Cesk Farm, 1991 Nov, 40(4-5), 152 - 5 {Antitubercular agents . LIV . 3-Alkyl(or -alkyl) thio-2,5-pyrazindicarboxamides}; Dlabal K et al.; From 5-cyano-3-chloro-2-pyrazinecarboxamide) (II) hydrolysis in acid medium) yielded 3-chloro-2,5-pyrazinedicarboxamide (III), which in a reaction with sodium hydrogensulfide in dimethyl-formamide) yielded 3-mercapto-2,5-pyrazinedicarboxamide (IV) . This compound through condensations with alkyl- and arylhalogenides in triethylamine) yielded 3-alkyl(or aryl) thio-2,5-pyrazinedicarboxamides of type I . The structure of compounds was confirmed by elemental analysis, IR and 1H NMR spectra . A microbiological evaluation was carried out; the antituberculous effect of these compounds is not higher than that of pyrazinamide. Int Endod J, 1991 Nov, 24(6), 326 - 9 Actinomycosis associated with a root-treated tooth: report of a case; Figures KH et al.; An unusual case of a persistent infection related to a root-filled tooth is reported . Microscopical evaluation revealed the cause to be a large mass of Actinomyces-like filaments, and microbiological culture yielded a low level of Actinomyces israelii . The significance of such a presentation is discussed. Parodontol, 1991 Nov, 2(4), 287 - 98 {Microbiology of periodontitis . 2 . Microbiological diagnosis of periodontitis}; Purucker P; By common methods like scaling and root planing, flap procedures or surgical furcation treatment, a successful therapy of periodontal disease is possible in about 90% of the cases . The remaining 10%, mainly patients with juvenile or rapidly progressive periodontitis, are causing great problems, due to poor treatment response and frequent, local or general recidives . In the future, microbiological tests for a precise diagnosis of the pocket flora will be used in the dental office . They can provide better indications for additional antibiotic therapy . The present article reviews several microbiological investigation methods and their future use in the office during periodontal treatment. Vnitr Lek, 1991 Nov-Dec, 37(11-12), 888 - 92 {Central venous sepsis in long-term catheterization of patients during intensive treatment of acute leukemia}; Slechtova J et al.; The authors evaluate the prevalence of central venous catheter sepsis and possible catheter sepsis in granulocytopenic patients with acute leukaemia after intensive treatment with cytostatics . The group comprises 42 patients subjected to 57 catheterizations of a central vein . The period of catheterizations was 18-89 days, the average period 43 days . Catheter sepsis was revealed in 15 patients, i.e . 26.3% of all performed catheterizations, possible catheter sepsis was recorded in four patients, i . e . 7.0% . In almost half of the catheter sepses (42.1%) the same microbiological finding was recorded in the haemoculture and skin smear at the site of insertion of the catheter . Twelve patients were cured (21.0%), seven patients (16.7%) from the group of 42 died . To reduce the incidence of catheter sepsis it is important in the authors' opinion to make available high quality protective materials (Tegaderm plasters) and the entire infusion line should be changed daily. J Hered, 1991 Nov-Dec, 82(6), 443 - 6 Profiles in genetics: George Wells Beadle and the origins of the gene-enzyme concept; Dronamraju KR; Beadle's success in establishing biochemical genetics on a firm foundation was due to a combination of several circumstances . These include the following: 1 . Apt timing of his work, which Garrod's work clearly lacked, was important . Geneticists were receptive to his ideas and conclusions . As Beadle (1967, 1974) himself acknowledged, much ground was prepared earlier by Garrod and Haldane, who discussed gene action in terms of biochemical reactions, although it was largely ignored . The physiology of gene action was discussed and speculated on to a great extent in the preceding years by Bridges, Goldschmidt, Muller, and Wright . 2 . Beadle's selection of Neurospora was most appropriate . It was a haploid organism (with no complications of dominance and recessivity) that could be grown and manipulated easily for isolating mutants to study their segregation and recombination within a short time . Its cytogenetics and the method of growing on chemically defined media were already worked out . It was devoid of the long generation time and more complex sex cycle (among other problems) that complicated the biochemical study of higher plants (e.g., Primula), which Haldane and Scott-Moncrieff had attempted earlier . 3 . Beadle's striking ability to shift from one organism to another--from corn to Drosophila to Neurospora--must be acknowledged . He saw the limitations of existing methods and had the courage and skill to move on to more successful methods: from conventional breeding to tissue transplants to microbiological techniques . 4 . Beadle's own curiosity about the biochemical nature of gene action and his good fortune in having had such outstanding teachers as Emerson, as well as his ability to collaborate with Ephrussi and Tatum, contributed largely to his success. Neurobiol Aging, 1991 Nov-Dec, 12(6), 669 - 72 Necessity of a more standardized virological characterization of rodents for aging studies; van der Logt JT; Characterization of the microbiological status is an important facet of a quality assurance program for laboratory animals . This paper addresses basic issues with regard to standardization of the characterization of murine viral status . Methods for such characterization include clinical signs, virus isolation, and serological tests . Significant considerations are screening profiles; sample collection, processing, and shipment; and sampling schedules . International standardization of programs and methods to control and characterize the microbiological status of laboratory animals is being developed, and will be highly significant in future efforts to produce, control, and maintain laboratory animals free of viral infections. Neurobiol Aging, 1991 Nov-Dec, 12(6), 663 - 8 Necessity of a more standardized microbiological characterization of rodents for aging studies; Sebesteny A; The establishment of germ-free, gnotobiotic, and SPF animal colonies is a major component of any effort to develop suitable animal models for aging research . Epidemic and endemic disease in laboratory animals can lead to unacceptable losses, contamination of research results, and exposure of staff and investigators to unnecessary health risks . Monitoring the health status and microbiological burden of the animals is particularly important . These issues are discussed, with accompanying guidelines and protocols in pragmatic, tabular form. Aust N Z J Ophthalmol, 1991 Nov, 19(4), 317 - 20 Corneal ulceration due to Nocardia asteroides; Douglas RM et al.; A case of corneal ulceration due to infection with Nocardia asteroides is described . Microbiological examination of corneal scrapings permitted accurate diagnosis and suggested appropriate therapy . Nineteen other cases that have been described in the world literature are reviewed. Hautarzt, 1991 Nov, 42(11), 687 - 91 {The value of symptoms and clinical findings in cervical Chlamydia trachomatis infection}; Nher H et al.; The frequency of symptoms in the case histories of 68 female patients with and of 313 without Chlamydia trachomatis infections was investigated . Dysuria, vaginal discharge and/or burning/itching in the genital region were reported by 50% (n = 34) of chlamydia-positive women and 53.7% (n = 168) of chlamydia-negative women . Clinical investigation of the chlamydia-positive patients revealed discharge in 83.8% (n = 57), contact bleeding in 38.3% (n = 26) and ectopia in 27.9% (n = 19) . The corresponding investigations in chlamydia-negative women disclosed discharge in 72.8% (n = 228) women, contact bleeding in 19.8% (n = 62) and ectopia in 16.8% (n = 52) . The results were significantly different as far as contact bleeding and ectopia were concerned . Only when yellow or whitish yellow discharge was distinguished from clear discharge was the difference between the two groups significant (66.7% vs 43.9%) . Significant numbers of polymorphonuclear leucocytes (greater than 4 per high power field with oil immersion) were found in 52.9% of the chlamydia-positive women, as against 23% of the chlamydia-negative women . Overall, 48.7% of the women with a C . trachomatis infection were found to have notes of symptoms in the history and signs of cervicitis revealed by clinical investigation . Symptoms only were found in 1 woman, while in 36.8% of the patients signs only were found . Neither symptoms nor signs were mentioned by 13.3% of the women . These results indicate that microbiological detection of the infectious agent is obligatory for the diagnosis of C . trachomatis cervicitis. Cutis, 1991 Nov, 48(5), 411 - 7 Second-generation tetracyclines, a dermatologic overview: clinical uses and pharmacology; Maibach H; Tetracycline and its derivatives are frequently used in the treatment of acne, soft tissue bacterial infections, Lyme disease (borreliosis), chlamydial-infections, and respiratory tract infections . Several pharmacologic and microbiological properties of these antibiotics make them particularly suitable for such uses . First-generation tetracyclines have long been in use; however, the second-generation tetracyclines minocycline, doxycycline hyclate, and doxycycline monohydrate have also become widely prescribed, and can offer advantages to the dermatologist over tetracycline . This paper reviews the important pharmacologic and microbiological characteristics of these three commonly used second-generation tetracyclines, and their clinical applications in dermatology. J Appl Bacteriol, 1991 Nov, 71(5), 434 - 8 Continued successful operation of open-fronted microbiological safety cabinets in a force-ventilated laboratory; Osborne RW et al.; The considerable refinements necessary to enable Class I and II microbiological safety cabinets to operate in a force-ventilated laboratory and to meet appropriate safety criteria have been reported previously . The continued successful operation of such cabinets without a deterioration of operator protection is described . The performance of two Class II units, one meeting and one failing the current British Standard applied to four head KI-discus testing, is compared and discussed . In addition, some further potential difficulties within the environment, which could compromise cabinet containment, are highlighted. J Assoc Off Anal Chem, 1991 Nov-Dec, 74(6), 912 - 7 Comparison of automated liquid chromatographic and bioassay methods for determining spiramycin concentration in bovine plasma; Sanders P et al.; The performance of a liquid chromatographic (LC) method for spiramycin measurement in bovine plasma has been compared with that of a microbiological method . Plasma samples were obtained from cattle administered spiramycin intravenously . Comparison tests used were intraclass correlation (r1), correlation (r), and Student's paired t-test . For concentrations lower than 2.5 IU/mL, microbiological values were higher than LC values . This difference in results modified pharmacokinetic interpretation and might be explained by the presence of microbiologically active metabolites. J Anim Sci, 1991 Nov, 69(11), 4512 - 22 Plasma levels of oxytetracycline, doxycycline, and minocycline in pigs after oral administration in feed; Pijpers A et al.; Steady-state plasma levels were determined for oxytetracycline (OTC), doxycycline (DC), and minocycline (MC) after medication with different in-feed concentrations . Each concentration of the three tetracyclines was examined in six pigs . The animals were housed in individual pens and fed twice daily with an interval of 12 h . All pigs consumed their feed within 1 h after it was provided . Concentrations of 400, 800, 1,600, and 2,400 mg of OTC per kilogram of feed induced steady-state plasma levels ranging from .13 to .22, .19 to .50, .39 to 1.43, and 1.41 to 2.14 micrograms/ml, respectively . On a feed intake basis, pigs received 13, 26, 54 to 81, and 108 mg of OTC per kilogram of BW per day, respectively . Steady-state plasma levels after medication with 200, 400, and 800 mg of DC or MC per kilogram of feed ranged from .37 to .89, .71 to 1.14, and 1.62 to 3.18 micrograms/ml for DC and from .21 to .60, .43 to 1.05, and 1.19 to 2.62 micrograms/ml for MC . Pigs consumed 7, 13, and 26 mg of DC and 9, 18, and 36 mg of MC per kilogram of BW per day, respectively . For all three tetracyclines there was an increase in steady-state plasma levels when concentrations in feed or per kilogram of BW increased . Plasma levels were determined with both a HPLC method and a microbiological method . A good correlation existed between the results obtained by both methods . It was concluded that based on plasma levels and known in vitro activity DC and MC could be good alternatives for OTC to treat respiratory tract infections in pigs. Br J Ophthalmol, 1991 Nov, 75(11), 675 - 9 Ofloxacin compared with chloramphenicol in the management of external ocular infection; Bron AJ et al.; The safety and efficacy of 0.3% ofloxacin in treating bacterial ocular infections was compared with that of 0.5% chloramphenicol in a parallel-group, randomised clinical trial at five sites . Clinical and microbiological improvement rates were studied in 84 culture-positive patients . Patients with suspected bacterial ocular infections were evaluated for clinical improvement and were included in drug safety and comfort analyses . Clinical improvement did not differ significantly between drug treatments . All patients completing the study (79 assigned ofloxacin, and 74 chloramphenicol) showed clinical improvement . Clinical improvement in the culture-positive groups was 100% (41/41) after ofloxacin treatment, and 95% (41/43) after chloramphenicol treatment . Microbiological improvement rates were similar for the two drugs: 85% (33/39) improved with ofloxacin, and 88% (38/43) improved with chloramphenicol . Both drugs were well tolerated . Adverse reactions possibly due to the study medication occurred in 1% (1/89) of those who received ofloxacin, and in 4% (4/93) of those who received chloramphenicol. Environ Health Perspect, 1991 Nov, 95, 29 - 34 Microbiological agents as health risks in indoor air; Burrell R; Ambient air may be contaminated with or carry significant levels of a variety of potentially harmful microorganisms . There are three major sources of such microbes: a) those arising from microbial decomposition of various substrates associated with particular occupations (e.g., "moldy" hay leading to hypersensitivity pneumonitis), b) those associated with certain types of environments (e.g., Legionnaires' bacteria in water supplies), and c) those stemming from infective individuals harboring a particular pathogen (e.g., tuberculosis) . This presentation deals primarily with important microorganisms from occupational and environmental sources and clearly differentiates from case to case transmission via droplet nuclei infection . Microorganisms that are uniformly injurious are differentiated from those that are more opportunistic (i.e., those that cause problems only in people with preexisting debilities) . Such microorganisms are categorized according to whether they are allergenic, infectious, or capable of inducing toxic or inflammatory reactions when inhaled . Representative examples from each of these categories, which include bacteria, fungi, rickettsia, and amoebae, are discussed . The conditions responsible for the entrance of significant numbers of these microbes into the air, the mechanisms by which they produce injury, and the methods of prevention are also considered . With attention given to some of the basic sources and requirements for such microorganisms to reproduce and enter the ambient air environment, it is a relatively simple matter to prevent the occurrence of health problems. Int Dent J, 1991 Oct, 41(5), 300 - 4 Detection and management of the high risk periodontal patient; Ciancio SG; Periodontal diseases and patients at risk for progression of disease can be diagnosed on the basis of age, previous episodes of periodontal disease and loss of attachment, as detected by periodontal probing and radiographic evaluation . For early onset periodontitis, family history may be important . Microbiological evaluations are excellent determinants of disease and also appear to be probable predictors of 'at risk' patients . Reliable tests, including chairside tests, are available for the three most probable pathogens: Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Prevotella intermedia . Biochemical changes, although associated with various disease states, are not yet readily measurable at the chairside, with the exception of one test that measures aspartate aminotransferase and shows promise as a detector and predictor of periodontal disease . The diagnosis and 'at risk' prediction of periodontal disease is based on a number of criteria, some of which are highly reliable and others whose reliability is either probable or unclear . These criteria are reviewed with emphasis on those that may be indicative of the patient at high risk of developing periodontal disease or progressing to a more severe form of disease. Histopathology, 1991 Oct, 19(4), 297 - 301 Pulmonary granulomatosis and angiitis; Dunnill MS; A wide variety of disease processes, each requiring different therapy, may give rise to granulomatous and vasculitic pulmonary lesions, making accurate aetiological diagnosis essential . For this, adequate sampling of tissue is necessary, and this usually requires open lung biopsy in order to obtain sufficient material for microbiological, immunocytochemical and ultrastructural as well as histopathological investigation . Many cases diagnosed as lymphomatoid granulomatosis are examples of extranodal lymphoma . It is suggested that this is an inappropriate name and that such cases should be referred to as pulmonary lymphomas and the phenotype specified. Epidemiol Infect, 1991 Oct, 107(2), 393 - 404 Development of standardized inspections in restaurants using visual assessments and microbiological sampling to quantify the risks; Tebbutt GM; The relationship between visual inspections carried out by environmental health officers and microbiological examination was studied in 89 restaurants . Using 30 variables a standardized inspection procedure was developed and each of the premises was assessed in six main areas-structure and design, cleaning and cleanliness, personal hygiene, risk of contamination, temperature control, and training and knowledge about food hygiene . Selected foods and specimens from hands, surfaces, and wiping cloths were examined . There were significant associations between all six areas of the inspections . The structure and design were significantly related to the combined score from all the other areas (P less than 0.001) . There were no highly significant associations between microbiological examination and visual assessments . The microbial contamination of wiping cloths, however, was related to the cleaning and cleanliness (P = 0.005) . Microbial sampling provided additional information to inspections and was a valuable aid . Further development of this risk-assessment approach could provide an effective system for monitoring potential health risks in high-risk food premises. Indian J Pathol Microbiol, 1991 Oct, 34(4), 276 - 9 Pollution and sanitary quality of river Narmada in relation to human use at Mandla; Joshi A et al.; Study of physico-chemical characteristics and indicator bacterial population of Narmada river water at six different sites during summer, revealed extremely poor microbiological sanitary quality for human use . Free CO2 was found to be absent from all the sampling sites studied which indicates the trophogenic activity in the river water at Mandla . BOD value ranged from 1.0 to 2.5 mgl-1 and were less than the permissible limits of BOD in fresh waters i.e . 3-6 mgl-1. J Indian Med Assoc, 1991 Oct, 89(10), 289 - 91 Microbiological study of vaginal discharge associated with the use of CuT 200; Rewari N et al.; A microbiological study of the vaginal discharge was conducted on 75 women attending family planning outdoors . In 24 out of 25 symptomatic CuT 200 users suffering from non-specific vaginitis, Gardnerella vaginalis was isolated from 19 cases (79%) . The difference in the recovery rate of Gardnerella vaginalis was highly significant between symptomatic CuT 200 users and non-users (p less than 0.001) and that between symptomatic and asymptomatic CuT 200 users (p less than 0.05) . But the difference between asymptomatic CuT 200 users and non-users was not statistically significant . The presence of clue cells on direct Gram's staining of vaginal discharge is significantly (p less than 0.05) related to the recovery of Gardnerella vaginalis on culture. Med Lab Sci, 1991 Oct, 48(4), 303 - 13 The microbiology of drinking water; Lee RJ; Standards for drinking water have been formalised in the United Kingdom by recent legislation . Routine microbiological monitoring of water supplies is primarily based on tests for coliforms . These organisms have been used successfully for indicating contamination and treatment failures, but may need supplementing with other organisms to further improve confidence in water supply hygiene . Novel techniques may greatly alter the water microbiology laboratory. Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin, 1991 Oct, 9(8), 488 - 90 {Tuberculosis in 34 patients with HIV infection}; Garcia-Martos P et al.; The clinical and microbiological finding of 34 patients with HIV infection and tuberculosis (30 were men), 32 were intravenous drug addicts . Fever, adenopathies, hepatomegaly and splenomegaly were the most encountered manifestations on admittance . 61.8% had a disseminated form of tuberculosis; the main locations were lymphatic (73.5%) and lung (64.7%) . The detection of circulating viral antigen was associated with disseminated form of tuberculosis. Antibiot Khimioter, 1991 Oct, 36(10), 36 - 8 {Study of trans-placental transport of methylamphotericin B in albino rats after intravenous administration}; Moguchenok EA; Transplacental penetration of amphotericin B, an methyl derivative, was studied on rats after its intravenous administration . Microbiological and radioisotopic methods were used . When the microbiological method was applied the drug was administered on days 16 to 20 or on day 20 of pregnancy in a dose of 4 mg/kg . For extraction of the antibiotic dimethylformamide was added to the substrates . The labeled antibiotic was administered in a dose of 3.3 mg/kg on days 6 to 16 and on day 20 of pregnancy . It was noted that the antibiotic accumulated in the placenta . The accumulation was more pronounced after antibiotic use in the course doses . A significant part of the antibiotic was in the placenta in the bound state . The methyl derivative amphotericin B was not detected microbiologically in the umbilical cord serum, fetal organs and amniotic fluid . Neither was it detected by extraction with ++dimethylformamide . The labeled antibiotic was neither detected in the amniotic fluid and fetal organs during the whole observation period . Therefore, the methyl derivative amphotericin B did not penetrate through the placental barrier either in the free or bound state . The direct teratogenic action of amphotericin B, a methyl derivative, after its intravenous administration to female rats is likely possible. Rev Invest Clin, 1991 Oct-Dec, 43(4), 285 - 92 {Usefulness and risks of transtracheal aspiration in the diagnosis of pulmonary infections}; Sanchez-Mejorada G et al.; OBJECTIVE . To define the diagnostic usefulness and the risks of the transtracheal aspirate in a group of patients studied at the National Institute of Nutrition in Mexico City . DESIGN . It is a retrospective and descriptive analysis of a group of patients in whom a transtracheal aspiration (TTA) was performed due to suspicion of pulmonary infection . The study period was from 1983 to 1987 . PATIENTS . On the study period 137 patients were submitted to a TTA; the clinical files of 126 of the cases were considered suitable for analysis . RESULTS . The procedure was performed because of a suspected bacterial pneumonia in 80% of the cases, and to study an interstitial infiltrate or pulmonary nodules in 14% and 6%, respectively . In the cases in which a bacterial pneumonia was suspected, the TTA had a sensitivity of 77% and a specificity of 95% when compared against a group of clinical, radiologic and microbiological data . Sensitivity increased to 84% when the patients who received antibiotics prior to the procedure were excluded . The specificity of the sputum's culture was sensibly less in this same group of patients . The TTA proved to be of value in five of nine pulmonary tuberculosis, two of three pulmonary mycoses and three of seven P . carinii pneumonias . Adverse events were noted in 6.3% of the cases; none of them was fatal, and specific corrective measures were necessary in only two patients . CONCLUSIONS . Our results agree with previous reports related to the usefulness of the TTA on patients with a suspected bacterial pneumonia . Our specificity is higher than that seen by other authors: we believe this is due to the low incidence of chronic respiratory diseases in the patients who attend our hospital . Transtracheal aspirate can be a valuable alternative in the diagnosis of non-bacterial pulmonary infections when the elective procedures cannot be performed . A modification on the technique is proposed to increase its usefulness in patients with interstitial pneumonia. Int Surg, 1991 Oct-Dec, 76(4), 235 - 40 Long term peritoneal nutrition in dogs, both normal and after intestinal resection; Garcia-Gamito FJ et al.; We carried out total and prolonged peritoneal nutrition (PN) in a group of healthy dogs and in another group that had previously undergone an 80% resection of the small intestine . A third group of animals underwent the same operation but did not receive intraperitoneal nutrition, as they formed the control group . A nutritive mixture was used, composed of glucose fat emulsion, aminoacids, ions, trace elements, insulin and vitamins . The caloric rate was 45 kcal/kg/day . Peritoneal nutrition lasted 30 days . Periodical clinical controls were made for biochemical, hematological, microbiological and histopathological analyses . We found two episodes of peritonitis out of a total of 19 dogs subjected to PN . Hyper- and hypoglycemia occurred in the animals with PN and that had not undergone intestinal resection there were also increases in triglyceride, free fatty acid and cholesterol levels as well as a reduction of albumin . We observed a greater decrease in albumin and urea nitrogen and a greater weight loss in the animals underwent intestinal resection . The quantity absorbed was greater than 95% of the volume infused over the four week period . In all the animals subjected to PN we found hyperplasia and phagocytic phenomena in the peritoneal mesothelium cells after 30 days of peritoneal nutrition, symptoms which disappeared one month after this kind of nutrition was stopped. Ann Plast Surg, 1991 Oct, 27(4), 355 - 7 Synchronous eruption of cotton-induced granulomas 45 years after exposure: report of an unusual case; Bentley B 2nd et al.; A 58-year-old woman developed multiple, recurrent abscesses and subcutaneous nodules over both buttocks during a 12-year period . Microbiological studies of surgical biopsy specimens were inconclusive for a specific infectious cause, but histochemical preparations on several separate occasions revealed an exuberant foreign body reaction to raw cotton fibers . Interestingly, the patient gave a detailed history of sliding down piles of cotton hulls during her childhood, some 45 years earlier . With a probable cause-and-effect relationship established, we postulate a dramatically delayed foreign body granulomatous reaction to cotton fibers. J Periodontol, 1991 Oct, 62(10), 617 - 22 Clinical and microbiological effects of a sanguinaria-containing mouthrinse and dentifrice with and without fluoride during 6 months of use; Kopczyk RA et al.; The purpose of this study was to test the efficacy and safety of sanguinaria-containing regimens with and without fluoride using the American Dental Association guidelines for evaluating chemotherapeutic agents . The study was a 6-month, double-blind, 4-cell, placebo-controlled, parallel investigation involving 120 subjects . Following screening procedures, subjects were randomly assigned to 4 groups . Group 1 received a dentifrice containing 0.075% sanguinaria extract (SaE) and 2.0% zinc chloride (ZnCl2) in a dicalcium phosphate base, plus an oral rinse containing 0.03% SaE and 0.2% ZnCl2 . Group 2 received identical products without SaE or ZnCl2 . Group 3 received a dentifrice containing 0.8% sodium monofluorophosphate, 0.075% SaE, and 0.05% ZnCl2 in a silica base, plus an oral rinse containing 0.03% SaE and 0.2% ZnCl2 . Group 4 products were identical to those of Group 3 but without SaE and ZnCl2 . Supragingival plaque and gingival inflammation were scored at 0, 1, 2, 1.5, 3, 4.5, and 6 months; bleeding upon probing was measured at 1, 1.5, 3, and 6 months . Microbiological samples were taken from plaque, tongue, and cheek areas . The active products produced statistically significantly lower scores than the placebo agents for all indices (P less than .0001) . Six-month plaque scores were 13.1% lower for Group 1 and 17.4% lower for Group 3 compared to placebo products . When the Plaque Severity Index was applied, the percentage reductions were 33% for Group 1 and 41% for Group 3 compared to placebos . Gingival inflammation scores were 16.7% lower for Group 1 and 18.1% lower for Group 3 at 6 months compared to placebo scores.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) J Periodontol, 1991 Oct, 62(10), 591 - 7 A microbiological comparison of young adults based on relative amounts of subgingival calculus; Brown CM et al.; This study compared the relative amounts of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (Aa), Eikenella corrodens (Ec), and black-pigmented anaerobic rods, and the proportions of coccoid forms, nonmotile rods, motile rods, spirochetes, and total motile organisms in subgingival plaque samples from 2 groups of young adults with generalized moderate to severe periodontitis . Two groups of 12 untreated patients were selected based on the relative amounts of subgingival calculus detected . Subgingival plaque samples (2 sites/patient) were taken with a sterile curet, dispersed, and plated under anaerobic conditions on ETSA, ETSA-kanamycin, ETSA-clindamycin, and TSBV agar . Appropriate biochemical tests were performed to confirm suspected microorganisms . Phase-contrast microscopy also was used to count the relative numbers of coccoid forms, nonmotile rods, motile rods, and spirochetes in each of the samples . Patients with no clinically detectable subgingival calculus harbored significantly greater proportions (%) of coccoid forms and Aa and greater amounts (CFU/mg) of Aa than did patients with obvious amounts of subgingival calculus . Subjects with clearly detectable subgingival calculus possessed greater proportions of motile rods, total motile organisms, and black-pigmented anaerobic rods than did subjects with little or no subgingival calculus . Young adult patients with generalized moderate to severe disease and little or no detectable subgingival calculus may possess a subgingival microbiota with relatively higher numbers of Aa and coccoid forms, and a lower percentage of BPB, motile rods, and total motile organisms as compared to similar patients with greater amounts of subgingival calculus. Rev Clin Esp, 1991 Oct, 189(6), 278 - 82 {Splenic abscess: clinico-microbiologic study of 15 cases}; de Gorgolas M et al.; We have reviewed 15 cases of splenic abscesses diagnosed using a histopathological and microbiological study . Mean age was 48 years (range 18-78) . Eight of them were male and 7 female . Eighty per cent of them had predisposing diseases, amongst which the most frequent were endocarditis and bacteriemia of other origin (26.6% in both cases) . All patients presented fever and in 7 of them (47%) splenomegaly was appreciated . The most frequently isolated germs were gramnegative bacteria (33%), anaerobics (20%), and with a similar incidence grampositive bacteria, tuberculosis and fungii; in only one case cultures were sterile . Seven patients had multiple splenic abscesses and 8 patients single abscesses . Thorax x-ray showed alterations in more than half of the patients (53%) . Abdominal echography was the diagnostic method in 67% of the patients and TAC in all the cases in which it was performed . Eight patients underwent splenectomy and one was surgically drained being the mortality rate of this group of 22% . Overall mortality was 33% and was related to the presence of multiple splenic abscesses (5/7, 71.4%), positive hemocultures (6/6, 100%), extrasplenic abscesses (7/8, 87.5%), and endocarditis (4/4, 100%), fungii infections (2/2, 100%), and late diagnosis (6/6, 100%). Chirurg, 1991 Oct, 62(10), 732 - 8 {Helicobacter pylori colonization in surgical patients}; Ludtke FE et al.; The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (HP) was examined in 387 patients undergoing endoscopy of the upper gastrointestinal tract . Of central interest was the question to which extent surgical intervention influences the colonisation of the gastric mucosa with HP . The bacillic status was appraised using double microbiological examinations, histological determination and the CLO-test . In 229 patients a 13C-urea-breath test was also carried out (sensitivity 98%) . HP could be detected in 90% of all patients presenting with duodenal ulcers as well as in 70% of patients with gastric ulcers, whereas in those patients in whom a lesion of the upper gastrointestinal tract could be excluded through endoscopy . HP was found in only 27% . The prevalence of HP did not increase with age . In patients having undergone distal gastric resection due to gastric ulcers, HP was only rarely found (19%) in the mucosa in the vicinity of the anastomosis following removal of the apparently pathogenetically important antrum mucosa . There was no association between anastomosis ulcers and bacillic colonisation . Following selective proximal vagotomy in patients with duodenal ulcers, HP was found in 80% of all cases . In these patients there was also no association between recurrent ulceration and a HP-positive status . Our results describe the postoperative HP-status after different surgical procedures of ulcer therapy: whereas a distal gastric resection removes the antrum mucosa, which provides the necessary environmental milieu, the HP-colonisation rate after selective proximal vagotomy is similar to that in non-operated ulcer disease. Aust N Z J Med, 1991 Oct, 21(5), 747 - 9 Invasive aspergillosis in AIDS; Fairley CK et al.; Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a rare infection in patients with the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) . We report the first Australian cases of histologically and microbiologically proven IA diagnosed antemortem in AIDS patients . We also describe the first case of laryngeal involvement and the unusual case of a pneumothorax due to IA . These three cases illustrate the varied clinical and pathological features of IA in AIDS and highlight some of the difficulties in diagnosis and treatment . The infections occurred in the setting of advanced immunodeficiency and multiple opportunistic infections and responded poorly to treatment. Genitourin Med, 1991 Oct, 67(5), 374 - 7 Declining trends in some sexually transmitted diseases in Belgium between 1983 and 1989; Walckiers D et al.; OBJECTIVE--To examine trends in some sexually transmitted diseases in Belgium and to discuss them in the light of the European background . DESIGN--Analysis of the time trends of C trachomatis and N gonorrhoeae infections diagnosed by a network of microbiological laboratories, and of male urethritis diagnosed by a network of general practitioners . SETTING--Belgium . SUBJECTS--Reports of C trachomatis and N gonorrhoeae infections by a network of microbiological laboratories, and of male urethritis by a network of general practitioners, to the Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology . RESULTS--Whereas an increase in the number of C trachomatis infections, more pronounced among women, was observed up to 1986, a small decrease has been observed afterwards in males . The mean number of chlamydial infections per laboratory and per year was 4.2 in 1983, 15.7 in 1986 and 13.9 in 1989 . A decrease in the number of N gonorrhoeae infections, more pronounced among men, has been observed . The mean number of cases of gonorrhoea per laboratory and per year was 10.9 in 1983 and only 2.2 in 1989 . The same declining trend has been observed in another surveillance programme of male urethritis, based on a network of general practitioners . The number of cases of male urethritis per 100 patient encounters went down from 0.06 in 1982-3 to 0.04 in 1988-9 . CONCLUSION--The declining trend in Western Europe in incidence of gonococcal infections and of urethritis in men is also occurring in Belgium, but genital chlamydial infections remain an important public health problem. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, 1991 Oct-Nov, 60(3-4), 145 - 58 Quantifying heterogeneity: flow cytometry of bacterial cultures; Kell DB et al.; Flow cytometry is a technique which permits the characterisation of individual cells in populations, in terms of distributions in their properties such as DNA content, protein content, viability, enzyme activities and so on . We review the technique, and some of its recent applications to microbiological problems . It is concluded that cellular heterogeneity, in both batch and continuous axenic cultures, is far greater than is normally assumed . This has important implications for the quantitative analysis of microbial processes. J Periodontol, 1991 Oct, 62(10), 634 - 42 Clinical and microbiological patterns of adults with periodontitis; Kornman KS et al.; Although current data suggest that periodontitis may actually be multiple diseases each with varying responses to therapy, little evidence exists to support this theory in adult patients . This report describes the design and initial findings of a longitudinal field trial involving the diagnosis and treatment of adult and refractory periodontitis patients in private practice . Adult patients (N = 221) who met specific clinical criteria were selected from the private practices of 22 periodontists . Clinical characteristics were recorded and subgingival plaque samples were sent to microbiology laboratories at either UCLA or The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA) . Samples were processed according to protocols standardized between the 2 centers . Five different combinations of the initial clinical and microbial findings were evaluated for patterns in the data by means of cluster analysis . Plaque, bleeding on probing, bone loss scores, probing depth distributions, and microbial findings produced multiple cluster solutions . Solutions involving 6 clusters explained 39.4% to 76.4% of the variation between patients and produced ratios for variation between clusters to variation within clusters of 5.2 to 15.3 . The optimal cluster solution incorporated both clinical and microbial findings, with some clusters characterized by high plaque and moderate bleeding on probing and bone loss, whereas others had low plaque but high bleeding on probing and bone loss . Microbial findings of each cluster exhibited distinct patterns with some clusters having a high prevalence (83% to 100%) of specific target bacterial species while other clusters had an absence of these species.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 1991 Oct, 10(10), 859 - 61 High and prolonged pulmonary tissue concentrations of azithromycin following a single oral dose; Morris DL et al.; Antibiotic concentrations in pulmonary tissue samples and plasma were studied in this open investigation . Twenty-nine patients scheduled for elective pulmonary surgery received a single oral dose of 500 mg azithromycin 24, 72, 96 or 120 h prior to the operation; two patients received 250 mg b.i.d . Blood samples were taken before and at the time of resection, and tissue was obtained during surgery . Plasma and tissue concentrations of azithromycin were measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and a microbiological bioassay . Only one patient had a detectable plasma concentration of azithromycin (0.13 micrograms/ml), measured 24 h post-dose by HPLC . However, high and sustained levels were found in lung tissue: mean concentrations measured by HPLC were 3.10 micrograms/g (SD +/- 2.17), 2.55 micrograms/g (SD +/- 1.36), 3.94 micrograms/g (SD +/- 2.40) and 3.13 micrograms/g (SD +/- 0.50) at 24, 72, 96 and 120 h, respectively . Bioassay results were similar to those for the HPLC assay . In summary, azithromycin levels in pulmonary tissue remained close to 3 micrograms/g for up to 5 days after a single oral 500 mg dose, in contrast to plasma levels which were much lower . The lung concentrations found are inhibitory for many sensitive respiratory pathogens and short-course azithromycin therapy is therefore a possibility. Dent Cadmos, 1991 Sep 30, 59(14), 36 - 42, 45-54 {Endo-periodontal relations . Microbiological and clinical aspects}; De Sanctis M et al.; Periodontics and endodontics share common objectives and common field of interest . Both disciplines treat lesions of the periodontal tissues; in their marginal aspect the first, in the periapical aspect the latter . These relationships have not been well understood for a long time . This article is a review of the literature on the topic aimed at clarifying the anatomic, microbiological, pathogenetic relationship in the periodontal and endodontic lesions. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol, 1991 Sep 13, 41(2), 129 - 33 Evidence that patients presenting with dyskaryotic cervical smears should be screened for genital-tract infections other than human papillomavirus infection; Byrne MA et al.; One hundred and fifty-four women with dyskaryotic cervical smears were referred for colposcopy from two distinct population groups, namely those who initially had attended a sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic, and those who came from general practitioners and family planning and gynaecology clinics (non-STD group) . They were investigated to determine the prevalence and pattern of concomitant lower genital-tract infections . The mean age in each group was 25 years . Microbiological studies revealed that 79 (51%) of the women were infected, more than one infection occurring in 16 (10%) of them . Infection was present in 40% of the non-STD group and 66% of the STD group . The pattern of infection was remarkably similar in each group . Bacterial vaginosis was the most common disease in each group and accounted for more than one-third of all infections detected . Six patients had genital warts, 15 harboured Chlamydia trachomatis and 4 had gonorrhoea . Two-thirds of those with C . trachomatis and half of those with gonorrhoea were asymptomatic . We conclude that an abnormal cervical smear is frequently a marker of concomitant lower genital tract infection . Comprehensive microbiological investigations in order to effect appropriate treatment are easily achieved on women in the STD group, but the cost may be seen as prohibitive for those in the non-STD group . For these women we suggest a less comprehensive microbiological approach that provides a compromise strategy of management. Microbiol Rev, 1991 Sep, 55(3), 335 - 48 Fluorogenic and chromogenic substrates used in bacterial diagnostics; Manafi M et al.; Methods based on the application of chromogenic and fluorogenic substrates enable specific and rapid detection of a variety of bacterial enzymatic activities . By using these techniques, enzymatic reactions can be examined simultaneously or individually, either directly on the isolation plate or in cell suspensions . For this purpose, various testing principles and test kits for clinical and food microbiology have been introduced successfully during the last few years . In this paper we present a survey of different enzymes of microbial origin that are utilized for microbiological identification and differentiation and the corresponding methods . Particular emphasis is given to the examination of Escherichia coli and the description of the different techniques as used in routine analysis. J Dent Res, 1991 Sep, 70(9), 1239 - 51 Classification tree prediction models for dental caries from clinical, microbiological, and interview data; Stewart PW et al.; Caries prediction by Classification And Regression Tree (CART) analysis is an appropriate and powerful alternative or complement to the commonly used classification methods of logistic regression and discriminant analysis, both parametric and nonparametric . The binary classification tree method discussed in this article is designed for complex data and does not require assumptions about the predictor variables or about the presence or absence of interactions among the predictor variables . Furthermore, the results give insight into the structures and interactions in the data and are easy to interpret and apply . In preliminary applications of the CART algorithms to data from The University of North Carolina Caries Risk Assessment Study, the method produced prediction rules having sensitivities and specificities that were similar to or slightly better than those associated with logistic and discriminant analyses . The classification trees constructed tended to involve far fewer predictor variables than required for adequate logistic and discriminant models . For example, for first-grade children in Aiken, South Carolina, nine variables were used to define a prediction rule having 64% sensitivity and 86% specificity . Ten-fold cross-validation estimates for future data were 58% and 79%, respectively . For first-grade children in Portland, Maine, two variables were used to define a prediction rule having 62% sensitivity and 77% specificity . The cross-validation estimates for future data were 58% and 78%, respectively . A brief, and previously unavailable, explanation of the CART method is given for the special case of a dichotomous outcome variable. Arch Latinoam Nutr, 1991 Sep, 41(3), 428 - 40 Chemical, microbiological and sensory evaluation of a dried salted product produced from sardines (Sardinops caerula) and cereals; Morales de Leon JC et al.; The chemical, microbiological and sensory stability of a dried salted product prepared from sardines and cereals was evaluated during a 12-week storage period . The product is named NUTRIPEZ and was produced in 20 kg/lots, both with and without smoke treatment . The product was stored under both tropical and room conditions in Mexico City, and packaged in two types of flexible packaging . Rancidity analyses were done by the peroxide value, TBA test and sensory evaluation . The results demonstrated that both the smoking of the product and the cellopolyal packaging, offered the best protection against oxidation. Arch Latinoam Nutr, 1991 Sep, 41(3), 375 - 99 {Elaboration of a dried-salted and smoked product using aquaculture species}; Morales de Leon J et al.; The purpose of this work was to adapt the procedure developed at the Instituto Nacional de la Nutricion Salvador Zubiran (INNSZ) for the conservation of the sardine to aquaculture species such as carp (Ciprinus carpio) and tilapia (Tilapia sp) . The mixtures were designed on the basis of the chemical score method . The preparation of the patties included different fish presentations, and two methods were evaluated in order to obtain fish pulp . In the formulation of the final product, defatted soy, maize and wheat flour were included, as well as three different mixtures of condiments, which were then compared to the original formulation based on sardine . The raw materials and final products were subjected to sensory evaluation and to a shelf-life study . The results indicated that for these species, to obtain the fish pulp it is necessary to include one phase of the procedure, which can be manual or mechanical, because there are no significant differences between them . The formulations selected were: flour corn (10%)--flour soy (30%)--carp (60%), and flour corn (10%)--flour soy (22%)--tilapia (68%) . In both cases the condiment mixture was eliminated, and only common salt was used . The protein content was of 40g/100g of the dry product, with a minimum shelflife of 12 weeks at room temperature (22 degrees-23 degrees C) . During this period no rancidity developed, the product was microbiologically adequate for human consumption, and proved to have a higher sensory acceptance than sardine patties. Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital, 1991 Sep-Oct, 11(5), 483 - 9 {A rare case of isolated aspergilloma of the sphenoid sinus}; Avanzini F et al.; The authors report an interesting case of an isolated pathology of the sphenoid sinus (more precisely, in this case a mycotic infection of this paranasal sinus), up to a few years ago an extremely rare disease and still today an exceptional entity in the clinical practice of an otolaryngologist . The investigations carried out indicated that the infection was caused by Aspergillus candidus, a fungus which only rarely becomes pathogenic in man . The paper reports the main anamnestic data as well as the clinical and instrumental assessment of the disease . It furthermore describes the surgical procedure employed, the relative reports obtained and supplies data concerning the microbiological tests carried out on the material removed and the histological pattern observed . The surgery had an excellent outcome: the patient was cured and showed no sign of recurrence of the disease . The discussion briefly presents the clinical picture created in man by Aspergillus and stresses the rarity of the disease, noting that, including the case in question, only 23 reports, documented with histological and microscopic data, have been made in literature . The AA affirm that to their knowledge this particular case of sphenoid sinusitis caused by Aspergillus candidus {correction of Candida} is the first ever to be reported and in conclusion underline the extreme care necessary in dealing with this pathology and in making a "quoad vitam" prognosis. East Afr Med J, 1991 Sep, 68(9), 702 - 6 Childhood liver diseases in Jos, Nigeria: a retrospective histopathological study; Obafunwa JO et al.; Forty eight needle biopsies of the liver, from children registered in the histopathological laboratory of Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) were reviewed . Liver disease diagnosis was based on histopathological criteria without recourse to either clinical, biochemical or microbiological data . Hepatic Schistosomiasis (37.5%) and liver cirrhosis (25%) were the most frequently diagnosed lesions . There were only two cases of biliary cirrhosis secondary to biliary atrisia . Parasitic infestation of the liver was the most common cause of childhood hepatic dysfunction . Our results confirm the observations of workers in other tropical and subtropical regions, where infection is the commonest cause of childhood liver disease . This is in sharp contrast to the findings from European countries where neonatal hepatitis or biliary atresia are the most commonly diagnosed disorders . This retrospective study provides a good starting point for a prospective study, to determine the incidence and severity of childhood liver disease in Nigeria . This is a retrospective histopathological study aimed at establishing the pattern of liver disease in the paediatric age group in Jos . The indication for liver biopsy in all the cases was hepatosplenomegaly with or without biochemical abnormality. J Clin Periodontol, 1991 Sep, 18(8), 577 - 80 Multiple idiopathic root resorption . A case report and discussion of pathogenesis; Moody GH et al.; A rare case of multiple idiopathic root resorption (MIRR) involving 5 adjacent anterior and posterior teeth is presented and the pathogenesis discussed . The proposition is made that MIRR results from microbiologically-induced osteoclast activity facilitated by prior osteoblast activation. Xenobiotica, 1991 Sep, 21(9), 1171 - 7 Importance of oxygen functions in the biological hydroxylation of flavonoids by Absidia blackesleeana; Abul-Hajj YJ et al.; 1 . The synthesis and microbiological transformation of 2-phenyl-1-tetralone (compound 3, 1-deoxyisoflavanone), 3-phenyl-1-tetralone (compound 4, 1-deoxyflavanone), 2-phenylchroman (compound 7, 4-deoxyflavanone), 3-phenylchroman (compound 8, 4-deoxyisoflavanone) and 1,2-dihydro-3-phenylnaphthalene (compound 10, 1,4-dideoxy-dehydroflavanone) by Absidia blackesleeana are described . 2 . Compounds 3, 4, 7 and 8 were hydroxylated at the 4'-position while compound 10 was not utilized as a substrate . The two phenylchroman analogues 7 and 8 gave approximately the same yield (22% and 26%, respectively) of the 4'-hydroxylation products, while the phenyltetralone analogues 3 and 4 showed significant differences in 4'-hydroxylation (2% and 47%, respectively). J Assoc Off Anal Chem, 1991 Sep-Oct, 74(5), 790 - 2 Modifications to the official method for testing chlortetracycline HCl in animal feeds; Hasselberger ML; Results are compared for the microbiological analysis of chlortetracycline using the AOAC method and a modified method applicable to potencies above 50 g/ton . Two modifications are presented: substitution of a pH range of 4.0-4.5 instead of the specified pH of 4.5 for the plating solution, and substitution of extraction by shaking instead of the blending procedure . There were no significant differences in results between the AOAC method and the modified method. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg, 1991 Sep-Oct, 85(5), 681 - 4 Hygiene, skin infections and types of water supply in Venda, South Africa; Verweij PE et al.; The impact of the installation of a system to supply chlorinated drinking water in Venda, South Africa, on water quality, water use and health status was evaluated by means of questionnaires, examination for skin infections, and microbiological analysis of water samples . Although the water collection journey became shorter in comparison with use of traditional water supplies such as boreholes and unprotected springs, water use per caput showed no increase . The improved water supply showed no contamination with coliforms even after storage . Borehole water exhibited low coliform counts at the source, but after storage a 10- to 15-fold increase took place . Water samples from unprotected springs exhibited high coliform counts, which declined during storage . The prevalence of infectious skin diseases (27.5%) and diarrhoea (3.7%) among pre-schoolchildren showed no correlation with the quality of drinking water or the use of water per caput . Although the prevalence of infectious skin diseases did exhibit a negative correlation with the frequency of washing, no significant health benefit of the improved water supply could be demonstrated in this limited study. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1991 Sep, 57(9), 2693 - 8 Rapid procedure for detecting enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 in food; Padhye NV et al.; A sensitive, specific procedure was developed for detecting Escherichia coli O157:H7 in food in less than 20 h . The procedure involves enrichment of 25 g of food in 225 ml of a selective enrichment medium for 16 to 18 h at 37 degrees C with agitation (150 rpm) . The enrichment culture is applied to a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with a polyclonal antibody specific for E . coli O157 antigen as the capture antibody and a monoclonal antibody specific for enterohemorrhagic E . coli of serotypes O157:H7 and O26:H11 as the detection antibody . The ELISA can be completed within 3 h . The sensitivity of the procedure, determined by using E . coli O157:H7-inoculated ground beef and dairy products, including different varieties of cheese, was 0.2 to 0.9 cell per g of food . A survey of retail fresh ground beef and farm raw milk samples with this procedure revealed that 3 (2.8%) of 107 ground beef samples and 11 (10%) of 115 raw milk samples were positive for E . coli O157:H7 . Most-probable-number determinations revealed E . coli O157:H7 populations of 0.4 to 1.5 cells per g in the three ground beef samples . In addition to being highly specific, sensitive, and rapid, this procedure is easy to perform and is amenable to use by laboratories performing routine microbiological testing. Minerva Stomatol, 1991 Sep, 40(9), 549 - 56 {Guided regeneration of the periodontal tissues with resorbable and nonresorbable membranes . II . Microbiological evaluation}; Sbordone L et al.; The present experimental study has been undertaken in order to analyze the influence of bacterial recolonization on periodontal wound healing following guided tissue regeneration therapy in humans . Two different surgical techniques has been carried out: one using a non absorbable membrane and the other a absorbable one . Microbiological data indicate no statistically significant difference between the techniques employed . Furthermore our data have confirmed the necessity of maintaining the healing sites free from the main periodontal pathogens. Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd, 1991 Sep, 51(9), 704 - 9 {Bacteriologic findings before and in transcervical chorionic villi biopsy and their clinical relevance}; Becker R et al.; Between August 1987 and May 1989, bacteriological examinations of smears from the cervical canal was performed in 358 pregnant women, who underwent transcervical sampling of chorionic villi . The outcome of 349 of these pregnancies is documented . 12 of these patients (3.5%) had an artificial abortion for genetic reasons . In 12 other patients, the pregnancy ended before 28 weeks (one child surviving) . Microbiological examinations showed that in 187 women (52%), it was possible to culture one or more microorganisms from the cervical canal . The most frequently detected pathogen was Chlamydia trachomatis (111 women, 31%) . In pregnancies, where more than one microorganism could be cultured, the risk of following abortion was 8.9 times higher than in those, where no pathogens could be found . In only two of the 12 women with a subsequent spontaneous abortion (16.6%), no microorganism could be found . The bacterial contamination of the cervical canal during TC-CVS seems to be a risk factor for subsequent abortion . Therefore, a bacteriological examination of cervical flora should be performed before as well as during TC-CVS, and antibiotic therapy should be initiated in case of positive results. J Periodontol, 1991 Sep, 62(9), 558 - 61 Site selection criteria for microbiological testing of periodontal microorganisms; Savitt ED et al.; MICROBIOLOGICAL TESTING IS BECOMING an adjunct to the diagnosis and monitoring of periodontal patients . However, choosing which sites and how many sites among the many available in most patients is difficult . A study of 22 periodontitis patients was undertaken to attempt to provide some guidelines to these issues . All mesiobuccal sites along with sites with 4 mm or greater probing depth were sampled with endodontic points and analyzed by DNA probes for P . gingivalis, P . intermedia, and A . actinomycetemcomitans . The data suggest that sites with the deepest probing depths and sites that bleed on probing were most likely to harbor these pathogenic species . Using these clinical criteria, an approximation of the number of sites required for sampling was suggested. J Chromatogr, 1991 Aug 16, 553(1-2), 35 - 40 High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of rifapentine and its metabolite in human plasma by direct injection into a shielded hydrophobic phase column; Riva E et al.; A simple high-performance liquid chromatographic method for determination of rifapentine, a cyclopentyl semisynthetic analogue of rifamycin belonging to the class of piperazinyl hydrazone derivatives of 3-formylrifamycin SV, and its metabolite, 25-desacetylrifapentine, in human plasma was developed using direct injection of the sample onto a Supelco LC HISEP column . The mean recovery was 100.3% for rifapentine and 99.7% for the metabolite and the precision of the assays was 3% and 7%, respectively . The limit of determination was 0.2 micrograms/ml and the method was validated for concentrations up to 64 micrograms/ml for rifapentine and 32 micrograms/ml for the metabolite . The results correlated well with those of the microbiological assay with Sarcina lutea as test organism. Lancet, 1991 Aug 10, 338(8763), 364 - 6 Diagnosis of tuberculosis by DNA amplification in clinical practice evaluation; Brisson-Noel A et al.; Various polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays have been devised for the rapid identification of mycobacteria in clinical specimens . To assess the value of such assays in routine laboratory work the results obtained by PCR were compared with those obtained by standard microbiological methods for 514 specimens collected for investigation of mycobacterial infection . Specimens were tested for the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and atypical mycobacteria in two assays, one based on amplification of the 65 kDa gene and the other on the IS6110 insertion sequence . For the 489 samples that did not contain inhibitors of the amplification reaction PCR findings correlated well with bacteriological and/or clinical data in 476 (97.4%) . 6 PCR results turned out to be false negatives, 3 to be false positives and 4 to be mis-identification of strains . Pre-treatment of samples with guanidium thiocyanate reduced the proportion of false-negative results and of samples that contained inhibitors . This study confirms the potential of DNA amplification for early diagnosis of mycobacterial infections. Am J Med, 1991 Aug 8, 91(2A), 135S - 146S The gastropulmonary route of infection--fact or fiction? Tryba M. Published studies relating to whether medicinal stress-bleeding prophylaxis leading to an increase of gastric pH favors the development of bronchopulmonary infections are reviewed . Results from studies in healthy humans, patients with ulcer disease, and patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) clearly show that the risk of gastric bacterial colonization significantly increases relative to increasing gastric pH . Moreover, a drug-induced increase of gastric pH leads directly to gastric bacterial colonization also in patients in the ICU, above all with bacteria typical of the gastrointestinal tract . Comparing the different bacterial spectra of the oropharynx, stomach, and upper small intestine, it becomes clear that the stomach is a reservoir of bacteria independent of the oropharynx and also subject to retrograde colonization due to the duodenogastric reflux . Both by means of microbiological and in particular direct detection procedures, it can be demonstrated that in at least 30-40% of intubated patients a gastropulmonary route of colonization occurs . In patient groups without a medication-induced increase of gastric pH the number of bacteria detected in the tracheal secretion is about 33% less than in the case of conventional stress-bleeding prophylaxis . These findings make it understandable that a highly significant increase in the pneumonia rate is seen in patients receiving pH-increasing stress-bleeding prophylaxis versus control groups without therapy essentially influencing gastric pH . A risk score was developed that allows an easy description of those patients who are at an increased risk of pulmonary infections due to the gastropulmonary route of colonization. Aust N Z J Ophthalmol, 1991 Aug, 19(3), 193 - 6 Corneal biopsy in microbial keratitis; Whitehouse G et al.; Presumed microbial keratitis in the absence of a specific microbiological diagnosis is a particularly difficult clinical problem . Corneal biopsy may provide the diagnosis when corneal scrapings have been negative . We present two cases in which corneal biopsy was helpful and discuss the role of corneal biopsy in the management of chronic keratitis. Vrach Delo, 1991 Aug, (8), 80 - 3 {Differential diagnostic principles and the classification of infectious-inflammatory diseases of the nervous system}; Golovchenko IuI; The author presents data on multifactorial principles of classification and differential diagnosis of infectious-inflammatory diseases of the nervous system with consideration of immune interaction of macro- and microorganisms, local factors of infection and inflammation, etiological principles, microbiological verification, bacteriology . The importance is stressed of pre-etiological diagnosis of the acute period in determining the trends of pathogenetic treatment. Dtsch Tierarztl Wochenschr, 1991 Aug, 98(8), 303 - 6 Metabolic behaviour and tissue distribution of nalidixic acid in chickens; Atef M et al.; The metabolic behaviour and tissue distribution of nalidixic acid in normal and E . coli infected chickens were carried out using spectrofluorimetric and microbiological techniques following a single and multiple oral administration of 25 mg/kg b . wt . The obtained results revealed that free nalidixic acid (free NA) is the major fraction of the total drug concentration in serum, liver and kidneys . The free active nalidixic acid was in a higher concentration than hydroxynalidixic acid (free HNA) and both conjugates of NA and HNA following single and multiple oral administration . The obtained results showed that nalidixic acid was highly distributed in all tissues in normal and E . coli infected chickens, with the highest concentrations in kidneys, liver and heart and lowest concentrations in brain, muscles and intestine following oral administration of 25 mg/kg b . wt . twice daily for 5 successive days . Spectrofluorimetic technique was more sensitive for nalidixic acid determination than microbiological method . Nalidixic acid revealed longer withdrawal time in diseased chickens than in normal chickens. Epidemiol Infect, 1991 Aug, 107(1), 157 - 70 Physical protection against airborne pathogens and pollutants by a novel animal isolator in a level 3 containment laboratory; Wathes CM et al.; A containment laboratory unit for research with aerosols of group 2 pathogenic microorganisms is described . The design criteria are based on current UK guidelines, which imply containment at group 3 level during aerosol production, storage, exposure of animals and sampling . Within the aerosol laboratory, primary containment is provided by a Henderson apparatus operating at a negative pressure to the external environment . Flexible film isolators under negative pressure are used for all hazardous microbiological work, e.g . tissue homogenization, and for housing infected laboratory rodents . A novel feature of the animal isolator is the separate ventilation of each cage, which minimizes the risk of cross-infection by aerosol transmission and ensures a similar environment within each cage . The results of an intentional release of a cloud of non-pathogenic microorganisms are presented to show the effectiveness of the containment barriers . Recommendations are given for the safe operation of a containment unit based upon practical experience. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1991 Aug, 35(8), 1586 - 90 Clinical evaluation of teicoplanin fluorescence polarization immunoassay; Rybak MJ et al.; A teicoplanin fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) developed by International BioClinical (IBC) was evaluated by using serum samples from patients who had been receiving teicoplanin at Detroit Receiving Hospital (DRH) as part of a clinical investigation . Patient samples collected over a 1-year span were assayed at DRH and at IBC, and the results were compared with those of a standard microbiological assay performed at Merrell Dow Research Institute, Indianapolis, Ind . The FPIA has a rapid turnaround time (circa 20 min), utilizes small sample volumes (less than 100 microliters) and is sensitive and accurate in determining concentrations in the range of 5 to 100 micrograms/ml . The intra-assay and interassay coefficient of variation for controls (7, 35, and 75 micrograms/ml) was less than or equal to 13% . Concentrations greater than 100 micrograms/ml must be diluted prior to the assay, which may introduce additional error in determination . The FPIA compared well with the bioassay (r = 0.901) for 193 clinical samples . The results obtained utilizing the FPIA system were reproducible at two different sites, as illustrated by the high degree of correlation between the results at DRH and IBC (r = 0.92) . There was less than 7% interference noted when teicoplanin was assayed in the presence of other antibiotics . Patient samples stored for up to 1 year retained their potency: the mean recovery rate in these samples was 107% . The FPIA should be useful for monitoring and adjusting teicoplanin dosage regimens in patients. Parodontol, 1991 Aug, 2(3), 207 - 22 {Microbiology of periodontitis . 1 . The infective nature of periodontitis}; Purucker P; In the last years, guided tissue regeneration (GTR) and implantology have opened new possibilities for practical periodontologists in the treatment of advanced cases . For both techniques the successful therapy of the local infection of the pocket is a prerequisite . In the near future rapid tests for microbiological diagnoses and slow release devices for antibiotics will be available to achieve this aim easier . The following article will present the microbiological aspects of periodontitis and plaque control and show their relevance for the practitioner. Acta Paediatr Jpn, 1991 Aug, 33(4), 564 - 72 Infectious complications in childhood leukemia; Hirotsu T et al.; Since children with acute leukemia have prolonged periods of severe neutropenia due to the disease itself or its intensive chemotherapy, they often develop life-threatening infectious complications . A protected environment and prophylactic antibiotics for patients with severe neutropenia have been shown to decrease the incidence of infectious morbidity . In spite of the high mortality rate of infections, on the other hand, their diagnosis is not well established because the percentage of microbiological detectability by blood culture is low . The differentiation of infections may be possible by using some supplementary measures and particular laboratory parameters . Febrile neutropenic patients with leukemia should promptly receive empiric treatment with combinations of two or three broad-spectrum antibiotics that are bactericidal and synergistic toward the presumed pathogens, or with antifungal drugs if patients are resistant to antibiotics, as well as supportive measures such as granulocyte transfusion, intravenous gamma-globulin and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. J Chemother, 1991 Aug, 3(4), 250 - 4 The efficacy of mezlocillin-amikacin combination in febrile neutropenic children with oncologic disease; Zulfikar B et al.; The efficacy of mexlocillin-amikacin combination as empirical therapy for febrile neutropenic patients was studied in 30 children (21 males, 9 females) with various oncologic diseases aged 1-15 years (mean age 7.3 +/- 4.4) in the Istanbul Medical School, Oncologic Disease Research and Treatment Center, and Department of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology between January 1 and May 31, 1988 . The response rate was 76.6% . Profound persistent granulocytopenia (fewer than 100 ml) was present in 70% of the patients . In 63.3% of patients, the infections were microbiologically documented (60%) Gram(+) and 40% Gram(-) . The combination was well tolerated with hepatic and/or renal disturbances in 8 cases (26.6%) . We conclude that mezlocillin-amikacin is an effective empirical combination in the initial treatment of infections in febrile neutropenic children with various oncologic diseases. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1991 Aug, 28(2), 291 - 9 Relationship between cefpirome clearance, serum creatinine, weight and age in patients treated for infection; Wilcox MH et al.; Cefpirome serum concentrations were measured by microbiological assay in 30 patients after five to nine days of treatment with 1 or 2 g bd for moderate to severe infection of presumed bacterial origin . Patients with serum creatinine (SCr) greater than 220 mumol/L were excluded . The age of patients ranged from 34-86 years . Creatinine clearance (Clcr) was calculated from age, sex, weight and SCr . The range of SCr was 63-220 mumol/L and the range of Clcr was 18-169 mL/min . The correlation coefficient with cefpirome clearance was 0.464 for SCr and 0.747 for Clcr . More than half of the patients with Clcr less than 50 mL/min had SCr within the normal range of 70-150 mumol/L . Mean cefpirome clearance in patients with Clcr 18-50 mL/min was 42.7 mL/min, which is very similar to the figure of 43.5 mL/min reported in a single dose volunteer study in patients with renal failure . Mean cefpirome clearance in patients with Clcr greater than 80 mL/min was 107.6 mL/min . In conclusion, these data on cefpirome clearance obtained after multiple dose treatment of patients with presumed bacterial infection are consistent with data previously obtained from single dose volunteer studies and support the currently recommended dose regimens . Clinicians should take account of age, weight and sex when estimating renal function from SCr. Anal Biochem, 1991 Aug 1, 196(2), 284 - 9 A sensitive radioenzymatic assay for (S)-5-formyltetrahydrofolate; Priest DG et al.; A highly sensitive, radioenzymatic method has been developed for the specific and quantitative estimation of (S)-5-formyltetrahydrofolate . This method is based on enzymatic cycling of the 5-formyl derivative to methylenetetrahydrofolate followed by entrapment into a stable ternary complex with thymidylate synthase and tritiated fluorodeoxyuridylate . Determination of bound radiolabeled ligand permits estimation of the original folate . The initial cycling step is catalyzed by the enzyme, methenyltetrahydrofolate synthetase, which is specific for the (S)-diastereomer of 5-formyltetrahydrofolate and generates a product which can be further cycled to tetrahydrofolate using either 10-formyltetrahydrofolate deacylase or glycinamide ribonucleotide transformylase . Tetrahydrofolate is ultimately converted to the entrapable methylene derivative in the presence of excess formaldehyde . Using this assay recovery of reference (S)-5-formyltetrahydrofolate was linear over the range 0.03-1.9 pmol with an average recovery of 83 +/- 2% . The method has been applied to estimation of plasma (S)-5-formyltetrahydrofolate from a volunteer who had been administered (R,S)-5-formyltetrahydrofolate . Where comparison was possible, estimation of plasma (S)-5-formyltetrahydrofolate by this one step ternary complex-based method yielded results that were very similar to those observed by Straw et al . (Cancer Res., 44, 3114, 1984) who used an HPLC-based method for separation of diastereomeric mixtures of reduced folates and microbiological growth dependence to determine (S)-5-formyltetrahydrofolate. J Dermatol, 1991 Aug, 18(8), 438 - 46 Dermatophytosis in children and adolescents: epidemiological, clinical, and microbiological aspects changing with age; Zienicke HC et al.; During a four year period, a total of 84 cases of dermatophytosis were seen in patients from 0 to 17 years of age attending our out-patient department . The sex distribution was about equal in preadolescents . Males predominated among adolescents . A peak incidence at early school age was due to cases of tinea capitis, mainly caused by Microsporum canis . A peak among adolescents was due to cases of tinea pedis, mainly caused by Trichophyton rubrum . In general, patients with Trichophyton rubrum infections were older than those with other types of dermatophytosis (p less than 0.05) . Dermatophytosis due to Microsporum canis was most frequently seen in January and in September (p less than 0.01) . Although onychomycosis due to dermatophytes was a comparatively rare disease, it did occur within all age subgroups . Entities which were very frequent in former times and which have become rare during the last decades, such as tinea capitis due to Trichophyton schonleinii, still contribute to the spectrum of dermatophytosis in childhood. Am J Reprod Immunol, 1991 Aug, 26(1), 42 - 6 Mouse model for the treatment of immune pregnancy loss; Toder V et al.; Spontaneous abortions can be associated with preimplantation embryo loss, implantation problems and a variety of postimplantation pregnancy failures . The long list of possible causes for the postimplantation pregnancy loss includes, among others, genetic abnormalities in fetus, anatomical abnormalities of the uterus, endocrinological insufficiency, and microbiological problems . However, more than 50% of recurrent miscarriages still have no recognized causes . The concept that many such abortions may be immunologically mediated has gained increasing support over the years . Moreover, immunization of such women with husband's or third party leukocytes has resulted in more than 70% of subsequent pregnancies resulting in live births . Since neither the mechanisms leading to pregnancy loss nor the success of immunotherapy are clear, the set-up of animal models for recurrent abortions would be of supreme significance . Our recent data show that immunopotentiation of maternal immune system by Complete Freund Adjuvant significantly improves pregnancy rate in CBA x DBA/2 mouse combination with high percentage of fetal resorptions . This effect is followed by decrease of IL 2 production in spleen; increase of MAC 1-positive cells at placenta; amplification of suppressive activity of local and systemic lymphocytes and by reverse of embryotoxic effect of maternal serum . Data obtained in this model seems to be valuable in substantiation of rationale for nonspecific immunotherapy of human abortions. Prenat Diagn, 1991 Aug, 11(8), 539 - 50 Chorionic villus sampling: analysis of fetal losses to delivery, placental pathology, and cervical microbiology; Wilson RD et al.; A population of 1639 patients were seen for chorionic villus sampling (CVS) . Embryonic death was identified at ultrasound in 5.3 per cent of patients . The number of patients undergoing CVS was 1551, with 1416 transcervical procedures and 135 transabdominal procedures . The most common indication for CVS was advanced maternal age . Spontaneous pregnancy losses identified by increased risk of pregnancy loss with increasing aspiration attempts . The total fetal loss for this population was 5.4 per cent with the pregnancy loss estimated due to procedure being 1.2 per cent . Analysis of placentae from patients having CVS and amniocentesis showed no differences . Microbiological assessment prior to CVS was similar to previous publications. Pharm Res, 1991 Aug, 8(8), 1056 - 8 Bioavailability of erythromycin acistrate from hard gelatin capsules containing sodium bicarbonate; Marvola M et al.; Erythromycin acistrate is a new prodrug of erythromycin . Its bioavailability from hard gelatin capsules containing the drug with or without sodium bicarbonate was studied in healthy volunteers . The plasma levels of erythromycin, anhydroerythromycin, and acetylerythromycin were measured using an HPLC method . Addition of sodium bicarbonate to the capsule markedly enhanced the plasma level of the microbiologically active substance, erythromycin, doubling the Cmax and AUC values (P less than 0.05) . At the same time, the lag time in the absorption curve was shortened to one-third . No changes in the plasma levels of the inactive metabolite anhydroerythromycin were noted . It is concluded that adding sodium bicarbonate to an erythromycin acistrate formulation enhances its bioavailability. J Neurol, 1991 Aug, 238(5), 265 - 70 Familial myopathy with elevated serum angiotensin-converting enzyme, creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme 5; Henze T et al.; A family is reported in which two members presented with proximal myopathy associated with high serum levels of angiotensin-converting enzyme (SACE), creatine kinase (CK), and lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme 5 . Examination of three relatives revealed elevated SACE levels in all of them, but no myopathy . No evidence of sarcoidosis, the most common disease associated with high SACE levels, could be found . Muscle biopsies of the two affected men revealed myopathic features without granuloma formation . Extensive biochemical, metabolic, immunological, and microbiological studies were all non-contributory . Corticosteroid and, in one patient, azathioprine treatment resulted in an improvement of muscle weakness and in a decrease of SACE as well as CK levels. JAMA, 1991 Jul 24-31, 266(4), 555 - 8 Septic reactions to platelet transfusions . A persistent problem; Morrow JF et al.; OBJECTIVE . To determine the medical and laboratory characteristics of bacteremia secondary to transfusion of microbiologically contaminated platelet concentrates . DESIGN . Febrile transfusion reactions were prospectively monitored over 42 months . Units involved in reactions were evaluated with Gram's stain and culture tests . SETTING . Comprehensive cancer center . PATIENTS . Patients receiving platelet transfusions for thrombocytopenia secondary to bone marrow failure . RESULT . Seven cases of transfusion-associated sepsis were observed . Multidonor platelet products stored for 5 days resulted in an incidence of sepsis five times higher than those stored for 4 days or less (P less than .01) . Investigation indicates that contamination most likely occurred at the time of blood collection . Clinically, septic reactions were associated with greater temperature elevations (average increase, 2.0 degrees C) than febrile reactions to sterile products . CONCLUSIONS . Contamination of platelet concentrates remains a significant clinical problem . Septic episodes may be reduced by transfusion of platelets with shorter storage intervals. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 1991 Jul, 32(8), 2272 - 80 The role of cholesterol in chronic blepharitis; Shine WE et al.; Chronic blepharitis has been a difficult disease to define either microbiologically or biochemically . Sterols from meibomian secretions of normal subjects and patients were analyzed, and important differences were observed . Based on analyses of these secretions, two significantly different (P less than 0.001) types of normal subjects were found, those with and those without cholesterol esters {Norm(CP) and Norm(CA), respectively} . All patients' secretions contained cholesterol esters . Evidence was obtained which suggests that oxysterols may control the ester cholesterol accumulation . Furthermore, only when cholesterol esters were present did wax and sterol esters containing unsaturated fatty acids accumulate . Over 90% of these unsaturated fatty acids were normal (unbranched); the rest were iso-fatty acids . Preliminary results also suggest that the ester fatty alcohols are much more complex than previously reported; seven alcohols were common to all samples analyzed . Additionally, highly oxygenated alcohols were detected, especially in the meibomian keratoconjunctivitis (MKC) disease group . The MKC samples also contained an alcohol (mass, M/Z 378) not present in any of the other samples analyzed . Based on analysis of variance and linear-regression models, it was determined that the long-chain (C20-28) fatty acids were more important in determining disease signs . Furthermore, in the MKC group, the ratio of unsaturated C18 fatty acids to cholesterol in the wax and sterol esters was significantly different (P less than 0.05) from the Norm(CP) group . The authors discuss the fact that rabbit meibomian secretions are stable, despite containing a very high percentage of ester sterols, and relate this to their high percentage of branched-chain fatty acids and low percentage of unsaturated fatty acids.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Avian Dis, 1991 Jul-Sep, 35(3), 601 - 5 Identification of F strain Mycoplasma gallisepticum isolates by detection of an immunoreactive protein; Thomas CB et al.; Commercial laying hens were examined microbiologically at necropsy 31 or 42 weeks after aerosol vaccination with the F strain of Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) . Mycoplasma isolates were studied in Western blots probed with polyclonal antiserum raised in rabbits to F strain immunogen . The persistence of the vaccine strain was demonstrated by detection of a 75-kilodalton immunoreactive protein, which was present in all MG isolates and thought to be a unique marker of the F strain . Use of PCA-F to probe Western blots allowed simultaneous identification of non-MG isolates, non-F strains of MG, and the F strain of MG. Respir Med, 1991 Jul, 85(4), 313 - 7 The value of routine microbial investigation in community-acquired pneumonia; Woodhead MA et al.; The way in which microbiological investigations are used in routine clinical practice and the value of such tests in directing antibiotic prescribing, was studied in adults admitted to hospital with a diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia . One-hundred and twenty-two consecutive patients admitted to one teaching and one district general hospital were studied between April 1988 and March 1989 . Blood cultures were performed in 81% of cases, sputum was examined in 45% and complete serological tests were performed in 28% . No causative pathogen was found in 74% of cases and results of microbial tests directed a change in antibiotic therapy in only 8% of cases . Routine microbial investigation of all adults admitted to hospital with community-acquired pneumonia is unhelpful and probably unnecessary . We suggest a strategy for microbial investigation linked to initial illness severity to replace the current haphazard approach. Hautarzt, 1991 Jul, 42(7), 434 - 8 {The value of symptoms and findings in urethral Chlamydia trachomatis infection}; Naher H et al.; The history and the results of clinical investigations in 74 patients with and 262 men without urethral Chlamydia (C.) trachomatis infection were evaluated: symptoms such as dysuria, discharge and/or burning/itching in the genital region were reported by 77% (n = 57) of the patients with an infection and 63.4% (n = 166) of the men without an infection . Upon clinical investigation, discharge was found in 55.4% (n = 41) of the chlamydia-positive patients and in 47.7% (n = 125) of the chlamydia-negative men . Only when yellow, whitish yellow and clear discharge were distinguished from one another was the difference between the two groups of patients (56.1% versus 12%) significant . Microscopic signs of urethritis, i.e . significant numbers of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (greater than 4 per high-power field and oil immersion) were detectable in the smears of 59.5% (n = 44) of the chlamydia-positive patients, in contrast to 15.6% (n = 41) in the smears of chlamydia-negative men . Overall, 67.6% (n = 50) of the patients with a C . trachomatis infection reported symptoms in the anamnesis combined with signs of urethritis upon clinical and microscopic investigation . There were 9.5% (n = 7) of the patients who either mentioned symptoms or showed clinical signs, and 13.5% (n = 10) who neither mentioned symptoms nor showed clinical signs . These results indicate that microbiological detection of the infectious agent is obligatory for diagnosis of urethral infection with C . trachomatis. Nucl Med Commun, 1991 Jul, 12(7), 583 - 92 Combined 67Ga citrate and 99Tcm-human immunoglobulin imaging in human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients with fever of undetermined origin; Buscombe JR et al.; Patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) suffer from serious and life-threatening infections . These patients often present with pyrexia but without localizing signs . Despite its high sensitivity in identifying focal infection 67Ga citrate scintigraphy lacks specificity; lymphoma and solid tumours may also be imaged . This presents particular problems in HIV-positive patients with pyrexia where the differential diagnosis is often between infection and lymphoma . In an attempt to improve the specificity of radionuclide imaging in these patients a combination of 67Ga citrate and the new agent 99Tcm-labelled human immunoglobulin (99Tcm-HIG) was used in 25 patients who were sequentially imaged with the two agents . Fourteen patients had 29 sites of microbiologically confirmed infection; 67Ga citrate identified 27 sites and 99Tcm-HIG identified 16 sites . Seven of the nine sites visualized with 99Tcm-HIG, but positive with 67Ga citrate, were intrathoracic . Abnormal concentration of 67Ga citrate, not due to infection, occurred at eight sites; five lymphoma, one gout, one recent fracture and one patient with prominent bone marrow islands . 99Tcm-HIG showed increased concentration of tracer in only one of the patients with lymphoma . A combination of 67Ga citrate and 99Tcm-HIG imaging in HIV-positive patients with pyrexia of unknown origin enables a differentiation between infection and lymphoma to be made more readily . The poor sensitivity of 99Tcm-HIG in the chest will limit its sole use in this patient group. J Clin Microbiol, 1991 Jul, 29(7), 1372 - 5 Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using monoclonal antibodies for identification of mycobacteria from early cultures; Verstijnen CP et al.; A simple enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the identification of cultured mycobacteria belonging to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, the Mycobacterium avium complex, and Mycobacterium kansasii has been developed (R . Schoningh, C . P . H . J . Verstijnen, S . Kuijper, and A . H . J . Kolk . J . Clin . Microbiol . 28:708-713, 1990) . The test for the routine identification of cultured mycobacteria was introduced in five clinical laboratories located in Tanzania, Thailand, Vietnam, and The Netherlands . The ELISA can be conducted without an ELISA reader since the test can be read visually . The results of identification of 255 strains of the M . tuberculosis complex by microbiological means and by ELISA were compared; the specificity and the sensitivity were 100% . For the M . avium complex, the specificity was 100% and the sensitivity was 64% . All 26 M . kansasii strains tested could be identified as M . kansasii . The ELISA described here proved to be useful in both well- and modestly equipped laboratories and may replace the microbiological method of identification of M . tuberculosis and M . kansasii. Int J Food Microbiol, 1991 Jul, 13(3), 187 - 206 Public health implication of refrigerated pasteurized ('sous-vide') foods; Mossel DA et al.; Food that upon pasteurization is stored in hermetically sealed containers at food temperatures not exceeding 3 degrees C could be designated by the generic term Refrigerated Pasteurized Foods of Extended Durability, REPFEDs . If not properly processed or protected against recontamination, or if temperature-abused, REPFEDs may present serious health risks . However, control is readily available . Sound microbial ecology, supported by expert risk assessment, allows the design and introduction of longitudinally integrated manufacture, distribution, handling by outlets and consumers and culinary preparation, which result in the assurance of the wholesomeness of the commodity as eaten . Recent progress, including intrinsic preservation by the incorporation of starter cultures, bacteriocins or particular enzymes, opens vistas for attractive future developments . Once microbiological safety has been built into the REPFED-line, monitoring can be limited to (i) real-time tests particularly applied to the factory environment; and (ii) rapid, simple examination for marker organisms of freshly manufactured products versus those approaching expiration dates . Such audits will allow rapid retrieval of incidental process failure and its rectification . It also serves to substantiate measurements of food temperature and spot checks on intrinsic inhibitory attributes . The application of scientific knowledge and technological expertise should primarily be entrusted to the industry itself, heeding Lord Plumb's strategy of "partnership along the food production chain from farm to fork." It should be supported and validated by Public Health Authorities . At all stages safety communication with the public should be ensured. J Clin Periodontol, 1991 Jul, 18(6), 447 - 54 Anti-plaque agents . Rationale and prospects for prevention of gingivitis and periodontal disease; van der Ouderaa FJ; Oral health surveys have shown that even in countries with established patterns of oral hygiene habits, most individuals have relatively poor gingival health . This is due to a low interest in complying with oral health procedures . A number of factors are apparent when investigating compliance to oral hygiene habits, viz only approximately 50% of the population brushes twice a day or more, brushing time is probably much too short and use of dental floss is not very prevalent . Studies of the effect of motivation on oral hygiene suggest that improvements can be achieved, but these are not maintained unless motivation is continuously reinforced . This suggests that topically applied anti-plaque agents should be used to augment mechanical plaque control . A number of product forms are available to delivery anti-plaque agents i.e., mouthrinses, dentifrices, aqueous gels, and additionally floss, chewing gum and lozenges . Any product form should provide a physically, chemically and microbiologically stable environment for the agent concerned . It should facilitate optimal bioavailability of the agents at the site of action and encourage patient compliance . Anti-plaque agents for topical administration should have the following properties: high intrinsic efficacy against a broad spectrum of oral organisms, toxicological and ecological safety, oral substantivity, no adverse reactions and good chemical stability . A number of classes of anti-plaque agents have been identified such as positively charged organic molecules, metal salts, phenols, enzymes, peroxides, sugar substitutes, fluorides and surface modifying agents . In order to achieve optimal bioavailability, the agent to be dosed should be compatible with the product form used . The 2 major product forms are rinses and dentifrices.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Clin Microbiol Rev, 1991 Jul, 4(3), 243 - 55 Human infections associated with Bordetella bronchiseptica; Woolfrey BF et al.; This study examines the potential of Bordetella bronchiseptica to act as a human pathogen . After encountering two patients from whom B . bronchiseptica was isolated, we searched the literature and found 23 reports in which a human infection was reported in association with B . bronchiseptica . As a basis for evaluating these cases, we summarize the literature about the current microbiological status of B . bronchiseptica, the pathology and pathogenic mechanisms associated with the microorganism, and the likelihood of it acting as a commensal or colonizer . From this review we conclude that B . bronchiseptica has been rarely isolated from humans despite their considerable exposure to animal sources . Evidence suggests that B . bronchiseptica may be rarely encountered as a commensal or colonizer of the respiratory tract of humans and rarely in association with infection . When found as a probable pathogen, most infections have been respiratory tract in origin and have occurred in severely compromised hosts. J Infect, 1991 Jul, 23(1), 57 - 63 Northwick Park Infection Consultation Service . Part II . Contribution of the service to patient management: an analysis of results between September 1987 and July 1990; Wilkins EG et al.; The establishment of Infectious Disease teams combining microbiological and clinical expertise has recently been recommended by a joint working part of the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Pathologists . The Northwick Park Infection Consultation Service (ICS) has been operating on these lines since 1983; details are given in Part I . Part II assesses the contribution that the ICS has made to the management of infection in a study of 1038 patients undertaken between September 1987 and July 1990 . The areas of patient diagnosis, treatment, investigation and isolation were examined to assess the appropriateness of the attending doctor's management of infection and the benefits resulting from recommendations made by the ICS . At the time of consultation the correct diagnosis had already been made or considered in 93% of patients, essential investigations needed to confirm or refute the diagnosis performed in 92%, and side-room isolation correctly instituted in 81% of patients requiring it . However, 41% of 776 infected patients were receiving suboptimal treatment: this was significantly more frequent in unsolicited consultations (P less than 0.05) . Advice was given following consultation in 893 of 1038 patients (86%) and related to treatment (66%), investigation (41%), diagnosis (30%) and patient isolation (4%) . Of 844 patients where receipt of advice could be accurately assessed, it was taken fully in 708 (84%), partly in III (13%), and went unheeded in 25 (3%) . Advice on diagnosis or investigation enabled the correct diagnosis to be reached in 30% of consultations and in a further 47 patients (5%), the diagnosis was proposed by the ICS on initial consultation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Indian J Pathol Microbiol, 1991 Jul, 34(3), 186 - 92 Clinico-microbiological study of dermatophytoses; Verenkar MP et al.; In the present series, 80 cases of dermatophytoses were subjected to mycological examination including microscopy and culture the mycological findings were correlated with clinical presentation of the patients . The isolation rate was 62.5 percent . Fungal culture was successful in 36.25 percent of cases, Trichophyton rubrum being the commonest etiological agent accounting for 55.18 percent of cases. Rev Argent Microbiol, 1991 Jul-Sep, 23(3), 166 - 71 {Prevalence of Mycoplasma orale as a contaminant of cell cultures in Argentina}; Coronato S et al.; Over a period of 4 years 200 cell cultures were analysed for the presence of mycoplasma . Cultures were established cell lines from different origins, namely monkey, mouse and human, hybrid cell cultures and primary cultures . The cultures belonged to various research and industrial laboratories located in different areas of the country . Seventy per cent of investigated cultures were found to be contaminated with mycoplasma using a DNA fluorescent stain . Fifty cultures, selected at random out of the contaminated cultures, were further investigated to identify the prevalent serotype . For that purpose immunofluorescent reactions were performed using immune sera raised against several mycoplasma strains routinely found among contaminated cultures . Forty one cultures were contaminated with a single type of mycoplasma, whereas in the remaining nine, two or even three serotypes were detected . Mycoplasma orale II contaminated 40% of single infected cultures, followed by M . hyorhinis and A . laidlawii-A (12% each), M . arginini (5%), M . orale III (8%), A . laidlawii-B (2%) . We were unable to serotype the remaining positive cultures, because of the lack of a full battery of immune sera against all known serotypes . The prevalence of M . orale in mycoplasma contaminated cultures thus far tested, indicates that human handling would be the main source of infection . This situation could be modified by avoiding mouth pipetting and adopting good microbiological techniques. Zhonghua Wai Ke Za Zhi, 1991 Jul, 29(7), 417 - 8, 461-2 {Fungal endocarditis after open-heart surgery . Report of 4 cases}; Yu YF; Four patients with fungal endocarditis after open-heart surgery were confirmed microbiologically . Two of them died, and the other 2 were treated with intravenous administration of miconazole . Clinical symptoms of the disease were similar to those of bacterial endocarditis, but headache and sweating were more predominant . This complication was likely to be found and treated with effective anti-fungi drugs . We suggest that reoperation is the only possible way to cure those with residual shunt or vegetation, and that prevention of postoperative fungal endocarditis is of great importance because of its refractoriness . Measures of preventing fungal endocarditis after open-heart surgery are discussed. J Parenter Sci Technol, 1991 Jul-Aug, 45(4), 177 - 80 Some aspects on the use of the Biotest RCS Air Sampler in unidirectional air flow testing; Ljungqvist B et al.; The Biotest Air Sampler RCS is often used for monitoring microbiological quality of air . Unidirectional air flow tests show that the dispersion region of contaminants around the RCS sampler is much larger than that of undisturbed parallel air flow . This must be taken into consideration when the RCS air sampler is used within pharmaceutical production, especially during aseptic operations. Jikken Dobutsu, 1991 Jul, 40(3), 367 - 73 The advantage of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) as a method of microbiological monitoring for rat virus (RV); Izumi Y et al.; An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was tested to detect antibodies against rat virus (RV) . The purified ELISA antigens were prepared from rat embryonic cells infected with RV-13 (prototype strain) and UT-2 (Japanese isolate), respectively . Western blotting analysis confirmed that both of these antigens had three structural polypeptides (81 K, 61 K, and 59 K) . Eleven laboratory and wild rat colonies in Japan were tested for rat virus contamination, serologically . No significant differences in the sero-positive ratio and the distributions of ELISA titers were demonstrated in the ELISA, using antigens from RV-13 and UT-2 . ELISA was more sensitive and specific for detecting antibodies against RV from rat serum rather than hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test . This study also confirmed that the RV contaminated widely in colonies of laboratory and wild rats in Japan, and suggested that RV would have to be checked during the microbiological monitoring of laboratory rats. Med Clin (Barc), 1991 Jun 8, 97(2), 50 - 2 {Epidemiology of community-acquired pneumonia in the Health Area I of Navarra}; Carrillo de Albornoz MM et al.; BACKGROUND: During one year (1988), a protocol study of the community-acquired pneumonias was carried out in patients referred to the Hospital Virgen del Camino in Pamplona (Health Area I or Northern Navarra), so as to have an epidemiological and microbiological knowledge of this disease in this geographic area . METHODS: A clinical protocol, microbiological investigation, 3 blood cultures, Gram stain and sputum culture and serological tests at admission and 20 days later (complement fixing antibodies and indirect immunofluorescence) were carried out . Chest radiographs were carried out on admission, on the third and seventh hospital days and subsequently depending on the evolution . RESULTS: The causative organism was found in 141 of the 225 included patients (62%) . Two or more organisms were identified in 19 (8%) . In 84 (38%) no microorganism was found . The results for the causative organisms and their frequency were: Pneumococcus 12%, mycoplasma 12%, other bacteria (including Legionella) 11%, Q fever 8%, viruses 7%, and psitaccosis 4% . In 59% of patients there was an underlying disease and 39% developed complications . 4% of patients died . CONCLUSIONS: 22% of the community acquired pneumonias were cared for in the hospital, representing 6% of the admissions to the Internal Medicine Service . The etiologic diagnosis was made in 62% of the community-acquired pneumonias . 23% were of bacterial origin (including Legionella) and 31% were nonbacterial . There was a high incidence of pneumonias caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Coxiella burnetii. Ugeskr Laeger, 1991 Jun 3, 153(23), 1651 - 2 {Therapeutic monitoring of aminoglycoside treatment . The value of early clinical contact}; Olesen B et al.; For several years, in the Microbiological Department of Bispebjerg Hospital, it has been the routine practice that the clinical departments were contacted in connection with every sample sent for determination of aminoglycoside . During a period of 14 weeks a prospective investigation of the effect of this practice was carried out . During this period, the department received a total of 77 samples from 60 patients . Concerning 20 of these (26%), no arrangement with the department concerned could be demonstrated . The commonest causes were that the aminoglycoside treatment had been suspended at the time of taking the sample by the department concerned (14), that the sample had been taken too early (2) and the sample was not relevant (2) . Considerable uncertainty reigned in the clinical departments about the exact time of taking the sample in relation to administration of antibiotics . Greater attention to these circumstances and possibly altered procedures concerning taking of samples would be useful changes . The annual saving for the department amounts to approximately 14,000 Danish crowns (approximately 1,000 pounds) but the most important advantage is considered to be early clinical contact and thus greater possibilities for therapeutic monitoring. Genitourin Med, 1991 Jun, 67(3), 232 - 4 Comparison of vaginal flora after treatment with a clotrimazole 500 mg vaginal pessary or a fluconazole 150 mg capsule for vaginal candidosis; Boag FC et al.; The effect of antifungal therapy on the vaginal microbial flora was studied in 23 patients suffering from culture-positive, symptomatic vaginal candidosis . They were randomly allocated to receive either a 500 mg clotrimazole vaginal pessary or a 150 mg fluconazole capsule . Quantitative microbiological examination was carried out on samples of vaginal secretions obtained prior, and at intervals up to 10 days after, treatment . No significant difference was found in the vaginal flora before or after therapy in individual patients or between the treatment groups . In patients with C glabrata or C krusei, the yeasts persisted longer in the vagina with poorer response to either of the medications. Schweiz Med Wochenschr, 1991 Jun 1, 121(22), 826 - 31 {Infectious endocarditis: reasons for a delayed diagnosis}; Misteli M et al.; The diagnosis of infectious endocarditis (IE) remains difficult . The delay until diagnosis is remarkably long . Despite progress in microbiological culture technology and the use of echocardiography, no improvement has been seen in recent years . We analyze the causes of delay in all patients with IE admitted to the Cantonal Hospital Aarau between 1976 and 1987 . 60 patients with 62 episodes were included in the study . The delay from first medical consultation with IE-related symptoms to hospital admission was 46 days . In cases of antibiotic pretreatment (45%) it extended to 66 days . IE was included in the differential diagnosis by the referring physicians in 29% only, whereas it was considered in the hospital on admission in 64% . Despite long lasting fever of unknown origin, only in one case was a blood culture performed before hospitalization . The symptoms of IE were different at the beginning of the disease compared to the time of admission (general malaise in 35% and 87% respectively, fever 80% and 85%, night sweat 2% and 66%, weight loss 0% and 56%, chills 21% and 47%, joint pain 16% and 27%, dyspnea 13% and 24%) . We conclude that the main reasons of the diagnostic delay in IE are antibiotic therapy prior to microbiological workup, different symptoms at the onset of IE and at the time of hospitalization, insufficient awareness of the disease among general practitioners and omission of blood cultures in patients with fever of unknown origin, especially where there is a history of valvular heart disease. Tijdschr Diergeneeskd, 1991 Jun 1, 116(11), 558 - 62 {Cholera pandemic hits South America . Consequences for The Netherlands as import country of food and animal food}; Mossel DA; The cholera-pandemic raging in South-America calls for measures of health protection with respect to citizens of countries importing food or feed components from the areas where the disease has struck . Instead of ruggedly barring importation a more humanitarian policy is recommended, relying on assistance with the introduction of and adherence to rigorous measures of longitudinally integrated microbiological safety assurance, to be monitored in cooperation with importing countries . Examples of how canned foods of neutral pH, fishery products, vegetables, fruits and fishmeal should be processed-for-safety for this purpose are presented. Am J Public Health, 1991 Jun, 81(6), 703 - 8 A randomized trial to evaluate the risk of gastrointestinal disease due to consumption of drinking water meeting current microbiological standards; Payment P et al.; BACKGROUND: This project directly and empirically measured the level of gastrointestinal (GI) illness related to the consumption of tapwater prepared from sewage-contaminated surface waters and meeting current water quality criteria . METHODS: A randomized intervention trial was carried out; 299 eligible households were supplied with domestic water filters (reverse-osmosis) that eliminate microbial and chemical contaminants from their water, and 307 households were left with their usual tapwater without a filter . The GI symptomatology was evaluated by means of a family health diary maintained prospectively by all study families over a 15-month period . RESULTS: The estimated annual incidence of GI illness was 0.76 among tapwater drinkers compared with 0.50 among filtered water drinkers (p less than 0.01) . These findings were consistently observed in all population subgroups . CONCLUSION: It is estimated that 35% of the reported GI illnesses among the tapwater drinkers were water-related and preventable . Our results raise questions about the adequacy of current standards of drinking water quality to prevent water-borne endemic gastrointestinal illness. Voen Med Zh, 1991 Jun, (6), 60 - 2 {The results of a mass psychoprophylactic examination using computers in a military unit}; Frolov BS et al.; 84 patients who were wounded in Armenian earthquake (1988) have been examined . It was marked that all the purulent wounds of soft tissues of the extremities had bee