J Clin Microbiol, 1980 May, 11(5), 515 - 21 Antigenic relationships and rapid identification of Peptostreptococcus species; Wong M et al.; Antisera against whole cells of each Peptostreptococcus species (P . anaerobius, P . micros, P . parvulus, and P . productus) were produced in rabbits . When these antisera were reacted against sonically disrupted cells and culture supernatant fluids in Ouchterlony tests, lines of identity were obtained among the antigens from all the species and uninoculated culture medium . When the antisera were subsequently absorbed with the dehydrated culture medium used to grow the peptostreptococci, all cross-reactions in heterologous antigen-antibody combinations were eliminated, leaving only species-specific precipitin arcs . These absorbed antisera, specific for each Peptostreptococcus species by Ouchterlony tests, were used for rapid identification studies . Staphylococcus aureus-bearing protein A was sensitized with each absorbed antiserum . These reagents produced specific coagglutination reactions with suspensions of each Peptostreptococcus reference strain and with 16 clinical isolates . No cross-reactions occurred with the Streptococcus intermedius, Peptococcus magnus, or Peptococcus asaccharolyticus strains tested. Infect Immun, 1980 May, 28(2), 441 - 50 Local and systemic antibody response to oral administration of glucosyltransferase antigen complex; Smith DJ et al.; The salivary and serum immune responses to orally administered glucosyltransferase antigen complex from Streptococcus mutants strain 6715 were investigated in hamsters . All enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure the antibody quantity and isotype, and a {14C}glucosyl-labeled sucrose incorporation assay was used to measure functional inhibition of the enzyme . A total of 21 to 27 daily doses of antigen administered in hamster oral cavities elicited salivary immunoglobulin C and immunoglobulin A antibody responses and functional inhibitory activity . The salivary response increased throughout the immunization procedure, and the amount of salivary antibody was dependent upon the dose of antigen given . The salivary response to a second oral administration of antigen for 4 days showed some features of anamnesis . The response after a second antigen administration was detected sooner than the primary response, and somewhat higher levels of antibody and inhibitory activity were observed . Serum antibody (immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin M) and functional inhibitory responses were also elicited by oral administration of the soluble enzyme antigen . These responses were lower than responses induced by local injections of antigen in complete Freund adjuvant . The ability to evoke a salivary immune response to the glucosyltransferase antigen complex may increase the potential of using this antigen in an effective caries vaccine. Rev Infect Dis, 1980 May-Jun, 2(3), 505 - 17 Congenital disorders of the function of polymorphonuclear neutrophils; Mills EL et al.; This review has concentrated on clinical syndromes for which a congenital basis of polymorphonuclear neutrophil dysfunction has been identified . The first clinical syndrome found to be associated with dysfunctional polymorphs was chronic granulomatous disease of childhood . Identification of a cellular defect in oxidative metabolism and microbicidal activity of polymorphonuclear neutrophils from patients with CGD stimulated intense investigation of the function of phagocytes in several clinical entities characterized by increased susceptibility to infection . Other diseases with a probable congenital basis for polymorph dysfunction include Chediak-Higashi syndrome, myeloperoxidase deficiency, severe glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, and Down's syndrome . Functional defects have also been identified in neutrophils with morphologic abnormalities, such as the Pelger-Huet anomaly and the May-Hegglin anomaly, and in neutrophils without alkaline phosphatase or with a disorder of the glutathione system . The evidence for a relation between these cellular disorders and susceptibility to infection is tentative . Patients with congenital disorders of polymorphonuclear neutrophil microbicidal function frequently suffer prolonged infections in spite of appropriate antimicrobial therapy, and severe lesions recur with discouraging frequency . These lesions are usually soft tissue or bone abscesses, and the etiologic agents are typically staphylococci, gram-negative enteric species, or fungi . The infectious disease problems of patients with phagocytic cell disorders are usually quite distinct from the problems of patients without immunoglobulins or with complement deficiency . Patients with agammaglobulinemia, for example, suffer recurrent septicemia or meningitis due to Streptococcus pneumonia or H . influenzae . Septicemia, especially with the pyogenic bacterial species, is unusual in patients with polymorphoinuclear dysfunction . A major contribution of the currently intense investigation of cells from patients with congenital disorders of phagocyte function has been the greatly increased understanding of the molecular events necessary for the normal function of these cells . The role of the oxidative metabolic burst during phagocytosis has been clearly identified as essential to the microbicidal function of polymorphs and monocytes, and the glutathione system has been identified as essential to the regulation of these oxidative reactions . It is anticipated that these studies may lead to practical methods for "stimulating the phagocytes" in patients with increased susceptibility to infection. J Immunol, 1980 May, 124(5), 2384 - 9 A comparative investigation of the generation of specific T cell-helper function induced by Streptococcus mutans in monkeys and mice; Lamb JR et al.; Antigen-specific helper cells were induced in vitro in monkeys and mice by using an antigen preparation from Streptococcus mutans . These helper cells were T cells on the basis of their sensitivity to anti-Thy . I and complement, and were not retained on nylon wool . Upon further in vitro culture the helper cells release mediators of help, "helper factor" in the supernatant . The release of helper factor as well as its augmentation of the immune response was antigen specific . Monkey and murine helper factors were similar in their induction, function, and specificity. J Laryngol Otol, 1980 Apr, 94(4), 425 - 7 Permanent perceptive deafness due to Streptococcus suis type II infection; Shneerson JM et al.; We report a case of meningitis and perceptive deafness caused by Streptococcus suis type II (Group R beta-haemolytic streptococcus) . The illness is known to be an occupational hazard of pigmeat handlers and our patient worked in a pet food factory processing pig meat . His hearing loss was very severe and showed no improvement despite adequate antibiotic treatment . The organism that was isolated is the first to show penicillin resistance . The implications of this for antibiotic treatment are discussed. Infect Immun, 1980 Apr, 28(1), 118 - 26 Association of protein with the cell wall of Streptococcus mutans; Nesbitt WE et al.; Cell walls from Streptococcus mutans were prepared by conventional technique and subjected to a series of extraction procedures involving classical protein solvents . The extracted walls contained several non-peptidoglycan amino acids and were also amenable to radiolabeling with {125I}sodium iodide and chloramine T . The cell walls could be chemically modified with tetranitromethane and diazo-1H-tetrazole, suggesting the presence of tyrosine or histidine or both . Flourescence spectra of the walls revealed the presence of either tyrosine or tryptophan . Several proteases, including pronase, trypsin, subtilisin, and proteinase K, removed some of the label from the walls . In contrast, treatment of the walls with salts or denaturants did not result in the solubilization of label . When the walls were solubilized with mutanolysin and subjected to chromatography, three peaks of radioactivity with apparent molecular weights of 73,000, 39,000, and 9,600 were observed . Wall digests subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed a single band of radioactivity corresponding to an apparent molecular weight of 79,000 . Isoelectric focusing of labeled wall digest gave rise to two major bands of radioactivity with isoelectric points of approximately 2.4 and 5.6 . The results suggest that the cell wall of S . mutans contains tightly and possibley covalently bound polypeptide molecules . We propose that the cell wall polypeptides of S . mutans serve as factors in the attachment of the bacteria to smooth surfaces. Mutat Res, 1980 Apr, 70(2), 157 - 65 Lack of SOS repair in Streptococcus pneumoniae; Gasc AM et al.; Wild-type strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae were non-mutable by UV radiation and thymidine starvation . Moreover, UV-irradiated pneumococcal omega 2 phages were not reactivated in an irradiated host . This suggests that, in pneumoococcus, there is no efficient inducible repair process similar to the SOS repair described in detail for E . coli . We also report that mutations cannot be induced by a process thought to be linked to competence during transformation with isogenic wild-type DNA either on wild-type strains or in strains in which the hex function of excision and repair of mismatched bases is inactive. Arch Ophthalmol, 1980 Apr, 98(4), 740 - 2 Cefaclor levels in human aqueous humor; Axelrod JL et al.; In an attempt to investigate penetration of cefaclor into human aqueous humor, we administered 500-mg and 1-g doses of cefaclor to 39 patients about to undergo cataract extraction . Average aqueous humor levels of 0.27, 0.27, and 0.17 microgram/mL were achieved at 1, 2, and 4 hours, respectively, after the 500-mg oral dose . After 1 g orally, we found average aqueous humor levels of 0.61, 0.64, 0.72, 0.4, and 0.31 microgram/mL at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 hours, respectively . Therapeutic levels in primary aqueous humor were consistently achieved against Streptococcus pneumoniae and St pyogenes, group A. Laryngoscope, 1980 Apr, 90(4), 661 - 6 Complications of frontal and ethmoid sinusitis; Morgan PR et al.; A small percentage of patients with acute frontal or ethmoid sinusitis develop orbital, cranial or CNS complications . At selected University of Tennessee affiliated hospitals, from 1974 to 1978, there were 14 such cases which required major surgical intervention in addition to intensive medical therapy . The most common complication in this series was subperiosteal orbital abscess . The most common bacterial isolates were streptococcus and staphylococcus . A discussion of complications associated with frontal and ethmoid sinusitis is included as well as recommendations for medical and surgical management. Ann Intern Med, 1980 Apr, 92(4), 478 - 81 Characterization of the glomerular antibody in acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis; Rodriguez-Iturbe B et al.; Glomerular-fixed antibody was eluted from the kidney of a 17-year-old patient who died 2 weeks after the onset of acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis . Elevated titers of antibodies to streptococcal enzymes were found in the serum but not in the glomerular eluate . Streptococcal M protein and anti-M protein reactivity were not detected in the eluate . Immunoglobulin G was the only serum protein demonstrated in the eluate, and it was found to have anti-IgG activity highly concentrated with respect to the serum . These studies appear to indicate that anti-IgG is involved in the immune pathogenesis of acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis . Native IgG may be rendered autoimmunogenic by the streptococcus with subsequent antibody production to the neoautoimmunogen . Alernatively, anti-IgG may be produced to the IgG incorporated in an exogenous streptococcal antigen-antibody complex. Mol Gen Genet, 1980 Apr, 178(1), 191 - 201 Excision and repair of mismatched base pairs in transformation of Streptococcus pneumoniae; Claverys JP et al.; The use of heteroduplex DNA molecules as donors in pneumococcal transformation makes it possible to follow the fate of each DNA strand . The integration efficiency of each strand depends strongly upon the single base changes it carries . The function (hex) which reduces drastically the transformation yield of markers referred to as low efficiency (LE) tends to remove either donor strand without respect ot which one is introduced . In the case of high efficiency (HE) markers the reduction in the transformation yield involves the elimination of only one donor strand . For a given locus it can be either one depending upon the mutation . The reduction in transformation yield can be less drastic for HE markers than for both strands of the LE markers . These data are discussed in terms of differences in the affinity for mismatched base pairs . We have studied the transfer of information from each donor DNA strand to the recipient genome, on the basis of differences in the rates of phenotypic expression of a given marker introduced on opposite strands . Results show that, as in the case of LE markers, the information from HE markers, when introduced on the strand recognized by the hex function, is transmitted to both strands of the recipient molecule . Correction of the recipient strand to homozygosis probably accounts for this information transfer . These results, together with earlier investigations, strongly suggest that the hex function is an excision-repair system acting on donor-recipient base pair mismatches. Infect Immun, 1980 Apr, 28(1), 65 - 73 Conservation of cell wall peptidoglycan by strains of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sanguis; Mychajlonka M et al.; Turnover of the cell wall peptidoglycan fraction of six different strains of Streptococcus mutans and eight different strains of Streptococcus sanguis was examined . Cells were grown in the presence of {3H}lysine and {14C}leucine for at least eight generations and then chased in growth medium lacking the two labels . At intervals during the chase, samples of cultures were removed, and the amounts of the two labeled precursors remaining in the peptidoglycan and protein fractions were quantitated . Similar experiments were done in which the pulse-labeling technique was used . In addition, cells were labeled in the presence of tetracycline or penicillin, chased with growth medium containing no inhibitor, and assayed at intervals during the chase for the amount of {3H}lysine present in peptidoglycan fractions . Studies of cultures of S . mutans strains FA-1, OMZ-61, OMZ-176, 6715, GS-5, and Ingbritt and of S . sanguis strains 10558, M-5, Wicky, DL-101, DL-1, 71X26, and 71X48 maintained in the exponential phase of growth in a chemically defined medium failed to show evidence of loss of insoluble peptidoglycan via turnover . Similarly, for the strains of S . mutans, insoluble peptidoglycan assembled during 2 h of benzylpenicillin or tetracycline treatment was also conserved during recovery from growth inhibition. Infect Immun, 1980 Apr, 28(1), 195 - 203 Soluble group- and type-specific antigens from type III group B Streptococcus; Carey RB et al.; Two soluble polysaccharide antigens of a type III group B Streptoccus were isolated from the culture medium after growth of strain M732 in a chemically defined broth supplemented with acid-hydrolyzed casein . The type- and group- specific antigens were isolated from the culture supernatant by anion-exchange chromatography with diethylaminoethyl-Sephacel . Two carbohydrate-containing peaks, which had serological reactivity with group B or type III antiserum, respectively, were eluted with a linear NaCl gradient and further purified by gel filtration . The type III polysaccharide was found to contain glucose, galactose, glucosamine, and sialic acid, whereas the group B polysaccharide contained galactose, glucosamine, and rhamnose . For the type III polysaccharide, sialic acid was shown to be the major immunodeterminant, and for the group B polysaccharide, rhamnose was the immunodominant sugar . Both the type III and group B polysaccharides were obtained in high yields without employing harsh physical or chemical treatment and both were immunologically distinct . By immunoelectrophoresis or counterimmunoelectrophoresis, type III antigen failed to react with group-specific antiserum and the group B antigen failed to react with type III antiserum. Carbohydr Res, 1980 Apr 1, 80(1), 163 - 77 Specific inhibition of glucosyltransferase of Streptococcus mutans; Inoue M et al.; Clinical dextran, partially oxidized with sodium periodate, acts as a potent inhibitor of the extracellular glucosyltransferases of several cariogenic strains of oral Streptococcus mutans . Preincubation with oxidized dextran resulted in a rapid loss of up to 80% of the ability of the enzyme preparation to synthesize polysaccharide from sucrose, but there was no loss of enzyme activity when the oxidized dextrans were reduced with sodium borohydride before preincubation with enzyme . The presence of unoxidized clinical dextran during the preincubation period afforded the enzymes protection against inhibition by partially-oxidized dextran, but clinical dextran did not readily restore activity when it was added after incubation of the enzyme with oxidized polysaccharide . Fructosyltransferase, and glycogen and starch phosphorylase, activities were not inhibited by oxidized dextran, and the bacterial glucosyltransferases were not inhibited by partially oxidized glycogen and amylose . It is proposed that the potent and specific inhibition of glucosyltransferase by oxidized dextran results from the interaction of dialdehyde groups with reactive functional groups close to the dextran-binding site of the enzyme. Infect Immun, 1980 Apr, 28(1), 220 - 4 Regulation and function of ammonia-assimilating enzymes in Streptococcus mutans; St Martin EJ et al.; The ability of Streptococcus mutans to synthesize amino acids was examined . A total of 8 of 12 laboratory strains grew anaerobically on solid-defined medium that contained no amino acids . Several isolates, therefore, assimilated ammonia for the biosynthesis of amino acids . These strains included representatives of five serotypes . One strain, DR0001, was also grown in liquid-defined medium . The enzymes of two pathways by which ammonia can be fixed were detected in this strain DR0001 could use either a reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-coupled glutamate dehydrogenase or the combined action of adenosine 5'-triphosphate-driven glutamine synthetase with a reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-coupled glutamate synthase to assimilate ammonia for the biosynthesis of amino acids . Evidence that both pathways were functional was provided by an analysis of the influence of the nitrogen source on enzyme levels and by the isolation and characterization of glutamate dehydrogenase-negative mutants. Med J Aust, 1980 Mar 22, 1(6), 266 - 8 Distribution of types of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated in Sydney in 1973--1974 and in 1979; Smith DD et al.; At The Prince of Wales Hospital, 357 pneumococci isolated in the laboratory from September, 1973, to May, 1974, and 268 pneumococci isolated from June to November, 1979, were serotyped . The pneumococci were isolated from patients and carriers in the hospital and in general practice . The type distribution resembled that described by Hansman regarding 1247 pneumococci isolated from 1965 to 1969 . In each of the periods, the same seven predominant types--19, 23, 6, 3, 9, 11 and 15--were isolated in almost exactly the same order of frequency . Of the "epidemic" types--1, 2, 4, 5, 7 and 12--only type 12 was not isolated in the present study . This information may be of value in the choice of components for an appropriate polyvalent pneumococcal vaccine for susceptible children and adults in Australia. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1980 Mar, 17(3), 364 - 71 Multiple changes of penicillin-binding proteins in penicillin-resistant clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae; Hakenbeck R et al.; Penicillin-binding properties and characteristics of penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) were investigated in several clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae differing in their susceptibilities to penicillin (minimal inhibitory concentration {MIC}, 0.03 to 0.5 microgram/ml) and compared with the penicillin-susceptible strain R36A (MIC, 0.07 microgram/ml) . Several changes accompanied the development of resistance: the relative affinity to penicillin of whole cells, isolated membranes, and two major PBPs after in vivo or in vitro labeling decreased (with increasing resistance) . Furthermore, one additional PBP (2') appeared in four of five relatively resistant strains with an MIC of 0.25 microgram/ml and higher . PBP 3 maintained the same high affinity toward penicillin in all strains under all labeling conditions. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health, 1980 Mar, 11(1), 32 - 9 Chronic infection of cats with Brugia malayi and streptococcus; Ewert A et al.; An elephantoid condition was seen in the affected limbs of 5 of 6 cats at necropsy 12 to 18 months after initial infection with Brugia malayi . Repeated infection with Brugia and exposure to an opportunistic streptococcus appeared to enhance the production and persistence of edematous and fibrotic tissues surrounding the affected lymphatics. Infect Immun, 1980 Mar, 27(3), 922 - 7 Effect of growth conditions on sucrose phosphotransferase activity of Streptococcus mutans; Slee AM et al.; Sucrose and glucose phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphotransferase (PTS) activities were studied in growing cultures of Streptococcus mutans serotype c and d/g cells adapted to either glucose or sucrose . Both acid production and optical absorbance were used to monitor growth in pH-controlled defined growth medium . The sucrose PTS activity appeared to be significant only under conditions of substrate limitation or slow growth as a result of low environmental pH . However, under environmental conditions which permitted rapid growth sucrose PTS activity appeared to be repressed, and only when the cells approached substrate-limited stationary phase after growth on high sucrose-supplemented medium was significant sucrose PTS activity again observed . A mutant apparently defective in sucrose PTS activity grew rapidly and produced acid under conditions of high environmental sucrose level but showed no sucrose PTS activity when the culture approached stationary phase . The mutant, however, after adaptation to glucose, demonstrated significant glucose PTS once the culture had attained the stationary growth phase . During diauxie growth in the presence of glucose and sucrose, there were sequential apparent inductions and repressions of glucose and sucrose PTS activities corresponding to decreases and increases of growth rate on the two substrates . Thus, S . mutans possesses at least two transport mechanisms for each substrate studied . One system (PTS) functions under conditions permitting slow growth and another functions under conditions permitting rapid growth. J Bacteriol, 1980 Mar, 141(3), 1298 - 304 Inhibition of transformation in Streptococcus pneumoniae by lysogeny; Moynet DJ et al.; Streptococcus pneumoniae R6X was lysogenized with bacteriophage 304 isolated after mitomycin induction of an ungrouped alpha-hemolytic streptococcus . Lysogenized pneumococci lost their capacity to undergo genetic transformation: transformability was restored after cells were spontaneously cured of their prophage . Both lysogens and nonlysogens produced activator substance (competence factor), and both bound deoxyribonucleic acid in a deoxyribonuclease-resistant form . However, nonlysogens retained deoxyribonucleic acid after washing, whereas lysogens did not . The latter did not liberate phage nor (unlike nonlysogens) degrade transforming deoxyribonucleic acid and contained normal levels of endonuclease. J Anim Sci, 1980 Mar, 50(3), 547 - 53 Control of wheat-induced lactic acidosis in sheep by thiopeptin and related antibiotics; Muir LA et al.; Thiopeptin, thiopeptin-like antibiotics and penicillin were shown previously to be highly active in vitro against Streptococcus bovis, the microorganism believed to be responsible for the initiation of ruminal lactic acidosis . The purpose of this work was to determine the efficacy of these antibiotics in preventing lactic acidosis in lambs challenged by intraruminal administration of ground wheat . Lambs, which were fasted and then given ground wheat at 40 g/kg body weight, showed dramatic increases in rumen and plasma lactate over the 30-hr experimental period . Rumen lactate increased from .2 to peak levels of approximately 150 mumoles/ml by 8 to 10 hr after wheat administration . Plasma lactate increased after rumen lactate was elevated and lambs succumbed when plasma levels exceeded 15 mumoles/ml . Ruminal volatile fatty acids were greatly reduced as rumen lactate increased . Over half of the lambs given ground wheat died within 30 hours . Thiopeptin given as a single dose completely prevented lactic acidosis by reducing rumen lactate 80 to 90% . In addition, thiopeptin permitted "normal" rumen fermentation to continue as indicated by a significant increase in volatile fatty acids . The minimum effective dose of thiopeptin to control acute lactic acidosis was .18 mg/kg body weight . Other members of the thiopeptin class, including sulfomycin, sporangiomycin, siomycin and taitomycin, prevented lactic acidosis in a manner similar to thiopeptin . Penicillin, however, inhibited ruminal volatile fatty acid production as well as lactate synthesis . In addition, the effective period for penicillin in the rumen was only 8 to 16 hr, after which lactate fermentation was reestablished . Thus, thiopeptin and thiopeptin-like antibiotics, but not penicillin, appear to provide prophylactic treatment against lactic acidosis in sheep. Obstet Gynecol, 1980 Mar, 55(3 Suppl), 97S - 98S Bartholinitis--an unusual etiologic agent; Morton BD 3rd et al.; Streptococcus pneumoniae type 4 was isolated in pure culture from a Bartholin's gland abscess in a 26-year-old woman, gravida 3 . To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report describing this agent as a cause of bartholinitis. J Clin Microbiol, 1980 Mar, 11(3), 263 - 5 Comparison of slide coagglutination test and countercurrent immunoelectrophoresis for detection of group B streptococcal antigen in cerebrospinal fluid from infants with meningitis; Webb BJ et al.; The usefulness of Phadebact streptococcus reagents for the detection of group B streptococcal antigen in cerebrospinal fluid was evaluated in 54 infants with meningitis and in 22 normal infants . Antigens was detected by slide coagglutination in 19 (82.6%) and by countercurrent immunoelectrophoresis in 20 (87.0%) of 23 cerebrospinal fluid specimens from infants with group B streptococcal meningitis at admission . After initiation of antimicrobial therapy, antigen could be detected in 11 of 19 (by slide coagglutination) and 7 of 18 (by countercurrent immunoelectrophoresis) cerebrospinal fluids . False-positive reactions were noted by slide coagglutination in one infant with S . bovis meningitis and one with group B streptococcal bacteremia without meningitis; none occurred with countercurrent immunoelectrophoresis . The commercial availiability, simplicity, sensitivity (82.6%), and specificity (96.4%) of the Phadebact slide coaggluatination test for detecting group B streptococcal antigen in cerebrospinal fluid suggest that it may be useful for the early and rapid diagnosis of group B streptococcal meningitis. J Clin Microbiol, 1980 Mar, 11(3), 205 - 8 Comparison of selective broth and plating methods for isolation of Streptococcus mutans from root surface dental plaques; Ellen RP et al.; Approximately 150 sound root surfaces in 44 subjects prone to root surface caries were sampled longitudinally to determine the microbial flora associated with root caries initiation . During the first 16 months of the study, a comparison of Streptococcus mutans recovery was made by using three bacteriological media: mitis-salivarius agar (MSA), mitis-salivarius-bacitracin-sucrose agar (MSB), and a partially selective mannitol-containing broth . Total streptococcal and S . mutans populations were found to be much lower than in previous reports . MSB was more selective; S . mutans was detected in many samples when its numbers were too low for isolation on MSA . However, recovery of S . mutans was greater on MSA than on MSB for most samples yielding colonies on both media . Mannitol-containing broth used as an enrichment medium yielded the highest frequency of S . mutans isolation among the three media. J Infect Dis, 1980 Mar, 141(3), 370 - 81 Luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence for evaluation of type III group B streptococcal opsonins in human sera; Anderson DC et al.; A luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence (CL) assay was developed to evaluate type III group B streptococcal opsonins . Sera from 11 adults that contained high (greater than 25 microgram/ml), intermediate (3-24 microgram/ml), or low (less than 2 microgram/ml) antibody concentrations were assessed by CL, indirect immunofluorescence (IF), and bactericidal assays . Total CL activity correlated with antibody concentration (P less than 0.005), IgG- and C3-IF values, and phagocytic and bactericidal indices . Heat-stable CL activity correlated with antibody concentration (P less than 0.0001) and was related to IgG-IF values and phagocytic indices . Significant bactericidal activity was demonstrated in all sera containing greater than 2 microgram of antibody/ml, but no bactericidal activity was observed in heat-inactivated sera . Adsorption of heated sera with type III group B Streptococcus abolished CL activity, whereas CL values of MgEGTA-chelated sera were approximately 80% of untreated sera . Thus, type-specific antibody in addition to heat-labile serum factors, including those of the alternative complement pathway, contribute to opsonization of type III group B Streptococcus. Obstet Gynecol, 1980 Mar, 55(3), 315 - 8 Group B beta-hemolytic streptococcus: randomized controlled treatment study at term; Merenstein GB et al.; A randomized controlled investigation was undertaken to evaluate the role of maternal oral antibiotic therapy in decreasing the incidence of maternal and neonatal colonization at term with group B beta-hemolytic streptococcus (GB-BHS) . Data were collected to determine the optimum transfer media and the colonization rate in the study population . At delivery 1441 maternal-infant pairs were evaluated . One hundred sixty-eight women (11.6%) and 55 infants (3.8%) were colonized . Forty-four women colonized with GB-BHS at 38 weeks' gestation were randomly assigned to a treatment (500 mg potassium penicillin or erythromycin ethylsuccinate q.i.d.) or a control group to determine the value of antepartum oral antibiotic therapy in preventing infant colonization . There was a significant reduction in maternal (P = 0.008) and infant (P = 0.004) colonization rates in the treatment group . There were no observed complications of antibiotic therapy in mothers or infants . This study suggests that routine cultures for GB-BHS should be done at 38 weeks' gestation . Mothers colonized at this time may be considered candidates for prophylactic antibiotic treatment. Invest Urol, 1980 Mar, 17(5), 386 - 9 Adjuvant immunotherapy with a S . pyogenes preparation (OK432) in urogenital cancer patients; Nakagami Y et al.; We evaluated the immunostimulative activity of a Streptococcus pyogenes preparation (OK432) in 50 patients with urogenital carcinoma . Differential lymphocyte blastogenic response to mitogens and quantitation of the lymphocyte subpopulation bearing Fc receptor sites were the two immunoparameters used in this study to assess the status of the cancer-bearing host . Using these immunoparameters, we observed a pattern whereby a substantial deviation from unity in the mitogen reactive ratio and an increase in the number of IgGFcR+T cells were correlated with malignant progression; administration of the immunopotentiator OK432 had a marked effect on immunoparameters reflected by our assays, with a trend toward return to normal values with progression of immunotherapy. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1980 Mar, 17(3), 434 - 42 Penicillin-binding proteins of multiply antibiotic-resistant South African strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae; Zighelboim S et al.; Multiply drug-resistant South African pneumococci (with penicillin minimal inhibitory concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 12.5 microgram/ml) showed several types of major alterations in their penicillin-binding protein (PBP) pattern compared with that of a penicillin-susceptible laboratory strain of Streptococcus pneumoniae (R6; penicillin minimal inhibitory concentration = 0.006 microgram/ml) . Genetic transformants were obtained by using South African pneumococcus (strain 8249) deoxyribonucleic acid as donor and the competent cells of strain R6 as recipient; seven classes of transformants with progressively higher penicillin resistance were isolated, and their PBPs were tested . The PBP patterns exhibited a gradual shift from a pattern similar to that of the recipient to a pattern resembling that of the donor strain as the level of penicillin resistance increased. Metabolism, 1980 Mar, 29(3), 201 - 12 Glucose and alanine metabolism during bacterial infections in rats and rhesus monkeys; Wannemacher RW Jr et al.; To investigate the effects of bacterial infection on glucose and alanine metabolism, a variety of studies were carried out in rat and monkey models . These included glucose turnover by a pulse-dose technique in infected rats; alanine and glucose production and utilization in control and septic monkeys; in vivo measurement of gluconeogenesis in rats, with and without an alanine load; the in vitro rate of glucose formation from various substrates by isolated liver perfusion and hepatic cells; and in vivo rates of oxidation of glucose labeled with 14C at the 1 or 6 carbon position . In rats, glucose turnover was markedly accelerated 24 hr after inoculation of either 10(4) or 10(7) Streptococcus pneumoniae . Glucose utilization and production were also accelerated during illness and early recovery from a pneumococcal infection in monkeys . The rates of gluconeogenesis as measured by either a pulse technique in rats or continuous infusion of labeled alanine in monkey were significantly elevated during pneumococcal septicemia . During the agonal stages (10(7) of the pneumococcal infection in rat, an alanine load resulted in a decreased rate of labeled glucose production and an increase in plasma glucose when compared to values of fasted control rats . However, early illness caused similar or increased rates of glucose production from alanine in vivo . Similar reduced rates of glucose formation were observed when the isolated livers or hepatocytes from rats during the agonal stages of infection were perfused with excess quantities of gluconeogenic substrates . Thus, in the rat, gluconeogenic capacity (ability to form glucose from excess substrates) appears to decrease only during the agonal stages of pneumococcal infection . During acute pneumococcal sepsis in the rhesus monkey, alanine production and utilization were significantly elevated and it was estimated that over 90% of the newly produced alanine was utilized for glucose synthesis . When arterial--venous differences were measured across the hindquarters, significantly more alanine was released, presumably from skeletal muscle of the septic monkey, compared to the recovery period or in the control groups . Thus, the increase in glucose synthesis in both rat and monkey appears to be correlated with substrate availability and kinetic rate, rather than gluconeogenic capacity of the liver . The major increase in glucose utilization during both S . pneumoniae and Francisella tularensis live vaccine strain (LVS) infections in rat was a progressive elevation in the rate of oxidation via the pentose phosphate shunt in the rat . Further, the rate of oxidation appeared to be correlated with the magnitude of the bacteremia, which is an indication of the severity of the infection... J Dairy Sci, 1980 Mar, 63(3), 464 - 70 Chemical changes in bovine colostrum preserved with formalin or by fermentation; Bush RS et al.; Fresh bovine colstrum from second and third milkings postpartum was inoculated with either a yogurt culture or Streptococcus lactis or preserved with .1% formalin in two separate experiments . There was a rapid decrease in pH of the fermented samples which corresponded to decreased lactose concentrations and increased lactate and titratable acidity . Titratable acidity in the fermented colostrums increased further after 10 days from the production of volatile fatty acids, but pH did not decrease . The pH of the yogurt fermentations in Experiment 2 decreased to 3.8, and the continued increase in titratable acidity was from lactic acid rather than volatile fatty acids . The lowest pH of all other fermentations was 4.1 . The extent of metabolism of the formalin-preserved colostrum was much less than for the colostrum fermented by either culture. Biokhimiia, 1980 Feb, 45(2), 329 - 36 {Isolation and characterization of endo-N-acetylmuramidase produced by Actinomyces levoris}; Savel'ev EP et al.; Precipitation by ammonium sulfate and a subsequent purification of the culture fluid of Actinomyces levoris by gel-filtration through Sephadex G-25, ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and CM-cellulose resulted in an enzyme which activley lyzes the cell walls of a hemolytic streptococcus of group A . The molecular weight (12,500), isoelectric point (pI 10,6) and amino acid composition of the enzyme were determined . The enzyme specificity was assayed using peptidoglycane isolated rom the cell walls of streptococcus of group A used as a substrate . An analysis of the hydrolysis products of peptidoglycane showed that the enzyme under study is an endo-beta-N-acetylmuramidase (EC 3.2.1.17). Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1980 Feb, 17(2), 254 - 7 Treatment of cellulitis with ceforanide; Musher DM et al.; Thirty-five patients with cellulitis were treated with ceforanide, 1 g every 12 h, intramuscularly . A good clinical response was observed in 33 cases . Drug failure in the remaining two patients was thought to be due to the lack of surgical debridement . Drug concentrations well in excess of inhibitory levels for Streptococcus pyogenes were generally present throughout the treatment period; although this was not true of ceforanide concentrations relative to inhibitory levels for Staphylococcus aureus, the clinical response in patients with staphylococcal infection still appeared to be entirely satisfactory . Killing of S . pyogenes by 5, 50, and 500X the minimum inhibitory concentration of ceforanide proceeded at the same rate in vitro as did killing by 5, 50, and 500X the minimum inhibitory concentration of penicillin. Jpn J Exp Med, 1980 Feb, 50(1), 7 - 12 Comparative experiments with hemolytic streptococcus and its anticancer preparations (OK-431 and OK-432) for their cytolytic activity; Higuchi Y et al.; The comparative in vitro cytolytic effects of living hemolytic streptococcus, a low virulent su-strain, and its streptococcal preparations (OK-431 and OK-432) on Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells were investigated . It was shown that living cocci and OK-431 released 51Cr from 51Cr-labeled tumor cells by contact in vitro, but OK-432 did not release 51Cr at all . Moreover, the effects of living cocci, OK-431 and OK-432 were also examined by assay of the release of RNA and DNA from the tumor cells . It was confirmed that living cocci released RNA and DNA, but OK-431 released slightly RNA, not DNA from the tumor cells, whereas OK-432 did not cause these release at all . Consequently, it appeared that living cocci of Su-strain have more cytolytic activity than OK-431, and that OK-432 have no cytolytic activity in tumor cells. Infect Immun, 1980 Feb, 27(2), 697 - 9 Virulence of Streptococcus mutans: immunochemical characterization of a serotype g-defective mutant (C307); Hirasawa M et al.; A mutant of Streptococcus mutans 6715 wild type designated C307 has been shown to possess a small amount of either Lancefield- or Rantz-Randall-extractable serotype antigen . Quantitative analysis employing combined immunoabsorption and radial immunodiffusion of anti-S . mutans serotype-specific serum demonstrated that C307 exhibited less than 1% of the amount of serotype g antigen normally expressed in S . mutans 6715 wild type. Infect Immun, 1980 Feb, 27(2), 556 - 62 Excretion of extracellular lipids by Streptococcus mutans BHT and FA-1; Cabacungan E et al.; Streptococcus mutans BHT and FA-1, when grown to log phase on chemically defined medium containing {14C}glycerol, excreted 15% of the total biosynthesized 14C-lipid into the medium . When grown to early stationary phase, 28 to 33% of the 14C-lipid was found in the medium . The radioactive lipids of these varieties of S . mutans were identified as diacylglycerol, diglucosyl diacylglycerol (DGD), monoglucosyl diacylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol (PG), and smaller amounts of two other lipids tentatively were identified as amino acyl-PG and glycerol phosphoryl-DGD . All lipids were found as extracellular and intracellular components from cells grown to either log or stationary phase . However, there were some shifts in the relative percentage of these lipids as the cells changed from log to stationary phase . For example, the intracellular lipid content of log-phase S . mutans BHT was composed of 49% PG and 19% DGD, but these percents shifted to 18% PG and 57% DGD when the cells were grown to stationary phase . However, the extracellular lipids of this organism contained 50 to 60% PG and 20% DGD in both log and stationary phases. Infect Immun, 1980 Feb, 27(2), 411 - 7 Immunoglobulin G and M antibodies to pneumococcal polysaccharides detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Barrett DJ et al.; An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay has been developed to detect serum immunoglobulin G and M antibodies against pneumococcal polysaccharide antigens . Parameters affecting the specificity and sensitivity of the assay are described . A vigorous antibody response involving both the immunoglobulin G and M classes was demonstrated after pneumococcal polysaccharide immunization in normal adults . Studies with this enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique will allow further understanding of the biology of the primary and secondary immune response to Streptococcus pneumoniae in normals as well as in those persons most susceptible to infection with that organism. Infect Immun, 1980 Feb, 27(2), 391 - 6 Biphasic protection against bacterial infection in mice induced by vaccination of Propionibacterium acnes; Kobayashi F et al.; A single intraperitoneal injection of the phenol-treated cells of Propionibacterium acnes into mice showed nonspecific resistance against subsequent lethal doses of an intraperitoneal challenge of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pyogenes . The protection showed a biphasic pattern . The maximum protection, designated as the early phase protection, was seen in mice injected with P . acnes vaccine 1 to 2 days before the challenge, whereas the late phase protection was seen in mice vaccinated 16 to 22 days before the challenge . The activity of the reticuloendothelial system in mice after vaccination also showed a biphasic pattern with the peak on days 4 and 12 . The delayed activation of the reticuloendothelial system lasted up to 3 weeks and coincided with the period of the late phase protection . The early phase resistance was markedly impaired by the treatment with hydrocortisone and carrageenan, but not by the treatment with anti-thymocyte serum, actinomycin D, or cyclophosphamide . The number of peritoneal polymorphonuclear leukocytes in vaccinated mice increased on days 1 to 2 . The number of macrophages also increased at 2 to 21 days after vaccination and reached its maximum on day 14 . Total activities of acid phosphatase, Nitro Blue Tetrazolium reduction, and the phagocytic activities of peritoneal exudate cells were also enhanced on and after day 1 after the injection of P . acnes vaccine. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand {B}, 1980 Feb, 88(1), 61 - 3 Growth inhibition of Streptococcus mutans strain OMZ 176 by xylitol; Assev S et al.; The present study showed that xylitol exhibited a dose-related inhibition of the growth of Streptococcus mutans in a Brain Heart Infusion medium . It is suggested that the mechanism involved may be an effect of the translocation of glucose across the bacterial cell membrane . Sorbitol showed no similar effect but caused a delay in the reaching of the stationary phase. J Clin Microbiol, 1980 Feb, 11(2), 198 - 9 Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of antibodies against Streptococcus pneumoniae capsular polysaccharides; Russell H et al.; The development of an assay to measure the human immune response to pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides is described. J Clin Microbiol, 1980 Feb, 11(2), 135 - 40 Detection of Pneumococcal Capsular polysaccharide antigens by latex agglutination, counterimmunoelectrophoresis, and radioimmunoassay in middle ear exudates in acute otitis media; Leinonen MK; The presence of pneumococcal antigen in middle ear exudates during acute otitis media was studied by latex agglutination and counterimmunoelectrophoresis . The positive antigen findings were confirmed by radioimmunoassay . Latex agglutination gave a positive result in 63% and counterimmunoelectrophoresis in 76% of samples that grew Streptococcus pneumoniae . The methods were complementary; the antigen was detected by one or both of the methods in 88% of these samples . Pneumococcal antigen was further detected in 15% of samples that grew other otitis pathogens and in 33% of samples in which no pathogenic bacteria were recovered by culture . The distribution of pneumococcal serotypes found by immunochemical methods only corresponded to that found by culture. J Dairy Res, 1980 Feb, 47(1), 27 - 31 Post-milking iodine teat skin disinfectants . 2 . New intramammary infection rates; Sheldrake RF et al.; Use of an iodine teat dip containing 5000 mg available iodine/l (mg avI/l) resulted in a significant reduction in the number of new Staphylococcus aureus infections in a lactating herd, while no significant reduction was found with a disinfectant containing only 1000 mg avI/l . When Streptococcus dysgalactiae was used as the challenge organism, the rate of new infection was extremely low, and no reduction in levels of new infection were found with either disinfectant . The pathogenicity of the Str . dysgalactiae strain was high, as 60% of the quarters becoming infected produced clinical symptoms. J Dairy Res, 1980 Feb, 47(1), 19 - 26 Post-milking iodine teat skin disinfectants . I . Bactericidal efficacy; Sheldrake RF et al.; An iodine teat skin disinfectant tested in lactating cows over a range of concentrations, 100 to 10 000 mg available iodine/l(mgavI/l) was found bactericidally effective against Staphylococcus aureus when containing 1000 mg avI/l or greater . Against Streptococcus dysgalactiae 5000 mg avI/l or greater was bactericidally effective . The addition of glycerine to a disinfectant containing 5000 or 1000 mg avI/l at levels of 225 ml/l and 105 ml/l, respectively, resulted in a reduction in bactericidal efficacy of the disinfectant . Emulsified paraffin added at concentrations of between 50 and 500 ml/l had no effect on the efficacy of the 5000 mg avI/l disinfectant, but the addition of 200 ml/l emulsified paraffin to a 1000 mg avI/l disinfectant significantly reduced its efficiency . Iodine disinfectants containing emulsified paraffin phase separated rapidly during storage, and the bactericidal efficacy of the phases differed significantly and diminished with time. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1980 Feb, 17(2), 151 - 6 Mutational loss of sensitivity to mutacin GS-5 in Streptococcus pyogenes: characterization of a mutant deficient in receptor protein; Franker CK; By means of a stepwise selection procedure, mutants capable of growing in the presence of relatively high multiplicities of a bacteriocin from Streptococcus mutans GS-5 were obtained from a sensitivie strain of Streptococcus pyogenes . Mutacin-neutralizing activity of cell extracts containing receptor protein was examined in one variant that adsorbed 1/6 the amount of bacteriocin adsorbed by the parent strain under conditions equivalent to "saturation." Partially purified receptor protein from both parent and mutant cells neutralized an equivalent amount of bacteriocin on a weight-to-weight basis, indicating that in vitro there was no significant difference in affinity for the mutacin between the respective receptor fractions . Cell extracts from the mutant, solubilized by treatment with trichloroacetic acid, neither neutralized mutacin activity nor interfered with receptor protein-mediated mutacin neutralization in vitro . The mutant phenotype may thus represent a cell surface density of receptor protein which results in the adsorption of sublethal amounts of mutacin . The mutant retained its sensitivity to other mutacins, e.g., those produced by strains LM-7 and BHT of S . mutans, and did not differ from wild-type cells with respect to either detergent sensitivity (sodium lauryl sulfate and Triton X-100) or to inhibition by penicillin, rifampin, bacitracin, erythromycin, and tetracycline. Infect Immun, 1980 Feb, 27(2), 576 - 88 Evidence for an immunological relationship between Streptococcus mutans and human cardiac tissue; Hughes M et al.; Two-dimensional immunoelectrophoresis, indirect immunofluorescence, and radioimmunoassay were used to demonstrate that antisera from rabbits immunized with some strains of Streptococcus mutans contain antibodies that cross-react with human cardiac tissue . These rabbits were sensitized to a shocking dose of human heart antigen, and anaphylactic deaths were sometimes produced . Myocarditis was also a result of the immunization procedure . Data obtained with all five techniques were comparable . Cross-reactivity could be associated with three antigens designated ID, IF, and HL . Antigens ID and IF were major immunogens of S . mutans Ingbritt, but HL antibodies were produced only after hyperimmunization . Corss-reactivity was of an immunological nature and not the result of nonspecific factors such as bacterial Fc reactive components or antibody elicited to growth medium constituents . These findings support the hypothesis that immunization with S . mutans can induce autoimmune reactions and indicate that antigens must be selected with caution before formulating any dental caries vaccine. Infect Immun, 1980 Feb, 27(2), 563 - 8 Immunoglobulin E antibodies against Staphylococcus aureus cell walls in the sera of patients with hyperimmunoglobulinemia E and recurrent staphylococcal infection; Schopfer K et al.; The specificity of antistaphylococcal antibodies of the IgE class in five patients with hyperimmunoglobulinemia E and recurrent staphylococcal infection has been investigated . Purified cell walls were prepared from various staphylococcal strains, and serum immunoglobulin E binding was measured by using a solid-phase radioimmunoassay . Immunoglobulin E binding occurred only with cell walls from Staphylococcus aureus strains, including walls from a teichoic acid-deficient mutant . Immunoglobulin E did not bind to cell wall preparations from the coagulase-negative species S . capitis, S . sciuri subsp . lentus, S . simulans, S . xylosus, staphylococcal strains RB-11 and Armour, and from a group A streptococcus strain CS44 . Since the glycan backbone and the tetrapeptide (pentapeptide) subunit of the peptidoglycan of all staphylococcal strains tested are believed to be identical, it is suggested that IgE binding is related to either the peptidoglycan interpeptide bridge or an unknown antigenic structure within the cell wall of S . aureus . The pathophysiological significance of antistaphylococcal immunoglobulin E antibodies in the disorder studied is at present unknown . The formation of immunoglobulin E antibodies to S . aureus cell wall components may be a manifestation of an aberrant immunological response to S . aureus related to the undue susceptibility to staphylococcal infections in these patients. Am J Clin Pathol, 1980 Feb, 73(2), 177 - 82 Penicillin susceptibility of Streptococcus pneumoniae in 1978 . Screening for resistance by disk testing; Maki DG et al.; Recently, strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae with greatly increased resistance to penicillin (minimal inhibitory concentrations or MICs, 1--8 microgram/ml) were recovered in cultures of blood from patients in South Africa and from one in Minnesota who had serious pneumococcal infections . The authors undertook a study to determine whether these resistant strains have become prevalent in their locale . Between January and July 1978, the laboratories of hospitals serving the greater Madison, Wisconsin, area (population 200,000) contributed 243 pneumococcal isolates for susceptibility testing by an agar dilution technic . Strains with greatly increased resistance (MICs greater than or equal to 1.0 microgram/ml) were not found; only six strains (2.4%) had relative resistance to penicillin (MICs .125--.50 microgram/ml), a range of susceptibility that has been associated with inconsistent clinical responses to treatment with penicillin . Overall, the susceptibility patterns of these 243 isolates are similar to those reported from other centers in North America over the past 30 years . Routine susceptibility testing of pneumococci by hospital laboratories in our area does not appear to be necessary now, but laboratories are advised to screen blood and spinal fluid isolates by a disk-diffusion method . Studies of these 243 isolates and seven South African multiply-resistant strains using a modified Kirby-Bauer technic, showed that a zone of inhibition less than 35 mm around a 10-unit penicillin disk, or better, less than 17 mm around a 1-microgram oxacillin disk, correlates strongly (P less than .001) with resistance to penicillin (MIC greater than or equal to .1 microgram/ml). Cancer, 1980 Feb, 45(3), 476 - 83 Clinical studies on cell-mediated immunity in patients with malignant disease . I . Effect of immunotherapy with OK-432 on lymphocyte subpopulation and phytomitogen responsiveness in vitro; Uchida A et al.; Immunotherapy with daily intradermal injections of OK-432, penicillin- and heat-treated lyophilized powder of Su-strain of streptococcus pyogens A3, for over a period of four weeks resulted in quantitative and qualitative effectiveness on impaired cell-mediated immunity even in many patients with far advanced cancer of the stomach or lung . In vitro lymphocyte studies following immunotherapy with OK-432 demonstrated restoration of circulating lymphocyte counts to more than 1,500/microliters, a level associated with normalized subpopulation constitution and increases of phytomitogen blastogenesis . Furthermore, a delayed hypersensitivity skin reaction to PPD was boosted or converted into a positive reaction in some cases . There was, however, no detectable, definite effect on humoral immunity after the therapy . Survival rates at three and six months after the initiation of immunochemotherapy using OK-432 and another chemotherapeutic agent, 5-fluorouracil, in 40 patients with cancer were significantly longer than those of matched control patients given chemotherapy alone. J Exp Med, 1980 Feb 1, 151(2), 289 - 300 Thymic requirement for cyclical idiotypic and reciprocal anti-idiotypic immune responses to a T-independent antigen; Kelsoe G et al.; The role of the thymus in the cyclical appearance of the dominant idiotype of the myeloma protein secreted by the TEPC-15 plasmacytoma (T-15)-bearing plaque-forming cells (PFC) and anti-idiotypic cells (i.e., cells with receptors for T-15) in the spleen during a primary response to the phosphorylcholine determinant of Streptococcus pneumoniae, strain R36a (Pn) was studied using normal mice, thymus-deficient nude mice, and thymus gland-grafted nude mice (TG-nude) . The nude mice and their phenotypically normal littermates (LM) were backcrossed on the BALB/c genetic background . The kinetics of the anti-Pn PFC response of BALB/c inbred mice, littermates of nude mice, and TG-nude mice were essentially the same . There was an initial peak on day 5-6 followed by a decline to near background, and then a second peak on day 12 . In nude mice, the first peak of anti-Pn PFC (day 5) was comparable in magnitude to that of mice with an intact thymus; however, there was no second peak . In contrast to the cellular response measured at the level of PFC, the serum antibody response to Pn (assayed by passive hemagglutination of sheep erythrocytes coated with Pn polysaccharide) was comparable in all groups of mice and did not show a measurable oscillation . The anti-idiotypic cellular activity was determined by the ability of spleen cells to bind radiolabeled (125I) TEPC-15 myeloma protein (IgA, kappa) which carries an idiotypic determinant indistinguishable from that of most anti-phosphorylcholine antibodies in BALB/c mice . Binding of radiolabeled McPC-603 (IgA, kappa) and MOPC-315 (IgA, lambda 2) myeloma proteins (which lack the T-15 idiotypic determinant) served as controls . The changes in T-15 binding by splenic lymphocytes following the Pn immunization differed between normal and athymic mice . BALB/c, LM, and TG-nude mice showed a biphasic pattern with peaks at days 3--4 and 10--11 that was nearly reciprocal to the PFC curve . On the other hand, T-15 binding in nude mice either declined and remained depressed or was not affected by the ongoing anti-Pn response . These observations demonstrate that mature T cells are required for cyclical idiotypic and anti-idiotypic responses to immunization with a T-independent antigen and suggest that the cyclical immune response may result from an interaction between idiotypic and anti-idiotypic cell clones. Scand J Dent Res, 1980 Feb, 88(1), 76 - 8 Streptococcus mutans in plaque after mouth-rinsing with buffers of varying pH value; Svanberg M; After a period of mouthrinsing with a phosphoric buffer solution with low pH the proportional distribution of Streptococcus mutans in plaque from occlusal retention sites was significantly higher than after a control period . This indicates that colonization with S . mutans may be favored or that other microorganisms competing with S . mutans are inhibited under these circumstances. Scand J Dent Res, 1980 Feb, 88(1), 28 - 33 Effects of chlorhexidine and iodine on in vitro plaques of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sanguis; Maltz-Turkienicz M et al.; Both chlorhexidine and iodine showed greater antimicrobial effect on in vitro grown S . mutans plaque than on plaque composed of S . sanguis . One treatment with iodine for 8 min inhibited the acid production of S . Mutans plaque whereas S . sanguis plaque required 20 min to be similarly affected . In contrast one treatment with chlorhexidine for up to 20 min did not completely inhibit the acid production of plaque of either microorganism . Repeated short term exposures increased the bactericidal effect of chlorhexidine but not that of iodine . The difference in antimicrobial effect between chlorhexidine and that of iodine on S . mutans and S . sanguis should be investigated in persons heavily infected by S . mutans. J Dent Res, 1980 Feb, 59(2), 159 - 67 Effect of sodium fluoride on the viability and growth of Streptococcus mutans; Brown LR et al.; A fluoride-sensitive (FS) strain of Streptococcus mutans and a laboratory-induced fluoride-resistant (FR) offspring were compared for the effects of sodium fluoride on viability and growth . There was a significant fluoride-related loss of viability in resting cell suspensions of the FS strain during a 47-hour exposure to fluoride levels above 75 ppm that was not encountered with the FR strain . The addition of 300 ppmF to actively growing six-hour broth cultures almost totally arrested the growth of the FS strain, while only slightly reducing that of the FR culture . The addition of 600 ppmF immediately terminated FS growth, and greatly reduced the rate and maximum growth of FR cultures. J Dent Res, 1980 Feb, 59(2), 151 - 8 Fluoride resistance and adherence of selected strains of Streptococcus mutans to smooth surfaces after exposure to fluoride; Streckfuss JL et al.; The fluoride resistance and smooth surface adherence characteristics of Streptococcus mutans were examined using tooth model and radioactive cell assays . Resistance to 600 ppmF by S . mutans isolated from the plaque of radiation-induced xerostomia patients receiving daily topical applications of a caries preventive 1% NaF gel was transient . Resistance induced in vitro in two strains of S . mutans by exposure to gradually increasing levels of NaF was apparently permanent . Smooth surface adherence by both fluoride-sensitive and -resistant strains of S . mutans 6715 in a tooth model system was slightly diminished by 1% NaF gel . Fluoride-resistant strains retained 89 to 93% of their adherence capability in 600 ppmF, as determined by the cell radiolabeling assay. J Dairy Res, 1980 Feb, 47(1), 131 - 9 Resistance of 17 mesophilic lactic Streptococcus bacteriophages to pasteurization and spray-drying; Chopin MC; For 17 phages active against Streptococcus cremoris, Str . lactis and Str . lactis subsp . diacetylactis, the killing efficiency of pasteurization (log No/N) at 72 degrees C for 15 s in skim-milk showed large variations from greater than 6 to 0; the efficienty of killing during spray-drying ranged from 3.7 to 0.2 and phages survived well storage of milk powder at room temperature . Destruction in a heat exchanger was found to be greater than that calculated from biphasic curves obtained by heating phages in sealed ampoules . No relationship was established between lytic classification of phages and their heat resistance. Am J Cardiol, 1980 Feb, 45(2), 383 - 5 Mitral valve prolapse: jet stream causing mural endocarditis; Ringer M et al.; A 53 year old man died of cerebral hemorrhage while being treated for Streptococcus mutans endocarditis . At autopsy the only endocarditic lesion was on the left atrial mural endocardium . The noninfected mitral valve demonstrated prolapse and mucinous degeneration . The latter had led to rupture of several chordae tendineae, with the resultant jet stream predisposing to endocarditis at its point of atrial impact . The case provides confirmation of current concepts of the pathogenesis of endocarditis and has important therapeutic implications. J Hyg (Lond), 1980 Feb, 84(1), 71 - 5 An outbreak of streptococcal infection in a chicken factory; Barnham M et al.; A large outbreak of streptococcal skin infection occurred late in the summer of 1978 in a factory which undertakes the slaughter, preparation and packing of chickens . In all, 103 episodes of infection occurred in 82 workers from a total factory establishment of 347 . The highest incidence of infection was in the packing department where there was an attack rate of 44% . The routes of introduction of infection into and spread within the factory remain mostly unknown . Following the identification of cases and carriers and the institution of appropriate treatment and control measures the outbreak quickly declined . The responsible organism in the outbreak was Streptococcus pyogenes T-type 3/13/B3264, provisional M-type 'R78/55' . This is the first poultry factory outbreak in England to be reported. Infect Immun, 1980 Feb, 27(2), 424 - 30 Immunogenicity of ribosomes from enzymatically lysed Streptococcus pyogenes; Green BA et al.; Ribosomal fractions isolated from Streptococcus pyogenes by physical and enzymatic disruption of the cell wall were found to provide protection in mice against challenge with the homologous M type . Although ribosomal fractions isolated by physical disruption of the cells also provided protection against challenge with several heterologous M types, ribosomal fractions from enzymatically lysed cells did not provide protection against any of the heterologous M types . Ribosomes isolated by either method were found to be contaminated with cell surface proteins . Chemical analysis of the ribosomes showed a greater protein:ribonucleic acid ratio in ribosomes from physically disrupted cells than in ribosomes from enzymatically disrupted cells (2:1 versus 1:1) . Antisera to ribosomes isolated from physically disrupted cells detected many more antigenic determinants on ribosomes isolated from enzymatically disrupted cells than did the corresponding homologous antisera . Immunodiffusion analysis suggested that ribosomes isolated from physically disrupted cells may contain cell wall antigenic determinants which are present on ribosomes isolated from enzymatically disrupted cells in a partially degraded form . Washing of ribosomes in high-molarity salt solutions suggested that some of the contaminating cell wall proteins are tightly bound to the ribosomes. Ann Med Interne (Paris), 1980, 131(6), 375 - 7 {Bacterial endocardiitis complicating fibroplastic endocarditis: a case report (author's transl)}; Patri B et al.; A young Protugese man, who had never travelled outside of Europe, was found to have a bacterial complication of a fibroplastic endocarditis . The onset was by a spontaneous chest pain, associated with a posterolatero-apical subepicardial ischemia and giant T waves in V3, V4, and calcification in the apex of the heart on radiography . Diagnosis was confirmed by intracardiac explorations: ventricular telediastolic pressures were increased; the lower border of the right ventricle was smooth, the left ventricle had a globular appearance with a smooth anterior border, the apex appearing to be completely excluded; coronarography was normal . Histological examination confirmed the presence of fibrosis . Anticoagulant treatment was started . Four months after the onset of the disease, a high fever, an apical systolic murmur, and nine positive blood cultures for a streptococcus mitis, suggested the development of a bacterial endocarditis, though no direct evidence was discovered . Improvement occurred after appropriate antibiotic therapy, and the anticoagulants were continued . Cardiac ultrasonography recordings were normal following this episode . This case-report is of two-fold interest: on the one hand it represents an early form of fibroplastic endocarditis, diagnosed by intracardiac exploration, and on the other hand it emphasizes the rare nature of bacterial complications of this affection . Authors differ in their evaluation of the frequency of chest pain, but their inaugural and isolated nature are rarely described . In most cases the presence of the disease is revealed by a progressive cardiac insufficiency . A very positive factor is the presence of calcifications, and the absence of an eosinophilia does not exclude the diagnosis . Electrical anomalies of the ischemic type are possible, but are rarely isolated findings, and the giant appearance of the T waves in this case is rather atypical . Bacterial complications are rare, and are only reported in 12 of the 218 cases described in the published literature . They are rarely diagnosed during the life of the patient (1 case only) . The infection affects the cords, the valves, the thrombus, or the fibrosis itself. Am J Hematol, 1980, 8(3), 309 - 14 Diarrhea in Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteremia; Seeler RA et al.; Diarrhea with fever was a significant complaint in 26 of 280 (9.3%) of non-SS children with S . pneumoniae bacteremia and four of 30 (13%) children with sickle syndromes and S . pneumoniae bacteremia . Two additional children with sickle-cell disease and S . pneumoniae bacteremia developed diarrhea within hours of hospital admission; four of the six died . The mortality rate among 24 additional SS patients with S . pneumoniae bacteremia without diarrhea was 12.5% (3/24) . Only one of 26 non-SS patients with diarrhea and S . pneumoniae bacteremia died; shs was surgically asplenic and had fulminant 9-hour course . The seasonality of the diarrhea cases was similar to our overall experience, and the serotypes associated with the diarrhea cases were also representative of our overall experience . Although predominantly seen in infants, the oldest non-SS patient was 12 years, and the oldest SS patient was nine years. J Bone Joint Surg Am, 1980, 62(4), 550 - 3 Pyogenic arthritis of the shoulder in adults; Gelberman RH et al.; The cases of fifteen patients with sixteen septic glenohumeral joints were evaluated . In each of the patients there was at least one predisposing factor, and each patient was treated by either repeated aspiration (eleven shoulders) or arthrotomy (five shoulders), combined with parenteral antibiotics . The most significant factors leading to poor results of treatment were delay in instituting treatment, virulence of the infecting organism, and a serious underlying disease process . In eight of ten shoulders in which treatment was begun four weeks or less after symptoms appeared, a satisfactory functional outcome was obtained, while all six patients who were treated after a delay of more than four weeks had poor results . All six patients infected with Streptococcus or coagulase-negative Staphylococcus had satisfactory results . Two of the eight patients with Staphylococcus aureus or gram-negative organisms also had a satisfactory result, while the other six did not . The two successfully treated patients with Staphylococcus aureus were diagnosed within three days of the onset of symptoms, whereas the others had delays in instituting treatment. Scand J Infect Dis, 1980, 12(2), 117 - 21 Chronic meningitis in patients with dental infections; Hedstrom SA et al.; 4 patients with a history of initial fever 2--4 weeks passing on to fever peaks every 3rd to 6th day with afebrile intervals repeating for months are presented . Three of them had dental infectious foci mainly in maxillar teeth and 1 patient was treated by a dentist 1 month before onset . None showed meningism or clinical signs of encephalitis . Extensive investigations resulted only in findings from the central nervous system . The EEG was slightly pathological in all cases and papilloedema was found in 2 cases . In the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) a pleocytosis extending over months, transient presence of plasma cells and increased proteins in the gamma region on agar electrophoresis was found . In 1 case antigen from Streptococcus milleri, a commensal of the mouth flora at times isolated from infectious dental foci, was detected in CSF by counterimmunoelectrophoresis 6 weeks after onset of the disease . Treatment with penicillin had no effect on the fever . Three patients received antiphlogistic drugs with benefit and their dental foci were treated by a dentist. Infect Immun, 1980 Jan, 27(1), 32 - 7 Effect of cultural conditions on trimethylsilyl-sugar profiles of Streptococcus mutans; Drucker DB et al.; The cellular carbohydrates of Streptococcus mutans NCTC 10832 were converted to methyl glycoside trimethylsilyl ethers and analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography . The resulting profiles revealed the presence of glycerol, xylose, rhamnose, galactose, glucose, N-acetylglucosamine, and N-acetylmuramic acid . The proportions of monosaccharides in the profile were found to be stable with respect to changing growth temperature or duration of growth . However, the type of medium used, and its carbohydrate content, did significantly alter the profile, whereas gaseous atmosphere exerted a lesser effect on carbohydrate composition . By controlling growth parameters, we obtained reproducible profiles . Whole cells are probably a satisfactory alternative to highly purified cell walls. Infect Immun, 1980 Jan, 27(1), 150 - 7 Purification and characterization of a rhamnose-containing cell wall antigen of Streptococcus mutans B13 (serotype d); Prakobphol A et al.; A rhamnose-containing polysaccharide (RCP) was extracted and purified from cell walls of Streptococcus mutans B13 (serotype d) and was chemically and immunologically characterized . Walls were initially extracted with 5% trichloroacetic acid at 4 degrees C to remove the serotype antigen and were then sequentially extracted with increasing concentrations of hot acid . Extracts lacking galactose were combined and chromatographed on a column of diethylaminoethyl--Sephadex A25 . The purified RCP contained 90% carbohydrate, 1.4% protein, and 0.16% phosphorus . Analysis by gas chromatography indicated that the RCP was composed of rhamnose and glucose in a 1.6:1 ratio . RCP was immunogenic in rabbits when animals were immunized with whole cells or cell walls . Antisera prepared against partially extracted cell walls of B13 appeared specific for RCP . These sera were not reactive with purified serotype d antigen or lipoteichoic acid in passive hemagglutination assays or by agar gel diffusion . The RCP appeared to be a cell wall polysaccharide that was both chemically and immunologically distinct from the serotype d antigen. J Rheumatol, 1980 Jan-Feb, 7(1), 89 - 92 Streptococcus MG-intermedius (Streptococcus milleri) septic arthritis in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis; Houston BD et al.; Streptococcus MG-Intermedius (S . milleri) septic arthritis in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis is presented . The unusual nature of this infection and the difficulties with the identification of S . milleri are discussed. Am Rev Respir Dis, 1980 Jan, 121(1), 65 - 71 Phagocytosis by human alveolar macrophages and neutrophils: qualitative differences in the opsonic requirements for uptake of Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae in vitro; Hof DG et al.; The opsonic requirements for uptake of 3H-adenine-labeled Staphylococcus aureus (strains 502A, Wood 46, or 209) or Streptococcus pneumoniae (Type VII) by human alveolar macrophages (AM) or neutrophils (PMN) were evaluated and compared using a quantitative assay of phagocytosis . AM readily engulfed S . aureus organisms preopsonized with 1% albumin, serum, or serum that had been heated (56 degrees C for 30 min) to inactivate complement, whereas uptake of S . aureus by PMN occurred only after preopsonization with unheated, complement replete serum (2.5%) . In contrast, uptake of S . pneumoniae organisms by AM or PMN did not occur with only albumin preopsonization, but required high concentrations (more than 40%) of unheated serum . The results indicate that there are qualitative and quantitative differences in the requirements for optimal ingestion of bacteria by human AM or PMN that relate not only to the type of organism but also to the type of phagocyte . Variations in opsonic requirements may be a key factor in the different cellular responses and clearances of inhaled S . aureus or S . pneumoniae organisms by the lungs. Chest, 1980 Jan, 77(1), 76 - 80 Pulmonary gangrene occurring as a complication of pulmonary tuberculosis; Khan FA et al.; Eighteen well-documented cases of pulmonary gangrene as a complication of bacterial pulmonary infections have been reported in the literature . These infections were due to Klebsiellapneumoniae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Hemophilus influenzae . We describe four patients with pulmonary tuberculosis who developed pulmonary gangrene . Vascular thrombosis and arteritis were found in three of these four patients, and this vascular complication seems to be necessary for the development of pulmonary gangrene. Carbohydr Res, 1980 Jan 1, 78(1), 79 - 88 The structure of the O-glycosylically-linked oligosaccharide chains of LPG-I, a glycoprotein present in articular lubricating fraction of bovine synovial fluid; Garg HG et al.; Periodate oxidation of LPG-1 established that N-acetylneuraminic acid residues are linked preponderantly alpha-(2 leads to 3) to D-galactose residues . The resistance of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-galactose residues to periodate oxidation suggests that they are linked at either O-3 or O-4 to D-galactose residues . After treatment of LPG-1 with alkaline sulfite, approximately 80% of 2-acetamido-2-deoxygalactose was recovered as the sulfonic acid derivative . The Gal leads to GalNAc disaccharide released from sialic-acid-free LPG-I by digestion with endo-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-alpha-D-galactosidase (which suggests an alpha-D-GalNAc leads to L-Ser or -L-Thr linkage) gave a high color-yield in the Morgan-Elson reaction, indicating that 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-galactose residues are linked at C-3 to D-galactose residues . The migration of the released Gal-GalNAc disaccharide was the same as that of a standard sample of O-beta-D-galactosyl-(1 leads to 3)-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-galactose . Treatment of sialic acid-free LPG-I with Streptococcus pneumoniae beta-D-galactosidase, which hydrolyzes only galactosides linked beta-D-(1 leads to 4) gave no free D-galactose, whereas treatment of LPG-I with bovine testes beta-D-galactosidase released greater than 90% of D-galactose . These results provide evidence for beta-D-Galp-(1 leads to 3)-alpha-D-GalNAcp-(1 leads to 3) alpha-D-GalNAcp-(1 leads to 3)-L-Ser or -L-Thr and alpha-NeuAc-(2 leads to 3)-beta-D-Galp-(1 leads to 3)-L-Ser or -L-Thr structures . The sensitivity of the methods used and the recovery of constituents following treatment of LPG-I do not rule out the occurrence of small amounts of other tri- or tetra-saccharide chains. Carbohydr Res, 1980 Jan 1, 78(1), 111 - 7 Structural studies of the capsular polysaccharide from Streptococcus pneumoniae type 1; Lindberg B et al.; The capsular polysaccharide from Streptococcus pneumoniae type 1 is composed of D-galactopyranosyluronic acid residues and 2-acetamido-4-amino-2,4,6-trideoxy-D-galactopyranosyl residues . The latter sugar, previously unknown in Nature, was not isolated but was identified from the products obtained on deamination of the polymer . Using n.m.r . spectroscopy, methylation analysis, and Smith degradation as the principal methods of structural investigation, it is concluded that the polysaccharide is composed of trisaccharide repeating-units having the structure: leads to 3)-alpha-Sugp-(1 leads to 4)-alpha-D-GalpA-(1 leads to 3)-alpha-D-GalpA-(1 leads to, in which Sug denotes the new sugar. Bioelectromagnetics, 1980, 1(4), 397 - 404 Alteration of circulating antibody response of mice exposed to 9-GHz pulsed microwaves; Liddle CG et al.; A significant increase was observed in the circulating antibody titers of mice exposed to 9-GHz pulsed microwaves at an average power density of 10 mW/cm2, two hours per day for five days compared with sham-irradiated animals . The mice were previously immunized with type III pneumococcal polysaccharide . Following irradiation, a portion of the immunized animals were challenged with virulent Streptococcus pneumoniae, type III . Ten days after challenge, mortality was essentially the same in the two groups, but during the ten day period, there was a noticeable increase in the survival time of the irradiated animals compared with the sham-irradiated animals, suggesting that the increased circulating antibody response afforded some degree of temporary protection to the animals. Scand J Plast Reconstr Surg, 1980, 14(3), 221 - 7 Zinc tape treatment of burns infected by Pseudomonas aeruginosa: an experimental study on guinea pigs; Hallmans G et al.; Third-degree burns on guinea pigs were infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The wounds were treated with a zinc tape, a gauze sponge, or a plastic foil . In tissue specimens from the wounds, less growth of Pseudomonas was found in zinc tape treated wounds than in gauze- or plastic foil treated wounds . In vitro it was found that zinc oxide possesses an antibacterial effect on Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes. Arzneimittelforschung, 1980, 30(11), 1841 - 6 Effects of antibacterial microenvironment on in vitro plaque formation of Streptococcus mutans as observed by scanning electron microscopy; Merkle HP et al.; This study presents in vitro techniques to follow the adsorption and subsequent surface proliferation of Streptococcus mutans on hydroxyapatite surfaces leading to artificial plaque . Inhibition of proliferation as well as extracellular dextrane formation can be achieved by pretreatments of the hydroxyapatite surface with aqueous solutions of sodium ricinoleate . The antibacterial activity is restricted to an antibacterial microenvironment adjacent to the hydroxyapatite surface. Haematologia (Budap), 1980, 13(1-4), 213 - 23 Measurements of extracellular immunoglobulins as an index of B cell function; Munoz J et al.; We have developed a method for measuring the activation or suppression of B cells in culture by determination of immunoglobulins released into the extracellular fluid, using a conventional, nonisotopic assay . To avoid the interference of human serum proteins in the assays, cultures were established in medium supplemented with fetal calf serum . This caused some B cell activation, as reflected by the release of small amounts of immunoglobulins (1.5 to 0.7 microgram/ml IgG, 0.8 to 1.4 microgram/ml IgA, 0.6 to 0.7 microgram/ml IgM on day 7), but pokeweed mitogen stimulation resulted in the release of substantially larger amounts of immunoglobulins (8.2 to 4.6 microgram/ml IgG, 3.8 to 2.9 microgram/ml IgA, 8.0 to 4.0 microgram/ml IgM on day 7) . Stimulation with Staphylococcus aureus (Cowan I) also resulted in release of immunoglobulins, with somewhat higher levels of IgM, and the release was inhibited by a suppressive substance obtained from Streptococcus intermedius . Time-course curves for immunoglobulin production by cultures stimulated with pokeweed mitogen and S . aureus showed interesting individual variations, but in general the levels began to rise consistently by day 4 or 5 and maximum levels were reached by day 7 . These studies show that determination of extracellular immunoglobulins can be used as an index of B cells activation in routine studies. Ann Sclavo, 1980 Jan-Feb, 22(1), 92 - 8 {Comparative study of antistreptolysin O, anti-streptokinase and anti-streptozyme antibodies and antibodies against polysaccharides of group A Streptococcus}; Teti G et al.; A microagglutination test for antibody to streptococcal group A polysaccharide (APA) was compared with the anti-streptolysin O (ASO), anti-streptokinase (ASK) and streptozyme (STZ) tests in 162 human sera . Two or more of the following results were considered evidence of a recent streptococcal infection: ASO titre greater than or equal to 333 UI; ASK titre greater than or equal to 160 UI; STZ titre greater than or equal to 200 . Sensitivity of the APA test was 70% and it detected 10 sera that would have been missed if the ASO test had been the only test performed . The APA test appears to be particularly useful in laboratories which rely solely on the ASO test for serological evidence of a streptococcal infection. Paediatrician, 1980, 9(5-6), 295 - 308 Streptococcal pharyngitis-tonsillitis in Swiss children . Diagnosis and management; Eggenberger K et al.; In a prospective study, during a period of 1 year, 1,116 children over 1 year of age, with acute pharyngitis-tonsillitis, were examined by a group of Swiss pediatricians . Throat swabs were cultured for the presence of group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus, and treatment was withheld pending results in most cases . The throat swab cultures were positive in 29.6% of the cases . There were no incidences of acute glomerulonephritis, acute rheumatic fever or severe purulent local complications . The findings confirm the recommendations in the American literature concerning clinic, diagnosis and management, and they can be applied in Switzerland. Arkh Patol, 1980, 42(12), 26 - 32 {Morphogenesis of the heart lesion in experimental infection with streptococcal L forms}; Gusman BS et al.; Histological, histochemical, and immunofluorescent methods were used to study alterations in the hearts of 250 randombred white mice inoculated once intraperitoneally with a stable culture of L-forms of beta-hemolytic group A streptococcus in a dose of 2 x 10(6) CFU and sacrificed at intervals of 1 day to 1 year after inoculation . The development of chronic progressive pathological process (inflammatory, dystrophic, and sclerotic) involving all the membranes of the heart and running against an increasing allergic background was demonstrated . In connective tissue formations of the heart, the antigen of streptococcus L-forms could be detected by immunofluorescence throughout the duration of the experiment . The observed pathogenicity of streptococcus L-forms indicates the necessity of elucidating their role in human infectious pathology. Med Microbiol Immunol (Berl), 1980, 169(1), 9 - 14 Protection of mice against group B Streptococcus type Ia by IgG components of a rabbit antiserum; Cleat PH et al.; IgG fractions were separated by ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose from hyperimmune rabbit sera prepared against a group B streptococcus type Ia mouse-virulent strain . 50 microgram IgG in conjunction with ampicillin (200 mg/kg) protected mice more effectively against a lethal challenge than ampicillin (400 mg/kg) alone or ampicillin (200 mg/kg) combined with gentamicin (10 mg/kg), when administered up to 12 h after infection. Mol Gen Genet, 1980, 180(3), 573 - 8 Properties and transforming activities of two plasmids in Streptococcus pneumoniae; Saunders CW et al.; Two plasmids from group B streptococcus were introduced into pneumococcus (Streptococcus pneumoniae) and examined for copy number, stability, and some features of the process by which they transform pneumococcal recipients . The 3.6 Mdal pMV158 (tet) was present at a minimum of 12 to 16 copies per chromosome and was never observed to be cured . The 20 Mdal pIP501 (cat erm) had a minimum copy number of 3 to 4 per chromosome and was lost spontaneously at a frequency near 0.03 per division . The presence of novobiocin increased this frequency 2 to 3-fold . Competence for chromosomal transformation and the membrane endonuclease needed for normal DNA entry were required for plasmid transformation . Plasmid transformants segregated transformed cells one generation ahead of chromosomal transformants . Both single and multiple hit components of the transformation reaction kinetics were observed, but the latter could not be seen in the presence of competing chromosomal DNA . The major of the transforming activity behaved as covalently closed circular DNA in dye-buoyancy gradients . Although most of the activity for both plasmids sedimented in sucrose gradients more rapidly than did monomeric closed circular DNA, a significant fraction was found at a position suggesting that it may have been due to monomeric plasmids. Zentralbl Bakteriol A, 1980, 246(4), 475 - 88 {T-proteins of Streptococcus pyogenes . I . Communication: Preparation of a serological type specific T1-antigen by ion exchange chromatography and its characterization (author's transl)}; Schmidt KH et al.; The T-protein of Streptococcus pyogenes type 1 was trypsin-extracted and subsequently purified by ion exchange chromatography on CM and DEAE cellulose . Fractionation on CM cellulose by stepwise increase of the pH did not result in separation of type specific material from cross reacting components . The bulk of serologically active material was eluted at pH 5.6 . On DEAE cellulose a type specific fraction was eluted with 0.05 m phosphate buffer, pH 8.2 . A second fraction eluted with 0.25 m NaCl in the same buffer contained type specific as well as cross reacting material . Molecular weight distributions of type-specific T-protein were studied by gel chromatography on Ultrogel ACA44 and Biogel A 1.5 m . A multiple size subunit structure of T-protein was found and supported by SDS electrophoresis . Molecular weights of fragments serologically active in double diffusion were detected in a range of 37 000 to more than 200 000 Dalton . The isoelectric point was determined as to be pH 4.5 . The purified T-protein was found to be free of cystein and of the amino sugars N-acetyl-glucosamine and N-acetyl-muramic acid. J Dairy Sci, 1980 Jan, 63(1), 95 - 100 Mastitis: II . Evaluation of antimicrobial amines for use as teat dips; Culler MD et al.; Recent proposals by the Food and Drug Administration to regulate teat dips as drugs have led to a search for safer teat dip ingredients . Primary, secondary, and tertiary alkyl amines (carbon-10 to -18 chain length) inhibit growth of mastitic bacteria (Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus uberis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichi coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae) in a broth tube culture assay . Since carbon-13 compounds were active, a carbon-13 primary (tridecanamine hydrochloride), secondary methyl (N-methyltridecanamine), secondary ethyl (N-ethyltridecanamine), tertiary dimethyl amine (N, N-dimethyltridecanamine), and carbon-12 quaternary amine (N, N, -trimethyldodecaneammonium chloride) were tested for their ability to reduce experimentally applied populations of S . agalactiae or E . coli on the bovine teat surface . The five compounds were compared at concentrations of 100, 500, 1,000, 3,000, 7,000, and 10,000 ppm . Activity was greater against the gram-positive S . agalactiae than against the gram-negative E . coli . The tertiary amine was most active, producing a log reduction of 4 (reduction of bacterial number from 10(6) to 10(2)) at a concentration of 3,000 ppm in the teat dip . The relative order of effectiveness for the amines was: dimethyl tertiary greater than methyl secondary greater than ethyl secondary greater than primary = quaternary . The results suggest that these amines may be useful as potent, effective antibacterial agents for incorporation into teat dips. Immunobiology, 1980 Jan, 156(4-5), 537 - 48 Mitogenic and antigenic properties of group A streptococcal M protein preparations; Knoll H et al.; The separation of a mitogenic substance in M protein preparations of Streptococcus pyogenes, type 1 and type 12, is described . The isolation was achieved by gel chromatography on Biogel A 0.5 m, and by immunochromatography on immobilized type specific antibodies . In the delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity test the immunochromatography purified M 1 protein caused erythema but no unspecific mitogenicity could be found by lymphocyte transformation test . In neutralization experiments the mitogenic activity of M protein preparations was specifically inhibited by anti-erythrogenic toxin antisera. Eur J Pediatr, 1980, 133(1), 11 - 6 Defective phagocytosis confined to Staphylococcus aureus in a female infant with recurrent infections; Ito S et al.; Defective chemotaxis and phagocytosis of Staphylococcus aureus was identified in a female infant with marked hepatosplenomegaly and recurrent infections . Neutrophil mobilization from the marrow and marginal pool; random mobility; phagocytosis of yeast particles, latex beads and carbon particles; phagocytosis and intracellular killing capacity of Streptococcus pyogenes and E . coli; and NBT dye reduction were normal . Infiltration of neutrophils was depressed in the skin window test . The complement system and cellular immunity were intact . The patient also had a persistent EB virus infection . Defective phagocytosis limited to Staphylococcus aureus seems to be caused by an intrinsic cellular defect, such as congenital defect in neutrophil receptors for Staphylococcus aureus. Scand J Infect Dis, 1980, 12(3), 207 - 10 Acute pneumococcal epiglottitis in immunocompromised adults; Kessler HA et al.; 3 cases of acute bacterial epiglottitis in immunocompromised adults are reported . All were due to Streptococcus pneumoniae, an unusual pathogen in this disease . Only 1 other case of acute bacterial epiglottitis also due to S . pneumoniae has been reported in an immunocompromised adult . The occurrence of this disease in 4 immunocompromised adults suggest that an Arthus reaction may not be important in the pathogenesis of acute epiglottitis due to S . pneumoniae. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol, 1980, 49(1), 75 - 8 Occurrence of microorganisms at different levels of the pulp . Contribution to endodontic techniques; Zelante F et al.; Microorganisms were absent in the remaining pulp stumps of twenty teeth which had been exposed to caries and contaminated at the pulpal chamber level . We have demonstrated that microorganisms are not carried to the deepest areas of the pulp when the basic procedure is strict antisepsis applied to the living pulp stump . A sterile and living pulp stump wound contributes to an adequate biologic sealing of the apical foramen . Of all the isolated microorganisms, the alpha hemolytic Streptococcus was most frequently found in all examined cases, in pure or mixed cultures, demonstrating once again he prodominance of that type of microorganism when pulpal injury occurs. Zentralbl Bakteriol A, 1980, 247(2), 177 - 91 {Purification and characterization of erythrogenic toxins . I . Investigation of erythrogenic toxin A produced by Streptococcus pyogenes strain NY-5 (author's transl)}; Gerlach D et al.; An erythrogenic toxin was isolated from culture supernatants of Streptococcus pyogenes, strain NY-5 (type 12) grown in yeast extract-pepton-dialysate medium . After concentration by evaporation, a crude material was obtained by precipitation with ethanol . This material was prepurified by ion exchange chromatography using a DEAE-Sepharose Cl-6B column . After precipitation of the active material with (NH4)2SO4 the redissolved precipitate was dialyzed against acetate buffer and rechromatographed on a CM-Sepharose Cl-6B column . The toxin was obtained by stepwise elution with 0.02 M acetate buffer, pH 5.0, and 0.05 M phosphate buffer, pH 6.5, followed by a last purification step on a Sephacryl S-200 column . The purified toxin behaved homogenously in SDS electrophoresis, the molecular weight being about 28 000 . Amino acid analysis showed only one cysteine residue per molecule . The molecule was insensitive to 2-mercaptoethanol and alkylation . Isoelectric focusing yielded two narrow bands having an isoelectric point of 5.2 . The toxin showed a serological reaction of identity with an antiserum against streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin A (SPE-A) but was shown to have a different molecular weight . The purified material (erythrogenic toxin A) was pyrogenic and toxic for rabbits as well as mitogenic for human lymphocytes . A positive skin reaction in guinea pigs could be obtained by as little as 5 X 10(-8) mg. Immunology, 1980 Jan, 39(1), 101 - 7 Comparative opsonic activity for Steptococcus mutans in oral fluids, and phagocytic activity of blood, crevicular, and salivary polymorphonuclear leucocytes in rhesus monkeys; Scully CM; The opsonic activity for Streptococcus mutans was assayed in serum, gingival crevicular fluid, parotid saliva and mixed saliva from rhesus monkeys immunized against dental caries with a vaccine of Streptococcus mutans in Freund's incomplete adjuvant . The phagocytic activities of polymorphonuclear leucocytes from the blood and gingival crevice were compared, and the effects of gingival crevicular fluid and mixed saliva on blood polymorphonuclear leucocyte viability and phagocytic activity were assessed . Heat-stable opsonic activity was detected in sera, crevicular fluid, and mixed saliva of immunized animals . Polymorphonuclear leucocytes from the gingival crevice and saliva retained viability, although this was lower than in cells from blood . Exposure of blood polymorphonuclear leucocytes to crevicular fluid or mixed saliva for 30 min resulted in no loss of cell viability or phagocytic activity, but saliva was cytotoxic on prolonged exposure . These results support the hypothesis that the opsonization and phagocytosis of cariogenic bacteria might be a mechanism involved in the immunological protection against dental caries. Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol, 1980, 62(1), 34 - 45 The nature of secretory agglutinins and aggregating factors . III . Secretory conglutinin-like factor SKF detects a cross-reaction between bacteria and complement component C3; Eggert FM; Secretory conglutinin-like factor (SKF) reacts directly with an unknown surface component of some, but not all, oral gram-positive organisms . The absorption of SKF by bacteria is EDTA-sensitive and cannot be blocked with immunoglobulins . High levels of SKF in EDTA extracts of washed salivary sediment reveal the direct in vivo reaction of SKF with oral bacteria . Mixed aggregation with alexinated erythrocytes showed the SKF corresponds to the secretory bacterial aggregating factor (SBAF) for Streptococcus mutans serotype c and also that for Streptococcus mitis . These reactions represent a cross-reaction between bacteria and complement component C3 . SKF/SBAF non-mucin glycoproteins and immunoglobulins possess receptors for bacterial components while mucins are passive carriers of blood group determinants. Arzneimittelforschung, 1980, 30(1a), 132 - 41 Ribosomal vaccines: immunological study; Dussourd d'Hinterland L et al.; Ribosomal vaccines prepared from purified bacterial ribosomes induce the production of specific antibodies in female OF1 mice when administered to the animals both with incomplete Freund's adjuvant or purified Klebsiella pneumoniae cell wall proteoglycans . The study of these fractions concerned purified ribosomes extracted from the following bacteria: Klebsiella pneumoniae, Haemophilius influenzae, Steptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes A12 . Specific antibodies determination by immunoelectro diffusion (IED) and passive hemagglutination (PHA) were used to study the immune response. Infect Immun, 1980 Jan, 27(1), 25 - 31 Virulence of Streptococcus mutans: revertants of mutant C4; Ikeda T et al.; Mutant C4, a poor plaque-forming mutant of Streptococcus mutans 6715-HSR, was employed to obtain isolates resembling the parent strain (a plaque former) . Seventeen presumptive revertants, as identified by colonial morphology, were isolated from mutant C4 after enrichment cycles in a sucrose-glass beads medium . These isolates displayed properties which resembled the parent in ability to produce plaque, patterns of fermentation, and resistance to streptomycin . In a detailed study, five selected isolates were found to be similar to the parent type 6715-HSR with respect to content of the serotype antigen, sucrose- or dextran-induced cell aggregation, glucosyltransferase and adherence activities, and cariogenicity . Thus, in selection for revertants to parental colonial morphology, the pleiotropic changes in plaque formation, adherence, glycosyltransferase activity, and virulence demonstrated by C4 all concomitantly reverted to their parental phenotypes. Zentralbl Bakteriol A, 1980, 247(4), 431 - 9 Changes in some biological properties of Streptococcus salivarius isolates from infected rats; Ooshima T et al.; Isolation of colonies with altered colonial morphology was frequently observed following infection of specific pathogen-free rats fed a caries-inducing high sucrose diet with two human strains of Streptococcus salivarius . These isolates produced unique rough colonies on mitis salivarius agar, in contrast to the smooth, mucoid colonial morphology of the parental strain . The rough variants were characterized by a marked increase in the synthesis of polysaccharide from sucrose, especially cell-associated water-insoluble glucan, whereas the smooth parental strains mainly produced cell-free fructan . Glucose-grown cells of rough variants but not smooth parental strains were aggregated upon addition of sucrose . Such variants were not detected during laboratory transfers of the human strains of S . salivarius nor by mutagenesis of the cultures. Infect Immun, 1980 Jan, 27(1), 107 - 12 Requirements for fatty acid synthesis and a chelation-sensitive step in the production of glucosyltransferase by Streptococcus mutans; Kuramitsu HK et al.; The antibiotic cerulenin differentially inhibited the production of glucosyltransferase activity by Streptococcus mutans GS5 . Cerulenin preferentially inhibited {14C}acetate incorporation into cellular lipids but did not affect protein synthesis or ribonucleic acid synthesis in the same manner . No significant intracellular accumulation of glucosyltransferase activity could be demonstrated in cultures treated with cerulenin . On the other hand, another inhibitor of lipid synthesis, sodium chlorophenoxyisobutyrate, did not differentially inhibit glucosyltransferase expression . In addition, the role of a metal-requiring protease in the production of glucosyltransferase activity was suggested by the observation that the chelator quinacrine differentially inhibited the production of the enzyme. Scand J Infect Dis Suppl, 1980, Suppl 24, 173 - 8 Effect of macromolecules on adherence of Streptococcus mutans; Olsson J et al.; The influence of macromolecules on the adherence of S . mutans was studied in an in vitro incubation system using 3H-labeled bacteria and hydroxyapatite beads . The bacterial adherence was strongly inhibited by treating the beads with an extremely acidic macromolecule . An even more pronounced effect was found when this substance was present during the incubation . To the contrary no effect was discernible when the bacteria only were pretreated with the acidic macromolecule . Even the basic substance decreased the adherence of the bacteria but to a less extent . The bacterial surface has a net negative charge and attracts basic molecules while hydroxyapatite beads analogously appear to have a net positive charge and attract acidic macromolecules . This adsorption of macromolecules might be a phenomenon of importance for the microbial colonization of teeth. Zentralbl Bakteriol A, 1980, 246(4), 489 - 98 {T-proteins of Streptococcus pyogenes . II . Communication: Preparation of specific immunoadsorbents for isolation of anti-T-antibodies and investigations of the T4/24...pattern (author's transl)}; Schmidt KH et al.; The T4-antigen(s) in Streptococcus pyogenes standard type strains of the T4/24...pattern was (were) investigated in regard to the uniformity or diversity of the antigen(s) in this T-complex . Tryptic T-extracts of types 4, 24, 26, 28, 29, 46, 48, 60 were purified by ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose . Anti-T4-antibodies were isolated by immunoadsorption chromatography on AH-sepharose linked T4-antigen . Purified T4-antigen showed in SDS-electrophoresis a similar multiple molecular size structure as T1-antigen described earlier . Comparative serological studies of T-antigens of types 4, 24, 29 and 46 revealed reactions of identity to anti-T4-antibodies in Ouchterlony tests . Extracts of types 26, 28, 48 and 60 did not precipitate with anti-T4-antibodies, but types 28 and 48 showed crossreaction to the relevant antisera (anti-T28 and anti-T48, resp.) obviously caused by traces of R-28 antigen in both antigen preparations . Strains of the types 4, 24, 29, 46, 48 and 60 were agglutinated by anti-T4-antibodies . The reaction could be inhibited by T4-antigen . The strains of type 26 and 28 used in our experiments did not contain T4-antigen . Agglutination as well as immunoprecipitation reactions with specific antibodies prepared by immunochromatography proved the existence of common T4-antigenic determinants in type 4, 24, 29, 46, 48 and 60. Acta Microbiol Pol, 1980, 29(1), 35 - 47 Deoxyribonucleases of Streptococcus sanguis; Starosciak BJ et al.; Three DNases, designated 1, 2 and 3 have been isolated from lysates of old (incompetent in genetic transformation) and logarithmic phase (competent) Streptococcus sanguis strain Challis cells . These DNases have different electrophoretic mobilities and immunological properties . Influence of some activators and inhibitors on their activity was determined . Molecular weights of 3 DNases are in the range of 52,000--57,000 . All these enzymes are endonucleases which degrade native DNA; thermally denatured DNA is a poor substrate . The enzymes described in this paper differ from the previously known DNases of Streptococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus pneumoniae . Nucleases similar or identical to the Challis strain enzymes have been found in two other S . sanguis strains--Wicky and Blackburn. J Gen Microbiol, 1980 Jan, 116(1), 51 - 9 Interaction of glucosyltransferase from Streptococcus mutans with various glucans; Hamada S et al.; Cell-free glucosyltransferase of Streptococcus mutans strain B13 (serotype d) exclusively synthesized water-insoluble glucan from sucrose . The insoluble glucan possessed strong glucan-associated glucosyltransferase activity even after extensive washing and lyophilization . Furthermore, cell-free glucosyltransferase became bound to heat-treated water-insoluble glucan or to heat-treated S . mutans B13 cells grown in Todd Hewitt broth, and the resulting glucan and cells adhered to a glass surface in the presence of exogenous sucrose . No other water-insoluble glucans bound significant quantities of glucosyltransferase . Glucan synthesis by free or glucan-bound glucosyltransferase was stimulated by low concentrations (1 to 5 mg ml-1) of isomaltose or water-soluble dextrans of various molecular weights, but higher concentrations (10 mg ml-1) inhibited glucan synthesis . The glucan synthesized in the presence of primer dextrans exhibited a reduced ability to adhere to a glass surface . Certain sugars such as maltose and fructose significantly lowered the yield of insoluble glucans . Preincubation of glucosyltransferase with the low molecular weight dextran T10 increased subsequent binding to S . mutans B13 insoluble glucan, whereas preincubation with higher molecular weight dextrans significantly inhibited the glucosyltransferase binding. Teratog Carcinog Mutagen, 1980, 1(2), 129 - 39 Mutagenic activation of an antischistosomal drug by enteric Streptococcus sps in vitro and in vivo; Molineaux CJ et al.; Previous studies have shown that a new antischistosomal drug, 4-isothiocyano-4'-nitro diphenylamine (CGP 4540, amoscanate), is not mutagenic in vitro, but the urines of animals treated with this drug have mutagenic activity . Mutagenicity can be eliminated by coadministration of some antibacterial agents and is not demonstrable in germ-free animals . The present study describes attempts to isolate and identify intestinal microorganisms responsible for the mutagenic activation of amoscanate . Streptococcus equinus, isolated from the intestinal tract of mice, as well as some other species of Streptococcus, were found to produce mutagenic activation of amoscanate when introduced into animals pretreated with antibacterial agents . Similarly, incubation of these strains with amoscanate in vitro resulted in the formation of a mutagenic product. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1979 Dec 18, 575(3), 389 - 98 Studies on the relationship between glycerophosphoglycolipids and lipoteichoic acids . IV . Trigalactosylglycerophospho-acylkojibiosyldiacylglycerol and related compounds from Streptococcus lactis Kiel 42172; Fischer W et al.; Streptococcus lactis Kiel 42172 contains at least six unusually polar glycerophosphoglycolipids . The predominant one was composed of D-galactose, D-glucose, glycerol, acyl groups and phosphorus in a molar ratio of approx . 3 : 2 : 2 : 3 : 1 . By analysis of the breakdown products of HF hydrolysis and Smith-degradation the structure was established to be {Galp (alpha 1 leads to 6)Galp(alpha 1 leads to 3)-sn-glycero(2 comes from 1 alpha Galp)-1-phospho} leads to 6Glcp(alpha 1 leads to 2), acyl leads to Glcp(alpha 1 leads to 3)-acyl2Gro . By HF hydrolysis the other compounds were shown to be in the main also derivatives of GroP leads to 6Glc(alpha 1 leads to 2), acyl leads to 6Glc(alpha 1 leads to 3)acyl2Gro but they released as water-soluble glycosides Gal(alpha 1 leads to 2)Gro, Gal(alpha 1 leads to 3)Gro, Gal(alpha 1 leads to 3)Gro(2 comes from 1 alpha Gal), Gal(alpha 1 leads to 6)Gal(alpha 1 leads to 3)Gro and Gal(alpha 1 leads to 6)Gal-(alpha 1 leads to 6)Gal(alpha 1 leads to 3)Gro(2 comes from 1 alpha Gal), respectively . In the lipid extract Glc(alpha 1 leads to 2), acyl leads to 6Glc(alpha 1 leads to 3)acyl2Gro and GroP leads to 6Glc(alpha 1 leads to 2), acyl leads to 6Glc(alpha 1 leads to 3) acyl2Gro were also observed . This set of compounds is proposed to constitute a biosynthetic series reflecting the individual steps in the synthesis of the lipoteichoic acid of Streptococcus lactis Kiel 42172 which is made up by the same lipid anchor and a non-classical poly(galabiosyl, galactosyl glycerophosphate)-chain (Koch, H.U . and Fischer, W . (1978) Biochemistry 17, 5275--5281). Biochim Biophys Acta, 1979 Dec 14, 581(2), 342 - 55 Partial sequence data for the L-(+)-lactate dehydrogenase from Streptococcus cremoris US3 including the amino acid sequences around the single cysteine residue and at the N-terminus; Crossley LG et al.; The following amino acid sequence information has been determined for the fructose 1,6-bisphosphate-dependent lactate dehydrogenase from Streptococcus cremoris US3: the C-terminal amino acid, the N-terminal sequence of the first 20 amino acids and the sequence of a 53-residue tryptic peptide containing the only cysteine residue in the protein . The enzyme was cleaved by alkali at the cysteine residue following reaction first with 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) and then with K14CN . This treatment yielded two cleavage products as well as some higher polymers and some uncleaved enzyme . The radioactive cleavage product was purified and its size indicated that the cysteine residue is 8