Vutr Boles, 1985, 24(3), 33 - 8 {Microbial spectrum in chronic pyelonephritis and the drug sensitivity of the microorganisms}; Gruev I et al.; The authors studied the etiological spectrum of 226 patients with chronic pyelonephritis, with 926 microbic strains isolated from the urocultures . The most frequent microbic causative agents were E . coli (40,82%), Proteus (a total of 17,82%), Enterobacter (8,86%), Klebsiella (8,64%), Pseudomonas (6,16%), Enterococcus (5,94%) . The drug susceptibility of the majority of the isolated gram-negative microorganisms versus ampicillin and chloramphenicol, widely used in out-patient department practice, is relatively low . An important condition for the effectiveness of the treatment is the consideration given to the susceptibility of the microbic strains, isolated from the uroculture. Vutr Boles, 1985, 24(1), 54 - 62 {Treatment of acute and chronic urological infections with azlocillin--clinical and microbiological research}; Minkov N et al.; The authors present their results from the treatment of urological infections with the new semisynthetic penicillin antibiotic azlocillin (acyl-ureide-penicillin) in 86 patients with various, in kind and clinical manifestations, infections of the urinary system . The susceptibility was determined of the isolated bacterial causative agents of the urological infections to azlocillin and to the other antibacterial preparations available in our country . It was established that 52,7% of Gram-negative microorganisms were susceptible to the preparation, and over 80%--of the Gram-positive microorganisms . The highest number of susceptible strains were established in pseudomonas, coli, enterobacter, klebsiella and proteus . The results from the clinical study reveal that 51,2% of the patients were cured by the end of the therapeutic course and abatement or considerable improvement, was observed in all, of the clinical and paraclinical indices, suggesting urological infection . No allergic or toxic manifestations were observed . The absence of nephrotoxicity makes that new, for our practice, antibiotic extremely valuable for the patients with renal insufficiency . The most general conclusion from that study is that azlocillin, with its effectiveness, comes close to the most potent modern antibacterial preparations, with no toxicity characteristic for aminoglucoside antibiotics. Folia Microbiol (Praha), 1985, 30(3), 312 - 8 Selective decontamination, induced colonization resistance and connected immunological changes in piglets; Mandel L et al.; 14-d-old conventional piglets were picked from normal piggery, washed with disinfectants, placed into isolators suitable for germfree work, fed a sterile diet and treated with peroral antibiotics (nalidixic acid, kanamycin, and nystatin) . Beginning with day 5 or 7, Enterobacteriaceae were not found in feces . The absence of these bacteria was proved by inoculation of germfree newborn piglets with caecal content . In selectively decontaminated piglets, the white blood cell count in blood had fallen to 6 X 10(9)/L; this decrease was due to an extremely low number of granulocytes (to 0.8 X 10(9)/L) . On day 35, IgG-positive cells almost disappeared from the spleen, whereas IgA cells were found in an unusually great amount . Corresponding changes in serum levels were established . The colonization resistance effect in Enterobacteriaceae-deprived piglets was confirmed; settling of introduced various E . coli strains did not occur or was delayed. Chemotherapy, 1985, 31(3), 191 - 9 In vitro synergistic activity of some chinolinic compounds combined with beta-lactam antibiotics against gram-positive and gram-negative clinical isolates; Ravagnan G et al.; The antimicrobial activities of nalidixic acid-cephalexin (ratio 1:1) and cinoxacin-cefadroxil (ratio 1:2) combinations have been evaluated against 396 clinical isolates; many of them were nalidixic acid- or cinoxacin-resistant organisms (MIC greater than or equal to 100 micrograms/ml) . We have also tested the nalidixic acid-amoxicillin combination (ratio 1:1) against 225 amoxicillin-resistant bacterial strains (MIC greater than or equal to 800 micrograms/ml) . Synergy was found for 62-70% of the Enterobacteriaceae and nonfermenter bacilli tested and for 85-92% of the gram-positive bacterial strains . The 225 clinical isolates resistant to amoxicillin (MIC greater than or equal to 800 micrograms/ml) were synergistically inhibited by the nalidixic acid-amoxicillin combination. Scand J Infect Dis, 1985, 17(1), 25 - 32 Antibody response against the type specific capsular polysaccharide in pneumococcal pneumonia measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay; Kalin M et al.; The enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used for estimation of the IgG and IgM antibody responses against 13 type specific pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides, individually and in a pool, in 52 patients with pneumococcal pneumonia and in 20 control patients with non-pneumococcal pneumonia or enterobacterial septicemia . By use of the isolated type 3 polysaccharide as antigen a greater than or equal to 50% increase in absorbance from acute to convalescence phase serum, equivalent to a doubling in antibody titer, was seen significantly more often in 22 patients with type 3 pneumococcal pneumonia than in the 20 control patients (for IgG 14 vs . 3, p less than 0.01; for IgM 14 vs . 4, p less than 0.01) . However, for an acceptable degree of specificity to be obtained (less than or equal to 10% control patients positive) a doubling of the IgG or IgM absorbance values had to be demanded . With this criterium only half of the patients infected with pneumococcal types included in the antigen set up used, showed a type specific antibody response and only one third of all patients with pneumococcal pneumonia could be diagnosed by use of the 13 polysaccharides as a pool antigen. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1985 Jan, 15 Suppl A, 111 - 5 Relevance of urinary bladder models to clinical problems and to antibiotic evaluation; Anderson JD; Applications and shortcomings of models of the bladder which employ urine as a medium have been described . A 'continuous culture' model was no better than conventional susceptibility tests in predicting response of patients with acute uncomplicated urinary infections to amoxicillin, but gave a good correlation with a mouse infection protection test for synergy studies with mecillinam and ampicillin . Some Enterobacteriaceae destroyed high concentrations of amoxicillin in urine under conditions resembling the milieu of the infected human bladder . Destruction was enhanced at increased residual urinary volumes and did not occur in the presence of clavulanic acid . The beneficial effects of clavulanic acid at urinary, as opposed to tissue, concentrations may be due to its antibacterial, as well as its antienzymic, activity. Arch Ophthalmol, 1985 Jan, 103(1), 71 - 2 Ceftriaxone . A new cephalosporin with aqueous humor levels effective against enterobacteriaceae; Axelrod JL et al.; One- or two-gram doses of ceftriaxone were administered intravenously to 30 patients before cataract extraction . With the 1-g dose, mean aqueous humor concentrations of 0.93 and 0.88 microgram/mL were found at approximately 2 and 12 hours after administration, respectively . With the 2-g dose, a mean level of 2.47 micrograms/mL was observed at two hours; levels of more than 2 micrograms/mL were found in two patients 13 hours after administration . Both the 1- and 2-g doses thus produce aqueous humor levels many times higher than the minimum inhibitory concentration of ceftriaxone for 90% of most Enterobacteriaceae, excluding Pseudomonas . Concentrations adequate for Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis were not, however, obtained. J Clin Microbiol, 1985 Jan, 21(1), 77 - 81 Escherichia fergusonii and Enterobacter taylorae, two new species of Enterobacteriaceae isolated from clinical specimens; Farmer JJ 3rd et al.; Escherichia fergusonii (formerly known as Enteric Group 10) and Enterobacter taylorae (formerly known as Enteric Group 19) are proposed as new species in the family Enterobacteriaceae . By DNA hybridization (32P, 60 degrees C, hydroxyapatite), strains of E . fergusonii were 90 to 97% related to the type strain (holotype) ATCC 35469 . They were most closely related to Escherichia coli and more distantly related to species in other genera . E . fergusonii strains are positive for indole production, methyl red, lysine decarboxylase, ornithine decarboxylase, and motility . They ferment D-glucose with gas production and also ferment adonitol, L-arabinose, L-rhamnose, maltose, D-xylose, trehalose, cellobiose, and D-arabitol . They are negative for Voges-Proskauer, citrate utilization (17% positive), urea hydrolysis, phenylalanine deamination, arginine dihydrolase, growth in KCN, and fermentation of lactose, sucrose, myo-inositol, D-sorbitol, raffinose, and alpha-methyl-D-glucoside . By DNA hybridization (32P, 60 degrees C, hydroxyapatite), strains of E . taylorae were 84 to 95% related to the type strain (holotype) ATCC 35317 . Their nearest relative was E . cloacae, to which they were 61% related . Other named species were more distantly related . Strains of E . taylorae are positive for Voges-Proskauer, citrate utilization, arginine dihydrolase, ornithine decarboxylase, motility, growth in KCN medium, and malonate utilization . They ferment D-glucose with gas production and also ferment D-mannitol, L-arabinose, L-rhamnose, maltose, D-xylose, trehalose, and cellobiose . They are negative for indole production, methyl red, H2S production on triple sugar-iron agar, urea hydrolysis, phenylalanine deamination, lysine decarboxylase, gelatin hydrolysis, and fermentation of adonitol, i-inositol, D-sorbitol, and raffinose . Both new species occur in human clinical specimens . Two strains of E . fergusonii were isolated from blood . Five stains of E . taylorae were isolated from blood, and one was from spinal fluid . These blood and spinal fluid isolates suggest possible clinical significance, but this point requires further study. J Clin Microbiol, 1985 Jan, 21(1), 39 - 42 Koserella trabulsii, a new genus and species of Enterobacteriaceae formerly known as Enteric Group 45; Hickman-Brenner FW et al.; The name Koserella trabulsii is proposed for a group of Enterobacteriaceae formerly called Enteric Group 45 . This group consists of 12 strains that were originally identified as atypical Hafnia alvei . K . trabulsii strains were negative for indole production, Voges-Proskauer, H2S production, urea hydrolysis, phenylalanine deaminase, and acid production from glycerol, lactose, sucrose, and D-sorbitol; they were positive for methyl red, citrate (Simmons), lysine and ornithine decarboxylases, arginine dihydrolase (negative in 1 to 2 days and positive in 3 to 7 days), and acid production from cellobiose and melibiose; and they were resistant to the Hafnia-specific bacteriophage of Guinee and Valkenburg . They were tested for DNA relatedness by the hydroxyapatite method with 32PO4-labeled DNA from the designated type strain (CDC 3349-72, ATCC 35313) . The 12 strains were 87 to 99% related in 60 degrees C reactions . Relatedness of K . trabulsii to 71 DNA hybridization reference strains of representative species of Enterobacteriaceae was 4 to 37% . It was 15 to 16% related to H . alvei . All strains were susceptible to nalidixic acid, sulfadiazine, gentamicin, kanamycin, and chloramphenicol, and 83% were susceptible to nalidixic acid, sulfadiazine, gentamicin, kanamycin, and chloramphenicol, and 83% were susceptible to tetracycline . Most of the strains were resistant or intermediate to penicillin, ampicillin, carbenicillin, colistin, and cephalothin . Five of the strains were isolated from wounds, three were from the respiratory tract, and one each was from a stool, knee fluid, water, and an unknown source . The clinical significance of this organism is not known; therefore, future studies should focus on its isolation and its relationship to human disease. Drugs Exp Clin Res, 1985, 11(11), 787 - 91 Experimental efficacy and pharmacokinetic properties of cefpiramide, a new cephalosporin; Fu KP et al.; The in vivo therapeutic efficacy of cefpiramide was investigated and compared with that of cefoperazone . Cefpiramide was more potent than cefoperazone against infections produced by both beta-lactamase-producing and non-beta-lactamase-producing S . aureus . The protective activity of cefpiramide against experimental infections with selected members of Enterobacteriaceae was lower than that of cefoperazone . Against carbenicillin-resistant P . aeruginosa infections, cefpiramide was as active as gentamicin and aztreonam and three times more potent than cefoperazone, cefotaxime and piperacillin . The pharmacokinetic properties of cefpiramide in mice and rats were superior to those of cefotaxime and cefoperazone . The peak serum concentrations of cefpiramide, administered subcutaneously at a dose of 50 mg/kg, were 76 micrograms/ml in mice and 174 micrograms/ml in rats and the corresponding serum half-lives of cefpiramide were 87 min and 49 min in mice and rats respectively. Chemotherapy, 1985, 31(6), 440 - 50 Antibacterial properties of carumonam (Ro 17-2301, AMA-1080), a new sulfonated monocyclic beta-lactam antibiotic; Angehrn P; The in vitro and in vivo activity of carumonam was tested in comparison with that of aztreonam and other beta-lactam antibiotics . With the exception of a few isolates that were overproducers of cephalosporinase, Enterobacteriaceae were highly susceptible to carumonam, 90% of the isolates being inhibited at 0.5 micrograms/ml . Aztreonam, ceftriaxone and ceftazidime were overall slightly less active than carumonam against Enterobacteriaceae . Carumonam was intermediate between ceftazidime and aztreonam as to the activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Staphylococci were resistant to the monocyclic beta-lactams . In accordance with the in vitro data, carumonam was effective against experimental septicemias and infections of the thigh and the kidney that were caused by gram-negative pathogens. Chemotherapy, 1985, 31(6), 433 - 9 Trends in bacterial susceptibility to antimicrobial agents; Lane MM et al.; Concern over the development of drug resistance by common pathogens has grown over recent years . In order to discover and describe possible trends at this institution, susceptibility data for 18 organisms and 21 antimicrobial agents for the years 1975 through 1982 at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Oklahoma City were reviewed . Summaries of susceptibility data for 64 major combinations of drugs and organisms are presented . Two gram-positive organisms (enterococcus group D and Staphylococcus aureus) as well as a gram-negative (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) appear to be decreasing in susceptibility to several drugs . However, some gram-negative bacilli (Proteus, Serratia, and Enterobacter spp . and Klebsiella pneumoniae) showed evidence of markedly increasing susceptibility to certain drugs. Boll Ist Sieroter Milan, 1985, 64(4), 281 - 4 {The role of beta-lactamases and the permeability barrier in resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics}; Perduca M et al.; The role played by beta-lactamases and by permeability barrier in resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics was investigated in 250 clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae . The data obtained showed that in 73 strains (52.9%) was a significant correlation between the specific enzyme activity and resistance, however in 38 strains (27.5%) an essential role was played by permeability barrier because the addition of subinhibitory levels of EDTA produced markedly reduction in the MIC. Folia Microbiol (Praha), 1985, 30(4), 349 - 52 In vitro pyocin activity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains pretreated with antibiotics; Al-Ani FY et al.; Fifty-six selected strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa belonging to 8 different pyocin types (H, I, 15, 6, PTI-1, PTI-2, PTI-3, PTI-4) were treated with subinhibitory concentrations (MIC/2) of either gentamicin or carbenicillin . Both treatments induced changes in pyocin patterns for all types but at different levels . The percentage of strains that retained their pyocin pattern were more or less equal in both treatments . In treated and untreated producers, the growth inhibition ability for 5 different strains of Enterobacteriaceae (Escherichia coli K12, E . coli EB, Proteus vulgaris, Salmonella typhi, Shigella flexneri) was also investigated . In all pyocin patterns the number of producers that inhibit the growth of these strains was lower after treatment with gentamicin or with carbenicillin, a smaller decrease was detected in the latter treatment . It appeared that the subinhibitory concentrations of these antibiotics are capable of protecting the Enterobacteriaceae strains from the action of the pyocins. Drugs, 1985, 29 Suppl 5, 32 - 7 Antibacterial activity of temocillin in combination with other beta-lactam antibiotics; Verbist L et al.; The antibacterial interactions of temocillin with other beta-lactam antibiotics were tested by the checkerboard combination method in Mueller-Hinton agar against 146 strains of Enterobacteriaceae, 35 Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains, and 35 Staphylococcus aureus strains . Most combinations showed either a moderate degree of synergism or indifference . Strains showing occasional antagonism at a particular proportion of concentrations of the test combination, were found to only be indifferent when the mean index of the fractional inhibition concentration of all checkerboard combinations was calculated. Chemotherapy, 1985, 31(4), 246 - 54 Affinity of carumonam for penicillin-binding proteins; Then RL et al.; Direct labeling experiments with {14C}-carumonam as well as competition binding assays with {14C}-benzylpenicillin and {14C}-ceftriaxone have demonstrated that penicillin-binding protein (PBP) 3 of Escherichia coli, Enterobacter cloacae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa has the highest affinity for carumonam (Ro 17-2301, AMA-1080) . PBP 1a is inhibited only at significantly higher concentration whereas other PBPs display poor affinity . The IC50 values for binding to PBP 3 in E . coli and E . cloacae are in the range of the MIC-values (0.1-0.4 micrograms/ml), whereas those for P . aeruginosa are much lower than the MIC obtained in vitro . In accordance with the PBP affinity pattern observed for carumonam, filament formation resulted after exposure to concentrations greater than 1/2 MIC . Although PBP 1 and 2 of Staphylococcus aureus could be titrated with radioactive carumonam, very high concentrations were required and in line with the poor affinity for all four PBPs in S . aureus, this organism is resistant to carumonam. Vopr Pitan, 1985 Jan-Feb, (1), 38 - 41 {Effect of intragastric feeding with qualitatively different mixtures on the microflora composition of the intestines in rats}; Klimzo ON; Rats of four groups each holding 6-8 animals were changed over to intragastric nutrition with different mixtures one week after cannula implantation into the stomach . The observation period constituted 15 days . The rats of two other groups were kept on oral feeding with a common diet . As compared to oral feeding, intragastric one led to alterations in the cecum microflora . More profound hydrolysis of the nutrients contained by the mixture produced a more demonstrable increase in the number of enterobacteria, enterococci, staphylococci, and lactobacilli . Intragastric feeding with a mixture without nitrogenous component sharply reduced the number of lactobacilli in the cecum contents. Vet Q, 1985 Jan, 7(1), 39 - 43 Reduction of bacterial infections in newly hatched chicks by the use of antimicrobial dips: preliminary approaches; Barbour EK et al.; Bacteriological examination of hatchery waste eggs, identification of the isolated bacteria, and susceptibility testing against seven antimicrobial agents were used in an attempt to establish a rational basis for reducing bacterial infections in newly hatched chicks . Chloramphenicol at 1000 ppm was selected as the antibiotic for preliminary dipping trials and 0.45% iodophore (Wescodyne) was added for later trials . The control treatment consisted of formaldehyde fumigation . The following conclusions can be drawn: Hatchery waste eggs are highly contaminated (69.1%) and enterobacteriaceae predominate (26.6%) . Chloramphenicol is the most effective antimicrobial tested . Dip treatments with either chloramphenicol alone or chloramphenicol plus Wescodyne result in a reduced percentage of abnormal navels (8.4% and 10.4%), as compared with 21.9% for the control treatment . Hatchability of either group of dipped eggs is reduced in comparison with fumigated eggs . Dip treatment with chloramphenicol plus Wescodyne significantly reduces the anal carrier rates for Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella spp., and Staphylococcus aureus . This treatment reduces the incidence of bacterial infection in abnormal navels to zero. Mol Biol Evol, 1985 Jan, 2(1), 13 - 34 Codon usage and tRNA content in unicellular and multicellular organisms; Ikemura T; Choices of synonymous codons in unicellular organisms are here reviewed, and differences in synonymous codon usages between Escherichia coli and the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae are attributed to differences in the actual populations of isoaccepting tRNAs . There exists a strong positive correlation between codon usage and tRNA content in both organisms, and the extent of this correlation relates to the protein production levels of individual genes . Codon-choice patterns are believed to have been well conserved during the course of evolution . Examination of silent substitutions and tRNA populations in Enterobacteriaceae revealed that the evolutionary constraint imposed by tRNA content on codon usage decelerated rather than accelerated the silent-substitution rate, at least insofar as pairs of taxonomically related organisms were examined . Codon-choice patterns of multicellular organisms are briefly reviewed, and diversity in G+C percentage at the third position of codons in vertebrate genes--as well as a possible causative factor in the production of this diversity--is discussed. Z Rechtsmed, 1985, 95(3), 159 - 61 Failure to detect antihuman-immunoglobulinallotype-active antibodies in diagnostic sera directed against some enterobacteria; Sagan Z et al.; Diagnostic sera to determine antigenic properties of bacteria were tested to clarify the question whether these sera also contain antibodies being active against human immunoglobulin allotypes . Sera directed against various strains of Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Shigella were found to be negative for anti-Ig-allotype activity. Scand J Infect Dis, 1985, 17(4), 387 - 91 Emergence of beta-lactam multiresistant variants of gram-negative bacilli in the presence of cefotaxime; Svarva PL et al.; 88 clinical isolates of gram-negative bacilli (23 Enterobacter, 23 Klebsiella, 21 E . coli, and 21 Pseudomonas) all showed susceptibility to one or more cephalosporins and were nitrocefin test negative . When cultured overnight in the presence of 1, 10, or 100 mg/l of cefotaxime, 19 Enterobacter strains grew beta-lactamase-producing variants, 15 of them at concentrations less than or equal to 10 mg/l of cefotaxime . All enzyme-producing variants showed resistance to a number of cephalosporins including non-hydrolyzable cephalosporins and other beta-lactam antibiotics, except mecillinam and thienamycin . With the other gram-negative bacilli resistant mutants did not emerge in the presence of cefotaxime . These findings are discussed in relation to use of third generation cephalosporins as first hand monotherapy in patients. Clin Ther, 1985, 7 Suppl A, 45 - 54 Respiratory infections: clinical evaluation; Grassi C; A review of clinical studies of piperacillin shows that it is valuable for the treatment of respiratory infections due to Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas sp, anaerobes, and mixed flora including anaerobes . Various studies of a total of 420 patients treated with piperacillin for lower respiratory tract infections found that 97% of the patients were cured or markedly improved . Piperacillin has also been found as effective as combination therapy (gentamicin or tobramycin plus carbenicillin or ticarcillin) in the treatment of serious infections, including pneumonia and several caused by gram-negative organisms and anaerobic organisms . A review of the literature on bacteriological responses to piperacillin shows that 126 of 153 (82%) of the susceptible strains could be eradicated . Streptococcus pneumoniae, beta-hemolytic streptococci, Haemophilus influenzae, Peptostreptococcus sp, Bacteroides sp, and Fusobacterium sp have been completely eradicated by treatment with piperacillin . Most of the published studies indicate that therapy with the drug is usually well tolerated. Boll Ist Sieroter Milan, 1985, 64(4), 285 - 8 {Prospective use of immunofluorescence polarization in the study of enzymes modifying aminoglycosides}; Pagani L et al.; A number of assays have been described for aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes; the aim of our investigation was to check the validity of polarized immunofluorescence assay for aminoglycoside enzymes . We have studied three enzymes encoded by R-factors from clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae conferring various patterns of aminoglycoside-resistance . The assay resulted valid: this is a simple, rapid and sensitive method. Annu Rev Microbiol, 1985, 39, 131 - 49 Bacterial reduction of trimethylamine oxide; Barrett EL et al.; Trimethylamine oxide, which is found in relatively high concentrations in the tissues of marine animals, serves as an electron acceptor in the anaerobic metabolism of a number of bacteria associated primarily with three environments: the marine environment (e.g . Alteromonas and Vibrio), the brackish pond (nonsulfur photosynthetic bacteria), and animal intestines (Enterobacteriaceae) . Its reduction to trimethylamine by such bacteria can constitute a major spoilage reaction during the storage of marine fish . In the Enterobacteriaceae, anaerobic respiration with TMAO has been shown to support oxidative phosphorylation . Electron transport to TMAO in these bacteria involves flavin nucleotides, menaquinones, both b- and c-type cytochromes, and a molybdoenzyme reductase . Formate, hydrogen, lactate, and glycerol all serve as electron donors for TMAO respiration . Electrophoretically distinct constitutive and TMAO-induced reductases are synthesized by both E . coli and S . typhimurium . Electron transport to TMAO is repressed both by air and by nitrate . A number of genes involved in TMAO respiration have been mapped, but the structural gene for the inducible TMAO reductase has not yet been firmly established . Oxidative phosphorylation is also supported by TMAO reduction in Alteromonas . In this organism, which is nonfermentative, TMAO respiration resembles aerobic respiration in that intermediates of the TCA cycle are excellent electron donors . Alteromonas exhibits a requirement for NaCl for growth on TMAO and certain electron donors . As in the Enterobacteriaceae, air and nitrate both interfere with TMAO reduction . The role of TMAO reduction in the anaerobic metabolism of nonsulfur purple bacteria has not yet been resolved; it is not clear if TMAO serves simply as an accessory oxidant for fermentation or if TMAO reduction is associated with energy-yielding membrane-bound electron transport . Some of the confusion regarding this bacterial group stems from the fact that much of the work to date has involved parallel studies of TMAO and dimethyl sulfoxide reduction, and it is not yet known whether the two compounds are reduced by the same enzyme . Although our understanding of bacterial TMAO reduction lags far behind our knowledge of bacterial nitrate reduction, it is unlikely that this will always be the case.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS) Immunol Lett, 1985, 10(5), 293 - 6 Human B-cell differentiation induced by murein; Ludemann J et al.; Like "true" polyclonal B-cell activators (PBA) for murine B cells, crude membrane preparations of Klebsiella pneumoniae (Klebs M) and some other enterobacteriaceae stimulate human B cells to mature into immunoglobulin (Ig) secreting cells without significant prior proliferation and in the absence of T cells . To investigate the biochemically defined membrane component with this unique PBA property, we studied lipoprotein and murein isolated from E . coli, since other components (e.g., a variety of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) fragments) failed to imitate Klebs M as a PBA . Mononuclear cells (MNC) and B cell-enriched cell populations from healthy blood donors were stimulated with various doses of lipoprotein and murein and, in comparison, Klebs M and pokeweed mitogen (PWM) . Cell cultures exposed to either lipoprotein, murein, or Klebs M failed to incorporate {3H}thymidine significantly after 5 days in culture . In contrast, there was significant DNA synthesis (stimulation index greater than 3) when PWM was given to the same MNC population . All stimulants, with the exception of lipoprotein, induced B-cell differentiation in MNC cultures, as measured by an ELISA quantitating secreted Ig in the culture supernatants . In cultures with B cell-enriched cell populations, however, only Klebs M and murein were able to induce the production of significant amounts of IgM . Thus, the actual PBA moiety contained in the crude membrane fraction (Klebs M) appears to be associated with murein . It is important to note that murein induced considerably weaker Ig secretion than Klebs M did. Gene, 1985, 35(1-2), 121 - 30 Cloning of genes encoding pectolytic enzymes from a genomic library of the phytopathogenic bacterium, Erwinia chrysanthemi; Reverchon S et al.; Erwinia chrysanthemi are phytopathogenic enterobacteria causing soft-rot disease due to pectolytic enzymes degrading plant cell walls . We constructed a genomic library from Sau3A-digested E . chrysanthemi B374 DNA cloned in the BamHI site of the broad-host-range cosmid pMMB33 grown in Escherichia coli . Out of 1500 kanamycin-resistant (KmR) transductants of E . coli, nine pectolytic-enzyme-positive clones were identified . One of these contained the pEW325 cosmid with a 35-kb insert of Erwinia DNA . Cell extracts of E . coli harboring the cosmid pEW325 were fractionated on a polyacrylamide electrofocusing gel; bands with pectolytic activity were found to co-focus with pectolytic enzymes of E . chrysanthemi B374 strain . Cosmid pEW325 encodes three pectolytic enzymes PL10, PL20 and PL130 with isoelectric points of about 9.3, 9.2 and 4.6, respectively . These enzymes are lyases that cleave polygalacturonate by transelimination, and give rise to unsaturated products . A 15-kb HindIII fragment coding for polygalacturonate lyases was subcloned in pBR322, and a physical map of the resulting plasmid pPL01 was constructed . Starting from the pPL01, various endonuclease-generated fragments were subcloned into pBR322 . Genes encoding pectate lyases were localized within an 8-kb fragment (pPL04) and then in a 2.7-kb fragment (pPL03) . Polygalacturonate lyases are expressed at various levels; they accumulated in the periplasmic space of E . coli host, whereas E . chrysanthemi secreted these enzymes into the culture medium. Drugs, 1985, 29 Suppl 5, 213 - 20 Temocillin treatment of serious infections due to gram-negative bacilli in an intensive care unit; Offenstadt G et al.; In a group of 27 severely ill patients in an intensive care unit, 40 infections caused by Gram-negative bacilli were treated with temocillin 2g twice daily by the direct intravenous route . The patients (17 men and 10 women) were aged from 35 to 93 years (mean 65.7 years) and 22 had severe underlying diseases . In addition, 10 of the patients were admitted to the intensive care unit following surgery; 6 had acute renal insufficiency, 5 had acute respiratory insufficiency, and 12 were suffering from infectious shock . The infections included septicaemia (19), urinary tract infection (10), respiratory tract infection (4) and biliary tract infection (4) . The most frequent bacterial isolate was Escherichia coli (14), followed by Enterobacter cloacae (5), Proteus spp . (5) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (4) . The initial pathogens were eliminated in 34/40 infections (85%) and the corresponding clinical cure rate was 60%, with a further 27.5% of patients being improved . In the septicaemic patients, 17/19 pathogens were eradicated from the blood, while clinically, 12 patients were cured and 5 were improved . Eight of the 10 urinary tract pathogens were eliminated, with 6 patients being clinically cured and a further 3 being improved . All of the initial pathogens in both biliary tract and respiratory tract infections were eradicated, accompanied by clinical success in 3 and 2 patients, respectively; the remaining patients were improved . Superinfection with streptococcus group D, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus was seen in 3 patients . The emergence of resistance to temocillin occurred in an isolate of E . coli, and also possibly in an isolate of K . pneumoniae . No adverse reactions nor abnormal laboratory values related to temocillin administration were observed and, although 7 patients died, none of the deaths were attributable to uncontrolled Gram-negative infection. Ann Biol Clin (Paris), 1985, 43(3), 239 - 50 {Mathematical approach to bacterial identification}; Beyne P et al.; The identification of Enterobacteriaceae is examined in the context of the recent field of research assisted by multi-criteria decisions . In particular, the authors discuss the limitations of two approaches of assisted identification based on completely different mathematical concepts: the calculation of the probabilities (used in commercial centres) and the aggregation of pre-orders by a model of assisted decision such as Electra II . In order to reduce the errors of interpretation inherent in the use of any model, the authors propose the use of computer assisted systems of bacterial identification in bacteriology laboratories. J Basic Microbiol, 1985, 25(4), 285 - 8 Morphological characterization of the Serratia marcescens bacteriophage SLP; Vinas MC et al.; SLP is a lambda-like bacteriophage specific for Serratia marcescens strains . Morphological studies have demonstrated that SLP virions present two cross-bar structures on its tail not described in bacteriophages specific for Enterobacteriaceae . SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of major capsid proteins as well as electron micrographs are reported. Curr Med Res Opin, 1985, 9(6), 384 - 7 Changes during travel in the composition and antibiotic resistance pattern of the intestinal Enterobacteriaceae flora: results from a study of mecillinam prophylaxis against travellers' diarrhoea; Gaarslev K et al.; A randomized double-blind study was carried out in a group of Danish students visiting Mexico for 2 weeks to investigate the efficacy of mecillinam when given orally in preventing travellers' diarrhoea . The subjects took either 200 mg mecillinam daily as a single dose or placebo for 14 days . Nine (56%) out of 16 taking placebo and 3 (19%) out of 16 taking mecillinam developed travellers' diarrhoea (p less than 0.05) . The pathogenic aetiology was not ascertained . A complete change in the Enterobacteriaceae flora took place during travel . A highly antibiotic-resistant Enterobacteriaceae flora was acquired in Mexico in subjects on mecillinam prophylaxis as well as on placebo . Selection of mecillinam-resistant bacteria was minimal. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1985 Jan, 27(1), 4 - 10 In vitro and in vivo antibacterial activities of the fluoroquinolone WIN 49375 (amifloxacin); Cornett JB et al.; WIN 49375 (amifloxacin) is a synthetic antibacterial agent of the quinolone class . It is similar in chemical structure to pefloxacin but differs by containing a methylamino, rather than an ethyl, substituent at the 1-N position . The activity of WIN 49375 in vitro was comparable to those of norfloxacin and pefloxacin against Enterobacteriaceae and generally greater than those of tobramycin and cefotaxime . WIN 49375 was more active in vitro than carbenicillin and mezlocillin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates and showed moderate activity against Staphylococcus aureus, with MICs of less than or equal to 2 micrograms/ml . The in vitro activity of WIN 49375 was not markedly affected by the presence of human serum, the size of the bacterial inoculum, or changes in pH between 6 and 8 . Against systemic, gram-negative bacterial infections in mice, WIN 49375 was generally less active than cefotaxime but more active than gentamicin . WIN 49548, the major piperazinyl-N-desmethyl metabolite of WIN 49375, was aa effective as the parent drug against experimental infections in mice when given parenterally . When administered orally, however, this metabolite was less potent than WIN 49375 . WIN 49375 was highly active by the oral route, with 50% effective doses within two- to threefold of those obtained with parenteral medication. Pharmacotherapy, 1985 Jan-Feb, 5(1), 1 - 10 Amdinocillin: a novel penicillin . Antibacterial activity, pharmacology and clinical use; Neu HC; Amdinocillin is a novel penicillin whose antibacterial activity is derived from its ability to bind specifically and avidly to Penicillin Binding Protein-2 (PBP 2) . Other beta-lactams bind almost exclusively to PBPs 1 and 3 . This unique feature has prompted many investigators to predict that amdinocillin would aggressively synergize with other antimicrobials, particularly other beta-lactams . Certain features of these predictions have been realized . Amdinocillin is active alone against many gram-negative organisms . Pseudomonas and non-fermenting gram-negative bacteria, however, are usually resistant . Amdinocillin, in combination with many beta-lactams, exhibits marked synergy against many enterobacteriaceae . No such synergy can be demonstrated for gram-positive organisms or pseudomonas species . Amdinocillin is not beta-lactamase stable . Organisms which produce high levels of plasma-mediated beta-lactamase are resistant to the drug . Amdinocillin is widely distributed to most tissues of the body . It is removed by renal tubular secretion which results in prodigious levels of the drug in the urine . Co-administration of probenecid results in markedly elevated plasma levels of amdinocillin and delays its excretion . Amdinocillin has a plasma half-life of about one hour in patients with grossly normal renal function . Its half-life increases to 3 to 6 hours in anephric patients . The spectrum of adverse reactions observed with amdinocillin is similar to that of other penicillins . Amdinocillin, as a single agent, is effective in the treatment of urinary tract infections caused by susceptible strains of E . coli and klebsiella and enterobacter species . When amdinocillin is used in concert with other antimicrobials, synergy can frequently be demonstrated but it is essentially limited to gram-negative aerobic organisms . At present, insufficient data are available to precisely profile the utility of amdinocillin, either alone or in combination, in the treatment of systemic infections. J Bacteriol, 1985 Jan, 161(1), 393 - 401 Glycine betaine transport in Escherichia coli: osmotic modulation; Perroud B et al.; Exogenous glycine betaine highly stimulates the growth rate of various members of the Enterobacteriaceae, including Escherichia coli, in media with high salt concentrations (D . Le Rudulier and L . Bouillard, Appl . Environ . Microbiol . 46:152-159, 1983) . In a nitrogen- and carbon-free medium, glycine betaine did not support the growth of E . coli either on low-salt or high-salt media . This molecule was taken up by the cells but was not catabolized . High levels of glycine betaine transport occurred when the cells were grown in media of elevated osmotic strength, whereas relatively low activity was found when the cells were grown in minimal medium . A variety of electrolytes, such as NaCl, KCl, NaH2PO4, K2HPO4, K2SO4, and nonelectrolytes like sucrose, raffinose, and inositol triggered the uptake of glycine betaine . Furthermore, in cells subjected to a sudden osmotic upshock, glycine betaine uptake showed a sixfold stimulation 30 min after the addition of NaCl . Part of this stimulation might be a consequence of protein synthesis . The transport of glycine betaine was energy dependent and occurred against a concentration gradient . 2,4-Dinitrophenol almost totally abolished the glycine betaine uptake . Azide and arsenate exerted only a small inhibition . In addition, N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide had a very low inhibitory effect at 1 mM . These results indicated that glycine betaine transport is driven by the electrochemical proton gradient . The kinetics of glycine betaine entry followed the Michaelis-Menten relationship, yielding a Km of 35 microM and a Vmax of 42 nmol min-1 mg of protein-1 . Glycine betaine transport showed considerable structural specificity . The only potent competitor was proline betaine when added to the assay mixtures at 20-fold the glycine betaine concentration . From these results, it is proposed that E . coli possesses an active and specific glycine betaine transport system which is regulated by the osmotic strength of the growth medium. Drugs, 1985, 29 Suppl 5, 9 - 14 Bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity of penicillins at constant and variable concentrations; Bauernfeind A; Temocillin, the first beta-lactamase stable penicillin which is active against Gram-negative bacteria, was shown to be much more potent than ampicillin, piperacillin and mezlocillin against most species of Enterobacteriaceae . All isolates of Escherichia coli producing TEM 1, TEM 2 or OXA 1 beta-lactamases were sensitive to temocillin . When the prolonged kinetics of elimination of temocillin were simulated in an in vitro system, more rapid killing and less regrowth occurred as compared with penicillins with more rapid elimination. Drugs, 1985, 29 Suppl 5, 85 - 90 The activity of temocillin against Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas and Haemophilus influenzae; Chen HY et al.; The in vitro antimicrobial activity of temocillin against 130 strains of Enterobacteriaceae and 27 strains of Pseudomonas and other related Gram-negative organisms was compared with carbenicillin, mezlocillin and piperacillin . Temocillin was compared with ampicillin against 76 strains of Haemophilus influenzae . More than 90% of Enterobacteriaceae including 65 carbenicillin-resistant strains were inhibited by 8 mg/L of temocillin . Pseudomonas spp . were less susceptible to temocillin than to the other 3 penicillins . 35 out of 38 strains of beta-lactamase-producing H . influenzae were inhibited by 2 mg/L of temocillin . But with 38 ampicillin-sensitive and non-beta-lactamase-producing ampicillin-resistant strains, temocillin was slightly less active than ampicillin . There was no significant enhancement of temocillin activity by clavulanic acid against 20 strains of Gram-negative rods producing characterised beta-lactamases . The resistance to plasmid-mediated and chromosomal beta-lactamase extracts was also studied by bioassay method . No enzyme extracts tested could hydrolyse temocillin except that from one Flavobacterium strain. Drugs, 1985, 29 Suppl 5, 64 - 6 Beta-lactamase stability of temocillin; Edmondson RA et al.; The stability of temocillin to 12 different beta-lactamase preparations was studied using high pressure liquid chromatography and was compared with that of aztreonam, cefotetan and cefotaxime . Temocillin was the most stable beta-lactam examined, being as stable as cefotetan to most of the beta-lactamases tested . However, cefotetan was hydrolysed at measurable rates by the beta-lactamase of Enterobacter cloacae P99, in contrast to temocillin which was completely stable to this enzyme . Aztreonam was hydrolysed at a slow rate by many of the preparations, being especially labile to the enzyme from Klebsiella oxytoca K1 . Cefotaxime was hydrolysed at varying rates by all the preparations. Drugs, 1985, 29 Suppl 5, 234 - 9 The place of temocillin in the treatment of hospital infections; Williams JD et al.; Infection due to Gram-negative bacteria continues to be a common problem in the hospital environment, for which a wide variety of antibiotics is available . Among Enterobacteria, resistance is expressed most commonly via beta-lactamases . Temocillin is the first penicillin to show stability to beta-lactamases of Gram-negative bacteria, therefore it is in this type of infection that the initial assessments of temocillin should be made. Drugs, 1985, 29 Suppl 5, 15 - 7 In vitro activity of temocillin against gram-negative clinical isolates; Gaya H et al.; 120 consecutive clinical isolates of various species of Enterobacteriaceae and 30 consecutive clinical isolates of Haemophilus influenzae (including 5 which produced beta-lactamase) were assessed for susceptibility to temocillin using a broth microdilution technique and both 'light' (10(3) CFU/ml) and 'heavy' (10(6) CFU/ml) inocula . At the lighter inoculum, 90% of the Enterobacteriaceae were inhibited by temocillin at a concentration of 4 mg/L . 90% of the H . influenzae were similarly inhibited at a concentration of 0.5 mg/L, and no differences were observed between producers and non-producers of beta-lactamase . At the heavier inoculum, a significant inoculum effect was observed: minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) increased up to 128-fold for H . influenzae and somewhat less than that for the Enterobacteriaceae . Klebsiella pneumoniae was least affected by inoculum, showing only a 2- to 4-fold increase in the MIC . It is concluded that temocillin is active in vitro against the species tested and warrants further clinical trial. Chemotherapy, 1985, 31(2), 95 - 101 The clover-leaf test and inactivation of beta-lactam antibiotics by gram-negative rods; Jorgensen PE; The suitability of a very sensitive modification of the clover-leaf test as a test for inactivation of beta-lactam antibiotics by gram-negative rods was examined . 143 Enterobacteriaceae and 9 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were examined by the clover-leaf test and an antibiotic susceptibility test towards 12 beta-lactam antibiotics . The beta-lactamase activity of the strains was also examined by a sensitive modification of the chromogenic cephalosporin test . The strains of P . aeruginosa could not be clover-leaf tested as they inhibited the indicator strains . All the Enterobacteriaceae which had beta-lactamase activity according to the chromogenic test inactivated at least 1 of the antibiotics in the clover-leaf test . None of the Enterobacteriaceae without beta-lactamase activity inactivated any of the antibiotics . On the whole the results of the clover-leaf test and the results of the susceptibility test correlated well . But many Enterobacteriaceae were susceptible to an antibiotic in the susceptibility test even though they inactivated it according to the clover-leaf test and some Enterobacteriaceae were resistant to an antibiotic but did not inactivate it . Among the Enterobacteriaceae which had beta-lactamase activity according to the chromogenic cephalosporin test and which were intermediately susceptible to an antibiotic in the susceptibility test, many did not inactivate this antibiotic according to the clover-leaf test . If an infection with Enterobacteriaceae has to be treated by a beta-lactam antibiotic to which the strain is only intermediately susceptible, it might be advantageous to use an antibiotic which is not inactivated by the strain according to the clover-leaf test, but this lacks clinical confirmation. Chemotherapy, 1985, 31(2), 130 - 7 Comparative in vitro activity of ceftriaxone against clinical bacterial isolates in Nigeria; Obaseiki-Ebor EE et al.; The in vitro activity of ceftriaxone, a cephalosporin derivative, recently introduced in Nigeria was compared with the activities of other related beta-lactam antibiotics such as cefotaxime, cefuroxime, cephaloridine, cloxacillin/ampicillin and ampicillin against 530 local clinical isolates of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria . The spectra of activity and potency of ceftriaxone and cefotaxime were generally similar against the Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia spp., Streptococcus spp . and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, but less active against Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis when compared to cefotaxime . All the other beta-lactam antibiotics tested were less active than ceftriaxone . The action of ceftriaxone was bactericidal and the minimum inhibitory concentration values observed with R-plasmid beta-lactamase mediated resistant Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., Proteus spp . and N . gonorrhoeae strains did not exceed the maximum value obtained with the beta-lactamase-negative strains. Scand J Infect Dis Suppl, 1985, 46, 27 - 32 Encapsulation and protection against phagocytosis by Bacteroides fragilis; Lindberg AA et al.; The capsular polysaccharide of Bacteroides fragilis is most probably an important virulence factor as shown by its ability to protect against phagocytosis in in vitro studies, and by its abscess-promoting ability in experimental in vivo studies . Immunity against the capsular polysaccharide, either in the form of humoral antibodies or as cell-mediated immunity, can facilitate phagocytosis or prevent abscess formation . The capsular polysaccharides in two reference strains examined so far are complex in structure, and seem to be strain specific . The B . fragilis lipopolysaccharide has a relatively low endotoxic activity when compared to lipopolysaccharides from bacteria belonging to Enterobacteriaceae . Structurally the B . fragilis lipopolysaccharide has a relatively low molecular weight, and short polysaccharide chains similar to those found in lipopolysaccharides from rough mutants of Enterobacteriaceae or from capsulated bacteria such as Neisseria meningitidis and Haemophilus influenzae. Drugs, 1985, 29 Suppl 5, 67 - 73 Antibacterial activity of temocillin; Malottke R et al.; The in vitro antibacterial activity of temocillin, a new penicillin, was determined in quantitative broth dilution tests, and compared with that of mezlocillin, piperacillin, cephazolin and cefotaxime . 805 clinical isolates of the Enterobacteriaceae family were tested, with temocillin exhibiting a high level of antibacterial activity against the various bacterial species, including mezlocillin-resistant strains . With the exception of Serratia marcescens, the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 90% of tested strains of various species were in the range of 1 to 8 mg/L temocillin . Concentrations of 16 mg/L were required to inhibit 80% of S . marcescens strains, and some isolates were resistant . Significant differences between the MIC and MBC values were not observed . Furthermore, the pharmacokinetics of the bactericidal action of temocillin against mezlocillin-resistant strains was investigated, and killing curves showed that the compound was bactericidal at the MIC and the MBC. Drugs, 1985, 29 Suppl 5, 43 - 8 Influence of temocillin on human bowel flora; Mittermayer HW; The influence of temocillin on intestinal flora was investigated in 6 healthy volunteers, each of whom received intravenous temocillin 1g twice daily over a period of 6 to 7 days . Dilution series of stool samples were investigated before, during and immediately after treatment, as well as 9 to 14 days after treatment had been stopped . The basic effect of temocillin was a pronounced reduction in Enterobacteriaceae during and immediately after treatment . Nine to 14 days after conclusion of treatment, the Enterobacteriaceae had almost reattained their original numbers . No clear influence could be established for temocillin on the total numbers of aerobic bacteria, strict anaerobes, or the members of the Bacteroides fragilis group . The number of enterococci increased slightly during treatment, but antibiotic-resistant Enterobacteriaceae were not selected by treatment . It can be concluded that in these volunteers the colonisation resistance of the colon was maintained during treatment, and that temocillin exerted an influence comparable to a selective decontamination of the intestine. Drugs, 1985, 29 Suppl 5, 38 - 42 Temocillin sensitivity of Enterobacteriaceae species resistant to cefotaxime; Verbist L; The in vitro activity of temocillin, cefotaxime, aztreonam and ceftazidime was tested against selected cefotaxime-resistant isolates (43 Enterobacter species, 37 Serratia marcescens, 16 Morganella morganii, 8 Klebsiella species) and cefotaxime-susceptible strains of the same species . Cross-resistance with a high degree of correlation was observed between cefotaxime and aztreonam or ceftazidime, but not between cefotaxime and temocillin. Drugs Exp Clin Res, 1985, 11(7), 421 - 6 New prospects for research on cephalosporins; Neuman N; The present paper reviews the newly-developed cephalosporins and considers their potential for filling the gaps left by earlier cephalosporins in terms of of spectrum of activity, pharmacokinetic parameters, development of resistance and tolerability . Research on narrow-spectrum cephalosporins, directed specifically against enterobacteria and Pseudomonas, on cephalosporins with a low inoculum effect and on oral cephalosporins is discussed . The chemical substitutions responsible for enhancing or reducing the activity of cephalosporins against various bacteria, for altering pharmacokinetic behaviour and for producing unwanted side-effects are described. Scand J Infect Dis, 1985, 17(1), 95 - 8 Comparative in vitro activity of norfloxacin and seven other antimicrobial agents against clinical isolates from urinary tract infections; Esko E et al.; The in vitro activity of norfloxacin, a new quinolone derivative, was tested against 469 clinical isolates derived mainly from urinary samples from outpatients . It inhibited all Escherichia coli, Klebsiella oxytoca and Proteus strains at a concentration of 0.25 micrograms/ml, and all Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus and Enterococcus strains at a concentration of 8 micrograms/ml or less . Norfloxacin proved to be more effective than nalidixic acid, trimethoprim, mecillinam and nitrofurantoin against all gram-negative rods tested. Scand J Infect Dis, 1985, 17(1), 91 - 4 Comparative in vitro activity of three new quinolone antibiotics against recent clinical isolates; Forsgren A; New orally absorbable quinolone derivatives, ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, and ofloxacin demonstrated excellent activity in vitro against clinical isolates of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Proteus mirabilis, Proteus sp . indole-positive, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia marcescens, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes and enterococci . None of the 3 drugs was more than moderately effective against Bacteroides fragilis . Ciprofloxacin was 2-4 times more effective against most gram-negative strains than was either norfloxacin or ofloxacin, and was also the most effective against gram-positive strains, though the difference was less marked . Ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin were almost equally effective against S . aureus . Results with agar and with broth were comparable . The activities of all 3 drugs were essentially independent of inoculum size, as the MIC values increased less than one dilution step when the inoculum was increased from 10(3) to 10(6) . The new quinolone derivatives would appear to be promising alternatives to injectable drugs such as the aminoglycosides and cephalosporins. Mol Gen Genet, 1985, 199(3), 372 - 80 Versatile Escherichia coli-Bacillus shuttle vectors derived from runaway replication plasmids related to CloDF13; Andreoli PM; Versatile cloning vectors were constructed employing a runaway replication mutant of the bacteriocinogenic plasmid CloDF13 . These vectors can, under conditions where protein synthesis is not inhibited, be amplified in Escherichia coli to high levels by elevating the temperature and are therefore useful for the production of large quantities of DNA and protein . Since the constructed shuttle vectors, which harbour at least six unique restriction endonucleases sites, replicate in E . coli, Enterobacter cloacae, Staphylococcus aureus and a variety of Bacilli, they are applicable for the genetic engineering of both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. Med Trop (Mars), 1985 Jan-Mar, 45(1), 59 - 66 {Microbiological study performed on 1,998 vaginal swabs}; Douchet C et al.; From 1981 to 1983, 1998 vaginal samples have been microbiologically examined in Abidjan . The average age was 23 . Pathogen agents take often the place of normal lactobacillus flora . The presence of most of the microbian germs (Enterobacteriaceae, Neisseriae, Trichomonas, Corynehactery) was not increased by the pregnant state . But yeast and Candida albicans in particular, were found significantly more frequent in pregnant women . Candida albicans, serotype B, was, by far, the most frequently discovered . It has offered a real resistance against 5 fluorocytosin, as it can be observed in Europe . In vitro, ketoconazole appeared less efficient than econazole . On the contrary, nystatin and amphotericin B presented a great and constant activity against all yeasts of Candida genus. Drugs Exp Clin Res, 1985, 11(5), 339 - 41 The pharmacology of orally administered ciprofloxacin; Brittain DC et al.; Ciprofloxacin pharmacokinetics were studied in 6 volunteers after 250 and 500 mg single oral doses . Mean peak serum levels were 1.45 micrograms/ml and 2.5 micrograms/ml for 250 and 500 mg doses . The 12-h levels were 0.12 micrograms and 0.22 micrograms . T1/2 alpha values were 0.32 and 0.43 h; T1/2 beta was 4 h and Vd (area) values were 80L and 90L for the two doses respectively . AUC was 5.65 h . micrograms/ml and 10.37 h . micrograms/ml . Serum clearance was 23L for both doses . Approximately 49% of the 250 mg dose and 43% of the 500 mg dose was recovered in the urine . Ciprofloxacin's in vitro activity and human pharmacology should permit a twice or once-daily dosing schedule for systemic infections due to most Enterobacteriaceae, Haemophilus, Branhamella and Pseudomonas and S . aureus, and once-daily doses for urinary and gastrointestinal infections. Bull Soc Pathol Exot Filiales, 1985, 78(3), 290 - 5 {Etiology of acute infantile gastroenteritis in Gabon}; Gendrel D et al.; Rotaviruses are the main etiology of acute diarrhoeas in gabonese children (11 to 30% according to age) . Salmonellae (11.4%), Shigellae (7.1%) and E . histolytica (7.1%), isolated or associated with enterobacteria, E . coli (3%), Giardia and Strongyloides stercoralis (1.4%), Yersinia enterocolitica (1%) and Balantidium coli (0.5%) were also found, without cholera. Acta Microbiol Pol, 1985, 34(3-4), 277 - 86 Bacterial microflora in Stichococcus bacillaris culture in nitrogenous-organic wastewaters; Bisz-Konarzewska A et al.; The quantitative and qualitative composition of the population of heterotrophic bacteria accompanying Stichococcus bacillaris in culture in non-sterile nitrogenous-organic wastewater was examined . During 5 days of incubation the total number of bacteria did not show any marked changes and averaged 4 X 10(6) cells per ml . Twenty per cent of the isolated bacterial strains were gram-positive . Gram-negative rods were dominated by Enterobacteriaceae (40%) and Pseudomonas (17%). Prog Clin Biol Res, 1985, 189, 31 - 51 Newer aspects of the chemical structure and biological activity of bacterial endotoxins; Rietschel ET et al.; Gram-negative bacteria express at their surface various amphiphiles among which the lipopolysaccharides (endotoxins, O-antigens) have been studied most intensively . Lipopolysaccharides consist of a heteropolysaccharide portion (O-specific chain and core) which is responsible for the O- (and R-) antigenic properties and a covalently bound lipid component, termed lipid A, which contains the endotoxic principle of lipopolysaccharides . The detailed chemical structure of a large number of O-chains and the general architecture of the core oligosaccharide has been established . Recent analyses of the enterobacterial inner core region indicate the presence of a linear trisaccharide of alpha 2.4-linked 3-deoxy-D-manno-2-octulosonic acid (KDO) residues of which only the reducing group is believed to be located in the main core chain . This KDO residue which provides the link between the polysaccharide and the lipid A component appears to be involved in a recently detected ubiquitous immunodeterminant expressed by lipopolysaccharides of various origin . The chemical structure of enterobacterial lipid A's is now known in some detail . Lipid A of Salmonella, Escherichia coli and Proteus consists of a beta 1.6-linked D-glucosamine disaccharide which carries four (R)-3-hydroxytetradecanoyl groups in positions 2, 3, 2' and 3' and two phosphoryl residues in positions 1 and 4' . Up to three of the hydroxy fatty acids (positions 2, 2' and 3') are, at their 3-hydroxyl groups, acylated by non-hydroxylated acyl residues, and to phosphoryl groups non-acylated, nitrogen-containing residues such as 4-amino-4-deoxy-L-arabinopyranose and phosphorylethanolamine may be bound . The hydroxyl group in position 4 of the glucosamine disaccharide is free and that in position 6' serves as the attachment site for KDO (i.e . the polysaccharide component) in lipopolysaccharide . Based on this structure lipid A analogues have been chemically synthesized and analysed for endotoxic activity in vivo and in vitro . In two test systems (pyrogenicity, local Shwartzman reaction) the synthetic part structures exhibited weak or no endotoxic activity, as did a precursor of lipid A biosynthesis which is structurally identical to one of the analogues . In many other systems, however, including lethal toxicity, B-lymphocyte mitogenicity, macrophage activation, induction of cross tolerance, expression of lipid A antigenicity, the synthetic materials were of comparable activity as bacterial free lipid A . These findings support the structural proposals made for lipid A and they prove the previous hypothesis that the endotoxic principle is embedded in lipid A.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS) Acta Microbiol Pol, 1985, 34(2), 103 - 10 Penicillin-binding proteins of Thiobacillus versutus; Markiewicz Z et al.; The cytoplasmic membrane of Thiobacillus versutus was found to contain at least nine penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) with apparent molecular weights as judged by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide slab gel electrophoresis of 87000 (PBP1), 81000 (PBP2), 68000 (PBP3), 63000 (PBP4), 57000 (PBP5), 40000 (PBP6), 37000 (PBP70, 33000 (PBP8) and 31000 (PBP9) . The PBP pattern of T . versutus was thus quite different from that of the Enterobacteria and the Pseudomonads . Also the properties of the PBPs of T . versutus such as affinity for various beta-lactam antibiotics, heat stability and release of bound penicillin were different from similar properties of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other gram-negative bacteria. Med Microbiol Immunol (Berl), 1985, 174(2), 87 - 99 Immunological relationships between Salmonella flagella and their potential application for salmonellae detection by immunoassay; Ibrahim GF et al.; Native flagella of ten Salmonella serotypes were shown to possess serotype-specific antigenic determinants as well as a multiple of common antigenic determinants, which varied in concentration . Each common antigenic determinant was shared by certain, but not all, serotypes . This has been demonstrated from agglutination and radioimmunometric assay (RIMA) results, using ten antisera raised in rabbits against purified polymeric flagellins from ten Salmonella serotypes as immunogens . The minimum detectable populations of salmonellae, as determined by RIMA varied considerably, due to variation in concentrations (and possibly types) of common antigenic determinants . However, the results demonstrated the feasibility of utilizing RIMA for the qualitative detection of salmonellae, using a mixture of only the ten antisera and 125I-labelled protein A as a general tracer . In this way, 77 different salmonellae were detected in less than 8 h after culturing in selective broth . The RIMA developed was specific for salmonellae and showed no cross-reactions with high populations of other members within the family Enterobacteriaceae. Med Microbiol Immunol (Berl), 1985, 174(2), 101 - 13 Immunological relationships between Salmonella flagellins and between these and flagellins from other species of Enterobacteriaceae; Ibrahim GF et al.; Ten antisera raised in rabbits, against polymeric flagellins from ten different Salmonella serotypes were used to determine the relative cross-activities between salmonella flagellins in monomeric form . The results showed a high degree of cross-reactivity between the antisera (IgG antibodies) and all monomeric flagellins investigated . Consequently, it was possible to detect the ten Salmonella serotypes, after heat depolymerization of flagella using radioimmunometric assay with only one antiserum raised against polymeric flagellin from one serotype . The results also showed that native flagella differed antigenically from repolymerized and monomeric flagellins . This is possibly due to changes in the tertiary structure of sub-units of flagella when depolymerized with acid or heat resulting in unfolding and unmasking of common antigenic determinants . The unfolded and unmasked antigenic determinants were not only common to the Salmonella serotypes investigated, but also to other members of Enterobacteriaceae. Eur J Biochem, 1984 Dec 17, 145(3), 505 - 9 Structural studies on the lipid A component of enterobacterial lipopolysaccharides by laser desorption mass spectrometry . Location of acyl groups at the lipid A backbone; Seydel U et al.; In the present paper laser desorption mass spectrometry (LDMS) was applied to dephosphorylated free lipid A preparations obtained from lipopolysaccharides of Re mutants of Salmonella minnesota, Escherichia coli and Proteus mirabilis . The purpose of this study was to elucidate the location of (R)-3-hydroxytetradecanoic acid and 3-O-acylated (R)-3-hydroxytetradecanoic acid residues which are bound to amino and hydroxyl groups of the glucosamine disaccharide backbone of lipid A . Based on the previous finding from biochemical analyses that the amino group of the nonreducing glucosamine residue (GlcN II) of the backbone carries, in S . minnesota and E . coli, 3-dodecanoyloxytetradecanoic acid and, in P . mirabilis, 3-tetradecanoyloxytetradecanoic acid, a self-consistent interpretation of the LDMS was possible . It was found that: (a) in all three lipids A GlcN II is, besides the amide-linked 3-acyloxyacyl residue, substituted by ester-linked 3-tetradecanoyloxytetradecanoic acid; (b) the reducing glucosamine (GlcN I) is substituted by ester-linked 3-hydroxytetradecanoic acid; (c) the amino group of GlcN I carries a 3-hydroxytetradecanoic acid which is non-acylated in E . coli and which is partially acylated by hexadecanoic acid in S . minnesota and P . mirabilis . In lipids A which were obtained from the P . mirabilis Re mutant grown at low temperature (12 degrees C) LDMS analysis revealed that specifically the one fatty acid bound to the 3-hydroxyl group of amide-linked 3-hydroxytetra-decanoic acid at GlcN II is positionally replaced by delta 9-hexadecenoic acid (palmitoleic acid) . It appears, therefore, that enterobacterial lipids A resemble each other in that the 3-hydroxyl groups of the two 3-hydroxytetradecanoic acid residues linked to GlcN II are fully acylated, while those of the two 3-hydroxytetradecanoic acid groups attached to GlcN I are free or only partially substituted. Eur J Biochem, 1984 Dec 3, 145(2), 231 - 6 Alpha-2----4-interlinked 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonic acid disaccharide . A common constituent of enterobacterial lipopolysaccharides; Brade H et al.; After mild acid hydrolysis, a disaccharide of 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonic acid (dOclA) was obtained from Re-mutant lipopolysaccharide of Salmonella minnesota, Salmonella godesberg, Proteus mirabilis, and Escherichia coli, and from the lipopolysaccharide of an S . minnesota Rb2 mutant . Combined gas-liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry of the reduced and permethylated derivatives indicated that the disaccharide is interlinked by a 2----4-glycosidic bond in all lipopolysaccharides tested . In addition, it was shown by gas-liquid chromatography of appropriate synthetic standards and a previously characterized alpha 2----4-linked dOclA disaccharide (derived from lipopolysaccharide of S . godesberg) that the non-reducing dOclA residue possesses the alpha configuration . In the case of lipopolysaccharide of S . minnesota Rb2 mutant, this result, together with earlier findings, suggests that it contains a linear dOclA trisaccharide of the sequence dOclA(alpha 2-4)dOclA . The results show that a dOclA(alpha 2-4)dOclA disaccharide represents a common architectural principle in enterobacterial lipopolysaccharides. Vaccine, 1984 Dec, 2(4), 265 - 73 Biochemical and immunological analyses of the cell surface of Bordetella bronchiseptica isolates with special reference to atrophic rhinitis in swine; Lugtenberg B et al.; The guinea-pig skintest was used to test the pathogenic character of nine Bordetella bronchiseptica isolates derived from a number of different animals . One isolate was non-pathogenic, one showed a doubtful reaction whereas the others were pathogenic . Analysis of the cell envelope protein patterns by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed only minor differences . Two major protein bands and at least thirty five minor bands were observed . The major protein with an apparent molecular weight of 37000 has properties similar to those of pore proteins of Enterobacteriaceae . Lipopolysaccharides (LPS), analysed by the same technique, could be separated into two fractions, LPS-I and LPS-II . The electrophoretic mobilities of the LPS of the strains were indistinguishable from each other with the exception of that of the non-pathogenic strain, which also differed serologically from that of the other strains . All sera of animals which had been successfully vaccinated with whole B . bronchiseptica cells showed a positive reaction with LPS-I whereas antibodies against the 37000 dalton protein, LPS-II as well as against several other proteins, were also detected in several sera . These results strongly suggest that LPS-I is a protective antigen . LPS-I and the 37000 dalton protein are accessible to antibodies in whole cells . This protein as well as a 28000 dalton protein were found to be located at the cell surface using iodination of whole cells with Iodo-Gen.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Chemioterapia, 1984 Dec, 3(6), 378 - 84 Preclinical comparative evaluation of aminoglycosides; Abbate GF et al.; Five aminoglycoside antibiotics including gentamicin, sisomicin, tobramycin, amikacin and netilmicin were comparatively tested in vitro against 283 clinical isolates of Pseudomonas, Enterobacteriaceae and Gram-positive cocci, using the agar dilution technique according to I.C.S . recommendations . In respect to potency by weight, netilmicin proved the most active aminoglycoside against E . coli, K . pneumoniae, Enterobacter, Serratia spp . and Staphylococcus aureus, followed by sisomicin or tobramycin in relation to various bacterial species . Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, sisomicin and tobramycin had the lowest MICs (minimum inhibitory concentrations) . Amikacin had overall less activity but the widest spectrum . Rate of killing curves showed few differences among the aminoglycosides tested . Against gentamicin-resistant strains (MIC greater than or equal to 16 micrograms/ml) the activity of netilmicin was comparable to or higher than that of amikacin, except for P . aeruginosa, P . cepacia and indole-positive Proteus, which were inhibited by amikacin only . Netilmicin also showed the highest "therapeutical index" calculated as the ratio between MIC and blood levels for each aminoglycoside against each most important bacterial specie. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1984 Dec, 26(6), 876 - 80 In vitro activity of CGP 31523A, a broad-spectrum cephalosporin, in comparison with those of other agents; Wise R et al.; The in vitro activity of CGP 31523A, a new aminothiazolyl cephalosporin, was compared with those of cefoxitin, cefuroxime, moxalactam, piperacillin, ciprofloxacin, and other beta-lactams, when appropriate, against 533 recent clinical isolates and known resistant strains of bacteria . The MICs of CGP 31523A required to inhibit 90% (MIC90S) of the members of the family Enterobacteriaceae, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Streptococcus pneumoniae were less than or equal to 0.25 micrograms/ml . Of Staphylococcus aureus (excluding methicillin-resistant strains) and Haemophilus influenzae, 90% were susceptible to 0.5 micrograms/ml . Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Lancefield group D streptococci were resistant to CGP 31523A (MIC90, greater than or equal to 128 micrograms/ml) . The activity against Bacteroides fragilis was modest (MIC90, 32 micrograms/ml) . The susceptibility of known beta-lactamase-producing strains suggested that CGP 31523A was resistant to many beta-lactamases (but not those of Bacteroides fragilis) . The serum protein binding of CGP 31523A was about 73% . The primary target site of CGP 31523A in Escherichia coli appeared to be penicillin-binding protein 3. J Clin Microbiol, 1984 Dec, 20(6), 1177 - 9 Detection of beta-glucuronidase in lactose-fermenting members of the family Enterobacteriaceae and its presence in bacterial urine cultures; Hansen W et al.; Four hundred strains of lactose-fermenting Enterobacteriaceae were tested for hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucopyranosiduronic acid, the chromogenic enzyme substrate of beta-glucuronidase . Escherichia coli was found to be homogeneous with respect to beta-glucuronidase: more than 94% of the examined E . coli strains were positive, whereas none of the other lactose-fermenting strains possessed beta-glucuronidase activity . The qualitative beta-glucuronidase test, as rapid and simple as the o-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactopyranosidase test, proved to be of diagnostic value, especially in the identification of E . coli in primary urine cultures . No significant differences were observed in the results of experiments in which either substrate-impregnated disks prepared in the laboratory or commercially available tablets were used. J Clin Microbiol, 1984 Dec, 20(6), 1053 - 9 Evaluation of the AutoMicrobic system for identification and susceptibility testing of gram-negative bacilli; Woolfrey BF et al.; The AutoMicrobic system (AMS) (Vitek Systems, Inc., Hazelwood, Mo.) was compared with the API-20E system for the identification of gram-negative bacilli by using 380 stock clinical isolates and 377 immediately encountered fresh clinical isolates . For the stock isolates, with Enterobacteriaceae-Plus Biochemical Cards and automated interpretation, 364 (95.8%) were in agreement to the species level . For the fresh clinical isolates, agreement at the genus and species levels was 89.7 and 85.9%, respectively, when Enterobacteriaceae-Plus Cards were interpreted by the AMS . Manual interpretation of Enterobacteriaceae-Plus Biochemical Cards improved species level agreement to 91.0% . Subsequent retesting of all discrepant isolates with the Gram-Negative Identification Card resulted in significant improvement of results, and for the stock and fresh clinical isolates, species level agreement was 98.7 and 97.3%, respectively . AMS susceptibility testing was evaluated by comparing ampicillin and cephalothin MICs determined in parallel by AMS and a reference broth microdilution test for stock isolates, and by comparison of AMS and standardized disk agar diffusion test results for fresh clinical isolates . For the stock isolates, AMS mean integer MICs approximated microdilution mean integer MICs with AMS, providing excellent MIC replicability . For ampicillin and cephalothin, 50 and 46.8%, respectively, of AMS integer MICs were within +/- 1 microgram/ml of the reference values, and 89.3 and 63.1% of AMS integer MICs were within +/- 2 micrograms/ml of the reference values . For the fresh clinical isolates, AMS and reference results were in disagreement for 4.5% of the antimicrobial agents tested, with 2.3% as a combination of "major" and "very major" errors. Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1984 Dec, 258(2-3), 187 - 97 Differentiation of Enterobacteriaceae and Vibrionaceae by a micromethod for determination of carbon substrate assimilation; Freney J et al.; The assimilation techniques described for taxonomic study are unsuitable for routine diagnosis because of the need for purification and standardization of substrates, the great quantity of medium consumed and difficulties in interpreting the results . A standardized micromethod (API strip) for the study of carbon substrate assimilation by bacteria has recently been described (Zbl . Bakt . Hyg., I . Abt . Orig . A 255 (1983) 479-488) . The prototype gallery used consisted of two strips of 32 microtubes each containing dehydrated carbon substrate . Each strip contained 30 tests plus positive and negative controls . The suspension medium was a synthetic semi-gel . A total of 914 strains of Gram negative rods representing 44 species of Enterobacteriaceae and Vibrionaceae were tested (Table 1) . Automatic reading was performed after incubation at 32 degrees C for one day, or two days for slow growing bacteria using an ATB - 1500 reader (API System) linked to a HP 85 microcomputer (Hewlett-Packard) . Most species showed typical carbon substrate assimilation patterns allowing their differentiation from other species within each genus (Table 2) . The results obtained with the micromethod agreed in large measure with the nutritional patterns reported by other workers . It should be possible to use these results to construct a coherent framework of tests suitable for identifying species of Enterobacteriaceae and Vibrionaceae of clinical significance. Gene, 1984 Dec, 32(1-2), 107 - 15 Cloning and expression in Escherichia coli K-12 of the structural gene for outer membrane PhoE protein from Enterobacter cloacae; Verhoef C et al.; In Escherichia coli K-12, the phoE gene encodes an outer membrane pore protein, which is induced by phosphate starvation . The corresponding gene of Enterobacter cloacae was transferred to E . coli K-12 by using RP4::mini Mu plasmid pULB113 and selecting for R-prime plasmids that carry the genes proA and proB, which are closely linked to phoE in E . coli K-12 . The phoE gene was subcloned into the multicopy vector pACYC184, and the location of the gene was determined by analysis of in vitro constructed deletion plasmids and mutant plasmids generated by gamma delta insertions . The E . cloacae phoE gene is normally expressed in E . coli K-12, and the regulation of the expression is similar to that of the E . coli phoE gene . Functionally, the products of the phoE genes of E . coli K-12 and E . cloacae behave very similarly since they form pores in the outer membrane with a recognition site for negatively charged compounds and they serve as (part of) the receptor for phage TC45. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1984 Dec, 26(6), 898 - 902 Single-dose pharmacokinetics of Ro 17-2301 (AMA-1080), a monocyclic beta-lactam, in humans; Weidekamm E et al.; Ro 17-2301 (AMA-1080) is a new N-sulfonated monocyclic beta-lactam that is highly active against gram-negative bacteria, especially against Enterobacteriaceae and Haemophilus, Neisseria, and Pseudomonas spp . (Kondo et al., Proc . Int . Congr . Chemother . 13th, Vienna, Austria, p . 56/1-56/5, 1983) . The single-dose pharmacokinetics of this compound were studied in six healthy male volunteers who received intravenous infusions of 500, 1,000, and 2,000 mg . A good linear correlation (r2 = 0.99) was found between the dose infused and the resulting area under the plasma concentration-time curve . Maximal plasma concentrations of 36, 78, and 150 micrograms/ml appeared after doses of 500, 1,000, and 2,000 mg, respectively . The mean terminal elimination half-life was 1.8 h (range, 1.4 to 2.3 h), the apparent volume of distribution at steady state was 17 liters, and the total systemic clearance was 150 ml/min . Within 72 h 78 to 89% of the dose was recovered intact from urine . After administration of 14C-labeled Ro 17-2301, 96% of the radioactivity was found in the urine and 3% was found in the feces . The concomitant administration of probenecid did not affect the renal clearance or urinary excretion of this beta-lactam, an indication that the renal elimination of this substance is only by glomerular filtration . Ro 17-2301 was 18% bound to human plasma protein, and this binding was independent of concentration between 25 and 400 micrograms/ml . Based on these data, the pharmacokinetics of this monocyclic beta-lactam should be predictable in the foreseen dose ranges. Antibiotiki, 1984 Dec, 29(12), 924 - 31 {Polyresistant Enterobacteriaceae strains and their plasmids in a hospital . Medical and theoretical aspects}; Belokrysenko SS et al.; The properties and origin of multiple resistant strains of Enterobacteriaceae found in the intestine and nasopharynx of infants admitted to the hospital for premature infants were studied . The strains of E . coli of different serovars isolated at various periods contained similar conjugative R plasmids with a molecular weight of 80 Md belonging to the O incompatibility group controlling resistance to kanamycin and physically independent small plasmids controlling resistance to ampicillin (7 Md) and streptomycin-sulfanilamides (4 Md) . Multiple drug resistance in the strains of K . pneumoniae was controlled by single large (100-120 Md) plasmid cointegrates with 6-8 resistance markers . Such cointegrates consisted of several potentially independent plasmids, sometimes dividing on transformation of plasmid DNA of the recipient strains of E . coli K12 . The small plasmids controlling resistance to ampicillin and streptomycin-sulfanilamides similar to the respective plasmids of E . coli were the constant components of the plasmids cointegrates . The multiple drug resistance in the above strains was combined with high capacity for colonization in premature infants . The medical staff and mothers were the sources of bacterial strains with single plasmids controlling definite types of resistance . It is suggested that the multiple resistant strains of Enterobacteriaceae are formed in hospital as a result of accumulation of the plasmids or plasmid markers and selection . One of the conditions for successive acquisition of new plasmid markers by definite bacterial strains was their high capacity for colonization in patients, which provided constant contacts and genetic exchange of such strains with a wide range of immigrant strains during colonization in the newly admitted patients. J Clin Microbiol, 1984 Dec, 20(6), 1198 - 9 Simple spot test for rapid detection of urease activity; Qadri SM et al.; A spot test for the detection of urease activity was developed and evaluated with 761 strains of gram-negative bacteria . The test was compared with the conventional Christensen urea agar slants and urease test on the Vitek Enterobacteriaceae card (Vitek Systems, Inc., St . Ana, Mo.) . Of the 348 strains of the Proteus-Providencia-Morganella group that were urease positive, 327 (94%) yielded positive results within 1 min, and all strains yielded positive results within 2 min . All these organisms also gave a positive urease reaction on the Vitek Enterobacteriaceae card test within 5 h and on the Christensen urea agar slants in 4 to 48 h . All the bacteria that did not hydrolyze urea by these two tests also remained negative by the spot test. J Clin Microbiol, 1984 Dec, 20(6), 1135 - 9 Reproducibility of the MS-2 system for identification of members of the family Enterobacteriaceae: a collaborative study with blindly assigned reference stains; Yamane N et al.; The reproducibility of identification and biochemical reactions for five different reference organisms of Enterobacteriaceae; Proteus vulgaris, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Serratia marcescens, and Enterobacter cloacae, were evaluated using the updated MS-2 system software (Abbott Laboratories, Diagnostic Division, Irving, Tex.) in a collaborative study involving 11 laboratories . When a total of 220 randomly coded test organisms were blindly examined, the MS-2 system correctly identified 92.7 and 86.8% for over 80 and 90% probability identification, respectively . Four organisms, P . vulgaris, K . pneumoniae, E . coli, and S . marcescens, were correctly identified in all laboratories with high probability, but 9 of 44 tests of Enterobacter cloacae resulted in misidentifications or low-likelihood (less than 80%) identifications . Accuracy was directly related to level of experience and familiarity with the MS-2 system in the individual laboratories . Biochemical reactions varied among the identification trials, especially in the identification of S . marcescens and Enterobacter cloacae . Among a total of 44 subcultures for each organism, 10 different biochemical patterns for P . vulgaris, 6 for K . pneumoniae, 9 for E . coli, 15 for S . marcescens, and 14 for Enterobacter cloacae were obtained . The results indicate that the MS-2 system performs with high accuracy and reproducibility in identifying Enterobacteriaceae, except for Enterobacter cloacae. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1984 Dec, 14(6), 581 - 93 An evaluation of the bacteriolytic and biochemical properties of ceftiolene (42980RP); Williamson R et al.; Ceftiolene (42980RP) is a new cephalosporin with a broad antibacterial spectrum similar to cefotaxime or ceftriaxone . The characteristics of ceftiolene have been tested in a variety of assays involving various biochemical aspects of the mode of action of beta-lactam antibiotics . The affinities of ceftiolene for penicillin-binding proteins were very comparable with those of ceftriaxone and cefotaxime for Escherichia coli, and generally greater than those of latamoxef (moxalactam) for the higher molecular weight PBPs of E . coli . Enterobacter cloacae . Proteus mirabilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The affinity of ceftiolene for PBP1 of Staphylococcus aureus was greater than those of cefotaxime or latamoxef, but comparable with these antibiotics for PBP3 . The bacteriolytic activity of ceftiolene at defined concentrations against Gram-negative organisms was similar to that of ceftriaxone, and significantly better than that of the other third-generation cephalosporins tested . Introduction of plasmid-encoded beta-lactamases into E . coli reduced the wide variation in bacteriolytic effect of the different cephalosporins, and a significant inoculum effect was observed for the bacteriolysis . Chloramphenicol was less antagonistic against ceftiolene- or ceftriaxone-induced lysis than was observed for cefotaxime or latamoxef . Growth of Staph . aureus at low concentrations of ceftiolene caused the bacteria to become more sensitive to lysis by lysostaphin than organisms grown with cefotaxime or latamoxef under the same conditions . These observations confirm the necessity to use techniques other than routine MIC determinations to distinguish between antibiotics which would otherwise appear very similar. Pathol Biol (Paris), 1984 Dec, 32(10), 1004 - 10 {Experimental immune arteriosclerosis of rabbits . Immunoenzymatic study}; Scebat L et al.; The immunization of rabbits with aorta homogenates, constituants of the arterial tissue, serum glycoproteins, or lipopolysaccharides from enterobacteria, leads to the production of cross-reacting antibodies and to identical arteriosclerotic lesions . The incubation of aortic slices with anti-rabbit IgG sheep Fab, or anti-rabbit complement sheep IgG, labelled with peroxidase, shows that IgG and complement are bound on prenecrotic cells and on sheaths of elastic fibers . The binding sites are the same, whatever the immunizing agent . The antigenic site blockade prevents the response . The indirect immunoenzymatic test, performed on aortic slices of young control rabbits, shows that the different immune sera obtained with the various antigens bind on the same arterial structures, that is the sheath of elastic fibers, the cellular membrane and cytoplasm . The response to this test is clearly decreased, if not suppressed, by absorption of the immune sera with one of the three following sugars: mannose, NA glucosamine, and sialic acid . These data confirm that the arteriosclerosis induced in the rabbit by immunization is actually of an immune nature and show that the antibodies thus formed are bound on the same arterial structures, independently of the immunizing agent . They suggest that the sugars could be haptens, taking part in cross-reactions and antibody binding. Chemioterapia, 1984 Dec, 3(6), 368 - 70 A growing clinical problem: plasmid-determined resistance to aminocyclitol-aminoglycosides in enterobacteria; Gomez-Lus R et al.; The contents of this paper include the following items: Incidence of R+ gentamicin-resistant enterobacteria and gentamicin usage . Aminocyclitol-modifying enzymes produced by 719 R+ isolates of enterobacteria belonging to different genera . Epidemiology of some plasmids (so-called pUZ) determining resistance to aminocyclitol in enterobacteria . Comparison of AAC (3) classes. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1984 Dec, 26(6), 797 - 801 Selection of multiple antibiotic resistance by quinolones, beta-lactams, and aminoglycosides with special reference to cross-resistance between unrelated drug classes; Sanders CC et al.; The ability of three quinolones, two beta-lactams, and one aminoglycoside to select resistant mutants was examined in tests with 30 isolates of commonly encountered nosocomial pathogens . Ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin, two new quinolone derivatives, were no more likely to select resistant mutants than amikacin, whereas nalidixic acid, an older quinolone derivative, was the most likely of the six drugs examined to select resistant mutants . Mutational frequencies of 10(-7) to 10(-8) were observed in most instances . In general, the mutants were 8 to 16 times less susceptible to the drug used for selection . Although most quinolone-selected mutants were cross-resistant only to other drugs within this class, certain mutants of Klebsiella pneumoniae selected by nalidixic acid, ciprofloxacin, or norfloxacin were also less susceptible to beta-lactam antibiotics . This unusual pattern of multiple drug resistance was associated with changes in outer membrane proteins of the organism . Multiple drug resistance was also observed in beta-lactam-selected mutants of Enterobacter cloacae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (beta-lactams), amikacin-selected mutants of Providencia stuartii and P . aeruginosa (aminoglycosides), and beta-lactam- or amikacin-selected mutants of Serratia marcescens (beta-lactams plus aminoglycosides) . These results underscore the need to examine carefully the frequency with which resistance to any new antibiotic develops, as well as the patterns of multiple drug resistance which may occur simultaneously. J Hosp Infect, 1984 Dec, 5(4), 409 - 16 National survey of hospital infection control organization in Italian public hospitals; Stazi MA et al.; A questionnaire was mailed to 1073 Italian public hospitals in an attempt to find out if infection control programmes existed, the type of programme used and available resources . After two attempts a total of 54.9 per cent of the hospitals responded to the request and of these 16.1 per cent claimed to have an infection control programme . Sixty-six per cent of the hospitals who have a control programme also have a system of continuous surveillance whilst the remainder investigated epidemics only . Infection control programmes were encountered most frequently in paediatrics, obstetrics and surgical departments . The organisms most often surveyed were the salmonellas, other types of enterobacteria, staphylococci and streptococci. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1984 Dec, (12), 110 - 3 {Artificial immunogens from enterobacteria . I . The immunogenicity of conjugates of the O-polysaccharide from Salmonella typhimurium with synthetic polyelectrolytes}; Petrov RV et al.; A synthetic polysaccharide immunogen has been obtained by the conjugation of S . typhimurium nonimmune O-polysaccharide with a membrane-active adjuvant (the copolymer of acrylic acid and N-vinylpyrrolidone) . The importance of the method used for the conjugation of O-polysaccharide with a synthetic carrier in enhancing its immunogenicity is shown. Tijdschr Diergeneeskd, 1984 Nov 15, 109(22), 917 - 22 {The hygienic status of meat transport vans}; Smit MP et al.; Meat transport vans were sampled using impression surfaces of violet red bile glucose agar (VRBG agar; in 1978) and plate count agar (PC agar) contained in so-called Rodac plates (during the period from 1979 to 1982) . So-called hygienograms of each van were recorded . At the same time, scrapings from the vans were examined for contamination by Salmonella . The majority of meat vans were only slightly contaminated with Enterobacteriaceae . The state of hygiene of approximately fifty per cent of the meat vans examined with plate count agar was inadequate initially . However, considerable improvement occurred during the course of the investigations . Seasonal effects were merely limited . Moreover, there was not found to be any relationship between the appearance of scrapings positive for Salmonella and the state of hygiene of the transport vans . Systematic bacteriological examination of meat transport vans is considerably hampered in practice by the ambulatory character of meat transport. Fortschr Med, 1984 Nov 8, 102(41), 1051 - 2 {In-vitro activity of new beta-lactam antibiotics . Testing resistant enterobacteria and pseudomonas aeruginosa strains}; Rosenthal E; The MIC's of 95 strains of enterobacteria, being resistant to Cefazolin, were determined against 8 recent beta-lactam antibiotics by the agar-dilution method . Thienamycin proved to be most active in vitro, followed by Cefotaxim, Ceftriaxon, Ceftizoxim, Ceftazidim and Monobactam; Cefoperazon and Temocillin proved to be less active . Ceftazidim showed better results with 25 strains of P . aeruginosa, including 12 strains resistent to Azlocillin, than did Cefsulodin, Piperacillin and Cefoperazon . Thienamycin showed the highest MIC's . The testing of representative antibiotics is discussed. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1984 Nov, 26(5), 673 - 7 Imipenem therapy of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other serious bacterial infections; Winston DJ et al.; Imipenem is the first of a new class of beta-lactam antimicrobial agents with remarkable and extremely potent in vitro activity against most commonly isolated bacterial pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus, enterococcus, members of the family Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacteroides fragilis, and Hemophilus influenzae . The clinical efficacy and toxicity of imipenem were evaluated in 35 patients with 38 different infections . The overall clinical response was favorable (infections cured or improved) in 89% of the infections (34 of 38) . Of the 17 infections with P . aeruginosa, 15 were cured or improved . However, P . aeruginosa isolates resistant to imipenem emerged during the therapy of six infections, and two cases of P . aeruginosa septicemia later relapsed after imipenem therapy . Gastrointestinal toxicity (nausea with or without emesis) occurred in 17% of the patients (6 of 35) but was ameliorated by slowing the rate of intravenous infusion or lowering the dose of imipenem . Except for certain severe P . aeruginosa infections, imipenem is effective and relatively safe therapy for infections caused by susceptible organisms. Infect Control, 1984 Nov, 5(11), 533 - 5 Brief report: bacteriological sampling of telephones and other hospital staff hand-contact objects; Rafferty KM et al.; In an acute-care general hospital, 114 telephones, intercoms, dictaphones, and bedpan flusher handles were sampled in patient-care areas for type of bacterial contamination . Nine of these (7%) demonstrated potentially pathogenic bacteria including Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Pseudomonas and Aeromonas . Inanimate, environmental, staff hand-contact objects were only lightly contaminated, did not represent a significant reservoir of gram-negative organisms, and therefore, would be unlikely to be a vehicle of transmission of gram-negative bacteria from the hands of one staff member to another under routine circumstances . Surveillance and disinfection of telephones and related hand-contact items in the hospital appear unnecessary. Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1984 Nov-Dec, 135B(3), 341 - 6 Detection of aminopeptidases in Enterobacteriaceae by three simple chromogenic tests; Giammanco G et al.; The action of 907 strains belonging to the various genera and species of the family Enterobacteriaceae were assayed on three chromogenic substrates used for the detection of aminopeptidases . The observed patterns of reactions may be useful for the biochemical identification of some serovars and biovars, particularly in the genus Shigella. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1984 Nov, 48(5), 988 - 93 Numerical taxonomy of phenanthrene-degrading bacteria isolated from the Chesapeake Bay; West PA et al.; Phenanthrene-degrading bacteria were isolated from Chesapeake Bay samples by the use of a solid medium which had been overlaid with an ethanol solution of phenanthrene before inoculation . Eighteen representative strains of phenanthrene-degrading bacteria with 21 type and reference bacteria were examined for 123 characteristics representing physiological, biochemical, and nutritional properties . Relationships between strains were computed with several similarity coefficients . The phenogram constructed by unweighted-pair-group arithmetic average linkage and use of the simple Jaccard (SJ) coefficient was used to identify seven phena . Phenanthrene-degrading bacteria were identified as Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio fluvialis by their clustering with type and reference strains . Several phenanthrene-degrading bacteria resembled Enterobacteriaceae family members, although some Vibrio-like phenanthrene degraders could not be identified. Age Ageing, 1984 Nov, 13(6), 370 - 6 Rapid diagnosis of urinary tract infection using a simple photometer; O'Neal H et al.; A photometric method which detects bacterial multiplication in urine is described . The apparatus is both inexpensive and easy to use, and results are obtained within four hours . A total of 217 urine specimens from 181 patients were assessed and the results compared with the corresponding laboratory tests, which showed a significant growth in 102 specimens . The sensitivity and specificity of the photometric method was 77% and 99%, respectively, with a positive accuracy of 99% . The photometer detected 83% of significant enterobacterial infections and 76% of mixed infections . It is suggested the false negative results (23%) may have included high laboratory colony counts not associated with active urinary tract infection. J Clin Microbiol, 1984 Nov, 20(5), 1010 - 1 Evaluation of the DMS Rapid E system for identification of clinical isolates of the family Enterobacteriaceae; Keville MW et al.; A total of 387 unique clinical isolates of the family Enterobacteriaceae were examined with the new DMS Rapid E gram-negative identification system (DMS Laboratories, Inc., Flemington, N.J.) and the API 20E procedure (Analytab Products, Plainview, N.Y.) . Altogether, 376 strains (97.2%) were correctly identified to species level within 4 h with the DMS Rapid E system; 366 strains (94.6%) were correctly identified with the API 20E after overnight incubation. Antibiotiki, 1984 Nov, 29(11), 810 - 4 {Isolation and properties of beta-lactamase of the cephalosporinase type from cells of Enterobacter aerogenes 6803}; Sazykin AIu et al.; beta-Lastamase with the molecular weight of 32500 was isolated from the cells of clinical strain 6803 of Enterobacter aerogenes and purified . By the substrate profile determined microiodometrically beta-lactamase was classified as belonging to the cephalosporinase type . The activity of the electrophoretically homogenous enzyme was equal to 430 microM a minute per mg protein with respect to benzylpenicillin . The Km for benzylpenicillin, dicloxacillin, cephaloridin and cephalothin was 6.5410(-5), 3 X 10(-4), 2.1 X 10(-5) and 5.7 X 10(-5) M, respectively . The isoelectric point of the enzyme equal to 5.45 was estimated with the method of preparative isoelectrofocusing . The presence of the serine residue or residues was shown with the use of selective reagents applied to the functionally important groups . With the method of circular dichroism the ratio of alpha- and beta-structures in the enzyme molecule was determined, the slow hydrolysis of cephazolin was demonstrated and the values of Km and Kcat for this process were estimated. Jpn J Antibiot, 1984 Nov, 37(11), 2049 - 59 {Clinical and pharmacokinetic study of ceftriaxone in pediatric bacterial infections}; Meguro H et al.; Ceftriaxone (Ro 13-9904, CTRX) was evaluated for its safety and efficacy in 33 children with various bacterial infections including 10 cases of bacterial meningitis . CTRX was effective in all but 1 case who had acute mucositis due to a resistant strain of Enterobacter cloacae . The serum half-life (T1/2 beta) was 4.5 +/- 1.6 hours after an intravenous bolus injection in children . Cerebrospinal fluid levels of CTRX in the acute phase of bacterial meningitis were 7.69 +/- 4.75 mcg/ml . The only side effect was mild to moderate diarrhea observed in 10 of the 33 cases, but in no case was it necessary to discontinue the drug. Neurosurgery, 1984 Nov, 15(5), 679 - 82 Effectiveness of cefotaxime in gram-negative meningitis; LeFrock JL et al.; We treated 12 adult patients who had gram-negative bacillary meningitis with cefotaxime administered intravenously at a dose of 2 g every 4 hours . The etiological organisms included Haemophilus influenzae (3 cases), Serratia marcescens (3 cases), Klebsiella pneumoniae (3 cases), Escherichia coli (2 cases), and Enterobacter (1 case) . The infection followed a neurosurgical procedure in 6 cases . The mean inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations of cefotaxime for the isolates ranged from 0.125 to 0.25 microgram/ml . The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of cefotaxime ranged from 5.0 to 15.2 micrograms/ml, and the CSF bactericidal titers were 1:64 to 1:128 . The CSF in all patients was sterilized within 96 hours . All 12 patients recovered, and there were no relapses. J Bacteriol, 1984 Nov, 160(2), 586 - 90 DNA adenine methylation of GATC sequences appeared recently in the Escherichia coli lineage; Barbeyron T et al.; We have examined the presence of methylated adenine at GATC sequences (Dam phenotype) in the DNA of 23 eubacteria and 13 archaebacteria by using isoshizomer restriction enzymes . We have found a completely Dam+ phenotype in bacteria of nine genera related to the families Enterobacteriaceae, Parvobacteriaceae, and Vibrionaceae, and in the five cyanobacteria tested . We have found a partial Dam+ phenotype in the two archaebacteria Halobacterium saccharovorum and Methanobacterium sp . strain Ivanov . All of the other archaebacteria (three genera) and eubacteria (nine genera) tested were Dam- . Phylogenetic analysis, based on the evolutionary tree of Fox et al . (Science 209:457-463, 1980), indicates that dam methylation in the Escherichia coli lineage appeared recently in bacterial evolution and is restricted to a small range of closely related bacteria. J Infect Dis, 1984 Nov, 150(5), 678 - 87 Development of a DNA probe for the structural gene of the 2"-O-adenyltransferase aminoglycoside-modifying enzyme; Tenover FC et al.; Analysis of aminoglycoside-resistant Enterobacteriaceae isolated from patients at the Seattle Veterans Administration Medical Center indicated that a single 68-kilobase R factor was responsible for the epidemic spread of low-level resistance to gentamicin, kanamycin, and tobramycin . An examination, by means of the phosphocellulose paper binding assay, of resistant strains carrying this R factor resulted in the identification of a 2"-O-adenyltransferase {ANT(2")}-modifying enzyme . This enzyme was later detected in strains containing 150-kilobase plasmids . For more convenient monitoring of the dissemination of the ANT(2") gene among clinical isolates at the medical center, a DNA probe was developed by cloning of the ANT(2") structural gene from the 68-kilobase factor into pBR322 . A 310-base pair Ava I restriction fragment isolated from the interior of the cloned ANT(2") gene was radiolabeled and used in Southern hybridization gels as a probe for plasmids isolated from aminoglycoside-resistant organisms . The probe proved to be highly specific and was more sensitive than enzymologic techniques for detection of the ANT(2") gene in clinical isolates with complex aminoglycoside resistance phenotypes. Am J Surg, 1984 Oct 19, 148(4A), 35 - 40 Ceftriaxone in the treatment of serious infections, particularly after surgery; Scully BE et al.; The clinical efficacy and safety of ceftriaxone when administered twice daily was evaluated in the treatment of serious infections, including 9 episodes of bacteremia, 4 of pneumonia, 7 of intra-abdominal or soft tissue infections, 11 of urinary tract infections, 3 of osteomyelitis, and 5 of meningitis . Causative pathogens were Strep . pneumoniae, other hemolytic streptococci, E . coli, P . mirabilis, K . pneumoniae, and species of Enterobacter, Serratia, and Pseudomonas . The overall clinical cure rate was 87 percent and the bacteriologic cure rate was 77 percent . Cures were achieved in infections due to organisms resistant to ampicillin, cefazolin, cefamandole, carbenicillin, and gentamicin . Peak plasma levels were far in excess of the minimal inhibitory concentrations of Enterobacteriaceae . Adverse effects were infrequent, and in only one instance was it necessary to discontinue treatment . Resistance to ceftriaxone developed during therapy with several Enterobacter and Pseudomonas species isolates . Ceftriaxone appears to be a useful agent for treatment of serious gram-negative infections in seriously ill patients. Infect Control, 1984 Oct, 5(10), 471 - 7 Enterobacter sepsis in infants and children due to contaminated intravenous fluids; Matsaniotis NS et al.; Sixty-three cases of nosocomial sepsis occurring from April through October 1981, in a 500-bed pediatric hospital, were traced to bacterial contamination of intravenous fluid produced by a single manufacturer . Two species of uncommon blood stream pathogens, Enterobacter cloacae and Enterobacter agglomerans contaminated the fluid . Infections with these organisms might have contributed to the death of four patients; two who were immunosuppressed, one who was asplenic and one premature infant . Epidemiologic and laboratory investigations identified the site of contamination to be within the screw-caps of the bottles containing the intravenous fluid . Contamination occurred during insertion of the intravenous fluid administration set into the bottle . The "epidemic" terminated when the hospital discontinued the use of infusion fluids from that manufacturer . We conclude that intravenous fluids should be examined during outbreaks of nosocomial bacteremia due to unusual pathogens. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1984 Oct, 26(4), 585 - 90 Antimicrobial activities of BMY-28142, cefbuperazone, and cefpiramide compared with those of other cephalosporins; Khan NJ et al.; The antimicrobial activities of BMY-28142, cefbuperazone (BMY-25182; formerly T-1982), and cefpiramide (WY-44635; formerly SM-1652) were compared with those of cefmenoxime, cefoperazone, cefotaxime, ceftizoxime, and moxalactam . BMY-28142 was the most active cephalosporin against the majority of aerobic and facultatively anaerobic microorganisms studied . Its spectrum of activity was very similar to that of cefotaxime . However, BMY-28142, cefbuperazone, cefmenoxime, cefotaxime, ceftizoxime, and moxalactam were equivalent in activity and rate of killing against members of the family Enterobacteriaceae . Cefpiramide was considerably less active than the other cephalosporins against the Enterobacteriaceae. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1984 Oct, 48(4), 872 - 7 Plasmid coding for transferable drug resistance in bacteria isolated from cultured rainbow trout; Toranzo AE et al.; The occurrence of drug resistance and plasmid-mediated transferability was investigated in 170 strains belonging to eight bacterial groups isolated from cultured rainbow trout . It was found that 87.6% of the strains were resistant to at least one drug, with the highest percentages of resistance being detected for ampicillin (54.7%), sulfadiazine (46.5%), nitrofurantoin (38.2%), and chloramphenicol (37.0%) . Six enterobacteria, two Vibrio, and one Aeromonas isolate transferred resistance factors to Escherichia coli K-12 . The most common transmissible R factor determined resistance to chloramphenicol and sulfadiazine, demonstrating an association between a specific plasmid and the resistance pattern transferred . The presence of chloramphenicol in fish food was detected by bioassay . In general, transfer frequencies were similar in primary and secondary matings, which indicate the potential water-borne dissemination of these R plasmids. Carbohydr Res, 1984 Oct 1, 133(1), 95 - 104 The enterobacterial common-antigen, a cyclic polysaccharide; Dell A et al.; Structural studies of the enterobacterial common-antigen, using chemical methods and fast-atom-bombardment mass spectrometry, indicate that it is a cyclic polysaccharide, composed of four, five, and, to a smaller extent, six trisaccharide repeating-units . In the structure of the antigen, given below, D-Fuc4NAc stands for 4-acetamido-4,6-dideoxy-D-galactose. J Clin Microbiol, 1984 Oct, 20(4), 754 - 7 Comparative evaluation of the Eiken and API 20E systems and conventional methods for identification of members of the family Enterobacteriaceae; Castillo CB et al.; To evaluate the accuracy and utility of the Eiken Systek No . 1 (Eiken system; Eiken Chemical Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan), we conducted a clinical comparison, with 345 Enterobacteriaceae isolates, of the Eiken System with API 20E (Analytab Products, Inc., Plainview, N.Y.) and conventional methods . The Eiken system is a 21-biochemical-test battery tray stored at 25 degrees C and inoculated in one step . It is similar to the API 20E except that the Eiken system contains malonate, adonitol, and maltose; lacks gelatin, sucrose, melibiose, amygdalin, and arabinose; and uses reagent strips instead of liquid reagents . The API 20E and Eiken systems correctly identified 339 (97.7%) and 276 (79.5%), respectively, and misidentified 3 (0.9%) and 13 (3.7%), respectively, of the isolates . There were no identification codes for 5 (1.4%) organisms with the API 20E and 58 (16.7%) organisms with the Eiken system; of these latter unidentified organisms, 42 were identified as Proteus spp., Morganella sp., and Providencia rettgeri by conventional methods . There was no significant difference between the two rapid systems in total time required for inoculation and reading . Modifications for interpretation of decarboxylase and oxidase tests were needed for the Eiken system, and manipulation of reagent strips required considerable dexterity . However, the Eiken system was easier to inoculate than the API 20E, and, with minor increases in the data base to include more of the Proteus and Morganella spp . and P . rettgeri, the system should be reliable for identification of members of the family Enterobacteriaceae. Gut, 1984 Oct, 25(10), 1065 - 70 Endotoxaemia and acute pancreatitis: correlation between the severity of the disease and the anti-enterobacterial common antigen antibody titre; Kivilaakso E et al.; Enterobacterial common antigen is a highly immunogenic component of the Gram negative bacterial cell wall that is common to all enteric bacteria . In the present study, the humoral antibody response against enteric bacteria was investigated by measuring antibodies to enterobacterial common antigen in paired serum samples in 38 patients with acute pancreatitis and in 31 healthy subjects . In mild pancreatitis (11 patients), no changes in anti-enterobacterial common antigen titres were observed as compared with healthy controls . Nine of the 10 patients had a significant increase (greater than or equal to 8 times) in anti-enterobacterial common antigen titres during the disease . Similarly, in patients with fulminant (haemorrhagic) pancreatitis who survived, a significant increase in anti-enterobacterial common antigen titres occurred during the course of the disease (in nine of the 11 patients) . Paradoxically, only one of the six patients with fulminant pancreatitis with fatal outcome showed a significant increase in his anti-enterobacterial common antigen titre . The results suggest that Gram negative bacterial components escape into the systemic circulation in acute pancreatitis . This may have pathophysiologic significance in this disease. Acta Pathol Microbiol Immunol Scand {B}, 1984 Oct, 92(5), 239 - 45 Microtests for rapid identification of Enterobacteriaceae . Four-hour tests by use of substrate-impregnated paper discs; Nissen B; A number of microtests for the diagnosis of Enterobacteriaceae in 4 hours were developed . Composition of substrates and preparation of reaction wells are described . There were used substrate-impregnated paper discs affixed to microwell plates . Test results of 253 stock cultures of Enterobacteriaceae were correlated with results obtained by conventional tube methods . Twenty out of 23 microtests showed total correlations of more than 95%, and the remaining 3 tests 85-94% . The microtests are concluded to be economic and reliable alternatives to conventional tube methods and seem s