J Chemother, 1989 Jun, 1(3), 164 - 9 Single-dose pharmacokinetics of aztreonam in healthy volunteers and renal failure patients; el Guinaidy MA et al.; The pharmacokinetics of aztreonam were studied in 6 healthy male volunteers and 12 male patients with various degrees of chronic renal failure after intravenous bolus injection of 1g of the drug . Serum pharmacokinetics of aztreonam were described by an open, two-compartment kinetic model . The serum levels of aztreonam exceeded the reported minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)90 for Enterobacteriaceae for 8 hours and up to 24 hours, in healthy volunteers and renal failure patients, respectively . However, the serum levels of the drug exceeded the MIC50 for Pseudomonas aeruginosa for only 4 hours and 12 hours in healthy volunteers and patients, respectively . The half-life of elimination (t 1/2/beta) increased significantly (P less than 0.001) from 1.8 +/- 0.14 h in healthy volunteers and to 4.9 +/- 1.1 h in patients with renal failure . The total serum clearance of aztreonam decreased significantly (P less than 0.001) from 84.2 +/- 7.8 ml/h/kg in healthy volunteers to 30.2 + 9.2 ml/h/kg in patients with renal failure . A linear correlation (r = 0.971, P less than 0.001) was found between creatinine clearance and the total serum clearance of aztreonam . The AUC0-infinity increased significantly (P less than 0.001) from 137.5 +/- 12.2 micrograms/h/ml in healthy volunteers to 464 +/- 114.5 micrograms/h/ml in patients with renal failure. J Clin Microbiol, 1989 Jun, 27(6), 1262 - 5 Comparison of the Oxoid Signal blood culture system with supplemented peptone broth in a pediatric hospital; Himmelreich CA et al.; We compared the Oxoid Signal bottle (Oxoid, U.S.A.) with supplemented peptone broth (SPB) tubes (B-D Vacutainer; Becton Dickinson Vacutainer Systems) for performing blood cultures in a pediatric hospital . Blood from 3,066 samples was divided equally between the two systems . Of 131 probable pathogens isolated, 121 were detected in the Signal bottle and 111 were detected in the SPB tubes (P greater than 0.05) . Of 167 probable contaminants, 122 grew in the Signal bottle and 109 grew in the SPB tubes (P greater than 0.05) . The recovery of staphylococci, both probable pathogens and probable contaminants, was increased in the Signal bottle . The recoveries of other organisms, including streptococci, members of the family Enterobacteriaceae, and yeasts, were similar in the two systems . However, the Signal bottle failed to detect three isolates of Haemophilus influenzae, and the time to availability of isolated colonies of other isolates of H . influenzae was delayed . Overall, the Signal bottle was easy and convenient to use, and its innovative detection system should facilitate the early recognition of positive cultures . If its ability to recover H . influenzae can be improved, the Signal bottle could be a useful alternative to existing systems for use in a pediatric setting. Arch Biochem Biophys, 1989 Jun, 271(2), 495 - 501 Origin of p-aminobenzoic acid from chorismic rather than iso-chorismic acid in Enterobacter aerogenes and Streptomyces species; Johanni M et al.; Enzyme extracts from Enterobacter aerogenes (62-1), Streptomyces aminophilus, and Streptomyces coelicolor were used to investigate the biosynthesis of p-aminobenzoic acid . The enzyme preparations from E . aerogenes and S . aminophilus contained both p-aminobenzoate synthase and iso-chorismate synthase activity, and were able to convert both chorismic and iso-chorismic acid to p-aminobenzoic acid . The apparent KM for chorismic acid was, however, significantly lower than that for iso-chorismic acid, while the Vmax was identical for both substrates in both enzyme systems . The enzyme preparations from S . coelicolor did not contain iso-chorismate synthase activity and p-aminobenzoic acid synthesis took place in this system from chorismic acid only . It is concluded that iso-chorismic acid is not an obligatory intermediate in p-aminobenzoic acid biosynthesis in these organisms. Z Lebensm Unters Forsch, 1989 Jun, 188(6), 531 - 4 {Determination of the endotoxin content of egg products using a miniaturized chromogenic Limulus test}; Steffens K et al.; A chromogenic Limulus amoebocyte lysate assay was applied to monitor endotoxin concentration in egg products . Analysis of differently contaminated whole egg probes revealed a strong correlation of endotoxin concentration to total bacterial count 6 x 10(4) cfu x ng-1, where cfu = colony-forming unit) as well as to number of Enterobacteriaceae (1 ng/7 x 10(2) cfu) . Similar relations were also found for egg white and egg yolk probes . A significant influence of heat pretreatment of egg probes (65 degrees C, 60 min) on endotoxin detection could be excluded . Up to a concentration of 10 mg x ml-1 endotoxin-free whole egg material did not interfere with the test system . A miniaturized version of the chromogenic Limulus test, which can be carried out in microtiter plates, is described. Zentralbl Hyg Umweltmed, 1989 Jun, 188(3-4), 331 - 5 Isolation and survival of gentamicin resistant Enterobacter aerogenes on finger tips of hospital personnel; Panhotra BR et al.; Enterobacter aerogenes was isolated from the finger tips of 13.3 percent of hospital personnel while they were working in the wards . Gentamicin resistant strains were isolated more frequently than gentamicin sensitive . Carriage rate of E . aerogenes was higher among nurses than other staff members . There was no correlation between antibiotic resistance, capsular serotypes and survival of these strains on finger tips . The property of prolonged survival on finger tips is chromosomal in nature and not mediated by conjugative or non-conjugative plasmids. Clin Immunol Immunopathol, 1989 Jun, 51(3), 414 - 8 Serologic response against cardiolipin and enterobacterial common antigen in young patients with acute myocardial infarction; Mattila K et al.; Elevation of anticardiolipin antibodies has been observed in myocardial infarction and in many infections . To elucidate this topic, paired serum specimens from 40 patients with acute myocardial infarction were tested for anticardiolipin antibodies (solid-phase enzyme immunoassay) and enterobacterial common antigen antibodies (indirect hemagglutination test) . Forty-one randomly selected individuals and 30 patients with chronic coronary heart disease served as controls . All individuals were males whose maximum age was 50 years . In patients with acute myocardial infarction the levels of anticardiolipin antibodies in paired sera rose significantly in all immunoglobulin classes (18% in the IgG class, 26% in the IgA class, and 43% in the IgM class), whereas no elevations occurred in the other groups . Fifteen of the acute myocardial infarction patients also showed at least a fourfold increase in enterobacterial common antigen antibodies, as compared with only one such increase in the two other groups combined . The increases were less marked than those seen in pronounced enterobacterial infections . These two reactions were closely associated. Indian J Exp Biol, 1989 Jun, 27(6), 574 - 5 Cadmium resistance in some members of Enterobacteriaceae; Bhattacharyya G et al.; Strains of members of Enterobacteriaceae, namely Escherichia coli (18), Klebsiella aerogenes (16), and Serratia marcescens (16) were screened for Cd resistance or sensitivity . Only one strain each of these was resistant to high levels (25 n moles/0.05 ml) CdCl2 . The Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of sensitive strains ranged from 0.8-5 micrograms/ml . All the resistant strains were simultaneously resistant to a number of antibiotics . Treatment with sodium dodecyl sulfate eliminated resistance to Cd and to some antibiotics. Pathol Biol (Paris), 1989 Jun, 37(5 Pt 2), 549 - 52 {Broad spectrum beta-lactamases and the API ATB 244 system: the need for detection}; Ronco E et al.; API ATB 24H is an automated system designed to test the sensitivity of bacteria to antibiotics . Using this system we found that it was not fully able to detect acquired resistance to oxy-iminocephalosporins in enterobacteriaceae producing extended broad spectrum betalactamase (CTX-1, SHV-3, SHV-4) . However, the frequency of detection varied with the type of API SYSTEM (ATB G-, ATB PSE), the nature of beta lactam antibiotic (cefotaxime, ceftazidime) and the type of beta lactamase produced . Considering the fact that this new mechanism of resistance must be taken into account, we suggest that the most simple method for the detection of oxy-imini beta lactamases is a double disk test of synergy between Augmentin (acid clavulanic + amoxycillin) and 1 disk of oxy-iminocephalosporin. Clin Imaging, 1989 Jun, 13(2), 134 - 9 "Spontaneous" pneumocephalus associated with aerobic bacteremia; Tanaka T et al.; Three cases of "spontaneous" pneumocephalus suspected to have resulted from aerobic bacteremia caused by Enterobacter cloacae, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella aerogenes are reported . In two cases, the E . cloacae and K . aerogenes were isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid . These cases were characterized by a rapid accumulation of air, without niveau, in the subarachnoid space and ventricles. Am J Vet Res, 1989 Jun, 50(6), 923 - 5 Resistance to gentamicin and amikacin of gram-negative organisms isolated from horses; Orsini JA et al.; Resistance of gram-negative bacteria to gentamicin has become an increasingly common problem among clinical isolates from human beings . Susceptibility of isolates from horses to gentamicin and amikacin was evaluated for the period from July, 1983 to June, 1985 . All isolates of Escherichia coli, and species of Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Proteus, and Pseudomonas examined were susceptible to amikacin, except 2 of the 46 Pseudomonas isolates . In contrast, 13 to 50% of isolates were resistant to gentamicin . Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella, Proteus, and Enterobacter species isolates were highly significantly more susceptible to amikacin (P less than 0.01) than to gentamicin . Pseudomonas spp (P = 0.13) were not significantly different in susceptibility to the 2 drugs . There was significant variation among genera in their susceptibility to gentamicin (P = 0.002), primarily because of the frequency of resistance in isolates of Klebsiella spp and Proteus spp, compared with the other 3 organisms (E coli, Enterobacter spp, and Pseudomonas spp) . There was no significant difference of susceptibility to amikacin among the genera studied (P = 0.06). J Clin Pathol, 1989 Jun, 42(6), 649 - 52 Comparison of identification of Enterobacteriaceae by API 20E and Sensititre Autoidentification System; Barr JG et al.; Of 251 isolates of the Enterobacteriaceae identified to species level by API 20E, 208 (83%) were similarily identified by the Sensititre Autoidentification System . Both systems shared a common problem in that discrimination between species of the genera Klebsiella, Enterobacter, and Serratia was poor . The eight digit biocode generated by the Sensititre system for individual isolates is not reproducible and therefore not of epidemiological value. APMIS, 1989 Jun, 97(6), 559 - 68 Monoclonal antibodies against three different enterobacterial outer membrane proteins . Characterization, cross-reactivity, and binding to bacteria; Henriksen AZ et al.; BALB/c mice were immunized with whole-cells of Escherichia coli 055:B5 or Proteus mirabilis NCTC 60 to produce broadly cross-reacting monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against outer membrane (OM) proteins . A total of 10 anti-OM MAbs of the IgG class were selected . These included 5 MAbs against the heat-modifiable (Hm) protein, 3 against the peptidoglycan-associated lipoprotein (PALp), and 2 against Braun's lipoprotein (BLp) . Based on competition ELISA, the MAbs defined 2 Hm protein binding sites (Hm I and Hm II), 2 PALp sites (PALp I and PALp II), and one BLp site (BLp I) . The MAbs showed broad cross-reactivity against 74 strains of 10 different genera of the Enterobacteriaceae . Non-cross-reacting enteric bacilli occurred only among bacteria of the genera Salmonella, Proteus, and Providentia . The results revealed that Proteus and Providentia strains differed from other enteric bacilli with regard to BLp synthesis or specificity . A panel of 30 non-enteric Gram-negative bacteria did not cross-react . Testing of MAb binding to bacteria showed that a part of the BLp I, PALp I, and PALp II sites was immunoaccessible in intact homologous bacteria, and that the Hm I and Hm II epitopes were inaccessible . The MAbs should facilitate studies of structure and immunobiological function of enterobacterial OM proteins and should have a potential as immunodiagnostic reagents. Ann Intern Med, 1989 Jun 1, 110(11), 873 - 81 Intestinal decontamination for control of nosocomial multiresistant gram-negative bacilli . Study of an outbreak in an intensive care unit; Brun-Buisson C et al.; STUDY OBJECTIVE: To study the efficacy of intestinal decontamination by oral nonabsorbable antibiotic agents to control a nosocomial outbreak of intestinal colonization and infection with multiresistant Enterobacteriaceae, and to examine its effects on endemic nosocomial infection rates . DESIGN: A 10-week prospective incidence study (group 1), and then an 8-week randomized, open trial of intestinal decontamination (groups 2 and 3) . SETTING: A medical intensive care unit of a tertiary care university hospital . PATIENTS: Consecutive patients with unit stay of over 2 days and a severity score at admission of more than 2; 124 patients were included in group 1, 50 in group 2 (control), and 36 in group 3 (intestinal decontamination) . INTERVENTIONS: Neomycin, polymyxin E, and nalidixic acid were given to group 3 patients throughout their stay in the unit . MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Intestinal colonization with multiresistant strains occurred in 19.6% of patients in group 1, at a mean of 16 days after admission, and preceded detection in clinical samples by a mean of 11 days . During the decontamination trial, intestinal colonization rates decreased to 10% (group 2), and 3% (group 3) (P = 0.12 and P less than 0.01, compared with group 1, respectively) . Corresponding infection rates were 9% (group 1), 3% (group 2), and 0 (group 3) . No new cases were detected in the following 4 months . The intestinal colonization rate with gram-positive cocci was higher in group 3 than group 2 (P less than 0.001) . The overall rate of nosocomial infections was at 28% (group 1), 33% (group 2), and 32% (group 3) . CONCLUSIONS: Intestinal decontamination can help to control an outbreak of intestinal colonization and infection with multiresistant gram-negative bacilli in the intensive care unit, but should not be recommended for routine prevention of endemic nosocomial infections. Zhonghua Nei Ke Za Zhi, 1989 Jun, 28(6), 340 - 2, 381 {The penetration of cephalosporins across the blood-brain barrier and its clinical significance}; Zhang YY et al.; The penetration of Cefuroxime (CXM), Ceftazidime (CTZ), Cefotaxime (CTX), Ceftizoxime (CZX), and Ceftriaxone (CTRX) across the blood-brain barrier was studied in 119 patients with or without meningitis after an intravenous injection of 2 grams . Cephalosporins were undetectable or their concentrations very low in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), when there was no inflammation in the meninges . On the contrary, the mean CSF concentrations of cephalosporins were 2.21-5.36 micrograms/ml and the CSF/serum ratios 3.73-31.80% in acute stage of purulent meningitis . The CSF levels of all the five cephalosporins were much higher than the mean MICs of the common pathogens of bacterial meningitis as well as that of Enterobacteriaceae . It is thus shown that these five new cephalosporins are useful for treatment of meningitis including those caused by gram-negative bacilli. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health, 1989 Jun, 20(2), 313 - 7 Cholangiocarcinoma masquerading as liver abscess; Pramoolsinsap C et al.; A 60-year-old man from Eastern Thailand was admitted to hospital because of right upper quadrant abdominal pain and fever . Ultrasonographic examination revealed two cavitary lesions in the right lobe of the liver . Needle aspiration obtained 110 ml of anchovy sauce-like pus which showed no bacteria on gram stain and routine culture . Serological test for E . histolytica antibody was negative . Initially, the patient responded well to metronidazole . Two weeks later, the symptoms recurred and sonography revealed one large cavitary lesion with three adjacent locules in the right lobe of the liver . Repeated needle aspiration again showed anchovy sauce-like pus which grew Enterobacter agglomerans . O . viverrini ova were detected in the stool . Laparotomy revealed histologically proven cholangiocarcinoma . This report indicates that O . viverrini infection associated with CCC can masquerade as liver abscess. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1989 Jun, 33(6), 937 - 43 Resistance emerging after pefloxacin therapy of experimental Enterobacter cloacae peritonitis; Lucain C et al.; Resistance emerging after pefloxacin therapy was investigated in an experimental Enterobacter cloacae infection . Mice were inoculated intraperitoneally (mean inoculum, 0.9 X 10(8) CFU) with one of four strains initially susceptible to quinolones and treated with a single 25-mg/kg dose of pefloxacin . This therapy produced a net decrease of bacterial counts in the peritoneal fluid, but with the of the isolates, posttherapy (PT1) strains emerged with decreased susceptibilities to quinolones (4- to 1,024-fold), to the structurally unrelated antibiotics (4- to 16-fold) chloramphenicol and trimethoprim, and sometimes to tetracycline and beta-lactam compounds . In a second set of experiments, new mice were similarly infected with PT1 strains and treated with up to five 25-mg/kg doses of pefloxacin . Compared with parent isolates, PT1 strains produced similar disease and peritoneal bacterial count in the control animals . In treated mice posttherapy (PT2) strains emerged that showed 8- to 64-fold increases in quinolone MICs compared with the PT1 strains inoculated . All PT1 and PT2 strains showed altered outer membrane protein patterns, principally marked by a decreased 37,000-molecular-weight band generally accompanied by an increased 42,000-molecular-weight band . Whole cells from all PT1 and PT2 strains, exposed to {14C}pefloxacin for 15 to 60 s, bound significantly less radioactivity than the corresponding parent strains . After partial purification, DNA gyrase extracted from the most resistant isolates (one PT1 and the PT2 strains) showed a 100- to 450-fold 50% inhibitory concentration increase for pefloxacin . Altogether, pefloxacin can select in vivo two types of resistant strain, one with only decreased permeability and another with decreased permeability combined with altered DNA gyrase. Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin, 1989 Jun-Jul, 7(6), 301 - 6 {Detection of hyperproduction of chromosomal beta-lactamase in strains of Escherichia coli, Enterobacter cloacae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa}; Roy C et al.; In order to show up the hyperproduction of chromosomic beta-lactamases in strains of Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa we have tested a variant of a technique proposed by Medeiros et al . It is a qualitative technique and, the modification introduced allows errors of interpretation to be avoided, when the strain is a producer of plasmidic beta-lactamase . It is based on evaluating the amount of beta-lactamase in a culture, measured in time taken for the hydrolysis of nitrocefin, with or without the addition of clavulanic acid . We present the results obtained in 526 selected strains: 271 E . coli, 116 E . cloacae and 139 P . aeruginosa . One hundred and twenty for strains hydrolyzed the nitrocefin in the absence of clavulanic acid within 60 seconds . Only 52 (41.94%) of these strains did it when clavulanic acid was present; all of them have been qualified as hyperproducers according to susceptibility to beta-lactam antibiotics and the study and identification of the beta-lactamases by analytic isoelectrofocusing . The hydrolysis was evident before the 15 seconds in the 80% of hyperproducer strains . No false positive results were observed. Pathol Biol (Paris), 1989 Jun, 37(5 Pt 2), 605 - 11 {Determination of bactericidal minimum concentrations of 3 antiseptics and 1 disinfectant on 580 hospital gram-negative bacilli}; Girardo P et al.; Minimal bactericidal activities (MBCs) of three antiseptics (povidone iodine, chlorhexidine digluconate, benzalkonium chloride) and one disinfectant (sodium hypochloride) where determined, on 580 hospital Gram negative bacilli . Previously the Afnor T 72-150 standard for antiseptic and disinfectant was established for two reference strains E . coli CIP 54 127 and P . aeruginosa CIP A 22 . No difference was found between the MBC obtained with these strains in Afnor standard and in microdilution method . Microdilution method allows to test 11 hospital isolates and one reference strain . A strain was considered as resistant when the MBC was one dilution higher than the reference strain MBC . Results were as follows: None strain was resistant to sodium hypochloride and povidone iodine; 18.2% Enterobacteriaceae were resistant to chlorhexidine digluconate with 94.2% of Proteus; 4% of Enterobacteriaceae were resistant to benzalkonium chloride with 89.5% of Proteus and only 1.8% other bacilli . Results obtained in the present study are similar as those previously published particularly with Proteus; nevertheless other studies have reported P . aeruginosa strains resistant to chlorhexidine digluconate and benzalkonium chloride; this last point was not observed in our study. Pathol Biol (Paris), 1989 Jun, 37(5 Pt 2), 528 - 33 {In vitro antibacterial effect of a new oral cephalosporin, cefixime . Results of a multicenter study}; Soussy CJ et al.; Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of cefixime (CXM) were evaluated by agar dilution against 2,469 bacterial strains isolated in 10 hospitals . For Enterobacteriaceae, MIC 50 and 90% micrograms/ml were respectively: (I) naturally non beta lactamase producing species: E . coli and Shigella 0.25-0.5; Salmonella 0.06-0.25; P . mirabilis 0.008-0.032 . (II) chromosomal penicillinase producing species: Klebsiella 0.06-2 . (III) chromosomal cephalosporinase producing species: E . cloacae and C . freundii 1-greater than 128; S . marcescens 0.25-16; indole + Proteus 0.06-4; P . stuartii 0.032-0.5 . Activity of CXM was not modified against plasmid-mediated penicillinase producing strains, but CXM was inactive on cephalosporinase hyperproducing strains and on broad spectrum beta lactamases producing strains . CXM was inactive on P . aeruginosa (MIC 50 and 90%: 64-128) and on A . baumannii (16-128) . Haemophilus and Gonococci, regardless of beta-lactamase production status, and Meningococci were very susceptible to CXM (MIC 0.008-0.12) . B . catarrhalis was generally inhibited by 0.03 to 0.5 . CXM was poorly active on methicillin susceptible Staphylococci (MIC 50 and 90%: 1-64) and inactive on methicillin resistant strains . Enterococci were generally resistant whereas Streptococci and Pneumococci were inhibited by low concentrations: 0.008 to 1 . These antibacterial properties place CXM in excellent position among oral cephalosporins. Eur J Epidemiol, 1989 Jun, 5(2), 207 - 13 Surveillance of antibiotic resistance in South East Asia; Williams JD et al.; Antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative bacteria, particularly Salmonella and Shigella, requires surveillance worldwide . This study describes results of surveys in Hong Kong, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur . All strains were isolated in hospitals which have large community catchment areas in addition to specialised hospital units . The prevalence of resistant strains was high in all areas . Gram-negative bacteria such as Enterobacter associated with hospital infections were resistant to penicillins and cephalosporins, with gentamicin resistance ranging from about 20% in Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong, to 35% in Bangkok . Ninety-seven percent of Shigella isolated in Thailand were resistant to ampicillin . About 10% of Salmonella were resistant to chloramphenicol in all three centres. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 1989 Jun, 8(6), 558 - 61 Comparative activity of cefixime and cefaclor in an in vitro model simulating human pharmacokinetics; Nies BA; The dependence of the antibacterial activity of the two oral cephalosporins cefixime and cefaclor on pharmacokinetic properties was investigated in an in vitro model using strains of enterobacteria and a streptococcal strain . In the cultures the course of serum concentrations of the respective antibiotic was simulated . The more rapidly attained (1 h) high peak levels (17.5 micrograms/ml) of cefaclor (500 mg dose) in no case showed an advantage over the more slowly reached (3 h) low peak levels (2.5 micrograms/ml) of cefixime (200 mg dose) . Cefixime was comparable to cefaclor with respect to its initial killing velocity, whereas it was generally superior with respect to maximum values for reduction of bacterial counts . Due to its long elimination half-life (2.5 h) cefixime prevented regrowth for at least twice as long as cefaclor, which has a short half-life (0.7 h) . As a result of its antibacterial activity and pharmacokinetic properties cefixime can be administered less frequently than cefaclor. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 1989 Jun, 8(6), 536 - 43 In vitro antibacterial properties of cefetamet and in vivo activity of its orally absorbable ester derivative, cefetamet pivoxil; Angehrn P et al.; The in vitro activity of cefetamet, the microbiologically active metabolite of the orally administered prodrug cefetamet pivoxil, was compared with that of cephalexin, cefaclor, cefuroxime and amoxicillin . Cefetamet was highly active against Enterobacteriaceae, Neisseria spp., Vibrio spp., Haemophilus influenzae and streptococci other than enterococci . Cefetamet inhibited cefaclor-resistant species such as Proteus vulgaris, Providencia stuartii, Providencia rettgeri and Serratia marcescens . Staphylococci, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and cephalosporinase-overproducing strains of Enterobacter cloacae were resistant to cefetamet . The superior activity of cefetamet compared with older oral beta-lactam antibiotics against a large number of gram-negative pathogens correlated with enhanced stability towards beta-lactamases . In accordance with the in vitro findings, cefetamet pivoxil showed good activity in experimental infections in the mouse and rat, suggesting satisfactory bioavailability in these animals after oral administration. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 1989 Jun, 8(6), 527 - 9 Detection of extended broad-spectrum beta-lactamases in Enterobacteriaceae in four French hospitals; Legrand P et al.; In 210 strains of Enterobacteriaceae which were isolated in four hospitals and which showed reduced susceptibility to cefotaxime, high synergy was demonstrated between amoxicillin (20 micrograms) + clavulanate (10 micrograms) and cefotaxime (30 micrograms) using a simple double-disk test . Isoelectric focusing on gel and specific iodometric detection using ceftriaxone identified four extended broad-spectrum beta-lactamases (isoelectric points 7.6, 6.3, 7.0 and 5.9) produced by the strains. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 1989 Jun, 8(6), 524 - 6 Serum bactericidal activity against Enterobacteriaceae producing broad-spectrum beta-lactamases in volunteers administered ofloxacin and cefotaxime, alone or combined; Weber P et al.; The activity of ofloxacin and cefotaxime, alone or combined, against four strains of Enterobacteriaceae was evaluated both in vitro and in sera from volunteers given a single infusion over 30 min of 200 mg ofloxacin or 1 g cefotaxime . The strains showed resistance or decreased susceptibility to third-generation cephalosporins . The combination was not found to be synergistic in vitro . Analysis of the bactericidal titres and killing kinetics of sera taken at the time of the peak concentration and 6 h after the infusion, respectively, confirmed the absence of synergy between the drugs against these strains. J Bacteriol, 1989 Jun, 171(6), 3108 - 14 Product of the Lactococcus lactis gene required for malolactic fermentation is homologous to a family of positive regulators; Renault P et al.; Malolactic fermentation is a secondary fermentation that many lactic acid bacteria can carry out when L-malate is present in the medium . The activation of the malolactic system in Lactococcus lactis is mediated by a locus we call mleR . Induction of the genes necessary to perform malolactic fermentation occurs only in bacteria with a functional copy of mleR . The mleR gene consists of one open reading frame capable of coding for a protein with a calculated molecular mass of 33,813 daltons . The amino acid sequence of the predicted MleR gene product is homologous to that of positive activators in gram-negative bacteria: LysR, IlvY gene products of Escherichia coli, MetR, CysB of Salmonella typhimurium, AmpR of Enterobacter cloacae, NodD of Rhizobium sp., and TrpI of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J Bacteriol, 1989 Jun, 171(6), 2970 - 4 Pea aphid symbiont relationships established by analysis of 16S rRNAs; Unterman BM et al.; The pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris) harbors two morphologically distinct procaryotic intracellular symbionts . The genes for the 16S rRNA from these symbionts have been cloned and sequenced . Comparisons with sequences of 16S rRNAs from selected procaryotes indicate that the two symbionts are evolutionarily distinct from each other and are members of the gamma-3 subdivision of the class Proteobacteria . One of the symbionts is a member of the family Enterobacteriaceae, while the other constitutes a lineage distinct from these organisms . Both symbionts appear to have only one copy of their rRNA operon. Gene, 1989 May 30, 78(2), 339 - 48 Characterization of the plasmid genes blaT-4 and blaT-5 which encode the broad-spectrum beta-lactamases TEM-4 and TEM-5 in enterobacteriaceae; Sougakoff W et al.; We have determined the nucleotide sequence of the plasmid genes blaT-4 and blaT-5 which encode the broad-substrate-range beta-lactamases TEM-4 and TEM-5, respectively . The TEM-4 enzyme, which confers high-level resistance to cefotaxime (Ctx) and ceftazidime (Caz), differed from the TEM-1 penicillinase by four amino acid substitutions . Two of the mutations are identical to those responsible for the wide substrate range of the TEM-3 beta-lactamase which hydrolyses Ctx and Caz . The amino acid sequence of TEM-5, which confers higher levels of resistance to Caz than to other recently developed cephalosporins, differed from that of TEM-1 by three mutations distinct from those of TEM-4 . Analysis of the location of the mutations in the primary and tertiary structures of class A beta-lactamases suggests that interactions between the substituted residues and beta-lactam antibiotics non-hydrolysable by TEM-1 and TEM-2 allow TEM-4 and TEM-5 to hydrolyse efficiently novel broad-spectrum cephalosporins such as Ctx and Caz. Gene, 1989 May 15, 78(1), 101 - 9 Identification and characterization of the nifH and nifJ promoter regions located on the nif-plasmid pEA3 of Enterobacter agglomerans 333; Kreutzer R et al.; Small restriction fragments of the plasmid-borne Enterobacter agglomerans 333 nif region were cloned into a promoter probe plasmid as transcriptional fusions with the lacZ gene . Identification of NifA-dependent promoters was accomplished by using a compatible plasmid which constitutively expresses the Klebsiella pneumoniae nifA gene . beta-Galactosidase assays showed strong activation of the cloned E . agglomerans promoters in Escherichia coli by the heterologous K . pneumoniae nifA gene product . The positions of the promoter fragments on the corresponding restriction map were determined by Southern hybridization . As confirmed by sequencing data, the nifH and nifJ promoters are situated at opposite end-points of the nif gene group and their -24 to -12 nucleotide sequences are similar to the consensus sequence of NtrA-dependent promoters . Also, typical NifA-binding motifs are present in both promoters . The agreement of the promoter proximal regions of nifH and nifJ with the corresponding K pneumoniae sequences is about 80% . Also the upstream regions of these genes are in agreement to some extent. J Chemother, 1989 May, 1 Suppl 2, 45 - 8 Bactericidal activity of tigemonam, alone and in combination with gentamicin; Shah PM et al.; The in vitro bactericidal activity of tigemonam, alone and in combination with gentamicin, was evaluated against various strains of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Klebsiella oxytoca, Salmonella enteritidis, Enterobacter cloacae, Proteus mirabilis, and Proteus vulgaris . Minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations were determined on three consecutive days with an inoculum of 10(5) colony-forming units (CFU)/mL or a culture in the logarithmic growth phase . The results found tigemonam to be rapidly bactericidal against most Enterobacteriaceae isolated . In addition, the killing curves indicated a synergism between tigemonam and subinhibitory concentrations of gentamicin. J Chemother, 1989 May, 1 Suppl 2, 41 - 4 Antibacterial activity in vitro of tigemonam, a new oral monobactam; Schito GC et al.; Using a broth microdilution method, the antibacterial activity of tigemonam, a novel oral monobactam, was evaluated against 217 gram-negative aerobes freshly isolated from clinical specimens . Reference antibiotics were amoxicillin, amoxicillin-sulbactam, cephalexin, cefaclor, norfloxacin, and co-trimoxazole . At a concentration of less than or equal to 8 mg/L, tigemonam inhibited 88% of the members of the Enterobacteriaceae family . Its activity was poor against the nonfermenter pathogens . In comparison with the other drugs, tigemonam generally exhibited superior antibacterial activity (with the exception of norfloxacin, which showed similar potency against the strains tested) . Minimum bactericidal concentrations and time-kill determinations indicated that tigemonam showed remarkable bactericidal activity, with a 9% reduction in colony-forming units after 2 h at a dose corresponding to fourfold its minimum inhibitory concentration . When tigemonam was used in combination with netilmicin and amikacin against susceptible representative isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae, Serratia marcescens and Escherichia coli, a synergistic effect was obtained. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 1989 May-Jun, 12(3 Suppl), 7S - 11S Comparative in vitro activity of lomefloxacin (SC 47111 or NY-198) against fresh clinical bacterial isolates; Wright DN et al.; The in vitro antibacterial activity of a new difluorinated quinolone (lomefloxacin) was compared with that of ten selected antibiotics against 744 fresh bacterial isolates representing 32 species . Lomefloxacin was comparable to other quinolones tested against Enterobacteriaceae (MIC90, less than or equal to 0.25 micrograms/ml) and generally more effective than other compounds tested against Staphylococcus spp . and Pseudomonas aeruginosa with MIC90s of less than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to 4 micrograms/ml, respectively. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 1989 May-Jun, 12(3 Suppl), 53S - 56S In vitro antimicrobial activity and postantibiotic effect of lomefloxacin, a new difluoroquinolone; Molinari G et al.; The in vitro activity of lomefloxacin, a new difluorinated quinolone, was compared with that of ofloxacin and norfloxacin against 154 Gram-negative and 200 Gram-positive aerobes freshly isolated from clinical specimens . MIC and MBC values were in the range of those reported in the literature showing lomefloxacin as potent as the other quinolones tested . Time-kill studies indicated that this drug was rapidly bactericidal against Gram-negative and staphylococcal isolates . After 6 hr survivors were reduced to 0.1% with both Enterobacteriaceae and Staphylococcus strains, and to 0.01% with Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates . A postantibiotic effect of about 2 hr was observed with Gram-negative bacteria and staphylococci exposed for 1 hr to a concentration of lomefloxacin corresponding to 4 x MIC . The results obtained indicate that lomefloxacin compares favorably with the other drugs tested. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 1989 May-Jun, 12(3 Suppl), 41S - 43S Antimicrobial activity of lomefloxacin (NY-198, SC 47111) against bacterial strains from Venezuela; Torres JR; Lomefloxacin (SC 47111, NY-198) is a recently developed difluorinated quinolone that has been reported to be active against a broad range of both gram-positive and gram-negative pathogens in a number of laboratories around the world . Our laboratory tested the in vitro activity of 451 recent bacterial isolates compared to that of cephradine and gentamicin to define the in vitro spectrum of activity of this compound versus bacterial isolates from Venezuela . Lomefloxacin showed excellent in vitro activity versus Enterobacteriaceae with all isolates inhibited at a concentration of less than or equal to 2 mcg/ml . Lomefloxacin also had significant activity versus the aerobic gram-negative rods tested; the MIC90 for Pseudomonas aeruginosa being 4 mcg/ml . The activity of lomefloxacin versus gram-positive isolates was comparable to that of the gram-negative organisms . The MIC90 for S . aureus, S . epidermidis, and Group D Streptococcus were 1, 0.5 and 4 mcg/ml, respectively . The results of this study confirm the broad spectrum in vitro activity of lomefloxacin seen in earlier studies . Lomefloxacin appears to be active versus a wide variety of both gram-negative and gram-positive isolates including those resistant to cephradine and gentamicin . The excellent in vitro activity of lomefloxacin seen in this study shows that this compound could be a useful addition to currently available antimicrobial agents. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 1989 May-Jun, 12(3 Suppl), 21S - 28S In vitro activity of lomefloxacin (SC 47111 or NY-198), a new quinolone antimicrobial, against clinical isolates of common pathogens; Sonstein SA et al.; The lomefloxacin antibacterial activity was assessed against 442 clinical isolates of common bacterial pathogens and compared to the previously studied activity of ciprofloxacin, imipenem, norfloxacin, and other commonly used antibacterials . Lomefloxacin showed activity against the species of Enterobacteriaceae tested at a concentration equal to or below that of the most commonly used agents . Activity was lower against Pseudomonas species as well as most Gram-positive isolates tested with the exception of Staphylococcus aureus . Streptococcal strains were least susceptible . The results of this study support previous reports of excellent antimicrobial activity for lomefloxacin, especially against Gram-negative organisms. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 1989 May-Jun, 12(3 Suppl), 17S - 20S In vitro activity of lomefloxacin as compared with ciprofloxacin; Inderlied CB et al.; Lomefloxacin (SC47111, Searle) is a difluorinated quinolone with a comparatively long half-life and high serum concentration . This agent has good in vitro activity against Enterobacteriaceae (MIC90 = less than 2 micrograms/ml) and staphylococci (MIC90 = less than 2 micrograms/ml); the activity against Pseudomonas spp . and Pseudomonas aeruginosa is moderate to poor . On a weight basis, lomefloxacin is less active than ciprofloxacin; however, based on the ratio of the serum concentration to MIC, the activity of lomefloxacin is nearly equivalent to ciprofloxacin against many bacteria, with the exception that ciprofloxacin has good activity against most pseudomonads . Also, lomefloxacin was active against a variety of bacteria that were resistant to aminoglycosides and/or third-generation cephalosporins . A majority of strains of the Mycobacterium avium complex, isolated from AIDS patients with disseminated disease, were found to be resistant to lomefloxacin (MIC90 = greater than 8 micrograms/ml). Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1989 May, (5), 29 - 35 {The role of nonsporulating anaerobic bacteria in the etiology of postabortion and postpartal endometritis}; Sokolova IE et al.; As the result of the study carried out by the authors, a conclusion has been made on the leading role of polymicrobial aerobic-anaerobic complexes, capable of producing a synergic effect, in the etiology of endometritis, anaerobic microorganisms prevailing in their importance . In the etiology of endometritis the most important organisms are bacteroids and peptostreptococci among anaerobes, enterobacteria and group D streptococci among aerobes . Anaerobic bacteria causing endometritis are most sensitive to dalacin and lincomycin, least sensitive to benzylpenicillin, resistant to aminoglycosides . The amounts of aerobic and anaerobic microflora contaminating the uterine cavity correlate with the severity of endometritis. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1989 May, 23(5), 729 - 36 Comparative chemotherapeutic activity of new fluorinated 4-quinolones and standard agents against a variety of bacteria in a mouse infection model; Sesnie JC et al.; The new fluorinated 4-quinolones appear to represent orally effective alternatives to parenteral and oral agents currently in use . A number of new fluorinated 4-quinolones were compared in acute systemic mouse-infection models with various Gram-positive cocci (streptococci and staphylococci), Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Also included were standard oral and parenteral antimicrobial agents . CI-934 was the most potent quinolone in infections induced by Streptococcus pyogenes and Str . pneumoniae . CI-934, ciprofloxacin, enoxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin and pefloxacin were as effective as or superior to standard oral agents currently utilized in infections induced by the Enterobacteriaceae and staphylococci . They were active against antibiotic-susceptible strains and strains resistant to beta-lactams and gentamicin . Most were also quite potent against systemic P . aeruginosa mouse infections . These studies indicate good chemotherapeutic potential for the new generation fluorinated 4-quinolones in infections induced by the staphylococci, streptococci, Enterobacteriaceae and P . aeruginosa, including strains resistant to standard antimicrobial agents. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1989 May, 33(5), 762 - 6 In vitro activities of amifloxacin and two of its metabolites; Venezia RA et al.; Amifloxacin and two of its metabolites, N-desmethyl amifloxacin and amifloxacin N-oxide, were evaluated by a microdilution MIC susceptibility test against 500 clinical isolates and compared with ciprofloxacin, lomefloxacin, norfloxacin, aztreonam, and imipenem . Of the Staphylococcus species isolates, 208 were methicillin resistant; the MICs for 78 of the isolates of the family Enterobacteriaceae were greater than or equal to 64 micrograms of cefazolin, ampicillin, piperacillin, and mezlocillin per ml . Based on our results, amifloxacin had activity equivalent to those of norfloxacin and lomefloxacin but was less active than ciprofloxacin . The N-oxide metabolite was the least active; however, for the majority of gram-negative bacteria, N-desmethyl amifloxacin was as active as amifloxacin. Jpn J Antibiot, 1989 May, 42(5), 1077 - 86 {Pharmacokinetic, bacteriological and clinical studies on imipenem/cilastatin sodium in neonates}; Hashira S et al.; Pharmacokinetic, bacteriological and clinical studies on imipenem/cilastatin sodium (IPM/CS) were performed in neonates . The results were as follow: 1 . A total of 27 patients consisting of 17 mature and 10 immature infants were treated with IPM/CS . Each dose was 20 mg/20 mg/kg, and it was administered 2 approximately 3 times daily, in a 1-hour intravenous drip infusion for 3 approximately 12 days . The clinical efficacy of IPM/CS in 10 patients with bacterial infections (2 with sepsis, 3 with suspected sepsis, 2 with pneumonia, 2 with urinary tract infection and 1 with acute omphalitis) was evaluated as excellent in all patients, with an efficacy rate of 100% . All 5 causative organisms found in 5 patients (Staphylococcus aureus in 1, Staphylococcus epidermidis in 1, Escherichia coli in 2 and Flavobacterium meningosepticum in 1) were eradicated . Among 27 patients administered IPM/CS, adverse reactions were observed in 2 patients . These were rash and diarrhea . As for abnormal laboratory test values, elevations of GOT and GPT were observed . 2 . MICs of IPM against 14 clinical isolates (S . epidermidis 1, S . aureus 6, Streptococcus agalactiae 4, E . coli 1, Enterobacter cloacae 1 and F . meningosepticum 1) from neonatal patients with bacterial infections were examined . IPM showed good antibacterial activity comparable to that of cefotaxime against S . agalactiae; however, the activity against methicillin-resistant S . aureus was poor . 3 . Serum levels of IPM and CS were investigated in a total of 22 patients consisting of 15 mature and 7 immature infants after 20 mg/20 mg/kg of IPM/CS was administered . IPM and CS produced peak serum levels at the end of the drip infusion . In mature infants, peak serum levels of IPM and CS were 31.8 micrograms/ml (17.1 approximately 59.0 micrograms/ml) and 59.9 micrograms/ml (35.6 approximately 99.0 micrograms/ml), respectively . In low birth weight infants, these were 25.0 micrograms/ml (16.8 approximately 41.8 micrograms/ml) and 55.2 micrograms/ml (33.8 approximately 82.4 micrograms/ml), respectively . Half-lives of IPM and CS were 1.0 approximately 2.7 hrs . and 0.9 approximately 7.4 hrs . in mature infants, and 1.6 approximately 3.0 hrs . and 1.3 approximately 9.7 hrs . in immature infants, respectively . Generally the longer half-lives were observed in the younger neonates . Serum levels of CS remained higher and half-lives of CS were longer than those of IPM . The pharmacokinetics in neonates were different from those in adults or children.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS) Infection, 1989 May-Jun, 17(3), 156 - 9 Septicaemia caused by an Enterobacter cloacae strain varying in resistance against cephalosporins; Andersen BM et al.; Enterobacter cloacae, sensitive to third-generation cephalosporins (cefotaxime and ceftazidime), was isolated from the stoma of a patient with leukaemia . One month later, he developed a fatal septicaemia, caused by an identical strain isolated from blood cultures . He had been treated with several antibacterial agents, including cefotaxime . The blood culture strain seemed to be a mixture of four variants with different resistance patterns to cefotaxime and ceftazidime . One variant was extremely sensitive to third-generation cephalosporins, one was completely resistant, and two showed variations in zone diameter within sensitivity group 2, both for cefotaxime and ceftazidime . Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) studies also showed different resistance patterns between the four variants . Similar variants were found when the stoma isolate was further investigated. FEMS Microbiol Lett, 1989 May, 50(1-2), 215 - 9 Detection of enterobacterial common antigen on bacterial cell surfaces by colony-immunoblotting: effect of its linkage to lipopolysaccharide; Meier-Dieter U et al.; A colony-immunoblotting procedure is described which allows a quick screening of high numbers of bacteria for their Enterobacterial Common Antigen phenotype . In this assay the intensity of reaction is dependent on the carrier to which ECA is linked and which anchors ECA in the outer membrane . Bacteria containing LPS-linked ECA react stronger in this and in other immunoassays than bacteria containing only the phospholipid-linked ECA. J Intern Med, 1989 May, 225(5), 293 - 6 Viral and bacterial infections in patients with acute myocardial infarction; Mattila KJ; The association of both viral and bacterial infections with acute myocardial infarction was investigated in a case-control study involving 40 consecutive patients with an acute myocardial infarction, 41 random controls and 30 patients with chronic coronary heart disease . All individuals were males aged 50 years or less . A rise in enterobacterial common antigen antibodies (15/40) and a recent influenza-like illness (11/40) were significantly more common among patients with acute myocardial infarction compared with the other groups . No differences were observed between the groups in the occurrence of antibodies against eight other bacterial antigens or 16 viruses. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 1989 May-Jun, 12(3 Suppl), 45S - 50S A ten-laboratory study of lomefloxacin (NY-198 or SC 47111) antimicrobial activity in Argentina; Bianchini HN et al.; The antimicrobial activity of a new fluoro-quinolone, lomefloxacin (NY-198, SC47111), was evaluated by standardized susceptibility testing methods at ten laboratories in Argentina . Lomefloxacin was found to be the most active drug against 1,316 recent clinical isolates compared directly to norfloxacin, co-trimoxazole, and gentamicin . Only 1.4% of Enterobacteriaceae were lomefloxacin-resistant (MIC greater than 4 micrograms/ml), and the lomefloxacin MIC90 for all staphylococci was 2 micrograms/ml, including methicillin-resistant isolates . Streptococci, enterococci, and some Pseudomonads (9% resistance) were less susceptible to lomefloxacin . Lomefloxacin was the most active against Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains compared to penicillin, cefuroxime, and spectinomycin . Among the tested Mycobacteria, only the nontuberculosis, slow growers had lomefloxacin MICs of greater than 4 micrograms/ml. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1989 May, (5), 26 - 9 {Statistical probability approach to differentiating enterobacterial genera}; Nechmirev AB; The possibility of formalizing the recognition of the genera of enterobacteria by means of a heterogeneous sequential procedure with the use of diagnostic tables and simple arithmetic operations has been shown. Pathol Biol (Paris), 1989 May, 37(5), 402 - 5 {Frequency of germ isolation from urinary infections in community practice; their sensitivity to 7 antibiotics including a combination of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid . Evaluation on 1611 samples}; De Mouy D et al.; A multicenter study including 10 outpatient private laboratories (hospital laboratories excluded) was carried out in France . 1,611 urines samples from patients with UTI were collected during the forth trimester of 1987 . The most frequently recovered pathogens were: E . coli (71%), Proteus mirabilis (9%), Staphylococcus coagulase (6%), Klebsiella (6%), Enterobacter (2%) . Other sorts (Streptococcus D, Proteus sp, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter sp) were infrequent (less than 1%) . The sensitivity of the aerobic Gram-negative bacteria to ampicillin, clavulanic acid-amoxicillin, cephalothin, gentamicin, pipemidic acid, norfloxacin and co-trimoxazole was tested. Rev Infect Dis, 1989 May-Jun, 11(3), 361 - 8 Inoculum effect; Brook I; The inoculum effect (IE) is a laboratory phenomenon that is described as a significant increase in the minimal inhibitory concentration of an antibiotic when the number of organisms inoculated is increased . The IE generally occurs with beta-lactam antibiotics in relation to beta-lactamase-producing bacteria . An IE occurs with the first- and second-generation cephalosporins against Staphylococcus aureus and less often with the quinolones, beta-lactam-resistant penicillins, cefoxitin, and aminoglycosides . An IE occurs with the penicillins against the Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas species, and a variable IE occurs with cephalosporins; however, no IE occurs with aminoglycosides, quinolones, imipenem, and chloramphenicol against these organisms . An IE occurs with beta-lactam antibiotics against Haemophilus influenzae and with the penicillins and the cephalosporins against penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Branhamella catarrhalis . An IE occurs with the penicillins and cephalosporins against the Bacteroides fragilis group; no IE occurs with cefoxitin and imipenem . Although certain antibiotics exhibit an IE, they are still capable of eradicating infections when administered appropriately . Thus, the clinical significance of this laboratory phenomenon has yet to be elucidated. J Clin Microbiol, 1989 May, 27(5), 1027 - 30 Comparative evaluation of the Roche Cobas IDA and Enterotube II systems for identifying members of the family Enterobacteriaceae; Holmes B; Two Hoffmann-La Roche products were evaluated in parallel for their ability to identify 321 strains of the family Enterobacteriaceae . The first product was the well-established Enterotube II, which correctly identified 90% of the isolates after 24 h of incubation . The second was the ID-E rotor, originally designed for use in the Cobas Bact but here used in the new Cobas IDA system . The Cobas IDA, used with the full data base held in a microcomputer supplied with the product, identified 87% of strains after 4 h of incubation. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1989 May, 42(5), 815 - 22 L-658,310, a new injectable cephalosporin . III . Experimental chemotherapeutics and pharmacokinetics in laboratory animals; Gilfillan EC et al.; The therapeutic activity of L-658,310 was demonstrated in experimental bacteremias in normal, diabetic and neutropenic mice . Especially potent activity was shown against the usually difficult to control pathogens, Enterobacter cloacae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, that were resistant to ceftazidime and/or gentamicin . Pharmacokinetic studies in mice showed a linear dose response in serum after the 20 and 50 mg/kg subcutaneous dose and urinary recoveries of administered dose of about 60% in 6 hours . Excretion was mainly by glomerular filtration . In a crossover design in rhesus monkeys, the pharmacokinetics of L-658,310 were similar to those of ceftazidime and suggest a moderately long half-life in serum of humans. Wiad Lek, 1989 May 1, 42(9), 579 - 83 {Patterns of resistance of Staph aureus and gram-negative bacteria to aminoglycosides and cephalosporins}; Ruczkowska J et al.; The sensitivity to 4 aminoglycoside antibiotics (gentamicin, tobramycin, netilmycin and amicacin) and 5 cephalosporins (cefradine, cefamandol, cefotaxime, cefoperazone and ceftriaxone) was determined in 700 bacterial strains isolated from clinical materials in the years 1986-1987 . The most frequent coexistent resistance was observed to gentamicin and tobramycin in S . aureus (30%), Klebsiella (30%), Proteus mirabilis (28%) and Enterobacter (23%) . Resistance to 5 cephalosporins was found in Enterobacter (28%), Proteus spp (18%), Klebsiella (10%) . Resistance to cefradine only was found in 13% of E . coli and 27% of Proteus mirabilis strains, and resistance to cefradine and cefamandol in 30% of Proteus ssp strains S . aureus strains were resistant to cefradine, cefotaxime, cefoperazone and ceftriaxone in 28% of cases . Multiple resistance was found in the strains of Enterobacter, Proteus, Pseudomonas and S . aureus which were isolated mainly in intense therapy, surgery and haematology departments . Among aminoglycosides netilmycin and amicacin were most active, among cefalosporins ceftriaxone was most effective against Gram-negative bacteria, and cefamandol against S . aureus. Kosm Biol Aviakosm Med, 1989 May-Jun, 23(3), 62 - 5 {Sensitivity of opportunistic-pathogenic microflora isolated from humans to antibiotics before and after a stay in a hermetically closed chamber}; Polikarpov NA et al.; Antibiotic sensitivity of opportunistic microflora of men before and after exposure to an enclosed environment for as long as 2-8 to 96-175 days was investigated . It was found that after exposure the spectrum of opportunistic enterobacteria resistant to antibacterial drugs was enlarged . The results of serotyping of the isolated bacteria showed that one of the pathways that led to an increase in the number of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms was individual variations in the intestinal automicroflora which were characterized by a decrease in the amount of some species of enterobacteria and an increase in the amount of other species. Mol Microbiol, 1989 May, 3(5), 573 - 81 Expanded linkage map of Erwinia chrysanthemi strain 3937; Hugouvieux-Cotte-Pattat N et al.; In this paper we describe the chromosomal location of various loci in Erwinia chrysanthemi strain 3937 . Auxotrophic markers were obtained by chemical mutagenesis, antibiotic resistances were isolated spontaneously and mutations in sugar utilization were obtained by means of Mu insertions . These markers were located on the genetic linkage map of strain 3937 by using a conjugative system mediated by RP4::mini-Mu plasmids which permitted transfer of genetic material from any point of origin . The location of these markers was compared to that of previously located mutations . Many genes involved in pectinolysis were also located on the E . chrysanthemi 3937 map . These results permitted us to present a new genetic map containing 61 markers distributed over 34 widely scattered loci on the chromosome . Some pairs of markers giving high cotransfer frequencies were tested for cotransduction mediated by the generalized transducing phage phi-EC2; nine cotransducing pairs were found . It appears that the chromosomal locations of many of these loci are quite different to those of the well-known enterobacterium Escherichia coli but seem similar to those described for other E . chrysanthemi strains. J Chemother, 1989 May, 1 Suppl 2, 5 - 12 The in vitro activity of tigemonam: a comparison with other antimicrobial agents; Andrews JM et al.; The activity of tigemonam was compared with that of aztreonam, cefuroxime, cephalexin, amoxicillin/clavulanate potassium, gentamicin, and ofloxacin, using an agar dilution method . Tigemonam was active against strains containing known beta-lactamases of Tem and Oxa types, but strains containing broad-spectrum (group IV) enzymes were less susceptible . The MIC90 of tigemonam against the common Enterobacteriaceae was less than or equal to 0.25 mg/L . The MIC90S against Haemophilus influenzae and Neisseria gonorrhoeae were 0.5 and 0.06 mg/L, respectively . Pseudomonas, staphylococci, and Bacteroides sp . were less susceptible (MIC90 greater than 128 mg/L) . Protein binding in human serum was found to be 62.5%; the presence of serum had only a modest effect on the activity of tigemonam. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 1989 May-Jun, 12(3 Suppl), 57S - 64S Evaluation of in vitro antimicrobial activity of lomefloxacin against staphylococci, enterococci, Enterobacteriaceae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Rossolini GM et al.; In vitro antimicrobial activity of lomefloxacin and other antibiotics (norfloxacin, beta-lactams, cotrimoxazole, netilmicin, and miokamycin) was evaluated against 317 clinical isolates including Staphylococcus aureus, enterococci, Enterobacteriaceae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Lomefloxacin showed a high in vitro activity against a wide variety of bacterial species . Against Enterobacteriaceae, lomefloxacin displayed the highest activity (MIC90S, less than or equal to 1 microgram/ml), and it was usually more active than ampicillin and netilmicin, and often more active than cotrimoxazole . Lomefloxacin showed a good antimicrobial activity also against both methicillin-susceptible and methicillin-resistant S . aureus, as it was able to inhibit 90% of staphylococcal strains at a concentration less than or equal to 2 micrograms/ml . Against enterococci and P . aeruginosa, lomefloxacin was usually less active (MIC90S, 8 micrograms/ml) . As compared to norfloxacin, lomefloxacin displayed an overall similar activity against staphylococci and enterococci, but appeared less active against Gram-negative bacteria . Bactericidal activity of lomefloxacin against E . coli, when assayed by a novel method, proved to be high, and results indicate that an oral dose of 200 mg of lomefloxacin should exert a very high bactericidal activity against E . coli in urinary tract infections, even in those sustained by large bacterial populations. Pathol Biol (Paris), 1989 May, 37(5), 364 - 9 {In vitro antibacterial activity of a new fluoroquinolone, fleroxacin as a function of the sensitivity or resistance to nalidixic acid and to pefloxacin}; Soussy CJ et al.; Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of fleroxacin (FLE) were evaluated by agar dilution for 375 bacterial strains . For Enterobacteriaceae, MIC of FLE were (microgram/ml): nalidixic acid (NAL), susceptible (S), pefloxacin (PEF), susceptible (S) strains: 0.032 to 0.5; NAL, resistant (R), PEF S: 0.25 to 1; NAL R, PEF R: 1 to 32; NAL R, PEF R strains were particularly observed among Serratia marcescens and Providencia stuartii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa was less susceptible to FLE (MIC 1 to 4), as to PEF; two PEF R strains were inhibited by 32 micrograms/ml of FLE . FLE was active on A . baumannii PEF S strains (0.5), but this activity was reduced on PEF R strains (2 to 64) . H . influenzae and N . meningitidis (0.03 to 0.06), N . gonorrhoeae (0.016 to 0.03) and L . pneumophila (0.03 to 0.25) were very susceptible to FLE . MIC of FLE on S . aureus were 0.25 to 1 for PEF S strains and greater than or equal to 16 for PEF R strains, also resistant to methicillin . Enterococci, Streptococci and Pneumococci were less susceptible to FLE (2 to 8) . C . perfringens (0.5 to 1) appeared susceptible to FLE whereas B . fragilis was inhibited by higher concentrations (4 to 8) . So, antibacterial properties of FLE are very similar to that of PEF; PEF R strains appear generally resistant to FLE. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr, 1989 May-Jun, 13(3), 228 - 34 Contaminated enteral nutrition solutions as a cause of nosocomial bloodstream infection: a study using plasmid fingerprinting; Levy J et al.; In July 1984, two patients fed enteral nutrition solutions contaminated with Enterobacter cloacae developed nosocomial bacteremia . Despite careful review of the preparation procedures as well as repeated microbiological surveys, 83 (27%) of the 309 formula bottles tested over a 1-yr period were contaminated and the source of contamination remained unknown . E . cloacae was the most frequent organism isolated (34%) . The plasmid profiles of E . cloacae recovered from enteral nutrition solutions remained identical for several months . Blood culture isolates from 10 of the 40 patients who had developed E . cloacae nosocomial sepsis over a 7-yr period (1979-1985) had plasmid profiles linking them to contaminated enteral nutrition solutions . Epidemiological data from a case control study revealed that these 10 patients were indeed more likely to be exposed to enteral nutrition than the 30 others: 9/10 vs 10/30 (odds ratio 18, p = 0.002) . Similarly, two of seven nosocomial Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteremias over a 6-month period in 1986 could be ascribed to administration of contaminated enteral liquid feeds prompting a general policy for using sterile commercially prepared solutions . Our results suggest that contaminated enteral nutrition solutions represent a significant cause of nosocomial sepsis. J Clin Microbiol, 1989 May, 27(5), 1108 - 11 Repeat antimicrobial susceptibility testing of identical isolates; Thomson RB Jr et al.; Duplicate antimicrobial susceptibility test results were reviewed over a 1-year period to determine whether repeat testing of sequential isolates with the same identification from the same patient and specimen site was necessary . In our institution, repeat testing is always needed for coagulase-negative staphylococci and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and is needed after 3 days for members of the family Enterobacteriaceae, but it is not routinely necessary for Staphylococcus aureus. Antibiot Khimioter, 1989 May, 34(5), 365 - 70 {Plasmids and genetic determinants of antibiotic resistance of gram-negative bacteria}; Erova TE et al.; Distribution of plasmids and genetic determinants of antibiotic resistance was studied in 129 strains of Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, Serratia and Enterobacter isolated from oncological patients . It was shown that 56 isolates contained the plasmids, 9 conjugative plasmids being plasmids with broad bacterial host spectrum . A significant part of the strains contained genes controlling production of APH (3"), type II APH (3'), type I and II DHPS and type type II DHFR . Genetic determinants of tetracycline resistance of classes D and E were detected for the first time in the strains of Klebsiella, Serratia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J Clin Pathol, 1989 May, 42(5), 516 - 22 Histamine synthesis by respiratory tract micro-organisms: possible role in pathogenicity; Devalia JL et al.; Five bacterial species considered to be potential pathogens in acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis, cystic fibrosis, and pneumonia--Branhamella catarrhalis, Haemophilus parainfluenzae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae--were evaluated for their potential to synthesise histamine in vitro . Bacterial species commonly isolated from infected sputum but generally not considered to be pathogenic--Enterobacteriacae, Neisseria pharyngis, coagulase negative staphylococci, alpha-haemolytic streptococci, and Candida albicans--were similarly studied . Of the "pathogens", the Gram negative species B catarrhalis, H parainfluenzae and Ps aeruginosa synthesised clinically important amounts of histamine; this was not the case for the Gram positive species S aureus and S pneumoniae . Of the "non-pathogenic" species, only the Enterobacteriacae, as a group, were found to synthesise clinically important amounts of histamine . These results show that some Gram negative bacteria, associated with acute exacerbations in respiratory infections, produce histamine and possibly other inflammatory mediators, which may contribute to their pathogenecity in the lower respiratory tract in vivo. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1989 May, 42(5), 795 - 806 L-658,310, a new injectable cephalosporin . I . In vitro antibacterial properties; Weissberger BA et al.; The in vitro antibacterial spectrum of L-658,310, a new semisynthetic cephalosporin, was compared with ceftazidime, aztreonam and piperacillin against a wide variety of randomly selected human clinical isolates . The compound was found to be a broad spectrum bactericidal agent that was more potent than any of the comparison drugs against glucose nonfermenting bacteria . It has especially potent activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa including multiply-resistant strains . The superior activity of L-658,310 against this group of organisms is attributed to the presence of the dihydroxy substituents on the 2-methylisoindoline moiety of the compound . L-658,310 is not cross-resistant with either imipenem, ceftazidime or piperacillin (representatives of three different classes of beta-lactam compounds) against P . aeruginosa . The lack of cross-resistance with ceftazidime extends to other glucose nonfermenters and several strains of Enterobacteriaceae as well . The compound is active against bacteria known to possess either R-plasmid- or chromosomally-mediated beta-lactamases. J Bacteriol, 1989 May, 171(5), 2361 - 71 Evolution of chemotactic-signal transducers in enteric bacteria; Dahl MK et al.; The methyl-accepting chemotactic-signal transducers of the enteric bacteria are transmembrane proteins that consist of a periplasmic receptor domain and a cytoplasmic signaling domain . To study their evolution, transducer genes from Enterobacter aerogenes and Klebsiella pneumoniae were compared with transducer genes from Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium . There are at least two functional transducer genes in the nonmotile species K . pneumoniae, one of which complements the defect in serine taxis of an E . coli tsr mutant . The tse (taxis to serine) gene of E . aerogenes also complements an E . coli tsr mutant; the tas (taxis to aspartate) gene of E . aerogenes complements the defect in aspartate taxis, but not the defect in maltose taxis, of an E . coli tar mutant . The sequence was determined for 5 kilobases of E . aerogenes DNA containing a 3' fragment of the cheA gene, cheW, tse, tas, and a 5' fragment of the cheR gene . The tse and tas genes are in one operon, unlike tsr and tar . The cytoplasmic domains of Tse and Tas are very similar to those of E . coli and S . typhimurium transducers . The periplasmic domain of Tse is homologous to that of Tsr, but Tas and Tar are much less similar in this region . However, several short sequences are conserved in the periplasmic domains of Tsr, Tar, Tse, and Tas but not of Tap and Trg, transducers that do not bind amino acids . These conserved regions include residues implicated in amino-acid binding. Rev Cubana Med Trop, 1989 May-Aug, 41(2), 284 - 9 {Bacterial agents most frequently isolated from hospitalized newborns}; Suarez Escandon A et al.; 475 samples taken from newborn infants hospitalized at "William Soler" Pediatric Teaching Hospital between January-June 1987 are studied, with the view to determine both localized and generalized sepsis . The total of positive samples was 41.3% . Enterobacteria were the organisms most frequently isolated . The coagulase-negative staphylococcus was the most frequently found in systemic sepsis (25.9%) . It was demonstrated that the antibiotics with most effectiveness against enterobacteria were amikacin (97.5%) and Gentamicin (98.2%). Ann Ig, 1989 May-Aug, 1(3-4), 637 - 46 {Hygiene and health importance of histamine as an unhealthy factor in several food products}; Molinari G et al.; Epidemiologic reports on food-borne diseases from different countries show not infrequently outbreaks due to histamine toxicity . The Authors were interested in assessing the relative importance of this nosological entity in Italy and made a global review of old and recent literature on the subject referring also their earliest data on a recently performed laboratory work . Several foods can show histamine contents potentially toxic for man; amongst the most frequently incriminated products fish, especially the scombroid species (tuna, mackerel), plays a pre-eminent role in the etiology of the so called scombrotoxic fish poisoning . This syndrome begins from a few minutes to two hours from incriminated meals and presents itself with the characteristic signs and symptoms of histamine activity on various organs and is very rarely, if ever, life threatening . Histamine formation in food is due to the decarboxylase activity of some microorganisms, mainly enterobacteria; they can be part of its normal flora or represent a secondary contamination and find a favourable environment for outgrowth if food is not stored or processed in proper conditions . An international outlook on the epidemiology of this syndrome is then given, including some considerations on the real dimension of the problem in Italy, at present widely underestimated . Though a pioneer work was accomplished by Pergola, who started his researches in 1910 after receiving several reports of food poisoning related to consumption of tuna and finally established the causative role of histamine, we are lacking at present an up to date picture of this problem in our country, notwithstanding a few sporadic notifications . Two of the most relevant ones concern a survey in Rome on a collection of 110 cases observed in the seventies and an outbreak occurred in Palermo in 1979 affecting nearly 250 people . The relationship between the intake of histamine and the clinical effects on man of a given dose are then evaluated together with histamine catabolic pathways in the gut, where possible interference by enhancing substances may occur . Finally a brief review of the analytical methods currently employed gives the Authors the possibility to refer about their first data of a survey on the hygienic quality of scombroid species commercialized in their metropolitan area. Nucleic Acids Res, 1989 Apr 11, 17(7), 2529 - 40 Occurrence and functional compatibility within Enterobacteriaceae of a tRNA species which inserts selenocysteine into protein; Heider J et al.; The selC gene from E . coli codes for a tRNA species (tRNA(UCASer} which is aminoacylated with L-serine and which cotranslationally inserts selenocysteine into selenoproteins . By means of Southern hybridization it was demonstrated that this gene occurs in all enterobacteria tested . To assess whether the unique primary and secondary structural features of the E . coli selC gene product are conserved in that of other organisms, the selC homologue from Proteus vulgaris was cloned and sequenced . It was found that the Proteus selC gene differs from the E . coli counterpart in only six nucleotides, that it displays the same unique properties and that it is expressed and functions in E . coli . This indicates that the unique mechanism of selenocysteine incorporation is not restricted to E . coli but has been conserved as a uniform biochemical process. Agressologie, 1989 Apr, 30(4), 193 - 5 {Epidemiology of the resistance to antibiotics at the Hospital Center of Aulnay-sous-Bois}; Le Pennec MP et al.; Over the 14 month period (1/6/87-1/8/88) the majority of the bacteremia observed in the intensive unit (C.H . d'Aulnay) was due to Gram-positive bacteria (16/23 cases) . The incidence of resistant to methicillin Staphylococcus aureus (SAMR) in blood culture was 10% in 1986 and 14% in 1987 . Resistance of S . pneumoniae to penicillin was not detected; 30% of the 72 strains were resistant to erythromycin and 26% to tetracycline . Among Enterobacteriaceae, third generation cephalosporin is uncommon (2.8%) as gentamicin resistance (4.5%) . Among the anaerobes, 57% of non Bacteroides fragilis group are resistant to penicillin . Nitroimidazole resistance was not detected. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1989 Apr, 23(4), 537 - 45 Enhanced in-vitro bactericidal activity of amikacin combined with latamoxef, cefotaxime and aztreonam against multi-resistant Enterobacter cloacae; Giamarellou H et al.; The in-vitro interactions of amikacin with latamoxef, cefotaxime and aztreonam were studied for 20 multiresistant strains of Enterobacter cloacae isolated from clinical specimens of nosocomial origin . All the strains were resistant to amikacin, cefotaxime and aztreonam while 14 were resistant and six sensitive to latamoxef . Interactions were studied simultaneously by the killing curve technique after exposure to 16 mg/l of each antibiotic, whenever the MIC was above 16 mg/l and 1/4 the MICs whenever the MIC was less than or equal to 16 mg/l . Enhanced killing was defined as a greater than or equal to 2 log increase in bactericidal effect after three or five and a half or 24 h incubation with both drugs, as compared to the single most effective antibiotic alone . Aztreonam enhanced the rate of killing by amikacin for 13 strains, latamoxef for 12 strains and cefotaxime for 11 strains . For seven strains, all interactions exhibited enhanced killing over time . No antagonism was observed . The interaction results were independent of the MICs as well as of the underlying resistance mechanism to either of the combined antibiotics . The significance of these in-vitro results requires confirmation in vivo. J Chemother, 1989 Apr, 1(2), 84 - 90 In vitro activity of lomefloxacin (SC-47111) against enterobacteriaceae, enterococci and staphylococci; Cornaglia G et al.; The activity of lomefloxacin, a new difluorinated quinolone, was tested against 190 Enterobacteriaceae strains (belonging to 23 different species), 70 enterococci and 70 staphylococci . As regards Enterobacteriaceae, the activity of lomefloxacin was the same as that of norfloxacin in 9 out of the 23 species tested, and only slightly lower in further 8 species . Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) values for 90% of strains were 0.5 microgram/ml in 2 species, 0.25 microgram/ml in 6, 0.125 microgram/ml in 4, and lower than 0.125 microgram/ml in 8 . Slightly higher values were obtained for Serratia marcescens (2 micrograms/ml), whilst, as already reported for the other new quinolones, the susceptibility of the Providencia genus was very poor, with MIC values up to 128 micrograms/ml for the vast majority of strains . Lomefloxacin proved bactericidal at the MIC in all the Enterobacteriaceae strains tested but 20 . In the latter strains, however, bactericidal activity could be appreciated at values slightly exceeding MIC . As regards enterococci, the MIC for 90% of strains was 32 micrograms/ml . Minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) was the same as the MIC for 78% of the strains tested and was only twofold higher in all the others . The new drug was also active against staphylococci having an MIC50 and MIC90 of 0.5 and 2 micrograms/ml, respectively . It was bactericidal at the MIC for 62% of the strains and at twofold the MIC for all the others. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1989 Apr, 33(4), 489 - 97 In vitro and in vivo evaluations of a new broad-spectrum oral cephalosporin, BMY-28232, and its prodrug esters; Tomatsu K et al.; The in vitro activity of a new cephalosporin, BMY-28232 (7-{(Z)-2-(2-aminothiazol-4-yl)-2-hydroxyiminoacetamido}-3-{ (Z)-1- propenyl}-3-cephem-4-carboxylic acid), was compared with those of cefuroxime and BMY-28488, the 3-vinyl congener of BMY-28232, against 899 bacteria including strains resistant to newer cephalosporins . BMY-28232 displayed potent, broad-spectrum antibacterial activity with high stability to various types of beta-lactamase . Its acetoxyethyl ester (BMY-28271) and pivaloyloxymethyl ester (BMY-28257) were well absorbed after oral administration to mice and rats . Both esters were metabolized to BMY-28232 and mainly excreted in urine . Oral bioavailability of both prodrug esters (60 to 70%) was better than that of cefuroxime axetil (46%) and gave excellent therapeutic efficacy against gram-positive- and gram-negative-bacterial infections in mice . Oral 50% protective doses (in milligrams per kilogram of body weight) of 0.65 and 0.72 for Staphylococcus aureus Smith, 0.9 and 1.2 for Escherichia coli Juhl, 1.6 and 1.6 for Proteus vulgaris, and 18.9 and 14.3 for Enterobacter cloacae were obtained for BMY-28271 and BMY-28257, respectively. Biochem J, 1989 Apr 1, 259(1), 255 - 60 Effect of the 3'-leaving group on turnover of cephem antibiotics by a class C beta-lactamase; Mazzella LJ et al.; It has been previously demonstrated for class A beta-lactamases and the DD-peptidase of Streptomyces R61 that the presence of a leaving group at the 3'-position of a cephalosporin can lead to the generation of more-inert acyl-enzyme intermediates than from cephalosporins lacking such a leaving group, and thus to beta-lactamase inhibitors and potentially better antibiotics . In the present work we extend this result to a class C beta-lactamase, that of Enterobacter cloacae P99 . The effect is not seen with first-generation cephalosporins, since here deacylation generally seems faster than elimination of the leaving group, but it does clearly appear with cephamycins and third-generation cephalosporins . The structural and/or mechanistic features of the active site giving rise to this phenomenon may thus be common to all serine beta-lactamases and transpeptidases. J Appl Bacteriol, 1989 Apr, 66(4), 281 - 9 Volatile compounds associated with microbial growth on normal and high pH beef stored at chill temperatures; Dainty RH et al.; Volatile compounds produced by Pseudomonas fragi and mixed, natural floras on beef of normal pH (5.5-5.8; glucose greater than 1500 micrograms/g) and high pH (6.3-6.8; glucose less than 10 micrograms/g) included a range of alkyl esters and a number of sulphur-containing compounds including dimethylsulphide but not hydrogen sulphide . Production of the last was a property common to the other Gram-negative organisms tested viz . Hafnia alvei, Enterobacter agglomerans, Serratia liquefaciens, Alteromonas putrefaciens and Aeromonas hydrophila, all of which produced similar off-odours and, with the exception of E . agglomerans, 'greening' on high pH meat . Serratia liquefaciens also produced greening of normal pH meat . Acetoin and diacetyl were major end products of Brochothrix thermosphacta but the related 2,3-butanediol was formed only on normal pH meat . The Enterobacteriaceae produced the same compounds but only on normal pH meat and together with Br . thermosphacta were probable sources of these compounds and of the free and esterified branched-chain alcohols detected in the naturally contaminated samples. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1989 Apr, 23(4), 641 - 51 The problem of bacterial resistance to antibiotics among strains isolated from hospital patients in Lagos and Ibadan, Nigeria; Montefiore D et al.; Bacterial infections are still an important cause of illness and death in developing countries, where the widespread and indiscriminate use of antibiotics has led to serious problems of resistance to the older, less expensive agents . The results of routine sensitivity testing of clinical isolates from patients in Lagos and Ibadan, Nigeria show a high prevalence of strains resistant to penicillin, tetracycline, ampicillin, co-trimoxazole and chloramphenicol, with between 70% and 90% of strains of Enterobacteriaceae, including Escherichia coli and Klebsiella and Proteus species being resistant to many of the commonly available antibiotics . These resistance rates are generally higher than those found in Europe, although in some countries in southern Europe rates are not dissimilar to those found in Nigeria . Control of antibiotic use in developing countries is probably impossible at the present time, as in many cases antibiotics are used for self-treatment without prescription . For hospital patients, the use of the older and cheaper anti-bacterial agents is unlikely to be either medically or cost effective without adequate laboratory diagnostic facilities to provide guidance on possible therapy within the financial resources of the patients. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1989 Apr, 23(4), 527 - 35 In-vitro activities of temafloxacin, tosufloxacin (A-61827) and five other fluoroquinolone agents; Barry AL et al.; Tosufloxacin (A-61827) is the tosylate salt of A-60969 (T-3262) . Temafloxacin (A-62254) is the hydrochloride salt of A-63004 . Both compounds were tested against 945 aerobic bacterial isolates and their in-vitro activities were compared to those of five other fluoroquinolones . Ciprofloxacin and tosufloxacin were similar in their activity against the Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas species . Temafloxacin and ofloxacin were similar in their activity against the Gram-negative bacilli . Strains that were susceptible to ciprofloxacin were also susceptible to ofloxacin, temafloxacin and tosufloxacin . Against nalidixic acid-resistant enteric bacilli, the potency of all seven fluoroquinolones was compromised . Enoxacin and fleroxacin were the least active drugs against Gram-positive species . Tosufloxacin was particularly active against the Gram-positive species; ciprofloxacin, difloxacin and temafloxacin were less active. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1989 Apr, (4), 30 - 5 {Various biological properties of enterobacteria, isolated from patients with diarrhea}; Gizatulina SS et al.; 381 enterobacterial strains isolated from patients with acute enteric diseases were studied . Of these, 279 strains, as well as 20 strains isolated from 50 healthy children, were studied for the presence of adhesins, hemolysins and catalase . The comparison of the hemagglutinating activity of enterobacteria isolated from sick and healthy children revealed no essential differences between them . 15.8% of enterobacterial strains isolated from sick children possessed hemolytic activity, while strains isolated from healthy children did not induce the hemolysis of erythrocytes . All enterobacterial strains isolated from patients with acute enteric diseases were multi-resistant to antibiotics . A multitude of different antibiograms was obtained, most of them occurring only once . In 1985 the number of multiresistant (i . e . resistant to 11 and more antibiotics) strains dropped from 61% to 26..9% in comparison with 1981. Epidemiol Infect, 1989 Apr, 102(2), 309 - 16 Bacterial contamination of stored water and stored food: a potential source of diarrhoeal disease in West Africa; Molbak K et al.; The food and water hygiene in two Liberian communities was studied in a house-to-house diarrhoea survey . The level of contamination with enterobacteria of drinking water stored in the households was significantly higher than at the water sources . Food hygiene standards were low, particularly in the urban slum where storage of cooked food for long periods led to bacterial multiplication at high levels . Infant foods were particularly heavily contaminated . It is concluded that when water supply programmes are planned, the presence of other risk factors for water-related diseases should be investigated . To ensure maximum health benefits, water projects should as a rule be accompanied by other interventions. J Oral Pathol Med, 1989 Apr, 18(4), 233 - 5 Oral carriage of Candida species and coliforms in patients with burning mouth syndrome; Samaranayake LP et al.; The oral carriage of Candida species and coliforms in a healthy adult population and a group of patients with burning mouth syndrome (BMS) was investigated . The intra-oral prevalence of Candida species and coliforms was higher in the BMS group compared with the controls . The most frequent yeast isolated from the BMS group was Candida albicans while Enterobacter and Klebsiella species were the most prevalent coliforms . The possible reasons and the significance of the above findings are discussed. Wiad Lek, 1989 Apr 1, 42(7), 453 - 5 {Bacterial endocarditis caused by Enterobacter agglomerans in a patient with mitral valve prolapse}; Hrabinska-Zachwieja J et al.; A case of bacterial endocarditis caused by Enterobacter agglomerans was observed in a 50-year-old patient with mitral valve leaflet prolapse . The diagnosis was based on clinical findings, positive blood cultures and echocardiographic investigations. Arch Invest Med (Mex), 1989 Apr-Jun, 20(2), 137 - 42 Enterobacterial common antigen in the urine from children with cancer; Garcia Tamayo F et al.; An inhibition of immunohemolysis assay was used to detect the enterobacterial common antigen (ECA) in urine samples from 40 children with cancer . Seven patients were excluded because bacterial contamination of urine . Thirty of the remaining 33 sterile samples gave an ECA-positive reaction . Specimens from 30 healthy control were negative . These findings may reflect a vascular dissemination and glomerular filtration of gram-negative lipopolysaccharide residues as a consequence of the malignancy . Detection of ECA in urine may be an useful tool for investigating the evolution of neoplastic diseases in the absence of urinary tract infections. Clin Exp Immunol, 1989 Apr, 76(1), 8 - 12 Opsonic activity of a new intravenous immunoglobulin preparation: Pentaglobin compared with sandoglobulin; Garbett ND et al.; Standard preparations of immunoglobulin for intravenous use consist predominantly of IgG (greater than 95%) . We have compared the ability of a standard preparation (Sandoglobulin) with that of a new preparation (Pentaglobin, containing 12% IgM and 12% IgA) to improve the opsonic activity of antibody-deficient human sera in vitro . Panhypogammaglobulinaemic sera were poorly opsonic for five of six organisms tested, particularly Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Streptococcus pneumoniae, but opsonized Staphylococcus aureus almost normally . Both immunoglobulin preparations significantly improved the opsonic activity of the antibody-deficient sera for most organisms . The major difference between the two preparations was the ability of Pentaglobin to supply opsonins for P . aeruginosa, E . coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, while Sandogloblin was significantly more potent in opsonins for Haemophilus influenzae . Pentaglobin demonstrates significant in vitro opsonic activity, particularly for enterobacteria (coliforms) and P . aeruginosa . Its content of IgM antibodies appears to confer special properties on Pentaglobin not seen with standard preparations of immunoglobulin for intravenous use . Its place in clinical practice remains to be determined but it may have a possible role in augmenting host defence mechanisms in Gram-negative septicaemia. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1989 Apr, 42(4), 521 - 6 Pacidamycins, a novel series of antibiotics with anti-Pseudomonas aeruginosa activity . III . Microbiologic profile; Fernandes PB et al.; Pacidamycins are nucleosidyl-peptide antibiotics which have activity only against Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Their MICs for other organisms such as Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcus aureus, most Streptococci and other Pseudomonas species are greater than 100 micrograms/ml . These compounds had no activity against erythromycin-susceptible Streptococci . The MICs for Streptococcus pyogenes with constitutive- and inducible-type of macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin resistance were 12.5 and 25 micrograms/ml, respectively . The MICs against P . aeruginosa ranged from 8 to 64 micrograms/ml . The activity of these compounds was 1 to 2-fold less in serum than broth . Time-kill curves were performed using 4 and 8 times the MIC of pacidamycin 1 . It was bactericidal against P . aeruginosa (3 log10 decrease in 4 to 6 hours) . At 24 hours, resistant mutants were found in the cultures . The MICs of piperacillin and gentamicin for these mutants were the same as for the parent strain . The frequency of resistance to these compounds was less than 3.5 x 10(-6) . The resistant mutants were stable after 10 transfers in antibiotic-free medium . The pacidamycins were inactive against P . aeruginosa in mouse protection test . After a single subcutaneous injection of 25 mg/kg of pacidamycin 1, the Cmax was approximately 50 micrograms/ml and the serum half-life was 0.5 hour. Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin, 1989 Apr, 7(4), 189 - 94 {Transfer of plasmid beta-lactamases in enterobacteria}; Umaran A et al.; The aim of the present study was to determine which types of beta-lactamases codified by plasmids are transferred by conjugation from several species of enterobacteria . To this end, 352 strains of ampicillin-resistant enterobacteria from clinical samples from the Hospital Civil of Bilbao were evaluated . Their beta-lactamase activity and their capacity to transfer this capacity by conjugation were evaluated . The several types of plasmidic beta-lactamases in the strains that conjugated and in their respective transconjugants were characterized by analytic isoelectric approach, and also the sensitivity of these stains to 20 beta-lactamic antibiotics and the size of their plasmids . Twenty different types were detected, with a clear predominance of TEM 1 . Type TEM 2 was found in 19% of the strains which conjugated, and much less commonly the types SHV 1, HMS 1 and a beta-lactamase of an approximate pl of 4.9 were found . The transfer of these beta-lactamases is mediated by a great variety of plasmids and is associated with variable levels of resistance to penicillins and unstable cephalosporins . The presence of betalactamases with activity on the more stable cephalosporins has not been detected. Carbohydr Res, 1989 Mar 15, 186(2), 287 - 93 Structure of the O-specific polysaccharide from Enterobacter cloacae strain N.C.T.C . 11579 (serogroup O10); Moule AL et al.; The O-specific polysaccharide from the reference strain (N.C.T.C . 11579) for Enterobacter cloacae serogroup O10 has been isolated and characterised . By means of n.m.r . spectroscopy and methylation analysis, and by studies of the products obtained by Smith degradation or by N-deacetylation-deamination, the repeating unit of the polysaccharide could be allocated the structure shown . The polysaccharides from two cross-reacting serogroups (O9 and O11) have the same monosaccharide composition . (Formula: see text) Arch Surg, 1989 Mar, 124(3), 281 - 4 The efficacy of oral antimicrobials in reducing aerobic and anaerobic colonic mucosal flora; Groner JI et al.; We investigated the impact of intestinal antisepsis on the colonic mucosa-associated flora . Four groups of dogs were studied: group A received no bowel preparation, group B received a three-day clear-liquid diet, group C underwent mechanical cleansing of the bowel, and group D had mechanical cleansing followed by oral neomycin and erythromycin . Mucosal biopsy specimens were obtained for bacteriologic and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) studies . No significant difference in recovery of mucosal bacteria was observed between groups A and B . A significant decrease in recovery of aerobes was observed in group C, and a significant decrease in both aerobes and anaerobes was observed in group D compared with group A; Enterobacteriaceae and Bacteroides were either eliminated or greatly reduced . The SEM analysis of group D revealed a marked decrease in mucosa-associated microflora compared with groups B and C . Oral neomycin-erythromycin produced a significant quantitative reduction in the colonic mucosa-associated bacterial population, including the potentially pathogenic Escherichia coli and Bacteroides fragilis group isolates . These mucosa-associated bacteria are a likely source of contamination of the abdominal cavity and wound at the time of colon surgery. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1989 Mar, 23 Suppl C, 31 - 41 In-vitro activity of FCE 22101 against respiratory tract pathogens with reference to production of beta-lactamases; Dornbusch K et al.; FCE 22101 is a new penem with broad antibacterial spectrum, excluding the pseudomonads, and has stability to many beta-lactamases . FCE 22101 and imipenem were very potent against the bacteria studied, including beta-lactamase producing strains, which can be isolated from patients with respiratory tract infections (MIC less than or equal to 8 mg/l) . No strains were found to be resistant to FCE 22101 . FCE 22101 was rapidly bactericidal and more stable to inactivation by beta-lactamases from Branhamella catarrhalis, Haemophilus influenzae, Enterobacter cloacae and Klebsiella pneumoniae than imipenem and ceftibuten . The other antibiotics tested varied in their activities against the respiratory tract pathogens. Clin Ther, 1989 Mar-Apr, 11(2), 232 - 40 Enoxacin: in vitro efficacy and its future therapeutic role in the Pakistani health-care system; Hafiz S et al.; Because laboratory microbiological diagnosis is not readily available for 80% of the total population of Pakistan (120 million people), clinicians in large rural areas have been compelled to use several antibiotics in any individual case of resistant and severe infection . This practice has resulted in an increasing number of resistant strains, particularly those of Salmonella, Pseudomonas, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Staphylococcus, and Shigella . Also, multiple resistance to penicillin, ampicillin, carbenicillin, cotrimoxazole, chloramphenicol, fosfomycin, gentamicin, nalidixic acid, vancomycin, amoxicillin, cefotaxime, and cloxacillin has been recognized . In view of this limitation in antimicrobial therapy, enoxacin, a second-generation quinolone, has been assessed in vitro against resistant and other organisms, and its breakpoint sensitivity has been compared with another quinolone, ofloxacin . The findings indicate that new quinolones such as enoxacin may prove to be helpful in the treatment of individuals suffering from severe and resistant bacterial infections for which no microbiologic diagnosis is available. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1989 Mar, 23 Suppl C, 157 - 63 Activity of FCE 22101 and other beta-lactam antibiotics against experimental genital infections in the rat and mouse; Castellani P et al.; The therapeutic activities of the parenterally administered penem FCE 22101, cefuroxime and ampicillin were compared in an experimental model of genital infections in progesterone-treated virgin rats and normal female mice . Treatment with FCE 22101 significantly inhibited the proliferation of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 13709, Escherichia coli G and Enterobacter cloacae 1321 E, as compared with untreated controls . Against Staph . aureus ampicillin was slightly more active than cefuroxime, which showed equivalent activity to FCE 22101, while against Esch . coli and Ent . cloacae cefuroxime and ampicillin were less active than FCE 22101 . The activity of the antibiotics against beta-lactamase-producing strains was also tested and here FCE 22101 exhibited the greatest inhibitory effect on bacterial growth. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1989 Mar, 23 Suppl C, 149 - 55 Activity of FCE 22891 compared with cefuroxime axetil and cefixime in pulmonary and subcutaneous infections in mice; Rossi R et al.; The therapeutic activity of FCE 22891 was compared with that of two new oral cephalosporins, cefuroxime axetil and cefixime against Streptococcus pneumoniae respiratory infection and subcutaneous abscesses induced by mixed aerobes and anaerobes in mice . In experimental pneumonia FCE 22891 was the most active antibiotic . In aerobic abscesses FCE 22891 proved the most active agent in infections induced by methicillin susceptible and resistant Staphylococcus aureus while all three compounds were very active, against Str . pyogenes . In abscesses caused by Gram-negative bacteria, FCE 22891 showed good and constant efficacy . Cefixime was the most active drug against the two susceptible strains of Escherichia coli and Enterobacter cloacae and also against resistant Esch . coli but was inactive against a strain of Ent . cloacae that produced cephalosporinase . Cefuroxime axetil was less active than the other two drugs against Gram-negative bacteria with adequate efficacy only against a susceptible strain of Ent . cloacae . FCE 22891 was more effective than cefixime and cefuroxime axetil in preventing and reducing the size of abscesses induced by Bacteroides fragilis 101 . We conclude that FCE 22891, despite its short half life of 6 min in mice, exerts comparable and sometimes better activity than the two oral cephalosporins characterized by longer half lives. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1989 Mar, 23(3), 427 - 32 Treatment of chronic osteomyelitis with ciprofloxacin; Hoogkamp-Korstanje JA et al.; Twenty-seven patients with chronic osteomyelitis were treated with oral ciprofloxacin, 500 mg (13 patients) or 750 mg (13) twice daily and one patient was treated with 300 mg twice daily intravenously . Treatment was given for 17-189 days (mean 69) . Twenty-three patients had prosthetic implants, 16 patients had infections caused by one bacterium and 11 had polymicrobial infections . The predominant organisms were strains of Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus . Cure was obtained in 20 patients and improvement in four . Three patients failed to respond to therapy . Concentrations of ciprofloxacin, measured in pus 1 h after 500 mg orally ranged from 0.6-1.3 mg/l, whilst 2 h after 750 mg orally concentrations of 2.4-6.8 mg/l were found . Sterilization of pus and closure of infected wounds or draining sinuses were observed within four weeks of treatment in the majority of patients . Ciprofloxacin was well tolerated in 26 patients, whilst one had severe nausea after oral administration. J S Afr Vet Assoc, 1989 Mar, 60(1), 20 - 4 A statistical method to evaluate the reliability and reproducibility of a standardised technique for the conduct of antibiograms on two species of Enterobacteriaceae; Venter BJ; Antibiograms are only as reliable as is permitted by the quality of the specimen, the reliability or reproducibility of the method used and the ability of the clinician to interpret the results . Non-standardised methods may give erroneous results . Some of these procedural effects were investigated by means of statistical analysis of variance to determine the effect on the reliability of the test . To ensure reliable and reproducible test results with antibiograms, it is imperative that the type of sensitivity test medium as well as the density of the inoculum of the test organisms be standardised. Anaesthesist, 1989 Mar, 38(3), 99 - 109 {Frequency of colonization and pneumonia and development of resistance in long-term ventilated intensive-care patients subjected to selective decontamination of the digestive tract}; Konrad F et al.; Colonization of the oropharynx with potentially pathogenic microorganisms (PPM) is a highly significant factor in the pathogenesis of bacterial pneumonia in intensive care patients . Via colonization of the oropharynx, bacteria pass into the tracheobronchial tree, where they can give rise to pneumonia after overcoming pulmonary resistance mechanisms . By a new, prophylactic antibiotic treatment schedule consisting in selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD) with locally applied nonabsorbable antibiotics, Stoutenbeek achieved drastic lowering of the colonization and infection rate in trauma patients . In the present study, we wanted to check whether this new prophylactic antibiotic schedule can be applied on a surgical intensive care ward in all patients with long-term ventilation, irrespective of the diagnosis, and whether it affords advantages over a conventional antibiotic schedule . MATERIALS AND METHODS . All patients on a surgical intensive care ward in whom it was expected that mechanical ventilation would be necessary for more than 4 days were included in the study . During the first 6 months 83 patients were investigated, in whom antibiotics were only administered when the presence of infection had been confirmed, in accordance with generally accepted guidelines (control group) . In the second 6-month period, 82 patients were selectively decontaminated with 4 x 100 mg polymyxin E, 4 x 80 mg tobramycin and 4 x 500 mg amphotericin B, administered through the gastric tube and in an antimicrobial paste in the oropharynx (SDD group) . The SDD schedule entailed systemic administration of cefotaxime in the first 3-4 days . RESULTS . In the control group, enterobacteria/Pseudomonas spp . were isolated significantly more frequently than in the SDD group (P less than 0.001): in the pharyngeal smear in up to 53%, in the tracheal secretion up to 36%, and in the rectal smear in up to 93% of the patients In the SDD group in the 1 week the frequency of gram-negative aerobic bacteria in the pharynx decreased from 33% to 5%, in the tracheal secretion from 23% to 14% and in the rectum from 86% to 52% (24% in the second week) . However, the decrease in gram-negative microorganisms was accompanied by significant increase in the frequency of Staphylococcus epidermidis and enterococci . The SDD schedule proved to be effective with regard to the rate of infection . In the control group, 35 patients developed pneumonia (42%) as against 5 patients receiving SDD prophylaxis (6%) . The duration of mechanical ventilation in the patients with pneumonia was 5 days longer than in patients without pneumonia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS) J Clin Microbiol, 1989 Mar, 27(3), 564 - 5 Epidemiological typing of Enterobacter aerogenes; Gaston MA et al.; The applicability of Enterobacter cloacae and Klebsiella typing reagents for classifying clinical strains of Enterobacter aerogenes was evaluated . Of 75 strains, none were agglutinated by E . cloacae O antisera or were sensitive to E . cloacae bacteriophages . In contrast, 70 strains reacted with Klebsiella capsular antisera . Two-thirds of the strains were lysed by Klebsiella typing phages . A set of five E . aerogenes bacteriocin producers classified 92% of strains into 15 sensitivity types . In conclusion, E . aerogenes may be typed with Klebsiella reagents, and the simple bacteriocin test provides further discrimination between strains . The limited number of capsular antigens in the species and their apparent similarity to Klebsiella capsular antigens warrant further investigation. Cesk Epidemiol Mikrobiol Imunol, 1989 Mar, 38(2), 106 - 10 {Comparison of the incidence of enterobacterial R plasmids in hospitals and ambulatory care facilities}; Chaloupecky V et al.; Bacteriological examination of patients in hospital and ambulatory facilities revealed that in hospitals the investigated diseases of patients are twice as frequently caused by pathogenic enterobacteria which contain R plasmids than pathogenic bacteria detected in subjects who had ambulatory treatment . Comparison of the number of isolated autonomously transmissible R plasmids revealed an even greater disproportion because some bacterial strains, in particular in hospitals, contained several compatible R plasmids . The author assumes that the almost treble number of R plasmids in strains from hospitals is due to a greater opportunity of plasmid transmission in hospitalized patients, and repeatedly hospitalized patients, and is enhanced by the permanent selective pressure of antibiotics. Bol Med Hosp Infant Mex, 1989 Mar, 46(3), 163 - 70 {Resistance of enterobacteria and Pseudomonas to old and new antimicrobial agents}; Guiscafre H et al.; Antibiotic sensitivity to eight common use antibiotics for 9,538 enterobacteria and Pseudomonas strains isolated from hospitalized children was studied using the serial dilution plate technique . Minimum inhibitory concentration to seven new antibiotics for 310 strains was also determined . Enterobacteria showed high resistance (50-80%) to ampicillin, carbenicillin, sulbenicillin, chloramphenicol and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole; resistance to piperacillin, gentamicin, tobramycin, and netilmicin was moderate (15-45%), and resistance to amikacin, cefotaxime, moxalactam and aztreonam was low (2-10%) . Pseudomonas strains showed less than 20% resistance to carbenicillin, piperacillin, amikacin and aztreonam . Enterobacteria isolated from urine samples showed low resistance to nitrofurantoin and nalidixic acid (15%) . Therapeutic recommendation for most frequent infections caused by these etiologic agents based on the resistance values found were elaborated. J Infect, 1989 Mar, 18(2), 125 - 30 The nasopharyngeal bacterial flora in the sudden infant death syndrome; Telford DR et al.; The nasopharyngeal bacterial flora in babies who had died of the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) (n = 46) and in healthy infants aged 2 weeks to 6 months (n = 46) is described . Of those who had died, 41.3% carried Staphylococcus aureus (95% confidence limits: 27.3-55.3%) compared with 28.3% of healthy infants (95% confidence limits: 15.3-41.3%) . The isolation rate of streptococci was 78.3% in cases (95% confidence limits: 66.4-90.2%) and 32.6% in healthy infants (95% confidence limits: 19.1-46.1%) (significant difference P less than 0.0001) . Enterobacteria were isolated from 45.6% of cases (95% confidence limits: 31.2-60%) but only 2.2% of healthy infants (95% confidence limits 0-6.4%) (significant difference, P less than 0.0001) . These results indicate a disordered nasopharyngeal flora in SIDS . They also provide baseline data for investigating the hypothesis that common bacterial toxins are involved in the pathogenesis of SIDS. Res Microbiol, 1989 Mar-Apr, 140(3), 221 - 34 Isolation and properties of carboxylesterase P4 from Yersinia pseudotuberculosis; Goullet P et al.; The carboxylesterase P4 produced by Yersinia pseudotuberculosis was purified 330-fold by gel permeation and DEAE-trisacryl chromatography with a final yield of 21% . The apparent molecular weight, as determined by fast-protein liquid chromatography, was 45 kDa . The hydrolytic activity of esterase P4 was higher with the 1-naphthyl esters than with the 2-naphthyl esters of acetic, propionic and butyric acids . The apparent Km values were identical for 1-naphthyl acetate and 1-naphthyl propionate (0.15 mM) . The enzyme was unstable at pH values below 5, but retained 80% of its initial activity after 30 min at 65 degrees C . It was unaffected by EDTA, eserine, tosyl-L-lysine chloromethylketone, iodoacetamide or 4-hydroxymercuribenzoate, but was strongly inhibited by low concentrations of diisopropyl fluorophosphate, suggesting the presence of serine in its active site . The purified enzyme gave a single precipitin line on Ouchterlony double immunodiffusion with homologous antiserum . This antiserum cross-reacted with the esterase bands E3 and E5 of Y . enterocolitica biotype 1, whereas there was no cross-reaction with the esterase bands produced by Y . enterocolitica biotypes 2 to 5, Y . intermedia, Y . frederiksenii, Y . kristensenii or Y . aldovae . The carboxylesterase P4 produced by Y . pestis was physicochemically, biochemically and immunologically indistinguishable from Y . pseudotuberculosis carboxylesterase P4 . The latter enzyme and carboxylesterase B of Escherichia coli showed some biochemical similarities, but were antigenically unrelated . Our data confirm the relevance of esterases to phylogenetic and taxonomic studies of Enterobacteria. Nihon Kyobu Shikkan Gakkai Zasshi, 1989 Mar, 27(3), 286 - 8 {Respiratory infectious complications in patients with lung cancer}; Oizumi K; Since respiratory infectious complications in lung cancer cases are major obstacles for adequate or intensive anticancer chemotherapy, they often affect prognosis unfavorably . Such respiratory infections secondary to lung cancer generally occur on the basis of defects of the defence mechanism against infections due to disturbance in the clearance system in sites peripheral to bronchial obstruction or stenosis . The lowered concentration of antimicrobial agents at the site of infection, resulting from decreased local pulmonary blood flow, make the infections difficult to manage . Moreover, immunosuppression resulting from the use of anticancer drugs, most of which inevitably possess immunosuppressive effect, become a cause of infections with opportunistic pathogens such as Enterobacteriaceae, glucose nonfermentative bacilli and anaerobes . Since the recent wide and frequent use of 3rd generation cephem antibiotics, an apparent increase in the incidence of staphylococcus aureus as a causative organism has been observed, in contrast to a marked decrease in that of Klebsiella pneumoniae . In patients who received intensive chemotherapy repeatedly or are in the terminal stage, an imbalance of T cell lymphocytes subsets, namely a lowered T+4 vs T+8 ratio, are frequently observed . Under these conditions, pulmonary involvement due to reactivation of a latent virus, i.e . cytomegalovirus and/or protozoa, i.e . Pneumocystis carinii could be a cause of death. Jpn J Antibiot, 1989 Mar, 42(3), 598 - 611 {Clinical studies on sulbactam/ampicillin in the field of pediatrics}; Iwata S et al.; During 8 months from October 1986 to May 1987, the clinical efficacy of sulbactam/ampicillin (SBT/ABPC) was evaluated in 63 pediatric inpatients with various infections . Clinical efficacies were evaluable in 58 patients among them (consisting of 2 patients with sepsis, 3 with tonsillitis, 12 with bronchitis, 6 with bronchopneumonia, 24 with pneumonia, 1 with phlegmon, 2 with lymphadenitis, 1 with impetigo and 7 with urinary tract infection) and were excellent in 40 patients and good in 17 with an overall efficacy rate of 98.3% . Bacteriological efficacies were assessed in 25 patients and 27 strains of organisms (consisting of 3 strains of Staphylococcus aureus, 2 Streptococcus pneumoniae, 1 Streptococcus pyogenes, 2 beta-Streptococcus, 1 Gram-positive cocci, 5 Escherichia coli, 1 Enterobacter aerogenes, 7 Haemophilus influenzae, 2 Haemophilus parainfluenzae, 1 Branhamella catarrhalis, 1 Proteus mirabilis and 1 Salmonella subgenus I) . Bacteriological eradication rates were 88.9% for Gram-positive organisms, 66.7% for Gram-negative organisms and 74.1% overall . No superinfection was observed in any of patients treated . Side effects and clinical laboratory parameter abnormalities observed consisted of diarrhea in 7 (11.1%) of the 63 patients, eosinophilia in 2 (3.3%) of 61 tested, thrombocytosis in 3 (5.5%) of 55, elevation of direct bilirubin in 1 (3.3%) of 30, elevation of total bilirubin in 1 (3.1%) of 32, elevation of GOT in 4 (6.8%) of 59 and elevation of GPT in 1 (1.7%) of 59 patients tested . As an effect on the hemostatic mechanism of this drug, PIVKA II was detected in 1 patient (4.2%) of 24 tested, but findings of other coagulation tests were normal and none of patients showed bleeding tendency or inhibition of platelet aggregation . From the above results, it appears that SBT/ABPC is an efficacious and safe drug in the treatment of bacterial infections of pediatric patients. Mol Gen Genet, 1989 Mar, 216(1), 175 - 7 Transformation of various species of gram-negative bacteria belonging to 11 different genera by electroporation; Wirth R et al.; We have undertaken a systematic study to test the transformation of various species of gram-negative bacteria using the electroporation method . The data obtained show very clearly that a great variety of gram-negative bacteria--15 different species belonging to 11 different genera--including freshly isolated wild-type strains can be transformed efficiently by use of the electric-field mediated transformation technique . These include species of the families Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonadaceae, Rhizobiaceae, photosynthetic bacteria and strains for which transformation could not be achieved, up to now, by other methods. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1989 Mar, 23 Suppl C, 119 - 28 FCE 22101 and FCE 22891: in-vitro antibacterial activity at concentrations simulating human plasma levels following intravenous, intramuscular and oral administration; Della Bruna C et al.; The plasma concentrations of FCE 22101 observed following slow intravenous infusions (1 and 4 h), intramuscular injection and after oral administration of the prodrug FCE 22891 were simulated in a glass chamber containing bacterial cultures . The bacteria used were Staphylococcus aureus