Appl Environ Microbiol, 1980 Aug, 40(2), 346 - 51 Estimation of Escherichia coli in raw ground beef; Stiles ME et al.; This study was undertaken to establish and evaluate more rapid methods of estimating Escherichia coli in ground beef than the standard most probable number (MPN) technique . Direct inoculation of and modifications to EC medium gave unreliable estimates of the presumptive E . coli count . Solid media incubated at an elevated temperature were compared to the MPN technique . Anderson and Baird-Parker's tryptone bile agar (TBA) method and prepoured plates of Endo, Levine eosin methylene blue (EMB), and violet red bile (VRBA) agars incubated at 44 degree C gave equivalent counts to the standard MPN method . Anderson and Baird-Parker TBA was the most selective solid medium for E . coli estimation, but all selective media incubated at elevated temperature reduced apparent E . coli counts by as much as 50% . Indole-producing and lactose-fermenting Enterobacteriaceae, capable of growth at elevated temperature, were tested for their growth on TBA, EMB, and VRBA at elevated temperature . TBA was selective for E . coli biotype I compared to other Enterobacteriaceae that predominate in meats . VRBA and EMB incubated at elevated temperature were not as selective as TBA, but differences in colonies could be observed between typical E . coli colonies and other Enterobacteriaceae on these media . Therefore, VRBA incubated at elevated temperature is proposed as a quality assurance screening test for presumptive E . coli in ground meat . Resuscitation techniques and prepoured plates with VRBA increased recovery levels of presumptive E . coli, but, under the conditions of this study, not to levels that represented a significant practical difference. Zentralbl Bakteriol A, 1980 Aug, 247(3), 333 - 8 Colicinogenicity of Escherichia coli isolates from healthy and diarrhoeic goats; Obi SK; A total of 550 E . coli isolates--250 from apparently healthy, and 300 from diarrhoeic West African pigmy goats were tested for colicinogenicity . 33.2% of strains from apparently healthy animals were colicinogenic as against 56% recorded for strains from animals with diarrhoea . Of the 251 colicinogenic E . coli strains from both groups of animals, 76.5% were Type I while 23.5% belonged to Type II . Identified colicins from the healthy animals consisted of types G, K, E2, A and V in decreasing frequency of occurrence, whereas those from goats with diarrhoea were made up of types V, B, E1, G, E2, E3, and Ia also in decreasing frequency of occurrence . In contrast to isolates from healthy animals, there was a marked variation in the colicin spectra of Types I and II E . coli from the diarrhoeic animals--that of Type I being much broader . The Public Health significance of possible transfer of multiple drug resistance from colicinogenic E . coli strains to other enterobacteria is also discussed. Zentralbl Bakteriol A, 1980 Aug, 247(3), 323 - 32 {Rapid identification of Enterobacteriaceae with the Micro-ID system (author's transl)}; Peuckert W et al.; Micro-ID, a new kit system for rapid identification of Enterobacteriaceae, was compared with a conventional media-system, the extended Enterotube system (completed with arabinose, rhamnose and the Voges-Proskauer reaction), and partially with the API-20E system . When the computer generated Identification Manual for Micro-ID was consulted the system showed complete agreement at the genus level, but differed in 5% at the species level . Problems arose from misidentifications by nonfermenting organisms . 15 turbid blood cultures with gramnegative rods were tested additionally . In 11 cases the Micro-ID provided correct identification of the species and in further 3 cases of the genus . In summary Micro-ID is easy to handle and an accurate, convenient kit for the short-term identification of Enterobacteriaceae. J Fam Pract, 1980 Aug, 11(2), 207 - 10 Treatment of outpatient urinary tract infections with cinoxacin; Jones GW et al.; This paper describes an open assessment of cinoxacin in the treatment of 30 outpatients with symptomatic urinary tract infections caused by Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Proteus mirabilis, and Enterobacter . Twenty-seven patients (90 percent) had a satisfactory clinical response and in 26 patients, there was a satisfactory microbiological response with elimination of the pathogen . Mild side effects were reported by three patients, none of whom stopped therapy . It is concluded that cinoxacin will be useful in the treatment of urinary tract disease because of the high urinary antibacterial activity produced . The relatively low incidence of side effects and convenience of twice-daily dosage should encourage good compliance by patients treated outside the hospital setting. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand {B}, 1980 Aug, 88(4), 185 - 8 The occurrence of the trehalose fermenting, tetracycline and polymyxin resistant phenotype among the Enterobacteriaceae; Siboni K; In Proteus morganii, P . mirabilis, and Providencia stuartii the ability to ferment trehalose and resistance to tetracycline were associated in 90%-97% of the strains . The same was true of at least 78% of the strains of Serratia marcescens . Proteus vulgaris showed a more quantitative association of the two traits . As the characters occur independently in 3-10% of the strains, the association is considered to be due to simultaneous selection in some natural niche . The trehalose fermenting, tetracycline and polymyxin resistant species ferment few other carbohydrates, fewer than the remainder of the Serratia species. Lab Anim, 1980 Jul, 14(3), 247 - 9 Early deaths after irradiation of mice contaminated by Enterobacter cloacae; Matsumoto T; After lethal irradiation with gamma-rays, mice contaminated with Enterobacter cloacae died earlier than expected . Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is the usual cause of unexpected early radiation deaths, was not detected in dead mice . Evidence of an E . cloacae bacteraemia was obtained in irradiated mice and it is concluded that contamination with E . cloacae is a potential hazard in experiments involving measurements of radiation lethality. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1980 Jul, 18(1), 37 - 40 Antibacterial activity of miloxacin; Izawa A et al.; The chemotherapeutic properties of miloxacin (5,8-dihydro-5-methoxy-8-oxo-2H-1,3-dioxolo-{4,5-g}quinoline-7-carboxylic acid) have been compared with those of oxolinic acid and nalidixic acid . The in vitro activities of miloxacin (minimum inhibitory concentrations) against a variety of gram-negative bacteria, especially Enterobacteriaceae and Haemophilus, were comparable to those of oxolinic acid and 8 to 16 times greater than those of nalidixic acid . Miloxacin was more active than oxolinic acid against some anaerobes and less active against staphylococci . Miloxacin exhibited significant activities when administered orally to mice infected with Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Proteus vulgaris, or Serratia marcescens . Its efficacy was comparable to that of oxolinic acid and two to four times greater than that of nalidixic acid . Miloxacin was less active against a Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection and inactive at the maximum test doses against a Streptococcus pyogenes infection. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1980 Jul, 18(1), 27 - 36 Inhibition of clinically significant bacterial organisms in vitro by 2-acetylpyridine thiosemicarbazones; Dobek AS et al.; Antibacterial activity of 65 2-acetylpyridine thiosemicarbazones and related compounds was determined by using clinical isolates of nine bacterial genera . Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 0.002 to 0.062 micrograms/ml were obtained with 23% of the compounds for Neisseria gonorrhoeae and 0.016 to 0.062 micrograms/ml with 17% of the compounds for N . meningitidis . Staphylococcus aureus was inhibited in the MIC range of 0.125 to 0.5 micrograms/ml by 18% of the thiosemicarbazones, whereas 26% inhibited group D enterococcus with an MIC of 0.25 to 2.0 micrograms/ml . Poor antibacterial activity was shown toward the gram-negative bacilli, i.e., Pseudomonas, Klebsiella-Enterobacter, Shigella, Escherichia coli, and Proteus. Tijdschr Diergeneeskd, 1980 Jul 1, 105(13), 535 - 43 {Problems arising from disease during the periods of breeding and rearing canaries and other aviary birds (author's transl)}; Dorrestein GM et al.; The hygienic aspects of the various breeding systems are reviewed . The companion aviary is the least hygienic system; the birds are hardest to supervise in this case . Breeding in pairs is preferable from either point of view . Hygiene in aviaries is determined by all component parts of the cage, which are used in keeping the birds . The walls should be smooth and clean . The most hygienic drinking water supply is ensured by bottle-type nipple drinkers provided with a small ball . Feeders should be emptied, cleansed and filled with fresh water every day . A hygienic, dry floor-covering will prevent the appearance of large numbers of Enterobacteriaceae (as well as E . coli) in the intestine . The feed should preferably be given in measured rations . An adult canary should be fed 4 g . of seed and 1 g . of soft feed (containing 20 per cent of protein and 1 per cent of lysine) daily . Causes of death in young birds may be: inferior soft feed, a faulty diet, the presence of pentachlorophenol in the nesting material, infestation with chicken lice (Dermanyssus gallinae), diarrhoea due to a polluted environment (neonatal diarrhoea shortly after hatching), cochlosomosis, drumsticks and atoxoplasmosis . The clinical features and treatment of infectious diseases are discussed. G Batteriol Virol Immunol, 1980 Jul-Dec, 73(7-12), 281 - 93 {Evaluation of a new system for simultaneous identification and antibiograms of enterobacteria from urine}; Nicolosi VM et al.; A new rotor for the ABAC system has been investigated that allows the main enterobacteria of urinary source to be identified (this is performed manually) and simultaneously the relative antibiogram (this is automatically carried out) . The precision of this identification has been shown using control strains previously identified by three miniaturized kits: API 20 E, MICRO-ID and ENTEROPLATE . The accuracy of the ten identification tests present in the new "Identibiogramma" rotor has also been shown . Finally, the correspondence has been shown between the antibiogram performed with the automatized method and that with the KirbyBauer method . The data obtained evidence the validity of the new rotor and of the ABAC system. Can J Comp Med, 1980 Jul, 44(3), 315 - 9 Evaluation of API 20E System and Encise Enterotube for the identification of Enterobacteriaceae of animal origin; Devenish JA et al.; The API 20E System and the Encise Enterotube were evaluated for the identification of the Enterobacteriaceae isolated from clinical specimens of animal origin at a veterinary diagnostic laboratory . Compared to conventional tubed media, the API 20E System identified 235 of 240 isolates (97.9%) correctly . The Encise Enterotube correctly identified 229 of the 240 isolates (95.4%) . Thus, both these identification systems could be used to replace conventional methods for identifying members of this family isolated from animal origin. J Clin Microbiol, 1980 Jul, 12(1), 10 - 4 Use of the API 20E system to identify veterinary Enterobacteriaceae; Swanson EC et al.; A total of 503 veterinary enteric bacterial pathogens obtained from state veterinary diagnostic laboratories were tested on API 20E strips to determine whether this rapid microidentification system could be utilized for veterinary clinical microbiology . The API 20E strip accurately identified 96% of the veterinary isolates and misidentified 3% . Identifications by the API system and the diagnostic laboratories were in agreement in 85% of the isolates, disagreement on 16% of the isolates, and 1% were not identified by the API strip . Differences in identification occurred primarily in distinguishing between Klebsiella and Enterobacter and between Enterobacter and Escherichia coli . These disagreements were most often due to incorrect identifications by the diagnostic laboratory rather than by the API system . Biotype differences between human and veterinary isolates were compared . Significant differences were noted in several biochemical reactions . The main differences observed for E . coli isolates were in ornithine decarboxylase production and melibiose fermentation . The largest differences for Salmonella occurred in arginine dihydrolase production, citrate utilization, and inositol fermentation, whereas for Klebsiella pneumoniae the main differences were noted in urease production and nitrate reduction . These biotype differences, however, did not affect the accurate identification of organisms on the API strip. J Bacteriol, 1980 Jul, 143(1), 328 - 37 Cross-reactivity of major outer membrane proteins of Enterobacteriaceae, studied by crossed immunoelectrophoresis; Hofstra H et al.; Outer membrane fractions were prepared from 11 bacteria in the family Enterobacteriaceae: Escherichia coli serotypes O1K-, O4K2, O26K60, O75K-, and O111K58, Shigella flexneri, Salmonella typhimurium, Klebsiella pneumonia, Serratia marcescens, Proteus vulgaris, Proteus mirabilis, and Providencia stuartii . All strains studied were found to contain one non-peptidoglycan-bound, heat-modifiable outer membrane protein, and one or two peptidoglycan-associated major outer membrane proteins in the 27,000- to 40,000-dalton range . Crossed immunoelectrophoresis using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacarylamide gel electrophoresis for separation of the antigens in the first dimension of the procedure was shown to provide a useful model system for studying the antigenic relationships of the major outer membrane proteins in Enterobacteriaceae species . Peptidoglycan-bound major outer membrane proteins of all bacteria studied reacted with antiserum against the purified peptidogylcan-bound matrix protein I of E . coli O26K60 in this system . Non-peptidoglycan-associated proteins of all strains cross-reacted with protein II of E . coli O26K60 in both their unmodified and their heat-modified forms . These results indicate that the genes coding for the major outer membrane proteins in the family Enterobacteriaceae have been well enough conserved during the course of evolution to allow significant antigenic cross-reactivity between the corresponding proteins in different enterobacterial species. Infect Control, 1980 Jul-Aug, 1(4), 249 - 52 Gentamicin and tobramycin resistant gram-negative bacilli in a community hospital; Magnussen CR et al.; The incidence and spectrum of resistance to gentamicin and tobramycin among gram-negative bacilli (GNB) isolated in a community hospital over a one-year period were studied . The overall incidence of resistance was 3.7% . Pseudomonads constituted almost half of the resistant organisms . The majority of resistant GNB was isolated from the respiratory and urinary tracts . Acquisition of resistance was correlated with both the total use of gentamicin in the hospital and recent treatment of individual patients with gentamicin plus tobramycin . The overall incidence of resistant isolates (3.7%) and the incidence of resistance for the enterobacteriaceae (1.9%) were lower than rates reported by comparable studies at several university or municipal hospitals. Mikrobiologiia, 1980 Jul-Aug, 49(4), 521 - 3 {Decarboxylase activity of bacteria of the genus Enterobacter depending on the growing conditions}; Kazanskaia TB et al.; The activity of decarboxylase in the cells of two bacterial species belonging to the genus Enterobacter was found to depend on the carbon source of the growth medium and on the substrate used to determine the enzyme activity . Cells grown on a medium containing glucose and incubated in solutions of glucose and sodium pyruvate produced 1.4 to 2.1 times more CO2 than cells utilizing glycerol . The highest amount of CO2 was formed on pyruvate, the substrate of the first reaction of decarboxylation. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1980 Jul, 18(1), 63 - 8 Antibacterial effect of scandium and indium complexes of enterochelin on Klebsiella pneumoniae; Rogers HJ et al.; A number of studies point to the conclusion that enterochelin, the iron chelator produced by a number of pathogenic enterobacteria, may be an essential metabolite for bacterial multiplication within the host . The compound removes iron from complexes with the host iron-binding proteins transferrin and lactoferrin, and the resulting ferric enterochelin is assimilated by the bacterial cell . It was reasoned that complexes of enterochelin with ions other than Fe3+ might act as antimetabolites and inhibit bacterial multiplication by interfering with the assimilation of ferric enterochelin . Enterochelin forms complexes with a number of group III and transition metal ions . The complex containing scandium exerts a bacteriostatic effect on Klebsiella pneumoniae in serum, whereas the indium complex induces a large increase in the generation time . The Fe3+ complexes of other microbial iron-transporting compounds are capable of reversing the bacteriostatic effect of the Sc3+ complex of enterochelin, suggesting that the compound acts solely by interfering with the enterochelin system of iron transport . Preliminary experiments show that the Sc3+ complex probably acts as a competitive inhibitor of ferric enterochelin . The Sc3+ complex of enterochelin exerts a therapeutic effect on intraperitoneal K . pneumoniae infections in mice similar to that obtained with kanamycin sulfate. J Bacteriol, 1980 Jul, 143(1), 366 - 76 Conservation and variation of nucleotide sequences within related bacterial genomes: enterobacteria; Riley M et al.; We have assessed the degree of relatedness of several portions of the Escherichia coli genome to the corresponding portions of the genomes of representative enteric bacteria, using the Southern transfer and hybridization technique (E . Southern, J . Mol . Biol . 98:503-517, 1975) . The degree of relatedness varied among the regions examined . Judging both by the relative amounts of deoxyribonucleic acid in the various enteric genomes that are highly homologous and by the conservation of positions of restriction enzyme cleavage sites in these regions, the enteric genomes have diverged to greater extents in some parts of the genomes than in others . Portions of the genomes (including the tnaA and thyA genes, the trp operon, and one other unassigned segment) appear to have evolved in concert with the genome as a whole . By contrast, the lacZ gene and portions of the genome that are homologous to phage lambda vary more widely, perhaps reflecting a separate evolutionary origin for these segments of deoxyribonucleic acid. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1980 Jul, 18(1), 88 - 93 Cefotaxime: in vitro activity and tentative interpretive standards for disk susceptibility testing; Fuchs PC et al.; Tested against 9,412 recent clinical isolates, cefotaxime exhibited 8 to 64 times greater activity against the Enterobacteriaceae than did cephalothin and two to four times greater activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, but only one-half to one-eighth the activity of cephalothin against staphylococci . Using 420 different clinical isolates, but with comparable minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) distributions, disk diffusion-MIC regression analyses were performed, using 5- and 30-micrograms cefotaxime disks . Cefotaxime MIC susceptible and resistant breakpoints of less than or equal to 8 and greater than 32 micrograms/ml are tentatively proposed . Based on the MIC breakpoints, the data showed the best discrimination among the three susceptibility categories (susceptible, indeterminate, and resistant) when the 30-micrograms cefotaxime disk was used . The zone diameter breakpoints as determined by the error rate-bounded method and regression analysis were greater than or equal to 23 mm for susceptible, 15 to 22 mm for indeterminate, and less than or equal to 14 mm for resistant. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1980 Jul, 18(1), 1 - 8 In vitro antimicrobial activity of cefotaxime, a new cephalosporin; Masuyoshi S et al.; Cefotaxime, a new semisynthetic cephalosporin derivative, showed a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity against clinically isolated strains of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria . This cephalosporin was slightly less active than cefazolin against Staphylococcus aureus but 4 to 300 times as active as carbenicillin against gram-negative organisms, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas cepacia, Enterobacter cloacae, and Serratia marcescens . Cefotaxime was the most active compound against members of the Enterobacteriaceae and 20- to 100-fold more active than cefoxitin against the indole-positive Proteus group . The minimal bactericidal concentrations of the compound were identical to, or two times higher than, the minimal inhibitory concentrations against Escherichia coli and P . aeruginosa and four times higher against S . marcescens . A reduction of inoculum size decreased greatly the minimal inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations of cefotaxime against E . coli P . aeruginosa, and S . marcescens . The antibiotic was very stable to penicillinase and cephalosporinase produced by gram-negative bacteria, including Proteus vulgaris. Minerva Med, 1980 Jul, 71(27), 1935 - 43 {Clinical trial of a new broad-spectrum cephalosporin: HR 756 (cefotaxime)}; Poletti T et al.; A second-generation cephalosporin (cephotaxime) with a marked resistance to beta-lactamase, a very broad spectrum, and remarkably low renal toxicity was used to treat 47 patients with respiratory, urinary and other infections . The results were excellent in 89.2% and good in 8.5% . The antibiotic proved effective even against germs that are usually resistant to cephalosporins (Pseudomonas, Proteus, Serratia and Enterobacteriaceae) . Bacteriuria disappeared in all cases of urinary infection . Local and general tolerance was excellent in all cases but one . Renal tolerance was also excellent in patients with chronic renal failure, for whom the daily dose can be usefully reduced and a check on renal function should be kept. J Gen Microbiol, 1980 Jul, 119(1), 123 - 31 Major outer membrane proteins: common antigens in enterobacteriaceae species; Hofstra H et al.; The major outer membrane (OM) proteins of 23 enterobacterial strains (principally clinical isolates) and five non-Enterobacteriaceae species were investigated by the sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel immunoperoxidase (SGIP) technique to evaluate antigenic cross-reactivity among these proteins . All enterobacterial strains contained one or more peptidoglycan-associated major OM proteins, cross-reactive with the peptidoglycan-bound protein I of Escherichia coli, and one non-peptidoglycan-bound heat-modifiable protein, cross-reactive with protein II of E . coli . Results indicated that antigenic cross-reactivity of the major OM proteins is a general phenomenon in the family Enterobacteriaceae, independent of any molecular weight variation of the corresponding proteins in different bacterial strains . SGIP experiments carried out with OM preparations of other species showed no cross-reactivity of any of their OM proteins with enterobacterial major OM proteins . The significance of the immunological relatedness of OM proteins for the classification of some Enterobacteriaceae is discussed. Tijdschr Diergeneeskd, 1980 Jun 15, 105(12), 475 - 83 {Hygienic aspects of porcine oesophagii in six abbatoirs in the Netherlands (author's transl)}; Bijker PG et al.; The bacterial contamination of porcine oesophagi immediately after collection (100 samples) and of frozen just before preparation (40 samples) was assessed . The fresh oesophagi were found to show a rather high degree of contamination: aerobic count approximately 10(6)-10(7) and Enterobacteriaceae approximately 10(3)-10(4)/g . The frozen oesophagi showed even higher counts: total aerobic counts approximately 10(7)-10(8) and Enterobacteriaceae approximately 10(4)-10(5)/g . Hygiene during the collection of porcine oesophagi was visually assessed in six abbratoirs and found to be satisfactory in two, mediocre in three and poor in one . The effects of processing the oesophagus by cleaning and removing the mucous membrane on bacterial counts, pH, colour and odour were assessed before and during storage at 4 degrees C . and 20 degrees C . Both cleaning and removal of the mucous membrane caused up to a tenfold reduction of bacterial counts . After seven days' storage at 4 degrees C., the bacterial counts of the processed oesophagi were significantly lower than those of the non-processed oesophagi (p less than 0.01) . The processed oesophagi stored at 4 degrees C . were four days' storage. Lancet, 1980 Jun 14, 1(8181), 1270 - 3 Comparison of trimethoprim alone with trimethoprim sulphamethoxazole in the treatment of respiratory and urinary infections with particular reference to selection of trimethoprim resistance; Lacey RW et al.; 279 patients were treated with 100 mg trimethoprim or 100 mg trimethoprim combined with 500 mg sulphamethoxazole (co-trimoxazole) twice daily for 5 days in a prospective randomised double-blind trial . In chest infections in patients in general practice and in an acute geriatric assessment unit, the efficacy of each regimen was similar, but there were more side-effects with co-trimoxazole than with trimethoprim alone . In urinary-tract infections the two regimens also produced similar cure rates . Treatment with trimethoprim rarely selected resistant pathogens in the sputum or resistant Enterobacteriacae in the intestine, although the incidence of resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci on the skin increased with both regimens . Most chest and urinary infections hitherto treated with co-trimoxazole should be treated with trimethoprim alone. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1980 Jun, (6), 19 - 23 {Diagnostic value of bacteriologic and serologic studies in detecting intestinal yersiniosis in children}; Koroliuk AM et al.; The survey of 200 children with diarrhea revealed the presence of enteric yersiniosis in 31 children (15.5%) . Y . enterocolitica culture was isolated from the feces of 17 children (8.5%), diagnostic serological shifts were detected in 27 children (13.5%) . Among 100 children hospitalized with diarrhea of previously established etiology (dysentery, salmonellosis, etc) 6 children were found to have yersiniosis . The survey of 100 practically healthy children did not reveal any cases of enteric yersiniosis or healthy carriership . To isolate Yersinia, the feces were incubated in phosphate buffer in the cold (4--6 degrees C) and then inoculated into common diagnostic media for enterobacteria . Antibodies were detected in the indirect hemagglutination test with the use of dried erythrocytic yersiniosis diagnostic reagent . A tentative diagnostic titer of 1 : 200 was determined . Antibodies to the causative agent appeared on the 1st week, reached the maximum level on the 2nd and then gradually decreased . The clinical symptoms of the enteric form of yersiniosis resemble those of other kinds of infectious diarrhea, non-dysenteric in etiology . The authors believe that it is necessary for all children with diarrhea, especially at the age of 1--7 years, to be examined for enteric yersiniosis. J Clin Microbiol, 1980 Jun, 11(6), 748 - 9 Three new serotypes of Salmonella; Sutch KE et al.; Three new Salmonella serotypes belonging to Kauffmann's subgenus I (F . Kauffmann, The Bacteriology of Enterobacteriaceae, 1966) were identified . These serotypes were Salmonella brazos 6,14,18:a:e,n,z15, Salmonella midway 6,14,24:d:1,7, and Salmonella balboa 48a, 48b:z41:monophasic. Arch Intern Med, 1980 Jun, 140(6), 763 - 8 In vitro activities of beta-lactam and aminoglycoside antibiotics . A comparative study of 20 parenterally administered drugs; Fass RJ; In vitro susceptibilities of 552 recent clinical isolates to 20 parenterally administered beta-lactam and aminoglycoside antibiotics were studied . Newer beta-lactam antibiotics had no increased activity over well-known penicillins and cephalosporins against Gram-positive cocci . All showed greater activity, a broadened spectrum, or both against Gram-negative bacilli; azlocillin, mezlocillin, mecillinam, cefamandole, and cefoxitin each had unique advantages . Against Bacteroides fragilis, mezlocillin was more active than available penicillins, and cefoxitin was more active than available cephalosporins, but neither provided any advantages against other anaerobes . All the aminoglycosides studied were inactive against streptococci and anaerobes but had broad spectrums of activity against staphylococci and Enterobacteriaceae . Activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa was variable . Sisomicin was the most active aminoglycoside against aminoglycoside-susceptible Gram-negative bacilli, but amikacin inhibited the largest percentage (99.2%) of Enterobacteriaceae and P aeruginosa. Tijdschr Diergeneeskd, 1980 Jun 1, 105(11), 440 - 7 {Microbiological quality and chemical composition of mechanically deboned pork (author's transl)}; Bijker PG et al.; The microbiological quality and chemical composition of mechanically deboned pork (M.D.P.) in the Netherlands was investigated . Eight producers of M.D.P . were visited, and ten samples of different M.D.P . lots were taken on each visit . After transportation to the laboratory, they were studied microbiologically, chemically and histologically . The microbiological quality was adversely affected by considerable contamination of the raw material . A striking feature consisted in the fact that two producers showed large numbers (approximately 10(4)) of Staphylococcus aureus and seven showed severe contamination (approximately 10(4)-10(5)) by Enterobacteriaceae . The chemical composition of M.D.P . varied rather widely and had a higher fat, mineral and calcium content than manually deboned meat . The bone content of M.D.P . was assessed as being acceptable by and large . Only two producers showed a hard bone residue in excess of 0.4 per cent . However, 0.6 per cent of the bone particles overstepped the limits defined as acceptable, these being 90 per cent than 1 mm . and no particle larger than 3 mm. J Gen Microbiol, 1980 Jun, 118(2), 495 - 508 Distribution of genes for trimethoprim and gentamicin resistance in bacteria and their plasmids in a general hospital; Datta N et al.; The incidence of trimethoprim resistance in enterobacteria causing infection in a London hospital increased from 5.6% in 1970 to 16% in 1979 . The proportion of gentamicin-resistant aerobic Gram-negative bacilli had risen to 6.5% by 1979 . During a 5-month period in 1977, during which no epidemic was recognized, all isolates resistant to either trimethoprim, gentamicin, tobramycin or amikacin were studied . The proportion of enterobacteria resistant to both trimethoprim and gentamicin (3.8% of the total) was significantly higher than expected assuming no correlation between acquisition of resistance characters . The resistance was transferable in 23% of trimethoprim-resistant and 76% of gentamicin-resistant strains . Trimethoprim resistance was carried by plasmids of seven different incompatibility groups and in at least four instances was part of a transposon . Gentamicin resistance was determined by plasmids of three groups - IncC, IncFII and IncW . Transposition of gentamicin resistance was not shown, though this may have been the means of evolution of the gentamicin R plasmids of InW, which determined aminoglycoside acetyltransferase, AAC(3) . Some bacterial strains with their plasmids were endemic . There was evidence for these plasmids (i) acquiring new resistance genes by transposition, (ii) losing resistance genes by deletion and (iii) being transferred between bacterial species in the hospital. J Clin Microbiol, 1980 Jun, 11(6), 750 - 2 Spurious hydrogen sulfide production by Providencia and Escherichia coli species; Treleaven BE et al.; Hydrogen sulfide production was noted in two Escherichia coli strands and one Provaidenica alcalifaciens (Proteus inconstans A) strain isolated from clinical stool specimens durin the summer of 1979 . An investigation into this phenomenon revealed the predence of Eubacterium lentum, an anaerobe, growing in synergism with the Enterobacteriaceae and producing H2s . The implications of this association are discssed with reference to clinical microbiology laboratory practice. J Clin Microbiol, 1980 Jun, 11(6), 694 - 702 Collaborative investigation of the AutoMicrobic System Enterobacteriaceae biochemical card; Isenberg HD et al.; The Enterobacteriaceae biochemical card used in six separate laboratories to identify 170 representatives of Enterobacteriaceae . The AutoMicrobic System (Vitek Systems, Inc.) performed with an accuracy of 97.8% as compared with 98.1% by the standard method selected and 97.6% by a commerically prepared manual system approach . During this time, 5,450 clinical isolates belonging to Enterobacteriaceae were analyzed . Compared with the routine methods used in the various laboratories, the AutoMicrobic System identified 96.4% correctly J Clin Pathol, 1980 Jun, 33(6), 571 - 4 An evaluation of the Replireader in the identification of Enterobacteriaceae isolated from urine and in the recording of sensitivity tests performed by an agar dilution method; Waterworth PM; In the Replireader system for identifying Enterobacteriaceae, plates of biochemical media are inoculated with a replicator and the results are put into a computer . The machine correctly identified 92x2% of 734 strains of Gram-negative bacilli isolated from urine; it was incorrect in 0x8% and failed to recognise 7% . The Replireader was also used to record the results of sensitivity tests using a plate dilution method in which the drugs were provided by impregnated filter papers (Adapads). Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1980 Jun, 17(6), 993 - 1000 MK0787 (N-formimidoyl thienamycin): evaluation of in vitro and in vivo activities; Kropp H et al.; The practical application of thienamycin, a novel beta-lactam antibiotic with a broad activity spectrum, was compromised by problems of instability . MK0787, N-formimidoyl thienamycin, does not have this liability . As reported, bacterial species resistant to most beta-lactam antibiotics, such as Pseudomonas aeurginosa, Serratis, Enterobacter, Enterococcus, and Bacteroides spp., are uniformly susceptible to MK0787, usually at one-half the inhibitory level of thienamycin . Bactericidal activity usually occurs at the minimal inhibitory concentration endpoint . Activity was reduced only at the highest inoculum densities tested and by a lessor factor than was observed with reference beta-lactam antibiotic active against P . aeruginosa and beta-lactamase-bearing strains . MK0787 exhibits a broad spectrum of in vivo activity when evaluated parenterally for efficacy against systemic infections in mice . The order of potency in vivo, 0.03 to 0.06 mg/kg for gram-positive species and 0.65 to 3.8 mg/kg for gram-negative infections including Pseudomonas, exceeded that of thienamycin and was at least 10-fold superior to reference beta-lactam antibiotics including two recently developed agents with antipseudomonal activity, cefotaxime and LY127935. J Clin Microbiol, 1980 Jun, 11(6), 552 - 7 Bacteriology of sputum in cystic fibrosis: evaluation of dithiothreitol as a mucolytic agent; Hammerschlag MR et al.; Liquefaction and homogenization have been recommended to ensure accurate, representative sputum cultures . We evaluated dithiothreitol (DTT) as mucolytic agent for culturing sputum samples obtained from 79 cystic fibrosis (CF) patients . Liquefaction with DTT was not superior to direct plating of specimens for routine qualitative cultures . Unliquefied sputum cultures failed to direct 3 of 47 Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates; DTT-treated specimens missed 5 of 13 Candida albicans isolates . Neither treated nor untreated sputum cultures were completely successful in detecting Staphylococcus aureus or Enterobacteriaceae . Since Haemophilus influenzae was recovered from only two qualitative cultures, we could not evaluate the effect of DTT on the receovery of this organism . However, 27 of 29 strains of H . influenzae were inhibited by concentrations of DTT near the recommended final working concentration of 50 micrograms/ml, suggesting that liquefaction might impair isolation of this organism . Liquefaction with DTT permitted quantitative cultures of CF sputum . The predominant pathogen in our CF population was P . aeruginosa; 37 of 43 (86%) patients were colonized with this organism . Median densities of rough and mucoid strains were 3.2 x 10(7) and 4.3 x 10(7) colony-forming units per ml, respectively . Previous oral antistaphylococcal therapy may have accounted for the observed low density of S . aureus (mean density, 3.5 x 10(3) colony-forming units per ml) . We conclude that DTT treatment does not improve recovery of organisms from qualitative cultures but does facilitate quantitative studies of S . aureus and P . aeruginosa in CF sputum. Vet Med (Praha), 1980 Jun, 25(6), 367 - 73 {Testing the differentiatioin medium of Rimler and Schotts for the detection and identification of Aeromonas hydrophila}; Pejhovska M et al.; The differentiating medium after Rimler and Shotts (R-S substrate) was tested on 152 strains of the family Enterobacteriaceae, i . e . on the strains of Aeromonas hydrophila, Plesiomonas shigelloides, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The accuracy of the prompt identification of the strains of Aeromonas hydrophila in this medium is 94.8 % and the preparation of the substrate is easy . The R-S substrate is recommended to be used in investigating the cause of mortality or morbidity in cold-blooded animals, particularly in reptiles and amphibians, and in mammals which are in contact with water . Bacteriological examinations can also be performed with this medium. Eur J Biochem, 1980 Jun, 107(2), 485 - 9 Purification and properties of hamamelosekinase; Beck E et al.; Hamamelosekinase (ATP:hamamelose 2(1)-phosphotransferase) was purified from a crude extract of Kluyvera citrophila 627 (Enterobacteriaeceae) which has been grown on D-hamamelose . Ammonium-sulfate fractionation and twofold chromatography on DEAE-cellulose resulted in a 51-fold purification of the enzyme . Neither glucosekinase nor significant ATPase activity could be detected in the pure preparation . Besides D-hamamelose only D-hamamelitol was utilized as a substrate; however, the latter was phosphorylated at a very low rate . The molecular weight of the enzyme as estimated by gel chromatography is 21 000 . The Km values for hamamelose and ATP were 3 mM nd 2.5 mM, respectively . The pH optimum was found at 7.5 . In contrast to hexokinase, purified hamamelosekinase is very labile and could only be stabilized by addition of its substrate D-hamamelose . The most unusual property with respect to yeast hexokinase is a pronounced substrate inhibiton by hamamelose (> 5mM) and ATP (> 7mM), respectively, which could be interpreted as due to an economic utilization of the nutrient . Hamamelosekinase as well as glucosekinase are inducible by growing the microorganisms on the corresponding monosaccharides. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci, 1980 May 16, 289(1036), 231 - 7 Structural requirements for antibacterial activity and beta-lactamase stability of 7 beta-arylmalonylamino-7 alpha-methoxy-1-oxacephems; Yoshida T; Replacement of a sulphur atom by an oxygen at the 1-position of the cephem nucleus generally resulted in fourfold to sixteenfold increase of antibacterial activity in each pair of the structural congeners . However, the increased antibacterial activity caused by the replacement was accompanied by instability to beta-lactamase to some extent, which was due presumably to the increased chemical reactivity of the beta-lactam ring system . The aim of the research effort is to confer beta-lactamase stability and expand the Gram-negative spectrum . Two types of substituents have been demonstrated to protect 1-oxacephem from enzymic hydrolysis and their protecting effects were specifically related to the types of beta-lactamases derived from Gram-negative bacteria: the 7 beta-malonylamino function is specific to cephalosporinase and the 7 alpha-methoxy group to penicillinase . The complementary effect of these substituents was clearly demonstrated . This line of studies led us to prepare the clinical candidate 6059-S, which possessed widely expanded antibacterial spectra against Gram-negative bacteria including indole-positive Proteus, Enterobacter, Serratia marcescens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacteroides fragilis. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1980 May, 39(5), 988 - 92 Fermentation of polysaccharides by Klebsielleae and other facultative bacilli; Ochuba GU et al.; Fermentations of 10 polysaccharides by species of the family Enterobacteriaceae were examined . Algin, guar, karaya, xanthan, and xylan were not fermented by any of the strains tested . Most of the activity was found in the tribe Klebsielleae . Klebsiella oxytoca fermented amylopectin (97% of the strains studied), carrageenan (100%), inulin (68%), polypectate (100%), and tragacanth (100%) . Klebsiella pneumoniae fermented amylopectin (91%), carrageenan (100%), and tragacanth (86%) . Carrageenan was also fermented by Enterobacter aerogenes (100%), Enterobacter agglomerans (63%), Enterobacter cloacae (95%), and Pectobacterium (38%) . Pectobacterium shared polypectate fermentation (100%) with K . oxytoca . With one exception, Serratia strains were negative on all polysaccharides . These results, along with other evidence, indicate that (i) the genus Klebsiella is biochemically the most versatile genus of the tribe, (ii) because of its distinct characteristics, K . oxytoca warrants species designation separate from K . pneumoniae, and (iii) some food additives generally considered indigestible can be metabolized by a few species of facultative bacilli, whereas others appear to be resistant. Am Fam Physician, 1980 May, 21(5), 125 - 30 Proper use of aminoglycosides; Yoshikawa TT; Streptomycin is still the treatment of choice for tularemia and plague, and is effective in a few other diseases . Neomycin is used primarily as a topical agent . The other aminoglycoside antibiotics are indicated in serious infections caused by the gram-negative enterobacteria and, except for kanamycin, are also effective in Pseudomonas infections . These agents are useful in combination with other antibiotics in several serious types of infections . Toxicity, mainly nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity, is dose-related. Ann Sclavo, 1980 May-Jun, 22(3), 423 - 30 {Two cases of neonatal meningitis caused by "Enterobacter cloacae" (author's transl)}; Pavari E et al.; Two cases are reported of neonatal meningitis caused by Enterobacter cloacae . The two patients are alive; one is perfectly well, the other resulted in hydrocephalus . Both children came from the same neonatal Unit where the were given phototherapy . The importance of nosocomial infections is outlined and different aspects related to the etiology, the environment and the host (particularly immunologic deficits) are briefly reviewed. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1980 May, 17(5), 807 - 12 GR-20263: a new aminothiazolyl cephalosporin with high activity against Pseudomonas and Enterobacteriaceae; Verbist L et al.; The in vitro activity of GR-20263, a new aminothiazolyl cephalosporin, was compared with the activities of other beta-lactam antibiotics by using 800 clinical bacterial isolates . GR-20263 was highly active (inhibition of 90% of the isolates between 0.03 and 1 microgram/ml) against the common Enterobacteriaceae and 5 to 20 times more active than cefuroxime, cefoxitin, and cephalothin . GR-20263 was three to six times less active than cefotaxime against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella, and Shigella, but three to four times more active than cefotaxime against Proteus vulgaris and Serratia marcescens . The activity of GR-20263 against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (with minimal inhibitory concentrations of 2 and 8 micrograms/ml for 90 and 100% of the isolates, respectively) was similar to that of tobramycin, 2 times that of cefsulodin, 5 times that of piperacillin, and 10 times that of cefotaxime . Against Haemophilus influenzae GR-20263 was three time more active than ampicillin . The beta-lactamase-producing strains were as susceptible to GR-20263 as the beta-lactamase-negative strains . GR-20263 was less active than cefotaxime and ampicillin against Staphylococcus aureus. Nord Vet Med, 1980 May, 32(5), 219 - 25 {Comparison of Micro-ID, API 20 E and a conventional technique for the identification of Enterobacteriaceae}; Gregersen T et al.; A new system, Micro-ID, for the identification of Enterobacteriaceae is described . 100 strains of Enterobacteriaceae (Table I) are identified by Micro-ID and the identifications are compared with the identifications performed by conventional techniques and by the API 20 E system . There is a total agreement between Micro-ID and conventional techniques on 96.5% and between API 20 E and conventional techniques on 90% (Tables II and III) . The differences in the reactions between the systems are discussed and explained . It is concluded, that the Micro-ID and the API 20 E both are very suitable for the identification of Enterobacteriaceae. J Med Microbiol, 1980 May, 13(2), 351 - 4 Effect of heavy metals on bacterial adherence; Sugarman B; A preliminary examination has been made of the effects of salts of heavy metals on bacterial adherence . 3H-thymidine labelled strains of Enterobacteriaceae isolated from sputa were incubated with human buccal cells and metallic salts . 10(-4)M zinc or iron salts significantly increased adherence of Enterobacteriaceae to human bucal cells in an in-vitro system . These effects were not altered by variation of the buffer system used, and seem dependent upon interactions between metals and bacteria that occur within about 5 minutes. Rev Infect Dis, 1980 May-Jun, 2(3), 329 - 39 A review of positive blood cultures: identification and source of microorganisms and patterns of sensitivity to antibiotics; Roberts FJ; All strains of bacteria and fungi isolated from blood cultures of patients hospitalized in a large primary and tertiary care center were studied prospectively for determination of their clinical significance and probable source . In some instances the immediate mortality rate was also determined . The sensitivity patterns of all aerobic organisms to antibiotics were studied in relation to the role of antibiotic therapy . A positive culture was obtained from 6.8% of all blood specimens cultured and these positive cultures represented 639 episodes of bacteremia or fungemia . The organism isolated most of ten was Escherichia coli, and the most common known source was the urinary tract . Anaerobic organisms were isolated from 9.2% of the episodes of bacteremia, with the bowel being the most common probable source of infection . Antibiotic sensitivity testing revealed that all staphylococci were sensitive to methicillin, but only 22% were sensitive to penicillin . No penicillin-resistant pneumococci were encountered . The Enterobacteriaceae exhibited such a high sensitivity to gentamicin that comparison of its activity with that of other, newer aminoglycosides was impossible. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1980 May, 17(5), 884 - 9 Comparison of in vitro activity of GR 20263, a novel cephalosporin derivative, with activities of other beta-lactam compounds; Wise R et al.; The in vitro activity of GR 20263, a new cephalosporin, was compared primarily with the activities of moxalactam (LY 127935), cefotaxime, cefoxitin, cefuroxime, and cefazolin against 293 clinical isolates of a variety of gram-positive and -negative bacteria . The minimal inhibitory concentrations of GR 20263 for 90% of group isolates were between 0.06 and 0.5 microgram/ml for the Enterobacteriaceae, Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Lancefield group A beta-hemolytic streptococci; 2 micrograms/ml for Pseudomonas aeruginosa; 16 micrograms/ml for Staphylococcus aureus; and in excess of 128 micrograms/ml for Bacteroides fragilis and Lancefield group D streptococci . In comparison with the other agents, GR 20263 was markedly more active against the Enterobacteriaceae than cefuroxime, cefoxitin, and cefazolin, but marginally less active than moxalactam or cofotaxime . Aganist S . aureus, cefazolin was 16-fold and cefotaxime was 4-fold more active than GR 20263 and moxalactam . GR 20263 was eight-fold more active than cefotaxime and moxalactam against P . aeruginosa. Rev Argent Microbiol, 1980 May-Aug, 12(2), 39 - 43 {Outbreak of hospital infection, due to members of the Klebsielleae tribe, in an intensive care unit for infants}; Albesa I et al.; At the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of the Provincial Regional Hospital, in Rio Cuarto, Argentina, nearly all hospitalized infants showed clinical symptoms of septicaemia and gastroenteritis . Neither Salmonella nor Shigella were found in the stool cultures, but Klebsiella pneumoniae was isolated as predominant flora . Three haemocultures displayed K . pneumoniae and Enterobacter cloacae; the other three developed only E . cloacae . Since the infants came from different places and it was possible to isolate members of the Klebsielleae tribe from all of them, a hospital infection was suspected . Searching for the infectious source, K . pneumoniae was detected in the water bath used to keep the feeding-bottles at 37 degrees C . To clarify the existence of any relationship between the strains isolated from patients and from the water bath, several characteristics were compared: biotypes, haemolityc activity, antibiotic sensibility patterns, and pathogenicity, assessed as lethal dose 50% . Identical results were found for the biochemical tests of all the strains belonging to the same species . The antibiotic sensibility patterns and LD 50% showed quite similar values . All bacteria displayed haemolityc activity for rabbit and lamb erythrocytes . It could be considered that the septicaemia had an intestinal origin, and that the infection spread was due to the contamination of the water bath where the feeding bottles were kept. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1980 Apr, 17(4), 537 - 43 Dissemination of an antibiotic resistance plasmid in hospital patient flora; O'Brien TF et al.; The 2'' aminoglycoside nucleotidyltransferase, AAD (2''), which adenylates gentamicin, tobramycin, and kanamycin, became prevalent over several months in multiple strains and species of Enterobacteriaceae isolated at one hospital . Eight plasmids with the gene for this enzyme purified from different strains and species isolated at different times had similar EcoRI digestion fragments, indicating that the gene had disseminated on one plasmid without transposition . This 56.5-megadalton plasmid of incompatibility group M, which also carried three other resistance genes, spread, at first, largely in one strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae, which later disappeared . It transferred to some strains which tended not to colonize other patients and later circulated predominantly in Serratia marcescens . Computer surveillance of routine hospital laboratory results was able to detect and trace the gene and the plasmid and measure their effect on resistance prevalence. Am J Clin Pathol, 1980 Apr, 73(4), 562 - 3 Antagonism of cefamandole by cefoxitin in routine disk susceptibility tests; Sanders CC et al.; Cefoxitin was found to antagonize cefamandole in standardized disk diffusion susceptibility tests . This antagonism increased as the distance between the two disks decreased, and was most frequently observed in tests with cephalothin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae . It occurred in tests with 68 of 98 (69%) cephalothin-resistant isolates, one of six (17%) cephalothin-intermediate isolates, and one of 40 (3%) cephalothin-susceptible isolates . Clinical laboratories that use both disks in routine susceptibility tests should be aware of this anatagonism and should ensure that the disks are not placed in proximity to each other. Aust J Exp Biol Med Sci, 1980 Apr, 58(2), 123 - 31 Factors affecting the ability of various strains of Enterobacteriaceae to induce tumour resistance in mice; Vingelis V et al.; Primary infection of mice with Salmonella enteritidis 11RX (11RX) confers resistance to challenge with 10(4) LD50 doses of Ehrlich Ascites tumour (EAT) . A lipopolysaccharide-free protein extract of 11RX is capable of eliciting delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) reactions in these mice and of "recalling" tumour resistance in long-term 11RX immunised mice, which no longer exhibit any resistance to tumour challenge . In the present study, we have examined the ability of five other strains of Enterobacteriaceae to induce similar effects . Primary i.p . injection of S . chester, S . luton or S . typhimurium G30 into mice resulted in persisting infections and the induction of peritoneal exudate cells (PEC) which were tumouricidal in vitro . DTH reactions could also be elicited in these animals with protein extracts of the homologous or the 11RX strain of salmonella . S . friedenan and E . coli K12, which did not persist in mice, did not elicit tumouricidal PEC and did not sensitize mice for DTH reactions . However, protein extracts from all the five strains could elicit tumouricidal PEC and DTH reactions in long-term 11RX-immunised mice (but not in normal mice) . The results imply that a wide range of Enterobacteriaceae may possess antigen(s) which can be involved in tumour resistance, provided that these antigen(s) are presented in such a way that a cellular immune response develops. J Gen Microbiol, 1980 Apr, 117(2), 483 - 91 Distinctive electrophoretic patterns of esterases from Klebsiella pneumoniae, K . oxytoca, Enterobacter aerogenes and E . gergoviae; Goullet P; Esterases of 14 strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae, 14 strains of K . oxytoca, 16 strains of Enterobacter aerogenes and 16 strains of E . gergoviae were analysed by horizontal electrophoresis in polyacrylamide-agarose gel . Four principal esterase bands (designated E1 to E4) and nine minor bands differing in their activity towards synthetic substrates and in their sensitivity to heat and to di-isofluoropropyl phosphate were defined . The comparative distribution of bands showed that the four species analysed were characterized by distinct electrophoretic patterns of their esterases . Band E1 was found in all four species, bands E2 and E3 only in K . oxytoca and band E4 only in some strains of E . gergoviae . The apparent molecular weights of esterases E2 and E3, determined by electrophoresis in a 4 to 30% polyacrylamide gradient gel, were 58000 (+/- 1000) and 72000 (+/- 1800), respectively. Can J Microbiol, 1980 Apr, 26(4), 413 - 9 {Microcalorimetry in the taxonomy of some groups of Enterobacteriaceae}; Herman JP et al.; The thermogenesis of 17 strains belonging to 12 species of the Enterobacteriaceae family was measured at 30 degrees C with an ampoule microcalorimeter . It was analyzed qualitatively (aspect of profiles) and quantitatively (total heat evolved, thermogenesis duration, maximum thermal power) . The value of these criteria is discussed with respect to their discriminating value in the classification of bacteria . The information obtained may concur with the identification of species; it gives ground to reconsider actual phenotypes and genotypes and taxonomy generally. Am J Clin Pathol, 1980 Apr, 73(4), 570 - 3 Evaluation of a multitest system for rapid identification of Salmonella and Shigella; Gooch WM 3rd; The ability of Micro-ID, a multitest system for rapid (four hour) identification of Enterobacteriaceae, to identify Salmonella and Shigella was evaluated . Micro-ID, API 20E and a battery of tubed media consisting of triple sugar-iron agar, Christensen's urea agar, and Moeller's lysine decarboxylase medium were used to study 516 lactose nonfermenting strains of Enterobacteriaceae isolated from 500 consecutive pediatric stool specimens . Fifty-six of the isolates were Salmonella, and 21 were Shigella . Micro-ID correctly identified all isolates of Shigella and all but one isolate of Salmonella, whereas the conventional screening media failed to detect seven isolates of Salmonella and two isolates of Shigella . The false-positive rates were 1% and 20% for Micro-ID and the conventional battery, respectively . Use of Micro-ID as a substitute for conventional screening media for lactose nonfermenting stool isolates provides reliable presumptive idenfication of Salmonella and Shigella within four hours. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1980 Apr, 17(4), 583 - 90 Antibacterial activity of ceftizoxime, a beta-lactamase-stable cephalosporin; Fu KP et al.; The in vitro activity of ceftizoxime was compared with that of other beta-lactam antibiotics against 538 isolates . Ceftizoxime was the most active agent tested against Escherichia coli and Klebsiella, inhibiting 80% at 0.025 microgram/ml . It was more active than cefotaxime against Enterobacter cloacae and E . aerogenes . Ceftizoxime was more active than cefoxitin, cefotaxime, cefoperazone, and carbenicillin against Proteus mirabilis and indole-positive Proteus . It inhibited 97% of multiresistant Serratia isolates at 12.5 microgram/ml, whereas cefotaxime inhibited only 19% . Ceftizoxime was less active than cefotaxime and cefoperazone against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, but was more active than carbenicillin . It was more active than cefotaxime and cefoxitin against Bacteroides . It was not appreciably destroyed by beta-lactamases of Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacteriaceae, or Pseudomonas. Antibiotiki, 1980 Apr, 25(4), 268 - 70 {Plasmid resistance of the enterobacteria isolated in intestinal disorders in children}; Parkhomenko LV et al.; Resistance to antibiotics and sulfanilamides was determined in enterobacteria (E . coli, Pr . mirabilis, Sh . sonnei, Sh . flexneri) isolated from children with intestinal disorders . Elimination of the resistance determinants in polyresistant strains, conjugation of R plasmids (75 per cent in Pr . mirabilis, 70 per cent in E . coli, 78 per cent in Sh . sonnei, 69 per cent in Sh . flexneri), mobilization of nonconjugative plasmids on triple crossing and capacity of R plasmids for repression of the F-factor functions were studied . The data of the study are evident of the plasmid background in enterobacteria isolated from children with intestinal disorders and confirm the plasmid nature of the resistance in the predominating number of the strains . It is suggested that Proteus plays a significant role in the prevalence of plasmid resistance among enterobacteria. J Chir (Paris), 1980 Apr, 117(4), 219 - 30 {Infection of vascular sutures: a report on 26 cases (author's transl)}; Leturgie C et al.; The authors describe 26 cases of infection after vascular surgery, affecting a Dacron prosthesis in 13 cases and venous grafts in the other 13 patients . The site of infection was usually the region of Scarpa's triangle (15 cases) with the presence of enterobacterium in 40% of cases . The most frequently isolated germ was staphylococcus aureus (20 cases) . Infection was revealed by hemorrhage in 17 patients and was evidence of breaking down of the anastomosis . Results of surgical treatment in the two groups were evaluated by using three criteria: --persistence or not of infection, --vital prognosis, --functional prognosis . Surgical treatment methods and possible contamination sources are discussed . When the operative zone is infected, the authors recommend ablation for the prostheses and conservative therapy for venous autografts . The prosthesis was left in place in 5 patients, and only one patient recovered, while two deaths occurred . In the 10 cases where ablation of the prosthesis was performed, however, the infection was cured, and in 4 patients there was revascularization in the infected area . Apart from these cases, conservative therapy was applied in 11 cases and healing occurred in all of them. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1980 Apr, 17(4), 750 - 6 Moxalactam (LY127935), a new semisynthetic 1-oxa-beta-lactam antibiotic with remarkable antimicrobial activity: in vitro comparison with cefamandole and tobramycin; Jones RN et al.; Moxalactam (LY127935) exhibited greater in vitro activity than cefamandole and tobramycin against clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae, Aeromonas hydrophila, and Pseudomonas maltophilia . The activities of the three drugs against other microorganisms were as follows: for staphylococci, cefamandole = tobramycin greater than moxalactam; for streptococci, cefamandole greater than moxalactam greater than tobramycin; and for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, tobramycin greater than moxalactam greater than cefamandole . Moxalactam also demonstrated significant activity against the Bacteroides fragilis group and other anaerobes . Moxalactam was comparable to cefotaxime (HR756) in its inhibition of cephalothin-resistant and aminoglycoside-resistant clinical isolates. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1980 Apr, 17(4), 743 - 9 Cefoperazone (T-1551), a new semisynthetic cephalosporin: comparison with cephalothin and gentamicin; Jones RN et al.; The in vitro activity of cefoperazone (T-1551) against almost 9,000 recent clinical isolates at six institutions was tested and compared with that of cephalothin and gentamicin . The modal minimum inhibitory concentrations of cefoperazone were 16- and 4-fold less than those of cephalothin and gentamicin, respectively, against 5,503 strains of Enterobacteriaceae . Species normally resistant to cephalothin, such as indole-positive protease and enterobacters, were almost universally susceptible to cefoperazone . Cefoperazone demonstrated activity comparable to gentamicin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other pseudomonads. Boll Ist Sieroter Milan, 1980 Mar 31, 59(1), 4 - 11 {Antibiotic resistance and transfer in Enterobacteriaceae of avian origin}; Scioli C et al.; Thirty-six specimens of feces were taken from as many chicken farms, from which 118 different strains of Enterobacteriaceae were isolated . The resistances of the single isolated bacteria were studied, performing plate sensitivity tests by the Kirby-Bauer method . The capacity of the bacteria under examination to transfer their antibiotic resistances in vitro to a sensitive E . coli strain (E . coli K 12 E 711 F--) was observed . A very high percentage of strains has shown resistance to one or more antibiotics (91%) . However a much lesser number of strains were capable of transferring their antibiotic resistances (12.9%) . It is suggestive, then, that the animals under examination do not represent an important source of antibiotic resistance diffusion to man. Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1980 Mar-Apr, 131A(2), 151 - 5 Use of DEAE-cellulose filters in the S1 nuclease method for bacterial deoxyribonucleic acid hybridization; Popoff M et al.; Polynucleotide sequence relatedness can be studied with the S1 nuclease method by a fast and accurate procedure using DEAE-cellulose filters (DE81 Whatman) . After S1 treatment of DNA-DNA hybrid molecules formed in 0.42 M saline solution, free nucleotides (digestion products) but not DNA are eluted from DE81 filters in appropriate salt concentration such as 5% Na2HPO4.12 H2O . The relative binding ratio and the thermal stability of heteroduplexes are determined for 7 strains of Enterobacteriaceae . The conclusions resulting from S1 nuclease and DE81 filters assay are similar to those obtained with S1 nuclease and trichloracetic acid precipitation. South Med J, 1980 Mar, 73(3), 393 - 4 Plesiomonas (Aeromonas) shigelloides septicemia and meningitis in a neonate; Dahm LJ et al.; Serious Plesiomonas (Aeromonas) shigelloides infections have rarely been reported, and have probably been missed because this organism is very similar to the Enterobacteriaceae in associated clinical disease, and in properties investigated in the diagnostic laboratory . A case of overwhelming neonatal meningitis and sepsis is discussed, and the use of the simple indophenol oxidase test on laboratory isolates of gram-negative rods is urged to distinguish this organism and its close relatives from the Enterobacteriaceae. Rev Infect Dis, 1980 Mar-Apr, 2(2), 182 - 95 Sisomicin: a review of eight years' experience; Sanders WE Jr et al.; Sisomicin is a new broad-spectrum aminoglycoside most closely related structurally to gentamicin C1a . In vitro and in experimental infections, sisomicin has been found to be more potent than or nearly as potent as the most active of the other available aminoglycosides . Although susceptible to many (but not all) aminoglycoside-inactivating enzymes, sisomicin is active against many microorganisms that are resistant to other aminoglycosides by nonenzymatic mechanisms . Sisomicin has been shown to interact synergistically with various beta-lactam antibiotics against enterococci, staphylocicci, Enterobacteriaceae, and nonfermentative gram-negative bacilli . The pharmacokinetics and toxicity of sisomicin in humans appear to be similar to those of gentamicin, despite earlier reports of greater acute toxicity in animals . Sisomicin has been shown to be effective for treatment of severe infections in humans, including some infections caused by gentamicin-resistant bacteria. J Bacteriol, 1980 Mar, 141(3), 1439 - 42 Distribution of coenzyme B12-dependent diol dehydratase and glycerol dehydratase in selected genera of Enterobacteriaceae and Propionibacteriaceae; Toraya T et al.; The presence of diol dehydratase and glycerol dehydratase was shown in several bacteria of Enterobacteriaceae grown anaerobically on 1,2-propanediol and on glycerol, respectively . Diol dehydratases of Enterobacteriaceae were immunologically similar, but distinct from that of Propionibacterium freudenreichii. J Bacteriol, 1980 Mar, 141(3), 1386 - 98 Characterization of the cell wall and cell wall proteins of Chromatium vinosum; Lane BC et al.; Highly purified cell walls of Chromatium vinosum were isolated by differential centrifugation, with or without Triton X-100 extraction . The isolated material had a protein composition similar to that of cell walls obtained by sucrose density gradient centrifugation . Twenty-two proteins were reproducibly detected by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis . A 42-kilodalton protein was shown to account for 65% of the total cell wall protein . The majority of cell wall proteins were solubilized in sodium dodecyl sulfate at room temperature; however, they existed as high-molecular-weight complexes unless heated to 45 degrees C or above . The cell wall contained one heat-modifiable protein which migrated with an apparent molecular weight of 37,400 when solubilized at 70 degrees C or below, but which migrated with an apparent molecular weight of 52,500 if solubilized at 100 degrees C . The electrophoretic mobility of three proteins was modified by 2-mercaptoethanol . The majority of C . vinosum cell wall proteins had isoelectric points between pH 4.5 and 5.5, and the 42-kilodalton protein focused at pH 4.9 . No proteins were detected which were analogous to the lipoprotein or peptidoglycan-associated proteins of the Enterobacteriaceae . Nearest-neighbor analysis with a reducible, cross-linking reagent indicated that three proteins, including the 42-kilodalton protein, associated with themselves . Most of the cell wall proteins were partially accessible to proteases in both intact cells and isolated cell walls . Protease treatment of the whole cell or isolated cell wall digested approximately an 11,000-molecular-weight portion of the 42-kilodalton protein. Am J Med, 1980 Mar, 68(3), 332 - 43 Gram-negative bacteremia . III . Reassessment of etiology, epidemiology and ecology in 612 patients; Kreger BE et al.; Evaluation of 612 episodes of gram-negative bacteremia over a 10-year period demonstrated its progressively increasing frequency . This increase was associated with an increasing proportion of patients with more severe underlying disease, increasing patient age, increasing frequency of cardiac surgery and manipulative procedures, and increasing frequency of treatment with antibiotics, corticosteroids and antimetabolites in patients with bacteremia . Fatality rates paralleled the severity of the host's underlying disease as noted in previous reports . The urinary tract was the most frequent source of bacteremia, but in 30 per cent of the patients, predominantly those with more severe underlying disease, the original source could not be identified . Of all blood cultures obtained in these patients, 72 per cent were positive . Bacteremia was of low magnitude with 77 per cent of the patients have quantitative blood cultures with less than 10 gram-negative bacilli per milliliter of blood . Escherichia coli was the most frequent etiologic agent followed in frequency by Klebsiella-Enterobacter-Serratia species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus and Providencia species, and species of Bacteroides . Sixteen per cent of the bacteremias were polymicrobic . K and O-antigen typing of Escherichia coli and capsular typing of K . pneumoniae demonstrated that a large number of serologic types of these strains were responsible for bacteremia . Over-all, bacteremia caused by multiple species of bacteria was associated with higher fatality rates, but no significant differences in fatality rates could be demonstrated for bacteremias caused by individual species of gram-negative bacilli when comparisons were made between patients with underlying diseases of similar severity . The presence or type of K-antigen did not influence the lethality of Esch . coli infections . Although some O-antigen types, 0:4, 0:6 and 0:8, were associated with higher fatality rates than other O-antigen types, "rough" or autoagglutinable Esch . coli were as lethal as smooth strains . These findings indicate that bacterial factors, other than antibiotic resistance, have little influence on the outcome of gram-negative bacteremia and that gram-negative bacilli function primarily as "opportunistic" pathogens. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1980 Mar, 17(3), 298 - 301 UK31214, a new aminoglycoside and derivative of kanamycin B; Wise R et al.; The in vitro activity of UK31214, a kanamycin B derivative, was studied against 250 recent isolates and compared with other aminoglycosides . Against the Enterobacteriaceae (with the exception of Proteus mirabilis and Providencia stuartii) UK31214 and amikacin had similar degrees of activity (mode minimum inhibitory concentration {MIC}, 1 microgram/ml) . Proteus mirabilis and P . stuartii strains were four- to eight-fold more susceptible to amikacin than to UK31214 . Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains were equally susceptible to both amikacin and UK31214 (mode MIC, 4 microgram/ml), but tobramycin was the most active antimicrobial agent tested (mode MIC, 0.25 microgram/ml) . The gentamicin-resistant strains of P . aeruginosa were equally susceptible to UK31214 and amikacin . Strains of Staphylococcus aureus were more susceptible to gentamicin or tobramycin than to UK31214 or amikacin (mode MIC, 0.5 microgram/ml) . A synergistic interaction between UK31214 and carbenicillin was demonstrated. Mikrobiologiia, 1980 Mar-Apr, 49(2), 240 - 3 {Carbon dioxide evolution by bacteria of the genus Enterobacter that utilize glucose and glycerin}; Kazanskaia TB et al.; The activity of decarboxylase from two bacterial species belonging to the genus Aerobacter was studied in media containing different carbon sources . It has been shown that A . aerogenes and A . cloacae, in model experiments with media containing glycerol, evolve 1.2-3.5 times less CO2 (42-107 micrograms) as compared with the medium containing glucose (143-149 micrograms) . The activity of decarboxylase of the bacterium in media with the tested sources of carbon correlated with the rate of acetoin biosynthesis. J Infect Dis, 1980 Mar, 141(3), 338 - 45 Endemic aminoglycoside resistance in gram-negative bacilli: epidemiology and mechanisms; Weinstein RA et al.; Isolates of gentamicin-resistant gram-negative bacilli from clinical specimens peaked at nine to 10 per month in 1973-1974 . Instituting barrier-type precautions during 1974-1977 was associated with a sustained 87% reduction in resistant Enterobacteriaceae . The number of resistant Pseudomonadaceae fell temporarily by 28%, paralleling gentamicin usage . During an endemic 15-month period in 1976-1977 nonenzymatically mediated resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa often emerged after aminoglycoside therapy in patients who had prior carriage of sensitive strains of the same serotype (P = 0.002); this resistance was associated with wound or sputum isolates (P = 0.003) . Resistant Enterobacteriaceae more often demonstrated the converse, that is, spread of urinary tract isolates with enzymatically mediated resistance from patients not on aminoglycoside therapy . These findings suggest that control measures to minimize occurrence of resistant bacilli include barrier-type precautions for patients with resistant Enterobacteriaceae, evaluation of transfers and readmissions as a source of resistant organisms, and reduction of aminoglycoside use to decrease the selection of nonenzymatic resistance. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1980 Mar, 17(3), 423 - 7 In vitro evaluation of cefoperazone; Hinkle AM et al.; The activity of cefoperazone, a new broad-spectrum cephalosporin, was tested in vitro against 670 clinical isolates of gram-negative bacilli and gram-positive cocci . With the exception of Enterobacter spp., it inhibited the majority of all organisms tested at a concentration of 6.25 microgram/ml . Of particular interest is its good activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates which are usually very resistant to cephalosporins . When compared with other antibiotics, it was more active than any available cephalosporin against the Enterobacteriaceae, and its activity was comparable to the investigational drugs tested . Except against Pseudomonas, cefoperazone was less active than moxalactam (LY127935) . No significant decrease in activity was noted in medium and pH variation studies . A considerable decrease in activity resulted when the size of the inoculum was incrased from 10(5) to 10(7) cells/ml . The minimal bactericidal concentrations were within one or two dilution values of the minimal inhibitory concentrations against the majority of isolates tested, except Staphylococcus aureus. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1980 Mar, 17(3), 488 - 93 Comparison of cefoperazone, cefotaxime, and moxalactam (LY127935) against aerobic gram-negative bacilli; Lang SD et al.; This study compares the minimum inhibitory concentrations of cefoperazone, cefotaxime, and moxalactam (LY127935) for 446 aerobic gram-negative bacillary isolates and further compares the minimum inhibitory concentrations of LY127935 and these third-generation cephalosporins with those of thienamycin for Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Each antibiotic at low concentrations inhibited nearly all Enterobacteriaceae tested . Minimum inhibitory concentrations for P . aeruginosa were higher, but for a majority of strains they fell below achievable serum levels . Thienamycin and cefoperazone showed significantly greater antipseudomonal activity than did cefotaxime or LY127935 . Cefoxitin-inducible resistance to LY127935 and the two cephalosporins was demonstrated among Enterobacter species but did not occur with thienamycin. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1980 Mar, 17(3), 397 - 401 Comparative in vitro activities of cefotaxime and ceftizoxime (FK749): new cephalosporins with exceptional potency; Greenwood D et al.; Cefotaxime and its desacetoxymethyl derivative, ceftizoxime (previously known as FK749), are both extremely active against a wide spectrum of bacteria . In the present comparative study, the activity of ceftizoxime exceeded that of cefotaxime by a factor of four or more for strains of Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Providencia, Serratia, and Bacteroides; the only species for which the activity of cefotaxime exceeded that of ceftizoxime by a factor of four was Vibrio cholerae . Against other species, the activity of the two drugs was roughly comparable . Both showed outstanding activity against Haemophilus influenzae and Neisseria gonorrhoeae . Comparative turbidimetric and morphological studies revealed that ceftizoxime was able to induce spheroplast formation and rapid lysis in Escherichia coli strains at lower concentrations than cefotaxime . This difference was not found, however, when E . coli strains resistant to ampicillin by an intrinsic (nonenzymic) mechanism were tested. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1980 Mar, 33(3), 317 - 21 Enterobacter cloacae outer membrane permeability to ceftizoxime (FK 749) and five other new cephalosporin derivatives; Kojo H et al.; The ability of ceftizoxime to penetrate the outer membrane was compared with those of five other new cephalosporins: cefotiam, cefuroxime, cefotaxime, cefmetazole and cefoxitin, using a clinical isolate of Enterobacter cloacae as a test strain . Estimation of permeability was performed by a method utilizing the inhibitory activities of the cephalosporins against beta-lactamase located in the periplasm . Of the cephalosporins tested, both ceftizoxime and cefmetazole gave remarkably high concentrations in the periplasm, several times higher than those of cefotaxime and cefoxitin and ten or more times higher than those of cefuroxime and cefotiam . The approximate permeability coefficient of ceftizoxime was also several times higher than those of cefotiam and cefmetazole and over ten times higher than those of cefoxitin, cefuroxime and cefotaxime. Br Med J, 1980 Feb 23, 280(6213), 517 - 9 Increasing importance of plasmid-mediated trimethoprim resistance in enterobacteria: two six-month clinical surveys; Towner KJ et al.; All clinical isolates of enterobacteria received at the laboratory were monitored for trimethoprim resistance over six months in 1978 . The survey was repeated in 1979 and the incidence of trimethoprim resistance showed a slight decrease, but the proportion of resistant strains owing their trimethoprim resistance to transferable R plasmids had almost trebled . There was also a large increase in the proportion of resistant strains exhibiting high-level non-transferable trimethoprim resistance . These findings suggest transposition of genes conferring trimethoprim resistance from plasmids to the bacterial chromosome. Eur J Clin Pharmacol, 1980 Feb, 17(2), 101 - 9 Chemotherapeutic-bacteriological interdependences observed by use of a clinical anti-infective drug monitoring system; Hollmann M; The relationships between the extent and type of clinical antibacterial chemotherapy and bacteriological findings were investigated, both retrospectively and contemporaneously, by study of pharmacy deliveries and analysis of patient records and the results of bacteriological examination of urine . Initially, with a high proportion of tetracycline use and relatively little of ampicillin, co-trimoxazole and cephalosporins, E . coli was frequently found and seldom Klebsiella/Enterobacter; the in-vitro efficacy of tetracyclines was low against all bacteria tested . Deliberate restraint in the use of tetracyclines and promotion of co-trimoxazole as well as a spontaneous rise in ampicillin use, were correlated with a decrease in E . coli and increase in Klebsiella/Enterobacter . The in vitro susceptibility of Klebsiella to all the chemotherapeutics tested was relatively low, but it improved markedly after use of cefuroxime was begun . This resulted in a decrease in the incidence of Klebsiella/Enterobacter in urine specimens . Restraint in tetracycline usage was accompanied by an increase in its in vitro efficacy against E . coli . The study shows that continuous monitoring of antibacterial chemotherapy under routine conditions enables the clinical pharmacologist to recognize transient and locally specific circumstances and to define guidelines or corrective recommendations as a basis for and to aid control of real therapeutic decisions. Zentralbl Bakteriol A, 1980 Feb, 246(1), 67 - 73 {Comparison of API-10s and Minitek with conventional biochemical tests (author's transl)}; Stanek G et al.; 2 biochemical test-kits, API-10S and MINITEK, and conventional biochemical tests were used in parallel for testing 292 strains of the family Enterobacteriaceae . The same 10 biochemical tests were performed in all three systems . In addition the Voges-Proskauer reaction was tested in the conventional and the Minitek-system . The individual biochemical testreactions and diagnoses were compared . An overall average of tests indicated an agreement of 92.6% (Tab . 2) . Urease-activity and citrate-utilisation showed the lowest agreement (70.5 and 74.3% respectively) . 93.4% of the diagnose obtained with API- and 96.2% of those with MINITEK were identical to the diagnosis obtained by the conventional method . The Voges-Proskauer reaction was found to be more reliable for correct identification than the citrate-utilisation which - inspite of its very low agreement (Tab . 3) - has not influenced the diagnoses. Am J Hosp Pharm, 1980 Feb, 37(2), 268 - 71 Infection in a functioning ventriculoperitoneal shunt treated with intraventricular gentamicin; Katz MD et al.; A case of successful treatment of a functioning ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt infection with high doses of intraventricular gentamicin sulfate is reported . The VP shunt reservoir of a four-month-old girl with hydrocephalus became infected . The scalp wound was debrided and intravenous methicillin sodium, 200 mg every six hours, was administered . When culture and sensitivity tests later showed Enterobacter cloacae, methicillin was discontinued . Intraventricular gentamicin, 2 mg/day, and intravenous carbenicillin, 400 mg/kg/day, were administered . Gentamicin dosage was increased twice over the next eight days to 6 mg/day . The trough cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) gentamicin level at 2 mg/day was 1.7 micrograms/ml, at 4 mg/day was 0.7 microgram/ml and at 6 mg/day was 19.6 micrograms/ml . Gentamicin was discontinued after 14 days; carbenicillin was continued for 7 more days . For a second shunt infection with Klebsiella pneumoniae, intraventricular gentamicin and intravenous chloramphenicol were given for 21 days . Previous reports of ventricular shunt infections are reviewed . The report indicates that it is possible to achieve therapeutic CSF levels of gentamicin in patients with patent VP shunts by administering 2--5 times (depending on ventricle size) the usual intraventricular dose. Pediatrics, 1980 Feb, 65(2), 264 - 8 Outbreak of amikacin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae in an intensive care nursery; Cook LN et al.; An outbreak of amikacin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (KES) occurred in the Intensive Care Nursery (ICN) of the Louisville General Hospital from January 1978 through March 1978 . Epidemic disease and an increased colonization rate in newborn infants due to amikacin-resistant microorganisms has not been documented previously . Three of the 11 neonates died . The organisms isolated were resistant to amikacin and two experimental aminoglycosides, sissomicin and netilmicin . The outbreak was contained following institution of several control measures, including pharyngeal inoculation of an experimental strain of alpha streptococcus in four infants. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1980 Feb, 17(2), 165 - 9 In vitro antibacterial activity and susceptibility of cefsulodin, an antipseudomonal cephalosporin, to beta-lactamases; King A et al.; Cefsulodin sodium (SCE-129, CGP-7174/E), active in minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 0.5 to 64 microgram/ml, was about 16- to 32-fold more active than carbenicillin against Psuedomonas aeruginosa . It was also active against P . diminuta, P . maltophilia, P . paucimobilis, and P . pseudoalcaligenes (MICs of 1 to 32 microgram/ml) but not against other species of Pseudomonas or other gram-negative bacteria . Except with highly carbenicillin-resistant isolates, MICs of cefsulodin for P . aeruginosa were little affected by an increase in the inoculum . With a small inoculum, minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) were the same as or twice the MIC, but increasing the inoculum had a greater effect on the MBC than on the MIC . Cefsulodin was not hydrolyzed by the beta-lactamase induced in P . aeruginosa by growth in the presence of benzylpenicillin and was a poor substrate for beta-lactamases from Enterobacter cloacae and Proteus morganii . However, it was hydrolyzed, albeit slowly, by the beta-lactamase produced by most of our highly carbenicillin-resistant isolates of P . aeruginosa and by TEM-type beta-lactamases. Br J Exp Pathol, 1980 Feb, 61(1), 85 - 91 Ankylosing spondylitis, HLA-B27 and Klebsiella . I . Cross-reactivity studies with rabbit antisera; Welsh J et al.; Sera from rabbits immunized with HLA-B27 lymphocytes showed increased activity against klebsiellal enterobacter antigens using immunodiffusion, bacterial agglutination (P less than 0.025), haemagglutination (P less than 0.001) and radiobinding assays (P less than 0.001) . Immunoprecipitin lines were also produced by these antilymphocyte sera against extracts from Yersinia enterocolitica and Shigella sonnci microorganisms . Rabbit anti-klebsiella sera had lymphocytotoxic activity against HLA-B27 lymphocytes obtained from patients with ankylosing spondylitis (P less than 0.001) . These results suggest partial cross-reactivity between some antigens found in several Gram-negative microorganisms and HLA-B27 lymphocytes. J Clin Microbiol, 1980 Feb, 11(2), 149 - 52 Indirect hemagglutination employing enterobacterial common antigen and Yersinia somatic antigen: a technique to differentiate brucellosis from infections involving cross-reacting Yersinia enterocolitica; Mittal KR et al.; The existence of enterobacterial common antigen in Yersinia enterocolitica and its absence in Brucella abortus were utilized in an attempt to provide a method to distinguish Brucella infections from infections with cross-reacting Yersinia . The indirect hemagglutination test was employed for this purpose . In experimental laboratory animals, the presence of anti-enterobacterial common antigen was found to be indicative of prior exposure to Y . enterocolitica rather than B . abortus . In cattle, however, low titers of anti-enterobacterial common antigen were present in all animals . It was observed that anti-enterobacterial common antigen titers either equaled or exceeded anti-Yersinia O titers in Yersinia-exposed animals, whereas in animals infected with B . abortus the anti-Yersinia O titer generally exceeded the anti-enterobacterial common antigen titer. Can J Microbiol, 1980 Feb, 26(2), 254 - 6 Lethal effect of polymyxin B sulfate in experimental Proteus rettgeri infection in mice; Bannatyne RM et al.; The mouse model of intraperitoneal sepsis with Proteus rettgeri was used to evaluate the anti-endotoxic effect of polymyxin B sulfate . An unexpected reversal of the usual protective effect of polymyxin in experimental enterobacterial sepsis was observed in which the lethality of the infection was enhanced. J Bacteriol, 1980 Feb, 141(2), 822 - 7 Localization of enterobacterial common antigen: Proteus mirabilis and its various L-forms; Rinno J et al.; An investigation of Proteus mirabilis wild-type strains and their various derived L-forms shows that the enterobacterial common antigen (ECA) is localized in the outer membrane of the cell envelope of these strains . In strains where the outer membrane is lacking (stable protoplast L-forms) or where its amount is reduced (spheroplast UL19) no ECA or only reduced amounts of it are detected by serological tests or by ferritin-labeling techniques. Infect Immun, 1980 Feb, 27(2), 657 - 66 Comparison of Escherichia coli fimbrial antigen F7 with type 1 fimbriae; Orskov I et al.; Two Escherichia coli O6:K2:H1 strains, C1212 and C1214, isolated from urinary tract infections, were compared for their capacity to adhere to various cells . After growth on solid medium, only C1212 bacteria agglutinate human erythrocytes and attach to urinary epithelial cells . Both of these reactions are mannose resistant . In contrast, C1214 bacteria cause a mannose-sensitive agglutination of guinea pig erythrocytes, show a mannose-sensitive attachment to buccal epithelial cells, and attach to urinary mucus . Immunoelectron microscopy revealed that C1214 bacteria possess type 1 fimbriae (mannose sensitive), which are not present in C1212 bacteria when this strain is grown on solid medium . The fimbriae of C1212 (mannose resistant) were also demonstrated by immunoelectron microscopy . We call these fimbriae demonstrated in C1212 the E . coli F7 antigen . Urinary mucus, and probably mucous material elsewhere, may function as a trap for Enterobacteriaceae with type 1 fimbriae by the specific adherence of such bacteria . We consider this a nonimmune resistance mechanism against disease caused by Enterobacteriaceae. J Bacteriol, 1980 Feb, 141(2), 828 - 37 Determination of pili by conjugative bacterial drug resistance plasmids of incompatibility groups B, C, H, J, K, M, V, and X; Bradley DE; Representative plasmids from incompability groups B, C, H, J, K, M, V, and X were transferred to "bald" strains of Escherichia coli or Salmonella typhimurium . By using a new technique, pili were detected by electron microscopy for each incompatibility group . Morphology varied but was similar for plasmids within a group . These findings suggest that all conjugative plasmids in the Enterobacteriaceae may determine pili. C R Seances Acad Sci D, 1980 Jan 21, 290(3), 211 - 4 {Distinctive profiles of esterases from Klebsiella pneumoniae, K . oxytoca, Enterobacter aerogenes and E . gergovia}; Goullet P; Cellular esterases of 14 strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae, 14 strains of K . oxytoca, 16 strains of Enterobacter aerogenes and 16 strains of E . gergoviae were analysed by polyacrylamide-agarose gel and polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis . Four principal esterase bands and nine minor bands, differing in their activity towards synthetic substrates and in their sensitivity to heat and to di-isofluoropropyl phosphate (DEP) were defined . The comparative distribution of bands showed that the four species analysed were characterized by distinct electrophoretic patterns of their esterases. Am J Obstet Gynecol, 1980 Jan 15, 136(2), 179 - 86 The microbiology and therapy of acute pelvic inflammatory disease in hospitalized patients; Thompson SE 3rd et al.; We examined microbial isolates from the endocervical and peritoneal cavity of 30 women hospitalized with acute PID . Patients were randomly assigned to one of two antibiotic regimens: amoxicillin, 6 gm by mouth every 24 hours, or aqueous penicillin G, 30 million units and gentamicin, 180 to 240 mg intravenously every 24 hours . We measured response by quantifying physical examination findings . Neisseria gonorrhoeae was isolated from the cervix of 24 patients (80%) and from the peritoneal cavity of 10 (33%) . Other peritoneal isolates included Enterobacteriaceae in five patients, Ureaplasma urealyticum in five, Mycoplasma hominis in six, and Chlamydia trachomatis in three . Bacteroides melaninogenicus, the most frequent anaerobe, was isolated in 11 cases . Bacteroides fragillis was not isolated from any specimen . The cure rates were the same for both regimens: three patients failed on each . Four women required total abdominal hysterectomy and unilateral or bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, 1980, 46(4), 343 - 51 The functional interchangeability of enterobacterial and staphylococcal iron chelators; Maskell JP; The functional interchangeability of staphylococcal and enterobacterial iron chelators was investigated with an indicator system in which minimally effective concentrations of ethylene diamine di-ortho-hydroxyphenyl acetic acid (EDDA) were used to inhibit the growth of indicator strains in the depth of simple agar media by making the iron unavailable . Test colonies were then applied to the surface of the media to determine whether the indicator organisms, by utilising chelators from the test colony could obtain the required iron for growth, in its vicinity . Approximately 50% of staphylococcal strains, both S . aureus and S . epidermidis, reversed the inhibition of enterobacterial indicators, whereas almost all enterobacterial test strains, representing five genera, reversed the inhibition of the staphylococcal indicators . A purified preparation of the enterobacterial iron chelator enterochelin also reversed the inhibition of four out of the five staphylococcal indicator strains. J Immunol Methods, 1980, 37(2), 185 - 90 Antigen controlled immuno diagnosis-- 'ACID test'; Muller G et al.; A test for the presence of antibodies in sera is described in which the binding of the antibody to a morphologically identifiable antigen, visualized using staphylococcal protein A-coated gold, serves as the criterion for specificity . This 'Antigen Controlled Immuno Diagnosis' (ACID test) as applied to T4 bacteriophage, vaccinia virus and Enterobacterium Yersinia has proved to be reliable and simple to carry out. Chemotherapy, 1980, 26(6), 436 - 45 Activity of cefamandole, cefoxitin, ampicillin and gentamicin against 419 bacteria isolated from blood of patients with sepsis; Mirrett S et al.; To compare the in vitro activity of cefamandole with ampicillin, cefoxitin, and gentamicin, each antimicrobial was tested against 419 bacteria isolated from the blood of patients with proved sepsis . Cefamandole was active against all gram-positive cocci except the enterococci . Most Enterobacteriaceae were inhibited by both cefamandole and cefoxitin . Cefamandole showed an activity similar to ampicillin against Haemophilus influenzae . The percent of blood culture isolated considered susceptible to the drugs tested were as follows: cefamandole 79%, cefoxitin 78%, ampicillin 55% and gentamicin 81% . None of the drugs tested would be adequate alone for treatment of sepsis of unknown etiology based on in vitro susceptibility data. Chemotherapy, 1980, 26(6), 409 - 17 Comparative in vitro activity of netilmicin, amikacin, tobramycin and sisomicin against gentamicin highly-resistant enterobacteriaceae; Tselentis J et al.; Netilmicin was compared with sisomicin, tobramycin and amikacin against 65 recent clinical enterobacterial isolates found to be highly resistant to gentamicin (MIC larger than or equal to 80 microgram/ml) . Netilmicin showed a high activity against 20 out of 65 strains tested . Most of the sensitive strains (60%) to netilmicin required a concentration of gentamicin equal or lower than 160 microgram/ml for inhibition . Amikacin proved to be extremely effective in all the organisms tested . Tobramycin was consistently less active than either netilmicin or amikacin and the same was the case with sisomicin . The MIC was determined in both solid and liquid media for 24 strains . Depending upon which aminoglycoside was used, we found that 10-30% of the enterobacteriaceae exhibited a twofold diminution of MIC when tested in broth as compared to agar, while the greater proportion of strains was characterized by a higher MIC tested in broth as compared to agar. Infection, 1980, Suppl 1, 62 - 9 Optimal antibiotic therapy in bronchopulmonary infections; Neu HC; Therapy of bronchopulmonary infections has evolved in the past 30 years . Only in the therapy of pneumococcal infections have, precise dosage programs been developed . Therapy of pneumococcal infection is optimal with penicillin G in low dosage . None of the newer agents has altered morbidity or mortality . The best agent for the treatment of pneumonia due to Staphylococcus aureus or members of the Enterobacteriaceae has not been established . Use of combination therapy consisting of an anti-Pseudomonas penicillin and an aminoglycoside has been shown to offer the greatest success in the treatment of Pseudomonas pulmonary infections . The optimal antibiotic and dosage program for the treatment of acute bacterial exacerbations of chronic bronchitis has yet to be defined . Further comparative studies of the chemotherapy of pulmonary infections are necessary. Chemotherapy, 1980, 26(5), 354 - 60 Comparative in vitro activity of tobramycin and gentamicin on three different media; Sandven P et al.; The minimal inhibitory concentration for tobramycin and gentamicin against 488 clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas spp . were obtained on three different solid media . The results obtained on Antibiotic Sensitivity Medium AB Biodisk (PDM) were markedly different from the results obtained on Mueller-Hinton (MH) and Diagnostic Sensitivity Test Agar Oxoid (DST) . It was shown that tobramycin was significantly disfavored relative to gentamicin by PDM agar compared to MH and DST agar. Chemotherapy, 1980, 26(5), 323 - 33 In vitro activity of netilmicin, gentamicin, tobramycin and amikacin against glucose fermenting and nonfermenting bacteria; DiPersio JR et al.; The in vitro activity of netilmicin was compared to gentamicin, tobramycin and amikacin against 461 strains of glucose fermenting and nonfermenting bacteria . The minimum inhibitory concentrations of netilmicin, gentamicin and tobramycin against the majority of Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcus and Streptococcus were quite similar . Gentamicin, however, was approximately fourfold more active against strains of S . marcescens . Amikacin was the most effect antibiotic against strains of fermenting and nonfermenting bacilli resistant to at least one aminoglycoside . Many gentamicin-resistant species of nonfermenting bacilli, however, remain highly resistant to all four aminoglycosides tested. An Esp Pediatr, 1980 Jan, 13(1), 33 - 42 {Infection of pediatric operative wounds in a general hospital (author's transl)}; Tovar J et al.; During the two-year 1977-1978 period 37 (3.29%) out of 1,124 pediatric surgical wounds became infected in the postoperative course . Ten infections were observed among the 844 "clean" procedures (1.18%), 5/155 "clean-contaminated" (3.22%), 3/32 "contaminated" (9.37%) and 19/93 "dirty" (20.43%) . These rates are quite comparable, although somewhat lower, to those found in similar studies carried out in adults . The bacteriologic studies of the contamination and the subsequent infection revealed that "clean" wounds were almost exclusively infected by "Staphilococci", while all the remaining categories (which very often implicated an opening of digestive tract lumen) became infected by multiple endogenous flora including enterobacteriae (mainly "E . coli") and anaerobic germs ("Bacteroides" and "Clostridia") . The limited use of antibiotics in this series was guided by these bacteriologic findings, a fact that can partially explain our results . There was no mortality directly related to the infection of the wound, but the risks and uncomfort incurred by the patients were not negligible and must be taken into consideration aside with the increase of the cost of hospital stay (evaluated as 35,000-100,000 ptas./patient in this series) to justify every effort to decrease incidence of this generally minor complication. J Gen Microbiol, 1980 Jan, 116(1), 41 - 9 Fatty acid patterns in the classification of some representatives of the families Enterobacteriaceae and Vibrionaceae; Boe B et al.; Twenty-three strains representing the families Enterobacteriaceae and Vibrionaceae were analysed for fatty acid composition of whole cells by means of glass capillary column gas chromatography . Among the several alternatives tested, cluster analysis based on data normalized to hexadecanoate and logarithmically transformed provided good separations of species, genera and families . Strains from the genera Salmonella, Escherichia, Proteus, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Vibrio and Aeromonas were studied. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1980 Jan, 17(1), 84 - 6 Activity of the cefotaxime (HR756) desacetyl metabolite compared with those of cefotaxime and other cephalosporins; Wise R et al.; The desacetyl metabolite (DES) of cefotaxime (HR756) is formed in vivo to a significant extent . The in vitro activities of DES, the parent compound, and cefazolin, cefoxitin, and cefuroxime were compared against 70 bacterial isolates . DES was found to possess approximately 1/10th the activity of the parent compound against the common Enterobacteriaceae, but was somewhat more active than the other three compounds tested . DES had no useful activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and was less active than cefotaxime or cefoxitin against Staphylococcus aureus or Bacteroides fragilis . Because DES may accumulate in renal failure or be concentrated in the biliary tract, its antimicrobial activity may have considerable clinical significance. Am Rev Respir Dis, 1980 Jan, 121(1), 39 - 45 Treatment of tularemia, including pulmonary tularemia, with gentamicin; Mason WL et al.; An alternative to streptomycin for treatment of possible tularemia would be useful on occasions when a patient develops a perplexing pneumonia that does not respond to initial treatment . In geographic areas where tularemia is endemic, an antimicrobial drug that is bactericidal for Francisella tularensis and is also effective against a spectrum of common pulmonary pathogens, including the Enterobacteriaceae and most strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, would be desirable . The purposes of this report are (1) to describe observations regarding the in vitro susceptibility of Francisella tularensis to streptomycin, kanamycin, and gentamicin; (2) to describe in vivo efficacy of these drugs in mouse tularemia; (3) to describe the results in 10 patients with tularemia treated with gentamicin . Gentamicin was bactericidal for Francisella tularensis in vitro, was effective in mouse tularemia when given in large doses, and was effective in humans when given in the standard recommended dose. Zentralbl Bakteriol A, 1980, 248(3), 345 - 51 Ascertainment of the presence in enterobacteriaceae of mixtures of proteins with salmonellae and E . coli specificities; Barber C; Comparative agar-gel diffusions of sera to proteins from E . coli O 126 and from S . enteritidis and samples of the sera absorbed with heterologous proteins proved that all were mixtures of antigens with specificities of common Salmonellae and E . coli . The absorption of the E . coli serum with proteins from S . typhi removed the smallest amont of antibodies while absorption with proteins from S . enteritidis removed common antibodies resembling those eliminated by absorption with heterologous E . coli proteins . Similar results were obtained by the opposite absorption of the S . enteritidis serum with the E . coli O 126 proteins; it is apparent from the results that S . enteritidis and E . coli have in their composition mixtures of strongly related proteins sharing determinants for both species . An added confirmation of these findings was obtained by absorbing the E . coli serum with proteins from S . paratyphi A; the absorption removed antibodies induced against proteins from numerous E . coli and Salmonellae strains . A determinant common to all the E . coli and Salmonellae - that is apparently situated on the E . coli coli proteins - is still reacting by a thin precipitation line against all the antigens and is evident in all the E . coli absorbed sera. Scand J Infect Dis Suppl, 1980, suppl 25, 89 - 93 Cefamandole in the treatment of serious bone and joint diseases; Levine LR; The safety and efficacy of treatment with cefamandole were evaluated in 77 patients (from 33 institutions) with serious bone and joint infections . The antibiotic was given intramuscularly or intravenously in doses ranging from 1.5 to 12 g/day for 6 to 58 days . Seventy-three of the 77 patients responded satisfactorily, and 63 (of 70 from whom material for culture was obtainable) patients had a bacteriologic cure . Forty-one of 81 isolates were identified as Staphylococcus aureus . Other pathogens included Streptococcus epidermidis, Haemophilus influenzae, Enterobacter sp., Escherichia coli, aerobic and anaerobic cocci, as well as Bacteroides fragilis . The drug was well tolerated . Pharmacological studies indicated that cefamandole penetrated the bones and joints . Cefamandole would seem to be a safe and efficacious drug, for the treatment of serious bone and joint infections due to a wide variety of gram-positive and gram-negative microorganisms. Scand J Infect Dis Suppl, 1980, suppl 25, 107 - 11 Cefamandole treatment of pulmonary infection caused by gram-negative rods; Mandell GL; The increasing incidence of pneumonia caused by H . influenza and the problem of beta lactamase production (18% of strains in recent reports) are important considerations in the therapy of pneumonia . An antibiotic that is effective for these strains and other common respiratory pathogens will be useful for the therapy of pneumonia . Cefamandole nafate is a new cephalosporin antibiotic with an antimicrobial spectrum similar to cephalothin with increased activity against Escherichia coli, Proteus spp., Enterobacter spp., and Haemophilus influenzae . Seventeen patients with pneumonia presumed to be due to susceptible gram-negative organisms isolated from transtracheal aspirate or sputum were treated with 6 to 8 g/day of parenteral cefamandole nafate . Organisms isolated were Haemophilus influenzae in 6, E . coli in 3, Proteus mirabilis in 2, Klebsiella pneumoniae in 1, Serratia marcescens in 1 and mixed gram-negative rods in 4 . The Serratia were resistant (MIC greater than 100 microgram/ml and 50 microgram/ml): other MIC's ranged from 0.2 to 6.2 microgram/ml; median 1.6 microgram/ml . Satisfactory clinical response (improvement in pulmonary function; resolution of infiltrate; decrease in temperature, sputum production and white count) was noted in 13 of 17 patients . Two patients died from their underlying disease . Adverse clinical reactions questionably related to cefamandole included SGOT rises in 3 and rash in one . Serum antibiotic levels were 22.0 to 88.0 microgram/ml (peak) and 1.1 to 12.5 microgram/ml (trough) . Sputum levels were 0.27 to 2.5 microgram/ml . Cefamandole appears to be an effective antibiotic for treatment of gram-negative pneumonia caused by susceptible organisms. Prog Clin Biol Res, 1980, 47, 119 - 23 Development of a multivalent live vaccine active against a wide range of Enterobacteriaceae; Levi B et al.; We have constructed a deletion mutant of E . coli which lacks O-antigen - "deep rough" . Living bacteria of this strain were injected repeatedly in high numbers into mice and chicks and in all cases were found to be completely harmless . In C3HeB mice, protection was obtained against a wide variety of enteric bacteria and was accompanied by an appreciable increase in titer of antibodies which cross react with LPS extracted from these bacteria . Preliminary experiments indicate that the vaccine provides protection against avian coli pathogens. Scand J Infect Dis, 1980, 12(4), 289 - 94 Antibiotic resistance patterns of coliform bacteria isolated from food; Persson L et al.; 308 strains of coliform bacteria isolated from food of various origin were identified and their resistance patterns were studied . The strains belonged to 10 different species and Escherichia coli was the most common . Coliforms isolated from samples incubated at 44 degrees C were more often identified as E . coli than coliforms isolated from samples incubated at 37 degrees C.Klebsiella and Enterobacter spp . taken together were, on the contrary, mor often isolated at 37 degrees C than at 44 degrees C . E . coli was most frequently isolated from raw meat and egg products . Klebsiella dn Enterobacter spp . more often in other types of products . 54% of the strains were resistant to at least one of the 9 antibiotics tested . Resistance to nitrofurantoin and sulphaisodimidine was most frequent (30 and 25% respectively) . No strain resistant to streptomycin, neomycin or trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole was registered . 40% of the resistant strains were multiresistant . The lowest number of resistant strains was recorded from custards and desserts and from raw meat products (42 and 46% respectively) and the highest from ice-cream (89%) . Multiresistant strains were recorded most frequently from pasteurized milk products, custards and desserts . None of the 66 multiresistant strains tested could transfer the resistance to E . coli in vitro . The results do not indicate that food of animal origin in Sweden represents a source for bacteria with transferable resistance determinants. Arch Exp Veterinarmed, 1980, 34(1), 9 - 13 {Local Immune response in rabbits following enteral immunization with live attenuated bacterial Enterobacteriaceae vaccines}; Dentschev W et al.; Streptomycin-dependent and inactivated Shigella flexneri 2a and Shigella sonnei strains were intra-intestinally applied to rabbits for immunisation . Rosette and plaque tests and well as indirect haemagglutination gave short-time secretion of low titres of specific copro-antibody, following monovaccines and bivaccines . High titres of secretory antibody were induced, depending on doses, by re-immunisation . No antigen competition was established . The localised immune response caused by Shigella live vaccines was found to be much stronger than that induced by inactivated vaccines Chemotherapy, 1980, 26(4), 268 - 75 Nature of streptomycin resistance in enterobacteria from faeces of streptomycin-treated patients in Egypt; Elkhouly AE et al.; Streptomycin-resistant enterobacteria were isolated from the faeces of 31 out of 35 patients under streptomycin therapy, in the University Hospital of Alexandria . The isolated bacteria were 26 Escherichia coli, 3 Klebsiella pneumoniae and 2 Enterobacter cloacae . Their resistance patterns have shown that 80% had multiple antibiotic resistance . The MIC of streptomycin for all strains was higher than 312 microgram/ml . Nearly 90% of these strains carried resistance plasmids . However, 3 strains possessed no plasmids and were assumed to be mutants . 60% of the plasmid-carrying strains have been able to transfer the resistance by conjugation . The rest have shown small plasmids, some of them were characterized by streptomycin and sulphonamide resistance and a molecular weight of 4.1 mega-daltons. Arzneimittelforschung, 1980, 30(3a), 570 - 5 {Applied gene technology using biological N2-fixation for an example (author's transl)}; Puhler A; About biological nitrogen fixation most information on the genetic and enzymatic level is known from investigations with Klebsiella pneumoniae . The gene region for N2-fixation (nif) was transferred from K.pneumoniae to the enterobacterium Escherichia coli . After acquisition of nif E.coli is able to fix nitrogen . Plasmid pRD1 was constructed which carries the nif-region . Using genetic engineering techniques the exact location of nif on pRD1 was determined . Subsequently the nif-region comprising 7 operons with 14 known genes was cloned on a multicopy plasmid vector . The use of the Klebsiella-nif-region in biotechnology is discussed . Difficulties arising in experiments designed to construct N2-fixing plants are mentioned. Arkh Patol, 1980, 42(3), 82 - 9 {Interactions between microbes and enterocytes in experimental intestinal infections}; Polotskii IuE; All enteropathogens first attach to the glycocalyx on the enterocyte surface . Then noninvasive cholera vibrios and enterotoxicogenic E . coli multiply on the enterocyte microvilli producing enterotoxins which cause pronounced enterocyte hypersecretion . Invasive enteropathogens differ in the model of penetration into enterocytes, multiplication site, the effect on the fate of invaded enterocytes, the ability of the infectious process for generalization . Recent studies have confirmed the decisive role of Shigella intraepithelial multiplication in the development of ulcerative dysenteric mucosal inflammation, Salmonella penetration through the enterocytes, multiplication in macrophages and development of not only enterocolitis but generalized infection as well . In case of enteropathogenic E . coli causing infantile enteritis, multiplication of the attached germs with the resulting damage to the enterocyte surface plays the main role whereas bacterial invasion through the enterocytes is limited and of secondary importance . All the invasive enterobacteria produce peculiar cytotoxic enterotoxins which stimulate but also damage the enterocytes. Acta Chir Scand, 1980, 146(1), 65 - 70 Effects of a plastic wound drape on contamination with enterobacteria and on infection after appendicectomy; Nystrom PO et al.; The preventive effects of a plastic wound drape (Vi-drape) on wound contamination and subsequent infection was investigated in 289 appendicectomies randomized into treatment and control groups . Samples for quantitative culture of enterobacteria using a simple technique were obtained from the drape, the wound under the drape and from the wounds of patients being operated without the drape . The drape reduced the number of wound bacteria by an average of 94% or 1.2 logarithms . The overall rate of postoperative wound infection was 7.6% in the treatment group and 9.1% in the control group (N.S) . Evidence is presented that the drape might prevent infection in patients with contaminated operations. J Clin Microbiol, 1980 Jan, 11(1), 22 - 6 Rapid biochemical characterization of Haemophilus species by using the micro-ID; Edberg SC et al.; Biotyping of Haemophilus influenzae into five type and H . parainfluenzae into three types based on indole production, ornithine decarboxylase, and urease has been reported (M . Kilian, Acta Pathol . Microbiol . Scand . Sect . B 82:835--84