Enterobacters

Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1977 May, 238(1), 44 - 50
Differential diagnosis of enterobacter agglomerans; Aldova E et al.; On a number of instances, attempts to identify strains related to Ent . agglomerans by some of their characters were exemplified . Correlation with the tables proposed by EWING et al . was employed.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 May, (5), 62 - 7
{Diagnostic value of individual tests for classification of Shigella}; Khomenko NA et al.; A total of 1243 strains of enterobacteria were studied by four tests (mobility, lysis with dysentery polyvalent bacteriophage, relation to Christensen's citrate and salicin) for the purpose of determining shigellae genera . A combination of signs characteristic of Shigella genus was observed in 99.1% of laboratory and in 100% of freshly-isolated strains . No such combination was found in any other of the representatives of Enterobacteriaceae family . The tests under study are recommended for the work in practical laboratories to ascertain the reference to Shigella genus of cultures suspected of being Shigellae by the results of growth on combined medium (Olkenisky's, Kligler's, etc.).

Biomedicine, 1977 May, 26(3), 169 - 75
Microbiological relevance and clinical potential of ampicillin-cloxacillin synergism; Barrelet L et al.; Recent demonstration "in vitro" that combinations of ampicillin and cloxacillin, using concentrations at which neither were previously effective, will kill certain resistant Gram negative bacteria, has important clinical potential . We therefore studied 50 ampicillin resistant Gram negative rods cultured from septicemic patients for synergism . 7 of 23 E . coli strains with a minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) of 128 microgram/ml were killed by combinations containing 4-32 microgram/ml ampicillin and 16-32 microgram/ml cloxacillin . These same strains were also resistant to cephalothin . Synergism was also noted in 1/4 strains of Enterobacter, 1/3 strains of Serratia, 5/14 strains of Klebsiella and 1/6 strains of Pseudomonas . In separate experiments ampicillin (56 mg/kg) and cloxacillin (14 mg/kg) was administered intravenously over a period of thirty minutes . Peak serum levels measured simultaneously at the end of the infusion were 235 +/- 11 (SEM) microgram/ml for ampicillin and 85 +/- 7 microgram/ml for cloxacillin . Levels of ampicillin/cloxacillin measured one and two hours after the infusion were 117/32 and 43/8 microgram/ml . T 1/2 of ampicillin and cloxacillin were 0.8 and 0.5 h respectively . Since the serum concentrations of both antibiotics measured one hour after the infusion were greater that levels required for "in vitro" synergism, we suggest that combinations of ampicillin and cloxacillin would be of importance in the treatment of Gram negative septicemia, since such therapy would increase the bactericidal effect of the sera without increasing the risk of toxic side effects.

J Bacteriol, 1977 May, 130(2), 629 - 34
Lipophilic O-antigens in Rhodospirillum tenue; Weckesser J et al.; Lipopolysaccharides of eight wild-type strains of the phototrophic bacterium Rhodospirillum tenue have been analyzed . All of the lipopolysaccharides are highly lipophilic . The compositions of preparations obtained by the phenol-water or by the phenol-chloroform-petroleum ether procedure are very similar . The polysaccharide moiety, obtained by mild acid hydrolysis of lipopolysaccharide, consists mainly of aldoheptoses: L-glycero-D-mannoheptose is present in all strains, whereas D-glycero-D-mannoheptose is an additional constituent in some strains . Galactosaminuronic acid and two unknown ninhydrin-positive components were detected in the lipopolysaccharides of six strains . Spermidine and putrescine are present in large amounts in a salt-like linkage in the lipopolysaccharides from three strains . 2-Keto-3-deoxyoctonate forms the linkage between the polysaccharide moiety and lipid A . The lipid A fraction contains all the glucosamine and all the D-arabinose present in the lipopolysaccharide . D-Arabinose is an invariable constituent of the lipid A from the Rhodopseudomonas tenue lipopolysaccharides investigated . The principal fatty acids are beta-hydroxycapric, myristic, and palmitic acids . The isolated R . tenue lipopolysaccharides (O-antigens) react with rabbit antisera prepared against homologous cells . The titers in passive hemagglutination are low, similar to those found with enterobacterial R-lipopolysaccharides . R . tenue O-antigens containing only L-glycero-D-mannoheptose and those containing both the L- and D-epimers of glycero-D-mannoheptose could not be differentiated by serological means.

Ciba Found Symp, 1977 Apr 26-28, (46), 115 - 34
Antibodies in human serum and milk induced by enterobacteria and food proteins; Ahlstedt S et al.; Ingestion of Escherichia coli O83 bacteria by adults resulted in a transient irregular colonization leading to a serum antibody response in only four out of 14 cases examined . In all of three pregnant women, however, IgA antibodies against E . coli O83 antigen were released from colostral cells after similar bacterial ingestion although no serum antibody response was noted . The findings indicate a link between the antigenic exposure to the gut and secretory antibodies of the IgA class, presumably locally formed in the mammary gland . Antibodies of the secretory IgA class registered in colostrum may, at least partly, reflect the antigenic exposure of the gut . These antibodies are probably important in protecting against E . coli infections in the neonate, as suggested by the findings of antibodies in human milk against O and K antigens of non-enteropathogenic as well as enteropathogenic serotypes of E . coli . Furthermore, in milk of women from low socio-economic groups in Pakistan, neutralizing antibodies were present against enterotoxins of E . coli bacteria and occasionally against Vibrio cholerae enterotoxins . In addition, secretory IgA antibodies against food proteins were detected in human milk . This suggests that intestinal exposure to such antigens could stimulate a local immune response in the gut resulting in triggered lymphoid cells homing to the mammary gland . These human milk secretory IgA antibodies against bovine milk proteins may help to prevent cow's milk allergy in infants on mixed feeding, since these infants tend to have a lower serum antibody response to cow's milk proteins than infants fed mostly artificially . Furthermore, children suffering from cow's milk protein intolerance and gluten enteropathy may have higher serum levels of antibody to cow's milk protein antigens than normal children, possibly reflecting increased permeability of the intestinal mucosa for various antigens.

J Neurosurg, 1977 Apr, 46(4), 494 - 500
Hospital-acquired bacterial meningitis in neurosurgical patients; Buckwold FJ et al.; The authors review 23 cases of hospital-acquired meningitis occurring over a 15 year period in neurosurgical patients . Factors associated with the development of meningitis include recent craniotomy, cerebrospinal fluid leak, the presence of ventricular or lumbar drainage tubes, and skull fracture . Four cases were caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis; one of these patients died . In 19 cases, Gram-negative enteric bacteria were the etiologic agents, most commonly members of the Klebsiella-Enterobacter-Serratia group . Eleven of these patients died . The particular antibiotic or group of antibiotics used and the route of administration made no difference in the outcome of Gram-negative bacillary meningitis.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1977 Apr, 33(4), 893 - 900
Klebsielleae in drinking water emanating from redwood tanks; Seidler RJ et al.; A survey was made of the bacteriological quality and chlorine content of 33 public and private water systems that utilize redwood storage tanks . Coliforms of the genera Klebsiella and Enterobacter were isolated from 9 of 10 private drinking water systems and from 11 of 23 water systems in state and federal parks . Total coliform counts in the private systems exceeded federal membrane filter guidelines by as much as 10-to 40-fold . Coliform counts were highest in the newer reservoirs . Factors contributing to poor water quality are: lack of automated chlorination equipment or an insufficient supply to maintain a residual, common inlet/outlet plumbing design, and lengthy average retention periods . The latter two factors contribute to improper mixing and stagnation of the water, whereas the former allows microbes to multiply on the water-soluble nutrients that leach from the wood . Wooden reservoirs exert a high chlorine demand, and 0.4 ppm of chlorine residual in the incoming tank water proves inadequate . It is suggested that specific water-soluble nutrients in redwood (and in numerous other types of botanical material) induce a natural nutritional selection for coliforms of the tribe Klebsielleae.

Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1977 Apr, 237(4), 569 - 73
{Growth of non-sporing anaerobes in an oxygen-free blood culture system (author's transl)}; Werner H et al.; The efficacy of the commercially available Vacutainer blood culture system to support the growth of non-sporing anaerobes was compared with two laboratory-prepared blood culture media (supplemented thioglycollate medium and brain heart infusion) . The media were inoculated with 10, 100 and 1000 organisms of the species tested, and the number of colony-forming units was determined at intervals of 8-10 hrs . Analogous experiments were performed with batches of the media to which 10% vol/vol of human blood had been added . From the results obtained with strains of Bacteroides fragilis, Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, Bacteroides splanchnicus, Sphaerophorus necrophorus, Peptostreptococcus anaerobius and Propionibacterium acnes it became obvious that growth of non-sporing anaerobes was significantly enhanced in the Vacutainer culture tubes, whereas Enterobacteriaceae and Streptococcus spp . grew equally well in all the media tested.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1977 Apr, 30(4), 326 - 9
In vitro susceptibility of cephalothin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae to cefoxitin and BL-S786; Meyer RD; The in vitro antibacterial activity of two agents relatively resistant to beta-lactamases, BL-S786 and cefoxitin, was tested against 123 recent different clinical isolates of cephalothin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae . BL-S786 showed considerable activity against Escherichia coli and lesser activity against Klebsiella pneumoniae with, respectively, 68% and 41% inhibited at 32 microng/ml . Cefoxitin showed more activity in vitro against E . coli, K . pneumoniae, Serratia marcescens and Providencia stuartii . Cefoxitin appears to be a more promising agent for treating infections caused by cephalothin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae.

J Clin Pathol, 1977 Apr, 30(4), 381 - 7
Test reproducibility of the API (20E), Enterotube, and Pathotec systems; Holmes B et al.; Thirty-three strains of bacteria (30 Enterobacteriaceae and one strain each of Aeromonas formicans, A . hydrophila, and Plesiomonas shigelloides) were tested three times in each of 27 conventional tests and in the API, Enterotube, and Pathotec systems . The results obtained were analysed for test reproducibility within each kit, correlation of the kit tests with the equivalent conventional media, and the identification of the strains by the kits . Difficulties in evaluation and comparison of identifications are discussed . A practical evaluation of the kits was also made.

J Clin Microbiol, 1977 Apr, 5(4), 458 - 64
Comparative study of three methods of identification of Enterobacteriaceae; Rutherford I et al.; Three separate hospital clinical microbiology laboratories using three different identification systems participated in the identification of Enterobactericeae from a central pool of 'unknown" clinical isolates . With conventional tubed media, API-20E (Anlytab Products Inc.) and R/B tube (Corning Diagnostics) systems, there was a 91.1% agreement in the species designation . No significant differences at the 95% confidence level were found among the systems . Evaluation of individual tests within the systems used revealed lysine decarboxylase of the conventional and citrate of the API-20E system to be significantly different from the same test within the other two systems . The lysine decarboxylase of the conventional system had species relatedness, whereas the differences in citrate of the API-20E system were not related to a particular species . These individual test variations did not affect final organism identification . Reproducibility, evaluated as the system's ability to designate the same identification on two separate occasions, was 92 to 94% for each system . Exact duplication of selected sets of reactions was 60% for conventional, 45% for API-20E, and 61% for R/B . The variations in sets of reactions differed with the system and with the organism involved . The findings suggest equivalency among the three systems in ability to identify common clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae and point out the limited usefulness of these systems for biochemical biotyping.

J Urol, 1977 Apr, 117(4), 472 - 6
Studies of introital colonization in women with recurrent urinary infections . VII . The role of bacterial adherence; Fowler JE Jr et al.; The susceptibility of the vaginal introitus to colonization by enterobacteria appears to be the biologic defect that separates women who experience recurrent urinary infection from those resistant to recurrent infection . Colonization of a mucosal surface is mediated in part by the ability of an organism to adhere to the surface . We describe an in vitro model that measures the capacity of different bacterial species to adhere to human vaginal epithelial cells . Different bacteria are demonstrated to vary in their adhesive properties . Escherichia coli is shown to adhere more readily to vaginal cells from women with recurrent urinary infection than to similar cells from control women resistant to urinary infection (p less than 0.001) . These studies suggest that biologic susceptibility to recurrent urinary infections in women is related to a defect at the cellular level that encourages or favors bacterial adherence.

Rev Ig Bacteriol Virusol Parazitol Epidemiol Pneumoftiziol Bacteriol Virusol Parazitol Epidemiol, 1977 Apr-Jun, 22(2), 99 - 107
{Value of some enzyme tests used in practice for identification of enterobacteria}; Negut M et al.; A restricted biochemical scheme for the identification of enterobacteria, consisting of 12 enzymatic tests, of which 7 performed on the multitest TSI and MIU media (H2S, the production of acid and gas from glucose, fermentation of lactose/saccharose, mobility, urease and indol production) and 5 additional tests performed separately : lysindecarboxylase, phenylalanindeaminase, beta galactosidase, increase on citrate media and splitting of sodium malonate is proposed . Of 7782 coprocultures, 275 were selected on TSI and MIU media as belonging to one of the groups of known pathogenic enterobacteria ; 94.87% of these cultures were correctly identified by using the 5 additional tests alone . Of the 14 cultures that could not be listed taxonomically, 10 gave atypical reactions with at least one of these tests . The current use of this restricted scheme and the use of the more extensive sets only in doubtful cases presents a real advantage by reducing the volume of work and materials under satisfactorily accurate conditions for identification.

Can Med Assoc J, 1977 Mar 5, 116(5), 517 - 9
Enterobacter agglomerans: the clinically important plant pathogen; Geere IW; During a 5-month period Enterobacter agglomerans, now described as a member of the phytopathogenic genus Erwinia, was isolated from 13 patients in a general hospital; in 1 patient it was isolated from two sites . In six instances the organism was the sole pathogen isolated, in two instances it may have contributed to infection and in the remaining instances it was probably a transient saprophyte . The strains showed some variation in biochemical reactions but were similar in colonial morphology and were consistently sensitive to several antibiotics . Although this organism is prevalent in the general environment and usually relatively benign, it does have a potential for nosocomial infection.

Monatsschr Kinderheilkd, 1977 Mar, 125(3), 137 - 41
{Potentially uropathogenic enterobacteria on the periurethral mucosa of urologically normal individuals (author's transl)}; Kollermann MW et al.; Swabs from the periurethra from 160 urologically normal individuals, male and female, of various age groups were examined for potentially uropathogenic enterobacteria . Children from 0--3 years constantly showed (100%) high numbers of different enterobacteria . The frequency of identification and the number of these bacteria diminished abruptly with advancing age . In adult women we found a prevalence of 15% . The periurethral flora with regard to enterobacteria is probably the result of a dynamic equilibrium between contamination and elimination . The important role of contamination is documented by the massive seeding in the 0--3 years age group and the abrupt diminuition after successful bowel training . The mechanism of elimination is unknown . Personal hygiene, the pH of the periurethral mucosa, a special antibacterial substance and the ecological equilibrium of the periurethral flora are discussed as possible factors.

Invest Urol, 1977 Mar, 14(5), 344 - 6
Intracellular crystalline deposits by bacteria grown in urine from a stone former; Keefe WE et al.; Several species of bacteria were found to form an intracellular crystalline material when grown in urine obtained from a subject with a history of infrequent renal calculi formation . The following species: Proteus mirabilis, Proteus rettgeri, Providencia stuartii, Enterobacter aerogenes, Enterobacter cloacae, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans formed crystals of hydroxyapatite . Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Proteus vulgaris produced crystals of calcite -II . Several of these bacteria have been isolated from the kidneys of patients with renal caculi indicationg that microorganisms may be involved in the nucleation process during calculogenesis.

J Infect Dis, 1977 Mar, 135 Suppl, S74 - 9
Treatment of mixed bacterial infections with clindamycin and gentamicin; Fass RJ; Thirty-eight patients with severe mixed bacterial infections were treated with clindamycin and gentamicin . In vitro, all staphylococci and streptococci (other than enterococci) and 96% of anaerobes were susceptible to clindamycin; all staphylococci and 92% of Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were susceptible to gentamicin . Enterococci were usually resistant to both antibiotics . Significant synergy was only occasionally observed with this combination of antibiotics; there were no instances of antagonism . Among the patients treated with both drugs, there were four patients with pneumonia and empyema, 15 with infections of the skin, soft tissue, and/or bone, and 19 with intraabdominal infection . Nine patients had bacteremia, and 29 had failed to respond or had developed infections during previous antibiotic therapy . The results of treatment with clindamycin and gentamicin were considered to be excellent: 30 patients were cured, four improved, and four failed to respond . Concentrations of clindamycin in serum greatly surpassed minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of clindamycin-susceptible pathogens; these organisms were eradicated from foci of infection . Concentrations of gentamicin in serum did not consistently surpass MICs for gentamicin-susceptible pathogens; these organisms and enterococci often persisted in foci of infection . In patients with complicated infections that required prolonged courses of treatment, Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and enterococci occasionally emerged as predominant pathogens . Adverse reactions frequently occurred but were mild and reversible; treatment was discontinued in only two patients who developed rashes.

J Bacteriol, 1977 Mar, 129(3), 1448 - 56
Immunochemical comparison of phosphoribosylanthranilate isomerase-indoleglycerol phosphate synthetase among the Enterobacteriaceae; Reyes GR et al.; The bifunctional enzyme of the tryptophan operon, phosphoribosylanthranilate isomerase-indoleglycerol phosphate synthetase (PRAI-InGPS;EC 4.1.1.48), was characterized by an immunochemical study of six representative members of the Enterobacteriaceae: Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Enterobacter aerogenes, Serratia marcescens, Erwinia carotovora, and Proteus vulgaris . PRAI-InGPS was purified from E . coli, and antisera were prepared in rabbits . These antisera were utilized in quantitative microcomplement fixation allowing for a comparison of the overall antigenic surface structure of the various homologous enzymes . These data showed E . coli PRAI-InGPS and S . marcescens and E . carotovora PRAI-InGPS (taken as a group) to have an index of dissimilarity of approximately 10, whereas the other organisms had values intermediate . In addition, antiserum to E . coli tryptophan synthetase beta2 subunit was used in microcomplement fixation to extend the previous comparison of this subunit (Rocha, Crawford, and Mills, 1972) to E . carotovora and P . vulgaris . Indexes of dissimilarity for E . coli compared to P . vulgaris of E . carotovora were 1.0 and 1.7, respectively . Agar immunodiffusion using PRAI-Ingps antisera showed significant cross-reaction among E . coli, E . aerogenes, S . typhimurium, and P . vulgaris whereas the enzymes from S . marcescens and E . carotovora cross-reacted to a lesser extent, with the latter reaction being quite weak . Comparative enzyme neutralization using E . coli PRAI-InGPS antisera showed significant cross-reactions among the enzymes in that all were neutralized at least 25% . The data taken together indicate that the trpC gene products in the Enterobacteriaceae are a homologous group of proteins, that the genetic divergene of the trpC gene is basically the same as the trpA gene, and that both are less conserved than the trpB gene . Furthermore, the PRAI-InGPS, enzyme active site appears to represent a more evolutionarily conserved region of the protein . These findings indicate that, with respect to PRAI-InGPS, similarity to E . coli among the organisms examined is in the following order: (E . aerogenes, S . typhimurium, P . vulgaris) greater than (S . marcescens, E . carotovora).

Quad Sclavo Diagn, 1977 Mar, 13(1), 53 - 66
{About employing platelets to determine enterotoxigenic activity of E . coli and others enterobacteria . Preliminary approach (author's transl)}; Fumarola D; After an introduction concerning to the assays employed in vitro and in vivo to determine enterotoxigenic activity of E . coli the A . suggest a new in vitro model as a preliminary approach based upon the influence of LT enterotoxin of E . coli on platelet aggregation (inhibitory effect) as expression of stimulation of adenylatecyclase activity evoked by this fraction and eventually by other choleralyke fractions released from enterobacteria.

Am J Med Sci, 1977 Mar-Apr, 273(2), 203 - 11
Endocarditis due to enteric bacilli other than Salmonellae: case reports and literature review; Carruthers MM; The clinical and pathological findings in two recent patients with non-salmonella enterobacterial endocarditis are described, and those of 42 patients in the literature are summarized . Most of the patients acquired their endocarditis secondary to urinary tract infection and had an acute clinical course characterized by high fever and chills . Thirty-two of these patients died, and all except one had a postmortem examination . The most frequent pathological finding was the occurrence of very large vegetations which caused relatively little destruction of the underlying valve . Prompt diagnosis and antibiotic therapy chosen on the basis of bactericidal as well as bacteriostatic activity against the individual bacterium may improve the prognosis in this disease . Results of tricuspid and pulmonic valvulectomies for bacteriologic failure in pseudomonas and in a few cases of enterobacterial endocarditis appear to warrant a surgical approach in patients with right-sided enterobacterial endocarditis who fail to respond to vigorous medical therapy.

Am J Med Sci, 1977 Mar-Apr, 273(2), 141 - 8
A serologic response in human infection with Enterobacteriaceae; Crowder JC et al.; Sera from patients infected with Escherichia coli, Proteus, Klebsiella, and Serratia were studied for precipitins to ultrasonic extracts of these organisms in gel-diffusion plates.Sera from 66 per cent of these patients contained precipitins when initially tested . Twenty-four per cent of sera tested in the first week after onset of infection contained precipitins, but this rose to 78 per cent by the third week . Cross-reactions of sera with Pseudomonas antigens were unusual, but were common with other enterobacterial antigen extracts . However, higher titers were usually present to homologous as compared to heterologus antigens . Sera from seven patients contained precipitins to a common enterobacterial antigen . Precipitins to E . coli, Proteus, Klebsiella, and Serratia were detected in only a small proportion of control sera.

J Bacteriol, 1977 Mar, 129(3), 1435 - 9
Conservation of transfer ribonucleic acid and 5S ribonucleic acid cistrons in Enterobacteriaceae; Brenner DJ et al.; The genes for tranfer ribonucleic acid (tDNA) and 5S ribonucleic acid (5SDNA) were isolated from the total deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of Escherichia coli . The relatedness of tDNA and 5S from E . coli and other species of Enterobacteriaceae was determined by reassociation of the isolated genes labeled with 32PO4 to unlabeled, unfractionated DNA . Double-stranded DNA was separated from unreacted DNA by hydroxyapatite chromatography . Thermal elution profiles were done to determine the amount of unpaired bases present in related DNA sequences . Relative to total DNA, both 5S DNA and tDNA were highly conserved throughout the Enterobacteriaceae, including the genera Yersinia and Proteus.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1977 Mar, 74(3), 878 - 82
Specific gonadotropin binding to Pseudomonas maltophilia; Richert ND et al.; Binding of 125I-labeled human chorionic gonadotropin to Pseudomonas maltophilia is dependent on time, temperature, and pH and the binding to this procaryotic species is hormone-specific and saturable . The equilibrium dissociation constant is 2.3 X 10(-9) M . There are no cooperative interactions between binding sites (Hill coefficient, 1.05) . The number of sites is estimaated as 240 fmol/100 mug of protein . NaCl and KCl, at concentrations from 1 to 10 mM, have no effect on binding . Divalent cations (Mg2+ and Ca2+) and 1 mM EDTA inhibit hormone binding . Binding is destroyed by heat or by treatment with Pronase of alpha-chymotrypsin and is increased by phospholipase C . Binding of the labeled gonadotropin is not observed with other gram-negative organisms--e.g., Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas testosteroni, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter aerogenes, or Enterobacter cloacae.

Eur J Biochem, 1977 Feb 15, 73(1), 107 - 14
Purification and characterization of a complex between cloacin and its immunity protein isolated from Enterobacter cloacae (Clo DF13) . Dissociation and reconstitution of the complex; De Graaf FK et al.; Cell of Enterobacter cloacae (Clo DF13) produce a bacteriocin which is characterized by its very effective killing activity against sensitive bacteria . Purification and characterization of the excreted bacteriocin has revealed that this bacteriocin consists of an equimolar complex of two plasmid-specific gene products: the cloacin and its inhibitor the immunity protein . Dissociation of the complex by treatment with sodium dodecylsulfate induces the endonucleolytic activity of the cloacin but strongly reduces the killing activity . The purified complex possesses no activity in vitro . Both cloacin and immunity protein isolated from the complex were functionally identical to cloacin and immunity protein purified from the bacteriocinogenic cells by other methods . Reconstitution of the complex results in a partial restoration of killing activity.

Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1977 Feb-Mar, 128(2), 199 - 204
{Pathways of benzoic acid dissimilation in "enterobacteriaceae" (author's transl)}; Moscoso-Vizcarra M et al.; The Enterobacteriaceae can be divided into two groups with respect to the benzoic acids metabolism . In the first group, benzoate and/or p-hydroxybenzoate are dissimilated through the beta-ketoadipate pathway and m-hydroxybenzoate through the gentisate pathway; in the second one, are clustered species which do not dissimilate these aromatic acids . The possible taxonomic significance of this divergence is discussed.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1977 Feb, 33(2), 392 - 9
Nitrogen-fixing Enterobacter agglomerans isolated from guts of wood-eating termites; Potrikus CJ et al.; Two strains of facultatively anaerobic, N2-fixing bacteria were isolated from guts of Coptotermes formosanus and identified as Enterobacter agglomerans . The deoxyribonucleic acid base composition of isolates was 52.6 and 53.1 mol% guanine plus cytosine . Both isolates and a known strain of E . agglomerans carried out a mixed acid type of glucose fermentation . N2 fixation by E . agglomerans was inhibited by O2; consequently, N2 served as an N source only for cells growing anaerobically in media lacking a major source of combined N . However, peptone, NH4Cl, or KNO3 served as an N source under either aerobic or anaerobic conditions . It was estimated that 2 x 10(2) cells of E . agglomerans were present per termite gut . This value was 100-fold lower than expected, based on N2 fixation, low recoveries of E . agglomerans may be related to the marked decrease in N2 fixation rates observed when intact termites or their extracted guts were manipulated for the isolation of bacteria . It was concluded that the N2-fixing activity of E . agglomerans may be important to the N economy of C . formosanus.

J Gen Virol, 1977 Feb, 34(2), 381 - 5
Isolation of Enterobacteriaceae bacteriophage particles catalysing cell wall lipopolysaccharide degradation; Rieger-Hug D et al.; Using pairs of smooth and rough forms of Enterobacteriaceae, six smooth-specific bacteriophages were isolated from sewage and another was obtained from Dr Hedda Milch, Budapest . Upon incubation of the individual extracted (smooth) host cell wall lipopolysaccharides with the homologous purified viruses, liberation of reducing groups (i.e . of about di- to nonasaccharides) was observed in four cases, indicating the action of glycanases - but no liberation of acetic acid, indicating the absence of esterase activity . Under the electron microscope, all phages were seen to exhibit Bradley group B or C morphology and to carry tail spikes.

Ann Surg, 1977 Feb, 185(2), 219 - 23
Environmental air and airborne infections; Drake CT et al.; The results of a study on the epidemiology of airborne (aerobic) surgical infections are presented . The first phase of the study was carried out in a surgical suite which contained no environmental or traffic control systems.The second phase of the study took place within a modern "up to date" operating room suite containing multiple air screens as well as an elaborate ventilation system utilizing HEPA type filters which provided the operating room with clinically sterile air . One hundred and fifty-six patients were also studied . All patients underwent major procedures . The ratio of clean, clean-contaminated, and dirty cases was the same in both groups . Preoperatively, a nasal swab, clean voided urine (or vaginal swab) and a rectal swab were obtained on each patient . Daily nasal cultures and cultures of suspected sites of infection were obtained postoperatively . Daily nasal cultures and "glove sweat" cultures were obtained on all personnel attending the patient . Environmental cultures of the operating room, the operating room hallway, recovery room and patients' rooms were also taken . All samples were checked for the presence of staphylococci, streptococci, Escherichia coli, proteus species, enterobacter, klebsiella, and pseudomonas . In all, 15,000 cultures were taken during the study . The rate of infection was essentially the same in both phases of the study . Environmental air only occasionaly served as the source of infecting organisms . The results of the study support the conclusion that the most common source of infecting organisms in surgical infections is thepatient or those around him . The most common time of contamination is during the surgical procedure itself . Surgical infections can best be minimized by meticulous observation of fundamental principles of antisepsis rather than by dependence on elaborate and costly ventilation and air control systems.

J Gen Microbiol, 1977 Feb, 98(2), 387 - 98
The isolation and characterization of lipopolysaccharide-defective mutants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAC1; Koval SF et al.; Mutants with defective lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) were isolated from Pseudomonas aeruginosa PACIR (Habs serogroup 3) by selection for resistance to aeruginocin from P . aeruginosa PI6 Carbenicillin-sensitive mutants were isolated from P . aeruginosa PACI but not all had defective LPSs . Rough colonial morphology and resistance to bacteriophage II9X appeared to be independent of LPS composition . The LPSs from five mutants were analysed and compared with that of the parent strain . Separation of partially-degraded polysaccharides from LPS from PACI on Sephadex G75 yielded two different high molecular weight fractions and a phosphorylated low molecular weight fraction (L) . The mutant LPSs lacked most or all of the high molecular weight fractions but retained some low molecular weight material . That from PACI and two of the mutants was separated by elution from Biogel P6 into two fractions . One, L2, was the core polysaccharide while the other, LI, contained short antigenic side-chains attached to the core like the semi-rough (SR) LPSs of the Enterobacteriaceae . The two mutants which gave the LI fraction with Habs 3 and PACI antisera as did the parent strain . The other three mutants were unreactive and their LPSs contained core components only . One appeared to have a complete core while the other two lacked rhamnose and rhammose plus glucose respectively . Thus there may be four types of LPS in PACI: one contains unsubstituted core polysaccharide and yields L2 on acid hydrolysis, another has short antigenic side-chains of the SR type and yields the LI fraction, while the two high molecular weight fractions are derived from core polysaccharides with different side-chains.

J Clin Pathol, 1977 Feb, 30(2), 154 - 6
An evaluation of the Modified R/B Enteric Differential System for the identification of the Enterobacteriaceae; Hayek LJ et al.; Two hundred and twenty-two organisms were identified by conventional methods and by the Modified R/B Enteric Differential System . Two hundred and eighteeen (98-2%) of these organisms were correctly identified by the R/B system . The results of individual tests were also compared . The convenience and general ease of handling of the R/B system are discussed.

Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand {B}, 1977 Feb, 85B(1), 61 - 6
Characterization of Enterobacter agglomerans (Erwinia spp.) from clinical specimens; Ursing J; The biochemical reactions of 18 anaerogenic and 45 aerogenic isolates of Enterobacter agglomerans are described and used for subdivision in the biogroups suggested by Ewing & Fife . The presence of special cultural characteristics (symplasmata and biconvex bodies) was also recorded and was found to be unrelated to formation of gas from glucose . Previous authors have reported such structures in anaerogenic cultures only . The amount of gas produced varied to a great extent between strains and also proved to be dependent on incubation temperature . The results do not support the division of E . agglomerans into one anaerogenic and one aerogenic major subgroup . The value of the gelatin liquefaction test for characterization of the species is emphasized.

J Fam Pract, 1977 Feb, 4(2), 201 - 9
Infectious pneumonias: a review; Tecson F et al.; Diplococcus pneumoniae remains the most frequent cause of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia . Other frequently isolated bacterial pathogens are Hemophilus influenzae, Klebsiella organisms, and Staphylococcus aureus . The etiologic agents most commonly implicated in hopsital-acquired pneumonias are gram-negative bacilli including E . coli, proteus organisms, and species of Klebsiella-Enterobacter, pseudomonas, and Serratia . Among older children and young-adults, Myocoplasma pneumoniae is a common cause of penumonia . Influenza is the most important cause of viral pneumonia in adults, but there is increasing concern about pulmonary infection due to adenoviruses . In those with a history of travel to endemic areas, the diagnosis of fungal pneumonia due to Histoplasma capsulatrum, Blastomyces dermatitides, or Coccidioides immitis, should be considered . Penumonias due to opportunistic fungi (including species of Candida, Aspergillus, and Phycomycetes) and higher bacteria such as Nocardia asteroides are also on the increase, and these arise mostly in compromised hosts . Treatment of pneumonia almost always must be started before culture results are known and in the overwhelming majority of cases, appropriate regimens can be selected after taking an adquate history, doing a careful physical examination, evaluating expectorated sputum for cells and organisms, and examining the chest x-ray . Although anti-infective agents are the mainstay of treatment for most infectious pneumonias, supportive therapy, including adequate tracheobronchial toilet, drainage of abscesses, oxygen inhalation, maintenance of adequate nutrition, and monitoring for super-infection and anti-infective side effects may be life-saving in certain situations.

Dtsch Med Wochenschr, 1977 Jan 21, 102(3), 87 - 90
{In-vitro sensitivity of Klebsiella-Enterobacter strains against cefazolin (author's transl)}; Krasemann C et al.; Investigation of the resistance of 290 strains of the Klebsiella-Enterobacter group (252 Klebsiella and 38 Enterobacter strains) against cefazolin showed that 63% of the Enterobacter strains were resistant and 50% of the Klebsiella strains were sensitive both in the serial dilution test and in the agar diffusion test . A total of 78% were inhibited by 32 mug cefazolin per millilitre . Isolates from the genitourinary tract were significantly more resistant than those from the respiratory tract.

Infection, 1977, 5(3), 137 - 9
Medical implications of macrolide resistance and its relationship to the use of tylosin in animal feeds; Knothe H; Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from human patients were tested for susceptibility to erythromycin and certain related antibiotics by the disc method . The incidence of resistance to erythromycin has remained relatively constant at less thatn 20 percent . Only four percent of erythromycin-resistant human clinical isolates were cross-resistant to tylosin . Oral administration to humans of tylosin or erythromycin did not cause an imbalance in the gram-negative Enterobacteriaceae nor did it cause the selection of resistance factors . It is concluded that, from the human medical standpoint, the use of tylosin in animal feeds does not present any threat to human health.

Arch Exp Veterinarmed, 1977, 31(2), 203 - 9
{Binding relationships of fatty acids in lipid A of lipopolysaccharides from Pasteurella multocida}; Erler W et al.; Each glucosamine disaccharide of lipid A from Pasteurella multocida contains 2 mols myristic acid and 4 mols hydroxymyristic acid . 3-hydroxymyristic acid was identified as fatty acid with amide linkage . Every 2 mols of glucosamine have linked to them 1 mol myristic acid, 3-hydroxymyristic acid, and 3-myristoxymyristic acid . The results so far obtained reflected the structure of lipid A of enterobacteriaceae.

Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1977 Jan, 128A(1), 41 - 7
{Trimethoprim resistance plasmids: transferability and incompatibility groups (author's transl)}; Acar JF et al.; Over a three year period, 119 strains of enterobacteria isolated from patients have been found resistant to trimethoprim (TMP) and sulfonamides (Su); 11 strains were resistant to TMP only . MIC of TMP were between 32 and 2048 microng/ml . Three groups of strains are described: (1) thymineless variants (2 strains); (2) TMP resistance non-transferable into Escherichia coli K12 (95 strains); (3) TMP resistance transferable into E . coli K12 (33 strains) . TMP marker and Su marker have been transferred independantly from 13 strains; they were cotransferred from 20 strains . The incompatibility group of 31 plasmids has been determined: 10 belong to the fi+ type, group FII; 21 belong to the fi--type, group 6, group 7, group 10, group N and group I1 . Epidemiological implications of such a wide range of incompatibility groups among a small number of plasmids specifying TMP resistance are discussed.

Antibiotiki, 1977, 22(2), 140 - 2
{Characteristics of the antibiotic sensitivity of the pathogenic enterobacteria isolated from sick children}; Skupchenko KV et al.; The authors studied 2287 strains of pathogenic enteric bacteria, i.e . Shigella, enteropathogenic Escherichia and Salmonella freshly isolated from children with respect to their sensitivity to the most widely used antibiotics, i.e . levomycetin, tetracycline, streptomycin, monomycin, neomycin, kanamycin and erythromycin . Low sensitivity of these strains to the above antibiotics and their combinations was observed . In the treatment of children of this group it is necessary to take into account multiple antibiotic sensitivity of the isolates of the enteropathogenic bacteria.

Am J Med Sci, 1977 Jan-Feb, 273(1), 101 - 4
Enterobacter hafnaie infection: report of two cases and review of the literature; Berger SA et al.; Two of 255 wounded soldiers developed nosocomial infection with Enterobacter hafniae . This species is rarely associated with urinary or gastrointestinal disease, and had not been heretofore reported in the setting of localized or bacteremic wound infection . Difficulties in nomenclature and identification have obviated accurate assessment of the importance of E . hafniae as a pathogen . Nevertheless, in view of the relative sensitivity of this species to antibiotics one should be careful to distinguish E . hafniae from other members of the genus Enterobacter.

Dev Biol Stand, 1977, 34, 45 - 55
Tests alternative to the rabbit bioassay for pyrogens; Marcus S et al.; The rabbit bioassay is currently the only legally acceptable method to test for pyrogenic contamination of parenteral preparations and medical devices designed to enter the parenterum . However, research efforts have recently made available alternative procedures to test for pyrogens which may have significant value in quality control . Part of the reluctance to accept tests other than the rabbit test may be due to the low visibility of emerging understanding of a significant theory of testing in which it is contended that the parameters of sensitivity and specificity are inversely related and that accuracy is an ideal . The rabbit pyrogen assay will detect 1 to 10 ng of enterobacteriaceal endotoxin (ET) . The limulus test will detect 0.01 to 0.1 ng/ml of ET; some of the other tests approach the rabbit assay in sensitivity . Since it is current dogma that pyrogen is equivalent to ET, the basis for the use of ET to standardize pyrogen tests is rationalized . The source of ET in practice is bacterial contamination; therefore, numbers of bacteria that contaminate parenteral preparations can be directly related to potential pyrogenicity . Further, viable counts of bacteria in parenteral preparations, prior to sterilization, is a reliable test for pyrogens . Other tests such as nitroblue tetrazolium reduction and actinomycin-D enhancement of lethality of pyrogen for mice deserve consideration in quality control procedures . The limulus test, the most practical of currently available alternative tests for detection of ET and therefore, of pyrogen has application where the rabbit test cannot be used . Therefore, control personnel must learn of the availability, performance and interpretation of the limulus test . Practical considerations must govern the choice of an alternative test when the use of a test other than the rabbit bioassay is indicated.

Chemotherapy, 1977, 23(3), 159 - 66
Association of halogenated isoxazolylpenicillins with penicillinase-sensitive beta-lactam antibiotics . Microbiological evaluation on beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae; Ravagnan G et al.; The validity of nonsimultaneous association of penicillinase-sensitive beta-lactam antibiotics with halogenated isoxazolylpenicillins was tested in various Enterobacteriaceae strains . With several bacterial strains, expecially if producers of beta-lactamase type IV, exposure of either the bacterial suspensions of the brothsupernatant to the isoxazolylpenicillins appears both in vivo and in vitro to reduce the extent of subsequent hydrolysis of penicillinase-sensitive beta-lactam antibiotics.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1977 Jan, 33(1), 97 - 100
Aerobic microbial flora of intertrigenous skin; Aly R et al.; The incidence and density of intertrigenous microflora were determined in subjects using nonmedicated soap . The axilla, groin, toe web, and finger web were examined . The incidence of gram-negative rods was 17% for the axilla, 13% for the groin, 10% for the toe web, and 9% for the finger web . Klebsiella, Proteus, and Enterobacter were the predominant organisms, in that order . The highest incidence of Staphylococcus aureus was in the groin (12%) and toe web (11%) . Lipophilic diphtheroids were the most prevalent bacteria in the groin (1.1 X 10(6)/cm2) and toe web (1.2 X 10(6)/cm2) . Nonlipophilic diphtheroids were the predominant flora in the axilla (1.3 X 10(7)/cm . Micrococci had the highest counts in the toe web (7.6 X 10(5)/cm2) . The incidence of coagulase-negative staphylococci was highest in the finger web, but the major flora were those of micrococci.

Chemotherapy, 1977, 23 Suppl 1, 343 - 7
Treatment of respiratory infections with fosfomycin; Bacardi R et al.; Results are presented for a series of 29 patients, 14 males and 15 females, with serious respiratory infections, in which fosfomycin proved effective . In all cases the study was completed by bacteriological, clinical, radiological and analytical controls . The average dose was 6 g/day (3 g orally and 3 g intramuscularly) for 1 or 2 weeks . The four isolated were P . aeruginosa, E . coli, Klebsiella-Enterobacter and D . pneumoniae . Overall sensitivity percentages were best for fosfomycin, gentamicin and colistin . Of the 29 germs isolated, only one strain of P . aeruginosa became resistant: this represents 3% resistance development . No side effects of intolerance or signs of hepatorenal insufficiency were observed during the treatment . Of the 29 patients treated, 22 were clinically cured, denoting 76% success.

Chemotherapy, 1977, 23 Suppl 1, 247 - 58
Bacteriological evaluation of fosfomycin in clinical studies; Rodriguez A et al.; Since fosfomycin has behaved in vitro as a broad-spectrum antibiotic, an attempt has been made to evaluate this behaviour in controlled clinical study carried out at different Spanish hospitals . A total of 959 patients were treated for some of the following infectious clinical processes: gonococcal urethritis, typhoid fever, enterocolitis, acute and chronic urinary tract infections, osteomyelitis, chronic otorrhoea, septicaemia, meningitis, peritonitis, surgical and suppurative infections, bronchitis, pneumonia, pharyngoamygdalitis, burns, endometritis, ocular infection, whooping cough and nasal carriers of S . aureus . The results obtained as a function of the microorganism isolated in these clinical processes in percentage of clinical and bacteriological success have been 96% of the S . aureus infections, 95% of the Streptococcus sp . including S . pneumoniae, 90% of the N . gonorrhoeae infections, 94% of the E . coli infections including enteropathogenic E . coli, 90% of the S . marcescens infections, 76% of the Proteus sp . infections, 72% of the Klebsiella-Enterobacter infections, 66% of P . aeruginosa infections and 78% of the S . typhi infections.

Scand J Infect Dis, 1977, 9(4), 289 - 92
Surveillance of hospital infections: at the bedside or at the bacteriological laboratory?
Hambraeus A, Malmborg AS.
A prevalence study concerning wound infections in the surgical service at a university hospital was made during a 7-month period . One ward was visited every week during the wound dressing rounds and samples for bacteriologic culture were taken from clinical infections . The prevalence of infection varied between 0 and 21% (median value 8.2%) for surgical wounds and between 0 and 47% (median value 5.3%) for other wounds . Staphylococcus aureus made up 16% of the bacteria isolated from surgical wounds and the Enterobacteriacae 32.6% . For other wounds Staph . aureus and the Enterobacteriacae made up 22.6% each . A comparison of the number of cultures taken by investigators and that taken by the ward showed that the culturing frequency by the ward staff was so high that surveillance of infection by review of bacteriological culture records only, would give an almost equivalent degree of information concerning infection rates . This system is less time consuming and also has the advantage of giving epidemiological information . The drawback with the system is that little or no patient data are given on the requisitions from the ward . This makes it impossible to know from what kind of infections samples are taken.

Chemotherapy, 1977, 23(5), 299 - 308
Absorption and excretion of carbenicillin indanyl sodium in patients with reduced kidney function; Nakano H et al.; On eight volunteers with reduced kidney function, 1 g of carbenicillin indanyl sodium was administered orally for the single dose studies and was given orally in a dose of 1 g every 6 h for 7 days for the multiple dose studies . The patients were divided into two groups according to their kidney functions: group I moderately impaired and group II severely impaired . In the single dose studies, the mean peak level was 12.6 microgram/ml for group I and 26.9 microgram/ml for group II . In the multiple dose studies, the drug tended to accumulate in group II, but the level obtained in group II did not exceed more than 300 microgram/ml . In the single dose studies, the mean peak level in the urine was 1,478.5 microgram/ml for group I and 350.0 microgram/ml for group II . In the multiple dose studies, despite the multiple dose regimen, the level obtained from group II patients only transiently exceeded more than that which will effectively inhibit the growth of Pseudomonas, Klebsiella and Enterobacter . In the single dose studies, the mean cumulative amount excreted in the urine within 24 h was 314.2 mg for group I and 120.1 mg for group II and the difference between both groups was significant (p less than 0.05) . For the multiple dose studies, the amount was 278.0 mg for group I and 127.2 mg for group II, respectively . The total amount excreted in the urine within 24 h and the serum level obtained 6 h after ingestion of 1 g of carbenicillin indanyl sodium was correlated to the creatinine clearance and the rate of PSP excreted in the urine within the first 15 min of the test.

Arzneimittelforschung, 1977, 27(6), 1109 - 17
{Bacteriological study on the chemotherapeutic combination sulfametrole-trimethoprim/comparison with co-trimoxazole (author's transl)}; Nabert-Bock G et al.; The synergism of the compounds Nd-(4-methoxy-1,2,5-thiadiazol-3-yl)-sulfanilamide (sulfametrole; SOL) and 2,4-diamino-5-(3',4',5'-trimethoxy-benzyl)-pyrimidine (trimethoprim; TMP) contained in the preparation Lidaprim was proved in vitro in the agar dilution test, the disc agar diffusion method as well as a crossover test against various grampositive and gramnegative bacteria . Sulfametrole enhanced the activity of trimethoprim or its activity was intensified by trimethoprim, respectively . The increase in efficiency depends on the primary sensitivity or resistance of the bacteria against trimethoprim and/or the sulfonamide . The combination of trimethoprim + sulfametrole (1 + 20) had the same antibacterial activity as the combination co-trimoxazole = trimethoprim + Nd-(5-methyl-3-isoxazolyl)-sulfanilamide (sulfamethoxazole; SMZ) . The bactericidal efficiency was shown against a strain of E . coli . Using the combination experimental development of resistance against various bacteria could not be obtained (10 times repeated contact with subbacteriostatic concentrations) . Chemotherapeutical experiments in the mouse have confirmed the enhancement indicated in vitro of the combination trimethoprim-sulfonamide, irrespective of the sulfonamides chosen . Determinations of the intestinal flora before, during and after oral administration of 2 X 2 tablets SOL-TMP (Lidaprim) over a period of 10 days showed that the absolute number of bacteria in samples of faeces had not been reduced . Enterobacteria and anaerobic lactobacilli (L . bifidus), which could not be identified during the period of administration, reappeared after the end of therapy.

Arch Inst Pasteur Alger, 1977, 52, 17 - 35
{Surveillance of drug resistance in pathogenic enterobacteria in Algeria . I . Study of the resistance of major and minor Salmonella species to antibiotics in 1973-1974}; Mered B et al.; 901 Salmonella strains were examined in our laboratory between October 1973 and August 1974 for their sensitivity to antibiotics . The aim of this study was, on the one hand to detect the possible emergence of drug resistance in strains of Salmonella responsible for typhoid and paratyphoid fevers; on the other hand to follow up, as closely as possible, the occurrence of drug resistance in strains of other Salmonella serotypes isolated in infant and child populations; and, in addition, to awaken practitioners to the problems inherent to the widespread use of antibiotics in these diseases . The 752 typhoid and paratyphoid bacilli strains were found to be drug sensitive with the exception of one Salmonella typhi isolate bearing a R-plasmid coding for resistance to six antibiotics . 91% of the other Salmonella serotypes strains showed resistance to 3 - 7 antibiotics including a number of the latest in use . These data are discussed and a case is made for standardization in the treatment of typhoid fever and review of the use of antibiotics against salmonelloses in infants and young children.

Infection, 1977, 5(4), 259 - 60
Experimental evaluation of HR756, a new cephalosporin derivative: pre-clinical study; Heymes R et al.; HR 756 is a new cephalosporin derivative suitable for parenteral use . The compound possesses an unusally broad spectrum of antibacterial activity especially against gram-negative bacteria . Besides Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Klebsiella, indole-negative Proteae and other species also indol-positive Proteae, Serratia marcescens, Enterobacter and many Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains are inhibited by this compound . HR 756 is stable to most of the beta-lactamases produced by gram-negative organisms . Tests on different infection models also provided evidence of the high efficacy of HR 756 in vivo.

Rev Asoc Argent Microbiol, 1977 Jan-Apr, 9(1), 4 - 10
{An avian strain of Escherichia coli with antigens common to the genus Salmonella}; Terzolo HR et al.; On a commercial poultry farm, a large percentage (9%) of clinically healthy fowls had positive reaction to the plate test, with commercial polyvalent pullorum antigens . We could not isolate Salmonella from the positive birds . An strain, of Escherichia coli Balcarce (E . coli B) was isolated from the feces of one of the birds . The isolate was identified biochemically and the antigenic study showed correlation with E . coli 044 and the somatic fraction 1, 2, 8, 14 and 23 of the Salmonella genus . The common antigens were studied by agglutination, absorption and crossed immunodiffusion tests, comparing the isolated strain and the different Salmonella serotypes . Four pullorum polyvalent commercial antigens reacted with sera containing somatic agglutinins 1, and with the E . coli B antiserum . These observations confirm the high antigenic correlation between the genus of the Enterobacteriaceae family . It is indicated that for the diagnosis of avian salmonelosis rather than using a single serological tests, the isolation and identification of the etiological agent is required.

Chemotherapy, 1977, 23 Suppl 1, 63 - 74
Fosfomycin, antimicrobial activity in vitro and in vivo; Goto S; Antibacterial activities of fosfomycin were investigated both in vitro and in vivo for the purpose of comparative evaluation on its fundamental properties with other antimicrobial agents . The MIC was determined with nutrient agar (Difco) inoculated with one loopful of 1,000-fold dilution (about 10(6) cells/ml) of bacterial suspension cultured overnight in nutrient broth . This substance showed antibacterial activity to most gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, being strongest to Enterobacteriaceae with a peak of the MIC at 1.56 mug/ml in Salmonella . It was also active against P . aeruginosa with a peak of the MIC at 6.25 mug/ml in its sensitivity distribution . Intravenous and subcutaneous fosfomycin Na salt and oral fosfomycin Ca salt were given to 5-week-old ddN strain male mice challenged with clinical isolates of P . aeruginosa, E . coli and P . mirabilis . Therapeutic effect was observed in all these test organisms . In P . aeruginosa, it was more effective than carbenicillin.

Microbios, 1977, 19(75), 55 - 66
Preferential uptake of thymidine by thymineless enterobacteria: its significance in DNA labelling; Pinney RJ; Minimum satisfactory concentrations of thymine and thymidine were determined for the growth of a high thymine-requirng (thy) mutant to Escherichia coli strain J5-3 . Cultures were then grown in the presence of these concentrations of non-radioactive ('cold') pyrimidine together with 5 microCi/ml {methyl-3H)thymine, or {methyl-3H)thymidine (specific activities 5 Ci/m mole), and the uptake of radioactivity into ice cold trichloroacetic acid insoluble material determined . By far the most efficient labelling system was obtained if the label was supplied as radioactive thymidine and growth requirements satisfied by thymine alone . The addition of deoxyadenosine to the labelled thymidine/unlabelled thymine system dramatically reduced uptake of label . The addition of radioactive thymine with either thymine or thymidine to ensure satisfactory growth gave poor labelling . Using the {methyl-3H} thymidine/thymine system it was possible to increase the concentration of thymine from 8 to 64 microgram/ml with only a 25% reduction in label uptake after a 2 h period . The same system was also shown to be most efficient for labelling a thy derivative of another K12 strain, a thymine low-requiring (tir) K12 strain, a thy mutant of Klebsiella aerogenes 418 and a tir derivative of Salmonella typhimurium LT2.

Vet Med Nauki, 1977, 14(10), 90 - 6
{Transfer of multi-drug resistance in vivo by salmonellae and shigella in white mice}; Todorov T et al.; The oral infection accomplished by 0.3 cm3 X 10(10) microbial bodies of Salmonella heidelberg and Shigella sonnei in albino mice the pathogens were found to localize in the intestines . The Salmonellae were detected up to the 10th day, and the Shigellae--up to the 14th day . Both Shigella and Salmonella transferred multi-drug resistance to some enterobacteria--E . coli and Proteus as well as to Salmonella typhimurium when the latter was also present in the intestinal tract; of these some 10--40 per cent acquire the multi-drug resistance of Salmonella heidelberg and Shigella sonnei . This type of resistance was most often transferred en bloc for the six, resp., eight markers . On some occasions segregation was observed with the transference of particular markers only.

Infection, 1977, 5(4), 261 - 2
Correlation of minimum inhibitory concentration and beta-lactamase activity; Ullmann U; The beta-lactamase activity of 510 recently isolated Enterobacteriaceae was investigated with a quantitative photometric test . Beta-lactamase could be detected in 55 percent of the Enterobacteriaceae . At the same time minimal inhibition concentration (MIC) of beta-lactam antibiotics was determined . There was no correlation between MIC values and lactamase activity . For correct antibacterial therapy the clinician requires information on the lactamase activity of isolated bacteria in addition to the antibiogram . The qualitative test is useful for screening.

Genetika, 1977, 13(6), 1079 - 88
{Discovery of a new type of restriction and modification in a group of intestinal bacteria}; Krylov VN et al.; The adsorption of 23 new lambdoid bacteriophages to 547 strains which isolated from natural population of Enterobacteriaceae was studied . The frequency of positive combinations of phage-bacterium with adsorption is not more than 2% . A study of possible causes of limited growth of lambdoid phages in the bacterial strains revealed that neither homoimmune prophage nor prophage P2 are single factors of the growth limitation . It is found that in natural populations a selection of bacterial strains with the least limitation of phage takes place . Three cases of killing bacteria after infection with high multiplicity are found . The reason of the killing effect is manifestation of some functions by infecting phages . A new restriction-modification system is found which differs from restriction-modification system A, B, K, 15, P1, EcoRI, EcoRII . The most of strains, which adsorb phages but do not support their growth, are supposed to possess several mechanisms of restriction . Thus, the search of new restriction system in Escherichia coli is worthwhile.

Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, 1977, 43(1), 31 - 5
The use of bile - esculin agar for the taxonomic classification of the family Enterobacteriaceae; Edberg SC et al.; Bile-esculin medium has been used for many years for the presumptive identification of group D Streptococcus . The test is based on the ability of a bacterium to grow in the presence of 40% bile and produce esculinase . 2935 strains of Enterobacteriaceae were inoculated onto bile-esculin agar slants and incubated at 35 C . Esculin hydrolysis was determined after 24 and 48 hours . At 24 hours of incubation esculin hydrolysis was limited to the genera Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Serratia, and the species P . vulgaris, P . rettgeri, and C . diversus . Not all strains of these species were positive, however . All other members of the family were negative . At 48 hours of incubation 37% of E . coli gave a positive reaction; all other Enterobacteriaceae which were negative at 24 hours remained negative . Esculin hydrolysis is a valuable test for the taxonomic classification of the family Enterobacteriaceae.

J Clin Pathol, 1977 Jan, 30(1), 45 - 9
Complementary use of aesculin hydrolysis and inositol fermentation in the characterisation of Klebsielleae; Barr JG et al.; Rates of aesculin hydrolysis and inositol fermentation adequately differentiate Klebsielleae from other Enterobacteriaceae . In combination with tests for motility and growth in potassium cyanide medium, presumptive differentiation between Klebsielleae, and confirmation of Klebsiella pneumoniae, is obtained.

Am J Dis Child, 1977 Jan, 131(1), 34 - 7
Oxolinic acid therapy for urinary tract infections in children; Shapera RM et al.; Thirty hospitalized children with Gram-negative bacillary urinary tract infections were treated with oxolinic acid for 14 to 21 dyas . Fifteen of 17 patients with uncomplicated and 11 of 13 with complicated urinary infections had favorable bacteriologic responses . Resistant organisms developed in four treatment failures . Oxolinic acid urine concentrations were well above the minimal inhibitory concentration for most strains of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Proteus mirabilis, P vulgaris, P morganii, and P rettgeri . Approximately half of these patients experienced mild symptoms possibly related to oxolinic acid therapy; in no instance did they require cessation of therapy . Our experience indicates that if the urine is not sterile by the end of five days of treatment, bacterial resistance to oxolinic acid is likely to have developed, and therapy with another agent should be considered and antibiotic susceptibility tests repeated.

J Gen Microbiol, 1977 Jan, 98(1), 39 - 66
Taxonomy of the genus Serratia; Grimont PA et al.; One hundred and fifty-six strains of Serratia and related bacteria including representatives of Enterobacter liquefaciens, Enterobacter cloacae, Enterobacter aerogenes, Erwinia carotovora, Erwinia chrysanthemi, Erwinia herbicola and Erwinia nimipressuralis were studied using 223 morphological, physiological, biochemical and carbon source utilization tests . The results were subjected to computer analysis . At the 80% similarity level all strains, except two, grouped into eight phenons representing: (A) Serratia marcescens with the neotype CCM303 (ATCCI3880); (B) S . marinorubra with the monotype NCTC10912 (ATCC27614); (CI) S . liquefaciens with the type ATCCI4460; (C2) S . plymuthica with the monotype CCM640 (ATCC183); (D) Erwinia herbicola with the neotype of Enterobacter agglomerans NCTC9381; (E) Enterobacter cloacae with the neotype NCTCI0005 and Erwinia nimipressuralis; (F) Erwinia carotovora with the type ATCC495, Erwinia atroseptica and Erwinia chrysanthemi; (G) Klebsiella mobilis with the neotype NCTCI0006 . At the 70% similarity level the phenons formed two groups: (A, B, CI, C2) and (D, E, F, G) . The following conclusions were drawn . (I) There are three species of enterobacteria producing prodigiosin: S . marcescens, S . plymuthica and S . marinorubra . (2) There are four species of Serratia, one colourless (S . liquefaciens) . (3) Subphenons (biovars) are described within the four species of Serratia . (4) Non-pigmented wild-type strains of S . marcescens can generally be differentiated from pigmented strains by characters other than pigmentation, because subphenons are homogeneous with respect to pigmentation . This survey raised some problems of nomenclature because old descriptions could be found that could loosely fit the present phenons . Comparison with an authentic culture was considered to be the most objective way of identifying these phenons with earlier named species.

J Clin Microbiol, 1977 Jan, 5(1), 62 - 5
Multiple biotypes of Klebsiella pneumoniae in single clinical specimens; de Silva MI et al.; The occurence of multiple biotypes of Klebsiella pneumoniae within single specimens was determined in 59 clinical specimens . Biotyping was performed on five colonies of K . pneumoniae from each specimen, using the API 20E system (Analytab, Inc., New York) for identification of Enterobacteriaceae with strict adherence to the manufacturer's instructions . Multiple biotypes of K . pneumoniae were present in 31% (18) of the clinical specimens . Twenty-eight colonies representative of specimens with single and multiple biotypes were tested further for biotype reproducibility . Whereas genus and species identification was 100% reproducible, variation of one or more biochemical tests on serial transfers resulted in biotype reproducibility of only 64% . The greatest variation in biochemical tests occurred with urease (14%), indole production (10%) and citrate utilization (9%) . Multiple biotypes in single specimens appear to be due to both inherent differences among the colonies in the specimen and variability in the system used to determine biochemical reactions . The presence of multiple biotypes limits the usefulness of biochemical typing for epidemiological surveilance of K . pneumoniae.

Health Lab Sci, 1977 Jan, 14(1), 5 - 10
Comparison of enteric identification systems; Borchardt KA et al.; An evaluation of methods for identification of Enterobacteriaceae was made employing the new commercial Micro-Media Enteric System (MMES) with that of the Analytab Products Incorporated (API) and the Conventional tube media schema as suggested by the Center for Disease Control (CDS) . The MMES system employed 20 biochemical tests, the API 21, and the CDC procedure 25 . Sixteen of these were identical biochemical tests . Two hundred clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae were tested employing procedures recommended by the manufacturers of MMES and API, and methods suggested by CDC . Among the sixteen identical biochemical tests the agreement was 98.0% (Conventional), 98.2% (API), and 97.98% (MMES) . Bacteria misidentified by the API system totaled 5 (2.5%), 12 (6%) for the Conventional, and 13 (6.5%) for the MMES . Five of the bacteria misidentified with the MMES procedure were due to false positive citrate tests . This problem was subsequently eliminated . The results of this study indicated that the new MMES method for identification of Enterobacteriaceae compared favorably with both the API and Conventional procedures . However, significant advantages of the MMES method were evident in initial purchase price, utilization of technology time, and less tedium performing the test.

Chemotherapy, 1977, 23 Suppl 1, 127 - 32
Genetic localization of the resistance to fosfomycin; Perea EJ et al.; The possible existence of a transferable resistance to fosfomycin was studied in 50 strains of enterobacteria that were isolated in our hospital and which showed a resistance to fosfomycin of more than 256 mug/ml . E . coli K12 E711 was used as a receptor strain in the conjugation -- the times of conjugation were 20 min and 18 h . We found a transferable resistance in 28% of the strains . In all but one of the cases, only the resistance to fosfomycin was transferred . The recombinant which received the resistance to fosfomycin together with three other resistances was used as the donor for the transduction with the phage P1Kc to the receptor strain which was E . coli UTH 1038 . A study was carried out on the influence of the radiation of the transducing phages with ultraviolet light on the frequency of transduction . The findings demonstrated a linear decrease in the frequency in proportion to the increase in the time of radiation.

Chemotherapy, 1977, 23(1), 11 - 8
Response profiles: A method of evaluating the activity of beta-lactam antibiotics against Enterobacteria; Greenwood D; A method is described which may be used to compare the relative activity of beta-lactam antibiotics against gram-negative bacilli . The method offers several important advantages over conventional methods of evaluation of the antibacterial activity of beta-lactam agents: the bacterial inoculum is simply and accurately standardized; the response of the culture is continuously monitored and information is obtained on both the intrinsic activity of the agent and its susceptibility to enterobacterial beta-lactamases . In this way, differences in the antibacterial activity of compounds which appear similar on the basis of more conventional tests may be revealed.

Arch Intern Med, 1977 Jan, 137(1), 28 - 38
Clindamycin and gentamicin for aerobic and anaerobic sepsis; Fass RJ et al.; Thirty-eight adult patients with serious pleuropulmonary, soft-tissue, bone, and intra-abdominal infections caused by combinations of aerobic, facultative, and anaerobic bacteria were treated with parenterally given clindamycin phosphate and gentamicin sulfate and surgery when appropriate . Nine had associated bacteremia . In 29, infections failed to respond to other therapeutic regimens, which included penicillins, cephalosporins, aminoglycosides, and chloramphenicol . Results with clindamycin and gentamicin were excellent and were attributed primarily to the activity of clindamycin against anaerobes, particularly Bacteroides fragilis . Serum concentrations of clindamycin surpassed by manyfold the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for anaerobes . Serum concentrations of gentamicin did not consistently surpass the MICs for Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, although those organisms were consistently gentamicinsusceptible by disk diffusion susceptibility tests . Persistent colonization with Enterobacteriaceae, P aeruginosa, enterococci, or Candida were common, and occasionally they were significant in prolonging the clinical courses of patients with extensive infections.

J Hyg Epidemiol Microbiol Immunol, 1977, 21(3), 285 - 94
Investigation of the antigenic composition of the cells and the exotoxin of Sh . dysenteriae (Shiga) by agar immunoelectrophoresis and polyacrylamide gel disc electrophoresis; Belaya YA et al.; Using the method of immunoelectrophoresis in agar, we established the presence of 12 soluble antigens in Sh . dysenteriae (Shiga) . We differentiated among them 3 specific antigens situated in the cathodic region . One of them is the somatic O antigen while the other two are thermolabile surface K antigens of these bacteria . K antigens of Grigoryev-Shiga bacteria differ from the earlier described K antigens of the Newcastle and Boyd Shigellae in their positive electric charge, in greater lability in relation to temperature and chemical effects and evidently also in their chemical character . The remaining protein antigens are common for either the genus of Shigella or for the family of enterobacteria . The exotoxin preparation isolated from the R strain of Sh . dysenteriae (Voile 30) by precipitation with trichloroacetic acid is represented in the immunophoreogram by five precipitation lines . Disc electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel made possible the investigation of the composition of the exotoxin and isolation of the two fractions responsible for its toxic effect . The method of preparative electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel can evidently be used for obtaining purified Sh . dysenteriae exotoxin preparations.

Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz), 1977, 25(3), 317 - 21
Alpha-globulin-like antigens in bacteria; Luczkiewicz-Mulczykowa A et al.; Seventy-two strains of bacteria of the families Bacillaceae, Enterobacteriaceae and Micrococcaceae were investigated for antigens resembling Gm (1), Gm (2) and Inv (1) human immunoglobulin group factors . Antigens similar to these factors were encountered in some strains of the genus Bacillus . Staph . epidermidis strains had antigenic structures resembling Gm (1) and Inv (1) factors, and strains of Enterobacteriaceae structures resembling Gm (2) and Inv (1) . Occurrence among various species of bacteria of antigens resembling human gamma-globulin group factors suggests immunization by bacterial infection as one of the causes of presence of anti-Gm and anti-Inv antibodies in human beings.

Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1976 Dec, 236(4), 487 - 508
Studies on endotoxin of Erwinia herbicola and their biological activity; Dutkiewicz J; The endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide) preparations were extracted by the BOIVIN method from 10 strains of Erwinia herbicola isolated from the air of grain mills and from human and animal sources . It was found in assays for biological activity that these preparations had true endotoxic properties: lethality for mice, ability to produce primary inflammatory lesions in rabbit skin and ability to prepare rabbit skin for the local SHWARTZMAN reaction . Endotoxins obtained from five E . herbicola isolates were highly toxic and had mouse LD50 values ranging from 0.23 to 0.50 mg . The reparations derived from the remaining five strains were less potent with LD50 values ranging from 0.96 to 2.83 mg . The endotoxins of E . herbicola caused primary skin lesions (edema and/or erythema) in rabbits in the mean threshold doses (SLD50) of 1.33 to 5.94 mug and had the ability to prepare the rabbit skin for the local SHWARTZMAN reaction in the mean threshold does (SPD50) of 2.97 to 95.0 mug . The endotoxic properties of the E . herbicola preparations were similar to those of simultaneously tested enterobacterial lipopolysaccharides . The results of the mouse toxicity tests were positively correlated with those of the rabbit skin tests . In the additional tests the single preparations of E . herbicola showed two other endotoxic properties: ability to produce hemorrhagic lesions in rabbit skin after mixing with epinephrine and lethal effect on chick embryo . A preliminary chemical analysis of the trichloroacetic extracts of E . herbicola revealed low nitrogen and high carbohydrate contents as well as the presence of the common monosaccharides, reported in literature for endotoxins of various gram-negative bacteria . The significance of the presence of endotoxins in the ubiquitous E . herbicola rods is discussed, particularly with respect to occupational health hazard resulting from inhalation of vegetable dusts containing these organisms.

J Gen Microbiol, 1976 Dec, 97(2), 219 - 33
Numerical taxonomy of some yellow-pigmented bacteria isolated from plants; Goodfellow M et al.; Phenetic data on over 60 heterotrophic, Gram-negative, yellow chromogenic bacteria from plant material were collected and analysed using numerical taxonomic methods . Marker strains representing 42 taxa were included in the analyses . At similarity levels of 80% or above, eight distinct clusters were obtained, the first four of which included yellow chromogens . Custer I contained isolates from green healthy leaves of Agrostis tenuis, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanata, Lolium perenne and Poa pratensis, and clusters 2 and 3 consisted of isolates from Holcus lanata seeds and leaves of P . pratensis respectively . Cluster 4 contained seven subgroups and was equated with the family Enterobacteriaceae . Erwinia herbicola strains from a variety of sources formed a homogeneous subgroup, readily distinguishable from authentic strains of E . amylovora, E . carotovora, other representative erwiniae, and from all other enterobacteria studied . These data emphasize the heterogeneous nature of yellow-pigmented bacteria from plants, and support the inclusion of E . herbicola and other Erwinia species in the Enterobacteriaceae.

J Bone Joint Surg Am, 1976 Dec, 58(8), 1134 - 7
Urinary infections in total hip arthroplasty . Influences of prophylactic cephalosporins and catheterization; Donovan TL et al.; We studied 359 patients retrospectively and 100 patients prospectively, all on cephalosporin prophylaxis . Urinary infections were eight times more frequent in catheterized patients; most were caused by Pseudomonas and Enterobacter . One patients had acute seeding in the arthroplasty site from a Pseudomonas urinary infection.

Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig B}, 1976 Dec, 163(5-6), 556 - 64
{Swimming plastic toy-animals as biotopes of microorganisms and possible source of infant infections (author's transl)}; Ruschke R; Infants are particularly jeopardized as regards oral infection, because they like to put all kinds of things in their mouth . In swimming plastic toy-animals, which are mainly used in bathtubs and from which children might suck water into their mouths, more than 4 million germs/ml (when rinsed with 5 ml tryptone/NaCl solution) were found . In addition thereto, the liquid contained various types of enterobacteriaceae such as Serratia marcescens (up to 150000/ml) as well as P . aeruginosa (up to 80000/ml) . 19 of the toys from seven different households were "commodities" as defined by the German Food Law . If these items are used according to purpose, however, the concentration and dissemination of pathogens or facultative pathogens is unavoidable.

Immun Infekt, 1976 Dec, 4(6), 276 - 8
{Evaluation of successful chemotherapie of infections of the urinary system by determination of antibacterial activity in the urine (author's transl)}; Wallenstein FA et al.; 5,589 urin samples from patients with suspected infections of the urinary tract were screened for inhibiting activity against Baz . cereus (ATCC 6051) . In 19% of these urines such inhibitors could be found . In spite of the antibacterial inhibition activity nearly half of the samples had bacteria in high number . By comparison of the various bacterial species in both groups of urin, in those without antibacterial "Problem-Bacteria": Klebsiella-Enterobacter- Proteus- Candida-species is demonstrated . If one compares the urine of the same patient before and under chemotherapie it seems as if antibiotic therapie is often started without proof of significant bacteriuria . In those patients, where there was a significant bacteriuria in the first urine sample only 7 from 20 showed sterile urine under chemotherapie; 10 patients had an other species in the second sample and 3 patients had the same species isolated from urine during therapie . The diagnosis and the consequences especially for therapie in stationary patients with recurrent infections is discussed.

J Fam Pract, 1976 Dec, 3(6), 647 - 9
The dipslide in diagnosis of urinary tract infections; Adelman RD; Urinary tract infections (UTI's) are common in medicine . Symptoms may include fever, chills, frequency, and dysuria . Asymptomatic UTI's are also common, with a prevalence of one percent in school girls and ten percent in pregnant women . Pyuria, dysuria, and frequency may be absent in patients with UTI's or present in patients without UTI's . Therefore, a UTI must be bacteriologically diagnosed as greater than 100,000 organisms/ml, usually of a single organism, in a properly obtained urine specimen . The dipslide is a simple, convenient, inexpensive device for the quantitative diagnosis of a UTI . Culture media are layered on both sides of the dipslide, one medium allowing growth of all organisms and the other medium favoring growth of enterobacteriae . After immersion in a clean catch urine specimen, the dipslide is incubated for 24 hours at 37 C . Each urinary organism forms a colony "dot" . The density of colony "dots" can be quantitated easily by comparison with standardized graphs . The dipslide is a highly accurate and sensitive tool that can be used for the diagnosis of UTI's, assessment of antimicrobial effectiveness, follow-up for presence of recurrence or relapse, and screening of high-risk individuals.

J Hyg (Lond), 1976 Dec, 77(3), 401 - 8
Klebsiella and Enterobacter organisms isolated from horses; Platt H et al.; An account is given of K . pneumoniae capsule types occurring in horses, with particular reference to strains originating from the genital tract in the mare and the external genitalia of the stallion . A survey of the prevalence of K . pneumoniae and E . aerogenes strains in the preputial flora of healthy stallions is described . The majority of horses were found to be carriers of these organisms . The cultural characteristics of these preputial strains are described and compared with those of K . pneumoniae strains associated with epidemic metritis in mares . The epidemiological significance of certain K . pneumoniae capsule types is discussed.

J Clin Microbiol, 1976 Dec, 4(6), 511 - 4
Simplified scheme for identification of prompt lactose-fermenting members of the Enterobacteriaceae; Hicks MJ et al.; A brief, simplified scheme involving the spot indole test and colonial morphology was evaluated for genus level identification of prompt lactose-fermenting (PLF) members of the Enterobacteriaceae . One hundred and ninety-four consecutive, clinically important PLF gram-negative rods isolated in a clinical microbiology laboratory were identified by this simplified scheme, as well as by standard biochemical tests, and the API 20E (Analytab Products, Inc., Plainview, N.Y.) system . In the simplified scheme a flat, spot indole-positive colony was identified as Escherichia coli . Spot indole-negative organisms forming nucoid colonies were identified as Klebsiella sp . or Enterobacter sp . on the basis of semisolid motility and ornithine decarboxylase tests . Approximately 94% of the study isolates followed reactions typical for E . coli, Klebsiella sp., and Enterobacter sp . as defined by this simplified scheme . When compared with the standard and Analytab Products Inc . identifications, the overall accuracy was 97.4% . The accuracy of identification of E . coli, Klebsiella sp., and Enterobacter sp . was 98.1%, 95.6%, and 87.5%, respectively . This simplified scheme is recommended for identification of selected PLF isolates in the clinical microbiology laboratory.

Am J Clin Nutr, 1976 Dec, 29(12), 1397 - 403
Enterobacteriaceae in the jejunal microflora prevalence and relationship to biochemical and histological evaluations in healthy Colombian men; Cain JR et al.; When 23 healthy native Southwestern Colombian men were studied to determine the prevalence of Enterobacteriaceae in the jejunal microflora in a sample of thoroughly evaluated tropical inhabitants who were normal by physical examination, chest x-ray, and medical history, 14 of the 23 proved to be Enterobacteriaceae-positive, with counts of 10(3) to 10(9) per milliliter of jejunal aspirate . Thirteen had Escherichia coli, and the fourteenth had Klebsiella pneumoniae . Four had a second species of Enterobacteriaceae associated with E . coli: three were K . pneumoniae, and one was Proteus morganii . Laboratory studies routinely done on all subjects disclosed a total of 18 low biochemical values, 17 of which were associated with 12 of the 14 Enterobacteriaceae-positive subjects: six were low in serum cholesterol, four low in serum vitamin B12, four low in D-xylose excretion, and three low in creatinine coefficient; whereas, the Enterobacteriaceae-negative subjects had normal values for all biochemical tests except for serum vitamin B12 in one case . Nitrogen balance means were significantly different for the two groups: 3.39 g for the Enterobacteriaceae-positive subjects and 1.94 g for the Enterobacteriaceae-negative . No relationship was evident when the histology of the jejunal biopsies was compared with the microbiological or laboratory findings . When the 23 subjects were grouped into those (N = 19) with significant microbial recoveries of any type and those (N = 4) without, the data yielded no meaningful relationships.

J Bacteriol, 1976 Dec, 128(3), 717 - 21
Uroporphyrinogen III cosynthase-deficient mutant of Salmonella typhimurium LT2; Sasarman A et al.; A new type of heme-deficient mutant of Salmonella typhimurium LT2 was isolated using neomycin . The mutant, designated as strain SASY74, accumulated uroporphyrin I and coproporphyrin I . Extracts of the mutant converted 5-aminolevulinic acid to uroporphyrin I . Extracts of the mutant SASY74 and of the uroporphyrinogen synthase-deficient mutant SASY32 complemented each other and converted, when incubated together, 5-aminolevulinic acid to protoporphyrin . This finding excludes the possibility that uroporphyrinogen I synthase in strain SASY74 is deficient in its cosynthase-binding ability . Hence, the most probable explanation for the accumulation of uroporphyrin I and coproporphyrin I by the mutant is the lack of the uroporphyrinogen III cosynthase activity . This mutant is the first isolated in bacteria with such deficiency, and the mutation is analogous, as far as porphyrin synthesis is concerned, to human congenital porphyria . Mapping of the corresponding gene (hemD) by conjugation and P22-mediated transduction suggests the following gene order on the chromosome: ilv....hemC, hemD, cya....metE . The hemC and hemD genes are probably adjacent; this is the first case in which two hem genes of Enterobacteriaceae are contiguous on the chromosomal map.

JAMA, 1976 Nov 22, 236(21), 2407 - 9
Nosocomial pseudobacteremia . Positive blood cultures due to contaminated benzalkonium antiseptic; Kaslow RA et al.; Pseudomonas cepacia or Enterobacter species or both were isolated from blood cultures of 79 patients in a community hospital between April 1971 and March 1972 . No common exposures other than venipuncture correlated with positive blood cultures . Pseudomonas cepacia, Enterobacter, and other Gram-negative enteric bacteria were cultured from aqueous benzalkonium chloride used for skin antisepsis prior to ordinary and blood culture venipuncture . Contamination of blood cultures by organisms from the antiseptic most likely accounted for positive cultures in 35 to 38 patients (92%) with P cepacia . The remaining three patients had repeated blood cultures positive for P cepacia and circumstantial clinical evidence of bacteremia; they may have contracted disease through exposure to the contaminated antiseptic . Substitution of an iodine-alcohol antiseptic abruptly reduced the isolation of P cepacia and Enterobacter.

Med J Aust, 1976 Nov 20, 2(21), 787 - 91
Pneumonia in a city hospital; Burns MW et al.; Of 222 patients with pneumonia in St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, in 1972, more were affected by bronchopneumonia (53%) than lobar pneumonia (46%) . Two-thirds of the patients were males and 86% were aged 40 years or more . Only 59% had any bacteriological studies performed . It was unusual to isolate pathogens from persons who had received antibiotics before cultures were taken, but of cultures taken from persons not receiving antibiotics, 65% yielded pneumococci . Infections due to Staphylococcus aureus, pseudomonas and enterobacteria were uncommon . Haemophilus influenzae appeared to be a co-pathogen in bronchopneumonia more than in lobar pneumonia . The mortality in lobar pneumonia was acceptably low (4%), but was generally high in bronchopneumonia, being 32% when the condition occurred after surgical operations and 35% when this form of pneumonia complicated other normally non-terminal medical diseases . The mortality was 17% in primary bronchopneumonia.

Am J Ophthalmol, 1976 Nov, 82(5), 709 - 13
Traumatic endophthalmitis caused by an Erwinia species; Mason GI et al.; A previously healthy 70-year-old white man sustained a plant injury to his left eye while gardening and was admitted here because of an ensuing perforated cornea and endophthalmitis . The lens was opaque and its anterior capsule was ruptured . Culture of fluid obtained by anterior chamber paracentesis yielded a species of the Erwinia herbicolalathyri group (Enterobacter agglomerans) . Thirty-seven days after a course of cefazolin and gentamicin therapy, corneal edema necessitated a planned extracapsular cataract extraction . The aqueous humor and lens again revealed the identical Erwinia species in pure culture . The patient received another course of cefazolin and showed improvement after the lens aspiration.

J Infect Dis, 1976 Nov, 134 SUPPL, S391 - 3
Amikacin in the treatment of gram-negative bronchopulmonary infections; Van Der Straeten M et al.; Six patients with acute gram-negative bronchopulmonary infection were treated with amikacin (15 mg/kg per day) administered intramuscularly in two equal doses at 12-hr intervals for 10-13 days . Two patients had underlying nonspecific pulmonary disease, two had advanced bronchocarcinoma, and two had extensive bronchiectasis (due to chronic aspergillosis in one patient) . The pathogens were Pseudomonas aeruginosa in three patients, and Haemophilus influenzae, Klebsiella ozaenae, and Enterobacter cloacae each in one patient . Five patients recovered completely, with resolution of fever and other acute symptoms and elimination of the causative organism from sputum cultures . A moribund patient with advanced metastatic bronchocarcinoma died two days after the treatment with amikacin had been completed; the last specimen of sputum was still positive for P . aeruginosa . Tests of liver and renal function and blood counts revealed no abnormaltities . Complete audiometric survey showed no hearing loss . Nystagmography revealed reversible, lessened caloric response in some patients . Amikacin was well absorbed from the site of intramuscular injection . Levels of amikacin in serum varied among the subjects and, in some cases, for individual patients on different days.

J Infect Dis, 1976 Nov, 134 SUPPL, S421 - 7
Amikacin for treatment of infections in patients with malignant diseases; Bodey GP et al.; Amikacin was evaluated in patients with malignant diseases during 134 episodes of identified infection, most of which were cases of pneumonia and septicemia . The overall rate of response of the identified infections was 63% . The majority of infections were caused by Escherichia coli, the Klebsiella-Enterobacter-Serratia group, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The response rate for infections caused by these organisms was 80% . Five of eight infections caused by organisms resistant to gentamicin responded to therapy with amikacin . Nephrotoxicity was observed in 13% of patients who had normal renal function initially.

J Infect Dis, 1976 Nov, 134 SUPPL, S381 - 3
Preliminary clinical trial with amikacin in chronic recurrent gram-negative bacterial infections refractory to other antimicrobial agents; Damaso D et al.; Eleven patients with 16 infections due to Enterobacteriaceae or Pseudomonas that were in most cases refractory to treatment with cephalosporins, kanamycin, gentamicin, tobramycin, carbenicillin, or ampicillin (administered singly or in combinations) received 1 g of amikacin daily by the intramuscular route (10 patients) or 0.4 g daily (one patient with renal insufficiency) . The average duration of treatment was eight days . At the beginning of treatment, 18 pathogens were sensitive to amikacin at concentrations of 0.25-2 mug/ml . Of the 16 infections, 10 were cured clinically . Thirteen of the 19 pathogens isolated initially were eradicated, and five persisted during treatment but without change in in vitro sensitivity . A strain of Pseudomonas cepacia recovered from a diabetic patient and sensitive initially to 8 mug of amikacin/ml showed an eightfold increase in minimal inhibitory concentration . Superinfection with P . cepacia resistant to amikacin was noted in one case and urinary colonization with Candida albicans in another . No abnormalities of hematopoietic, hepatic, or renal function were observed in laboratory tests.

J Infect Dis, 1976 Nov, 134 SUPPL, S343 - 8
Pharmacokinetics of amikacin in patients with impaired renal function; McHenry MC et al.; Pharmacokinetic parameters were determined after a single intramuscular injection of 7.5 mg of amikacin/kg to 10 volunteers with impaired renal function (creatinine clearance rate, 2.2-65ml/min per 1.73 m2) and to six volunteers with normal renal function . The mean peak concentrations of amikacin in sera of the two groups did not differ significantly from each other and exceeded by two to five times the reported in vitro minimal inhibitory concentrations for the majority of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacteriaceae strains . There was a significant linear relation between the elimination rate constant of amikacin and the rate of creatinine clearance; there was a significant nonlinear relation between the half-life of amikacin and the serum creatinine concentration . Knowledge of these relations may aid in adjustment of the dosage of amikacin in patients with impaired renal function, especially when such information is used in conjunction with serum assays of amikacin.

J Clin Microbiol, 1976 Nov, 4(5), 453 - 4
Deoxyribonuclease: detection with a three-hour test; Greenwood JR et al.; A three-hour test has been developed to determine deoxyribonuclease activity of Enterobacteriaceae and staphylococci . The test is inexpensive and easy to perform . The rapid deoxyribonuclease test and the conventional method showed complete agreement with the strains tested.

J Infect Dis, 1976 Nov, 134 SUPPL, S394 - 90
Susceptibility of current clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and enteric gram-negative bacilli to amikacin and other aminoglycoside antibiotics; Damaso D et al.; The susceptibility of current clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacteriaceae to amikacin and other aminoglycosides was tested by a standardized disk sensitivity method . Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined for all 200 isolates tested, and mean MICs were calculated for each of 10 bacterial species . Amikacin proved to be the most effective of six aminoglycosides against nine bacterial species; isolates of Proteus morganii were slightly more sensitive to gentamicin than to amikacin . Whereas 50% of the 200 isolates could be considered resistant to gentamicin (MIC, greater than 16 mug/ml), 94.4% of the 126 enteric gram-negative bacilli and all 74 isolates of P . aeruginosa were sensitive to amikacin . At a concentration of 8 mug/ml, gentamicin inhibited 50% and tobramycin inhibited 67% of the 200 isolates . At 16 mug/ml, amikacin inhibited 96.5% of the 200 isolates; the respective figures for kanamycin, aminosidine, and streptomycin were 28.5%, 26.5%, and 24% . The virtual absence of cross-resistance between amikacin and gentamicin and between amikacin and the other four aminoglycosides was confirmed.

J Infect Dis, 1976 Nov, 134 SUPPL, S280 - 5
Suceptibility of aminoglycoside-resistant gram-negative bacilli to amikacin: delineation of individual resistance patterns; Acar JF et al.; Gram-negative bacilli isolated from clinical specimens submitted for culture in two Paris hospitals during 1974 were studied for susceptibility to six currently used aminoglycosides: kanamycin, neomycin, paromomycin, lividomycin, gentamicin, and tobramycin . Resistance patterns of strains of various species including those of Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas, and Moraxella were determined, and the strains were grouped into eight resistance "phenotypes." In comparative studies of 807 strains belonging to different phenotypes, amikacin was markedly more active than any of the six other antibiotics; at concentrations of less than or equal to 4 mug/ml, it inhibited about 88% of the strains, including those resistant to gentamicin and tobramycin . Some amikacin-resistant strains were found among different species . The mechanism of resistance to amikacin of strains of Serratia and Moraxella group II was related to an N-acetylating enzyme . Amikacin can be expected to be useful as an alternative treatment of infections due to gram-negative bacilli sensitive to aminoglycosides and also, more particularly, for the treatment of patients infected with multiresistant strains.

J Infect Dis, 1976 Nov, 134 SUPPL, S271 - 4
In vitro susceptibility of recently isolated gram-negative bacteria to gentamicin, sisomicin, tobramycin, and amikacin; Knothe H; The emergence of bacteria with R-factor-mediated resistance transferable to many strains of Pseudomononas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Serratia marcescens, and some Proteus and Providencia species has been reported in hospitals in the Rhine-Main region of Germany . In a comparative study, 1,250 strains belonging to 12 clinically important bacterial species were tested for susceptibility to gentamicin, sisomicin, tobramycin, and amikacin by the tube dilution methods . Gentamicin, sisomicin, and tobramycin can still be employed effectively for the treatment of serious gram-negative infections . However, some findings related to Enterobacteriaceae and P . aeruginosa and demonstration of transfer by R-plasmids among P . aeruginosa, E . coli, K . pneumoniae, Enterobacter, and S . marcescens point to less favorable developments in the future . nearly all bacterial strains tests, including those resistant to other aminoglycosides, were susceptible in vitro to amikacin . This highly valuable antibiotic should be employed only when specifically indicated, since indiscriminate use would favor selective emergence of resistant bacteria in the future.

J Infect Dis, 1976 Nov, 134 SUPPL, S262 - 70
In vitro susceptibility of clinically important bacteria to amikacin: correlation of results of broth dilution and disk sensitivity tests and effect of medium composition; Linzenmeier G et al.; Minimal inhibitory concentrations of amikacin for 296 strains of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria determined in Mueller-Hinton broth by the method recommended by the International Collaborative Study Group confirmed previous observations that amikacin is effective against current clinical isolates sensitive to gentamicin and that strains moderatly sensitive or resistant to gentamicin are often inhibited by clinically achievable concentrations . A simple linear regression analysis was used for comparison of zone sizes obtained with 10-mug disks of amikacin with minimal inhibitory concentrations obtained by the tube dilution technique . For 152 strains, including seven species of Enterobacteriaceae, the correleation coefficient (r) was -0.79 on Oxoid diagnostic senstivity test agar (which yields zone sizes similar to those obtained on Mueller-Hinton medium) and -0.78 on Oxoid isotonic sensitest agar (which contains cations in isotonic concentrations); the figures were -0.74 and -0.66, respectively, for 80 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Zone sizes for enteric gram-negative bacilli were on the average 2-3 mm smaller on isotonic sensitest agar than on diagnostic sensitivity test agar, and about 6 mm smaller for strains of P . aeruginosa and Providencia . Minimal inhibitory concentrations of amikacin can be estimated satisfactorily by extrapolation of results of agar diffusion tests, but the composition of the medium, particularly its calcium and magnesium content, should be defined precisely.

Poult Sci, 1976 Nov, 55(6), 2405 - 8
Swab and excised tissue sampling for total and Enterobacteriaceae counts of fresh and surface-frozen broiler skin; Cox NA et al.; Excised broiler skin tissue (12.3 cm 2 area) was (a) blended for various times up to 2 min . or (b) shaken 25, 50, or 75 times with or without sterile glass beads . Blending for 10 sec . or shaking 75 times with glass beads yielded the highest total plate count (TPC) and Enterobacteriaceae count (ENT) . Counts did not significantly differ between these methods when freshly processed, unfrozen broiler skin was sampled . However, blending yielded significantly higher TPC and ENT than the conventional sampling procedure or swabbing a 12.3 cm . 2 area of the intact skin for 30 sec . with a calcium alginate swab . When sampling hard chilled (surface frozen) broiler skin, there was no significant difference between shaking and blending for TPC, but shaking gave a significantly higher ENT with less variation than blending . Blending, however, yielded significantly higher TPC and ENT counts than swabbing.

Poult Sci, 1976 Nov, 55(6), 2147 - 54
Effect of dietary oxytetracycline on microorganisms in turkey feces; Baldwin BB et al.; Thirty-six two-day old male turkey poults were divided into three groups and fed three levels of oxytetracycline; 0, 110 or 440 mg . per kg . of ration, respectively, for nine weeks . The poults were given an oral spectinomycin plus vitamin treatment at the hatchery but were not fed before the start of the experiment . Defecated feces from each group were sampled at weekly intervals and analyzed for bacteriological content, especially for members of the Enterobacteriaceae . Total aerobic counts of 3 x 10(8) and total anaerobic counts of 2 x 10(9) were obtained . The majority of the Enterobacteriaceae were Escherichia coli but some Klebsiella sp., the Bethesda-Ballerup group of paracolon bacteria and Arizona sp . were also isolated . Antibiograms of the enteric isolates indicated that an increase in multiple antibiotic resistance occurred when increased amounts of antibiotic were fed.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1976 Nov, (11), 39 - 47
{Various debatable questions of epidemiology of intestinal infections . II . Interrrelationship between the intensity of enterobacteria accumulation in food and their pathogenic dose}; Zaritskii AM et al.; Experiments carried out by various methods demonstrated that the intensity of accumulation of various enterobacterial species in food and artificial nutrient medium was different: typhoid bacilli reproduced less intensively, reproduction of E . coli was the most intensive; as to other salmonellae and Sh . sonnei--they occupied an intermediate position . It is supposed that the rate of enterobacterial multiplication was an evolutionally justified sign of the species and was to a definite extent proportional to the pathogenic dose.

J Clin Microbiol, 1976 Nov, 4(5), 400 - 4
Clinical evaluation of the minitek differential system for identification of Enterobacteriaceae; Finklea PJ et al.; Forty-one stock organisms and 581 fresh clinical isolates were used in comparing the Minitek system to conventional tubed media to determine if this system is feasible and accurate for a high-volume clinical microbiology laboratory . In addition to comparison with tubed media, the following parameters were tested: (i) reproducibility of disks, (ii) the effect of variation in inoculum size, (iii) the effect of the age of culture, and (iv) the effect of predispensing disks . A total of 5,947 disks were compared with tube reactions; 95.9% agreed on the initial reading . After repeating questionable tube and disk reactions, this agreement rose to 98.2% . Using the disk reactions and the identification schema currently in use with tubed media, 94.9% of the Minitek final identifications agreed with those of tubed media; 1.5% gave differing identifications and 3.6% were inconclusive . This system is accurate, inexpensive, flexible, and convenient.

J Infect Dis, 1976 Nov, 134 SUPPL, S291 - 6
In vitro activity of amikacin and ten other aminoglycoside antibiotics against gentamicin-resistant bacterial strains; Reyonolds AV et al.; Sixty-nine strains of gentamicin-resistant gram-negative bacilli obtained from different geographical sources were tested for susceptibility to 11 aminoglycoside antibiotics . From the results of determinations of minimal inhibitory concentrations, patterns of resistance were established for 45 strains of Enterobacteriaceae and 24 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Overall, 81% of the strains were sensitive to amikacin and 33% of the strains were sensitive to butirosin, the next most active compound . Results indicated that 54% of the P . aeruginosa strains were sensitive to amikacin and 33% were sensitive to tobramycin . From resistance patterns, enzymes responsible for inactivation of the antibiotics were deduced . The most common enzyme was aminoglycoside nucleotidyltransferase(2''), either alone or combined with either aminoglycoside phosphotransferase(3')-I or aminoglycoside phosphotransferase(3')-II . Aminoglycoside acetyltransferase(2) was identified exclusively in strains of Providencia stuartii . Specific enzymes could not be identified for 30 strains, 21 of which were P . aeruginosa.

Med Klin, 1976 Oct 29, 71(44), 1898 - 902
{Lipid A antibody titers and O antibody titers in Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and acute enteritis (author's transl)}; Schussler P et al.; In 18 patients with Crohn's disease, 28 patients with ulcerative colitis, 24 patients with acute enteritis and in 68 healthy adults lipid A antibody titers were determined by the passive hemolysis test . In addition O antibody titers to polyvalent Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Proteus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa antigens were measured by indirect hemagglutination . The patients with Crohn's disease showed a statistically significant elevation of the lipid A antibody titers compared with each of the three other groups investigated . The O antibody titers for the four polyvalent antigens were higher in the patients with Crohn's disease than in the other groups . The results indicate that Enterobacteriaceae are involved in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease . Thus, long-term treatment with wide spectrum antibiotics seems to be justified . The determination of lipid A antibody titers may be useful in differentiating between Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis on diagnosis.

Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1976 Oct, 127B(3), 317 - 35
{Taxonomic study of enterobacteria belonging or related to the genus Enterobacter (author's transl)}; Gavini F et al.; The classification of 175 strains related to the genus Enterobacter has been carried out by numerical procedure, with usual biochemical and nutritional characters as shown by the utilization of substrates tested as sole sources of carbon and energy . The taxonomic position of the strains is discussed in relation to the species E . cloacae, E . hafniae, E . aerogenes, E . agglomerans and Serratia liquefaciens . By the system of data analysis used (hierarchical agregation method) five principal classes can be defined . The individualization of new classes closely bound to the diverse origins of the strains examined (human, soil, aquatic).

Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1976 Oct, 236(1), 36 - 47
{Taxonomic importance of fermentation balances of Enterobacteriaceae (author's transl)}; Seiler H et al.; Fermentation balances have been studied on 66 strains from 9 taxa of Enterobacteriaceae . In addition, 6 strains of Aeromonas have been investigated . Among these fermentation balances, 7 types could be distinguished . It was shown, that the taxa of Enterobacteriaceae differed with respect to the balance types involved . This is true especially for VP-positive taxa . For example, Hafnia, the Klebsiella-Enterobacter-Serratia group, Enterobacter cloacae and Erwinia are to some extend characterized by different balance types . The groups of Enterobacteriaceae with plain acid fermentation are apperently more homogenous with respect to fermentation balances . Balances are, however, not suited for classification, because no balance type turned out to be absolutely group specific . The fermentation balances of our strains of Aeromonas are closely related to the acid-type balances of Enterobacteriaceae . A numerical classification of the data showed, that this method is most potent in sorting multivariate data . A basic agreement of both techniques, the subjective and the numerical subdivision, was found . The first one, however, tends to overemphasize differences among the types . A comparison between the quantitative data of fermentation balances and the corresponding diagnostic tests (MR, VP, Gas) gives information on the reliabiity of the latter.

Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1976 Oct, 236(1), 105 - 12
Multiple drug resistance in Klebsiella-Enterobacter, Proteus mirabilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa--an analysis of all-nation computer-processed data; Grunt J et al.; This last communication on the results of an one-year computer follow-up of single, double, and multiple antibiotic resistance of so-called problem bacteria in Slovakia presents computerised data on double, and important triple, quadruple and quintuple resistance of Klebsiella-Enterobacter, P . mirabilis and Ps . aeruginosa strains . Bi- and multi-resistant strains absolutely prevail in Klebsiella (more than 60% of many thousands of strains tested), P . mirabilis (90%) and Ps . aeruginosa (95%) . Special strict surveillance should be imposed on these strains, namely on those coming from hospitals, and on their resistance developments concerning those few drugs which are fully (gentamicin and colistin, except for Proteus) or individually effective (streptomycin, carbenicillin, septrin, nalidixic acid) . Mutual co-selectivity of bi-resistance has been identified in Klebsiella-Aerobacter toward gentamycin-colistin . Although this does not take place in Ps . aeruginosa, it is similar to the development in E . coli, and to the one-way co-selection of combined oxacillin-lincomycin resistance in staphylococci in this country . Should this co-selective trend continue, even promoted by the spread of R plasmids, it may happen that the treatment of infections caused especially by these three (or four) species will be seriously jeopardized.

J Bacteriol, 1976 Oct, 128(1), 228 - 34
Interaction of Pseudomonas and Enterobacteriaceae plasmids in Aeromonas salmonicida; Olsen RH et al.; We observed that Aeromonas salmonicida ARO200 will maintain either or both the Pseudomonas R-factor, pMG1, and Enterobacteriaceae R-factors . This bacterial strain, therefore, provides a unique background wherein the host ranges of Pseudomonas and Enterobacteriaceae plasmods overlap . Co-maintenance of these plasmids resulted in behavior of plasmid aggregates that allowed transfer of R-dterminants beyond the host range of the parent plasmid . We observed that the ARO200 genetic background facilitated the redistribution of B determinants among unrelated and conjugally noninterfertile gram-negative bacteria . Aberrant behavior resulting in the deletion of R-determinants for plasmids singly maintained in ARO200 was also observed . Plasmids studied included RP1, R702, IncP; Rs-a, IncW; R192.7, IncFII; R64-11, IncI; R390, IncN; and R6K, IncX.

Jpn J Exp Med, 1976 Oct, 46(5), 269 - 72
Studies on the effect of phytagglutinins on some members of Enterobacteriaceae; Chatterjee PC et al.; Extracts of twenty seeds were tested against twenty six organisms belonging to Klebsiella, Proteus, Salmonella, Shigella and Cholera species . Extracts of eleven seeds showed agglutinating activity against twenty four various organism . S . typhi and Kl . aerogenes did not react against any lectin . On the basis of the results it was possible to differentiate various Shigella and Salmonella organisms by various seed extracts . Different isolates of cholera organisms of same serotype and phage type showed different reaction suggesting that probably these organisms possess different antigenic characters . Thus phytagglutinins may be of some help in the identification and subtyping of these organisms.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1976 Oct, (10), 44 - 9
{Changes of various factors of nonspecific humoral immunity in acute dysentery}; Ebert LIa et al.; The level of total Enterobacterial Enterotoxins of the blood serum, of beta-lysins, lysozyme activity, complement and normal antibodies were studied in 191 patients with acute Flexner dysentery and in 285 patients with acute Sonne dysentery, depending on the period of the disease, its severity, the treatment applied, and the species of the causative agent . The level of the nonspecific humoral immunity factors increased before the treatment and its normalization depended on the treatment applied.

Prakt Anaesth, 1976 Oct, 11(5), 327 - 33
{Control of cross infection in intensive care units}; Botzenhart K et al.; Quantitative determinations of antibiotic susceptibility established that infections occurring in intensive care units were predominantly exogenous cross infections . The most frequently isolated strains were: Klebsiella, Enterobacteriaceae, Serratia marcescens and Proteus mirabilis . The majority of the strains showed multiple resistance . Despite adequate antibiotic therapy a number of patients died of the infection . Many of the methods of disinfection were found to be inadequate, especially as regarded washbasins, face flannels, ultrasound inhalers, respirators and other apparatus . The fact that many of the isolated strains are capable of multiplying in water is not receiving sufficient attention.

J Hyg (Lond), 1976 Oct, 77(2), 205 - 10
Comparison of cotton swab versus algiante swab sampling method in the bacteriological examination of broiler chickens; Notermans S et al.; Comparison of bacterial counts of poultry carcass skin by the cotton swab and alginate swab methods showed no differences between the two sampling methods in total counts and Enterobacteriaceae counts . Also no differences were found in Salmonella isolations.

J Bacteriol, 1976 Oct, 128(1), 35 - 8
Escherichia coli ornithine carbamolytransferase isoenzymes: evolutionary significance and the isolation of lambdaargF and lambdaargI transducing bacteriophages; Legrain C et al.; Among the Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli K-12 is the only strain known to have two structural genes (argF and argI) for ornithine carbamoyltransferase . The two gene products interact to form a family of four functional isoenzymes, respectively designated FFF, FFI, FII, and III . The FFF and III isoenzymes exhibit nearly identical kinetic parameters in the conditions applied . FFF is more thermolabile than III; this allows the straightforward characterization of new transducing phages carrying either argF or argI . The bearing of the available information regarding ornithine carbamoyltransferase isoenzymes on the evolution of the ancestral E . coli chromosome is reconsidered.

J Infect Dis, 1976 Oct, 134(4), 328 - 35
Inter- and intralaboratory variability in antibiotic susceptibility tests with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacteriaceae; Barry AL et al.; A two-phase collaboratice study was designed for definition of the extent to which results of disk diffusion tests can be reproduced . Two currently recommended techniques, the Kirby-Bauer method and the agar overlay method, were used . Of special concern were tests of Pseudomonas aeruginosa with moderate susceptibility to carbenicillin; gentamicin, tobramycin, polymyxin B, and colistin were also tested with P . aeruginosa as well as with Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, and Proteus species . The agar overlay method tended to give zones that were somewhat smaller than those given by the Kirby-Bauer method . Both disk methods demonstrated an excellent degree of reproducibility, being at least as reproducible as the standard agar dilution technique for measurement of minimal inhibitory concentrations . Slight changes in carbenicillin disk potency affected the zones of inhibition around P . aeruginosa more than those around susceptible E . coli . This fact suggests that a standard strain of P . aeruginosa would be advantageous for quality control of carbenicillin disk tests.

Rev Ig Bacteriol Virusol Parazitol Epidemiol Pneumoftiziol Bacteriol Virusol Parazitol Epidemiol, 1976 Oct-Dec, 21(4), 233 - 9
{Distribution of capsular serotypes in Klebsieela strains of enteral origin}; Voicescu V; The significant proportion of microorganisms belonging to the Klebsiella genus among the causative agents isolated and subdifferentiation of the genus for epidemiological survey of infantile Klebsiella infections are dealt with in the present paper . The 28 Klebsiella strains isolated from cases of enteritis confirms the enteral tropism of these enterobacteria, especially among the infantile population . A proportion of 13.3% strains were identified in pure cultures obtained from feces and were considered as certainly enteropathogenic . The biochemical behaviour of the strains studied pointed to the ubiquity of the aerogenes biotype (76.9%) followed by the pneumoniae biotype (12.4%) and indol-positive Klebsiella strains (10.7%) . Of the total 308 Klebsiella strains typed serologically with 80 OK capsular sera, 284 (92.2%) were listed in 63 serotypes, 13 of which (K7, K35, K47, K9, 530, K16, K1, K11, K18, K20, K37, K80, K i.e . 47.5%) were frequently identified in acute infantile cases of enterocolitis syndrome . Most of these serotypes are also considered endemo-epidemic by authors . Worthy of note among the Klebsiella types isolated in pure cultures from cases of infantile enteritis, was the prevalence of the aerogenes biotype, with a higher incidence of K1, K2, K16, K26, K44 serotypes, and of the indol-positive strains, with serotypes K13, K16, K65, K80.

Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand {B}, 1976 Oct, 84B(5), 245 - 51
Rapid diagnosis of Enterobacteriaceae . I . Detection of bacterial glycosidases; Kilian M et al.; The paper describes a number of tests for the rapid detection of glycosidases including alpha-glucosidase, beta-glucosidase, beta-glucuronidase, beta-xylosidase and alpha-fucosidase . The methods use heavy suspensions of viable but non-multiplying bacteria in a buffered solution of a chromogenic substrate . The results of the tests are readable within 4 h . The application of these tests to a collection of 633 strains of Enterobacteriaceae and Vibrionaceae demonstrates that some of the tests may be valuable additions to the present tests available for the identification of bacteria belonging to these families . beta-glucuronidase activity was observed only in strains of the Escherichia-Shigella group . 97 per cent of the Escherichia strains possessed beta-glucuronidase activity . beta-xylosidase activity was almost completely restricted to strains of the Klebsiella-Enterobacter group in addition to Yersinia strains . None of the strains possessed alpha-fucosidase activity.

Scott Med J, 1976 Sep, 20(5), 248 - 54
Cephazolin treatment of pneumococcal pneumonia and urinary tract infections; Kilpatrick M et al.; Ten cases of pneumococcal pneumonia were treated with cephazolin 500 mg . q8h for at least 5 days . In every case therapy was accompanied by clinical improvement and eradication of the organism . Ten patients with E . coli bacteriuria (5 symptomatic) were treated with cephazolin 500 mg . q12h for 7 to 10 days . In every case the pathogen was eliminated during therapy but in one case bacteriologic relapse occurred following cessation of therapy . In 10 cases of bacteriuria caused by P . mirabilis, Klebsiella sp, Enterobacter, and Enterococcus, the urine became sterile during treatment, but relapse was common . Initial and final creatinine clearances obtained in 29 patients who received an average of 12.9 g . of cephazolin showed no tendency toward loss of renal function . Serial serum levels of cephazolin were determined following the first 500 mg . dose in 18 patients . The peak serum level occurred at one hour with a serum half life of approximately 2.2 hours . For 13 of these 18 patients serial serum levels were also obtained following the last dose of cephazolin . At this time the mean peak level occurred at 2 hours but again the serum half life was approximately 1.9 hours.

Quad Sclavo Diagn, 1976 Sep, 12(3), 278 - 87
{Salmonella strains recently widespread in Italy and its sensitivity to some common antibiotics (author's transl)}; Caroli G et al.; A study has been carried out in order to evaluate the sensitivity of a group of some 517 strains of salmonella identified by the Pathogenic Enterobacteria Centre of Central Italy in the biennium 1974-75 to various antibiotics and chemotherapeutic agents . As far as the average percentage of sensitivity to the drugs by the strains tested is concerned, the results obtained are indicative of a situation which may be optimistically looked upon as far as our regions are concerned . Some widely used drugs such as chloramphenicol, ampicillin, streptomycin and kanamycin showed a high percentage of activity in vitro towards Salmonellae with the exception of S . wien, whereas gentamicin, co-trimoxazole, nalidixic acid, furoxone and cephradine were more widely active, No substantial differences were found between strains normally present in our regions which are, at present, characterized by a stationary epidemiological situation (S . typhi, S . paratyphi B, S . enteritidis, S . typhi-murium) and sertypes which, having been present in Italy for a long time, appear today to have an increasing diffusion (S . infantis, S . newport, S blockley and S . thompson) . As for the Salmonellae of recent appearance and diffusion in Italy (S . panama, S . agona, S . wien) a more resistant pattern of behaviour to various drugs was found; this was particularly remarkable for S . wien which is the last in order of appearance in our population . Finally, the probable reasons for this difference in behaviour are discussed in view of our present knowledge on drug-resistance and on the role played by antibiotics as selective agents at an environmental level.

Eur J Intensive Care Med, 1976 Sep, 2(2), 89 - 96
The use of tombramycin in the management of severe infections . Clinical and pharmacological data; Baron D et al.; Tobramycin was used in the treatment of 35 severe infections . Its clinical effectiveness was confirmed in broncho-pulmonary infections without septicemia and in septicemia without lung involvement . Poor results were obtained in septicemia where the initial site 9 infection was in the lungs . This antibiotic appeared as a very good antistaphylococcal agent . In vitro superiority over gentamicin against Pseudomonas was not be confirmed clinically . Tobramycin deserves to be administered initially in serious infections because of the possibility that the causative organism might be a gentamicin-resistant, tobramycin susceptible strain . Three such cases were observed in our 35 patients . This susceptibility dissociation in favor of tobramycin was demonstrated in two strains of Klebsiella and one strain of Enterobacter . A dosage regimen in patients with impaired renal function is proposed . It requires confirmation.

Infect Immun, 1976 Sep, 14(3), 694 - 702
Reaginic antibody production to protein antigens of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa by mice; Danneman PJ et al.; Water-soluble antigens isolated from acetone-dried, gram-negative bacteria elicited reaginic antibody formation in mice . Antibodies specific for Escherichia coli antigens reacted with antigens isolated from several enterobacterial species tested, but not with antigens isolated from Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Reaginic antibodies induced by antigens isolated from a P . aeruginosa strain reacted with antigens isolated from several P.aeruginosa serotypes as well as with a purified protein component of the envelope of P . aeruginosa . The anti-Pseudomonas reagins did not cross-react with enterobacterial antigens . Antigenicity of the bacterial extracts was destroyed by trypsin treatment and reduced by heating, which suggested that the antigens were protein in nature . Whole bacterial cells adsorbed out reaginic antibodies, indicating that the antigens are located at or near the surface of the bacteria.

J Bacteriol, 1976 Sep, 127(3), 1278 - 85
Recombination between plasmids of incompatibility groups P-1 and P-2; Jacoby GA et al.; R plasmids of incompatibility group P-2 are readily transmissible between Pseudomonas strains, but not to Escherichia coli or other enterobacteria, whereas those of group P-1 have a broad host range . Pseudomonas aeruginosa donor strains carrying both a P-1 plasmid (RP1, RP4, or R751) and a P-2 plasmid (pMG1, pMG2, pMG5, or RPL11) were mated with E . coli K-12, and selection was imposed for resistance markers on the P-2 plasmids . Transconjugants were obtained at a low frequency, in which P-2 markers were expressed and were serially transmissible in E . coli together with P-1 markers . These plasmids had P-1 incompatibility properties, conferred susceptibility to phages active on P-1 carrying strains, and behaved on sucrose gradient centrifugation as unimolecular species of higher molecular weights than the P-1 parent . Recombinant plasmid formation was independent of a functional Rec gene in both donor and recipient and, with R751, had a preferred site leading to loss of trimethoprim resistance . Interaction between insertion sequences may be involved . Thus, plasmids of group P-2 can recombine with R factors of another group quite separate in compatibility properties, host range, and pilus type . Formation of such recombinants provides one pathway by which the genetic diversity of plasmids may have evolved.

Ann Sclavo, 1976 Sep-Oct, 18(5), 779 - 90
{Use of microsystems for the identification of Enterbacteria in the microbiological laboratory: comments on technics and identification procedures}; Ottaviani F et al.; The Authors have pointed out the characteristics of 3 miniaturized systems for the enterobacteria identification: Enterotube, API 20 E, Minitek . They particularly described the accuracy in biochemical reactions and the agreement between the mini-systems identifications and conventional (routine media) identifications (and reactions); all the identification errors made with micro-systems are reported and explaned . Nine atypical strains, which give some identification problems, are reported with all the biochemical profils . The more typical characteristics of the 3 miniaturized systems are summarized in a table.

Z Immunitatsforsch Immunobiol, 1976 Sep, 152(1), 15 - 26
Anatomical locus of the common enterobacterial antigen; Johnson EJ et al.; Cell walls, membrane vesicles and the soluble cytoplasmic components have been isolated from Escherichia coli 0:14 and Salmonella typhimurium and examined by electron microscopy as well as hemagglutination inhibition with heterologous antisera for enterobacterial common antigen (ECA) . The outer and cytoplasmic membranes also were isolated and examined for common antigen . Although common antigen was present in the isolated surface structures it was not localized exclusively in these fractions . Additional experiments revealed that, whatever the nature of the integration of ECA of Kunin into the cell envelope, it is a much more stable association in E . coli 0:14 than in S . typhimurium.

J Bacteriol, 1976 Sep, 127(3), 1141 - 9
Enterobacterial common antigen in rfb deletion mutants of Salmonella typhimurium; Makela PH et al.; The his-rfb deletion series of Salmonella typhimurium mutants characterized previously by Nikaido et al . was examined for the presence of the enterobacterial common antigen (ECA) . All deletions not extending further to the left than the genes for cytidine phosphoabequose synthesis were ECA positive, whereas longer deletions (extending to the genes for thymidine diphosphorhamnose synthesis or further) were ECA negative . When these long-his-rfb deletion strains were studied further, it became clear that they (four out of four studied) had accumulated a second mutation, called rff, close to ilv, which prevented the synthesis of ECA . When rff- was replaced by rff+, the recombinants, now having the his-rfb deletion only, produced traces of ECA, showed reduced viability, increased sensitivity to sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and to a lesser extent, to other anionic detergents, and accumulated secondary "suppressor" mutations upon storage . Such suppressor-containing mutants could be isolated by selecting for resistance to 1% SDS . Thirty of 46 SDS-resistant mutants studied had a second mutation, which alone prevented the synthesis of ECA, close to ilv . This ilv-linked mutation was similar to the rff mutation of the strains studied originally . The new rff mutation was similar to previously described rfe mutations in its close linkage to ilv and association with an ECA-negative phenotype . It differed from rfe, however, by not affecting the synthesis of the O antigens (O-6,7) of group C1 . In Salmonella group C1, all ECA genes identified thus far are linked to ilv (rfe and/or rff) and none is linked to rfb.

J Infect Dis, 1976 Sep, 134(3), 281 - 5
Bacterial interference by oropharynegeal and clinical isolates of anaerobic bacteria; Murray PR et al.; Anaerobic isolates were tested for bacterial inhibitory activity . Of 144 isolates, 102 were from oropharynegeal washings, and 42 were from clinical specimens . Thirteen facultative bacterial species (seven members of the Enterobacteriaceae and six species of gram-positive cocci) were used as indicators of inhibition . Eleven anaerobic species were isolated from oral secretions . All isolates of Bacteroides melaninogenicus, the most commonly recovered species, consistently inhibited several species of indicator bacteria . Bacteroides fragilis, Bacteroides oralis, and Peptostreptococcus anaerobius had unprecictable inhibitory activity, whereas most of the other oral anaerobes were noninhibitory . The 42 clinical species were generally noninhibitory.

Br Med J, 1976 Aug 28, 2(6034), 498 - 9
Co-trimoxazole in prevention of bacteriuria after prostatectomy; Hills NH et al.; In a prospective, double-blind trial prophylactic cotrimoxazole produced a highly significant reduction in the incidence of bacteriuria after prostatectomy . Only two out of 38 patients who received the drug developed bacteriuria compared with 19 out of 36 patients on placebo . Klebsiella-Enterobacter spp and coagulase-negative staphylococci were responsible for most infections . Although co-trimoxazole prophylaxis is obviously effective, widespread use might increase the incidence of bacterial resistance.

Dtsch Med Wochenschr, 1976 Aug 27, 101(35), 1277 - 84
{Sisomicin versus gentamicin . A comparison of antibacterial and pharmacokinetic properties (author's transl)}; Naumann P et al.; In a comparison of the antibacterial in-vitro activity of sisomicin, gentamicin, and tobramycine, sisomicin showed a higher activity against E . coli, indole-positive Proteus spp . and organisms of the Klebsiella-Enterobacter-Serratia group, whereas tobramycine was superior against Pseudomonas spp . However, the differences in activity between sisomicin and gentamicin were only within one step of dilution which is hardly sufficient to guarantee a basic superiority of one or the other preparation for clinical purposes . In 12 healthy probands serum levels and renal elimination of sisomicin and gentamicin after a single intramuscular injection of 1 mg/kg body weight were investigated in a randomised change-over trial . With corresponding serum levels, almost identical elimination half-lives of 109 and 111 minutes, and recovery values of 84 and 88.4%, respectively, there were no significant differences in the pharmacokinetics of sisomicin and gentamicin . Thus in the antibacterial treatment of gentamicin-sensitive gram-negative organisms sisomicin presents an equally good alternative . With organisms only moderately sensitive or resistant to gentamicin, sisomicin, tobramycine and amikacin should be additionally tested.

J Hyg (Lond), 1976 Aug, 77(1), 23 - 30
Nalidixic acid as a selective agent for the isolation of enterobacteria from river water; Hughes C; Enterobacteria are more resistant to nalidixic acid than the majority of other Gram-negative organisms isolated from river water, so allowing their selection on MacConkey agar containing nalidixic aicd . Selection is further improved by anaerobic incubation which, with nalidixic acid, virtually eliminates oxidase-postivie strains such as Pseudomonas or Aeromonas.

J Clin Microbiol, 1976 Aug, 4(2), 160 - 4
MORLUC numeric system for the identification of Enterobacteriaceae; Amsterdam D et al.; Foul hundred eighty-six members of the Enterobacteriaceae representing nine genera were identified by conventional methods, and the results were compared with MORLUC (Biotrol Company Inc., Jamaica, N.Y.) . MORLUC, an acronym for melibiose, ONPG (o-nitrophenyl-beta-galactopyranoside), rhamnose, lysine decarboxylase, urease, and citrate, are six prepackaged reagent-impregnated paper loops which are sealed within a plastic packet . The hydrogen sulfide reaction obtained from a triple sugar iron slant is coupled with MORLUC results and is readily converted into a three-digit numerical code, which is referenced on a preprinted single page listing . Additionally, the triple sugar iron is used to confirm the glucose fermentation by an unknown isolate . Comparisons of individual MORLUC tests and standard methods results in a better than 92% agreement, except for unrease . Four hundred sixty-six of the 486 bacterial isolates, or 96% of the strains which were numerically identified by MORLUC, agreed with conventional diagnoses.

Am J Med Technol, 1976 Aug, 42(8), 267 - 76
Enterobacteriaceae identification compared by MORLOC (a new system) and API 20E; Branson D; Identifications of 201 Enterobacteriaceae isolates were compared by MORLOC (a new system) and the API 20E system . Identifications agreed for 192 isolates (95.5 per cent) . Of the nine discrepancies, MORLOC was correct for four, API for three; neither for one; and for one, MORLOC agreed with the reference laboratory but apparently all three systems were incorrect . The MORLOC system requires an extra day for a TSI but is smaller and simpler and can be recommended as easier to use, more reproducible, less expensive, and, in this study, more accurate than the API 20E.

Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1976 Aug, 235(4), 459 - 75
Susceptibility of clinically important gram-negative bacilli to 15 antibiotics . Comparison of patterns in Poland and Federal Republic of Germany; Jeljaszewicz J et al.; Three hundred and sixty strains of Gram-negative bacilli (Escherichia coli, Salmonella enteritidis, Enterobacter cloacae, Providencia, indole-positive and indole-negative Proteus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Serratia marcescens), were isolated by random in Poland and Germany, and tested by agar dilution method for susceptibility to 15 antimicrobial agents, including six cephalosporin derivatives, colistin, gentamycin and tobramycin, three newer tetracyclines, ampicillin and carbenicillin, and a combination of trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole . This investigation revealed existence of growing antibiotic-resistance of Gram-negative bacilli to all antimicrobial agents . A detailed analysis of this problem is described and a list of agents effective in vitro is presented . Some evidence has been found concerning possible existence of geographical differences in antibiotic-susceptibility patterns of strains of Gram-negative bacilli, isolated in Poland and Federal Republic of Germany.

J Infect Dis, 1976 Aug, 134 Suppl, S75 - 96
Susceptibility of "enterobacteria" to penicillins, cephalosporins, lincomycins, erythromycin, and rifampin; Finland M et al.; Agar dilution tests for susceptibility of gram-negative rods and enterococci were done with a number of penicillins, cephalosporins, lincomycin analogues, erythromycin, and rifampin . Many in the first three categories were investigational drugs . All were generally less active than aminoglycoside and tetracycline antibiotics against gram-negative rods and more active against enterococci . Cephalosporins as a group were more active than penicillins against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli and less active enterococci . Both groups were equally active against Enterobacter, Proteus, and Providencia but inactive against most strains of Serratia and all strains of Pseudomonas; however, ticarcillin, carbenicillin, and BL-1654 were active against most strains of Pseudomonas . Penicillins and cephalosporins were more active against Proteus mirabilis than against indole-positive Proteus . Lincomycins had little or no activity against gram-negative rods but were moderately active against enterococci . Erythromycin was more active than the lincomycins, but rifampin was much more active than either of these types of drug . Of the penicillins, ticarcillin, carbenicillin, and BL-P1654 were the most active against gram-negative rods, whereas BL-P1654, amoxicillin, and ampicillin were the most active against enterococci . The penicillinase-resistant penicillins, cyclacillin, and penicillin V were essentially inactive against gram-negative rods . Of the cephalosporins tested, cephanone and cefamandole were the most active against most gram-negative rods, whereas cephaloridine and cephacetrile were the most active against enterococci . The least active of the cephalosporins against most species were cephradine, cephalexin, and cephapirin, but cefoxitin was the least active against enterococci.

J Infect Dis, 1976 Aug, 134 Suppl, S153 - 5
Bacteriological, clinical, and pharmacological investigations with tobramycin in patients with serious urinary tract infection; Ivan E et al.; In studies of tobramycin an excellent effect was noted against many strains of bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae and of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus derived from clinical sources . When the susceptibility of the strains to tobramycin was compared with susceptibility to other aminoglycoside antibiotics, tobramycin was clearly the most effective antibiotic of this group . Therapy of chronic urinary tract infection with tobramycin resulted in good clinical effects with no (or only slight) adverse reactions . When the parameters of recovery in patients treated with tobramycin were compared with those in other patients who had the same diseases but were treated with gentamicin, tobramycin yielded clinical results that were as good as (and occasionally better than) those produced by gentamicin . Studies of the pharmacokinetics of tobramycin showed a high rate of absorption from the muscles, a high rate of renal excretion, and effective therapeutic concentrations (higher than the minimal inhibitory concentration for the infecting strains) in renal tissue homogenates.

J Clin Microbiol, 1976 Aug, 4(2), 165 - 7
Unclassified, citrate-positive member of the family Enterobacteriaceae resembling Escherichia coli; Washington JA II et al.; Three isolates of an unclassified, oxidase-negative and citrate-positive, gram-negative bacillus belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae were studied . With the exception of the citrate reactions, these strains most closely resembled Escherichia coli in their biochemical reactivity.

J Clin Microbiol, 1976 Aug, 2(2), 139 - 41
Clinical laboratory evaluation of the further improved Enterotube and Encise II; Isenberg HD et al.; The most recent improvements in the Enterotube coupled with Encise II permitted identification of routinely and abnormally reacting members of the family Enterobacteriaceae.

J Infect Dis, 1976 Aug, 134 Suppl, S57 - 74
Susceptibility of "enterobacteria" to aminoglycoside antibiotics: comparisons with tetracyclines, polymyxins, chloramphenicol, and spectinomycin; Finland M et al.; Strains of enterobacteria, including common, aerobic, pathogenic gram-negative bacilli, and enterococci were tested for susceptibility to 11 aminoglycoside antibiotics by a twofold agar-dilution method with an inocula replicator . For comparison, similar tests were done with seven tetracycline analogues, two polymyxins, chloramphenicol, and spectinomycin . Tobramycin compared favorably with the more active aminoglycosides, with some exceptions related to individual strains of species . The tetracyclines and chloramphenicol were generally less active than the more active aminoglycosides . The polymyxins were as active or more active against most species of gram-negative rods but were essentially inactive against Proteus, Providencia, and many strains of Enterobacter.

J Bacteriol, 1976 Aug, 127(2), 755 - 62
Presence of rfe genes in Escherichia coli: their participation in biosynthesis of O antigen and enterobacterial common antigen; Schmidt G et al.; In Salmonella, ilv-linked rfe genes participate in the biosynthesis of the enterobacterial common antigen (CA) as well as of certain types of O antigen (serogroups C1 and L) . rff genes, probably in the same cluster with rfe, are required for CA synthesis (P.H . Makela et al., in preparation) . Several Escherichia coli strains were studied to determine whether they also have rfe-rff genes that are involved in the synthesis of O antigen and CA, or of CA only . In a first approach, E, coli K-12 F-prime factors carrying the genes ilv and argH or argE and presumably rfe-rff genes were introduced into CA-negative Salmonella mutants that are blocked in CA synthesis because of mutated rfe or rff genes . All resulting ilv+ hybrids were CA positive . In recipients with group C1-derived rfb genes, the synthesis of O6,7-specific antigen was also restored . This result shows that E . coli K-12 has rfe and rff genes providing the functions required in the synthesis of CA and Salmonella 6,7-specific polysaccharide . By introduction of defective rfe regions from suitable Salmonella donors into E . coli O8, 09, and O100 strains, the synthesis of CA as well as of the O-specific polysaccharides was blocked . This indicates that in the E . coli strains tested the rfe genes are involved in the synthesis of both O antigen and CA . This suggestion was confirmed by the finding of E . coli rough mutants that had simultaneously become CA negative . In transduction experiments it could be shown that the appearance of the rough and CA- phenotype was due to a defect in the ilv-linked rfe region.

Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1976 Jul, 127(1), 83 - 90
{Effect of aflatoxin B1, of some of its metabolites and of culture extracts from "Aspergillus parasiticus" on virulent bacteriophages (author's transl)}; de la Baume SR; Aflatoxin B1 has different effects on bacteriophages: it inhibits some virulent strains and induces lysogenic bacteria . In this experiments we have used several classes of phages of enterobacteria, streptococci, staphylococci and Bacillus . We have tested different substances: cristallized aflatoxin B1, metabolites of the same mycotoxin and culture extracts from a toxinogenic strain of Aspergillus parasiticus . The inhibitory effects observed are different for each strain, and for a given phage the substances do not show the same action.

G Batteriol Virol Immunol, 1976 Jul-Dec, 69(7-12), 234 - 43
Inhibition of ADP-induced platelet aggregation as a possible test for evaluation of the enterotoxigenicity of some enterobacteria . Preliminary study}; Fumarola D et al.; Some culture filtrates or enterotoxin preparations from enterobacteria that activate the adenylate cyclase system (vibrio cholerae, LT fraction from escherichia coli and klebsiella pneumoniae, shigella dysenteriae type 1) exibit an inhibiting effect on ADP-induced platelet aggregation, while other enterotoxin preparations not effective on adenylate cyclase system, don't interfere with this model . The A . propose the platelet aggregation as cellular assay to detect enterotoxin fractions effective upon adenylate cyclase system.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1976 Jul, (7), 65 - 7
{Immunoreactivity to the products of normal microflora . I . Observations on stability of the level of normal human antibodies to common antigens of enterobacteria}; Maianskii AN et al.; A four-fold (in the course of one year) examination of the blood sera was carried out in 81 children aged under 11 years with the aid of the indirect hemagglutination reaction permitting to record 7S-antibodies to common intracellular protein antigens of enterobacteria . In 64 cases (79%) the antibody titres remained constant for one year . Variations in the titres were seen in 17 cases and were not over two (14.8%) or four-fold (6.2%) serum dilutions . Results of observations pointed to marked stability of the individual levels of immunoreactivity to the antigenic products of normal automicroflora constantly present in the organism.

J Urol, 1976 Jul, 116(1), 72 - 3
Studies of introital colonization in women with recurrent urinary infection . VI . Analysis of segmented leukocytes on the vaginal vestibule in relation to enterobacterial colonization; Stamey TA et al.; Segmented leukocytes on the vaginal vestibule were quantitated in 93 specimens from 27 women with recurrent bacteriuria (1.03 times 10(5) plus or minus 4.9 times 10(5) cells per ml.) and compared to 251 specimens from 26 control women who had never had bacteriuria (8.0 times 10(4) plus or minus 1.7 times 10(5)) . There was no significant difference (p more than 0.6) . Leukocyte counts accompanying colonization with more than 100 Enterobacteriaceae per ml . (6.4 times 10(4) plus or minus 1.0 times 10(5) cells per ml) . were no different from those unaccompanied by Enterobacteriaceae (8.7 times 10(4) plus or minus 3.3 times 10(5) cells per ml., p more than 0.9) . No distinctive pattern was observed in excretion of vaginal leukocytes during the menstrual cycles of 21 premenopausal, control volunteers.

Pathology, 1976 Jul, 8(3), 195 - 9
Gentamicin and tobramycin--an in vitro comparison using 1400 clinical isolates; Forgan-Smith WR et al.; The in vitro antimicrobial activities of tobramycin and gentamicin against 1400 bacterial isolates from clinical material were compared . The minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined by an agar dilution technique . Both of these aminoglycoside antibiotics had a similar spectrum of activity, being highly active against most species of aerobic Gram-negative bacilli and Staphylococcus aureus . Gentamicin was more active than tobramycin against most species of enterobacteria but tobramycin was more active against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and a proportion of Klebsiella isolates . For most isolates, the differences in activity between gentamicin and tobramycin were small.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1976 Jul, (7), 60 - 5
{Properties of O-antigens of enterobacteria and construction of preparations for serological diagnosis of enteric infections by passive hemagglutination}; Karal'nik BV et al.; Quantitative assessment of the main properties of the O-antigens of enterobacteria of significance in the reactions based on passive hemagglutination revealed the character of inter-relations between the antibody-binding, hemosensitive and specific agglutinating activity in various O-antigen preparations, and to lay foundation under the most effective method for obtaining the preparations with set properties for various preparations and reactions.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1976 Jul, (7), 29 - 33
{Mathematical express interpretation of the results of biochemical typing for identification of representatives of Enterobacteriaceae}; Finn VG et al.; With the aid of Ypapi-14A computer the authors studied the sets of biochemical tests to assess the differential significance of each of the tests in identification of representative of the Enterobactericeae family . The sequence of the tests under study in the order of interpriorty by the differential significance was determined . The test sets providing the best identification variants were demonstrated . Complete identification of enterobacteriae was possible in all the cases with the use of 6 to 9 tests.

Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig B}, 1976 Jul, 162(3-4), 288 - 306
{Assaying the Enterobacteriaceae contents of fishmeal as criterion for absence of Salmonellae (author's transl)}; Reusse U et al.; 1 . During comparison of different test systems for examination on salmonellae the routine method revealed only 2 of 35 fishmeal consignments as positive . In second streaks after 48 hours on selective media 5 more consignments were discovered to contain samonellae . Using pre-enrichment culture gave evidence for 11 positive consignments altogether . 2 . The pre-enrichment method led to about 20 times higher yields in isolating enterobacteriaceae than the usual enrichment method . 3 . Neither salmonellae nor enterobacteriaceae statistically showed uniform distribution in fishmeal . In addition, with the aid of the variance test of homogenity, an extremely heterogeneous ratio of the both germ types to each other was proved . Consequently, assaying the enterobacteriaceae contents is not suitable to draw any reliable conclusions upon the salmonellae contents of fishmeal . 4 . Assuming a constant contamination rate of 400.000 salmonella units in consignments of 100 tons and testing them by the required 47 random samples, it can be deduced from probability calculus that only about 1 per cent of a larger number of consignments will fail to be recognized as positive . This risk of acceptance increases progressively with diminishing rate of salmonella contamination . Thus about 80 per cent of consignments containing even as much as 20.000 salmonella units will be accepted as "false negatives" . 5 . Because of the usually low contamination rates of fishmeal it is an erroneous idea to increase the efficiency of assay by modifying the sample sizes in relation to the shipping weight . For this reason the orders for fishmeal examination in the Federal Republic of Germany should be revised . It is suggested to take at least the number of samples required hitherto for consignments of 100 tons . By this without doubt the risk of accepting "false negatives" can be reduced significantly, but it remains still impossible to recognite every contaminated fishmeal consignment and to stop its acceptance by bacteriological examination . 6 . From practical examinations and theoretical considerations it is derivable that one has either to tolerate a low degree of salmonella contamination which hygienically may be without any importance or to treat every imported fishmeal by irradiation or heat pelleting.

Am J Clin Pathol, 1976 Jul, 66(1), 101 - 10
Clinical and laboratory aspects of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis infections, with a report of two cases; Paff JR et al.; Yersinia pseudotuberculosis infections in two bacteriologically confirmed cases are described . A child was found to have mesenteric adenitis and an adult had septicemia . Invariably simulating acute appendicitis, mesenteric adenitis most often occurs in male children and adolescents . Septicemia with this organism usually affects elderly, debilitated patients, who frequently have chronic hepatic disease . The infrequent diagnosis of infection with Yersinia pseudotuberculosis in the United States is probably due to failure to consider it a human pathogen . Currently classified with the Enterobacteriaceae, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis in a non-lactose-fermenting, Gram-negative coccobacillus . It is sensitive to a wide range of antibiotics, including tetracycline and streptomycin, but usually is resistant to ampicillin . Yersinia pseudotuberculosis has a worldwide distribution in wild and domestic mammals and birds . Infections in man may result from direct contact with infected animals or their excreta.

Health Lab Sci, 1976 Jul, 13(3), 218 - 22
Shigella flexneri 6 biotypes: a review; Brenner DJ; Except in gas production, S . flexneri 6 is generally similar to other S . flexneri . S . flexneri 6 contains both aerogenic and anaerogenic strains which are identical serologically . It is not surprising that S . flexneri 6 is not separable from other S . flexneri types on the basis of DNA relatedness (overall genetic makeup) (4) . The Manchester biotype is seen in the United States, and is easily separable from other Enterobacteriaceae by biochemical tests . One can no longer assume a priori that any given biochemical reaction rules an organism out of Shigella . This is particularly true for the production of gas from glucose, but also applies to the fermentation of lactose and the production of H2S . Clinical laboratory personnel should be alert to these possibilities.

S Afr Med J, 1976 Jun 19, 50(26), 994 - 6
The Enterobacteriaceae of South African baboons; Steyn DG et al.; The results of routine rectal swab examinations, carried out on 776 baboons on the day of arrival at the colony and also on 394 animals which subsequently developed diarrhoea, are described . A dramatic increase was observed in the incidence of both pathogenic and non-pathogenic organisms during the diarrhoeic phase . The significance of bacterial species which are not pathogenic under normal circumstances as the possible cause of disease in animals subjected to stress is discussed.

Arch Intern Med, 1976 Jun, 136(6), 667 - 9
Endoscopy - related bacteremia . Incidence of positive blood cultures after endoscopy of upper gastrointestinal tract; Mellow MH et al.; A prospective study was undertaken to determine the frequency of bacteremia after endoscopy of the upper gastrointestinal tract . Three of 100 patients (3%) demonstrated positive blood cultures after the endoscopic procedure . Bacteriologic surveys disclosed that routine cleansing procedures of the endoscopy room and the endoscope itself frequently failed to achieve optimal sterile conditions . Particularly noteworthy was the growth of Enterobacter liquefaciens and Candida albicans on one occasion from the endoscope tip . We conclude that, although the incidence of postendoscopy positive blood cultures is low, a more vigorous approach to using clean equipment in clean surroundings is needed when dealing with a potentially susceptible host.

Tijdschr Diergeneeskd, 1976 Jun 1, 101(11), 587 - 93
{A study on the bacteriological aspect of fresh beef . I . Effect of the slaughter of cattle (author's transl)}; Mulder SJ et al.; In slaughter-houses in the Netherlands the bacteriological contamination of beef-carcases was determined immediately after slaughter . The highest aerobic bacterial count as well as the largest numbers of Enterobacteriaceae were found to be present on the carcases at those sites at which the skin or meat had been cut . It is likely that bacteria are carried from the skin to the meat during cutting . Differences in bacteriological contamination of carcases are attributed to the difference in transmission from the skin . Mechanization of the dressing-line did not have any perceptible effect on the degree of contamination.

Urol Clin North Am, 1976 Jun, 3(2), 333 - 51
Gram-hegative bacillemia; McHenry MC et al.; Members of the Klebsiella-Enterobacter-Serratia group now appear to be the most common cuase of gram-negative bacillemia, followed in order of frequency by E . coli, Bacteroides, polymicrobic infection, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and miscellaneous pathogens . However, E coli continues to be the organism most frequently responsilbe for bacteremia arising from the urinary tract . Although the urinary tract remains the most common portal of entry for gram-negative bacillemia, a wide variety of extraurinary lesions have assumed increased importance in the pathogenesis of this condition . There is marked variability in the clinical course and outcome of gram-negative bacillemia . Grade of underlying disease and grade of illness cuased by infection are major determinants of fatal outcome . When the patient with gram-negative bacillemia has severe illness due to infection, prompt and decisive action is necessary to prevent death . Antimicrobiol drugs are administered on the basis of a presumptive etiologic diagnosis after appropriate smears and cultures are obtained, but before the causal organism is definitively identified or its in vitro susceptibility is determined . The presumptive etiologic diagnosis is based upon knowledge of the anatomic location of the infection, the circujstances involved in its development, and certain clinical clues . Knowledge of the antimicrobial drugs most likely to be effective against the suspected pathogen(s) will provide a rational basis for selection of antimicrobial agents until the results of definitive microbiologic studies are available . Using this approach, the mortality of gram-negative bacillemia arising from the urinary tract has been reduced markedly from the mortality reported in earlier years.

Jpn J Antibiot, 1976 Jun, 29(6), 597 - 600
{Studies on synergistic effect of sulbenicillin and dibekacin against gram-negative bacilli (author's transl)}; Tomioka S et al.; In vitro synergism of sulbenicillin and dibekacin was investigated with 19 strains of E . coli, 20 strains of Enterobacter and 20 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa on agar plates . As the results, sulbenicillin and dibekacin were found to be synergistically bacteriostatic against all these organisms, though the synergistic effects were somewhat less potent against E . coli . The concentrations of dibekacin required for assuming a clear synergism were 0.78 approximately 1.56 mug/ml.

Infect Immun, 1976 Jun, 13(6), 1601 - 5
Effect of enterobacterial common antigen on mouse virulence of Salmonella typhimurium; Valtonen MV et al.; A series of nearly isogenic O4-12, and O-6,7 Salmonella typhimurium strains differing in regard to the enterobacterial common antigen (ECA) were constructed by conjugation . When tested in intraperitoneal infection of mice, the O-4,12 strains containing ECA were more virulent than their O-4,12 sister recombinants without ECA (P = less than 0.001) . The same difference could be shown with ECA-positive and ECA-negative S . typhimurium derivatives, whose O antigens were of the group C type (O-6,7) . The ECA-positive and ECA-negative O-4,12 strains did not differ in their growth rates in broth or clearance rates in vivo.

Nord Vet Med, 1976 Jun, 28(6), 316 - 21
{An evaluation of the PATHOTEC system for identification of Enterobacteriaceae (author's tranls)}; Gregersen T et al.; One hundred species of Enterobacteriaceae were examined according to the PathoTec Rapid I-D system, and the results were compared to the results obtained by conventional bacteriological methods . The results of the examinations are given in Tables II, III, and IV . It is concluded that 97% agreement between the results of biochemical reactions is excellent, whereas 81% agreement between the diagnoses is not quite satisfactory; but it can be improved to 90% fairly easily, which would be a satisfactory result.

Eur J Biochem, 1976 Jun 1, 65(2), 517 - 20
Existence, localization and regulation of the biosynthesis of aminoendopeptidase in gram-negative bacteria; Murgier M et al.; An enzyme capable of hydrolyzing the substrate L-alanine p-nitroanilide has been found in 18 gram-negative Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas that we tested . This enzyme might be located near the cell surface . Contrastingly we have not detected this activity on colonies of the 8 gram-positive Bacillus that we tested, which suggest a taxonomic value for this test . The aminoendopeptidases found in the various gram-negative bacteria showed similar electrophoretic mobilities and immunological cross-reactivity when tested again Escherichia coli anti-aminoendopeptidase antiserum . The regulation of aminoendopeptidase biosynthesis by the endogenous level of inorganic phosphate that we previously demonstrated in E . coli has been found to exist in all gram-negative organisms tested.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1976 Jun, 31(6), 931 - 5
Effect of antimicrobial soap containing chlorhexidine on the microbial flora of skin; Aly R et al.; The qualitative and semiquantitative changes in the aerobic microbial flora of normal skin with the prolonged use of a chlorhexidine scrub (6 months) were investigated . More samples in the chlorhexidine scrub group had gram-negative bacilli in their axilla (63 of 96, 66%) and groin (36 of 96, 38%) than the controls (32 of 66, 49%, for axilla and 7 of 66, 11%, for groin; P = 0.01) . Klebsiella and Enterobacter were the predominant organisms in the control and chlorhexidine groups, respectively . The chlorhexidine scrub produced a reduction in the total aerobic counts in the axilla, groin, and between the toes and the fingers . Fewer samples from the chlorhexidine-treated areas revealed the presence of lipophilic diphtheroids than did the controls . Lipophilic diphteroids were also reduced quantitatively in the groin and axilla with chlorhexidine treatment . No consistent pattern for the other major groups of bacteria was noted between the treatments.

Biochim Biophys Acta, 1976 May 19, 432(3), 369 - 80
Peptides isolated from Enterobacter nuclease as potential polyamine binding sites; Frank JJ et al.; The Enterobacter nuclease, which cleaves RNA between the 3'-phosphate group of cytidylic acid and the 5'-hydroxyl group of adenylic acid, has been shown to be affected by the polyamines, spermidine, spermine and putrescine . These substances enhance the hydrolytic activity of the enzyme against both poly(C) and yeast RNA . Sperimidine and spermine also reverse the inhibition of the enzyme by the ordered polynucleotides, apparently by removing them from the surface of the enzyme . Treatment of poly(G)-bound peptides (obtained from tryptic digests of poly(G)-bound nuclease) with an excess of spermidine resulted in the isolation of spermidine-bound peptides . Purification of these peptides through ion-exchange chromatography resulted in the isolation of three spermidine-bound peptides which consisted of 17 residues (6 amino acids), 19 residues (10 amino acids), and 12 residues (9 amino acids) . The binding ratio of spermidine to peptides varied from 1:1 to 3:1.

MMW Munch Med Wochenschr, 1976 May 14, 118(20), 657 - 60
{Tobramycin sensitivity of bacteria from the Klebsiella-Enterobacter group (author's transl)}; Krasemann C et al.; In 300 strains of the Klebsiella-Enterobacter group which were isolated from pathological material from the Bonn University Hospitals in early 1975, the sensitivity to tobramycin was investigated comparatively in a serial dilution test and agar diffusion test . 80% of the strains were seen to be classifiable as sensitive and further 3% as moderately sensitive . The rate to resistance corresponds to that of gentamycin . No difference in resistance behaviour was ascertained in the two bacterial species investigated . However, strains isolated from the urogenital tract are significantly more resistant than pathogens isolated from the respiratory tract.

Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1976 May-Jun, 127(4), 545 - 8
{Study of Enterobacter strains belonging to a particular group related to Enterobacter aerogenes (author's transl)}; Richard C et al.; Thirty strains of Enterobacteriaceae constitute a new group related to E . aerogenes with the following differential biochemical characters: urease+, KCN-, sorbitol-, mucate- and gelatinase- . Ten of these strains with antigenic similarities and polyresistance to antibiotics were isolated from urine in the same hospital.

J Pathol, 1976 May, 119(1), 57 - 63
Triamcinolone-induced systemic infections in female mice; Berdicevsky I et al.; Six-week-old female mice were injected for prolonged periods of time with a synthetic glucocorticoid (triamcinolone diacetate) . With the progression of the experiment the mortality rate increased significantly . Tissue samples were obtained from the surviving animals after 10, 22, 35 and 45 consecutive daily injections . Cultures were obtained from kidney and liver homogenates as well as from blood samples . Quantitative measurements indicated severe renal and hepatic infections which were followed by bactoeremia . The prevalent organisms in all cultures were enterobacteriae such as E . coli, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas and Streptococcus fecalis . Placebo-control animals which received daily injections of the vehicle revealed a moderate, transient infection.

Am J Med Sci, 1976 May-Jun, 271(3), 297 - 308
Tobramycin: in vitro and clinical evaluation in 30 patients; Perkins RL et al.; Clinical evaluation of intramuscular tobramycin was accomplished in 30 patients with respiratory, soft tissue, urinary tract, bone or septicemic infections due to gram negative bacilli . Median sensitivity to tobramycin of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates (19 strains) was 0.62 mug/ml and range 0.31-2.5 mug/ml; less activity was observed for Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterobacter species isolates but median minimum inhibitory concentrations were less than or equal to 2.5 mug/ml . Therapy resulted in clinical and bacteriologic cures in 16 patients (53 per cent) including 13 of 16 (181 per cent) with urinary tract infections; 9 of the 14 patients who did not obtain bacteriologic cure had satisfactory clinical responses . Tobramycin was effective for selected gram negative bacillary infections and particularly for P . aeruginosa.

Am J Med Sci, 1976 May-Jun, 271(3), 285 - 95
Clinical experience with tobramycin in the treatment of infections due to gram-negative bacilli; Carmalt ED et al.; Tobramycin, a new aminocyclitol antimicrobial agent, was administered parenterally to 28 patients infected with gram-negative bacilli . The dosage was 1.5 mg/kg every 8 hours, except in patients with renal insufficiency in whom the dosage interval was 10 times the serum creatinine in hours . Serum levels after intramuscular administration were 3.9 +/- 1.6 mug/ml and 1.0 +/- 0.7 mug/ml at 2 and 8 hours, respectively . Serum levels after intravenous administration were 4.6 +/- 0.5 mug/ml, 2.3 +/- 0.6 mug/ml, and 0.6 +/- 0.8 mug/ml at 15 minutes, 1 hour, and 8 hours, respectively . Clinical isolates included 21 of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 6 of Klebsiella pneumoniae, 2 of Serratia marcescens, and also isolates of E . coli, Proteus mirabilis, and Enterobacter . The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of tobramycin, gentamicin, sisomicin, and amikacin were determined for these organisms . Clinical results included 18 cures, 3 improvements, 2 indeterminates, and 6 failures . Minimal hepatic and renal toxicity was observed.

Pathol Biol (Paris) . 1976 May;24(5):359.
{Classification of tailed enterobacteria phages}; Ackermann HW; Tailed phages of enterobacteria are classified by morphological and serological properties and by physico-chemical parameters of the virion and its nuecleic acid . Twenty-four species are described; they include 250 phages belonging to seven morphological groups . Type species are proposed . About 120 poorly known phages have not been classified . A case of phage evolution, the reliability of data and the value of taxonomical criteria are discussed.

J Med Microbiol, 1976 May, 9(2), 211 - 23
The importance of prolonged incubation for the synthesis of dimethylnitrosamine by enterobacteria; Coloe PJ et al.; Tests with 140 strains representing Escherichia coli, Klebsiella aerogenes, K . ozaenae, Proteus mirabilis, P . vulgaris, P . rettgeri and P . morganii in a defined medium supplemented with 0-09M dimethylamine (DMA) and 0-1M potassium nitrate showed that at least 89% of the 136 strains able to reduce nitrates produced up to 9mM dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) in 70h at 37 degrees C . Four nitratase-negative strains produced DMN from DMA in the presence of sodium nitrate . Prolonged incubation was the most important factor in determining DMN production . Stasis and persistent infection in the urinary tract, by simulating prolonged incubation of a culture, may be of importance in determining whether the potential carcinogen, DMN, could be produced in vivo by bacterial action on DMA and nitrate in urine.

J Clin Pathol, 1976 May, 29(5), 441 - 3
Instability and linkage of silver resistance, lactose fermentation, and colony structure in Enterobacter cloacae from burn wounds; Annear DI et al.; A strain of Enterobacter cloacae from a burn wound has displayed unstable resistance to silver nitrate and a linkage of this characteristic to that for rapid lactose fermentation and mucoidcolony structure . Attempts to demonstrate transferability of these unstable determinants gave negative results.

Can J Microbiol, 1976 May, 22(5), 630 - 5
Study on the efficiency of four procedures for enumerating coliforms in water; Dutkaand BJ et al.; Four coliform estimation procedures were compared as to their ability to enumerate coliform bacteria (oxidase-negative lactose fermenters) from sewage, effluent, and various fresh waters in the lower Great Lakes Region of Canada . Two of the procedures used and which are cited in the American Public Health Association (APHA) Standard Methods were a most probable number (MPN) technique using lauryltryptose broth (LST) and brilliant green bile 2% broth (BGB), and a membrane filtration (MF) technique using m Endo agar LES . The other two procedures were an MPN technique using Parhad chemically defined synthetic medium (PCDS) and BGB developed for Indian fresh waters and an MF (mC agar) technique developed for seawater . Data indicate that within the survey area, maximum population estimates were achieved by the MF procedure using m Endo agar LES and that each procedure was selective for different genera of the Enterobacteriaceae . Discussions concerning standard versus reference procedures are presented.

Infect Immun, 1976 May, 13(5), 1369 - 77
Detection of the K99 antigen by means of agglutination and immunoelectrophoresis in Escherichia coli isolates from calves and its correlation with entertoxigenicity; Guinee PA et al.; The common antigen of calf enterotoxigenic strains of Escherichia coli, recently established as the K99 antigen, was studied by means of the slide agglutination test and immunoelectrophoresis . Specific antisera were obtained by absorption of crude antisera with ultrasonicates of autologous cells grown at 18C or by injection into rabbits of the purifies K99 antigen obtained by preparative electrophoresis . The K99 antigen was usually undetectable in calf enterotoxigenic E . coli cultures with capsular K antigens of the A variety grown at 37C on commercially available nutrient agar plates designed for the isolation of Enterobacteriaceae, but was rapidly detectable when grown on a buffered semi-synthetic medium at pH 7.5 (Minca medium) . An alternative procedure for the isolation and identification of calf entertosigenic E . coli strains from feces, using the Minca medium, is proposed . K99 was found in 70 of 74 strains of E . coli, the enterotixigenicity of which was established in the ligated gut test in calves . None of the 20 cultures negative in the ligated gut test possessed K99 antigen . The K99 antigen is therefore probably a useful diagnostic tool for the identification of calf enterotixigenic E . coli strains, taking into account that K99 and enterotoxigenicity are controlled by different plasmids.

J Bacteriol, 1976 May, 126(2), 679 - 89
Tryptophan operon regulation in interspecific hybrids of enteric bacteria; Manson MD et al.; We examined tryptophan regulation in merodiploid hybrids in which a plasmid carrying the trp operon of Escherichia was introduced into Trp mutants of other enteric genera, or in which a plasmid carrying the trpR+ (repressor) gene of E . coli was transfered into fully constitutive trpR mutants of other genera . In these hybrids the trp operon of one species is controlled by the repressor of a different species . Similar investigations were possible in transduction hybrids in which either the trp operon or the trpR+ locus of Shigella dysenteriae was introduced into E . coli . Our measurements of trp enzymes levels in repressed and nonrepressed cells indicate that Trp regulation is normal, with only minor quantitative variations, in hybrids between E coli and Shigella dysenteriae, Salmonella typhimurium, Klebsiella aerogenes, Serratia marcescens, and Proteus mirabilis . Our results support the idea that a repressor-operator mechanism for regulating trp messenger ribonucleic acid production evolved in a common ancestor of the enteric bacteria, and that this repressor-operator recognition has been conversed during the evolutionary divergence of the Enterobacteriaceae.

J Bacteriol, 1976 May, 126(2), 579 - 86
Role of a lipopolysaccharide gene for immunogenicity of the enterobacterial common antigen; Schmidt G et al.; It is known that only certain strains of the family of Enterobacteriaceae, notably rough (R) mutants with the type R1 or R4 core, evoked antibodies in high titers against the common enterobacterial antigen (CA) after immunization of rabbits with heated cell suspensions . The present investigation deals with genetic and immunochemical aspects of certain R1 and R4 mutants isolated from Escherichia coli 08 and various Shigella serotypes which, unexpectedly, do not induce CA antibody formation . Immunochemical and genetical (transduction and conjugation) experiments revealed that the rough phenotype of these special mutants was evoked by a mutation of pyrE-linked rfa gene, called rfaL, which is involved in translocation of O-specific polysaccharides onto the lipopolysaccharide core . The transduction of the defective rfaL, allele into appropriate rough recipients results in transductants which have simultaneously lost the ability to evoke CA antibodies . This finding suggests that a close connection exists between the function of the rfaL gene and the expression of CA immunogenicity in R1 and R4 mutants . One of the strains synthesized neither O-hapten nor CA, suggesting a mutation in a region equivalent to the rfe genes of Salmonella.

Infect Immun, 1976 May, 13(5), 1307 - 14
Partial purification and properties of Enterobacter cloacae heat-stable enterotoxin; Klipstein FA et al.; Cell free preparations of the whole-cell lysate and ultrafiltration (UF) fractions of broth cultures of a strain of Enterobacter cloacae, isolated from a Puerto Rican with tropical sprue, were assayed for their ability to induce in vivo net water secretion in the rat jejunum . The whole-cell lysate and UM-10 retentate of broth cultures were inactive . The UM-2 retentate and filtrate were active at a concentration of 100 mug/ml or more; the toxigenic activity was entirely retained, and increased to 1 mug/ml, by a UM-05 membrane; washing this retentate yielded a fraction with an activity of 10 ng/ml . Stationary aerobic culture conditions yielded the most active UF fractions when ammonium sulfate was used as the precipitating agent, whereas anaerobic culture conditions produced the most active fractions in broth cultures precipitated by acetone . Passage of the active acetone-precipitated UF fractions through a Sephadex G-25 column yielded eluate pools with enhanced toxigenic activity in, or adjacent to, the void volume, but maximum activity of the ammonium sulfate-precipitated UM-05 retentate eluated at a Kav of 0.38 to 0.52 . Neither of the most active gel filtration elution fractions of the UM-05 retentates contained detectable carbohydrate, suggesting that the toxin is not associated with endotoxin . Toxigenic activity was unaltered by exposure to a temperature of 100C for 30 min, lowering the pH to 1, or incubation with either Pronase or trypsin . These observations indicate that the strain of E . cloacae under study elaborates a heat-stable enterotoxin htat has approximately the same molecular weight and shares many of the characteristics of the heat-stable enterotoxin produced by some strains of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae.

MMW Munch Med Wochenschr, 1976 Apr 23, 118(17), 521 - 4
{Change of bacterial flora during chemotherapy (author's transl)}; Knothe H; Biological side effects, which are particularly characterized by a change of bacterial flora, appear during chemotherapy, and are dependent on the mode of action of the different substances . While shifts in the germ count of skin flora have no great importance, gram-negative bacilli, especially enterobacteriaceae, multiply in the flora of the nose and throat, particularly after administration of beta-lactam antibiotics . These changes usually revert to normal in a short time after the antibiotic has been discontinued . Considerably more important are the changes in the flora of the large intestine, sensitive species being eliminated and resistant strains, usually R factor carriers, become selected . These organisms then play an important part in hospital cross-infection . This state of affairs can only be controlled by specific selection of chemotherapeutic agents and strict observance of all disinfectant measures.

Biochim Biophys Acta, 1976 Apr 22, 431(1), 116 - 26
Biochemical studies on the cell wall lipopolysaccharides (O-antigens) of Vibrio cholerae 569 B (Inaba) and El-tor (Inaba); Raziuddin S et al.; Lipopolysaccharides were isolated from the cell walls of Vibrio cholerae 569 B (Inaba) and El-tor (Inaba) . Chemical analysis revealed the presence of glucose, fructose, mannose, heptose, rhamnose, ethanolamine, fatty acids and glucosamine . The lipopolysaccharides do not contain 2-keto-3-deoxyoctonate, the typical linking sugar of polysaccharide and lipid moieties of enterobacterial lipopolysaccharides . Galactose, a typical core polysaccharide component of many gram-negative bacteria was also absent from lipopolysaccharides of these organisms . By hydrolysis in 1% acetic acid, the lipopolysaccharides have been separated into a polysaccharide part (degraded polysaccharide) and a lipid part (lipid A) . Components of degraded polysaccharide and lipid A moiety were identified and determined . The lipid A fractions contained fatty acids, phosphorus and glucosamine . All the neutral sugars detected in lipopolysaccharides were shown to be the constituents of its polysaccharide moiety . The fatty acid analysis of lipopolysaccharide and lipid A showed the presence of both hydroxy and non hydroxy acids . They were different from those of lipids extracted from cell walls before the extraction of lipopolysaccharides . 3-Hydroxylauric and 3-hydroxymyristic acids predominated in lipopolysaccharide and lipid A of Vibrio cholerae and El-tor (Inaba).

Am J Med, 1976 Apr, 60(4), 571 - 6
Endocarditis due to accidental penetrating foreign bodies; Markowitz SM et al.; A 15 year old boy had an eight month history of recurrent fever, malaise and poor appetite . Chest roentgenogram revealed a foreign object overlying the right ventricle . Multiple blood cultures grew Enterobacter cloacae . The patients condition improved and blood cultures became negative following gentamicin and carbenicillin therapy . E . cloacae was isolated from the foreign body (a finishing nail) at surgery . Antimicrobial therapy was continued for a total of 30 days, and the patient made an uneventful recovery.

Am J Med, 1976 Apr, 60(4), 471 - 85
Nationwide epidemic of septicemia caused by contaminated intravenous products . I . Epidemiologic and clinical features; Maki DG et al.; Between mid-1970 and April 1, 1971, Enterobacter cloacae or E . agglomerans septicemia developed in 378 patients in 25 American hospitals while they were receiving intravenous products manufactured by one company . Each of the hospitals noted a marked increase in the incidence of such septicemia during this period . Enterobacter agglomerans (formerly designated Erwinia, herbicola-lathyri group) was better known as a plant pathogen and had been a human blood pathogen only rarely in the past . Septicemia caused by E . cloacae had also been uncommon.

Tijdschr Diergeneeskd, 1976 Apr 1, 101(7), 372 - 4
{Food poisoning following consumption of canned meat prepared by a butcher (author's transl)}; van den Broek MJ et al.; A case of food poisoning possibly caused by the ingestion of canned meat is reported . Large numbers of micro-organisms (approximately 10(7)/gram), mainly Enterobacteriaceae and streptococci, were isolated from the contents of three cans . The contents of another can contained approximately 10(5) Bacillus spp . per gram . The meat preserves had been prepared in a butcher's shop and heated in a "cooking pot", the steam holes of which had been stopped up and the lid of which had been made heavier in order to reach a temperature above 100 degrees C . Inadequate sterilization and errors in processing are suggested as possible causes.

Mayo Clin Proc, 1976 Apr, 51(4), 237 - 50
The in vitro spectrum of the cephalosporins; Washington JA; The cephalosporins may currently be classified according to their relative susceptibility to beta-lactamases . Cefoxitin, cefamandole, cefatrizine, and cephanone are relatively resistant to the gram-negative beta-lactamases, whereas cephalothin, cefamandole, and cefoxitin are resistant to staphylococcal beta-lactamase . Although the inhibitory activity of cephalothin is representative of that of cephaloridine, cephalexin, cefazolin, cephapirin, cephacetrile, and cephradine, there are significant differences between its activity and that of cefoxitin, cefamandole, and cefatrizine, especially against Enterobacter, Serratia, indole-positive Proteeae, Bacteroides fragilis, and ampicillin-resistant Haemophilus influenzae.

Can J Microbiol, 1976 Apr, 22(4), 523 - 30
Nitrogen fixation associated with grasses in Oregon; Nelson AD et al.; Nitrogen fixation associated with both natural grasslands and grain crops of Oregon was studied using the acetylene-reduction assay . A number of the grasses collected has some acetylene-reducing activity . Agrostis tenuis Sibth . had substantially greater activity than any of the other species, with a mean rate estimated at 37 g N2 fixed per hectare per day . Assuming 100 days of activity, about 3 kg of N2 would be fixed per hectare per year . This quantity of nitrogen may be important in the maintenance of this species under natural conditions . Nitrogen-fixing microorganisms were isolated from the root surfaces of some of the grasses . Cultures of Bacillus macerans, Bacillus polymyxa, and Enterobacter cloacoa were isolated from wheat roots as were two cultures which have not been assigned a specific taxonomic classification . Strains of N2-fixing Bacillus species and Gram-negative aerobic bacteria were isolated from Festuca and Agrostis.

Int J Clin Pharmacol Biopharm, 1976 Apr, 13(3), 157 - 67
Comparative evaluation of five aminoglycosides for treatment; Rosin H et al.; Gentamicin, tobramycin, sisomicin, amikacin and kanamycin are compared for therapeutic use by correlating the in vitro minimal inhibitory concentration with the in vivo concentration of the antibiotic attainable in the serum at half the time intervall between two administrations of the drugs . Using this method of evaluation, E . coli, Enterobacter and sensitive strains of the Klebsiella and Pseudomonas species can be treated in principle equally well with gentamicin, tobramycin and sisomicin, and to a large degree also with amikacin . Gentamicin, sisomicin and amikacin are useful against Serratia infections; but in each case, a higher dosage is needed . Within the family of aminoglycosides, sisomicin has a noteworthy activity against Enterobacter and Proteus species, while tobramycin is most outstanding against pseudomonas strains . Amikacin is especially useful against infections involving Klebsiella, Providencia and Pseudomonas strains with resistance to nearly all antibiotics including the other aminoglycosides.

Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1976 Apr, 234(3), 327 - 45
{Release by agitation of constituents from cell walls of Pseudomonas aeruginosa . III . Communication: Electron microscopy (author's transl)}; Muller H et al.; A thermovariable inhibition of agglutination (EA) was demonstrated in two randomly chosen strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (table 1, article I) . The temperature range from the loss of agglutinability to its recovery was as described in previous articles (II) . The agglutination patterns were similar to those of the O-group-type strains 1 and 4, indicating that the IA is a widespread property among Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains . Shaking at moderate intensities for 20-60 hours restored the thermosensitive agglutinability (Table 2, article I), and the times necessary for restoration were somewhate dependent on the specific culture media and the strains used (table3, article I) . After restoration of agglutinability the bacteria had maintained their capability to form stable suspensions in physiological saline solution (table 2, article I) . Another treatment at elevated temperature did not result in an IA (table 5c, article I) . During the shaking the pelleted bacteria did no longer exhibit their normal slimy stickiness, similar to what has been observed after treatment with hyaluronidase (17) . When the shaking was continued after restoration of agglutinability a special serological phenomenon ("Rauh-Phanomen," cf . table 5b in article I) was noted . Suspension of the bacteria in physiological saline for 7 days did not result in the recovery from the thermovariable IA (table 4, article 1) . The secondary forms of the agglutinates were similar to those of Enterobacteriaceae, the typical primary form of the agglutination into slimy networks and spheres was not observed upon the restoration of agglutinability . The hypothesis that loosely bound surface components are responsible for the thermovariable IA was examined by chemical analyses of the fractionated supernatants obtained during the shaking treatments . The first supernatant fractions obtained after relatively brief shaking periods exhibited a high viscosity, in contrast to the low viscosity of supernatants harvested later . Total acetone-precipitable material from the supernatants contained lipids, proteins and carbohydrates, however, at different ratios (tables 1, 2, 3, article II) . The amounts of lipids recovered from the supernatants were similar in all fractions during the shaking treatment, whereas protein-carbohydrate complex material was maximal in the first fractions and significantly decreased in fractions harvested later (table 1 and 2, article II) . The data indicated, that the restored agglutinability at elevated temperatures and the maintained suspensibility in physiological saline was due to the removal of a limited amount of material from the most superficial layer of the bacterial wall; however in the continuous presence of the cell membrane and perhaps also of the internal cell wall layers (see also 8) . This concept was examined by electron microscopy . The morphology of the native bacteria is illustrated in figures 1-3 (article III)...

Arch Microbiol, 1976 Apr 1, 107(3), 257 - 62
Discrimination of Rhizobium japonicum, Rhizobium lupini, Rhizobium trifolii, Rhizobium leguminosarum and of bacteroids by uptake of 2-ketoglutaric acid, glutamic acid and phosphate; Werner D et al.; Rhizobium strains (one each of Rh . japonicum, Rh . lupini, Rh . leguminosarum) take up 2-ketoglutaric acid in general much faster and from lower concentrations in the medium than strains of Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Chromobacterium violaceum . A strain of Enterobacter aerogenes, however, is more similar to some Rhizobium strains . The same strains of Rhizobium take up also phosphate much faster and from lower concentrations than the other bacteria tested . 4 strains of Rh . lupini proved to be significantly different from 4 strains of Rh . trifolii in taking up L-glutamic acid from three to ten times lower concentration within 5 h . A similar difference was noticed between 5 strains of Rh . leguminosarum and 2 strains of Rh . japonicum for the uptake of 2-ketoglutaric acid and of L-glutamic acid . Isolated bacteroids from nodules of Glycine max var . Chippeway have a reduced uptake capacity for glutamic acid and for 2-ketoglutaric acid during the first 10-12 h, but reach the same value after 24 h as free living Rh . japonicum cells . The differences in the uptake kinetics are independent of cell concentration . The group II Rhizobium strains (Rh . japonicum and Rh . lupini, slow growing Rhizobium) are characterized by a rapid uptake of glutamic acid to a low remaining concentration of 1-3 X 10(-7) M and an uptake of 2-ketoglutaric acid to a remaining concentration of 2-5 X 10(-7) M . The group I Rhizobium strains (Rh . trifolii and Rh . leguminosarum, fast growing Rhizobium), can be characterized by a much slower uptake of both substances with a more than ten times higher concentration of both metabolites remaining in the medium after the same time.

Am J Clin Pathol, 1976 Apr, 65(4), 570 - 4
Diversity of beta-lactamase activity among clinical isolates of gram-negative bacilli; Farrar WE Jr et al.; Various properties (specific activity, inducibility, substrate profile, and susceptibility to inhibitors) of the beta-lactamase activity present in 39 strains of Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated during a two-month period in the bacteriology laboratory of a large general hospital were investigated . Among the 39 strains there appeared to be at least 16 distinct enzymes . Most enzymes from Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, and Proteus morganii were active against both penicillins and cephalosporins, whereas those from Proteus vulgaris, Serratia marcescens and Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed activity primarily against cephalosporins . Both types of enzyme were found among strains of Enterobacter . There was a general correlation between amount of enzymic activity and levels of resistance to several beta-lactam antibiotics . Discrepancies between enzymic activity and resistance to several beta-lactam antibiotics . Discrepancies between enzymic activity and resistance may be due to variations in the roles intrinsic mechanisms play in resistance to various antibiotics.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1976 Apr, (3), 28 - 32
{Allergenic fractions of bacteria belonging to the enteric family . VII . Characteristics of the intracellular proteins comprising the allergenic substrate of Escherichia coli using ion exchange chromatography}; Maianskii AN et al.; A method of successive chromatography on Sephadex G-50 and G-100 and DEAE-Sephadex A-50 was applied for separation of the allergenic complex of E . coli intracellular proteins into a number of immunochemically different or significantly differing fractions with a definite set of antigens . Results of analysis of the fractions obtained in the tests of increased sensitivity of delayed type (ISDT) in vivo and in vitro corresponded to the view of the immunological polyvalency of the allergenic substrate of enterobacteria . Four groups of antigens were distinguished by the ratio of the activity indices in the skin reactions of ISDT and in the tests of specific inhibition of macrophage migration . Singificance of individual antigens in the formation of the allergenic profile of bacterial cells is determined by their quantitative content and the extent of the allergenic activity.

Arzneimittelforschung, 1976 Apr, 26(4), 556 - 60
{Activity in vitro and pharmacokinetics of minocycline (author's transl)}; Simon C et al.; The in vitro activity of doxycycline and minocycline (Klinomycin) was determined by serial dilution test in 100 strains of E . coli, 101 strains of enterobacter, 91 tetracycline-sensitive and 52 tetracycline-resistant strains of staphylococci . Only staphylococci were more sensitive against minocycline than against doxycycline whereas other species showed nearly the same sensitivity against both antibiotics . After i.v . infusion of 200 mg minocycline (during 1 h) mean serum levels fell from 3.5 mug/ml to 0.6 mug/ml (after 24 h) . Half-life was calculated as 15.7 h, urine recovery as 5.9% . After oral application of 200 mg minocycline serum level peaks were 2.7 mug/ml, serum levels after 24 h 0.7 mug/ml . At repeated administrations daily dosage of 100 mg was too low of 200 mg sufficient to obtain the same serum levels as after the initial dose of 200 mg . CSF levels after oral administration of 0.4 g minocycline were 0.74 +/- 0.09 mug/ml (in serum at the same time 2.2 +/- 0.2 mug/ml) . Half-life of minocycline in chronic renal failure (7 adult patients) was not prolonged (15--20 h) . Minocycline is especially suitable for treatment of infections of unknown bacterial origin (including such caused by staphylococci) . I.v . infusion is indicated only in unconscious or vomiting patients.

Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1976 Apr, 234(3), 371 - 83
{Resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics and aminoglycosides in gram negative bacteria . 1 . Molecular and genetic characterization of R-factors (author's transl)}; Schmid B et al.; With frequent use of aminoglycoside antimicrobials and beta-lactam antibiotics in hospitals in the last few years, the number of bacterial strains resistant to these chemotherapeutics increased . Lately, strains of E . coli, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Serratia, Proteus and Pseudomonas resistant to many antimicrobials (ampicillin, carbenicillin, cephalothin, chloramphenicol, gentamycin, tobramycin, sisomycin, neomycin, paromomycin, kanamycin, streptomycin, spectinomycin, tetracycline, sulphonamides) were isolated from patients of the university hospital in Zuerich . The resistant phenotype of two representative strains (Klebsiella pneumoniae 1 and Serratia marcescens 2) could be transferred by mixed cultivation to E . coli K-12 . Multiple resistance of strain 1, and addition, could be transferred to Salmonella typhimurium, Serratia marcescens, Providencia, Proteus mirabilis and Klebsiella pneumoniae in varying frequencies . Transfer to Pseudomonas aeruginosa, however, could not be achieved . Spontaneous instability of resistance was observed in 0.15% of the cells of an overnight brothe culture and in 90% of the cells of a three months old culture . Conjugation, instability and the response to the sex phages MS-2 and If-1 suggested that resistance was mediated by a monomolecular R-factor, belonging to the fi+-type . This suggestion was confirmed by molecular characterization of the resistance plasmids . After transfer of the R-factors of K . pneumoniae 1 (R-FK 1) and Serratia marcescens 2 (R-FK2) into E . coli K-12, plasmid DNA was labelled with (methyl-3H) thymidine, and isolated by isopycnic centrifugation in cesiumchlorid-ethidium-bromide . Analysis of plasmid DNA then was carried out by sedimentation in a 5-20% neutral sucrose gradient together with reference plasmids of known molecular weights and sedimentation constants . The analysis revealed that R-FK1 had a molecular weight of 54 X 10(6) and R-FK2 of 50 X 10(6) daltons . The values were confirmed by contour length measurements of open circular forms with an electron microscope . A comparison of the sedimentation profile of labelled plasmid DNA from strain 1 and 14C-labelled DNA of E . coli K-12 (R-FK1) showed that the wild-type strain contained, besides the large resistance plasmid, at least two smaller "cryptic" plasmids . These smaller plasmid molecules were also found in antibiotic susceptible variants of strain 1, which did not contain the 54 X 10(6) dalton plasmid molecule, responsible for the resistant phenotype . The number of copies of R-FK1 in E . coli K-12 was determined to be 2, indicating stringent control of replication . It is discussed that the growing number of isolations of strains of Escherichia, Klebsiella, Serratia, Proteus, Providencia and Pseudomonas, exhibiting the same resistance phenotype, results from the spread of the R-factor described above among the hospital bacterial flora.

Infect Immun, 1976 Apr, 13(4), 1074 - 9
Strain-related differences in immunosuppressive effects of Enterobacteriaceae and their lipopolysaccharides on production in rabbits of antibody to enterobacterial common antigen; Whang HY et al.; Certain polysaccharides have been shown to inhibit the antibody response of rabbits to the common enterobacterial antigen (CA) . The present investigation revealed that striking differences exist in the immunosuppressive effects of enteric bacteria and their lipolysaccharides (lps), depending upon CA production by the strains . Mixtures of immunogenic strains (Escherichia coli F2378 {R4}, E . coli F470 {R1}, or Shigella boydii F3140 {R}) and non-immunogenic CA-producing strains, such as E . coli O1, E . coli O113, Salmonella montevideo, and S . minnesota, as well as the R mutants E . coli F614 (R1), E . coli F757 (R1), and S . typhimurium his 642 (Ra), failed to elicit CA antibodies . In contrast, mixtures of the immunogen and CA-negative strains S . typhimurium his 386 (Ra) and S . minnesota P595 (Re) or R555 (Ra) yielded antibodies in titers similar to those elicited by the immunogen alone . Further, LPS of CA-positive but not of CA-negative strains exerted this immunosuppressive effect . Quantitative studies revealed that LPS of S . minnesota in amounts of 100 mug/ml was strongly immunosuppressive, in amounts of 20 mug/ml slightly effective, and in amounts of 4 mug/ml ineffective . It is postulated that hitherto unknown differences exist, either in composition or in configuration, between LPS obtained from different microorganisms to account for the strain-related differences in immunosuppressive effects and, further, that the immunosuppressive LPS interacts with immunogenic CA.

J Clin Microbiol, 1976 Apr, 3(4), 421 - 4
Analysis of cost and accuracy of alternative strategies for Enterobacteriaceae identification; Robertson EA et al.; Analysis of the cost of time and material required for the diagnosis of Enterobacteriacea isolates indicated that a conventional 17-tube (20-test) setup costs $7.98 per isolated identified . Using the API 20E, a similar identification cost $3.02 . A conventional 7-tube (10-test) setup cost $3.60, whereas the comparable cost by 30% while increasing the number of isolate identified correctly by 3% . Other strategres using the API 20E or a deoxyribounclease test were also evaluated for cost and accuracy.

Lab Anim, 1976 Apr, 10(2), 143 - 56
Evolution of the digestive microflora in a unit of specified-pathogen-free mice: efficiency of the barrier; Perrot A; RhoIco strain}, barrier-maintained since 1970, is described . Some "contaminants" appeared spontaneously during the period 1971-1973, but microorganisms belonging to the genera Lactobacillus Streptococcus, Enterobacteria, Escherichia and Bacillus remained stable . The methods of investigation used were not suitable for the assessment of strictly anaerobic strains . The stability of the digestive microflora durine the last 2 years of this study is believed to be related to the skill and conscientiousness of the technicians responsible for the daily care of these mice.

Biochim Biophys Acta, 1976 Mar 25, 428(1), 257 - 9
Decreased riboflavin formation in mutants of Aerobacter (Enterobacter) aerogenes deficient in the butanediol pathway; Bryn K et al.; Riboflavin concentration increased linearly for more than 60 h in wild type cultures, whereas in three mutants deficient in the formation of acetoin and 2,3-butanediol the production ceased at the end of exponential growth.

Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A} . 1976 Mar;234(2):177h.
{Mixed infections by hemolyzing streptococci in clinical material (author's transl)}; Hladny J et al.; The distribution of serogroups among 156 strains of beta-hemolyzing streptococci from clinical material was as follows: A - 64.1%, B - 3.2%, C - 11.5%, D - 0.6%, F- 6.4%, G - 14.1% (Table 1) . Serogroup A was found in pus specimens in 84%, in throat swabs in 67%, and in sputum specimens (x2 greater than 6.64) in only 23% of strains; among clinical diagnoses (Table 2), distribution of this group was as follows: scarlet fever 100%, infected wounds 83%, and otorhinolaryngological diseases less than 70% of strains . From 54% of specimens received, other organisms were isolated in addition to beta-hemolyzing streptococci, In Table 3, the distribution of serogroups (x2 greater than 1) in cases of single and mixed infections is shown for the most frequent types of material received . Combinations of the individual serogroups with concomitant bacteria, above all Staphylococcus aureus, a number of enterobacteria, and Haemophilus influenzae can be seen from Table 4 . Staph . aureus was found preferentially in combination with group A streptococci (x2 greater then 6.64) . The proportion of mixed infections among specimens of the most important types of material was varying (Table 5): 82% of sputum specimens, 46%of throat swabs, and 39% of pus specimens . As concomitant organisms, especially Haem . influenzae, Staph . aureus (in throat swabs and pus specimens), and enterobacteria were found . With scarlet fever, Staph . aureus was present in as much as 60% of all cases . Ampicillin-resistant strains were isolated among the various concomitant organisms from 22% of all materials and 45% of all sputum specimens.

Eur J Biochem, 1976 Mar 1, 62(3), 439 - 49
Characterization and replication control of plasmids from Enterobacter cloacae DF 13; Zandvliet GM et al.; It has been shown previously that Enterobacter clocacae DF13 harbours at least five different size classes of plasmids . A 45 x 10(6)-Mr self-transmissible R factor determining resistance against tetracyclin, sulfanilamide, streptomycin and chloramphenicol, a 6.0 x 10(6)-Mr bacteriocinogenic factor without sex factors activity and cryptic plasmids in the size classes of Mr 1.3 x10(6), 2.8 x 10(6) and 8.0 x 10(6) respectively . The present work deals with the determination of the homogeneity and molecular relationship of 1.3 x 10(6)-Mr (mini) and 2.8 x 10(6)-Mr (midi) cryptic plasmids and the 6.0 x 10(6)-Mr (maxi) bacteriocinogenic factor, their kinetics of replication and their replication control in response to inhibition of protein synthesis.

South Med J, 1976 Mar, 69(3), 312 - 5
Epidemiologic aspects of nosocomial infections; Silberg SL et al.; In a currently ongoing surveillance of hospital-associated infections in two metropolitan hospitals in Oklahoma, the results over a four-month period suggest at least tentative principles of host-agent relationships in hospital-associated infections . Within the urinary tract, the site with the highest number of total isolations, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were the most common pathogens . By age, the under 5 and over 60 year age groups had the highest number of isolations . Staphylococcus aureus and E coli were isolated more frequently in the younger group, while K pneumoniae, Serratia marcescens, and Proteus mirabilis occurred more frequently in infections among the older group . A higher frequency of Enterobacter sp and S aureus were isolated among male patients, while Candida albicans and E coli apparently had a greater affinity for females; however, none of these differences by sex were statistically significant . Over 50% of the infections were manifest within the first ten days of hospitalization.

Klin Padiatr, 1976 Mar, 188(2), 135 - 45
{Septicaemia in the neonatal and infant period (author's transl)}; Diekmann L et al.; The paper reported about septicaemia in the neonatal and infant period . Continuing former investigations by Kienitz in the same pediatric clinic we have got a survey from 1933 to 1974 . In the last years we saw increasingly more infections with gram-negative organisms, especially by Pyocyaneus with a severe prognosis . The prognosis did not improve during the last 10 years . The over all mortality was 34-35% . Frequency, symptoms, problems of species and resistance were described . Besides that we reported about an outbreak of enterobacter in our neonatal unit.

Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig B}, 1976 Mar, 161(5-6), 417 - 26
{Hygienic and bacteriological comparative studies in 50 hospitals . IV . The bacterial contamination of fluids of intensiv care units, wards for premature children and new-born wards (author's transl)}; Dunkelberg H et al.; In intensive-care units and wards for prematures frequent use is made of medical apparatuses (such as oxygenators, nebulizers, respirators and incubators) . These units are provided with a water reservoir which is utilized for the humidifications of the inspiratory air . They have become indispensable tools, especially in the treatment of seriously-ill patients . However, the water reservoirs of these devices have also frequently been found to harbour sometimes high concentrations of pathogens . With a view to clarifying the question as to the extent that liquids of different origin in the hospital area are contaminated with bacteria, 323 liquid samples were collected from intensive-care units, wards for premature and for newborn babies, and submitted for analysis . The senior nurse was questioned to obtain information about the measures of disinfection adopted in the respective wards . It was possible to cultivate pathogens from 22 per cent of the samples . P . aeruginosa accounted for 46 per cent, Enterobacter for 17.6% and E . coli for 12 per cent . A breakdown of the liquids by origin gives the following picture: 30 per cent of the liquids used for humidification of the inspiratory air (from respirators, inhalers etc.) were contaminated with pathogens . The analysis yielded a similar result in about 47 per cent of the cleaning water samples, in 10 per cent of the solutions in which clinical thermometers are kept and in 0 per cent of liquids from containers in which dressing forceps are kept . It emerged from inquiries that the lack of knowledge about the proper implementation of disinfection measures on the part of the nursing staff is still considerable . As a result, disinfectants of the quarternary ammonium compounds were used for the disinfection of medical apparatus in 37 per cent of all applications although their bactericidal action on gram-negative bacteria is limited . As regards the antimicrobial treatment of such parts as nebulizer chambers, connecting tubes, reservoirs of ultrasonic nebulizers, oxygen bottles and respiratory, parts with which the patient does not come into direct contact - the possibility of sterilizing them by autoclaving should be examined first . Not until this procedure has been ruled out on account of the thermolability of the materials used should another procedure such as keeping the materials in a disinfecting solution be adopted.

J Bacteriol, 1976 Mar, 125(3), 780 - 6
Suppressor mutations in Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Watson JM et al.; Suppressor mutations of Pseudomonas aeruginosa have been identified . An isolate of strain PAT, initially selected as being temperature sensitive for growth, was found to suppress two different auxotrophic mutations . A suppressor locus, designated sup-1, has been mapped and is co-transducible with three closely linked thr loci . The suppressor mutation has been used to isolate suppressor-sensitive (sus) mutants of the virulent phage E79 and the R factor R18 . By selecting for revertants of auxotrophic markers, other sup mutants have been isolated and are found to be of two types, either temperature sensitive for growth like the original mutant or showing wild-type growth at 43 C . The mutations giving rise to both these classes of suppressor are very closely linked . One of the sup-1 alleles of strain PAT also shows suppressor activity when transferred into P . aeruginosa strain PAO . Escherichia coli strains carrying the nonsense suppressors supC, supD, or supF do not suppress the sus mutant of R18 . This suggests that sup-1 is different from the amber and ochre suppressors of the enterobacteria.

Quad Sclavo Diagn, 1976 Mar, 12(1), 104 - 10
{New methods of research in the field of bacteriuria: correlation between agar-bacteria and urotube-enterotube system (author's transl)}; Cirillo G; Good results have been achieved through a comparative study carried out on a sample of 362 cultures in order to verify the attendibility of a new method of research on bacteriuria . The new Urotube system follows the theorical bases of dip-inoculum of a substratum of a medium of culture . The changes which were verified after the simultaneous use of the two methods on the same sample, were very slight and meaningless for the crossed calculation of the chi2 . The second part of the research refers to the qualitative side and test out the bacterial species found out us the considered samples . There were no important varieties between the studies of the following AA . (Kass, Schito) and ours; most infectious processes have, as ethiological agents, gram-negative bacteria, named Enterobacteriacae, which are much more numerous than gram-positive bacteria . It seem however important to underline a slight change of this ratio; it was verified during our test, infact we recorded a percentage of gram-positive higher than the percentage recorded by Kass and Schito.

Nord Vet Med, 1976 Mar, 28(3), 129 - 40
{Occurrence and distribution of drug resistant enterobacteria in extra enteral habitats (author's transl)}; Larsen HE et al.; In the period 1971-73 various extra enteral habitats have been examined for the occurrence of resistant E . coli . Of 172 isolates of E . coli from retail butcher's meat products 9.9% were resistant and 3.5% R+ E . coli . Of 203 isolates of E . coli from bakery products 7.9% were resistant and 3.5% R+ E . coli . Of 52 isolates of E . coli from freshly killed carcases of chickens 40.4% contained weak non-transferable monoresistance against sulphonamides (Table I) . Of 92 isolates of E . coli from seawater receiving human sewage 15.2% were resistant and 4.4% R+ E . coli (Table III) . All but one samples of sewage and crude sludge contained resistant E . coli of which 11% harboured R factors (Table II) . Of 117 Salmonella isolates from human sewage 11.1% were resistant and in 4.2% resistance were transferable (Table VI) . Quantitative examinations of untreated and treated sewage did not indicate any selective reduction of resistant E . coli compared to sensitive (Table IV) . However, more di- and multiresistant E . coli were found in sewage than in seawater (Fig . 1) . The food hygienic implications of resistant E . coli are discussed.

Hum Pathol, 1976 Mar, 7(2), 151 - 9
Laboratory approaches to the identification of Enterobacteriaceae; Washington JA 2nd; There are numerous approaches to the identification of the Enterobacteriaceae in the clinical laboratory . Accuracy in identifying organisms is related directly to the skill and experience of the user and to the number of tests inoculated . Many of the commercially available kits offer reproducibility, convenience, accuracy, and ease of storage, particularly for smaller hospital laboratories that have neither the facilities nor the expertise to prepare and exert quality control over microbiologic media . However, none of the kits offers the accuracy and few offer the flexibility available through the use of conventional media, the variety and duration of incubation of which are virtually unlimited . The proper use of any system requires training because accurate identification requires the concurrent examination of colonial morphology and biochemical reactions-manufacturer's flow charts, reaction tables, or printed recognition systems notwithstanding . Microbiologists should be wary of new systems before impartial evaluations have been performed and published in scientific journals; manufacturers' technical literature and salesmen's presentations are, for obvious reasons, seldom objective.

Am J Med Technol, 1976 Mar, 42(3), 79 - 91
Less frequently reported gram-negative fermentative rods; Nygaard GS; The clinical significance and distinguishing characteristics of less frequently reported gram-negative fermentative rods (Pasteurella, Yersinia, Vibrio, Aeromonas and Plesiomonas, Enterobacter agglomerans, and Chromobacterium) are described . Increased awareness of these organisms, a knowledge of possible sites in which they cause infection, and identification criteria which will separate them from similar bacteria will prepare the clinical microbiologist for the isolation and identification of these "unusual" organisms.

Eur J Biochem, 1976 Mar 1, 62(3), 555 - 66
Antigenic determinants of murein lipoprotein and its exposure at the surface of Enterobacteriaceae; Braun V et al.; Murein lipoprotein from the outer membrane of Escherichia coli could be fixed to erythrocytes without pretreatment of the erythrocytes . Passive hemagglutination or immune hemolysis could thus be used as sensitive assays to determine antibodies against lipoprotein . In rabbit antisera prepared against whole cells of E . coli, Salmonella, Arizona, and Shigella antibodies against lipoprotein were present . The respective titers were lowest in encapsulated smooth strains and highest in rough mutants . Antisera against deep rough mutants showed even higher anti-lipoprotein titers than anti-R-lipopolysaccharide titers . Correspondingly,absorption of lipoprotein antibodies with enterobacterial strains was most pronounced with deep rough mutants and lowest with smooth strains . Lipoprotein becomes increasingly an immunogen as well as an antigen the more sugar residues are missing in the lipolysaccharide on the cell surface . In wild-type cells lipoprotein is buried in the outer membrane; its exposure in mutant cells is related to defects at the cell surface.

Lancet, 1976 Feb 28, 1(7957), 447 - 9
Diminished effect of gentamicin under anaerobic or hypercapnic conditions; Reynolds AV et al.; The in-vitro activity of gentamicin, judged by M.I.C . determinations, was much reduced when a normal aerobic atmosphere was replaced either by air +4% CO2 or by anaerobic conditions . The phenomenon was greatest for Staphylococcus aureus, where a decrease in activity of up to 20-fold was found . For Escherichia coli, Klebsiella aerogenes, Enterobacter spp., and Proteus spp . the factor of decrease was between 15-fold and 2-5-fold . Changes in medium pH, as a result of bacterial growth, can explain these findings for some, but not all, the species tested.

MMW Munch Med Wochenschr, 1976 Feb 27, 118(9), 275 - 8
{Resistance patterns of certain Enterobacteriaceae in hospital and outpatients, with particular reference to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (author's transl)}; Freitag V; The relative sensitivities of certain enterobacteriaceae strains obtained from impatient and outpatient material for investigation against trimethoprim-sulf-amethoxazole, ampicillin, cephalothin, gentamicin and tetracycline are reported . The efficacy of the substances tested was very varied, the resistance rates to gentamicin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole being most favorable . Differences in sensitivity could be established between strains from inpatient and outpatient material . Resistance rates were sometimes considerably lower in material for investigation from outpatients . This fact is, among other things, explained by frequent hospital infections with resistant organisms . In addition it could be shown that, by selection of resistant strains in certain areas of a hospital, increases in resistance can appear within a short time.

Mol Gen Genet, 1976 Feb 2, 143(3), 311 - 8
Effects of different alleles of the E . coli K12 pol A gene on the replication of non-transferring plasmids; Grindley ND et al.; The effects of eight different polA alleles on the replication of six different non-transferring enterobacterial plasmids have been tested . Using phage P1CM transduction, different allelic polA mutations were introduced into E . coli K12 strains carrying one of several antibiotic resistance plasmids . Plasmid stability in the transductants was examined by testing clones for drug resistance after growth under various conditions . From the results, the R factors may be divided into three different classes . One plasmid is only affected by PolA conditions which inhibit host cell growth, 3 plasmids (from the same compatibility group) are unstable under conditions in which the cells are severely deficient in DNA polymerase I and two other plasmids (compatible with each other and with the other 4) are immediately lost from such transductants and are unstable in a number of others . Furthermore, the plasmids which are most dependent on DNA polymerase I have been shown to replicate in the presence of chloramphenicol and therefore typigy a class of plasmids which includes bacteriocinogenic factors such as ColE1 and CloDF13, resistance determinant RSF1030 and the E . coli 15 minicircular plasmid.

Biotechnol Bioeng, 1976 Feb, 18(2), 189 - 98
Transient response of Enterobacter aerogenes under a dual nutrient limitation in a chemostat; Cooney CL et al.; Utilizing a chemostat with a dual nutrient limitation of nitrogen and phosphate, we examined the transient response of the culture following a pulse of one of the limiting nutrients (ammonia) . This method provided quantitative evidence that cells can be grown under dual nutrient limitation . Furthermore, the pattern of response was consistent with the hypothesis that phosphate limitation restricts nucleic acid synthesis in the cell and that nitrogen limitation restricts protein synthesis . The net result is that under a phosphate limitation there is a restricted biosynthetic capacity which we feel is closely associated with the RNA content of the cell.

Arch Surg, 1976 Feb, 111(2), 122 - 5
Septic nonsuppurative thrombophlebitis; Zinner MJ et al.; Nonsuppurative peripheral thrombophlebitis is a frequently recognized source of sepsis . Eleven patients cared for on general medical and surgical services had Gram-negative bacillary sepsis on this basis . Ten had isolation of organisms of the Klebsiella-Enterobacter group from the involved peripheral vein . All failed to respond to organism-sensitive antibiotics until the involved vein was excised . After local vein excision, all patients were afebrile within 48 hours and recovered . In seven of the 11 patients, the septic phlebitis source was associated with a standard intravenous needle, and none had cutdown procedures . It is strongly emphasized that this condition is a source of life-threatening sepsis that can be treated by vein excision at the bedside . The treatment in our patients resulted in no morbidity . A high index of suspicion is necessary to diagnose this occult source of sepsis because of the minimal local physical signs.

J Hyg (Lond), 1976 Feb, 76(1), 57 - 63
Studies on the estimation of the hygienic condition of frozen broiler chickens; Van Schothorst M et al.; Various sampling techniques to determine the aerobic, E . coli and Enterobacteriaceae counts and to detect the presence of salmonellas were compared . As a simple method for the detection of salmonellas a modified Surkeiwicz procedure using both drip and rinse water is advocated . To evaluate hygiene during processing, determination of the number of Enterobacteriaceae in pieces of skin from the ventral, lateral and breast region is preferred.

J Bacteriol, 1976 Feb, 125(2), 398 - 403
Extrachromosomal deoxyribonucleic acid in R factor-harboring Enterobacteriaceae; Moller JK et al.; Extrachromosomal deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from 24 different R factor-harboring Enterobacteriaceae was isolated and characterized by analytical ultracentrifugation and electron microscopy . The R factors represented 15 different patterns of transferable drug resistance found in enterobacteria from an enclosed geographic area . All of the strains contained extrachromosomal, circular DNA molecules within the range of 0.4 to 52 mum . More than one size class of circular DNA molecules was observed in the majority of the extrachromosomal DNA preparations . The buoyant density of the extrachromosomal DNA ranged from 1.700 to 1.720 g/cm3 . The majority of the bacteria contained extrachromosomal DNAs of various densities . Three-fourths of the R factors were classified as fi+ . The investigation illustrates the extensive variability in the physical characteristics of plasmid DNA from R factor-harboring strains.

Endoscopy, 1976 Feb, 8(1), 24 - 9
Disinfection procedures of fiberscopes in endoscopy departments; Tolon M et al.; Disinfection of fibre endoscopes was examined in 5 endoscopy departments during endoscopy sessions . On the endoscopes, especially in the instrument channels, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus species could be regularly found, in some cases also Enterobacter cloacae and Candida albicans . With the results of disinfection experiments, proposals are made to reduce the infection risk due to insufficiently disinfected instruments in endoscopy departments.

Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1976 Feb-Mar, 127A(2), 237 - 46
{Characterization by zymograms of R factor-determined beta-lactamases: plasmids of defined and undefined compatibility groups (author's transl)}; Laub-Kupersztejn R et al.; An easy biochemical method is described, discriminating the beta-lacta-mases coded by various R factors . Electrophoretic mobility and substrate affinity of beta-lactamases were studied simultaneously for 7 different penicillins and cephalosporins . They are I like R factors assigned into different compatibility groups (N, P, com6, com7, com8, X and com 9), five R factors isolated from piglets faeces and one R factor, RU1, originated from Enterobacter aerogenes . Three electrophoretic types of beta-lactamases were determinated: 1) beta-lactamase which migrates towards the anode (enzyme coded by Bacillus cereus chromosome); 2) beta-lactamase of weak cathodic mobility (e . g . R6K); 3) beta-lactamase which migrates rapidly towards the cathode (e . g . R46, R71) . Escherichia coli K12 strains synthesize a penicillinase of this third type, destroying penicillin G . The enzymatic and physicochemical properties are not modified by host bacteria, suggesting the possibility to study the plasmid in wild bacteria.

Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1976 Feb-Mar, 127A(2), 213 - 21
{Plasmid determined lactose positive character in (Enterobacter hafniae) and (Proteus morganii) (author's transl)}; Minor LL et al.; The atypical lactose positive characters have been found to be plasmidmediated in 6 strains of Enterobacter hafniae and 2 strains of Proteus morganii . One of the P . morganii plasmid possesses the fi+ character, all the other plasmids belonging to the fi-group . Both plasmids of P . morganii could be transduced and remained then readily transferably by conjugation . Two of the E . hafniae plasmids were found unstable when harboured in Salmonella typhi grown at 40 degrees centigrade, when they were stable in the same strain grown at 37 degrees . The other plasmids were stable in the original strains, in S . typhi, in Escherichia coli both at 37 degrees and 40 degrees . These results are discussed according to investigation about (lactose plasmids) of which a bibliographic review is presented here.

Arzneimittelforschung, 1976 Feb, 26(2), 184 - 5
Antibacterial activity of ribostamycin on Enterobacteriaceae; Yourassowsky E et al.; The study of the inhibitory activity of ribostamvcin (Vistamycin), an antibiotic derived from Streptomyces ribosidificus, on 161 strains of Gram-negative bacilli shows that the antibacterial spectrum of this antibiotic is identical to that of kanamycin . If controlled clinical studies confirm that ribostamycin is less toxic than kanamycin on the otovestibular system, this antibiotic will constitute a real therapeutic advance.

J Clin Pathol, 1976 Feb, 29(2), 158 - 61
A comparison of two commerical methods for the identification of the Enterobacteriaceae--API 20E and the Enterotube--with conventional methods; Hayek LJ et al.; The API 20E, the Enterotube, and routine methods of Cowan and Steel were used in parallel to identify 245 members of the Enterobacteriaceae . The API 20E and conventional methods gave the same identification in all but 2 (0-8%) of the 245 organisms tested . The Enterotube correctly identified 85% of these organisms on the first testing . On re-testing those organisms incorrectly identified the Enterotube results agreed with the conventional ones in a further 20 (8%) . There was no change in the identification obtained by the API or conventional methods . Further conventional sugar tests were necessary before final identification was available by the API system in 7 (3%) against 106 (47%) of the 226 organisms correctly identified by the Enterotube . The Enterotube relied on serological testing alone to distinguish between alternatives in 17 (7%) isolates . Other advantages and disadvantages of these systems are discussed.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1976 Feb, (2), 34 - 8
{New principles for obtaining protective antigens from deep cutlures of enterobacteria}; Shapiro NI et al.; A model of S . typhi submerged culture was used; application of the principle of sparing extraction of surface protective antigens by the action of sublethal concentrations of two damaging agents differing by the mechanism of inhibition of the processes of vital activity of the microorganisms was founded . The principle is based on regularities characteristic of cells of bacterial pupulations: a) nonhomogeneity of individual cells of the population by the resistance to the damaging agents, and b) independence of distribution in the population cells of resistance to different damaging agents . The following typhoid antigens were obtained by combined action of sublethal concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (0.25%) and formalin (0.1%): antigens with a full antigenic structure (inducing formation of O-, Vi- and H-antibodies), of low toxicity (V50 - 0.65+/-19 mg) and highly immunogenic (AU50- 0.45+/-0.25 mug) in experiments on mice.

Infect Immun, 1976 Feb, 13(2), 360 - 4
Role of the rfa locus in the immunogenicity of common enterobacterial antigen; Marx A et al.; Escherichia coli O14 is one of the few strains of Enterobacteriaceae which in the rabbit engender antibodies in high titers against the common enterobacterial antigen (CA) . It is a rough strain that does not possess a specific side chain in its lipopolysaccharide structure (rfa+rfb-) . An rfa mutant (rfa-rfb-) was isolated from this parental strain . Chemical analysis revealed the absence of one glucose and of one galactose molecule in the core polysaccharide of the mutant . The incomplete synthesis of the core was accompanied by loss of immunogenicity of CA . In the mutant, in contrast to the wild type, CA was not bound to the core; hence, the core lipopolysaccharide might exert immunosuppressive activity on CA . A protein fraction of normal rabbit serum was shown to destroy the erythrocyte-coating capacity of CA . This fraction also displayed immunosuppressive activity on free CA but not on CA bound to the core polysaccharide.

J Clin Microbiol, 1976 Feb, 3(2), 206 - 8
Unusual Enterobacteriaceae: H2S+ Shigella sonnei, one authentic and one false positive due to contamination with the obligate anaerobe Eubacterium lentum; Farmer JJ 3rd et al.; A mixture of Shigella sonnei and Eubacterium lentum produced H2S in triple sugar iron agar; however, neither produced any in pure culture . A second culture of S . sonnei, isolated in Japan, is thought to be the first documented H2S+ Shigella.

Transplantation, 1976 Feb, 21(2), 141 - 8
A heterophile system in human renal transplantation . V . Relationship of heterophile transplantation antigen and common antigen of Enterobacteriaceae; McDonald JC et al.; Heterophile transplantation antigen and common antigen of Enterobacteriaceae appear serologically to be separate specificities . However, both antigens are common to Enterobacteriaceae, rat erythrocytes, and some human kidneys . Both antigens are obtained from various tissues by the same chemical procedure . Immunity to each antigen is frequently produced by renal transplantation . We suggest that the antigens are either separate molecules which are similar in chemical structure in the region of the antigenic determinant as well as in tissue distribution or separate reactive sites located on the same molecule . The possibility that common antigen may be a human alloantigen raises theoretical possibilities relative to susceptibility to infection and pyelonephritis, as well as to its relationship to histocompatibility.

Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg, 1976, 70(1), 80 - 4
A septicaemic disease of East African snakes associated with enterobacteriaceae; Cooper JE et al.; A bacterial epizootic disease of snakes at a snake farm in Kenya is described . The condition shows characteristic clinical signs and post mortem lesions and is characterized by a bacteraemia and septicaemia . The mortality rate is high and newly captured snakes die within a few weeks . Attempted control of the disease is discussed briefly and attention is drawn to the significance of such a condition in a commercial enterprise.

Dev Biol Stand, 1976, 31, 68 - 91
{Structure and constituents of Brucella . Characterization and biological properties of the fractions}; Dubray G et al.; The analysis of the components of a bacterium may be envisaged from the biological aspect (fractionation), the ultrastructural aspect (staining of the structures examined electron-microscopically), and the biological aspect (measure of an activity) . In this report we attempt to examine the components of brucella from all three aspects simultaneously . The brucella envelopes have the same ultrastructure as that of gramnegative bacteria: outer membrane, thick stratum or peptidoglycane, periplasmic space, cytoplasmic membrane . The outer membrane of brucella in phase S contains many types of polysaccharides: (1) the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (S) and polysaccharide B are solubilized by the phenol-uater and ether-water methods, by trichloracetic acid (TCA), by heated sodium dodecyl-sulfate (SDS) . The exact localization of polysaccharide B is not known; by the phenol-water extraction method, the LPS (S) in its toxic form (endotoxin) passes in solution into the phenol phase, unlike the endotoxin of enterobacteria, which passes into the aqueous phase . In addition to its toxicity, this LPS (S) is responsible for reactions of immediate hypersensitivity as well as serological reactions towards the standard antigen . It presents A + M antigenic sites; (2) one or more of the polysaccharides remains unsolubilized by the ether-water method, but solubilized by heated SDS; (3) a polysaccharide is linked to peptidoglycane . The structure of the outer membrane of the brucella in phase R is analogous to that of LPS, carrying antigen R, characteristic of these strains . This antigen may be utilized for the serological diagnosis of infections due to brucella R (B . ovis) or vaccinations by a vaccine in phase R . The peptidoglycane fraction extracted by the heated SDS has a more complex structure than that of E . coli: it consists of a supplementary outer layer containing amino acids and polysaccharides . This fraction has a vaccinal activity . A soluble protein fraction, without organized structure, no doubt of cytoplasmic origin, may be extracted by a cold saline solution . This fraction, known as "brucelline", reveals delayed hypersensitivity when injected intradermally . The biological activity of the other structures (periplasm, cytoplasmic membrane, ribosomes...) is not known . Biological activities have been attributed to fractions, but since these are badly defined from the structural point of view it is difficult to determine the connection between activities and structures.

J Wildl Dis, 1976 Jan, 12(1), 30 - 3
Infection and mortality in captive wild-trapped canvasback ducks; Kocan RM et al.; Fungal, bacterial and malarial infections, as well as malnutrition caused heavy mortality in a group of wild-trapped canvasbacks (Aythya valisineria) held in 10 X 3 X 2 m open-water pens . Deaths occurred between 21 and 158 days after confinement and were associated with infections of Aspergillus fumigatus, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus sp., Streptococcus sp., Klebsiella sp., Enterobacter sp., and Plasmodium sp . Infection and mortality was believed to result from reduced resistance associated with confinement . Fourteen canvasbacks released onto large ponds survived throughout the period during which the penned birds died.

Wien Klin Wochenschr Suppl, 1976, 52, 3 - 24
{Antibiotic prophylaxis in intensive care patients}; Pichler H; 132 intensive care patients who did not show symptoms of bacterial infection upon admission were subdivided at random into two groups . 69 patients (37 males, 32 females) were given antibiotic prophylaxis with penicillins or cephalosporins and the remaining 63 patients (37 males, 26 females) did not receive any antibiotic prophylaxis . The average age and the median duration of treatment in the intensive care unit was the same for both groups . 1 . Antibiotic prophylaxis neither reduced the infection rate nor the mortality . 2 . Pleuropulmonary infections were not influenced in respect to incidence, mortality or time of occurrence by antibiotic prophylaxis . 3 . The percentage of patients with gram-negative tracheal flora increased significantly from the third day of antibiotic prophylaxis onwards in comparison with those patients without antibiotic prophylaxis . 4 . The incidence of, and mortality attributable to septicaemia was not influenced by antibiotic prophylaxis, but septicaemia in patients receiving antibiotic prophylaxis was significantly delayed . From the seventh day on, septicaemia was found more frequently in patients given antibiotic prophylaxis than in patients receiving none . 5 . Patients receiving antibiotic prophylaxis acquired significantly fewer urinary tract infections . However, from the fifth day on, there was no difference between the two groups in regard to the rate of incidence of significant bacteriuria . 6 . Morbidity and mortality from peritonitis was not influenced by antibiotic prophylaxis . 7 . The organisms causing infections in patients who received antibiotic prophylaxis mostly belonged to the enterobacteriaceae, pseudomonas and candida species which were resistant to the antibiotics given prophylactically . The organisms causing infection in the group not receiving antibiotic prophylaxis were coagulase-positive staphylococci in about 50% of the cases, followed by the enterobacteriaceae and pseudomonas species; the resistance patterns towards the tested antibiotics were characteristic of these groups of organisms . 8 . Fever proved to be a reliable parameter in establishing the presence or absence of infection . The mean rectal temperature showed a significant difference in medical patients from the second day, in surgical patients from the third day and im polytraumatized patients from the fourth day on, whereas the mean leucocyte counts did not differ significantly in patients with or without infection . 9 . Environmental bacteriological studies in the vicinity of the group of patients given antibiotic prophylaxis showed significantly more gram-negative bacteria than in the group without . However, when the groups were subdivided into intubated and non-intubated patients, a significant rise in environmental gram-negative bacteria was found only in intubated patients receiving antibiotic prophylaxis, whereas no such influence of antibiotic prophylaxis was apparent in the non-intubated patients...

Ciba Found Symp, 1976, (42), 311 - 38
Breast-feeding, weaning and the diarrhoeal syndrome in a Guatemalan Indian village; Mata LJ et al.; Prospective studies in Mayan Indian children living in their natural setting were carried out from 1964 through 1974; observations began at birth and extended at least throughout the first three years of life . Adequate growth and survival were characteristic of exclusively breast-fed infants in the first months of life . Despite the high rate of infection, children exhibited a considerable resistance to intestinal protozoa, enterobacteriaceae and enteric viruses . Resistance against colonic invaders is attributed to the bifidus flora, and that against agents acting in the small bowel, to specific antibodies present in colostrum and milk . Diarrhoeal disease was least in this period and increased with weaning to reach maximum peaks at the time of weaning . The protracted weaning consisted of progressive administration of foods of low biological value given under deficient sanitary conditions . The nutrient value of the diet as a function of the child's weight was adequate in protein but in most cases it was markedly deficient in calories . Infectious diseases, particularly diarrhoea, were found associated with pronounced reductions in the already deficient calorie intake . Infection and infectious disease were common particularly during the first 6 to 18 months of life . Weight loss was a frequent finding during and after episodes of disease . The consequence of the malnutrition-infection interaction is a marked stunting of growth, clearly evident from examination of the growth curves of village children . Nutrient intake did not correlate with growth velocity . By contrast, the duration of breast-feeding was strongly associated with growth in the linear segment of the curve, while in the period of faster growth the correlation was inverse . On the other hand, morbidity was inversely correlated with calorie and protein intake and this was more obvious in the second than in the first year of life . The data indicate that infection is one of the leading factors associated with reduced calorie (and protein) intakes during the critical period of onset of malnutrition and mortality in childhood . By preventing infection, particularly diarrhoea, the food intake, nutrition and growth of children could be significantly improved.

Med Cutan Ibero Lat Am, 1976, 4(5), 371 - 4
{Study of the aerobic bacterial flora of onycolysis and paronychia caused by Candida}; Robles AM et al.; The aerobic bacterial flora of 63 cases of onicolysis 78 of paronychis and 5 of onicomadesis produced by yeast-like fungus were studied . Bacterial isolation was carried out in nutrient agar with a concentration of 10 mug/ml of nystatin . These microorganisms were identified following the Otto Bier and Bailey & Scott's techniques (3, 1) . Bacterial contamination was very frequent . One species or more were isolated from 93,6% of onicolysis and 97% of paronychis . The onicolysis presented the following flora: "Staphylococcus aureus" in 22 cases, "Staphylococcus epidermidis" in 21, Gram positive sporulated bacilli in 17, "Enterobacteriaceae" in 13, and "Pseudomona aeruginosa" in 6 . The paronychial lesions showed the following flora: "Staphylococcus aureus" in 21 cases, "Staphylococcus epidermidis" in 26, Gram positive sporulated bacilli in 17, "Enterobacteriaceae" in 17 and "Pseudomona aeruginosa" in 3 . It is important to emphasize that "Pseudomona aeruginosa" was isolated in a few cases of both types of candidal onixis, contrary to usual reports (2, 4, 9) . No significant difference between the aerobic bacterial flora of the onicolysis and paronychia was found, that would give an explanation of the existence of these two clinical forms of candidal nails infection.

Microbios, 1976, 17(67), 7 - 16
A qualitative and quantitative study of the fatty acid composition of selected micro-organisms; Kramzar GR et al.; Fatty acid content was found to be an important parameter in the identification and numerical taxonomy of many micro-organisms . Isolates of the same species and genus as well as members of many well defined groups, such as the Enterobacteriaceae, were included in the study . A direct methylation procedure of the bacteria was found to be accurate, efficient and rapid . Fatty acids were found to be reliable indicators of micro-organisms in group, generic, specific and strain identification . Other biochemical tests were especially valuable when used in conjunction with fatty acid profiles in identification and classification of the bacteria studied.

Infection, 1976, 4(4), 224 - 30
{Clinical study of septicaemia (author's transl)}; Stille W; The internationally accepted term septicaemia is used to describe illnesses in which pathogenic microorganisms are present in the blood . Septicaemia should be defined according to the causative organism, the portal of entry and the underlying disease . In the last 16 years the causative organisms in 788 cases of septicaemia in our hospital were found to be gram-positive cocci in 28.1% gram-negative rods in 37.6%, and other organisms in 24.i% . Infections with Psuedomonas in particular have become more frequent in recent years . The range of causative organisms in septicaemia varies considerably with the patient groups involved . Thus patients with myeloid insufficiency contracted primarily gram-negative septicaemia . As in the past, the pathogens in endocarditis today are primarily streptococci . In hemodialysis staphylococci and gram-negative rods are shown to occur with equal frequency . The most important clinical manifestation of septicaemia is fever with rigor . The poor prognosis in gram-negative septicaemia is mainly due to the onset of septic shock . Skin colonisation is often a typical sign of septicaemia and can also sometimes serve as a diagnostic indication . Hemorrhagic pustules surrounded by a zone of inflammation are typical in septicaemia caused by meningococci or gonococci . Skin eruptions are rare in septicaemia caused by streptococci of staphylococci . Whereas skin eruptions are absent in septicaemia due to enterobacteria, they are very often present in septicaemia caused by Pseudomonas . In bacterial endocarditis a wide variety of skin lesions can occur.

Infection, 1976, 4(2), 1 - 4
Duration of antibody responses to common enterobacterial and O antigens of children with pyogenic peritonitis; Griffiths EK et al.; Children with pyogenic peritonitis folloiwng appendicits produce antibodies against the common enterobacterial antigen (CA) in unusually high titers when compared to patients with salmonellosis, shigellosis, or urinary tract infection . The duration of this antibody response was determined in 19 children observed over a period of up to 31 months after the acute illness . CA antibody titers decreased significantly in 70% of the patients during the first year and in 91% of those studied between 13 and 31 months after the infection . In the majority (71%) of patients the antibody titers returned to pre- or near pre-infection levels within 31 months after the acute illness . Only in a few patients (19%) were near maximal titers maintained during the observation period . The titers of antibodies against the O antigens of the infecting microorganisms also decreased in the majority of subjects during the follow-up period of observation . These findings may be of importance in connection with studies on the immune response of patients with urinary tract and other infections.

Infection, 1976, 4(2), 110 - 2
Is the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease similar to that juvenile recurrent pyelonephritis? A study of lipid A antibody titers in Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and acute enteritis; Marget W et al.; In 18 patients with Crohn's disease, 28 patients with ulcerative colitis, 24 patients with enteritis and in 68 healthy adults lipid A antibody titers were determined by the passive hemolysis test . In addition, 0 antibody titers to polyvalent E . coli, Klebisella, Proteus, and Ps . aeruginosa antigens were measured by indirect hemagglutination . The patients with Crohn's disease showed a statistically significant elevation of the lipid A antibody titers compared with each of the three other groups investigated . The 0 antibody titers for the four polyvalent antigens were also higher in the patients with Crohn's disease than in the other groups . The results indicate that Enterobacteriaceae are involved in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease . Thus long-term treatment with wide spectrum antibiotics seems to be justified . The determination of lipid A antibody titers may be a useful diagnostic tool in differentiating between Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1976 Jan, 31(1), 91 - 8
Growth of Enterobacter aerogenes in a chemostat with double nutrient limitations; Cooney CL et al.; The behavior of Enterobacter aerogenes during growth in chemostats limited by single and double nutrient restrictions was examined . On the assumption that different essential nutrients act to limit growth in different ways, we selected pairs of nutrients likely to affect different aspects of metabolism . Results show that macromolecular cell composition can be controlled by using more than one nutrient restriction . The polysaccharide content of the cells is readily manipulated by the ratio of carbon to nitrogen in the inlet nutrients . Also, at low dilution rates, ratios of protein to ribonucleic acid are dependent on the ratio of phosphate to nitrogen in the input nutrients . An examination of both acetic acid and metabolite production (as measured by ultraviolet absorbance of culture filtrates) showed that accumulation of these products was dependent on both dilution rate and type of nutrient limitation(s) . These results were examined in terms of the problems of translation of batch to continuous culture processes and the use of selected nutrient limitations to control noncellular product formation.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1976 Jan, 29(1), 29 - 37
Cefuroxime - a new cephalosporin antibiotic; O'Callaghan CH et al.; Cefuroxime is a new broad spectrum cephalosporin antibiotic for administration by injection . It is stable to most beta-lactamases . It is active against gram-positive organisms, including penicillinase-producing staphylococci, and has wide activity against gram-negative bacilli including Enterobacter and many strains of indole-positive Proteus spp . The substance is also highly active against Haemophilus influenzae and Neisseria gonorrhoeae . Studies on human volunteers showed that it produced high, long-lasting blood levels with virtually complete recovery of unchanged antibiotic in the urine . No evidence of toxicity due to cefuroxime was found . Slight, short-lived pain followed intramuscular injection, and the compound was well tolerated intravenously.

Ann Ist Super Sanita, 1976, 12(2-3), 177 - 90
Various taxo- and ecogroups of bacteria as index organisms for the enteric contamination of bottled waters: their significance and enumeration; Mossel DA; Bottled "still" waters may present bacterial and viral risks, particularly for compromised consumers and when stored for some length of time in opened containers . Therefore, bottling has to be supervised carefully and any sanitary deficiencies discovered, corrected immediately . When plants are thus controlled by a preventive system, bacteriological examination of samples will be warranted, whereas this is senseless, for mathematical reasons, in non-supervised bottling plants . A direct search for enteric pathogens is discouraged . Instead, detection of the entire Enterobacteriaceae group, P . aeruginosa and Lancefield group D streptococci, is advocated . Deficiencies of customarily used methods of detection of the coli-aerogenes group of bacteria are outlined . The need for resuscitation of cells of bacterial groups used as index organisms, debilitated by storage in bottled waters, before their inoculation into currently employed selective media is demonstrated.

Pathol Biol (Paris), 1976 Jan, 24(1), 25 - 30
{"In vitro" determination of bacterial sensitivity to tobramycin (author's transl)}; Talon D et al.; The authors report the tobramycin minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 264 strains (dilution in Mueller-Hinton agar) . Staphylococcus aureus (96 strains) have a MIC of 0.02 mcg/ml, 80 % being inhibited by 0.07 mcg/ml . Most Enterobacteriaceae (70 strains) are sensitive to 0.7 mcg/ml ; Providencia are the most resistant (MIC 11.88 mcg/ml) . Among Pseudomonas aeruginosa (98 strains, MIC : 11.57 mcg/ml) 50 % are inhibited by 0.30 mcg/ml, 80 % by 18.8 mcg/ml . Relationships of MIC to zone diameters with the use of 10 mcg (D 10) and 30 mcg (D 30) tobramycin discs allow to draw the regression line which is respectively : y = -- 0,331 x + 6,64 and y = -- 0.263 x + 7,68 . The strains are sensitive with an inhibition diameter greater than or equal to 16 mm (D 10) or greater than or equal to 18.5 mm (D 30).

Trans Am Assoc Genitourin Surg, 1976, 68, 78 - 82
Studies of introital colonization in women with recurrent urinary infections . VII . The role of bacterial adherence; Fowler JE Jr et al.; The susceptibility of the vaginal introitus to colonization by enterobacteria appears to be the biologic defect that separates women who experience recurrent urinary infection from those resistant to recurrent infection . Colonization of a mucosal surface is mediated in part by the ability of an organism to adhere to the surface . We describe an in vitro model that measures the capacity of different bacterial species to adhere to human vaginal epithelial cells . Different bacteria are demonstrated to vary in their adhesive properties . Escherichia coli is shown to adhere more readily to vaginal cells from women with recurrent urinary infection than to similar cells from control women resistant to urinary infection (p less than 0.001) . These studies suggest that biologic susceptibility to recurrent urinary infections in women is related to a defect at the cellular level that encourages or favors bacterial adherence.

J Int Med Res, 1976, 4(4), 223 - 7
Efficacy of amikacin in septic abortion: serum and urine antibiotic concentrations; Bravo-Sandoval J et al.; Septic abortion is a frequent cause of maternal death in our patient population . The great majority of bacteria isolated were enterobacteria . Since antibiotics capable of destroying the cell wall release endotoxins (reducing vasoconstriction and tissue hypoxia) antibiotics which do not destroy bacteria like amikacin are preferred . Amikacin, 500 mg intramuscularly every twelve hours, was used concomitantly with uterine curettage and fluid and electrolyte restoration in thirty septic abortion patients . All the patients responded, obviating the need for more heroic surgical treatment such as hysterectomy . Previously used antibiotics have not been as effective in our patient population.

Boll Ist Sieroter Milan, 1976, 55(5), 436 - 42
{Possible use of the platelet as the cell system for the control of enteropathogenicity of E . coli and of other enterobacteria . Preliminary approach}; Fumarola D; After an introduction concerning the assays employed in vitro and in vivo to determine enterotoxigenic activity of E . coli, the A . suggests a new in vitro model as a preliminary approach based upon the influence of LT enterotoxin of Escherichia coli on platelet aggregation (inhibitory effect) as expression of stimulation of adenylatecyclase activity evoked by this fraction and eventually other cholera-like fractions released from enterobacteria.

Annu Rev Microbiol, 1976, 30, 327 - 49
Genetic relatedness in the family Enterobacteriaceae; Sanderson KE; Five criteria of genetic relatedness are considered . The first, transfer of plasmids between groups, is frequently not a good criterion, because transfer is possible between all genera of the Enterobacteriaceae and also to genera in other families . Though transfer to closely related groups is most frequent, host restriction and the properties of the plasmid may influence the transfer frequency as much as the relatedness of the donor and recipient . The second criterion is interspecies recombination (integration) of chromosomal genes transferred by Hfr strains . Crosses between closely related genera (E . coli and Shigella) gave high frequency of stable hybrids, but crosses between less related genera (E . coli and Salmonella) result in lower recombination, with the donor genes frequently integrated in nonallelic positions on the chromosome, or remaining as autonomous CCC-DNA . In crosses between distantly related genera such as E . coli and Proteus, all the donor DNA remained as CCC, with no detectable integration into the chromosome . Third, the linkage maps of different strains of a species such as E . coli or of closely related species are very similar . The linkage maps of E . coli and S . typhimurium are also similar, with one gene rearrangement, an inversion, distinguishing them . There are some indications of differences in gene order between E . coli and Yersinia and between E . coli and S . marcescens and considerable evidence for rearrangements in gene order between E . coli and P . mirabilis . No similarity between the linkage maps of E . coli and of nonenteric bacteria such as Pseudomonas was observed . Thus within the enteric bacteria there is striking similarity in order of genes between closely related genera, but major changes when less related genera, such as E . coli and P . mirabilis, are observed . are observed...

Infection, 1976, 4(2), 35 - 41
{Antimicrobial effectiveness of sisomicin . I: In vitro activity of sisomicin compared with gentamicin, tobramycin, amikacin and kanamycin (author's transl)}; Schassan HH; The aminoglycosides sisomicin, gentamicin, tobramycin, amikacin and kanamycin are highly active against staphylococci including the penicillinase-positive strains . Sisomicin is more effective than amikacin and kanamycin . Mixed infections with staphylococci and Enterobacteriaceae or Pseudomonas aeruginosa are thus on indication for treatment with sisomicin or other aminoglycosides . Infections with E . coli, Enterobacter, susceptible Klebsiella, and susceptible Pseudomonas strains can be treated with sisomicin, gentamicin or tobramycin . In such cases sisomicin is the most effective antibiotic because of its high antimicrobial activity . In infections with these organisms amikacin can also be used for treatment especially if there is resistance to other aminoglycosides . In hospital-acquired infections with Serratia marcescens amikacin and sisomicin are the drugs of choice . Both aminoglycosides have to be given in high doses in infections with Serratia because of the high inhibitory concentration for Serratia . Sisomicin demonstrates a high antimicrobial activity particularly against indole-positive Proteus species such as Proteus vulgaris and Proteus morganii, Enterobacter, and gentamicin-sensitive Pseudomonas strains . In infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa tobramycin is the most effective bactericidal antibiotic . Amikacin is the drug of choice against gentamicin-resistant Pseudomonas strains which are also not infrequently resistant to other aminoglycosides . The low proportion of resistance to sisomicin of 7,6% in 370 organisms is only exceeded by amikacin with a rate of 0,6% (resistance to tobramycin 11,4%, gentamicin, 13,2% and kanamycin 42,4%) . The low rate of resistance and the high antimicrobial activity are essential advantages of sisomicin.

Arzneimittelforschung, 1976, 26(3), 427 - 31
{The influence of pivmecillinam on the human gut flora (author's transl)}; Knothe H; The effect of pivaloyloxymethyl ester of 6-beta-{(hexahydro-1H-azepin-1-yl)-methyleneamino}-penicillanic acid (pivmecillinam, FL 1039) on the gut flora of human subjects was investigated at different doses . Following administration of 1.2 g or 2.4 g/die E . coli and other enterobacteriaceae species were markedly reduced . The response of enterococci and bacteroides species showed no uniformity . No overgrowth of the gut flora by Pseudomonas, Staphylococci or Candida was observed . Meanwhile it has been possible to inspect stool specimens of a patient who was suffering from a septicaemic Salmonella infection and was treated with a combination of pivmecillinam-HCl 4 X 800 mg/pivampicillin-HCl 4 X 350 mg/die for one month . After disappearance of Salmonellae during therapy enterobacteriaceae decreased to amounts of 10(2)--10(4), all strains of which were highly susceptible to mecillinam.

Scand J Infect Dis, 1976, 8(2), 112 - 6
Transferable and non-transferable drug resistance in enteric bacteria from hospital and from general practice; Moller JK et al.; Drug resistance to 8 different antibiotics in Enterobacteriaceae isolated from different hospitals and two groups of general practitioners was studied . Escherichia coli dominated among the 632 strains investigated . Drug resistance was found in 62% of the 512 hospital strains and in 38% of the 120 strains from general practice . Multiple resistance was common especially in strains from hospital . R factors was found in 23% of the 317 drug-resistant strains from hospital and in 11% of the 46 drug-resistant strains from general practice . Resistance to streptomycin, sulphonamide and tetracycline either alone or in combinations were the most common traits transferred.

Zahn Mund Kieferheilkd Zentralbl, 1976, 64(6), 580 - 7
{Resistance to chemotherapy of aerobic bacteria from nonspecific odontogenic infections}; Oehring H et al.; Germs in patients suffering from nonspecific odontogenous infections described in a previous paper were analysed with regard to their resistance to chemotherapy (1964 to 1971) . At the same time it was discovered that in the bacteria groups: staphyloccocus aureus, streptococci and pneumococci and enterobacteriaceae plus pseudomonas (344 strains) their sensitivity to penicillin, streptomycin, chloramphenicol, oxytetracyclin, erythromycin, polymyxin B and nifurantin varied in several and significant ways . Significant changes were established in the resistance of staphylococcus aureus to all the potentially effective antibiotics, while from 1969 to 1971 the strains with the least resistance appeared . In the 1970 to 1971 period strepto- and pneumococci showed insensitivity to penicillin and streptomycin more frequently than before . From 1969 to 1971 entero-bacteriaceae and pseudomonas also showed evidence of increasing loss of sensitivity to chloramphenicol and oxytetracyclin, whereas the frequency of strains resistant to polymyxin B and nifurantine diminished . The findings are being discussed.

Dev Biol Stand, 1976, 33, 13 - 8
Non-specific immunity after local immunization; Raettig H; The most important advantage of local immunization is the non-specific effect . The active protection test in mice shows an immunity against oral infection with virulent Salmonella typhimurium bacteria after oral immunization with heterologous inactivated enterobacteria . We observed the same non-specific protection in a viral model . After oral immunization with inactivated S . typhimurium bacteria, the mice are protected against oral infection with a virulent parapoliomyelitis virus . In the phagocytosis test after local immunization a non-specific effect is also demonstrated . The rate of phagocytosis of macrophages against streptococci rises significantly after oral immunization or after inhalation with heat-killed S . typhimurium bacteria.

Chemotherapy, 1976, 22(5), 335 - 9
A clinical investigation of pivmecillinam . A novel beta-lactam antibiotic in the treatment of urinary tract infections; Wise R et al.; Pivmecillinam (FL 1039) is the pivaloyloxymethyl ester of mecillinam (FL 1060) which has considerable in vitro activity against Enterobacteriaceae . 38 hospital inpatients who had proven urinary tract infections were treated with 400 mg pivmecillinam four times daily for 5-7 days . The MIC of mecillinam to the infecting organisms was determined as were the serum and urinary concentrations of the antibiotic . The patients were followed up for 4-6 weeks after the end of treatment . Three patients were lost to follow-up . Of the 35 patients who were adequately followed up, 29 (83%) were classified as cured and there were 6 failures . Reported side effects were of a minor nature.

Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1976 Jan, 234(1), 53 - 9
The unfortunate role of precedent in bacteriology . I . The main antigens of salmonellae: the proteins; Barber C et al.; Proteins from S . paratyphi B were found to be better immunogens, in rabbits, than the bacteria from which they were extracted . Likewise, proteins from S . newport induced antibodies which reacted in agar gel, against proteins from many species of Salmonella . The immunogenicity of the bacterial proteins, as well as their many biological activities are ignored because the classic techniques used lose these main antigens of Enterobacteriaceae . The contrasting overemphasized role attributed to the lipopolysaccharides has created a precedent which is not to the advantage of bacteriology.

Arzneimittelforschung, 1976, 26(5), 772 - 8
{Antibacterial activity of sisomicin in comparison with gentamicin}; Scheer M; The antibacterial activity of sisomicin -- a new aminoglycoside antibiotic -- as compared with gentamicin was tested on 521 bacterial strains of different species in a serial-dilution test . Staphylococci, streptococci, E . coli, Klebsialla-Enterobacter, indole-psitive Proteus strains, pseufomonads, Salmonads, Salmonellae, and Serratia marcescens were inhibited to the extent of 100% at a maximun of 4.0 mug/ml . Sisomicin showed a higher antibacterial activity against part of the bacterial species . Gentamicin-resistant pseudomonads and Klebsiella (clinical isolates) were still inhibited to the extent of 42 and 67%, respectively, by sisomicin . In addition to the determination of the MIC values for the use of different liquid media, investigations on the determin ation of the minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC), the effect of serum, pH, and inoculum on the bacterial activity, and investigations on the resistance development in vitro were also carried out.

Zahn Mund Kieferheilkd Zentralbl, 1976, 64(2), 134 - 43
{Bacteriological findings in materials from patients with nonspecific odontogenic infections}; Oehring VH et al.; The results of bacteriological studies made between 1964 and 1971 by workers at the Varia Laboratory, Institute of Medical Microbiology on 767 patients treated at the Clinic of Gnathofacial Surgery, Department of Medicine, Friedrich Schiller University at Jena, are evaluated . The testees (x=275) were included in groups with specific diagnoses, and a breakdown was made according to the detection of aerobic pus-forming germs . Gram-positive cocci were detected in 92% of the cases and their pathogenetic representatives, 76,5% of the cases . Rodshaped germs (Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas) were observed only in 37,9% of the cases . Staphylococcus aureus, which accounted for 62,5%, was the most frequently observed species . It was followed, in order of frequency of detection, by greening streptococci and Staphylococcus epidermidis . Monoinfection was far more frequently observed than multi-infection . Also, the problems associated with the differentiation of streptococci are pointed out since other investigators found streptococci to be the most frequent agents producing odontogenic infections.

Arch Microbiol, 1975 Dec 31, 106(3), 175 - 90
{Metabolic products of microorganisms, 149 . Lysolipin I, a new antibiotic from streptomyces violaceoniger (author's transl)}; Drautz H et al.; From the cultures of Streptomyces violaceoniger, strain Tu 96, two new lipophilic antibiotics, Lysolipin I and Lysolipin X were isolated . The latter one is chemically unstable and is easily transformed to Lysolipin I . The deeply yellow Lysolipin I has a molecular formula C29H24CINO11 . It was characterized by the ir, uv, H-nmr and 13C-nmr spectra, which make a quinone structure very probable . Lysolipin I is active against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria . However, enterobacteriae are only inhibited in high dilution, when the membrane permeation is damaged . Lysolipin I acts lytically against bacterial cells . Its activity is decreased by several lipids . The site of action is the biosynthesis of bacterial cell walls, an interaction with the carrier lipid for mureine intermediates being probable.

Appl Microbiol, 1975 Dec, 30(6), 889 - 92
Effect of substrates on acetoin production by Torulopsis colliculosa and Enterobacter species; Yadav NK et al.; Under optimal conditions, Torulopsis colliculosa NRRL 172 and Enterobacter B-87 (ATCC 27613) produced 50 to 500 mg of acetoin per g of substrate . Whereas cane molasses, gur, glucose, and sucrose were suitable substrates for acetoin production, lactose and mannitol supported very good growth but yielded little or no acetoin . Production of acetoin increased with increases in the concentration of glucose, yeast extract, and peptone . Combination of substrates and intermittent feeding of substrate failed to increase the yields.

Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1975 Dec, 233(4), 486 - 94
Immunochemical studies on purified common enterobacterial antigen (KUNIN); Marx A et al.; A common antigen (KUNIN) purification method is described . The preparation obtained was highly antigenic, as proved by hemagglutination and its inhibition, and immunogenic in rabbits . Chemical analysis demonstrated the presence of an L-phosphoglycerid of the cephalin type, of protein, glucosamine, acetyl and glucose . The antigen had the character of an acidic polymer . It readily forms salt linkages with lysozyme . Phospholipase A induced the release of myristic, palmitic and stearic acids . It also destroyed both the antigenicity and immunogenicity of common antigen.

J Clin Microbiol, 1975 Dec, 2(6), 552 - 3
Polypectate digestion by Yersinia; von Riesen VL; The ability of Yersinia to digest polypectate may be of some value in differentiating Y . enterocolitica and Y . pseudotuberculosis from some of the other fermenting gram-negative bacilli, such as Enterobacter agglomerans, with which they can be confused . Pectolytic activity in Yersinia may also have some teleologic or taxonomic significance about which we do not care to speculate.

J Clin Microbiol, 1975 Dec, 2(6), 486 - 97
Nationwide epidemic of septicemia caused by contaminated intravenous products: mechanisms of intrinsic contamination; Mackel DC et al.; Between 1 July 1970 and April 1971, in many hospitals in this country, there were outbreaks of nosocomial septicemia caused by Enterobacter cloacae of E . agglomerans (formerly Erwinia, herbicola-lathyri) . All of these hospitals used infusion products manufactured by one company, Abbott Laboratories, and all affected patients had onset of septicemia while receiving the company's infusion products . Septicemia was epidemiologically and microbiologically traced to intrinsic contamination of the company's screw-cap closure for infusion bottles which was sealed with a newly introduced elastomer liner . Epidemic organisms were isolated from these closures . Investigations both in the laboratory and in the manufacturing plant into the mechanism of contamination of these products revealed the following . (i) Epidemic strains were present in numerous areas throughout the manufacturing plants . (ii) Viable microorganisms gained access to the interior of screw-cap closures after the autoclave step of production . (iii) Cooling closures actively drew moisture through the thread interstices into the inner-most depths of the closure . (iv) Transfer of contaminants from closures to fluid was easily effected by simple manipulations duplicating normal in-hospital use . (v) The red-rubber liner used in the company's screw-cap closures before the introduction of elastomer contained a broad-spectrum antimicrobial inhibitor . The findings from this epidemic and the associated studies show that the screw-cap closure as it is now designed cannot be considered secure for products that must remain sterile.

J Bacteriol, 1975 Dec, 124(3), 1168 - 76
Analysis of the cell wall and lipopolysaccharide of Spirillum serpens; Chester IR et al.; Isolated walls of Spirillum serpens VHA contained lipid, lipopolysaccharide, and protein in amounts similar to those of other gram-negative organisms . The loosely bound lipids consisted mainly of phosphatidylethanolamine, lyso-phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, and diphosphatidylglycerol . Lipopolysaccharide was tightly bound to the wall and could only be removed in a substantial amount after digestion of the wall with Pronase . The lipopolysaccharide contained L-glycero-D-mannoheptose, rhamnose, glucosamine, ethanolamine, and phosphate in common with many of the lipopolysaccharides isolated from the Enterobacteriaceae . However, 2-keto-3-deoxyoctonic acid was not detected . Several unidentified sugars were present . The fatty acid composition resembled that found in lipopolysaccharides isolated from various pseudomonads . Two major regions were identified in the polysaccharide moiety, one apparently corresponding to the core polysaccharide and the other corresponding to the side-chain polysaccharide as in enterobacterial and pseudomonad lipopolysaccharides . The side chains were obtained as low-molecular-weight material and their structure was partially elucidated by the isolation and partial characterization of N-acetylglucosaminyl-(1 leads to 4)-rhamnose.

J Bacteriol, 1975 Dec, 124(3), 1084 - 8
Induction of citrate lyase in Enterobacter cloacae grown under aerated conditions and its effect on citrate metabolism; O'Brien RW; Growth of Enterobacter cloacae on K+ citrate under aerated conditions (no detectable oxygen tension in the medium even though it was aerated) was slower (mean generation time, 130 min) than under aerobic conditions (mean generation time, 72 min), but with a faster utilization of citrate, resulting in a molar growth yield of 10.6 g (dry weight) of cells per mol of citrate utilized versus 40 g (dry weight) of cells per mol of citrate utilized for aerobic growth . The rapid utilization of citrate under aerated conditions was apparently due to the induction of citrate lyase and was supported by the finding that cells excreted acetate and a small amount of oxalacetate under aerated conditions, but not under aerobic conditions when the cells were devoid of citrate lyase activity . The activity of oxalacetate decarboxylase in aerated cells was slightly lower than in aerobic cells, indicating that little of the oxalacetate produced by the citrate lyase was metabolized by the decarboxylase . Oxalacetate was probably metabolized by malate dehydrogenase, previously shown to be present in anaerobic and aerobic cells . Thus, about 70% of the citrate was cleaved by the citrate lyase, resulting in little or no production of energy for growth . The remaining citrate was metabolized via the citric acid cycle under aerated conditions, since the cells contained alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase at the same level as in aerobically grown cells . The presence of the other enzymes of the cycle was shown in earlier studies.

J Gen Microbiol, 1975 Dec, 91(2), 376 - 82
The molecular relatedness of R factors in enterobacteria of human and animal origin; Anderson ES et al.; The molecular length and DNA homology of R factors isolated from enterobacteria of human and animal origin have been examined . DNA from plasmids of the same compatibility group, whether of human or animal origin is indistinguishable, after allowance has been made for the regions coding for different antibiotic resistances . These results indicate that there is a common pool of R factors in man and ainmals.

J Clin Microbiol, 1975 Dec, 2(6), 469 - 73
Direct inoculation procedure for the rapid classification of bacteria from blood culture; Edberg SC et al.; A procedure was developed for 4-h identification of bacteria from blood culture . From a turbid blood culture bottle a 10- to 15-ml aliquot was drawn off and centrifuged . The pellet was utilized to inoculate a series of enzymatic and physiologic reactions . Three hundred eight positive blood cultures were tested including 222 strains of Enterobacteriaceae, 40 strains of facultative grampositive cocci, 26 strains of anaerobes, and 20 assorted strains . There was over 96.5% agreement between 4-h and conventional methods with the Enterobacteriaceae, 98% with facultative gram-positive cocci, 100% with anaerobes, and 99% with the assorted strains.

Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand Suppl, 1975 Dec, 83(6), 525 - 33
Rapid identification of gram-negative rods using a three-tube method combined with a dichotomic key; Lassen J; A three-tube method combined with a dichotomic key is presented which will identify virtually all Enterobacteriaceae as well as a number of other frequently encountered Gram-negative rods at a genus or species level within 20 hours following the primary isolation . The method is shown to be reliable and simple, saving processing time and material.

Infect Immun, 1975 Dec, 12(6), 1426 - 38
Insect immunity . 11 . Simultaneous induction of antibacterial activity and selection synthesis of some hemolymph proteins in diapausing pupae of Hyalophora cecropia and Samia cynthia; Faye I et al.; We have previously shown that pupae of the giant silkmoth Samia cynthia have a humoral antibacterial activity, which was induced by viable, nonpathogenic gram-negative bacteria (H.G . Boman et al., 1974) . We show here that this activity was formed simultaneously with a selective incorporation of amino acids into eight polypeptide chains characterized by their electrophoretic behavior . If actinomycin D or cycloheximide were given at an early time, no antibacterial activity was found . If the inhibitors were given at the time of maximum activity, there was no effect with actinomycin D but a rapid decrease of the activity in the case of cycloheximide . The results imply that the messenger ribonucleic acid was stable, but that at least one protein component was turning over . Hemolymph from immunized pupae of another giant silkmoth, Hyalophora cecropia, was fractionated by ammonium sulfate precipitation . This procedure, together with the isotope distribution after co-electrophoresis in polyarylamide gels, was used for comparing the response to injury and to different infections . Almost identical polypeptide patterns were obtained as a response to an infection with either viable Enterobacter cloacae or Bacillus subtilis . These patterns differed both qualitatively and quantitatively from the injury effect created by an injection as such . There was only a low antibacterial activity in each of the four fractions obtained by ammonium sulfate precipitation . However, a combination of three fractions restored a high killing activity . Fractionation of hemolymph from untreated pupae provided evidence for at least one preexisting factor which stimulated the killing of Escherichia coli . The osmotic pressure of the bacteria contributed to the antibacterial activity towards E . coli, but not towards B . subtitlis . The killing of E . coli was inhibited by liped A and, to a lesser extent, by an inhibitor of proteolytic enzymes . The similarities and differences with the mammalian complement system are discussed.

J Bacteriol, 1975 Dec, 124(3), 1566 - 73
Comparison of lipopolysaccharides from Agmenellum quadruplicatum to Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium by using thin-layer chromatography; Buttke TM et al.; Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was isolated from the unicellular blue-green bacterium Agmenellum quadruplicatum using the procedure of Westphal and Jann (1965) . It was composed of a lipid A and polysaccharide region suggesting a similarity to other gram-negative LPSs . Chemical analyses demonstrated the presence of glucose, rhamnose, mannose, and xylose in the polysaccharide region, as well as 2-keto-3-deoxyoctonate, glucosamine, and phosphorous in the lipid A . Studies on the lipid composition revealed the presence of palmitic, behenic, and three beta-hydroxy fatty acids . A new procedure for thin-layer chromatography of bacterial LPSs was used to compare LPS from A . quadruplicatum to other gram-negative organisms . The method is capable of distinguishing between LPSs of different bacteria as well as between the wild-type organism and mutated forms unable to synthesize complete LPS . A comparison of LPS from A . quadruplicatum to Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium demonstrated that, although the blue-green LPS was rather similar to that of the Enterobacteriaceae, distinct differences also existed . However, when several cell division mutants of A . quadruplicatum were compared chromatographically to the parent strain BG-1, no differences were observed . This suggests that cell division mutations in A . quadruplicatum are not associated with changes in the LPS.

J Bacteriol, 1975 Dec, 124(3), 1482 - 8
Cross-reactivity of phenylalanyl-transfer ribonucleic acid ligases from different microorganisms; Piepersberg A et al.; The cross-reaction of phenylalanyl-transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA) ligases from different microorganisms with antibodies raised against the purified enzyme from Escherichia coli has been investigated . The results of immunotitration and immunodiffusion experiments and of the sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic analysis of immunoprecipitates revealed: (i) a high degree of immunochemical identity of this enzyme only within the family Enterobacteriaceae; (ii) intermediate-to-weak cross-reaction with the phenylalanyl-tRNA ligases from Pseudomonadaceae, Rhodopseudomonas spheroides, and Bacillus stearothermophilus; (iii) no detectable cross-reaction (with the methods employed) with the enzymes from several gram-positive organisms, Euglena gracilis, and several fungi . As revealed by immunochemical analysis, a merodiploid strain of E . coli carrying an episome (F148) that covers the aroD region of the E . coli chromosome possesses at least twice the amount of phenylalanyl-tRNA ligase in comparison with its haploid parent strain . This suggests that the cistrons for both the alpha and beta polypeptides of this enzyme are mapping in this area.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1975 Dec, (12), 50 - 4
{Serologic interrelations of choleragen and the neurotoxins of enterobacteria}; Kamzolkina NB et al.; Antibodies reacting with the endotoxins of enterobacteria or antibodies to homologous endotoxin were eliminated from the sera to cholerigen, cholerigen-toxoid by precipitin abosrption . Sera to neurotoxin of enterobacteria were exhausted in the same way . The exhausted sera continued to form precipitation lines with heterologous toxic complexes . The presence of affiliated antigens in the composition of cholerigen and of shigellae, salmonellae and escherichia neurotoxins was also shown by the method of immune electrophoresis.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1975 Dec, (12), 19 - 25
{Results of a quantitative study of the interaction of pathogenic enterobacteria with a cell monolayer}; Elshina MA et al.; A study was made of the cytopathic effect and dynamics of intracellular reproduction of S . typhimurium and shigellae in the monolayer of HeLa cells, macrophages (monocytes) of the peritoneal exudate of rabbits and rats and microphages (granulocytes) of the pleural exudate of rabbits . The presence of bactericidal mechanism in the host cell to the invaded infectious agent is postulated . An important role of the cell component of defence in insensibility in shigellosis is supposed.

J Bacteriol, 1975 Dec, 124(3), 1052 - 61
Inactivation of citrate lyase from Rhodopseudomonas gelatinosa by a specific deacetylase and inhibition of this inactivation by L-(+1-glutamate; Giffhorn F et al.; A previously unrecognized enzyme, citrate lyase deacetylase, has been purified about 140-fold from cell extracts of Rhodopseudomonas gelatinosa . It catalyzed the conversion of enzymatically active acetyl-S-citrate lyase into the inactive HS-form and acetate . The enzyme exhibited an optimal rate of inactivation at pH 8.1 . Because of the instability of acetyl-S-citrate lyase at acidic and alkaline pH values, all assays were carried out at pH 7.2, where the spontaneous hydrolysis of the acetyl-S-citrate lyase was negligible and deacetylase showed 70% of the activity at pH 8.1 . The apparent Km value for citrate lyase was 10(-7) M at pH 7.2 and 30 C . The activity of the deacetylase was restricted to the citrate lyase from R . gelatinosa . The corresponding lyases from Enterobacter aerogenes (formerly Klebsiella aerogenes) and Streptococcus diacetilactis were not deacetylated; likewise, thioesters such as acetyl-S coenzyme A, acetoacetyl-S coenzyme A, and N-acetyl-S-acetyl-cysteamine were also not hydrolyzed . Citrate lyase deacetylase was present in very small amounts in cells of R . gelatinosa grown with acetate or succinate; it was induced by citrate along with the citrate lyase . L-(+)-Glutamate strongly inhibited the deacetylase . Fifty percent inhibition was obtained at a concentration of 1.4 X 10(-4) L-(+)-glutamate . D-(-)-Glutamate, alpha-ketoglutarate, L-alpha-hydroxyglutarate, L-(-)-proline, and other metabolites were less effective.

Am J Med Sci, 1975 Nov-Dec, 270(3), 453 - 63
Amikacin therapy of infections in neutropenic patients; Valdivieso M et al.; Amikacin, a new aminoglycoside antibiotic, was utilized in the treatment of 49 cases of infection which occurred in 39 neutropenic cancer patients . Thirty-four patients (69 per cent) responded to this antibiotic . Pneumonia and septicemia were the most common types of infection treated and the response rates were 65 per cent and 75 per cent, respectively . Gram-negative bacili were responsible for 93 per cent of the identified infections and 74 per cent responded . E . coli, Ps . aeruginosa, and organisms of the Klebsiella-Enterobacter-Serratia group were the most common gram-negative bacilli causing infection . Responses were more frequent among patients who maintained higher serum concentrations of antibiotic, but the differences were not statistically significant . Patients with severe neutropenia (less than 100 neutrophils/mm3) had a response rate of 68 per cent . Toxicity was manifested as azotemia and hearing loss which occurred in 13 per cent and 6 per cent, respectively . However, toxicity was directly related to serum concentration and to the number of treatments with amikacin . This antibiotic is of potential importance because of its efficacy against gram-negative bacilli infections . Best results were obtained when sufficient drug was given as a continuous intravenous infusion to maintain serum concentrations of about 15 mu g/ml.

J Med Microbiol, 1975 Nov, 8(4), 477 - 90
Enterobacterial chelators of iron: their occurrence, detection, and relation to pathogenicity; Miles AA et al.; In or on agar media, low-density seedings of enterobacteria fail to grow in the presence of certain concentrations of ethylene diamine-di-orthohydroxyphenyl acetic acid (EDDA); on the other hand, high-density seedings not only grow but secrete iron chelators which release the iron bound by the EDDA in the medium and stimulate the growth of low-density seedings . Plates of media containing EDDA with low-density seedings of indicator organisms were used to survey iron-chelator production in seven enterobacterial genera, including a number of virulent smooth (S) forms from which rough (R) mutants had been obtained . An examination of over 80 strains of Aeromonas, Escherichia, Klebsiella, Proteus, Pseudomonas, Salmonella and Shigella species indicated that the iron chelators from bacteria in all these genera were functionally interchangeable . Chelator production was equally good with randomly selected avirulent and virulent strains of Klebsiella spp . and E . coli; and with the S forms and their avirulent R mutants in one pair of escherichiae, six pairs of salmonellae (4 species) and six pairs of shigellae (3 species) . As determinable in vitro, the capacity to synthesise iron chelators is clearly no index of the capacity of a strain to proliferate in vivo.

Am J Clin Pathol, 1975 Nov, 64(5), 678 - 88
Abnormal forms of bacteria produced by antibiotics; Lorian V et al.; Subinhibitory concentrations of antibiotics can produce in vitro aberrant forms of bacteria that are similar to those observed in specimens and cultures from patients being treated with antibacterial agents . Eight species of bacteria were grown on membranes placed on agar containing subinhibitory concentrations of nine antibiotics . The resulting organisms were examined by Gram stain and electron microscopy . Gram stains showed filamentous and granular forms of enterobacteria with bipolar staining, giant staphylococci, and rodlike pneumococci . Electron micrographs showed changes in the number and distribution of ribosomes in enterobacteria and septum abnormalities in cocci . Such abnormal forms can occasionally simulate the appearance of quite different species, and they may indicate the presence of a subinhibitory antibiotic concentration at the site of infection as a result of prior antibacterial therapy.

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