J Gen Microbiol, 1983 Oct, 129 (Pt 10), 3261 - 9 Comparative study of Streptococcus mutans extracellular glycosyltransferases by isoelectric focusing; Tsumori H et al.; Extracellular glycosyltransferases from 17 strains of Streptococcus mutans were examined by analytical isoelectric focusing . Three kinds of glucosyltransferase: highly-branched-1,6-alpha-D-glucan synthetase, 1,3-alpha-D-glucan synthetase and 1,6-alpha-D-glucan synthetase, were excreted from serotype a, d and g strains . The enzymes of serotype a strains were distinguishable from those of serotypes d and g by differences in their pI values . Serotype c, e and f strains excreted basic glucosyltransferase and acidic fructosyltransferase . Serotype b strains also excreted the glucosyl- and fructosyltransferases, but the pI values were different from those of the enzymes from the other serotypes . Thus, S . mutans strains could be divided into four groups by analytical isoelectric focusing of glycosyltransferases which corresponded well to the four genetic groups. J Gen Microbiol, 1983 Oct, 129 (Pt 10), 3251 - 9 Purification and properties of extracellular glucosyltransferases from Streptococcus mutans serotype a; Tsumori H et al.; Extracellular glucosyltransferases (sucrose: 1,6-alpha-D-glucan 3-alpha- and 6-alpha-glucosyltransferase) of Streptococcus mutans HS6 (serotype a) were purified from the culture supernatant by DEAE-Sepharose chromatography, ConA-Sepharose chromatography and chromatofocusing . The enzymes I and II with specific activities of 6.20 and 5.86 i.u . mg-1, respectively, exhibited slightly different isoelectric points (pI 4.5 and 4.2) and the molecular weights were estimated to be 161000 and 174000, respectively, by SDS-PAGE . The enzymes had the same optimum pH of 5.5 and the same Km values of 1.3 mM for sucrose and of 83 microM-glucose equivalent for dextran T10 . By double immunodiffusion test on agar, these enzymes were immunologically identical to each other . Analysis by GLC of the glucans synthesized de novo from sucrose by the enzymes (I and II) established that they were 1,6-alpha-D-glucans with 20 and 24.5 mol% 1,3,6-branch points, respectively . Both are therefore bifunctional enzymes. J Gen Microbiol, 1983 Oct, 129 (Pt 10), 3243 - 50 Fructosyltransferase activity of a glucan-binding protein from Streptococcus mutans; Russell RR et al.; Streptococcus mutans serotype c produces several extracellular proteins which bind to affinity columns of immobilized glucans . The proteins are three distinct glucosyltransferases and another glucan-binding protein (molecular weight 74000) which is now shown to be a fructosyltransferase . This enzyme is antigenically distinct and genetically independent of two other fructosyltransferases produced by the same organism . A mutant is described which lacks the glucan binding fructosyltransferase and has defective ability to form adherent colonies in the presence of sucrose . Although the production of glucans from sucrose results in the glucan binding protein becoming bound to the bacterial surface, and hence perhaps contributing to adherence, the fructans synthesized by the enzyme do not appear to contribute to this phenomenon. J Bacteriol, 1983 Oct, 156(1), 354 - 61 Mechanism of inducer expulsion in Streptococcus pyogenes: a two-step process activated by ATP; Reizer J et al.; The mechanism of methyl-beta-D-thiogalactoside-phosphate (TMG-P) expulsion from Streptococcus pyogenes was studied . The expulsion elicited by glucose was not due to exchange vectorial transphosphorylation between the expelled TMG and the incoming glucose since more beta-galactoside was displaced than glucose taken up, and the stoichiometry between TMG and glucose transport was inconstant . Instead, two distinct and sequential reactions, intracellular dephosphorylation of TMG-P followed by efflux of free TMG, mediated the expulsion . This was shown by temporary accumulation of free TMG effected by competitive inhibition of its efflux and by the aid of arsenate, which arrested dephosphorylation of TMG-P but did not affect efflux of free TMG formed intracellularly before arsenate addition . The competitive inhibition of TMG efflux by its structural analogs suggests that a transport protein facilitates the expulsion . Iodoacetate or fluoride prevented TMG-P dephosphorylation and its expulsion . However, provision of ATP via the arginine deiminase pathway restored these activities in the presence of the glycolytic inhibitors and stimulated expulsion in their absence . Other amino acids tested did not promote this restoration, and canavanine or norvaline severely inhibited it . Arginine without glucose neither elicited the dephosphorylation nor evoked the expulsion of TMG-P . Ionophores or ATPase inhibitors did not prevent the expulsion as elicited by glucose or its restoration by arginine . The results suggest that activation of the dephosphorylation-expulsion mechanism occurs independently of a functional glycolytic pathway, requires ATP provision, and is possibly due to protein phosphorylation controlled by a yet unknown metabolite . The in vivo phosphorylation of a protein (approximate molecular weight - 10,000) under the conditions of expulsion was demonstrated. Infect Immun, 1983 Oct, 42(1), 156 - 62 Effects of local immunization of hamsters with glucosyltransferase antigens on infection with Streptococcus sanguis; Smith DJ et al.; The effects of immunization with antigens of the Streptococcus mutans glucosyltransferase (GTF) complex on oral challenge with two Streptococcus sanguis strains (H7PR3 and 34) in hamsters were studied . Antisera to S . mutans GTF complex were able to inhibit one-third (strain H7PR3) to one-half (strain 34) of the S . sanguis GTF activity which could be inhibited when these S . sanguis GTFs were incubated with antisera to S . sanguis GTF . Washed, intact cells of strains H7PR3 and 34 were able to remove a significant amount of enzyme inhibitory activity and immunoglobulin G antibody activity from antisera to S . mutans GTF . These results established the existence of an antigenic relationship between S . sanguis and S . mutans GTFs . The effect of injection of S . mutans strain 6715 GTF or phosphate-buffered saline, incorporated into complete Freund adjuvant, on oral challenge with S . sanguis was compared in 243 hamsters in nine experiments . Salivary and serum GTF inhibitory activity was present in all GTF-injected animals before challenge . After a 2- or 3-day challenge with S . sanguis H7PR3 (seven experiments) or 34 (two experiments), fewer bacteria were recovered from GTF-injected hamsters in every experiment . Significant differences were observed in six of the nine experiments . During the 7- to 21-day period after challenge, 33% of the phosphate-buffered saline-injected sham group (group I) still had S . sanguis recoverable from the molar surfaces, whereas only 19% of the S . mutans GTF-injected group (group II) remained infected with S . sanguis (P less than 0.01) . These results suggest that immunization with GTF from S . mutans may influence the colonization potential of S . sanguis in the oral cavity. J Neurosurg, 1983 Sep, 59(3), 389 - 94 Cerebrospinal fluid shunt infections . A review of 35 infections in 32 patients; Forward KR et al.; The authors have reviewed the clinical manifestations and therapy of hydrocephalus shunt infections in 32 patients with a total of 35 shunt infections . These 35 infections accounted for 43 hospital admissions . First infections usually developed within 2 months following surgery . At the time of diagnosis, 89% of patients were febrile . Fever and cough as a symptom complex characterized the initial clinical presentation in six of 19 episodes of infection complicating ventriculoatrial (VA) shunts, as compared with none of 21 episodes in which infection complicated ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunts . Seven of 21 infectious episodes occurring in patients with VP shunts in situ were associated with significant abdominal pain and tenderness . These patients usually had no other clinical features to suggest shunt infection . Both of these symptom complexes often led to delays in diagnosis and treatment . Causative organisms included Staphylococcus epidermidis in 21, Staphylococcus aureus in seven, Gram-negative aerobic bacilli in seven, diphtheroids in five, Streptococcus species in four, and anaerobes in three . Five infections were polymicrobial in nature . Positive blood cultures were seen in 13 of 17 infectious episodes complicating VA shunts, as compared with only three of 13 other infections . When the shunt was completely removed, with or without replacement, all 13 patients were cured . When intravenous antibiotics were administered in conjunction with incomplete shunt removal, only eight of 15 courses resulted in cure . Intraventricular antibiotics were administered in four patients and all were cured . Therapy of shunt infections with parenteral antibiotics and incomplete shunt removal is associated with an unacceptably high failure rate. J Immunol, 1983 Sep, 131(3), 1570 - 5 An allotype linked gene that is associated with a negative or very low anti-phosphorylcholine response (PC) phenotype in wild mice (CNV); Lieberman R et al.; In contrast to most inbred and wild mice, a population of wild mice recently isolated from a farm in Centreville, MD, and designated CNV produced no anti-phosphorylcholine (PC) antibodies (less than 1 microgram/ml) in response to immunization with the PC antigen Streptococcus pneumoniae (R36A) and gave 9 to 36 micrograms/ml anti-PC response to PC-KLH at 14 days after immunization . When another carbohydrate antigen, namely, bacterial levan, was used, CNV mice all gave high antibody titers . When CNV (PC-) mice were bred to inbred C.B20 (PC+) mice, 82% of the F1 and 76% of the F2 hybrids were surprisingly non-responders (PC-), which suggested that PC- gene(s) of CNV origin dominated the response to these antigens . The 18% PC+ phenotype in the F1 hybrids indicated possible heterozygosity of the PC genes controlling the PC- response in the CNV mice . Genetic studies on CNV mouse No . 378 supported this possibility . Analysis of the F2 data strongly suggest that two genes determined the PC- response, one of which was closely linked to the Igh-C allotype locus (chromosome 12) . Hypothetically, we propose that CNV mice have two genes that cooperate but that sometimes act independently to express the PC- phenotype . Surprisingly, when F1 mice giving PC- phenotypes were back-crossed to C.B20, very few mice (18%) were PC- . This indicated that the PC- determining genes of CNV origin were not able to dominate immune responses in the presence of a larger number of C.B20 genes . This kind of expression may be regulated by other factors, such as clonotype competition and clonal dominance. Infect Immun, 1983 Sep, 41(3), 913 - 20 Different virulence of influenza A virus strains and susceptibility to pneumococcal otitis media in chinchillas; Giebink GS et al.; We have previously shown that chinchillas infected with a multiply passaged laboratory strain of influenza A/NWS/33 (H1N1) develop negative middle-ear pressure; polymorphonuclear leukocyte oxidative, bactericidal, and chemotactic dysfunction; and increased susceptibility to pneumococcal otitis media . Because influenza A virus strains show different virulence in humans, three such strains were compared in the chinchilla model . Negative middle-ear pressure and tympanic membrane inflammation developed significantly more often in chinchillas infected with wild-type H3N2 virus than with either wild-type H1N1 virus or an attenuated, cold-adapted H3N2 vaccine strain, CR29 . Marked depression in polymorphonuclear leukocyte chemiluminescent activity also developed significantly more often in H3N2 infected animals than in H1N1- or CR29-infected animals . Intranasal challenge of influenza virus-infected animals with type 7 Streptococcus pneumoniae resulted in a significantly greater occurrence of pneumococcal otitis media in H3N2-infected animals than in H1N1-, CR29-, or non-influenza-infected control animals . Clearance of pneumococci from nasal washings of animals infected with wild-type H3N2 was significantly delayed in comparison with the other groups . Thus, the previously demonstrated increased susceptibility to otitis media among children infected with H3N2 influenza virus may relate to the capacity of this strain to induce negative middle-ear pressure, polymorphonuclear leukocyte dysfunction, and alteration in the mucosal clearance of pneumococci. Infect Immun, 1983 Sep, 41(3), 1386 - 8 Prevalence of transformable Streptococcus mutans in human dental plaque; Westergren G et al.; A total of 100 strains of Streptococcus mutans serotypes c/e/f and d/g, freshly isolated from dental plaque, were screened for their ability to undergo genetic transformation to streptomycin resistance . Of the serotype c/e/f strains, 28% were found to be transformable, whereas none of the serotype d/g strains could be transformed by donor DNA from streptomycin-resistant S . mutans strains of either serotype c or d/g . Two of the transformable serotype c/e/f strains were transformed by DNAs from a variety of oral streptococcal species commonly found in the microflora. Infect Immun, 1983 Sep, 41(3), 1360 - 2 Available immunoglobulin A antibodies in mouth rinses and implantation of Streptococcus mutans; Krasse B et al.; Immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibodies reacting with Streptococcus mutans were analyzed in mouth rinses from 38 adults . Antibody activity was determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay . The IgA antibody activity varied considerably in samples from different individuals . Of the 38 subjects, 12 volunteered in an implantation experiment and were challenged with streptomycin-resistant S . mutans . The results indicated that individuals with relatively high IgA antibody activity in mouth rinses more rapidly eliminated the challenge strain than subjects with low IgA antibody activity. Infect Immun, 1983 Sep, 41(3), 1212 - 6 Inhibition of human polymorphonuclear leukocyte respiratory burst, bactericidal activity, and migration by pneumolysin; Paton JC et al.; The in vitro effects of pneumolysin, a sulfhydryl-activated toxin produced by Streptococcus pneumoniae, on various functions of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNLs) was investigated . Treatment of PMNLs with highly purified toxin significantly inhibited respiratory burst (in response to stimulation), ability to kill opsonized pneumococci, chemotaxis, and random migration . These inhibitions were observed at very low toxin doses (less than or equal to 1 hemolytic unit (2 ng) per 10(6) PMNLs), which had no effect on PMNL viability . These results suggest that pneumolysin could function in pathogenicity by interfering with the ability of PMNLs to migrate toward and kill pneumococci. Infect Immun, 1983 Sep, 41(3), 1190 - 6 Comparative hydrophobicities of oral bacteria and their adherence to salivary pellicles; Gibbons RJ et al.; Oral bacteria were found to differ in their surface hydrophobicities as determined by their ability to adsorb to hexadecane . Strains of Actinomyces viscosus, A . naeslundii, Streptococcus sanguis, S . mitis, and Bacteroides gingivalis proved highly hydrophobic . Strains of B . intermedius, S . salivarius, S . mutans, and B . melaninogenicus were less hydrophobic, whereas strains of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans were hydrophilic . An overall correlation was noted between the adsorption of bacteria to hexadecane and their numbers which attached to experimental salivary pellicles formed on hydroxyapatite surfaces . This suggests that hydrophobic bonding plays an important role in this process . Pellicles prepared from saliva which had been extracted with chloroform-methanol to remove lipids adsorbed comparable numbers of S . sanguis and A . viscosus and increased numbers of S . mutans . Analyses of adsorption isotherms indicated that pellicles formed from lipid-depleted saliva contained increased numbers of binding sites for the S . mutans strains studied, and this likely accounts for their enhanced adsorption . Absorption of saliva with 10% octyl or phenyl Sepharose reduced the protein content of saliva by almost half, but the numbers of bacteria which attached to pellicles prepared from such absorbed saliva were similar to or higher than those which attached to control pellicles . These observations suggest that saliva does not contain unique highly hydrophobic salivary macromolecules which serve as essential pellicle receptors for the bacteria studied . The data obtained are consistent with the view that hydrophobic bonding together with interactions between complementary molecules are involved in bacterial attachment to salivary pellicles on teeth. No Shinkei Geka, 1983 Sep, 11(9), 967 - 73 {Brain abscess: successful treatment of 4 cases including one with ventricular perforation}; Yamada K et al.; The authors experienced with four cases of brain abscess, one of which ruptured into the lateral ventricle . Two cases were treated conservatively and the remaining two were treated surgically . All cases recovered satisfactorily . Case 1: A 30-year-old man with congenital cyanotic heart disease was admitted on Oct . 4, 1979, because of convulsion . Physical examination revealed motor aphasia, right hemihypesthesia, cyanosis, clubbed finger and continuous heart murmur . CT scan showed a ring-enhance mass lesion in the left temporal lobe . Although transient deterioration of the clinical course was observed, he improved satisfactorily after medical treatment of 20 days . Case 2: A 54-year-old man with left homonymous upper quadrantanopia and systolic heart murmur was admitted on Sept . 17, 1979 . alpha-streptococcus was detected in the culture of his arterial blood . Vegetation near the mitral valve was revealed by ultrasonic cardiogram . CT scan showed an irregular and ill-shaped ring-enhanced mass in the left temporoparietal region . A saccular aneurysm in the insular portion of the posterior parietal artery was seen on the left carotid angiogram . He was also treated medically and the abscess was gradually reduced and the aneurysm disappeared . Case 3: A 28-year-old man complaining of headache, nausea and vomiting was admitted on Dec . 1, 1979 . Physical examination revealed nuchal stiffness, right homonymous hemianopia and bilateral choked disc.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Allergol Immunopathol (Madr), 1983 Sep-Oct, 11(5), 373 - 8 {Effect of streptococcal products in the induction of antibodies against cardiac sarcolemma}; Martinez RD et al.; It has been pointed out in rheumatic fever that the extracellular products of streptococcus (EPS) induce an immune response capable of producing autoimmunity against cardiac structures . In an experimental model in rats, the possibility that EPS facilitates the production of antisarcolemma antibodies was analyzed by injecting the animals with EPS, or simultaneously with EPS and human heart sarcolemma (HHS) . The rat sera was analyzed by microdouble immunodiffusion against EPS, HHS or a mixture of both, the rats immunized with HHS or with EPS and HHS produced anti-HHS antibodies . The average of precipitation bands increased with the number of immunizations . Under the experimental conditions used, the humoral immune response against HHS was not modified by EPS and also EPS alone did not induce antibodies against sarcolemma . The synthesis of antibodies to EPS was very low or Null . The antiestreptolysin-O levels were low during the immunization period . A minimal inspecific myocarditis with lymphocytic inflammatory infiltrate was induced . The humoral immune response against cardiac sarcolemma and against the extracellular products of streptococcus was similar in the groups of rats studied, independently of sex, weight, age, dose, inoculation method or immunization time in accordance with schemes used in this work. Can J Microbiol, 1983 Sep, 29(9), 1220 - 3 A note on the identity and properties of the spoilage microflora of chub-packed luncheon meat stored at ambient temperature; Bell RG et al.; The principal spoilage bacteria isolated from chub-packed luncheon meat stored at 25 degrees C have been identified as strains of Bacillus licheniformis and Streptococcus faecium . Bacillus licheniformis alone is responsible for those degradative changes (surface softening and discolouration, gas production and eventual product liquefaction) regarded as overt product spoilage . Streptococcus faecium metabolizes carbohydrate homofermentatively, and the resultant accumulation of lactic acid causes souring of the luncheon meat. Arch Inst Cardiol Mex, 1983 Sep-Oct, 53(5), 427 - 33 {Surgical treatment of infectious endocarditis}; Fernandez de la Reguera G et al.; Fifteen patients with diagnosis of infective endocarditis underwent surgical treatment . They were divided in two groups, the first one in which the infection rested in the patient's own valve, and the second in which the patients already had had valve replacement . Forty percent had a previous history of invasive procedure . Fifty-three percent had been treated with antibiotics prior to admission . Blood cultures were positive in 60%, gram positive germ such as streptococcus and staphylococcus predominated . Echocardiogram showed vegetation in 73% of our patients . The indications for surgery was: lack of response to medical treatment (34%), septic emboli (27%), heart failure (27%), severe renal damage (13%) . The mortality rate was 20% . In none of the cases a relapse of the infection was observed. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1983 Sep, 46(3), 533 - 8 Relation of rumen ATP concentration to bacterial and protozoal numbers; Nuzback DE et al.; Cultures of Streptococcus bovis and mixed populations of rumen bacteria were used to investigate the concentration of ATP and rumen bacterial numbers at various stages of growth . ATP, extracted with Tris buffer, was analyzed using the firefly luciferin-luciferase bioluminescent reaction . ATP concentrations of S . bovis and mixed cultures of rumen bacteria significantly correlated with live cell counts during the log phase of growth but not during the stationary phase . The average cellular ATP concentration of rumen bacteria was calculated to be 0.3 fg of ATP per cell . Studies done with in vivo artificial rumen apparatus revealed that the protozoal contribution to rumen fluid ATP pool size was much more substantial than was the bacterial contribution . The rumen fluid ATP concentration was greater in cattle with protozoa than in those that were defaunated . Differences in ATP concentration due to size differences of ciliate protozoa were observed . Due to the unbalanced distribution of ATP in rumen microbes, ATP appears to be an unsuitable indicator of rumen microbial biomass. J Infect Dis, 1983 Sep, 148(3), 427 - 35 Immunologic responses of children to serious infections with Streptococcus pneumoniae; Prober CG et al.; Antibody responses (as measured by radioimmunoassay), alterations in serum levels of complement, and the presence of circulating immune complexes (as measured by the fluid-phase C1Q-binding assay, the fluid-phase conglutinin assay, and the activation of C1 were evaluated in 15 children after meningitis and/or bacteremia caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae . The ages of the children ranged from two months to 16 years; the duration of follow-up ranged from 18 to 189 days (mean, 78 days) . Increases in levels of homotypic antibody were found in only three (25%) of the 12 children in whom this response could be assessed, and all of these responses were transient . Eight (53%) of the 15 children had evidence of a heterotypic antibody response to S pneumoniae serotypes other than those causing their infections . The activation of C1 and C1q-binding activity were detected at the early stage of disease and were generally transient . The result of the fluid-phase conglutinin assay was positive for 14 (93%) of the 15 children later in the course of disease; this result was consistently positive throughout the follow-up period in the majority of children . Depressed concentrations of C4 were noted in nine children, depressed levels of C3 in four, and depressed levels of factor B in two. Infect Immun, 1983 Sep, 41(3), 1038 - 45 Nonspecific induction of immunoglobulin M antibodies to periodontal disease-associated microorganisms after polyclonal human B-lymphocyte activation by Fusobacterium nucleatum; Mangan DF et al.; The production of antibodies to oral bacteria was determined in lymphocyte cultures stimulated with sonicated Fusobacterium nucleatum, a potent inducer of polyclonal B-cell activation . After 9 days the cultures were examined by a microenzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies to F . nucleatum, Bacteroides gingivalis, Actinomyces viscosus, and Streptococcus sanguis . Antibodies to these four bacteria were detected in cultures stimulated with polyclonal B-cell activation-inducing concentrations of F . nucleatum . However, significant concentrations of antibodies to F . nucleatum, but not to the other three microorganisms, were produced in cultures that received suboptimal polyclonal B-cell activation-inducing doses of F . nucleatum . Absorption studies indicated the specificity of the antibodies to each of the bacteria tested . IgM antibody production induced by F . nucleatum was enhanced by the addition of T cells . The production of IgM antibodies to the bacteria was reproducible in cultures from a single person tested on 3 consecutive days . The concentration of antibodies in replicate cultures, however, fluctuated greatly . To obtain consistent responses on successive days, multiple replicate cultures were required . These results suggest that F . nucleatum, which is frequently present in subgingival plaque, could induce the production of antibodies not only to F . nucleatum, but also to other microorganisms associated with periodontal diseases. Trop Geogr Med, 1983 Sep, 35(3), 309 - 11 A penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae; case report; Chowdhury MN; A strain of Streptococcus pneumoniae has been isolated from a five-month-old child with persistent otitis media . The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) detected was 4 micrograms/ml penicillin . This strain was possibly selected out by inadequate penicillin V therapy. J Gen Microbiol, 1983 Sep, 129 (Pt 9), 2779 - 88 Characteristics of a high molecular weight extracellular protein of Streptococcus mutans; Forester H et al.; A high molecular weight protein antigen, designated P1, has been isolated from the culture fluid of chemostat-grown Streptococcus mutans strain Ingbritt and shown to be free of other antigens including glucosyltransferase . Antiserum against the protein was used in rocket immunoelectrophoresis to confirm and extend the previous observation that there were major differences in the amount of the protein produced under different growth conditions . Physico-chemical and serological studies indicated that protein P1 was indistinguishable from antigens B, I/II and IF isolated in other laboratories . Mammalian tissue cross-reactivity of protein P1 was demonstrated by binding of antiserum to P1 to sections of normal rabbit tissues, particularly heart . There was also a statistically significant increase in the number of mononuclear leucocytes in heart tissue of rabbits which had been injected with protein P1, when compared with the levels in control uninjected rabbits; injection with whole cells of S . mutans Ingbritt did not produce this effect. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, 1983 Sep, 49(3), 275 - 82 Genetic transfer systems in lactic acid bacteria; Gasson MJ; Gene transfer processes (transduction, conjugation, protoplast fusion mediated exchange, transformation in protoplasts) in lactic acid bacteria are reviewed in this paper . Besides, the detailed molecular nature of lactose plasmids in the Streptococcus lactis C2, 712 and ML3 strain complex is discussed. Am Rev Respir Dis, 1983 Sep, 128(3), 461 - 4 Rapid diagnosis of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia; Guzzetta P et al.; Rapid identification of pathogens in patients with bacterial pneumonia is important for optimal antimicrobial therapy . Coagglutination was compared with counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE) for sensitivity and specificity in the detection of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Hemophilus influenzae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa antigens in sputum specimens of 101 patients with community-acquired pneumonia . Coagglutination detected the appropriate bacterial antigen in 16 of 17 (94%) definite etiology patients and CIE detected 11 (64%) . In 17 probable etiology patients, bacterial antigens were detected by coagglutination in 15 (88%) and by CIE in 7 (41%) . Only 1 pathogen was falsely identified in the 19 culture-negative control patients, indicating a high degree of specificity for both tests . Coagglutination was more sensitive than CIE (p less than 0.05) or sputum stained with Gram's stain (p less than 0.05) in correctly identifying the putative pathogen in sputum . Our results strongly suggest that coagglutination is a useful diagnostic technique for establishing a rapid etiologic diagnosis in community-acquired pneumonia. Infect Immun, 1983 Sep, 41(3), 1261 - 8 Adherence of streptococcus pyogenes, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa to fibronectin-coated and uncoated epithelial cells; Abraham SN et al.; The relationship between the variability in the fibronectin (Fn) content on human buccal epithelial cells and the capacity of the cells to bind gram-positive (Streptococcus pyogenes) or gram-negative (Escherichia coli or Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacteria was investigated . Adhesion experiments performed with mixtures of epithelial cells and mixed suspensions of either S . pyogenes and E . coli or S . pyogenes and P . aeruginosa exhibited three major populations of buccal cells: one of these was able to bind S . pyogenes (gram positive) but neither of the gram-negative bacteria; a second population was able to bind the gram-negative but not the gram-positive bacteria; and a third was able to bind various numbers of both types of organisms . Further adhesion experiments performed with a mixture of epithelial cells and a mixed suspension of S . pyrogens, E . coli, and fluoresceinconjugated methacrylate beads coated with immune immunoglobulin G directed against Fn revealed that the epithelial cells recognizing the gram-positive bacteria were rich in Fn, whereas those recognizing the gram-negative organisms were poor in Fn . Immunoelectron microscopy confirmed that cells of S . pyogenes bound to epithelial cells coated with Fn, whereas cells of E . coli bound to epithelial cells lacking Fn . These results suggest that Fn on the surfaces of epithelial cells may modulate the ecology of the human oropharyngeal cavity, especially with respect to the colonization of these surfaces by pathogenic gram-negative or gram-positive bacteria. Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {B}, 1983 Sep, 177(6), 533 - 8 Pigment production in human and bovine streptococcus agalactiae strains; Brglez I; Most of human isolates (66%) and more than a half of bovine isolates from privately-owned herds (57.1%) produced pigment at least on one of two media (DMS-agar, Todd-Hewitt broth) . None of bovine isolates from socially-owned farms produced pigment on DMS and TH broth . The results are in accord with previous investigations, in which some biochemical properties and serotypes of human and bovine isolates in Slovenia were studied. Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1983 Sep, 255(2-3), 221 - 33 Isolation and characterization of erythrogenic toxins . V . Communication: identity of erythrogenic toxin type B and streptococcal proteinase precursor; Gerlach D et al.; Production of erythrogenic toxin type B by Streptococcus pyogenes strain T19 was found to be strongly dependent on the pH of the cultivation medium . Maximum yields (greater than 100 mg of toxin/1) were obtained at pH 6.0 . In contrast no toxin production was serologically detectable at pH values above 6.5 . Purified B-toxin was shown to consist of two components when assayed by SDS-electrophoresis . The molecular weight of the two components was estimated to be 30 000 and 12 000 . Isoelectric focusing revealed a heterogeneity of the preparation with isoelectric points between 8.0 and 9.0 . Streptococcal proteinase precursor was isolated from culture supernatants of strains T19 and B220 by ammonium sulfate crystallization and purification on CM-Sepharose CL 6B . The protein obtained was homogeneous by SDS-gel electrophoresis and had a molecular weight of 44 000 . After autocatalytic activation with mercaptoethanol two bands appeared corresponding to molecular weights 30 000 and 12 000 . Isoelectric focusing of proteinase precursor preparations yielded a double band at pI 8.2-8.3 . However, activation of precursor to active proteinase finally resulted in a change of the pI to 9.0 . Erythrogenic toxin type B, streptococcal proteinase precursor, its intermediate activation products and the active proteinase itself reacted serologically identical with anti B-toxin antiserum . Streptococcal proteinase precursor provoked a delayed skin reaction and was pyrogenic as well as mitogenic . Its pyrogenic activity could be inhibited by antiserum against scarlet fever toxin (Wellcome Laboratories) . We therefore believe erythrogenic toxin type B to be identical with streptococcal proteinase precursor . This helps to understand the heterogeneity of B toxin, its inactivation by trypsin and the different protocols for toxin production described in the literature. Rev Infect Dis, 1983 Sep-Oct, 5 Suppl 4, S797 - 805 The role of antibody and complement in the reticuloendothelial clearance of pneumococci from the bloodstream; Brown EJ et al.; An experimental model of pneumococcal bacteremia in guinea pigs has been developed . By use of this model, complement has been shown to play a critical role in clearance of Streptococcus pneumoniae from the bloodstream and in survival of guinea pigs after iv challenge with type 7 S . pneumoniae . In nonimmune animals, complement activation occurs primarily via the alternative pathway . However, anticapsular antibodies increase the rate of clearance of pneumococci primarily via activation of the classical complement pathway . Detailed studies of the reticuloendothelial localization of cleared radiolabeled pneumococci showed that clearance took place primarily in liver and spleen and that anticapsular antibody increased hepatic and decreased splenic sequestration . This effect could be blocked by depleting complement with cobra venom factor . Comparison of nonimmune animals injected with unencapsulated pneumococci or encapsulated types 7 or 12 pneumococci showed that the virulence of these organisms for guinea pigs correlated with the extent of splenic sequestration . Sensitization of encapsulated pneumococci with anticapsular antibodies led to an antibody dose-dependent increase in the rate of bloodstream clearance . Sensitization of encapsulated pneumococci with anticell wall antibodies had no effect on clearance rates despite the ability of these antibodies to bind to the bacteria and to activate and fix complement to the organisms . In vitro studies showed that C3b deposited by these opsonically ineffective antibodies interacted poorly with C3b receptors . Electron microscopic studies showed that C3b deposited by anticapsular antibodies bound to the pneumococcal capsule while C3b deposited by anti-cell wall antibodies did not . Thus, the localization of C3b deposition on the pneumococcus markedly affects its opsonic potential. Rev Infect Dis, 1983 Sep-Oct, 5 Suppl 4, S659 - 69 Bacterial adherence in the mouth; van Houte J; Studies of the adherence of bacteria indigenous to the human mouth have contributed greatly to our understanding of oral bacterial ecology . Bacterial adhesion to teeth and oral epithelial surfaces seems to be indispensable for the formation of dental plaque and for the persistent colonization of mucosal surfaces . The strength of adhesion to various oral surfaces differs widely among oral bacteria and is a major reason for their different intraoral localization . Considerable evidence suggests that the adhesion of different bacteria to the acquired pellicle on teeth or to mucosal surfaces as well as the adhesive processes involved in plaque accumulation entail different, specific interactions that are mediated by receptors on the bacterial cell surface, on the oral surfaces, and on plaque matrix components . Some of these interactions may involve lectin-like binding . Knowledge of the mechanisms by which suspected odontopathogens such as Streptococcus mutans and certain Actinomyces species may adhere to oral surfaces has been discussed . Successful methods for interfering with bacterial adhesion to human oral surfaces have not been developed yet. Mol Biol (Mosk), 1983 Sep-Oct, 17(5), 1068 - 76 {Isolation and study of the properties of Streptococcus pyogenes ribosomes}; Nikolaeva LV et al.; Ribosomes from Streptococcus pyogenes, group A, strain 29 were studied . A comparison of different methods of ribosomal isolations has shown that the homogenous ribosomal samples can be obtained by the method of differential ultracentrifugation using tris-HCl buffer . The ribosomes of S . pyogenes had the sedimentation coefficient of 70S and consisted of 65% of protein and 35% of nucleic acids; the ribosomes dissociated into subparticles with the sedimentation coefficients of 50S and 30S under a low magnesium concentration . Thus the S . pyogenes ribosomes do not differ from the ribosomes of procaryotes . It was shown that the ratios of 70S, 50S and 30S ribosomal subparticles in the cells depend on the growth phase of S . pyogenes . The cells of the middle and the late logarithmic phase contained 50S and 30S particles in a stoichiometric ratio . In the cells of the late stationary growth phase there was a deficiency of 30S ribosomal subparticles which does not result from a loss during the isolation procedure, as it was already observed in the initial 30S fraction. J Clin Microbiol, 1983 Sep, 18(3), 554 - 7 Evaluation of a lysis-centrifugation and biphasic bottle blood culture system during routine use; Kelly MT et al.; An in-use evaluation of a commercially available lysis-centrifugation blood culture system (Isolator; Du Pont Co., Wilmington, Del.) is presented . The Isolator was compared with biphasic bottles containing Trypticase soy broth and agar for the detection of organisms in 3,129 paired blood samples . Of 272 potential pathogens recovered, 78% were detected by the Isolator system, and 69% were detected by the biphasic bottle . A total of 31% of these organisms were detected only by the Isolator, and 22% were detected only by the biphasic bottle . The Isolator demonstrated enhanced detection of facultative gram-negative bacilli, anaerobic bacteria, and polymicrobial cultures . The biphasic bottle was more effective for the recovery of facultative gram-positive cocci, especially Streptococcus pneumoniae . The two systems were equally effective for the recovery of yeasts . Contamination rates were 3% for the Isolator and 3.2% for the biphasic bottle . The results indicate that the Isolator system performs well in routine clinical use, but it should be complemented by another method to obtain optimal detection of bacteremia . The biphasic bottle provides an acceptable complementary system both in terms of utility and performance. J Bacteriol, 1983 Sep, 155(3), 1156 - 61 Insertional inactivation of streptolysin S expression in Streptococcus pyogenes; Nida K et al.; The inactivation of a genetic determinant critical for streptolysin S production was accomplished by transfer and insertion of the transposon Tn916 into the DNA of a group A streptococcal strain . The group D strain CG110 was able to efficiently transfer Tn916 into the group A strain CS91 when donor and recipient cells were concentrated and incubated together on membrane filters . Among tetracycline-resistant transconjugants, nonhemolytic mutants that no longer produced streptolysin S and retained the capacity to produce streptolysin O were discovered . Hemolytic revertants from these mutants regained tetracycline sensitivity; other revertants still retained a tetracycline resistance phenotype . Hybridization studies employing Tn916 DNA located Tn916 sequences in EcoRI and HindIII fragments of DNA from mutants devoid of streptolysin S; one carried a single copy of Tn916, and the other two carried multiple copies of the transposon. Stain Technol, 1983 Sep, 58(5), 291 - 8 A toluidine blue-membrane filter method for the quantitative staining of bacteria; O'Toole DK; A method for measuring the uptake of toluidine blue by bacteria on membrane filters was developed . Bacteria were filtered out of solution onto a cellulose acetate filter and stained on the filter at 50 C with toluidine blue in citrate-phosphate buffer, pH 4.0 . The filter was destained in ethanol, placed on a glass slide and subsequently made transparent in a 1,4-dioxan and cyclohexanone mixture . The absorbance of the stained bacteria on the slide was measured in a spectrophotometer at 590 nm . The uptake of dye by cells of Streptococcus cremoris and Escherichia coli could be explained using the Freundlich adsorption isotherm . Cell concentrations of both these organisms can be determined with this technique. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1983 Sep, (9), 106 - 9 {Free and bound antigen of Streptococcus group A L forms and the circulating immune complex level of erysipelas patients}; Gorina LG et al.; The level of circulating immune complexes in the blood serum of patients with relapsing erysipelas was found to be correlated with the level of the antigen of group A S . haemolyticus L-forms, this antigen entering in to the composition of the immune complexes . In 68% of cases the antigen of the streptococcal L-forms was bound and only in 20% of cases, free . High titers of antibodies to group A S . haemolyticus L-forms in patients with relapsing erysipelas at the absence of free antigen indirectly suggests that the antigen is incorporated into antigen-antibody complexes. Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 1983 Aug 30, 115(1), 287 - 94 An enzyme from Streptococcus mutans forms branches on dextran in the absence of sucrose; McCabe MM et al.; An enzyme in glucosyltransferase preparations from Streptococcus mutans catalyzed the transfer of {14C}glucopyranoside from purified isomaltosaccharides, each containing {14C}glucopyranoside at its non-reducing terminus, to acceptor dextran, in the absence of sucrose . Half of the radioactivity present in the resulting {14C}dextrans was resistant to hydrolysis by amylo-1,6-glucosidase . Treatment of the {14C}dextrans with endodextranase resulted in extensive hydrolysis and produced {14C}-labeled limit oligosaccharides containing branch sites . Acetolysis of the {14C}-labeled limit oligosaccharides yielded {14C}nigerose, thus indicating the formation of branch sites on dextran in the absence of sucrose . The enzyme catalyzing this reaction has not been identified but appears to be independent of the major extracellular glucosyltransferases of S . mutans. Carbohydr Res, 1983 Aug 16, 120, 77 - 84 Structure of a water-insoluble D-glucan isolated from a streptococcal organism; Shibata S et al.; The structure of the extracellular polysaccharide (water-insoluble D-glucan) from an anaerobic, Gram-positive coccus organism (Streptococcus) has been investigated . Acid hydrolysis of the methylated glucan yielded 2,3,4,6-tetra-, 2,3,4-tri-, 2,4,6-tri, and 2,4-di-O-methyl-D-glucose in the molar ratios of 1.13:3.99:1.00:1.02, indicating that the D-glucan has a branched structure containing (1 leads to 6)- and (1 leads to 3)-alpha-D-glucosidic bonds with an average repeating unit of seven sugar residues . The D-glucan-polyalcohol, derived by successive periodate oxidation and borohydride reduction, gave, on complete hydrolysis with acid, glycerol and D-glucose (molar ratio, 2.2:1.0) . Methylation of the D-glucan-polyalcohol yielded, upon hydrolysis, 2,4,6-tri-, and 2,4-di-O-methyl-D-glucose (molar ratio, 1.0:1.1) . Methylation of the D-glucan-polyalcohol following Smith degradation (mild acid hydrolysis) gave 2,4,6-tri-O-methyl-D-glucose as the principal hydrolysis product, in addition to a trace of 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-methyl-D-glucose. Am J Obstet Gynecol, 1983 Aug 15, 146(8), 958 - 62 Antibody to type III group B Streptococcus in the rhesus monkey; Larsen JW Jr et al.; Susceptibility to infection due to intra-amniotic type III group B streptococcal infection was studied in 27 rhesus monkeys . Sera from mothers and their offspring were tested to determine the concentration of antibody to the native type III group B Streptococcus antigen . Among 17 controls there was a statistically significant association between the concentration of maternal antibody prior to infection and both the neonatal survival rate and survival time (P less than 0.05) . Neonatal survival was decreased to less than or equal to 6 hours (P = 0.005) if the maternal antibody concentration was less than 0.5 micrograms/ml . Modified immune serum globulin was given intravenously to the mothers prior to intra-amniotic infection with (five animals) or without (five animals) neonatal modified immune serum globulin . Neither of the modified immune serum globulin groups demonstrated a significant reduction in the neonatal mortality rate; however, the addition of the modified immune serum globulin provided protection against rapid neonatal death among those animals born to mothers which had low or no detectable antibody . All maternal groups developed a significant increase in the concentration of antibody in postpartum sera . These results indicate that both naturally acquired and passive (modified immune serum globulin) antibodies to type III group B Streptococcus antigen are partially protective against intra-amniotic infection. J Biol Chem, 1983 Aug 10, 258(15), 9514 - 21 Purification and some properties of the endogenous, autolytic N-acetylmuramoylhydrolase of Streptococcus faecium, a bacterial glycoenzyme; Kawamura T et al.; The latent form of the endogenous, autolytic N-acetylmuramoylhydrolase of Streptococcus faecium ATCC 9790 was purified to near homogeneity by affinity chromatography on concanavalin A-Sepharose 4B . The latent enzyme had Mr approximately 130,000 on sodium dodecyl sulfate-gel electrophoresis . Upon proteinase treatment (trypsin or endogenous proteinase), the latent form is converted to an active form Mr approximately 87,000 . The enzyme was shown to be glycoprotein, containing monomeric and oligomeric glucose substituents . Some of the substrate specificity requirements of this enzyme are described. J Infect Dis, 1983 Aug, 148(2), 266 - 74 Humoral reactions in human endocarditis due to Streptococcus bovis: evidence for a common S bovis antigen; Kaplan MH et al.; Humoral reactions to native culture filtrates of Streptococcus bovis were studied in patients with endocarditis by means of two-dimensional crossed immunoelectrophoresis . Serum from patients with S bovis endocarditis produced eight different precipitin arcs . Lex antigen cross-reacted with sera from patients with viridans streptococcal endocarditis, and TA antigen cross-reacted with ribitol teichoic acid-positive sera from patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia . One antigen, common (c), was immunoreactive with all 10 sera from S bovis-infected patients . Antibody to this antigen was not found in sera from 77 patients with gram-positive bacteremia or in 29 other control sera . Common (c) antigen was found in all strains of S bovis isolated from patients . Rabbits immunized with formalinized S bovis cells of human origin also produced antibody to common (c) antigen . Common (c) may be an important antigen of S bovis and may in fact define this organism serologically. J Bacteriol, 1983 Aug, 155(2), 896 - 9 Specific coaggregation and the cell wall of Streptococcus sanguis; Reusch VM Jr et al.; Sacculi prepared from Streptococcus sanguis 34 by extensive extraction of cells with hot sodium dodecyl sulfate-2-mercaptoethanol retained the ability to coaggregate with Actinomyces viscosus T14V . When S . sanguis 34 was disrupted by homogenization with glass beads and fractionated by differential centrifugation, only the cell wall fraction agglutinated A . viscosus T14V . When strain 34 was treated with lysozyme, the coaggregating capability of the cells was essentially unaltered . Sacculi prepared from lysozyme-treated strain 34 and additionally purified by electrophoresis were agglutinated by strain T14V. Infect Immun, 1983 Aug, 41(2), 848 - 50 Structural preferences of beta-galactoside-reactive lectins on Actinomyces viscosus T14V and Actinomyces naeslundii WVU45; McIntire FC et al.; Specificities of lectins on Actinomyces viscosus T14V and Actinomyces naeslundii WVU45 were compared by measuring the abilities of D-galactose, N-acetyl-D-galactosamine, 14 beta-D-galacto-oligosaccharides, and 2 beta-D-fuco-oligosaccharides to inhibit coaggregation between Streptococcus sanguis 34 and each actinomycete . Inhibition profiles were similar, but WVU45 was significantly more sensitive to several inhibitors . D-Galactose-beta(1 leads to 3)-N-acetyl-D-galactosamine glycosides were most potent. Infect Immun, 1983 Aug, 41(2), 507 - 15 Neuraminidase production by a Streptococcus sanguis strain associated with subacute bacterial endocarditis; Straus DC et al.; The properties of an extracellular neuraminidase produced by a Streptococcus sanguis strain (isolated from a confirmed case of subacute bacterial endocarditis) during growth in a defined medium was examined in this investigation . This enzyme, isolated from concentrated culture supernatants of S . sanguis biotype II, was active against human alpha-1 acid glycoprotein, N-acetylneuramin lactose, bovine submaxillary mucin, and fetuin . Neuraminidase production paralleled bacterial growth in defined medium and was maximal in the early stationary phase of growth but decreased dramatically, probably owing to protease production, during the late stationary phase . The enzyme was purified to near homogeneity by a combination of salt fractionation, ion-exchanged chromatography on DEAE-Sephacel, and gel filtration on Sephadex G-200 . These procedures yielded an enzyme preparation that possessed a specific activity of 174.4 mumol of sialic acid released per min per mg of protein against human alpha-1 acid glycoprotein . The Km value for this enzyme with human alpha-1 acid glycoprotein as substrate was 2.5 X 10(-3) M, and the enzyme possessed a pH optimum of 6.5 . The S . sanguis neuraminidase had a molecular weight of approximately 85,000 as estimated by gel filtration and approximately 90,000 when analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis . The enzyme was stable at temperatures of 4 and 37 degrees C for 3 h, but approximately 50% of the enzymatic activity was lost within 30 min at 50 degrees C, with 100% of the enzymatic activity being destroyed within 10 min at temperatures of greater than or equal to 65 degrees C. Am J Dis Child, 1983 Aug, 137(8), 764 - 7 Bacterial tracheitis; Liston SL et al.; During a two-year period, 17 children were brought to the St Paul Children's Hospital with the clinical features of croup, unresponsive to conventional therapy; 12 of these were seen during a two-month outbreak of parainfluenza virus type 1 that occurred in the community . Bronchoscopy showed copious purulent tracheal secretions . Cultures of transbronchoscopic aspirates were positive for bacterial organisms, the most common being Staphylococcus aureus (six of 17) and alpha-hemolytic Streptococcus (seven of 17) . Four of these children, all treated conservatively with observation and/or endotracheal intubation, suffered a cardiorespiratory arrest, and two of them died . In contrast, one of 13 children who underwent tracheostomy died . Bacterial tracheitis clinically resembles viral croup, but carries a significant morbidity and mortality . Bronchoscopy documenting the presence of copious endotracheal pus and prompt tracheostomy may reduce the complications of this disease. Jpn J Med Sci Biol, 1983 Aug, 36(4), 219 - 23 Cariostatic effect of palatinose on experimental dental caries in rats; Ooshima T et al.; Specific pathogen-free Sprague-Dawley rats infected with Streptococcus mutans MT8148R (serotype c) developed a severe dental caries when fed a diet containing 56% sucrose (diet #2000) . Complete replacement of the dietary sucrose with palatinose, a structural isomer of sucrose, however, resulted in negligible caries induction and plaque accumulation . Replacement of half of the sucrose content of diet #2000 with palatinose induced dental caries; however, the caries score was significantly lower than that induced by diet #2000 . No significant reduction in caries development was observed when a quarter of the dietary sucrose was replaced with palatinose. Gastroenterol Jpn, 1983 Aug, 18(4), 377 - 83 Re-evaluation of immunological parameters in immunotherapy for advanced carcinoma of the digestive tract; Hanaue H et al.; Fifty-one patients with recurrent carcinoma of the digestive tract received immunotherapy consisting of the streptococcal preparation OK-432 in combination with FT207 . In these patients, the following tests were carried out, peripheral blood leukocyte count, lymphocyte count and percent T-cell population of lymphocytes, delayed hypersensitivity skin tests with PPD, phytohemagglutinin and polysaccharide extracted from Su strain of Streptococcus pyogenes and serum titer of agglutinin to Strep . pyogenes . The results were statistically analyzed and correlated with the rate and duration of survival in order to re-evaluate the immunological parameters commonly used at present in anticancer immunotherapy . With respect to the peripheral blood leukocyte count, lymphocyte count, delayed hypersensitivity skin tests and serum titer of agglutinin to Strep . pyogenes assessed at 2 months of treatment, patients showing normal values or positive results had a significantly greater survival rate compared with those showing abnormal values or negative results . The peripheral blood lymphocyte count, delayed hypersensitivity skin tests and serum titer of agglutinin to Strep . pyogenes correlated significantly with survival . Particularly, the Su-PS skin test and serum titer of agglutinin to Strep . pyogenes showed remarkable correlation (P less than 0.01) with the survival rate and period. Acta Pathol Microbiol Immunol Scand {B}, 1983 Aug, 91(4), 261 - 5 Further studies on the growth inhibition of some oral bacteria by xylitol; Assev S et al.; The growth in Brain Heart Infusion medium containing glucose or sucrose of Streptococcus mutans strain OMZ 176, two strains of Strep . sanguis (ATCC 10556 and No . 39) and Actinomyces viscosus type ATCC 27044 was inhibited by xylitol but not by D-arabitol or ribitol . When fructose was substituted for glucose, xylitol had no growth-inhibiting effect . It was also shown that the bacteria produced less acid in the presence of xylitol, as measured by the pH of the cultures or by neutralization with alkali. Int J Androl, 1983 Aug, 6(4), 358 - 66 Microbiological investigations on cryopreserved human semen; Glander HJ et al.; Primary mycological contamination was studied in 565 random human ejaculates . After sperm preservation at low temperature, secondary mycological contamination of 55 of the ejaculates was investigated . 25 ejaculates were cryopreserved with and without antibiotics and examined bacteriologically before and after different phases of cryopreservation . Furthermore, semen samples of several donors were inoculated with suspensions of different concentrations of yeasts and with the test bacteria Escherichia coli K 12 and Staphylococcus aureus SG 511 . Microbiological results were then compared before and after cryopreservation . The following results were obtained: 1.9.8% of samples showed primary mycological contamination (1.9% with Candida albicans) . 2 . Cryopreservation reduced the concentration of fungi by more than 90% on average . 3 . Only one semen sample was contaminated with bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus haemolyticus and Streptococcus nonhaemolyticus) . Non-pathogenic bacteria were found in 11 ejaculates (Micrococcus luteus in 5 samples and Staphylococcus epidermidis in 6 samples), and contamination was largely unaffected by cryopreservation, even in the presence of antibiotics . 4 . Test bacteria inoculated into semen were not influenced by the addition of antibiotics to the cryoprotective medium. Gastrointest Endosc, 1983 Aug, 29(3), 198 - 200 Bacteremia after endoscopic injection sclerosis; Cohen LB et al.; Endoscopic injection sclerosis is a therapeutic alternative in the management of esophageal varices . Complications of sclerotherapy have been minor, including fever, bacteremia, and abnormal chest x-ray . We performed a prospective study to evaluate the frequency of postsclerosis bacteremia . Bacteremia was detected in 14 procedures (50%) . There were no cases of bacteremia in a group of control patients with esophageal varices undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy without sclerosis (p less than 0.05) . Bacteremia was transient and unrelated to the presence of fever or other clinical complications . The organism most commonly cultured from blood, alpha-hemolytic streptococcus, probably represents a contaminant from the oropharynx, introduced into the bloodstream during sclerosis . We conclude that injection sclerotherapy of esophageal varices is associated with a higher incidence of bacteremia than routine upper endoscopy and that selected patients may require antibiotic prophylaxis when undergoing this procedure. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1983 Aug, 24(2), 163 - 7 Comparison of cefadroxil and cephalexin in the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia; Blaser MJ et al.; Thirty-four patients with community-acquired acute pneumonias were treated in a prospective, randomized trial with either cefadroxil, 500 mg twice daily, or cephalexin, 250 mg four times daily . In both groups of patients, the presence of chronic illnesses predisposing to pneumonia was common . Streptococcus pneumoniae was isolated from 65% of the initial sputum specimens, and most illnesses were of mild to moderate severity . All 19 cases treated with cefadroxil and all 15 cases treated with cephalexin were clinically cured, and adverse reactions to the medications were minimal . The success of these regimens suggests that outpatient use of oral cephalosporin therapy may be an appropriate treatment of patients with mild or moderate community-acquired pneumonia. Scand J Dent Res, 1983 Aug, 91(4), 274 - 80 Lysis of Streptococcus mutans BHT by salivary lysozyme; Twetman S et al.; The aim of this work was to study the bacteriolytic ability of human salivary lysozyme (HSL) on Streptococcus mutans BHT . The cells were grown in a synthetic medium containing 3H-thymidine to monitor DNA release after incubation with either HSL, purified by ion exchange chromatography, or hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL) . The experiments demonstrated that HSL as well as HEWL could liberate DNA from cells . The lysis was dependent on enzyme concentration as well as incubation-time . Approximately 80% of the 3H-thymidine was released at final concentrations of 4.5 micrograms/ml and incubation-times exceeding 16 hr . Additional treatment of the suspensions with DNase increased the levels of released radioisotopes . The lytic ability of HSL and HEWL was similar at low concentrations . HSL inactivated with goat antiserum to human lysozyme decreased the liberation of DNA by about 70% . This study suggests that HSL can lyse S . mutans BHT without presence of inorganic ions. Gan No Rinsho, 1983 Aug, 29(10), 1274 - 8 {Evaluation of chemotherapy for resected stomach cancer: second-look operation}; Niimoto M et al.; During the period from Jun . 1973 to Dec . 1981, seven hundred and three patients with primary gastric cancer have undergone gastrectomy at the Surgical Department, Research Institute for Nuclear Medicine & Biology, Hiroshima University . As adjuvant immunochemotherapy, large dose of Mitomycin C was routinely administered; 20 mg on the day of gasrectomy and additional 10 mg on the next day, intravenously . Furthermore, PS-K, a protein-bound polysaccharide, and/or Tegafur were administered for a prolonged period of time . Two hundred and forty of 703 patients were non-curatively resected cases . The factors by which gastrectomy was limited to non-curative resection at the primary gastrectomy were peritoneal dissemintions, liver metastases or invasions to the contiguous organs . Of the 244 patients, 17 were re-laparotomized and at the same time the evaluation of the chemotherapeutic effects was investigated . Of these 17, six patients were administered with large dose OK-432, preparation of Bac . streptococcus hemolyticus, intratumorally or intraperitoneally . In three patients, Intraabdominal patching with Adriamycin (ADM) was performed the direct cytocidal activities and strong stickiness of this drug to the malignant cells . From the findings of relaparotomy, it was suggested that large dose OK-432 administration or ADM patching was effective for peritoneal disseminations. J Bacteriol, 1983 Aug, 155(2), 930 - 2 Isolation of a recombination-deficient mutant of Streptococcus lactis ML3; Anderson DG et al.; A recombination-deficient mutant of Streptococcus lactis ML3 designated MMS36 was isolated on the basis of its sensitivity to methyl methanesulfonate . This mutant also displayed sensitivity to UV irradiation . The inability of MMS36 to mediate homologous recombination was demonstrated by transduction of plasmid-linked lactose fermenting ability but not chromosomally mediated streptomycin resistance. Infect Immun, 1983 Aug, 41(2), 535 - 9 Susceptibility of brain to aerobic, anaerobic, and fungal organisms; Costello GT et al.; The utility of an experimental animal model is dependent on its ability to simulate the actual clinical situation . With a stereotaxic injection procedure, the susceptibility of rat brain to the spectrum of organisms commonly associated with human brain abscess was determined . Two strains of Escherichia coli were more infective than Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pyogenes . Even between the E . coli strains it was possible to document significant differences in degree of infectivity . The E . coli strain with the K-1 capsular polysaccharide was significantly more infective than the E . coli strain without the capsular polysaccharide . The brain was also susceptible to Candida albicans, but at a level higher than any of the aerobic bacteria examined . Brain infection could not be created when microaerophilic or obligately anaerobic organisms alone were injected. J Pediatr Surg, 1983 Aug, 18(4), 480 - 5 Diagnosis and treatment of right Bochdalek hernia associated with group B streptococcal pneumonia and sepsis in the neonate; Ashcraft KW et al.; Neonatal sepsis due to group B beta-hemolytic Streptococcus (GBS) is reported to occur in about 1 out of 330 live births . Right-sided Bochdalek hernia (RBH) occurs in about 1 of 20,000 live births . The combination of group B streptococcal sepsis and delayed appearance of a right Bochdalek hernia is an infrequently reported phenomenon--18 patients have been previously reported in the English literature . We add four patients from our own experience to these previous reports . Since approximately 10% to 15% of the newborn population are exposed to group B Streptococcus we suspect that the inadequate diaphragmatic motion on the side of the Bochdalek hernia predisposes the child to development of septicemia and/or pneumonitis . Once the etiology has been established and appropriate antibiotic therapy instituted, progressive improvement in the patient's course should be seen . This is in contrast to a very significant mortality rate in many of the patients having early onset GBS . Any child, therefore, surviving early onset GBS only to deteriorate again, should be suspected of having an associated right Bochdalek hernia, and diagnostic steps should be taken to evaluate the integrity of the right diaphragm. J Dairy Sci, 1983 Aug, 66(8), 1773 - 80 Mastitis--progress on control; Dodd FH; Mastitis has been investigated for over 100 yr, but progress in control has been slow . The reasons for this are complex . Mastitis is caused by several types of infection, each with a different etiology . The possible methods for control are eradication, immunization, therapy, breeding resistant cows, or by improved management factors, but in practice success has been achieved only with the latter . The first practical control was based on specific hygiene methods coupled with the improved use of antibiotic therapy . Later this was augmented by better designs of milking equipment and improved housing . By the control method it is possible to eradicate or reduce to few cows infections caused by staphylococci, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Streptococcus dysgalactiae, but control of Streptococcus uberis is much less effective and coliform mastitis is unaffected . Research indicates that these varying degrees of success are due to basic differences in the various types of infection . There is poor control with infection caused by pathogens that emanate from sources other than the mammary gland and multiply mainly in bedding material (environmental pathogens) . Further progress probably depends on the degree of exposure of udders, particularly to these pathogens. J Bacteriol, 1983 Aug, 155(2), 681 - 9 Cloning and expression in Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis of the hemolysin (cereolysin) determinant from Bacillus cereus; Kreft J et al.; From a cosmid gene bank of Bacillus cereus GP4 in Escherichia coli we isolated clones which, after several days of incubation, formed hemolysis zones on erythrocyte agar plates . These clones contained recombinant cosmids with B . cereus DNA insertions of varying lengths which shared some common restriction fragments . The smallest insertion was recloned as a PstI fragment into pJKK3-1, a shuttle vector which replicates in Bacillus subtilis and E . coli . When this recombinant plasmid (pJKK3-1 hly-1) was transformed into E . coli, it caused hemolysis on erythrocyte agar plates, but in liquid assays no external or internal hemolytic activity could be detected with the E . coli transformants . B . subtilis carrying the same plasmid exhibited hemolytic activity at levels comparable to those of the B . cereus donor strain . The hemolysin produced in B . subtilis seemed to be indistinguishable from cereolysin in its sensitivity to cholesterol, activation by dithiothreitol, and inactivation by antibodies raised against cereolysin . When the recombinant DNA carrying the cereolysin gene was used as a probe in hybridization experiments with chromosomal DNA from a streptolysin O-producing strain of Streptococcus pyogenes or from listeriolysin-producing strains of Listeria monocytogenes, no positive hybridization signals were obtained . These data suggest that the genes for these three SH-activated cytolysins do not have extended sequence homology. Infect Immun, 1983 Aug, 41(2), 872 - 5 Production of monoclonal antibody against a glucosyltransferase of Streptococcus mutans 6715; Furuta T et al.; A mouse hybrid cell line secreted monoclonal antibody which reacted specifically with Streptococcus mutans 6715 (serotype g) glucosyltransferase (GTase)-synthesizing water-insoluble glucan and inhibited with enzyme reaction . The antibody was cross-reactive with GTase of serotype d but not with GTase of other serotypes of S . mutans when an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used. Infect Immun, 1983 Aug, 41(2), 722 - 7 Genetic transformation of putative cariogenic properties in Streptococcus mutans; Perry D et al.; Rough colonial morphology and bacteriocin production, two properties which may be associated with the cariogenicity of Streptococcus mutans, were transformed into several strain GS-5 mutants defective in each respective property . Transformation was determined by observing the frequency of cotransfer of these properties with different reference markers . The rough colonial transformants were identical to the parental GS-5 strain with respect to ability to synthesize water-insoluble glucans and undergo in vitro sucrose-dependent colonization of glass surfaces . Alterations in the growth medium and the concentration of the initial cell inoculum resulted in an approximate 10-fold increase in the frequency of transformation of strain GS-5 compared to previous observations. Gastroenterology, 1983 Aug, 85(2), 364 - 9 Bacterial L-form isolation from inflammatory bowel disease patients; Belsheim MR et al.; This study was designed to investigate a possible relationship between bacterial L forms and inflammatory bowel disease . Homogenates of intestinal mucosal biopsies from Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and control patients underwent bacterial culture on hypertonic media designed for the recovery of L-form bacteria and parental organisms . L forms were recovered from 24 of 71 Crohn's disease, 51 of 121 ulcerative colitis, and 2 of 140 control biopsy specimens . These isolation rates are significantly different when Crohn's disease biopsy specimens (p less than 0.001) and ulcerative colitis biopsy specimens (p less than 0.001) are compared with controls . Six different L-form types were recovered, of which the most common were Escherichia coli and Streptococcus fecalis . No marked differences were observed in L-form recovery rates or L-form types recovered between Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis patients . Drug treatment of inflammatory bowel disease patients did not affect L-form recovery rates or the type of L forms recovered . The results suggest either that L forms are involved in the causation of inflammatory bowel disease or that their presence in mucosal biopsy tissues is a result of the disease process. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1983 Jul 29, 758(2), 181 - 6 Purification and characterization of neutrophil chemotactic factors of Streptococcus sanguis; Miyake Y et al.; Two neutrophil chemotactic factors were isolated from the culture filtrates of Streptococcus sanguis ATCC 10556 and were chemically characterized as N-terminal blocked peptides of low molecular weight . One of the factors consisted of proline, valine, methionine, isoleucine and leucine and the other of methionine, isoleucine, leucine and phenylalanine . In both factors, methionine was detected as the sole N-terminal amino acid, but the amino group was blocked . The removal of N-terminal methionine yielded several N-terminal amino acids, suggesting that S . sanguis produced several N-terminal blocked methionyl peptides, all of which could be chemotactically active. Can Med Assoc J, 1983 Jul 15, 129(2), 132 - 5 {Use of cephalosporins as antibiotic prophylaxis in cesarean section}; Fugere P et al.; Cefoxitin, a second-generation cephalosporin, was compared with cefazolin, a first-generation cephalosporin, and a placebo in a prospective, double-blind study of antibiotic prophylaxis in women undergoing nonelective cesarean section . In the groups that received cefazolin or the placebo there eas no statistically significant change in colonization of the cervix by aerobic bacteria by the fourth day after the operation, but there was a statistically significant increase in colonization by anaerobes . Cefoxitin had the opposite effect . Of the 14 postoperative infections in 11 patients, significantly more were in patients who had received the placebo; the numbers were too small to show a difference in effectiveness between the two antibiotics . Of the microorganisms implicated as the infectious agents, group B Streptococcus was the most frequent aerobe, and Peptostreptococcus and Bacteroides bivius were the most frequent anaerobes . Among the 15 patients for whom at least one perioperative specimen yielded positive culture results, a postoperative infection developed in 5 of the 6 who received the placebo, 2 of the 4 who received cefazolin and 1 of the 5 who received cefoxitin. Med J Aust, 1983 Jul 9, 2(1), 36 - 7 Intra-abdominal pneumococcal abscess; Mutton KJ; A 25-year-old woman with the adrenogenital syndrome was admitted to hospital because of abdominal pain . Streptococcus pneumoniae was present in pus obtained from an abscess in the appendix area. Lancet, 1983 Jul 9, 2(8341), 75 - 8 Chronic meningitis caused by a penicillin-sensitive microorganism? Skoldenberg B, Stiernstedt G, Garde A, Kolmodin G, Carlstrom A, Nord CE. 21 patients studied had persistent or progressive chronic meningitis not associated with a demonstrable infectious or other disease, except Streptococcus milleri antigen in the cerebrospinal fluid of 1 patient . The cerebrospinal-fluid (CSF) abnormalities consisted of a moderate, predominantly mononuclear, pleocytosis, a sharp rise in CSF protein (mean 2.3 g/l), intrathecal synthesis of considerable quantities of oligoclonal immunoglobulin G, and, in half the patients, a fall in the CSF-glucose/blood-glucose ratio . In all patients symptoms began during summer or autumn . In 4 patients the onset was preceded by localised cutaneous lesion, described as erythema chronicum migrans . 4 more patients had been bitten by ticks in the weeks before onset of symptoms . The patients had profound fatigue, malaise, and weight-loss . Half had fever, usually moderate . The neurological abnormalities included aseptic meningitis, cranial neuropathy (mostly facial-nerve paralysis), motor and sensory peripheral radiculoneuropathy, and myelitis . The patients improved or recovered, sometimes dramatically, during a 2-week course of intravenous penicillin G. J Clin Microbiol, 1983 Jul, 18(1), 154 - 9 Radioimmunoassay and opsonic antibody responses to pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide vaccine in serum and ascitic fluid of cirrhotic patients; Simberkoff MS et al.; Pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide vaccine was administered to 19 cirrhotic patients and to 25 control subjects . Radioimmunoassay antibody concentration and opsonic titers (OT) were measured in sera and ascites collected before and 3 to 4 weeks after inoculation . The geometric mean antibody concentrations in prevaccination sera from the cirrhotic patients were significantly increased to types 3, 4, 7F, 8, 9N, and 12F antigens, and in postinoculation sera their geometric mean antibody concentration was increased to types 3, 9N, and 12F antigens . OT to Streptococcus pneumoniae type 3 correlated with the radioimmunoassay antibody concentration in postinoculation sera . Of 14 cirrhotic subjects, 3 had OT of greater than or equal to 4 in prevaccination sera, and the highest OT and radioimmunoassay antibody concentration were observed in postinoculation specimens from this group . Antibody and OT against S . pneumoniae type 3 were also observed in ascitic specimens . These data suggest that cirrhotic subjects respond to pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide with antibodies in both serum and ascitic fluid . However, the protective efficacy of this antibody response must be assessed by larger prospective studies. J Am Vet Med Assoc, 1983 Jul 1, 183(1), 80 - 4 Identification of carriers of Streptococcus equi in a naturally infected herd; George JL et al.; During an outbreak of strangles in a population of research horses, 4 mares were identified as carriers of Streptococcus equi . Three of the mares had typical signs of strangles (severe regional lymphadenitis with or without rupture of abscessed lymph nodes) . The 4th mare experienced episodes of serous to mucopurulent nasal discharge, but never had more than a mild degree of lymph node enlargement . Streptococcus equi was isolated from the abscessed lymph nodes and from nasopharyngeal swab specimens from the first 3 mares from 6 to 19 weeks after rupture of involved nodes . Streptococcus equi was isolated from the nasopharynx of the 4th mare on introduction into the herd and intermittently over the ensuing 6 months . During the 7th month, mare 4 was placed in isolation, where she continued to shed S equi for 4 more months . A complete physical examination during the 10th month, including radiography of the head and thorax, did not reveal any relevant abnormalities, but a pharyngeal swab specimen was culture-positive for S equi . This isolate was used to inoculate 2 yearling colts, which developed strangles and from which S equi was reisolated . Shedding of S equi by mare 4 ceased in the 11th month, and at necropsy 2 months later, S equi was not recovered from any organ or tissue . Corticosteroid administration 3 weeks prior to necropsy had induced neither shedding of the organism nor clinical signs of strangles . The study provided clinical, epidemiologic, and bacteriologic evidence to support the existence of a carrier state following natural infection with S equi. Clin Exp Immunol, 1983 Jul, 53(1), 192 - 200 The detection and specificity of class specific antibodies to whole bacterial cells using a solid phase radioimmunoassay; Czerkinsky C et al.; A solid phase radioimmunoassay has been developed which can be used for the detection of isotype specific antibodies to whole bacteria and other particulate antigens, and is applicable to a variety of species . Bacteria are bound to the solid phase by the use either of antibodies, or of methyl glyoxal . Both methods result in a sensitive and reproducible assay, and bacteria do not appear to desorb from the solid phase . The specificity of antibodies to whole bacteria was examined by absorption of antisera with various species of bacteria and retesting, or by determining the binding of antisera to various bacteria bound to the solid phase . Both methods revealed specificity for the bacteria examined . Inhibition studies showed that antibodies to Streptococcus mutans whole cells could be inhibited by purified cell surface antigens glucosyltransferase and antigen I/II, but only minimally by lipoteichoic acid, c polysaccharide or dextran . In murine antisera antibodies of the IgG, IgM, and IgA classes could be detected at amounts of less than 1 ng/ml. Arch Intern Med, 1983 Jul, 143(7), 1328 - 30 Group G streptococcal arthritis; Nakata MM et al.; Five patients were seen in the UCLA hospital system with septic arthritis due to group G Streptococcus . All had prior joint disease or surgery on the affected joint . Findings from physical examination and laboratory evaluation were typical for pyogenic arthritis . Response to antimicrobial therapy was slow and marked by recurrent sterile joint effusions . Group G streptococcal arthritis may be diagnosed more frequently if routine serologic grouping of streptococcal isolates from joint fluid samples is performed . Such identification may also have prognostic significance. South Med J, 1983 Jul, 76(7), 916 - 8 Hypocalcemia and "toxic" syndrome associated with streptococcal fasciitis; Greenberg RN et al.; A 35-year-old man suffered a small puncture wound of the right hand and within four days had acute fasciitis of the right upper extremity . Cultures of wound and blood grew a group A beta-hemolytic Streptococcus . Persistent hypocalcemia was recognized daily, and he died ten days after the injury in cardiac failure . Preliminary studies have shown that the organism elaborated two streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxins (SPE-C and a new exotoxin, SPE-D) . It is suggested but not proven that the cause of the patient's "toxic" illness may have resulted from the action of these exotoxins. J Bacteriol, 1983 Jul, 155(1), 138 - 44 Increased carbohydrate substitution of lipoteichoic acid during inhibition of protein synthesis; Kessler RE et al.; Decreases in electrophoretic mobilities of intracellular lipoteichoic acid, intracellular deacylated lipoteichoic acid, and extracellular deacylated lipoteichoic acid were observed during inhibition of protein synthesis in Streptococcus faecium after exposure to chloramphenicol or valine deprivation . Increased carbohydrate content, and thus an increased mass-to-charge ratio, rather than changes in ester alanine content or novel fatty acid substitutions, appeared to account for the decreased electrophoretic mobilities . The increase in carbohydrate content, as judged from mobility measurements, was progressive over time and appeared to occur on biosynthetically new lipoteichoic acid as well as on lipoteichoic acid made before inhibition of protein synthesis. Infect Immun, 1983 Jul, 41(1), 375 - 82 Binding of 18F by cell membranes and cell walls of Streptococcus mutans; Yotis WW et al.; The binding of 18F to isolated cell membranes and cell walls of Streptococcus mutans GS-5 or other bacteria was assayed . The attachment of 18F to these cell envelopes proceeded slowly and reached equilibrium within 60 min . 18F binding was stimulated by Ca2+ (1 mM) . The binding of 18F to cellular components was dependent upon the pH, as well as the amount of 18F and dose of the binder employed . The binding of 18F by cell walls prepared from fluoride-sensitive and fluoride-resistant cells of S . salivarius and S . mutans did not differ significantly . The pretreatment of cell walls or cell membranes for 60 min at 30 degrees C with 1 mg of RNase, DNase, or trypsin per ml did not influence the binding of 18F by the walls and membranes of S . mutans GS-5 . However, prior exposure of cell membranes to sodium dodecyl sulfate caused a significant reduction in the number of 18F atoms bound by the membranes . In saturated assay systems, cell membranes of S . mutans GS-5 bound 10(15) to 10(16) atoms of 18F per mg (dry weight), whereas cell walls from S . mutans GS-5, FA-1, and HS-6 or Actinomyces viscosus T14V and T14AV bound 10(12) to 10(13) atoms of 18F per mg (dry weight) . 18F in this quantity (10(12) to 10(13) atoms) cannot be detected with the fluoride electrode . The data provide, for the first time, a demonstration of 18F binding by cell membranes and walls of oral flora. Infect Immun, 1983 Jul, 41(1), 275 - 9 Experimental pneumococcal meningitis: role of leukocytes in pathogenesis; Ernst JD et al.; Two groups of rabbits with experimental meningitis induced by direct intracisternal inoculation of Streptococcus pneumoniae cells were studied . One group was rendered profoundly leukopenic by nitrogen mustard, and the other had normal leukocyte counts . The two groups had comparable bacterial growth rates (mean generation time, 60 versus 67 min) and ultimate bacterial populations in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) (mean log10 CFU, 9.1 versus 8.7); therefore leukocytes did not effectively slow or limit the growth of pneumococci in the CSF in vivo . Increased CSF protein, decreased CSF glucose, and increased CSF lactate levels were similar in both groups, suggesting that leukocytes are not essential for these changes to occur . Quantitative blood cultures revealed identical levels of pneumococcal bacteremia until 13 to 14 h after the initiation of infection, when the leukopenic rabbits showed a larger number of pneumococci in the blood, ultimately exceeding the number reached in nonleukopenic rabbits by 100-fold . Leukocytes therefore limit the extent of pneumococcal bacteremia after infection of the CSF despite their lack of effect on the course or the CSF manifestations of experimental meningitis. Gastroenterology, 1983 Jul, 85(1), 194 - 5 Perineal Crohn's disease complicated by pyogenic liver abscess during metronidazole therapy; Hatoff DE; A patient with ileal and perineal Crohn's disease developed a pyogenic liver abscess caused by Streptococcus milleri . The perineal process had been treated with high-dose metronidazole for the preceding 6 mo, and culture of a perianal abscess 2 mo before admission revealed heavy growth of Streptococcus milleri (which was misidentified as an anaerobic Peptostreptococcus) . This case illustrates the difficulty in correctly identifying Streptococcus milleri, the most frequent isolate from pyogenic liver abscesses . Furthermore, the events suggest that metronidazole therapy can allow overgrowth of this organism in perineal abscesses which, in turn, may predispose to the development of purulent foci such as liver abscesses . This effect on the bacterial ecology of the perineum should be considered when opting for metronidazole therapy of perineal Crohn's disease. Acta Paediatr Scand, 1983 Jul, 72(4), 589 - 95 Postsplenectomy infections in Danish children splenectomized 1969-1978; Pedersen FK; During the 10-year period 1969-1978 456 splenectomies in children 0-15 years old were registered in Denmark . The underlying disease in 56% was traumatic splenic rupture, in 20% hereditary spherocytosis, in 13% idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and in 11% various other diseases . Three hundred and eighty-four (84%) could be followed retrospectively for a mean period of 6.2 years after splenectomy . Twenty-one (5.5%) contracted bacteraemia or meningitis, in 15 (71%) caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, and 6 (1.6%) died from the infection . The frequency of postsplenectomy infection (PSI) was lower in children with splenic rupture (2.5%) than in those with hereditary spherocytosis (4.9%), idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (11.5%) and Hodgkin's disease (13.8%) . Sixteen percent of children splenectomized before the age of 4 years versus 4% above that age developed PSI . Ninety-five percent of the PSI cases occurred less than 6 years after splenectomy . The incidence of severe pneumococcal bacteraemia and pneumococcal meningitis in the splenectomized was 284 times that of non-splenectomized children. Farmaco {Sci}, 1983 Jul, 38(7), 466 - 72 Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of monoalkylcarbamic and thiocarbamic esters of 3-mercapto-1,2,4-benzothiadiazine-1,1-dioxide and of its Bz-derivatives; Di Bella M et al.; A new series of monoalkylcarbamic esters of 3-mercapto-1,2,4-benzothiadiazine-1,1-dioxide (I) and of its 6-chloro- and 5,7-dichloroderivatives {compounds (II leads to XVI)} and a series of monoalkylthiocarbamic esters of (I) {compounds (XVII leads to XIX)} were synthesized and evaluated in vitro for antimicrobial activity . All the substances studied have been found to possess an inhibiting action on one or more strains of mycetes of the genus Candida and on some strains of Gram-positive bacteria belonging to the genus Staphylococcus . Moreover, some compounds have shown a bacteriostatic effect on a strain belonging to the genus Streptococcus . None of the substances tested was active on Gram-negative schizomycetes. Can J Microbiol, 1983 Jul, 29(7), 833 - 6 Phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphorylation of alpha-methylglucoside in Streptococcus sanguis ATCC 10556; Vadeboncoeur C et al.; Spontaneous mutants defective in some undefined membrane components of the phosphoenolpyruvate:glucose phosphotransferase system were isolated by plating cells of Streptococcus sanguis ATCC 10556 onto an agar containing lactose and 10 mM 2-deoxyglucose . Toluenized cells of these mutants were defective in their ability to catalyse the phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphorylation of 2-deoxyglucose but were still able to phosphorylate alpha-methylglucoside . The phosphorylation of alpha-methylglucoside was essentially dependent on phosphoenolpyruvate and required the presence of both soluble and membrane components . It was concluded that S . sanguis possessed two different phosphoenolpyruvate:glucose phosphotransferase systems. J Dent Res, 1983 Jul, 62(7), 792 - 7 Purification and some properties of neuraminidase isolated from the culture medium of oral bacterium Streptococcus mitis ATCC 9811; Nonaka H et al.; Neuraminidase acting on the salivary bacterial agglutinating factor was isolated and purified from the culture medium of Streptococcus mitis ATCC 9811 . The molecular weight and the isoelectric point of the enzyme were determined to be 42,000 and a pH of 4.6, respectively . The enzyme showed high activity against human glycoprotein substrates, especially the salivary bacterial agglutinating factor. J Bacteriol, 1983 Jul, 155(1), 351 - 6 Cell wall assembly during inhibition of DNA synthesis in Streptococcus faecium; Gibson CW et al.; Growth sites which are bounded by raised wall bands can be observed in electron micrographs of replicas of Streptococcus faecium . When mitomycin C was added to an exponential-phase culture doubling in mass every 64 min, DNA synthesis was inhibited, and eventually cell division stopped . The growth sites formed before and after inhibition of DNA synthesis enlarged until they contained about 0.25 micron3 of cell volume, at which point they ceased to increase in size . When these sites approached this 0.25-micron3 limit, new sites were initiated; this result had also been observed in untreated cells undergoing a large range of exponential-phase mass doubling times . Thus, regardless of whether chromosome replication is inhibited or uninhibited, sites have the same finite capacity to enlarge to about 0.25 micron3, and when this capacity is reached, new sites are initiated . Although initiation of new growth sites seems to be independent of normal chromosome replication, these results confirm previous studies showing that chromosome replication is necessary for the terminal events of growth site development which result in the division of a site into two separate poles . Two classes of models for the regulation of growth site initiation are discussed. J Wildl Dis, 1983 Jul, 19(3), 180 - 4 A non-hemolytic, group B Streptococcus infection of cultured bullfrogs, Rana catesbeiana, in Brazil; Amborski RL et al.; A systemic streptococcal infection in cultured bullfrogs in Brazil was characterized by necrotizing splenitis and hepatitis with hepatic and renal hemorrhage . A non-hemolytic Group B Streptococcus appeared to be the cause of the lesions, and the stimulus for the splenic reticuloendothelial hyperplasia observed in the animals . Stress may have been a factor in the development of the pathological condition. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1983 Jul, 12 Suppl A, 353 - 6 Ceftazidime or gentamicin plus benzylpenicillin in neonates less than forty-eight hours old; Snelling S et al.; A clinical trial was conducted to assess the value of ceftazidime as a first-line antibiotic in a neonatal intensive care unit . Fifty-five infants less than 48 h old with suspected sepsis were randomly treated with ceftazidime or penicillin and gentamicin . A full septic screen was performed in all infants before treatment . Treatment was stopped after 48 h if cultures were sterile . A further 22 infants more than 48 h old, with clinical evidence of sepsis, were treated with ceftazidime in an open trial . Ceftazidime proved effective against all but two of the septicaemias . A group D beta-haemolytic streptococcus and a coagulase-negative staphylococcus proved resistant, but were also resistant to penicillin and gentamicin . No adverse response to ceftazidime was noted, and the incidence of later candidiasis was similar to that after other broad-spectrum antibiotic combinations . The avoidance of gentamicin assay in the ceftazidime group was an advantage in this age group. Pediatrics, 1983 Jul, 72(1), 1 - 15 Lung defenses against infection: a clinical correlation; Murphy S et al.; The current state of knowledge of lung defenses has been reviewed . First, mechanical factors such as aerodynamic filtration and mucociliary transport were considered . Then, in general terms, the contributions of alveolar macrophages, neutrophils, lymphocytes, and immunoglobulins, and the roles of complement, antiproteases, lysozyme, and fibronectin were examined . Interactions between these components may regulate their effect . Finally, the responses to five specific microorganisms were reviewed to illustrate different aspects of the lung's defenses . Streptococcus pneumoniae was selected as a representative extracellular bacterial pathogen, Mycobacterium tuberculosis as an intracellular bacterial pathogen, Mycoplasma pneumoniae because it elicits significant humoral and cell-mediated immunity, respiratory syncytial virus as an example of a local viral pathogen, and measles as a viral pathogen that causes generalized disease . It was shown that these responses may not always be beneficial for the host . For each of the five infections, recommendations for improving the outcome were made. Infect Immun, 1983 Jul, 41(1), 410 - 3 Ultrastructural localization of protein antigens I/II and III in Streptococcus mutans; Moro I et al.; Peroxidase-conjugated antibodies to antigens I/II and III were used to stain cells of Streptococcus mutans serotypes a through g . Under the electron microscope, serotypes that possessed these antigens showed deposits of peroxidase reaction products in association with the cell surface. Infect Immun, 1983 Jul, 41(1), 205 - 13 Association of bacterial carbohydrate-specific cold agglutinin antibody production with immunization by group C, group B type III, and Streptococcus pneumoniae type XIV streptococcal vaccines; Colling RG et al.; Rabbits immunized with group B type III, group C, and Streptococcus pneumoniae type XIV streptococcal vaccines developed autoantibodies reactive with autologous and isologous erythrocytes and human O-positive erythrocytes at reduced temperatures . The cold agglutinin antibodies were present in both the immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG fractions of group C streptococcal antiserum and in the IgM fraction of group B type III and S . pneumoniae type XIV antisera . BALB/c, CF1, and local strains of mice immunized with group B type III and S . pneumoniae type XIV streptococcal vaccines also produced a cold agglutinin antibody reactive with rabbit and human erythrocytes . The cold agglutinin antibodies were reactive with saccharide compounds representative of the determinants present on the individual bacterial carbohydrate structures, individual vaccine preparations, and isolated polysaccharides . The group C antibodies in rabbits were reactive with sugar ligands in the following order: N-acetylgalactosamine greater than melibiose greater than lactose greater than galactose greater than glucose . Group B type III and S . pneumoniae type XIV cold agglutinin antibodies in rabbit antisera, however, displayed reactivities different from group C antibodies and from each other . Group B type III antibodies reacted with galactose greater than lactose greater than N-acetylgalactosamine greater than glucose greater than rhamnose; S . pneumoniae type XIV antibodies reacted with lactose greater than melibiose greater than galactose greater than glucose greater than N-acetylgalactosamine . The same relative ligand specificity was observed for the cold agglutinin antibodies in S . pneumoniae type XIV mouse antisera . The cold agglutinin antibodies in group B type III and S . pneumoniae type XIV antiserum reacted with erythrocytes at higher temperatures (up to 31 degrees C) than did group C antibodies (up to 14 degrees C) . In addition, S . pneumoniae type XIV antibodies did not discriminate between I- or i-bearing human erythrocytes to a significant extent . The results obtained provide substantial evidence that autoreactive cold agglutinin antibodies produced by immunization with these vaccines represent subpopulations of bacterial carbohydrate-specific antibodies that cross-react with mammalian carbohydrate structures. Br J Dermatol, 1983 Jul, 109(1), 37 - 44 The value of bacteriology and serology in the diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis; Leppard BJ et al.; Fourteen patients with necrotizing fasciitis are described . In thirteen the cause was Streptococcus pyogenes {Group A beta haemolytic streptococcus (BHS)}; in the fourteenth, Staphylococcus aureus was responsible . In the acute fulminating form of the disease, BHS can be cultured from the affected tissues . In the less acute form, particularly when the patient has been previously treated with antibiotics, other bacteria colonize the tissues and the BHS cannot be isolated . Serological evidence of infection with Streptococcus pyogenes can be ascertained in all such patients by finding high levels of anti-desoxyribonuclease B and anti-hyaluronidase . Measurement of the anti-streptolysin O titre is not helpful . Once the diagnosis is made, surgical removal of all necrotic tissue is still the treatment of choice. Hokkaido Igaku Zasshi, 1983 Jul, 58(4), 406 - 19 {Genetic control of the immune response to Streptococcus mutans, insulins and (T,G)-A--L in the rat}; Inomata T; The immune response to Streptococcus mutans antigen, (T,G)-A--L, bovine insulin (B.I.) and pork insulin (P.I.) in the rat was studied by the double antibody method and/or the in vitro antigen-induced lymphocyte proliferation assay . Results were revealed that over ten inbred strains of rats were divided into high and low responders against the each antigen . Two high responders to insulins, SDJ (RT1U) and BN (RT1n) strains of rats were appeared to recognize different antigenic determinant (s) on the insulin molecule . The results of linkage and segregation analyses in F1, F2, backcross and partially congenic progenies were as follows: The immune response genes, Ir-(T,G)-A--L and Ir-B.I., which controlled the high responsiveness against (T,G)-A--L and B.I., respectively, and the immune suppression gene, Is-B.I., which controlled the low responsiveness to B.I . could be assumed . Ir(T,G)-A--L, Ir-B.I . and Is-B.I . were closely linked to RT1, which is the major histocompatibility complex of the rat. Infect Immun, 1983 Jul, 41(1), 264 - 74 Dextran-induced aggregation in a mutant of Streptococcus sobrinus 6715-13; Freedman ML et al.; A mutant of wild-type Streptococcus sobrinus 6715-13 has been isolated which resists aggregation by exogenous dextran . This variant is able to form adherent plaque deposits in vitro when cultured in the presence of sucrose and has dextranase activity . In these respects it is the complement of previously described isolates which are plaque formation defective but aggregation normal . Measurements of the incorporation of glucose from glucosyl-labeled sucrose into glucan by cell-associated glucosyltransferase enzyme activity and the thermal labilities of catalytic and receptor functions, as well as the binding of labeled dextrans to the cells, provide evidence that neither dextranase nor glucosyltransferase is the receptor involved in dextran-induced aggregation . Blockage of such bacterial aggregation by anti-glucosyltransferase or anti-dextranase sera suggests cross-reactivity between the antigenic determinants of proteins which recognize alpha(1-6) glucan linkages . A model is proposed, consistent with these and previous findings, in which enzymatic function precedes dextran receptor activity in emergence from the cell . It is also proposed that dextran receptor components of the multireactive glucosyltransferase enzyme(s) and dextranase(s) are spatially separate from, although functionally and antigenically related to, the receptors on the bacterial surface involved in dextran-induced aggregation. Infect Immun, 1983 Jul, 41(1), 414 - 7 Association of fimbriae with the hydrophobicity of Streptococcus sanguis FC-1 and adherence to salivary pellicles; Gibbons RJ et al.; A nonhydrophobic mutant of Streptococcus sanguis FC-1 was isolated which has a greatly diminished capacity for attaching to experimental salivary pellicles on hydroxyapatite surfaces and for aggregating with salivary components . The mutant appears to be defective in the synthesis of fimbriae, as judged by electron microscopic observations and by its inability to exhibit twitching motility. Ann N Y Acad Sci, 1983 Jun 30, 409, 273 - 83 Regulation of the immune responses to a streptococcal antigen by helper and suppressor functions in man; Lehner T; Natural sensitization of human lymphocytes to a SA, isolated from Streptococcus mutans, has been investigated by stimulating T-lymphocytes in vitro with the streptococcal antigen . Helper or suppressor activity released by the lymphocytes was then tested for anti-DNP antibody-forming cells . A differential dose-response of about 1000 ng of SA was found between the specific helper function of HLA DRw6 and DR4 lymphocytes . Specific suppressor activity showed a reciprocal relationship to helper activity . Depletion of suppressor cells, by killing these with the monoclonal T8 antiserum and complement, resulted in loss of suppressor, but increased dose response in helper function . Conversely, helper-cell-depleted cultures showed a loss of helper and increased dose response in suppressor function . The results suggest a reciprocal controlling function of helper and suppressor cells . The HLA-DR linked antigens might be related to significant shifts in the dose response of helper cells. FEBS Lett, 1983 Jun 27, 157(1), 79 - 84 Three kinds of extracellular glucosyltransferases from Streptococcus mutans 6715 (serotype g); Shimamura A et al.; In addition to the 1,3-alpha-D-glucan synthetase (pI 4.9) and the highly-branched 1,6-alpha-D-glucan synthetase (pI 3.9-4.1), Streptococcus mutans 6715 (serotype g) was found to secrete the third glucosyltransferase in multiple forms (pI 5.5-7.0), which exhibited 87% 1,6-alpha-bond-, 6% 1,3-alpha-bond- and 7% 1,3,6-branch-forming activities . The production of this enzyme was extremely enhanced when the organism was grown in Tween 80-supplemented medium . The 3 glucosyltransferases from the same organism were enzymatically and immunologically distinct from each other, and they were commonly found among the serotype g strains. Eur J Biochem, 1983 Jun 15, 133(2), 255 - 61 Characterization of a salivary agglutinin reacting with a serotype c strain of Streptococcus mutans; Ericson T et al.; A protein, which can agglutinate a Streptococcus mutans serotype c strain, was isolated from parotid saliva by affinity adsorption of the salivary agglutinin to the microorganism followed by a desorption with a 10 mM phosphate buffer . The agglutinin was subjected to preparative ultracentrifugation, gel filtration, and ultrafiltration . The native purified agglutinin is active only in the presence of Ca . Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, analytical centrifugation, and analyses of amino acids and carbohydrates showed that the native agglutinin was a fucose-rich glycoprotein with a carbohydrate content of 45% and with a molecular weight of at least 5 X 10(6) . After sodium dodecyl sulphate treatment the molecular weight was 4.4 X 10(5) . There was a low content of proline and a high content of aspartic acid, serine and threonine . The concentration of agglutinin in parotid saliva is less than 0.5% of total protein . It has high biological activity: 0.1 microgram agglutinin causes a rapid aggregation of approximately 10(8) bacteria. J Biol Chem, 1983 Jun 10, 258(11), 6709 - 12 Isotope and thermal effects in chemiosmotic coupling to the membrane ATPase of Streptococcus; Khan S et al.; We measured rates of ATP synthesis by the proton-translocating ATPase of the motile Streptococcus strain V4051 . Starved cells were energized artificially by exposing their membranes to a variable electrical potential difference (internal medium negative) and a fixed pH difference (internal medium alkaline) . The initial rates of ATP synthesis increased exponentially with protonmotive force . The results were the same in D2O and H2O; there was no solvent isotope effect . At a fixed protonmotive force, the rates were strongly dependent on temperature, as expected for a reaction with a large enthalpy of activation . At a different protonmotive force, the rates varied with temperature in an identical fashion; there was no change in the enthalpy of activation . We conclude that protonation-deprotonation steps are not rate limiting and that the protons that cross the membrane drive ATP synthesis by mass action . The transmembrane electric field acts by changing the concentrations of the reactants, not by changing the configuration of the enzyme-substrate complex. Acta Pathol Microbiol Immunol Scand {B}, 1983 Jun, 91(3), 193 - 200 Genetic transformation in Streptococcus sanguis . Kinetics of production in different media and specific interaction of competence factor and competence factor inactivator; Gaustad P; The production and the persistence of competence factor (CF) and competence factor inactivator (CFI) of four different strains of Streptococcus sanguis in three media (Todd Hewitt broth, medium II and medium IV) have been examined with respect to kinetics . Both the medium used and the strains examined offered implications on the activities of CF and CFI . CF was not detectable in the culture filtrates of strains Wicky (NCTC 9124) and 445 . Strain Blackburn (NCTC 10231) showed activity only in Todd Hewitt broth and strain 14567 in Todd Hewitt broth and medium IV . The activity persisted for 2 to 7 hours during exponential growth . In culture filtrates of the strains Wicky and Blackburn the three media yielded high CFI activity persisting during the entire growth period . The strains 445 and 14567 were less potent CFI producers in medium II and medium IV, and no CFI was detected in the culture filtrates from Todd Hewitt broth . Medium II was the most suitable medium for CFI production and seems appropriate for further studies and isolation of the factor . In medium IV no strain had CF activity . This medium was supplemented with serum, albumin, tyrosine or glutamic acid, and CF and CFI production and persistence by strain 14567 were studied in relation to growth phases . CF and CFI activities were observed in the different supplemented media during short periods of growth, but could not be related to any given phase of growth . The presence of CFI in a culture eliminated or reduced the CF activity, and a specific interaction of CF and CFI was observed . The CFI from the strain Wicky inactivated CF from the strains Challis (NCTC 7868) and Blackburn, but not from the strains 13b and 14567 . The CFI from the strains 445 and 14567 reduced the activity of CF produced by the strains 13b and 14567, but not CF from the strains Challis and Blackburn. J Pediatr Surg, 1983 Jun, 18(3), 280 - 1 Clearance of pneumococcal organisms after repair of injured spleens; Coln D et al.; Although the safety of splenic preservation has been demonstrated in a small number of cases, the follow-up in these cases has been too short to determine whether the patients are adequately protected from sepsis . The purpose of this study was to test the ability of the spleen to clear pneumococcal organisms after repairing lacerations with a surface hemostatic agent . Three groups of 20 New Zealand white rabbits were studied . Group I animals received sham operations, group II animals were given total splenectomies, and group III animals had splenic lacerations repaired with Collastat (American Medical Products Corp., Freehold, New Jersey), a local hemostatic agent . Three months later, when challenged with intracardiac Streptococcus pneumoni type III, the animals without spleens failed to clear pneumococcal organisms . This spleen-intact and spleen-repaired animals, however, both cleared pneumococcal organisms in a normal fashion. Isr J Med Sci, 1983 Jun, 19(6), 520 - 3 Survey of pneumococcal types in Israel, 1978-81; Gerichter CB et al.; The most common capsular types of Streptococcus pneumoniae that prevailed among 436 cultures isolated in Israel (1978 through 1981) were: 1, 14, 6B, 23F, 19A and 5 . Among the 301 isolates from significant sources, 66.1% belonged to 14 capsular types that are included in available pneumococcal vaccines . Among those that were not included in these vaccines, the most frequent types were: 5, 19A and 6B . The addition of these three capsular polysaccharide types to the vaccine used in Israel would result in a vaccine coverage of approximately 85%. Surg Gynecol Obstet, 1983 Jun, 156(6), 761 - 6 Improved survival rate for intraperitoneal autotransplantation of the spleen following pneumococcal pneumonia; Livingston CD et al.; One hundred and ten Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups: 1, sham control; 2, splenectomy; 3, splenectomy and implantation of diced splenic tissue among the leaves of the small intestinal mesentery, and 4, splenectomy and intraportal injection of emulsified splenic tissue . Twelve weeks postoperatively, all of the rats were challenged with Type III Streptococcus pneumoniae by transtracheal injection . Rats with intraportal splenic autotransplants had an early mortality significantly higher than that of asplenic rats . Rats with small intestinal mesentery implants had a mortality not significantly different from that of sham control rats but significantly lower than that of rats that underwent splenectomy . Thus, intraperitoneal splenic autotransplantation provides a protective effect against postsplenectomy pulmonary sepsis and serves as a method for preservation of splenic function. J Surg Res, 1983 Jun, 34(6), 568 - 71 Decreased pulmonary alveolar macrophage bactericidal activity in splenectomized rats; Lau HT et al.; The organism most frequently encountered in postsplenectomy sepsis is Streptococcus pneumoniae, which is thought to invade via the upper respiratory tract . This study assesses the phagocytic and bactericidal activity of pulmonary alveolar macrophages (PAM) in normal, splenectomized, and one-third splenectomized autotransplanted rats at 8 weeks of age, 7 weeks post surgery . The PAMs from both the splenectomized and control rats all expressed the same ability to phagocytose latex beads and Fc-receptor-mediated phagocytosis of SRBC . In the bactericidal assay, bacterial growth, after 1 hr without macrophages, was 31 X 10(3) colony-forming units (CFU) . In the presence of PAMs from splenectomized rats, the colony count was 22 X 10(3) (P less than 0.2) . Bactericidal activity was highly evident when PAMs from control and autotransplanted rats were assayed, with