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| Infection, 1979, 7 Suppl 2, S216 - 9 Antibiotic resistance in various medical services; Krcmery V et al.; The analysis of differences in occurrence of antibiotic-resistant strains belonging to ten species of "problem" bacteria was performed by means of a computer program in more than 150,000 bacterial strains isolated in Slovakia in 1977 . In all respects, strains isolated in general medical practice were considerably more sensitive to classical as well as to newer antibiotics . Marked differences in resistance within individual medical services could be a reflection of both quantitative and qualitative aspects of the use of a given antibiotic . Urological and surgical wards, and in some respects pediatric and infectious diseases services, rendered the highest percentage of strains resistant to various drugs . There are still several antibiotics which are effective in vitro against staphylococci, while gentamicin, collistin and cotrimoxazole are the only antibiotics displaying more general activity against gram-negative "problem" bacteria . Nevertheless, strains from general practice show a good response in vitro, even to older antibiotics, despite the fact that these have been widely used for decades in general practice. South Med J, 1979 Jan, 72(1), 90 - 1 Failure of routine methods in the diagnosis of chronic brucellosis; Carpenter JL et al.; A young man who was raised on a farm and developed recurrent subcutaneous abscesses is described . Multiple cultures revealed either no growth or normal skin flora . Routine serologic evaluation for Brucella agglutinins was negative, including serial dilution to greater than 1:1,000 of the patient's sera . Brucella abortus infection was documented by the use of a binding antibody assay to measure the patient's class-specific serologic response and obtaining a positive culture by incorporating methicillin into the culture media to suppress overgrowth of staphylococci . Thus, the potential difficulty in making the diagnosis of brucellosis is demonstrated, and the use of extraordinary means, namely, specific selective media and a binding antibody assay, to make the diagnosis is emphasized. Zentralbl Bakteriol Naturwiss, 1979, 134(4), 293 - 300 Effect of DDT and gamma-HCH on the biological properties of staphylococci; Lukasova J et al.; The effect of DDT and gamma-HCH in concentrations of 100, 50, and 10 micrograms on the biological properties of staphylococci was studied . Both substances proved to be inhibitory to coagulation of rabbit plasma and to penicillinase production, causing depigmentation of the colonies . The morphological structure of cells is affected by these substances as well . The growth of the strain is not substantially influenced . Gas chromatography proved that staphylococci do not participate in the DDT and gamma-HCH degradation in the medium. J Clin Microbiol, 1979 Jan, 9(1), 141 - 3 Thermonuclease seroinhibition test for distinguishing Staphylococcus aureus from other coagulase-positive staphylococci; Victor R et al.; Since coagulase-positive staphylococci from animals are heterogeneous, another test is necessary to distinguish Staphylococcus aureus from them . Staphylococcal thermonucleases appear to be heterogeneous; antisera raised against S . aureus isolated from humans inhibit thermonuclease activity as demonstrated by the metachromatic well-agar diffusion method . The serological specificity of the thermonuclease elaborated by S . aureus of human origin was demonstrated using three antisera and 407 strains of staphylococci from diverse human and animal sources. Ann Anesthesiol Fr, 1979, 20(6-7), 625 - 31 {Epidemiology of infections on a thoracic surgery service}; Laxenaire MC et al.; The aim of the present work is to discover the origin of the post-operative infections presented by certain patients following surgery for pulmonary exeresis in a surgical unit that deals both with thoracic and general surgical patients (most commonly cancer surgery) . A prospective epidaemiological investigation of 54 pulmonary cases was thus undertaken, lasting for a period of 6 months . This consisted in obtaining multiple microbiological specimens from the patient himself, but also from the patient's environment and from the hospital staff (more than 1000 specimens were examined) . The study begins at the stage of entry of the patient to the hospital department and follows him through the operation theatre stage and the post-operative period in the intensive care unit . In the intensive care unit the patients will come into contact with other patients who have been admitted urgently . These cases may or may not be of a pulmonary nature . Among the 54 subjects studied, 19 presented with infectious post-operative complications that led to 2 deaths . In 9 cases the infection was due to auto-contamination . It would appear that the environment plays a very small role as a factor leading to the development of post-operative infection since very few of the specimens taken were postive and usually the staphylococci were of various different lysotypes and never corresponding to the lysotype of the infective organism . Some predisposing factors to infection were demonstrated: an association with alcoholism and chronic bronchitis, pre-operatory bronchial suppuration, and widespread pulmonary exeresis was found. Ann Anesthesiol Fr, 1979, 20(6-7), 535 - 42 {Prevention of post-operative infection in heart surgery with extracorporeal circulation (apropos of 295 cases)}; Hubscher C et al.; From April 1977 to November 1978, 295 patients were operated on using artificial circulation . 31 p . 100 of these developed a post-operative infectious complication, 7.3 p . 100 being of a serious nature (3.3 p . 100 suffered from mediastinitis, and 4 p . 100 from septicaemia) . The organisms responsible are, in the case of the mediastinal infections the staphylococcus Citreus, and Gram negative bacilli in the case of the septicaemias . A retrospective analysis shows that there are two successive periods and that in the course of the second there is a decrease in the occurence of all of the infections and particularly in the cases of mediastinitis . This improvment would seem on superficial analysis to correspond with a change in the preventive antibiotic treatment, the cephradine--gentamicin combination having replaced penicillin G . However, the statistical study shows that other factors were altered between the two periods (type of antiseptic, duration of treatments, time of postoperative intubation) and that these equally contributed to the fall in the incidence of infection . In the light of this study, it would seem that if prophylactic antibiotic treatment essentially directed against staphylococci has a place in cardiac surgery with artificial circulation, it can only be regarded as one of several preventive factors . The statistical data gathered so far is not sufficient to prove the efficacy of this treatment. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1978 Dec, 242(4), 431 - 5 Production of coagulase, deoxyribonuclease and heat-stable deoxyribonuclease by canine isolates of staphylococci; Wierup M; Staphylococci isolated from different infections in dogs have been investigated for production of coagulase, deoxyribonuclease (DNase) and heat-stable DNase . Alll coagulase-positive strains (220) also produced DNase and heat-stable nuclease . However, 4 out of 15 coagulase-negative strains were also positive in both the DNase and the heat-stable DNase tests . Several tests for DNase and heat-stable DNase were evaluated . No strains were DNase-positive, heat-stable DNase-negative, or vice-versa. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1978 Dec, 242(4), 530 - 6 {Experimental studies to culture bacteria from blood specimen with an addition of ampicillin in various nutrient media (author's transl)}; Metz H et al.; Ampicillin-sensitive or -resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella strains were cultured in various nutrient media as prototypes of the agents of sepsis isolated in bacteriological routine analysis . In each case, 2 ml of defibrinated human blood containing 100 and 1000 cells, 8 gamma and 80 gamma ampicillin/1 ml blood respectively were added to 50 ml of nutrient medium . The following media were used . 1 . casein soya-bean meal peptone broth (Oxoid), 2 . tryptose-phosphate medium (Oxoid), 3 . dextrose broth (Oxoid), 4 . brain-heart-dextrose medium (Oxoid), 5 . brain-heart infusion, autoclaved (Difco), 6 . brain-heart infusion, after sterile filtration (Difco), 7 . vacutainer culture bottles (BD) prepared medium, 8 . micrognost blood culture bottles (Biotest) prepared medium . While the sensitive staphylococcus strain exhibited a slower growth than the sensitive Klebsiella strain in all nutrient media, the growth rate of the two resistant variants was approximately the same for an initial count of 100 cells per ml of blood . Among the resistant staphylococci the higher initial count of the inoculum resulted in an improved growth . After addition of 8 gamma or 80 gamma ampicillin/1 ml blood the sensitive staphylococcus strain did not show any grwoth irrespective of the inoculated number of cells while the sensitive Klebsiella strain multiplied irrespective of the initial number of cells . After 24 hours the resistant staphylococci and Klebsiella strains of which 1000 cells each had been used for inoculation exhibited growth in almost all media used. Immun Infekt, 1978 Dec, 6(6), 260 - 6 {Microcalorimetric Investigations, regarding the antibacterial efficiency of chemotherapeutics (author's transl)}; Semenitz E; An investigation method is described by which microcalorimetry and continuous density measurement are used to show the antibacterial efficiency of chemotherapeutics . Oleandomycin, erythromycin, both macrolide antibiotics, and doxycycline, a tetracycline, blockers of the protein synthesis, have the same effect on the microcalorimetric curve of a staphylococcus strain . Among the aminoglycosides tobramycin and gentamicin influenced the microcalorimetric activity of a growing E . coli strain in the same way, spectinomycin produced different curves . Penicillins interfere with the synthesis of the cell membrane by blocking the enzyme transpeptidase . Epicillin, penicillin, ampicillin, oxacillin, carbenicillin, and azlocillin influence the microcalorimetric activity of staphylococci in a typical way which is different from that of the blockers of the protein synthesis. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand {B}, 1978 Dec, 86B(6), 361 - 7 The microbiological swab sampler--a quantitative experimental investigation; Nystrom PO; The aim of the investigation was to give an in vitro experimental account of the commonly used cotton swab as a sampler for quantitative determination of bacteria in operation wounds . The transfer of staphylococci with the swab from an inoculated to a non-inoculated agar culture plate was used as a model, and three different ways of swab handling were tested . A direct transfer of 19 per cent staphlococci from the inoculated to the non-inoculated plate was found . When the swab was rinsed in a small volume of saline and the rinsing fluid was plated, 39 per cent were transfered . When the swab was kept in a Stuart transport medium, as is the usual procedure in clinical practice, only 4 per cent were transfered . Quantitative wound swab cultures depend on a thorough sampling of the wound and an efficient recovery of bacteria from the swab . It is concluded that the use of a Stuart transport medium would appear to hamper quantitative determination, and a rinsing procedure should be preferred. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1978 Dec, 242(4), 446 - 55 A comparison of the lytic activity of poultry, human, and bovine phages with staphylococci of different origin; Hajek V et al.; The total of 625 staphylococcal strains of different origin were typed with 22 Shimizu's poultry phages . For comparison all these strains were also investigated with the 24 phages of the international basic set for typing human staphylococci and with the 12 phages for typing bovine staphylococci . Of the 325 Staphylococcus aureus strains 50 from humans belonged to A biotype, 100 from chickens to B biotype and further 175 animal strains (of swine, rabbit, bovine, sheep, and hare provenance) to B, C, and D biotypes . Lytic activity of the poultry phages used at routine test dilution showed marked specificity related to the chicken strains were lysed . They were predominantly susceptible to phages CH4, CH14, CH15, CHA1, CHA2, CHA3, and CHA4 . Most of the strains thus belonged to phage group I (74.0%), the others to phage groups II and III (18.0% and 2.0%) . The examined strains of the other origins were either typable only sporadically (human in 4.0%, rabbit and bovine in 6.7%) or completely resistant . When the poultry phages were used at 100 x RTD the number of typable strains increased more significantly only in swine, rabbit, and bovine strains (23.3%, 60.0%, and 56.6%) . On the contrary, human and bovine phages lysed chicken strains merely in 14.0% and 1.0% at RTD and in 20.0% and 3.0% at 100 x RTD respectively . All the 200 Staphylococcus intermedius and 100 Staphylococcus hyicus strains were resistant to the used 58 phages at RTD . When examined at 100 x RTD three Staph . hyicus strains were typable with the group IV phage CH11 from the poultry set, only. J Invest Dermatol, 1978 Dec, 71(6), 378 - 81 Effect of prolonged occlusion on the microbial flora, pH, carbon dioxide and transepidermal water loss on human skin; Aly R et al.; The effects of prolonged occlusion on the normal microbial skin flora, pH, transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and carbon dioxide emission rate (CDER) were studied . The total average counts before occlusion were 1.8 X 10(2)/cm(2) and increased to 4.5 X 10(6) on day 5 . The highest counts were noted on day 4(9.8 X 10(7)/cm(2)) . The composition changed: controls comprised of 63% coagulase negative staphylococci, 6% micrococci, 17% diphtheroids and 6% bacilli . After 5 days of occlusion, the percent compositon was: 63% coagulase negative staphylococci, 11% micrococci, 4% diphtheroids, 19% lipophilic diphtheroids and less than 0.003% gram negative rods . The pH of the skin before occlusion was 4.38 and increased to 7.05 on day 5 . After 5 days of occlusion TEWL increased from 0.56 mg/cm2/hr to 1.87 mg/cm2/hr and CO2 emmission increased from 25 nl/cm2/min to 118 nl/cm2/min. Lancet, 1978 Nov 25, 2(8100), 1116 - 8 Toxic-shock syndrome associated with phage-group-I Staphylococci; Todd J et al.; Seven children (aged 8--17 years) presented with a high fever, headache, confusion, conjunctival hyperaemia, a scarlatiniform rash, subcutaneous oedema, vomiting, watery diarrhoea, oliguria, and a propensity to acute renal failure, hepatic abnormalities, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and severe prolonged shock . One patient died, one had gangrene of the toes, and all have had fine desquamation of affected skin and peeling of palms and soles during convalescence . Five patients were studied prospectively . Staphylococcus aureus related to phage-group I was isolated from mucosal (nasopharyngeal, vaginal, tracheal), or sequestered (empyema, abscess) sites, but not from blood . This organism produces an exotoxin which causes a positive Nikolsky sign in the newborn mouse and which is biochemically, pathologically, and immunologically distinct from phage-group-II stapphylococcal exfoliatin. Am J Vet Res, 1978 Nov, 39(11), 1771 - 3 Enterotoxigenic Staphylococci of canine origin; Kato E et al.; Enterotoxigenic staphylococci were isolated from cecum and rectum from 26 (5.8%) of 451 dogs . Of the 30 enterotoxigenic staphylococci isolated, 14 (46.7%) belonged to biotype E, which has been considered to be of canine origin (Baird-Parker's classification modified by Hajek and Marsalek) . They produced exclusively enterotoxin type C . This is the first evidence of enterotoxigenic staphylococci of canine origin. Antibiotiki, 1978 Nov, 23(11), 987 - 9 {Dynamics of the changes in the level of antibiotic sensitivity of staphylococci isolated in 1959-1977}; Imshenetskaia VF et al.; The study of antibiotic sensitivity in staphylococci isolated from the patients in the clinic of the N . N . Burdenko Research Institute of Neurosurgery of the USSR Academy of Medical Sciences in 1977 showed that in this stationary in 1977 predominated cultures resistant to benzylpenicillin . The number of the isolates resistant to streptomycin, levomycetin and erythromycin was high . The percentage of the strains resistant to tetracycline was the least . Still up to 1973 the resistance level to tetracycline among staphylococci was high . Possibly such a dynamics of the changes in the staphylococcal sensitivity to tetracycline was relative and mainly defined by the changes in the system of the results estimation using the paper disc procedure. Antibiotiki, 1978 Nov, 23(11), 981 - 6 {Stability of drug resistance in staphylococci under various conditions and the effect on it of prolonged culture storage on artificial nutrient media}; Zueva VS et al.; The literature and experimental data on stability of resistance ot benzylpenicillin, streptomycin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, kanamycin and methicillin in staphylococci stored for prolonged periods of time on artificial nutrient media were systematized . When the staphylococcal cultures were not in contact iwth the antibiotics for 5 to 18 months, sensitive cells to separate drugs were detected in 51.0--67.4 per cent of the strains . The number of such cells in the populations of some strains ranged from 1 to 100.0 per cent . The effect of the resistance multiplicity on the stability of resistance to benzylpenicillin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol and erythromycin was not observed. J Clin Microbiol, 1978 Nov, 8(5), 503 - 8 Micromethod for biochemical identification of coagulase-negative staphylococci; Brun Y et al.; We have endeavored to elaborate a suitable method for easy and rapid identification in clinical microbiology laboratories of the different species of infection-inducing, coagulase-negative staphylococci . Ten type strains described by Kloos and Schleifer and 269 strains isolated from 95 patients were tested; the classical tests were used for determination of Staphylococcus species . Strains were identified by using the Kloos-Schleifer reference method and the micromethod simultaneously . After preliminary tests on 77 substrates, 19 were retained, 15 for determination of species and 4 to reveal biotypes . The substrates were placed in wells in a rigid strip of inert plastic . Inoculation of wells was carried out with rich microbial suspensions in a special medium; reading of substrate reactions was done after incubation for 48 h at 35 degree C . The intrasystem reproducibility was excellent, from 91 to 100% for the 19 substrates . It was in excellent agreement with the reference method, 100% for type strains and 97.9% for hospital-isolated strains . Because it is simple and easy to reproduce, the micromethod will be most useful in clinical and ecological microbiology laboratories. Can J Microbiol, 1978 Oct, 24(10), 1135 - 9 Evaluation of staphylococcal thermonuclease (TNase) assay as a means of screening foods for growth of staphylococci and possible enterotoxin production; Park CE et al.; Samples of food, naturally and artificially contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus, were analyzed for enterotoxin and thermonuclease (TNase) . With the exception of egg, all naturally contaminated foods with detectable amounts of staphylococcal enterotoxin were positive for TNase . The enzyme was also present in the majority of foods with over 1 million S . aureus cells per gram . In artificially contaminated foods . TNase was detected in all samples except egg, acidic foods in which growth of S . aureus was suppressed, and some samples of raw ground beef . Recovery of TNase was influenced by the type of food. Circulation, 1978 Oct, 58(4), 585 - 8 Valve replacement in patients with active infective endocarditis; Wilson WR et al.; Eleven of 138 patients with infective endocarditis (IE) who underwent cardiac valve replacement for IE during a 12 1/2-year period had active IE . Eight of the 11 (all with aortic IE) had positive blood cultures within 48 hours preoperatively; six of the eight had positive Gram stains and cultures of the excised cardiac tissue . All 11 patients had Class IV cardiac functional disability (New York Heart Association classification) at the time of surgery . Staphylococci (three patients with Staphylococcus aureus and one with S . epidermidis) were the most frequent isolates . Three patients died; two of these three deaths occurred in patients who had a sudden onset preoperatively of severe aortic regurgitation and heart failure . In one patient (S . epidermidis infection) prosthetic valve endocarditis developed . Cardiac valve replacement may be performed successfully in patients with active IE even when blood cultures are positive in the immediate perioperative period . The hemodynamic status of patients with IE should be the determining factor in the timing of cardiac valve replacement, rather than the activity of the infection or the length of preoperative antimicrobial therapy . A radical surgical procedure may be necessary in patients with myocardial or aortic abscesses in whom conventional aortic valve replacement is not possible. Antibiotiki, 1978 Oct, 23(10), 896 - 902 {Effect of the anthracycline group antibiotics, mitomycin C and bruneomycin, on the transduction of drug resistance in staphylococci}; Ponomareva TR et al.; The effect of various concentrations of antitumor antibiotics, such as carminomycin, rubomycin, adriamycin, mitomycin C and bruneomycin on transduction of erythromycin resistance from the donor strain 8325 P II/de of Staph, aureus to the recipient strain 8325-I in different transduction systems was studied . It was shown that the above antibiotics inhibited the transduction in the systems with constant presence of the drugs . Preliminary treatment of the recipient cells with the drugs in the subbacteriostatic doses did not decrease the transfer frequency . The preliminary treatment of the donor cells resulted in an increase in the phase titer and the transfer frequency in the "preliminary-treated donor + recipient" system. Surgery, 1978 Oct, 84(4), 534 - 41 Cyclic variations in emerging phage types and antibiotic resistance of Staphylococcus aureus; Altemeier WA et al.; Data are presented showing phage types and antibiotic-resistant patterns of Staphylococcus aureus over the last 20 years . The spontaneous emergence of different phage types associated with increases and decreases in antibiotic resistance has been shown to be cyclic in nature with prevalence for 5 to 8 years, followed by spontaneous disappearance . Staphylococci resistant to almost all antibiotics and with specific phage types now are being isolated with increasing frequency and pose a serious and sometimes life-threatening situation in surgical patients. J Clin Pathol, 1978 Oct, 31(10), 913 - 8 Isolation of Staphylococcus aureus from sputum in cystic fibrosis; Sparham PD et al.; The success in the isolation of Staphylococcus aureus of different methods of sputum processing was investigated in 60 specimens collected from 14 patients with cystic fibrosis during a seven-month period . Fifty specimens (83%) from 11 patients yielded Staph . aureus by one or more methods . Direct plating of purulent portions of sputum on to media designed for general use in respiratory infections gave unsatisfactory results (35% yield of Staph . aureus) . Some increase in isolations was obtained with preliminary liquefaction of sputum; but the best results were given by the addition of a medium selective for staphylococci (mannitol salt agar, BBL) or by initial sonication of sputum (each 83% yield) . Seven of the 11 strains of Staph . aureus were thymidine-dependent and otherwise atypical in laboratory characteristics; these were isolated from patients who had received co-trimoxazole. J Immunol, 1978 Oct, 121(4), 1334 - 40 Immunoglobulin M synthesized by human lymphoblastoid cells: interaction with Staphylococcus aureus and protein A; Howell-Saxton E et al.; Immunoglobulin M synthesized by a human lymphoblastoid cell line, LA173, was found to bind specifically to the protein A-bearing Cowan I strain of Staphylococcus aureus . The (3H)-leucine-labeled, secreted IgM from these LA173 cells also formed precipitin complexes with purified protein A . Soluble complexes formed at high protein A/IgM ratios retained the ability to bind to the bacterial surface . Precipitin complexes also were observed in double diffusion Ouchterlony gels with a line of identity formed between the IgM, protein A, and anti-IgM in adjacent wells . Intracellular IgM species from detergent-lysed LA173 cells were bound to S . aureus . Labeled 19S pentamers, 8S monomers, and HL subunits were eluted from the bacteria and identified by velocity sedimentation and SDS agarose-acrylamide gel electrophoresis . In addition, several intermediates migrating between 8S and 19S were detected and shown to contain authentic H and L chains . Binding of the labeled IgM 19S pentamers to staphylococci was not inhibited by prior treatment of the bacteria with an excess of unlabeled human IgG . However, S . aureus saturated with unlabeled IgG did not bind either labeled IgM monomers or labeled IgG . The interaction of this human IgM with S . aureus exhibited a high degree of specificity with quantitative recovery of secreted 19S IgM . Intracellular IgM species were bound selectively by the bacteria with little if any contamination by other cytoplasmic proteins. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1978 Sep, (9), 98 - 101 {Importance of carbohydrate tests for interspecies differentiation of staphylococci}; Safonova TB et al.; The authors present the results of interspecies identification of coagulaso-negative staphylococci isolated from different sources . Modification of the method of aerobic carbohydrate and alcohols fermentation of hard media is described . Use of the latest recommendations of the International Subcommittee on taxonomy of staphylocossi and micrococci permitted to identify the greater part of 120 strains studied as Staph . epidermidis and Staph . saprophyticus; however, 1/3 of the cultures differed from these species ("intermediate" strains) . Galactose and mannose fermentation was characteristic of Staph . epidermidis, and the absence of fermentation of these carbohydrates--of Staph . saprophyticus . The differences in the fermentation of mannite and tregalose, on the one hand, and on mannose and galactose--on the other, were characteristic of 57% of the "intermediate" strains . The data obtained permitted to draw a conclusion on nonhomogeneity of the group of coagulase-negative staphylococci by their reference to different carbohydrates and alcohols, and on a possibility of existence of not only of different species of these staphylococci, but also of their biochemical variants. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1978 Sep, 241(3), 279 - 85 Evaluation of S . aureus serotyping method; Flandrois JP et al.; This study describes the reproducibility of antigen detection in staphylococci, and the discriminating capacity of the serotyping method . The reproducibility of the antigen detection in staphylococci has been studied by multiple determination of the antigenic formula of 700 wild strains . The discriminating capacity of the serotyping method has been estimated on 415 strains selected to exclude strains from the same origin . Good reproducibility (over 80%) is obtained for the detection of 12 antigens; improvement of the method for the others is under way . The method is highly discriminative; only 1.4% of strains are not typable . 90.8% of strains can be classified in one of the 6 groups identified by a major antigen; groups A, D and E are the most important under our ecological conditions. Diabete Metab, 1978 Sep, 4(3), 163 - 7 Humoral antibacterial immunity in first degree relatives of insulin-dependent diabetics; Schernthaner G et al.; Humoral immunity to bacterial antigens was investigated in 68 tissue typed and glucose tolerance tested first degree blood relatives of insulin dependent diabetics (IDD) . The data were compared with those obtained in 60 IDDs and in 55 healthy controls . The prevalence of bacterial antibodies to E . coli, staphylococci, pertussis and diphtheria toxins were just slightly, but not significantly reduced in the blood relations compared with controls . Incidence of antibacterial antibodies was almost identical in blood relations with impaired and in those with normal glucose tolerance . By contrast, antibody formation to E . coli and staphylococci (p less than 0,0005, p less than 0,0005) respectively was significantly impaired in IDD . No correlation between genes of the major histocompatibility complex and humoral antibacterial immunity could be observed in IDD and blood relations . In conclusion, antibacterial antibody formation was found to be severely impaired in IDD patients but to be almost normal in blood relations of insulin dependent diabetics . These findings suggest that the humoral antibacterial immunodeficiency observed in IDD is a disease associated process probably independent of major histocompatibility complex linked genes. Antibiotiki, 1978 Sep, 23(9), 809 - 13 {Effect of the chromosome markers of antibiotic resistance on the aggressiveness of Staph . epidermidis}; Mamykina VM et al.; Elucidation of antibiotic resistance correlation with manifestation of the pathogenic properties and aggressiveness in particular is of definite importance . Because of a wide spread of antibiotic resistance among staphylococci and ever increasing in pathology the role of S . epidermidis, the changes in penetration of the internal organ tissues, activity and intensity of capture and digestion by phagocytes of S . epidermidis mutants D-5/240 carrying the chromosome markers of penicillin and erythromycin resistance were analyzed . It was shown that the chromosome markers of the antibiotic resistance in staphylococci promoted their more active penetration into the tissues of the internal organs, affected permeability of the cell membranes, changed the activity of the digestion enzymes in the phagocyting cells (lowering the number of the acid phosphatase), prevented phagocytosis completeness and decreased the microorganism immunogenic properties. J Infect Dis, 1978 Sep, 138(3), 392 - 5 The phage adsorption test: a simple method for differentiation between staphylococci and micrococci; Schumacher-Perdreau F et al.; A simple phage adsorption test is recommended for differentiation between staphylococci and micrococci . All 132 strains of Staphylococcus tested inactivated phage U16 significantly, whereas of 123 strains of Micrococcus tested, only three strains of Micrococcus candicans were able to adsorb this staphylococcal phage . There are special problems in the taxonomy of M . candicans. S Afr Med J, 1978 Aug 5, 54(6), 225 - 9 Community versus hospital Staphylococcus aureus . Antimicrobial susceptibilities and some features of nasal carriage and acquisition; Block CS et al.; Susceptibility of community and hospital isolates of Staphylococcus aureus to 15 drugs has been tested . The organisms were isolated from the noses of White adults admitted to two general surgical units . Approximately half of each group were resistant to beta-lactamase-labile penicillins . Hospital staphylococci displayed a greater degree of multiple drug resistance and resistance to methicillin and erythromycin than did community strains . A nasal carriage rate of 28.6% was found among White patients admitted . A comparative survey of 54 Black adults from a rural community revealed a significantly lower rate (14.8%) . On non-carriers admitted to hospital, 21.9% acquired S . aureus nasally. Aust Vet J, 1978 Aug, 54(8), 374 - 8 Immunity to experimental staphylococcal mastitis--comparison of live and killed vaccines; Watson DL et al.; Eleven pregnant Merino ewes were immunised with either a killed Staphylococcus aureus cell-toxoid vaccine (intramuscularly) or a living culture of the same organism (subcutaneously) . A further 3 animals were used as non-immunised controls . There were no significant differences between the vaccinated groups for agglutinating antibody to staphylococci or for anti-alpha-haemolysin in either serum or whey . Three weeks after lambing the ewes were challenged by intramammary infusion of virulent staphylococci . All animals developed an acute mastitis with significant decreases in milk yields being recorded 48 hours post-challenge . Seven days after challenge the mean milk production of ewes given the live vaccine had recovered to within 5% of the pre-challenge mean yield . However, milk productions of controls and ewes given the killed vaccine had further decreased and were significantly lower than for animals vaccinated with live staphylococci . There were no significant differences between the two vaccinated groups for numbers of bacteria or leucocytes in milk samples collected after challenge . The ewes were killed 7 days post-challenge and mammary tissues were examined for immunoglobulin-containing cells . Large numbers of IgA-containing cells, and few IgM-containing cells were found, but there were no significant differences between the treatment groups for these parameters. Br J Exp Pathol, 1978 Aug, 59(4), 416 - 31 The preparation, properties and action on Staphylococcus aureus of purified fractions from the cationic proteins of rabbit polymorphonuclear leucocytes; Walton E; A micropreparative electrophoresis system for purifying the major staphylocidal fractions of cationic proteins from rabbit polymorphonuclear leucocytes is described . The most staphylocidal fraction prepared is also the most cationic and contains two bands migrating immediately behind protamine sulphate on analytical acid gel electrophoresis . SDS gel electrophoresis indicates that these proteins have low molecular weights between 3,500 and 14,400 . The staphylocidal activity of the fraction is affected in the same manner as a crude extract of rabbit PMN granules by iron compounds, respiratory inhibitors, and compounds affecting energy transfer and oxidative phosphorylation . It is stable to heating up to 80 degrees and amino acid analysis shows that it contains 24% arginine . Electron microscopy of staphylococcal spheroplasts treated with the purified fraction or with the crude extract shows that they both have a very marked "blebbing" and distorting action on the double membrane . Comparisons are made between the action of the purified fraction and protamine, and it is concluded that they have very similar, although not identical, properties and actions on staphylococci. Br J Exp Pathol, 1978 Aug, 59(4), 381 - 5 Use of lysostaphin to remove cell-adherent staphylococci during in vitro assays of phagocyte function; Easmon CS et al.; Lysostaphin, a bacteriolytic enzyme, has been used to remove cell-adherent and extracellular Staphylococcus aureus from phagocyte-bacterial mixtures in vitro . Lysostaphin kills S . aureus more rapidly than penicillin, is not toxic for phagocytic cells and, when used for short periods at low concentrations, appears to enter neither human nor mouse mononuclear phagocytes . The use of lysostaphin provides the basis of a simple reliable direct in vitro assay for measuring the attachment and ingestion of S . aureus by phagocytic cells. Arch Microbiol, 1978 Aug 1, 118(2), 185 - 92 Specific antibodies to the N-termini of the interpeptide bridges of peptidoglycan; Seidl PH et al.; The synthetic peptides Gly5-epsilon-Ahx and L-Ala3-epsilon-Ahx, with structural similarity to the interpeptide bridge peptides of staphylococci or micrococci, respectively, were convalently linked to human serum albumin via their carboxylgroups . Antisera to these synthetic peptidyl-protein antigens contained fairly high amounts of antibodies with specificity to the N-terminal parts of the peptide chains attached to the carrier proteins . Antisera to (Gly5-epsilon-Ahx)20-albumin gave, without exception, strong precipitin reactions in latex-agglutination with staphylococcal peptido-glycans . The antisera completely failed, however, in any reaction with peptidoglycans of micrococci or other bacteria which did not have these oligo-glycine peptides typical for staphylococci . On the contrary, antisera to (l-Ala3-epsilon-Ahx)22-albumin strongly precipitated micrococcalpeptidoglycans with oligo-L-alanine interpeptide bridges (e.g . Micrococcus varians . Micrococcus roseus), but showed no significant reaction with peptidoglycans of staphylococci or other bacteria lacking oligo-L-alanine interpeptide bridges. J Hyg (Lond), 1978 Aug, 81(1), 125 - 30 Antibiotic resistant staphylococci acquired during the first year of life; Burr ML et al.; Nasal swabs were taken from 492 babies born consecutively to residents of two South Wales towns soon after their discharge from maternity hospitals . Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from 352 babies (72%) and in 79 (22%) of these it was resistant to at least one antibiotic . By the time these babies were a year old the prevalence of both sensitive and resistant strains had fallen, so that only 12% still carried nasal staphylococci, but 64% of these organisms were then resistant to penicillin . Administration of penicillin to the baby seemed to be a more important factor in selecting resistant organisms than other antibiotics given to the baby, any antibiotic treatment to other members of the household, or discharge from hospital. Antibiotiki, 1978 Aug, 23(8), 714 - 8 {Drug resistance stability in staphylococci under different conditions . The mechanism of the recovery of streptomycin sensitivity of a staphylococcal population in patients 7 months after hospital discharge}; Zueva VS et al.; A method for analysis of antibiotic sensitivity restoration in staphylococcal populations in humans is described . The mechanism of streptomycin sensitivity restoration in staphylococcal populations on the nasal mucosa of 59 patients 7 months after discharging from surgical stationary was studied . Quantitative estimates for loss of superinfecting streptomycin-resistant staphylococci, initial streptomycin-resistant staphylococci and resistance determinants by the initial streptomycin-resistant staphylococci are presented. Lab Invest, 1978 Aug, 39(2), 128 - 32 The role of protein A in the attachment of staphylococci to influenza-infected cells; Austin RM et al.; The adherence of staphylococcal protein A-containing Cowan I bacteria to influenza-infected cells was enhanced up to 5 times following incubation of the monolayers with antiinfluenzal serum, but not following treatment with nomimmune serum . Significantly increased binding of Cowan I bacteria was detected at antiinfluenzal serum dilutions as high as 1:40,960 . None of the several antibody concentrations tested enhanced the binding of staphylococcal protein A-negative staphylococci . In addition, extracellular staphylococcal protein A was found to inhibit complement-mediated cytolysis of antibody-coated, virus-infected cells . The possible significance of staphylococcal protein A in the synergistic interaction between staphylococcal and influenza virus infections is discussed. Zentralbl Bakteriol {B}, 1978 Aug, 167(1-2), 38 - 47 {Evaluation of procedures for hygienic disinfection of hands: comparison of two methods, for artificially contaminating hands and use of an automatic colony-counter (author's transl)}; Koller W et al.; Testing procedures for the Hygienic Disinfection of hands, two kinds of artificial contamination have been compared: Application of one drop of bacterial suspension onto each fingertip as described in the DGHM-"Richtlinien" and immersion of hands as described in our previous papers . When using our method, fingertips released higher numbers of testbacteria . Since pre- as well as post-values were elevated, disinfection-tests applying one of each contamination method resulted in log10 reductions which did not differ significantly . Using an automated scanning colony counter we were able to save 2/3 of time otherwise required for manual counts . Up to 10(2) colonies per plate manual counts were practically identical with the counters results, whereas with higher colony-numbers the counter showed an increasing tendency to under-estimate the numbers of colonies . Since colonies of skin-staphylococci are not recognised by the automated counter, we cultured our rinsing-fluids on nutrient agar containing 0.05% of sodium-desoxycholate in order to inhibit the autochthonous skin flora . This supplement influenced the colony counts of our test-bacterium to a very minor degree only, the reduction factors were not at all altered. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1978 Aug, (8), 96 - 100 {Comparative study of allergenic fractions extracted from different strains of staphylococci}; Runova VF et al.; Various methods for obtaining staphylococcus allergens were approbated . Biological activity of the preparation proved to depend on the method of obtaining it determining the chemical compostition of the preparation, and on the properties of the strain used . A method of alkaline extraction and a strain with marked pathogenicity signs (strain 209) can be recommended for the preparation of staphylococcus allergen . Biological activity of the allergen in case of its approbation in the same dose by protein on laboratory animals and patients proved to be the same. Fortschr Med, 1978 Jul 20, 96(26-27), 1361 - 5 {Staphylococcal toxic epidermal necrolysis}; Fritsch P; Staphylococcal toxic epidermal necrolysis is a well defined disease and can be ideally reproduced in a mouse model . It is due to the action of a staphylococcal exotoxin (exfoliatin) which is produced by phage group2 staphylococci . Exfoliatin acts on a hitherto unknown target site which is likely to be located in the cell membrane of keratinocytes of the subgranular layer . Sensitivity to exfoliatin is common to only few mammals and appears to be genetically determined . Exfoliatin leads to loss of intercellular adherence resulting in acantholysis; cellular morphology and function remains unimpaired . The action of exfoliatin on the epidermis is not influenced by serum factors nor by the mesenchyme . It is also not age dependent although adult humans as well as adult mice do not develop systemic disease . This is due to suppression of growth of staphylococci and rapid renal excretion of exfoliatin in the mature, immunologically competent organism. Am J Med Sci, 1978 Jul-Aug, 276(1), 67 - 75 Staphylococcal infections in a hemodialysis unit; Linnemann CC Jr et al.; Experience with Staphylococcus aureus infections in a hemodialysis unit in which arteriovenous fistulas were used routinely for dialysis is reviewed, including an epidemic involving multiple bacteriophage types . Most infections involved the fistula site and were associated with bacteremia, although bacteremia without an obvious fistula infection did occur . Despite recurrent bacteremia, endocarditis was not documented, and patients did not develop teichoic acid antibodies as measured by an immunodiffusion technique . Patients with fistula infections responded to antibiotic therapy and did not require removal of the fistula except in two patients whose fistulas ruptured . Patients with shunt infections had to have their shunts removed to control infection . The epidemic developed after the hemodialysis unit was moved into a larger area to facilitate an increasing number of patients and after diabetic patients were admitted to the dialysis program . Both autoinfection and cross-infection contributed to the epidemic, which resolved with improvements in aseptic techniques . A culture survey indicated that the nasal carriage of staphylococci was not unusually high during the epidemic . This report emphasizes that staphylococcal infections remain a problem in continually changing hospital environments. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1978 Jul, (7), 118 - 20 {Mechanism of staphylococcin formation}; Ivanov NA; The author studied the optic density and the viable cell count in 2 strains of bacteriocinogenic staphylococci and their variants in which the bacteriocinogenicity factor was eliminated . Latent phase was prolonged in strains devoid of bacteriocinogenic factor; it was practically absent in bacteriocinogenic cultures . Bacteriocin production began on the 60th minute and this was accompanied by the death of cells and their lysosomes . With further culture growth bacteriocin formed in jerks and this was accompanied by the death of cells and their lysosomes. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1978 Jul, 241(1), 46 - 59 Experiences with the typing of coagulase-negative staphylococci and micrococci; de Saxe MJ et al.; Strains of coagulase-negative staphylococci and micrococci from many sources were biotyped and tested with a set of 20 phages, 19 of which were described by Dean et al . Strains resistant to many antibiotics were generally untypable with these phages . Nearly 50% of untypable strains could be typed by "reverse" typing--the characterisation of strains by the pattern of lysis given by their supernates on the propagating strains for the typing phages . This method was also used to clarify the relationship between isolates from an outbreak of septicaemia in a cardiac unit. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1978 Jul, 241(1), 36 - 45 Detection and preliminary characterization of extrachromosomal DNA in clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis; Laufs R et al.; Isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis frequently harboured extrachromosomal DNA . From the 20 Staphylococcus aureus strains examined 85% contained extrachromosomal DNA and 65% carried more than one plasmid DNA species . The results obtained with the 19 Staphylococcus epidermidis strains analyzed were similar, 84% of the strains had extrachromosomal DNA and 68% contained several DNA species . The agarose gel electrophoresis of the DNA obtained from cleared lysates of the staphylococci proved to be efficient for the detection of plasmids and the determination of their molecular weights . The gel method appeared therefore to be suitable for the establishment of the role of plasmids in the phage typability of staphylococci . Using a Staphylococcus epidermidis strain as an example it was shown by electron microscopy that the extrachromosomal DNA demonstrated by the agarose gel electrophoresis represented covalently closed circular plasmid DNA . This plasmid DNA could be sufficiently labeled with 3H-thymidine to undertake studies on the relationship and molecular characterization of staphylococcal plasmids. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1978 Jul, 241(1), 140 - 56 Ivestigation of coagulase-negative staphylococci from infections in surgical patients; Marples RR et al.; All available isolates of coagulase-negative staphylococci from patients admitted to a unit for cardiac surgery during a 14-month period were examined . During this time 382 operations, in 220 of which a prosthetic valve was implanted, were performed . 65 patients suffered 76 episodes of postoperative infection . All coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated were classified by biochemical typing, bacteriophage typing and testing of anitbiotic susceptibility . The results of this investigation were reported and discussed especially from an epidemiological point of view. Vopr Pitan, 1978 Jul-Aug, (4), 77 - 9 {Experimental study of pathogenic staphylococcal multiplication and of enterotoxin formation times during the manufacture and maturing of "RossiÄskiÄ"-type cheese}; Bugrova VI et al.; In an experimentit the dynamics of propagation and dying out of the staphylococci throughout the technological process along with the time needed for development and continued presence of enterotoxin in cheeses of the "Rossiisky" are shown . These data are of importance for prophylaxis of food poisonings of staphycoloccal etiology. Antibiotiki, 1978 Jul, 23(7), 600 - 5 {Bacteriostatic and bactericidal action of bile acids and antibiotics on staphylococci}; Sytnik IA et al.; It was found in vitro that desoxycholic, cholic, glycocholic and choleinic acids inhibited the growth and development of staphylococci . The staphylococci isolated from bile were more resistant to the bacteriostatic and bactericidal effect of bile acids than the microorganisms isolated from other sources not containing cholates . Under the effect of these substances the activity of some antibiotics especially those from the group of aminoglycosides markedly increased. Acta Otolaryngol, 1978 Jul-Aug, 86(1-2), 110 - 4 Bacteriology of the chronically discharging middle ear; Karma P et al.; Suitable bacteriological techniques revealed anaerobic bacteria in 38 (33%) of 114 chronically discharging middle ears . The genus Bacteroides was cultured from 25 ears . Aerobic bacteriology showed the predominance of staphylococci, facultative enteric gramnegative rods, diphtheroid bacilli and Pseudomonas species . Anaerobic bacterial cultures were always mixed with aerobic bacteria . 12 ears were culture-negative, and 9 of the 108 Gram-stained smers revealed no bacteria . No significant difference in bacteriology was noted between ears with or without local antimicrobial treatment, or between profusely draining or only moist ears . The ears with postoperative recurrent infection or with clinical suspicion of cholesteatoma grew anaerobes significantly more often, and were seldom sterile . Because anaerobic bacteria are frequently associated with chronic otitis media, their characteristics with regard to susceptibility to antimicrobials and to air must be remembered in the choice of therapy. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1978 Jul, 241(1), 83 - 94 A proposal for further modification of the phage-typing system for coagulase-negative staphylococci; Pillich J et al.; Our phage-set, published in 1975 (6) was modified in that other staphylococcal hoststrains were found more suitable for the propagation . This new typing set of 15 phages should replace our old phage-sets . In comparing the phage-sets of Dr . Verhoef, Dr . Parisi and Dr . Blouse with our phages, the advantages of our new phage-set could be demonstrated . Lysogeny induction experiment with mitomycin C and UV-rays showed all staphylococcal host strains to be lysogenic . Conclusions of the studies performed were derived from and discussed. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1978 Jul, 241(1), 8 - 16 Electron microscopic morphology of phages of coagulase-negative staphylococci; Tkadlecek L et al.; Nine phages of coagulase-negative staphylococci were studied carefully with regard to their electron microscopic morphology . Two different groups of phages were detected: the larger phages showed heads of 121 nm diameter on average and tails with 229 nm length and 23 nm width . The smaller phages were characterized with heads of about 76 nm diameter and tails of about 177 nm length and 13 nm width (negatively stained with KPT). Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1978 Jul, 241(1), 78 - 82 Phage typing and biotyping of coagulase-negative staphylococci; Nord CE et al.; A total of 211 strains of coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from clinical materials were tested by use of 16 phages of PULVERER's set and biochemical methods proposed by KLOOS and SCHLEIFER . It appeared that 75% of tested strains was typable by used phages and ninety different phage patterns were observed . Most strains were classified as Staphylococcus epidermidis and the rest as S . warneri, S . simulans, S . hominis, Single strains represented species: S . capitis, S . haemolyticus and S . cohnii . No segregation of different phage patterns into particular species was found. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1978 Jul, 241(1), 72 - 7 Preliminary results of phage typing of coagulase-negative staphylococci with the set of typing phages of Pulverer and co-workers; Brandis H et al.; 120 strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis isolated from clinical material were typed with the set of 16 test phages described by Pulverer et al . (1975) . 58 (48%) strains were typable with RTD and additionally 12 strains with 100 times RTD . The pattern Ph10/U14/U16 was observed most common (36 strains), followed by the pattern U14/U16 (11 strains) . One strain showed lysis reactions with all typing phages . With 61 strains phage U14 gave a lysis whereas phage U20 reacted only with 4 strains . The S . epidermidis phages were not specific for this species, at least some of these showed lysis reactions with S . aureus strains . The lysis pattern most often observed was Ph10/U14/U16 . There was no correlation between the patterns given by the S . aureus test phages and those by the S . epidermidis phages. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1978 Jul, 241(1), 68 - 71 Phage typing of coagulase-negative staphylococci; Holmberg O; 218 bovine and 116 human strains of coagulase-negative staphylococci and 46 bovine Staphylococcus aureus strains were typed with the Verhoef-phage set for human staphylococci and the Holmberg-set for bovine staphylococci . 22.5% of the bovine strains were lysed by the bovine phages and only 3.2% by the human phages . None of the bovine Staph . aureus strains could be typed . 21% of the human strains tested were lysed by the human phages and only 5.2% by the bovine phages . These results clearly demonstrate the need of separate phage sets for the typing of bovine and human coagulase-negative staphylococci. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1978 Jul, 241(1), 3 - 7 Cell wall structure of coagulase-negative staphylococci and its relation to adsorption of phages; Schumacher-Perdreau F et al.; The coagulase-negative staphylococcal species S . xylosus and S . saprophyticus are able to inactivate phages of the International Basic Set for S . aureus . The cell wall teichoic acids of these species contained two polyols: glycerol and ribitol . Removal of ribitol teichoic acid resulted in a parallel decrease in the ability of the cell walls to inactivate the phages. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1978 Jul, 241(1), 24 - 9 Activity spectrum of micrococcal and staphylococcal phages; Bauske R et al.; The activity spectrum of 4 polyvalent Staph . aureus-phages, of 22 phages from coagulase negative staphylococci and of 64 micrococcal phages was established on 20 Staph . aureus-strains, 116 coagulase-negative staphylococci and 142 micrococci . Staphylococcal phages showed to be only active on strains of the genus Staphylococcus and on cocci related to this genus . Micrococcal phages on the other hand lysed only micrococci. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1978 Jul, 241(1), 17 - 23 Serological characterization of phages of coagulase-negative staphylococci; Pillich J et al.; Selected 22 phages of coagulase-negative staphylococci were tested against group-specific antisera for Staphylococcus aureus phages using a neutralization test . Fourteen of the tested phages were classified into the serological group B and one into the group F . All other phages were resistant to the antisera against S . aureus phages but cross-reacted with the antisera produced against themselves . Therefore they could be joined together into a new serological group of the staphylococcal phages. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1978 Jul, 241(1), 157 - 64 Use of a phage set for the ecological typing of coagulase-negative staphylococci; Heczko PB et al.; The staphylococcal flora of skin and acne lesions of 98 patients was analysed by the use of phage typing and biotyping methods . It appeared that in some individuals a relatively stable staphylococcal flora was present while others harboured 7 or more different strains . The same S . epidermidis strains were found on different skin sites and in acne lesions of a given individual . Examples of different carriage patterns were given. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1978 Jul, 241(1), 136 - 9 Comparison of "invasive" and "non-invasive" strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis by phage typing; Fridhandler I et al.; Seventy strains of coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from blood of patients together with 41 strains of these bacteria isolated from the skin were typed by three different phage sets . Different percentages of phage typability by compared phage sets were found . Blood culture strains showed phage pattern Ph10/U14/U16 while other strains were of different phage patterns. Antibiotiki, 1978 Jul, 23(7), 605 - 9 {Increase in tetracycline activity by using surface-active substances}; Anan'eva EP et al.; The antimicrobial effect of cationic and anionic surface-active substances, i.e . catamine AB and sulphonol NP-3 respectively was studied in vitro with respect to gramnegative bacteria . In non-bactericidal concentrations catamine AB significantly increased the efficacy of tetracyclines, while the anionic compound had no such effect . The increase in the tetracycline activity was due to the antibiotic increased absorption (14C-oxytetracycline as an example) on the treatment of gramnegative bacteria with catamine AB and staphylococci with catamine AB and sulphonol NP-3, which was mainly associated with impairement of the cell membrane permeability by the surface-active substances. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1978 Jun, 240(4), 447 - 65 {Epidemiological investigation of staphylococcal infections in stocks of SPF-animall (author's transl)}; Lenz W et al.; The occurrence and spread of staphylococcal infections in stocks of SPF-animals were studied over a period of more than three years . The results were compared with observations made by other authors . Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from both sick and healthy animals (mice, rats, rabbits, guinea pigs) as well as from veterinary staff were lysotyped with the international phage set for epidemiological investigations . The majority of the lysotypes demonstrated in sick mice and rats belonged to lysogroup III (77% and 96% respectively) . S . aureus strains with the phage patterns III 6/42E/47/53/54/75/83A/ +, III 54/83A and III 54/83A/85 were most common amongst these animals . The lysotype 80/3c/47/53/54/75/84/85 + occurred in rabbits and guinea pigs only . S . aureus strains of lysogroup I and II, which are frequently involved in skin infections of man, were either found only very scarcely or not at all discovered in the animals tested . Among the veterinary personnel staphylococcal strains of the lysogroups I and III as well as non-classificable strains occurred at a similar rate of approximately 25% each . Several lysotypes (I 29, III 42E/47/53/54/75/77/84/ + M 187) persisted in members of the staff over a stretch of two to three years without causing infection to the animals under their charge . On the other hand, lysotypes isolated from infection sites (abscesses) in the animals were mostly found also in swabs from the nasopharynx of healthy animals and the personnel . The implications of the importation and the spreading of Staphylococci in animal stocks by veterinary staff are pointed out . Factors promoting staphylococcal diseases in animals and measures to prevent S . aureus infection from SPF-animal stocks are discussed. Nord Vet Med, 1978 Jun, 30(6), 267 - 73 Characterization of Micrococcaceae isolated from post mortem examined pigs; Riising HJ; The investigation comprised 170 cases of infections due to Micrococcaceae among post mortem examined pigs that died during the preweaning period . The incidence was 3.1 promille of the live-born pigs . The infection was most frequent among pigs less than 4 weeks of age (Table I) . ACute and subacute generalized infections occurred in 43.5% of the cases (Table II), and exudative epidermitis was the cause of death in 23.5% . In the remaining 32.9% of the cases, the post mortem findings included a variety of debilitating conditions, such as undersize, malformation, starvation or traumata . In all 248 strains of Micrococcaceae were isolated . A preliminary differentiation revealed 41.5% of the strains as Staphylococcus aureus and 34.5% as S . epidermidis and 22.6% as Micrococcus (Table III) . A further characterization on 43 of the strains was performed (Table IV and V) . Totally 19 different fermentation pattern were observed . In Table IV the strains are grouped into six groups . Fourteen strains were identified as S . aureus and 15 strains as S . epidermidis biotype 2, s . S . hyicus (Table VI) . The distribution of the non-haemolytic strains according to biotypes is shown (Table VII) . By this grouping, the 15 S . hyicus strains were designated type III B . It is concluded that various staphylococci may be isolated in pure culture from different pathological lesions in preweaned pigs . Biochemical characterization of the strains showed that part of the strains could not be classified by the previously described grouping systems. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1978 Jun, 31(6), 546 - 60 Diastereomeric 7-ureidoacetyl cephalosporins . I . Superiority of 7alpha-H-L-isomers over D-isomers; Breuer H et al.; The synthesis and in vitro structure-activity relationship of 7-ureidoacetyl cephalosporins carrying various substituents in the 3-position, compounds that showed an enhanced broad spectrum of antibacterial activity, has been outlined . Contrary to most of the previous observations with diastereomeric isomers of cephalosporins, it has been found that the L-side chain isomers also are very potent antibiotics and are even more active inhibitors of certain beta-lactamase-producing Gram-negative bacteria than the corresponding D-side chain isomers . SQ 69,613, 7beta-{{L-{(aminocarbonyl)amino}-2-furanylacetyl}amino}-3-{{(1-methyl-1H-tetrazol-5-yl) thio}methyl}-8-oxo-5-thia-1-azabicyclo{4.2.0}oct-2-ene-2-carboxylic acid, sodium salt, the most active compound tested, except for activity against staphylococci, was as active in vitro as cefamandole. J Clin Pathol, 1978 Jun, 31(6), 539 - 45 Phagocytosis and killing of staphylococci by human polymorphonuclear and mononuclear leucocytes; Verbrugh HA et al.; The phagocytosis and killing of 3H-thymidine-labelled Staphylococcus aureus by polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNs) and monocytes (MNs) obtained from 50 health donors were evaluated . In addition, extracellular factors that might influence phagocytosis and killing were studied . The method described gave highly reproducible results . No significant difference was observed in the phagocytic and killing functions of a single donor's PMNs and MNs when studied several times in one day and longitudinally over a period of 1-12 weeks for six donors tested . Likewise, no signigicant difference in uptake and killing was observed when bacteria were opsonised with sera from 11 different normal donors . When Staph . aureus opsonised with normal serum was added to the leucocytes in a ratio of 10 bacteria: 1 leucocyte, the uptake by PMNs and MNs from 50 donors after 20 minutes' incubation was 85% +/- 7 standard deviation (SD) (range 75-98%) and 69% +/- 11 SD (range 54-90%), respectively . The rate of uptake by MNs in the first three minutes of the assay period was only 60% of that by PMNs. Infect Immun, 1978 Jun, 20(3), 770 - 5 Dichotomy between opsonization and serum complement activation by encapsulated staphylococci; Peterson PK et al.; Previous studies have demonstrated that encapsulated Staphylococcus aureus strains are not effectively opsonized by the serum complement system . Encapsulated staphylococci thereby "resist phagocytosis." To test whether this phenomenon might be explained by an inability of encapsulated strains to activate complement, the relationship between staphylococcal opsonization and serum complement activation was studied . Although encapsulation was found to interfere with opsonization by pooled human serum (human polymorphonuclear leukocytes phagocytized significantly fewer encapsulated bacteria than unencapsulated bacteria after incubation in this opsonic source), encapsulated (S . aureus M and Smith diffuse) and unencapsulated (S . aureus M variant and Smith compact) strains had similar capacities for complement activation as measured by C3-C9 consumption . When C2-deficient and immunoglobulin-deficient sera were studied, again C3-C9 consumption was not influenced by the presence or absence of a capsule . In addition, C3 was detected on the surface of both S . aureus M and M variant strains after incubation in pooled serum and staining with fluorescein-conjugated anti-C3 antibody . Thus, encapsulated staphylococci are not effectively opsonized even though complement is activated and C3 is present on the bacterial surface . The exact mechanism by which the capsule interferes with opsonization is still not known; however, inhibition of complement activation appears not to be the explanation of this phenomenon. Ann Intern Med, 1978 Jun, 88(6), 813 - 8 Vancomycin revisited; Cook FV et al.; Vancomycin, virtually discarded after development of antistaphylococcal penicillins, has recently been receiving renewed attention . There are several clinical situations in which it appears to offer advantages over other available antimicrobial agents: infections due to methicillin-resistant staphylococci; bacterial endocarditis in patients allergic to penicillin; staphylococcal enterocolitis; staphylococcal infection in patients undergoing hemodialysis; infections caused by penicillin-resistant diphtheroids; and prophylaxis of bacterial endocarditis in patients with prosthetic valves or penicillin allergy . Its penetration into the cerebrospinal fluid suggests that vancomycin may be useful in treating certain infections of the central nervous system . Although its ototoxic and nephrotoxic potential cannot be ignored, these problems can be minimized by keeping the serum concentration at the proper level. Boll Ist Sieroter Milan, 1978 May 31, 57(2), 212 - 27 The problem of the identification and classification of staphylococci; del Piano M; The Bergey's and ICSB schemes for the classification of staphylococci have been analyzed and in our opinion, it seems that we are still far from the final solution of the problem. Arch Dermatol Res, 1978 May 31, 261(3), 295 - 302 Staphylococci of the normal human skin flora . Variety of biotypes and antibiograms without direct correlations; Hartmann AA; 352 strains of Staphylococci of the normal human skin flora were sampled from one volunteer by single scrabbing in a ca . 3 cm2 measuring area . They were biotyped by the scheme of Pelzer et al.(1973)--a modified Baird-Parker-Scheme (1963)--and the resistance to antibiotics was investigated by the method of Bauer et al . (1966) . All the nine biotypes of Staphylococci were found in variable quantities . It seems problematic to call one biotype as the main type . Morphologically identical colonies of Staphylococci from the indigenous flora of the human skin were not identical in their biotypes as previously described by Pelzer (1976) . Only the investigation of all Staphylococci colonies from the culture plate can evaluate all biotypes of Staphylococci of the normal human skin flora, and can give the right quantitative correlation . Staphylococci were found to be sensitive and resistant up to four antibiotics, and one biotype did not show one type of antibiogram. Arch Microbiol, 1978 May 30, 117(2), 183 - 8 Deoxyribonucleic acid reassociation in the classification of coagulase-positive staphylococci; Meyer SA et al.; DNA-DNA reassociation studies were performed with coagulase-positive staphylococci belonging to the biotypes A, B, C, D, E and F . These studies present genetic evidence for the existence of at least two distinct species within this group of organisms . The common Staphylococcus aureus strains were represented by organisms from biotypes A to D, and their DNA revealed over 80% nucleotide sequence homology under restrictive conditions . Less than 15% DNA homology was detected between strains from biotypes A to D (S . aureus) and those from biotypes E and F . The DNA of organisms from either the biotypes E or F displayed over 70% homology . Together, both biotypes are considered to represent the species S . intermedius . However, DNA homology values dropped to 50--65% between strains from different biotypes . This may justify the separation of S . intermedius biotypes E and F on a subspecies level. Med Microbiol Immunol (Berl), 1978 May 26, 165(1), 29 - 41 Determination of IgG, IgM, and IgA antibodies to Mycoplasma pneumoniae by an indirect staphylococcal radioimmunoassy; Brunner H et al.; An indirect staphylococcal radioimmunoassay (SRIA) has been developed for determination of M . pneumoniae antibodies . This test allows the detection of antibodies in various immunoglobulin (Ig) classes similar to the previously described radioimmunoprecipitation test (RIP) . SRIA has two advantages over RIP: first, it uses 100-fold less anti-Ig reagents than RIP; second, bound can be separated from unbound antigen more easily by the relatively heavy staphylococci . SRIA antibodies, belonging to the IgA class of Ig, could be detected in nasal secretions of volunteers infected intranasally with ts H43 of M . pneumoniae . In sera of patients with M . pneumoniae pneumonia antibodies to the IgG or the IgM class of Igs could be determined separately . This is especially important for an early diagnosis of M . pneumoniae disease. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1978 May, (5), 86 - 93 {Local experimental infection caused by S . epidermidis sensitive to penicillin under the action of the antibiotic and acridines}; Mamykina VM et al.; S . epidermidis D-5/48, D-5/240, and S . aureus 209 P caused a local infectious process with an analogous course in intrascrotal infection of male albino mice; this process was characterized by the changes of the relative weight coefficient of the affected tissues, positive staphylococcus culture, and exudative inflammation . This confirmed the role of epidermal coagulase-negative staphylococci in the infectious pathology . Benzylpenicillin treatment of local staphylococcus infection proved to be ineffective, although the staphylococcus strains used for the infection were sensitive to this antibiotic . This treatment led to the selection of the antibiotic-resistant forms of the microorganisms and to the aggravation of the infectious process, suggesting greater virulence of the antibiotic-resistant strains . The minimal suppressive acridines concentrations prevented the development of penicillin resistance and selection of resistant staphylococci, increased the therapeutic efficacy of this antibiotic. J Immunol, 1978 May, 120(5), 1580 - 6 Trypan blue inhibits complement-mediated phagocytosis by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes; Guckian JC et al.; Trypan blue completely inhibited attachment of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) to Sepharose beads coated with C3 ant to sheep erythrocytes coated with IgM plus C3, but it did not inhibit attachment to erythrocytes coated with IgG . These results suggested that trypan blue inhibited C-mediated attachment to PMN membranes . Corroborative studies were performed with a strain of Staphylococcus aureus that requires C but not antibody, for opsonization and that activates the alternative pathway . Trypan blue was not toxic to PMN or bacteria, did nto interfere with immunoglobulin or C interactions, and did not affect attachment of opsonins to bacteria . However, the dye impaired PMN killing of S . aureus in normal nonimmune serum by inhibiting bacterial attachment to and ingestion by PMN . Further evidence that the inhibition was at the C3 receptor level came from the observations that, 1) once staphylococci were attached to PMN at either 37 degrees C or 0 degrees C, addition of trypan blue did not inhibit killing; and 2) trypan blue inhibited killing of bacteria opsonized with serum sufficient in C but previously absorbed at 0 degrees C with the same strain of organism to deplete specific antibody . Further studies with this agent may elucidate the roles of opsonic receptors on human phagocytes. Antibiotiki, 1978 May, 23(5), 428 - 30 {Elimination of penicillinase plasmids by the new acridine derivative, Dimer}; Shraer DP et al.; The possibility of eliminating the drug resistance determinants in penicillinase-producing staphylococci under the effect of an acridine "dimer", synthesized by French scientists was studied . Comparison of the eliminating activity of a number of acridine compounds, such as acrichin, acriflavine, proflavine and "dimer" showed that the new derivative of acridine as well as the other acridines used in the experiments induced elimination of the penicillinase plasmids when used in the sublethal concentrations. J Clin Pathol, 1978 May, 31(5), 434 - 6 Use of polyvinylpyrrolidone in the testing of staphylococci for sensitivity to methicillin and cephradine; Bayston R; The use of polyvinylpyrrolidone, an inert polymer resembling plasma proteins in its colligative effects, in the testing of micrococcaceae for sensitivity to methicillin and cephradine is described . Generally results are quite comparable with those of conventional methods . The absence of any inhibitory effect of the polymer compared to sodium chloride, and its physiological inertia compared to sucrose, along with its suitability for sterilisation by autoclaving are seen as advantages . It is suggested that the use of this substance may give results which are more applicable to the in vivo situation . This may apply particularly in the case of cephradine. J Dairy Sci, 1978 May, 61(5), 592 - 5 Simplified resazurin rennet test for diagnosis of mastitis; Kobayashi Y; A simplified resazurin rennet test for diagnosis of bovine mastitis was devised . A tablet of resazurin and rennet was placed in a sterile test tube to which 10 ml of milk were added directly from a teat . The test tube was incubated for 1 h at 37 C . After incubation the change in color of resazurin and the time required for coagulation by the rennet were observed . From the results the milk samples tested were classified into four types . Cell count, modified California Mastitis Test, coagulase positive staphylococci, and contents of solids-not-fat, lactose, and protein differed among the four types . This method is simple and practically useful for diagnosis of bovine mastitis. Minerva Med, 1978 Apr 28, 69(20), 1383 - 8 {Comparative findings on the spread of healthy carriers of coagulase-positive staphylococci in a hospital milieu}; Finzi G et al.; A comparative search was made for healthy carriers of pathogenic staphylococcus among the kitchen, canteen and scullery staff of the Malpighi Hospital and the paramedical personnel of its geriatrics, out-patient and nephrology sections . The following percentages of healthy carriers were observed: out-patient section 37.5%, nephrodialysis section 23%, kitchen 17.9%, and geriatrics section 14.2% . All staphylococcus strains were tested for their sensitivity to antibiotics . 25% were resistant to ampicillin, 21.8% to penicillin, and 21.8% to streptomycin. J Infect Dis, 1978 Apr, 137(4), 490 - 3 Comparative beta-lactamase resistance and antistaphylococcal activities of parenterally and orally administered cephalosporins; Farrar WE Jr et al.; Two parenterally administered cephalosporins (cephalothin and cephapirin) and four orally administered cephalosporins (cephalexin, cephradine, cefatrizine, and cefaclor) were investigated by use of 29 beta-lactamase-producing strains of Staphylococcus aureus for determination of their relative rates of hydrolysis (RH) by beta-lactamase (RH of penicillin G =100) and their antistaphylococcal activities . Cephalothin (RH less than 0.01) and cephapirin (RH = 0.1) were relatively stable in the presence of staphylococcal beta-lactamase . Cephalexin and cephradine (RH of each = 0.3) were less stable than cephalothin and cephapirin but more stable than cefatrizine (RH = 1.4) and cefaclor (RH = 3.4) . Agents that were more resistant to hydrolysis were affected less by the size of the inoculum when tested against large ;(10(7)) and small (10(3)) inocula of beta-lactamase-producing staphylococci than those that were hydrolyzed rapidly . Cephalothin and cephapirin were four to eight times more active than the orally administered cephalosporins against 10(3) staphylococci . Cephalosporins that are relatively stable in the presence of staphylococcal bata-lactamase may be preferable to less stable ones for treatment of serious infections due to beta-lactamase-producing staphylococci. Antibiotiki, 1978 Apr, 23(4), 330 - 3 {Action of lincomycin, chymotrypsin and their combinations on the course of experimental staphylococcal infection}; Daniushchenkova NM et al.; The culture of Staphylococcus aureus was administered intraperitoneally in a dose of LD30 to albino mice . The animals of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd groups were treated with lincomycin, chymotripsin and combination of lincomycin with chymotripsin respectively . The animals of the 4th group were used as control and were not subjected to the treatment with the drugs . A part of the animals from every group was killed on the 3rd, 7th, 14th, 21st and subsequent days and their organs were investigated microscopically and bacteriologically . It was found that staphylococci was isolated from the control mice during a 50-day period after inoculation . Complete liberation of the organs from the causative agent within 25 days from the beginning of the experiment was registered in the animals treated with lincomycin . Isolation of the staphylococci was over by the 27th day in the animals treated with chymotrypsin . Liberation of the organs from the causative agent by the 17th day was observed in the albino mice treated with the combination of lincomycin with chymotrypsin . The combined use of lincomycin with chymotrypsin proved to be most effective: no death was registered among the albino mice, the levels of the pathogenicity and antibiotic resistance in the pathogenic staphylococci decreased. Antibiotiki, 1978 Apr, 23(4), 326 - 30 {Combined action of aminoglycoside group antibiotics and bile acids on staphylococci}; Sytnik IA et al.; The results of in vitro studies on the potentiating effect of cholic, taurocholic, glycocholic and desoxicholic acids on the bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity of aminoglycoside antibiotics are presented . Ten fresh isolates of staphylococci were used in the experiments . Sensitivity of the isolates to the antibiotics and bile acids and their combinations was determined by the method of serial dilutions . Investigation of the combined effect of gentamicin, monomycin, kanamycin and neomycin with the bile acids showed that all of them had potentiating effect on the antimicrobial activity of the antibiotics . The potentiating effect of different acids and antibiotics was not the same . The highest potentiating activity was observed with the use of gentamicin or neomycin in combination with desoxycholic and cholic bile acids . Desoxycholic acid increased the bacteriostatic activity of gentamicin and neomycin by 781.3 and 2083.3 times respectively and cholic acid increased it by 382.7 and 2083.3 times . Cholic and desoxycholic acids potentiated also the bactericidal effect of gentamicin and neomycin . Taurocholic and glycocholic acids produced potentiation of various antibiotics by 8 to 60 times. J Gen Microbiol, 1978 Apr, 105(2), 275 - 85 Characterization and identification of coagulase-negative, heat-stable deoxyribonuclease-positive staphylococci; Gramoli JL et al.; Various characteristics of 13 coagulase-negative, weakly heat-stable deoxyribonuclease-positive staphylococci from human, veterinary and food sources were determined in an effort to identify them . Nine of the isolates were identified as coagulase-negative Staphylococcus aureus (2), Staphylococcus xylosus (2), Staphylococcus simulans (3), Staphylococcus capitis (1) and Staphylococcus sciuri subsp . lentus (1); the other four isolates, from food and veterinary sources, could not be identified as currently accepted or proposed species . Teichoic acid and peptidoglycan compositions were used as key taxonomic characteristics . The determination of heat-stable deoxyribonuclease activity can be useful to detect coagulase-negative S . aureus strains . However, this activity also appears to be present in strains of other staphylococcal species. Pahlavi Med J, 1978 Apr, 9(2), 182 - 92 Resistance of staphylococci to penicillin-G and cloxacillin; Kimberlin C et al.; Staphylococcus aureus and epidermidis species from patient cultures and hospital environmental samples were studied for resistance to Penicillin-G and Cloxacillin, a penicillinase resistant penicillin . Only 4--7% of the 232 Staphylococcus aureus strains were sensitive to Penicillin-G; 40--41% were sensitive to Cloxacillin . Patient strains (57) of Staphylococcus epidermidis were sensitive to Penicillin-G in 29% and to Cloxacillin in 53% of the cases . The incidence of sensitivity of the hospital strains (50) of Staphylococcus epidermidis to Penicillin-G was 78% and to Cloxacillin was 93% . In view of their high resistance to Cloxacillin, the strains were evaluated for sensitivity to Gentamicin, an alternate choice for antibiotic therapy . Approximately 90% of the Staphylococcus aureus strains were sensitive to Gentamicin while 99% of the Staphylococcus epidermidis strains were sensitive . This study indicates that differences may exist in regard to antibiotic resistance patterns in various localities and this should be evaluated. MMW Munch Med Wochenschr, 1978 Mar 24, 120(12), 395 - 400 {Polymorphous Juvenile Acne (author's transl)}; Cerimele D et al.; Many factors may be involved in the pathogenesis of acne, the most important of them lie in the sebaceous follicle, in disturbances of the cornification of the follicular channels and in the bacterial flora of the hair follicles . The latter consists of a yeast (pityrosporon ovale), coagulase-negative aerobic staphylococci and propionibacterium acnes . P . acnes is found in the depth of the follicle . It is of particular importance for the pathogenesis because it produces a lipase which releases fatty acids which stimulate the formation of comedones . Many questions are still unanswered . Presently, treatment consists of administration of estrogens or combination preparations of estrogen and progesterone (only recommended for women), of vitamin A acid and antibiotics . Tetracycline and its derivatives have proved particularly valuable for this purpose. J Am Vet Med Assoc, 1978 Mar 15, 172(6), 708 - 11 Canine vaginal and uterine bacterial flora; Olson PN et al.; Vaginal swab specimens were obtained from 41 prepuberal and 81 postpuberal bitches . Uterine swab specimens were obtained from 22 bitches at ovariohysterectomy and from 4 bitches during cesarean section . The specimens were cultured for aerobic bacteria . Most bitches harbored some type of bacteria in the vagina, but coagulase-positive staphylococci were isolated more frequently from prepuberal bitches than from postpuberal bitches . Postpuberal bitches were placed in various groups, based on the stage of the estrous cycle at the time specimens were obtained . Differences in bacterial types isolated from the postpuberal groups were not statistically significant . Uterine culture results suggested that bitches do not normally harbor aerobic bacteria in the uterus. Med Trop (Mars), 1978 Mar-Apr, 38(2), 155 - 9 {Homozygotic drépanocytemia (author's transl)}; Sirol J et al.; A clinical description according to four age groups: before 5 with hand and foot syndrome, hemolytic chronic and sometimes acute anemia; after 5 with frequent surgical-like abdominal syndromes and development troubles; after puberty with patent dystrophia and anemia; adult age group of rare surviving patients . The drepanocytic condition is aggravated by various infections and reversly facilitate lung infections and osteitis caused by staphylococci or salmonellae . Malaria trophozoite is suspected of inducing sickling which gives way to a rapid phagocytosis of both sickle cell and Plasmodium. Inflammation, 1978 Mar, 3(1), 103 - 10 A new sensitive method for detecting human endogenous (leukocyte) pyrogen; Bodel P et al.; Endogenous, or leukocyte pyrogen (EP), the mediator of fever, is currently detected by injection of pyrogen-containing supernatants into rabbits . This assay has been of little value in the study of human fever because it required injection of relatively large amounts of pyrogen . We now report that injection of medium containing human EP produces fever in mice . Supernatant from 1 c 10(5) granulocytes, stimulated by phagocytosis of staphylococci and incubated overnight, or 1 x 10(4) monocytes similarly treated, produce clear pyrogenic responses . This method for detecting EP is about 100-fold more sensitive than the rabbit assay, and it appears to be specific for EP . Preliminary studies of EP released by small samples of needle liver biopsies from febrile and afebrile patients suggests that this sensitive assay may be useful for investigations into the mechanisms of clinical fever. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1978 Mar, (3), 120 - 4 {Characteristics of several epidemiologic features of suppurative-septic diseases of staphylococcal etiology in obstetric institutions}; Molotilov VF et al.; The authors studied the frequency of the purulent-septic diseases in puerperants and neonates and the percentage among them of affections of staphylococcus etiology, their seasonal incidence and nidality . The phage-type reference of the strains of staphylococci circulating at the maternity home, and their connection with the staphylococcus carrier state among the personnel and the extent of spread of the purulent-septic diseases was determined . There was revealed an interrelationship between the incidence of recording of the purulent-septic diseases at the maternity home and the level of staphylococcus carrier state among the medical personnel . The sum total positive culture percentage in serous mastitis, endometritis and in case of suture disjunction due to purulent complications was 63.5, and in case of purulent-septic diseases of neonates -- 55--65 . Strains belonging to the "epidemic" phage types are widespread at the maternity homes. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1978 Mar, 35(3), 479 - 82 Rapid test for the serological separation of staphylococci from micrococci; Seidl PH et al.; A simple test for the serological separation of staphylococci from micrococci is described, which is based on the quite different cell wall peptidoglycan structures of these two genera . Antisera to (pentaglycyl-epsilon-amino-n-hexanoic acid)20-albumin agglutinated without exception all staphylococci and gave no positive reaction with micrococci or other bacterial cells . To obtain a good reaction, it was necessary to extract the cells with hot trichloroacetic acid for 30 min . Antisera to (tri-L-alanyl-epsilon-amino-n-hexanoic acid)22-albumin reacted strongly with micrococci containing oligo-L-alanine bridges in their peptidoglycan, but did not agglutinate staphylococci or other bacteria lacking alanine interpeptide bridges. Antibiotiki, 1978 Mar, 23(3), 259 - 64 {Increased streptomycin sensitivity and its associations with microbial allergy}; Ermekova RK et al.; Regularities of streptomycin hypersensitivity development and its association with microbial allergy were studied on 75 guinea pigs . A model of retarded allergy was obtained by the animal sensitization with streptomycin in doses of 20 000 gamma per 1 kg of the body weight . Two procedures were used for the animal sensitization, i.e . with the use of the Freund adjuvant or without it . Positive skin-allergic tests to streptomycin (mainly 24-hour) were registered 2 weeks after discontinuation of the sensitization and persisted for the whole observation period (up to 6--8 weeks) . The tests for the leucocyte migration were also positive and precipitating antibodies were found in the serum according to the Hoigne method . Simultaneous sensitization with streptomycin and staphylococci resulted in some suppression of the development of retarded hypersensitivity to the microbial antigen . Subsequent sensitization at first with staphylococci and then with streptomycin favoured a mutual increase in the allergic reconstruction to both antigens . The histomorphological studies confirmed the data of the immunoallergological examination. J Infect Dis, 1978 Mar, 137(3), 245 - 50 In vitro activity of cephalosporins against methicillin-resistant, coagulase-negative staphylococci; Laverdiere M et al.; The in vitro activity of five cephalosporins, gentamicin, and vancomycin was determined against 41 clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant, coagulase-negative staphylococci . Results obtained with disk diffusion and agar dilution methods failed to show complete cross-resistance between methicillin and four of the five cephalosporins despite the use of a high-salt medium and a large inoculum . Thirty-six (88%) of the 41 isolates were sensitive to cephalothin by a standardized disk diffusion method, whereas 23 isolates (56%) were sensitive to cephalothin with use of an agar dilution method and a large inoculum . Of these 23 isolates, only 11 (47%) were both inhibited and killed by less than or equal to 6.25 microgram of cephalothin/ml . The inhibitory and bactericidal activity of gentamicin was greater than that of vancomycin and cephalothin . These results suggest that the disk diffusion technique has limitations in determining the in vitro activity of cephalosporins against methicillin-resistant, coagulase-negative staphylococci and that cephalothin exhibits poor bactericidal activity against these same isolates. Arch Intern Med, 1978 Mar, 138(3), 487 - 8 Septic shock with Micrococcus luteus; Albertson D et al.; Micrococcus luteus is considered a non-pathogenic saprophyte of human skin and eye . Disease in man caused by this organism is not recorded in medical literature . We present a case of septic shock cause by M luteus . The value of this report is to document the pathogenicity of coagulase-negative staphylococci in patients without valvular heart disease, surgically implanted artifificial prosthetic devices, or polyethylene intravenous catheters. Genetika, 1978 Mar, 14(3), 554 - 7 {Elimination of extrachromosomal streptomycin resistance in staphylococci by experimental variations in geomagnetic field intensity}; Pavlovich SA et al.; The article comprises the data on the elimination of streptomycin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus after its passage for a long time in a low permanent magenetic field (PMF) with H = 0.5 oe and in a space screened from the geomagnetic field in a permaloy chamber (H = 10(-2) . Under these conditions the eliminating effect of the geomagnetic field intensity on the streptomycin resistance of Staphylococci became perceptible after 5--10 their passage under unusual conditions . At the next stages of investigation the eliminating effect of low PMF and of screening was enhanced . At the end of the experiment after 25--40 passages of Staphylococcus aureus throung MF of different intensity the elimination of streptomycin resistance was recorded in all the 11 cultures studied . The quantity of eliminates in populations of experimental substrains of Staphylococcus increased by 1.5--10 and more times as compared to the control. Antibiotiki, 1978 Mar, 23(3), 268 - 72 {Results of 10 years of use of lincomycin (1966-1976) in the clinics of the N . N . Priorov Central Research Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics}; Mel'nikova VM et al.; During 10 years 1063 patients were treated with lincomycin used parentally or orally at the N . N . Priorov Central Research Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedy . The doses and the rate of its use depended on the state of the patient, its age and weight . Lincomycin was used for the treatment of patients with osteomyelitis or purulent wound infection, as well as for prophylaxis of suppuration . The drug was used for a long period of time under conditions of the same hospital, and it was shown that it remained up to the present days highly effective in therapy of infections and especially bone infections caused by staphylococci sensitive to it . The 10-year study of staphylococcal sensitivity to lincomycin revealed an insignificant increase in the development of resistance to it . The paper presents data on the importance of adequate surgical interventions in addition to the antibiotic therapy in cases with bone infections . A possibility of lincomycin combined use with other antibiotics and gentamicin or kanamycin in particular was shown . Complications, such as diarrhea and urticaria were registered in 11 patients. Am J Vet Res, 1978 Mar, 39(3), 485 - 9 Collection and cultivation of and phagocytosis by pulmonary macrophages obtained from hysterectomy-derived pigs; Williams PP; Methods were developed for procuring phagocytically active macrophages from porcine lung with minimal damage to respiratory tissues . Procedures included anesthetizing, surgically introducing a T-shaped tracheal catheter, and repeatedly flushing the respiratory tract . Macrophages collected in this manner were characterized as to numbers, types, and phagocytic activity, nonselective lavage of the pulmonary airways of unstimulated and stimulated (evoking agent: thioglycolate medium) animals yielded 5 X 10(7) and 11 X 10(7) respiratory cells per pig, respectively . Because sufficient quantities (300 to 600 cells/test) of unstimulated cells were collected, stimulated cells contaminated with thioglycolate were not further tested . Morphologically, unstimulated macrophages were mainly spherical and mononucleated by variable in size, ranging from 9 to 30 micrometer . Culturally, macrophages adhered to plastic or glass surfaces and readily phagocytized fungal spores, staphylococci, and latex particles in an enrichment medium containing greater than or equal to 20% bovine fetal serum . Macrophages failed to replicate during a 3-week maintenance period . The data suggest that porcine phagocytes of the pulmonary system comprise a free-cell population that is a major surface-constitutive part of the luminal surface of the airways. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1978 Feb, 35(2), 264 - 8 Identification of enterotoxigenic staphylococci from sheep and sheep cheese; Hajek V; The total of 127 Staphylococcus aureus strains obtained from sheep and sheep cheese were examined for their biochemical activities, biotypes, phage patterns, and ability to produce enterotoxins . Of the 83 staphylococcal strains isolated from animals 77 (93%) were classified as the C biotype . Of this group of sheep-adapted strains, 61 (79%) were sensitive to phage 78, and 46 (60%) produced enterotoxin C exclusively . The three isolated belonging to the A biotype produced enterotoxin D, and two of the three unclassifiable strains produced enterotoxin A . Of the 44 staphylococcal strains isolated from sheep cheese, there were 37 (84%) identified as the C biotype . From this series, 31 (84%) strains were lysed with phage 78, 6 (16%) strains produced enterotoxin C, and 1 strain produced enterotoxin A . One of the six strains determined as the A biotype produced enterotoxin D . C biotype strains, especially of ovine origin, are an exception among animal staphylococci, because a large number of them are enterotoixgenic . The C antigenic type is the most usual of the known enterotoxins in staphylococci of animal provenance. J Clin Pathol, 1978 Feb, 31(2), 153 - 5 Effect of bacterial flora on staphylococcal colonisation of the newborn; Speck WT et al.; The umbilical and nasopharyngeal flora of newborn infants was examined on days 3, 14, and 42 of life . An analysis of the bacteriological findings suggests that colonisation by either Staphylococcus aureus or Staph . epidermidis prevents colonisation by the other staphylococcus . Similarly, colonisation by Gram-negative bacteria prevents colonisation by staphylococci . Further, this bacterial interference lasts for as long as 42 days, which suggests the possibility of artificially colonising newborns with nonpathogens to prevent subsequent colonisation and disease by virulent microorganisms. J Immunol, 1978 Feb, 120(2), 607 - 12 Transplantation in minature swine . IV . Chemical characterization of MSLA and Ia-like antigens; Lunney JK et al.; Immunochemical analyses of radioactively labeled lymphocyte antigens from miniature swine of three different homozygous major histocompatibility (MHC) types, AA, CC, and DD, have been performed . Anti-MHC sera were incubated with lentil lectin purified Nonidet P-40 swine lymphocyte extracts . Antigen-antibody complexes were then precipitated with protein A bearing staphylococci, eluted, and electrophoresed on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gels . Analysis of antigens from AA or DD cells revealed peaks of 42,000, 31,000, 25,000, and 11,000 dalton m.w . Platelet absorption of the anti-MHC sera yielded antibodies that only precipitated the intermediate m.w . molecules and lysed a subpopulation of swine peripheral blood lymphocytes, suggesting that these molecules were the miniature swine analogues of murine Ia antigens . Antibodies eluted from platelets lysed all lymphocyte populations and precipitated only the 42,000 and 11,000 dalton peaks, indicating that these molecules represent the analogue of murine H-2 histocompatibility antigens, containing a heavy chain and putative swine beta2-microglobulin. Acta Ophthalmol (Copenh), 1978 Feb, 56(1), 11 - 9 Cloxacillin distribution in the rabbit eye after intravenous injection; Salminen L; Distribution of isotopically labelled and intravenously injected cloxacillin was studied in rabbit eye . The antibiotic concentration determined by liquid scintillation counting proved to be a reliable measure of the total antibiotic concentration when controlled by microbiological assay . In the rabbit eye after an intravenous injection of 50 mg/kg of cloxacillin sodium, longlasting antibiotic concentration regarded as therapeutic against penicillinase producing staphylococci was obtained in all vascularized ocular structures and in the cornea . The antibiotic present in the iris and ciliary body, and in the retina and choroid preparations, proved to be partly intravascular, whereas it penetrated better into the extravascular tissue compartment of the sclera and limbal area . Cloxacillin failed to achieve a therapeutic antibiotic concentration in the vitreous body and in the lens . Administration of probenecid had an enhancing effect on ocular cloxacillin concentration allowing improved drug diffusion into the eye by means of an elevated plasma concentration . No specific ocular effect of probenecid was noticed . Therapeutic concentration of cloxacillin in the aqueous humour, otherwise barely achieved, was more satisfactorily obtained with a previous injection of probenecid. Lab Anim Sci, 1978 Feb, 28(1), 85 - 8 Bacterial endocarditis with obstruction of the right atrioventricular orifice and the pulmonary outflow trace in an African monkey (Cercopithecus aethiops); Wood LL et al.; A 7 to 8-year-old male African green monkey (Cercopithecus aethiops) was found moribund in his cage . Fluid and antibiotic therapy were administered, but the monkey dies 2 hours later . At necropsy, large septic mural thrombi obstructed the right atrioventricular orifice and the pulmonary outflow tract, and smaller septic thrombi were attached to the leaflets of the pulmonary and mitral valves . Staphylococci were isolated from the large thrombus occluding the atrioventricular orifice . Large abscesses were present in the upper and lower lobes of the right lung, and small, wedge shaped infarcts were present in the lungs and kidneys . The clinical and pathologic findings were consistent with a rapidly progressive form of bacterial endocarditis . This was the only case of vegetative bacterial endocarditis seen at this instituion in 700 necropsies of nonhuman primates. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand {C}, 1978 Feb, 86(1), 33 - 5 An indirect immunofluorescent antibody test for determination of Rubella virus specific IgM antibodies . Elimination of secondary IgM rheumatoid factor staining after absorption of serum IgG with Staphylococcal protein A; Skaug K et al.; Absorption of sera with protein A rich staphylococci eliminated unwanted secondary IgM staining caused by rheumatoid factors in the indirect immunofluorescence test for rubella virus antibodies . The absorption did not lower the sensitivity for IgM rubella antibodies as compared with the haemagglutination inhibition test on the IgM serum fractions obtained by ultracentrifugation. Arch Virol, 1978, 57(3), 271 - 82 Assay of antibodies to caliciviruses by radioimmune precipitation using staphylococcal protein A as IgG adsorbent; Soergel ME et al.; A radioimmune assay method designated St-RIP using a staphylococcal IgG adsorbent, which potentially has broad applications to viral (and nonviral) antigen-antibody systems, was applied to detection of calicivirus antibodies . Purified 125I-labeled virions of San Miguel sea lion virus serotypes 4 (SMSV-4) and 5 (SMSV 5) were incubated with sera; the immune complexes were reacted with an immunoadsorbent, formaldehyde-fixed staphylococci (Staphylococcus aureus protein A producer, strain Cowan I), and collected by centrifugation . Broad cross-reactivity was observed among serotypes of SMSV and vesicular exanthema of swine virus (VESV), but there was no reaction with antisera to six noncaliciviruses . Antibody production in a rabbit inoculated with SMSV-5 polypeptide was monitored by St-RIP assay; reactivity with intact SMSV-4 virion antigen was slightly less than, but closely paralleled, reactivity with SMSV-5 virion antigen . Applicability of the St-RIP test to serologic survey was demonstrated with pinniped, swine, and human (laboratory personnel) sera; numerous positive St-RIP reactions suggested the occurrence of widespread contacts with caliciviruses. J Immunol Methods, 1978, 22(1-2), 91 - 7 II . Ultrastructural differences in attachment patterns of indicator cells to target cells in the rosette-forming process; Mandache E et al.; A comparison was made of the electron microscopic appearances of rosettes formed between mouse spleen lymphocytes and indicator cells with the ligands exposed on their surfaces either in clusters or in continuity . Sheep red blood cells (SRBC) coated with protein A of Staphylococcus aureus or human IgG by the chromium chloride technique were used as indicator cells with cluster distribution of the ligand . RBC coated with rabbit IgG anti-sheep red blood cells or staphylococci were used as indicator cells with uniform distribution of the ligand . Results show that the appearance of the zones of contact (point attachment or broad zone attachment) between lymphocytes and indicator cells are mainly influenced by the distribution of the specific ligands on the surface of the indicator cells and do not reflect the pattern of distribution of receptors on lymphocytes. Vopr Med Khim, 1978 Jan-Feb, 24(1), 35 - 42 {Activity of myocardial, kidney and serum isoenzymes in experimental staphylococcal infection}; Kashkin KP et al.; Alteration in activity and spectrum of multiple forms of some enzymes were studied in rat blood serum, myocardium and kidney cells in dynamics of staphylococcal infection as well as after administration of exo- and intracellular protein of staphylococci into animals . In the infection intracellular distribution of enzymes was impared in animal tissues studied and "tissue" isoforms of enzymes were accumulated in blood . Staphylococcal exo- and intracellular substances were found to effect dissimilarly on spectrum and activity of isoenzymes from rat kydney, myocardium and blood serum. J Natl Cancer Inst, 1978 Jan, 60(1), 167 - 72 Enhancement of growth of allogeneic mouse tumor by the IgG1 fraction of alloantibody preparations; Harris TN et al.; Because staphylococcal protein A binds all the known subclasses of mouse IgG except IgG1, ethanol-fixed staphylococci were used as an adsorbent to prepare IgG1 fractions of anti-BALB/c alloantibody-containing globulins and normal globulins of the same strains . The loss of more than 99% of the IgG2 as a result of this adsorption was demonstrated by immunodiffusion . The IgG1 fractions of C3H and CBA anti-BALB/c globulins were tested for their effect on growth of the BALB/c plasmacytomas MOPC-315 and MOPC-460 in C3H and CBA mice by incubation with the tumor cells before transplantation and by injection periodically thereafter into the hosts . With alloantibody-containing globulins that showed slight enhancement of growth of these tumors, or none, the IgG1 preparations caused considerable enhancement of tumor growth . Control preparations of normal C3H or CBA globulins, or IgG1 fractions similarly prepared from the normal globulins, showed no enhancing effect on the growth of these tumors. Arch Virol, 1978, 56(1-2), 177 - 80 Further studies on the Cowan strain of Staphylococcus aureus as an aid for the diagnosis of influenza; Zalan E et al.; Standardization of procedures leading to the identification of influenza viruses with the aid of sensitized staphylococci and also comparative studies between coagglutination and HI during 1976/77 influenza season are described. Nord Vet Med, 1978 Jan, 30(1), 15 - 17 In vitro antibiotic sensitivity test of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from mastitic milk; Bakken G et al.; The antibiotic susceptibility of 2297 strains of Staphylococci aureus isolated from mastitic milk has been tested . The percentage of strains of S . aureus "resistant" to penicillin was 16.5% . Approximately 97% of these strains were susceptible both to tetracyclines and sulfonamides . The frequency of "resistant" strains is in good agreement with the results from a comparable survey done ten years ago . In this investigation, however, the strains of S . aureus showed great variation in their sensitivity to penicillin according to their geographical origin . Thus, the percentage "resistant" strains within counties varied from a minimum of 9.26 to a maximum of 53.05. J Immunol Methods, 1978, 20, 241 - 53 Use of staphylococcal protein A as an immunological reagent; Goding JW; This brief review summarises the major uses of staphylococcal protein A in immunology . Protein A is covalently linked to the cell wall of most strains of Staphylococcus aureus, and binds immunoglobulin molecules with high affinity . The principal molecule bo-nd is IgG, although in many cases binding is restricted to certain IgG subclasses . Some IgM and IgA binds in certain species . This property allows rapid, simple and economical methods for the purification and analysis of immunoglobulins, and the fractionation of subclasses which are difficult to separate by other means . Fractionation on protein A affinity columns is a simple and efficient way of separating immunoglobulin F (ab) and F (ab')2 from Fc fragments . Intact staphylococci are useful as a solid phase adsorbent for isolating antigen-antibody complexes, membrane antigens and receptors, and to replace 'second antibody' in radioimmunoassay . Finally, protein A has proven useful for the study of antigens and receptors on the surface of intact cells, and for the detection of antibody-secreting cells . Thus, the use of protein A is now the method of choice for many preparative and analytical purposes in immunology. Obstet Gynecol, 1978 Jan, 51(1), 123 - 7 Wound infections and systemic antibiotic prophylaxis in gynecologic surgery . A review; Chodak GW et al.; The gynecologic literature was reviewed and yielded 11 well-designed and well-conducted studies since 1960 involving the use of systemic prophylactic antibiotics . Five had significant results that support using prophylactic antibiotics in vaginal hysterectomy while three supported prophylaxis in cesarean sections . A cephalosporin agent is effective as a prophylactic agent and should be administered 2 hours before surgery by the intravenous route and discontinued 24-72 hours after surgery . A change in the bacteriologic flora of the cervical cuff occurs after surgery with an increase in E . coli and enterococci and a decrease in coagulose negative staphylococci and steptococci . Future studies should be randomized, prospective, and performed in a double-blind manner with antibiotics begun preoperatively . Special attention should be given to bacteriologic techniques, especially the search for anaerobic pathogens. Acta Med Scand, 1978, 204(6), 521 - 8 Acquired von Willebrand's disease caused by a monoclonal antibody; Zettervall O et al.; A 67-year-old man with malignant lymphoma and acquired von Willebrand's disease is described . His bleeding symptoms started late in life and at this time a monoclonal IgGK serum protein was found . He had a prolonged bleeding time, decreased platelet adhesiveness, low values for factor VIII clotting activity (VIII:C), factor VIII related antigen (VIIIR:Ag) and ristocetin co-factor activity (VIII:Rcof) . Infusion of factor VIII concentrates (fraction I-0) did not correct the abnormalities . No inhibitory activity in vitro of the patient's plasma or IgG fraction could be demonstrated against VIII:C, VIIIR:Ag and VIII:Rcof . In order to demonstrate an antibody that binds factor VIII without inhibiting its biological activities in vitro, advantage was taken of the fact that staphylococcal protein A strongly binds the Fc part of IgG molecules . Addition of staphylococci to mixtures of patient IgG and a factor VIII preparation resulted in removal of all factor VIII activities (VIII:C, VIIIR:Ag, VIII:Rcof) from the supernatant at sedimentation of the bacteria . The active binding principle was the M-component, i.e . probably a monospecific antibody molecule . We hypothesize that the complex is formed in vivo and eliminated at an accelerated rate. Zentralbl Chir, 1978, 103(9), 560 - 6 {Immunologic examination after posttraumatic splenectomy in childhood (author's transl)}; Passl R et al.; Immunologic examination was done in 26 patients on to 20 years after posttraumatic splenectomy at the age of 3 to 6 years of life . Immunologic parameters used were: concentration of IgG, IgA, IgM, isoagglutinins, heterophila antibodies, agglutinins against staphylococci E . coli and pertussis, serum opsonins for E . coli and pneumococci, serum haemolytic complement activity, C3C4, B- and T- subpopulations of lymphocytes, inhibition migration of mononnuclear cells with E . coli . Pathologic susceptibility to infections was not observed clinically . IgM, E . coli agglutinins and E . coli opsonins were significantly lower in the postsplenectomy group than in controls. Derm Beruf Umwelt, 1978, 26(5), 147 - 55 {Lyell' syndrome: a review with special regard to the form caused by drugs (author's transl)}; Ruzicka T et al.; The clinical evolution of Lyell' syndrome (LS), its complications, the histological findings, the nosological position and the differentiation from erythema exsudativum multiforme are dealt with . There are at least two etiological forms of LS: the LS caused by staphylococci, and the LS caused by drugs . The former mainly occurs in children, and is caused by staphylococci of the phagous group II, while the latter is mainly caused by sulfonamides, pyrazolones, penicillines, barbiturates and salicylates . The causative responsibility of a certain drug can be proved by three criteria: 1 . Relapse of LS after exposure to the same drug . 2 . Allergy to the drug taken before the onset of LS . 3 . Positive allergy tests . The hypothesis concerning the pathogenesis of LS caused by drugs, the differential diagnosis and therapeutical guidelines are dealt with. Vet Med Nauki, 1978, 15(8), 87 - 90 {Phage relationships of coagulase-positive staphylococci isolated from raw and pasteurized cow's milk}; Bail'ozov D et al.; Studied is the behaviour to phages of 136 strains of coagulase positive cstaphylococci, isolated from raw (82), pasteurized milk stored in tanks (30) and pasteurized milk in bottles (24) . The Staphylococcus aureus strains investigated are sensitive to bovine phages and, above all, to those of the 4th group (102, 107, 117 and 42D) or in combination with them . No lyses are established in the 1st and 3rd phage groups . The 107/117 and 107/117/42D are the phage types most frequently identified . The same phage types are found in both raw and pasteurized cow milk . It is established that 82 per cent of the Staphylococcus aureus strains studied with the rystal-violet test belong to types A and B after Meyer. Microbios, 1978, 18(73-74), 213 - 21 A separation of staphylococci and micrococci based on serological reactivity with antiserum specific for polyglycerophosphate; Hamada S et al.; A serological reaction with the antiserum against heterophile polyglycerophosphate (PGP) was evaluated for genus level differentiation among strains of Staphylococcus and Micrococcus-Sarcina spp. . Hot saline extracts from whole cells of Staphylococcus spp . strongly reacted with the PGP antiserum, whereas those of Micrococcus-Sarcina spp . did not . Likewise, phenol-water extracts from whole cells of Micrococcus-Sarcina spp . were not reactive with the PGP antiserum, although the extracts of staphylococcal cells again gave a strong reaction with the antiserum . This study indicates that extracts from Micrococcus-Sarcina spp . have no antigen reactive with the PGP antiserum and can thus be differentiated from extracts of Staphylococcus spp . which react strongly with the PGP antiserum. Med Microbiol Immunol (Berl), 1977 Dec 27, 163(4), 261 - 8 A radioimmunoassay for tetanus antibodies using protein A - containing Staphylococcus aureus; Habermann E et al.; To measure tetanus antibodies a trace amount of 125I-labeled tetanus toxin is mixed with appropriate dilutions of human serum or blood . The labeled antigen-antibody complexes are adsorbed to heat-killed staphylococci (Cowan I) via their surface protein A . The radioactivity of the washed solid phase is a function of the initial antibody concentration . The test allows the measurement of 6 X 10(-0) U of tetanus antitoxin in a volume of 0.03 ml . In order to avoid possible interferences, serum has to be diluted 20-fold before use . Taking that into account, the real border limit of sensitivity is 4 X 10(-3) U/ml serum . Antibodies may be measured in serum, in plasma, and even in heparinized blood . As to its sensitivity, the test compares well with the toxin neutralization procedure . It is superior to the previous radioimmunologic, enzymoimmunologic, and hemagglutination techniques with respect to sensitivity and reproducibility . It reflects the values obtained in the toxin neutralization test better than the other in vitro procedures, as shown by parallel assays of 17 sera. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand {C}, 1977 Dec, 85C(6), 406 - 12 Surface markers in non-phagocytic hairy cell leukemia; Matre R et al.; By phase contrast and scanning electron microscopy hairy cells were demonstrated in the peripheral blood, bone marrow and spleen of a patient with hairy cell leukemia . Immunofluorescent tests revealed IgD on the surface of 92 per cent, IgG, on 76 per cent, IgM on 12 per cent and albumin on 95 per cent of the cells from the spleen . After overnight culture, IgG and albumin were detected on 4 and 6 per cent of the cells respectively, while the number of IgD and IgM positive cells persisted . Fifty-two per cent of the hairy cells formed rosettes with erythrocytes sensitized with IgG antibodies (EA), whereas 70 per cent formed rosettes after trypsin and protease treatment . The hairy cells did not form rosettes with erythrocytes sensitized with IgM antibodies and complement (EAC), or with sheep and mouse erythrocytes . Cryostat sections of spleen strongly adsorbed EA, whereas no adsorption occurred with EAC or sheep erythrocytes . The hairy cells did not phagocytize latex particles or ingest a strain on yellow staphylococci . The results suggest that hairy cells from this patient probably were of B-lymphocyte origin. Scott Med J, 1977 Dec, 22(5), 381 - 7 Erythromycin resistance in neonatal staphylococcal infection: a long-term survey; Forfar JO; Twenty years ago staphylococcal infection was a major problem among newborn infants in hospitals . Hygienic measures had not proved very effective and the use of antibiotics, although clearly open to question, seemed a possible method of control . Erythromycin, a new antibiotic effective against staphylococci, had just been introduced but reports from the United States suggested that resistance could occur within months of usage . In trials in two hospitals in which erythromycin was not being used elsewhere, erythromycin resistance developed but took years to do so . The longer the period of usage was extended the greater the resistance . Withdrawal of the drug resulted ultimately in the disappearance of resistance . The resistant staphylococci spread throughout the hospital . The staphylococcal infection rate in the units where erythromycin was used did not fall but the mortality rate from staphylococcal infection did. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1977 Dec, 34(6), 673 - 80 Temporal study of the staphylococci and micrococci of normal infant skin; Carr DL et al.; Staphylococcus and Micrococcus populations were collected from the healthy skin of 10 infant subjects . Infants were sampled from 1 day to 32 weeks of age . Species were characterized by approximately 30 different morphological, physiological, and biochemical characters . Staphylococci were the predominant inhabitants of normal skin, whereas micrococci were found only occasionally in this environment . Staphylococcus epidermidid, S . haemolyticus, and S . hominis were the predominant and persistent staphylococci . These species constituted a high percentage of the total aerobic bacterial flora of infant skin . Micrococcus luteus and M . kristinae were the prevalent micrococci found on infant skin . Only limited correlation between Staphyloccus and Micrococcus populations and infant age or body area sampled was indicated by this study. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1977 Dec, 34(6), 740 - 4 Destruction of Staphylococcus aureus during frankfurter processing; Palumbo SA et al.; We studied the thermal resistance of Staphylococcus aureus during frankfurter processing in respect to whether staphylococci are killed by the heating step of the process and whether heat injury interferes with the quantitative estimation of the survivors . With S . aureus 198E, heat injury could be demonstrated only when large numbers of cells (10(8)/g) were present and at a product temperature of 140 degrees F (60 degrees C) . On tryptic soy agar and tryptic soy agar plus 7% NaCl media, at temperatures less than 140 degrees F, the counts were virtually identical; above 140 degrees F, the counts converged, with the organisms dying so rapidly that heat injury was not demonstrable . Heat injury was thus judged not to interfere with the quantitative estimation of staphylococci surviving the normal commercial heating given frankfurters . By using a combination of direct plating on tryptic soy agar and a most-probable-number technique, we detected no viable cells (less than 0.3/g) of several strains of S . aureus in frankfurters heated to 160 degrees F (71.1 degrees C) . This temperature is compatible with the normal final temperature to which federally inspected processors heat their frankfurters and with the temperature needed to destroy salmonellae. Pathol Biol (Paris), 1977 Dec, 25(10), 685 - 9 {Virginiamycin resistance in staphylococci (author's transl)}; de Meester C et al.; Virginiamycin M factor transformation into an o-acetyl derivative has been observed in a particular Staphylococcus strain, naturally resistant to virginiamycin (Vr) . It could not be detected in induced strains nor in sensitive ones . Turbidimetric studies with the naturally resistant strain showed that increasing concentration of the antibiotic had a progressive prolongation effect on the lag phase, without change in the growth rate . The prolonged lag phase could be reduced or eliminated by using an inoculum of cells previously "adapted" to M factor or virginiamycin . Preadapted cells had an increased acetylating power . Acridine dye treated cells showed a decreased o-acetyl derivative formation . This all suggested that virginiamycin resistance in the particular Vr strain was effectively connected with o-acetylation of the M factor. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1977 Dec, 239(4), 527 - 34 {Tetracyclines: bacteriostatic or bactericidal drugs? In vitro studies with rolitetracycline, minocycline and doxycycline (author's transl)}; Daschner F; Minimal bacteriostatic and minimal bactericidal concentrations of rolitetracycline, minocycline and doxycycline on 20 different E . coli serotypes and 16 staphylococcus aureus strains have been compared in bouillon and serum . In addition growth curves of all strains in bouillon and serum without and with antibiotics in concentrations corresponding to the minimal inhibitory concentration of each strain have been followed for 24 hours . In E . coli minimal bactericidal concentrations of all 3 tetracyclines in bouillon on average were only twice as high as the minimal bacteriostatic concentrations of the drugs, tested . Minimal bacteriostatic and bactericidal concentrations in serum were significantly lower than in bouillon . 27 out of 20 E . coli strains were inhibited by less than 0.012 microgram/ml . In staphylococci minimal bactericidal concentrations were substantially higher than the minimal bacteriostatic concentrations (on average at least four times higher) . In E . coli addition of serum increased the antimicrobial activity of all tetracyclines tested . Growth curves in bouillon tended to show some bactericidal shape at 3, 7 and 24 hours following addition of the tetracyclines at minimal bacteriostatic concentrations . Bactericidal activity of tetracyclines at the MIC was substantially improved by addition of serum . This was not true for staphylococci in which neither minimal bactericidal and bacteriostatic concentrations nor growth curves could be significantly improved by addition of serum. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1977 Dec, 34(6), 797 - 800 Beneficial effects of catalase or pyruvate in a most-probable-number technique for the detection of Staphylococcus aureus; Brewer DG et al.; The effects of the addition of catalase (EC 1.11.1.6) or pyruvate on the enumeration of Staphylococcus aureus in Trypticase soy broth with 10% NaCl were examined using a most-probable-number technique . Addition of catalase or pyruvate to the broth increased enumeration of all heat-stressed S . aureus strains tested . Increases were also observed with nonstressed cells . Catalase and pyruvate were similarly effective when added to Trypticase soy broth-10% NaCl in enumerating staphylococci naturally present in low-temperature-rendered ground-beef samples. Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1977 Nov-Dec, 128B(4), 475 - 86 {Serological analysis of coagulase-negative staphylococci: study of characteristic agglutinogens in type strains of the nine species individualized by Schleifer and Kloos (author's transl)}; Pillet J et al.; The occurrence of characteristic agglutinogens has been searched for in the type strains of the following species: Staphylococcus xylosus, S . cohnii, S . epidermidis, S . capitis, S . saprophyticus, S . warneri, S . haemolyticus, S . hominis and S . simulans . Serotyping of these nine strains and study of their antisera have been carried out with formalin-treated and autoclaved bacteria . It has been shown that the characteristic agglutinogens of S . epidermidis and S . haemolyticus were respectively identical to the agglutinogens previously described in the coagulase-negative type strain 52.186 and in the S . aureus type strain 18 . Characteristic agglutinogens have been found in each of the other seven type strains . Agglutinogens found in S . xylosus and S . saprophyticus are thermolabile, the corresponding absorbed sera reacting only with the formalin-treated homologous strain . Concerning S . cohnii, S . capitis, S . hominis and S . simulans, their absorbed sera reacting both with formalin-treated and autoclaved homologous strains, the observed reactions can be accounted either by one thermostable agglutinogen or by two characteristic agglutinogens, one thermostable, the other thermolabile . In S . warneri, only one thermostable agglutinogen has been characterized, the specificity of the reaction observed between the absorbed S . warneri antiserum and the homologous formalin-treated strain having to be confirmed . The use for serotyping of absorbed sera prepared against the type strains of the species S . xylosus, S . cohnii, S . capitis, S . saprophyticus, S . warneri, S . hominis and S . simulans should permit to improve the individualization of coagulase-negative staphylococci. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1977 Nov, 239(3), 322 - 5 TLG medium for pigment detection of staphylococci; Schindler J; The semidefined medium (TLG) for carotenoid pigment production of staphylococci consists of 0.3% triacetin, 0.1% sodium lactate and 0.1% glucose in nutrient agar . The TLG is used for harvesting of cells for pigment extraction or, with calcium carbonate added, for colour determination of colonies. Jpn J Antibiot, 1977 Nov, 30(11), 893 - 7 {Clinical experience with sustained release cefalexin (S-6436) in surgery (author's transl)}; Takenaka M et al.; Sustained release cephalexin (S-6436) was studied in 23 outpatients (20 males, 3 females) who visited surgery of our hospital . The summary of the study is as follows: 1) The drug was administered for 2 approximately 8 days and the average was 3.5 days . Clinical effectiveness was 87.0% with the following breakdown: excellent 4, good 16, and poor 3 . 2) Causative organisms isolated from the patients showing excellent effectiveness were all staphylococci . 3) No side effects were observed in any patients receiving the drug . From the above results, it is expected that S-6436 has good effectiveness and can be used as a first choice drug to outpatients with mild infections such as superficial infections who want to go to the office or school over their receiving the treatment. Immunology, 1977 Nov, 33(5), 767 - 76 Effect of cyclophosphamide on delayed hypersensitivity to Staphylococcus aureus in mice; Easmon CS et al.; Mice given cyclophosphamide 2-3 days before a single subcutaneous infection with Staphylococcus aures on cotton dust develop much more delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) than normal . The enhancement is due to removal of rapidly dividing cells from the spleen . Passive transfer experiments before infection or before challenge show that immune serum suppresses the induction but not the expression but do not prevent induction . There may therefore be 2 suppressor or regulating systems involved . Cell commitment to suppressor function may be self-limiting . The results explain why DTH to staphylococci is only fully established after repeated infections and support the view that the suppressor system may function as a check on the excessive and potentially harmful development of DTH. Infect Immun, 1977 Nov, 18(2), 405 - 11 Potentiation of mouse peritoneal macrophage antibacterial functions by treatment of the donor animals with the methanol extraction residue fraction of tubercle bacilli; Gallily R et al.; Administration to inbred mice of the methanol extraction residue fraction of tubercle bacilli by some, but not by all, routes affected markedly the in vitro phagocytic and antibacterial capacities of their peritoneal macrophages harvested several days to weeks after treatment . Phagocytosis of living {3H}thymidine- labeled Staphylococcus albus and Staphylococcus aureus organisms, but not of Listeria monocytogenes, was markedly enhanced . Uptake of the deoxyribonucleic acid precursor thymidine by the phagocytized staphylococci was consistently and significantly inhibited in macrophages taken from methanol extraction residue-treated donors . Such macrophages also displayed a significant facility to reduce the viability of intracellular S . albus and L . monocytogenes, but not of S . aureus, under the present experimental conditions. Am J Med Sci, 1977 Nov-Dec, 274(3), 303 - 10 The syndrome of post-splenectomy fulminant sepsis . Case report and review of the literature; Kitchens CS; Three years after splenectomy, a middle-aged woman had two separate episodes of fulminant bacterial sepsis . She recovered each time with prompt and appropriate treatment . Her immunologic system was examined and found to be normal with respect to antibody formation against diphtheria and tetanus toxoid, granulocyte killing of staphylococci and serum opsonizing activity . Granulocytes, bursa-equivalent (B) and thymus-dependent (T) lymphocytes and serum immunoglobulins were quantitatively normal . She produced antibody against subcutaneously injected polyvalent pneumococcal vaccine . She demonstrated cutaneous anergy . The literature on this syndrome was reviewed in an attempt to ascertain why hyposplenic patients are subject of fulminant bacterial, chiefly pneumococcal, sepsis . The probably explanation is the delayed production of antibodies against the phagocytic-resistant capsule of certain bacteria which the host had not previously encountered . The incidence of this syndrome appears to be on the order of 0.5 to 1.0%/year for splenectomized older children and adults . As the syndrome is seen chiefly in splenectomized or othewise hyposplenic patients, a causal relationship seems to exist. Arch Microbiol, 1977 Oct 24, 115(1), 25 - 35 The demonstration of the existence of an interlayer between the cytoplasmic membrane and the cell wall proper of staphylococci; Giesbrecht P et al.; By disintegration of the cell wall of staphylococci a definite interlayer located between the cytoplasmic membrane and the cell wall proper could be demonstrated for the first time (MW-interlayer) . This MW-interlayer contains a sort of "cloddy" material in which clusters of embedded ring-like disks are hexagonally arranged in a crystal-like manner . The ring-like disks, approximately 40 A in diameter and with center-to-center spacings of approximately 75 A, -lie in direct contact either with a rhombically arranged fibrillar network of the outer parts of the cytoplasmic membrane or they themselves are part of (or interconnected by) such an apparently rhombical network . The crystal-like arranged ring-like disks of the interlayer between the cytoplasmic membrane and the cell wall shall be called MW-particles in order to differentiate them from intramembrane particles and particles on the outer surface of the cell wall . At present, nothing more than speculation on the function of the MW-particles located within the space where final processes of the cell wall polymerization are taking place is possible. Antibiotiki, 1977 Oct, 22(10), 933 - 8 {Principles of antibacterial chemotherapy of wound infection in traumatology and orthopedics}; Mel'nikova VM et al.; Staphylococci have been mainly isolated presently from the wounds of the traumatological and orthopedic patients . Sensitivity of the out-of hospital and hospital staphylococcal strains was studied . Higher sensitivity of the out-of-hospital strains was showed . Directed antibiotic therapy, control of the treatment courses, doses, drug levels in the blood serum and infection foci provided more effective results in patients with purulent complications. J Bone Joint Surg Am, 1977 Oct, 59(7), 856 - 9 The penetration characteristics of cefazolin, cephalothin, and cephradine into bone in patients undergoing total hip replacement; Cunha BA et al.; Preoperatively, to prevent infection, seventy-one patients who were to have total hip arthroplasty were given one gram of cephalothin, cephradine, or cefazolin intravenously . Simultaneous samples of bone and serum were obtained after various time intervals and assayed for cephalosporin concentration to correlate the antibiotic concentrations in these sites with time . Of the cephalosporins tested, cefazolin achieved the highest total peak levels in bone (thirty micrograms per gram), followed in descending order by cephradine (twenty-three micrograms per gram) and cephalothin (2.8 micrograms per gram) . These peak levels in bone, reached twenty-five to forty minutes after injection, were sixty, 6.7, and fifteen times higher than the usual mean minimum inhibitory concentrations of cefazolin, cephradine, and cephalothin, respectively, for penicillin-resistant staphylococci . The half-lives of the antibiotics in bone were forty-two, forty, and thirty minutes, respectively. J Cell Physiol, 1977 Oct, 93(1), 105 - 16 Membrane transport by guinea pig peritoneal exudate leukocytes: effect of phagocytosis on hexose and amino acid transport; Straus DC et al.; Short term, carrier mediated transport of D-glucose, L-leucine and L-lysine by guinea pig peritoneal macrophages was characterized . Analysis of the amino acid transport demonstrated two-limbed double reciprocal plots suggesting two transport systems for each amino acid . The low concentration limb of the curves established a Km of 0.1 mM for L-leucine and 0.05 mM for L-lysine; Vmax values were 2.0 and 2.85 nmole/mg protein/90 seconds, respectively . Leucine and lysine were shown to be competitive inhibitors of each other . Further competition studies revealed that other amino acids also had affinity for these carriers . Amino acid transport was found to be sensitive to sulfhydryl active compounds . Colchicine treatment of peritoneal macrophages did not inhibit the transport of the amino acids tested . Preloading macrophages with latex beads or heat-killed staphylococci by phagocytosis stimulated 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-dOG) uptake markedly, but had no measurable effect on amino acid transport . Although total transport of 2-dOG increased in post-phagocytic macrophages, the kinetics of the system were not altered significantly . The Km for both pre- and post-phagocytic transport of 2-dOG was shown to be 1.2 mM and the Vmax was shown to increase from a pre-phagocytic value of 20 nmoles/mg protein/90 seconds to a post-phagocytic 27 nmoles/mg protein/90 seconds . Phagocytosis of heat-killed staphylococci by guinea pig polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs), however, did not cause an augmentation in hexose transport in the cells . The presence of colchicine during phagocytosis did not alter subsequent uptake of amino acids by the macrophages. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 Oct, (10), 54 - 8 {Interrelationship between staphylococcal sensitization, the protective function of leukocytes and septic complications in the burned}; Matusis ZE et al.; The state of staphylococcus sensitization and the index of completeness of staphylococcus phagocytosis was studied in 42 persons with severe burns . Development of staphylococcus complications was connected with marked specific microbial sensitization and disturbance of intracellular digestion of staphylococci by the patients' blood leukocytes . Detection of unfavourable interraltions of the antistaphylococcus immunity and allergy in the course of the disease can be of diagnostic and prognostic significance. Am J Vet Res, 1977 Oct, 38(10), 1601 - 5 Establishment of a new bacteriophage set for typing avian staphylococci; Shimizu A; A new phage set was proposed for the typing of coagulase-positive staphylococci from chickens . The set was composed of 16 phages isolated from lysogenic staphylococci from chickens and 3 adapted phages derived from the international phage set . These phages were classified into 4 groups (I, II, III and IV) according to their host ranges . The 19 phages were used for typing 569 coagulase-positive staphylococci; 94.2% of the isolates were lysed by 1 or more phages, 88.0% at a routine test dilution, and 6.25% only at a routine test dilution X 100 . The reacting ability of the phages seemed to be limited to staphylococci from chickens . It was proved that the phages were more accurate than the international phage set in typing staphylococci isolated from chicken in Japan. South Med J, 1977 Oct, 70 Suppl 1, 68 - 71 Perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis against vascular graft infection; Wilson SE et al.; This study investigated the efficacy of perioperative antibiotics in preventing bacteremic infection of vascular suture lines, Dacron grafts, and bovine heterografts . One hundred forty-nine dogs had either segmental excision of the abdominal aorta with primary repair, Dacron prosthesis, or bovine heterograft placement . Animals were randomly assigned to a control group, to receive 10(8) S aureus, or to receive this same dose of staphylococci plus cephalothin (15 mg/kg) . After six weeks, graft cultures were obtained . All control animals had negative cultures . Often dogs with an aortic suture line subjected to bacteremia, five were infected . Eight dogs with aortic suture lines received bactermia and antibiotics resulting in only one positive culture . Nineteen animals with bovine grafts were given S aureus resulting in 18 infections, and seven of 12 bovine grafts became infected even with antibiotic coverage . Twenty-eight dogs had a Dacron graft and infusion of Staphylococcus, yielding 23 infections . Of the 24 Dacron graft subjects with induced bacteremia and antibiotics, only four were infected . Intraoperative antibiotics are significantly effective in preventing infection of vascular suture lines and Dacron prostheses but afford less protection to bovine heterografts. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1977 Oct, 74(10), 4624 - 7 Human leukocytic pyrogen: purification and development of a radioimmunoassay; Dinarello CA et al.; Leukocytic pyrogen is a small endogenous protein that mediates fever . Because of the limitations of bioassays, circulating leukocytic pyrogen has not been demonstrated during fever in humans . The pyrogen was produced in vitro after phagocytosis of staphylococci by blood monocytes . Antibody against the pyrogen was obtained from rabbits immunized with leukocytic pyrogen and the antiserum was purified by solid-phase immunoadsorbants . Purified antibody to the pyrogen was attached to activated Sepharose 4B and used in conjunction with gel filtration to purify the pyrogen . The pyrogen was labeled with 125I and further purified by gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography . The final preparation of 125I-labeled pyrogen demonstrated a homogeneous band during isoelectric focusing and other separation procedures . With antibody to pyrogen attached to Sepharose, less than 0.1 of a rabbit pyrogenic dose of human leukocytic pyrogen inhibited the binding of 125I-labeled pyrogen to this immunoadsorbant, and this inhibition was not affected by the presence of human serum . Thus, a radioimmunoassay for human leukocytic pyrogen has been developed that may be used to detect circulating pyrogen during fever in humans. J Am Vet Med Assoc, 1977 Sep 1, 171(5), 425 - 8 Atypical staphylococcal mastitis in a dairy herd; Thawley DG et al.; A herd of cattle with a history of increased prevalence of clinical and nonclinical mastitis was investigated . Bacteriologic analysis of milk samples indicated approximately 50% of the herd was producing milk containing coagulase-positive staphylococci . Of these staphylococcal isolates, 55% had characteristics consistent with those of human strains of staphylococci, based on hemolysin production and phage patterns . Human beings in contact with the herd were nasal carriers of these staphylococci, which produced a granulartype coagulase reaction in bovine plasma, rather than the usually expected clot-type reaction . In the herd, the staphylococci caused mainly nonclinical mastitis, which was largely unresponsive to antibiotic therapy. Am Rev Respir Dis, 1977 Sep, 116(3), 433 - 40 Neonatal lung defense mechanisms: a study of the alveolar macrophage system in neonatal rabbits; Sherman M et al.; Abnormal function of the alveolar macrophage system may explain the enhanced susceptibility to pulmonary infection in human neonates . This hypothesis was investigated by infecting 1- to 14-day-old rabbits with aerosols of Staphylococcus aureus and then measuring in situ rates of bacterial ingestion, inactivation, and destruction in the lapine lung . The inhaled staphylococci were killed within the lungs of 1-day-old rabbits at a significantly slower rate than that for 7- and 14-day-old rabbits (P less than 0.05) . Much of this decrease was due to diminished rates of bacterial ingestion by alveolar macrophages of younger animals . Staphylococci were also killed and destroyed less rapidly within these macrophages, but these differences could not be tested for significance. Inflammation, 1977 Sep, 2(3), 179 - 89 Partial purification of human leukocytic pyrogen; Dinarello CA et al.; Human leukocytes stimulated in vitro release leukocytic pyrogen (LP), a protein which is the mediator of fever . In order to study human leukocytic pyrogen, we attempted to purify this molecule from the large quantity and variety of proteins which are present in leukocyte supernates . Human peripheral leukocytes were stimulated in vitro by phagocytosis of killed staphylococci, and several methods were used to isolate the pyrogen protein . First, using isoelectric focusing, it was found that crude leukocyte supernates contained two molecular species of LP which were separable by precipitation in cold alcohol . Isoelectric focusing, although used for confirmation of the molecular homogeneity of LP, could not be employed as a preparative purification technique . Following alcohol precipitation, human LP was chromatographed on ion-exchange materials at various pH with modest recovery of initial activity but marked increase in specific activity . Gel-filtration was also employed and yielded partially purified LP . When alcohol precipitation was combined with ion exchange at alkaline pH and followed by gel-filtration, resulting LP preparations contained 5 or 6 contaminating proteins . These results demonstrate that human LP can be partially purified from the large quantity and variety of proteins present in crude leukocyte supernates and during purification procedures, the pyrogen did not change in either molecular weight or isoelectric point . This work provides reliable techniques for initial purification of human LP. Ann Sclavo, 1977 Sep-Oct, 19(5), 1024 - 32 {Detection of heat-stable staphylococcal nucleases in foods of various kinds}; De Felip G et al.; Herewith are the results of a research on determination of staphylococcal heat-stable nuclease in food . From this research derives clearly the need to devote to the determination of heat-stable deoxyribonuclease as an useful indirect index, fit to give menful informations on the pollution of different kind of food by the side of patogen Staphylococci even on food products under processes of pasteurization or of sterilization. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 Sep, (9), 33 - 6 {Study of the chemical and immunogenic properties of the capsular Staphylococcus aureus antigen . 2 . Evaluation of the immunogenic properties of the capsular antigen in experiments in vitro}; Seltmann G et al.; Albino mice were immunized with a purified capsular antigen isolated from the S . aureus strain 1193/74 . The presence of specific anticapsular antibodies in the sera of animals were determined by two methods: 1) by conversion of diffuse growth of a homologous strain into compact one, and 2) by determination of opsonic index in phagocytosis of homologous staphylococci by human neutrophils . It was revealed that antibodies converting the microbical growth were absent in the sera of normal mice and reached the highest level after the second antigen injection; opsonins were present in the sera of normal mice in widely varying quantities; their maximal level was noted after the 3rd immunization. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1977 Sep, 239(1), 42 - 5 {Use of a microtiter-system for the determination of the antibiotic susceptibility of staphylococci with tetrazolium salts (author's transl)}; Kroemer G et al.; Antibiograms of staphylococci were determined in a microtiter-system (fig . 1) within 4 h . The reactions could be clearly demonstrated by the use of tetrazolium salts . The procedure proved to be particularly useful for quantitative studies. Am J Vet Res, 1977 Sep, 38(9), 1389 - 92 Isolation and characteristics of bacteriophages from staphylococci of chicken origin; Shimizu A; Lysogenicity in chicken coagulase-positive staphylococci was tested by incubating the strains in the presence of mitomycin C . Of 88 strains tested, 84 (95.5%) were proved to be phage carriers and 81 were susceptible to any of the phages . The lysogenic strains were detected with almost equal frequency from both of typeable and untypeable strains by the international phages . Sixteen phages (CH phages) were isolated from chicken lysogenic strains, and their usefulness for the typing of chicken staphylococci was evaluated . Of 122 strains examined, 101 (82.8%) were found to be typeable with the CH phages at a routine test dilution (RTD) . About 82% of strains untypeable by the phages of the international series were lysed by one or more of the CH phages . The phages seemed to be highly specific to chicken staphylococci, because they lysed only a few strains of animal origin other than chicken . Thus, the 16 phages newly established were found to have significant advantages in typing chicken strains. Hautarzt, 1977 Sep, 28(9), 447 - 55 {Staphylogenous Lyell's syndrome}; Dimond RL et al.; The scalded skin syndrome or Lyell syndrome can now be divided into two distinct forms . One form is associated with staphylococci that are usually phage group II Staphylococcus aureus, are penicillin resistant, and produce a protein exotoxin which produces epidermolysis by causing a split to develop in the epidermis between the stratum granulosum and the stratum spinosum . The other form is associated usually with drug reactions and is characterized by necrosis of the epidermis with a split between epidermis and dermis . The staphylococcal Lyell syndrome should be treated with penicillinase resistant antibiotics and not with corticosteroids; the non-staphylococcal form of the Lyell syndrome often requires systemic corticosteroids . Therefore the correct diagnosis must be established early . This is possible since the histopathology of the two forms is different. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1977 Sep, 239(1), 31 - 41 Analysis of an antistaphylococcal serum alpha globulin; Lentino JR et al.; Previous studies in this laboratory have shown that normal human serum contains an alpha globulin possessing lethal and antirespiratory action for staphylococci . In this study further description of the antistaphylococcal macromolecule is presented . The antistaphylococcal protein was shown to be homogeneous by both isoelectric focusing in sucrose density gradients and sodium dodecyl sulfate electrophoresis . An analysis of the chemical composition of the antistaphylococcal serum protein indicated the alpha globulin to be a glycoprotein composed of 22.5% carbohydrate and 77.2% protein as determined by amino acid analysis . The total carbohydrates included 11.08% protein-bound hexoses . 0.86% hexosamines, 4.3% sialic acid and 6.3% fucose . The mean isoelectric point, determined by isoelectric focusing in the range pH 3-6, was 4.73 . Molecular weight studies on Sephadex G-200 dextran gel columns calibrated with proteins and glycoproteins indicated the molecular weight of the antistaphylococcal macromolecule to be 55,000-74,000 daltons respectively . SDS-gel electrophoresis indicated the molecular weight of antistaphylococcal serum protein was 62,000 . Thus the antistaphylococcal alpha globulin does not appear to be related to other known serum bactericidins. MMW Munch Med Wochenschr, 1977 Aug 12, 119(32-33), 1039 - 42 {Bacteriological investigation of drains and catheters in pediatric surgery (author's transl)}; Adam D et al.; About 30% of 209 drains (wound drains, venous catheters, ureteral splints) from 92 pediatric surgical patients were contaminated with pathogens . 70% were sterile . E . coli and staphylococci were most frequently found . Wound drains after abdominal operations had the highest contamination rate at 70%, followed by ureteral splints with 50% and venous catheters with about 10% . Differences in the contamination rate in relation to the period of drainage could not be established . The following conclusions are drawn: 1 . Giving antibiotics when pathogens have been detected in a wound drain is only recommended if this organism has also been found in other material from the patient . 2 . If organisms are found in a venous catheter, a blood culture should always be carried out . 3 . Antibiotic prophylaxis or topical treatment of the skin are not recommended . 4 . Timely removal or changing of the catheter is the best prophylaxis against infection. Infect Immun, 1977 Aug, 17(2), 250 - 6 Effect immunization with highly purified alpha- and beta-toxins on staphylococcal mastitis in rabbits; Adlam C et al.; Experiments were carried out to determine whether immunization of female rabbits with highly purified staphylococcal alpha- or beta-toxins would protect them against intramammary challenge with staphylococci . High circulating anti-alpha-toxin titers reduced the lethal hemorrhagic edematous form of the disease ("blue-breast") produced by strains BB and Compton 201 to a localized chronic abscess form . No such protection was afforded by high anti-beta-toxin titers . Immunization with alpha- or beta-toxins produced no change in the clinical picture of the disease produced by CN.6708, a strain of Staphylococcus responsible for a natural outbreak of abscess-type rabbit mastitis . From these experiments it would appear that alpha-toxin is a key antigen in the blue-breast form of rabbit mastitis . Since the abscess form of the disease was not prevented by immunization with either alpha- or beta-toxin, other virulence factors must be acting to produce this more localized disease. Immunology, 1977 Aug, 33(2), 191 - 7 Opsonic requirements for staphylococcal phagocytosis . Heterogeneity among strains; Verhoef J et al.; Efficient phagocytosis of staphylococci by human neutrophilis is dependent on bacterial opsonization by serum factors . These factors include specific antibodies as well as components of the classical and alternative complement systems . In this study the opsonic requirements of three strains of S . aureus and three strains of S . epidermidis were investigated by incubating {3H}thymidine-labelled bacteria in sera with different opsonic activities and measuring rates of phagocytosis by human neutrophils . Opsonization of S . aureus Cowan I and 502 A depended primarily on activation of the classical complement pathway . Effective opsonization occurred in the absence of immunoglobulin but not in the absence of complement . A protein A deficient mutant of S . aureus Cowan I was poorly opsonized in the absence of IgG, however . S . aureus Wood 46 and two strains of S . epidermidis were opsonized primarily through the alternative complement pathway and depended on the presence of serum IgG . A third S . epidermidis strain was efficiently opsonized in heat-inactivated serum without complement activity . Thus, a heterogeneity of opsonic requirements was found among staphylococcal strains . It is proposed that cell wall protein A may be an important determinant of this heterogeneity. Br J Exp Pathol, 1977 Aug, 58(4), 400 - 11 Production of antibody to staphylococcal delta-haemolysin in the rabbit; Heatley NG; Gamma-globulin and IgG from the sera of rabbits immunized with either "insoluble" or "solvent-transferred" staphylococcal delta-haemolysin precipitated with, and neutralized both forms of lysin . Similar preparations from the same rabbits before immunization did not; nor did those from rabbits made hyperimmune to other antigens . In these tests "insoluble" and "solvent-transferred" lysin could not be distinguished antigenically, nor could "insoluble" lysin from two different strains of staphylococci, each grown on two different media . An appendix presents further evidence for antigenicity of delta-lysin, based on affinity chromatography. Antibiotiki, 1977 Aug, 22(8), 719 - 22 {Antibiotic resistance dynamics of plasma-coagulating staphylococci isolated from patients in 1970-1975}; Val'vachev NI et al.; Resistance of 2345 strains of plasmocoagulating staphylococci isolated from purulent inflammatory foci of surgical patients was studied with respect to the widely used antibiotics by the method of standard paper discs in 1970--1975 . It was noted that the cultures resistant to erythromycin and monomycin were more frequent, i.e . from 24.2 +/- 2.5 to 51.4 +/- 3.4 per cent and from 1.0 +/- 0.6 to 28.0 +/- 2.1 per cent respectively, p less than 0.001 in both cases, while the percentage of the strains resistant to benzylpenicillin and tetracycline steadily increased, i.e . from 69.9 +/- 2.4 to 47.0 +/- 2.3 per cent and from 72.8 +/- 2.4 to 28.4 +/- 2.1 per cent respectively, p less than 0.001 in both cases . The number of the resistant cultures to streptomycin and levomycetin slightly changed and was relatively high (about 50 per cent and more) . Direct correlation (mean and pronounced) between the amount of levomycetin, tetracycline, erythromycin or monomycin used per citizen of Minsk and the frequency of the strains isolated from the patients to these drugs was noted. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1977 Jul, 238(3), 310 - 9 {Comparing studies on biochemical characteristics for pathogenicity and antibiotic resistance of staphylococci (author's transl)}; Sonntag HG et al.; 735 strains of staphylococci obtained from routine material were examined for biochemical characteristics claimed by BAIRD-PARKER (Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology, 1974) to be pathogenic features); the behaviour of the strains showing these properties was then compared to that of 12 antibiotics . Thereby, 237 of the 735 strains (32.2%, tab . 2) were positive for the combination of pathogenic features as proposed by BAIRD-PARKER (aerobic and anaerobic mannitol fermentation, beta-haemolysis, and positive coagulase reactivity), with approx . 30% of the Staphylococcus strains showing white pigmentation and 70% of them showing yellow pigmentation . The number of strains showing the combination of aerobic mannitol fermentation, beta-haemolysis, and positive coagulase reactivity was significantly higher: 341 out of 735 strains (46.4%, tab . 2) . A comparison of the resistance to 12 antibiotics with the combination of pathogenic features of BAIRD-PARKER (Tab . 4) showed that he white Staphylococcus strains with this combination exhibited a significantly higher resistance to 6 of the tested antibiotics than the white Staphylococcus strains not showing these characteristics . Such a correlation between biochemical characteristics and resistance behaviour could not be demonstrated in the yellow Staphylococcus strains . The value of biochemical characteristics as features of pathogenicity and the resistance behaviour of staphylococcal strains to antibiotics in vitro for their pathogenic behaviour in vivo is discussed in relation to comparable results reported by other authors. J Clin Pathol, 1977 Jul, 30(7), 602 - 5 Lack of evidence for mutation to erythromycin resistance in clinical strains of Staphylococcus aureus; Lacey RW; The properties of 100 erythromycin resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus obtained from clinical material have been compared with the properties of mutants selected in vitro for resistance to erythromycin . The properties, including inducibility of the resistance and cross-resistance to spiramycin and lincomycin, of the two groups of isolates were always different . The risk that staphylococci will mutate to erythromycin resistance during therapy with this antibiotic is remote. Antibiotiki, 1977 Jul, 22(7), 620 - 4 {Combined action of benzylpenicillin and bile acids on staphylococci}; Sytnik IA et al.; The antimicrobial effect of benzylpenicillin in combination with bile acids on staphylococci was studied . It was shown that bile acids increased the bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects of the antibiotic . The highest potentiating effect was found with combination of benzylpenicillin and desoxycholic and choleic acids . When resistant strains of staphylococci were exposed to the combination of the bile acids and benzylpenicillin they became highly sensitive to antibiotic. Arzneimittelforschung . 1977 Jul;27(7):1395. Biological properties and clinical application of propolis . III . Investigation of the sensitivity of Staphylococci isolated from pathological cases to ethanol extract of propolis (EEP) . Attempts on inducing resistance in laboratory Staphylococcus strain to EEP; Scheller S et al.; Staphylococci isolated from pathological material exhibited a reduced sensitivity to ethanol extract of propolis (EEP) in 90% of cases . No cross-resistance of the staphylococci to EEP and to any commonly used antibiotics was found . The induction of resistance to EEP in laboratory strain of Staphylococcus aureus (Oxford 209 P) can be achieved already after serial passages on nutrient media containing EEP . Culturing Staphylococcus resistant to EEP in an environment devoid of this compound caused a remission to sensitivity of the strain investigated. Mikrobiyol Bul, 1977 Jul, 11(3), 335 - 41 {Bacteriophage typing of Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from patients in the microbiology department}; Sevuk N et al.; 78 Staphylococci isolated from mouth, throat, nose, ear passages and skin lesions were typed with 22 basic phage types . 68 of 78 staphylococci were typed . 45 of these (66%) could be typed with RTD, and 23 (33.8%) with 1000 X RTD . When phage grouping is considered, 14 out of 68 strains were from Group III and 12 out of 52 strains isolated from nose were from Group I phage. Antibiotiki, 1977 Jul, 22(7), 630 - 4 {Effect of novoimanine on the cellular permeability indices of staphylococci}; Avenirova EL; Novoimanine is an antibacterial drug from Hypericum perforatum L . When used in the bacteriostatic concentration, i.e . 0.5 gamma/ml, it induced release of potassium ions from the cells of Staphylococcus aureus 209P and had no effect on release of the UV-absorbing compounds and 14C-amino acids . In addition, incubation of the cells with novoimanine (2.5--50 gamma/ml) provided "preservation" in them of the earlier absorbed 14C-amino acids, while in the control cells their level decreased . In a concentration of 100 gamma/ml novoimanine stimulated activity of ATP-ase and alkaline phosphatase by 34 and 37-57 per cent respectively . Histones F1 and F3 of the calf thymus induced an intensive release of 14C-amino acids from the cells of staphylococci and increased the activity of ATP-ase by 6-10 times . The data of the study suggested that the effect of novoimanine on the cytoplasmic membrane was limited and different from that on the polycationic antibacterial agents. Hautarzt, 1977 Jun, 28(6), 314 - 8 {Antibiotics resistance of staphylococci in skin diseases}; Lange H et al.; Cutaneous infection due to bacteria are predominantly caused by staphylococci . The sensitivity of 1036 staphylococcal strains towards various topical and systemical antibiotics was investigated over a period of three years (1973-1975) . Comparing the present results with results from previous investigations revealed that staphylococcal sensitivity towards common antibiotic drugs remained nearly unchanged . A comparatively high proportion of strains has acquired resistance against multiple antibiotics . The importance of routinely determining bacterial sensitivity in antibiotic therapy is emphasized. Antibiotiki, 1977 Jun, 22(6), 522 - 4 {Drug resistance of staphylococci to chemotherapeutic preparations}; Bass TM; A total of 640 strains of pathogenic staphylococci isolated from patients in Kiev in 1971--1975 were studied . High percentage of strains resistant to benzylpenicillin, tetracycline, streptomycin, chloramphenicol and ampicillin was registered . Strains resistant to erythromycin and oleandomycin amounted to 34.4 and 21.5 per cent respectively . Most of the strains proved to be sensitive to neomycin, monomycin, kanamycin, methicillin, oxacillin, lincomycin,rifampicin, ceporin and novobiocin . Strains resistant to ristomycin or oxychinolinic and nitrofuranic drugs were not found among pathogenic staphylococci. Antibiotiki, 1977 Jun, 22(6), 518 - 22 {Drug resistance of hospital strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis belonging to different biological types}; Akatov AK et al.; A total of 567 strains of Staph . epidermidis isolated from the bacteria carriers in several surgical units were studied . The cultures were typed according to the method developed by the authors . Their resistance to 12 antibiotics, mercuric chloride and cadmium sulphate was determined . Comparison of the strain biotypes and their drug resistance showed in some cases statistically significant correlation . It should be especially noted that staphylococci with pronounced polyresistance (simultaneous resistance to 7--12 antibiotics) prevailed among the strains belonging to biotypes 1 and 3. Antibiotiki, 1977 Jun, 22(6), 511 - 6 {Intensification of the action of antibiotics with cationic surface-active substances}; Afinogenov GE et al.; The antimicrobial effect of cationic surface-active substances, such as cetylpyridinyi chloride, alkylmethylbenzylammonium chloride ("roccal" and "catamine AB") and chlorhexidine was studied in vitro . The above compounds had a high bactericidal activity against poly-resistant staphylococcal strains . In non-bactericidal concentrations they significantly increased the efficacy of antibiotcs with different modes of action, i.e . penicillins, tetracyclines, amino-glycosides, macrolides . The effect of the cationic surface-active substances increasing the antibiotic activity against staphylococci did not depend on the resistance type, i.e . chromosomal or extrachromosomal . This was mainly associated with impairement of the function of the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane by these compounds . The cationic surface-active compounds were poor inhibitors of the specific enzyme of Bac . licheninformis 749/C, i.e . penicillinase . A marked inhibition of the enzyme was observed only at concentrations above the bactericidal ones and those damaging the cell membrane of staphylococci. Br J Exp Pathol, 1977 Jun, 58(3), 281 - 8 Influenza viruses and staphylococci in vitro: some interactions with polymorphonuclear leucocytes and epithelial cells; Larson HE et al.; Bacterial infection contributes substantially to the morbidity and mortality of human influenza . In vitro experiments were performed to test two hypotheses regarding a possible relationship between the virus and bacterial infection . Firstly, maintenance media from tissue and organ cultures infected with influenza virus were tested for the presence of staphylococcal growth-promoting factors; no evidence for these was found . Secondly, we looked for a virus effect on polymorphonuclear leucocyte function . We found that human leucocytes purified from venous blood and exposed to influenza virus responded normally to stimulation of hexose monophosphate shunt activity and chemiluminescence . However, their responses in tests of phagocytic function and of chemotaxis were inhibited . By various criteria this effect was specific to the virus and could be obtained even when only a few virus particles were present per leucocyte . We propose that this is a mechanism by which influenza virus could enhance susceptibility to bacterial infection in the lung. J Natl Cancer Inst, 1977 Jun, 58(6), 1859 - 61 Simplified radioimmunoassay for viral antigens: use of Staphylococcus aureus as an adsorbent for antigen-antibody complexes; Premkumar-Reddy E et al.; In a rapid method for the radioimmunoassay (RIA) of viral antigens, Staphylococcus aureus was used as the adsorbent for antigen-antibody complexes ("protein A" molecules on the cell walls of certain strains of staphylococci have a strong affinity toward IgG molecules) . The results showed that this method could be used instead of the double-antibody technique, with the same or probably higher sensitivity in precipitation as well as competition RIA's. J Lab Clin Med, 1977 Jun, 89(6), 1262 - 8 Comparison of methicillin, nafcillin, and oxacillin in therapy of Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis in rabbits; Egert J et al.; Methicillin (M), nafcillin (N), and oxacillin (OX) (400 mg administered intramuscularly every 8 hours) were compared in the therapy of left-sided endocarditis in rabbits infected with two different strains of Staphylococcus aureus . The three antibiotics were equally effective in eliminating staphylococci from cardiac vegetations . N and OX were four to eight times as active against the staphylococci as M in broth but had equivalent activity in serum . The peak M and OX levels in serum were at least twice the peak N level, but the half-life of N in the serum (2.1 hours) was about three times that of M (0.6 hours) and twice that of OX (1.1 hours) . Serum bactericidal activity tests demonstrated essentially equal activity with the three antibiotics 1 and 2 hours after injection; however, at 4 and 6 hours N had an advantage over M and OX . Therefore, despite clear differences in vitro activity, protein binding, and pharmacodynamics, M, N, and OX were equally effective in therapy of staphylcoccal endocarditis in rabbits. J Lab Clin Med, 1977 Jun, 89(6), 1215 - 24 Influence of acute exposure to cigarette smoke on the alveolar macrophage system; Guarneri JJ; The influence of cigarette smoke on the numbers and viability of alveolar macrophages in the lungs of mice was determined by utilizing techniques for quantitating lung deposition of bacteria and alveolar macrophage harvest . Alveolar macrophages were obtained by pulmonary lavage . The studies were performed under basal conditions, after the inhalation of cigarette smoke and after exposure to bacterial aerosols and cigarette smoke in sequence . Macrophage yields were increased 1.1, 1.2, and 1.5 times basal levels by exposure to cigarette smoke alone for 1, 2, and 4 hours, repectively . The inhalation of Staphylococcus aureus for 30 minutes induced a 2.4-fold increase in macrophage numbers . Within 15 minutes after bacterial deposition, macrophage yields dropped 33 percent, but elevated levels were restored at 30 minutes and then maintained for the remainder of the 4 hour test period . Cigarette smoke introduced immediately after bacterial challenge and maintained for up to 4 hours did not alter the macrophage response provoked by pulmonary deposition of staphylococci . In addition, smoke inhalation had no effect on the cellular characteristics of lung harvests and the viability of alveolar macrophages . These data demonstrate that cigarette smoke provoked an increase in alveolar macrophage numbers and did not have a deleterious effect on the mobilization of alveolar macrophages; namely, the maintenance of a macrophage response in relation to an airborne bacterial challenge. Antibiotiki, 1977 Jun, 22(6), 507 - 11 {Development of a method for the quantitative assessment of the microorganism sensitivity to antibiotics by using discs . A study of the patterns of doxycycline diffusion from discs into the nutrient agar}; Navashin SM et al.; Doxycycline concentrations provided by the antibiotic diffusion from paper discs into sterile agarized medium and the medium plated with staphylococci and Coli bacteria were studied at different distances from the disc center . Infection of the nutrient medium with the test cultures had no effect on the antibiotic diffusion rate . A linear relation between the logarithm of the antibiotic concentration in the agar and distance from the disc centre were found . Probably it is possible to determine the MIC of the antibiotic with respect to various microorganisms by the value of the radius of the growth inhibition zone around the disc using diagrams expressing such a relation. Antibiotiki, 1977 Jun, 22(6), 502 - 6 {Mechanism of penicillinase inhibition by alkyl sulfates in the presence of synthetic polyeletrolytes}; Panarin EF et al.; Competing inhibition of Bacillus licheniformis 749/C penicillinase by alkylsulfates CnH2n+ 1OSO3N1 where n was 8--16 was studied . The values of the inhibition constants Ki of individual homologues were estimated . It was shown that stability of complex "enzyme-inhibitor" increased with lengthening of the hydrocarbon radical which was probably due to increased hydrophobic interaction of the alkyl radical with the lipophilic areas of the penicillinase active center . Inhibition in the presence of sopolymers of vinylpirrolidone with N-alkylvinylamine was studied with the aim of modeling the process of penicillinase inhibitions by alkylsulfates in the presence of the blood serum . It was shown that polyelectrolytes posessing hydrophobic substituents had an ability of reducing the activity of inhibited penicillinase, cooperative transfer of alkylsulfate molecules from the enzyme to polyelectrolyte being observed . The maximum effect was registered in the polyelectrolytes with substituents C12H25 and C16H33 which was confirmed in the experiments with the penicillinase-producing strains of staphylococci. Arch Dermatol, 1977 Jun, 113(6), 780 - 2 Microbial flora of atopic dermatitis; Aly R et al.; The microbial flora of dermatitic skin, uninvolved skin, and the anterior nares of subjects with atopic eczema were investigated . The carriage rate of Staphylococcus aureus was 79% for the anterior nares, 76% for the uninvolved skin (normal skin), and 93% for lesions . The counts of S aureus were 7.5 X 10(4)/sq cm in lesions and 7.1 X 10(3)/sq cm on adjacent normal skin . Staphylococcus aureus was the predominant organism in the lesions and constituted 91% of the total aerobic bacterial flora . The coagulase-negative staphylococci were the second predominant organisms (9%) . On normal skin, coagulase-negative staphylococci were the predominant organisms, constituting 63% of the total flora, followed by S aureus (30% of the bacterial flora) . The micrococci counts were lower in the lesions (1.6 X 10(2)/sq cm) and higher on normal skin (9.5 X 10(2)/sq cm) . Lipophilic diphtheroids were fewer on normal skin (6.7 X 10/sq cm), and there were none in the lesions . Fifty-eight percent of the strains belonged to group 3, and 38% were nontypeable . Staphylococcus aureus strains belonging to phage groups 2 and 4 were not detected. Inflammation, 1977 Jun, 2(2), 165 - 77 Effect of leukocyte hydrolases on bacteria . X . The role played by leukocyte factors, cationic polyelectrolytes, and by membrane-damaging agents in the lysis of Staphylococcus aureus: relation to chronic inflammatory processes; Lahav M et al.; A heat-stable factor present in extracts of human blood leukocytes is capable of lysing young Staphylococcus aureus at pH 5.0 . Lysis is characterized by breakdown of cell-wall components as judged by electron microscopic and biochemical analysis . The leukocyte extracts can be replaced by a variety of agents known to injure cell membranes, e.g., leukocyte cationic protein histone, polymyxin B, colimycin, phospholipase A, and lysolecithin . The mechanisms by which all these agents bring about the degradation of the staphylococcal walls was studied . By using 14C-labeled cell walls devoid of cytoplasmic structures, it was demonstrated that none of the above-mentioned agents had a direct lytic effect on purified cell walls . On the other hand, when any of these agents first interacted with intact staphylococci, a factor (presumably an autolysin) was generated that directly lysed the cell walls . Lysis of cell walls in the presence of intact staphylococci used as a source of autolysin was strongly inhibited by a variety of anionic polyelectrolytes such as heparine and liquoid . The possible role played by bacterial autolysins in the generation of microbial cell-wall components capable of triggering chronic inflammation is discussed. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1977 May, 238(1), 35 - 43 {No or little chemotactic activity of staphylococcal substances on macrophages (author's transl)}; Korioth M et al.; Chemotactic effects of staphylococcal substances on macrophages from guinea pigs were studied using modified Boyden-chambers . Filters with an average pore-diameter of 12 micrometer allowed optimal migration of the macrophages . The macrophages were obtained from the peritoneal exsudates 96 h after stimulation with sodium-caseinate (fig . 1) and subsequently concentrated by centrifugation in a ficoll-ronpacon gradient (fig . 2, table 1) . Casein had strong chemotactic effects on the macrophages with and without fresh guinea pig serum (fig . 3) . Staphylococci, before and after extraction with guanidinium chloride, purified protein A and capsular substances were neither cytotaxic nor cytotaxigenic (in the absence resp . presence of fresh serum) . Culture supernatants and staphylococci after incubation with their homologous antiserum proved cytotaxigenic, also lysates of granulocytes from the blood . Lysates of granulocytes from the peritoneal exsudates of guinea pigs were strongly cytotaxigenic for the macrophages. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1977 May, 33(5), 1112 - 7 Catalase and enumeration of stressed Staphylococcus aureus cells; Flowers RS et al.; The effects of catalase on the enumeration of stressed (heated, reduced water activity, or freeze-dried) Staphylococcus aureus cells on several selective media were examined . The addition of catalase greatly increased the enumeration of stressed cells . The beneficial effects of catalase were most pronounced on those media least efficient in enumeration of stressed staphylococci, showing increases in enumeration of up to 1,100-fold . The effects of catalase appear to be due to the reduced ability of stressed cells to repair and form colonies in the absence of an exogenous decomposer of H2O2 . Thermally stressed cells were more sensitive to H2O2 than unstressed cells . During recovery, stressed cells overcame the requirement for catalase . These findings implicate H2O2 as a factor in the failure of certain selective media to adequately enumerate stressed cells and demonstrate that the addition of catalase to these media markedly increases their productivity. Br J Dermatol, 1977 May, 96(5), 483 - 92 The staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome . An experimental histochemical and electron microscopic study; Dimond RL et al.; Histochemical and electron microscopic studies were carried out on the newborn mouse model of the staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome to investigate the mechanism of action of the staphylococcal epidermolytic toxin that causes it . Histochemical studies showed that an intra-epidermal split develops below the subcorneal zone which is rich in catabolic enzymes (the so-called esterase-acid phosphatase-rich band) . However, histochemical alterations in the enzyme pattern could not be demonstrated . The earliest change revealed by electron microscopy was a widening of the intercellular space, with the formation of microvilli at the level between the stratum spinosum and stratum granulosum where the split later occurs . A clearing of the peripheral cytoplasm along the cell membranes was also revealed . In pre-split areas, adhesion between cell membranes of adjacent cells seems to be lost; desmosomes continue to hold the cells together but the split develops when these are broken by mechanical pressure . Later, damaged cell membranes may be seen . Extracellular keratinosomes remain unchanged . Although these findings do not agree with the already divergent results of other studies, they help support the findings of all groups that cases of the Lyell syndrome produced by staphylococci do not occur through necrolysis; it is therefore inappropriate to continue applying the term 'toxic epidermal necrolysis' to such cases. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol, 1977 May, 298(1), 67 - 73 Solid phase radioimmunoassay for cyclic AMP using staphylococcal protein A-antibody adsorbent; Struck CJ et al.; A radioimmunoassay for cyclic AMP has been developed using protein A containing staphylococci as an immunoabsorbent . Protein A containing heat-killed staphylococci (Cowan I) are coated with rabbit antiserum raised against the 2'-O-succinyl derivative of cyclic AMP coupled to human serum albumin . After washing with a Tween 20 containing buffer, antibody coated staphylococci are diluted with heat-killed staphylococci devoid of protein A (staphylococcus epidermidis) and mixed with {125I}-2'-O-succinyl cyclic AMP tyrosine methyl ester, standards or unknowns . At the end of the incubation, separation of bound and free labelled antigen is achieved by bound and free labelled antigen is achieved by centrifugation . The results are comparable to those obtained with a precipitation assay using polyethylenglycol 6000 . Acetylation prior to radioimmunoassay increases sensitivity about 80-fold . 50% depression of zero dose binding occurs at 15--16 femtomoles acetylated cyclic AMP . The crossreactivity with cyclic GMP, ATP, ADP, 5'-AMP and adenosine is extremely low . The present technique is an attractive alternative to the second antibody method or polyethylenglycol precipitation. Am J Surg, 1977 May, 133(5), 597 - 600 Antimicrobial systems of the surgical wound . I . A comparison of oxidative metabolism and microbicidal capacity of phagocytes from wounds and from peripheral blood; Hohn DC et al.; Oxygen consumption glucose oxidation via the hexose monophosphate shunt, and superoxide production by resting and stimulated leukocytes derived from rabbit blood and from experimental rabbit wounds five to seventeen days old were measured and compared . In vitro killing of staphylococci by blood and wound leukocytes was also measured . In all of these studies there were no significant functional differences between blood and wound cells . The data presented suggest that under the same in vitro conditions, blood and wound leukocytes are functionally equivalent, that tissue mobilization does not cause alteration of wound leukocytes, and that aging of the wound does not impair the microbicidal capacity of wound leukocytes. Vopr Pitan, 1977 May-Jun, (3), 75 - 9 {Change in the sensitivity of staphylococci to phages and the possible methodological procedures in their phage typing}; Petrushina LI; In a number of pathogenic staphylococci present in a food product that has been subjected to a mild heat treatment changes in the phage pattern were studied . The heat was found to produce in a number of staphylococcal strains a change in the sensitivity to phages, as a result of which phage patterns may assume different forms without losing their pathogenic and enterotoxic properties . This may lead to an erroneous interpretation of the results subsequent to an epidemiological study of staphylococcal intoxications. J Exp Med, 1977 May 1, 145(5), 1288 - 98 The release of an endogenous pyrogen from guinea pig leukocytes in vitro: a new model for investigating the role of lymphocytes in fevers induced by antigen in hosts with delayed hypersensitivity; Chao P et al.; Guinea pig periotoneal exudate (PE) cells incubated overnight in vitro with heat-killed Staphylococci released an endogenous pyrogen (EP) that could be assayed by intravenous injection in rabbits . The febrile responses were linearly related to the dosage of EP over an eightfold range . PE cells derived from guinea pigs with delayed hypersensitivity (DH) to bovine gamma globulin (BGG), also released EP when incubated with antigen in vitro . This reaction was specific and did not occur withe PE cells from normal or complete Freund's adjuvant-sensitized guinea pigs . Studies indicated that monos and/or polymorphonuclear leukocytes rather than lymphocytes were the source of EP . However, when incubated with BGG and sufficient dosages of BGG-sensitized lymphocytes, normal PE cells released EP over a 42 h period . These results suggest that antigen stimulates specifically sensitized lymphocytes to release an agent (perhaps a lymphokine) that activates phagocytic cells to release EP . This model offers unique advantages for investigating in vitro the role of the lymphocyte in antigen-induced fever in DH as well as the relationship of this lymphocyte-induced activity to other known biologic activities mediated by antigen stimulated lymphocytes. Pahlavi Med J, 1977 Apr, 8(2), 228 - 33 Staphylococcal susceptibility to penicillin G; Afsari K et al.; In acute Staphylococcal infections, antimicrobial drug therapy must often be initiated before culture results and antibiotic susceptibility testing are completed . Three hundred and ten cultures of coagulase-positive Staphylococcus aureus were tested for antibiotic sensitivity by the Kirby-Bauer method at the Nemazee Hospital in Shiraz, Iran . The overall resistance to penicillin G was 97.10% whereas over 99% of the isolated Staphylococci were sensitive to the penicillinase-resistance penicillin cloxacillin . A penicillinase-resistant penicillin should therefore be used in the initial management of all serious Staphylococcal infections until the organism responsible for infection can be shown to be specifically sensitive to penicillin G. Antibiotiki, 1977 Apr, 22(4), 327 - 31 {Effect of synthetic poly-electrolytes of the cationic type on staphylococcal sensitivity to benzylpenicillin}; Zaikina NA et al.; The study of the effect of synthetic polyelectrolites of the cationic type on benzylpenicillin resistant staphylococci showed that the cation polyelectrolites induced changes in the cell membrane permeability and increased penicillin absorption by the cells thus increasing sensitivity of the penicillin-resistant staphylococci to the antibiotic . Low inhibitory effect of the polyelectrolites with respect to penicillinase and hyaluronidase was shown . Changes in the membrane apparatus of staphylococcus cells due to the effect of polyelectrolites were found. Infect Immun, 1977 Apr, 16(1), 37 - 42 Bacteriolytic activity in staphylococci; Satta G et al.; The bacteriolytic activity of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus albus strains was tested with various media . Whereas S . aureus strains were found to be active under all conditions, the percentage of active S . albus strains was significantly influenced by the composition of the medium . Ionic strength and concentration of the organic nitrogen source were found to be the main factors affecting the expression of bacteriolytic activity of straphylococci . Virtually all of 318 S . aureus and 603 S . albus strains were active on a medium containing 3% peptone, 0.3% glucose, 0.2% yeast extract, 0.1% disodium phosphate, 2.2% sodium chloride and 0.9% agar . The optimal conditions for the bacteriolytic activity of S . aureus strains were different from those of most S . albus strains . Within S . albus, optimal conditions differed also from strain to strain . It is suggested that further studies on this subject may prove useful for the identification and taxonomy of staphylococci . A possible relationship between the production of extracellular bacteriolytic enzymes and pathogenic properties of staphylococci is also considered. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1977 Apr, 237(4), 477 - 82 {"Clumping factor"-reactions using staphylococci after their extraction with guanidiniumchloride (author's transl)}; Schaeg W et al.; Staphylococci of strain K 807 (ATCC: 31243) have much "clumping factor" (CF) on their surface . Extraction of the staphylococci with 6 M guanidinium chloride, removed all soluble substances, including coagulase, without reduction in CF-activity . The extracted staphylococci proved to be most suitable for the quantitative determination of fibrinogen and fibrin degradation products in a microtiter procedure (fig . 2) . The CF-test with staphylococci of strain K 807 was more sensitive compared with the hitherto used strain Newman D2C (table 1) . After staining with "Astrazonrot (BBL)" no loss of CF occurred . With the stained staphylococci the CF-reactions became more distinctly visible and gave sharp endpoints. Eur J Biochem, 1977 Apr 1, 74(2), 353 - 63 The immunochemistry of peptidoglycan . Antibodies against a synthetic immunogen cross-reacting with an interpeptide bridge of peptidoglycan; Seidl PH et al.; An albumin-peptide conjugate was synthesized, which carries pentaglycine peptides with C-terminal glycine residues as found in the interpeptide bridges of the peptidoglycan of many staphylococci . Immunization of rabbits with this synthetic immunogen yielded antisera containing predominantly antibodies against the peptide moiety of the conjugate . The quantitative precipitin and the Ouchterlony agar gel reaction with several synthetic protein-peptide-conjugates, immunoaffinity chromatography of the antisera on Sepharose-(Gly-Gly-Gly-Gly-Gly)n and hapten inhibition studies with several synthetic peptides and peptide derivatives demonstrated that the antibodies were highly specific for oligoglycine peptides with C-terminal glycine . These antibodies also reacted strongly with staphylococcal peptidoglycans with an interpeptide bridge composed of pentaglycine peptides or of pentaglycine peptides in which part of the glycine residues were replaced by L-serine . In contrast, all the peptidoglycans lacking interpeptide bridges composed of glycine residues gave no precipitin reaction at all . The final proof for identical determinant groups of albumin-(CH2CO-Gly-Gly-Gly-Gly-Gly)31 and the staphylococcal peptidoglycans applied in the precipitin reaction was furnished by double gel diffusion studies and by hapten inhibition of the precipitin reaction between antisera to albumin-(CH2CO-Gly-Gly-Gly-Gly-Gly)31 and the corresponding peptidoglycans . For rapid screening of the different peptidoglycans, a latex agglutination test was elaborated . Purified antibodies were adsorbed to latex particles, and the titers with the particular peptidoglycans were then determined . The test was highly sensitive, in that 10 nanograms of peptidoglycan could still be detected. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand {B}, 1977 Apr, 85(2), 136 - 42 Classification of coagulase-negative staphylococci in the diagnostic laboratory; Oeding P et al.; One hundred and ninety-eight coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from urines, blood cultures, and pus samples were classified by means of two identification schemes, and their wall teichoic acids were determined serologically . S . epidermidis, S . saprophyticus, and S . cohnii were identified reliably by the use of five criteria: acid aerobically from sucrose, trehalose, and mannitol, phosphatase production, and sensitivity to novobiocin . Further species, notably S . haemolyticus and S . hominis, could be identified when haemolysis on blood agar plates was included in the criteria group . The investigation shows, that a considerable number of coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from human specimens belong to species other than S . epidermidis and S . saprophyticus . These staphylococci can cause human infections and should be identified in the diagnostic laboratory . S . epidermidis and S . saprophyticus were found to contain the teichoic acids previously identified in these species . S . cohnii contained the same teichoic acids as S . saprophyticus . No characteristic teichoic acid was demonstrated in the other species, but several strains contained poly C (beta-N-acetylglucosaminylglycerol teichoic acid). Ann Dermatol Venereol, 1977 Apr, 104(4), 269 - 74 {Toxic staphylococcal cutaneous necrolysis (scalded skin syndrome) (author's transl)}; Larregue M et al.; The exfoliating exotoxin of serotype II staphylococci is responsable of three diseases with prevailing dermatologic symptoms: staphylococcal scarlet fever, staphylococcal Lyell syndrom and Ritter-Lyell disease . Melish demonstrated the effect of staphylococcal exotoxin on new-born mice less than five days old . This experimental model allowed to study the characteristics of the toxin . Precocious antistaphylococcal antibiotherapy is necessary. Arch Orthop Unfallchir, 1977 Mar 31, 87(3), 249 - 56 {Examination of antibiotic sensitivity/resistancy relations of strains of staphylococcus aureus haemolyticus originating from osteomyelitic patients (author's transl)}; Boda A et al.; On the basis of bacteriology results of osteomyelitic patients of the recent 10 year period the authors examined the changes of antibiotic sensitivity/resistancy relations of strains of coagulase positive Staphylococcus aureus haemolyticus . Examination of 385 strains of Staphylococci showed that Staphylococci originating from osteomyelitic patients are more sensitive, respectively in a lesser degree resistant to antibiotics than those of miscellaneous origin . Concerning 8, in everyday practice most commonly used antibiotics, by means of regression trend line analysis, it has been stated that in the period of 1966-1975 years Staphylococci originating from osteomyelitic patients show a decreasing resistancy to antibiotics examined . The authors are of the opinion that in osteomyelitic patients the no satisfactory results and the high number of recurrent inflammations are not attributable to resistant strains of Staphylococci, but are due to many other biologic factors. Infect Immun, 1977 Mar, 15(3), 726 - 32 Production and properties of a staphylococcin genetically controlled by the staphylococcal plasmid for exfoliative toxin synthesis; Rogolsky M et al.; Previous data from this laboratory showed that certain phage group 2 staphylococci contain a large 56S virulence plasmid containing genes that code for both exfoliative toxin (ET) and a specific staphylococcin . Optimal cultural conditions for bacteriocin production were similar to those found for ET production . The bacteriocin is an extracellular product produced in small quantities that can be neither extracted from cell pellets with 1 M NaCl nor induced with mitomycin C . The staphylococcin is active against a wide variety of gram-positive organisms and also against group 2 staphylococcal strains that have been cured of the plasmid carrying the staphylococcin marker . The bacteriocin is not inactivated by oxidation, mechanical agitation, or boiling for 15 min . It is sensitive to the action of trypsin and Pronase but not lysostaphin and is stable within a pH range of 4 to 9 . It has an isoelectric point of approximately 7.7 . Removal of the ampholytes and glycerol from electrofocused staphylococcin preparations resulted in total loss of bacteriocin activity. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 Mar, (3), 71 - 4 {Bactericidal effect of cationic proteins of cellular origin on staphylococci}; Anatolii SA et al.; A study was made of the bactericidal action of thymus histones, histone-like substance, from the nuclei of rabbit leukocytes and lysosomal cation proteins from the same leukocyte on different staphylococcus cultures . The majority of the strains of coagulasoneagative staphylococci perished under the effect of the preparations tested; cultures forming this enzyme retained their viability, irrespective of their virulence for mice, their capacity to the lecithinase formation and to mannite fermentation . The preparations studied possessed a different bactericidal activity . It is supposed that there existed an correlation between the sensitivity of staphylococcus strains to the antimicrobial action of the leukocytic cation proteins and the index of phagocytosis completion of hese microbes. Br J Surg, 1977 Feb, 64(2), 120 - 4 The influence of penicillin on experimental wound contamination with staphylococci: studies with chromic catgut and monofilament nylon closure; McCullough CJ et al.; This study examines the ability of penicillin to eradicate or modify the pattern of infection in experimental wounds contaminated with Staphylococcus pyrogenes in the presence of chromic catgut or monofilament nylon suture . Penicillin therapy initiated within 4 days of the onset of infection was successful in eradicating infection when compared with untreated controls (P less than 0-01) . Infection was modified but not eradicated in penicillin was administered from the seventh day . The response of infection to penicillin was identical in wounds containing monofilament nylon or chromic catgut over a 21-day period . Antibiotics given before wound drainage permitted healing of all chronically infected wounds even in the presence of monofilament nylon . When antibiotics were begun at the time of drainage, wound healing occurred in 50 per cent (P less than 0-01). Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 Feb, (2), 36 - 9 {Heterogeneity of natural populations of staphylococci}; Zakarian LM et al.; It was revealed by the replique method that the Staphylococcus aureus populations were (in the primary cultures of material obtained from sick and healthy individuals) heterogeneous by phage type, pathogenicity signs and by the resistance to the antibacterial preparations . The extent of heterogeneity could be assessed by the number of variants and by the percentage of the most numerous variant . It differed in different groups of the patients examined . The extent of heterogeneity decreased in cloning the subcultures; this was in favour of the fact that heterogeneity of the primary cultures was caused chiefly by the entrance into the human organism of staphylococci of different biotypes . The replique method permitted to reveal the changes in the clonic structure of the staphylococcus population in the course of the disease, the effect of antibacterial therapy, the appearance of exogenous staphylococci, and their further fate. Am Rev Respir Dis, 1977 Feb, 115(2), 269 - 77 Effect of influenza viral infection on the ingestion and killing of bacteria by alveolar macrophages; Warshauer D et al.; In experimental animals, influenza prediposes the lung to superinfection by reducing the antibacterial efficiency of the alveolar macrophage system . Because such defects may represent abnormalities in ingestion or inactivation of inhaled bacteria, these subcomponents of phagocytosis were tested in mice infected 5 days previously with influenza A virus (NWS or WSN) . The mice were exposed to aerosols of Staphylococcus epidermidis and then the rates of bacterial inactivation and percentages of intracellularly located staphylococci were measured . Rates of bacterial inactivation were determined for the left lung by pour-plate enumeration methods . The percentage of ingested bacteria was determined in the in situ perfused right lung by histologically determining the intra- or extracellular location of 100 or more staphylococci . Rates of inactivation of S . epidermidis at 4 hours after bacterial challenge were: control, 90.1 per cent; WSN, 73.0 per cent; NWS, 68.6 per cent, P less than 0.01 . The percentage of intracellular staphylococci at 4 hours were: control, 90.9 per cent; WSN, 69.9 per cent; and NWS, 73.8 per cent, P less than 0.01 . Microcolonies of proliferating staphylococci were also observed within macrophages of mice infected with each strain of influenza . These experiments demonstrated that in this experimental model, influenzal infection impairs the inactivation of inhaled bacteria by retarding the ingestion of bacteria and by allowing bacteria to proliferate within macrophages. Arch Dermatol, 1977 Feb, 113(2), 207 - 19 Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome . Clinical features, pathogenesis, and recent microbiological and biochemical developments; Elias PM et al.; The essential clinical features of staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS) and otherforms of toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are contrasted . Whereas TEN is a devastating disease of multiple causes and of high fatality affecting all age groups, SSSS comprises many clinical entitles that occur primarily in early childhood and is caused by certain phage group 2 staphylococci . Because of the high cleavage plane, the barrier is only translently perturbed, and rapid recovery is the rule . Although the early stages of SSSS may resemble other widespread dermatoses clinically, the correct diagnosis is suggested, even prior to frank exfoliation, by the presence of cutaneous tenderness and a positive Nikolski sign . However, rapid bedside confirmation is now possible with exfoliative cytology and frozen sections . Recent availability of in vivo and in vitro animal models of SSSS have advanced the knowledge of the disease: the responsible epidermolytic toxin has been characterized, and the purely extracellular pathogenesis of SSSS has been established . The epidermolytic toxin is strikingly species and tissue specific, attacking only certain keratinizing epithelia of mice, hamsters, monkeys, and man . The lower incidence of SSSS in adults is primarily due to a supreior capacity to metabolize and excrete the toxin, as well as more efficient immune capabilities . The mechanisms of epidermolytic toxin action and the molecular site of action are still the focus of active investigation. Vet Med Nauki, 1977, 14(2), 63 - 7 {Biochemical properties and antibiotic resistance of the staphylococci isolated from cows with subclinical mastitis}; Bakurdzhiev K et al.; A total of 33 strains of staphylococci, isolated from Black Pied cows with subclinical mastitis (conformed by the brom-thymol test), were studied to establish their biochemical properties and resistance to antibiotics as well as the occasional correlation between enzyme activity and resistance . It was found that no such dependences existed so far as the biochemical indices of the investigated strains were concerned . All strains proved strongly sensitive to chrolamphenicol, tylan, kanamycin, neomycin, streptomycin, oleandomycin, erythromycin, ampicillin, and were resistant to tetracycline and polymixin . The resistance of staphylococci to antibodies is probably manifested in connection with some of their biochemical properties . It has been found that resistant strains of staphylococci are more active biochemically. Vet Med Nauki, 1977, 14(2), 3 - 7 {Routes of pathogenic staphylococcal contamination of slaughter poultry}; Georgiev L et al.; The contamination of birds with pathogenic staphylococci was followed up during their slaughter handling and trimming at two poultry-dressing houses . It was found that water cooling and evisceration were mostly contributing to contamination . Taking part in the dissemination of Staphylococcus infection were also the female workers on the slaughter belt, especially those that had wounds on their hands . Studied were the properties of a total of 881 strains of staphylococci, 43.35 per cent of them being defined as Staph . aureus, and 56.64 per cent--as Staph . edidermidis. Vet Med Nauki, 1977, 14(3), 68 - 72 {Hygienic studies of the manufacture of pasteurized and sterilized canned meat products}; Marinova Ts; Studied was microbiologically the hygiene condition of premises, equipment, glassware and containers, instruments and tools, raw meat, the hands of workers and work clothing, canned products prior to sterilization, and air along all technologic lines for the production of pasteurized and sterilized canned meat: In case of underestimating the measures of industrial hygiene . In case of permanent and severe control on the measures of industrial hygiene . Determined were the total counts of bacteria--of coliforms, Salmonellae, anaerobes and staphylococci . Results made it clear that the observation of hygiene along all technologic lines of production is an immediate task . Strictly observed hygiene in meat production has given very good results up to 90-100 per cent of the washings prove sterile . Experiments have pointed to the necessity of observing the measures of industrial hygiene that guarantee the high quality of canned meat. Mikrobiyol Bul, 1977 Jan, 11(1), 61 - 81 {Staphylococcal hemolysins and autovaccine applications in staphylococcal infections}; Atun IH; The pathogenicity of staphyloccocci, their antigenic structure, toxins, the pathology of the lesions they cause, their treatment, immunogenic applications, different materials applied in men and animals, methods of application and the results in general related to the main subject are given briefly . Staphylococal hemolysins, as alpha, beta, delta and gamma hemolysins of S . aureus, epsilon hemolysin of S . epidermis, their production, purification, physicochemical characteristics, their effects on different animals and tissue cultures, their antigenicity, the role of hemolysins in pathogenicity and virulance of staphylococci, the autovaccins we prepared against staphylococcal skin infections (acne vulgaris), the method of preparation, their clinical application and the results are given briefly. J Chir (Paris), 1977, 113(1), 67 - 84 {Rational use of antibiotics in digestive surgery}; Champault G et al.; The abusive and inappropriate use of antibiotics in digestive surgery has led to the selection of multi-resistant strains responsible for sometimes dramatic infective complications . The study of the normal digestive flora under pathological conditions, knowledge of the mechanisms of resistance, led us to propose the use of antibiotics with circumspection, depending on the germ isolated and the probable efficacy of the drugs . Prophylactic antibiotic therapy is only justified with regard to gram positive anaerobic bacteria or, in exceptional cases, where the risk seems high and may irremediably compromise the surgical procedure . Curative antibiotic therapy, after treatment of the infective focus, is often sufficient but depends on the bacteria: Whether anaerobic, staphylococci of Gram negative bacilli, with regard to which one should use narrow spectrum single antibiotics. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1977, 237(2-3), 176 - 82 {Studies on the activation of complement by encapsulated and non-encapsulated staphylococci after their extraction with guanidinium chloride (author's transl)}; Kitzrow D et al.; All demonstrable enzymes and toxins of encapsulated staphylococci (KS) were removed by extraction with guanidinium chloride . The capsules, however, remained apparently intact on the extracted (KS-Gu) staphylococci (fig . 1), as well as clumping factor and protein A . KS and KS-Gu failed to activate complement in the absence of specific antibodies . They showed neither immunadherence (table 1) nor agglutination by an antiserum against C3 (table 2) . KS and KS-Gu had no significant chemotactic effects in vitro upon bovine granulocytes (fig . 2). Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1977, 237(2-3), 141 - 6 {Evaluation of phagocytosis of Staphylococcus aureus with the aid of lysostaphin (author's transl)}; Dorner I et al.; The Staphylococcus aureus strains HV 1 and K 807 were lyzed by lysostaphin . S . epidermis E 1 and staphylococci extracted with guanidinium chloride were resistant to lysostaphin-induced lysis . In the phagocytosis of S . aureus lysostaphin proved to be most useful for the differentiation between engulfed and extracellular staphylococci, particularly those attached to the surface of the polymorphonuclear granulocytes . It enabled a better recognition of the phagocytized staphylococci and therefore a more precise analysis of the phagocytosis experiments . A further improvement in the evaluation of phagocytosis was possible by the use of radioisotope labelling of staphylococci . This technique in combination with lysostaphin, might be useful for large-scale phagocytosis studies. Bull Eur Physiopathol Respir, 1977 Jan-Feb, 13(1), 145 - 56 The effect of chronic exposure to tobacco smoke on the antibacterial defenses of the lung; Huber GL et al.; To evaluate the effects of cigarette smoking on the host defenses of the lung, male CD rats were exposed to fresh whole smoke for up to 60 consecutive days . Intrapulmonary deposition of smoke and animal exposure levels, quantified with decachlorobiphenyl and other smoke tracers, indicated a daily cigarette exposure equivalent to approximately a pack and a half per day in man . Pulmonary alveolar macrophage function in situ was quantified by the inactivation of an aerosolized challenge of Staphylococcus aureus six hours after inoculation . Controls (n=120) inactivated 88.8+/-0.64% of the staphylococci . Exposure to whole smoke did not impair intrapulmonary antistaphylococcal defenses, with inactivation rates of 89.8+/-0.97% (n=49) and 89.1+/-0.46% (n=74) at 30 and 60 days, respectively . Inactivation distribution frequency analysis in controls revealed that 7% of animals had inactivation values greater than two standard deviations from the mean . With prolonged exposure mean with less skewing towards the abnormal . Alveolar macrophages harvested from smoked animals were comparable in viability and in vitro antistaphylococcal activity to controls, appeared to be metabolically activated and had specific stereologic ultrastructural alterations . These studies indicate that chronic exposure to tobacco smoke does not impair, and in fact may stimulate, the host defenses of the lung, as evaluated by in vivo and in vitro pulmonary alveolar macrophage function. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig B}, 1977 Jan, 164(1-2), 127 - 37 {Transmission of staphylococci from the nose to hands and eye-glasses as a nosocomial problem (author's transl)}; Graf W et al.; The isolation of Staphylococcus aureus from the pharynx, the nasal vestibule, as well as the eye-glasses and palms of both clinical personnel and of healthy subjects of the general population, resp., is reported . In either group, the findings were largely identical . About half of the subjects (46%) proved to be carriers of staphylococci, with the bacteria being mostly localized in the nasal vestibule (91%) rather than in the pharynx . The majority of those harbouring staphylococci in their nasal vesibule carried the same strains on their eye-glasses (67%) and on their hands (62%).The reason for the occurrence of pathogenic staphylococci, in most cases, in the nasal vestibule may be seen in the anatomical and physiological peculiarities of the pharynx and nasal vestibule, resp . While there is a highly efficient anti-bacterial defence system on the basis of both cellular and humoral mechanisms in the pharynx and oral cavity, the keratinizing stratified epithelium lining the nasal vestibule offers a milieu favourable for bacterial growth with regard to nutrients, temperature, and humidity, humoral and cellular defence mechanisms being virtually absent . With respect to nosocomial problems, the important conclusions to been drawn from the present data are the following: 1 . surgical masks barring the penetration of bacteria should be used frequently, not only during surgical operations but also in emergency wards, infant care and premature baby wards, and in similar clinical areas requiring critical attention . 2 . persons dependent on wearing eye-glasses should wear sterilized glasses when performing surgery, or subject their glasses to an efficient disinfection procedure . The latter also applies to all personnel wearing glasses in the clinical area . 3 . The very frequent association between the occurrence of staphylococci in the nasal vestibule and the contamination of hands makes it imperative to observe a strict rountine of disinfection of hands in all critical areas (emergency ward, premature baby care etc.) . In food hygiene, too, proper attention should be paid to the chain of staphylococcal contamination from nose to food . Therefore, to minimize the hazard in such high-risk situations as public canteens and in the manufacture of ice cream, a well-planned routine of hand disinfection should be adhered to. J Clin Pathol, 1977 Jan, 30(1), 35 - 9 Susceptibility of the "penicillinase-resistant" penicillins and cephalosporins to penicillinase of Staphylococcus aureus; Lacey RW et al.; The activities of some semisynthetic penicillins and cephalosporins have been tested against clinical strains of Staphylococcus aureus . The apparent activity in vitro varies with the method of testing used . Determination of MICs using light inocula fails to detect the destructive effect of penicillinase on the antibiotic . This was, however, demonstrated reproducibly by the use of a technique in which a heavy inoculum was pre-incubated for two hours before application of antibiotic to wells . This method of testing probably represents most of the clinical situations in which the drugs are used since both in vitro and in vivo a growing culture is exposed to an antibiotic gradient . Flucloxacillin was inactivated by penicillinase considerably more than either methicillin, cloxacillin, or nafcillin . Cephaloridine was the most vulnerable of the cephalosporins . Cephazolin, cephalothin, and cephalexin were intermediate . Cephradine was the least hydrolysed by staphylococcal penicillinase . It is recommended that the activities of all penicillins and cephalosporins against staphylococci should be tested by diffusion at 37 degrees C with pre-incubation of the culture for two hours at this temperature. J Infect Dis, 1977 Jan, 135(1), 1 - 8 Granulocyte function in patients with chronic renal failure: surface adherence, phagocytosis, and bactericidal activity in vitro; Abrutyn E et al.; The defects in host defense mechanisms that explain the enhanced susceptibility to infection of patients with chronic renal failure are not understood, and previous studies concerning function of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL), the major antibacterial defense, conflict . Therefore, the antimicrobial functions of PMNL obtained from chronically uremic patients and serum factors essential for PMNL activity were evaluated . The potential modifying effect of high concentrations of serum from uremic patients on PMNL of uremic patients was determined, and granulocyte adherence, an activity related to recruitment of cells to inflammatory sites, was measured . Phagocytosis of 14C-labeled Staphylococcus aureus and bactericidal activity were normal and unaffected by high concentrations of uremic serum . Serum from uremic patients opsonized staphylococci and yeast normally . Oxidative metabolism of PMNL {14C-1}glucose oxidation, O2 consumption, and quantitative protein iodination) was normal, as was PMNL adherence . If the uremic patient has an increased risk of infection, this risk cannot be ascribed to defects of PMNL responses that have been studied in these patients. Infect Immun, 1977 Jan, 15(1), 175 - 9 Influence of temperature on opsonization and phagocytosis of staphylococci; Peterson PK et al.; The effect of incubation temperatures of 41, 37, and 4 degrees C on phagocytosis was investigated using human neutrophils and {3H}thymidine-labeled staphylococci . Depressed phagocytosis was observed at 41 and 4 degrees C . At 41 degrees C diminished staphylococcal uptake resulted from decreased attachment of bacteria to leukocytes; the inhibitory effect at 4 degrees C was secondary both to decreased opsonization and to reduced attachment to leukocytes . In contrast to the findings with normal serum, opsonization with heat-inactivated serum appeared to be relatively intact at 4 degrees C . By incubating samples in lysostaphin, it was determined that the process of bacterial ingestion as well as that of attachment was adversely affected by incubation temperatures of 41 and 4 degrees C. Surg Gynecol Obstet, 1977 Jan, 144(1), 58 - 62 The role of implant porosity on the development of infection; Kiechel SF et al.; The role of implant porosity as a determinant of infection was studied . Standardized porous and nonporous polymethyl methacrylate implants were fabricated for this investigation . In rabbits, the premolded polymethyl methacrylate implants were placed under the paravertebral fascia, just superficial to the paravertebral muscle fascia, before inoculation with a measured number of staphylococci . The polymethyl methacrylate implants did not enhance the infection rate of the contaminated wounds . The presence of pores within the implants did not damage tissue defenses . Polymethyl methacrylate implants did not alter the success of antibiotic treatment . Antibiotics prevented the development of infection in wounds containing 10(6) organisms, even in the presence of an implant . When higher levels of organisms were delivered to the wound, antibiotic treatment had a negligible benefit in the implant and control wounds. J Hyg Epidemiol Microbiol Immunol, 1977, 21(2), 195 - 202 RNA-induced intensification of antibacterial resistance and aggravation of infection; Zemskov VM; The injection of yeast total RNA, transfer RNA or sodium nucleinate into the organism of experimental animals induced the development of non-specific resistance to pathogenic salmonellae, staphylococci and escherichiae 4-6 hours after the administration of the preparations; this resistance persisted during several days . The content of serum lysozyme rose and interferon was induced in the stimulated animals, but the state of resistance was not transferred with serum . It was due to mobile phagocytes the number of which increased considerably and so did their digestive activity . Simultaneous administration of RNA and pathogenic salmonellae and staphylococci was accompanied by aggravation of infection and acceleration of the lethal outcome . The mechanism of this phenomenon consists in the acceleration of proliferation of the microorganisms and in the selection of their virulent clones under the effect of RNA which was demonstrated in experiments in vivo and in vitro . It is believed that endogenous nucleic acids participate in the development of the natural infectious process, in bacterial complications of viral infections and in autoinfection during radiation sickness. J Int Med Res, 1977, 5(6), 442 - 9 Gentamicin in the treatment of staphylococcal infections; Chambers WB et al.; The aminoglycoside antibiotic, gentamicin, was used to treat staphylococcal infections in eighty-six patients in an open multicentre trial . Most of the infections involved the skin and soft tissue and the lower respiratory tract . Staphylococcus aureus was the only organism isolated in seventy-four patients; mixed flora were found in twelve . Gentamicin was administered, intramuscularly or intravenously, for 7 to 12 days (mean, 10 days) in a mean dose of 3-27 mg/kg per day . Clinical and bacteriological assessment of results indicated a complete resolution of the infection in fifty-three patients (61-6%) and a marked, moderate, or slight improvement in an additional twenty-nine patients (33.7%) . Thus, a total of eighty-two patients ((95.3%) showed cure or improvement while only four patients (4-6%) failed to do so . Staphylococci persisted in six patients . Superinfection also occurred in six patients, however, it was considered to be clinically significant in only four of them . Screening for eighth cranial nerve, renal, hepatic and haematological function, before, during, and after gentamicin treatment, revealed no adverse reactions in these patients. Infection, 1977, 5(3), 183 - 7 A review of the medical considerations of the use of tylosin and other macrolide antibiotics as additives in animal feeds; Knothe H; The use of antibiotics in animal feeds is reviewed with special reference to possible problems which might be encountered in human medicine . Emphasis is placed on the macrolide antibiotics, especially tylosin . Even though there can be cross-resistance between tylosin and erythromycin, the increasing use of tylosin in animal feeds has not caused an increase of resistance to erythromycin in human isolates of Staphylococcus aureus . There is no significant evidence that tylosin resistant staphylococci of animal origin have endangered human health . Tylosin is not effective against the gram-negative intestinal flora, which thus does not lead to selection of R-factors by conjugation . From the human medical stand point, there is no reason that precludes the use of tylosin as a fee additive in animal feeds. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1977, 237(2-3), 183 - 8 {Characterization of staphylococci in microtiter-plates (author's transl)}; Kroemer G et al.; The conventional methods for the demonstration of coagulase, clumping-factor, fermentation of mannitol, protein A, alpha-, beta-, and delta-hemolysins and acid phosphatase were adapted to a microtitersystem (MTS) . This led to a considerable saving in working-time and reagents . The biochemical reactions could be distinctly evaluated in the MTS (fig . 1) . In all qualitative determinations there was complete agreement between the results obtained by MTS and the conventional procedures . In the quantitative endpoints there were only minor deviations (fig . 2,3,4) . Thus, the MTS appeared to be a suitable procedure for the characterization of pathogenic staphylococci at a large scale. Rev Stomatol Chir Maxillofac, 1977, 78(7), 465 - 76 {Current flora of mandibular osteomyelitis}; Deffez JP et al.; 1) Blood-borne osteomyelitis may have a dental portal of entry . This results in a bacteraemia or septicaemia due to organisms other than staphylococci . In such cases, osseous lesions occur at a distance from the initial dental site . 2) As far as antibiotic treatment is concerned:--It must be begun early but not prematurely, i.e . bacteriological studies should be undertaken before antibotic therapy is started, possibly to be later changed in the light of laboratory results.--It should be combined, with a preference for two antibiotics which result in a bactericidal combination, as soon as the responsible organism is identified.--It should be given in high dosage, in view of the problem of diffusion of the antibiotic to the centre of the necrotic bone lesion.--It should be prolonged, based upon clinical, laboratory and radiological findings. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1977, 237(2-3), 147 - 59 Transfer of drug-resistance-plasmids in mixed cultures of Staphylococci; Witte W; Transfer of pen- and chl-plasmids does not only occur between strains of Staph, aureus but also betwen strains of Staph, aureus and Staph, epidermidis . In Staph, aureus, the frequency of transfer of a tet-plasmid is less frequent than the transfer of pen- and chl-plasmids . Lysogenization of the donor strain by a sero-group-B-phage has no influence on the frequency of transfer . The transfer is not inhibited by gamma-globulin . gamma-globulin inhibits unspecifically phage adsorption and also the transduction by phage 80 . The transfer is also possible when an encapsulated recipient strain is used . Phages are inhibited by the capsular material (SCHEER and KOFT, 1975); a transduction to an encapsulated strain is impossible . These results speak against a phage-mediated transfer in mixed cultures . A dilution of the incubation mixture leads to an unproportional decrease of the frequency of transfer . A prerequisite to the transfer is probably a close cell-to-cell contact. J Gen Microbiol, 1977 Jan, 98(1), 67 - 75 Mechanism of compact-colony formation by strains of Staphylococcus aureus in serum soft agar; Yoshida K et al.; Compact-colony forming active substance (CCFAS), the material responsible for the compact colonies of Staphylococcus aureus observed in serum soft agar, was found to be an alkaline-stable, associated polysaccharide containing galactose, N-acetylglucosamine, ribitol, phosphorus and a small quantity of alanine . This substance, when extracted from strains unable to produce protein A clumping factor, was able to absorb the serum-reacting factor whereas a teichoic acid preparation of one strain could not . The formation of CCFAS was unaffected by the age of the cells, whereas when staphylococci were cultured at alkaline pH, young cells produced more clumping factor than old ones . Both fibrinogen and its degradation products were capable of inducing compact colonies in a strain of S . aureus . The ability of human sera to interact in compact-colony formation was independent of the immunoglobin content . Thus neither protein A, clumping factor, nor teichoic acid participate in the CCFAS reaction. Zentralbl Bakteriol Parasitenkd Infektionskr Hyg, 1977, 132(2), 135 - 42 Factors influencing L-asparaginase production by staphylococci; Mikucki J et al.; Cultural and nutritional requirements for a maximum synthesis of 1-asparaginase by staphylococci were determined . The best production of the enzyme was found in the stationary phase of growth of a batch culture . The highest 1-asparaginase yield was obtained when the culture were aerated during an exponential phase of growth and further incubated in the stationary phase . Optimum pH for the enzyme production was 7.5 . Glucose inhibited the enzyme formation . Maximum yield of 1-asparaginase was obtained when casein hydrolysate and yeast extract were supplied as carbon and nitrogen sources . Repression by 1-asparagine and 1-aspartic acid was absent. Antibiotiki, 1976 Dec, 21(12), 1072 - 5 {Antagonistic interrelationships between the staphylococci and Sarcina isolated from the upper respiratory tracts of virtually healthy persons}; Ternovskaia LN et al.; The antagonistic activity of staphylococci isolated from the mucosa of the anterior parts of the nose of practically healthy persons was studied with respect to 102 strains of Sarcinia . Staphylococcus aureus had the most pronounced inhibitory effect on Sarcinia . No difference in the antagonistic activity of the staphylococci isolated from the carriers of the permanent and transitory types was found . However, Staphylococcus aureus isolated from the permanent carriers had a broader activity spectrum. J Trop Med Hyg, 1976 Dec, 79(12), 260 - 3 Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome in Nigerian children: a report of three cases; Odugbemi TO et al.; Three cases of staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome in Nigerian children are reported . The clinical features and bacteriological findings are discussed . It is suggested that the clinical condition is not as rare in our community as absence of reports on African children in the literature may suggest . A reference centre for phage typing of staphylococci from suspected cases in a developing country like our own is recommended. Chest, 1976 Dec, 70(6), 780 - 2 Echocardiographic detection of bacterial vegetations in a child with a ventricular septal defect; Aziz KU et al.; A 13-year-old boy with a small ventricular septal defect was admitted with clinical manifestations of acute endocarditis . Coagulase-positive staphylococci were isolated from the blood . Definitive diagnosis was made by detecting bacterial vegetations in the right ventricle on the echocardiogram . Repeated embolization of these vegetations to the pulmonary circulation led to the death of the patient. Clin Pediatr (Phila), 1976 Dec, 15(12), 1168 - 9 Cervical adenitis in infancy . Report of four cases due to staphylococci; Wald ER et al.; Four cases of cervical adenitis occurring in infants under four months of age are presented . Coagulase positive staphylococci were recovered in pure culture from the involved lymph node in each instance . Staphylococcal aureus as a cause of lymphadenitis should be suspected in patients who present with acute lymph node swelling and no obvious focus of infection . Antibiotic management of this clinical problem should include therapy specific for the staphylococcus. Can Med Assoc J, 1976 Nov 20, 115(10), 1002 - 3 A new method for rapid identification of influenza virus isolates; Zalan E et al.; With the use of bacteria sensitized by influenza virus strain-specific antisera, virus isolates can be identified rapidly . One drop of virus suspension is mixed with one drop of sensitized bacteria on a slide that is then agitated; reaction occurs within 10 minutes . The test is subtype-specific . The mehod is based on the fact that the cell wall of the Cowan type 1 strain of Staphylococcus aureus contains abundant quantities of an antigen, known as protein A, that reacts with the IgG molecule by binding it in such a manner that the antibody-combining sites remain free . If an antigen homologous to the antibody coated on the surface of the bacteria is added to the suspension of sensitized staphylococci, agglutination occurs. Arch Microbiol, 1976 Nov 2, 110(23), 263 - 70 Chemical and biochemical studies for the differentiation of coagulase-positive staphylococci; Schleifer KH et al.; The cell wall composition, the configuration of lactic acid produced from glucose under anaerobic conditions, the occurrence of fructose-1,6-diphosphate (FDP) activated L-lactate dehydrogenase (L-LDH), and the esterase pattern were determined from more than 80 strains of coagulase-positive staphylococci isolated from man and animal . Strains isolated from man, swine, bovines and hares form a rather homogeneous group . They exhibit a similar cell wall composition, produce predominantly D,L-lactate and have a characteristic and simple esterase pattern . Coagulase-positive staphylococci isolated from dogs, horses, minks and pigeons are quite distinct from typical Staphylococcus aureus strains . They exhibit a different cell wall composition, produce only L-lactate, possess an L-LDH which is specifically activated by FDP, and have a quite complex esterase pattern. Antibiotiki, 1976 Nov, 21(11), 985 - 8 {Comparative antibiotic sensitivity of different species of staphylococci isolated from humans}; Bogdanova LF et al.; A total of 206 strains of various staphylococcal species isolated from various sources were studied with respect to their sensitivity to 18 antibiotics . The number of strains poly-resistant to the antibiotics was almost the same among Staph . aureus and Staph . epidermidis, i . e . 54.8 and 51.3 per cent respectively . The coagulase-negative and mannitol-negative variants of Staph . aureus and Staph . epidermidis possessing high biological activity (10-14 properties) were resistant to more antibiotics as compared to the low active strains. J Clin Microbiol, 1976 Nov, 4(5), 455 - 7 Selective medium for distinguishing micrococci from staphylococci in the clinical laboratory; Curry JC et al.; A nitrofuran-containing medium, FTO agar, supported the growth of Micrococcus and prevented the growth of Staphylococcus . Its potential as a differential medium is considered worthy of clinical trial. J Clin Microbiol, 1976 Nov, 4(5), 418 - 22 Single-tube mixed agglutination test for the detection of staphylococcal protein A; Maxim PE et al.; A simple, rapid mixed agglutination test using sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) sensitized with rabbit hemolysin and intact viable staphylococci is described for the detection of bound staphylococcal protein A . Soluble protein A was heat extracted from 50 clinical isolates as well as the Cowan I and Wood 46 strains of Staphylococcus aureus and titered by a hemagglutination test using sensitized SRBC and dilutions of soluble protein A . Protein A could be detected in all of these supernatants including that of S . aureus Wood 46, a strain generally considered to be protein A negative . These organisms were later retested by the mixed agglutination test and even those staphylococcal isolates expressing very low heat-extractable soluble protein A concentrations (1:2 titers) were positive, confirming the sensitivity of the test . In a screen of clinical isolates, only 4 of 235 (1.8%) coagulase-positive isolates were negative in the mixed agglutination test . Of 25 coagulase-negative isolates, none yielded a positive reaction. Can J Microbiol, 1976 Nov, 22(11), 1603 - 11 {An agar medium for direct enumeration of Staphylococcus aureus: pork plasma medium for S . aureus (PPSA)}; Devoyod JJ et al.; A selective agar medium (pork plasma medium for S . aureus (PPSA)) enables the direct enumeration of coagulase-positive staphylococci . This medium is based on the Baird-Parker agar without egg yolk and is supplemented with pig plasma . Colonies of Staphylococcus aureus are surrounded by a halo of precipitated fibrin . When foods such as dairy products contain large numbers of egg yolk-negative strains of S . aureus, the PPSA agar has the advantage over egg yolk containing media such as Baird-Parker agar that fewer suspect colonies have to be confirmed. Am J Vet Res, 1976 Nov, 37(11), 1297 - 9 Multiplication of Staphylococci in vitro in normal and mastitic milk from vaccinated and nonvaccinated cows; Targowski SP et al.; Mastitis was induced by injection of cell walls of Staphylococcus aureus into the mammary glands of normal cows and of cows which had been vaccinated parenterally with a staphylococcal bacterin in adjuvant . Multiplication of S aureus in normal milk and in mastitic milk from vaccinated and nonvaccinated cows was determined in constant volume cultures . Growth was significantly inhibited during the 1st 6 hours of incubation, regardless of the nature of the milk or the vaccination status of the cows . Growth was inhibited for 24 hours in normal milk, and the organisms grew exponentially in mastitic milk regardless of the vaccination status of the cows. J Lab Clin Med, 1976 Nov, 88(5), 691 - 9 Effect of alveolar lining material on phagocytic and bactericidal activity of lung macrophages against Staphylococcus aureau; LaForce FM; Unstimulated rabbits were sacrificed and their lungs washed with heparinized saline . After alveolar macrophages were harvested, the cell-free lavage fluid was centrifuged at 47,000 X g to recover a small, whitish, surface-active pellet (F fraction.) The supernatant was concentrated 15-fold by vacuum dialysis (P fraction) . Alveolar macrophages in a serum-free system were challenged with radiolabeled (32P) Staphylococcus aureus preincubated in either balanced salt solution or F or P fraction . A small increase in alveolar macrophage bacterial uptake occurred with P fraction-treated staphylococci . P fraction from locally immunized animals further enhanced phagocytosis . In bactericidial experiments, alveolar macrophages were allowed to phagocytize staphylococci preincubated in either balanced salt solution or F fraction . Intracellular bactericidal activity of alveolar macrophages was quantitated by lysotaphin lysis of extracellular bacteria and quantitation of viable intracellular bacteria . Enhanced lung macrophage bactericidal activity against F fraction-incubated staphylococci was noted. Infect Immun, 1976 Nov, 14(5), 1259 - 60 Chromosomal determinants for exfoliative toxin production in two strains of staphylococci; Rosenblum ED et al.; Strain TG is a plasmidless exfoliative toxin (ET) producer . Strain ER201 contains a plasmid, whose loss had no apparent effect on ET production . The plasmid of ER201 was almost identical in size to the plasmid from strain UT0007, which carries an ET determinant. Antibiotiki, 1976 Nov, 21(11), 979 - 85 {Fucidin, its basic properties and place in the modern therapy of suppurative and inflammatory processes}; Navashin SM et al.; Sodium fusidin prepared at the All-Union Research Institute of Antibiotics was studied experimentally and clinically . High antibacterial activity of fusidin especially against methicillin-resistant staphylococci was found . The clinical trials showed high efficacy of fusidin in treatment of perichondritis, osteomyelitis, pyodermia, pseudofurunculosis, multiple abscesses of the skin because of its satisfactory penetration into the skin and cartilage tissues, skin and subcutaneous cellular tissue . The tolerance of the drug by most of the patients was satisfactory. Pathol Biol (Paris), 1976 Nov, 24(9), 657 - 9 {Bactericidal power of polymorphonuclear neutrophils . Trials for standardization of a micromethod using autoradiography (author's transl)}; Ville G et al.; A 50 mul sample of blood is placed successively in the presence of staphylococci, then of tritiated thymidine . Stripping film autoradiography permits identification of living intracellular bacteria which metabolize the marked precursor . In our experimental conditions, the percentage of marked intracellular bacteria is: -- 15,4 +/- 3,7% (x +/- 1s) among adults -- 14,6 +/- 3,2% among children. J Immunol, 1976 Nov, 117(5 Pt 1), 1482 - 90 Cell membrane antigen isolation with the staphylococcal protein A-antibody adsorbent; Kessler SW; Procedures are detailed for the rapid isolation of representative cell membrane antigens with protein A-bearing staphylococci as an adsorbent for IgG antibodies complexed with the antigens . Cell surface membrane proteins were radioiodinated and solubilized in nonionic detergent . Specific antisera were subsequently added and the immune complexes precipitated by addition of the staphylococcal adsorbent and low speed centrifugation . The antigens isolated included surface immunoglobulins from mouse and human lymphocytes, human beta-microglobulin and HL-A alloantigens, mouse H-2 alloantigens, and the murine leukemia virus glycoprotein gp 70 . Rabbit, sheep, goat, and mouse antisera were all effective for the specific phase of the precipitation reaction . The surface membrane immunoglobulins of mouse splenic lymphocytes and human peripheral blood lymphocytes differed with respect to class composition and protein A reactivity . Mouse lymphocyte surface immunoglobulins were nonreactive with protein A, whereas a high proportion of human lymphocyte surface immunoglobulins of different classes bound directly to the staphylococci . In sequential immunoprecipitation studies the prior isolation of one antigen had no appreciable effect on the subsequent recovery of another antigen . Adsorption of antigen-antibody complexes is quantitative when protein A sites are provided in excess over antiserum IgG sites, and this obviates the need for equivalence point titrations for optimal precipitation necessary with alternative double antibody techniques. Antibiotiki, 1976 Nov, 21(11), 992 - 5 {Recipient capacity of clinical strains of staphylococci belonging to different phage groups}; Ponomareva TR et al.; The recipient capacity of the strains of Staph . epidermidis and Staph . areus belonging to different phage groups, as well as the possibility of epidemic distribution of the erythromycin resistance marker among the clinical staphyloccal strains on using the defective phage obtained from strain 8325 P IIde was studied . The defective phage P IIde may be the source of epidemic distribution of the drug resistance among the competent strains of Staph . aureus . All erythromycin sensitive strains of Staph . aureus lysed by the phages of groups I and III proved to be competent recipients of the erythromycin resistance marker . The strains of Staph . aureus of phage group II and phage type 80/81, as well as the strains of Staph . epidermidis were not competent recipients under our experimental conditions . It was not possible to transfer the high level of erythromycin resistance (1000 gamma/ml) on transduction to the strains of phage group I with a relatively low level of resistance to this antibiotic (20-50 gamma/ml. J Med Microbiol, 1976 Nov, 9(4), 433 - 9 Effects of staphylococcal products on locomotion and chemotaxis of human blood neutrophils and monocytes; Russell RJ et al.; The effects of staphylococcal products as chemo-attractants for human blood neutrophils and monocytes and as inhibitors of locomotion of these cells were studied with bacterial cells, culture filtrates and isoelectrically focused fractions from culture filtrates of nine strains of Staphylococcus aureus . Little direct chemotactic activity of staphylococcal products for neutrophils was observed, although a chloroform-soluble extract of the whole organisms contained such activity . The major chemotactic effect of staphylococci for neutrophils was indirect, i.e., generated when the organisms or their products were incubated with plasma, perhaps due to activation of complement . In contrast, direct chemotactic activity for monocytes was found in a large number of staphylococcal fractions . Staphylococci also produced inhibitors of locomotion of both neutrophils and monocytes . Isoelectric focusing showed more fractions inhibitory for neutrophils than for monocytes . Some of the inhibitors could be identified . Staphylococcal alpha-toxin inhibited migration of both neutrophils and monocytes . Sphingomyelinase C (beta toxin) inhibited migration of monocytes but not of neutrophils . Leucocidin-rich strains were strongly active as inhibitors of neutrophil locomotion but less so as inhibitors of monocyte locomotion. Schweiz Med Wochenschr, 1976 Oct 2, 106(40), 1371 - 2 Ricin- and concanavalin A-binding sites on the surface of polymorphonuclear leukocytes have no receptor function in phagocytosis; Baggiolini M et al.; Human and rabbit polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) were incubated at 0 degrees C with ferritin conjugates of ricin or concanavalin A,and subsequently brought to 37 degrees C in order to induce the formation of lectin caps . The PMN were then alllowed to phagocytose yeast cells or staphylococci for 15 min and were subsequently processed for electron microscopy . The micrographs were evaluated by morphometry . It was found that lectin-treated PMN phagocytose as efficiently as untreated cells . Capped cells always engulfed the particles with a lectin-free portion of their plasma membrane . This indicates that ricin- and concanavalin A-binding sites on the PMN surface are not involved in particle recognition and uptake . The virtual absence of lectin on the membrane of the phagocytic vacuoles suggests that capped PMN is functionally polarized and only able to phagocytose at the pole opposite the cap. Clin Exp Immunol, 1976 Oct, 26(1), 99 - 107 A subpopulation of human B lymphocytes that rosette with mouse erythrocytes; Forbes IJ et al.; A proportion of human peripheral blood lymphocytes form rosettes with mouse erythrocytes (M-RFC) . It is confirmed that the proportion of such rosette-forming cells is high in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) . Analysis of normal lymphocyte populations revealed that M-RFC belong to the B-lymphocyte subclass exclusively . Analysis of their surface markers showed: (a) complement receptors in 50% as compared to 71% of the total B-cell population; (b) a distribution of surface immunoglobulins G, A, M and E typical of the lymphocyte sources; (c) lack of sheep erythrocyte receptor . No differences in the ratio of M-RFC to total B cells was found between lymphocyte population from tonsils, bone marrow and peripheral blood although a significantly higher ratio was seen in cord blood and in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia . Investigation of the properties of mouse erythrocyte rosette formation revealed the following: (a) incubation of lymphocyte mouse erythrocyte mixtures at 37degreesC before centrifugation inhibited rosette formation when CLL lymphocytes were used; (b) treatment of mouse erythrocytes with neuraminidase or trypsin increased their adhesiveness to lymphocytes; (c) treatment of lymphocytes with neuraminidase promoted M-rosette formation but trypsin treatment had an inhibitory effect; (d) cyanide and fluoride at concentrations which strongly inhibited E-rosette formation had no inhibitory effect on M rosettes; (e) M-rosette formation was inhibited by anti-immunoglobulin serum but not by anti-lymphocyte serum; and (f) M-rosette formation was also inhibited by the presence of staphylococci . E-rosette formation was unaffected . The nature of the bond in mouse rosettes is discussed in the light of these findings . The evidence indicates that the lymphocyte receptor may be a part of an immunoglobulin molecule. Br J Exp Pathol, 1976 Oct, 57(5), 560 - 70 Factors affecting the susceptibility of staphylococci to killing by the cationic proteins from rabbit polymorphonuclear leucocytes: the effects of alteration of cellular energetics and of various iron compounds; Walton E et al.; Anaerobiosis, various respiratory inhibitors and certain agents altering cellular energetics profoundly affect the staphylocidal action of the cationic proteins from rabbit polymorphonuclear leucocytes . It is suggested that sensitivity to these proteins depends on the structure of the cell membrane as influenced by (1) the oxidation level of the cytochrome chain and (2) its energized state . Agents such as amytal and rotenone, which cause a block at the beginning of the chain and would increase its oxidation level, enhance killing, whereas those causing a block in or at the end of the chain, such a 2-n-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline-N-oxide, cyanide and anaerobiosis, which would cause reduction of a part or whole of the chain, prevent killing . Among agents altering the energized state of the membrane, dicyclohexyl-carbodi-imide, an ATPase inhibitor, does not prevent killing, whereas 2,4-dinitrophenol, carbonylcyanide-trifluoromethoxy-phenylhydrazone and 5-Cl, 3-t-butyl, 2'-Cl, 4'-NO2-salicylanilide, all uncouplers and ionophores for a specific ion, do prevent killing, although gramicidin, a relatively nonspecific ionophore, does not . The paper also contains an extension of previous work on the effect of iron and haematin, to include various other iron compounds and haematin derivatives. Antibiotiki, 1976 Oct, 21(10), 914 - 9 {Cross resistance in tumor cells and staphylococci with respect to anthracycline-group antineoplastic antibiotics}; Shorin VA et al.; The variants of the tumor cells of Fisher lymphadenosis, strain L-5178 and Staph . aureus resistant to rubomycin simultaneously became partially less sensitive to adriamycin . Sensitivity to karminomycin in the rubomycin resistant strains did not practically change as compared to the sensitivity of the initial strains . Sensitivity to adriamycin and rubomycin in Staph . aureus decreased 67 and 4 times respectively after 7 passages on media with increasing concentrations of adriamycin, while sensitivity to karminomycin decreased only 1.5 times, i.e . remained practically unchanged . After 22 passages of Staph . aureus to karminomycinrubomycin and adriamycin decreased 16, 67 and 33 times respectively . The results of the study may be explained by differences in the changes of the cell membrane permeability due to the drug effect. J Gen Microbiol, 1976 Oct, 96(2), 229 - 38 Mechanisms of resistance to fusidic acid in Staphylococcus aureus; Chopra I; The biochemical mechanisms of resistance to fusidic acid in Staphylococcus aureus were investigated . Organisms possessing plasmid genes for resistance showed a high basal level of resistance, but could be induced to higher levels after pre-incubation with fusidic acid . This induction occurred rapidly and probably did not depend on gene dosage effects . Mutants resistant to fusidic acid, obtained from plasmid-negative cultures, expressed resistance constitutively . Protein synthesis in cell-free extracts from staphylococci with plasmid-mediated resistance to fusidic acid was as sensitive to fusidic acid as was synthesis in preparations from sensitive organisms; whereas protein synthesis in preparations from a spontaneous fusidic acid resistant mutant was resistant to the antibiotic . None of the resistant strains caused detectable inactivation of fusidic acid and no new derivative of fusidic acid was found in culture extracts of plasmid-possessing organisms grown in the presence of radioactive antibiotic . Expression of plasmid-mediated resistance to fusidic acid was associated with a decrease in the molar ratio of phosphatidylglycerol to lysylphosphatidylglycerol, but the cardiolipin content remained constant. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand {B}, 1976 Oct, 84B(5), 300 - 4 Immunochemical analysis of an unusual cell wall polysaccharide from animal coagulase-positive staphylococci . 1 . Fragments obtained after hydrolysis in hydrofluoric acid and alkali; Endresen C et al.; Polysaccharide P (poly P) of canine coagulase-positive staphylococci contains glycerol, glucose, glucosamine, muramic acid, phosphate, and the usual peptidoglycan amino acids, but does not cross-react serologically with standard teichoic acids . Products from hydrolyses in hydrofluoric acid and alkali contained phosphates of glycerol and glucose as well as combinations of these, but neither glucosyl-glycerol units nor glucosamine-phosphates were observed . The teichoic acid of poly P is probably a polymer of a repeating unit consisting of alternating glycerol, phosphate and glucose. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand {B}, 1976 Oct, 84B(5), 305 - 8 Immunochemical analysis of an unusual cell wall polysaccharide from animal coagulase-positive staphylococci . 2 . Probable structure based on chemical and serological studies; Endresen C et al.; The teichoic acid of polysaccharide P (poly P) contains glycerol, glucose and phosphate . Hydrofluoric acid and alkali hydrolysates contain glycerol 1-phosphate, glycerol diphosphate, and glucose 1-phosphate, but no glucosyl-glycerol fragments . Glucose and the serological activity of poly P were destroyed by periodate oxidation . Interaction with concanavalin A showed that the glucose is in alpha-configuration and that the hydroxyl groups at positions 3, 4 and 6 are unsubstituted . Most probably, the poly P teichoic acid is a polymer containing a repeating unit in which glycerol 1-phosphate is attached to the 2-position on alpha-D-glucose 1-phosphate. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1976 Oct, 32(4), 575 - 8 Agar plate tests of enhanced sensitivity for detecting biologically active products of staphylococcal filtrates; Madler JJ et al.; Optimal conditions for detecting staphylokinase, phosphatase, protease, lipase, esterase, egg yolk factor, lysozyme, deoxyribonuclease, hyaluronidase, penicillinase, and alpha-, beta-, and delta-hemolysins in cell-free filtrates of selected strains of staphylococci by agar plate methods were established by studying the effect of factors such as buffer composition, pH, ionic strength, type of agar, nature and concentration of substrate, and certain metal ions . The final tests that evolved from this study are simple to perform, require only 6 mul of the sample per test, and are capable of detecting microgram and, in some cases, nanogram quantities of the product . The zones of reaction can also be quantitatively related to the amount of material present . The test may also be useful for the detection of extracellular products of other microorganisms. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1976 Oct, 236(1), 10 - 5 Staphylococcus aureus strains of phage group II and their possible relation to animal staphylococci . 2 . Biochemical properties; Galinski J; The investigations carried out show that the two main serologic types of phage group II are biochemically different . Contrary to strains of serologic 263-2, staphylococci belonging to type i1-2 do not produce haemoglobinase, are positive in cristal-violet test, produce mostly beta haemolysin, disclose higher lipolytic activity and as a rule possess dark orange pigment . In the first part of this work it was shown, that the serologic types under discussion differ also in respect of the presence of polysaccharide 263, epidemiology, phage typing and resistance to antibiotics . The data mentioned above seem to constitute sufficient base for the subdivision of phage group II into two subunits . It should be stressed that some properties of staphylococci belonging to type i1-2 seem to indicate their possible relation to animal strains of biotype B. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1976 Sep, (9), 119 - 21 {Phenomenon of erythrocyte "spreading" on the surface of agar caused by hemolytic staphylococci}; Dvoretskii BM; Hemolytic staphylococcus was incubated at 37 degrees C in a Petri dish, on meat-peptone agar with a layer of erythrocytes on its surface . Colonies surrounded by smaller radially-located secondary colonies of the same staphylococcus were revealed in 24 hours; there proved to be a direct relationship between the hemolytic activity of the staphylococcus and the size of the zone of erythrocyte "spreading" . This phenomenon called the erythrocyte "spreading" phenomenon was caused only by hemolytic staphylococci . Apparently hemolytic staphylococcus secreted surfactants causing the "spreading" of erythrocytes from the growing colony. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1976 Sep, (9), 112 - 6 {Modified nephelometric method of determining the activity of extracellular staphylococcal plasmocoagulase}; Shraer DP; The nephelometric method of the quantitative determination of plasmocoagulase was modified . The medium for growing staphylococci and the composition of the "substrate" were elaborated . The necessity of recalculation of the absolute coagulase activity into specific activity with the consideration to the microbial cell count in the suspension from which the supernatent containing the enzyme was obtained . The greatest plasmocoagulase activity was revealed in the 6- and the 24-hour cultures of Staph . aureus . The optimal time of incubation of the reactive medium (enzyme-substrate) was 4 hours. Arch Dermatol, 1976 Sep, 112(9), 1275 - 9 Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome in an adult and a child; Sturman SW et al.; Two patients had staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS) with typical clinical and histopathologic findings . In both cases, the disease was reproduced by injections of staphylococci into mice . The adult patient, who had no other physical or laboratory abnormalities, showed intact humoral and cellular immunity; her uneventful clinical course was clearly different from the eight previously reported cases in adults . To our knowledge, the child represents the first case report of SSSS as a result of infection by a non-group 2 Staphylococcus. Acta Otolaryngol, 1976 Sep-Oct, 82(3-4), 275 - 8 Nosocomial parotitis; Lundgren A et al.; A total of 22 cases of acute suppurative parotitis are reviewed . The causative factors were severe primary disease with salivary gland hyposecretion related to age (77 years), dehydration, oral inactivity and drugs (19 patients) . The oral hygiene was poor and permitted ascending canalicular invasion of resistant staphylococci . The mortality was 27% . The treatment, including preferably cloxacilline and incision, is discussed . To stress the importance of prophylaxis the name "nosocomial parotitis" is suggested. Vopr Pitan, 1976 Sep-Oct, (5), 61 - 5 {Multiplication of staphylococci and formation of type A enterotoxin in boiled macaroni products}; Petrushina LI; Interconnection between the number of pathogenic staphylococci and the presence of enterotoxin in cooked macaroni products was studied . Precipitation in gel with antienterotoxic serum of the A type demonstrated the formation of the type A enterotoxin to be observed when 1 g of the product contained millions of the staphylococcal cells . The time period necessary for the formation of enterotoxin depended upon the initial dose of the staphylococcal contamination of the product and the incubation temperature. Br J Dermatol, 1976 Sep, 95(3), 285 - 93 Hypersensitivity to bacteria in eczema . II . Titre and immunoglobulin class of antibodies to staphylococci and micrococci; Parish WE et al.; The amounts of agglutinating antibody to staphylococcal and micrococcal phenol-extracted (probably teichoic acids) and protein antigens, prepared from Baird Parker types S1, SIV and M1, were no greater in eczematous than in control persons . Most antibody to phenol-extracted to phenol-extracted antigens was IgM which frequently activated complement to lyse red cells which had adsorbed the bacterial antigen . IgG antibody against phenol-extracted staphylococcal antigen (Staph . aureus, Baird Parker Type S1) was shown to be specific antibody combining by the F(ab)2 portion of the molecule . The phenol-extracts did not contain staphylococcal Protein A that binds to the Fc portion of IgG . Furthermore, the presence of Protein A in the protein or total antigen extracts did not appear to modify the results of the tanned cell agglutination test . The occurrence of immediate or of 4 h, Arthus-like skin test responses to staphylococcal or micrococcal antigens was unrelated to the agglutinin or complement-lysis titre of the relevant antibody. Antibiotiki, 1976 Aug, 21(8), 735 - 7 {Effect of antibiotics on the resistance of white mice to infection caused by antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus strains}; Aver'ianova LL; The effect of benzylpenicillin, streptomycin and tetracycline on the animal resistance to infection caused by the antibiotic resistant staphylococci was studied . It was found that the effect of the antibiotics on the infectious process outcome was not limited by their antibacterial properties . Changes in the natural resistance of the host under the effect of the antibiotics were not always the same and depended on both the antibiotic type and the moment of its administration. Antibiotiki, 1976 Aug, 21(8), 745 - 7 {Methicillin penetration into the cerebrospinal fluid of patients}; Imshenetskaia VF; Penetration of methicillin through the blood-liquor barrier in neurosurgical patients was studied . When administered in a dose of 2 gm the drug penetrated through the barrier in 1/3 of all observations within 1 to 3 hours . Increased liquor pressure in the patients resulted in prolongation of the antibiotic effect in the cerebrospinal fluid . The methicillin levels in the liquor were no sufficient for the growth inhibition of most methicillin sensitive staphylococci. Infect Immun, 1976 Aug, 14(2), 496 - 501 Extracellular and bacterial factors influencing staphylococcal phagocytosis and killing by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes; Peterson PK et al.; Extracellular and bacterial factors that influence the phagocytosis and killing of staphylococci by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes have been studied . Staphylococcus epidermidis strains were, in general, more rapidly phagocytized than were S . aureus strains . However, two strains of S . epidermidis had a very slow rate of ingestion . Although the rate of phagocytosis of S . aureus Wood 46 was greater than that of S . aureus 502A, the Wood 46 strain was more difficult to kill . Serum was essential for phagocytosis of both S . aureus and S . epidermidis . The opsonic titer of pooled serum was similar for S . aureus and S . epidermidis . In normal pooled serum, heat-labile factors were more important for effective phagocytosis than they were in immune serum . Although a saturation point for ingestion was reached, the percentage of ingested bacteria that remained alive within the leukocyte remained relatively fixed . Heat-killed and live staphylococci were igested in a similar fashion . The rate of phagocytosis was greatly reduced at 41 degrees C. Immunology, 1976 Aug, 31(2), 159 - 65 The effect of cytophilic IgG2 on phagocytosis by ovine polymorphonuclear leucocytes; Watson DL; Non-lactating, multiparous ewes were immunized either by subcutaneous infection with live Staphylococcus aureus (seventeen ewes) or by intramuscular injections of a killed S . aureus-oil adjuvant vaccine (seventeen ewes) . Polymorphs which were subsequently collected from the mammary glands of the animals were used in in vitro phagocytosis assays against Pseudomonas sp . or S . aureus . There was no difference between polymorphs from the two groups of ewes in their ability to phagocytose Pseudomonas organisms . Polymorphs from the infected ewes showed significant phagocytic superiority over cells from ewes given the killed vaccine when S . aureus was the target organism . This phagocytic superiority could be abrogated by removal of cytophilic immunoglobulin from polymorphs and restored by replacement of cytophilic immunoglobulin . It was shown by staining polymorphs with FITC-conjugated anti-immunoglobulin sera that cytophilic immunoglobulin on the surface of polymorphs belonged to the IgG2 class of immunoglobulins . When 'neutral' polymorphs (from non-immunized ewes) were coated with IgG2 purified from the sera of infected ewes, they exhibited enhanced phagocytosis of staphylococci compared with 'neutral' polymorphs carying IgG2 from the sera of ewes given the killed vaccine. Br J Surg, 1976 Aug, 63(8), 647 - 50 Wound infection in a children's hospital; Doig CM et al.; The operation wounds of 20 per cent of the children operated on in one surgical unit of a children's hospital became infected . Infection was commonest in the newly born operated on as emergencies, 50 per cent of whose wounds became infected . No connection was found between injection and nasal carriage of staphylococci . A possible source of infection in the young may be the umbilicus. Tijdschr Diergeneeskd, 1976 Jul 15, 101(14), 779 - 86 The difference in hereditary susceptibility to three mastitis agents between two daughter groups; Grootenhuis G; Daughter groups of two sires A and Z were kept under equal conditions during 3 lactations . Experimental infections with mastitis agents gave different responses in both groups . The evident difference in susceptibility to mastitis between the A- and Z-daughters is based upon genetic differences . The results of this experiment indicate the possibility of selecting AI-bulls with respect to mastitis in descent and offspring . In this experiment staphylococci were less pathogenic than Str . agalactiae and Str . dysgalactiae . The most severe reactions were produced by the infections with Str . dysgalactiae. Am J Trop Med Hyg, 1976 Jul, 25(4), 623 - 5 Antibiotic susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus in Saigon, South Vietnam; Rhoades ER et al.; Methicillin resistant staphylococci are unevenly distributed throughout the world; the explanation for this is not known . During a survey of local hospitals for methicillin resistance, a number of strains from South Vietnam became available for study . Tests were performed in microtiter plates using various concentrations of several antibiol . With the larger number of organisms in the inoculum, 17% of strains required 12.5 mug/ml or more of methicillin for inhibition . This is in contrast to a very low percentage of methicillin resistant staphylococci from local sources encountered in our laboratory . An unexpected finding was the occurrence of considerable lincomycin resistance in staphylococci from South Vietnam. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1976 Jul, (7), 124 - 7 {Capsule formation in Staphylococcus aureus of hospital origin}; Prokhorov VIa et al.; The authors elaborated suitable conditions for cultivation of freshly isolated Staph . aureus, which offered a possibility of detection among them of a high percentage (75.2) of capsular cultures . It was shown that when grown in serum semifluid agar capsular staphylococci formed diffuse colonies of three different types . No correlation between the presence of the capsule, on the one hand, and the absence of the flocculus-forming factor and resistance to the type bacteriophage, on the other hand, was revealed in the Staph . aureus strains. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig B}, 1976 Jul, 162(1-2), 211 - 6 {Staphylogenic food poisoning in a children's home (author's transl)}; Grau A; Disease affected a group of 56 children in a children's convalescent home . In the samples taken from the stomach as well as in the samples of the vomit brought up by the affected children, in which the remains of porridge oats were recognizable, cluster cocci were identified in the microscopic preparations . The latter were classified by culture growing and lysotypy into various staphylococcal phagotypes . These staphylococci were identified as enterotoxin A and enterotoxin C2 formers . Stains of staphylococci isolated from swabs taken from the throat, nose and hands of the persons engaged in the preparation of the porridge oats were of the same staphylococcal phage groups . Consequently it would appear that these persons contaminated the oats . The oats had been left overnight at about 2.5 centigrade and were served to 58 children at 7.45 in the morning . Around 9.30 the first cases presented . By about 12.00 their number had risen to 56 . However, 24 hours later 41 children were again free from complaints despite the initial shock-like nature of the life-endangering conditions (vomiting, diarrhoea, circulatory disorders). Diabetologia, 1976 Jul, 12(3), 259 - 62 Humoral immunodeficiency to bacterial antigens in patients with juvenile onset diabetes mellitus; Ludwig H et al.; Humoral immunity to bacterial antigens was tested in 49 tissue typed patients with juvenile onset diabetes mellitus (JOD) and in 50 healthy controls . The number of patients with agglutinins to E . coli and staphylococci was significantly lower compared to controls (p less than 0.001, p less than 0.01 respectively) . Missing antibody formation to pertussis and diphtheria toxoid could also be detected in a higher percentage of JOD patients than of controls (p less than 0.05; p congruent to 0.05, respectively) . By contrast heteroagglutinins to sheep and rabbit erythrocytes were found in similar proportion in both groups and the values of immunoglobulin serum concentrations showed no difference between patients and controls . In addition no correlation between antibody formation and genes of the HLA complex was found . It is suggested that the severely reduced agglutinin formation to bacteria antigens might be partly responsible for susceptibility to bacterial infections in juvenile diabetics. Antibiotiki, 1976 Jul, 21(7), 631 - 6 {Functional state of the adrenal cortex in the antibiotic therapy of experimental staphylococcal infection}; Loginov AV et al.; The functional state of the cortex in experimental animals before and after treatment with tetracycline was studied under conditions of prolonged infection caused by intravenous administration of Staph . aureus . Three staphylococcal strains were used in the study: sensitive, low sensitive and resistant to tetracycline . It was shown that development of the infection in the animals was accompanied by a decrease in the cortex function . Oral administration of tetracycline in a dose of 200 mg/kg resulted in normalization of the glucocorticoid function of the gland after 15 days of its use . Since the same phenomenon was observed when the animals were infected with the antibiotic resistant strains of staphylococci, it was supposed that the therapeutic effect of tetracycline was defined by both the antibacterial action and capacity for increasing the protective-adaptive reactions of the host by stimulation of the cortex function.
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