resistance in staphylococci; Archer GL et al.; High-level (greater than 1,000 micrograms/ml) resistance to the antimicrobial agent trimethoprim was found in 17 of 101 (17%) coagulase-negative staphylococci and 5 of 51 (10%) Staphylococcus aureus from a number of different hospitals in the United States . Resistance was plasmid encoded and could be transferred by conjugation in 4 of the 17 (24%) Tpr coagulase-negative staphylococci and 3 of the 5 (60%) Tpr S . aureus . A 1.2-kilobase segment of plasmid DNA from one of the plasmids (pG01) was cloned on a high-copy-number vector in Escherichia coli and expressed high-level Tpr (MIC, 1,025 micrograms/ml) in the gram-negative host . In situ filter hybridization demonstrated homology between the cloned Tpr gene probe and plasmid DNA from each conjugative Tpr plasmid, a single nonconjugative plasmid from a United States Staphylococcus epidermidis isolate, a nonconjugative plasmid from an Australian methicillin-resistant S . aureus isolate, and chromosomal DNA from three Tpr S . epidermidis isolates that did not contain any plasmid DNA that was homologous with the probe . No homology was seen between the probe and staphylococcal plasmids not mediating Tpr, plasmid DNA from 12 Tpr S . epidermidis isolates not transferring Tpr by conjugation, or plasmid-encoded Tpr genes derived from gram-negative bacteria . Plasmid-encoded Tpr appears to be a relatively new gene in staphylococci and, because it can be transferred by conjugation, could become more prevalent in nonsocomial isolates.

Antibiot Med Biotekhnol, 1986 May, 31(5), 362 - 5
{Effect of antibiotic AL-87 on the growth and ultrastructure of staphylococci}; Churkina LN et al.; The effect of antibiotic Al-87 on the ultrastructure of staphylococcal cells was studied . The cells of a control culture of a sensitive strain of S . aureus, 209P at the early exponential growth phase were characterized by thin walls (20-22 nm) and septa (30 nm) . In the presence of the subbacteriostatic concentration of antibiotic AL-87 (0.02 microgram/ml) the thickness of the cell walls and septa increased up to 80-90 and 150 nm, respectively . Segregation of the septa was retarded and 4 cell conglomerates formed . The cell division appeared to be highly active: the septa were detected in 80-90 per cent of the sections against 40 per cent in the control . Therefore, antibiotic AL-87 induced significant thickening of the cell walls and impairment of the cell division regulation . Investigation of the staphylococcal variant resistant to the antibiotic showed that there were no significant differences between the cells grown in the absence and presence of antibiotic AL-87 (in a concentration of 200 micrograms/ml) . In both the experiments there were detected cells in their majority with thinner walls, L-form-like structures, protoplasts and single conglomerates of the cells with thicker walls and anomalous division and the cells at the moment of lysis . It suggested that the effect of antibiotic AL-87 on the cell wall structure was not direct i . e . by inhibition of protein synthesis but mediated i . e . due to shifts in lipid synthesis inducing changes in lipid-dependent synthesis of the cell wall polymers.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1986 May, (5), 37 - 41
{Staphylococcal adherence to rabbit epithelial cells}; Vershigora AE et al.; The adherence of Staphylococcus aureus strains to rabbit epithelial cells has been studied . The strains have been shown to possess similar adhesiveness with respect to the epithelium of the mouth cavity of rabbits . The investigation, carried out with the use of one staphylococcal strain taken as a model, has revealed that the cells of this strain adhere to different areas of the epithelium in the mouth cavity in varying amounts, the amount of adhering bacteria depending on the age of rabbits . The data presented in this work suggest that in staphylococci adhering to rabbit epithelial cells the adhesive function is performed by thermostable and trypsin-resistant staphylococcal cell-wall surface structures of nonprotein nature.

J Clin Microbiol, 1986 May, 23(5), 963 - 4
Variations in bacitracin susceptibility observed in Staphylococcus and Micrococcus species; Baker JS et al.; Bacitracin susceptibility was evaluated as a laboratory method to differentiate staphylococci from micrococci . A total of 317 staphylococcal isolates and 108 micrococcal isolates were each tested for susceptibility to bacitracin by a disk-diffusion method using disks of three different potencies (0.04, 2.0, and 10.0 U) and a broth dilution method to obtain MICs . When a growth inhibition zone diameter breakpoint of greater than 10 mm was used to establish susceptibility with a 0.04-U disk, all micrococci were bacitracin susceptible and 94.6% of the staphylococci were resistant . Testing with disks of higher potency did not improve the specificity of the disk-diffusion method.

J Clin Microbiol, 1986 May, 23(5), 873 - 5
Evaluation of the Minitek gram-positive set for identification of staphylococci isolated from the bovine mammary gland; Watts JL et al.; The Minitek Gram-Positive Set was evaluated as a means of identifying staphylococci isolated from bovine mammary glands . Initial accuracy was 79.2% . Misidentification of isolates due to data base deficiencies resulted with the animal-associated species Staphylococcus intermedius and S . hyicus . Minor modification to account for data base deficiencies permitted recognition of 87.7% of the isolates . Incorporation of additional veterinary isolates into the data base would improve the accuracy of the Minitek system and enhance acceptance by veterinary microbiologists.

J Clin Microbiol, 1986 May, 23(5), 858 - 62
Slime production by bovine milk Staphylococcus aureus and identification of coagulase-negative staphylococcal isolates; Rather PN et al.; Staphylococcus aureus isolates from bovine milk were assessed for capsule or slime production . When pure S . aureus cultures in milk were inoculated directly into serum-soft agar constituted with a modified staphylococcus 110 medium, 100% of the isolates grew with diffuse colony morphology . Diffuse colony morphology was rapidly lost on subculture and was more rapidly lost in brain heart infusion-serum-soft agar . No evidence was seen for encapsulation in India ink preparations or by the clumping factor test . It was concluded that freshly isolated S . aureus strains produce slime, not true capsules . During examination of the 84 milk samples that grew staphylococci in addition to S . aureus (27.4%), a significant number of coagulase-negative staphylococcal species were encountered and identified by conventional tests as S . simulans (41.7%), S . xylosus (11.9%), S . epidermidis (3.6%), S . saprophyticus (3.6%), S . hyicus (2.9%), S . cohnii (1.2%), S . haemolyticus (1.2%), and S . warneri (1.2%) . Five isolates (6.0%) were not identified . Attempts were also made to identify the isolates by the API Staph-Ident system, which gave an overall accuracy of 45.2% . The susceptibilities of the isolates to a variety of antibiotics were determined, and they appeared to be less resistant than human clinical isolates.

J Clin Microbiol, 1986 May, 23(5), 809 - 12
Staphylococcal peritonitis in patients on continuous peritoneal dialysis; West TE et al.; During 1984, 35 patients undergoing continuous peritoneal dialysis experienced 77 cases of peritonitis with 55 cases (71.4%) related to staphylococci . Coagulase-negative staphylococci were isolated in 41 cases, while Staphylococcus aureus was found in 14 . A coexisting tunnel infection was more often associated with S . aureus (7/14) than with coagulase-negative staphylococci (2/41) (P less than 0.01) . Likewise, eradication of the infection necessitated catheter removal more frequently with S . aureus (5/14) than with coagulase-negative staphylococci (2/41) (P less than 0.01) . Of the 41 coagulase-negative staphylococci, 35 were characterized as to species, adherence, and production of two exopolysaccharides . Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most frequent coagulase-negative species (29/35) . Peritonitis cases caused by coagulase-negative staphylococci that lacked adherence and exopolysaccharides were more frequently associated with complications (4/6) than were those organisms with either or both properties of adherence or exopolysaccharide production (5/29) . There were no appreciable differences in antibiotic susceptibilities . Staphylococcal peritonitis remains a significant cause of morbidity in continuous peritoneal dialysis patients . The incidence of complications was not directly linked to staphylococcal properties of adherence or exopolysaccharide production.

J Pediatr, 1986 May, 108(5 Pt 2), 835 - 40
Kinetics of antimicrobial activity; Vogelman B et al.; Assessment of antimicrobial activity from standard in vitro minimum inhibitory and minimum bactericidal concentration determinations alone is incomplete . Rate of bacterial killing, effect of increasing concentration, sub-MIC effects, and degree of suppression of bacterial growth after limited exposure (post-antibiotic effect) more precisely describe the course of antimicrobial activity . Aminoglycoside antibiotics exhibit concentration-dependent bactericidal activity and a prolonged post-antibiotic effect . beta-Lactam antibiotics demonstrate more time-dependent killing and lack post-antibiotic effects, except with staphylococci . Most bacteriostatic antimicrobial agents also produce post-antibiotic suppression of growth . Studies in different animal infection models with a variety of organisms suggest that beta-lactams are more efficacious with continuous dosing, whereas the efficacy of aminoglycosides is relatively independent of dosing regimen, even when administered once daily . Knowledge of the kinetics of antimicrobial action is useful in predicting optimal dosage regimens.

J Clin Oncol, 1986 May, 4(5), 784 - 8
Long-term use of indwelling multipurpose silastic catheters in pediatric cancer patients treated with aggressive chemotherapy; Cairo MS et al.; We studied the complications related to the use of 53 multipurpose silastic catheters (MSC) placed in 46 pediatric cancer patients over a 1-year period . We documented the longest duration of catheter placement in the pediatric oncology literature . There were 7,650 Broviac days (range, 9 to 365 days; mean, 163 days) with 255 patient months of catheter use and a mean of 5.5 months per catheter . Of the 53 MSCs, 90% were Broviacs (72% adult size, 18% pediatric size) and 10% Hickman . There were 23 episodes of bacteremias or 0.31 episodes per 100 days of catheter use . Coagulase-negative staphylococci were isolated in 20% of the episodes of bacteremia . Only 34% had an absolute granulocyte count (AGC) (Polymorphonuclear cells {PMN} + band cells) less than 500 in the 23 MSCs with bacteremia . Ten percent were removed: 4% for mechanical problems, 6% for bacteremia unresponsive to appropriate antibiotic therapy . There were no deaths related to bacteremia, embolism, or vascular damage . This study demonstrated that despite the recent use of more aggressive immunosuppressive therapy, the incidence of MSC bacteremias was 43%, similar to earlier National Cancer Institute studies (39%) American Society of Clinical Oncology, (abstract C-219, 1982) . Based on these findings, we have currently modified our MSC care and have recently throughout the past 6 months reduced our infectious complication rate by 50%.

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 1986 May, 5(1), 1 - 8
Bactericidal action of nafcillin, vancomycin, and three cephalosporins against nafcillin-susceptible and nafcillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci; Mordenti JJ et al.; Coagulase-negative staphylococci (S . epidermidis, 43 strains; S . warneri, 16 strains; S . haemolyticus, five strains; and others, four strains) were tested by the agar dilution method for nafcillin susceptibility: 53 were susceptible with a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of less than or equal to 2 micrograms/ml; four were of indeterminate susceptibility, MIC = 4-16 micrograms/ml; and 11 were resistant, MIC greater than or equal to 32 micrograms/ml . The bactericidal activities from 0 to 24 hr for nafcillin, vancomycin, cephalothin, cefazolin, and cefamandole, each at 16 micrograms/ml in broth, were determined for all the isolates . The data indicate that a nafcillin agar dilution susceptibility test result of resistance does not consistently predict lack of killing activity by the cephalosporins . It is likely that each cephalosporin would have to be tested against individual coagulase-negative staphylococci in order to determine a suitable therapeutic or prophylactic cephalosporin, if a cephalosporin were to be used . Vancomycin was bactericidal for all the nafcillin-resistant coagulase-negative organisms tested.

J Pediatr, 1986 May, 108(5 Pt 2), 796 - 9
Staphylococcus aureus: biology, mechanisms of virulence, epidemiology; Cohen ML; The prominence of Staphylococcus aureus as a cause of serious human infection has prompted extensive studies of the microbiology, pathogenesis, and epidemiology of staphylococci and staphylococcal infections . Staphylococci are of the family Micrococcaceae, although there are diverse genetic and phenotypic differences between them and other members of this family . Of the more than 20 species of staphylococci, only three are clinically significant: S . aureus, S . epidermidis, and S . saprophyticus . These species can be distinguished by coagulase production and novobiocin resistance . Staphylococci produce a variety of structural, enzymatic, and toxic products, which are associated with adherence, invasion, toxicity, and avoidance of host defense mechanisms . In addition, a variety of host characteristics increase susceptibility to staphylococcal infection . Staphylococci are an important cause of infection in hospitals and the community . Following the introduction of antimicrobials, staphylococci rapidly developed resistance . A penicillin-resistant specific phage type, designated 80/81, caused severe outbreaks of nosocomial disease in the 1950s and 1960s . Staphylococci recently acquired resistance to methicillin and other antimicrobials, and persist as important nosocomial pathogens . Although S . aureus is one of the earliest recognized and most studied human pathogens, it is a perplexing, ever-changing, recurring public health problem.

Pathol Biol (Paris), 1986 May, 34(5), 521 - 4
{Cloxacillin concentration in suction fluid following flash antibiotic therapy during insertion of a hip prosthesis}; Loulergue J et al.; Since 1982 we have administered cloxacillin intraoperatively during total hip replacement . 1 g cloxacillin is injected intravenously at induction of anesthesia, followed by 1g every hour until the end of the procedure or a total of 6 g . In our study, cloxacillin concentrations were determined in the fluid collected from the deep suction catheter inserted at the end of the surgical procedure . Fluid samples were collected 2 h, 4 h, 6 h, 8 h and 24 hours after the last injection of cloxacillin . Serum samples were taken 2 h, 6 h and 24 hours after the last injection . Cloxacillin was assayed using an agar-diffusion microbiologic method . 18 patients were studied . Each had received 3 to 5 g cloxacillin over 3 to 5 hours . Mean suction catheter fluid concentrations were to 69.7 micrograms/ml, 37.6 micrograms/ml, 24.2 micrograms/ml, 15.5 micrograms/ml, and 6.8 micrograms/ml respectively in the samples collected 2 h, 4 h, 6 h, 8 h and 24 hours after the last injection of cloxacillin . Mean serum concentrations were 34.1 micrograms/ml, 4.2 micrograms/ml, and 0 microgram/ml respectively 2 h, 6 h and 24 hours after the last injection . Our results indicate that cloxacillin concentrations within the hip joint are probably effective against staphylococci for 8 to 12 hours.

Pathol Biol (Paris), 1986 May, 34(5), 517 - 20
{Antibiotic sensitivity of bacteria isolated from pathological specimens and utilization of beta-lactams in an orthopedic surgery service}; Laudat P et al.; From 1980 to 1984, computerized data on the sensitivity to the main antibiotics of 1991 strains isolated from clinical specimens were evaluated in relation to beta-lactam use and hospital activity in a unit of orthopedic surgery . No major variations were found in distribution of species throughout the study period, whereas sensitivity to antimicrobial agents changed . From 1980 to 1982, patients had postoperative prophylactic treatment with cephalosporin (cefazolin) for two days; during the same period, 59% of 557 Gram negative organisms were resistant to cefazolin and 31% of Staphylococci were resistant to methicillin (and to other antibiotics) . In 1983 and 1984, cefazolin was replaced by intraoperative flash therapy with a penicillin-M (cloxacillin); concomitantly, sensitivity to cefazolin increased among Gram negative organisms (38% of 485 isolates were cefazolin-resistant; p less than 0.001) and Staphylococci (16% of 342 isolates were methicillin-resistant; p less than 0.001) . Phage typing of S . aureus failed to disclose any epidemic outbreak . Since hospital activity remained the same throughout the period under study, it seems justified to correlate the increase in bacterial sensitivity observed to the decrease in use of cephalosporin, although other factors (microepidemic, isolation techniques) may be involved.

Pathol Biol (Paris), 1986 May, 34(5), 368 - 71
{Sensitivity of 858 strains of staphylococci to 27 antibiotics}; Gayral JP et al.; Susceptibility to 27 antimicrobial agents of 858 strains of staphylococci was determined . Tested strains belonged to the following species: S . epidermidis, S . saprophyticus, S . haemolyticus, S . hominis, S . simulans, S . warneri, S . cohnii, S . xylosus and S . intermedius . The antibiotics were: penicillin G, amoxycillin, augmentin, oxacillin, streptomycin, kanamycin, tobramycin, dibekacin, amikacin, gentamicin, sisomycin, netilmicin, doxycycline, minocycline, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, josamycin, clindamycin, pristinamycin, rifampin, fusidic acid, fosfomycin, trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole, cotrimoxazole, and vancomycin . The ATB system was used, with the criteria for categorization recommended by the Antibiotic Sensitivity Testing Committee . Penicillin-resistance, that was found in all species, was high for hospital-acquired strains (67 to 75%) but also for some other strains (32% for S . simulans) . Oxacillin-resistance varied across species (0% for the least prevalent hospital strains, 6% for S . epidermidis and 28% for S . haemolyticus) . All strains were susceptible to vancomycin . For some drugs, resistance was a characteristic of the species: resistance to fosfomycin was often found for S . saprophyticus, S . haemolyticus, S . warneri, S . cohnii, and S . capitis; resistance to trimethoprim was common for S . simulans, and S . haemolyticus . S . haemolyticus was the most resistant species, a fact that justifies routine identification of this pathogen in clinical specimens.

Clin Exp Immunol, 1986 May, 64(2), 382 - 91
Characterization of two distinct antigens expressed on either resting or activated human B cells as defined by monoclonal antibodies; Kokai Y et al.; Two antigen systems (L29 & L30) expressed on two distinct human B cell subpopulations were identified by using BL1-4D6 and TB3-7D5 monoclonal antibodies, respectively . L29 was expressed on approximately one-third of B cells in human lymphoid tissues . These B cells associated with L29 were large activated B cells located in the germinal centres of lymphoid follicles . L30, on the other hand, existed on approximately two-thirds of B cells mainly located in the mantle zone of lymphoid follicles, most of which also expressed IgM and IgD on their cell membrane . In addition, L30 was shared on mature granulocytes . With the use of polyclonal activators such as pokeweek mitogen (PWM) and protein A-bearing staphylococci (SAC), L29 antigen was inducible on PWM- or SAC-stimulated B cells in correspondence with the emergence of Tac and T10 antigens of these B cells . In contrast, L30 antigen on the B cells stimulated by the polyclonal activators was decreased in its expression and was finally lost from these B cells . Although none of L29 and L30 was expressed on normal, non-activated human thymus and peripheral T cells, L29 but not L30 was expressed on concanavalin A-activated T cells . Immunochemical studies showed that L30 consist of a single polypeptide with mol . wt of 40,000 . L29 antigen is presently under study.

Scand J Gastroenterol, 1986 May, 21(4), 455 - 60
Catheter-related septicaemia in patients receiving home parenteral nutrition; Rannem T et al.; Forty-three patients received home parenteral nutrition (HPN) for 4 to 13 months (median, 30 months) with a total treatment period of 153 patient-years . All patients had central venous catheters; 71 PVC subclavian catheters, 138 Broviac catheters, and 16 other catheters were used . Broviac catheters were introduced into the central veins via a tunnel on the chest (94 catheters) or on the thigh (44 catheters) . Eighty-two episodes of catheter septicaemia occurred in 28 (65%) of the patients, corresponding to an incidence of catheter septicaemia of 1 in 1.9 patient-years . The commonest microorganisms grown from the blood were coagulase-negative staphylococci, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida species . Septicaemia incidence was 1 in 2.6 catheter-years with the Broviac catheter on the chest and 1 in 1.6 catheter-years with the Broviac catheter on the thigh . In 49 cases the patient was treated with both antibiotics and change of the catheters, in 26 cases with antibiotics alone, and in 5 cases with change of the catheter alone . The antibiotic therapy was given for 3 to 15 days (median, 7 days) . No patient died of catheter septicaemia . The relapse rate was low (less than 10%) and did not differ significantly between the three treatment groups . It is concluded that catheter septicaemia is a common complication of HPN . In most cases it runs a mild course . Bacteriaemia can often be eradicated by a brief antibiotic therapy without catheter exchange.

Crit Care Med, 1986 May, 14(5), 503 - 4
Evaluation of the sterility of thermodilution room-temperature injectate preparations; Burke KG et al.; This study assessed the bacteriologic safety of room-temperature injectate used for cardiac output measurement in a surgical ICU, and compared its cost/benefit relationship to that of prefilled packaged syringes and a closed-loop injectate system . Ninety-five samples of injectate were obtained at four time intervals from staff-prepared syringes, and cultured for microbiologic growth . About 29% (27/95) of samples yielded bacterial growth, ranging from two colony-forming units to those too numerous to count . All positive samples contained skin flora, including coagulase-negative staphylococci and coryneforms . Additionally, five plates contained colonies of Gram-negative bacteria . Extended storage time increased the risk of contamination: 16.2% were contaminated within the first 24 h, whereas 45% were contaminated when stored for more than 72 h . Switching to a closed injectate system significantly (p less than .001) decreased the incidence of contamination by 1.2%, and also allowed a cost savings of $1.52/patient.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1986 May, (5), 77 - 82
{Delayed hypersensitivity and nonspecific cellular immunity . The conditions determining the maximally expressed immunity activity}; Gordienko SM; In vivo experiments on the infection of mice with influenza A virus and Francisella tularensis and in vitro experiments on the bactericidal activity of macrophages have demonstrated the conditions leading to the maximally pronounced activation of immunity by means of preparations inducing delayed hypersensitivity (DH) . The following conditions have been determined: the presence of pronounced DH previously to the injection of old tuberculin (OT) and staphylococcal phagolysate (SP) used as challenge antigens, the specificity and peculiar features of the antigenic structure of the challenge agent, the time of its administration after the course of multiple sensitizing injections of BCG and staphylococci, the dosage of OT and SP and the scheme of their administration, the desirability of their local use . The time of the maximum activation of cell-mediated immunity after the injection of OT and SP to sensitized animals with a high level of DH and the duration of such activation have been established.

Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 1986 Apr, 27(4), 486 - 91
Bacterial lipases and chronic blepharitis; Dougherty JM et al.; Eyelids and conjunctivae of 36 normal individuals and 60 patients from six clinical groups of chronic blepharitis were cultured for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria . The most common species isolated were coagulase-negative staphylococci (C-NS) and Propionibacterium acnes . All strains of these species, and all Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated were tested for the ability to break down triglycerides, cholesterol esters, and fatty waxes . Each strain was incubated independently with appropriate substrates in nutrient media . Each medium was then extracted and assayed for the presence of substrate hydrolysis products by thin-layer chromatography . The percentage of strains capable of hydrolyzing a particular substrate was determined for each individual . S . aureus was a consistent and strong lipase producer, able to hydrolyze all three substrates . P . acnes was able to hydrolyze triolein and behenyl oleate but not cholesteryl oleate . No differences were observed among groups for P . acnes or S . aureus . C-NS showed a high degree of strain variability . Eighty-three percent of C-NS strains could hydrolyze triolein, 82% behenyl oleate, and 40% cholesteryl oleate . Significant group differences were seen in the percentage of lipase positive C-NS strains isolated per individual . Patients in the mixed staphylococcal/seborrheic, meibomian seborrheic, secondary meibomitis, and the meibomian keratoconjunctivitis (MKC) groups harbored significantly more C-NS strains capable of hydrolyzing cholesteryl oleate than did normal individuals . Patients in the meibomian seborrheic, secondary meibomitis, and MKC groups harbored significantly more C-NS strains capable of hydrolyzing behenyl oleate than did normals . No group differences were seen among groups with triolein hydrolyzing C-NS strains.

Can J Vet Res, 1986 Apr, 50(2), 272 - 4
The normal microflora of the female rabbit's genital tract; Jacques M et al.; Microorganisms associated with the vagina, cervix and uterus of rabbits were isolated and identified . The predominant microorganisms isolated from the vaginas and cervices were coagulase-negative staphylococci, micrococci, and nonfermentative bacilli . Coagulase-negative staphylococci were isolated frequently, but in small numbers, from the uteri . The pH of the rabbit vagina was found to be near neutrality . Our data indicate that the genital flora of female rabbits is relatively simple, regarding the number and type of microorganisms.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1986 Apr, 29(4), 608 - 10
Activity of coumermycin against clinical isolates of staphylococci; Guillemin MN et al.; Staphylococci, particularly methicillin-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus, are major nosocomial pathogens in large hospitals in eastern Australia . At present vancomycin is the drug of choice for the treatment of life-threatening methicillin-resistant S . aureus infections . A possible alternative drug is coumermycin, a bis-hydroxy coumarin which inhibits DNA gyrase . Coumermycin activity was determined against clinical isolates from the Royal Melbourne Hospital . MICs of 639 staphylococcal isolates were determined by agar dilution . MICs and MBCs of 100 staphylococcal isolates were also determined by microdilution methods . The results showed that coumermycin was bactericidal, with MBCs of less than or equal to 4 micrograms/ml against all isolates tested . The results indicate that coumermycin is a potential alternative to vancomycin in the treatment of severe staphylococcal infections.

J Biomed Mater Res, 1986 Apr, 20(4), 533 - 45
Adhesion of coagulase-negative staphylococci to methacrylate polymers and copolymers; Hogt AH et al.; Adhesion of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) was studied onto a homologous series of methacrylate polymers and copolymers . The materials varied in wettability (contact angles) and were either positively or negatively charged (zeta-potential) . Bacterial adhesion experiments performed in a parallel-plate perfusion system showed that positively charged TMAEMA-Cl copolymers significantly promoted the adhesion of CNS as compared with all other methacrylate (co)polymers tested . The bacterial adhesion rates onto the positively charged surfaces are diffusion-controlled, whereas those onto the surfaces with a negative zeta-potential are more surface-reaction-controlled due to the presence of a potential energy barrier . The bacterial adhesion rates onto various poly (alkyl methacrylates) were similar . The number of adhering bacteria onto the negatively charged MMA/MAA copolymer did not differ from that onto pMMA, indicating that sufficient sites on the copolymer surface with the same potential energy barrier as that on pMMA, were available for adhesion . Decreasing rates of adhesion of CNS were observed onto MMA/HEMA copolymers with increasing HEMA content coinciding with increasing hydrophilicity . Low plateau values for the bacterial adhesion were observed on 50MMA/50HEMA, pHEMA, and 85HEMA/15MAA, indicating that the adhesion onto these materials was reversible . Four CNS strains with different surface characteristics all showed higher numbers of adhering bacteria onto 85MMA/15TMAEMA-Cl than onto 85MMA/15MAA and pMMA.

Chemioterapia, 1986 Apr, 5(2), 116 - 9
New trends in the chemotherapy of staphylococcal infections; Russo G et al.; The authors evaluated the susceptibility of some antibiotics against several Staphylococci subdivided in lyogroups and different resistance patterns: methicillin-susceptible/penicillin-susceptible (MS/PS), methicillin-susceptible/penicillin-resistant (MS/PR), methicillin-resistant/penicillin-resistant (MR/PR) and methicillin-resistant/penicillin-susceptible (MR/PS) . The antimicrobial agents used were: methicillin, penicillin, rifampin, tetracycline, lincomycin, erythromycin, gentamicin and netilmicin . Netilmicin showed better activity against all Staphylococcus strains tested, particularly against coagulase-negative.

Am J Infect Control, 1986 Apr, 14(2), 51 - 9
Physiologic, microbiologic, and seasonal effects of handwashing on the skin of health care personnel; Larson E et al.; The handwashing practices of 22 personnel on an oncology unit in an urban medical center were studied for 2 months . During 891 person-hours of observation, 986 handwashes were observed . Subjects washed a mean of 1.1 times an hour for a mean of 13.2 seconds . Reported and observed handwashing behavior was only moderately correlated (p = 0.05 for frequency, 0.30 for duration of handwashing) . Physicians washed significantly less often (p less than 0.001), but more thoroughly (p less than 0.001), than did nurses . Nurses washed more often after minimal or no patient contact than did physicians (p less than 0.001) . Individuals were very consistent in their handwashing technique . A total of 558 isolates were recovered from 158 hand cultures . The mean log count was 4.88, with no significant difference between physicians and nurses . Coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from hands of physicians and nurses were significantly more resistant to antimicrobial agents than those of personnel with minimal patient contact (p less than 0.01) . Subjects had more skin damage in winter than in summer, as indicated by increased shedding of skin squames (p less than 0.05) . We conclude that handwashing practices vary significantly by profession and that reporting of handwashing practices by personnel is inaccurate.

Can J Microbiol, 1986 Apr, 32(4), 359 - 61
Identification of staphylococci from bovine udders: evaluation of the API 20GP system; Watts JL et al.; The API 20GP system (Analytab Products, Plainview, NY) correctly identified 56.1% of staphylococci isolated from the bovine mammary gland . The system identified 90.2% of Staphylococcus aureus strains, but failed to recognize strains of Staphylcoccus hyicus and others . Poor performance was attributed to the limited number of veterinary strains contained in the profile index data base . The API 20GP was determined to be an unacceptable method for identification of staphylococci isolated from the bovine mammary gland.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1986 Apr, 17(4), 481 - 7
The neutralization of antibiotic action by metallic cations and iron chelators; Miles AA et al.; The neutralization of the action of a variety of antibiotics on klebsiellae by moderate doses of di- and tri-valent metallic cations, was measured in vitro . Some beta-lactams tested were affected by Mg++ and by Cu++ . Of six tetracyclines one was moderately neutralized by Ca++, two by Mg++, three by Cu++, and all, strongly, by Fe+++ . Erythromycin was affected by Ca++, lincomycin by Ca++, Mg++ and Cu++ . Aminoglycosides were affected by Ca++ and Mg++ and strongly by Fe+++ . Five antibiotics (three beta-lactams and two macrolides) with high MICs for klebsiellae were tested against staphylococci: most of the reversing agents were ineffective . The microbial iron chelators, desferrioxamine and enterochelin were largely inactive, affecting only two aminoglycosides.

Eur J Immunol, 1986 Apr, 16(4), 381 - 7
Functional and mechanistic studies on the toxicity of deoxyguanosine for the in vitro proliferation and differentiation of human peripheral blood B lymphocytes; Scharenberg JG et al.; Deoxyguanosine (dGuo) has been implicated as the toxic metabolite causing a severe impairment of cellular immunity in children with a genetic deficiency of purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) . In peripheral blood T cells of normal donors both the pathway which leads to phosphorylation of dGuo (ultimately resulting in deoxyguanosine triphosphate, dGTP) and the salvage pathway which starts with degradation of dGuo by PNP (resulting in the formation of guanosine triphosphate, GTP) contribute to the inhibition of proliferation . In normal peripheral blood B cells, addition of dGuo leads to an inhibition of proliferation and differentiation . The concentrations of dGuo needed to cause a 50% inhibition are equivalent for peripheral blood T cells and B cells . Inhibition of B cell differentiation can be observed at the level of intracytoplasmic as well as secreted Ig and concerns all Ig isotypes . The early phase of B cell activation which takes place during a 24-h preculture with formalinized Cowan I Staphylococci is not affected by dGuo; it is not until proliferation and differentiation of B cells, brought about by culturing in the presence of crude concanavalin A supernatant, occurs that inhibitory effects of dGuo become evident . Addition of dGuo to B cell cultures results in an intracellular accumulation of GTP and dGTP . Addition of 8-aminoguanosine, a PNP inhibitor, next to dGuo, completely prevents the dGuo-mediated inhibition . Under these circumstances the dGuo-mediated increase in intracellular GTP is abrogated while dGTP accumulation still occurs . This indicates that the inhibitory effect of dGuo on the proliferation and differentiation of peripheral blood B lymphocytes of normal donors is independent of dGTP accumulation.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1986 Apr, (4), 44 - 9
{Effect of a staphylococcaL infection on the development of an immune response after physical loading}; Omeliusik IL et al.; The infection of rats with staphylococci enhances the suppressing effect of physical loading on the development of immune response induced by the injection of sheep red blood cells . Intensive physical loading is accompanied by the release of the substance activating the function of splenic suppressor cells into the blood . Staphylococcal infection increases the action of the serum substance of rats performing physical work on splenic suppressor cells, as well as on the action of the suppressor factor released by these cells on immunocompetent cells.

S Afr Med J, 1986 Mar 29, 69(7), 441 - 5
Prosthetic valve endocarditis . A clinicopathological study of 31 cases; Rose AG; Prosthetic valve infective endocarditis was found in 31 out of 275 autopsies on patients with valvular prostheses . Mean postoperative survival was 332 days . Thirty patients had mechanical valves and only 1 had an infected tissue valve . The commonest pathogens were staphylococci, followed by Gram-negative bacilli and fungi . In all the patients with mechanical valves the infection was situated at the host-prosthesis sewing ring interface, and most also had vegetations on the prosthetic struts or cage . The infected tissue valve had vegetations on the prosthetic cusps only . Ring abscesses were present in one-third of cases and had destroyed the bundle of His in 1 patient . Clinically recognized pre-operative infective endocarditis was present in only 3 out of the 31 patients . Seven of the 31 patients died because of malfunction of the prosthesis, 10 died of systemic embolism, 4 of ruptured mycotic aneurysms, and the remaining 10 of other causes including myocardial failure, pyaemic abscesses and toxaemia.

Cesk Patol, 1986 Mar, 22(1), 30 - 4
{Generalized infection caused by coagulase-negative staphylococci}; Peychl L et al.; The pathogenicity of coagulase-negative staphylococci was shown in two patients--one died on bacterial endocarditis, the second was a diabetic woman after gastroectomy.

Z Kardiol, 1986 Mar, 75(3), 151 - 5
{Surgical therapy of intracardiac infected pacemaker electrodes and catheter remnants}; Schuler S et al.; With the increase of pacemaker and central venous catheter implantation the number of intracardiac infections now constitutes a significant problem . Twenty patients between 22 and 77 years of age admitted for intracardial infected pacemaker probes or central venous catheter remnants presented with recurring attacks of endocarditic fever; in one case multiple pulmonary abscesses resulted from septic embolization . Staphylococci were the most frequently involved organism (75%) . Risk factors leading to intracardiac infection were local reoperations and diabetes mellitus . Removal of the foreign body was achieved by cardiotomy in all cases . Twelve patients were operated upon without the use of the heart-lung machine, but extracorporeal circulation was necessary in 8 patients . There was one fatality in each of the 2 techniques, for a total mortality rate of 10% . In all cases the foreign bodies were removed without intracardial damage and the endocarditis was cured . When attempts at external extraction fail, the foreign body should be removed by either open or closed cardiotomy . This limits the danger of injury to the heart and of embolization of septic or thrombotic material . The use of the heart-lung machine is especially indicated in the presence of widespread, firm adhesions, or large bacterial vegetations and thrombi.

J Clin Microbiol, 1986 Mar, 23(3), 629 - 30
Evaluation of the AutoMicrobic system Gram-Positive Susceptibility-MIC card for detection of oxacillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci; Woolfrey BF et al.; A total of 398 consecutive clinical staphylococcus isolates, of which 205 were coagulase negative and 193 were coagulase positive, were tested in parallel by using AutoMicrobic system Gram-Positive Susceptibility-MIC cards and modified Mueller-Hinton agar containing 4% NaCl and oxacillin (6 micrograms/ml) . The AutoMicrobic system cards correctly detected 103 of 104 (99%) oxacillin-resistant coagulase-negative isolates with no reports of false resistance.

Arch Microbiol, 1986 Mar, 144(2), 110 - 5
Inhibition of wall autolysis of staphylococci by sodium polyanethole sulfonate "liquoid"; Wecke J et al.; Liquoid (polyanethole sulfonate) was neither capable of influencing the growth nor the viability of staphylococci . But liquoid induced a suppression of the activity of different autolytic wall systems of normally growing staphylococci, i.e., autolysins which participate in cross wall separation as well as autolysins which are responsible for cell wall turnover . Additionally, the lysostaphin-induced wall disintegration of staphylococci was inhibited by liquoid . However, no indication could be found for a direct inhibition of lytic wall enzymes by liquoid; rather an interaction of liquoid with the target structure for the autolytic wall enzymes, the cell wall itself, was postulated . On the basis of the experimental data with the teichoic acid- mutant S . aureus 52A5 the sites of wall teichoic acid were supposed to be an important target for the binding of liquoid to the staphylococcal cell wall.

Inflammation, 1986 Mar, 10(1), 37 - 47
Human polymorphonuclear leukocytes release leukotriene B4 during phagocytosis of Staphylococcus aureus; Henricks PA et al.; We studied release of leukotriene B4 (LTB4) by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) during phagocytosis of staphylococci in the presence or absence of arachidonic acid . The 12 X 10(7) PMNs incubated with 3 X 10(9) opsonized S . aureus and 50 microM arachidonic acid released 1.45 +/- 0.42 nmol LTB4 . No LTB4 was detected after stimulation of PMNs with S . aureus or arachidonic acid by themselves . However, by increasing the concentration of arachidonic acid to 200 or 400 microM, 1.22 +/- 0.45 and 1.98 +/- 0.49 nmol LTB4, respectively, was released by PMNs . The effect of different bacteria-PMN ratios on LTB4 production was also studied . LTB4 varied from 0.3 to 2.0 nmol when bacteria/PMN ratios increased from 5 to 50 (respectively) in the presence of 50 microM arachidonic acid . Thus, phagocytizing PMNs produce LTB4 in the presence of arachidonic acid, and its production is dependent on the number of bacteria phagocytized.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1986 Mar, 17 Suppl A, 19 - 24
Cephalosporins, vancomycin, aminoglycosides and other drugs, especially in combination, for the treatment of methicillin-resistant staphylococcal infections; Klastersky J et al.; Methicillin-resistant staphylococci (MRS) have become major nosocomial pathogens during the last decade . The infections caused by these organisms occur predominantly in intensive care units, where extensive use of antibiotics takes place . Because of their multiresistant nature, these microorganisms frequently pose difficult therapeutic problems . Emergence of resistance during single-drug therapy further complicates the management of these infections . The use of combination therapy provides theoretically, at least, an answer to some of these difficulties; however, in-vitro and experimental studies need to be confirmed by adequately-controlled clinical trials . Aminoglycosides occasionally may play an important role as companion drugs for cephalosporins or vancomycin in the management of MRS infections . Other drugs such as rifampicin, teicoplanin, fluoroquinolones, and imipenem are to be more extensively investigated, as single-drug therapy or part of a combination regimen, for these difficult staphylococcal infections.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1986 Mar, 17(3), 287 - 95
The effect of ciprofloxacin on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Smith SM et al.; Ciprofloxacin exhibited good in-vitro activity for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus with a MIC90 of 0.5 mg/l . The postantibiotic effect was 2.16 h . When ciprofloxacin was evaluated in combination studies with an aminoglycoside, none of the strains met the criterion of synergy as defined by FIC or FBC interaction indices of less than or equal to 0.25 . However, killing kinetic experiments indicated that the combination of ciprofloxacin was synergistic for two of 12 strains with gentamicin and three of 12 strains with amikacin . Although the inoculum size had no effect on the rate of killing by ciprofloxacin, an increase in turbidity was noted when a high inoculum was tested . This increase in turbidity was due to the swelling of the staphylococci to several times their normal size and the formation of clusters of multicellular, incompletely divided staphylococci . If a high inoculum is used for susceptibility testing, this increase in turbidity could be misinterpreted as bacterial growth and could result in a false report of an elevated MIC.

J Hosp Infect, 1986 Mar, 7 Suppl A, 73 - 7
In vitro interactions between teicoplanin and other antibiotics against enterococci and staphylococci; Debbia E et al.; In this study we have evaluated the in vitro activity of teicoplanin, a potent anti-staphylococcal and anti-enterococcal agent, in combination with rifampicin, netilmicin, amikacin, fosfomycin and imipenem . Drug interactions were assessed using a microtitre checkerboard dilution method and a time-kill test . With rifampicin, indifference or an additive effect was the prevalent outcome with both methods . With netilmicin and amikacin synergism was seen against half of the enterococcal strains, whereas indifference was more common with staphylococcal isolates . Synergism predominated when teicoplanin was combined with fosfomycin and imipenem . Under no circumstances and with no combination of drugs were we able to detect antagonistic effects.

J Hosp Infect, 1986 Mar, 7(2), 121 - 9
Microbiologic studies of coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from patients with nosocomial bacteraemias; Ponce de Leon S et al.; We studied 50 strains of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) isolated from 50 patients with hospital-acquired bacteraemia, identified by prospective surveillance at the University of Virginia Hospital between March 1981 and September 1982 . Using the Staph-Ident System for speciation, we found that 37 strains (74%) were Staphylococcus epidermidis, 7 (14%) Staph . hominis, 3 (6%) Staph . haemolyticus and 3 (6%) Staph . warneri . 33 (66%) of the strains produced slime and a higher proportion of the Staph . epidermidis group (75%) than the non-epidermidis group (46%), did so . Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were determined by a microdilution technique with 20 different antibiotics . There was no difference in geometric mean MICs between slime producers and non-slime producers within either the epidermidis or non-epidermidis group . The most potent antibiotics against Staph . epidermidis (MIC90 mg l-1) were rifampin (0.05), netilmicin (0.05), amikacin (2.9), thienamycin (0.75), teichomycin (0.85), vancomycin (1.0) and nafcillin (0.39) . On the other hand strains were resistant to tobramycin (15), moxalactam (50), fosfomycin (greater than 64), and clindamycin (greater than 64) . Overall, eight (16%) of the CNS strains were resistant to methicillin, three of which were Staph . haemolyticus . The non-epidermidis strains were more resistant than the Staph . epidermidis strains to most beta-lactam antibiotics . Differences in antibiograms indicate that speciation of CNS may prove useful for clinical and epidemiologic purposes.

J Hosp Infect, 1986 Mar, 7(2), 108 - 20
Colonization by gentamicin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis in a special care baby unit; Simpson RA et al.; Babies entering a special care baby unit during a 3-month period were studied prospectively for colonization by gentamicin-sensitive and -resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) . Gentamicin-resistant isolates were characterized by biotyping, antibiotic sensitivity pattern and phage-typing . All the babies studied became colonized with gentamicin-resistant CNS and often with multiple strains . Gentamicin-sensitive CNS usually appeared first and predominated, but gentamicin-resistant staphylococci could be detected by enrichment culture at a median time of 1 day, and, by direct culture at a median time of 4 days . Similar strains were found in the environment and nasal carriage was detected in 60% of the staff of the unit by enrichment culture . The gentamicin-resistant strains were all resistant to benzylpenicillin and other antibiotics . No particular pathogenic strain could be identified, but clusters of colonizations by distinguishable strains were noted . Biotype SVI was frequently encountered, particularly among clinically significant isolates.

J Dairy Res, 1986 Feb, 53(1), 1 - 5
Seasonal variation and characterization of Micrococcaceae present in ewes' raw milk; Bautista L et al.; Samples (120) of ewes' raw milk collected over a 12-month period on arrival at the dairy and freshly drawn ewes' milk samples (30) collected at the farm were analysed for total viable counts and staphylococci . Total viable counts reached on the average 5.4 X 10(6)/ml in dairy samples and 6.0 X 10(5)/ml in farm samples, whereas mean levels of staphylococci were 5.9 X 10(4)/ml and 3.3 X 10(3)/ml, respectively . A high proportion (62%) of coagulase-positive isolates from Baird-Parker agar plates was detected in spring months . Staphylococcus aureus (42%), Staph . haemolyticus (23%) and Staph . epidermidis (10%) were the predominant species in 210 characterized isolates of staphylococci from ewes' raw milk . Seven coagulase-positive, maltose-negative staphylococci could not be identified with any of the recognized Staphylococcus species . Eighteen Micrococcus strains were identified as M . varians, whereas 111 Micrococcus strains of uncertain taxonomic status were separated into three groups, according to their physiological characters.

Am J Vet Res, 1986 Feb, 47(2), 229 - 31
Frequency and antimicrobial susceptibility of Staphylococcus species isolated from canine pyodermas; Medleau L et al.; Specimens obtained from pyogenic skin lesions of 210 dogs were culturally examined for staphylococci . A total of 215 isolates of staphylococci were biotyped, using the biochemical tests contained in a commercial staphylococcal identification system . Of 201 coagulase-positive isolates, 197 were identified as Staphylococcus intermedius, 3 as S aureus, and 1 as S hyicus . Of 14 coagulase-negative isolates, 5 were identified as S epidermidis, 5 as S xylosus, 3 as S simulans, and 1 as S hominis . Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were done on all staphylococcal isolates, using the standard disk-diffusion method . Staphylococcus intermedius isolates were susceptible to cephalothin, methicillin, and gentamicin . Resistance to ampicillin, penicillin G, and tetracycline was frequent . Antibiotic resistance was not associated with the depth of skin infection . Resistance to ampicillin, penicillin, tetracycline, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole was not associated with previous antibiotic use . Increased resistance to chloramphenicol, clindamycin, and erythromycin was associated with previous antibiotic therapy . Antimicrobial susceptibilities of the other Staphylococcus species isolated are reported, but the small numbers of these species precluded making meaningful comparison with S intermedius.

Crit Care Med, 1986 Feb, 14(2), 111 - 4
Paranasal sinusitis associated with nasotracheal intubation: a frequently unrecognized and treatable source of sepsis; Deutschman CS et al.; Paranasal sinusitis secondary to prolonged nasotracheal intubation represents an infrequently reported source of sepsis . Of 27 nasally intubated patients who developed paranasal sinusitis over a 1-yr period, 17 patients underwent emergency blind nasotracheal intubation post-trauma or shock (group 1) and the remaining ten were intubated electively under operating room or ICU conditions (group 2) . Group 1 patients were younger (mean age 33 +/- 6 vs . 57 +/- 5 yr) than those in group 2; they also developed sinusitis more quickly after intubation (mean time 8 +/- 1 vs . 15 +/- 2 days) . Diagnosis was confirmed via sinus x-rays (14 cases), computed tomography (five cases), indium scan (two cases), or clinical picture . Cultures were obtained in 14 cases . Staphylococci predominated in group 1, while nosocomial Gram-negative organisms predominated in group 2 . Seven patients developed pulmonary infections and two developed systemic sepsis with an organism present on sinus culture . In all cases treatment was successful with antibiotics and tracheostomy or movement of the tube to the oral route . These data indicate that patients nasally intubated are at risk for development of paranasal sinusitis; this diagnosis should be suspected in sepsis of undetermined etiology.

Clin Immunol Immunopathol, 1986 Feb, 38(2), 184 - 97
Antigen detection in immune complexes by a modified staphylococci binding assay and Western blot analysis; McDougal JS et al.; The combination of a modified Staphylococci binding assay for immune complexes and Western blot analysis is described for the isolation and detection of antigen in immune complexes from human sera . The strategy of the procedure is to preclear immune complexes from other serum components by sequential polyethylene glycol precipitation and incubation with insoluble protein A under conditions in which immune complexes are preferentially bound . Immune complexes are eluted from protein A in sodium dodecyl sulfate buffer and dissociated by acrylamide electrophoresis . Resolved proteins are then transblotted to nitrocellulose, and antigen is detected with specific antibody . Immune complexes were prepared in vitro with an antigen (keyhole limpet hemocyanin) that focuses well on electrophoresis and for which a potent immunologic probe (antibody) was available . In this system, antigen could be detected when immune complexes were present in sera in concentrations as low as 20 micrograms aggregated-IgG eq/ml, regardless of antigen-antibody ratio . We demonstrate the detection of horse globulin in immune complexes from a patient with acute serum sickness and hepatitis B virus antigen in complexes from a patient with vasculitis.

Vet Microbiol, 1986 Feb, 11(1-2), 185 - 9
Comparative characteristics of Staphylococcus sciuri, Staphylococcus lentus and Staphylococcus gallinarum isolated from healthy and sick hosts; Adegoke GO; Of 136 strains of coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from healthy and sick human beings, goats, sheep, antelope and other animals, 88 (64.7%) were Staphylococcus sciuri and 35 (25.7%) were S . lentus and the remainder Staphylococcus gallinarum . The strains of S . sciuri were isolated from humans with boils and wounds, goats with pestes des petits ruminants (PPR) and dogs with nasal discharge . One isolate of S . gallinarum came from a fowl with chronic respiratory disease and 11 others were isolated from goats . The characteristics of S . sciuri, S . lentus and S . gallinarum isolated from different sources were similar.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1986 Feb, 17(2), 155 - 60
Sensitivity patterns of coagulase-negative staphylococci from neonates; Davies AJ et al.; Coagulase-negative staphylococci from neonates on two special care baby units were collected and the sensitivity patterns to 18 antibiotics were compared . The two units had different antibiotic policies and this correlated with different sensitivity profiles for the isolates . Netilmicin was shown to be the most active aminoglycoside and cefamandole the most active cephalosporin.

Am J Kidney Dis, 1986 Feb, 7(2), 141 - 5
Analysis of the causative pathogens in uncomplicated CAPD-associated peritonitis: duration of therapy, relapses, and prognosis; Golper TA et al.; We analyzed the frequency with which certain bacteria caused uncomplicated peritonitis in an adult continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) program that continued patients on this modality of therapy despite frequent infections . All infections were treated with a commonly employed 10- to 14-day course of narrow spectrum intraperitoneal antibiotics . Although the distribution of bacterial pathogens was similar to previous reports (coagulase-negative staphylococci, 43%; Staphylococcus aureus, 13%), we observed no episodes of fungal peritonitis . Twenty percent of our infections were associated with either "no specimens obtained" or "no growth," a finding similar to the CAPD registry . When the data were available, two thirds of all infections were caused by the same pathogen (genus and species) as in the most immediately preceding infection . Twenty-two of 96 episodes of uncomplicated peritonitis occurred within three weeks of a preceding infection . In all 11 cases where organisms were isolated from both paired episodes, the infecting agent was the same as in the preceding infection and was a staphylococcus . This high rate of apparent relapse and the absence of fungal infections may relate to our treatment protocol and possible explanations are discussed . Lastly, the occurrence of coagulase-negative staphylococcal peritonitis is a harbinger of future episodes of peritonitis caused by a variety of organisms.

Surg Neurol, 1986 Feb, 25(2), 178 - 80
Oxacillin prophylaxis in cerebrospinal fluid shunt procedures: results of a randomized open study in 60 hydrocephalic patients; Djindjian M et al.; A 27-month open randomized trial (October 1981-January 1984) was carried out to study the prophylactic efficacy of antibiotics in 60 hydrocephalic patients being shunted for the first time . The treatment group received oxacillin at a dosage of 200 mg/kg/day by six bolus intravenous injections, beginning with anesthetic induction and continuing for 24 hours after the operations . The minimum postoperative observation was 6 months . Six patients in the control group developed cerebrospinal fluid infections (20%) as compared with only a single patient in the oxacillin group (3.3%); this difference was statistically significant (p less than 0.05) . Time of development of cerebrospinal fluid infection was brief (86% at 6 weeks), and as usual staphylococci were the pathogens most frequently implicated . This study would appear to confirm the choice of oxacillin for prevention of meningitis . Nevertheless, the frequency of methicillin-resistant staphylococci, which account for 20% of nosocomial staphylococcal infections, constitutes a limiting factor for such prevention.

Jpn J Med Sci Biol, 1986 Feb, 39(1), 9 - 20
Bactericidal activity of the membrane fraction isolated from phagocytes of mice and its stimulation by melittin; Kondo E et al.; The membrane fraction prepared from mouse peritoneal exudate cells was incubated with mycobacteria, staphylococci, or E . coli in acetate buffer of pH 5.6 to follow the fate of viable bacilli . The membrane fraction exhibited bactericidal effect on mycobacteria and staphylococci, but not on E . coli . The activity to kill mycobacteria, as well as the endogenous phospholipase A2 activity, of the membrane fraction was markedly enhanced by melittin, a basic peptide from bee venom, and inhibited by indomethacin and EDTA . The role of the enzyme activity in the bactericidal activity was discussed.

J Appl Bacteriol, 1986 Feb, 60(2), 97 - 102
Characteristics of staphylococci isolated from man, poultry and some other animals; Adegoke GO; Of 281 strains of staphylococci isolated from man and animals 36 (12.8%) were coagulase-positive and 245 (87.2%) were coagulase-negative . Staphylococcus aureus and Staph . intermedius were the commonest coagulase-positive staphylococci isolated from the hosts examined . Of the 20 strains that remained unclassifiable, 14 were isolated from sheep and goats.

J Infect Dis, 1986 Feb, 153(2), 332 - 9
Usefulness of a test for slime production as a marker for clinically significant infections with coagulase-negative staphylococci; Davenport DS et al.; The usefulness of a test for slime production as a marker for clinically significant infections with coagulase-negative staphylococci and its implications for therapy were examined . Hospital records were reviewed for 59 patients from each of whom more than one isolate of coagulase-negative staphylococci was obtained . In patients with a prosthetic device, 81% of 59 infectious episodes were due to a slime-positive coagulase-negative staphylococci . In contrast, 22 noninfectious episodes (in which the organisms were contaminants) were equally distributed between episodes due to slime-positive or slime-negative isolates (P = .005) . Only 32% of infections caused by slime-positive organisms, in contrast to 100% of infections caused by slime-negative organisms, were improved by treatment with antibiotics alone (P = .02) . Prosthetic device removal in addition to antibiotic treatment significantly improved the outcome in patients with infections due to slime-positive organisms when compared with treatment with antibiotics alone (93% vs . 32% improvement; P = .00025).

J Am Vet Med Assoc, 1986 Jan 15, 188(2), 170 - 2
Patterns of nonclinical intramammary infection in a ewe flock; Hueston WD et al.; Coagulase-negative staphylococci were the most frequent bacterial isolates from nonclinical intramammary infections (NIMI) in a ewe flock . The prevalence of NIMI was 22.9% of the udder halves at lambing and decreased to 12.5% or less between week 2 and week 6 of lactation . The decrease was due mainly to the elimination of infections involving coagulase-negative staphylococci . The frequency of new NIMI in the first 6 weeks of lactation was less than 1% of the noninfected udder halves per week . The prevalence of NIMI increased steadily from 16.1% of the udder halves at the time of weaning the lambs to 29% at postweaning week 3 . The new infection rate averaged 9.7% per week during the postweaning 3 weeks . The principal bacterial isolate in the new NIMI was coagulase-negative staphylococcus . Nonclinical intramammary infection in a ewe flock was monitored by bacteriologic cultural examinations of milk samples obtained from both udder halves of 24 ewes during early lactation and of 31 ewes in the same flock during the early postweaning period . The patterns of NIMI were similar to the patterns reported in cattle.

J Anim Sci, 1986 Jan, 62(1), 16 - 20
Prevalence and effects of intramammary infection in beef cows; Watts JL et al.; Prevalence and effects of intramammary infection in 322 beef cows was determined during three calving intervals . Intramammary infection was confirmed in 37% of cows and 18.1% of quarters . Coagulase-positive staphylococci accounted for 17.9% of infections with Staphylococcus aureus isolated from 7.1% of cows . Coagulase-negative staphylococci and micrococci accounted for the remainder of infectious organisms . Butterfat and total protein levels were reduced 27.3 (P less than .05) and 25.5% (P less than .01), respectively, in milk from quarters infected with S . aureus . Somatic cell counts were elevated (P less than .001) with 3,827 X 10(3) cells/ml for S . aureus-infected quarters as compared with 555 X 10(3) cells/ml for uninfected quarters . Somatic cell counts were negatively correlated with 210-d calf weaning weights . Staphylococcus aureus-infected cows weaned calves weighing 19.1 kg less (P less than .01) than uninfected cows . At a present market value of $1.65/kg, economic losses were placed at $31.43/calf from cows infected with S . aureus in one or more quarters.

Acta Paediatr Scand, 1986 Jan, 75(1), 139 - 44
Antibodies to staphylococcal teichoic acid and alpha toxin in patients with cystic fibrosis; Ericsson A et al.; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used for IgG antibody determination to teichoic acid and alpha-toxin from Staphylococcus aureus in 65 patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) . In patients chronically colonized with S . aureus, elevated titres to teichoic acid were found in 13/35 (37%) patients, to alpha-toxin in 12/35 (34%) and to either antigen in 18/35 (51%) . Patients with elevated titres to teichoic acid had a significantly lower X-ray score than patients with normal titres . The highest titres against both teichoic acid and alpha-toxin were seen in patients not receiving optimal treatment . These findings suggest that staphylococci contribute to the tissue damage in CF and that the determination of antibodies especially to staphylococcal teichoic acid might be of value in the diagnosis and management of staphylococcal infections in patients with CF.

Am J Vet Res, 1986 Jan, 47(1), 139 - 42
N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase and antitrypsin in subclinically infected quarter-milk samples: effect of bacteria and hemolysins, lactation stage, and lactation number; Mattila T et al.; Interrelationships between N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (indicating cellular damage) and antitrypsin (indicating increased permeability between the blood and milk compartments) were evaluated in 1,411 quarter-milk samples collected during routine herd surveys . N-Acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase was antitrypsin, whereas, in more severe mastitis, antitrypsin had a more constant deflection . The sensitivity of both determinants was associated with the virulence of bacteria . Production of bacterial hemolytic toxins was associated with a significant increase in both determinants . Penicillinase production by staphylococci was associated with selective increases of antitrypsin.

Proc Soc Exp Biol Med, 1986 Jan, 181(1), 104 - 11
Staphylococcus aureus adherence to influenza A virus-infected and control cell cultures: evidence for multiple adhesins; Sanford BA et al.; During major epidemics with influenza, there is an increased number of pneumonias due to Staphylococcus aureus with a subsequent high mortality rate . We have postulated that influenza A virus infection of host cells promotes the adherence of S . aureus ultimately resulting in bacterial superinfection . In the present study we compared the adherence of seven strains of 3H-labeled S . aureus to Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cell monolayers, uninfected and infected with influenza A/FM/1/47 virus . Test strains included: Cowan I; a Cowan I protein A-deficient mutant (PA-); EMS, a protein A and clumping factor-deficient mutant; HSmR; 52A5, a teichoic acid-deficient mutant of HSmR; M, an encapsulated strain; and, No . 1071, a clinical isolate . By radioassay, six of the seven strains demonstrated significantly enhanced adherence to virus-infected cell monolayers compared to uninfected controls; only the M strain was adherence negative . Surface hydrophobicity of the staphylococci did not correlate with their ability to adhere . Four strains of labeled staphylococci (Cowan I, PA-, EMS, and No . 1071), untreated or treated with 2.5% trypsin, 1.25% protease, or by autoclaving, were tested in the radioassay . Protease treatment, which was more effective than trypsin treatment, reduced adherence of all four test strains by 74-96% . Results of heat treatment suggested the presence of both thermolabile and thermostable adhesins . Staphylococcal thermal extracts, profiled by anion-exchange HPLC, were used to pretreat monolayers in a blocking radioassay . Adherence was decreased to control cells (9-78%) and to virus-infected cells (56-90%) . The data suggest that multiple distinct surface proteins mediate the binding of S . aureus to uninfected and influenza A virus-infected cells.

Biull Eksp Biol Med, 1986 Jan, 101(1), 68 - 71
{Possible role of opsonins in adsorption and transport of biological membranes and viruses by Staphylococci}; Bykov AS et al.; Electron microscopy of ultrathin sections of Staphylococcus aureus cells, Wood-46 strain, opsonized by the blood serum has revealed deposition of blood serum components on the bacterial cell walls . The bacteria opsonized by the blood serum absorbed biological membranes and the influenza virus virions . Staphylococcus-opsonin-virus complexes were digested by polymorphonuclear leukocytes . In mixed infection models staphylococci and influenza virus virions were detected in different parts of the phagocyte cytoplasm.

Arch Intern Med, 1986 Jan, 146(1), 119 - 21
Coagulase-negative staphylococcal endocarditis . Occurrence in patients with mitral valve prolapse; Baddour LM et al.; Although coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are frequent etiologic agents in prosthetic valve endocarditis, they rarely infect native heart valves . We report three cases of CoNS endocarditis in patients with mitral valve prolapse (MVP) . Review of other reports of MVP-associated endocarditis and of the limited experience with CoNS infection of native heart valves suggests that our experience is not unique . Coagulase-negative staphylococcal endocarditis superimposed on MVP may be difficult to recognize and to treat . The cardiac dysfunction can be quite subtle, the clinical course indolent, the blood culture results difficult to interpret, and the response to antimicrobial agents suboptimal.

Infect Immun, 1986 Jan, 51(1), 294 - 301
Cell surface characteristics of coagulase-negative staphylococci and their adherence to fluorinated poly(ethylenepropylene); Hogt AH et al.; The ability of 21 nonencapsulated and 15 encapsulated coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) to adhere to xylene in xylene-water emulsions and to fluorinated poly(ethylenepropylene) (FEP) films revealed remarkable differences . Nonencapsulated CNS strains adhered well to FEP, whereas their adherence to xylene ranged widely . Encapsulated strains with low adherence to xylene showed slight adherence to FEP . Encapsulated strains which adhered well to xylene ranged widely in their adherence to FEP . It was concluded that results obtained from the xylene adherence test were not predictive of the adherence of CNS to the hydrophobic FEP surface . The number of nonwashed, slime-producing CNS strains adhering to FEP was similar to that of washed bacteria of the same strains . Bacterial adherence to FEP was decreased when FEP films were exposed to a solution containing extracellular products (EP) obtained from a slime-producing CNS strain . Bacterial adherence to xylene also decreased when the bacterial suspensions contained EP . Apparently, initial adherence of CNS to FEP and xylene is hampered by EP . Nonencapsulated and encapsulated CNS pretreated with proteolytic enzymes failed to adhere to xylene and FEP, indicating that intact surface proteins or constituents associated with surface proteins mediated their adherence to xylene and FEP . Freeze-etch replicas of a CNS strain adhering to FEP showed a smooth, flattened area on the bacterial surface at the contact site of the bacteria with the FEP, indicating that an external layer was present at the bacterial surface.

Rev Chir Orthop Reparatrice Appar Mot, 1986, 72(7), 471 - 5
{Subacute osteomyelitis in young children . Study of 17 cases}; Rombouts JJ et al.; Subacute osteomyelitis is characterised by absence of symptoms of generalised infection and a favourable prognosis . In the last 15 years, the authors have observed 17 such cases in children, aged between 3 months and 4 years . Three were situated in the epiphysis and 14 in the metaphyseal region . On three occasions, a tarsal bone was involved and in five cases the lesion was in the spine . The radiological signs were very characteristic and biological changes were minimal . Exploration of the site of the infection was done on ten occasions, but only on two were organisms found . Treatment was based on antibiotics active against staphylococci and drugs inhibiting prostaglandins . Only one case was treated surgically . Healing occurred eventually in all cases.

Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis, 1986, 9(4), 347 - 53
Comparison of methods for routine separation of coagulase-negative staphylococci from micrococci isolated from sheep; de la Fuente R et al.; A total of 176 Gram-positive, catalase positive cocci strains, isolated from sheep were studied by different routine tests for the differentiation of staphylococci and micrococci, comparing their validity and usefulness . By glucose fermentation and growth in the anaerobic portion of thioglycolate 85 and 73.6% respectively of coagulase negative staphylococci were misclassified as Micrococcus spp . Susceptibility to lysostaphin was an adequate test for the differentiation of the strains . Atypical results in the production of acid from glycerol/erythromycin were obtained in 11.8% of the coagulase negative strains and 16.7% of micrococci . The combined use of the selective media furazolidone agar and Schleifer and Kramer medium resulted in a fast and useful separation of ovine staphylococci and micrococci . The bacteriolytic activity misclassified 32.2% of the coagulase negative strains.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1986 Jan, 29(1), 135 - 40
Contrasts between phagocyte antibiotic uptake and subsequent intracellular bactericidal activity; Hand WL et al.; An ideal antibiotic for therapy of infections due to facultative intracellular organisms would enter phagocytes readily and kill intracellular bacteria . We have examined the consequences of antibiotic uptake by human polymorphonuclear lymphocytes (PMN) on intraphagocytic bactericidal activity, using antibiotics which differ markedly in their ability to enter PMN . After ingestion of Staphylococcus aureus, PMN were evaluated in regard to uptake of antibiotics and survival of intraphagocytic bacteria in the presence or absence of these drugs . Except for erythromycin, the uptake of which was slightly decreased, the entry of tested antibiotics into PMN was increased or unchanged after ingestion of S . aureus . Clindamycin and erythromycin, which achieved high cellular levels in PMN, failed to produce a significant reduction in viable intraphagocytic S . aureus during 3 h of antibiotic exposure . In contrast, rifampin, which was concentrated severalfold by phagocytes, was able to kill intracellular staphylococci . Gentamicin and penicillin G penetrated PMN rather poorly . However, while gentamicin demonstrated efficient intraphagocytic killing of bacteria, penicillin had no intracellular effect during the 3-h incubation period . These observations document that the ability to enter phagocytes is only one of the factors which determine the intracellular antibacterial activity of an antibiotic.

Vet Med Nauki, 1986, 23(7), 28 - 32
{Specific prophylaxis of gangrenous mastitis in sheep}; Masalski N et al.; Staphylococci were isolated from the udder of dead sheep and sheep that were emergency-slaughtered because of a gangrenous mastitis infection . The organisms proved to be hemolytic and mannite- and catalase-positive, and were referred to various phage types, being most frequently lysed by phages 78 and 42E . Toxin production depended on the quality of the medium used, the amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide, the period of incubation, and the individual strain qualities . Strains of high hemolysin production were used to prepare a vaccine which was applied to sheep both experimentally and in the conditions of the practice at the time of active lactation . Following treatment of the vaccinated animals parallel to a number of controls with one and the same challenging agent morbidity with the first group ran as high as 25 per cent with no death cases, while with the second group it was 100 per cent, and mortality with the latter was 50 per cent . Immunity with the use of the vaccine lasted but four months, therefore, revaccination was needed by the end of this period.

Zentralbl Mikrobiol, 1986, 141(3), 163 - 8
Characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus strains, isolated from slaughtered poultry; Lukasova J et al.; The extent of contamination in slaughtered poultry by strains of Staphylococcus aureus was investigated, as well as the origin of strains and the way of their transfer during operation of the poultry slaughterhouse . 45 strains were isolated from 175 swab samples from the surface and the body cavity of poultry and 8 strains from 23 workers of the slaughterhouse . 22 strains of St . aureus from the poultry were classified as biotype A (of human origin), according to the biochemical identification scheme by Hajek and Marsalek (1971), and 20 strains as biotype B (of poultry origin) . 3 strains were not typable . 7 strains from the workers handling the poultry were classified as biotype A and one strain was not typable . Enterotoxins were produced mostly by strains of biotype A (13), by one strain of biotype B, and by one strain which could not be typified . The transfer of staphylococci from workers into the poultry was verified.

Scand J Infect Dis, 1986, 18(3), 257 - 63
In vitro aminoglycoside resistance of gram-negative bacilli and staphylococci isolated from blood in Sweden 1980-1984; Bengtsson S et al.; The in vitro susceptibility to gentamicin, tobramycin, amikacin and netilmicin in septicaemia isolates was followed during 1980-1984 in 6-8 Swedish laboratories . The bacterial distribution was similar over the years and was dominated by Escherichia coli and staphylococci . Resistance to gentamicin was found in 2.3-3.6%, to tobramycin in 1.4-3.4%, to amikacin and netilmicin in 0.5-0.9% . Production of aminoglycoside modifying enzymes was observed among resistant strains.

Vet Med Nauki, 1986, 23(2), 53 - 8
{Prophylactic disinfection of the housing for suckling sows under commercial swine-raising conditions}; Karadzhov S et al.; Cleansing and prophylactic disinfection were carried out on a premise for nursing sows with 31 raised boxes over a flooring area of 250 m2 . The effect of these treatments was ascertained through bacteriologic investigations of impression preparations and washings taken by means of cotton swab . It was found that cleaning and washing with a water jet at 40 atm . pressure led to 96.58 per cent drop of the total microbial count of the air, while disinfection with 3 per cent water solution of sodium hydroxide resulted in 98.73 per cent drop . Surface coli bacteria dropped by 66.70 per cent, and staphylococci--by 78.50 per cent, however, both species of organisms were totally destroyed with disinfection.

J Clin Microbiol, 1986 Jan, 23(1), 43 - 5
Involvement of coagulase-negative staphylococci in toxic shock syndrome; Crass BA et al.; Coagulase-negative staphylococci that produce toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1) or a staphylococcal enterotoxin or both were isolated from various sources . Coagulase-negative strains that produce TSST-1 alone or with enterotoxin A were the only staphylococci isolated from seven patients with toxic shock syndrome . Two other toxic shock syndrome patients had coagulase-positive staphylococci also, but only the coagulase-negative strains produced TSST-1 . Coagulase-positive and coagulase-negative strains that produced TSST-1 were isolated from two other toxic shock syndrome patients . In addition, coagulase-negative staphylococci that produced toxins were isolated from patients with other staphylococcal infections and from food implicated in a case of food poisoning.

Acta Microbiol Hung, 1986, 33(3), 183 - 91
Characterization of hospital and community strains of Staphylococcus aureus for resistance to antimicrobial drugs, metallic ions, disinfectants, thermal injury and solar radiation; Utsalo SJ; One hundred and sixty strains of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from various clinical specimens were classified into groups: hospital staphylococci (HS) or community staphylococci (CS), based on the clinico-ecological circumstances of isolation . Fifty strains from both groups were tested for the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of penicillin G, streptomycin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, mercuric chloride, disodium hydrogen arsenate, silver nitrate and sodium bisulphite . Four representative strains from each group were further studied for resistance to "in-use" dilutions of 4 disinfectants (Dettol, Izal, Savlon and Chlohexidine), heat stress and the effect of solar radiation in sand cultures . All HS and 31.8% of CS were resistant to penicillin and ampicillin and produced penicillinase . HS had higher MICs of antibiotics and metallic ions and longer bactericidal times with disinfectants than CS . Resistance to thermal stress varied within each group but survival in sand cultures under solar radiation appeared to be influenced by multiple factors to which community staphylococci were probably better adapted.

Microbios, 1986, 47(191), 107 - 12
Enzymatic characterization of Staphylococcus aureus strains: a possible role of habitat and methicillin-resistance in the determination of the differences observed; Pessione E et al.; Twenty five strains of Staphylococcus aureus of human and environmental origin were tested for their enzymatic patterns . All human strains possessed acid phosphatase, while only 25% of the environmental staphylococci demonstrated acid phosphatase activity . In addition, the enzyme alpha-glucosidase was present only in the methicillin resistant-multiresistant strains, in spite of their origin . This work suggests a possible role of the enzyme on penicillin-binding protein mediated methicillin-resistance and stresses the importance of external habitat in the expression of enzymatic activity of bacteria . The enzymatic pattern may confirm or exclude cross-infection, when a single species, with uniformly antibiotic responses, is involved.

Can J Vet Res, 1986 Jan, 50(1), 120 - 2
Comparison of the API Staph-Ident and DMS Staph Trac micromethods for the identification of coagulase-negative staphylococci; Giovannetti DI et al.; Two rapid identification micromethods, the API Staph-Ident and the DMS Staph Trac, were compared for the identification of coagulase-negative staphylococci . Seventy-five isolates, mainly of bovine origin, were used as the test organisms . Species identification and profile numbers assigned to isolates by each system were compared . However, no clear correlation patterns emerged, indicating the two methods were not comparable.

J Clin Microbiol, 1986 Jan, 23(1), 126 - 8
Comparison of the MicroScan system with the API Staph-Ident system for species identification of coagulase-negative staphylococci; Hussain Z et al.; To evaluate the accuracy of the MicroScan System (American Hospital Supply Corp., Sacramento, Calif.) for identification of coagulase-negative staphylococci, we tested 175 clinical isolates of coagulase-negative staphylococci . The results obtained by the MicroScan system were compared with those of the API Staph-Ident system (Analytab Products, Plainview, N.Y.) . Forty-three discrepancies between the two systems were resolved by the conventional method of Kloos and Schleifer (W.E . Kloos and K.H . Schleifer, J . Clin . Microbiol . 1:82-88, 1975) . The MicroScan and the Staph-Ident systems correctly identified 146 (86.4%) and 154 (88%) of 175 strains, respectively . The API system failed to identify phosphatase-negative Staphylococcus epidermidis . The MicroScan system demonstrated the greatest accuracy in the identification of S . epidermidis and S . saprophyticus, whereas lesser accuracy was achieved with S . hominis, S . warneri, and S . sciuri.

Rev Infect Dis, 1986 Jan-Feb, 8(1), 12 - 20
Endophthalmitis following intraocular lens implantation: report of 30 cases and review of the literature; Weber DJ et al.; Bacterial endophthalmitis is a postoperative complication of intraocular lens implantation . A review of 30 cases showed that 77% occurred within seven days of initial cataract surgery and that all cases occurred within 32 days . Common presenting symptoms and signs included pain localized to the involved eye, decreased visual acuity, conjunctival injection, anterior chamber inflammation, hypopyon, and absent or poor red reflex . Diagnosis of an infectious etiology was made by aqueous and vitreous sampling for gram stain and culture . The commonest bacterial agents were coagulase-negative staphylococci and Staphylococcus aureus, but a wide variety of gram-negative and -positive organisms were also isolated . On the basis of this series and review of the literature, optimal treatment includes prompt diagnosis by culture and gram stain of vitreous fluid, frequent application of topical antibiotics, and administration of intraocular antibiotics . Intravenous antibiotics and vitrectomy may improve the visual outcome . Removal of the intraocular lens is unnecessary for bacteriologic cure and is not associated with improved visual outcome.

Infection, 1986, 14 Suppl 4, S231 - 2
The activity of ofloxacin against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Mraovic M et al.; The return of multiresistant Staphylococcus aureus strains and the appearance of methicillin-resistant strains resistant as well to rifampin and fusidic acid increase the need for new agents to treat infections caused by such strains . Ofloxacin susceptibility of 109 selected methicillin-resistant staphylococci (with MIC90 of 1,000 mg/l for methicillin, 1.3% being resistant to gentamicin with MICs ranging from 25 to 100 mg/l, chloramphenicol MICs ranging from 25 to 100 mg/l and resistant to beta-lactam-antibiotics and clindamycin), was determined by an agar dilution method . MICs of ofloxacin for methicillin-resistant staphylococci ranged from 0.09 to 0.78 mg/l, with an MIC90 of 0.39 mg/l . The in vitro results suggest a possible clinical role for ofloxacin in infections caused by methicillin-resistant staphylococci . However, further investigations are needed.

Trans Ophthalmol Soc U K, 1986, 105 ( Pt 3), 314 - 8
Bacterial aspects of chronic blepharitis; McCulley JP et al.; Patients with all forms of chronic blepharitis were thoroughly evaluated . These patients were found to have evidence for a primary bacterial component in the disease process only in the clinical staphylococcal and mixed seborrheic/staphylococcal forms of chronic blepharitis . Evidence was found for a shared common pathway for Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase negative staphylococci, and Propionibacterium acnes to contribute to the disease process . These organisms were found to produce lypolytic exoenzymes including fatty wax esterase, cholesteryl esterase, and triglyceride lipase . Statistically significantly larger numbers of coagulase negative staphylococci were found to produce these enzymes in patients with the various forms of seborrheic blepharitis and meibomian keratoconjunctivitis . Additionally, abnormalities in the free fatty acid component of the meibomian secretions were found in these patients supporting the hypothesis that lypolytic exoenzymes produced by bacteria might alter the meibomian secretion . Even though a primary pathogen is identifiable only in staphylococcal and mixed seborrheic/staphylococcal blepharitis, several different bacteria may contribute to the expression of disease in all other forms of chronic blepharitis.

J Ocul Pharmacol, 1986 Spring, 2(2), 185 - 203
Recent developments in chemotherapy of ocular diseases; Leopold IH; The profile of organisms responsible for ocular infections has changed over the past few decades . Although nonresistant and resistant staphylococci still lead the list, gram-negative, mixed infections and anaerobic organisms have become more evident . In spite of more potent and broader spectra antibiotics, resistant organisms still emerge . The therapy of intraocular infections requires an awareness of the latest antibiotics, particularly their advantages, limitations, toxicities, and administration . Iontophoresis through the sclera overlying the pars planum area with small diameter applicators may offer another route of administration which may reduce or eliminate the value of direct intravitreal injections of antibiotics . Reduction of the harmful effects of endotoxins of organismal origin might minimize the adverse effects of intraocular infection, particularly after gram-negative invasion . The choice of antibiotic may influence the quantities of endotoxins released.

Isr J Med Sci, 1986 Jan, 22(1), 29 - 33
Neonatal septicemia caused by coagulase-negative staphylococci; Sujov P et al.; We report our experience with coagulase-negative staphylococcal infection over a period of 1 year . The incidence of coagulase-negative staphylococcus septicemia was 4.25% (13 newborn infants) of the 306 admissions to our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit . Ten patients (76.9%) were premature infants . Four infants in our series were less than 48 h of age . Two of these were presumably born with the infection . Six infants had involvement of the lungs . The strains of coagulase-negative staphylococci cultured from all cases of neonatal septicemia were sensitive to cephalothin, but were considerably less sensitive to the currently used antibiotic combinations . Our observations indicate that coagulase-negative staphylococci must be suspected in early or late neonatal sepsis, and that early antibiotic treatment by cephalothin may prevent morbidity.

Infection, 1986, 14 Suppl 1, S26 - 30
{Dependence of the bactericidal activity and mutant selection of 4-quinolones on their serum concentration levels}; Bauernfeind A et al.; In an in vitro system, bacterial cultures were exposed to concentrations following the kinetics of 4-quinolones in human serum . Both killing kinetics of staphylococci and enterococci and selection of resistant mutants were shown to be influenced by the pharmacokinetik parameters of the individual substances.

Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg, 1986, 80(6), 972 - 4
Relationship of some biochemical characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus to enterotoxin production; Lim YS et al.; A total of 151 enterotoxigenic and 98 non-enterotoxigenic strains of Staphylococcus aureus were examined for production of coagulase, phosphatase, deoxyribonuclease, haemolytic activity, glucose and mannitol fermentation, typical growth on Baird-Parker medium, pigment production and growth under anaerobic conditions . Enterotoxigenic strains showed a higher tendency to demonstrate haemolytic activity, but none of the other biochemical properties could be correlated with the ability of the staphylococci to produce enterotoxins . It appears that other ancillary tests must be developed to be useful in the differentiation of enterotoxigenic and non-enterotoxigenic staphylococci.

Drugs Exp Clin Res, 1986, 12(12), 939 - 42
Synergy of sulbactam and ampicillin against methicillin-resistant staphylococci; Chin NX et al.; Methicillin resistance in staphylococci is an increasing problem both for Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (MRSE), which cause infections of the heart and after central nervous system surgery . Resistance seems to be due primarily to production of altered penicillin-binding proteins . The present study determined whether a combination of beta-lactamase inhibitor sulbactam and ampicillin or sulbactam and cefazolin would inhibit MRSA and MRSE . Sulbactam, ampicillin and cefazolin at 32 micrograms/ml did not inhibit MRSA or MRSE . At 8 micrograms/ml of each agent all isolates were inhibited . Synergy of sulbactam and ampicillin could be demonstrated against MRSA by the agar fixed ratio method, checkerboard dilution and by killing curves . This suggests that in certain situations MRSA and MRSE may be effectively eliminated by this method.

South Med J, 1986 Jan, 79(1), 33 - 6, 40
Norwalk virus outbreak at a college campus; Alexander WJ et al.; An epidemic of nonbacterial gastroenteritis affected nearly 100 students at a college campus in Jefferson County, Alabama . The outbreak closely resembled food poisoning, since there was a rapid occurrence of multiple cases within a short period . Vomiting occurred in 79% and diarrhea in 64%; fever was uncommon . We found a significant association between the illness and the eating of lettuce at a meal one day before the outbreak began . Paired serologic specimens showed evidence of Norwalk virus infection . Twenty acutely ill students had leukocytosis (mean WBC 12,780/cu mm) and lymphopenia--a pattern that may be characteristic of Norwalk virus gastroenteritis . Outbreaks of Norwalk virus infection as well as other nonbacterial gastroenteritis may closely mimic epidemics caused by more familiar foodborne pathogens such as staphylococci.

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 1986 Jan, 4(1), 29 - 35
Simplified method for the isolation, identification, and characterization of Staphylococcus epidermidis in epidemiologic studies; Parisi JT et al.; A simplified method for the isolation, identification, and characterization of Staphylococcus epidermidis from humans is described . Swabs of the nose and skin are cultured on mannitol salt agar . Isolated colonies not producing acid from mannitol (presumptive coagulase-negative staphylococci or micrococci) are then inoculated onto purple agar containing erythromycin and glycerol . All colonies growing on this medium are then replicated onto media that tests for the production of phosphatase, the production of acid from trehalose, and susceptibility to four antibiotics . All S . epidermidis sensu stricto are confirmed by the API Staph-Ident system . As a result, Staphylococcus aureus and all other coagulase-negative staphylococci are effectively identified and eliminated from further study and only strains of S . epidermidis are left for further characterization . Of the 252 isolates from 48 cultures of the nares and the fingers, 112 (44%) were eliminated during different stages of this isolation and identification procedure . The antibiotic susceptibility data further distinguished those isolates in the predominant API biochemical profile number . This scheme has applications in the early stages of either ecologic or epidemiologic studies of this important nosocomial pathogen.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1986 Jan, 17(1), 63 - 7
The comparative in-vitro activity of norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, enoxacin and nalidixic acid against 423 strains of gram-negative rods and staphylococci isolated from infected hospitalised patients; Guimaraes MA et al.; The in-vitro activities of four quinolone carboxylic acids against 423 clinical isolates of Gram-negative rods and staphylococci from infected hospitalised patients were compared . The antibiotics included nalidixic acid and the newer compounds, norfloxacin (MK-0366), ciprofloxacin (Bay 09867) and enoxacin (AT 2266 or CI919) . Norfloxacin showed slightly more activity than enoxacin, but both agents had markedly greater potencies and broader antibacterial spectrums than nalidixic acid . Ciprofloxacin was the most active quinolone tested against both gentamicin-susceptible and gentamicin-resistant stains, having an MIC90 equal or less than 1 mg/l for all species studied.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1986 Jan, 39(1), 68 - 75
Aridicins, novel glycopeptide antibiotics . III . Preparation, characterization, and biological activities of aglycone derivatives; Sitrin RD et al.; The aglycone and two pseudoaglycones of aridicin A were prepared by selective hydrolysis and characterized, chemically and biologically . These new analogs demonstrate improved activities in vitro over the parent antibiotics against methicillin sensitive and resistant staphylococci . The major determinant of activity is the mannose substituent, the presence of which results in less potent compounds . The analogs have potent activity against enterococci.

Lancet, 1985 Dec 7, 2(8467), 1266 - 8
Influence of bacterial adherence to intravascular catheters on in-vitro antibiotic susceptibility; Sheth NK et al.; Slime-producing and non-slime-producing strains of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) were evaluated for nafcillin susceptibility in the presence and absence of polyvinylchloride (PVC) catheters . Semiquantitative roll cultures of catheters with adherent organisms after exposure to predicted bactericidal concentrations of nafcillin were carried out to assess survival of these organisms . Slime-producing and non-slime-producing CNS had similar minimum inhibitory (MIC) and bactericidal (MBC) concentrations in the absence of catheters and similar MIC in the presence of catheters . However, the mean MBC of slime-producing CNS, and to a lesser extent of non-slime-producing strains was higher in the presence than in the absence of catheters . Slime-producing CNS were recovered from PVC catheters after overnight incubation in cidal concentrations (greater than 4.0 micrograms/ml) of nafcillin (average 350 colony-forming units per 1 cm) . Thus nafcillin-sensitive CNS strains, particularly those producing slime, are able to survive exposure to cidal concentrations of the drug when adherent to PVC catheters.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {B}, 1985 Dec, 181(3-5), 364 - 73
Importance of food handlers as a source of enterotoxigenic staphylococci; Francisco Polledo JJ et al.; The incidence of staphylococci in the nasal fossae of 300 food handlers working within the province of Leon (Spain) was studied . Sampling was carried out using a swabbing technique . For the quantitative estimation of staphylococci, a direct plating method and an enrichment procedure (MPN) were used simultaneously . Gram positive cocci that fermented glucose and were sensitive to lysostaphin (1 unit/ml) were found to be present in the noses of 201 food handlers (67%) . Eighty three of them (27.6%) were carriers of coagulase positive staphylococci and 118 (39.3%) of coagulase negative staphylococci . The carriage rate of coagulase negative staphylococci was slightly higher in winter but carriers of coagulase positive strains were more frequently found during warmer months . Coagulase positive staphylococci appeared to be more often carried by males . In all instances, positive nasal cultures gave 10 or more colonies per sample . The majority of food handlers carrying coagulase negative staphylococci (64.4%) yielded counts between 10(3)-10(5) CFU per swab . Thirty four (40.9%) of the nasal carriers of coagulase positive staphylococci yielded more than 10(4) CFU per sample . The higher counts corresponded to this latter group . Preliminary enrichment did not increase the number of nasal carriers detected . Although a good correlation was observed between the results of direct plating and the MPN procedure (r = 0.87 +/- 0.04), the MPN technique gave lower counts . Thirty six (12%) individuals carried enterotoxigenic staphylococci . The incidence among carriers of coagulase positive strains was 43.4% . The enterotoxin types produced were: A (12 strains), B (8 strains), C (7 strains), D (2 strains), E (2 strains), A + D (4 strains) and B + C (1 strain) . Most of the food handlers who harbored enterotoxigenic strains gave high nasal counts.

J Dairy Sci, 1985 Dec, 68(12), 3363 - 6
N-Acetyl-B-D-glucosaminidase activity and somatic cells in goat milk; Timms LL et al.; N-Acetyl-B-D-glucosaminidase activity, somatic cell count, and udder infection status were determined in milk of nine Saanen goats . Plasma enzyme activity was also measured . Individual half udder milk samples were taken for 12 d over a 3-wk period and animals were bled weekly . Three of the 18 udder halves were infected with coagulase-negative staphylococci over all 12 sampling d . The N-acetyl-B-D-glucosaminidase and somatic cells in milk were significantly elevated in samples where minor pathogens were isolated . Plasma enzyme was variable among goats but not within goats or across weeks . Greater daily variation was seen in somatic cell count as compared to milk enzyme activity . Correlation between milk N-acetyl-B-D-glucosaminidase and somatic cell count was .54.

J UOEH, 1985 Dec 1, 7(4), 373 - 9
{Drug susceptibility of staphylococci isolated from clinical specimens}; Chihara S et al.; Eighty-eight strains of staphylococci were isolated from a variety of specimens collected from patients at our university hospital from June to August 1982 . These strains were identified as Staphylococcus aureus (86%), Staphylococcus epidermidis (6.8%), Staphylococcus haemolyticus (2.3%), Staphylococcus capitis (2.3%), and Staphylococcus simulans (1.1%) . One strain could not be identified with certainty as a currently recognized species . A majority (70%) of the S . aureus strains was resistant to two or more of the following drugs; penicillin G, kanamycin, doxycycline, erythromycin, and chloramphenicol . As for susceptibility to beta-lactam antibiotics, most of the strains that were resistant to penicillin G were also resistant to aminobenzyl penicillin and cephalexin . Whereas none of the strains was resistant to methicillin, cloxacillin, dicloxacillin, nor cefmetazole, and only a few strains were resistant to cefoperazone or cefazolin or both . Over 50% of the S . aureus strains were found to be resistant to each of four aminoglycosides (Kanamycin, gentamicin, tobramycin, and sagamicin), while only 5% of the strains were resistant to amikacin . Multiple resistance to the above four aminoglycosides was observed among more than 40% of the S . aureus strains, and also observed among three of six strains of S . epidermidis.

Antibiot Med Biotekhnol, 1985 Dec, 30(12), 905 - 11
{The membrane apparatus of Staphylococci in relation to acquired novobiocin resistance}; Kukushkina NV et al.; The properties of the membrane respiration apparatus of three clinical staphylococcal strains and their novobiocin resistant variants were studied comparatively . Changes in the specific activity of the respiration enzymes were shown: when the dehydrogenase activity of the membrane preparations of the sensitive and resistant variants was equal and the specific quantity of cytochromes in the novobiocin resistant staphylococci was lower, the oxidase activity of their respiration chains was increased by 60-70 per cent . Disintegration of the cells of the novobiocin resistant staphylococci resulted in a higher yield of the membrane protein, the membrane fraction being characterized by a activity of phospholipase A.

J Med Microbiol, 1985 Dec, 20(3), 399 - 402
Identification of nuclease-positive staphylococci isolated from animals; Gudding R et al.; The nuclease-neutralisation test was evaluated as a means of identifying nuclease-positive staphylococci isolated from different animals . The test identified 510 of 520 strains (98%) of staphylococci characterised by biochemical testing.

J Clin Microbiol, 1985 Dec, 22(6), 1025 - 9
Association of slime with pathogenicity of coagulase-negative staphylococci causing nosocomial septicemia; Ishak MA et al.; To assess the role of slime in the pathogenesis of nosocomial bloodstream infections caused by coagulase-negative staphylococci, we compared the characteristics of 27 nosocomial bloodstream isolates with those of 27 skin isolates from non-hospital personnel . Of 27 bloodstream isolates, 14 were judged to be significant by a clinical index, and 13 were contaminants . Slime production was observed in 13 of 14 significant isolates but in only 3 of 13 contaminants (P = 0.0003) and 4 of 27 skin isolates (P = 0.0001) . The 14 pathogens were identified as Staphylococcus epidermidis . Only 7 of 13 contaminants and 9 of 27 skin isolates belonged to the same species (P less than 0.006) . Slime-producing strains of S . epidermidis represented 13 of 14 pathogens but only 2 of 13 contaminants (P less than 0.0003) . Neither adherence to Teflon catheters nor phagocytosis and killing of coagulase-negative staphylococci by polymorphonuclear leukocytes was significantly influenced by slime production . Nevertheless, the identity of the organism and the slime production test predicted the clinical significance of blood isolates of coagulase-negative staphylococci with an overall accuracy of 89%.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1985 Dec, 50(6), 1383 - 7
Fluorogenic assay for rapid detection of Escherichia coli in food; Moberg LJ; An assay procedure to screen for Escherichia coli in foods by using 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-glucuronide (MUG) incorporated into lauryl tryptose (LST) broth was evaluated . The beta-glucuronidase produced by E . coli cleaves the MUG substrate to yield a fluorescent end product . E . coli-negative samples can be identified by lack of fluorescence in LST-MUG within 24 h . MUG was not inhibitory to coliforms and E . coli . Over 1,400 food and dairy samples were tested to compare the standard three-tube most-probable-number procedure with the MUG-containing or non-MUG-containing LST procedure . LST-MUG testing detected a greater number of E . coli, with a lower false-positive rate (1.4%) and in a shorter time, than did the standard procedure . All false-positive results in the LST-MUG testing were attributable to beta-glucuronidase-producing staphylococci . No false-negative result was encountered . Use of MUG in LST broth obviates the EC broth step, allowing a 2.5-day procedure to a completed E . coli test versus the present 4- to 6-day standard most-probable-number method.

Z Kinderchir, 1985 Dec, 40(6), 333 - 7
{Risk of infection of central venous catheters in childhood--results of a prospective study}; Hollwarth M et al.; Contamination rate of 228 central venous catheters and incidence of catheter related septicaemia were studied prospectively in 133 children (98 newborn, 11 infants, 14 children) . An exact protocol determined all details related to catheter insertion, subcutaneous tunneling, local disinfection with polyvinyliodide ointment, procedure of mixing the solutions for parenteral feeding, etc . Culture swabs were taken routinely from the feeding solutions and the infusion device . After removing the catheter additional bacteriological studies were performed from the catheter tip and the skin at the site of insertion . Although the results showed a low incidence of contamination at the infusion device (1.1%) and the parenteral solutions (3.6%), the contamination rate of the skin (31.6%) and the catheter tip (35.3%) were exceedingly high . While the bacteriological studies of the infusion and the infusion set showed mostly apathogenous cocci, staphylococci epidermidis and staphylococci aureus were predominant on the skin and the catheter tip . Despite this high contamination rate a catheter related septicaemia was suspected in 17 cases only (7.4%) . In six catheters (2.6%) the infection was confirmed by bacteriological results which always showed the typical micro-organisms found on the skin at the catheter insertion site . Therefore, the most important infection route seems to be the way from the skin to the catheter tip . Despite negative bacteriological results in the other eleven catheters a septicaemia was highly suspected on the basis of the laboratory findings.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

J Clin Microbiol, 1985 Dec, 22(6), 996 - 1006
Adherence of coagulase-negative staphylococci to plastic tissue culture plates: a quantitative model for the adherence of staphylococci to medical devices; Christensen GD et al.; The adherence of coagulase-negative staphylococci to smooth surfaces was assayed by measuring the optical densities of stained bacterial films adherent to the floors of plastic tissue culture plates . The optical densities correlated with the weight of the adherent bacterial film (r = 0.906; P less than 0.01) . The measurements also agreed with visual assessments of bacterial adherence to culture tubes, microtiter plates, and tissue culture plates . Selected clinical strains were passed through a mouse model for foreign body infections and a rat model for catheter-induced endocarditis . The adherence measurements of animal passed strains remained the same as those of the laboratory-maintained parent strain . Spectrophotometric classification of coagulase-negative staphylococci into nonadherent and adherent categories according to these measurements had a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 90.6, 80.8, and 88.4%, respectively . We examined a previously described collection of 127 strains of coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from an outbreak of intravascular catheter-associated sepsis; strains associated with sepsis were more adherent than blood culture contaminants and cutaneous strains (P less than 0.001) . We also examined a collection of 84 strains isolated from pediatric patients with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunts; once again, pathogenic strains were more adherent than were CSF contaminants (P less than 0.01) . Finally, we measured the adherence of seven endocarditis strains . As opposed to strains associated with intravascular catheters and CSF shunts, endocarditis strains were less adherent than were saprophytic strains of coagulase-negative staphylococci . The optical densities of bacterial films adherent to plastic tissue culture plates serve as a quantitative model for the study of the adherence of coagulase-negative staphylococci to medical devices, a process which may be important in the pathogenesis of foreign body infections.

Br J Ophthalmol, 1985 Dec, 69(12), 915 - 9
A retrospective review of endophthalmitis due to coagulase-negative staphylococci; Bode DD Jr et al.; We retrospectively reviewed 28 cases of postoperative endophthalmitis due to coagulase-negative staphylococci . There was an average delay between surgery and the acute presentation of 7 X 2 days (SD 3 X 3) . All patients were treated with intraocular antibiotics (IOAB) or therapeutic vitrectomy with IOAB . In six of the 28 cases the organisms were resistant to gentamicin as measured by the Kirby-Bauer technique; none was resistant to cephalosporins . Isolates that had been stored by lyophilisation were reconstituted and tested by serial dilution; none was resistant to gentamicin, though two were borderline . The final visual acuity was 6/18 or better in 72% of the eyes.

J Med Microbiol, 1985 Dec, 20(3), 317 - 23
The contribution of a capsule to survival of staphylococci within bovine neutrophils; Anderson JC et al.; The encapsulated strain M of Staphylococcus aureus and the encapsulated strain 76 of S . simulans survived incubation with bovine neutrophils in media containing heated bovine serum 0.5% v/v or milk whey 10% v/v . With two unencapsulated strains of S . aureus, M12 and M60, less than 5% of the original inoculum survived . When the concentrations of bovine serum and milk whey were increased to 2% and 50% respectively, survival of the encapsulated strains was similar to that of the unencapsulated strains . The ability of skimmed milk 50% v/v to opsonise strain M was found in milk from 95% of 62 cows . The individual values for percentage intracellular survival of strains of S . aureus phagocytosed by bovine neutrophils in the presence of bovine serum 2% v/v or milk whey 50% v/v were 0.48, 0.30 and 0.24 for strains M60, M and M12 respectively . Intracellular survival of strain M60 was significantly greater than that of strains M12 and M . The encapsulated coagulase-negative strain 76 (S . simulans) was not susceptible to lysis by lysostaphin, and it was not possible to destroy extracellular staphylococci to measure intracellular survival . It is concluded that the capsule of S . aureus strain M does not contribute to intracellular survival.

Infect Control, 1985 Dec, 6(12), 479 - 86
Epidemiology and clinical significance of blood cultures positive for coagulase-negative staphylococcus; Kirchhoff LV et al.; Coagulase-negative staphylococci are frequently isolated from blood cultures . As these organisms may occasionally cause serious disease, differentiating bacteremia from contamination is very important but often difficult . Over a 26-month period, of 29,542 blood cultures processed at the University of Michigan Medical Center, 2,875 (9.7%) were positive, and of those, 694 (from 527 patients) grew coagulase-negative staphylococci . Isolates from the 439 patients with only one blood culture positive for coagulase-negative staphylococci and those from the 18 patients with two positive cultures 10 days or more apart were deemed contaminants . Review of the records of the remaining 70 patients with multiple isolates indicated that 33 had had an episode of true bacteremia, 29 (87.9%) of which were associated with intravascular catheters or prosthetic valves . Overall, 85% of all coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated during the study period were judged to be contaminants . Seventy-one percent of the blood cultures drawn during the episodes of bacteremia were positive for coagulase-negative staphylococci as opposed to only 34% in the patients with contaminated cultures (p less than 0.01) . Moreover, coagulase-negative staphylococci grew in both aerobic and anaerobic bottles in 85% of blood culture sets drawn during episodes of bacteremia, but in only 30% of the cultures thought to be contaminated (p less than 0.001) . Growth of coagulase-negative staphylococci in less than 48 hours was also significantly associated with bacteremia (p less than 0.01) . Antibiotic sensitivity patterns were not useful in differentiating bacteremia from contamination.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

J Hyg (Lond), 1985 Dec, 95(3), 665 - 9
The basic phage set for typing bovine staphylococci; Carroll PJ et al.; Two hundred and sixty-nine Staphylococcus aureus cultures isolated from bovine milk were subjected to phage typing using the International basic set of 16 phages at Routine Test Dilution . In the current study 73.6% of cultures were 'typable' compared with 84-89% in 1972 when the set was first recommended . The set remains capable of typing the majority of bovine staphylococci but shows a reduction in lysogenicity of most of its phages.

J Bacteriol, 1985 Dec, 164(3), 1337 - 49
Use of resistant mutants to study the interaction of triton X-100 with Staphylococcus aureus; Raychaudhuri D et al.; Staphylococcus aureus mutants resistant to the nonionic detergent Triton X-100, isolated from the wild-type strain H and the autolysin-deficient strain RUS3, could grow and divide in broth containing 5% (vol/vol) Triton X-100, while growth of the parental strains was markedly inhibited above the critical micellar concentration (0.02%) of the detergent . Growth-inhibitory concentrations of Triton X-100 killed wild-type cells without demonstrable cellular lysis . Triton X-100 stimulated autolysin activity of S . aureus cells under nongrowing conditions, and this lytic response was markedly reduced in energy-poisoned cells . In contrast, the detergent had no effect on the activity of autolysins in cell-free systems, and growth in the presence of Triton X-100 did not alter either the cellular autolysin activity or the susceptibility of cell walls to exogenous lytic enzymes . Treatment with either Triton X-100 or penicillin G in the growth medium stimulated release of predominantly acylated intracellular lipoteichoic acid and sensitized staphylococci to Triton X-100-induced autolysis . There was no significant difference in the cell wall and membrane compositions or Triton X-100 binding between the parental strains and the resistant mutants . The resistant mutant TXR1, derived from S . aureus H, had a higher level of L-alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase activity, and its oxygen uptake was more resistant to inhibition by a submicellar concentration (0.008%) of Triton X-100 . Growth in the presence of subinhibitory concentrations of Triton X-100 rendered S . aureus H cells phenotypically resistant to the detergent and greatly stimulated the level of oxygen uptake . Membranes isolated from such cells exhibited enhanced activity of the respiratory enzymes succinic dehydrogenase and L-alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase.

Am J Med, 1985 Nov 29, 79(5B), 161 - 3
Comparison of ticarcillin plus clavulanic acid with cefoxitin in the treatment of female pelvic infection; Pastorek JG Jr et al.; Ninety-three female patients with post-cesarean endometritis, post-hysterectomy pelvic cellulitis, and other miscellaneous moderately severe pelvic soft-tissue infections were treated in a randomized fashion with either ticarcillin plus clavulanic acid or cefoxitin . Of the 47 patients treated with ticarcillin plus clavulanic acid, 38 had clinical cures, four showed improvement, therapy failed in three, and two were nonevaluable, for a failure rate of 6.7 percent . Of the 46 patients treated with cefoxitin, 33 had clinical cures, five showed improvement, therapy failed in seven, and one was nonevaluable, for a failure rate of 15.6 percent . Bacteriologically, the addition of clavulanic acid to ticarcillin was found to broaden the antibacterial spectrum to include some Escherichia coli, most Klebsiella, many coagulase-negative staphylococci, and all isolates of Staphylococcus aureus . Adverse reactions were few, with only one patient having therapy with cefoxitin discontinued because of side effects . It is concluded that ticarcillin plus clavulanic acid is quite suitable for antibiotic therapy of female pelvic soft-tissue infection, based on the (expanded) coverage of both aerobic and anaerobic bacterial species.

Cutis, 1985 Nov 15, 36(5A), 2 - 6
Staphylococcal infections of the skin and skin structures; Sheagren JN; A review of the pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and therapy of staphylococcal skin and skin structure infections begins with discussion of the staphylococcal carrier state . Patients carrying Staphylococcus aureus are particularly vulnerable to infection if their skin is broken by wounds or placement of intravenous lines or catheters . S . aureus begins the process of infection by binding tightly to fibronectin-coated surfaces and endothelial cells; bacterial invasion, however, depends on the innate pathogenicity of the bacterial strain and on the status of the host's defenses . The carrier state may be manifested by recurrent infections in the skin and skin structures . Infection may be spontaneous, associated with skin trauma and/or presence of a foreign body, or related to the presence of bacteria . For diagnosis, appropriate samples of purulent materials are needed for Gram stain and culture . Drainage is absolutely essential . Most staphylococci are now penicillinase-producing . Initial coverage with a cell-wall-active agent combined with an aminoglycoside is usually highly effective . If a methicillin-resistant organism is suspected, vancomycin should be used . Treatment of the carrier state may eliminate recurrent episodes of staphylococcal skin infection . Meticulous infection-control procedures are extremely important in the prevention of staphylococcal infection of the skin and skin structures.

Antibiot Med Biotekhnol, 1985 Nov, 30(11), 863 - 8
{Interferon inhibition of the development of a staphylococcal infection}; Zueva VS et al.; Administration of interferon to mice with staphylococcal infection promoted elimination of the bacteria from their organs, influenced the immunological indices, normalized delayed type hypersensitivity, recovered the capacity of the spleen cells to produce interferon and increased the phagocytic activity of the peritoneal macrophages against the staphylococci . Addition of alpha-interferon to antibiotic therapy of patients with purulent septic infections of staphylococcal etiology markedly increased its efficiency . Improvement of the clinical picture of the disease, normalization of the general biochemical indices of the blood and elimination of the staphylococci from the blood and inflammation foci were observed.

J Dairy Res, 1985 Nov, 52(4), 491 - 500
Effect of stage of lactation on transport of colloidal carbon or Staphylococcus aureus from the mammary gland lumen to lymph nodes in guinea pigs; Schenkman DI et al.; Guinea pig mammary glands which were either lactating, involuting or dry were infused with colloidal carbon or killed staphylococci . At different time intervals following infusion, animals were killed and the superficial inguinal lymph nodes examined for the presence of carbon . Sides which had nodes with visible carbon were designated 'positive' . The time intervals from infusion to positive for the three groups were compared using logistic regression . The times required for 50% of the sides to be positive were estimated to be approximately 4 h for lactating glands, 32 h for those in involution, and 13 min for dry glands . Histological differences in distribution of carbon in the mammary tissue suggest that differences in transit time may have been due to different mechanisms of transport through the glands in the three different physiological states . The distribution of bacteria was similar to that of the carbon in the corresponding tissues.

Infect Immun, 1985 Nov, 50(2), 472 - 7
Attachment of Staphylococcus aureus to polymethylmethacrylate increases its resistance to phagocytosis in foreign body infection; Vaudaux PE et al.; The mechanisms responsible for the development of a pyogenic infection (most commonly due to staphylococci) in the vicinity of an implanted foreign body have been studied recently by several investigators . Thus, we have been able to demonstrate that the phagocytic function of residential polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) is deficient in the presence of a foreign body . Others have shown that in the presence of foreign surfaces, microorganisms produce extracellular amorphous material, the pathogenic role of which is still to be defined . In the present study we use a novel assay system to demonstrate that Staphylococcus aureus Wood 46, after attachment to polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), shows increased resistance to the phagocytic-bactericidal action of normal PMN . The first step of this assay involves the reproducible attachment of {3H}thymidine-labeled bacteria to PMMA cover slips . During the second step, attached bacteria were exposed to guinea pig peritoneal exudate PMN . In the third and final step, attached S . aureus cells were removed from the cover slips using a procedure harmless to the bacteria . The extent of bacterial detachment was estimated by radioactive counts and their viability by standard colony counts . Whereas bacteria that were attached artificially and rapidly by centrifugation and immediately exposed to PMN were killed in the phagocytic assay, bacteria adhering spontaneously to the cover slips for a prolonged period of time were more resistant to the killing action of the phagocytes . The spontaneous adherence of S . aureus to PMMA renders it poorly susceptible to the killing action of PMN.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1985 Nov, 16(5), 659 - 62
Species dependent variability in the susceptibility of coagulase-negative staphylococci to various antimicrobial agents; Rolston KV et al.; The in-vitro activity of 20 beta-lactam antibiotics and vancomycin was determined against three different species of coagulase-negative-staphylococci . All isolates were susceptible to vancomycin (MIC90 3.12-6.25 mg/l) although occasional tolerance was seen . Most isolates (85%) of Staphylococcus hominis were susceptible to methicillin and other beta-lactams including cephalothin, cefapirin, cefamandole, imipenem and BMY28142, while 90% of Staph . haemolyticus isolates were resistant to these agents . Staph . epidermidis was intermediate in susceptibility with 50% of isolates being methicillin resistant (MR) . These MR isolates exhibited cross-resistance or tolerance to the other beta-lactam agents except cefamandole.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1985 Nov, 28(5), 667 - 74
Uptake, intracellular activity, and influence of rifampin on normal function of polymorphonuclear leukocytes; Hoger PH et al.; Quinone and hydroquinone forms of rifampin accumulated in normal polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) (maximal cellular to extracellular concentration ratio {C/Emax} +/- standard error of the mean, 9.36 +/- 0.54 and 8.82 +/- 0.65, respectively, after 5 to 10 min) and chronic granulomatous disease PMN (C/Emax, 13.76 +/- 0.77 and 14.29, respectively) . Uptake of rifampin was influenced by incubation temperature and extracellular pH but not by phorbol myristate acetate stimulation or metabolic inhibitors . At extracellular concentrations between 0.06 and 5.0 mg/liter, rifampin significantly reduced the number of staphylococci surviving inside chronic granulomatous disease PMN, thus compensating for the bactericidal defect inherent with this disease . Spontaneous migration and chemotaxis of normal PMN were unaffected by rifampin . However, phagocytosis of yeast particles and oxygen consumption of stimulated PMN were moderately depressed, and O2- production and chemiluminescence were significantly depressed in a dose-dependent manner . The bactericidal activity of normal PMN was not impaired . Inhibition of chemiluminescence and O2- release were also observed in a cell-free system . We conclude that rifampin possesses favorable characteristics for the effective elimination of intracellular microorganisms . Further studies are needed to evaluate the in vivo significance of ion scavenging by rifampin, which could be hazardous to immunocompromised patients.

Infect Immun, 1985 Nov, 50(2), 415 - 9
Modification of interactions between neutrophils and staphylococci by lysosomotropic weak bases; Styrt B et al.; Weak bases that alkalinize the pH within neutrophil lysosomes inhibit in vitro cell functions, including lysosomal enzyme release and superoxide production . To determine the relevance of this inhibition to microbicidal activity, the effect of lysosomotropic weak bases on interactions between human neutrophils and Staphylococcus aureus 502a was studied . After treatment with 1 mM chloroquine, neutrophils showed significantly impaired phagocytosis of 14C-labeled S . aureus . However, 50 mM ammonium chloride had no effect on phagocytosis, although we have previously shown that this concentration raises lysosomal pH and inhibits degranulation and superoxide production . This base was therefore used to study effects on intracellular microbicidal activity . Incubation of neutrophils with 50 mM ammonium chloride diminished killing of S . aureus (22.9 +/- 6.3% of bacteria surviving versus 8.2 +/- 1.3% in suspensions without ammonium chloride) . At 1 mM, ammonium chloride had no significant effect . The inhibition of cellular function could be neither explained as a function of neutrophil death, as measured by trypan blue dye exclusion, nor attributed to direct promotion of bacterial growth (in the absence of neutrophils, colony counts were similar in the presence or absence of ammonium chloride) or enhanced resistance to neutrophil microbicidal mechanisms (bacteria treated with ammonium chloride and washed before neutrophil exposure showed no improvement in survival) . Ammonium chloride at 50 mM also impaired neutrophil killing of S . aureus in an anaerobic chamber, but microbicidal activity against Escherichia coli S15 was not affected . These findings suggest that optimal neutrophil killing of staphylococci requires a highly acid intralysosomal compartment, but ingestion of bacteria does not . This may reflect primary failure of acidification of the phagocytic vacuole or differential pH requirements for fusion of the plasma membrane with itself and with lysosome membranes . The difference between effects on killing of S . aureus and E . coli is probably a result of the relative importance of the components of neutrophil microbicidal activity against the two organisms.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1985 Oct, 260(2), 232 - 7
Interactions of immunoglobulin G, fibrinogen and fibronectin with Staphylococcus hyicus and Staphylococcus intermedius; Lammler C et al.; Binding of immunoglobulin G, fibrinogen and fibronectin to 112 cultures of coagulase-positive staphylococci together with 7 of coagulase-negative S . hyicus subsp . chromogenes were investigated . Of the coagulase-positive staphylococcal cultures 45 were S . hyicus subsp . hyicus, 51 S . intermedius and 16 S . aureus . All 45 S . hyicus subsp . hyicus cultures coagulated plasma preparations from pigs and not always those from sheep, rabbits and dogs . Labelled IgG was bound by all cultures of S . hyicus subsp . hyicus and S . aureus, but only by 6 of 51 S . intermedius cultures . Fibrinogen interacted with 28 of the 45 S . hyicus subsp . hyicus cultures, with 17 of the 51 S . intermedius cultures and with S . aureus throughout . Fibronectin reacted with 19 cultures of S . hyicus subsp . hyicus, 11 of S . intermedius and all S . aureus . The binding activities for labelled IgG were more pronounced than those for fibrinogen and fibronectin . None of the 7 cultures of S . hyicus subsp . chromogenes bound any of these plasma proteins . Bindings of fibrinogen and fibronectin to S . hyicus subsp . hyicus and S . intermedius elicited only in part distinct clumping reactions of the staphylococci in the respective plasma proteins.

Infect Immun, 1985 Oct, 50(1), 250 - 4
Phagocytosis of staphylococci by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes is enhanced in the presence of endothelial cells; Vandenbroucke-Grauls CM et al.; The role of various surfaces in the phagocytosis of Staphylococcus aureus by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) was studied . Uptake of both opsonized and unopsonized staphylococci on the surface of a monolayer of human venous endothelial cells was compared with uptake on an inert plastic surface, with an assay that uses radiolabeled bacteria . Uptake of unopsonized S . aureus was threefold higher on the endothelial cell surface than on the plastic surface and was followed by efficient killing of the phagocytosed staphylococci . Uptake of unopsonized S . aureus on endothelial cells was not inhibited by treatment of the PMN with pronase or 2-deoxy-D-glucose and was only partially inhibited by cytochalasin B treatment of the PMN . The supporting effect of endothelial cells on the phagocytosis of unopsonized S . aureus was not due to opsonization of the bacteria by immunoglobulin or complement from the endothelial cell surface, nor to coating with fibronectin.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1985 Oct, 260(2), 216 - 20
Screening of clinical S . aureus-isolates for the production of exfoliative toxin . A methodological study; Elsner P et al.; Screening S . aureus-isolates for the production of exfoliative toxin (ET) and discrimination between its two known variants (ETA, ETB) by immunodiffusion (ID), isoelectric focusing (IEF) and animal experiment were assessed methodologically using isolates from a patient with bullous impetigo and a patient with Ritter von Rittershain's disease . Only by animal assay one of the isolates could be identified as ET-producer . ID was used for the discrimination between ETA and ETB . It is concluded that the in-vivo assay for ET-production using live staphylococci can not yet be replaced by ID and IFE and that in patients with staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome swabs should be taken from multiple lesions und all S . aureus isolates obtained should be screened for ET-production to prevent false-negative results . Lysotyping alone gives no proof of ET-production since types II 55/71 and II 3A/3C do not produce ET in all cases and toxinogenic S . aureus strains of phage groups I and III have been described.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1985 Oct, 16(4), 519 - 26
Efficacy of topical mupirocin against an experimental Staphylococcus aureus surgical wound infection; Boon RJ et al.; The efficacy of topically-applied mupirocin was evaluated against an experimental surgical staphylococcal wound infection in the guinea-pig . A suture impregnated with Staphylococcus aureus was inserted into a superficial wound, and topical therapy with mupirocin ointment was started 24 h after infection . In non-treated wounds, the bacterial counts increased to greater than 10(6) organisms/wound in the majority of animals at 24 h, remaining at this level for up to seven days . Therapy with placebo ointment (polyethylene glycol base) was ineffective, whereas twice daily application of mupirocin ointment resulted in elimination of the staphylococci . Mupirocin was as effective as topically-applied fusidic acid cream in reducing the bacterial counts of infected wounds.

Pathol Biol (Paris), 1985 Oct, 33(8), 831 - 5
{Sensitivity to cephalosporins of coagulase-negative methicillin-resistant staphylococci . In vitro studies by different methods}; Libert JM et al.; The activity of five cephalosporins has been studied with 80 coagulase-negative methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus strains (SCN meti-R) isolated from hospitalized patients . It has been evaluated in vitro under different conditions, in liquid as well as solid media . Results show that in all cases cefamandole has the highest activity on SCN meti-R . Thus cefamandole is quite effective for the prophylaxis of Staphylococcal infections . Furthermore the association of cefamandole with other antibiotics should be tested as an alternative to vancomycin for the treatment of SCN meti-R severe infections.

J Med Microbiol, 1985 Oct, 20(2), 169 - 85
Transfer of plasmid-borne aminoglycoside-resistance determinants in staphylococci; Townsend DE et al.; Aminoglycoside-resistance determinants in staphylococci are borne on conjugative and non-conjugative plasmids . The conjugative plasmids were found in methicillin-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus isolated recently in Darwin and Sydney, Australia and in Houston, Texas, USA . These plasmids and the class-2 conjugative plasmid reported by Archer and Johnston (1983) had similar patterns of EcoR1 restriction-endonuclease fragments, encoded resistance to gentamicin, kanamycin and neomycin, transferred to a non-lysogenic recipient in conditions that promoted close cell-to-cell contact and mobilised a small, non-conjugative plasmid . A further plasmid, pWG14, encoding resistance to kanamycin, neomycin, streptomycin, erythromycin and lincomycin, also displayed conjugative properties but did not mobilise the small, non-conjugative plasmid . The transfer frequency of all conjugative plasmids was stimulated by the addition of polyethylene glycol, particularly at concentrations above 20%, to mixtures of donor and recipient broth cultures . Polyethylene glycol appeared to promote close cell-to-cell contact between donor and recipient cells . A representative of the most common aminoglycoside-resistance plasmids in Australian isolates of methicillin-resistant S . aureus was non-conjugative and transferred by a bacteriophage-mediated system to a lysogenic recipient . With the exception of plasmid pWG14, the conjugative plasmids were also transferred by a bacteriophage-mediated system . Furthermore, cultural conditions that favoured conjugative transfer of plasmids inhibited bacteriophage-mediated transfer and vice versa . The efficacy of the two transfer systems for analysing the plasmids of gentamicin-resistant, methicillin-resistant isolates of S . aureus has been compared.

Clin Chim Acta, 1985 Sep 16, 151(1), 49 - 59
Serum and interstitial fluid apolipoprotein E levels in the healthy and in hyperlipoproteinemia type III as studied by radioimmunoassay; Gustafson S et al.; In order to study the relationships between serum lipoprotein lipid concentrations and the concentrations of apo E in serum and interstitial fluid, we have developed a specific, sensitive and rapid radioimmunoassay for this apolipoprotein . Studies of the interstitial fluid lipoproteins and of the gradient between the lipoprotein concentrations in interstitial fluid and serum may add to our understanding of the development of atherosclerosis and xanthomatosis . Serum, interstitial fluid, lipoproteins or standards were incubated with 125I-labelled apo E and rabbit antiserum against apo E for 90-120 min at room temperature . The immune complexes were harvested with the use of formalin-treated staphylococci . The displacement curves produced by standard and samples of serum, interstitial fluid and isolated lipoproteins were linear in logit-log plots and had identical slopes . Delipidation did not change the results and the recovery of added apo E to a serum sample was 96 +/- 5% (n = 5) . Apo E was found in all major lipoprotein classes and the concentrations of apo E in serum and in interstitial fluid were 36 +/- 19 mg/l and 8 +/- 4 mg/l, respectively, in normals (n = 21) and 305 +/- 125 mg/ml and 20 +/- 9 mg/l, respectively, in patients with HLP type III (n = 11) . Highly significant positive correlations were found in HLP type III between the interstitial fluid level of apo E and the corresponding concentrations of cholesterol and triglyceride . Interstitial fluid apo E concentrations were significantly correlated to apo E but not to the lipid levels in serum, indicating that only some subclasses of the serum lipoproteins are transported to the interstitial compartment.

J Gen Microbiol, 1985 Sep, 131 ( Pt 9), 2485 - 91
Adhesion of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus saprophyticus to a hydrophobic biomaterial; Hogt AH et al.; The relative surface charge and hydrophobicity of 16 strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis showed large variations . For this species no relationship between the two surface parameters was found . A highly negative surface charge was observed in all seven encapsulated strains (one S . epidermidis and six Staphylococcus saprophyticus strains) . The adhesion of the staphylococci to fluorinated polyethylene-propylene films was not related to the relative surface charge and the hydrophobicity of the bacteria . On films pre-exposed to human plasma, the bacterial adhesion was substantially reduced . Mechanisms involved in the adhesion of coagulase-negative staphylococci to this biomaterial are discussed.

J Gen Microbiol, 1985 Sep, 131 ( Pt 9), 2231 - 5
Additional differentiating characters of the two subspecies of Staphylococcus hyicus; Varaldo PE et al.; Forty-five strains of Staphylococcus hyicus subsp . hyicus and 36 strains of S . hyicus subsp . chromogenes were examined for bacteriolytic activity with the same assay system previously used in taxonomic studies on staphylococci . The two subspecies differed from each other chiefly in that for optimal lytic activity S . hyicus subsp . hyicus strains required a higher salt concentration in the test medium than S . hyicus subsp . chromogenes strains . The lack of lytic activity on B15TP1 medium was a major difference between S . hyicus and S . aureus, and the lack of activity on TP2P medium was a major difference between S . hyicus and S . intermedius . Penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) were studied in 40 S . hyicus strains . The S . hyicus subsp . hyicus strains had only one PBP (mol . wt 79 000) while the S . hyicus subsp . chromogenes strains had three distinct PBPs (mol . wts 84 000, 82 000 and 79 000).

Infection, 1985 Sep-Oct, 13(5), 240 - 2
Activity of 18 antimicrobial agents against multi-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from intensive care patients; Duncker D et al.; During an outbreak of infections with multiple-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, 22 strains were isolated from 12 patients between November 1983 and March 1984 on two surgical intensive care units at Kiel University Hospital . Susceptibility of all strains was tested with the disc diffusion method and a microdilution test using different inocula of 10(2) and 10(5) cfu/ml . All strains were resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics, including thienamycin as well as to gentamicin, clindamycin, doxycycline, erythromycin and fosfomycin . Rifampicin was the most active substance in terms of w/v, followed by fusidic acid, ciprofloxacin, vancomycin, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole . Netilmicin and chloramphenicol showed only moderate activity in relation to the antibiotic breakpoint, but were considered sensitive according to the disc diffusion test . Caution should be reserved for the use of imipenem against multiply-resistant staphylococci.

Antibiot Med Biotekhnol, 1985 Sep, 30(9), 671 - 5
{Fatty-acid composition of staphylococci induced by antibiotic AL-87 as a marker of their resistance or sensitivity to the given antibiotic}; Smirnov VV et al.; Three strains of S . aureus isolated from patients were studied and it was shown that their population was heterogenous with respect to antibiotic AL-87: it contained both the antibiotic sensitive and the antibiotic resistant species in different ratios . The fatty acid composition induced by low concentrations of the antibiotic (subbacteriostatic for the sensitive microorganism) characterized by predominance of branched chain fatty acids in the antibiotic sensitive microorganisms and straight chain fatty acids in the antibiotic resistant microorganisms may serve a marker of sensitivity or resistance . Therefore, the data are indicative of the presence of genetic information in staphylococci determining their resistance to antibiotic AL-87 not yet used in medical practice.

J Appl Bacteriol, 1985 Sep, 59(3), 257 - 62
Characteristics of some unclassifiable strains of staphylococci isolated from goats and sheep; Adegoke GO; Fourteen strains of catalase-positive, Gram-positive and coagulase-negative cocci that were sensitive to 20 micrograms/ml of furazolidone were isolated from goats and sheep . Two of the strains had glycerol with glucose teichoic acids whilst another possessed glycerol, glucose, glucosamine and acetylglucosamine teichoic acids . Six strains had peptidoglycan type L-Lys-Ala-Gly4 peculiar to Staphylococcus sciuri and Staph . lentus but other phenotypic characters were different from those of Staph . sciuri and Staph . lentus . The guanine plus cytosine (G + C) content of the DNA determined for three of the strains examined ranged from 32.9-34.6 mol % . The coagulase-positive staphylococcal strain of caprine origin examined had glycerol and glucosamine teichoic acids in addition to peptidoglycan type L-Lys-Gly5-6 . The characteristics of the strains of staphylococci described herein are different from those already described in the literature.

Am J Vet Res, 1985 Sep, 46(9), 1824 - 8
Distribution of staphylococcal species on clinically healthy cats; Cox HU et al.; Among 827 isolates derived from 113 clinically healthy cats, 12 species of staphylococci were identified . Staphylococci were isolated from each cat and from 54.9% of the anatomic sites evaluated . A mode of 6 (range = 2 to 11) of the 11 anatomic sites evaluated per cat yielded staphylococci . A mode of 8 (range = 2 to 12) isolates were found per cat . Staphylococcus simulans was the most isolated (43.9% of total) coagulase-negative species . Moreover, S simulans was the most isolated species from each of the 11 sites evaluated and, except for the mouth and haircoat, comprised greater than 50% of the isolates from each site . Staphylococcus intermedius was the most isolated (13.5% of the total) coagulase-positive species . Three other species (S epidermidis, S xylosus, and S aureus) comprised 32.2% of the isolates, and 7 species (S haemolyticus, S hominis, S hyicus, S capitis, S warneri, and S saprophyticus) comprised 10.4% of the isolates . Six species (S intermedius {96 of 112 isolates}, S haemolyticus {20 of 22}, S sciuri {17 of 18}, S warneri {10 of 13}, S hyicus {10 of 10}, and S capitis {7 of 8}) were isolated primarily from household cats . Only 1 species, S xylosus (75 of 87), was isolated primarily from cattery cats . Haircoat specimens (n = 452) yielded 508 isolates (61.4% of the total) distributed among all 12 staphylococcal species and included greater than 50% of the isolates of all species other than S simulans and S sciuri . A more heterogeneous population of staphylococci was isolated from household cats than was isolated from cattery cats.

Infect Immun, 1985 Sep, 49(3), 700 - 8
Isolation of Staphylococcus aureus clumping factor; Espersen F et al.; Immunochemically identical components were isolated from water-soluble phases of five Staphylococcus aureus strains by affinity chromatography on fibrinogen-linked Sepharose 4B . The elution was performed with 1 M MgCl2 . The component could be isolated from sonicated preparations of whole cells, cell walls, and extracellular products of S . aureus but not from sonicated preparations of staphylococcal L-forms or from Staphylococcus epidermidis . Investigations of the eluted component by immunoelectrophoresis and Western blot analysis by use of different polyspecific antibodies to S . aureus raised in rabbits revealed only one immunoprecipitate or one band . By means of gel filtration on Sepharose CL 6B and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis a molecular mass of 420,000 and 360,000 was found, respectively . Chemical analysis showed a carbohydrate content of about 20% by weight . By crossed immunoelectrophoresis the isolated component was demonstrated to bind to human fibrinogen . The finding that this purified component inhibited the fibrinogen-induced clumping of staphylococci strongly suggests that the component is the S . aureus clumping factor.

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 1985 Sep, 3(5), 433 - 44
Staphylococci, in vitro and in vivo; Lorian V et al.; Strains of Staphylococcus aureus were grown in broth and by the membrane technique; both drug-free media and media containing cloxacillin were used . The staphylococci grown in broth containing cloxacillin showed one thick cross wall and were larger than those grown in drug-free broth: 1.6 micron in diameter as opposed to 0.9 micron . The staphylococci grown on membranes placed on agar containing cloxacillin were 2-3 microns in diameter and contained three or more cross walls . Mice were infected intraperitoneally with staphylococci . After treatment with cloxacillin, the peritoneal fluid and spleens contained staphylococci that were 2-3 microns in diameter with three or more cross walls . A staphylococcal endocarditis was induced in rabbits that were then treated with cloxacillin . The staphylococci in the vegetation of the treated rabbits were 2-3 microns in diameter and contained multiple cross walls . Large staphylococci with multiple cross walls were observed in specimens from patients with respiratory infections treated with beta-lactam antibiotics . It appears, therefore, that the ultrastructure of staphylococci in vivo is comparable to that of staphylococci grown on a solid support medium such as a membrane, and different from that of staphylococci grown in a liquid medium.

J Appl Bacteriol, 1985 Sep, 59(3), 207 - 21
Application of current methods for isolation and identification of staphylococci in raw bovine milk; Harvey J et al.; Samples of raw milk were examined for counts of somatic cells, total viable bacteria, staphylococci (Schleifer & Kramer's medium) and Staphylococcus aureus (Baird-Parker medium, Baird-Parker medium with pig plasma and Baird-Parker medium with additional antibiotics) . For the isolation of staphylococci from raw milk, Schleifer & Kramer's medium was found to be very selective and in general performed satisfactorily . From the results obtained with the three remaining media the continued use of Baird-Parker medium for isolation of Staph . aureus from raw milk is recommended with the proviso that colonies selected for identification should include those that clear and do not clear the egg yolk and are not limited to colonies with diameters greater than 1 mm . Staphylococci isolated from raw milk were identified by key tests using a multipoint inoculation procedure . A selected number were also examined by the API STAPH system in conjunction with the API LAB computer programme for identification of staphylococci . Of the staphylococci examined, 90.0% were identified using the multipoint procedure . For strains identified as Staph . aureus, Staph . hyicus subsp . hyicus, Staph . epidermidis, Staph . simulans, Staph . xylosus or members of the Staph . hominis/Staph . warneri/Staph haemolyticus group, the API system provided confirmatory evidence . With strains identified by the multipoint procedure as Staph . hyicus subsp . chromogenes, Staph . sciuri subsp . sciuri and Staph . sciuri subsp . lentus the API system did not always provide concurring results . Several strains which could not be identified by the multipoint procedure could be identified by the API system . Staph . aureus, Staph . hyicus subsp . hyicus and Staph . hyicus subsp . chromogenes strains isolated from milk were examined for production of enterotoxin A-E . Only 3.9% of Staph . aureus strains examined produced detectable enterotoxin (type C) . None of the Staph . hyicus subsp . hyicus or Staph . hyicus subsp . chromogenes strains produced any of the known enterotoxins.

J Vet Pharmacol Ther, 1985 Sep, 8(3), 276 - 83
Intramuscular treatment of subclinical staphylococcal mastitis in lactating cows with penicillin G, methicillin and their esters; Ziv G et al.; The relationship between antibiotic milk concentrations and bacteriological efficacy was investigated in groups of lactating cows with subclinical mastitis due to either penicillin G-sensitive or penicillin G-resistant Staphylococcus aureus . Treatments consisted of the intramuscular injection of procaine penicillin G, or its weak base ester penethamate hydriodide, and sodium methicillin, or its weak base ester tamethicillin . Antibiotics were administered once daily for 2 or 4 days at accepted dosages . After four daily, treatments with procaine penicillin G and penethamate hydriodide, infections were eliminated from 56.5% and 68.8%, respectively, of quarters infected with penicillin G-sensitive staphylococci, and from 14.3% and 7.7%, respectively, of quarters infected with penicillin G-resistant staphylococci . After four daily treatments with sodium methicillin and tamethicillin, infections were eliminated from 32.4% and 48.6%, respectively, of quarters infected with penicillin G-resistant staphylococci . The better efficacy of penethamate hydriodide and tamethicillin was considered to be linked to the higher milk drug concentrations obtained with these drugs as opposed to the lower concentrations measured in the milk after treatment with the parent drugs . Cure rates were generally higher after treatment for 4 days than after the 2-day course of therapy . Treatment efficacy decreased progressively with increasing age of the cows . Intramuscular treatment of subclinical staphylococcal mastitis in lactating cows can serve as a useful model for screening existing and new antibacterial agents and drug products intended for the parenteral treatment of clinical staphylococcal mastitis.

Infect Control, 1985 Sep, 6(9), 361 - 6
A randomized study comparing a transparent polyurethane dressing to a dry gauze dressing for peripheral intravenous catheter sites; Craven DE et al.; We studied rates of peripheral intravenous (IV) catheter tip and insertion site colonization after randomly assigning patients to transparent polyurethane (TP) dressings (N = 316) or dry gauze (DG) dressings (N = 421) . The study was conducted during both summer and fall seasons, in a facility which lacked air conditioning . All patients had a teflon plastic catheter inserted, maintained and cultured by a member of the IV therapy team; no antibiotic or antiseptic ointments were used . Colonization rates were higher in the summer than in the fall for both catheter tips (9.0% vs 3.5%, p = 0.005) and sites (21.6% vs 7.0%, p = 0.001) . During the summer season, the rate of catheter tip colonization with TP dressings was nearly twice that of DG dressings (12.4% vs 6.8%, p = 0.04) . Logistic regression analysis indicated that catheter tip colonization was associated with the summer season (odds ratio = 3.0, 95% CI 1.4-6.2) and TP dressings (odds ratio = 1.8, 95% CI 1.1-3.2), and that site colonization was associated with both summer (odds ratio = 4.0, 95% CI 2.2-7.1) and receipt of antibiotics (odds ratio = 1.9, 95% CI 1.1-3.2) . Coagulase-negative staphylococci were isolated from 55.5% of the colonized catheter tips and insertion sites . The data suggest that bacterial colonization of peripheral IV catheters is increased in summer, and that use of TP dressings may increase both tip colonization and cost nearly twofold.

Arthritis Rheum, 1985 Sep, 28(9), 1039 - 46
Crystal-induced endogenous pyrogen production . A further look at gouty inflammation; Malawista SE et al.; We found previously that crystals of sodium urate and silicon dioxide (silica) can stimulate the production of endogenous pyrogen (EP), now called interleukin-1 (IL-1), the polypeptide mediator of fever and other aspects of inflammation . We have confirmed and extended the work with urate crystals and have examined 2 other crystals associated with joint problems, hydroxyapatite (HA) and calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD) . The crystals were added to suspensions of human blood leukocytes (2.5 X 10(6) monocytes/dose, with 10% fresh autologous plasma); after 18 hours of incubation, the EP content of the supernatants was assayed in the rabbit pyrogen test . HA and CPPD crystals neither induced EP production nor reduced the amount of staphylococci-induced EP . Presized (10 - 40 micron) urate crystals were pyrogenic, but less so than the unsized and aggregated urate crystals investigated previously and reexamined here . On ultrasonication, the aggregated urate crystals became first more pyrogenic and then less so as the crystals were dispersed and broken down . Ultrasound did not impart pyrogenicity to HA or CPPD crystals: their failure to stimulate EP/IL-1 production from leukocytes in vitro indicates a difference in their phlogistic properties, compared with crystals of urate or silica . The results with urate crystals have pathogenetic implications in a number of areas of gouty inflammation: initiation of the acute attack, other aspects of the acute-phase response, polyarticular involvement, and the inflammatory consequences of chronic stimulation by tophaceous material.

J Gen Microbiol, 1985 Aug, 131 ( Pt 8), 2023 - 33
Numerical analysis of fatty acid profiles in the identification of staphylococci; O'Donnell AG et al.; Representative strains of coagulase-positive and coagulase-negative staphylococci were degraded by acid methanolysis and the resultant fatty acid methyl esters analysed by gas chromatography . The quantitative data obtained were examined by cluster analysis . The coagulase-positive strains formed six major and one single-member cluster at the 90% S-level . The Staphylococcus intermedius aggregate cluster included the single-member cluster and major clusters 1 and 2 . The four remaining clusters contained S . aureus strains and were homogeneous and distinct . The coagulase-negative strains were recovered in ten major and three single-member clusters at the 90% S-level . Five of the ten major clusters were reasonably homogeneous with respect to the existing classification . Thus, three S . capitis strains and five of the six S . epidermidis strains, two of the three S . hominis strains and five of the six S . simulans strains were recovered in separate clusters . Cluster 7 was divided into two subclusters; one contained five of the six S . hyicus strains and the other contained the two representatives of S . lentus . The remaining clusters were heterogeneous with regard to the named strains they contained.

Eur J Clin Microbiol, 1985 Aug, 4(4), 422 - 4
Stomatococcus mucilaginosus endocarditis; Prag J et al.; A case of non-nosocomial, spontaneously occurring endocarditis caused by growth of Stomatococcus mucilaginosus on a prolapsed mitral valve is reported . Despite the organism's high susceptibility in vitro the patient responded slowly to antibiotic treatment . Colony adherence to agar surface and absent or weak catalase reaction differentiated this gram-positive coccus from coagulase-negative staphylococci and micrococci.

Jpn J Med Sci Biol, 1985 Aug, 38(4), 181 - 94
Mechanism of bactericidal activity of lysolecithin and its biological implication; Kondo E et al.; Lysolecithin exhibited bactericidal effect on mycobacteria and staphylococci, but not on E . coli . The effect on staphylococci was manifested shortly after exposure, but that on mycobacteria was of the delayed type . The mycobactericidal activity was dependent on the fatty acid moiety of the chemical structure reflecting the cytotoxicity of the free form . The activity on staphylococci was not, however, of such fatty acid dependency and showed the same pattern of molecular species in hemolytic activity . These and other collateral findings suggest that the mycobactericidal effect of lysolecithin is due to the free fatty acids released therefrom by the enzymatic activity of the exposed bacterial cells, but that staphylococci are killed by the detergent effect of the whole lysolecithin molecule.

Jpn J Med Sci Biol, 1985 Aug, 38(4), 169 - 80
Liposomes-mycobacteria incubation systems as a partial model of host-parasite interaction at cell membrane level; Kondo E et al.; The multilamellar lecithin-cholesterol liposomes entrapping carboxyfluorescence as a specific marker were prepared to be incubated with mycobacteria . The extent of resulting liposomal lysis was measured by marker release . Mycobacteria were highly active in this respect regardless of the species . Staphylococci were much less active and E . coli was completely inactive . Molecular species of lecithin and their ratio to cholesterol were related with the liposome sensitivity to mycobacteria . Ultrastructural and biochemical study showed that liposomes can be in close contact with mycobacteria and lecithins are degraded so that released fatty acids are incorporated into bacterial lipids, especially in virulent species . Liposomes-mycobacteria interaction was discussed as a partial model of the phagocyte-parasite interaction at the membrane level.

Vet Med (Praha), 1985 Aug, 30(8), 477 - 84
{Modern scheme for the diagnosis of staphylococci}; Skalka B; A simplified scheme for the subdivision of coagulase-positive staphylococci and another simplified scheme for the diagnostics of coagulase-negative species were worked out . On the basis of the production of staphylokinase, coagulation of human and bovine plasma, acetoin production from glucose, and growth on agar with crystal violet, it is possible to identify S . aureus with its biovars A, B, C1, C2, D, as well as S . intermedius . The coagulase-negative species can be diagnosed according to their sensitivity to novobiocin, nitrate reduction, fermentation of maltose, sucrose, salicin, xylose, trehalose, mannitol and mannose, and haemolytic activity . The proposed diagnostic schemes were verified with success on the collection strains and on the 1305 staphylococci strains isolated largely from the bovine mammary gland, from dogs, man and domestic fowl . In S . aureus strains a close correlation was demonstrated between their biotype characteristics and the host species . A similar correlation was determined for S . intermedius . As to the coagulase-negative species, S . epidermidis, S . hominis and S . haemolyticus were diagnosed most frequently . Both schemes represent a reliable, prompt and technically simple method of the diagnostics of the Staphylococcus microorganisms.

Acta Pathol Microbiol Immunol Scand {B}, 1985 Aug, 93(4), 263 - 71
A comparison of a conventional and a radio-metric examination of clinical blood cultures with respect to recovery rate and detection time of microorganisms; Arpi M et al.; The results from a comparative investigation of two different blood culture systems with respect to the recovery rate and the detection time are presented . Patients from whom enough blood volume could be drawn to fill two or more Venoject tubes, were consecutively included in the study . The blood was equally divided between our conventional system (4 tubes of nutrient broth, 4 tubes of semisolid nutrient agar and 4 tubes of semisolid thioglycollate agar) and a radiometric system, Bactec (one aerobic and one anaerobic vial) . From a total of 1252 blood cultures, one or both systems detected 170 positive cultures (13.6%) from 140 patients . Of a total of 127 positive blood cultures representing bacteremia, the dominating species were Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, accounting for 31 and 27% respectively . The radiometric system detected 95% and the conventional system 82% of all clinically relevant isolates (p less than 0.001) . Especially E . coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were detected more frequently in the radiometric system . The radiometric system had a shorter average detection time than the conventional system (1.0 versus 1.7 days) . This may have therapeutical and prognostical consequences for patients with bacteremia . One fourth of all positive blood cultures was due to contamination . The majority of the contaminants, mainly coagulase negative staphylococci, were found in the radiometric system, as were false positive cultures . This comparative study demonstrated positive and negative sides of both systems tested.

J Clin Microbiol, 1985 Aug, 22(2), 316 - 7
Rapid, automated identification of novobiocin-resistant, coagulase-negative staphylococci; Mendes CM et al.; A modified automated method that uses the MS-2 system (Abbott Laboratories, Diagnostics Div., Irving, Tex.) to verify the reaction of coagulase-negative staphylococci to novobiocin is described . This technique permits the testing of a great number of specimens in an average time of 99 min and results in a 100% match with the traditional method of culturing.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1985 Jul, (7), 67 - 71
{Neutrophil-stimulating activity of staphylococci based on reactive chemiluminescence data}; Nevmiatullin AL et al.; The neutrophil-stimulating properties of 38 S . aureus strains and 32 S . epidermidis strains were studied in the reaction of luminol-mediated chemiluminescence . All S . aureus strains and 29 S . epidermidis strains were found to possess neutrophil-stimulating activity, the mean activity index for S . aureus being significantly higher . The stimulating activity of the strains varied within a wide range (the variation coefficient was 120.0 +/- 21.9%) and did not correlate with the content of protein A in bacterial cells and the degree of their hydrophoby . The opsonization of staphylococci with normal human serum enhanced the neutrophil reaction 1.5- to 100-fold and simultaneously leveled out the chemiluminescence indices in experiments with different strains (the variation coefficient was 8.0 +/- 1.5%) . The nature of the neutrophil-stimulating effect of staphylococci and its relationship to the exploratory reactions of phagocytes are discussed.

Biull Eksp Biol Med, 1985 Jul, 100(7), 49 - 51
{Mechanism of the intensification of the immune response to Staphylococcus in mice after the transplantation of primed donor splenocytes}; Bobrovnik SA et al.; Experiments on CBA, C57Bl/6 mice and (CBA X X C57Bl/6)F1 hybrids were made to study the mechanism of stimulation of the immune response to staphylococci after injection of primed splenocytes . The stimulating action of immune splenocytes was reversed after their in-vitro treatment with anti-immunoglobulin serum and complement . The stimulant effect was also seen in a semi-allogeneic system (adoptive transfer of CBA mice immune cells to (CBA X C57Bl/6)F1 recipients) . Preincubation of splenocytes with CBA-anti-C57Bl/6-serum and complement prior to demonstration of antibody-forming cells did not influence their number in the spleen of hybrid recipients injected with immune cells carrying parent genotype but decreased this indicator of the immune response in control mice . It is concluded that stimulation of the immune response to staphylococci after transplantation of primed splenocytes is due to the anamnestic response of donor's cells repeatedly stimulated by antigen in the recipient's host.

Microbiologica, 1985 Jul, 8(3), 297 - 301
A new calorimetric technique to analyze bacteria-phagocyte interactions; Eftimiadi C et al.; We have assessed the use of a batch calorimeter in the analysis of bacteria phagocyte interactions . Results obtained using different strains of staphylococci agree with our previously reported flow calorimetric data . Phagocytosis of Staphylococcus aureus produces a greater metabolic activation energy expenditure with respect to other "saprophytic" staphylococci . The results obtained indicate that the batch calorimeter better fulfills all the requirements for routine phagocytosis assay.

J Surg Res, 1985 Jul, 39(1), 46 - 52
Methylprednisolone impairs the bactericidal activity of alveolar macrophages; White JC et al.; Corticosteroid treatment of patients following acid aspiration has been reported to increase the incidence of bacterial pneumonia, with Staphylococcus aureus being a common isolate . We hypothesized that administration of methylprednisolone (MP) to mice with acid-injured lungs would impair pulmonary clearance of S . aureus by compromising the bactericidal oxidative metabolism of pulmonary phagocytes . Using an inhalational bacterial challenge, we established that MP decreased pulmonary clearance of S . aureus . In mice with normal lungs and without MP treatment 14 +/- 2% of all initially deposited Staphylococci remained at 4 hr compared to 28 +/- 2% remaining in the lungs of mice with MP treatment . In mice with acid-injured lungs, MP caused a greater impairment of S . aureus clearance at 4 hr with 44 +/- 10% of all initially deposited bacteria remaining in the lungs of control mice and 210 +/- 24% remaining in the lungs of MP-treated mice . After it was demonstrated that there was no difference in the numbers of phagocytic cells obtained by lung lavage from mice with or without MP treatment, the bactericidal oxidative metabolism of these cells was quantitated using luminol-amplified chemiluminescence . Phagocytic cells from mice not exposed to S . aureus displayed minimal chemiluminescence whether they were treated with saline (22 +/- 14 mV) or MP (14 +/- 8 mV) . In contrast, phagocytes from saline-treated mice exposed to S . aureus showed a significant increase in chemiluminescence (159 +/- 22 mV) . Pretreatment with MP, however, prevented this response to S . aureus (21 +/- 13 mV), indicating that bactericidal oxidative metabolism of these phagocytic cells had been suppressed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

J Infect Dis, 1985 Jul, 152(1), 43 - 9
Conjugative R plasmids in antimicrobial resistance of Staphylococcus aureus causing nosocomial infections; Schaberg DR et al.; Increasing resistance to aminoglycoside antimicrobial agents in clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus was encountered in one hospital over a three-year period . Eleven of 16 isolates, selected to represent different time periods, transferred gentamicin resistance on filter membranes with transfer properties and restriction-enzyme analyses that were similar to pAM899-1, a self-transferable gentamicin plasmid previously isolated from Staphylococcus epidermidis within the same hospital . Self-transferable gentamicin R plasmids were demonstrated in isolates from six other nosocomial environments as early as 1974 and, though showing different restriction-enzyme digests, were highly related to pAM899-1 on the basis of Southern hybridization . These recently recognized, self-transferable plasmids seem to share a common evolutionary background and are important contributors to the increased resistance encountered in nosocomial staphylococci.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1985 Jul, (7), 29 - 32
{Variability of the pathogenicity traits of populations of staphylococci in a surgical hospital}; Chernevskaia OM et al.; The results of the study of heterogeneity of staphylococcal populations at a surgical ward are presented . The study deals with qualitative and quantitative characteristics of three groups of pathogenicity factors: protease (the penetration factor), protein A (the function of protection from phagocytosis) and alpha-hemolysin (the toxic function) . The study shows that the greatest number of S . aureus strains with a high content of protein A has been isolated from patients with postoperative and wound infections . On the basis of the data obtained in this study the groups of strains have been defined in accordance with the association of the signs of pathogenicity . These groups reflect pronounced heterogeneity of staphylococcal strains at a surgical ward.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1985 Jul, 16(1), 17 - 21
Inhibition of beta-lactamase synthesis in Staphylococcus aureus by minocycline; Chopra I et al.; The effect of minocycline on beta-lactamase synthesis in Staphylococcus aureus was examined . Some inhibition of synthesis was detectable in organisms exposed to 0.015 mg minocycline/litre (0.15 of the single cell MIC) and complete inhibition was observed at 0.05 mg drug/litre (0.5 MIC) . In contrast, total cell protein synthesis was less susceptible to inhibition by minocycline . Although synthesis of beta-lactamase was inhibited by low concentrations of minocycline, benzylpenicillin and minocycline failed to show synergy when tested in a variety of combinations against penicillinase producing staphylococci . In fact, benzyl-penicillin did not influence the minocycline MIC, and in the majority of cases the same pattern was exhibited by minocycline i.e . it did not generally alter the penicillin MIC . This is an example of true indifference whereby each antibiotic behaves as if the other were not present . The results presented here are discussed in relation to the possibility of therapeutic control of beta-lactamase producing organisms by suppressing the level of enzyme produced.

J Infect Dis, 1985 Jul, 152(1), 24 - 32
Human mononuclear cells exposed to staphylococci rapidly produce an inhibitor of neutrophil chemotaxis; Donabedian H; Serum-free cultures of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells from normal volunteers produce an inhibitor of neutrophil chemotaxis when exposed to heat-killed staphylococci . Human neutrophils were exposed to 100-fold dilutions of supernatants from 6-hr cultures, washed repeatedly, and assayed for chemotactic responsiveness with a radiolabel assay . Dilutions of supernatants from cell cultures exposed to staphylococci resulted in a mean chemotaxis of 856 +/- 83 cpm (n = 21), while that for medium-treated neutrophils was 1,354 +/- 100 cpm (n = 21, P less than .001), and supernatants from cultures without staphylococci produced chemotaxis of 1,107 +/- 132 cpm (n = 14, P greater than .05 vs . medium-treated) . Fifty-three experiments on tissue from 26 donors showed that after 6 hr the mean inhibition (+/- SE) of chemotaxis at 1:100 dilution was 26.4% +/- 3.3% (P less than .001 vs . medium-treated) . It was found that the peptidoglycan fraction of the staphylococci was sufficient to induce production of inhibitor by the cooperative action of T cells and monocytes . The inhibitor is a protein with a molecular mass of 30-45 kilodaltons . It is not toxic to the neutrophils and does not affect secretion, adhesion, phagocytosis, or the ability to kill Staphylococcus aureus . This potent inhibitor of neutrophil chemotaxis may play a role in the modulation of neutrophil function during bacterial infections.

Antibiot Med Biotekhnol, 1985 Jul, 30(7), 538 - 42
{Effect of phosphates on the membrane activity of gramicidin S}; Bulgakova VG et al.; The membrane activity of gramicidin S against intact cells of staphylococci and micrococci determined by the loss of intracellular low-molecular compounds with the adsorption maxima at 260 nm by the bacteria markedly increased in the presence of phosphates . Acetate and hydrochlorides had no effect on the membranotropic action of the antibiotic . Analogous results were obtained for gramicidin S derivatives by free ornithine amino groups possessing basic and antibiotic activity . The increased membrane action of the antibiotic on the cells in the presence of phosphates was probably due to the changes under these conditions in the aggregate state of the substance in solution . With the use of labeled gramicidin S it was shown that centrifugation of the antibiotic solution in a concentration of 50-1000 micrograms/ml at 18000-20000 rpm resulted in sedimentation of a significant part of gramicidin S dissolved in the phosphate buffer . Sedimentation of the drug in aqueous and NaCl solutions was insignificant . The presence of phosphates in the medium had no effect on the quantity of the antibiotic bound to the micrococcal membrane preparations . It is suggested that the increase in the level of cytoplasmic membrane disorganization in the presence of phosphates was due to binding of the antibiotic molecule associations to the membranes and/or additional intermolecular association of gramicidin S bound to the membranes.

Presse Med, 1985 Jun 29, 14(26), 1413 - 6
{Peritonitis in renal failure patients treated by continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis . Treatment by intraperitoneal administration of a group M penicillin}; Pierre D et al.; From February 1980 to February 1983, 55 patients with chronic renal failure were put on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis . Eighty-four episodes of peritonitis occurred., i.e one episode every 9.9 months of treatment . Since staphylococci accounted for 58% of the germs identified, intraperitoneal therapy with a penicillin M was instituted while dialysis was continued through chambers . Cure was obtained in 85.7% of all episodes, either with the penicillin M alone (57% of the cases) or after adjustment of the antibiotic therapy to bacteriological results (28.6% of the cases) . Dialysis was discontinued in 10 patients (18%) on account of the peritonitis . The duration of hospital stay for peritonitis was 3.6 days per patient per year . These results were compared with those obtained by other groups . The advantages of penicillin M are its ease of administration, its narrow spectrum and high activity against the pathogens most commonly encountered, and its very low toxicity.

Am J Med, 1985 Jun 28, 78(6B), 58 - 62
Respiratory tract infections . Goals for 1995; Eickhoff TC; Goals to be identified for 1995, a decade hence, in the prevention, diagnosis, and management of respiratory tract infections may conveniently be divided into diagnostic goals and goals in therapy and prophylaxis . Major diagnostic goals for bacterial, viral, and mycoplasmal infections of the respiratory tract focus on the development of systems to identify microbial components, such as specific antigens or segments of DNA, using monoclonal antibody techniques or DNA probes for hybridization . Sputum cultures, in the traditional sense, should ultimately become obsolete . Management goals include the development of algorithms to identify patients who should be hospitalized, in contrast to those who can safely be treated on an outpatient basis . New antibiotic drug development should include drugs active against methicillin-resistant staphylococci, broad-spectrum beta-lactam drugs that are orally active against gram-negative bacilli, and drugs that can be used parenterally on a once-daily basis in settings other than the acute care hospital . There are certainly needs to enhance the present spectrum of antiviral drugs and to develop therapeutically useful immunomodulators . There are promising prospects for vaccine development, including live attenuated influenza virus vaccine, parainfluenza virus vaccine, respiratory syncytial virus vaccine, and a Mycoplasma pneumoniae vaccine . With major research support, such vaccines could possibly be fully developed by 1995 . Finally, of greatest importance is the need to achieve greater utilization of existing vaccines, that is, inactivated influenza vaccine and the current 23-valent pneumococcal vaccine . A legitimate goal for 1995 would be to achieve 70 percent or greater utilization of these vaccines within the recommended target populations.

Am J Med, 1985 Jun 28, 78(6B), 225 - 8
Hip implant infection . Treatment with resection arthroplasty and late total hip arthroplasty; Fitzgerald RH Jr et al.; In 131 patients with an infected hip implant, treatment was surgical excision of the implant (resection arthroplasty) and delayed reconstruction with a total hip arthroplasty . Most of the patients had low-grade infections: only 5 percent had a temperature of 37.8 degrees C or higher and only 20 percent had wound drainage . Hip pain was the primary symptom of a deep infection in 90 percent . Staphylococci were the most frequently isolated causal organisms, recovered from deep tissue specimens in 84 patients . The hip was reconstructed six days to 32 years (mode, 429 days) after resection arthroplasty . At follow-up two to nine years after reconstruction, 88 percent of the 131 patients were free of infection . Recurrent sepsis was more common (p less than 0.05) in patients with incomplete acrylic cement removal or patients in whom reconstruction was performed less than 429 days after resection arthroplasty . Risk of recurrent sepsis was increased when gram-negative bacilli in pure or mixed cultures were found, but the difference was not statistically significant.

Antibiot Med Biotekhnol, 1985 Jun, 30(6), 446 - 9
{Effect of prodigiozan, levamisole and methyluracil on endogenous colony formation and absorptive function of the reticuloendothelial system}; Riabchinskaia LA; The effect of prodigiosan, levamisole and methyluracil on the number of endogenic colonies in the spleen and absorptive function of the reticuloendothelial system (RES) was studied comparatively in intact mice and mice treated with prednisolone, cyclophosphamide and chloramphenicol . It was shown that prodigiosan stimulated the endogenic colony formation with all the administration schemes in both the intact animals and the animals treated with chloramphenicol . The stimulating effect of methyluracil was observed, when it was used prophylactically . The effect of levamisole was not consistent . A significant stimulating effect of prodigiosan on absorptive function of the RES in the intact animals and the animals treated with prednisolone was shown . Methyluracil increased absorption of staphylococci by the macrophages in the intact animals . The effect of levamisole on the intact animals was not observed, while in the animals treated with prednisolone and cyclophosphamide it stimulated the absorptive capacity of the RES . Levamisole did not change the effect of prodigiosan and methyluracil on endogenous colony formation when used therapeutically, prevented the prodigiosan effect and potentiated the effect of methyluracil on absorptive function of the RES.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1985 Jun, (6), 64 - 8
{Immune response and the formation of immunologic memory to Staphylococcus in mice of different genotypes}; Bobrovnik SA et al.; The time course of changes in the number of antibody-forming cells in the spleen in the primary and secondary immune response to staphylococcal corpuscular antigen was studied in experiments on mice . C3H mice were found to be highly responsive, while A/Sn mice showed low response, the opposite character of immune responsiveness to this antigen in the animals of the above-mentioned genotypes increasing after the second immunization . C57BL/6, CBA, DBA/2, BALB/c and (CBA X C57BL/6) F1 mice showed comparatively moderate antibody formation in response to staphylococci . The formation of immunological memory to this antigen depended on the genotype of mice and was determined by the intensity of antigenic action: high priming doses of staphylococci proved to be most effective; low doses of the antigen were not effective or produced only short-term immunological memory to staphylococci in mice.

Vet Microbiol, 1985 Jun, 10(4), 387 - 92
Detection of staphylo-coagulase using plasmas from various animals; Adesiyun AA et al.; The effect of sources of Staphylococcus aureus and plasmas, concentration of plasma, temperature and duration of incubation on coagulase-test results was evaluated . Using S . aureus strains of food origin, the value of plasmas in coagulase tests was, in order of superiority, human and rabbit greater than pig greater than donkey greater than chicken greater than cattle greater than duck greater than goat greater than dog . However, with staphylococcal isolates of animal origin the order was cattle greater than pig greater than human greater than duck greater than goat greater than dog greater than rabbit greater than chicken greater than donkey . Regardless of the source of staphylococci, horse plasma was found unsuitable in coagulase tests as it clotted spontaneously . The temperature (25 and 37 degrees C), and duration of incubation and type of anticoagulant had no significant (P greater than 0.05, X2) effect on coagulase-test results . It is concluded that in testing staphylococcal isolates from various sources for coagulase production, it is imperative to use plasmas from several animal species whenever practicable as staphylococcal biotypes display variable ability to coagulate different plasmas.

Trop Geogr Med, 1985 Jun, 37(2), 194 - 7
Cavernous sinus thrombosis in two Papua New Guineans; Scrimgeour EM et al.; Bilateral cavernous sinus thrombosis developed following minor forehead abrasions in two adult Melanesians in Papua New Guinea . In both cases diagnosis and the institution of appropriate treatment were delayed . The first patient died but the second survived with residual 6th cranial nerve palsy . Whenever this condition is suspected, because of the high case fatality rate, high-dose, intravenous antibiotic treatment which should include an agent effective against penicillinresistant staphylococci should be commenced without delay pending further investigation.

Br J Exp Pathol, 1985 Jun, 66(3), 325 - 32
Some effects of plasmids coding for antibiotic resistance on the virulence of Staphylococcus aureus; Kinsman OS et al.; The relative virulence of pairs of staphylococci differing in resistance plasmid content has been studied using the neonatal mouse weight gain test . Both clinical and laboratory strains were used which had undergone genetic manipulation, either curing for loss of plasmids or transduction for gain of plasmids . A difference in virulence was detected between two variants of S . aureus NCTC 8325 possessing different plasmids coding for penicillinase . However in most cases any form of genetic manipulation seemed to reduce the virulence of the staphylococcus . In the case of NCTC 9789 (PS 80) which was originally an epidemic strain, curing of a plasmid coding for cadmium resistance resulted in reduced virulence but original virulence could not be restored by transduction of the plasmid into the cured derivative.

Eur J Clin Microbiol, 1985 Jun, 4(3), 286 - 90
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of immunoglobulin G and M antibodies to teichoic acid in intravascular staphylococcal disease; West TE et al.; An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detection of IgG and IgM antibodies to cell-wall teichoic acids of Staphylococcus aureus and three defined coagulase-negative staphylococci was tested using serum samples from 11 cases of intravascular coagulase-negative staphylococcal infections, 13 cases of Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis, and 24 patients with no evidence of infection . IgG antibody titers to all four teichoic acids in the 13 patients with Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis were significantly different from those in noninfected control patients (p less than 0.0001) . In contrast, IgG antibody titers in serum from 11 cases of intravascular coagulase-negative staphylococcal infection were not significantly different from those in control sera . There were no differences in IgM antibody titers of the three groups . Although the ELISA was sensitive in detecting Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis, it was not reliable in the detection of intravascular coagulase-negative staphylococcal infections, even when tested with specific teichoic acid.

Methods Find Exp Clin Pharmacol, 1985 Jun, 7(6), 333 - 5
In vitro antimicrobial susceptibilities of oxacillin-resistant coagulase negative staphylococci; Flournoy DJ; Minimum inhibitory (broth microdilution) and bactericidal concentrations determined on 101 oxacillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci against netilmicin, oxacillin, vancomycin, Lauricidin and minoxidil . All isolates were susceptible to vancomycin . Netilmicin was the next most active agent, inhibiting 90% of the strains at 8 mcg/ml.

J Cell Biol, 1985 Jun, 100(6), 1922 - 9
Permeabilization of rat hepatocytes with Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin; McEwen BF et al.; Pathogenic staphylococci secrete a number of exotoxins, including alpha-toxin . alpha-Toxin induces lysis of erythrocytes and liposomes when its 3S protein monomers associate with the lipid bilayer and form a hexomeric transmembrane channel 3 nm in diameter . We have used alpha-toxin to render rat hepatocytes 93-100% permeable to trypan blue with a lactate dehydrogenase leakage less than or equal to 22% . Treatment conditions included incubation for 5-10 min at 37 degrees C and pH 7.0 with an alpha-toxin concentration of 4-35 human hemolytic U/ml and a cell concentration of 13-21 mg dry wt/ml . Scanning electron microscopy revealed signs of swelling in the treated hepatocytes, but there were no large lesions or gross damage to the cell surface . Transmission electron microscopy indicated that the nucleus, mitochondria, and cytoplasm were similar in control and treated cells and both had large regions of well-defined lamellar rough endoplasmic reticulum . Comparisons of the mannose-6-phosphatase and glucose-6-phosphatase activities demonstrated that 5-10 U/ml alpha-toxin rendered cells freely permeable to glucose-6-phosphate, while substantially preserving the selective permeability of the membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum and the functionality of the glucose-6-phosphatase system . Thus, alpha-toxin appears to have significant potential as a means to induce selective permeability to small ions . It should make possible the study of a variety of cellular functions in situ.

Arch Microbiol, 1985 May, 141(4), 315 - 24
A special morphogenetic wall defect and the subsequent activity of "murosomes" as the very reason for penicillin-induced bacteriolysis in staphylococci; Giesbrecht P et al.; The actual reason for the penicillin-induced bacteriolysis of staphylococci was shown to be the "punching" of one or a few minute holes into the peripheral cell wall at predictable sites . These perforations were the result of the lytic activity of novel, extraplasmatic vesicular structures, located exclusively within the bacterial wall material, which we have named "murosomes" . In untreated staphylococci the punching of holes into the peripheral wall is a normal process which follows cross wall completion and represents the first visible step of cell separation . Under penicillin, however, analogous holes are punched by the murosomes at sites of presumptive cell separation even if no sufficient cross wall material had been assembled before at this site (but had rather been deposited at other sites) . Consequently, because of the internal pressure of the protoplast, lytic death is the inevitable result of this perforation of the protective peripheral wall . Hence, the real mechanism of penicillin-induced bacteriolysis in staphylococci is considered to be mainly the result of a special morphogenetic wall defect: bacteriolysis is taking place regularly when a cell separation process is no longer preceeded by sufficient cross wall assembly at the correct place . However, hypotheses which are based purely on some variations of overall biochemical processes like total wall enzyme activities or total wall synthesis are not regarded to be sufficient to explain this type of lytic death.

Arch Microbiol, 1985 May, 141(4), 309 - 14
Neither an enhancement of autolytic wall degradation nor an inhibition of the incorporation of cell wall material are pre-requisites for penicillin-induced bacteriolysis in staphylococci; Reinicke B et al.; In contrast to what has been postulated, penicillin G at its optimal lytic concentration of 0.1 microgram per ml did not lead to a detectable activation of autolytic wall processes in staphylococci in terms of the release of uniformly labelled wall fragments from cells pretreated with the drug for 1 h . Rather a considerable inhibition of this release was observed . A similarly profound inhibition of the release of peptidoglycan fragments occurred when staphylococci pretreated for 1 h with 0.1 microgram penicillin per ml acted as a source of crude autolysins on peptidoglycan isolated from labelled normal cells of the same strain . This clearly demonstrated that the overall inhibition of autolytic wall processes caused by penicillin was mainly due to a decreased total autolysin action rather than to an altered wall structure . Furthermore, no substantial penicillin-induced inhibition of the incorporation of 14C-N-acetylglucosamine into the staphylococcal wall could be observed before bacteriolysis started, i.e., approximately during the first 80 min of penicillin action . These results are not consistent with any of the models hitherto proposed for the action of penicillin.

J Clin Microbiol, 1985 May, 21(5), 726 - 9
Evaluation of various rapid agglutination methods for the identification of Staphylococcus aureus; Baker JS et al.; A latex agglutination test (SeroSTAT Staph; Scott Laboratories, Fiskeville, R.I.) and two hemagglutination tests (Staphyloslide; BBL Microbiology Systems, Cockeysville, Md.; and Hemastaph; Remel, Lenexa, Kans.) were compared with the slide coagulase (SC) and tube coagulase (TC) tests at room temperature (22 to 25 degrees C) and at 37 degrees C for the rapid identification of Staphylococcus aureus . A total of 380 clinical strains of staphylococci were tested . The TC test performed at room temperature yielded the largest number of TC-positive results (n = 239), and based on this observation 239 organisms were classified as S . aureus and 141 were classified as non-S . aureus . The SC, TC (37 degrees C), SeroSTAT Staph, Staphyloslide, and Hemastaph tests correctly identified 210 (87.9%), 221 (92.5%), 238 (99.6%), 239 (100%), and 236 (98.7%) of the S . aureus isolates, respectively . Of the S . aureus isolates that were TC positive at room temperature 68% required 24 h of incubation before coagulase production was detected . There was one false-negative SeroSTAT Staph result and one false-negative Hemastaph result . The Staphyloslide test yielded two noninterpretable results (both organisms were later confirmed as non-S . aureus), whereas there were six noninterpretable results recorded with the Hemastaph test (four organisms were classified as non-S . aureus, and two were classified as S . aureus) . The SeroSTAT Staph, Staphyloslide, and Hemastaph tests were all more sensitive than the conventional SC and TC (37 degrees C) tests and were considerably more rapid than the TC test at either temperature.

Ann Clin Lab Sci, 1985 May-Jun, 15(3), 246 - 51
Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus bacteremia--a rising threat in the newborn infant; Anday EK et al.; Based on a three year surveillance in the neonatal intensive and transitional care nurseries (NICU) at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP), an analysis of all cases of nosocomial bacteremia was made . From January 1982 to September 1984, a total of 57 nosocomial bacteremic episodes were identified . This gave a rate of 3.6 episodes per 100 NICU admissions or 6.5 per 1000 live hospital births . While coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) accounted for approximately 40 percent of all positive blood cultures, it was responsible for 73 and 66 percent of the nosocomial bacteremias in 1982 and 1983, respectively . In 1984, coagulase-negative staphylococcus was the responsible pathogen for 92 percent of all nosocomial bacteremic episodes . Of 139 infants weighing less than or equal to 1250 g at birth, 30 (22 percent) developed CNS bacteremia . The risk of coagulase-negative staphylococcus bacteremia was associated with low birth weight, respiratory distress, prolonged hyperalimentation, and multiple supportive measures . Infants were treated with vancomycin hydrochloride, as most of the CNS were resistant to methicillin and/or gentamicin . There were no deaths related to coagulase-negative staphylococcal septicemia.

Antibiot Med Biotekhnol, 1985 May, 30(5), 334 - 7
{Spontaneous variation of Streptomyces griseus lysing staphylococci}; Zinkevichiute IaA et al.; Spontaneous variation of Str . griseus was studied . 7 variants were isolated which go into the homologous series of the hereditary variability of apigment actinomycetes . The confidence intervals of the correlative relationship between the cultural and morphological features of the spontaneous variants and the level of their lytic activity did not over lap at p 0.95, which indicates that the difference is also significant by this feature . A possibility for a certain increase of the culture activity by selection of spontaneous variants is shown.

JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr, 1985 May-Jun, 9(3), 322 - 5
A randomized trial on the effect of tubing changes on hub contamination and catheter sepsis during parenteral nutrition; Sitges-Serra A et al.; In previous studies the contamination of the catheter hub was found to be a common portal of entry for bacteria causing catheter-related sepsis . Since hub manipulations during tubing changes may increase the risk of contamination, a prospective trial was conducted to find out the effects of the frequency of tubing replacements on hub colonization and catheter sepsis rates . The results were compared with those obtained during an outbreak of coagulase negative staphylococci septicemia . Fifty-two patients were randomly allocated into two groups . Group A (n = 20) had the line changes every 2 days while group B (n = 32) had it replaced every 4 days . When the catheter was removed, the catheter tip and the hub were cultured by a quantitative method . Sterile, colonized, or infected hubs were equally distributed in both groups (A: 80, 15, and 5% vs B: 84, 6, and 10%) . There were three episodes of catheter sepsis, one in group A and one in group B due to hub infection, and one in group B due to hematogenous seeding of the catheter tip . There were significant (p less than 0.001) differences between the trial and the historic series in respect to rates of hub colonization infection (19 vs 50%) and catheter sepsis (5.7 vs 40%) . Delaying tubing changes does not increase catheter sepsis or hub contamination rates and, together with adequate hub protection, has proved to be a valuable factor in controlling an outbreak of catheter sepsis due to the coagulase negative staphylococci.

J Clin Microbiol . 1985 May;21(5):843.
Colistin-oxolinic acid blood agar: a selective medium for the isolation of Gardnerella vaginalis; Thompson JS; Colistin-oxolinic acid medium is proposed as a selective isolation medium for Gardnerella vaginalis . The medium is effective in inhibiting staphylococci and gram-negative bacteria while allowing growth of G . vaginalis.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1985 May, 27(5), 851 - 7
Occurrence of a beta-lactam-inducible penicillin-binding protein in methicillin-resistant staphylococci; Ubukata K et al.; The mechanism of methicillin resistance was investigated in methicillin-resistant staphylococci (MRS) and in variants which had lost methicillin resistance . Phase-contrast microscopy showed that cells swelled at low concentrations of beta-lactam antibiotics in both MRS and variants which had lost methicillin resistance . Cells of variants which had lost methicillin resistance were lysed easily when higher concentrations of antibiotic were used . In contrast, MRS cells remained swollen at even higher concentrations of antibiotics . Furthermore, bacterial growth was inhibited at antibiotic concentrations much lower than MICs for MRS . Examination of the penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) in MRS revealed that a new PBP-2' (molecular weight, 74,000) was induced in large quantity by exposure to beta-lactams . PBP-2' was produced constitutively in variants of MRS which had lost a penicillinase plasmid . The induction of PBP-2' by beta-lactams was not detected in variants which had lost methicillin resistance . High concentrations of beta-lactam were required for saturation of PBP-2' . The optimum antibiotic concentration for the induction of PBP-2' varied with the beta-lactam used as the inducer, and PBP-2' was produced in a larger amount at 32 degrees C than at 37 degrees C . From these results, we suggest that the mechanism of methicillin resistance depends on the induction of PBP-2', which may function as a detour enzyme for PBP-2 or PBP-3 or may be a particular enzyme involved in peptidoglycan synthesis.

Cell Immunol, 1985 May, 92(2), 235 - 46
Leukocyte complement: interleukin-like properties of factor Bb; Hirani S et al.; It has been previously shown that the activated form of Factor B (Factor Bb) of the alternative pathway of complement activation stimulates monocyte spreading and killing of xenogenic erythrocytes and staphylococci . Factor Bb also stimulates lymphocyte blastogenesis in vitro, and native (uncleaved) Factor B is a major constitutive product of murine macrophages . To evaluate the possible "monokine" or "lymphokine"-like properties of Factor Bb, a radioimmunoassay was developed to measure the quantities of Factor B in phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-mitogen-stimulated cultures of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells . Nonstimulated mononuclear cell cultures from human peripheral blood (containing 10-14% monocytes and greater than 85% lymphocytes) at a density of 3 X 10(6) cells/ml (in serum-free medium) released less than 7 X 10(-10) M/liter (60 ng/ml) of Factor B antigen in 24 hr at 37 degrees C, and when mononuclear cells were stimulated with PHA mitogen in serum-free medium, the levels of Factor B antigen in media at 24 hr were significantly higher 1-3 X 10(-8) M/liter (0.9-2.8 micrograms/ml) . The molecular size of Factor B in these media was 50-65 kDa by immunoprecipitation and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, a size appropriate for Factor Bb (60 kDa) . Since pathological effects of macrophages in autoimmune disease may result from the release of lysosomal hydrolases, the effects of purified Factor Bb on mononuclear phagocytes were investigated in an in vitro system of murine peritoneal exudate macrophages . Factor Bb induced secretion of marker lysosomal hydrolases N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (hexosaminidase) and beta-glucuronidase from thioglycollate-elicited murine peritoneal exudate macrophages in a dose-response and kinetic manner . Hydrolase release was induced in serum-free medium without a known particulate activator at a concentration of 80-200 nM (5-13 micrograms/ml) Factor Bb . Maximal release occurred in 3-5 hr at 37 degrees C and extracellular enzyme activity of hexosaminidase and glucuronidase increased as intracellular enzyme levels decreased, suggesting that Factor Bb triggers release of these enzymes from intracellular lysosomal pools . These results provide an example of a complement protein which is synthesized, released, and activated during mononuclear cell culture and which induces release of lysosomal enzymes from macrophages . In conventional terminology, Factor B or Factor Bb might be termed a "lymphokine," "monokine," or "interleukin".

Pathol Biol (Paris), 1985 May, 33(5), 381 - 4
{Comparative in vitro antistaphylococcal effect of norfloxacin and pefloxacin on 312 hospital strains}; Ronco E et al.; Antistaphylococcal activity of two new quinolones, norfloxacin and pefloxacin, was studied . Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined by the agar dilution technique for 312 staphylococcal strains, all of which were resistant to nalidixic acid . 50% and 90% MICs were respectively 1 and 4 micrograms/ml for norfloxacin and 0.5 and 1 micrograms/ml for pefloxacin . Activities of these two new quinolones proved similar on Staphylococcus aureus and non-coagulase-producing staphylococci, regardless of their response to methicillin . Cross resistance between the two drugs was demonstrated.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1985 May, 27(5), 688 - 91
Activity of ciprofloxacin against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Smith SM et al.; Ciprofloxacin, a carboxy quinolone antibiotic with a broad spectrum of activity, was tested against 54 strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus . The ciprofloxacin MICs for 50 and 90% of the isolates were 0.25 and 0.5 micrograms/ml, respectively, and its MBC for 90% of the isolates was 1.0 microgram/ml . Killing kinetic studies were conducted in vitro with ciprofloxacin and vancomycin individually and in combination . The results of these studies showed that ciprofloxacin at 2 micrograms/ml and vancomycin at 10 micrograms/ml decreased the number of organisms by approximately 1.5 log10 after 6 h . The combination of ciprofloxacin plus vancomycin did not alter the rate of killing over that achieved by ciprofloxacin alone . The in vitro killing of resistant staphylococci was rapid, and the potential use of ciprofloxacin for infections caused by methicillin-resistant S . aureus should be further explored.

Antibiot Med Biotekhnol, 1985 May, 30(5), 364 - 9
{Effect of benzylpenicillin and tetracycline on phagocytic and humoral activity and biochemical indices in experimental animals with staphylococcal infection}; Balakliets NI et al.; The effect of benzylpenicillin and tetracycline on phagocytosis by leukocytes of abdominal cavity exudate, activity of lysozyme and beta-lysines in the blood serum, content of nucleic acids and activity of succinate dehydrogenase and phosphatase (total and acid) in the liver cells was studied on albino mice infected by staphylococci . It was shown that the treatment of the animals with benzylpenicillin and tetracycline for 5 days affected the cellular and nonspecific humoral defence and activity of succinate dehydrogenase and phosphatase . A decrease in the indices of the phagocytosis, activity of lysozyme, beta-lysines, succinate dehydrogenase and phosphatase was observed . Tetracycline had a more pronounced inhibitory effect . Neither benzylpenicillin, nor tetracycline had an effect on the content of nucleic acids in liver cells.

Acta Pathol Microbiol Immunol Scand {B}, 1985 Apr, 93(2), 99 - 104
Studies on coagulase-negative staphylococci in patients undergoing cardiac surgery . Different hypotheses for the origin of multiply-resistant isolates; Hansen BG et al.; Hypotheses for the origin of multiply-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci from 146 patients undergoing cardiac surgery were tested . All received cephalothin per-operatively . Antibiotic susceptibility testing, phage-typing, bio-typing, and test for Tween-80-splitting enzyme were used to characterize 132 isolates from nose swabs . Seventy-five percent of the pre-operative susceptible isolates were of biotype 1, while biotypes 3 and 4 made up 59% of the post-operative, multiply-resistant isolates . Fifty-three percent of the isolates were typable by phage-typing . Typability of isolates of biotype 1 was high (56%) while almost 75% of biotype 4 were untypable . Susceptible isolates were more often typable than multiply-resistant ones . Of the 146 patients, 105 (72%) carried coagulase-negative staphylococci pre-operatively, only two of them carried multiply-resistant strains . Fifty-nine patients (41%) were colonized with multiply-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci post-operatively . By combining the results of bio-typing, phage-typing, and test for Tween-splitting enzyme the study made it probable that a maximum of ten patients (6.8%) already carried multiply-resistant strains on admission to the hospital or were carriers of initially susceptible strains which developed multiple-resistance during administration of antibiotics . It therefore seemed likely that most of the patients were deprived of their natural bacterial flora by antibiotic treatment and subsequently colonized post-operatively with multiply-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci from the environment.

Vestn Khir Im I I Grek, 1985 Apr, 134(4), 69 - 74
{Effect of a flow-frequency alternating magnetic field on the microflora and healing of burn wounds}; Gaiduk VI et al.; Under observation were 77 patients with burned hands . It was shown that the application of the alternating low frequency magnetic field resulted in the inhibition of the microbial flora of burn wounds, raised the sensitivity of staphylococci and blue pus bacillus to a number of reserve antibiotics, accelerated the healing of superficial burns and preparation of the wounds for autodermoplasty after deep burns . The authors recommend to use magnetotherapy in the complex treatment of burned hands.

Can J Microbiol, 1985 Apr, 31(4), 331 - 4
Model studies on a membrane filtration method for the enumeration of coagulase-positive staphylococci in swimming-pool water using rabbit plasma-bovine fibrinogen agar; Havelaar AH et al.; The recovery of Staphylococcus aureus from swimming-pool water by membrane filtration was studied in model experiments . On the nonselective medium tryptone soya agar (TSA) there was no difference in counts of noninjured S . aureus with all membrane filters tested and with pour plates . Chlorine-injured S . aureus was enumerated most efficiently on TSA by Gelman Tuffryn HT-450 and Sartorius SM 13806 filters . Tuffryn filters were also most productive when used in combination with the selective medium rabbit plasma - bovine fibrinogen agar (RPFA) . Other filters, particularly Gelman GN-6 and Millipore HAWP, when used on RPFA were shown to have a synergistic inhibitory effect on both noninjured and chlorine-injured S . aureus . This effect was not found on Baird-Parker agar . Using Tuffryn filters, counts on RPFA were equal to those on TSA for noninjured S . aureus and 0.1-2.0 log units less for chlorine-injured S . aureus . Despite this, the possibility for reading the in situ coagulase reaction for individual colonies on RPFA is considered such an advantage of this medium that its general use for enumeration of S . aureus in swimming pools is recommended . Further studies should be carried out to allow better resuscitation.

Arch Microbiol, 1985 Apr, 141(3), 249 - 54
Induction of autolysis of staphylococci by the basic peptide antibiotics Pep 5 and nisin and their influence on the activity of autolytic enzymes; Bierbaum G et al.; Pep 5 and nisin are cationic bactericidal peptides which were shown to induce autolysis in Staphylococcus cohnii 22 . In contrast to nisin, Pep 5 induced lysis could be stimulated in the presence of glucose . Addition of lipoteichoic acids (LTA) (D-alanine:phosphorus = 0.475:1) inhibited all effects of Pep 5 on susceptible cells in a molar ratio LTA:Pep 5 of 10:1 . Treatment of S . cohnii 22 with Pep 5 or nisin for 20 min and subsequent washing with 2.5 M NaCl released autolysin activity . Crude preparations of the hydrolyzing enzymes produced free amino groups as well as polysaccharide fragments from the murein backbone, suggesting the presence of a muramidase or glucosamidase, and endopeptidase or amidase . Both enzyme activities were inhibited by lipoteichoic acid; they could be fully reactivated by addition of Pep 5 in sufficient concentrations . The velocity of hydrolysis was not influenced by nisin, whereas it was doubled in presence of Pep 5 . The results are discussed in view of a possible mechanism of induction of lysis by Pep 5 and nisin.

J Appl Bacteriol, 1985 Apr, 58(4), 359 - 62
Serological characteristics of coagulase-positive staphylococci isolated from man and animals; Adegoke GO et al.; A simplified method allowed Staphylococcus aureus, Staph . intermedius and coagulase-positive Staph . hyicus subsp . hyicus isolated from humans, dogs, monkey, sheep, poultry, rabbits, giant rats (Cricetomys gambianus) and other animals to be serotyped . The nine coagulase-positive staphylococcal strains of human origin possessed thermolabile and thermostable agglutinogens . Two strains of Staph . intermedius of human and canine origins examined had agglutinogen K1K2 . The three Staph . aureus strains isolated from African giant rats (Cricetomys gambianus) had agglutinogens a5 and P common to them . The Staph . aureus strain isolated from a monkey belonged to serotype b1, c1, o and the caprine strain of Staph . hyicus subsp . hyicus was serotype a5, c1.

J Clin Microbiol, 1985 Apr, 21(4), 582 - 4
Relationships among the results of coagulase, staphylococcal toxin, and thermonuclease tests on staphylococci from cow milk; Jasper DE et al.; Production of staphylococcal alpha- or alpha-beta-toxins correlated well with production of coagulase or thermonuclease (or both) in 203 Staphylococcus aureus isolates from milk and should be reliable indicators of S . aureus in the absence of Staphylococcus intermedius . Failures to produce toxin, tube coagulase, or thermonuclease occurred in only 1 to 2% of S . aureus . Evidence of beta- or alpha-beta-toxins was not found among 321 other staphylococci isolated from milk . A few coagulase- or thermonuclease-positive isolates not producing beta- or alpha-beta-toxins were found among the Staphylococcus hyicus isolates.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1985 Apr, 27(4), 632 - 9
Suppression of intrinsic resistance to penicillins in Staphylococcus aureus by polidocanol, a dodecyl polyethyleneoxid ether; Bruns W et al.; With polidocanol, it was possible to reduce the MIC as well as the MBC of methicillin, oxacillin, penicillin G, and ampicillin against resistant staphylococci . The strongest effects were obtained with methicillin and oxacillin . All strains tested could be resensitized to these penicillins independent of the original resistance levels . Polidocanol was not inhibitory by itself for Staphylococcus aureus . Furthermore, it did not inhibit the activity of staphylococcal beta-lactamase . This permits the conclusion that an intrinsic resistance mechanism is affected by this substance . Its action cannot be simply explained by an improved accessibility of the penicillin targets as uptake, and binding of methicillin and penicillin G in resistant cells was not changed by polidocanol . On the other hand, the lysis induced by combinations of this substance with small amounts of a penicillin was antagonized by chloramphenicol . This suggests that autolytic enzymes are involved in the polidocanol effect and possibly in the intrinsic resistance mechanism itself . Before polidocanol can trigger lysis, the penicillin must act first in some way . As could be seen with a susceptible strain, the resulting lysis did not exceed that obtained with penicillins alone . Thus, polidocanol does not exhibit an independent lytic mechanism but obviously is able to substitute penicillins in their lytic action.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1985 Apr, 27(4), 615 - 8
In vitro activities of rifapentine and rifampin, alone and in combination with six other antibiotics, against methicillin-susceptible and methicillin-resistant staphylococci of different species; Varaldo PE et al.; The antistaphylococcal activity of rifapentine, a new rifamycin SV derivative, was evaluated in vitro and compared with that of rifampin . A total of 313 staphylococcal strains freshly isolated from clinical material and including representatives of all currently recognized Staphylococcus species of human origin were used . The susceptibility to methicillin of all the test strains was determined preliminarily . Despite minor differences with some species, the MICs of rifapentine were found to be substantially similar to those of rifampin . Methicillin-resistant strains of all species were most resistant to rifapentine and rifampin than were their methicillin-susceptible counterparts . For most strains tested, the MBCs of both rifamycins exceeded by twofold the respective MICs . Both the checkerboard dilution and time-kill methods were used to determine the interactions of rifapentine or rifampin with six different antibiotics: cefamandole, vancomycin, teicoplanin, gentamicin, erythromycin, and fusidic acid . No significant differences between the two rifamycins in the combinations were observed against either methicillin-susceptible or methicillin-resistant strains . Minor differences were noted depending on the second antibiotic tested or the staphylococcal species examined . Antagonism was never observed, and indifference was the prevalent response . Cases of synergism were observed occasionally with the checkerboard method and slightly more often with the time-kill method.

J Med Microbiol, 1985 Apr, 19(2), 217 - 26
Antimicrobial resistance in coagulase-negative staphylococci; Hamilton-Miller JM et al.; Patterns of resistance to antimicrobial agents were studied in 193 strains of coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from hospital patients . Strains isolated from patients with malignant disease were significantly more often resistant to sulphonamide, trimethoprim, gentamicin and methicillin than were strains from other sources . Susceptibility to various beta-lactam antibiotics and aminoglycosides was investigated in members of the two most frequent species: Staphylococcus epidermidis and S . haemolyticus . S . haemolyticus strains were not only more often resistant to methicillin than S . epidermidis strains (respectively 81% and 17%) but they were more highly resistant (mean MICs respectively 85 and 19 mg/L) . Methicillin-resistant S . haemolyticus strains were highly resistant to nine other beta-lactam antibiotics, whereas methicillin-resistant S . epidermidis strains showed both lower levels and a narrower spectrum of cross-resistance . Resistance to methicillin in members of both species was "heterogeneous", i.e., only a minority of cells in a culture showed significant resistance . Almost all gentamicin-resistant strains were sensitive to netilmicin and amikacin; rifampicin, vancomycin and teicoplanin were also highly active in vitro.

Acta Pathol Microbiol Immunol Scand {C}, 1985 Apr, 93(2), 53 - 8
Immunization of mice with the fibronectin-binding protein and clumping factor from Staphylococcus aureus: antibody response and resistance against intraperitoneal infection; Espersen F et al.; The antibody response against Staphylococcus aureus antigens was quantitated in mice immunized with live staphylococci, the fibronectin-binding protein, clumping factor, or saline by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay . Immunization with purified clumping factor induced a significant increase in antibody levels, while the fibronectin-binding protein gave a poor response . All mice immunized with live S . aureus developed a high antibody level . The immunization of mice with live S . aureus or clumping factor resulted in an increased resistance towards staphylococcal intraperitoneal infection.

Compr Ther, 1985 Apr, 11(4), 45 - 8
Clinical syndromes caused by staphylococcal epidermolytic toxin; Edlich RF et al.; Coagulase-positive staphylococci of phage group II produce an epidermolytic toxin that results in a spectrum of diseases that include localized bullous impetigo, generalized scarlatiniform syndrome without exfoliation, and staphylococcal scalded-skin syndrome (SSSS) . The mechanism of action of the toxin occurs at the level of the lower stratum granulosum, resulting in intraepidermal cleavage . Generalized exfoliative dermatitis, or SSSS, is one of the most severe infections characterized by generalized epidermolysis with desquamation . Generalized scarlatiniform syndrome is an erythematous rash without exfoliation . A localized infection that results in a bulla larger than 5 mm in diameter is bullous impetigo.

Vet Microbiol, 1985 Apr, 10(3), 269 - 77
Identification and characteristics of staphylococci isolated from lesions and normal skin of horses; Devriese LA et al.; One hundred and twenty eight strains of Staphylococcus from lesions, mostly of the skin, in horses were identified and compared with 29 strains isolated from the healthy skin . The pathogenic species Staphylococcus aureus, S . intermedius and S . hyicus were found almost exclusively in lesions . Other species such as S . xylosus and S . sciuri were more frequently found on the healthy skin than in lesions . The S . aureus strains formed a very heterogeneous collection . Many of these strains were staphylokinase positive and rapidly coagulated bovine plasma . Such strains are rarely found in other animals and man.

J Clin Pathol, 1985 Apr, 38(4), 442 - 4
Uptake of ciprofloxacin by macrophages; Easmon CS et al.; Ciprofloxacin was concentrated within mouse peritoneal macrophages to between two and three times extracellular values . Uptake was rapid, occurred equally well with dead cells, and was not affected by lowering the pH or by prior ingestion of Staphylococcus aureus . Intracellular staphylococci were killed by extracellular concentrations of ciprofloxacin as low as 0.5 mg/l.

J Immunol, 1985 Apr, 134(4), 2436 - 43
Suppression of Ag-induced release of EP (IL 1) by spleen cells of specifically desensitized donors: evidence for the role of a suppressor cell; Atkins E et al.; Monocytes or macrophages may be induced to produce IL 1 by activators (e.g., lipopolysaccharide endotoxin) that act directly or by antigens/mitogens (e.g., Con A) that stimulate inducer lymphocytes to release a lymphokine that stimulates macrophages . Using guinea pigs (GP) rendered delayed hypersensitive to ovalbumin (OVA), we investigated the role of spleen cells from normal, sensitized, and specifically desensitized GP in suppressing release of IL 1, measured as endogenous pyrogen (EP), from peritoneal exudates of sensitized GP when incubated with OVA in vitro . Co-cultivation of all three sources of spleen cells with GP peritoneal exudate cells and OVA suppressed EP release as measured in the rabbit fever assay, the effect being most marked with cells from desensitized GP, intermediate with cells from sensitized GP, and least with normal cells . This suppressor activity of spleen cells on in vitro EP release was not explained by nonspecific absorption of EP by the added cells and did not affect EP release by a stimulus that activates macrophages directly (heat-killed staphylococci) . It required both lymphocytes and macrophages for its effect, but unlike some other suppressor factors, it was not modified by indomethacin, an inhibitor of prostaglandin release . This appears to be the first reported evidence for cell-mediated suppression of lymphokine-mediated release of IL 1, an important modulator of the immune system through its combined role as a lymphocyte-activating factor and an inducer of fever (EP).

Res Vet Sci, 1985 Mar, 38(2), 160 - 6
Phagocytic and bactericidal properties of bovine macrophages from non-lactating mammary glands; Mullan NA et al.; Macrophages were isolated from the mammary glands of non-lactating (dry) cows and their ability to phagocytose and kill staphylococci in vitro assessed . Normal bovine serum enhanced the uptake of staphylococci and was required for optimal killing in the bactericidal test . Dry gland secretion interfered with uptake . Secretions taken progressively into the dry period became more inhibitory . The phagocytic ability of macrophages was significantly less than that of neutrophils present in the same gland preparation when tested in the presence of dry gland secretion . A marked variation in the antibacterial activity of macrophages from different cows was noted.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1985 Mar, 15(3), 297 - 303
Laboratory studies on coagulase-negative staphylococci from CAPD-associated peritonitis; Wilcox MH et al.; This study compared the static and kinetic activities, in both broth and used-dialysate, of selected antibiotics against 23 strains of coagulase-negative staphylococci causing peritonitis in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) . Vancomycin was shown to be effective against all isolates with similar rates of kill to flucloxacillin and cefuroxime, although a few strains were found to be resistant to cefuroxime . Gentamicin was rapidly bactericidal for sensitive strains which accounted for 60% of the strains tested . Fusidic acid was associated with significant resistance and lack of bactericidal activity in the kinetic studies . Emergence of resistance occurred with rifampicin . The combinations clavulanic acid/amoxycillin and sulbactam/ampicillin generally showed good static activity . In addition a broad range of biotypes and phage types were demonstrated among these organisms with biotype SII (Staphylococcus epidermidis) predominating . There was no correlation between biotype and antibiogram.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1985 Mar, (3), 10 - 3
{Prospective means of decreasing suppurative-septic diseases in puerperae and newborn infants}; Baroian OV et al.; The comparative analysis of the occurrence of purulent septic diseases in mothers during the puerperal period and in newborns, observed in a maternity hospital before and after the introduction of the system of keeping newborns together with their mothers, showed a considerable decrease in the morbidity rate among newborn infants (6 times) and in occurrence of mastitis among puerperae (30 times) . This is attributed to a decrease in the frequency of the colonization of newborns and mothers in the puerperal period by the hospital strains of staphylococci belonging to epidemic phagotypes . The gradual elimination of staphylococci of phagotype 80, which dominated for several years, from the hospital was observed . To decrease the morbidity rate, the introduction of the system of keeping newborn infants with their mothers in all maternity hospitals of the USSR is proposed.

Kosm Biol Aviakosm Med, 1985 Mar-Apr, 19(2), 64 - 6
{Results of microbiological research conducted during the mission of the Saliut-6 orbital station}; Zaloguev SN et al.; This paper presents the results of microbiological examinations of the Salyut-6 crewmembers and environment . There were few cases of adverse changes in the automicroflora composition, i . e., propagation of staphylococci of a certain biotype among crewmembers . However, no over manifestations of infectious pathology were seen . This allows the conclusion that personal hygiene measures and general hygiene and antiepidemic measures taken before and during Salyut-6 missions were adequate and efficient.

Can Anaesth Soc J, 1985 Mar, 32(2), 178 - 81
Anaphylactoid reactions to vancomycin during anaesthesia: two clinical reports; Symons NL et al.; Vancomycin is becoming increasingly used for prophylaxis, and treatment against resistant forms of penicillinase-producing staphylococci . This drug, and the aminoglycosides as a group, have serious side-effects and organ toxicity, and may interact with anaesthetic drugs, particularly muscle relaxants . Two cases of anaphylactoid reactions to vancomycin are reported . The first patient subsequently developed oliguria and marked oedema, while the second developed non-cardiogenic pulmonary oedema.

Inflammation, 1985 Mar, 9(1), 99 - 106
Cytokineplasts from human blood polymorphonuclear leukocytes . Lack of oxidase activity and extended functional longevity; Malawista SE et al.; Cytokineplasts (CKPs) are membrane-bounded, anucleate, granule-poor cytoplasmic fragments, induced from PMNs by brief heat (45 degrees C, 9 min), which retain motile function including chemotaxis and phagocytosis . CKPs can respond to repeated chemotactic stimuli even after having been held overnight at room temperature, and hence "outlive" control PMNs . We now report that adherent CKPs lack significant oxidase activity, as measured by reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) dye, (1) 5 min after heat, when they are often still attached to their parent PMNs (which generally do not reduce NBT either); (2) later on, when they are free; and (3) when cells have been pretreated on endotoxin-coated substrata or with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA); both pretreatments cause the large majority of adherent control PMNs to reduce NBT . Moreover, cells harvested from glass just after heat lack the normal increase in oxygen consumption seen on stimulation with PMA or with heat-killed staphylococci . PMA-stimulated respiratory burst activity was not restored to heated cells by exogenous NADPH . Thus, heat applied to normal PMNs can dissociate motile function from oxidase activity; in this respect CKPs resemble PMNs in chronic granulomatous disease . The apparent increased functional stability of CKPs may indicate that normal PMNs are not immune to their own oxidative killing mechanism.

Onderstepoort J Vet Res, 1985 Mar, 52(1), 25 - 9
Some features of coagulase positive staphylococci from bovine milk . 1 . Carbohydrate metabolism: comparison of conventional techniques and the API 50 CH system; Erasmus JA; When conventional techniques were applied to 84 isolates of Staphylococcus aureus from milk samples, it was found that they were all catalase and phosphatase positive and oxidase negative . They all fermented glucose within 24 h and mannitol within 24-48 h when inoculated into Hugh & Leifson's medium, enriched with 1% horse serum . When they were subjected to the carbohydrates of the API 50 CH system, all metabolized glucose aerobically, but only 85-89% of the isolates could utilize mannitol aerobically . Because of the difference in the utilization of mannitol observed, the value of the API 50 CH classification in the taxonomy of S . aureus becomes questionable . This system could be used as a handy tool, however, when selecting carbohydrates to be used in taxonomical studies.

Br J Haematol, 1985 Mar, 59(3), 523 - 31
Investigations of host defence in patients with sickle cell disease; Boghossian SH et al.; Parameters of host defence were investigated in 30 patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) . A newly devised perfusion system was used to study the kinetics in whole blood of leucocyte adherence, phagocytosis, killing and solubilization of a mixture of Staph . aureus and Str . pneumoniae, and secretion of lactoferrin . A skin window technique was used to examine the accumulation of leucocytes at inflammatory foci and their subsequent rate of movement through a filter . Serum concentrations of C3, C4, total haemolytic complement and immunoglobulins were also measured . The rate of neutrophil migration into filters was slightly reduced in patients with SCD . The proportion of monocytes that emigrated from the skin windows and their rate of migration were markedly diminished . The adhesion of neutrophils and their ability to kill staphylococci were also reduced, particularly in patients of the haemoglobin (Hb) SS and Hb S-beta-thalassaemia genotypes . Neutrophil function was mostly impaired in patients with the greatest frequency of bacterial infection . The rate of clearance of pneumococci was related to the concentration of type specific immunoglobulin G but not M . Serum concentrations of immunoglobulins and complement were normal . We were unable to define a defect of host defence of sufficient magnitude to explain the susceptibility of these patients to severe infection.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1985 Mar, 38(3), 285 - 95
Alahopcin, a new dipeptide antibiotic produced by Streptomyces albulus subsp . ochragerus subsp . nov; Higashide E et al.; An actinomycete strain No . B-52653 was found to produce an antibiotic selectively active against the in vitro antibiotic resistant mutant of Staphylococcus aureus . Based on taxonomic studies, the name Streptomyces albulus subsp . ochragerus subsp . nov . is proposed for the strain . The microorganism produced two kinds of antibiotics; one identical with gougerotin, the other an amphoteric water soluble dipeptide containing L-alanine . The latter has the molecular formula C9H15N3O6 and is named alahopcin . It has a broad antibacterial spectrum and a synergistic effect with some other antibiotics against some antibiotic resistant staphylococci . Alahopcin has a low toxicity and was effective against experimental infections in mice caused by Staphylococcus aureus.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1985 Mar, (3), 86 - 91
{Effect of trypsin on suppressor cell formation and function in localized staphylococcal infection}; Prokopenko LG; The present study has been made on (CBA X C57BL)F1 mice immunized with sheep red blood cells (SRBC) and inoculated with staphylococci (M-SRBC-S) . The injection of splenic lymphocytes from syngeneic M-SRBC-S into intact mice has been found to suppress immune response to SRBC in these mice . The injection of trypsin into M-SRBC-S decreases the suppressive action of their lymphocytes on SRBC-induced immune response in syngeneic recipients . The injection of trypsin into the recipients has been found to produce no effect on the immunosuppressive action of transplanted lymphocytes obtained from M-SRBC-S . The injection of trypsin into M-SRBC-S induces the release of the factor, inhibiting the formation and function of suppressor cells, by their splenocytes . Previously formed suppressor cells block the release of the immunostimulating factor by the splenocytes of the animals receiving the injections of trypsin.

Nucleic Acids Res, 1985 Feb 25, 13(4), 1151 - 62
Efficient secretion and purification of human insulin-like growth factor I with a gene fusion vector in Staphylococci; Nilsson B et al.; A novel approach for production of small polypeptides, using a staphylococcal protein A vector, is described . This system is used to express, secrete and purify human insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) . A fusion protein consisting of protein A and IGF-I is recovered in high yield by passing the culture medium through an IgG affinity column . Using site-specific mutagenesis an acid labile asp-pro cleavage site was introduced at the fusion point between the two proteins . The protein A "tail" can thereby be removed from the affinity purified fusion protein by chemical cleavage releasing biologically active IGF-I molecules.

Vet Rec, 1985 Feb 16, 116(7), 177 - 9
Efficacy of clavulanate-potentiated amoxycillin in experimental and clinical skin infections; Bywater RJ et al.; The efficacy of clavulanate-potentiated amoxycillin was compared with amoxycillin alone in experimental staphylococcal infection in dogs and in a controlled trial in clinical cases of skin infection in dogs and cats . The experimental infection was produced by subdermal inoculation with beta-lactamase producing (amoxycillin resistant) staphylococci absorbed in cotton dust . This produced discrete, localised lesions with no systemic involvement . In a cross over study, six animals were randomly allocated to treatment with either amoxycillin alone (10 mg/kg, dosed twice daily) or a formulation of clavulanate-potentiated amoxycillin (12.5 mg/kg, of a 1:4 ratio, dosed twice daily) . The lesions of the animals treated with clavulanate-potentiated amoxycillin resolved more quickly than those treated with amoxycillin alone . The difference was significant (P less than 0.05) for both lesion diameter and inflammation score after day 6 of treatment . A trial was carried out in clinical cases of skin disease which were randomly allocated to twice daily treatment with either amoxycillin alone (10 or 20 mg/kg), or with clavulanate-potentiated amoxycillin (12.5 or 25 mg/kg of a 1:4 ratio) . The required duration of treatment was shorter (P less than 0.5) for the potentiated amoxycillin treatments, and the success rate (judged by cure or substantial improvement) was higher (P less than 0.05) for this group, especially (P less than 0.01) where amoxycillin resistant organisms were isolated . It was concluded that clavulanate-potentiated amoxycillin was an effective treatment of skin infections both under experimental and clinical conditions.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1985 Feb, (2), 19 - 23
{Characteristics of staphylococci isolated from newborn infants}; Ivanov NA et al.; The microflora of the skin and the nasal mucosa was studied in 14 healthy newborns, 3 newborns with purulent infections and a nurse working in a neonatal ward . To make this study, washings were obtained with the use of 0.1% Triton X-100 solution . The determination of the number of microorganisms, the percentage of staphylococci, the percentage of lecithinase-positive staphylococci and the number of colonies with antagonistic properties revealed that these characteristics differed according to the state of health of the newborns and the time elapsed after their birth, and that changes in the number of antagonistically active bacteria occurred in parallel with changes in the total number of bacteria . Among S . aureus strains isolated from the subjects covered by the survey strains belonging to phagovar 80, as well as untyped strains, and among S . epidermidis strains those belonging to biovars I and II occurred most frequently . Strains belonging to the same biovar or phagovar differed in their plasmid markers.

Arch Dis Child, 1985 Feb, 60(2), 129 - 34
Problems associated with indwelling central venous catheters; Darbyshire PJ et al.; Forty nine Broviac or Hickman indwelling central venous catheters were inserted in 36 patients with haematological and neoplastic diseases for indications including young age, intensity of treatment, and psychological attitude . Sixteen patients suffered 29 episodes of infection related to the catheter bacteraemia (0.68 episodes per 100 days of catheter use) . Infections occurred much more commonly where there was intensive use of the catheter than with relatively light catheter use . Twenty episodes were caused by a single bacterial strain and nine by multiple strains; coagulase negative staphylococci accounted for 51% of the strains isolated . Altogether 72% of infections were cured by antibiotic treatment, which was more likely to be successful in eradicating single than multiple infections . Although infection was common, mechanical problems were a more usual reason for catheter removal . There were no deaths caused by catheter related infection.

J Hyg (Lond), 1985 Feb, 94(1), 23 - 9
Studies on staphylococci from toxic shock syndrome in France, 1981-1983; Melconian AK et al.; Staphylococci from 22 cases of toxic shock syndrome with onsets between 1981 and March 1983 have been studied . Another four cases were detected by abstract surveillance . Three of these patients died . The case histories show that the syndrome occurs in women during menstruation as well as in males and in children, and is associated with Staphylococcus aureus infections . The production of enterotoxins (A, B, C) and toxic shock toxin by S . aureus isolates from toxic shock syndrome was investigated . Twenty-two of the 23 isolates were found to be toxigenic: 7 produced enterotoxin A, 8 produced enterotoxin B, 3 produced enterotoxin C and 13 produced toxic shock toxin . The latter was found with enterotoxin A in five cases, and with enterotoxins A and B in only one case . Sixty-three percent of 46 S . aureus strains isolated from the vagina of patients with diseases other than toxic shock syndrome produced toxin; eight of these strains produced toxic shock toxin.

J Clin Microbiol, 1985 Feb, 21(2), 255 - 7
Staphylococcus simulans septicemia in a patient with chronic osteomyelitis and pyarthrosis; Males BM et al.; Staphylococcus simulans was identified as the etiological agent of osteomyelitis and septic arthritis in an adult male who had sustained a fracture of the fibula and syndesmosis separation which required the installation of orthopedic hardware . Identifying characteristics and antibiograms for this organism, recovered from blood, wound exudate, and deep tissue samples, were determined . Recent evidence has linked slime production (adherence to smooth surfaces) by coagulase-negative staphylococci to infections by these organisms at sites where foreign bodies had been inserted . Tests for adherence showed this S . simulans strain to be a strong slime producer . This is the first reported case of osteomyelitis and septicemia due to S . simulans.

Antibiot Med Biotekhnol, 1985 Feb, 30(2), 113 - 5
{Antibiotic sensitivity of staphylococci associated with adenoviruses}; Tsirkin RS; Antibiotic sensitivity to 8 staphylococcal strains was determined in artificial associations of bacteria and viruses before and after contact with adenoviruses of serotypes 2 and 7 under appropriate control . It was shown that after contact with the adenoviruses the antibiotic sensitivity of the staphylococci usually increased and they showed significant strain specificity . An attempt was made to explain the causes and mechanisms of the phenomena on the basis of the experimental and literature data.

Infect Immun, 1985 Feb, 47(2), 484 - 8
Effect of immune complexes from mastitic milk on blocking of Fc receptors and phagocytosis; Targowski SP et al.; Fc receptors on the surface of milk leukocytes from normal glands, bronchial leukocytes, mastocytoma P-815 cells, and murine leukemia L1210 cells were blocked significantly (P less than 0.01) by cavian and bovine milk collected from inflamed glands (mastitic milk), their wheys, and in vitro-prepared immune complexes composed of the whey from normal milk and serum . Blocking of Fc receptors indicated the presence of immune complexes in the mastitic milk and was detected by inhibition of rosette formation with sensitized erythrocytes or attachment of the aggregated immunoglobulin G . The binding of immune complexes to these cells was also determined by staining with fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled protein A . As the mastitis subsided, the blocking effect of the mastitic milk also declined markedly . There was no significant difference in blocking capacity between mastitic milk and its whey . The blocking capacity of normal cavian or bovine milk and their wheys was insignificant . Whey from mastitic milk also inhibited phagocytosis of opsonized staphylococci by alveolar macrophages . We suggest that the blocking of Fc receptors on phagocytic cells adversely affects phagocytosis.

What Is Water Purification?, What Is Bioreactor?, What Is Biotechnology?, What Is Genetics?, What Is Bioremediation?, s, Bacterium, e, Bacteriology, e, Bacteria, c, Microorganism, c, Microbiology, c, Bacillus, n, Phage, s, Streptococcal, s, S. cerevisiae, r, Antimicrobial, a, Cell suspensions, i, Meningococcus, r, Micrococci, i, Gram negative, r, Shigella, n, Salmonella, s, Aeromonades, s, Edwardsiella, e, Vibriosis, n, Haemophilus, a, S. cerevisiae, o, Yeasts, o, Haemophilus, o, Proteus, o, Bacteriological, a, Streptococcal

Scientific Publications - Work Done by Microbiology Reader Bioscreen C
Agricultural Microbiology Anaerobic Microbiology Antimicrobial Susceptibility Artificial Atmosphere Bioassay of Antibiotics Biofilm Microbiology Bioreactor Technology Biotechnology Cell Biology Clinical Microbiology Environmental Microbiology Experiments with Yeast	Fermentation Food Microbiology Functional Genomics Gene Technology Growth Media Development Growth Rate and Lag Time Industrial Microbiology Medical/Pharmaceutical Field Microbiological Assay Microbiological Research Microbiology of Cosmetics go to a specific theme...	Military Microbiology Molecular Microbiology Mutagenicity and Genotoxicity Oral Microbiology Patents Postantibiotic Studies Soil Microbiology Spore Microbiology Veterinary Microbiology Waste/Wastewater Treatment Water Microbiology Wine Microbiology

� 2005 Transgalactic Ltd (manufacturer of Bioscreen C software) | Privacy Statement | P.O. Box 1393, 00101 Helsinki, Finland, phone: +358 9 85172920, fax: +358 9 8749481, e-mail: microbiology@bionewsonline.com

Last modified: May 25, 2005