Arch Intern Med, 1988 May, 148(5), 1207 - 10 Rattlesnake capsule-associated Salmonella arizona infections; Riley KB et al.; Three Hispanic patients at our institution developed extragastrointestinal Salmonella arizona infection associated with the ingestion of rattlesnake capsules . All patients had underlying chronic medical illnesses, including the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus, and congestive heart failure . Rattlesnake capsules were obtained from both local pharmacies and patients . Salmonella arizona, as well as various other enteric organisms, was grown on cultures obtained from all capsules tested . Review of the literature disclosed three additional cases of extragastrointestinal S arizona infection linked to rattlesnake capsule ingestion, all associated with underlying medical illness . We postulate that rattlesnake capsules may be frequently ingested by chronically ill Hispanic individuals and serve as a vehicle for serious S arizona infection. Infect Immun, 1988 May, 56(5), 1326 - 33 A galE via (Vi antigen-negative) mutant of Salmonella typhi Ty2 retains virulence in humans; Hone DM et al.; We have recently described the construction of a galE derivative of Salmonella typhi Ty2 (Ty2H1) which had a 0.4-kilobase deletion in the galE gene and was sensitive to galactose-induced lysis when cultured with greater than or equal to 0.06 mM galactose (D . M . Hone, R . Morona, S . Attridge, and J . Hackett, J . Infect . Dis . 156:167-174, 1987) . We now report the selection of a rifampin-resistant, via derivative of Ty2H1, EX462 . Compared with the Ty2 parent strain, EX462 was serum sensitive and highly attenuated in the mouse mucin virulence assay . When four human volunteers ingested 7 X 10(8) viable EX462, two became ill and developed a typhoidlike disease with fever and bacteremia . Blood isolates from these individuals were indistinguishable from the vaccine strain by a variety of criteria . We concluded that, even in a via background, the galE mutation was not attenuating for S . typhi in humans. Biull Eksp Biol Med, 1988 May, 105(5), 623 - 5 {Identification of Salmonella enterotoxin by coagglutination reaction}; Parkhomenko IuG et al.; It has been shown that the intensity of enterotoxin production by various strains of Salmonella is different (it ranges from + to +) . Thus, in addition to adhesive properties and skin permeability factors, the ability of various Salmonella strains to produce enterotoxin is one of the pathogenic factors of these microorganisms . Further biological characteristics of the infective agents will promote the detection of epidemiologically significant types of microorganisms during outbreaks of toxicoinfections. Mutat Res, 1988 May-Aug, 205(1-4), 51 - 8 Reflections on the declining ability of the Salmonella assay to detect rodent carcinogens as positive; Ashby J et al.; It is suggested that urgent attempts should be made to define and gain general agreement for the existence of two classes of animal carcinogen, those which are genotoxic and those which are not . In the absence of such a step, attempts to validate in vivo genotoxicity assays, and to derive a meaningful structure-activity database for chemical carcinogenesis, will be frustrated . These suggestions are supported by the preliminary findings of a detailed analysis of the carcinogen database accrued by the United States National Toxicology Program . The possibility that many non-genotoxic carcinogens should be regarded as tumour-promoting agents is considered. Mutat Res, 1988 May-Aug, 205(1-4), 197 - 225 An analysis by chemical class of Salmonella mutagenicity tests as predictors of animal carcinogenicity; Claxton LD et al.; For a number of years, investigators have recognized that humans potentially are exposed to large numbers of genotoxicants . Many efforts have attempted to validate various short-term bioassays for use as rapid, inexpensive screens for genotoxicants--especially carcinogens . In this analysis, we examine Salmonella mutagenicity as an indicator of potential carcinogenicity by comparing published (and when possible, evaluated) Salmonella results with the evaluated Gene-Tox animal carcinogen data base . The Salmonella bioassay does especially well in those cases where the level of evidence for carcinogenicity is the strongest . Analysis shows that except for specific classes of compounds, the plate-incorporation protocol and the preincubation protocol are equally efficient at detecting mutagens . This paper also demonstrates how validation values (sensitivity, specificity, etc.) vary with chemical class . Overall, this analysis demonstrates that when used and interpreted in a meaningful chemical class context, the Salmonella bioassay remains extremely useful in identifying potential animal carcinogens. Mutat Res, 1988 May-Aug, 205(1-4), 183 - 95 Statistical analysis of Salmonella test data and comparison to results of animal cancer tests; McCann J et al.; A quantitative framework for the analysis of results of the Salmonella (Ames) test is presented, and the relationship between mutagenesis and carcinogenesis is examined . Color graphics are used for the Salmonella data to describe variability, and trends across multiple chemicals and test conditions . Positivity in the Salmonella test, using statistical criteria to classify results, is compared to positivity in carcinogenesis bioassays for 48 chemicals tested in NCI/NTP-sponsored programs . Sensitivity of the Salmonella test across 5 tester strains was 91% (21/23), while specificity was only 36% (9/25) . Results were most concordant for TA100 Aroclor-induced rat S9: sensitivity was 87%, specificity 64% . The correlation of mutagenic potency and carcinogenic potency was 0.41 (p less than 0.001) for 80 chemicals, using results from both the general published literature and the NCI/NTP-sponsored programs . After removal of 3 extreme values, the correlation was 0.24 (p = 0.04). Mutat Res, 1988 May, 199(1), 95 - 101 CASE, the computer-automated structure evaluation method, correctly predicts the low mutagenicity for Salmonella of nitrated cyclopenta-fused polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Rosenkranz HS et al.; Recently Goldring et al . {Mutation Res., 187 (1987) 67-77} reported the synthesis and purification of a series of nitro-substituted cyclopenta-fused polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons . On the basis of expected charge distributions, these chemicals were predicted to be potent mutagens and, yet, contrary to expectation, they were found to be only weakly mutagenic for Salmonella . In their discussion, the authors suggest that application of CASE, an artificial intelligence system recently developed in these laboratories, would also not predict the low mutagenicity of this group of chemicals . In the present report, it is shown that CASE, in fact, correctly predicts the low mutagenicity of nitro-substituted cyclopenta-fused polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Am J Reprod Immunol Microbiol, 1988 May, 17(1), 1 - 4 Inhibition of lymphocyte-mediated antibacterial activity by human seminal plasma; De Simone C et al.; Seminal plasma displays a suppressive function on many immunological responses . In light of recent findings on the antibacterial activity mediated by different lymphocyte subsets, we have assessed the effect of male inhibitory material (MIM) in this system . Results provide evidence that MIM pretreatment of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) leads to a significant inhibition of antibacterial activity against Salmonella typhi and S . minnesota R345 (Rb) . Both CD4+ and CD8+ cell-mediated activities are reduced by this treatment, while another defense mechanism (bacterial binding to PBL) is unaffected . Taken together, these results indicate a role for MIM in the depression of immune response and suggest that lymphocytes mediating antibacterial activity and bacterial cytoadherence are different entities. Ann Inst Pasteur Microbiol, 1988 May-Jun, 139(3), 331 - 5 {1987 supplement (no . 31) to the schema of Kauffmann-White}; Le Minor L et al.; This supplement reports the characters of 16 new Salmonella serovars recognized in 1987 by the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Salmonella: 10 serovars belong to subspecies I, 2 to subspecies II, 1 to subspecies IIIb, 2 to subspecies IV and 1 to subspecies V. Mutagenesis, 1988 May, 3(3), 263 - 8 Mutagenic activity of acrylamide in eukaryotic systems but not in bacteria; Knaap AG et al.; The vinyl monomer acrylamide (AA) was studied for its activity in a range of genotoxicity tests, including the Salmonella/microsome test, the fluctuation test using Klebsiella pneumoniae, the test for gene mutations at the TK and HPRT loci in L5178Y mouse lymphoma cells, tests for chromosomal aberrations and SCEs in V79 Chinese hamster cells, the sex-linked recessive lethal (SLRL) and somatic mutation and recombination (SMART) assays in Drosophila melanogaster and the mouse bone marrow micronucleus assay . AA showed genotoxic activity in most systems . The bacterial tests did not respond, in compliance with literature data; also in the Drosophila SLRL test, no significant increase in mutation rate was observed. Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1988 May, 268(3), 386 - 404 Immunogenic and antigenic characteristics of Salmonella heat-labile enterotoxin; Kaura YK et al.; The intramuscular immunization of rabbits with enterotoxin of S . weltevreden failed to provide protection against challenges with homologous Salmonella enterotoxin as well as heterologous enterotoxins (cholera toxin or E . coli LT) . Similar results were obtained in rabbits immunized with cholera toxin, choleragenoid and E . coli LT . However, Salmonella antitoxin contained neutralizing antibodies against Salmonella enterotoxin (but not against cholera toxin) and thus was capable of neutralizing Salmonella enterotoxin when tested for skin permeability reaction . Immunodiffusion experiments showed that antitoxin prepared against the enterotoxin of one of the strains of S . weltevreden formed precipitin bands with enterotoxin preparations of 5 strains of S . weltevreden and 2 strains of S . anatum . However, Salmonella antitoxin failed to form precipitin bands with enterotoxins of other heterologous Salmonella species (S . dublin, S . enteritidis, S . hindmarsh and S . newport), cholera toxin and E . coli LT . The immunoelectrophoretic studies corroborated the results obtained by double immunodiffusion experiments . However, both Salmonella and cholera toxins migrated electrophoretically toward the cathode and resembled globulin in this respect . Salmonella enterotoxin, though immunogenic, yet proved unprotective through the parenteral route and appears to be antigenically distinct from cholera and E . coli enterotoxins. J Leukoc Biol, 1988 May, 43(5), 436 - 44 Incorporation of LPS in liposomes diminishes its ability to induce tumoricidal activity and tumor necrosis factor secretion in murine macrophages; Dijkstra J et al.; We investigated the effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) incorporated into phospholipid vesicles (liposomes) on the induction of macrophage-mediated tumor cytotoxicity and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) secretion . The incorporation of Salmonella minnesota rough (Re)-LPS into multilamellar or small unilamellar vesicles (liposomes) resulted in an 100- to 1,000-fold reduction in its potency to activate both the macrophage cell line RAW 264.7 and murine thioglycolate elicited peritoneal macrophages to become cytotoxic for L929 and P815 tumor cells . Liposomal LPS was also a 100- to 1,000-fold less potent inducer of TNF secretion from RAW 264.7 cells . Cytokines secreted by the activated macrophages contributed to the cytotoxic effect on the L929 cells but not the P815 cell line . Human recombinant TNF was not cytotoxic for either cell line but was cytostatic for the L929 cell line . Morphological examination of the cells after uptake of fluorescent, free, and liposomal LPS revealed that both forms were internalized by the endocytic pathway . This, together with the considerably reduced potency of liposomal LPS to induce tumor cytotoxicity and TNF secretion, suggests that the interaction of the hydrophobic part of the lipid A moiety of LPS with the macrophage plasma membrane is needed to optimally activate these cells . Incorporation of LPS into liposomes effectively abrogates this interaction. Int J Food Microbiol, 1988 May, 6(3), 207 - 18 Vibrio cholerae and enteric bacteria in oyster-producing areas of two urban estuaries in Australia; Eyles MJ et al.; Three sampling sites in oyster-producing areas of 2 estuaries were monitored at intervals of about 2 weeks for 1 year . Oysters (Crassostrea commercialis), water and sediment were examined for Vibrio cholerae, Escherichia coli and Salmonella . V . cholerae was detected in 20, 30 and 11% of oyster, water and sediment samples respectively . The highest incidence was in the autumn (March-May), with few isolations from July to October . Most isolates were non-O1 serotypes . The presence of V . cholerae and the enteric bacteria appeared to be influenced by different, but perhaps overlapping, sets of factors in these high salinity waters . There was no relationship between rainfall or salinity and the detection of V . cholerae, whereas high counts of E . coli in oysters and the presence of Salmonella were correlated wtih rainfall and, to a lesser degree, reduced salinity . High counts of E . coli were correlated with V . cholerae isolations from water and with the presence of Salmonella . Oysters concentrated E . coli effectively . The counts of E . coli in oysters were 7.3 times higher than those in water . Examination of 8 batches of purified and unpurified oysters indicated that purification reduces the incidence of V . cholerae . However V . cholerae was detected in 3 of 25 market samples of oysters, demonstrating that it can be present in oysters throughout the distribution system . The highest V . cholerae count observed in oysters was 3/g. Zhonghua Min Guo Wei Sheng Wu Ji Mian Yi Xue Za Zhi, 1988 May, 21(2), 85 - 92 Factors affecting the survival of pathogenic bacteria in subtropical river water; Chao WL et al.; The present study was carried out to determine the factors causing the disappearance of introduced Salmonella enteritidis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Vibrio cholerae in natural river water . When large numbers of the above organisms (final level 10(7)-10(8) CFU per ml) were added to river water, the decline of their numbers coincided with increasing numbers of protozoa . Furthermore, their survival was improved dramatically if the river water was amended with a eucaryote inhibitor . After comparing the survivals of the test organisms in physiological saline, filtered river water, and in dialysis tubes immersed in river water, the results suggested that for Salmonella, predation was the most significant factor which caused the decline of its population in natural river water; starvation and toxic materials played lesser roles . Staphylococcus and Vibrio were also vulnerable to predation and toxic materials have molecular weights larger than 12,000 . In the natural environment, these three factors together could cause rapid disappearance of the introduced microorganisms. J Appl Bacteriol, 1988 May, 64(5), 409 - 20 Detection of salmonellas in confectionery products by conductance; Arnott ML et al.; A modified lysine decarboxylase broth has been developed which could be used with a Bactometer M123 to differentiate salmonellas from other bacteria by the characteristics of the conductance detection curve . The medium was used in combination with a selenite cystine trimethylamine oxide dulcitol medium to screen 50 strains of salmonellas and 42 strains of other organisms to establish detection curve magnitude and rate values which could be used to identify curves specific to salmonellas . The combination of media detected all salmonellas tested except Salmonella pullorum . The two media were used to screen 100 inoculated product samples with the Bactometer instrument, in parallel with traditional plating procedures, and using various combinations of pre-enrichment and selective enrichment incubation periods . After 24 h pre-enrichment, the Bactometer system detected more positive samples than the conventional plating procedures after pre-enrichment and selective enrichment . It is considered that these media used in parallel in the Bactometer after conventional pre-enrichment could provide a 48 h screening procedure for salmonellas with a sensitivity comparable to present plating procedures. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1988 May, (5), 88 - 90 {Characteristics of the antigen-binding properties of lymphocytes in experimental Salmonella infection}; Gurarii NI et al.; The data on the count of antigen-binding lymphocytes in the blood and lymphoid organs of mice in the course of Salmonella infection are presented . The reaction used for their detection is specific . Antigen-binding lymphocytes detected in mice in Salmonella infection belong to T- and B-cell populations and carry surface receptors belonging to IgA and IgM . Study of antigen-binding lymphocytes 1-20 hours after infection may be helpful in the specific diagnosis of Salmonella infections. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1988 May, (5), 62 - 4 {The protective properties of myelopeptides in the development of infectious processes caused by bacteria of the genus Salmonella}; Petrov RV et al.; The protective properties of myelopeptides in the development of bacterial infection in mice and young pigs, caused by S . typhimurium 415, S . cholerae-suis 1422 and 370, have been studied . Myelopeptides have been found to possess protective properties when injected into animals infected with S . typhimurium and S . cholerae-suis in lethal doses . The best protective effect (survival rate of 100%) has been achieved by the injection of myelopeptides 24 hours before challenge . Myelopeptides have also been found to promote the weight gain of young pigs infected with S . cholerae-suis. Poult Sci, 1988 May, 67(5), 699 - 706 Effects of kanamycin administration to poultry on the interspecies transmission of drug-resistant Salmonella; Gast RK et al.; Three experiments were conducted to assess the relationship between antibiotic administration to poultry and the transmission of drug-resistant Salmonella through a simulated food chain . Poults were inoculated per os with either multiply drug-resistant Escherichia coli and drug-sensitive S . typhimurium or with multiply drug-resistant S . typhimurium . One-half of the poults inoculated with drug-sensitive S . typhimurium and all poults given drug-resistant S . typhimurium received kanamycin in their drinking water . Liver tissue from these poults was incorporated into diets fed to rats, half of which were treated with kanamycin . Antibiotic administration to the poults was associated with a significantly (P less than .05) higher frequency of transmission of drug-resistant S . typhimurium to the rats through the simulated food chain . S . typhimurium was isolated only from rats treated with kanamycin . The highest frequency of isolation of drug-resistant S . typhimurium from rats (40%) was observed in kanamycin-treated rats fed a diet containing liver from kanamycin-treated poults . Results of this experiment indicate that antibiotic administration can increase the frequency of transmission of drug-resistant Salmonella through the food chain. Poult Sci, 1988 May, 67(5), 689 - 98 Effects of kanamycin administration to poultry on the proliferation of drug-resistant Salmonella; Gast RK et al.; Four experiments were conducted to examine the relationship between antibiotic administration to poultry and the in vivo proliferation of Salmonellae . The frequency of isolation of drug-resistant transconjugant S . arizonae from the livers of chicks inoculated per os with multiply drug-resistant Escherichia coli and drug-sensitive S . arizonae was directly related to the concentration of kanamycin administered to the chicks in their drinking water . Kanamycin administration was also associated with a significant (P less than .05) increase in the frequency of isolation of drug-resistant transconjugant S . typhimurium from the intestines and livers of poults inoculated with drug-sensitive S . typhimurium and multiply drug-resistant E . coli . Kanamycin administration significantly reduced the spread of drug-sensitive S . typhimurium to the livers of poults inoculated only with that strain . These experiments demonstrate that antibiotic administration to poultry can enhance the proliferation of drug-resistant Salmonella. Circ Shock, 1988 May, 25(1), 21 - 31 Beneficial effects of the peptidoleukotriene receptor antagonist, SK&F 104353, on the responses to experimental endotoxemia in the conscious rat; Smith EF 3rd et al.; The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the peptidoleukotriene receptor antagonist, SK&F 104353, on the responses to endotoxin in conscious male Sprague-Dawley rats . Administration of Salmonella enteritidis endotoxin (30 mg/kg i.v.; LD90) resulted in a decrease in the number of circulating platelets, leukopenia, an increase in hematocrit, and 0% survival at 24 hr . Pretreatment with SK&F 104353 (1 mg/kg, i.v . bolus followed by 3 mg/kg/hr, i.v . infusion for 6 hr) 5 min before injection of endotoxin produced steady state plasma drug levels of 1.6 micrograms/ml in naive animals and levels of approximately 3.4 micrograms/ml in endotoxemic animals (P less than 0.05) . SK&F 104353 significantly attenuated the endotoxin-induced thrombocytopenia (P less than 0.05) but had no effect on either the endotoxin-induced early leukopenia or late leukocytosis . Additionally, SK&F 104353 significantly reduced the endotoxin-induced hemoconcentration (P less than 0.05) and improved survival to 30% at 48 hr (P less than 0.05) . A higher dose of SK&F 104353 (2 mg/kg, i.v . bolus followed by 10 mg/kg/hr, i.v . infusion for 6 hr) did not produce any further benefit . These data indicate clearly the pathophysiologic role of peptidoleukotrienes in endotoxemia and suggest SK&F 104353 could be useful for ameliorating some of the deleterious sequelae associated with this condition. J Clin Invest, 1988 May, 81(5), 1341 - 7 Physical and genetic mapping of the Salmonella dublin virulence plasmid pSDL2 . Relationship to plasmids from other Salmonella strains; Beninger PR et al.; Plasmids of approximately 80 kb in size are found in nearly all clinical isolates of Salmonella dublin and are believed to be essential for virulence . We have shown previously that the 80-kb plasmid pSDL2 is required for the S . dublin Lane strain to establish a lethal systemic infection in BALB/c mice after oral or intraperitoneal inoculation . We now present a physical and genetic characterization of pSDL2 . We have established a complete restriction endonuclease cleavage map of pSDL2 for five enzymes: Xba I, Bam HI, Xho I, Sal I, and Hind III . The region specifying autonomous replication has been localized to a 10.5-kb region of the Sal I A fragment by subcloning on the vector pBR322 . Using transposon insertion mutagenesis with Tn5-oriT, a region encoding the virulence phenotype has been mapped within a 6.4-kb portion of the Sal I B fragment . Deletions generated by partial Eco RI restriction digestion demonstrate that at least 50 kb of the plasmid DNA are not required for replication or virulence functions, confirming the map location of these phenotypes . Plasmids of different sizes and restriction patterns were found in mouse virulent strains of S . dublin Vi+, S . enteritidis, and S . choleraesuis . By Southern hybridization, these putative virulence plasmids share a common 4-kb Eco RI fragment with the virulence region of pSDL2, and the plasmids from S . dublin Vi+ and S . enteritidis were shown to express mouse virulence comparable to pSDL2. Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 1988 Apr 29, 152(2), 636 - 41 The 28k and 70k dalton polypeptide components of mouse Ra-reactive factor are responsible for bactericidal activity; Ihara I et al.; Ra-reactive factor is a complement-dependent bactericidal factor that reacts specifically with Ra chemotype strains of Salmonella, and is ubiquitous in sera of a wide variety of vertebrates . Here we prepared an antiserum by immunizing rabbit with mouse Ra-reactive factor . This serum neutralized markedly the bactericidal activity of the factor . This action of the antiserum was inhibited by the factor whose bactericidal activity has been inactivated by heating for 30 min at 55 degrees C . Component polypeptides with apparent molecular weights of 28k and 70k in the factor were separated by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis . They were also found to inhibit the antiserum activity . This indicates that these polypeptides carry the active site of the factor. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed), 1988 Apr 23, 296(6630), 1156 - 60 Preceding infection as an important risk factor for ischaemic brain infarction in young and middle aged patients; Syrjanen J et al.; The role of preceding infection as a risk factor for ischaemic stroke was investigated in a case-control study of 54 consecutive patients under 50 years of age with brain infarction and 54 randomly selected controls from the community matched for sex and age . Information about previous illnesses, smoking, consumption of alcohol, and use of drugs was taken . A blood sample was analysed for standard biochemical variables and serum cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride, and fasting blood glucose concentrations determined . Titres of antimicrobial antibodies against various bacteria, including Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Yersinia, and Salmonella and several viruses were determined . Febrile infection was found in patients during the month before the brain infarction significantly more often than in controls one month before their examination (19 patients v three controls; estimated relative risk 9.0 (95% confidence interval 2.2 to 80.0)) . The most common preceding febrile infection was respiratory infection (80%) . Infections preceding brain infarction were mostly of bacterial origin based on cultural, serological, and clinical data . In conditional logistic regression analysis for matched pairs the effect of preceding febrile infection remained significant (estimated relative risk 14.5 (95% confidence interval 1.9 to 112.3)) when tested with triglyceride concentration, hypertension, smoking, and preceding intoxication with alcohol . Although causality cannot be inferred from these data and plausible underlying mechanisms remain undetermined, preceding febrile infection may play an important part in the development of brain infarction in young and middle aged patients. JAMA, 1988 Apr 8, 259(14), 2103 - 7 The emergence of grade A eggs as a major source of Salmonella enteritidis infections . New implications for the control of salmonellosis; St Louis ME et al.; From 1976 to 1986, reported Salmonella enteritidis infections increased more than sixfold in the northeastern United States . From January 1985 to May 1987, sixty-five foodborne outbreaks of S enteritidis were reported in the Northeast that were associated with 2119 cases and 11 deaths . Twenty-seven (77%) of the 35 outbreaks with identified food vehicles were caused by Grade A shell eggs or foods that contained such eggs . National data from 1973 to 1984 showed that S enteritidis outbreaks (44%) were more frequently associated with egg-containing foods than were outbreaks of other Salmonella serotypes (15%) . Reflecting the geographic distribution of human illness, cultures of bulk raw eggs from pasteurization plants in the Northeast more frequently yielded S enteritidis (10%) than did eggs from other regions of the United States (0%) . The epidemic rise in S enteritidis infections due to Grade A shell eggs is unlike past problems of salmonellosis associated with cracked or soiled eggs and raises the possibility of trans-ovarian contamination of eggs with S enteritidis . New techniques may therefore be needed to control resurgent egg-associated salmonellosis in the United States. J Immunol Methods, 1988 Apr 6, 108(1-2), 245 - 54 Immune carrier properties of acid-treated Salmonella minnesota R595 bacteria . The immune response to TNP-bacterial conjugates in rabbits and mice; Bellstedt DU et al.; Salmonella minnesota R595 bacteria from which the core region of the lipopolysaccharide on the cell wall had previously been removed by mild acid treatment were trinitrophenylated . Differing amounts of these trinitrophenyl naked bacterial conjugates (TNP-NB), covering a range of epitope densities, were used for immunising mice and rabbits via the intraperitoneal or intravenous routes without adjuvants . It was found that such acid-treated, naked bacteria were effective carriers for the covalently linked hapten, TNP, with an optimum epitope density of 15 micrograms TNP/mg NB . Significant immune responses were obtained with dose levels as low as 50 ng TNP . The possible applications of acid-treated, naked bacteria as universal carriers having inherent adjuvant activity are discussed. J Biol Chem, 1988 Apr 5, 263(10), 4977 - 83 Formation of aggregates from a thermolabile in vivo folding intermediate in P22 tailspike maturation . A model for inclusion body formation; Haase-Pettingell CA et al.; The in vivo accumulation of polypeptide chains in the form of aggregated non-native states is a problem in many applications of biotechnology . In the maturation pathway of the thermostable P22 tailspike endorhamnosidase, the folding and chain association intermediates can be distinguished from the native tailspikes in crude extracts of phage-infected Salmonella cells . Temperature-sensitive folding mutations, at many sites in the chain, destabilize these conformational intermediates preventing the formation of native tailspikes at restrictive temperatures (Goldenberg, D . P., Smith, D . H., and King, J . (1983) Proc . Natl . Acad . Sci . U . S . A . 80, 7060-7064) . We report here that both wild type and mutant tailspike polypeptide chains which fail to reach the native state accumulate in an aggregated state . These off-pathway aggregates form from a thermolabile intermediate in the productive folding pathway . These aggregation reactions are suppressed by lowering the temperature of maturation . Similar off-pathway steps from folding intermediates may account for the non-native aggregates often found in the expression of cloned genes in heterologous hosts. Schweiz Med Wochenschr, 1988 Apr 2, 118(13), 467 - 70 {Effectiveness of oral, attenuated live Salmonella typhi Ty 21a vaccine in controlled field trials}; Cryz SJ Jr et al.; The first live oral typhoid vaccine (strain Salmonella typhi Ty 21a) distributed under the trade name of "Vivotif" has been evaluated for safety and efficacy in volunteer studies and in large-scale, placebo-controlled, double-blind field trials . While the data demonstrated that the vaccine was well tolerated, the level of efficacy varied distinctly . It is probable that the differences observed can be chiefly attributed to the various vaccine formulations evaluated to facilitate the passage of the acid-sensitive vaccine strain through the acid environment of the stomach . Based upon these results, the initially marketed formulation (2 bicarbonate capsules + vaccine capsule) was changed to an acid-resistant capsule which was subsequently evaluated in a field trial conducted in Chile and involving 44,000 school age children . Following 4 years of surveillance, a protection rate of 70% was obtained . To further optimize the means of delivering the vaccine, a formulation consisting of lyophilized vaccine reconstituted in a buffer solution is now being evaluated in a Chilean and Indonesian field trial . A similar though less practicable formulation showed excellent efficacy (approximately 95%) in a previous Egyptian field trial. Microbiologica, 1988 Apr, 11(2), 165 - 7 Occurrence of Plesiomonas shigelloides in humans and water in Zaria, Nigeria; Kwaga JK et al.; A total of 1,171 human faeces and 269 water samples were examined for Plesiomonas shigelloides in Zaria . The rate of isolation for humans was 0.17% while the detection rates in pond and well water samples were 7.4% and 0.6% respectively . No recoveries were made from water samples taken from streams, dams, tanks and taps . Neither Shigella nor Salmonella was isolated from the water samples tested . It is concluded that water may play a role in the epidemiology of P . shigelloides but may not be a common vehicle for transmission of Shigella and Salmonella in Zaria, Nigeria. Br J Pharmacol, 1988 Apr, 93(4), 925 - 31 Indomethacin potentiates endotoxin-induced blood flow reduction and histological injury in rat gastric mucosa; Pique JM et al.; 1 . The effect of the intravenous administration of lipopolysaccharide from Salmonella typhosa endotoxin on arterial blood pressure (BP), gastric mucosal blood flow (GMBF) and gastric damage was studied in anaesthetized rats . The effect of the inhibition of endogenous prostaglandin generation by indomethacin on these parameters was also investigated in this model of endotoxin shock . 2 . A similar and dose-dependent percentage of reduction in BP and GMBF was observed 5 min after a bolus injection of 20 or 30 mg kg-1 endotoxin . A transient recovery in GMBF at 15 min was observed followed by a second fall at 30 min, at a time when BP was slowly increasing . 3 . Pretreatment with indomethacin (5 mg kg-1, s.c.) one hour before the administration of 30 mg kg-1 endotoxin, significantly augmented the reduction in GMBF without affecting the reduction in BP . 4 . The gastric damage, assessed histologically, was similar and confined to the superficial mucosa 30 min after the administration of 20 or 30 mg kg-1 endotoxin . The histologically-assessed damage was significantly greater in indomethacin pretreated rats injected with 30 mg kg-1 endotoxin . 5 . These findings suggest that endogenous prostaglandin generation plays a protective role in endotoxin-induced gastric mucosal microcirculatory disturbances and mucosal damage. J Clin Microbiol, 1988 Apr, 26(4), 789 - 90 Enrichment for Plesiomonas shigelloides from stools; Rahim Z et al.; Bile peptone broth and alkaline peptone water (pH 8.5) were examined as enrichment media for the isolation of Plesiomonas shigelloides from stools, with salmonella-shigella agar as the isolation medium . After 423 parallel examinations in two different experiments, bile peptone broth enrichment for 24 h was observed to be six times more effective (P less than 0.01) than direct plating alone on salmonella-shigella agar . Bile peptone broth was found to be twice as effective as alkaline peptone water for the recovery of P . shigelloides from stools. Epidemiol Infect, 1988 Apr, 100(2), 247 - 56 Salmonella infection in chicks following the consumption of artificially contaminated feed; Hinton M; Poultry feed was contaminated artificially with either Salmonella kedougou or S . livingstone using a two-stage mixing process . Intestinal infection became established in a small proportion of birds when feed containing between 0.1 and 0.3 salmonellas/g was given continuously for 2 or 3 weeks from the day of their purchase as 'day-olds' while nearly all birds became infected when the feed contained 100-300 salmonellas/g . Between these limits a dose response was demonstrated in that the proportion of birds becoming colonized with salmonellas increased as the numbers of salmonellas added to feed was increased . Nalidixic acid-resistant strains of both serotypes were used to facilitate the recovery of organisms . The isolation rate was higher from dilutions of caecal contents inoculated directly onto brilliant green agar supplemented with nalidixic acid than it was from swabs of cloacal faeces, even when an enrichment technique was used . This observation confirms that the incidence of salmonella carriage in flocks will be under-estimated if only cloacal faeces are cultured . Of the two serotypes used S . kedougou proved the more efficient colonizer although for both serotypes variation in infection rates was demonstrated in different groups of birds given feed containing comparable numbers of salmonellas. Epidemiol Infect, 1988 Apr, 100(2), 221 - 5 A study of the epidemiology of Salmonella bareilly in India using a new phage-typing system; Singh G et al.; A total of 637 strains of Salmonella bareilly received from different parts of India between 1959 and 1985 were phage typed using five locally isolated wild phages . The overall typability was 94.5% and 11 different phage types could be defined . Phage types 10 and 1 were the most prevalent and the geographical and source distribution is described. Clin Exp Immunol, 1988 Apr, 72(1), 157 - 63 Monoclonal antibodies to salmonella lipopolysaccharide: functional analysis of anti-lipid A antibodies; Ward DC et al.; We have produced monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) to the Rb core and lipid A regions of Salmonella lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and have assessed their ability to inhibit LPS-mediated mitogenic responses in vitro, and to protect against LPS toxicity and lethal Salmonella infection in vivo . Monoclonal antibodies RC-8 and RC-16 were specific for LPS Rb core determinants, and MoAb LA-1, LA-2, LA-3, LA-4 and LA-5 were specific for lipid A . Anti-lipid A MoAb LA-2, LA-3 and LA-5 were found to abrogate mitogenic responses of C3H/HeN spleen cells to smooth S . typhimurium LPS (S LPS) and to rough S . minnesota R595 LPS (Re LPS) . Monoclonal antibody LA-5 was effective in extending the median length of survival of C3H/HeN mice challenged with a lethal dose of either S LPS or Re LPS . Antibody LA-2 could extend the median length of survival of C3H/HeJ mice challenged with Re LPS but not with S LPS, and failed to extend significantly the length of survival of S LPS-challenged C3H/HeN and DBA/2 mice . Neither 20 micrograms of anti-Rb core or anti-lipid A MoAb nor 200 micrograms of anti-lipid A MoAb were able to protect C3H/HeN or BALB/c mice, respectively, against lethal infection with S . typhimurium SR-11 . These results suggest that the importance of anti-lipid A antibodies in host defence may lie more in their ability to neutralize pathological effects of LPS, than in their ability to protect against bacterial infection. Vaccine, 1988 Apr, 6(2), 141 - 5 Auxotrophic Salmonella typhi as live vaccine; Stocker BA; Salmonella typhi 541Ty has deletions at aroA and purA, causing requirement for aromatic metabolites (including p-aminobenzoate) and for adenine . None of 36 volunteers who drank 10(8) to 10(10) bacteria of 541Ty or its Vi-negative mutant 543Ty showed any adverse effect; all gave evidence of cellular immune response but only a few had serum titre increases . S . typhimurium experiments (at the Wellcome Research Laboratories and at Stanford) show that adenine requirement may reduce both bacterial survival in mouse tissues and live-vaccine efficacy . S . typhi attenuated only by block(s) in aromatic biosynthesis may be more effective as oral-route live vaccine. Vaccine, 1988 Apr, 6(2), 116 - 22 Analysis and genetic manipulation of Shigella virulence determinants for vaccine development; Mills SD et al.; Shigellosis is a major public health problem in developing countries . Current epidemics of Shigella dysenteriae serotype 1 strains are particularly serious and are characterized by high mortality rates . A high proportion of the isolates are resistant to many of the antibiotics currently in use in these countries, a feature which seriously compromises clinical treatment of the infections . Efficacious vaccines are thus urgently needed . Basic studies on Shigella virulence factors, infections in laboratory models, and host responses has led to the development of several strategies for the production of vaccines . All of these are live oral vaccines involving bacteria capable of at least limited survival in the animal intestine and of carrying selected antigens to the mucosal immune system . One type of vaccine involves non-pathogenic shigellae, attenuated either by introduction of a requirement for aromatic amino acids (aroD) or by loss of the large plasmid that specifies bacterial invasion of the mucosal epithelium . S . dysenteriae 1 strains under development as vaccines need to be engineered to eliminate high level Shiga toxin production, and a rapid and effective method to achieve this was recently elaborated . The second type of vaccine is represented by hybrid strains consisting of a carrier organism, such as an attenuated Salmonella or an Escherichia coli K-12 strain carrying the Shigella invasion plasmid, and the selected foreign antigen that it produces, in all cases so far the Shigella O antigen polysaccharide. J Appl Toxicol, 1988 Apr, 8(2), 135 - 9 Mutagenicity and cytotoxicity of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone and 4-(methylamino)butanoic acid in the Salmonella/microsome assay; Wells DA et al.; The industrial solvent N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP) and its hydrolysis product, 4-(methylamino)butanoic acid (N-MeGABA), were examined for mutagenicity and cytotoxicity in the Ames Salmonella/microsome assay . In order to detect a broad range of possible mutagenic endpoints, the following strains were used in the assay: base-pair substitution strains TA100, TA102 and TA104; frameshift strains TA97 and TA98; and repair proficient strains TA2638, UTH8413 and UTH8414 . In the standard plate incorporation assay, six log-linear doses of each compound were tested; doses ranged from 0.01 to 1000 mumol/plate for NMP, and 0.01 to 316 mumol/plate for N-MeGABA . Neither compound was detectably mutagenic when tested in the presence and absence of metabolic activation by Aroclor-induced rat liver S9 . NMP did show significant responses with strains TA102 and TA104 that were less than two-fold over background, but no clear dose-response relationships were evident . A preincubation modification of the assay was also performed, using strains TA98 and TA104 . Mutagenic activity was not observed for NMP, while N-MeGABA showed significant responses with TA104 but dose-related mutagenicity was not established . Preincubation testing revealed both NMP and N-MeGABA to be cytotoxic to the test population of Salmonella at the highest treatment doses. J Wildl Dis, 1988 Apr, 24(2), 299 - 307 A survey of the prevalence of selected bacteria in wild birds; Brittingham MC et al.; We determined the prevalence of six genera of bacteria from a sample of 387 cloacal swabs from 364 passerines and woodpeckers . The prevalence of bacteria were as follows: Escherichia coli (1%), Pseudomonas spp . (22%), Salmonella spp . (0%), Staphylococcus spp . (15%), Streptococcus spp . (18%), and Yersinia spp . (1%) . The prevalence of Streptococcus spp . was higher in omnivorous species than in granivorous species (20% versus 8%) . Individuals captured at feeders had a lower prevalence of both Streptococcus spp . (15% versus 33%) and Escherichia coli (0.5% versus 4%) than birds that did not have access to feeders . These differences are probably not due to the feeder per se, but instead to other site related differences . The prevalence of bacteria did not differ between male and female black-capped chickadees, Parus atricapillus . For 279 color marked black-capped chickadees, we calculated the cumulative mortality rate during 12 wk following swabbing . Although the cumulative mortality rates of infected birds were consistently higher than the rates of non-infected birds, none of these differences were significant . Infections may cause slight reductions in survival rates, but we were not able to confirm this with our data. Fundam Appl Toxicol, 1988 Apr, 10(3), 466 - 76 Correlation of mutagenic and dermal carcinogenic activities of mineral oils with polycyclic aromatic compound content; Roy TA et al.; Mutagenicity, polynuclear aromatic compound content, and skin carcinogenicity were compared for a series of complex oil mixtures derived from the refining and processing of petroleum . Mutagenicity in a modified Ames Salmonella assay showed an excellent correlation with carcinogenicity, as determined in a mouse skin-painting bioassay, for oil samples with median boiling points (defined as the temperature at which 50%/volume of an oil sample is recovered as condensate during distillation--50% recovered) above approximately 500 degrees F . A significant correlation was also observed between the 3-7 ring polycyclic aromatic compound (PAC) content and both mutagenic and carcinogenic potencies for samples ranging from those with median (50% recovered) boiling points above approximately 500 degrees F to those with initial boiling points of approximately 1070 degrees F . These results show that both PAC content and mutagenicity are predictive of dermal carcinogenic activity and indicate that PAC components are largely if not entirely responsible for both the carcinogenic and mutagenic activities. Cancer Lett, 1988 Apr, 39(3), 287 - 96 Mutagenic activities of fecapentaene derivatives in the Ames/Salmonella test system; Peters JH et al.; The direct mutagenic activities of a pair of naturally-occurring and several synthetic fecapentaenes were measured in the Ames/Salmonella test system . We found that strain TA100 with preincubation was the most sensitive procedure for the naturally-occurring fecapentaene-12 (FP-12) . Its natural analog, FP-14, and the synthetic isomer, cis-FP-12, yielded similar mutagenic activities to FP-12 in the range of 1000-2000 TA100 revertants per microgram of compound . The synthetic analogs of FP-12 and FP-14, MFP-12 and MFP-14, wherein the glycerol moiety was replaced by methoxy, exhibited consistently higher mutagenic activities than their parent fecapentaenes (MFP-12 was about 20 times more potent than FP-12; MFP-14 was about twice the potency of FP-14) . The standard rat liver metabolizing system (S9) reduced the activities of all the fecapentaenes in a dose-related manner. Am J Physiol, 1988 Apr, 254(4 Pt 2), R673 - 9 Basal and insulin-stimulated skeletal muscle sugar transport in endotoxic and bacteremic rats; Westfall MV et al.; Membrane glucose transport with and without insulin was studied in soleus muscle from 5-h endotoxic rats (40 mg/kg Salmonella enteritidis lipopolysaccharide), and in soleus and epitrochlearis muscles from 12-h bacteremic (Escherichia coli, 4 X 10(10) CFU/kg) rats . Glucose transport was measured in muscles by evaluating the fractional efflux of 14C-labeled 3-O-methylglucose (14C-3-MG) after "loading" muscles with 14C-3-MG . Basal 3-MG transport was elevated in soleus muscles from endotoxic as well as in soleus and epitrochlearis muscles from bacteremic rats compared with time-matched controls . Low insulin concentrations stimulated 14C-3-MG transport more in bacteremic and endotoxic rat muscles than in controls . However, sugar transport in the presence of high insulin dose was attenuated in soleus and epitrochlearis muscles from bacteremic rats and soleus muscles from endotoxic rats compared with controls . Analysis of the dose-response relationship with ALLFIT revealed that the maximal transport response to insulin was significantly decreased in both models of septic shock . Sensitivity to insulin (EC50) was increased in endotoxic rat muscles, and a somewhat similar tendency was observed in bacteremic rat soleus muscles . Neural and humoral influences and/or changes in cellular metabolic energy may contribute to the increase in basal transport . Shifts in insulin-mediated transport may be due to alterations in insulin-receptor-effector coupling and/or the number of available glucose transporters. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 1988 Apr, 7(2), 214 - 8 Typing of Salmonella species; Le Minor L; Epidemiological markers of strains of Salmonella are classified as major or minor . Major epidemiological markers are determined by chromosomal genes and are not affected by extrachromosomal elements . They are subspecies and serovars . Minor epidemiological markers are either affected by extrachromosomal replicons or have an insufficiently proven genetic stability and are used to subdivide serovars in detailed epidemiological investigations . These minor markers are biovars, phagovars, bacteriocinovars, patterns of resistance to antimicrobial agents, and restriction patterns of chromosomal and plasmid DNA. J Gen Microbiol, 1988 Apr, 134 ( Pt 4), 975 - 82 A common virulence region on plasmids from eleven serotypes of Salmonella; Williamson CM et al.; Cured derivatives of Salmonella dublin and S . typhimurium showed reduced virulence following oral infection of mice (10(4)-10(5)-fold for S . dublin, 10(2)-fold for S . typhimurium) . Large plasmids from S . dublin and S . typhimurium independently restored virulence to the cured S . dublin but truncated S . dublin plasmids with deletions in a previously identified virulence region did not . This common virulence region identified in plasmids from S . dublin and S . typhimurium was shown to be carried on plasmids from 11 other serotypes of Salmonella but was absent from 10 plasmid-containing serotypes . TnA and Tn10 were transduced from the virulence region of two TnA-insertion mutants of S . dublin and one Tn10-insertion mutant of S . typhimurium that showed diminished virulence to recipient wild-type strains of S . dublin, S . enteritidis and S . typhimurium . Each transductant showed a decrease in mouse virulence within the range 10(3)-10(5) . It is therefore proposed that similar virulence determinants are expressed in different serotypes . It was also shown that integration that occurred during curing was Tn10 dependent. Genetics, 1988 Apr, 118(4), 581 - 92 Packaging specific segments of the Salmonella chromosome with locked-in Mud-P22 prophages; Youderian P et al.; Hybrid genetic elements, Mud-P and Mud-Q (collectively, Mud-P22s), have been constructed that carry two-thirds of the temperate Salmonella phage P22 genome sandwiched between the ends of transposon Mu . Insertions of these elements in the Salmonella chromosome generate locked-in P22 prophages that cannot excise . Upon induction (as a consequence of the inactivation of P22 c2 repressor), a locked-in prophage replicates its DNA in situ, resulting in the amplification of neighboring regions of the chromosome and the processive packaging of three contiguous headsful of adjacent DNA in one direction from the P22 packaging site, pac . Phage particles in an induced lysate of a Mud-P22 lysogen contain DNA molecules corresponding to several minutes of chromosomal DNA adjacent to the site of prophage insertion and transduce nearby genetic markers with high efficiencies . Mud-P22 prophages have been introduced into an F' episome by transposition; resident Mud insertions on the Salmonella chromosome may be converted to Mud-P22 insertions by homologous recombination in P22-mediated transductional crosses. Agents Actions, 1988 Apr, 23(3-4), 165 - 7 Virus enhances histamine release from human basophils; Clementsen P et al.; Histamine release from human basophil leukocytes was triggered by Staph . aureus or by complement activation caused by endotoxins isolated from E . coli or Salmonella bacteria . Influenza A virus was found to enhance the mediator release and the effect was caused by synergism, since the virus itself did not release histamine . The potentiating effect of the virus was abolished by a potent neuraminidase inhibitor . Furthermore, a purified neuraminidase preparation obtained from Vibrio cholerae caused a similar potentiating effect, which was also abolished by the neuraminidase inhibitor . These findings indicate that the neuraminidase on the surface of influenza A virus is responsible for the potentiating effect of the virus on basophil histamine release. Biochem J, 1988 Apr 1, 251(1), 17 - 22 Characterization of the binding epitope of a monoclonal antibody to sulphatide; Fredman P et al.; An IgG1 monoclonal antibody, Sulph I, reacting with sulphatide (3'-sulphogalactosylceramide), was produced by immunizing Balb/c mice with that glycolipid coated on Salmonella minnesota bacterial membrane . Radioimmunodetection of the binding of the monoclonal antibody to structurally related glycolipids adsorbed to microtitre plates or chromatographed on thin-layer plates was used to determine its binding epitope . The antibody showed similar binding avidity to three sulphated glycolipids: sulphatide, sulpholactosylceramide and seminolipid . Lysosulphatide did bind the antibody, but, compared with sulphatide, 30 times more antigen was needed for half-maximal binding . Bis(sulphogangliotriosyl)ceramide and bis-sulphogangliotetraosylceramide did not bind the antibody . These results suggest that terminal galactose-3-O-sulphate and part of the hydrophobic region of the glycolipid are recognized by the Sulph I antibody. Environ Res, 1988 Apr, 45(2), 213 - 23 Interferon induction inhibition and mutagenic activity of nitrosated coal dust extract; Hahon N et al.; Specified cytotoxicity and mutagenicity of coal dust extract (mixture of solvent extractions of bituminous coal nitrosated by NaNO2) were investigated because of the association of an excess risk of gastric cancer in coal miners . The effect of nitrosated coal dust on a cellular defense component of the interferon system, the induction of interferon (alpha/beta) in mammalian cell cultures by influenza virus, and mutagenicity, using the Salmonella/microsome assay, were determined . Nitrosated coal dust extract contained both bioactivation-independent and -dependent (microsome enzymatic activation) compounds that significantly inhibited the viral induction of interferon by greater than 50% . Nitrosated extract was mutagenic but exhibited no increase in mutagenic activity in the presence of microsomal enzymes . With further extraction of nitrosated coal dust extract by horse serum and fractionation thereof, the soluble chemical complexes formed with fractions of high molecular weight without bioactivation were dominant in both mutagenicity and inhibition of interferon induction . Low-molecular-weight fractions, with or without a metal chelator, and with or without bioactivation, all inhibited interferon induction comparably and significantly . There was no mutagenic activity manifested by these serum fractions . Metal-serum complexes were either not formed, or, if present, were ineffectual according to the biologic criteria employed . The findings of this study are discussed in terms of the association between nitrosated coal dust and gastric carcinogenesis. Biochemistry, 1988 Mar 22, 27(6), 1849 - 56 Purification and organization of the gene 1 portal protein required for phage P22 DNA packaging; Bazinet C et al.; The gene 1 protein of Salmonella bacteriophage P22 is located at the DNA packaging vertex of the mature particle . The protein is incorporated into the procapsid shell during shell assembly and is required for DNA packaging . The unassembled precursor form of the gene 1 protein has been purified from cells infected with mutants blocked in procapsid assembly . The purified 90,000-dalton protein was dimeric or monomeric; upon storage in the cold it formed 20S cyclic dodecamers . Computer filtering of negatively stained electron micrographs revealed 12 arms and knobs projecting from a central ring, with a 30-A channel at the center . Similar dodecameric rings were released from disrupted procapsid shells . These results indicate that the gene 1 protein is organized as a cyclic dodecamer within the procapsid shell and serves as the portal through which P22 DNA is threaded during DNA packaging . The presence of a 12-fold ring located at a 5-fold portal vertex appears to be a conserved structural theme of the DNA packaging apparatus of double-stranded DNA phages. Carbohydr Res, 1988 Mar 15, 174, 313 - 22 Structural studies of the O-antigen polysaccharide of Salmonella thompson, serogroup C1 (6,7); Lindberg B et al.; The structure of the O-antigen polysaccharide of Salmonella thompson, serogroup C1 (6,7) has been investigated mainly by methylation analysis, n.m.r . spectroscopy, specific degradations by a phage-associated enzyme, N-deacetylation-deamination, and f.a.b.-m.s . It is concluded that the structure involves the following repeating unit . (formula; see text) There are two populations of chains, with and without alpha-D-glucopyranosyl groups, 3-linked to an alpha-D-Manp residue, and only the latter type is hydrolysed by the phage enzyme . The alpha linkage of the third Manp residue is cleaved by the O14 phage enzyme . The structure, with or without the alpha-D-glucopyranosyl group, represents the biological repeating-unit. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1988 Mar, (3), 85 - 90 {The process of the persistence of Salmonella typhi L forms in the body of experimental animals studied by immunoradiometric analysis}; Levina GA et al.; The use of the immunoradiometric assay made it possible to reveal a prolonged persistence of the antigen of viable cultures of S . typhi stable L-forms, as well as to study the dynamics of its spread in the body of experimental animals . After both subconjunctival and intraperitoneal infection of guinea pigs the antigen of S . typhi L-forms spread slowly in the body of experimental animals with its localization first in the lymphoid formations in the pharynx and the intestine and subsequent undulatory accumulation in the marrow, spleen and bile . The persistence of the antigen of live S . typhi L-forms lasted as long as 6 months (the term of observation); killed L-forms could be detected for not more than 17 days . Regular inoculations of samples from different organs into media for the cultivation of S . typhi bacterial and L-forms yielded no positive results, which showed the difficulty of obtaining stable L-forms and evidenced the absence of their reversion in the body of experimental animals. Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1988 Mar, 267(4), 519 - 27 Universal immuno-stick test for direct rapid identification of microbial antigens within 5 minutes . Preliminary report; Hahn G et al.; Based on experiences with ELISA and biochemical fluorescence assays we have developed a new serologic identification system for detecting all conceivable particle and soluble antigens within 5 min using a very simple, sensitive procedure . This assay represents a sandwich ELISA that has been modified with regard to the sorbent, the enzyme substrate and the identification step . The test is performed as follows: 10 microliter aliquots of antigen dilution, specific or control antibody, respectively, and a phosphatase-conjugated anti-antibody are consecutively mixed . A small strip of special indicator sorbent paper (test stick) is moistened with this mixture for one minute . Subsequently it is dipped 3-5 times alternately in 0.1 M NaOH and a solution of the enzyme-substrate 4-methylumbelliferyl phosphate and immediately evaluated under a UV lamp . Positive samples instantaneously show brilliant light blue fluorescence and decolorization from dark red to white . Although the principle behind the reaction is not yet fully understood, the test works specifically and sensitively within a pg range . Thus far, for example, we have been able to identify Salmonella from suspended milk powder and streptococci from milk (3-5 cells/ml) without previous incubation, enterotoxins from staphylococcal colonies, Aflatoxin M1 and organ-phosphates . Results from examinations of staphylococcal enterotoxins are presented in more detail . Moreover, using a defined antigen, antibodies from different sera could be identified in the same rapid, sensitive and specific manner . Thus, we are convinced that the usual time-consuming enrichment methods for isolating pathogenic bacteria and other immunogenic substances as also current serologic assays will turn out to be superfluous. Brain Res, 1988 Mar 1, 442(2), 279 - 86 Maturation of pyrogen-elicited fever in the kitten; Olmstead CE et al.; The febrile response to the endotoxin Salmonella typhosa was studied in developing kittens . We found that kittens younger than 30 days of age generated only a small rise in temperature in response to a standardized endotoxin challenge that consistently causes fever in adult cats . Some degree of febrile response was present at birth, but the dose of pyrogen necessary to elicit a fever was 10-15 times greater than that required in the adult . There was a gradual increase in both the magnitude and duration of fever as a function of age with the largest change occurring after 30 days of age . There was a direct relationship between the ability of the kitten to maintain its body temperature (Tbo) at the room ambient (Ta) and the magnitude of the elicited fever . However, increasing the Ta to thermoneutral (Ta = 30-32 degrees C) did not enhance the thermal response indicating that the failure to elicit the fever is not due to passive effects of Ta . These data suggest that the febrile response to an endotoxin develops over the first 6-7 weeks of the kitten's life and are discussed in relation to other physical variables of development. J Appl Physiol, 1988 Mar, 64(3), 1076 - 8 Mechanism of action of physical antipyresis in the rat; Banet M; To study the mechanism of action of physical antipyresis, core temperature was measured in two groups of rats in which heat loss was increased by cold exposure and by cooling an inferior cava heat exchanger, respectively, both before and after infection with Salmonella enteritidis . Cold exposure did not influence core temperature . On the other hand, cooling the heat exchanger caused a fall in core temperature of approximately 0.7 degree C, to 37 degrees C in normothermia and to 38.5 degrees C 24 h after the infection . These lower core temperatures were then regulated against any further increase in heat loss until the thermoregulatory metabolic capacity of the animals was exhausted and a hypothermia developed . It is concluded that in infectious fever the threshold temperature of shivering increases as much as core temperature . Furthermore it is suggested that physical antipyresis, such as sponging with tepid water, induces a moderate but regulated fall in temperature to about the threshold of shivering and that its efficacy may increase with ambient temperature. J Infect, 1988 Mar, 16(2), 153 - 61 Disturbances of blood coagulation associated with Salmonella typhi infections; Spencer DC et al.; Disturbances of blood coagulation were studied in 32 consecutive patients with typhoid fever on their admission to hospital . Estimations of prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, fibrinogen, fibrin degradation products (FDPs), factors VII, VIII and XII, alpha I antitrypsin, plasminogen, CI esterase inhibitor, and platelet counts were performed as well as liver function tests and blood counts . Five patients had laboratory evidence of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and two had a generalised bleeding disorder which in the other three was inapparent . The platelet count in the group as a whole was low (P less than 0.05) and the FDPs in most cases were mildly elevated . The pre-kallikrein values were depressed in three of the five with DIC, whereas factor XII was not reduced . These results indicate that bleeding disorders in typhoid fever are uncommon . The depression of pre-kallikrein indicates that the DIC is probably triggered by activation of the intrinsic coagulation pathway . Most patients had lymphopenia and monocytopenia but only two had neutropenia. Carcinogenesis, 1988 Mar, 9(3), 387 - 94 Enhancing effect of various hepatocarcinogens on induction of preneoplastic glutathione S-transferase placental form positive foci in rats--an approach for a new medium-term bioassay system; Ito N et al.; A large series of assays of the hepatocarcinogenic potential of 112 different compounds were carried out using a rapid bioassay system developed in this laboratory based on the two-step concept of hepatocarcinogenesis . Rats were initially given a single dose (200 mg/kg) of diethylnitrosamine (DEN) i.p . and starting 2 weeks later were treated with test compounds for 6 weeks and then killed, all rats being subjected to two-thirds partial hepatectomy (PH) at week 3 . Carcinogenic potential was scored by comparing the number and area per cm2 of induced glutathione S-transferase placental form-positive (GST-P+) foci in the liver with those of the corresponding control group given DEN alone . Positive was scored for a significant increase in the value of GST-P+ foci, negative for no change or a decrease . Results were compared to reported Salmonella/microsome and long-term carcinogenicity test findings . Of the liver carcinogens, 10 out of 11 (90.9%) mutagenic, and 11 out of 13 (84.6%) non-mutagenic compounds gave positive results (mean, 87.5%) . Carcinogens other than the hepatocarcinogens gave less positive results (two out of 17, 11.8%) . None of the compounds reported as non-carcinogenic demonstrated positivity suggesting that the assay system does not suffer from the disadvantage of false-positive results . The protocol system also provided information concerning the inhibitory potential of compounds such as anti-oxidants . It is concluded that the present experimental protocol which requires far fewer animals and shorter duration than a long-term carcinogenicity test has practical applications for the rapid and economical screening of environmental hepatocarcinogens and their inhibitory agents. CMAJ, 1988 Mar 1, 138(5), 434 - 6 Endemic institutional salmonellosis due to lactose-fermenting Salmonella newport in Nova Scotia; Farley JD et al.; We report two outbreaks of salmonellosis due to lactose-fermenting Salmonella newport in a Halifax nursing home in August 1983 and July 1986 that we believe were related . The relative rarity of this serotype and other epidemiologic evidence suggest that the organism was endemic in the institution for at least 3 years . Persistent carriers as well as ill and convalescing patients presumably were responsible for propagation of the outbreak . We recommend adequate microbiologic follow-up of infected residents and implementation of surveillance and infection control measures for nursing homes and special care institutions. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1988 Mar, (3), 3 - 10 {Enterotoxigenicity of Salmonella strains of various origins}; Marakusha BI et al.; The study of the enterotoxigenicity of S . typhimurium with the use of the skin test on rabbits (to detect the delayed permeability factor) has revealed that these strains produce an enterotoxin similar to Escherichia coli thermolabile enterotoxin (TLE) . Study of the enterotoxic activity of lysates obtained from 39 S . typhimurium strains and 5 S . dublin strains by sonication has revealed that 87% of S . typhimurium strains and all S . dublin strains produce an enterotoxin similar to E . coli TLE, as demonstrated by all tests used in this investigation, while 59% of S . typhimurium cultures and all S . dublin strains have been positive when tested for the capacity of producing the rapid permeability factor . "Hospital" strains and polyresistant cultures isolated from the environment (phagovar 20) are characterized by a higher rate of producing an enterotoxin similar to E . coli TLE, detected by the tests used in this investigation (90%), than antibiotic-sensitive strains of different origin (78%). Toxicol Ind Health, 1988 Mar, 4(1), 23 - 37 The acute toxicity and mutagenic potential of 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone; Ballantyne B et al.; 3-Methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone (MBTH), widely used in analytical laboratories, was investigated for potential handling hazards . Tested as the hydrochloride, it was found to be of moderately high acute peroral toxicity with LD50 values in rabbits of 177 mg/kg (males) and 268 mg/kg (females), and in the rat 308 mg/kg (males) and 149 mg/kg (females) . The major signs of toxicity, seen at peroral doses of 125 mg/kg and above, were convulsions . Although of low acute lethal percutaneous toxicity in rats (LD50 greater than 16 g/kg), rabbits were more sensitive with one of five males dying at an applied dose of 16 g/kg, and females having an LD50 of 12.3 g/kg; convulsions were seen in rabbits having applied cutaneous doses of 4 g/kg and above . There was no evidence for cutaneous inflammation after a 4 hour occluded contact with MBTH in rabbits, although following 24 hour occlusive contact in the acute percutaneous toxicity study there was erythema, edema, desquamation and, in a few animals, local necrosis . Ocular studies in rabbits indicated that, depending on the degree of contamination, MBTH produced mild to moderate eye irritation . In keeping with its low vapor pressure, there were no adverse effects from a 6 hour exposure of rats to an atmosphere saturated with any vapor produced from solid MBTH at ambient temperature . MBTH was positive in an Ames bacterial mutagenicity assay, particularly in the absence of metabolic activation . These studies indicate MBTH to be of moderately high acute peroral toxicity, of moderate percutaneous toxicity, a mild primary skin irritant, a mild to moderate eye irritant, and produced mutations in Salmonella . There is a need for skin and eye protection, and avoidance of swallowing, when handling MBTH. J Assoc Off Anal Chem, 1988 Mar-Apr, 71(2), 341 - 3 Evaluation of abbreviated enzyme immunoassay method for detection of Salmonella in low-moisture foods; Flowers RS et al.; A modified enzyme immunoassay method (EIA) utilizing an 18 h pre-enrichment, a 6-8 h selective enrichment, and a 14 h M-broth post-enrichment is compared to the standard culture method (AOAC/BAM) on selected low-moisture foods . Tested samples included 238 inoculated, 30 naturally contaminated, and 30 uninoculated foods . By EIA, 235 samples were positive (optical densities greater than 0.2 at 405 nm), 233 of which were confirmed culturally . By the culture methods, 221 samples were positive . The EIA method was more productive in detecting salmonellae in inoculated samples of dry cheese powder, chocolate, and nonfat dry milk, whereas the culture method gave better recovery from naturally contaminated meat and bone meal . The modified EIA could be completed in 40 h and required no centrifugation. Food Chem Toxicol, 1988 Mar, 26(3), 255 - 61 Genotoxicity studies on selected organosilicon compounds: in vitro assays; Isquith A et al.; A series of 12 organosilicon compounds representing potential intermediates in the synthesis and degradation of polydimethylsiloxanes were evaluated for genotoxic potential with a battery of in vitro assays . Microbial assays included the Ames bacterial reverse mutation in Salmonella, mitotic gene conversion in Saccharomyces cerevisiae D4 and DNA repair in E . Coli pol A +/- . These assays were conducted with and without a metabolic activation system containing Aroclor 1254-induced rat-liver homogenate . Forward gene mutation, sister-chromatid exchange, DNA alkaline elution and chromosome aberration potential were evaluated in mouse lymphoma L5178Y tissue culture cells . The tissue culture assays were performed with and without metabolic activation mixture utilizing uninduced mouse-liver S-9 . The use of this enzyme preparation was felt to more closely mimic the actual in vivo situation and to be more compatible with mouse cells employed in the assay . No evidence of gene mutation was observed . However, six of the 12 compounds evaluated demonstrated potential in vitro clastogenic (chromosome damaging) activity. Genetics, 1988 Mar, 118(3), 393 - 400 Mutations that improve the binding of yeast FLP recombinase to its substrate; Lebreton B et al.; When yeast FLP recombinase is expressed from the phage lambda PR promoter in a Salmonella host, it cannot efficiently repress an operon controlled by an operator/promoter region that includes a synthetic, target FLP site . On the basis of this phenotype, we have identified four mutant FLP proteins that function as more efficient repressors of such an operon . At least two of these mutant FLP proteins bind better to the FLP site in vivo and in vitro . One mutant changes the presumed active site tyrosine residue of FLP protein to phenylalanine, is blocked in recombination, and binds the FLP site about five-fold better than the wild-type protein . A second mutant protein that functions as a more efficient repressor retains catalytic activity . We conclude that the eukaryotic yeast FLP recombinase, when expressed in a heterologous prokaryotic host, can function as a repressor, and that mutant FLP proteins that bind DNA more tightly may be selected as more efficient repressors. Pathol Biol (Paris), 1988 Mar, 36(3), 259 - 60 {Identification of Salmonella in 4 hours: comparison of 2 technics}; Boucaud-Maitre Y et al.; Sixty Salmonella reference strains were identified with two ready-to-use rapid systems (API Rapid 20E and Spectrum 001/002) . Genus identification was possible with both the two kits; however, some reactions being uneasy to read, distinction between Salmonella typhi or non typhi is not reliable. Pathol Biol (Paris), 1988 Mar, 36(3), 255 - 7 {Resistance to antibiotics of Salmonellae other than typhi and paratyphi isolated in Algeria from 1979 to 1985}; Zoukh K; Monitoring of the antibiotic resistance patterns of non typhoid Salmonella is needed . In this paper, we report the results of our study of strains isolated in Algeria from 1979 through 1985 . Studied strains were isolated in our laboratory from stool or blood samples or sent to us for confirmation of the diagnosis . We used agar diffusion with IPA 20 medium (Mueller-Hinton medium with tryptophan) . Of 3,072 strains tested, 2,467 (80.3%) were resistant to one or more antibiotics . For the most frequent serotypes, the resistance was about 99% whereas, for less frequent ones, it was about 51% . The most part of strains were found to be resistant to more than two antibiotics . The strains showed high rate of resistance to (in decreasing order): ampicillin, sulfamides, chloramphenicol, streptomycin and tetracycline. Mutat Res, 1988 Mar-Apr, 207(3-4), 199 - 204 Mutagenic activity in smoke formed during broiling of lean pork at 200, 250 and 300 degrees C; Berg I et al.; Smoke formed during pan-broiling of lean pork was recovered at 3 different pan temperatures: 200, 250 and 300 degrees C, using an efficient device for collection of aerosol and volatiles . The mutagenicity of the smoke was assayed using the Ames' Salmonella test . A strong temperature dependence of the mutagen concentration in smoke as well as in meat crust and pan residues was shown . The contribution of mutagenic activity from the smoke relative to the total mutagenicity was 3.1, 4.2 and 11.1% at 200, 250 and 300 degrees C, respectively. J Clin Microbiol, 1988 Mar, 26(3), 508 - 12 Characterization of monoclonal antibodies to protein antigen of Salmonella typhi; Sarasombath S et al.; Two monoclonal antibodies were produced against protein antigens of Salmonella typhi . One of the antibodies (STP14) belongs to the immunoglobulin G1K subclass, and the other (STP13) was assigned to the immunoglobulin G2a(kappa) subclass . Both antibodies could recognize the 34.0-kilodalton protein antigen from S . typhi . The specificity of these antibodies was tested by immunoblotting with a panel of crude protein antigens from 12 bacteria causing enteric fever and enteric fever-like illness: S . typhi, S . paratyphi A, S . paratyphi B, S . paratyphi C, S . choleraesuis, S . enteritidis, S . krefeld, S . panama, S . typhimurium, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas pseudomallei, and Yersinia enterocolitica . In a modified double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay they could detect the protein antigen at ca . 0.6 microgram/ml . These monoclonal antibodies should be of great value in the diagnostic test for detecting S . typhi antigen in samples of bodily fluids isolated from patients with typhoid fever and in studies of the chemical structure and other immunological properties of this 34.0-kilodalton protein. Mutat Res, 1988 Mar, 195(2), 91 - 126 Griseofulvin; De Carli L et al.; Griseofulvin (GF) is a mycotoxin produced by various species of Penicillium including P . griseofulvum Dierckx, P . janczewski (P . nigricans) and P . patulum . It is active against dermatophytic fungi of different species in the genera Microsporum, Trychophyton and Epidermophyton . Because of its capacity to concentrate in the keratinous layer of the epidermis and its relatively low toxicity in man, it has been extensively used in the therapy of dermatophytoses by oral administration . The biological activity of GF towards fungi is manifested as nuclear and mitotic abnormalities followed by distortions in the hyphal morphology . Mitotic segregation is also induced in fungi by GF treatment . In higher eukaryotes the cytostatic action of GF is essentially due to a mitotic arrest at late metaphase/early anaphase . The cytological effects observable both in vivo and in vitro on different plant and animal cell systems, include C-mitoses, multipolar mitoses and multinuclearity . Prolonged GF treatment in experimental animals provokes biochemical changes consisting mainly of disturbances of porphyrin metabolism, variation in the microsomal cytochrome levels and formation of Mallory bodies . In mice these alterations are followed by the development of multiple hepatomas . Evidence of tumor induction by GF has been obtained in mice and rats, but not in hamsters . GF may also act either as a promoting or a co-carcinogenic agent, depending on the circumstances of its administration . It has been found to increase the frequency of cell transformation induced by polyoma virus, but not to induce cell transformation per se . Induction of sperm abnormalities has been observed in GF-treated mice . The embryotoxic and teratogenic action of GF has been demonstrated in pregnant rats exposed during organogenesis . Genetic effects of GF have been investigated by the following tests: Salmonella/microsome mutagenicity assay, point mutations in mammalian and plant cells, DNA damage and repair, SCE, chromosome aberrations, micronuclei, dominant lethals, aneuploidy in lower and higher eukaryotes . A positive response has been obtained in the assays on numerical chromosome changes in all the systems analyzed; limited or inconclusive evidence has been obtained for SCE and structural chromosome changes . Doubled or highly polyploid sets can be detected in all types of cells during or immediately after GF treatment . A marked increase in chromosome number variation is observed at various times after withdrawal of the drug, with prevailing hyperdiploid and reduced sets in animal cells and plant cells respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS) Int J Food Microbiol, 1988 Mar, 6(2), 155 - 78 Predicting microbial growth: growth responses of salmonellae in a laboratory medium as affected by pH, sodium chloride and storage temperature; Gibson AM et al.; The growth responses of salmonellae (mixed inoculum of Salmonella thompson, S . stanley and S . infantis) as affected by NaCl concentration, pH level and storage temperature were studied in laboratory medium . Growth curves were obtained at 5 concentrations of NaCl (0.5-4.5%, w/v), 5 pH levels (5.6-6.8) and 5 storage temperatures (10-30 degrees C) . Sigmoid curves (Gompertz form) were fitted to the data and the curve parameters used to produce a polynomial model from which predicted growth curves could be generated for any combination of NaCl, pH and storage temperature within the limits studied . From those growth curves values for growth rate, generation time, lag time and other values such as time to a 1000-fold increase in numbers were derived . Such a model offers a cost-effective approach to understanding the microbial growth response in foods, and forms a data-base against which other controlling factors could be evaluated . Some problems of fitting curves to microbial growth data and of modelling such data are discussed. Carcinogenesis, 1988 Mar, 9(3), 411 - 8 Mutagenicity and in vitro covalent DNA binding of 2-hydroxyamino-3-methylimidazolo{4,5-f}quinoline; Snyderwine EG et al.; The 2-hydroxyamino-3-methylimidazolo{4,5-f}quinoline (N-hydroxy-IQ), a metabolite of the food mutagen--carcinogen IQ, was mutagenic to Salmonella TA98 (nitroreductase deficient) . When either rat hepatic cytosol, NADPH (1 mM) or ascorbate (0.5 mM) was added to the mutagenicity assay, mutagenicity increased up to 15-, 10- and 50-fold respectively . In light of the effects of ascorbate and NADPH, it appears likely that hepatic cytosol may contain factors that protect N-hydroxy-IQ from oxidative decomposition . In contrast, hepatic monooxygenase metabolism of N-hydroxy-IQ decreased mutagenicity . When pentachlorophenol, an inhibitor of O-acetyltransferase and sulfotransferase, was added to the mutagenicity assay, a dose-dependent inhibition of N-hydroxy-IQ mutagenicity was observed . 2,6-Dichloro-4-nitrophenol, a more specific inhibitor of sulfotransferase than O- acetyltransferase, did not inhibit the mutagenicity of N-hydroxy-IQ at concentrations which appear to selectively inhibit only bacterial sulfotransferase . The data suggest that bacterial O-acetyltransferase rather than sulfotransferase mutagenically activates N-hydroxy-IQ . N-hydroxy-IQ covalently bound to calf thymus DNA in vitro under non-enzymatic conditions at pH 7.4 . Rat hepatic cytosolic O-acetyltransferase and sulfotransferase enhanced the covalent binding of N-hydroxy-IQ to DNA 30- and 5-fold respectively . The data suggest that the mutagenicity of N-hydroxy-IQ is due to the reactivity of N-hydroxy-IQ with DNA and the ability of N-hydroxy-IQ to be further activated by bacterial O-acetyltransferase. Mutat Res, 1988 Mar, 198(1), 61 - 8 DNA-binding studies with 6BT and 5I: implications for DNA-binding/carcinogenicity and DNA-binding/mutagenicity correlations; Dashwood RH et al.; The divergent activities of a reported carcinogen/noncarcinogen pair of monoazo dyes related to the hepatocarcinogen Butter Yellow (DAB) are currently under investigation in our laboratories . As part of these studies we have determined (a) target organ distribution after oral dosing to rats and (b) covalent binding of 14C-labelled compound to DNA . In DNA-binding studies, 3 rat liver-metabolising systems were employed: in vivo (whole liver), isolated intact hepatocytes, and liver subcellular fractions . Distribution studies revealed that comparable levels of both compounds were detected in the liver at similar times after dosing, and these in vivo tissue concentrations were used for in vitro DNA-binding studies . At this 'in vivo equivalent dose', the carcinogen was consistently bound to DNA more effectively, and the difference (ratio of DNA binding) between the 2 compounds was far greater in vivo . In subsequent studies, covalent DNA binding to bacterial (Salmonella) DNA was assessed at the in vivo equivalent dose . In contrast to the afore-mentioned findings in mammalian systems, the carcinogen was bound less effectively to DNA, and gave fewer revertant counts/plate when the 2 compounds were bound to an equivalent extent . These data are discussed in view of their implications for DNA-binding/carcinogenicity correlations, and with respect to the relationship between DNA binding and mutagenicity in the Salmonella assay. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1988 Mar, 54(3), 760 - 7 Comparison of virulence factors and R plasmids of Salmonella spp . isolated from healthy and ill swine; Simmons KW et al.; The antibiotic resistance and virulence profiles of Salmonella spp . isolated from healthy (group 1) and ill (group 2) swine were compared . Parameters studied included colicin and siderophore production; mannose-sensitive hemagglutination of erythrocytes; resistance to the lethal effect of serum complement; resistance to antibiotics; and the transmissibility of these characteristics to recipient organisms . Group 1 (19 isolates) had 14 serotypes, and group 2 (20 isolates) had 2 serotypes . Isolates from group 2 were resistant to more antibiotics and had a greater ability to hemagglutinate erythrocytes and transfer R plasmids to recipient organisms, but a lesser ability to produce siderophore than group 1 . All 39 isolates resisted the lethal effects of serum complement . Colicin was produced by 1 of 19 from group 1 and 0 of 20 from group 2 . A donor Escherichia coli isolated from a pig with enteritis transferred R plasmids to 62% of group 1 and 0% of group 2 Salmonella spp . when they were used as recipient organisms . A transconjugant from the mating of donor E . coli to a group 1 Salmonella spp . was further able to pass an R plasmid to recipient E . coli and salmonellae . Plasmid isolation from group 1 yielded 1 of 19 strains with a 56-megadalton plasmid, while 20 of 20 strains from group 2 contained three to five plasmids from 2.4 to 60 megadaltons in size. Biofizika, 1988 Mar-Apr, 33(2), 310 - 3 {Characteristics of K+ uptake in S . enteritidis bacteria}; Ter-Nikogosian VA et al.; Bacterial Salmonella enteritidis var . Issatchenko in media without exogenic energy source uptakes K+ in one step with Km 2.1 mM and Vmax 0.08 mM min-1/10(12) cells . This K+ uptake does not depend on pH and osmotic shock and is not inhibited by DCC . Endogenic energy source (glucose) leads to K+ uptake with Km 2.8 mM and Vmax 0.10 mM min-1/10(12) cells, and secretion of H+ . The ratio of the DCC-sensitive fluxes of H+ to K+ equals 2 . Arsenate and protonophores depress the K+ uptake . Valinomycin decreases the rate of K+ uptake . It is assumed that K+ uptake takes place via the Trk-like system, which works as a separate system as supercomplex with the H+-ATPase complex. Mutat Res, 1988 Mar, 198(1), 9 - 13 UV-light-induced mutability in Salmonella strains containing the umuDC or the mucAB operon: evidence for a umuC function; Herrera G et al.; Multicopy plasmids carrying either the umuDC operon of Escherichia coli or its analog mucAB operon, were introduced into Ames Salmonella strains in order to analyze the influence of UmuDC and MucAB proteins on repair and mutability after UV irradiation . It was found that in uvr+ bacteria, plasmid pICV80:mucAB increased the frequency of UV-induced His+ revertants whereas pSE117:umuDC caused a smaller increase in UV mutagenesis . In delta uvrB bacteria, the protective role of pSE117 against UV killing was weak, and there was a great reduction in the mutant yield . In contrast, in these cells, pICV80 led to a large increase in both cell survival and mutation frequency . These results suggest that in Salmonella, as in E . coli, MucAB proteins mediate UV mutagenesis more efficiently than UmuDC proteins do . Plasmid pICV84:umuD+ C- significantly increased UV mutagenesis of TA2659: delta uvrB cells whereas in them, pICV77:mucA+ B- had no effect on mutability indicating the presence in Salmonella TA2659 of a gene functionally homologous to umuC. Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {B}, 1988 Mar, 185(6), 527 - 33 Serological and biochemical characteristics of 416 Yersinia strains from well water and drinking water plants in the Federal Republic of Germany: lack of evidence that these strains are of public health importance; Aleksic S et al.; A total of 416 Yersinia strains from well water and drinking water plants in the Federal Republic of Germany was analysed at the National Reference Centre for Salmonella, Hamburg, in the period 1982 to 1987 . Of these, 341 (82%) strains were Y . enterocolitica, 46 (11%) strains were Y . intermedia, 24 (5.8%) strains were Y . frederiksenii, and 5 strains (1.2%) Y . kristensenii . The serogroups O:3, O:9, and O:5,27 which in Central Europe are associated with human disease, were not isolated . Seventy-two strains from treated drinking water were characterized by a newly identified combination of O-antigenic factors, i.e . O:6,30,47, and 130 strains possessed a hitherto unknown O-antigen, O:59 . These strains were furthermore associated with a new fimbrial antigen {K3} and a new flagellar antigen {x} . Thus, the majority of Y . enterocolitica strains cultured from drinking water plants was characterized by a rather uniform antigenic pattern which was markedly different from strains isolated from patients . Virulence tests (calcium dependency and autoagglutination at 37 degrees C) were negative in all instances . It is concluded from the results of this study that Yersinia isolates from drinking water plants are of environmental origin without pathogenic importance. FEBS Lett, 1988 Feb 29, 229(1), 77 - 81 Molecular cloning and expression in E . coli of a Salmonella typhi porin gene; Zaror I et al.; Immunoscreening of a Salmonella typhi cosmid library in E . coli allowed the detection of clones producing a 36 kDa porin from S . typhi . The gene is efficiently expressed in an E . coli porin-less mutant and the protein is exported to the outer membrane envelope . Two clones which markedly differ in their level of expression have been isolated. Biomed Environ Mass Spectrom, 1988 Feb 15, 15(4), 211 - 22 Mass spectral analysis of some derivatives and in vitro metabolites of steviol, the aglycone of the natural sweeteners, stevioside, rebaudioside A, and rubusoside; Compadre CM et al.; Steviol (ent-13-hydroxykaur-16-en-19-oic acid), the aglycone of various plant-derived glycoside sweeteners consumed by human populations, is known to be mutagenic toward Salmonella tymphimurium strain TM677 when metabolically activated using a 9000 x g supernatant fraction derived from the liver of Aroclor 1254-pretreated rats . Mass spectral analysis of this diterpenoid and some analogs revealed characteristic patterns reflecting differential stereochemistry at the C/D rings and variations in the nature of the substituents present . Such information has been used to help identify several in vitro metabolites of steviol in conditions known to produce a mutagenic response, when analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry . The major pathways of such steviol mammalian metabolism proved to be allylic oxidation and epoxidation . 15-Oxosteviol, a product of oxidation of the major steviol metabolite, 15alpha-hydroxysteviol, was found to be a direct-acting mutagen {corrected}. Am J Physiol, 1988 Feb, 254(2 Pt 2), H324 - 30 Left ventricular function during chronic endotoxemia in swine; Lee K et al.; Cardiac performance was studied in 15 chronically instrumented awake pigs during chronic endotoxemia (CET) induced by intravenous infusion of low doses of endotoxin . We sought to test the hypothesis that left ventricular inotropic state was depressed during the stage of chronic endotoxemia when cardiac output, heart rate, and left ventricular systolic pressures are elevated, termed "hyperdynamic sepsis" . Left ventricular pressure, internal short axis diameter (SAX), pulmonary artery blood flow, and electrocardiogram were recorded . After initial surgical preparation, each pig was observed for 7-10 days to measure representative basal values . Each pig was then reoperated on day 10 to implant an endotoxin-loaded osmotic pump whose output, infused Salmonella enteritidis endotoxin at a rate calculated to be 10 micrograms.kg-1.h-1 for up to 7 days . Cardiac performance was monitored by measuring dP/dt, heart rate, stroke volume, end-diastolic diameter, percent change in diameter, and the slope of the end-systolic pressure diameter relationship (ESPDR) . Data from the basal days were pooled and compared with the data obtained each day of CET by two-way analysis of variance . Ten of 15 pigs survived more than 2 days of CET; 5 died before the morning of the second CET day . The surviving pigs demonstrated elevated systolic pressures, left ventricular maximum rate of pressure development (+dP/dtmax and -dP/dtmax), heart rates, and cardiac output . However, both ESPDR and percent SAX shortening were significantly depressed during both CET days . We conclude that cardiac inotropic state is depressed during hyperdynamic sepsis as indicated by the load-independent parameter ESPDR and confirmed by depressed percent SAX shortening. Schweiz Med Wochenschr, 1988 Feb 4, 119(5), 144 - 6 {Salmonella enteritis with a serious course in patients without a suppressed immune system}; Ott C et al.; Infections with salmonellae causing gastroenteritis rarely lead to bacteremia (1-4%), and serious courses are almost exclusively observed in patients with a compromised immune system . In 1986-1987 we observed 4 patients with no evidence of disturbed cell-mediated immunity, who presented with severe bacteremic salmonellosis (1 patient with S . Heidelberg and 3 with S . enteritidis) . 1 patient had septic shock with rhabdomyolysis, 1 patient acute renal failure and 1 patient acute endocarditis. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 1988 Feb, 9(2), 97 - 103 Optimal cefotaxime dosing for gram-negative bacteremia: effective trough serum bactericidal titers and drug concentrations 8 and 12 hr after 1- or 2-gm infusions; Goodpasture HC et al.; Thirteen adult patients (47-81 yr) with gram-negative bacteremia and normal (less than or equal to 1.5 mg/dl) serum creatinines were treated with 1 or 2 gm of cefotaxime every 8 or 12 hr . The infecting organisms were Escherichia coli (9 strains), Klebsiella pneumoniae (2 strains), and one isolate of Salmonella enteritidis and Serratia marcescens . All patients recovered without any serious sequelae . The range of MICs for cefotaxime and desacetyl-cefotaxime were 0.015-0.25 micrograms/ml and 0.015-4.0 micrograms/ml, respectively . The MBC values for cefotaxime and desacetyl-cefotaxime were identical to the MIC values except for two strains . The trough levels of cefotaxime varied from 65.9 to 1.1 micrograms/ml . The serum concentration of desacetyl-cefotaxime varied from 84 to less than 1.0 microgram/ml . All corresponding trough serum inhibitory activities (SIA) were greater than or equal to 1:32 . Comparisons of calculated and directly measured serum bactericidal activity (SBA) and SIA results suggest an additive and occasional synergistic benefit of the cefotaxime desacetyl metabolite . This study supports the clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness of 8- and 12-hr dosing intervals for cefotaxime against bacteremic gram-negative strains having the usual high susceptibility (MICs, less than or equal to 0.25 micrograms/ml) to the newer cephalosporins. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1988 Feb, 32(2), 195 - 201 Mutation of Salmonella paratyphi A conferring cross-resistance to several groups of antibiotics by decreased permeability and loss of invasiveness; Gutmann L et al.; A spontaneous one-step mutant of Salmonella paratyphi A selected on ampicillin showed cross-resistance to all beta-lactam antibiotics except imipenem and to aminoglycosides, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, trimethoprim, and quinolones . It also grew as small colonies . Examination of the cell envelope of the mutant showed a quantitative decrease in three major outer membrane proteins of 40.6, 39.6 (presumably porins), and 24 kilodaltons and quantitative as well as qualitative modifications in the ladder pattern of lipopolysaccharide . Direct evidence for decreased permeability in the mutant included reduced uptake of {3H}glucose and norfloxacin, reduced accessibility of aztreonam and benzylpenicillin to penicillin-binding proteins in whole cells, and decreased diffusion of lactose and cephaloridine into proteoliposomes that were reconstituted with outer membrane proteins from the mutant . There was also loss of invasiveness of the mutant into HeLa cells . We assume that a pleiotropic mutation was responsible for multiple alterations in the outer membrane components of the resistant mutant of S . paratyphi A. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1988 Feb, (2), 8 - 10 {Fermentation of inositol by bacteria of the genus Salmonella}; Borodulina OV et al.; The capacity for the fermentation of inositol varies in different Salmonella strains . At the same time this capacity forms the basis for the determination of biovars (e . g., in S . typhimurium) and sometimes serves as the only sign for distinguishing different Salmonella sero- and biovars (e . g., S . mission and S . isangi, etc.) . The study of the capacity of wild Salmonella strains for the fermentation of inositol has revealed that the fermentation of inositol is controlled by chromosomal and, seemingly, plasmid genes . In the latter case the possibility of using this sign for the biochemical and epidemiological typing of Salmonella strains is questionable. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1988 Feb, (2), 79 - 81 {Use of the reaction of macrophage disappearance from peritoneal exudate for characterizing cellular immunity in Salmonella immunization}; Martynov AP et al.; The test of macrophage disappearance from peritoneal exudate quite effectively shows the state of cell-mediated immunity in guinea pigs immunized with both live and killed S . typhimurium culture . The macrophages of the animals immunized with killed S . typhimurium culture react to the protein extract of these bacteria more actively than the macrophages of the animals immunized with killed S . sonnei cultures, which indicates the specificity of this test. Genetics, 1988 Feb, 118(2), 193 - 202 Polarity effects in the hisG gene of salmonella require a site within the coding sequence; Ciampi MS et al.; A single site in the middle of the coding sequence of the hisG gene of Salmonella is required for most of the polar effect of mutations in this gene . Nonsense and insertion mutations mapping upstream of this point in the hisG gene all have strong polar effects on expression of downstream genes in the operon; mutations mapping promotor distal to this site have little or no polar effect . Two previously known hisG mutations, mapping in the region of the polarity site, abolish the polarity effect of insertion mutations mapping upstream of this region . New polarity site mutations have been selected which have lost the polar effect of upstream nonsense mutations . All mutations abolishing the function of the site are small deletions; three are identical, 28-bp deletions which have arisen independently . A fourth mutation is a deletion of 16 base pairs internal to the larger deletion . Several point mutations within this 16-bp region have no effect on the function of the polarity site . We believe that a small number of polarity sites of this type are responsible for polarity in all genes . The site in the hisG gene is more easily detected than most because it appears to be the only such site in the hisG gene and because it maps in the center of the coding sequence. Scand J Work Environ Health, 1988 Feb, 14(1), 49 - 51 Absence of mutagenic response to radiation from a video display terminal; Berg M et al.; The standard Ames Salmonella test (TA 100) was used to detect the mutagenicity of radiation from a video display terminal . The Ames test is a sensitive assay that detects the ability of a chemical to damage deoxyribonucleic acid . It has also been employed to detect the mutagenicity of electromagnetic radiation . An extremely short distance (62 mm) from a video display terminal and an extremely high electrostatic field strength (250 kv/m) was employed . No mutagenic response was found in this test system. Mutat Res, 1988 Feb, 204(2), 289 - 96 Mutagenic and clastogenic activity of direct-acting components from air pollutants of the Silesian industrial region; Motykiewicz G et al.; Sequential elution solvent chromatography (SESC) developed by Farcasiu for characterization of coal liquids was used for the fractionation of benzene extracts of airborne particulate pollutants . Mutagenic and clastogenic activity of SESC fractions was determined by the Salmonella/microsome test and the assay for V79 cell chromosomal aberrations (CAs), respectively . Five out of 8 obtained fractions showed differentiated, direct and indirect mutagenic activity . Selected 'direct' fractions, examined by the rodent cell chromosome aberration test, also gave a clastogenic response that increased with prolonged treatment time . The SESC system combined with 2 biological assays, the Ames test and the CAs test, seems to be a useful method for examination of genotoxic components of environmental pollutants. Mutat Res, 1988 Feb, 204(2), 235 - 8 Absence of genotoxic activity of refined smoke flavor (RSF) in two bacterial short-term tests; Jenek J et al.; The genotoxic activities of refined smoke flavor (RSF) produced in Poland and used in food processing were investigated in 2 bacterial short-term tests . Its mutagenic activity was examined in the Salmonella/histidine plate assay and its SOS-inducing capacity in the SOS Chromotest both without and with 'activation' by a rat liver homogenate . No genotoxic activity was detected using these 2 bacterial tests. Mutat Res, 1988 Feb, 204(2), 229 - 34 Antimutagenic activity of extracts from anticancer drugs in Chinese medicine; Lee H et al.; The antimutagenic activities of extracts of 36 commonly used anticancer crude drugs from Chinese herbs were studied by using the Salmonella/microsomal system in the presence of picrolonic acid or benzo{a}pyrene to test whether they contain direct or indirect antimutagens . Each crude drug was extracted with boiling water for 2 h, the method which is commonly used by Chinese people to prepare the drug for oral intake . The extracts of Pteris multifida P . showed the highest antimutagenic activity against picrolonic acid-induced mutation . The extracts of 6 other different kinds of Chinese herbs were shown to have a moderate antimutagenic activity against picrolonic acid-induced mutation, and they are: Actinidia chinensis P., Artemisia lavendulaefolia DC . and Crotalaria sessiflora L., Prunella vulgaris L., Paris polyphylla S . and Ampelopsis brevipedunculata T . The extracts of Smilax china L., Prunella vulgaris L . and Actinidia chinensis P . were demonstrated to inhibit the mutagenicity of benzo{a}pyrene completely . The 12 other kinds of extracts of Chinese herbs which had a moderate antimutagenic activity against benzo{a}pyrene were: Pteris polyphylla S., Ampelopsis brevipedunculata T., Duchesnea indica F., Gossypium herbaceum L., Lithospermum erythrorrhizon SZ., Artemisia lavendulaefolia DC., Selaginella doederleinii H., Dianthus superbus L., Centipeda minima ABA., Curcuma zedoaria R., Marsdenia tenacissima WA . and Kalopanax septemlobus K . Among them, there were 5 kinds of crude drugs, Actinidia chinensis P., Artemisia lavendulaefolia DC., Prunella vulgaris L., Paris polyphylla S . and Ampelopsis brevipedunculata T., containing antimutagenic factors against both picrolonic acid- and benzo{a}pyrene-induced mutation. Mutat Res, 1988 Feb, 204(2), 219 - 28 Mutagenic activity of some coffee flavor ingredients; Fung VA et al.; The mutagenicity of 4 coffee flavor ingredients (chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, pyrazine, and trigonelline) was evaluated in the Salmonella plate incorporation assay and mouse lymphoma L5178Y TK +/- assay . Two of the compounds, pyrazine and trigonelline, were negative in both assays . The other two compounds, caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid, were positive in the mouse lymphoma assay but negative in the Salmonella assay. Mutat Res, 1988 Feb, 204(2), 203 - 6 Mutagenicity of bi-, tri- and tetra-cyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the "taped-plate assay" and in the conventional salmonella mutagenicity assay; Bos RP et al.; Aromatic hydrocarbons in the range of 1-4 nuclear rings were examined for mutagenicity in the so-called "taped-plate assay" . This modification of the Ames assay is particularly equipped for the detection of volatile mutagens . Of the many compounds tested only phenanthrene, pyrene, benzo{c}phenanthrene and benzoacenaphthylene were positive in this assay . The present data underline the exceptional behaviour of fluoranthene by being a rather potent bacterial mutagen with a volatile nature (as found in a previous study). Mutat Res, 1988 Feb, 204(2), 195 - 201 1-Hydroxypyrene as an indicator of the mutagenicity of coal tar after activation with human liver preparations; Jongeneelen FJ et al.; Liver S9 fractions were prepared from male Wistar rats, either non-induced or induced with Aroclor 1254 and from 5 human kidney transplant donors . The preparations were compared for their ability to metabolize the premutagens present in coal tar to mutagenic metabolites in the Salmonella mutagenicity assay towards strain TA98 . Low levels of mutagenicity of coal tar were seen with human S9 preparations . The differences between the S9 mix of the 5 donors in capacity to activate premutagens were approximately 6-fold . The activation of coal tar by rat liver S9 preparations was higher than by the human S9 preparations . The metabolic conversion of pyrene in coal tar to 1-hydroxypyrene by the same human S9 preparations was determined in a parallel assay . 3 human preparations showed a high correlation between the formation of 1-hydroxypyrene and bioactivation of coal tar to mutagenic metabolites . The slope values of the individual regression lines were equal, suggesting that 1-hydroxypyrene is a good indicator for the activation of premutagens present in coal tar. Mutat Res, 1988 Feb, 204(2), 173 - 83 Genotoxicity and PAC analysis of particulate and vapour phases of environmental tobacco smoke; Salomaa S et al.; Samples of indoor air were collected from an office room (88 m3) both before smoking and during experimental smoking of 96 cigarettes by 10 persons within 6 h . The particulates were collected on glass-fibre filters and the vapour-phase compounds on XAD-2 resin . The samples were extracted with acetone and analysed quantitatively for polycyclic aromatic compounds and qualitatively with GC-MS . The extracts of filters and XAD-2 resins were fractionated into neutral/acidic and 2 basic (strong and weak bases) fractions; all these fractions were tested with the sister-chromatid exchange (SCE) assay in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and with the Salmonella/microsome test (strain TA98) . Total concentrations of PAC were 205 ng/m3 in the background sample and 1207 ng/m3 after contamination by cigarette smoking . The total PAC concentrations were 4-6 times higher in the vapour phase than in the particulate phase . The fractions of the particulate samples collected before smoking showed mainly marginal genotoxic activity, whereas after smoking their genotoxicity increased dramatically . The fractions of the vapour phase samples were not genotoxic before smoking, but after smoking the neutral/acidic and strong basic fractions induced responses in both assays . The SCE assay was more sensitive towards the vapour-phase mutagens of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) . The relative responses of the two basic fractions, whereas the fraction containing neutral and acidic compounds was the most potent in the SCE assay . In the Salmonella test, the mutagenic activity was mainly detected with metabolic activation, while the induction of SCE in CHO cells was also seen without an exogenous metabolic activation system. Mutat Res, 1988 Feb, 204(2), 149 - 62 Genotoxicity of 6 oxime compounds in the salmonella/mammalian-microsome assay and mouse lymphoma TK +/- assay; Rogers-Back AM et al.; To aid in the selection of chemical candidates for in vivo tests, the mutagenicity of 6 oxime compounds was evaluated in the Salmonella plate incorporation assay and mouse lymphoma L5178Y TK +/- assay . All of the oximes were mutagenic in the mouse lymphoma assay in the absence of exogenous metabolic activation . Acetaldehyde oxime was also mutagenic in the presence of S9 activation . In contrast to these results, a positive response was noted only for 2-(hydroxyimino)-N-phenyl-acetamide oxime in strain TA1535 in the absence of activation in the Salmonella/microsome test. Mutat Res, 1988 Feb, 204(2), 141 - 7 Evaluation of the genotoxic activity of 2-nitroanthrafurans; Quillardet P et al.; We measured the genotoxic activities in two bacterial tests, the Salmonella/histidine assay (a reverse mutation assay) and the SOS chromotest (an assay for SOS induction in E . coli), of three 2-nitroanthrafurans: 2-nitroanthra{1,2-b}furan (R-7688), the isomeric compound 2-nitroanthra{2,1-b}furan (R-7686) and its 8-methoxylated derivative (R-7707) . Their genotoxic activities were compared to that of 7-methoxy-2-nitronaphtho{2,1-b}furan (R-7000) which has been studied in previous works (Arnaise et al., 1986) . We found that: (1) for all three 2-nitroanthrafurans, as generally observed for other 2-nitrofuran derivatives, the responses were correlated in the 2 tests and were decreased in the presence of an 'activating mixture' and in nitroreductase-deficient strains; (2) in contrast to what is usually observed with other 2-nitrofuran derivatives for which methoxylation increases genotoxic activity, the genotoxic activity of the methoxylated 2-nitroanthrafuran (R-7707) was comparable and may be even lower than that of the unsubstituted 2-nitroanthrafuran (R-7686); (3) the addition of a third ring that leads from 2-nitronaphthofurans to 2-nitroanthrafurans increased slightly the genotoxic activity of these compounds; (4) compounds with the oxygen heteroatom outside the 'bay region', R-7686 and R-7707, gave higher responses than their isomers with the oxygen heteroatom within the 'bay region', R-7688. Mutat Res, 1988 Feb, 197(2), 261 - 72 Studies on the use of plant extracts in assessing the effects of plant metabolism on the mutagenicity and toxicity of pesticides; Rasquinha IA et al.; We have carried out studies on the effects of plant metabolism on the mutagenicity of agricultural chemicals . Our approach is to use a cell-free plant extract, as a source of metabolic enzymes, in a standard Ames test . Using a number of test compounds, we observe that plant metabolism can alter the mutagenicity of several pesticides, and can in some instances give rise to metabolites apparently unique from those which are formed in animal cells . A number