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| Minerva Chir, 1975 Oct 31, 30(20), 1040 - 8 {Enterobacteria and endotoxins in abdominal surgical pathology . Critical review and clinico-experimental studies}; Fumarola D et al.; A detailed critical review on the role of endotoxins from gram-negative bacteria in the pathogenesis of most of the intestinal experimental models of surgical interest is presented . Data of an investigation on 10 cases of acute appendicitis and 2 cases of intestinal occlusion associated with toxaemia are then presented: in all these cases the Limulus test significatively revealed the presence of endotoxin in the blood and in the peritoneal fluid, also in absence of bacteria in the blood . The implications of these results and the use of the test in clinical practice are discussed. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1975 Oct, 233(2), 228 - 31 Deoxyribonuclease release by incompatible strains of Proteus; Chambers TJ; Using incompatible strains of Proteus growing on the same deoxyribonuclease (DNase) agar plate, it was found that DNase is consistently released at the demarcation line . DNase was shown to be released when the swarming organisms were killed . While screening Enterobacteriaceae according to the method of Schreier (1969) on agar containing deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), it was noticed that when dissimilar strains of Proteus met, there was a breakdown of DNA . Schreier (1969) reported that, of the Enterobacteriaceae, only Serratia sp . consistently release DNase, while 10% of Proteus sp . and Pseudomonas sp . release DNase, but in much smaller amounts . Dienes (1946) reported that when dissimilar strains of Proteus are allowed to swarm on the same agar plate, a demarcation line the organisms show various degenerative changes . Many organisms at the line have been shown to be nonviable . When identical strains of Proteus are used, no line is produced . The present study reports DNase release at the demarcation (Dienes) line, questions the significance of this, and suggests the usefulness of the phenomenon in the Dienes typing of Proteus sp. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand {B}, 1975 Oct, 83(5), 451 - 6 Human serum antibodies against heat-stable antigens from Yersinia enterocolitica; Maeland JA et al.; Human sera, 200 from blood donors and five from patients with infection caused by Yersinia enterocolitica serotype 3 (Y.e . 3), were tested by indirect haemagglutination for antibodies against antigens from Y.e . serotypes 3 and 9 . Erythrocytes were sensitized using extracts prepared by heating of the bacteria at 100 degrees C for 60 min . All sera tested showed antibody activity against antigen from both Y.e . serotypes . In blood donors, the titres ranged from 4 to 512, and in patients from 512 to 2048 against the Y.e . 3 extract, from 32 to 256 against the Y.e . 9 extract . The results of inhibition and absorption experiments showed that human antibodies against the common enterobacterial antigen (CA) agglutinated the sensitized erythrocytes and that anti-CA antibody was present in all sera tested . Some blood donor sera and all the patient sera also contained antibodies that could not be inhibited by CA when tested against antigen in the Y.e . 3 extract . Only these sera had the ability to agglutinate heat-treated Y.e . 3 bacteria . Presumably these antibodies were directed against the O antigen of the Y.e . 3 strain. J Pediatr, 1975 Oct, 87(4), 528 - 33 Colonization by Enterobacteriaceae of the respiratory tract of children with cystic fibrosis of the pancreas and their antibody response; Seidmon EJ et al.; Of 72 patients with fibrosis, 49 harbored Enterobacteriaceae in the respiratory tract, including Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, and Enterobacter . Colonization by two to four genera was documented in 29 subjects . Staphylococcus aureus was recovered from 44 of these 49 patients . The distribution of serogroups of E . coli was similar to that seen in patients with urinary tract infection . Antibody response against the O antigens of the patients' own Enterobacteriaceae was documented in 29 of these 49 children and encountered more often in patients with severe disease . Colonization by Enterobacteriaceae in the absence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was seen more frequently in children with the mild form of the illness. Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1975 Oct-Nov, 126(3), 313 - 32 {Studies on haemolysins of "enterobacteriaceae" (author's transl)}; Le Minor S et al.; Haemolysin production of 1,103 strains of Enterobacteriaceae was investigated on trypticase soja agar containing washed horse erythrocytes . Nearly all haemolytic strains belonged to the genus Escherichia (103 haemolytic strains out of 349 examined) . The 3 remaining haemolytic strains belonged to the genus Serratia (of which 244 strains were examined) . Plasmidic determinism of haemolysis was demonstrated for six of the Hly+ E . coli strains, and these plasmids were transferred to E . coli K12, Salmonella typhia and S . typhi-murium . Investigations about coexistence of four of these plasmids with "metabolic" plasmids and with representatives of the plasmids compatibility groups presently known, showed that two of these plasmids were fi+ and belonged to the FIII group, and that two other were fi- and related to the I2 group . Thus, different plasmids can determine haemolysin-production in E . coli strains. Appl Microbiol, 1975 Oct, 30(4), 551 - 6 Effects of an antibacterial soap on the ecology of aerobic bacterial flora of human skin; Voss JG; The effects of ad lib use of an antibacterial soap containing 1.0% trichlorocarbanilide and 0.5% trifluoromethyldichlorocarbanilide on the bacterial flora of six skin sites of 132 subjects were measured by comparison with the flora of 93 control subjects who avoided the use of topical antibacterials . Each subject was examined once . The test soap produced significant reductions in geometric mean counts of the total aerobic flora on the back, chest, forearm, calf, and foot; counts were also reduced in the axilla, but not to a significant extent . The overall reduction by the test soap on all sites was 62% (P less than 0.001) . Neither age nor sex influenced the effect of the soap on the flora . The antibacterial soap also reduced the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus on the skin, mostly by virtually eliminating it from areas other than the axilla . Partial inhibition of the gram-positive flora was not accompanied by an increase in gram-negative species . The latter were found principally in the axilla; Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterobacter aerogenes were the species most frequently found. J Clin Microbiol, 1975 Oct, 2(4), 359 - 60 Formalinized bacterial "antigens" as a potential infection hazard; Farmer JJ 3rd; It is widely thought that after enteric bacteric have been "formalinized" (treated with an equal volume of 0.6% formalin) for 1 h, the bacteria become "antigens" and are no longer viable . None of the 27 cultures of Salmonella and other Enterobacteriaceae were entirely killed within 1 h after formalin was added, but all 27 were reduced from 10(9) viable cells per ml to less than 10(2) per ml within 7 h . Thus, mouth pipetting of cultures formalinized for only 1 h is a possible infection hazard. J Clin Microbiol, 1975 Oct, 2(4), 349 - 53 Unusual Enterobacteriaceae: lactose-positive Salmonella typhimurium which is endemic in São Paulo, Brazil; Falcao DP et al.; Since 1971 a lactose-positive (lac+) Salmonella typhimurium variety Copenhagen has been endemic in the city of Sao Paulo . The strain is a strong lactose fermenter and resembles Escherichia coli on primary plating media and in triple sugar iron agar . Although most isolates of the strain have uniform properties, some have slightly different antigens, antibiograms, phage types, or fermentation patterns . Most isolates have come from stools of infants under 1 year of age and are probably hospital acquired; however, other isolates are probably community acquired . Eighteen other lac+ Salmonella isolated in the United States were also studied . Most of these strains resembled E . coli on primary plates and triple sugar iron agar; thus their identification would pose a problem for most clinical laboratories . A simple procedure for detecting lac+ Salmonella mixed with lac+ E . coli consists of touching 12 colonies in succession with a straight wire and then inoculating a peptone iron agar tube . H2S production is apparent from lac+ Salmonella even if 11 E . coli and one Salmonella colony are picked . If a positive peptone iron agar tube is observed, then individual colonies are tested to rule out other strong H2S producers . The true incidence of lac+ Salmonella is unknown because they are not isolated and identified in most laboratories. J Clin Microbiol, 1975 Oct, 2(4), 322 - 6 Reproducibility of the analytab (API 20E) system; Butler DA et al.; The reproducibility of the Analytab (API 20E) system for identification of Enterobacteriaceae was evaluated with 110 clinical isolates . Each isolate was identified by two technologists at different times . Genus-species identification was 97.3% reproducible; however, only 55.5% of the strains gave identical reactions in all 20 of the API 20E biochemical tests on repeat testing . Of those strains which varied, 56% possessed only one variable biochemical test . The reproducibility for each biochemical test was calculated and ranged from 89 to 100% . A subset of 20 of the most variable strains was tested further under conditions of varying incubation time (15 and 22 h) and inoculum concentration (10(7), 10(5), and 10(3) colony-forming units per ml), and by having four technologists interpret the test results . The reproducibility for each biochemical test for these 20 variable strains ranged from 86 to 99% . Less variation in interpretation by technologists was seen at an incubation time of 22 h and an inoculum concentration of 10(7) colony-forming units per ml . Consideration of the reproducibility for each biochemical test can aid in determining the probability that two isolates suspected of being the same strain, but with API profiles which differ by one or more biochemical test results, are in fact the same strain . Variables such as inoculum size, incubation time, technologist interpretation, and strip variability affect the API test results and should be standardized to minimize their effects. Orthop Clin North Am, 1975 Oct, 6(4), 1115 - 28 The microbiology of musculoskeletal infection; Washington JA 2nd; Of paramount importance in the isolation and identification of bacteria, including mycobacteria, and fungi that cause musculoskeletal infections, are proper selection, collection, and transport of specimens . Material obtained by biopsy, curettage, or aspiration is preferable to that obtained on a swab because too little or unrepresentative material is usually collected on a swab and because swabs cannot be transported readily under conditions favorable to survival of anaerobes . Although actual infections are frequently due to staphylococci, strepococci, Enterobacteriaceae, and Pseudomonadacease, the etiologic agents of chronic lesions may include actinomycetes, brucellae, mycobacteria, and fungi . In chronic lesions, histopathologic examination of biopsy material is an important ancillary procedure . In acute infections, the incidence of gram-negative bacilli, particularly of Enterobacteriaceae and pseudomonads, has increased significantly in recent years. J Bacteriol, 1975 Oct, 124(1), 243 - 6 Growth rate of Enterobacteriaceae at elevated temperatures: limitation by methionine; Ron EZ; The effect of elevated temperatures on growth rate was studied in five strains of Enterobacteriaceae . In all the strains tested a shift to the elevated temperature resulted in an immediate decrease in growth rate which was due to limitation in the availability of endogenous methionine . The first biosynthetic enzyme of the methionine pathway-homoserine transsuccinylase-was studied in extracts of Aerobacter aerogenes, Salmonella typhimurium, and Escherichia coli and was shown to be temperature sensitive in all of them. J Clin Invest, 1975 Oct, 56(4), 850 - 61 Functional role of antibody against "core" glycolipid of Enterobacteriaceae; Young LS et al.; Antibodies against the "core" glycolipid of Enterobacteriaceae (2-keto, 3-deoxyoctonate-Lipid A) have been associated with protection against the sequelae of gram-negative rod bacteremia . To investigate the nature of this protection, dogs and rabbits were immunized with purified glycolipid prepared by phenol-chloroform-petroleum ether extraction of the "Re" mutant of Salmonella minnesota 595 and opsonophagocytic and bactericidal tests were carried out using lapine peritoneal granulocytes and serum factors . Whereas 1-4 mug/kg of glycolipid i.v . produced hypotension in dogs and 8 mug/kg i.v . was lethal, a rising dosage schedule of immunization with an average total dose of 1 mg/kg produced striking protection against shock and death against challenge with heterologous organisms . 20 control dogs, given approximately 10(10) live, serum-resistant Escherichia coli 0.85:H9 or Serratia marcescens 03 during a continuous intra-arterial pressure transducer recording, showed a drop in mean systolic pressure from 186 (+/- 6 SE) to 101 (+/- 12 SE) MM Hg and a fall in mean diastolic pressure from 118 (+/- 3 SE) to 64 (+/- 8 SE) mm Hg within 60-120 min . Minor pressure changes (average less than 12% of prechallenge levels) were seen in the same number of immunized dogs . In contrast, no significant difference was noted in the bloodstream clearance of these serum-resistant organisms over a period of 4-6 h between immunized and control dogs . Intravascular clearance was greater in animals immunized with the challenged strain or in glycolipid-immunized animals challenged with highly serum-sensitive E . coli 0.14:K7 . Antibody against core glycolipid protected against the hemodynamic sequelae of bacillemia, augmented intravascular clearance of serum-sensitive organisms, and abrogated the pyrogenic response to enteric bacilli, but did not enhance clearance of serum-resistant organisms . Although canine and lapine antiserum against core glycolipid passively protected mice against a heterologous challenge, opsonophagocytic and bactericidal activity was at least 100-fold less than type-specific antiserum. Can J Microbiol, 1975 Oct, 21(10), 1587 - 94 Bactericidal substance produced by Haemophilus influenzae b; Venezia RA et al.; During bacteriophage studies on Haemophilus influenzer, it was observed that encapsulated type b and unencapsulated Rb strains released a bactericidal substance acitve against types a, c, d, e, and f H . influenzae, non-typable H . influenzae strains, other Haemophilus species, and certain members of the Enterobacteriaceae . The bactericidal activity was assayed by a plaque test utilizing an Rd strain as an indicator lawn and was also demonstrated in mixed broth cultures of a producer strain and an indicator strain . Immediately lysis of sensitive bacteria by the factor was not evident . The factor is sensitive to trypsin but resistant to deoxyribonuclease, treatment with 2-mercaptoethanol, lipase, alpha-amylase, and heating in a 100 degrees C water bath for 20 min . The activity is not dependent upon increased Ca2+ or Mg2+ concentration as is necessary for HP1C1 and S2 phage propagation . The bactericidal factor is not pelleted by high-speed centrifugation at 150,000 X g for 6 h . Treatment with ultraviolet light or mitomycin C does not result in observable phage, phage-like particles, or increased bactericidal activity . T-HE BACTERICIDAL FACTOR IS NOT A TYPICAL SMALL MOLECULAR WEIGHT "COLICIN-LIKE" BACTERiocin in that it is not inducible, has a wider range of activity, and does not kill by "single-hit" kinetics . On preliminary characterization, it is a thermostable protein toxic to certain bacterial strains. Am J Clin Pathol, 1975 Oct, 64(4), 525 - 30 Recurrent Aeromonas sepsis in a patient with leukemia; Tapper ML et al.; A case of recurrent sepsis due to Aeromonas hydrophila in a patient with acute myelogenous leukemia is reported . The patient's first infection leading to bacteremia followed contamination of a mosquito bite by stagnant water . After recovery from the first bacteremia, the patient again became septic with a second strain of Aeromonas hydrophila, which again responded to antimicrobial therapy . It is hypothesized that contamination of the local water supply may have led to the establishment of a gastrointestinal carrier state that produced the second bout of Aeromonas sepsis when the patient was markedly leukopenic . The importance of the oxidase test to differentiate Aeromonas species from members of the family Enterobacteriaceae is re-emphasized. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1975 Oct, 233(2), 277 - 8 {Salmonella typhimurium masked as an Enterobacter species (author's transl)}; Dahn R et al.; A bacterial strain at first sight appearing to be an Enterobacter species causing enteritis could be identified as Salmonella typhimurium showing only a low formation of H2S . This small degree of H2S formation could not be demonstrated on commercial media ready for use . The high antibiotics resistance of the strain in question points to the possibility of its having undergone several antibiotics passages without recognition . Thus, serological verification is recommended in the case of so-called Enterobacter species appearing as agents of enteritis. Lab Anim Sci, 1975 Oct, 25(5), 594 - 6 Selective decontamination of the digestive tract of pregnant rabbits: a method for producing Enterobacteriaceae-free rabbits; Heidt PJ et al.; Selective elimination of the Enterobacteriaceae species from the microflora of pregnant rabbits was achieved by the use of nalidixic acid and cotrimoxazole . Animals born under Enterobacteriaceae-free conditions remained so as long as adequate isolation conditions were maintained. Nouv Presse Med, 1975 Sep 20, 4(30), 2187 - 90 {Mechanisms of inactivation of aminosides . Relationship to phenotype in Gram negative bacilli}; Witchitz JL; Aminosides are antibiotics essential in the treatment of gram negative bacilli infections . Phenomena of resistance related to them are amongst the best documented . For enterobacteria encountered in clinical practice, the process is usually a plasmid mediated inactivation mechanism, the dispersion of which in a hospital context may be appreciated . Precise knowledge of the modes of inactivation and the molecular sites involved has led to the production of semi-synthetic aminosides which escape the action of these enzymes . A classification of hospital bacteria according to their type of resistance is possible by virtue of the study of phenotypes and may make it possible to define the true need of these new substances. Mol Gen Genet, 1975 Sep 15, 140(1), 69 - 79 Mobilization of plasmid-borne drug resistance determinants for transfer from Pseudomonas aeruginosa to Escherichia coli; Hedges RW et al.; RSU2, a plasmid transmissible between strains of P . aeruginosa but not to Escherichia coli can be mobilized by R751 . Conjugatants receive a single plasmid composed of DNA from both R751 and RSU2 which has the compatibility properties of a member of group P (like R751) . Study of this fusion plasmid suggests that the failure of RSU2 to transfer into enterobacteria is due to an inability to replicate in these bacteria . The fusion plasmid replicates using the genes of R751. J Infect Dis, 1975 Sep, 132(3), 316 - 35 Bacteremia at Boston City Hospital: Occurrence and mortality during 12 selected years (1935-1972), with special reference to hospital-acquired cases; McGowan JE Jr et al.; The cases of all patients hospitalized at Boston City Hospital during 1972 who had blood cultures positive for a clinically significant, aerobic bacterial pathogen or for Candida were analyzed with respect to incidence and mortality, sex, age, admission to medical or surgical services, and the causative organism . Similar data were obtained for 11 years between 1935 and 1969 selected to reflect the introduction and general use of various effective antibacterial agents . Comparisons were also made between hospital-acquired bacteremic infections (defined as those in which the first positive blood culture was obtained on or after the third day in the hospital) and community-acquired infections (defined as those with positive blood cultures on admission or within the first two days in the hospital) . In 1972, the incidence of bacteremic infections (but not the case-fatality ratio) was significantly higher in males than in females . Bacteremic infections were more than twice as frequent on the medical than on the surgical services, but the case-fatality ratio was slightly but not significantly higher on the surgical services . Bacteremia wasteremia was most frequent in the youngest (birth through nine years) and the oldest (greater than or equal to 60 years) age groups, whereas the case-fatality ratio was lowest in the youngest group and increased with each decade of life . Streptococcus pneumoniae was the most frequent organism causing bacteremia; next were Escherichia coli, Klebsiella-Enterobacter, and Staphylococcus aureus, in that order... Klin Padiatr, 1975 Sep, 187(5), 465 - 70 {Enterobacter-osteomyelitis in two neonates (author's transl)}; von Voss H et al.; Two boys aged up to 2 weeks suffered from enterobacter-sepsis . In both cases osteomyelitis developed in spite of treatment with Gentamycin or Gentamycin combined with Chepazolin . Both children were, taking accont of the risks, then treated with Chloramphenicol (100 mg/kg body weight/24 hours) and the first patient also, for a short time, with tetracyclin . In the second patient we saw a marrow depression dependent on Chloramphenicol and its dosage which disappeared rapidly, when the drug was withheld. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig B}, 1975 Sep, 161(1), 54 - 60 {Epidemiology of salmonellae and fertilizing of grasland with sewage sludge (author's transl)}; Hess E et al.; Our investigations prove that sludge contains Salmonellae in more than 90% of samples . The maximum number of organisms reached 10(7) per liter . One of our most important findings was the fact that neither aerobic stabilization nor anaerobic digestion significantly reduces the contamination with Salmonellae . Moreover we found that Salmonellae in sewage sludge spread on grass may survive up to 72 weeks . Fertilizing with unsanitized sludge may therefore lead to transmission from plant to animal . The increasing number of Salmonella carriers among our herds of cattle and their striking accumulation during the grazing period demonstrate that such transmission represents a growing danger . Sanitizing of sludge to be used as fertilizer is therefore urgent . We have investigated the sanitary effect of pasteurisation and of gamma irradiation on sewage sludge . After a proper pasteurisation in 5 plants (70 degrees C for 30 minutes) 98-100% of tested sludge samples contained less than 10 Enterobacteriaceae per gramm . The application of 300 krad resulted in a percentage of 97.2% of samples with less than 10 Enterobacteriaceae per gramm. Appl Microbiol, 1975 Sep, 30(3), 424 - 32 Formation of methyl mercury by bacteria; Hamdy MK et al.; Twenty-three Hg2+-resistant cultures were isolated from sediment of the Savannah River in Georgia; of these, 14 were gram-negative short rods belonging to the genera Escherichia and Enterobacter, six were gram-positive cocci (three Staphylococcus sp . and three Streptococcus sp.) and three were Bacillus sp . All the Escherichia, Enterobacter, and the Bacillus strain were more resistant to Hg2+ than the strains of staphylococci and streptococci . Adaptation using serial dilutions and concentration gradient agar plate techniques showed that it was possible to select a Hg2+-resistant strain from a parent culture identified as Enterobacter aerogenes . This culture resisted 1,200 mug of Hg2+ per ml of medium and produced methyl mercury from HgCl2, but was unable to convert Hg2+ to volatile elemental mercury (Hg0) . Under constant aeration (i.e., submerged culture), slightly more methyl mercury was formed than in the absence of aeration . Production of methyl mercury was cyclic in nature and slightly decreased if DL-homocysteine was present in media, but increased with methylcobalamine . It is concluded that the bacterial production of methyl mercury may be a means of resistance and detoxification against mercurials in which inorganic Hg2+ is converted to organic form and secreted into the environment. J Clin Microbiol, 1975 Sep, 2(3), 235 - 42 Evaluation of the Enteric Analyzer, an instrument to aid in the identification of Enterobacteriaceae; Brenner DJ et al.; This study evaluated the Enteric Analyzer, an instrument designed to identify Enterobacteriaceae, with data obtained from the Modified r/b Enteric Differential System, other rapid identification systems, or conventional identification systems . It is programmed for 19 reactions with data obtained from Center for Disease Control publications . The instrument is very simple to use . Typical strains from 25 of 28 species were unequivocally identified . With the other three species, two choices were given . A switch allows the user to identify all species possibilities where a given biochemical pattern occurs in more than 1% of the strains or more than 10% of the strains . The instrument is useful both in the clinical laboratory and for teaching purposes. J Clin Microbiol, 1975 Sep, 2(3), 186 - 92 Evaluation of the enteric analyzer for identification of Enterobacteriaceae; Shayegani M et al.; The reliability of the Enteric Analyzer for identification of Enterobacteriaceae was evaluated using biochemical results previously obtained for 291 organisms with the conventional, R/B, and Minitek systems . The instrument correctly identified 77.3% of the organisms using conventional system results, 74.2% using R/B results, and 60.5% using Minitek results . The low rate of identification with the conventional system occurs primarily because the instrument is not programmed to consider delayed biochemical reactions . The arbitrary use of 90% and 99% probabilities for test reactions also contributes to a lower percentage of identification . The Enteric Analyzer does not replace the judgment of experienced personnel in the identification of atypical bacteria, but it may prove helpful in speeding up final computer identification of typical microorganisms. J Infect Dis, 1975 Sep, 132(3), 233 - 40 Resistance categories of enterobacteria to beta-lactam antibiotics; Greenwood D et al.; The activities of cephaloridine, cephalothin, and ampicillin against dense cultures of 103 ampicillin-resistant gram-negative bacilli were compared in a turbidimetric system . The organisms were divided into two groups according to their behavior in conventional minimal inhibitory concentration titrations: those fully resistant to ampicillin at a concentration of 500 mug/ml and those inhibited by 32-500 mug of ampicillin/ml . Of the 83 strains in the first group, most were more sensitive to cephalothin than to cephaloridine, whereas the 20 strains in the second group exhibited a number of interesting properties peculiar to them . On the basis of these and previous results, six distinct categories of resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics have been detected among enterobacteria. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1975 Sep, 233(1), 99 - 105 Nation-wide survey of antibiotic resistance by means of a computer: bacterial strains from the urine, stool, and upper respiratory tract; Krcmery V et al.; All-nation data of antibiotic resistance of about 200 000 bacterial strains isolated in the Slovak Socialist Republic in 1973 have been grouped, and compared, by means of a computer, into resistances of strains isolated from the urine, from upper respiratory tract (URT), from stool and from other pathological materials . In general, urine strains of all species investigated were found to be more resistant to "main antibiotics", and, suprisingly, to septrin, than strains from other sources . Strains of Staphylococcus aureus, and, notably, of Klebsiella-Enterobacter from the URT are generally more susceptible to antibiotics than strains of these species isolated from other sources . Urine strains of E . coli, P . mirabilis and Ps . aeruginosa show a high degree of resistance almost to all antibiotics, with exception of gentamicin and colistin (for E . coli and Ps . aeruginosa only) . Further antibiotics for combatting these strains are urgently needed . Similar computer-assisted monitoring of strains from the very specified sources may be easily adapted for individual hospitals, clinics and even wards. Ann Intern Med, 1975 Sep, 83(3), 355 - 7 Prevalence of gram-negative rods in the normal pharyngeal flora; Rosenthal S et al.; We obtained throat cultures from 100 randomly selected people free from any chronic upper or lower respiratory disease who did not work in a hospital and who had not experienced any acute illness or received any antibacterial therapy in the 4 weeks preceding culture . Eighteen percent harbored either a species of Enterobacteriaceae or Pseudomonas aeruginosa in their pharynx . In all cases, colony counts were low, the majority being detected in broth media selective for Gram-negative rods . There were no clear-cut age or sex distributions of Gram-negative pharyngeal carriage . These data imply that, in at least some cases, isolation of Gram-negative rods from sputum of untreated patients may be a normal finding, and that in some patients with pulmonary infection, the pretreatment, upper respiratory tract flora may serve as the source of subsequent superinfection with Gram-negative rods. S TA NU, 1975 Sep-Dec, 5(5-6), 299 - 304 {The use of gamma radiations for the radicidation of dried egg albumen (author's transl}; Inghilesi E et al.; The authors carried out an investigation on samples of dried egg albumen of industry and on experimental samples artificially contaminated, irradiated with gamma radiations, in view of defining the D10 value and the survival curve for the enterobacteriaceae and salmonellae in eff albumen . The results were discussed in view of a practical application of irradiation doses experimentally defined to the radicidation of this product. J Bacteriol, 1975 Sep, 123(3), 1124 - 30 Physiological and biochemical role of the butanediol pathway in Aerobacter (Enterobacter) aerogenes; Johansen L et al.; Aerobacter (Enterobacter) aerogenes wild type and three mutants deficient in the formation of acetoin and 2,3-butanediol were grown in a glucose minimal medium . Culture densities, pH, and diacetyl, acetoin, and 2,3-butanediol levels were recorded . The pH in wild-type cultures dropped from 7.0 to 5.8, remained constant while acetoin and 2,3-butanediol were formed, and increased to pH 6.5 after exhaustion of the carbon source . More 2,3-butanediol than acetoin was formed initially, but after glucose exhaustion reoxidation to acetoin occurred . The three mutants differed from the wild type in yielding acid cultures (pH below 4.5) . The wild type and one of the mutants were grown exponentially under aerobic and anaerobic conditions with the pH fixed at 7.0, 5.8, and 5.0, respectively . Growth rates decreased with decreasing pH values . Aerobically, this effect was weak, and the two strains were affected to the same degree . Under anaerobic conditions, the growth rates were markedly inhibited at a low pH, and the mutant was slightly more affected than the wild type . Levels of alcohol dehydrogenase were low under all conditions, indicating that the enzyme plays no role during exponential growth . The levels of diacetyl (acetoin) reductase, lactate dehydrogenase, and phosphotransacetylase were independent of the pH during aerobic growth of the two strains . Under anaerobic conditions, the formation of diacetyl (acetoin) reductase was pH dependent, with much higher levels of the enzyme at pH 5.0 than at pH 7.0 . Lactate dehydrogenase and phosphotransacetylase revealed the same pattern of pH-dependent formation in the mutant, but not in the wild type. Immunology, 1975 Sep, 29(3), 487 - 96 Alteration of the antibody response to Escherichia coli O antigen in mice by prior exposure to various somatic antigens; Ahlstedt S et al.; In the present study in mice we used the Jerne plaque assay to compare the immunity enhancing potential of different Gram-negative bacteria with special regard to their endotoxin . The results confirm the recent finding that injection of Escherichia coli bacteria of various serotypes may enhance the IgG antibody response to the O antigen of a serologically unrelated E . coli strain injected subsequently, but may suppress the IgM antibody formation . The O antibodies formed were of low avidity but were antigen specific . Smaller amounts of antibodies were formed to a serologically unrelated antigen, E . coli O76, which had not been injected . Of the strains tested as primary stimuli E . coli O4 gave considerably greater enhancement than any other serotype including the homologous E . coli O6, when a short interval between the injections was used . The influence of O4 on the serologically unrelated anti-O6 response was stronger than on the response to the cross-reactive E . coli O18 antigen, suggesting that O antigen cross-reactivity is not the basis for the immunomodulation . Formalin-killed bacteria were more effective in this respect than boiled bacteria or purified lipopolysaccharide and rough mutants (E . coli R1--R4) and E . coli O4 were less effective than many of the other smooth E . coli . These findings suggest that shared determinants in the lipid, basic carbohydrate core or Kunin common antigen portions of the endotoxin do not play the major immunomodulating role in this system . Salmonella reading but not Pseudomonas aeruginosa affected the anti-E . coli O6 response in a similar manner . One explanation for the alterations in the immune response observed implies the presence of an antigen determinant shared by many Enterobacteriaceae in such a position in relation to the O antigen that it can be utilized for cellular co-operative events in the O antibody response . The protein portion of the endotoxin protein--lipid--carbohydrate complex is a possible location. J Bacteriol, 1975 Aug, 123(2), 456 - 62 Low-molecular-weight polysaccharide antigens isolated from Rhodopseudomonas gelatinosa; Weckesser J et al.; Strain-specific low-molecular-weight polysaccharides of different chemical compositions were obtained from cells of nine different wild-type strains of the phototrophic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas gelatinosa . The polysaccharides are free of typical capsule components like hexuronic or aminohexuronic acids but contain (except that of strain 39/2) substantial amounts of phosphorus . A number of unusual o-methyl sugars (2-o-methyl-D-galactose, 2,3-di-o-methyl-D-galactose, 2-o-methyl-L-fucose) as well as 3,6-dideoxy-D-xylo-hexose (abequose) were identified in the R . gelatinosa polysaccharides . o-Methyl and dideoxy sugars however, are typical constituents of O-specific chains of the lipopolysaccharides of gram-negative bacteria (Rhodospirillaceae and Enterobacteriaceae, respectively) . Considering both the R-type character of the R . gelatinosa lipopolysaccharides and the occurrence of these strain-specific ETEROPOLYSACCHARIDES, THE ASSUMPTION SEEMS TO BE JUSTIFIED THAT THE LOW-MOLECULAR-WEIGHT POLYSACCHARIDES ARE RELATED TO O-specific chains of lipopolysaccharides (haptens) rather than to capsular or slime antigens . In serological terms the polysaccharides of R . gelatinosa have to be classified as K-antigens . They are able to cover the O-specificity of the respective different strains and confer on them additional specificity which is demonstrable by bacterial agglutination. J Bacteriol, 1975 Aug, 123(2), 449 - 55 Lipophilic O-antigens containing D-glycero-D-mannoheptose as the sole neutral sugar in Rhodopseudomonas gelatinosa; Weckesser J et al.; Lipopolysaccharides (LPS, O-antigens) of 12 strains of the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas gelatinosa were obtained by the phenol/chloroform/petroleum ether method, recommended for extracting lipophilic glycolipids of enterobacterial R-mutants . All R . gelatinosa LPS have essentially the same chemical composition . Similar to LPS of Salmonella R-mutants of chemotypes Rd1 and Rd2, the sole neutral sugar constituent is an aldoheptose . The heptose of R . gelatinosa LPS has the D-glycero-D-manno- configuration, in contrast to the L-glycero-D-mannoheptose of enterobacterial LPS . 2-Keto-3-deoxyoctonate forms the acid-labile linkage between the lipid moiety (lipid A) and the oligosaccharide moiety of R . gelatinosa LPS . Like enterobacterial lipid A, lipid A of this species contains phosphate and D-glucosamine as the sole amino sugar . The fatty acid spectrum conprises beta-hydroxycapric, lauric, and myristic acids . Beta-Hydroxymyristic acid, the typical fatty acid of enterobacterial LPS, is lacking . The R . gelatinosa LPS show O-antigenic acitivity; passive hemagglutinations with untreated or heat-treated (not well alkali-treated) LPS and antisera prepared against heat-killed cells yield high titers . According to the serological cross-reactions observed, the LPS of the 12 strains could be arranged into two different serotypes: serotype I comprising strains 29/1, 29/2, 25/2, and serotype II comprising strains 44/K/6, 3/1, IS/10, 39/2, Dr2, 2150, P8P9, K32, P18f3.1 . No serological cross-reactions were observed between LPS of these two different serotypes in passive hemagglutinations. Am J Clin Nutr, 1975 Aug, 28(8), 841 - 5 Effect of microorganisms isolated from the upper gut of malnourished children on intestinal sugar absorption in vivo; Gracey M et al.; The effect of microorganisms isolated from the upper gastrointestinal tract of malnourished children on intestinal sugar absorption was studied in rats in vivo . Pure cultures of organisms were grown overnight in a nutrient broth and the resultant supernatant fluid which contained microorganisms in similar numbers to those found in the patients was used as the basic solution for jejunal perfusions which were done in anesthetized adult Wistar rats . The substrate used was arbutin (p-hydroxphenyl-beta-glucoside), a recognized marker of intestinal active sugar transport . Of the gram-positive cocci studied, only the saprophyte, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, did not adversely affect the intestinal absorption of arbutin . The only gram-positive rod studied, a lactobacillus, also significantly inhibited arbutin absorption . Of the Enterobacteriaciae studied, Salmonella paratyphi B, a Shigella and Proteus sp . did not affect arbutin absorption . All the species of Escherichia coli studied, including a nonpathogenic variety, inhibited absorption . Klebsiella sp . and Pseudomonas sp . were also effective . Of the Candida sp., C . albicans and C . parapsilosis were inhibitory while C . tropicalis was not . These results suggest that microorganisms not generally considered enteropathogenic may adversely affect intestinal function when present in the lumen of the gut in excessive numbers and contribute to the production of diarrhea in children with malnutrition. Appl Microbiol, 1975 Aug, 30(2), 258 - 61 Methyl violet: a selective agent for differentiation of Klebsiella pneumoniae from Enterobacter aerogenes and other gram-negative organisms; Campbell LM et al.; Three selective media for differentiation of Klebsiella pneumoniae from Enterobacter aerogenes on the basis of colonial morphology were evaluated . Using methyl violet 2B as a selective agent, strains of K . pneumoniae isolated from urine, fresh water, and fresh produce were tested against other members of Enterobacteriaceae in addition to strains of Aeromonas hydrophila and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Comparison of colonial morphology showed K . pneumoniae produced larger, smoother colonies than other bacteria tested . These media were developed to aid in presumptive separation of K . pneumoniae from E . aerogenes in the monitoring of bacterial quality of water. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1975 Aug, 28(8), 594 - 601 Laboratory studies with cefatrizine (SK + F 60771), a new broad-spectrum orally-active cephalosporin; Actor P et al.; Cefatrizine (SK&F 60771), a new orally-active semisynthetic cephalosporin antibiotic with broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, was compared with cephalexin and cefazolin for in vitro and in vivo antibacterial activity and pharmacokinetic behavior in laboratory animals . The average MIC values obtained with cefatrizine against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria were superior to those obtained with cephalexin and somewhat poorer than those of cefazolin . In addition, a large percentage of the enterobacter and enterococcus isolates were found to be susceptible . Cefatrizine had a longer biological half-life and a higher peak serum level than either cefazolin or cephalexin when administered parenterally or orally to mice at 20 mg/kg . It had striking in vivo protective activity in mice infected with Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae, Hemophilus influenzae, Proteus morganii or Staphylococcus aureus reflecting its superior pharmacokinetic profile in this animal species . A variable pharmacokinetic response between animal species was observed when cefatrizine was administered either orally or parenterally to dogs, squirrel monkeys or rabbits. South Med J, 1975 Aug, 68(8), 963 - 9 Antimicrobial susceptibility of clinical isolates of gram-negative bacilli; Siebert WT et al.; No one can doubt the increased incidence of gram-negative bacillary infections and the importance of an awareness of this increase . Today's hospital, where one finds aggressive surgery, patients with multiple indwelling polyethylene lines and Foley catheters, and widespread use of prophylactic antibiotics, serves as a haven for resistant gram-negative bacilli . Twenty-five strains of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella sp, Enterobacter sp, Pseudomonas sp, indole-negative Proteus sp, indole-positive Proteus sp, and Serratia sp from hospitalized patients were tested for susceptibility to eight commonly used antibiotics using an inocula replicating method . Gentamicin proved to be the most effective antibiotic against the majority; most strains were inhibited by 3.12mug/ml or less . Other antibiotics, although not so active against all species, were effective against selected species. J Bacteriol, 1975 Aug, 123(2), 620 - 30 Immunological study of anthranilate synthetase; Reiners JJ Jr et al.; An immunological study of anthranilate synthetase (ASase) has been initiated using quantitative precipitation, enzyme neutralization, and immunodiffusion methods . Cross-reactivity of anthranilate synthetase-anthranilate-5-phosphoribosylpyrophosphate phosphoribosyltransferase (ASase-PRTase) from Escherichia coli, Klebsiella aerogenes, and Salmonella typhimurium and ASase from Serratia marcescens and Pseudomonas putida was detected with antibodies to ?E . coli trypsin-treated ASase . Cross-reactivity of antigens was also obtained with S . marcescens anti-ASase . Indices of dissimilarity verified the overall structural similarity of ASase-PRTase from E . coli, K . aerogenes, and S . typhimurium and the divergence from S . marcescens ASase . Further divergence of these enzymes from ASase in B . subtilis and P . putida was apparent . Precipitation of ASase components I and II (ASase CoI and ASase CoII) was obtained using anti-ASase or antiserum fractionated to contain component-specific antibodies . Anti-ASase inhibited enzyme activity to binding to determinants on both subunits . Anti-ASase CoI inhibited the ammonia-dependent reaction and interfered with amide transfer from glutaminyl-ASase CoII . Anti-ASase CoII inhibited the glutamine reaction by blocking amide transfer . Enzyme neutralization experiments indicate more conservation of determinants at the active site region of ASase CoII compared to ASase CoI in the enterobacteria . A particulate form of ASase-PRTase in E . coli, K . aerogenes, and S . typhimurium could be distinguished by quantitative precipitation and immunodiffusion. Mol Gen Genet, 1975 Jul 10, 138(4), 359 - 62 A method for isolating nonsense suppressors in enterobacteriaceae using an amber mutant of the drug resistance factor R1; Kennedy C et al.; We describe here the isolation of a mutant derivative of the drug resistance factor R1 (Meynell and Datta, 1966) that carries a nonsense mutation in a gene determining resistance to penicillins . We have used this mutant R1 to isolate derivatives of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae that contain nonsense suppressors (Sup- strains) by screening penicillin-resistant revertants of strains containing the mutant R factor for the presence of such suppressors . This obviates the need to have known nonsense mutations in chromosomal genes . Theoretically, suppressor-containing derivatives of any bacterial species that can maintain and express R1 can be constructed. J Biol Chem, 1975 Jul 10, 250(13), 5059 - 67 The enthalpies of hydrolysis of acyclic, monocyclic, and glycoside cyclic phosphate diesters; Gerlt JA et al.; The enthalpies of hydrolysis of acyclic, monocyclic, and glycoside cyclic phosphate diesters have been measured by flow microcalorimetry using a phosphohydrolase isolated from Enterobacter aerogenes as catalyst . The values so obtained (kilocalories per mol) (at 25 degrees) for sodium salts are: diethyl phosphate, minus 1.8 plus or minus 0.5; ethylene phosphate, minus 6.4 plus or minus 0.2; trimethylene phosphate, minus 3.0 plus or minus 0.2; tetramethylene phosphate, minus 2.2 plus or minus 0.1; methyl beta-D-ribofuranoside cyclic 3:5-phosphate, minus 11.1 plus or minus 0.2; methyl alpha-D-glucopyranoside cyclic 4:6-phosphate, minus 6.3 plus or minus 0.1; and cyclic adenosine 3:5-monophosphate (5-ester bond), minus 11.1 plus or minus 0.4 (10-minus 3 M Mg-2+) . The enthalpy of hydrolysis of the 3-ester bond of cyclic adenosine 3:5-monophosphate (10-minus 3 M Mg-2+) has been revised to minus 11.1 plus or minus 0.2 kcal/mol from the value of minus 13.2 plus or minus 0.4 kcal/mol reported previously (greengard, p., rudolph, s.a., and sturtevant, j . m . (1969) j . biol . Chem . 244, 4798) . All these values pertain to the hydrolysis of singly charged diesters to form singly charged monoesters . The data for the acyclic and monocyclic phosphodiesters are in qualitative agreement with their hydrolytic reactivities . The enthalpies measured for the hydrolysis of the glycoside cyclic phosphates cannot now be explained on the basis of their structures or reactivities; perhaps a contribution to the enthalpies by solvation or a previously unrecognized geometric strain effect may be responsible for the large exothermic enthalpies of these cyclic phosphate diesters . Changes in the heat capacity, increment Cp, for some of the hydrolytic reactions were also measured. J Biol Chem, 1975 Jul 10, 250(13), 5053 - 8 Purification and properties of a phosphohydrolase from Enterobacter aerogenes; Gerlt JA et al.; A phosphohydrolase from Enterobacter aerogenes which hydrolyzes phosphate mono- and diesters has been purified approximately 50-fold to apparent homoeneity and crystallized . The enzyme is produced when the bacteria utilize phosphate diesters as sole phosphorus source . From sedimentation equilibrium experiments the molecular weight of the native enzyme is 173,000; from sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis the subunit molecular weight is 29,000, indicating that the enzyme is hexameric . The hydrolytic activity of the enzyme using both mono- and diesters is maximal at pH 5; THE Km of the enzyme for bis-p-nitrophenyl phosphate is constant from pH 5 to 8.5 whereas that for p-nitrophenyl phosphate increases about 40-fold as the pH increases over the same range . The phosphodiesterase activity is not inhibited by chelating agents but is inhibited by several divalent metal ions . 31-P NMR spectroscopy was used to identify the hydrolysis products of glycoside cyclic phosphates . The enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis of methyl beta-D-ribofuranoside cyclic 3:5-phosphate yields exclusively the 5-phosphate whereas that of adenosine 3:5-monophosphate yields a 4:1 mixture of 3- and 5- AMP. Med Microbiol Immunol (Berl), 1975 Jul 2, 161(3), 189 - 92 Re-evaluation of the Auxotab (Inolex) Enteric 1 System for identification of enterobacteriaceae; Braune LM et al.; The improved Auxotab Enteric I System was re-evaluated and found to correlate 98% with conventional methods for the identification of Enterobacteriaceae . Possible Reasons for previous poor results with this system are discussed. Med Microbiol Immunol (Berl), 1975 Jul 2, 161(3), 163 - 70 Effect of erythrocytes treated with enterobacterial common antigen on experimental Salmonella typhimurium infection of mice; Gorzynski EA et al.; The immunogenicity of enterobacterial common antigen (CA)-treated horse or mouse erythrocytes was determined in Swiss white albino mice by comparing survival rates with control mice, immunized with P . aeruginosa fraction-treated RBC and challenged in parallel with 10 LD50 S . typhimurium . The administration of small amounts of CA on horse, but not mouse, RBC significantly delayed mortality; protection was only marginally less than that evoked with 12-fold larger amounts of CA in the absence of RBC . Survival in infected animals was transient; independent of immunogen or control preparation employed, all mice were dead by day 15 after challenge. Orig Life, 1975 Jul, 6(3), 441 - 6 On the origin of plastids; Odintsova MS et al.; The buoyant density in CsCl of ribosomes from chloroplasts of the green alga Chlorella pyrenoidosa and two species of higher plants, Pisum sativum and Chenopodium album, has been studied . From the relative protein content it was calculated that 70S ribosomes from chloroplasts are much smaller than 80S cytoplasmic ribosomes (3.0-3.1 X 10(6) and 4.0 X 10(6) daltons) and slightly larger than 70S ribosomes from bacteria (E . coli 2.5 X 10(6) daltons) . Chloroplast ribosomes from pea seedlings were analyzed by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis . They appear to contain 71 proteins . This indicates that chloroplast ribosomes contain a larger number of proteins than do the ribosomes from E . coli and other species of Enterobacteriaceae . Further study will permit a probable evaluation of the validity of Mereschkowsky's hypothesis that the photosynthetic plastids of eukaryotic plant cells are the evolutionary descendants of endosymbiotic blue-green algae. J Lab Clin Med, 1975 Jul, 86(1), 7 - 16 Interference with alpha-antitrypsin studues in stored serum by presumed bacterial proteases; Lieberman J et al.; Contamination of werum by certain gram-negative bacteria has been shown to spoil the serum for measurement of trypsin inhibitory capacity (STIC) or for antitrypsin phenotyping . Such sera develop intense fibrinolytic activity when the STIC has dropped to itsminimal level, but antitrypsin concentration as measured by radial immunodiffusion remainsconstant . Cultures of ENTEROBACTER, Klebsiella, Bacillus subtilis, and Pseudomonas species were shown to have this capability, but production of the fibrinolytic enzyme by the bacteria was most proficient in the presence of human serum . The enzyme is believed to be of bacterial origin because of its lack of esterase activity, and because activation of serum plasmin by streptokinase did not affect the STIC . Care mustbe taken to avoid bacterial contamination of blood that is to be submitted for an STICassay and/or antitrypsin phenotyping . Serum should be prepared quickly, frozen soon,and stored and transported in a frozen state. Br Med J, 1975 Jun 14, 2(5971), 583 - 5 Reduced secretory antibody response to live attenuated measles and poliovirus vaccines in malnourished children; Chandra RK; Serum and nasopharyngeal IgA antibody levels were estimated in 20 malnourished children and 20 matched healthy controls after immunization with a single dose of live attenuated measles or poliovirus vaccine . Seroconversion and serum neutralizing antibody titres were comparable in the two groups . Secretory IgA antibody was detected significantly less often in undernourished children; the time of its first appearance was delayed-and its maximum level was significantly lower . Impaired secretory antibody response in malnourished children may contribute to slow inadequate recovery from viral and enterobacterial infections and predispose to lifethreatening complications. Can Med Assoc J, 1975 Jun 14, 112(13 Spec No), 54 - 8 Trimethoprim-resistant Enterobacteriaceae in urinary tract infection; Wong CK et al.; The incidence of trimethoprim-resistant Enterobacteriaceae has not increased since the introduction of the combination trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) into the clinical use at our centre in 1973 . Using the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) as the index of trimethoprim resistance, this ranged from 1.6 to 800 mug/ml; for the majority of isolates it lay between 1.6 and 12.5 mug/ml . About half of these trimethoprim-resistant organisms were sensitive to sulfonamide . In vitro data suggest that organisms resistant to sulfonamide as well as to trimethoprim, where the MIC for the former drug is 3.1 mug/ml or less, will be susceptible to the combination . More resistant organisms, i.e., those for which the MIC of trimethoprim is 6.2 mug/ml or more, often appear quite resistent to the combination . There is no evidence that previous therapy with TMP-SMX is a significant predisposing factor to infection with these organisms, although there is a significant correlation between previous TMP-SMX therapy and infection with organisms with a high level of trimethoprim resistance . Organisms harbouring R-factor resistance or thymine-dependent mutants were not encountered during the course of this study. J Clin Microbiol, 1975 Jun, 1(6), 504 - 8 Evaluation of the R/B and Minitek systems for identification of Enterobacteriaceae; Shayegani M et al.; The R/B and Minitek systems for the identification of Enterobacteriaceae were evaluated, and the results were compared with those obtained by conventional methods . Both systems were rapid and allowed correct identification of about 85% of the 294 isolates (23 species) examined . The individual biochemical reactions showed an overall agreement of 92.6% and 93.1% for the R/B and Minitek systems, respectively. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1975 Jun, (6), 126 - 8 {Method of isolating pathogenic enterobacteria from atmospheric air}; Vlodavets VV et al.; The authors present comparative results of determination of sedimentation and aspiration methods of air pollution by pathogenic enterobacteria during the artificial sewage "raining" . Results (in per cent) of isolation of salmonellae from the air by both methods proved to be very close; however, a possibility of isolation of pathogenic bacteria from the air increased with the use of the apparatus for the examination of large air volumes. J Clin Microbiol, 1975 Jun, 1(6), 515 - 20 Construction of an interpretive pattern directory for the API 10 S kit and analysis of its diagnostic accuracy; Robertson EA et al.; A directory of test patterns and their interpretations has been prepared for identification of Enterobacteriaceae by using the 11-test API 10 S kit . The diagnostic accuracy of the directory and kit were evaluated by using records of test results for 37,476 isolates studied with the 21-test API 20 Enteric kit . Analysis indicates that 96.9% of the isolates would have been correctly identified at the genus level and 95.9% at the species level by using only the subset of tests included in the API 10 S. Appl Microbiol, 1975 Jun, 29(6), 826 - 33 Membrane filter procedure for enumerating the component genera of the coliform group in seawater; Dufour AP et al.; A facile, quantitative, membrane filter procedure (mC) for defining the distribution of coliform populations in seawater according to the component genera was developed . The procedure, which utilizes a series of in situ substrate tests to obviate the picking of colonies for identification, also provides an estimate of the total coliform density . When pure cultures of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Enterobacter cloacae were suspended in seawater and held at 4 C for 24 h, between 56 and 100% of the cells which grew on nutrient agar spread plates at 35 C could be recovered by the mC procedure . Confirmation as coliforms of typical colonies from natural samples was about 95% . Assay variability was found to be insignificant . The recovery of coliforms from marine waters by the mC procedure was comparable to those obtainable by current methods . Klebsiella was differentiated by the urease reaction and E . coli by its ability to form indole . The confirmation frequencies for colonies designated as Klebsiella and E . coli by the in situ tests approached 95% for the former and 98% for the latter. Appl Microbiol, 1975 Jun, 29(6), 819 - 25 Potential pathogens in the environment: cultural reactions and nucleic acid studies on Klebsiella pneumoniae from clinical and environmental sources; Seidler RJ et al.; The phenotypic and nucleic acid properties of Klebsiella pneumoniae have been studied on cultures obtained from six different habitats (humans, vegetables, seeds, trees, rivers, and pulp mills) . The 19 cultural reactions of 107 isolates varied significantly only in tryptophanase activity and dulcitol fermentation . The percentage of guanine plus cytosine base composition of 41 isolates varied from 53.9 to 59.2% . The range of percentage of guanine plus cytosine base composition for environmental klebsiellas was broader than that for the cultures of human origin . The range of deoxyribonucleic acid relative reassociation (homology) to the human K . pneumoniae reference strain extended from 5% to 100% and the chromosome molecular weights ranged from 2,200 x 10(6) to 3,000 x 10(6) . The species of K . pneumoniae is thus molecularly more heterogeneous than previously thought and most isolates of human, pulp mill, and river origin are genetically indistinguishable . The presence of K . pneumoniae therefore represents a deterioration of the microbiological quality of the environment and should be considered of public health significance . At the present time the health significance of the molecularly more divergent strains, primarily of vegetable and seed origin, their relationship to klebsiellas of human origin, or to other genera of the Enterobacteriaceae is unclear. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1975 Jun, (6), 108 - 10 {Characteristics of capsular bacteria, isolated from children with acute intestinal diseases}; Edynak IM et al.; A study was made of 256 young children suffering from gastroenterocolitis, dyspepsia, food poisoning for the presence of conditionally pathogenic representatives of the Enterobacteriaceae family . Klebsiellae were isolated in 39.8% of the patients and in 22.3% of 67 healthy children . A study was made of morphological, cultural-biochemical properties and the antigenic structure in 308 strains of the Klebsiella denus . Capsules were detected by microscopic examination . Biochemical properties were determined after Kaufman, and some of the cultures proved to differ from the typical biochemical pattern described by this author . K-antigen was found in 185 klebsiella strains; of this number 99 strains belonged to Kl . pneumoniae and 86--to Kl . aerogenes . Fimbria were revealed in some of the Kl . pneumoniae and Kl . aerogenes strains . Bacteriocines were detected in 103 of 206 strains (by Abbot and Shennon's method). Can J Microbiol, 1975 Jun, 21(6), 841 - 5 {Differentiation of tryptophanases of five species of Enterobacteriaceae by sulfhydryl groups}; Simard C et al.; We have studied the sulfhydryl groups (-SH) on the tryptophanases (TPases) from Escherichia coli B . and E . aurescens, Shigella alkalescens, and Proteus vulgaris and P . morganii . The coli group and the P . morganii apo TPases have 20 -SH groups per mole of enzyme, where as P . vulgaris apoTPase has 16 . In coli group TPases, there are 16 -SH groups on the mole surface and they are all implicated in the activity and the enzyme-substrate bond . Proteus morganii TPase has 8 surface -SH groups, 4 of which are implicated in the activity; the remaining 12 -SH groups are located inside the mole and take part in the activity and the enzyme-substrate bond . Proteus vulgaris TPase has 4 surface -SH groups which are constructive of the enzyme structure, whereas the 12 remaining -SH groups are located inside the mole and take part in the activity and the enzyme-substrate bond . It is concluded that Proteus TPases are molecules which have inverted quaternary structure in comparison to those of the coli group . The studied TPases have four subunits, each of them is constituted of one polypeptidic chain having a molecular weight of 55,000. Can J Microbiol, 1975 Jun, 21(6), 828 - 33 {Physical and chemical properties of tryptophenases of five species of Enterobacteriaceae}; Simard C et al.; The molecular weight, sedimentation coefficient, and amino acids composition were determined on five tryptophanases (TPases) from Escherichia coli B and E . aurescens, Shigella alkalescens, and Proteus vulgaris and P . morganii . These TPases have identical sedimentation profile and coefficient (9.6 S), and the same molecular weight (220 000) . Each enzyme is constituted of four identical subunits having a molecular weight of 55 000 . The amino acids composition of these TPases is very similar, with the exception of P . morganii and P . vulgaris TPases which present significative variations in basic amino acids and tryptophan content . The species differentiation of the coli group cannot be made on their TPase characteristics only, contrary to P . morganii and P . vulgaris which can be differentiated between them and from the coli group. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med, 1975 Jun, 149(2), 389 - 96 "Core" glycolipid of enterobacteriaceae: immunofluorescent detection of antigen and antibody; Young LS et al.; The Re chemotype mutant of Salmonella minnesota R595 has a cell-wall glycolipid composed principally of 2-keto, 3 deoxyoctonate and Lipid A, which is an antigen widely shared by Enterobacteriaceae . High-titered antiserum against this antigen can be conjugated with fluorescein isothiocyanate for direct detection of this antigen in heterologous bacteria and staining of bacteria in tissue . Alternatively, the indirect immunofluorescence technique can be used for antigen detection on bacterial surfaces and in tissues, and this method can quantitate glycolipid antibody in mammalian sera . The latter may be particularly useful in serologic studies because, although the glycolipid antigen is a surface antigen and purified extracts can be used to coat latex particles, high-titered antisera will not agglutinate bacteria or coated latex particles. J Reticuloendothel Soc, 1975 Jun, 17(6), 346 - 52 Cross-reactivity between organ extracts of gnotobiotic mice and enterobacterial common antigen; Gorzynski EA et al.; Organs of gnotobiotic mice were assessed for an Ag (CRA) which cross-reacts with common enterobacterial Ag(CA) . To this end, extracts of homogenates of spleens, livers, paired kidneys and colons were examined for their capacities to engender humoral and cellular events in rabbits . The immjnogenicity of CRA in the rabbit cannot be predicted on the basis of CA hemagglutinin-inhibition studies alone . According to this parameter, CRA was present in mouse spleens, livers and paired kidneys but absent in colons . However, the identical preparations, including colons, primed rabbits to engender specific CA hemaglutinins after a single administration of enterobacterial CA . Also, spleens of these same rabbits were colonized with rosette-forming cells against sheep red blood cells treated with various enterobacterial sources of CA . These findings may account, in part, for the apparent refractiveness or equivocal response mice have to administered CA and infectious challenge. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1975 Jun, 28(6), 471 - 6 A new parenteral cephalosporin . SK&F 59962: in vitro and in vivo antibacterial activity and serum levels in experimental animals; Actor P et al.; SK&F 59962, a new parenteral cephalosporin was found to have a high order of in vitro and in vivo antibacterial activity against a broad-spectrum of clinical isolates . When tested in vitro against gram-negative organisms, SK&F 59962 was consistently more active than cefazolin and far superior to cephalothin . This new antibiotic had activity equal to that of cephalothin against gram-positive bacteria . Enterobacter species were found to be susceptible to SK&F 59962 . In mouse infection studies using bacterial pathogens, SK&F 59962 had protective activity of the order of that of cefazolin and superior to that of cephalothin . Following parenteral administration the serum profile of SK&F 59962 in the mouse, dog and squirrel monkey was similar to that of cephalothin . SK&F 59962 and cephalothin had lower peak serum concentrations and shorter biologic half-lives than those of cefazolin. Can J Microbiol, 1975 Jun, 21(6), 834 - 40 {The effect of pyridoxal phosphate on the tryptophanases of five species of Enterobacteriaceae}; Simard C et al.; Escherichia coli B and E . aurescens, Shigella alkalescens, and Proteus vulgaris et P . morganii tryptophanases (TPases) were studied for the spectral forms of the enzyme . The pH effect on the absorption spectrum and on the enzyme specific activity revealed that the coli group TPases are identical with but differ from Proteus TPases which differ themselves . The coli group TPases attach 4 mol of pyridoxal phosphate (PLP)/mol of enzyme, independently of the pH in the presence of K(plus) ions, and 9 mol of PLP/mol of enzyme must be reduced to achieve complete inactivation . The Proteus TPases attach 4 mol of PLP/mol of enzyme at PH 6.8, and 3 mol of PLP/mol of enzyme at pH 7.8 in K(plus) buffer . In P . morganii, 7 mol of PLP/mol of enzyme must be reduced to inactivate the enzyme, whereas P . vulgaris TPase cannot be completely inactivated by this method . These five TPases attach only 3 mol of PLP/mol of enzyme in a Na(plus) buffer, independently of the pH.
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