Anaerobe

Biochem Soc Symp, 1983, 48, 147 - 72
Anaerobic fermentations--some new possibilities; Morris JG; Anaerobic fermentations start with the major advantage that, unlike aerobic processes, they do not incur the cost penalties associated with the need to sustain high rates of culture aeration, agitation and cooling . Even so, many of the more traditional fermentations that yield high volume, low value products (such as alcohols or fatty acids) are currently only economically viable if they utilize biological wastes and agricultural surpluses as substrates . To achieve maximum conversion efficiency it is necessary to select the appropriate species/strain of micro-organism which will perform best under the intended conditions of operation (which could include elevated temperatures and extremes of pH) . Knowledge of the mechanisms whereby the fermentation is physiologically controlled can then suggest means, including genetically engineered strain improvements and/or the establishment of stable co-cultures with other microbes, whereby the yield of a desired product can be optimized . The biology of a fermentation process can thus be rendered sufficiently consistent and predictable for the biochemical engineer to be able to achieve optimal fermenter productivity . Anaerobic processes are particularly well suited to a continuous flow mode of operation (with cell retention) and new techniques for selective product removal and concentration can reduce the energy costs associated with 'downstream processing' . Hitherto, most interest has been centred on those anaerobic fermentations of renewable biomass which yield immediately useful products (fuel alcohols, methane) . However, by combining biological and chemical procedures the profitability of even some superficially unpromising fermentations could be substantially enhanced . Collaborative research by microbial physiologists, geneticists and biochemical engineers is a prerequisite for marketable success in new applications of fermentative anaerobes and their enzymes.

Acta Chir Scand, 1983, 149(6), 573 - 8
Diffuse peritonitis treated with tobramycin and clindamycin . Bacteria in relation to preoperative duration of illness; Lindblad B et al.; Twenty consecutive patients, mean age 71 years, with a peroperative diagnosis of diffuse peritonitis were treated with clindamycin and tobramycin . The aim of this open prospective study was to correlate bacterial findings at operation to the duration of illness . The effectiveness of the treatment was also evaluated . The number of aerobic strains from peritoneal cultures outnumbered anaerobes when duration of illness was less than three days, while the opposite was evident when duration was longer . All isolates were fully susceptible to the antibiotic combination except for four anaerobic strains with MIC greater than 1 mg/l for clindamycin . The response to treatment was good in 18 patients, fair in one and poor in one.

Scand J Infect Dis Suppl, 1983, 39, 86 - 91
Orofacial infections of odontogenic origin; Heimdahl A et al.; Purulent infections of the orofacial region are often of odontogenic origin . The clinical manifestations are largely dependent on the complex microbiota and the anatomical routes of spread . Serious complications may ensue, especially if hematogenous spread occurs . Direct invasion of different anatomical spaces may cause mediastinitis, airway obstruction and intracranial spread . Proper surgical treatment is mandatory to evacuate pus as soon as abscess formation is recognized . Anaerobic bacteria belonging to the normal oropharyngeal flora are usually isolated from these abscesses . The drug of choice for antimicrobial therapy is penicillin . However, antimicrobial treatment may have to be altered due to emergence of antimicrobial-resistant anaerobic bacteria.

Scand J Gastroenterol Suppl, 1983, 85, 5 - 14
Diagnostic considerations and sample collection for anaerobic bacteria; Bergan T; Anaerobic bacteria are particularly frequent in infections following surgery and other trauma implanting bacteria of the normal mucosal flora . A few clinical clues of anerobic infections like smelling pus or discharge, preceeding aminoglycoside therapy or lack of anaerobic bacterial growth are important clues that anaerobes may be involved . Successful recovery of anaerobic bacteria, however, requires special techniques carried out by the clinician . Samples must be taken with a few basic rules in mind: (1) puncturing by syringe is the preferable method of sampling, (3) oxygen must not gain access to the samples (and must be removed before transport to the laboratory, if inadvertently admitted), (4) rapid transport to the laboratory improves the chance of successful recovery of anaerobes, and (5) special transport methods are required for specimens containing anaerobic bacteria.

Acta Chir Scand, 1983, 149(4), 423 - 6
Comparison of cefuroxime and gentamicin in combination with metronidazole in the treatment of peritonitis due to perforation of the appendix; Saario I et al.; A study on 42 surgical patients was carried out to find out whether cefuroxime may be substituted for gentamicin in combination with metronidazole in the treatment of peritonitis secondary to perforation of appendix . All patients recovered and there were four wound infections in each group . Both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria were cultured in the peritoneal fluid in 69% of cases and anaerobes only in 19% of the patients . Postoperatively the patients were followed up for one month . The mean length of the hospital stay and convalescence did not differ significantly . There was also no difference in the time to the removal of gastric suction, laboratory measurements and the incidence of pyrexia between the study groups . Although the number of patients was limited the present study indicates that gentamicin may be replaced by less toxic cefuroxime . This is especially the case if there are several risk factors in the use of gentamicin and if there is not a possibility for monitoring the serum levels of gentamicin.

Zentralbl Gynakol, 1983, 105(11), 720 - 5
{Prevention of preoperative infection with metronidazole}; Gobel G et al.; We practiced a preoperative prophylaxis with 1.5g metronidazole daily starting three days before operation because of the increasing knowledge about the importance of anaerobic microorganisms, causing nosocomial infections . By this regime we saw a significant decrease of postoperative morbidity, detected by means of postoperative febrile temperatures and laparotomy wound abscesses . Bacteriological examinations before and after prophylaxis revealed a relatively high elimination of anaerobic isolates without influence on the aerobic and physiologic flora . In 66% of the cases with infections we isolate anaerobic strains . In cases of pelvic inflammatory diseases metronidazole is to be recommended both prophylactically and therapeutically . There is no resistance against metronidazole.

Ann Clin Res, 1983, 15(1), 15 - 20
A randomized evaluation of single dose chemoprophylaxis in elective colorectal surgery--a comparison between metronidazole and doxycycline; Solhaug JH et al.; In a prospective, randomized blind study either 400 mg doxycycline or 1500 mg metronidazole were given intravenously in a single preoperative dose to 147 consecutive patients before elective colorectal surgery . Septic complications mainly caused by a mixed flora of aerobes and anaerobes occurred in 13% of the patients in the doxycycline group . Septic complications occurred in 29% of the patients in the metronidazole group and were caused by E . coli and coliform rods . Bacteriological studies showed a marked reduction of anaerobes in peroperative samples in this group . Most postoperative infections were superficial and mild wound infections . The inactivity of metronidazole against aerobes resulted in an unacceptable high frequency of septic complications caused by aerobic bacteria . For chemoprophylaxis metronidazole should therefore be combined with an antimicrobial agent against aerobic bacteria.

Zentralbl Gynakol, 1983, 105(4), 212 - 9
{The significance of laparoscopic examination in acute adnexitis for bacteriological diagnosis}; Kolmorgen K et al.; Cultures of abdominal bioptic material from 102 cases of acute pelvic inflammatory disease diagnosed laparoscopically revealed that anaerobes were involved in 42.2% of the cases; 18.6% of the cultures were sterile . There were no signs that anaerobes predominate in cases, in which an abscess has already formed . The proportion of predominantly polymicrobial multiple infections was 54.2%, the remaining 45.8% of the cases involving mono-microbial infection . Scrutiny of the abdominal and cervical distribution of the germs in 42 of our female patients confirmed that cervical smears are inadequate for detecting the causal germ involved in a case of acute pelvic laparoscopy it seems advisable to use abdominal cultures of tissue taken from the locality of the inflammation in order to identify exactly the causal germ and to test these cultures also for anaerobes and gonococci.

Arch Intern Med, 1983 Jan, 143(1), 164 - 5
Polymicrobial anaerobic septicemia due to lateral sinus thrombophlebitis; Pallares R et al.; Continuous polymicrobial anaerobic septicemia was the main manifestation of a lateral sinus thrombophlebitis (LST) in a patient who had a history of chronic otitis media . Five different anaerobic microorganisms were isolated in blood cultures . Three of them were also present in ear cultures . The diagnosis was confirmed at surgery and the patient was successfully treated with moxalactam disodium therapy . This case emphasizes that LST should be considered before polymicrobial anaerobic septicemia, especially if there is a history of chronic otitis media.

Lancet, 1983 Jan 1, 1(8314-5), 41 - 3
Successful substitution of rectal metronidazole administration for intravenous use; McLean A et al.; Wound infection and isolation of anaerobic organisms before and after intravenous and rectal administration of metronidazole were studied in 24 505 surgical patients . In the 6303 patients who underwent "risk" surgery (bowel, biliary, gynaecological, or otolaryngological surgery) introduction of intravenous metronidazole was associated with a striking fall in wound infection and wound anaerobe isolation rates; and the changes were maintained when the majority of metronidazole used was in suppository form . In the 18 202 patients who underwent "clean" surgery (e.g., orthopaedic, ophthalmic, and plastic surgery) metronidazole use was associated with a small formulation-independent change in infection rate without change in anaerobe isolation rates . Without compromising clinical care the use of intravenous metronidazole can be limited to a minority of patients with special needs.

Biochim Biophys Acta, 1982 Dec 17, 719(3), 606 - 11
A novel iron protein from Desulfovibrio gigas; Smith AK et al.; The isolation, purification, and partial characterization of a novel iron-containing protein from the sulfate-reducing anaerobic bacterium, Desulfovibrio gigas, is described . The highly insoluble protein was isolated from the cell debris following osmotic shock of the bacteria . The insoluble fraction consistently contained about 90% of the cell-associated iron . Elemental analysis of a crude protein preparation gave 5.3% iron, 2.9% sulfur and 11.9% nitrogen . An independent colorimetric iron analysis showed 6.4% iron . The iron could be dissociated from the protein by treatment with 5% SDS . The iron-free protein was purified by a combination of organic extraction and DEAE-cellulose chromatography . The purified protein showed only one major band, Mr 14000, by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis . The protein could be reconstituted upon treatment with an appropriate mixture of FeS and beta-mercaptoethanol . The reconstituted protein had the same physical and chemical properties as the native protein . The amino acid composition was not unusual except for the high isoleucine content.

Steroids, 1982 Dec, 40(6), 701 - 11
The preparation of bile acid amides and oxazolines . II . The synthesis of the amides and oxazolines of ursodeoxycholic acid, deoxycholic acid, hyodeoxycholic acid and cholic acid; Cohen BI et al.; Bile acid amides and oxazolines were synthesized by a sequence of steps involving the reaction of the free bile acid with formic acid to yield the formyloxy derivative, preparation of the formyloxy acid chloride, condensation of the acid chloride with 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol to give the amide and, finally, cyclization of the amide with thionyl chloride to give the oxazoline . The oxazolines were characterized by physical constants, thin layer and gas-liquid chromatography and identified by elemental analysis and gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry . Some of the bile acid oxazoline derivatives alter the activity of bacterial 7-dehydroxylases in vitro, and inhibit the growth of certain anaerobic bacteria in pure culture.

Jpn J Antibiot, 1982 Dec, 35(12), 2761 - 7
{Clinical trial of cefoxitin used in the treatment of patients with cholesteatoma undergoing surgical procedures}; Morikawa K; Eleven patients with cholesteatoma undergoing surgical procedures were treated with cefoxitin . The following findings were obtained: 1 . Eight out of 11 patients' responses were judged "good" and the remaining 3 were judged "fair" with a cure rate of 72.7% . 2 . No untoward side effects and abnormalities in laboratory findings were noted on cefoxitin . 3 . Cefoxitin should be considered for the treatment of cholesteatoma undergoing surgical procedures because it is well tolerated, has a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens including anaerobes.

J Clin Microbiol, 1982 Dec, 16(6), 1152 - 4
Effect of incubation conditions on anaerobic susceptibility testing results; Murray PR et al.; We determined the effect of performing antimicrobial susceptibility tests in five different anaerobic incubation systems: GasPak jar, large GasPak jar, evacuated-gassed anaerobic jar, anaerobic chamber, and Bio-Bag . Growth of the anaerobes was equivalent in all five incubation systems . The results of testing 38 anaerobes against 11 antimicrobial agents were comparable for the anaerobic jars and anaerobic chamber . However, discordant results were observed for metronidazole and cefamandole tests when incubated in the Bio-Bag.

J Clin Microbiol, 1982 Dec, 16(6), 1066 - 72
Comparison of media in the Anaerobe-Tek and Presumpto plate systems and evaluation of the Anaerobe-Tek system for identification of commonly encountered anaerobes; Lombard GL et al.; Using a variety of sporeforming and nonsporeforming anaerobic bacteria, we compared 10 differential agar media of the Anaerobe-Tek (A/T) system recently marketed by Flow Laboratories, Inc . (McLean, Va.) with 10 comparable media in Presumpto quadrant plates (Presumpto 1, 2, and 3) developed by the Centers for Disease Control Anaerobic Bacteria Branch . The A/T identification system was evaluated by comparing the species identity of anaerobes determined as recommended by the manufacturer's instruction manual with the identity of the strains obtained by the Centers for Disease Control Anaerobe Reference Laboratory by using conventional procedures . We also compared reactions obtained with the Presumpto plates with a chopped meat glucose broth culture as a source of inoculum with those obtained by using a turbid cell suspension from growth on blood agar as inoculum . The agreement of results for the 16 characteristics compared ranged from 92.8 to 100% . Comparison of test results obtained with 10 media in the Presumpto plate and A/T systems from the examination of 223 strains of anaerobes, representing 54 different taxa, showed the following agreement between A/T and CDC systems: catalase production, esculin hydrolysis, glucose fermentation, and lecithinase production (100%); inhibition of growth by bile agar (99.6%); lipase production (99%); DNase (98.7%); fermentation of lactose and mannitol (98.2%); starch hydrolysis (96.9%); gelatin hydrolysis (96.4%); and casein hydrolysis (94.6%) . Of the 204 strains of common anaerobes tested with the A/T system, only 70% were correctly identified to the species level . However, several strains could have been identified correctly with the A/T system if data on certain other characteristics had been included in the A/T data base.

Antibiotiki, 1982 Nov, 27(11), 854 - 7
{Characteristics of clinical strains of anaerobic asporous microorganisms isolated from trauma and orthopedic patients and their antibiotic sensitivity}; Mel'nikova VM et al.; The procedure of and the data on the bacteriological investigation of the pathological material collected from 178 patients with purulent inflammatory diseases of various localization (mainly of the locomotor system) are presented . Obligate anaerobes were detected in the specimens of the clinical material from 39 per cent of the patients . Antibiotic sensitivity of 62 strains of the obligate anaerobic bacteria was determined . Of the antibiotics tested, levomycetin, carbenicillin and lincomycin proved to be most active against the anaerobes.

Laryngoscope, 1982 Nov, 92(11), 1311 - 5
Anaerobic mastoiditis: a report of two cases with complications; Moloy PJ; Aerobic bacteria are responsible for most cases of suppurative otitis media/mastoiditis (OM/M) . As many as 20-30% of middle ear aspirates in acute otitis media, however, are reported to be sterile on aerobic culture . Some of these cases may be due to anaerobic bacteria . Two cases of OM/M due to anaerobic bacteria are reported . The first patient had no antecedent ear disease and developed a large Bezold abscess caused by Fusobacterium varium . The second patient had attic retraction pouches bilaterally and a history of otorrhea . This patient developed labyrinthitis and meningitis due to B . fragilis . The clinical progression of disease in both cases indicates that anaerobic OM/M can follow a deceptively asymptomatic course . By contrast, complications of OM/M occur abruptly and extend rapidly in a manner typical of acute aerobic disease . Both cases required surgery for cure.

Rev Infect Dis, 1982 Nov-Dec, 4(6), 1133 - 53
Clindamycin: a review of fifteen years of experience; Dhawan VK et al.; Clindamycin, the 7(S)-chloro-7-deoxy derivative of lincomycin, has stood the test of time in the treatment of anaerobic infections . Clindamycin inhibits protein synthesis by acting on the 50S ribosomal subunits of bacteria . The colitis resulting from the use of clindamycin has been extensively studied and is now easily manageable . Although newer antibiotics active against anaerobes are available, clindamycin remains a reliable and well-tested antibiotic for use in anaerobic infections.

Vestn Khir Im I I Grek, 1982 Nov, 129(11), 13 - 9
{Clinico-diagnostic value of the anaerobic method of study of the purulent foci in surgical patients}; Koroliuk AM et al.; The paper presents data of studying pyo-inflammatory diseases in 168 surgical patients . A large group of bacteria referred to strict anaerobes is shown to take part in pathogenesis of suppuration . These pathogenic agents are related with the appearance of 87% of hospital and endogenous infections and with the appearance of 39% of infections of the traumatic and other exogenous etiology . The aerobic infections made only 38% of the total amount of the patients examined, anaerobic infections made 16% . In the rest 46% of patients the diseases were of the mixed anaerobic-aerobic etiology.

Dis Colon Rectum, 1982 Nov-Dec, 25(8), 783 - 6
Cephalothin, cefoxitin, or metronidazole in elective colonic surgery? A single-blind randomized trial; Panichi G et al.; A randomized controlled trial aimed at comparing the individual efficacy of cephalothin, cefoxitin, and metronidazole in the prevention of postoperative wound infection was performed among 74 colorectal surgical patients . Of 28 patients on cephalothin, seven (25 per cent) developed a postoperative infection, but among 23 patients in each of the other two groups, only one (4 per cent) in each group became infected . These results confirm the primary importance of anaerobes in the causation of postoperative sepsis after colorectal surgery.

FEBS Lett, 1982 Nov 1, 148(1), 35 - 8
A biotin-dependent sodium pump: glutaconyl-CoA decarboxylase from Acidaminococcus fermentans; Buckel W et al.; The decarboxylation of glutaconyl-CoA to crotonyl-CoA in the anaerobic bacterium Acidaminococcus fermentans is catalysed by a membrane-bound, biotin-dependent enzyme which requires Na+ for activity . Inverted vesicles from A . fermentans accumulated Na+ only if glutaconyl-CoA was decarboxylated . The Na+ uptake was inhibited by avidin but not by the avidin biotin complex . Detergents and ionophores such as monensin also prevented the Na+ transport . The results indicate that the enzyme is able to convert the free energy of decarboxylation (delta Go' approximately equal to -30 kJ/mol) into a Na+ gradient.

Rev Infect Dis, 1982 Nov-Dec, 4 Suppl, S610 - 6
Distribution of moxalactam in serum, bone, tissue fluid, and peritoneal fluid; Wittmann DH et al.; Concentration-vs.-time curves in serum, peritoneal fluid, bone, and tissue fluid were determined after 2-g intravenous doses of moxalactam . Serum concentrations were measured in five volunteers (group 1; mean age, 22.8 years) . Serum and peritoneal fluid concentrations were measured in eight patients (group 2; mean age, 66.5 years) . Serum, bone, and tissue fluid concentrations were measured in eight patients (group 3; mean age, 71.5 years) . The serum concentrations fitted an open two-compartment model . In groups 1, 2, and 3, the respective serum beta-phase half lives were 134, 169, and 184 min . In group 2, the peak concentration in peritoneal fluid was 43.8 mg/liter after 2.02 hr, with one-quarter of this concentration being maintained for 13 hr . In group 3, the bone concentrations were 19.4 mg/liter after 60 min and 19.1 mg/liter after 120 min; the peak concentration in tissue fluid was 36.1 mg/liter after 2.4 hr, with one-quarter of this concentration being maintained for 15 hr . These concentrations in tissues will inhibit most aerobic and anaerobic bacteria that cause infections.

Br J Ind Med, 1982 Nov, 39(4), 392 - 6
Anaerobes: a new aetiology in cavitary pneumoconiosis; del Campo JM et al.; The role of mycobacteria in the cavitation of large pneumoconiotic masses is well established . In other cases softness is attributed to an ischaemic or aseptic necrosis . Five cases are described in which cavitation of the pulmonary masses was caused by anaerobic bacteria, confirmed by the growth of such bacterial in cultures after transtracheal or transpleural puncture . Repeated cultures for mycobacteria gave negative results . Two cases were acute, having serious complications such as bronchopleural fistula, empyema, and serious respiratory insufficiency . The role of anaerobes in cavitary pneumoconiosis has not been recognised previously, probably because of the special conditions required to culture these bacteria and the infrequent use of transtracheal puncture in the diagnosis of this entity . The prevalence of anaerobes as agents capable of cavitating pneumoconiotic masses remains to be established.

Lancet, 1982 Oct 2, 2(8301), 753 - 5
Preoperative antimicrobial prescribing practice for elective colorectal surgery in Wessex, 1981; McDonald PJ et al.; 32 Wessex surgeons took part in a survey of preoperative antimicrobial prescribing practice for elective colorectal surgery . Only 1 surgeon did not prescribe antimicrobials . 15 (48%) of those surgeons giving antimicrobials used systemic antibiotics only, whilst 9 (29%) gave agents both systemically and orally . With 1 exception, all surgeons used an agent effective against anaerobes, whereas 27 (87%) used an agent or agents to cover both groups . All the surgeons started the antimicrobials before surgery, and half continued them for less than 48 h . Conventional bowel preparation was found to be the most popular method.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1982 Oct, 22(4), 711 - 4
In vitro activity of new beta-lactam antibiotics and other antimicrobial drugs against anaerobic isolates from obstetric and gynecological infections; Ohm-Smith MJ et al.; The in vitro activities of N-formimidoyl thienamycin, clindamycin, chloramphenicol, metronidazole, cefoperazone, cefotaxime, cefoxitin, moxalactam, penicillin G, and piperacillin were determined against 158 anaerobic bacteria isolated from endometrial wash cultures of women with pelvic infections . In general, N-formimidoyl thienamycin was the most active, with all organisms inhibited by less than or equal to 0.5 microgram/ml . Chloramphenicol, clindamycin, and metronidazole inhibited all organisms by less than or equal to 8 microgram/ml . The penicillins and cephalosporins exhibited variable activity of lesser degrees.

Lab Anim, 1982 Oct, 16(4), 348 - 50
Response of mice to transtracheal pulmonary inoculation of anaerobic bacteria; File TM Jr et al.; The transtracheal inoculation of a mixture of anaerobic bacteria, with or without hydrochloric acid, into the lungs of mice caused nonlethal pneumonia and abscesses in a minority of challenged animals . All animals cleared organisms and recovered by 30 days . Secondary infection with Escherichia coli was common but did not affect the response to challenge with the anaerobes.

Gut, 1982 Oct, 23(10), 807 - 13
Disposition of oral metronidazole in hepatic cirrhosis and in hepatosplenic schistosomiasis; Daneshmend TK et al.; The pharmacokinetics of metronidazole 500 mg orally were determined in patients with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis and normal controls in the Sudan, and in cirrhotics and normal controls in Bristol . Plasma metronidazole levels were above the minimum inhibitory concentration of most susceptible anaerobic bacteria for four to six hours post-dose in all groups . Liver disease did not markedly influence the disposition of single oral doses of metronidazole . Cirrhotics showed some prolongation of metronidazole half-life, and somewhat greater metronidazole concentrations 24 hours after the dose . Concentrations of the oxidative metabolite of metronidazole were lower in Sudanese patients and normal controls than in normal British subjects . In chronic liver disease adjustment of metronidazole dosage is probably not required provided renal function is unimpaired.

J Clin Microbiol, 1982 Oct, 16(4), 673 - 5
Evaluation of the Minitek system for direct identification of anaerobic rods from positive blood cultures; Polomski JC et al.; The direct inoculation of the Minitek anaerobe identification system (BBL Microbiology Systems, Cockeysville, Md.) from positive blood cultures was compared with subculture and Minitek results obtained using the manufacturer's recommended procedures . A total of 40 clinical anaerobic blood cultures were processed for rapid identification utilizing bacterial pellets obtained by centrifugation . Of these cultures, 30 yielded pure isolates of anaerobic rods that were used for comparison . In 87% of the pure cultures, identification from the direct inoculum method was identical to the routine procedure using Minitek biochemicals . When the additional test for lecithinase and lipase production was included, the identification agreement was 97% . Direct identification of anaerobic rods from blood cultures utilizing the Minitek system is reliable, easy to perform, and can provide a complete identification in 24 h from the time a blood culture showed growth.

Am J Clin Pathol, 1982 Oct, 78(4), 457 - 61
Adaptation of an automated microbiology system for the growth of anaerobes and performance of antimicrobial susceptibility tests; Murray PR et al.; The authors examined the feasibility of growing anaerobes in an automated microbiology system (MS-2) and using the system for antimicrobial susceptibility testing . A total of 78 of 100 clinical anaerobic isolates grew in the MS-2 if 100 microL of an undiluted overnight suspension of organisms was inoculated into at least 2.5 mL of freshly prepared Wilkins-Chalgren broth supplemented with 0.07% agar . Susceptibility test results were determined with 50 anaerobes tested against seven antibiotics in the MS-2 system and were compared with results determined with a qualitative reference susceptibility test method . of the 350 tests, 88% of the MS-2 results agreed with the qualitative reference results . False-susceptible and false-resistant results were reported for 8.6 and 3.4%, respectively, of the MS-2 results.

J Bacteriol, 1982 Oct, 152(1), 527 - 9
Cytochrome c3 from the sulfate-reducing anaerobe Desulfovibrio africanus Benghazi: antigenic properties; Singleton R Jr et al.; Antisera were prepared against cytochromes c3 from Desulfovibrio africanus, D . vulgaris, and D . salexigens . Cross-reactions were observed between antisera to D . vulgaris and D . africanus cytochromes and heterologous cytochromes c3 . A weak cross-reaction with antisera against both D . vulgaris and D . africanus cytochromes and the acid form of the D . salexigens cytochrome was seen; the basic form did not react.

Br J Obstet Gynaecol, 1982 Sep, 89(Suppl 4), 32 - 40
Studies on uterine tract infections and the IUCD with special reference to actinomycetes; Duguid HL et al.; Since the advent of the plastic IUCD, an increasing number of patients with clinical pelvic actinomycosis have been reported in the literature and in a very much larger number of women, actinomycetes have been identified in cervical smears, either by Papanicolaou stain or specific immunofluorescence . After a 3-year study, we have concluded that actinomycetes can readily be cultured when the growth of more rapidly growing anaerobes is inhibited by metronidazole and anaerobic culture is continued for up to 14 days . We consider that actinomycetes form part of a polymicrobial anaerobic infestation developing in the presence of a foreign body . The organisms are found almost exclusively in women who have used all-plastic IUCDs for a long term and, from a continuing study, it is apparent that most disappear rapidly when the plastic device is removed or replaced by a copper device . Significant symptomatic evidence of infection is found in a small proportion of patients who are actinomycete-positive.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1982 Sep, 44(3), 761 - 4
Aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms in tubercles of the Columbus, Ohio, water distribution system; Tuovinen OH et al.; Aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms were enumerated in tubercles collected from sections of the water distribution pipeline in the Columbus, Ohio, metropolitan area . Coliform bacteria were not detected in the tubercles examined . Sulfate-reducing bacteria were detected in 80% of the samples . Nitrate-reducing heterotrophs were present in all samples . The results, including plate counts of aerobic heterotrophs, indicated variation in bacterial densities depending on the tubercle sample and fraction examined . The associations among the viable counts obtained by the different culture methods were analyzed statistically, using three methods (Pearson, Spearman, and Kendall).

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1982 Sep, 22(3), 426 - 30
Activity of metronidazole and its hydroxy and acid metabolites against clinical isolates of anaerobic bacteria; O'Keefe JP et al.; Susceptibility of clinical isolates of anaerobic bacteria to metronidazole and its two oxidation products, 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-hydroxymethyl-5-nitroimidazole (the "alcohol" metabolite) and 2-methyl-5-nitroimidazole-1-acetic acid (the "acid" metabolite), were determined by the agar dilution technique . Results disclosed that the alcohol metabolite, although less active than metronidazole, inhibited the organisms tested at levels considered susceptible for metronidazole . The acid metabolite was less active, not inhibiting the organisms at levels within the susceptible range . In other studies, mixtures of known concentrations of metronidazole and the metabolites were assayed in a bioassay system used to measure metronidazole levels . These studies showed that the bioassay will measure metronidazole or the alcohol metabolite; the acid metabolite is not measured at levels achieved in clinical specimens . Since the activity of the alcohol metabolite is comparable to that of metronidazole, we feel that microbiological assays can be used for therapeutic monitoring of metronidazole levels in clinical situations.

J Clin Microbiol, 1982 Sep, 16(3), 570 - 2
Evaluation of a prereduced anaerobically sterilized medium (PRAS II) system for identification anaerobic microorganisms; Beaucage CM et al.; A prereduced, anaerobically sterilized system of tubed media (PRAS II; Scott Laboratories, Fiskeville, R.I.) was evaluated for accuracy in the identification of anerobic microorganisms . PRAS II was found to be a rapid and accurate identification system for obligate anaerobes which does not require the use of gas cannula inoculation or incubation in a special anaerobic environment.

Scand J Gastroenterol, 1982 Sep, 17(6), 785 - 90
Gallbladder and duodenal bacterial flora after papillotomy in rabbits; Rosseland AR et al.; Gallbladder and duodenal bacteria were studied in New Zealand white rabbits 1 and 4 weeks after papillotomy . The gallbladder bile was sterile in all animals before papillotomy . One and 4 weeks after papillotomy growth of both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria was found in the gallbladder bile in five of eight test animals and in none of the control rabbits . The number of bacteria in the duodenum increased in rabbits that developed growth of bacteria in the gallbladder bile after papillotomy . In the test rabbits that did not develop bacteria in the gallbladder bile and in the control group no changes in duodenal bacteria were observed.

Jpn J Antibiot, 1982 Sep, 35(9), 2180 - 8
{Evaluation of the clinical effect and tissue distribution of piperacillin in the field of obstetrics and gynecology}; Chimura T et al.; Piperacillin (PIPC) was administered to patients with obstetrical and gynecological infectious diseases and we studied its clinical effect and tissue distribution . 1 . Clinical results . PIPC was administered to 26 patients at a dose of 2--4 g per day (twice a day) by dripping infusion over a period of 3--10 days (total 8--30 g) . These included 16 cases with intrauterine infection, 1 with adnexitis, 4 with pelvic inflammatory disease and 5 with infections of the external genitalia . The clinical results were excellent in 11 cases, good in 13 cases and poor in 2 cases so that the overall efficacy rate was 92.3% . For bacteriological study 33 strains were isolated from 20 patients . These included Gram positive bacteria (6 strains), Gram negative bacteria (23 strains) and anaerobes (4 strains) . After PIPC treatment 32 strains (including S . epidermidis 4 strains, E . coli 12 strains, K . pneumoniae 3 strains, E . aerogenes 2 strains, P . aeruginosa 2 strains and anaerobes 4 strains, etc.) disappeared except for 1 strain of K . pneumoniae which persisted . The disappearance rate was 97.0% . The only side effect observed was a slight case of malaise during the first administration day, however the relationship between the appearance of this symptom and the drug was unclear . No adverse reaction in laboratory findings was observed . 2 . Tissue distribution . We determined the tissue concentration from 90 to 240 minutes after dripping infusion for 1 hour at a dose of 2 g . PIPC concentrations in these tissues including the endometrium, myometrium, cervix uteri, portio vaginalis, oviduct and ovary showed the highest level (18.0--11.7 micrograms/g) at 90 minutes after the beginning of administration . These values were 48.6--31.6% in respect to the uterine arterial blood level (37 micrograms/ml at 90 minutes after infusion).

J Pharm Sci, 1982 Aug, 71(8), 901 - 4
Study of the metabolic conversion of imipramine and desipramine to N-nitrosodesipramine by bacteria using a nitrogen-selective GC analysis; Baker JK et al.; A GC method using dual nitrogen selective and flame ionization detectors was developed for the determination of N-nitrosodesipramine using N-butyryldesipramine as the internal standard . The precision of the method was found to be +/- 5.0% and the accuracy was +/- 4.9% . The method could be used to detect 10 ng/ml of N-nitrosodesipramine in bacterial cultures . When desipramine and sodium nitrite were incubated with aerobic or anaerobic bacteria, the nitrosamine level was found to be 10-300 times higher than the controls . When imipramine and potassium nitrate were incubated with a mixed anaerobic culture, the level of N-nitrosodesipramine was found to be 4.5 times higher than the control.

J Clin Microbiol, 1982 Aug, 16(2), 355 - 60
Analysis of short-chain acids from anaerobic bacteria by high-performance liquid chromatography; Guerrant GO et al.; A standard mixture of 25 short-chain fatty acids was resolved by high-performance liquid chromatography, using an Aminex HPX-87 column . The acids produced in culture media by anaerobic bacteria were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography after extraction with ether and reextraction into a small volume of 0.1 N NaOH . The presence of fumaric acid in culture extracts of Peptostreptococcus anaerobius was confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of the trapped eluent fractions from the high-performance liquid chromatography column.

J Clin Microbiol, 1982 Aug, 16(2), 245 - 9
Collaborative evaluation of the micro-media systems anaerobe susceptibility panel: comparisons with reference methods and test reproducibility; Jones RN et al.; The Micro-Media Systems (MMS) anaerobe susceptibility testing panel results from four laboratories were compared for interlaboratory and intralaboratory variations and for the results with the reference agar dilution and a broth microdilution method . The interlaboratory agreement was 98.0% and intralaboratory agreement was 97.3% (+/- 1 log2 dilution) . When interpretive criteria for each antimicrobial agent (susceptible, intermediate, and resistant) were assigned, the MMS anaerobic minimum inhibitory concentration data showed an interpretive accuracy of 91.0 and 95.5% for comparisons to the reference agar dilution and the broth methods, respectively . Most significant interpretive errors were considered minor, and nearly half of all errors involved tetracycline, a drug rarely used for serious anaerobic infections . The MMS anaerobe panels appear to be acceptable for selected use in clinical microbiology laboratories.

Acta Pharmacol Toxicol (Copenh), 1982 Aug, 51(2), 165 - 72
Interaction between diphenolic laxatives and intestinal bacteria in vitro; Bergan T et al.; The ability of the laxative diphenols desacetylbisacodyl, oxyphenisatin, and phenolphthalein to inhibit growth and cause leakage of potassium ion from microbial cells in vitro was studied with 25 aerobic and 25 anaerobic bacterial strains . None of the aerobes, but some of the anaerobes showed growth inhibition . Potassium release assayed by flame photometry was observed in strains which showed growth inhibition, but also in other strains including anaerobes and aerobes . The highest antibacterial activity among the diphenols was observed with phenolphthalein and the least with desacetylbisacodyl; this relationship as noted for both growth inhibition and potassium release . Enzymatic hydrolysis of picosulphate to the free diphenol desacetylbisacodyl carried out by three strains of anaerobic bacteria was indicated by high pressure liquid chromatography.

Obstet Gynecol, 1982 Aug, 60(2), 232 - 6
Use of single-agent antimicrobial therapy in the treatment of polymicrobial female pelvic infections; Faro S et al.; One hundred twenty patients with either postpartum endomyometritis or postgynecologic surgical infections were treated either with ticarcillin, clindamycin, or chloramphenicol . One hundred nine (91%) responded successfully to single-agent antimicrobial therapy . Most of the infections were polymicrobial, involving both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria . Forty patients were treated with ticarcillin, with 90% responding successfully; 48 were treated with chloramphenicol, with 94% responding successfully; and 32 were treated with clindamycin, with 88% responding successfully . Single-agent antimicrobial therapy appears to be appropriate for treating polymicrobial obstetric and gynecologic soft tissue infections.

Drugs, 1982 Aug, 24(2), 85 - 117
Tinidazole in anaerobic infections: a review of its antibacterial activity, pharmacological properties and therapeutic efficacy; Carmine AA et al.; Tinidazole, like the structurally-related drug metronidazole, was initially introduced for treating protozoal infections . However, both these nitroimidazole compounds are also active in vitro against most clinically important obligate anaerobes . Most of the clinical experience with tinidazole to date has involved prophylactic use to prevent postoperative anaerobic infection . Prospective placebo-controlled studies demonstrated that a single dose of tinidazole administered orally prior to elective colorectal surgery significantly reduced postoperative infection . Similarly, when given intravenously prior to appendectomy, tinidazole reduced the incidence of postoperative infection in some subgroups of patients . Although results of non-blinded studies with prophylactic tinidazole were encouraging when used in women undergoing gynaecological surgery (mainly hysterectomy), results from double-blind placebo-controlled studies in this situation have been somewhat equivocal . Thus, although the overall weight of evidence suggests that the drug is effective in this area of use, further study is needed to clarify its role in preventing anaerobic infection following gynaecological surgery compared with other antibiotics which can also be used for this purpose . Relatively few studies have been conducted with tinidazole in the treatment of established anaerobic infections, and this is an area needing further investigation . The drug is well tolerated when administered orally or intravenously.

Antibiotiki, 1982 Aug, 27(8), 592 - 5
{Method of determining the antibiotic sensitivity of anaerobic microorganisms using standard disks}; Baltrashevich AK et al.; Three variants of the procedure for determination of antibiotic sensitivity in anaerobic microorganisms with the use of standard paper discs were developed . According to the first variant the solid nutrient medium is melted at 46 degrees C and mixed with the culture of the microbe being tested . The mixture is added to the cover of a Petri dish . When the medium becomes solid, antibiotic sensitivity discs are placed onto the agar surface . After that one more layer of the medium is added . The medium is allowed to solidify and some more medium is poured near the cover edge . Immediately after that the Petri dish is placed with its flat surface onto the agar layer in its cover . According to the first and second variants the mixture of the medium and culture is added to a Petri dish and immediately a transparent gas-proof polymer film of the dish size is placed onto the agar surface . Previously antibiotic paper discs or solutions are fixed on the films . THe incubation temperature for all three variants is 37 degrees C . The procedure allows one to observe the culture growth and to obtain the results earlier than in case the culture is incubated in an aerostate . The procedure is simple and saves labor and time.

J Clin Microbiol, 1982 Aug, 16(2), 224 - 9
Gelatin agar medium for detecting gelatinase production by anaerobic bacteria; Whaley DN et al.; A new medium, Lombard-Dowell gelatin agar, was developed for detecting gelatinase activity by anaerobic bacteria . The medium contained: Trypticase (BBL Microbiology Systems), 5.0 g; yeast extract (Difco Laboratories), 5 g; sodium chloride, 2.5 g; sodium sulfite, 0.1 g; L-tryptophan, 0.2 g; L-cystine, 0.4 g; hemin, 10.0 mg; vitamin K1, 10.0 mg; agar, 20.0 g; D-glucose, 1.0 g; gelatin, 4.0 g; and distilled water to 1 liter . The pH was adjusted to 7.5 . The medium was dispensed in 100- by 15-mm quadrant plastic dishes (5 ml per quadrant) . To test for gelatinase activity, we inoculated the medium with a young enriched thioglycolate or chopped meat glucose broth culture or a turbid cell suspension in Lombard-Dowell broth, using a sterile cotton swab, and incubated it under anaerobic conditions for 48 h at 35 degrees C . The quadrants were then flooded with Frazier solution, and clear zones around the bacterial growth were recorded as positive for gelatinase activity . The new medium was tested with a variety of anaerobic bacteria, and the results were compared with data obtained with the conventional technique for detecting gelatinase activity . Overall, there was satisfactory agreement between the two tests in the detection of gelatinase activity, but the Lombard-Dowell gelatin agar tests was more rapid and somewhat more sensitive than the conventional test.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1982 Aug, 22(2), 338 - 41
Comparative in vitro activity of ceftriaxone against anaerobic bacteria; Rolfe RD et al.; The in vitro activity of ceftriaxone was compared with those of other recently introduced beta-lactam antimicrobial agents (cefoperazone, cefotaxime, and moxalactam) and with those of cefoxitin, clindamycin, and metronidazole against 227 strains of anaerobic bacteria . The data obtained in this investigation suggest that ceftriaxone, like a majority of the new beta-lactam antimicrobial agents, may be of limited value in the treatment of serious infections involving anaerobic bacteria.

J Clin Microbiol, 1982 Jul, 16(1), 99 - 102
Rapid detection of simulated bacteremia by centrifugation and filtration; Herlich MB et al.; A centrifugation-filtration procedure was developed to expedite the recovery of microorganisms from blood . Fresh whole human blood was inoculated with various aerobic and facultatively anaerobic microorganisms (3 to 18 per ml) . The seeded blood was carefully overlaid on a Ficoll-Hypaque gradient (density, 1.114 g/ml) and centrifuged (400 x g) for 45 min at ambient temperature . The entire gradient (plasma, leukocytes, and Ficoll-Hypaque) was removed and filtered through a 0.22-micrometer membrane filter . The filters were then placed on chocolate agar and incubated at 35 degrees C in humidified air containing 5% CO2 . No statistically significant differences were detected between the numbers of microorganisms recovered by filtration and by direct culture of the original inoculum . Most microorganisms were detected within 18 h after filtration . This system has excellent sensitivity and negligible toxicity.

J Clin Pathol, 1982 Jul, 35(7), 709 - 14
Gas-liquid chromatography in the diagnosis of anaerobic infections: a three year experience; Watt B et al.; Nearly two thousand clinical samples were examined by direct gas-liquid chromatography over a three year period . Absence of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) in the samples correlated well with negative culture results for anaerobic bacteria . In general the presence of acetic acid alone correlated well with the presence of aerobic organisms, whereas the presence of a mixture of VFAs correlated well with the presence of anaerobic organisms, either alone or in combination with aerobes . However a proportion of such VFA-positive samples gave no growth on culture . Swabs gave comparable results to samples of pus or exudates except that a higher proportion of the former were VFA-negative but culture positive.

J Clin Pathol, 1982 Jul, 35(7), 706 - 8
Can direct gas-liquid chromatography of clinical samples detect specific organisms?
Watt B, Geddes PA, Greenan OA, Napier SK, Mitchell A.
A total of 1929 samples was analyzed by direct gas-liquid chromatography and the volatile fatty acid (VFA) patterns of the positive samples were compared with the results of culture . There was no correlation between any bacterial genus or species and the detailed VFA patterns although the presence of butyric or valeric acids, or both, was generally associated with the presence of anaerobes and that of acetic acid was generally associated with aerobic bacteria; however, the technique could not predict the nature of the subsequent bacterial isolate . There was also poor correlation between the VFA pattern in a given sample and the VFA pattern(s) of anaerobic bacteria subsequently isolated from that sample.

Postgrad Med, 1982 Jul, 72(1), 253 - 6, 261-2
Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in alcoholic cirrhosis with ascites; Rajan RK; Aerobic enteric organisms, especially Escherichia coli, are the most common cause of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in alcoholic cirrhosis with ascites, despite the preponderance of anaerobic bacteria in the bowel flora . The major routes of infection are transmural migration of gastrointestinal flora, lymphatic spread, and hematogenous seeding . Most patients present with fever and chills, abdominal pain, leukocytosis, and hypotension, although some may be asymptomatic . Differentiation from secondary peritonitis, which is essential in determining appropriate therapy, is difficult . Microbiologic studies of the ascitic fluid can provide valuable clues in this regard . Although most patients respond favorably to antibiotic therapy, mortality is high because of complications of the underlying disorder.

Nouv Presse Med, 1982 Jun 5, 11(26), 1991 - 3
{Acute primary infection due to slow-growing anaerobes after total hip arthroplasty (author's transl)}; Furno P et al.; Most early post-operative infections in total hip arthroplasty are due to aerobic bacteria . Anaerobes infections are less common and less easy to diagnose since the organisms are growing slowly . In the three patients reported the responsible organisms were detected by a strict bacteriological technique including cultures lasting more than 48 hours . Treatment consisted of re-operation and appropriate antibiotic therapy . The slow development of anaerobic bacteria makes antibiotic sensitivity tests particularly difficult to read . The need for cultures prolonged beyond 48 hours partly explains the frequency of overt suppuration in cases where standard bacteriological methods had given negative results.

Ophthalmology, 1982 Jun, 89(6), 636 - 42
Anaerobic corneal ulcers; Perry LD et al.; In a series of 162 bacterial corneal ulcers, 27 were culture positive for anaerobic organisms . Applying strict microbiologic criteria, 11 ulcers were determined to be due to anaerobic infection . No morphologic characteristic was identified to distinguish anaerobic from other types of corneal ulcers . All of the anaerobic ulcer patients manifested one or more predisposing factors . A total of 13 anaerobes were cultured from the 11 confirmed anaerobic ulcers . Five previously unreported anaerobic strains were identified as causes of bacterial keratitis . Over one third of the anaerobic organisms occurred in mixed cultures with other organisms . Most of the anaerobic isolates were susceptible to all antibiotics routinely used for their treatment . The use of topical chloramphenicol is recommended for treatment of confirmed anaerobic ulcers, and topical cefazolin or one of the other cephalosporins effective against anaerobes is suggested to be included in the treatment of all ulcers requiring broad spectrum antibiotic coverage.

J Bacteriol, 1982 Jun, 150(3), 1252 - 8
Properties of oxaloacetate decarboxylase from Veillonella parvula; Ng SK et al.; Oxaloacetate decarboxylase was purified to 136-fold from the oral anaerobe Veillonella parvula . The purified enzyme was substantially free of contaminating enzymes or proteins . Maximum activity of the enzyme was exhibited at pH 7.0 for both carboxylation and decarboxylation . At this pH, the Km values for oxaloacetate and Mg2+ were at 0.06 and 0.17 mM, respectively, whereas the Km values for pyruvate, CO2, and Mg2+ were 3.3, 1.74, and 1.85 mM, respectively . Hyperbolic kinetics were observed with all of the aforementioned compounds . The Keq' was 2.13 X 10(-3) mM-1 favoring the decarboxylation of oxaloacetate . In the carboxylation step, avidin, acetyl coenzyme A, biotin, and coenzyme A were not required . ADP and NADH had no effect on either the carboxylation or decarboxylation step, but ATP inhibited the carboxylation step competitively and the decarboxylation step noncompetitively . These types of inhibition fitted well with the overall lactate metabolism of the non-carbohydrate-fermenting anaerobe.

Jpn J Antibiot, 1982 Jun, 35(6), 1462 - 74
Bacteriological evaluation of midecamycin acetate and its metabolites; Yoshida T et al.; In vitro midecamycin acetate was shown to have broad spectrum of antibacterial activities similar to those of other macrolides (midecamycin, josamycin, 9-propionyl josamycin and 2'-ethylsuccinyl erythromycin), which include Gram-positive organisms, a part of Gram-negative organisms and anaerobes . Metabolites of midecamycin acetate also showed certain degree of antibacterial activities although they gave higher MIC values than midecamycin acetate . The antibacterial activities of midecamycin acetate were potentiated in the medium with pH 7 or pH 8 and little affected by inoculum size or addition of human serum into the medium . Both midecamycin acetate and its metabolites were found to have relatively high protein binding rates . In vivo therapeutic experiments in experimental infections in mice, midecamycin acetate was shown to be much superior to other drugs tested in the therapeutic efficacy against intraperitoneal infections caused by Staph . aureus, Strept . pyogenes, Strept . pneumoniae and Cl . perfringens . In infections transnasally induced by Strept . pneumoniae, midecamycin acetate showed therapeutic efficacy 2 or 5 times greater than that of josamycin or midecamycin, despite that MICs of midecamycin acetate were equal to josamycin or midecamycin . Moreover, midecamycin acetate showed high therapeutic efficacy for subcutaneous infections due to Staph . aureus, suggesting that it exerts pronounced antibacterial activities against not only systemic infections but also local infections.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1982 Jun, 43(6), 1419 - 24
Effects of kepone on growth and respiration of several estuarine bacteria; Mahaffey WR et al.; The toxicity of Kepone to mixed populations of estuarine microorganisms was determined by standard plate assays on Zobell marine medium containing 0.02, 0.20, and 2.0 mg of Kepone per liter . Under aerobic conditions, Kepone reduced the number of colony-forming units at all concentrations tested, but had no effect on the number of anaerobic microorganisms . Gram-positive organisms were more sensitive to Kepone than were gram-negative organisms . Growth of gram-negative isolates was not inhibited in nutrient broth, but was significantly inhibited in a minimal salts broth . Oxygen uptake by most isolates was reduced 25 to 100% by 20 ppm (20 mg/ml) of Kepone . Oxygen evolution was observed when several gram-positive isolates were exposed to Kepone concentrations of 20 ppm . Pentachlorophenol at concentrations above 28 ppm produced effects similar to those produced by Kepone . Inhibition of electron transport by Kepone was demonstrated by a significant reduction in the specific activities of NADH oxidases and succinooxidase.

J Clin Pathol, 1982 May, 35(5), 555 - 60
A transport method for swab specimens submitted for aerobic and anaerobic bacteriology; Alfa M et al.; The need for separate swab transport methods for aerobes and anaerobes may result in inadequate transport of specimens for anaerobic bacteriology . Most microbiology laboratories in Australia rely on Stuart's transport medium to protect anaerobic bacteria . This paper presents a new, simple transport medium (Transport Deep) suitable for sue with aerobes and anaerobes . Comparative evaluations demonstrate that Transport Deep is as good as Stuart's medium for the maintenance of fastidious bacteria and is far superior for the protection of even extremely oxygen-sensitive anaerobes . This medium has been used successfully in a large Sydney hospital for more than a year . It is proposed that Transport Deep be used on a routine basis for all swab specimens.

Surg Gynecol Obstet, 1982 May, 154(5), 715 - 20
A prospective randomized controlled trial of cefoxitin versus clindamycin-aminoglycoside in mixed anaerobic-aerobic infections; Drusano GL et al.; Ninety patients infected with presumed penicillin resistant anaerobes were randomized to cefoxitin or clindamycin-aminoglycoside . Cefoxitin was comparable to clindamycin-aminoglycoside in cures of intestinal associated, 16 of 26 versus 11 of 21, and pelvic infections, 20 of 20 versus 22 of 23 . Cefoxitin-resistant facultative-aerobic gram-negative rods were found in 16 of 45 patients with intestine associated infection . Probable antibiotic associated nephrotoxicity was less frequent in the patients in the cefoxitin group, zero of 46 versus seven of 44, p less than 0.05, although a false creatinine elevation was noted more frequent, seven of 46 versus one of 44, p less than 0.05 . Infections causing failure in patients in the cefoxitin group more frequently contained cefoxitin resistant gram-negative rods at the time of failure than did infections causing failure in those in the clindamycin-aminoglycoside group that contained gentamicin-resistant gram-negative rods, eight of eight versus zero of eight, p less than 0.001 . Cefoxitin may be adequate therapy for many patients with mixed anaerobic/aerobic infections; however, the addition of an aminoglycoside may be prudent in those with known, or suspected, cefoxitin resistant gram-negative rods.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1982 May, 252(1), 116 - 28
{Comparative study with 2 new and 8 known nutrient media for cultivation of fastidious and nonfastidious microbial agents from cerebrospinal fluid and other body fluids}; Abdou MA et al.; Rapid physical, biochemical and immunological methods may be useful in the detection of microbial agents in cerebrospinal fluid and in other body fluids . However, these methods are no substitution for the cultivation of the microbial agents . Microorganisms which are most frequently responsible for meningitis are fastidious in their growth requirements . Their detection with the help of conventional blood culture media which are not supplemented with blood or its components, leads to a high quota of false-negative results . Taking this problem into consideration, the authors developed the following two new media: "MOPS Electrolyte Broth A" for culturing obligate aerobic and facultative anerobic microorganisms, and "MOPS Electrolyte Broth AN" for culturing facultative anaerobic and obligate anaerobic bacteria . Performance tests have been carried out with the two above mentioned media and eight commercially manufactured blood culture media in original bottles . Twenty representative test strains including the most important and fastidious microbial agents of meningitis have been considered in this study . The inoculum size was about 10(2) CFU per culture bottle . The two new media, which were not supplemented with blood or body fluids, proved to be more effective than the conventional blood culture media supplemented with 10% fresh human blood for culturing the considered spectrum of microorganisms.

J Periodontol, 1982 May, 53(5), 319 - 24
Value of antibiotic prophylaxis in periodontal surgery; Appleman MD et al.; THE MORBIDITY and incidence of bacteremia in periodontal surgery with or without cephalexin prophylaxis were assessed in adults on the basis of clinical evaluations and blood cultures . Cephalexin reduced the incidence of polymicrobic bacteremias . There was no correlation between objective signs of tissue healing and antibiotic coverage in treated or nontreated patients . In vitro antibiotic susceptibility data showed that cephalexin was active against the aerobic and anaerobic bacteria isolated from blood specimens taken during surgery.

Obstet Gynecol, 1982 May, 59(5), 550 - 5
Pelvic inflammatory disease: etiologic studies with emphasis on chlamydial infection; Gjonnaess H et al.; Chlamydia trachomatis is one of the main etiologic agents in pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in Oslo . Up to two thirds of the 65 PID cases studied were associated with a chlamydial infection . The incidence of cervical gonorrhea was low (7.7%) . Anaerobic bacteria were not isolated from the fallopian tubes or peritoneal fluid of any of the patients . Chlamydia-associated PID is characterized by a protracted course and vague symptoms . The laparoscopic findings indicate more severe inflammatory changes of the tubes than in patients in whom these agents were not found . The highest incidence of chlamydia-associated PID occurred in younger subjects, among whom the intrauterine contraceptive device was more frequently used . Perihepatitis was diagnosed in PID patients with and without chlamydial infection of the genital tract.

Mol Cell Biol, 1982 Apr, 2(4), 369 - 77
Attachment of the flagellate Giardia lamblia: role of reducing agents, serum, temperature, and ionic composition; Gillin FD et al.; The flagellated protozoan Giardia lamblia has been grown only in highly complex media under reduced oxygen tension . Therefore, the organic and physiological requirements for in vitro attachment and short-term (12-h) survival of this organism were determined . In defined maintenance media, a thiol reducing agent (e.g., cysteine) was absolutely required for attachment and survival of this aerotolerant anaerobe . The crude bovine serum Cohn III fraction greatly stimulated attachment and survival . Attachment was decreased at a reduced temperature (24 degrees C as compared with 35.5 degrees C) and absent at 12 degrees C or below . Attachment and survival were strongly dependent upon pH and ionic strength, with optima at pH 6.85 to 7.0 and 200 to 300 mosmol/kg . Sodium chloride was better tolerated than KC1 . Reduction of Ca2+ and Mg2+ to below 10(-8) M did not significantly affect attachment.

Clin Orthop, 1982 Apr, (164), 136 - 40
Chronic sclerosing osteomyelitis (Garré); Collert S et al.; Eight patients with chronic sclerosing osteomyelitis (Garre) were investigated for an average follow-up of 13 years . The disease is a well definable clinical entity affecting children and young adults . Secondary lesions occurred in four cases after an average of 5.5 years . Five patients with a history of an average of eight years duration were free of symptoms . whereas the remaining three patients with a history of six, 13, and 15 years, respectively, had intermittent recurrences . The roentgenologic findings showed pronounced sclerosis interspersed with cystic areas . In all cases except one the sclerosis remained unchanged or progressed, even when the patient was free of symptoms . There are indications that the condition may have its origin in an infection caused by low-virulent, anaerobic bacteria . Present methods of treatment appeared to have little, if any effect, on the progress of the disease.

Arch Surg, 1982 Apr, 117(4), 445 - 9
Biliary bacteria: significance and alterations after antibiotic therapy; Pitt HA et al.; Patients undergoing urgent and complex biliary operations were studied to determine (1) whether bactibilia is associated with postoperative complications amd (2) whether antibiotic therapy influences biliary bacteriology . Aerobic and anaerobic cultures were performed on hepatic bile obtained at surgery in 134 patients . Cultures were repeated four to seven days postoperatively in 111 patients who had indwelling biliary tubes . Positive operative bile cultures were associated with an increased incidence of wound infection and postoperative renal dysfunction . Postoperative bile cultures showed a significant increase in the number of patients having bactibilia, and a significant alteration in the types of organisms isolated . Anaerobes were cultured from 15% of operative and 23% of postoperative cultures . Antibiotic therapy did not sterilize bile, but merely altered biliary bacteriology . Furthermore, prolonged aminoglycoside therapy was associated with a high incidence of renal dysfunction, especially in elderly patients.

J Clin Pathol, 1982 Apr, 35(4), 458 - 61
Evaluation of Fastidious Anaerobe Broth as a blood culture medium; Ganguli LA et al.; Three commercial blood culture media were compared with a freshly prepared cooked meat medium in tests to stimulate the recovery of small inocula of anaerobic and aerobic bacteria in routine blood cultures . The cooked meat medium gave the most reliable recovery and supported continued viability, whilst Fastidious Anaerobe Broth (LAB M) was a good alternative . Results with Southern Group thioglycollate and Difco Thiol were less satisfactory as delays in recovery and loss of viability occurred on continued incubation with some of the test strains.

Am J Obstet Gynecol, 1982 Apr 1, 142(7), 896 - 900
Impact of diverging anaerobic technology on cul-de-sac isolates from patients with endometritis-salpingitis-peritonitis; Monif GR et al.; The probability of obtaining accurate identification of bacteria present in the cul-de-sac in cases of polymicrobial bacterial endometritis-salpingitis-peritonitis (ESP) was analyzed on the basis of a comparison of bacteriologic data derived from the hospital laboratory and those engendered by a research anaerobic laboratory . Two sets of paired cul-de-sac specimens from 20 cases of ESP were analyzed at two different laboratories whose anaerobic technology differed from that of the reference laboratory . At University Hospital (Jacksonville, Florida), 22 of 36 (61%) aerobic bacterial isolates were correctly identified, in contrast to only eight of 52 (15.4%) anaerobic isolates . The clinical facility of the University of Florida College of Medicine (Gainesville, Florida) identified 28 of 32 (86.5%) aerobic and 16 of 34 (47.9%) anaerobic isolates . The probability of accurately delineating the anaerobic bacteria present in polymicrobial peritonitis which may develop in patients with acute salpingitis was directly related to the degree of sophistication in anaerobiology . Since most institutions cannot provide sophisticated anaerobiology, the authors contend that therapy cannot be contingent upon microbiologic data and that the clinician must rely primarily on clinical and biophysical parameters to monitor the effectiveness of therapy.

Br Med J (Clin Res Ed), 1982 Mar 20, 284(6319), 859 - 60
Anaerobic balanoposthitis; Cree GE et al.; To assess the causative role of non-sporing anaerobes in cass of erosive balanoposthitis, anaerobic culture was performed on purulent discharges from 104 patients with penile ulceration, a foul-smelling discharge, and a mixed and motile bacterial flora . Most of 29 culturally confirmed infections were due to mixed anaerobes and eight to single anaerobes . A rapid response to treatment with metronidazole also confirmed the anaerobic cause of the infection . Thus, acute anaerobic balanoposthitis can be readily diagnosed clinically and is easily treated.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1982 Mar, 21(3), 441 - 9
Intravenous metronidazole for treatment of infections involving anaerobic bacteria; George WL et al.; Intravenous metronidazole was administered, either by continuous or intermittent infusion, to 20 patients with infections involving anaerobic bacteria; 14 of the 20 patients were changed to oral administration of metronidazole for completion of therapy . Six of eight patients with infections derived from oropharyngeal bacterial flora were cured; the addition of ampicillin was required in one patient, however, because of an incomplete response to metronidazole . Eight of eleven evaluable patients with infections derived from bowel flora were also cured by metronidazole or metronidazole plus an aminoglycoside . Of 93 anaerobic bacteria isolated before therapy, 89 were susceptible to 16 micrograms or less of metronidazole per ml . Mean plasma levels of metronidazole were 27.6 +/- 11.4 micrograms/ml in patients receiving continuous infusions of drug and 19.9 +/- 10.7 micrograms/ml (trough) in patients receiving intermittent infusions . Two patients developed peripheral neuropathy during therapy . Metronidazole is an effective agent for the treatment of anaerobic infections . Because metronidazole is not active against facultative and aerobic bacteria, the addition of a second antimicrobial agent may be required for the treatment of mixed anaerobic-aerobic infections.

Br J Surg . 1982 Mar;69(3):156.
Ureteric obstruction due to pelvic actinomycosis; Brown R et al.; PIP: Since 1973 several reports of pelvic actinomycosis arising in association with modern types of IUDs have appeared . Various presentations occur such as vaginal discharge, tubo-ovarian abscess, or "frozen pelvis." Ureteric obstruction is uncommon and its management unclear . A case is presented of ureteric obstruction due to pelvic actinomycosis associated with an IUD . A 34 year old woman presented with a 6 month history of alternating constipation and diarrhea, weight loss, amenorrhea, and laterally, a vaginal discharge . A Lippes loop had been inserted 2 years earlier . On examination, she was anemic, cachectic, pyrexial and had a frozen pelvis . There was a stricture of the midrectum but the mucosa was intact . The strings of the IUD could be felt and the cervix appeared normal . There was skin redness and induration over the right ischiorectal fossa . Intravenous urogram showed bilateral hydronephrosis with hydroureter . Examination under anesthesia confirmed the midrectal stricture . Biopsies showed mild inflammatory changes only . The IUD was removed and curettings revealed an acute endometritis . At laparotomy, apparently normal small bowel loops were adherent to a friable mass in the pelvis, which displaced the bladder forwards . The colon and uterus appeared normal but bilateral pyosalpinges were present and were resected . Neither ovary could be identified . Despite the tubal infection, pelvic malignancy was suspected and a sigmoid colostomy fashioned in view of impending rectal obstruction . Histology of the mass showed a large amount of fibrous tissue infiltrated by acute and chronic inflammatory cells and containing micro-abscesses . In 2 places only, colonies of actinomycetes surrounded by polymorphs were observed . No sulphur granules were identified . No growth was obtained on aerobic and anaerobic culture of the tissue and the pyosalpinges . Treatment with penicillin V 500 mg q.d.s . produced an allergic reaction and was changed to tetracycline 250 mg q.d.s . which was continued for 2 months at home . 4 months later, the rectal stricture had resolved and the colostomy was closed . 9 months after the initial presentation a urogram showed complete resolution of the left hydronephrosis . There was slight residual right hydronephrosis but no evidence of ureteric obstruction .

Urology, 1982 Mar, 19(3), 256 - 8
Use of oral metronidazole HCl (Flagyl) for posturethritis syndrome; Toth A; Six men with nongonococcal urethritis (NGU) who remained symptomatic after specific therapy with different antibiotic regimens were empirically treated with either of two regimens of oral metronidazole: 500 mg., three times a day for ten days, or 2.5 Gm . (10 x 250 mg.) orally in one dose . All patients had pretreatment seminal fluid cultures . No significant pathogen could be isolated . Side effects included generalized weakness, gastrointestinal symptoms, and a characteristic metallic taste . All patients became asymptomatic after therapy . The single-dose therapy seemed to be more effective in persistent cases . Since metronidazole is active only against anaerobic bacteria, it is postulated that currently unidentified anaerobic bacteria may play a role in at least some cases of posturethritis syndrome.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1982 Mar, 79(5), 1578 - 82
Properties of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae mtDNA segment conferring high-frequency yeast transformation; Hyman BC et al.; The bakers' yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a facultative anaerobe, tolerant to mutations in its mitochondrial genome . Individual cytoplasmic petite mutants retain genetic information derived from any portion of the parenteral mtDNA, prompting questions concerning distribution of the DNA replication origin(s) on the yeast mitochondrial genome . The experiments described in this paper were designated to test the possibility of using high-frequency yeast transformation as a selection for yeast mtDNA sequences conferring autonomously replicating function . A complete petite mitochondrial genome was inserted into the yeast vector YIp5, and the hybrid plasmid (YRMp1) was used to transform yeast . YRMp1 promoted high-frequency transformation of both wild-type yeast cells and petite mutant hosts lacking mtDNA and was maintained in each of these strains as a high-copy-number extrachromosomal element . The stability and copy-number properties of YRMp1 are similar to those of YRp12, a recombinant plasmid containing a yeast chromosomal autonomously replicating sequence.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1982 Mar, 21(3), 367 - 72
Effect of systemic antimicrobial prophylaxis on microbial flora; Bodey GP et al.; Fifteen patients undergoing intensive chemotherapy for oat cell carcinoma of the lung in a protected environmental unit received antimicrobial prophylaxis with oral trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and short courses of parenteral ticarcillin, tobramycin, and miconazole . Altogether, 58 (65%) of 89 strains of aerobic bacteria and 28 (60%) of 47 strains of anaerobic bacteria present before prophylaxis were no longer cultured from stool specimens during prophylaxis . Ten strains of bacteria and four fungi were acquired in the stools during prophylaxis . Most fungi persisted in the throat and stools during prophylaxis . Bacterial infections occurred infrequently, but three patients developed Candida esophagitis . The regimen was well tolerated with minimal side effects.

JAMA, 1982 Feb 26, 247(8), 1149 - 52
Detection and prevalence of IUD-associated Actinomyces colonization and related morbidity . A prospective study of 69,925 cervical smears; Valicenti JF Jr et al.; PIP: Cervical Papanicolaou smears from a population of 69,700 women including 6450 IUD users were prospectively analyzed for the presence of Actinomyces israelii during a 20-month period . No clinical evidence of actinomycete-like organisms was found in any non-IUD wearers . In IUD users, 212 Papanicolaou stained smears or 1.6% were found positive with actinomycetes when examined by light microscopy . The length of time of IUD insertion averaged 6.1 years, with a range from 6 months to 14 years . A 2nd study of 225 family planning clinic patients revealed a 5.3% prevalence of Actinomyces israelii among IUD users . Average length of IUD use was 6.5 years, with a range of 1-14 years . Direct immunofluorescence appeared more accurate for diagnosis than light microscopy or Pap smears . The study suggests that protracted IUD use predisposes to a higher incidence of infection . No specific type of IUD was associated with higher risk . Only 2 patients had clinically significant infection and most were asymptomatic, suggesting that the organism causes a superficial infestation of the endometrium which is shed with the menstrual period . Full diagnostic workup with appropriate therapy is required for the management of clinically proven infection, while asymptomatic women with cytological evidence of Actinomyces may require conservative management, including IUD removal and repeated Pap smears .

Biochem Pharmacol, 1982 Feb 1, 31(3), 411 - 4
Comparative misonidazole metabolism in anaerobic bacteria and hypoxic Chinese hamster lung fibroblast (V-79-473) cells; Koch RL et al.; The metabolism of the radiation sensitizer misonidazole was similar in anaerobic cecal contents and hypoxic Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts (V-79-473) . Both systems formed the amino derivative of misonidazole, {1-(2-aminoimidazol-1-yl)-3-methoxypropan-2-ol} (AIM), and urea, as well as a metabolite, (2-hydroxy-3-methoxypropyl)-guanidine (G), which has not been described previously . It appears that the nitro group of misonidazole was reduced to form AIM and that this compound was then hydrolyzed to yield either urea or G, the latter in yields of 25% (tissue culture) to 55% (cecal contents) . When tested with the Ames tester strain, both G and AIM were slightly mutagenic only for strain TA 98 and then only in the presence of the system for microsomal activation.

Am Rev Respir Dis, 1982 Feb, 125(2), 251 - 4
Thoracic actinomycosis caused by actinomyces meyeri; Rose HD et al.; Two patients with chest infections caused by Actinomyces meyeri were seen during a 5-yr period . One patient was ill for 2 yr and had chronic infection manifested by bilateral cavitary and fibrotic changes on chest roentgenogram . A . meyeri was isolated from a chest wall lesion, transtracheal aspirate, and lung tissue . The other patient presented with a subcutaneous abscess of the left hip that yielded A . meyeri on culture . A localized lung infection and empyema were found . Both patients had other aerobes or anaerobes recovered from material haboring A . meyeri, a frequent finding in actinomycosis caused by Actinomyces israelii . To our knowledge, thoracic actinomycosis caused by A . meyeri has not been previously described.

Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol, 1982 Feb, 53(2), 194 - 7
Humoral antibodies to anaerobic bacteria isolated from patients with pulpal-periapical disease; Keudell K et al.; The purpose of this investigation was to determine if anaerobic bacteria isolated from pulpal-periapical infections elicit a humoral immune response in the host . Results indicated that patients with pulp and periapical disease do not have significantly raised levels of IgG or IgM in their serum and that in the acute sera the precipitin antibody titer to the anaerobic bacteria was significantly higher in the patient group than in the control group . However, there was no significant difference in antibody titer for the convalescent sera in the patient and control groups or the acute and convalescent sera for the patient group.

Zentralbl Gynakol, 1982, 104(2), 137 - 41
{Metronidazole for treatment of puerperal mastitis (author's transl)}; Amon K et al.; Pathogenic anaerobic bacteria may be among the causes of puerperal mastitis which, therefore, was treated by the authors with metronidazole (Vagimid) and with antibiotics, such as penicillin, oxacillin, erythromycin, and oxytetracycline . Best results were obtained by administration of metronidazole to patients in early mastitis . The frequency of incisions was reduced . The therapeutic results obtained from the use of metronidazole on patients with advanced mastitis were identical with those obtained from antibiotics.--Metronidazole concentrations were equal in serum and milk . No side effects were observed.

Acta Chir Acad Sci Hung, 1982, 23(3), 135 - 43
Metronidazole in the chemoprophylaxis of colon and rectum operations; Szabo LE et al.; In the preparation of colorectal operations, beside the mechanical cleaning of the bowels, orally administered metronidazole, acting on anaerobic bacteria, was found to be highly effective . Compared to the controls, the drug considerably reduced the number and severity of postoperative infections, and, consequently, also the mortality . With metronidazole prophylaxis no wound suppuration indicating anaerobic infection was noted . The combined application of metronidazole with some antibiotic acting on the aerobic bacteria of the intestinal flora resulted in a significant reduction of postoperative infections.

Digestion, 1982, 25(3), 186 - 93
Influence of metronidazole on the breath hydrogen response and symptoms in acarbose-induced malabsorption of sucrose; Lembcke B et al.; The influence of metronidazole on the breath hydrogen response and symptoms of sucrose malabsorption was investigated in a double-blind, randomized and controlled study . Carbohydrate malabsorption was induced by the competitive alpha-glucosidase inhibitor, acarbose . Metronidazole reduced flatulence and the breath hydrogen response during sucrose malabsorption without a change in intestinal carbohydrate absorption, as indicated by serum levels of gastric inhibitory polypeptide, serum insulin and blood glucose . The effect of metronidazole suggests that anaerobic bacteria mediate both signs and symptoms of the colonic response to sucrose malabsorption . In contrast to previous reports on lactose malabsorption, it was not possible to quantify sucrose malabsorption by comparing the breath hydrogen response to sucrose malabsorption with the H2 response to a lactulose load.

Ann Chir Gynaecol, 1982, 71(6), 317 - 20
Comparison of metronidazole with clindamycin-gentamycin combination in the prevention of infectious complications after elective colonic surgery; Huttunen R et al.; The efficacy of metronidazole, active only against anaerobes, and clindamycin-gentamycin combination, covering both anaerobes and aerobes, in the prevention of infectious complications after elective colonic surgery was compared in a prospective randomized trial over a three-year period . A total of 130 patients were accepted for the trial, 67 receiving metronidazole intrarectally and 63 receiving clindamycin-gentamycin combination . The prophylactic treatment was started on the evening before the operation and continued for 24 hours . One patient out of 67 receiving metronidazole (1.5%) and two patients out of 63 receiving clindamycin-gentamycin (3.2%) developed a wound infection . An intra-abdominal infection occurred in two patients in both groups (3% and 3.2%, respectively) . There was no statistically significant difference in postoperative infections between the groups . The authors conclude that metronidazole is as effective as the clindamycin-gentamycin combination and should be preferred to broad-spectrum antibiotics because of its fewer side effects and lower potential of developing resistant bacterial strains.

Carcinogenesis, 1982, 3(11), 1255 - 60
Metabolism of azo dyes derived from benzidine, 3,3'-dimethyl-benzidine and 3,3'-dimethoxybenzidine to potentially carcinogenic aromatic amines by intestinal bacteria; Cerniglia CE et al.; The metabolism of a benzidine-based dye, Direct Black 38, a 3,3'-dimethylbenzidine-based dye, Direct Red 2 and a 3,3'-dimethoxybenzidine-based dye, Direct Blue 15 has been studied both in pure cultures of anaerobic bacteria and in bacterial suspensions derived from the intestinal contents of the rat . All of the pure cultures and the rat intestinal bacteria were able to reduce the azo linkages of Direct Black 38, Direct Red 2 and Direct Blue 15 with the subsequent formation of benzidine, 3,3'-dimethylbenzidine and 3,3'-dimethoxybenzidine, respectively . The metabolites of Direct Black 38, Direct Red 2 and Direct Blue 15 were isolated and identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and had similar chromatographic and mass spectral properties with those of authentic standards . Results from this study indicate that in vitro anaerobic incubations of rat intestinal microorganisms were able to reduce and cleave the azo bonds of dyes derived from benzidine, 3,3'-dimethylbenzidine and 3,3'-dimethoxybenzidine to form potentially carcinogenic aromatic amines.

Digestion, 1982, 24(2), 112 - 7
Effect of ethanol on biliary unconjugated bilirubin and its implication in pigment gallstone pathogenesis in humans; Di Padova C et al.; Though some epidemiological investigations support the association between pigment gallstone formation and chronic alcoholism with cirrhosis, little attention has been paid to the influence of alcohol itself on biliary bilirubin secretion, so that the pathogenesis of pigment cholelithiasis in alcoholics is hitherto unknown . On different days we intravenously administered ethanol (0.7 g/kg body weight), diluted with 500 ml of saline, or saline alone to 6 non-obese patients with an indwelling T tube and reestablished enterohepatic bile circulation . At the time of the investigation bile cultures were negative for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria . Ethanol significantly increased biliary unconjugated bilirubin in respect to control values . The phenomenon reached a maximum 2 h after alcohol infusion when the value of unconjugated bilirubin averaged 2.37 +/- 0.30% of total bilirubin in contrast to 0.65 +/- 0.14% in control conditions (p less than 0.01), and subsided 6 h after the end of ethanol infusion . Since increased amounts of biliary unconjugated bilirubin predispose to pigment stone formation, it can be speculated that alcohol contributes to pigment cholelithiasis pathogenesis by enhancing the biliary concentrations of this form of pigment.

Postgrad Med J, 1982 Jan, 58(675), 20 - 4
The penetration of metronidazole into synovial fluid; Sattar MA et al.; Six patients with non-infected synovial effusions, associated either with inflammatory or degenerative arthropathy and requiring diagnostic or therapeutic aspiration, were given a short course of 400 mg metronidazole (Flagyl) 8-hourly for 3 doses . Serum and synovial fluid (SF) were sampled frequently during this time, and assayed for metronidazole by a specific high pressure liquid-chromatographic method . It was found that concentrations of metronidazole in SF reached those in serum after a short time-lag, and thereafter approximated to the serum concentration . With this regimen, metronidazole concentrations were readily achieved in synovial fluid, above the minimum inhibitory concentrations for most susceptible anaerobes . These results indicate that the drug freely enters the synovial fluid and suggests that metronidazole would prove effective in the treatment of septic arthritis due to anaerobic bacteria.

Gynecol Obstet Invest, 1982, 13(1), 2 - 8
Bacteriologic aspects of pelvic inflammatory disease in gynecologic patients; Creatsas GK et al.; The bacteriology of acute pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) was studied in 65 women . Endometrial, endocervical and vaginal cuff cultures were taken . In some cases blood cultures and cultures from the cul-de-sac or pelvic abscess were also obtained . Mixed organisms (aerobes and anaerobes) were the most common isolates from the endometrial, endocervical or vaginal cuff cultures, present in 40% . Neiseria gonorrhoeae was isolated in 8 (12.30%) endocervical specimens . Anaerobes were the most common bacteria recovered from cul-de-sac aspirates, pelvic abscesses and blood cultures . The combination of gentamicin, penicillin and metronidazole was the most common antibiotic scheme used . However, other antibiotics as cefoxitin and clindamycin were also used according to the sensitivity test . These data support the polymicrobial etiology of the disease and suggest: (1) the high incidence of anaerobic or mixed infections, and (2) the relatively low incidence of gonococcus in the studied cases.

Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand, 1982, 61(1), 21 - 4
Infertility and uterine colonization with Ureaplasma urealyticum; Stray-Pedersen B et al.; Samples of cervical mucus and endometrial tissue from 379 women who were infertile for various reasons were examined for the presence of Ureaplasma urealyticum, and the results were compared with those obtained in 40 fertile women . In the cervical samples U . urealyticum was present in about half of the women in both groups, whereas positive cultures from the endometrium were obtained significantly more often among the infertile patients (26%) than among the controls (7.5%) . Between the different infertility subgroups (unaccountable infertility, infertility caused by tubal abnormalities, husband infertility and other known causes) no significant differences were found . The presence of U . urealyticum in the endometrium was asymptomatic and was not related to prior pelvic inflammatory disease . In 14% of the Ureaplasma-positive endometria, aerobic or anaerobic bacteria were demonstrated . A treatment trial was also included in the study, but did not arrive at any definite conclusion as to the specific role of endometrial Ureaplasma colonization in infertility.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1982 Jan, 43(1), 255 - 6
Simple and convenient method for culturing anaerobic bacteria; Behbehani MJ et al.; A simple and convenient method for culturing anaerobic bacteria is described . Cultures can be grown in commercially available flasks normally used for preparation of sterile external solutions . A special disposable rubber flask closure maintains anaerobic conditions in the flask after autoclaving . Growth of a variety of anaerobic oral bacteria was comparable to that obtained after anaerobic incubation of broth cultures in Brewer Anaerobic Jars.

J Infect Dis, 1982 Jan, 145(1), 1 - 8
Quantitative bacteriology of amniotic fluid from women with clinical intraamniotic infection at term; Gibbs RS et al.; Amniotic fluid was collected through an intrauterine catheter from 52 women with clinical intraamniotic infection and from 52 uninfected matched control women . The amniotic fluid was cultured quantitatively for anaerobes and aerobes . Patients with intraamniotic infection were matched with the control women on the basis of gestational age, interval from membrane rupture to specimen collection, and interval from membrane rupture to delivery . The patients with intraamniotic infection had a significantly higher mean temperature (38.4 vs . 37.1 C) and a higher mean leukocyte count (15,740 vs . 11,740 cells/mm3) . In 80.6% of specimens from the women with intraamniotic infection and 30.8% of those from the control subjects, greater than or equal to 10(2) colony-forming units (cfu)/ml were isolated from the amniotic fluid (P less than 0.001) . Also, in 69.2% of the former and 7.7% of the latter, there were greater than or equal to 10(2) cfu of isolates considered to be "high-virulence" isolates/ml (P less than 0.001).

Scand J Infect Dis Suppl, 1982, 35, 31 - 6
Antibiotic sensitivity testing of anaerobes; Phillips I; Most of the methods devised for testing the antibiotic susceptibility of aerobes have been applied to anaerobes . In addition to the problems intrinsic to these methods, additional difficulties arise from anaerobiosis itself, from variability of carbon dioxide concentrations and pH, from problems in preparation and definition of inoculum, from the rich media required for growth by some fastidious anaerobes, and from the lack of suitable control microorganisms of known sensitivity . Among the procedures described, MIC determination on solid media is suitable for research and for use as a standard, and MIC in liquid media for routine use but disc tests are of limited usefulness . Changes in hitherto relatively stable patterns of susceptibility among anaerobes may well necessitate an increase of sensitivity testing in diagnostic laboratories.

Zentralbl Chir, 1982, 107(11), 639 - 47
{Infections with non-sporing anaerobic bacteria . Diagnostics, therapy and clinical importance}; Naumann G; The increasing significance of infections with non-sporing anaerobic bacteria is a very important problem for clinicians and microbiologists too . The author deals with the properties of anaerobic bacteria and gives a review of our present knowledge in the fields of clinical symptoms, the mechanisms of pathogenicity . Especially, emphasis is laid on the collection and transportation of specimens for anaerobic cultures . Possibilities of rapid laboratory diagnosis are described as well as the exact bacteriological diagnosis and the in-vitro testing in case of antimicrobial susceptibility . Remarks on the clinical significance and chemotherapy of anaerobic infections complete this review.

Lab Anim, 1982 Jan, 16(1), 59 - 64
Association of germfree mice with intestinal microfloras obtained from "normal" mice; Koopman JP et al.; A cultured microflora obtained from the caecum of a "normal" mouse was given to 4 groups of germfree mice and was supplied 1x, 2x, 3x and 4x respectively at 5-day intervals . Another group received a 10(-7) dilution of the caecal flora while a group associated with an 'SPF' flora served as control . The difference (measured by 8 parameters) between mice supplied with the cultured flora or with a 10(-7) dilution, both given once only, was small . Supplying the flora 3x resulted in more 'normal' mice compared with mice which received the flora once or twice . The caeca of specified-pathogen-free mice contained more bacteria per gram (microscopic bacterial count), less aerobic and anaerobic bacteria per gram (viable counts), while the yield as percentage of the microscopic bacterial count was lower as compared with the group to which a cultured flora was supplied 4 times.

Clin Ther, 1982, 5 Suppl A, 74 - 82
Comparison of cefotaxime with cefazolin for prophylaxis of vaginal or abdominal hysterectomy; Roy S et al.; One hundred fourteen women undergoing vaginal hysterectomy (n = 63) or abdominal hysterectomy (n = 51) were randomly allocated to one of three groups: regimen 1--cefotaxime perioperatively; regimen 2--cefotaxime perioperatively and for 24 hours postoperatively; or regimen 3--cefazolin perioperatively and for 24 hours postoperatively . Febrile morbidity was evaluated with respect to antibiotics, number of doses, type of procedure, operative time, estimated blood loss, and wound bacteriology . Of the patients who underwent vaginal hysterectomy, febrile morbidity occurred in three of 24 on regimen 1, one of 23 on regimen 2, and zero of 16 on regimen 3 . Of those patients who underwent abdominal hysterectomy, febrile morbidity occurred in three of 18 on regimen 1, zero of 19 on regimen 2, and two of 14 on regimen 3 . There were no significant differences among regimens in the incidence of febrile morbidity after vaginal or abdominal hysterectomy . Findings indicate, however, that febrile morbidity correlates with the type of procedure rather than with any of the other variables studied . Return of vaginal flora (aerobes, anaerobes, or mixed) was similar with all regimens . Cefotaxime was found to be as effective as cefazolin in reducing febrile morbidity.

Clin Ther, 1982, 5 Suppl A, 26 - 31
Clinical comparison of cefotaxime versus the combination of gentamicin plus clindamycin in the treatment of polymicrobial soft-tissue surgical sepsis; Strom PR et al.; The safety and efficacy of cefotaxime versus a combination of gentamicin and clindamycin were compared in a prospective, randomized study of 98 surgical patients with polymicrobial soft-tissue infection or septicemia . Forty-nine patients received cefotaxime (20 mg/kg every six hours), and 49 received gentamicin (1 mg/kg every eight hours) plus clindamycin (5 mg/kg every six hours); all drugs were given intravenously . Overall, there was no statistical difference in clinical response to the two regimens, infection being eliminated in 73% of the patients treated with cefotaxime and 71% of those given gentamicin plus clindamycin . Adverse effects were mild and self-limited in both treatment groups, although three patients treated with gentamicin plus clindamycin experienced some loss of renal function . Most aerobic gram-negative rods were sensitive to both cefotaxime and gentamicin, but anaerobes were slightly more sensitive to clindamycin than to cefotaxime . Cefotaxime appeared to be at least as effective as gentamicin plus clindamycin in the treatment of polymicrobial soft-tissue infections and septicemia, and, in light of the loss of renal function associated with the gentamicin-clindamycin regimen, somewhat safer . The high failure rate among patients on both regimens with septicemia of unknown origin (five of the nine treated with cefotaxime and two of the four treated with gentamicin and clindamycin), however, indicates the critical role of surgical management in the treatment of polymicrobial soft-tissue sepsis.

Arch Intern Med, 1981 Dec, 141(13), 1771 - 6
Empyema thoracis during a ten-year period . Analysis of 72 cases and comparison to a previous study (1952 to 1967); Varkey B et al.; In this series of 72 cases of empyema, 28 patients (38.8) had anaerobes isolated from their pleural fluid cultures . In 22 patients, anaerobes were the only isolates, and in six there were also aerobes . This observed frequency (38.8%) of anaerobic empyema is notably greater than the frequency noted in an earlier study (1952 to 1967) from the Veterans Administration Medical Center, Wood, Wis, while the contribution of various pathogenetic mechanisms was similar . Although closed chest tube drainage was instituted initially in 51 patients, 18 patients (35%) subsequently required additional procedures . The case-fatality ratio was 51.4% in this study compared with 46.6% in the earlier study . Twenty-two patients died during the same hospitalization period while the empyema was an active problem . Six (8.3%) of these empyema-related deaths occurred in patients without underlying disease, while 16 (22.2%) were in patients with underlying diseases.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1981 Dec, 251(2), 248 - 62
{Effect of anaerobiosis in 6 blood-culture media on the recovery rate of aerobic microorganisms (author's transl)}; Abdou MA et al.; Commercially manufactured blood-culture bottles with 6 different culture media have been considered in this study . The bottles were respectively supplemented with 10% fresh human blood and inoculated with obligate aerobic and facultative anaerobic microorganisms known to cause bacteremia and fungemia . The inoculum size ranged from less than 10 to 10(2) CFU per blood-culture bottle . The study was carried out by alternately incubating one set of bottles anaerobically for two days before being vented, while the other set was vented immediately after inoculation . The effect of anaerobic and aerobic atmospheres on growth intensity, recovery rate and survival durability of the 11 microbial strains has been studied . The maintenance of anaerobic atmosphere for 2 days before venting the blood-culture bottles caused: a) 2 to 4 days delay in detecting nonfastidious bacteria and fungi; b) rapid death of acid-sensitive bacteria in poorly buffered culture media; c) inability of fastidious bacteria to grow in any of the 6 culture media . On the other hand venting the blood-culture bottles immediately after inoculation enabled: a) rapid detection of bacteria by an early subculture after 8 hours of incubation; b) diagnostic advantage of at least 2 days with rapidly growing bacteria which make more than 50% of the whole microbial spectrum; c) good growth of fastidious bacteria . Collectively, brain heart dipeptone broth proved to be the most effective culture medium for detection of obligate aerobic microorganisms responsible for bacteremia.

Z Kinderchir, 1981 Nov, 34(3), 227 - 35
Tobramycin-clindamycin versus cephalothin-cephalexin in the treatment of appendicular peritonitis; Gripenberg L et al.; Forty-seven children, ages 1 to 14 years, with appendicular peritonitis were randomly divided into two groups: 27 were treated with the combination tobramycin-clindamycin and 20 with cephalothin followed by cephalexin . The overall rate of complications was 32% . Patients who had had their symptoms for less than 48 hours before being admitted to hospital had significantly fewer complications than those whose symptoms had lasted longer . Patients treated with tobramycin-clindamycin had significantly fewer wound infections . As clindamycin is effective against anaerobes this observation supports the view that anaerobes play an important role in the infectious complications in peritonitis . In this series, 12 species of aerobes and eight species of anaerobes were cultured from peritoneal fluid . In eight patients only one species was isolated; in the remaining 39 patients 29 different combinations of bacteria were encountered . Early diagnosis and administration of antibiotics preoperatively or during surgery, including clindamycin, metronidazol or tinidazol is recommended in the treatment of children with appendicular peritonitis.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1981 Nov, 20(5), 696 - 8
Evaluation of a direct blood culture disk diffusion antimicrobial susceptibility test; Doern GV et al.; A total of 556 unique blood culture isolates of nonfastidious aerobic and facultatively anaerobic bacteria were examined by direct and standardized disk susceptibility test methods (4,234 antibiotic-organism comparisons) . When discrepancies which could be accounted for by the variability inherent in disk diffusion susceptibility tests were excluded, the direct method demonstrated 96.8% overall agreement with the standardized method . A total of 1.6% minor, 1.5% major, and 0.1% very major discrepancies were noted.

Clin Pediatr (Phila), 1981 Nov, 20(11), 748 - 50
Subcutaneous fat necrosis of the newborn; Mogilner BM et al.; A case of subcutaneous fat necrosis of the newborn is described . Severe perinatal asphyxia preceded the appearance of the skin lesions . Premature rupture of membranes and the presence of foul-smelling meconium raised the possibility of infection by anaerobes as an additional etiologic factor . The main hypotheses concerning the cause and pathogenesis of this condition are reviewed . The alarming clinical picture that stands in sharp contrast to the benign prognosis is stressed.

Br J Cancer, 1981 Nov, 44(5), 741 - 5
Interaction of nitroimidazole drugs with DNA in vitro: structure-activity relationships; Knox RJ et al.; An electrolytic reduction system has been developed to model the cytotoxic action of a range of nitroimidazole drugs against DNA hypoxic cells or anaerobic microorganisms . THe degree of damage induced by these drugs (measured as the release of {14C}-dT from DNA) and their relative rates of reduction have been correlated with their redox potentials . The results show that the correlation of drug-induced damage and electron affinity is related to the amount of drug reduced, and supports the hypothesis that at the molecular level the cytotoxic mechanism of reduced nitroimidazoles is identical in hypoxic mammalian cells, bacteria and protozoa.

Drug Intell Clin Pharm, 1981 Nov, 15(11), 838 - 46
Metronidazole (Flagyl IV, Searle); Stranz MH et al.; Metronidazole is a narrow spectrum antibiotic with undoubted efficacy against common anaerobic bacteria; resistance is unusual . Therapeutic concentrations of the drug are attained throughout most body compartments after either oral or intravenous administration . The limited side effects of metronidazole are generally tolerable, transient, or reversible . Clinically, metronidazole is as effective as clindamycin and probably chloramphenicol against anaerobes . It has a definite advantage over clindamycin in CNS infections since clindamycin does not penetrate the CSF well . Metronidazole has no irreversible hematologic toxicities, nor has pseudomembranous colitis been definitely attributed to intravenous use of the drug . Metronidazole may replace chloramphenicol for use in anaerobic infections since it lacks the predictable hematologic toxicity of the latter drug . It should also be useful in patients who fail to respond to clindamycin or who develop pseudomembranous colitis while receiving clindamycin . Problems with metronidazole include a complicated preparation procedure, and the high cost of the drug . The single major drawback to the use of metronidazole is uncertainty about its carcinogenic potential in humans . Metronidazole is carcinogenic in animals and mutagenic in vitro, but has not increased the incidence of cancer in humans followed for relatively short periods . Thus, the risk appears to be small . Still, the question will not be resolved for years because of the long latency periods involved in carcinogenesis . Until that time, metronidazole should be used conservatively.

Rev Infect Dis, 1981 Nov-Dec, 3 suppl, S259 - 68
Antibiotic prophylaxis in cancer patients: regimens of oral, nonabsorbable antibiotics for prevention of infection during induction of remission; Bodey GP; The high frequency of complications caused by infections during therapy of malignant diseases has led to the development of prophylactic programs . The most effective prophylaxis has included the use of protected environments and antibiotic regimens (PEPA) . Most oral prophylactic regimens include vancomycin to provide coverage against aerobic, gram-positive cocci and some anaerobes . Regimens of nonabsorbable antibiotics are effective in eliminating the vast majority of bacteria from the stool, but the antifungal agents are less effective . However, once the antibiotic regimen is discontinued, organisms previously cultured will reappear . Several prospective, randomized studies have been conducted of patients with acute leukemia who are undergoing chemotherapy administered to induce remission . The frequency of complications caused by infection has been significantly lower for patients in the PEPA program than for controls . A recent study of patients with lymphoma has shown that patients in the PEPA program can tolerate higher doses of chemotherapy than can control patients and that they have lower frequency of complications caused by infection.

Schweiz Med Wochenschr, 1981 Oct 17, 111(42), 1557 - 62
{Inquiry on the use of cephalosporins in Switzerland}; Keller H; In July of 1980 an inquiry was conducted on the use of cephalosporins (CS) in Swiss hospitals . 387 senior physicians answered the questionnaire with reference to the following points: -- Frequency of CS administration compared with the use of aminopenicillins and of combinations of several penicillins . -- Reasons for switching from one CS to another CS derivative . -- Major indications and principles of CS administration . -- Frequency of oral administration of CS . -- Use of CS in bacterial meningitis and in infections by anaerobic bacteria . -- Combination with aminoglycosides . -- Preference to particular CS derivatives . In the light of practical experience and a multitude of additional comments by the respondent physicians, an attempt is made to define guidelines for CS application.

Sex Transm Dis, 1981 Oct-Dec, 8(4 suppl), 316 - 20
Current therapy of vulvovaginitis; Rein MF; Trichomoniasis is reliably treated with a single 2-g dose of metronidazole; however, with this regimen simultaneous treatment of sexual partners is particularly important . Trichomoniasis in pregnant women, who should not receive metronidazole, might be treated initially with clotrimazole vaginal suppositories, which appear to cure about 50% of cases . Topical antifungal agents of the imidazole class are superior to polyenes in treating vulvovaginal candidiasis . Boric acid powder applied intravaginally in gelatin capsules for 14 days appears as effective as imidazoles . Nonspecific vaginitis is now recognized as involving infection with anaerobic bacteria of the vaginal flora as well as Gardnerella vaginalis . The condition is most successfully treated with a seven-day course of metronidazole, which probably acts by eradicating the anaerobes . In addition, metabolites of metronidazole may act directly on G . vaginalis . Sulfanilamide-aminacrine-allantoin preparations are much less effective than specific therapies and have no role in the treatment of vulvovaginitis.

Clin Pediatr (Phila), 1981 Oct, 20(10), 667 - 9
Pyogenic osteomyelitis versus pseudo-osteomyelitis in Gaucher's disease . Report of a case and review of the literature; Schubiner H et al.; Presented is a young girl with Gaucher's disease who developed acute bone pain accompanied by signs of inflammation and who was felt to have possible pyogenic osteomyelitis . The lack of significant pathogenic bacterial growth on culture and the findings at orthopedic surgery led the authors to conclude that this child probably represented a case of pseudo-osteomyelitis, but the isolation of an anaerobe from the operative culture of the involved bone leaves the exact diagnosis unclear . Since this child underwent an open surgical procedure, she was treated with antibiotics to prevent the possible development of chronic osteomyelitis . This anaerobic growth on culture, although strongly felt to be a contaminant, also played a role in this decision . She had an uneventful hospital course and subsequently has done well . It is suggested that great caution be taken before subjecting a patient with Gaucher's disease to orthopedic surgical procedures . If pyogenic osteomyelitis is strongly suspected, obtaining multiple blood cultures and culture by needle aspirate may be preferred over an open surgical procedure . The use of empiric antibiotic therapy without an attempt at further diagnosis is not recommended . If an orthopedic surgical procedure is necessary in a patient with Gaucher's disease, antibiotic coverage is indicated and long-term observation of the operative sight for drainage and/or other signs of chronic inflammatory changes in mandatory.

J Clin Microbiol, 1981 Oct, 14(4), 389 - 92
Comparison of a slide blood culture system with a supplemented peptone broth culture method; Bryan LE; A slide blood culture system (Roche Diagnostics, Div . Hoffman-La Roche, Inc., Montreal, Canada; Roche BCB) was compared with a supplemented peptone broth Vacutainer method (Becton, Dickinson & Co., Rutherford, N.J.) on blood samples taken from the same 1,209 patients . Significantly more clinically important isolates were isolates with the Roche BCB system, and technical processing time was reduced . However, significantly more contaminants were isolated with the Roche BCB system, and it could not readily be adapted for anaerobic culture . Contamination was reduced by careful tightening of the slide to the bottle top to prevent any leakage . Overall, the BCB system is a satisfactory method for aerobic blood culture, markedly reducing technical processing time relative to most other blood culture methods.

Arch Intern Med, 1981 Oct, 141(11), 1424 - 7
Metronidazole vs clindamycin treatment of anerobic pulmonary infection . Failure of metronidazole therapy; Perlino CA; Metronidazole has important in vitro bactericidal activity against strict anaerobic bacteria and has been used successfully in the treatment of infection due to these organisms . In this randomized study, the efficacy of metronidazole was compared with clindamycin in the treatment of patients with anaerobic lung abscess or necrotizing pneumonia . Six patients with lung abscesses and one with necrotizing pneumonia received metronidazole; six patients with lung abscesses, three with necrotizing pneumonia, and one with pneumonia and empyema received clindamycin . Three patients with lung abscesses and one with necrotizing pneumonia failed to respond to metronidazole treatment . One clindamycin-treated patient died of causes unrelated to antibiotic therapy . The results of this study suggest that metronidazole treatment of anaerobic pulmonary infections is less effective than currently available therapy.

Can Med Assoc J, 1981 Sep 15, 125(6), 589 - 92
Pyometra; Muram D et al.; Pyometra is a potentially lethal disease . Eighteen cases, all but one in postmenopausal women, were diagnosed at the Ottawa General and Ottawa Civic hospitals between 1974 and 1978 inclusive . A review of this series and of the literature demonstrates that a large proportion of cases (72% in this series) are associated with or follow radiotherapy for a malignant disease of the uterus and that anaerobic bacteria are frequently isolated from the uterine cavity (in 56% of the patients in this series) . Because pyometra is potentially lethal (one patient in our series died) it should be considered as an abscess and treated promptly and vigorously by evacuation and continued drainage of the uterine cavity . Curettage of the cavity and the endocervical canal after dilatation is essential to rule out associated malignant disease as well as to debride the necrotic tissue . Antibiotics effective against aerobic and anaerobic bacteria should be given to all patients with signs of systemic infection . Once the infection is controlled, the underlying problem can be treated.

Jpn J Antibiot, 1981 Sep, 34(9), 1320 - 34
{Bacteriological and clinical studies of cefoxitin with special reference to anaerobic infections in the patients of abdominal surgery (author's transl)}; Karaki K et al.; Both bacteriological and clinical studies of the effectiveness of cefoxitin (CFX) in the treatment of infections associated with abdominal surgery have been carried out at Tokyo Metropolitan Toshima Hospital from September 1979 through August 1980 . The results of these studies are summarized in the following: 1 . The clinical isolates from the 29 surgical patients were studied and anaerobes were found in 16 patients (55% of the patients) . B . fragilis was found in 11 of the 16 patients (69%) from whom anaerobes were isolated . In all of these patients, aerobes were also isolated--most frequently E . coli or K . pneumoniae . 2 . The in vitro antibacterial activity of cefoxitin (CFX) against 83 clinical isolates was compared to that of cephalothin (CET), cefazolin (CEZ) and carbenicillin (CBPC) . The activity of CFX against Gram-positive bacteria was generally slightly inferior to that of the other 3 antibiotics . Among the Gram-negative aerobic organisms, CEZ was the most active against E . coli and CFX and CEZ against K . pneumoniae . However, CFX, with MIC's of 0.78-12.5 micrograms/ml, showed the greatest activity against B . fragilis, followed by CBPC, CEZ and CET, in order of decreasing activity . 3 . CFX was administered in a 1-hour drip infusion to 3 patients following abdominal surgery, and concentrations of CFX in the serum and the exudate were measured . Peak serum concentrations were obtained at the end of the infusion, with a mean peak level of 97.93 micrograms/ml . Peak concentrations in the exudate were observed 30 to 60 minutes later and varied from 21.10 to 56.25 micrograms/ml . 4 . Of the 20 patients administered of CFX, complete clinical and bacteriological data of anaerobic infections were available in 8 patients . The clinical evaluation was 'good' in 7 patients and 'fair' in 1 . The bacteriological evaluation was 'eradicated' in 5 patients and 'decreased' in 3 . As for side effects, elevations of S-GOT and S-GPT were observed in 4 of the 20 patients received CFX, but these abnormalities might also be attributable to other factors such as underlying disease, surgical intervention etc . No other side effects were found in these patients.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1981 Sep, 34(9), 1101 - 6
Kijanimicin (Sch 25663), a novel antibiotic produced by Actinomadura kijaniata SCC 1256 . Fermentation, isolation, characterization and biological properties; Waitz JA et al.; A novel antibiotic complex has been isolated form the fermentation broth of a new species of Actinomadura, A . kijaniata SCC 1256 . The complex was separated form the broth by a solvent extraction procedure and consists of 1 major component, designated kijanimicin, and 3 minor components . Kijanimicin was isolated form the complex by column chromatography and/or preparative high pressure liquid chromatography . Structurally the compound is a unique, large acid enol antibiotic and possesses an unusual in vitro spectrum of activity against some Gram-positive and anaerobic microorganisms . In vivo it has also shown interesting activity against malaria.

Obstet Gynecol, 1981 Sep, 58(3), 397 - 8
Fatal peritonitis following IUD-associated salpingitis; Maloy AL et al.; Previous reports have implicated the Dalkon shield intrauterine device (IUD) in septic second trimester abortion and maternal death from sepsis . In the case reported here, Fusobacterium necrophorum, a rarely pathogenic vaginal anaerobe, gained access to the uterus in a woman wearing a Dalkon shield and caused acute parametritis, overwhelming peritonitis, systemic sepsis, and death . It is well known that IUDs can contribute to the development of serious pelvic infections, and in this case it is possible that the Dalkon shield was the cause of the ascending infection into the uterus.

Chirurg, 1981 Sep, 52(9), 577 - 85
{Antibiotic prophylaxis in colorectal surgery: is there a drug of choice?}; Kusche J et al.; It is possible to reduce the rate of septic complications following colorectal operations by a prophylactic antibiotic regimen . After the evaluation of 67 controlled clinical trials a combination of antibiotics disintegrating aerobic and anaerobic bacteria was recognized as an effective antibiotic prophylaxis . Clinically proved combinations are neomycin/metronidazole and neomycin/bacitracin.

Arch Intern Med, 1981 Sep, 141(10), 1369 - 72
Bacterial meningitis in the absence of CSF pleocytosis; Fishbein DB et al.; Two cases of acute bacterial meningitis occurred with an absent CSF WBC response . To determine the incidence and clinical characteristics of such patients, 50 consecutive cases of meningitis were reviewed retrospectively . In addition to the two initially noted cases, five additional cases were found . In the seven cases, there were six or fewer cells, but bacteria were detected in the CSF . A distinctive clinical and laboratory syndrome emerged . All seven patients were either old or had Hodgkin's disease or severe alcoholism . All patients had evidence of an overwhelming infection with confusion or nuchal rigidity . As compared with the remaining 45 patients with meningitis and CSF pleocytosis, no fever (less than 38 degrees C), a lower peripheral WBC count, and near-normal CSF glucose and protein concentrations were common . Organisms involved were EScherichia coli in three patients, Pneumococcus in three patients, and mixed anaerobes in patient . A fatal outcome ensued in six of seven patients . Despite the correct choice of an antibacterial agent, doses were late and suboptimal for meningitis . This syndrome is surprisingly common in host-defective cases, has an ominous prognosis, and must be treated expectantly with antimicrobial agents that enter the CSF.

Eur J Pediatr, 1981 Sep, 137(1), 91 - 3
Pneumatosis intestinalis in children with leukaemia; report of three cases; Galal O et al.; Three children with leukaemia (one with acute myeloid, two with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia) developed pneumatosis intestinalis during cytostatic treatment . The aetiology of pneumatosis intestinalis in these children could not be elucidated . Pneumatosis intestinalis may be caused by entry of gas into a bowel wall which is altered by steroid or cytostatic treatment . Otherwise, anaerobic bacteria may produce gas in the intestinal walls, therefore we treated all children with metronidazole.

J Clin Gastroenterol, 1981 Sep, 3(3), 247 - 54
Chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction; Hirsh EH et al.; Intestinal pseudo-obstruction (IP) is an uncommon disorder of gut motility which must be differentiated from mechanical intestinal obstruction . We have seen 11 such patients over the last 5 years . Characteristic symptoms, shared by mechanical obstruction, include abdominal distention and pain, nausea, and vomiting . Radiologic studies reveal dilated loops of bowel with air fluid levels . In most patients a major differentiating feature from obstruction may be the presence of diarrhea rather than obstipation . Steatorrhea is secondary to an overgrowth of anaerobic bacteria in the motionless dilated loops of bowel . IP has been associated with various disorders: in our series two patients had scleroderma, one multiple small bowel diverticula, one systemic amyloidosis, one celiac disease, and one spinal cord injury; in only two patients was the disorder considered "idiopathic." Three patients had previously undergone a jejuno--ileal bypass for morbid obesity . During the acute episode, the patients were treated symptomatically with decompression by nasogastric or rectal tube with fluid and electrolyte replacement . Malabsorption treated with broad spectrum antibiotics reversing the steatorrhea but not episodes of pseudo-obstruction . Magnesium deficiency was present in seven patients and its correction resulted in amelioration of the symptom complex . In two patients episodes of pseudo-obstruction were markedly reduced by metoclopramide which was not effective in two others.

Mol Biochem Parasitol, 1981 Aug, 3(4), 205 - 14
The aerobic energy metabolism of the juvenile Fasciola hepatica; Tielens AG et al.; Juvenile Fasciola hepatica were isolated immediately after in vitro emergence from the metacercarial cysts and incubated with uniformly labelled glucose . Under aerobic conditions, carbon dioxide was the main end product of glucose breakdown . In the absence of oxygen, glucose was fermented mainly to propionate and acetate in a molar ratio of 2 : 1, with lactate as a minor product . This anaerobic end-product pattern closely resembles that of the adult liver fluke . In the presence of oxygen and 1 mM cyanide, lactate accumulated . The difference between anaerobic glucose breakdown and that in the presence of cyanide is explained by an inhibitory effect of cyanide on the malic enzyme (EC 1.1.1.40) of the juvenile mitochondria . A substantial Pasteur effect is calculated from these incubations . The oxygen consumption of the juveniles was completely cyanide-sensitive . From these results it is concluded that in aerobic conditions the juvenile liver flukes have an aerobic energy metabolism . Since they can survive prolonged periods of anaerobiosis, they should be called facultative anaerobes.

Minerva Chir, 1981 Jul 15-31, 36(13-14), 941 - 3
{Antibiotic preparation in operations on the large intestine . Experimental study}; Cafiero F et al.; A controlled study was mounted to assess the possible benefit of a single phlebo administration of 600 mg lincomycin 1 hr prior to colon surgery, in addition to the erythromycin + neomycin combination proposed by Nichols, as a means of constituting a further pharmacological barrier to the spread of anaerobic bacteria . The study currently comprises two groups of 15 patients fully comparable with regard to pathology distribution and randomly assigned to the E.N . and the E.N.L . protocol respectively . Six instances of septic complication have been observed, five in the group prepared with E.N . and 1 prepared with E.N.L . No significance can be attached to the different incidence of complications in the two arms of the study, owing to the small number of cases examined.

Nippon Seikeigeka Gakkai Zasshi, 1981 Jul, 55(7), 665 - 79
{Studies on bone infections induced by non-spore-forming anaerobic bacteria--clinical investigation and an experimental osteomyelitis (author's transl)}; Wakahara K; Little information is available in Japan regarding the clinical and experimental bone infections induced by non-spore-forming anaerobic bacteria . 1) The detection of anaerobic bacteria using the pre-reduced anaerobically sterilized GAM medium was carried out on 15 patients admitted to the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Gifu University Hospital due to bone infections in the past 2 years (1977-1978) . Anaerobic bacteria were isolated and identified in 7 patients out of the 15 (46.7%) . Complications of various kinds of neurological disease, such as caudal nerve injury, spinal cord tumor and other neuropathies, were also detected in these patients . In addition, the complication of diabetes mellitus was found in 2 patients . All patients had open wounds, decubitus on sacral region or intractable ulcer of foot infected with both anaerobes and aerobes . II) The attempt to make an experimental osteomyelitis was undertaken using non-spore-forming anaerobic bacteria B . fragilis . A) B . fragilis (10(5) CFU) adsorbed on a 10 mm No . 8 silk thread was inserted into the medullary cavity of the left tibia of Sprague Dawley rat through trocar equipped with a mandrine . Experimental osteomyelitis was shown to be quite similar to that of human by X-ray and pathohistological examinations . By using this procedure, it is possible not only to produce an osteomyelitis in 100 per cent, but also to observe it for 16 weeks without any loss of test rats . B) Injection of B . fragilis (10(6) CFU) with 5% sodium morrhuate into the medullary cavity of the rat tibia through a microsyringe did not induce osteomyelitis produced by S . aureus or P . aeruginosa . On the other hand, sodium morrhuate was observed to have an inhibitory effect on the growth of B . fragilis in vitro.

Acta Otolaryngol, 1981 Jul-Aug, 92(1-2), 123 - 30
Bacteria in the middle ear and ear canal of patients with secretory otitis media and with non-inflamed ears; Sipila P et al.; Aerobic and anaerobic semiquantitative bacteriological cultures were taken from 110 mucoid middle ear effusions and the respective ear canals of 74 patients with secretory otitis media (SOM) . Additionally, mucosal pieces from 20 non-inflamed middle ears and swabs from the ear canals were cultured similarly . Bacteria were found in 35 effusions and 65 ear canals with SOM; in both sites the most frequent species were S . epidermidis and S . aureus, and the species distributions were not significantly different in the sites . Ten effusions grew bacteria not culturable in the respective ear canal samples . Anaerobes were found in one effusion only . Nine non-inflamed middle ears revealed bacteria; the species distribution was no different from SOM, and four of the bacteria were not found in the ear canal of the same ear . In conclusion, there may be bacteria in the middle ear in the absence of inflammation and in SOM, but the role of viable bacteria seems to be nil in an established secretory otitis media.

Am J Otol, 1981 Jul, 3(1), 65 - 7
Effectiveness of prophylactic antibiotic treatment in mastoid surgery; Winerman I et al.; This article describes a prospective study of the effectiveness of prophylactic antibiotic treatment in preventing infection following mastoid surgery . Seventy-two patients who underwent surgery for chronic middle ear disease served as the basis for this study . Bacteriologic findings from middle ear discharge, showing aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, are reported . The patients were randomly classified into two groups, one undergoing surgery with preventive antibiotic treatment with clindamycin and gentamycin and the other undergoing surgery without antibiotic therapy . The early postoperative inflammatory complications are presented . No significant differences were found in the incidence of these complications between the two groups . In view of the results, the effectiveness of preventive antibiotic treatment in mastoid surgery is questioned.

J Bacteriol, 1981 Jul, 147(1), 57 - 61
Phospholipid biosynthesis in some anaerobic bacteria; Silber P et al.; We have identified and characterized enzymes of phospholipid synthesis in two plasmalogen-rich anaerobes . Megasphaera elsdenii and Veillonella parvula, and one anaerobe lacking plasmalogens . Desulfovibrio vulgaris . All three species contained phosphatidate cytidylyltransferase and phosphatidylserine synthase . Phosphatidylglycerophosphate synthesis was detected only D . vulgaris extracts . Phosphatidylserine (diacyl form) was the major product of the phosphatidylserine synthase assay with particles from M . elsdenii or V . parvula . The amounts of phosphatidylethanolamine formed were very low . Only D . vulgaris particles had an active phosphatidylserine decarboxylase.

S Afr Med J, 1981 Jun 13, 59(25), 911 - 3
Prophylactic and antimicrobial therapy using lincomycin in patients undergoing emergency caesarean section; Moodley J et al.; The influence of prophylactic antimicrobial therapy with lincomycin and metronidazole on the vaginal carriage rates of anaerobes and the development of postoperative infection was studied in 60 women who underwent emergency surgery . Lincomycin prophylaxis in 20 patients led to a decrease in the vaginal carriage rate from 85% pre-operatively to 20% on both the 3rd and the 5th postoperative day . Metronidazole prophylaxis resulted in a similar decrease . In the placebo group of 20 patients no significant decrease in anaerobic yield was noted, the corresponding figures being 100%, 75% and 80% respectively . Furthermore, 6 of the placebo group had wound infections, compared with one each in the lincomycin and metronidazole groups.

J Vet Pharmacol Ther, 1981 Jun, 4(2), 121 - 7
Metronidazole: a method for its determination in biological fluids and its disposition kinetics in the dog; Neff-Davis CA et al.; A method for the analytical determination of metronidazole concentrations in biological tissues was developed using high performance liquid chromatography . The procedure was employed to investigate the pharmacokinetics of metronidazole in dogs following intravenous and oral administration (44 mg/kg) . The overall elimination rate constant beta was 0.0027 +/- 0.0005 min-1, the apparent specific volume of distribution (V'd) was 0.948 +/- 0.096 L/kg overall clearance (ClB) was 2.49 +/- 0.54 ml/kg/min and the rate constant for absorption Kab was 0.0456 +/- 0.0353 min-1 . Oral bioavailability was high but variable (59%-100%) . Implications of these data for chemotherapy of infections caused by anaerobic bacteria, trichomonads, and Giardia and for the sensitization of hypoxic neoplastic cells to radiotherapy are discussed.

Laryngoscope, 1981 Jun, 91(6), 910 - 7
The effect of hemolyzed erythrocytes in the virulence of Escherichia coli and of normal human oral flora in a mouse model; Hoffman HT et al.; Hemoglobin enhances the virulence of E . coli in the peritoneum . This study investigates the effect of blood on the virulence of E . coli and human oral anaerobes in the mouse neck . E . coli neck infectivity is significantly enhanced by blood . Oral anaerobic infections are not affected.

J Pediatr Surg, 1981 Jun, 16(3), 246 - 51
Cellulitis and necrotizing fasciitis of the abdominal wall in pediatric patients; Kosloske AM et al.; Soft tissue infections of the abdominal wall in 14 children were classified as cellulitis (8), necrotizing fasciitis (5), or myositis/myonecrosis (1) . These 3 categories were characterized by increasing anatomic depth of infection, clinical severity, and need for more radical surgical treatment . Ten of the 14 children were neonates . The most frequent associations were omphalitis (5), necrotizing enterocolitis (4), and urachal anomalies (3) . The severest infections were usually polymicrobial and contained both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria . Important clinical findings in children with necrotizing fasciitis and myositis/myonecrosis were tachycardia, systemic toxicity, severe edema, and, in older children, pain out of proportion to the apparent degree of infection . None of the children had fever or crepitation of the wound . An ominous sign, indicative of the need for immediate, radical debridement was the appearance of a patch of dusky or gangrenous skin . There were two deaths associated with delayed diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis . One child did not receive radical debridement, and the other received it too late to be of benefit . Although these infections are rare in children, their lethal potential and early diagnostic signs must be recognized.

Eur J Biochem, 1981 Jun 1, 116(3), 587 - 94
Purification and properties of two 2-oxoacid:ferredoxin oxidoreductases from Halobacterium halobium; Kerscher L et al.; Pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase and 2-oxoglutarate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase were obtained from cell-free extracts of Halobacterium halobium as homogeneous proteins after ammonium sulfate precipitation, salting-out chromatography with ammonium sulfate on unsubstituted agarose, gel filtration and chromatography on hydroxyapatite . The respective molecular weights are 256000 and 248000 . Both enzymes consist of two sets of non-identical subunits of Mr 86000 and 42000 in the case of the pyruvate-degrading enzyme and of 88000 and 36000 in the case of the 20 -oxogluatarate-degrading enzyme . Analyses indicate that an intact enzyme molecule contains two {4 Fe-4S}2 + (2 + , 1+) clusters and two molecules of thiamin diphosphate . Flavin nucleotides, lipoic acid and pantetheine are absent . Thus the enzymes are very similar to the 2-oxoacid:ferredoxin oxidoreductases from fermentative and photosynthetic anaerobes described previously, but are clearly different from the 2-oxoacid dehydrogenase multienzyme complexes which commonly occur in anaerobic organisms.

J Clin Pathol, 1981 May, 34(5), 542 - 7
Possible role of the anaerobe in tonsillitis; Reilly S et al.; Anaerobic bacteria were isolated from all tonsils removed from children at routine tonsillectomy; 75.6% of specimens yielded moderate to heavy growth and 80% of tonsils contained more than one anaerobic species . This recovery rate fell to 56% after a 10-day course of metronidazole before tonsillectomy--in only 14.6% of cases were anaerobes isolated in significant numbers . Surface swabbing of the tonsils permitted recovery of a similar spectrum of anaerobic bacteria but resulted in an overall loss of both aerobic and anaerobic pathogens . A comparison was made between the flora of acutely inflamed tonsils and "healthy' tonsils: over 90% of both groups yielded anaerobic bacteria, but they were present in significant numbers in 56.2% of swabs taken from acutely inflamed tonsils compared with 24% of swabs from "healthy' children . The isolation rate for anerobic pathogens was 37.5% and 16% respectively.

Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg, 1981 May-Jun, 89(3 Pt 1), 355 - 63
Quantitative bacteriology in adenoid tissue; Pillsbury HC 3rd et al.; Over the past several years the indications for adenoidectomy have become increasingly controversial . Attempts to justify the operation in recurrent otitis media by correlating cultures of the nasopharynx with cultures of middle ear fluid have been inconclusive . Using quantitative bacteriologic techniques, we have studied the levels of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria per gram of tissue in adenoids removed from 48 patients . In seven patients, adenoidectomy was performed for nasal obstruction alone, in 17 patients for chronic serous otitis media, and in 24 patients for recurrent suppurative and serous otitis media . Using the criterion that greater than 10(5) organisms/gm of tissue constitutes infection, we found that 83% (20) of patients in the third group had infected adenoids, as opposed to only 15% (4) in the first and second group combined . Adenoid size measured radiographically did not correlate with the presence of infection . Adenoid size measured radiographically did not correlate with the presence of infection . When recurrent suppurative and serous otitis media are unresponsive to medical therapy including antibiotics and decongestants, adenoidectomy should be considered in addition to myringotomy and ventilation tubes.

Arch Otolaryngol, 1981 Apr, 107(4), 242 - 4
Clinical efficacy of cefoxitin in the treatment of head and neck infections; Shamsuddin D et al.; Cefoxitin sodium, a new cephamycin antibiotic, is active against many aerobic and anaerobic bacteria . Four patients with infections of the head and neck (otitis externa with cellulitis, parotiditis, tracheitis, and facial cellulitis), who had failed to respond to initial antibiotic regimens, responded satisfactorily to cefoxitin therapy . No adverse effects were noted in any of these patients . Results of this report suggest cefoxitin is a safe and well-tolerated antibiotic that is efficacious in the treatment of head and neck bacterial infections that are sensitive to this drug.

Surg Gynecol Obstet, 1981 Apr, 152(4), 473 - 5
Alternate approach to the management of acute perforating appendicitis in children; Powers RJ et al.; The results of this study support the conservative management of acutely ill patients with the clinical diagnosis of perforating appendicitis . An interval appendectomy should be performed four to six weeks later . If the patient does not respond after a clinical trial of 12 to 24 hours, there is no increased morbidity from performing an appendectomy at that time . Selection of antibiotic therapy should be appropriate to cover the usual intestinal flora of aerobes and anaerobes . Ampicillin, gentamycin or tobramycin, and clindamycin currently are the recommended antibiotics at this institution . The patient is seen in the office each week until interval appendectomy is performed . Any recurrence of fever or abdominal pain warrants immediate hospital admission and appendectomy . This approach in selected patients had proved safe when adequate follow-up study is assured.

Scand J Dent Res, 1981 Apr, 89(2), 165 - 74
Comparison of three anaerobic culture techniques amd media for viable recovery of subgingival plaque bacteria; Olsen I et al.; Various methods are available for viable recovery of bacteria from subgingival plaque, but their relative efficiency is not clear . In the first experiment, with 10 patients, three anaerobic techniques (Brewer jars, chamber and role tubes) and three agar media (trypticase soy with 5% sheep blood (TS), brucella agar with 5% blood and 0.5 microgram/ml of menadione (B), and modified medium 10 with 3% blood (MM 10) were compared . In the second experiment, with another 10 patients, Brewer jars were compared with a glove box, using TS . Subgingival plaque was sampled with a gas flushed broach passed through a syringe . Significance of differences in viable recoveries was determined by ANOVA . Brewer jars and chamber (aerobic plating) were comparable in efficiency, but excelled roll tubes (anaerobic inoculation) . TS was better than B, but equivalent to MM 10 . TS in Brewer jars (aerobic plating) matched TS in the glove box (anaerobic plating), but performed better than all the other procedures tested . Recoveries did not differ on pre- and non-prereduced plates and on commercial and laboratory, freshly made plates . Non-evacuated jars sealed inside the box (anaerobic plating) provided lower recoveries than jars evacuated, filled and sealed outside (aerobic plating) . Roll tubes benefited most by extending incubation from 7 to 14d . Commercial, non-prereduced TS agar plates incubated in Brewer jars of a glove; box are highly recommendable methods for processing of subgingival plaque.

J Bacteriol, 1981 Apr, 146(1), 49 - 53
Chemical structure of peptidoglycan in Selenomonas ruminantium: cadaverine links covalently to the D-glutamic acid residue of peptidoglycan; Kamio Y et al.; The peptidoglycan of Selenomonas ruminantium, a strictly anaerobic bacterium, contains cadaverine (Y . Kamio, Y . Itoh, Y . Terawaki, and T . Kusano, J . Bacteriol . 145:122-128, 1981) . This report describes the chemical structure of the peptidoglycan of this bacterium . The {14C}cadaverine-labeled peptidoglycan was degraded with the lytic enzymes prepared from Streptomyces albus G into three small fragments including a major fragment (band A compound) . Bank A compound was composed of L-alanine, D-glutamic acid, meso-diaminopimelic acid, D-alanine, and cadaverine in the molar ratio 0.98:1.0:1.0:0.98:0.97 . Diaminopimelic acid, L-alanine, and cadaverine were N-terminal residues in band A compound . When the {14C}cadaverine-labeled band A compound was subjected to partial acid hydrolysis, two peptide fragments were obtained . One of them consisted of diaminopimelic acid and D-alanine; diaminopimelic acid was the N-terminal amino acid, and the other fragment was composed of L-alanine, D-glutamic acid, and cadaverine, of which L-alanine and cadaverine were N-terminal . These results lead us to conclude that the primary peptide structure of band A compound is L-alanyl-D-glutamyl-meso-diaminopimelyl-D-alanine and that cadaverine links covalently to the D-glutamic acid residue.

Jpn J Antibiot, 1981 Apr, 34(4), 532 - 6
{Transfer of cefotaxime to the pelvic organs (author's transl)}; Ikeuchi M et al.; The new antibiotic cefotaxime (HR 756, CTX) has been proved to be clinically effective against infections observed in the field of obstetrics and gynecology . The present study was intended to investigate the transfer of CTX to the internal genital organs and the dead pelvic space . The results were obtained as follows: 1 . The concentrations of CTX transferred to the uteri and its appendages after CTX 1 g intravenous injection were sufficiently effective against the major pathogens (Gram-negative and anaerobic bacteria) demonstrated in the field of obstetrics and gynecology . 2 . The concentrations of CTX transferred to the dead space of the pelvis were effective against almost all of the Gram-negative bacteria for 6 to 12 hours after CTX 1 g or 2 g intravenous injection . CTX was thus proved to be very effective for the prevention and treatment of infections of the dead pelvic space.

Jpn J Antibiot, 1981 Apr, 34(4), 500 - 6
{Clinical studies of cefotaxime, administration in intravenous drip infusion, for infectious diseases in the field of obstetrics and gynecology (author's transl)}; Hagiwara K; Therapeutic efficacy and safety of a new cephalosporin for injection, cefotaxime (CTX) have been examined in gynecological infection cases . CTX has demonstrated in this study excellent therapeutic efficacy in infections with aerobes only, anaerobes only and with mixture of aerobes and anaerobes . No side effect has been observed in our patients who had been administered total dose of 8 approximately 28 g during the period of 4 approximately 7 days.

Am J Obstet Gynecol, 1981 Mar 1, 139(5), 522 - 5
Bacterial contamination of the cervix and premature rupture of membranes; Creatsas G et al.; The endocervical flora was examined in 32 women with premature rupture of membranes (PROM) . Sixty-six pregnant women served as controls . Ten patients with PROM who later developed chorioamnionitis were also included in the study . Samples for culturing were obtained from the endocervix on admission and at delivery and later from the fetal surface of the placenta . Blood for culturing was also taken in cases of chorioamnionitis . The total number of bacteria in the endocervix and placenta was higher in patients with PROM . Anaerobes were the most common, except for the fetal surface of the placenta, where aerobes were found in greater numbers . Cultures of blood from women with chorioamnionitis were positive in seven cases . These findings suggest that the high incidence of pathogenic or potentially pathogenic cervical bacteria in pregnancy is related to chorioamnionitis and PROM.

J Clin Microbiol, 1981 Mar, 13(3), 503 - 7
In vitro antibiotic removal and bacterial recovery from blood with an antibiotic removal device; Lindsey NJ et al.; The antibiotic removal device manufactured by Marion Laboratories (Kansas City., Mo.) is intended for treatment, before culture, of blood specimens from hospital patients being treated with antibiotics . Measurement of 13 antibiotics showed that the antibiotic removal device removed amikacin, ampicillin, carbenicillin, cefazolin, cephalothin, chloramphenicol, gentamicin, nafcillin, tetracycline, tobramycin, and vancomycin and reduced cefoxitin and ticarcillin to extremely low levels . Three combinations of antibiotics were similarly removed or reduced . Five species of anaerobic bacteria, one yeast species, and six species of facultative or aerobic bacteria were used to challenge the possibility that the antibiotic removal device would trap or inhibit microorganisms . All were recovered from the device in the same numbers as were inoculated.

J Clin Microbiol, 1981 Mar, 13(3), 459 - 62
Comparison of spot esculin hydrolysis with the PathoTec strip test for rapid differentiation of anaerobic bacteria; Qadri SM et al.; The ability of several anaerobic bacteria to hydrolyze esculin to esculetin is used by clinical microbiologists and taxonomists in the differentiation and identification of both gram-positive and gram-negative microorganisms . Conventional methods used for determining esculin hydrolysis by anaerobic bacteria require 24 to 48 h for completion . In this paper we evaluate two procedures which yield rapid results . A total of 738 anaerobic bacteria were used in this study . A total of 99% of the esculin-hydrolyzing anaerobic bacteria gave positive results with the spot test in 1 h, whereas the other test method, the PathoTec strip test (General Diagnostics, Morris Plains, N.J.), required 4 h for 96% of the strains tested to yield positive reactions . Both tests showed a 100% specificity when compared with the standard broth test and are easy to perform, accurate, and economical . The spot test is superior to the PathoTec strip test in yielding results more rapidly.

Br J Vener Dis, 1981 Feb, 57(1), 41 - 3
Chlamydia trachomatis as a cause of acute perihepatitis associated with pelvic inflammatory disease; Dalaker K et al.; Of four cases of acute salpingitis and perihepatitis confirmed by laparoscopy Chlamydia trachomatis was cultured from the cervix only in two and from both the cervix uteri and the Fallopian tubes in two; the latter finding has not been reported from cases with combined salpingitis and perihepatitis (Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome) . Since gonococci, other aerobic, or anaerobic bacteria were not isolated from the Fallopian tubes, an aetiological relationship between C trachomatis and the Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome is suggested.

Am J Obstet Gynecol, 1981 Feb 1, 139(3), 320 - 3
Puerperal febrile complications and cervical flora following elective manual exploration of the uterus; Berger E et al.; Two hundred patients who underwent vaginal delivery were randomly divided into two groups on arrival to the case room in labor . After delivery was completed the uteri of 100 patients were manually explored; the remainder of the patients served as a control group . Aerobic and anaerobic cultures of the endocervix were taken from 50 patients in each group, during labor and on the fourth postpartum day . There was no difference in the number of puerperal febrile complications between the groups . Endocervical cultures showed a marked increase in the incidence of Escherichia coli and anaerobic bacteria after delivery . This increase occurred in both groups in similar proportions and was not affected by manual exploration.

Z Kinderchir, 1981 Feb, 32(2), 111 - 5
Perforated appendicitis in children: use of metronidazole for the reduction of septic complications; Puri P et al.; Fifty-four consecutive children with performed appendicitis were treated with intravenous and rectal metronidazole combined with another antimicrobial agent . Positive cultures were obtained from peritoneal swabs from all children except from four patients who produced no growth on culture . Mixed growth of aerobic and anaerobic organisms were isolated from 44 patients . Four patients had pure growth of aerobes and two had pure growth of anaerobes . Results were compared with 49 cases of performed appendicitis treated with a combination of Gentamicin and Cephradine and who did not receive metronidazole . The overall incidence of complications was reduced from 44.9% to 14.8% . A significant reduction in the incidence of wound infection (p less 0.01) and pelvic abscess (p less than 0.025) was observed in the metronidazole treated group . The period of hospitalization averaged 13.8 days in patients treated with metronidazole as compare to 18.2 days in those treated without metronidazole.

J Clin Pathol, 1981 Feb, 34(2), 189 - 93
Gas-liquid chromatography in routine processing of blood cultures for detecting anaerobic bacteraemia; Reig M et al.; Gas-liquid chromatography was performed on 233 positive blood cultures and findings were compared with culture results . Obligate anaerobic bacteria were recovered from 78 out of 79 blood cultures containing butyric or iso-valeric acids, or both; from 28 out of 69 blood cultures containing succinic acid; and from only one out of 41 blood cultures containing succinic but not butyric or iso-valeric acid . Good correlations (88%) were found for the recovery of anaerobic bacteria and the detection of butyric and/or iso-valeric acids . Detecting volatile fatty acids by gas-liquid chromatography performed on blood cultures at the first signs of growth can therefore provide an early and reliable indication of the presence of anaerobic bacteria.

J Clin Periodontol, 1981 Feb, 8(1), 29 - 44
Treatment of periodontal infections due to anaerobic bacteria with short-term treatment with metronidazole; Loesche WJ et al.; In the present report, five selected periodontal patients were treated for 1 week with metronidazole . Two of the patients had their teeth scales and root-planed the week they received metronidazole . Prior to treatment, B . asaccharolyticus accounted for 41% of the cultivable isolates and the spirochetes averaged 29% of the microscopic count in plaque removed from each of four pockets per patient . The presence of these elevated proportions of periodontopathic bacteria combined with the presence of periodontal pockets and attachment loss suggested that the patients were in a state of an active infectious process involving primarily anaerobic bacteria . If this be the case, then antimicrobial therapy directed against these anaerobes wih metronidazole was indicated . The 1-week treatment with metronidazole significantly reduced the proportions of these organisms for up to 6 months after treatment . Coincident with these findings was an improvement in the clinical parameters, especially in those sites that initially had greater than 5 mm pocket or attachment loss . These sites showed a 2 mm or more reduction in pocket depth and an almost 2 mm gain in apparent attachment that was evident 6 months after treatment . The results obtained were in only five patients . However, the magnitude of improvement suggests that antimicrobial therapy directed against anaerobic organisms may be a valuable adjunct to periodontal therapy.

Dis Colon Rectum, 1981 Jan-Feb, 24(1), 37 - 41
Mucosal enteritis: a complication of the continent ileostomy; Bonello JC et al.; Mucosal enteritis, a nonspecific inflammation of both the mucosa and submucosa, is a complication seen in 13 per cent to 43 per cent of patients with a continent ileostomy . Six cases are presented with emphasis on history, diagnosis, and treatment . Because the inflammation is secondary to an overgrowth of anaerobic bacteria in a functional blind loop, treatment consists of drainage and antibiotics . Metronidazole may be the drug of choice . Refractory cases will benefit only by resection and conversion to a Brooke ileostomy.

Chemotherapy, 1981, 27(2), 73 - 9
Pharmacokinetics of Metronidazole in pregnant women; Amon I et al.; Pharmacokinetic characteristics of metronidazole were studied in 19 pregnant women with Trichomoniasis urogenitalis who had been hospitalized for legal abortion . All patients received 250 mg or 1.0 g metronidazole (Vagimid) per os in a single or multiple dose . Peak levels were reached 1-2 h after application . Mean serum levels of metronidazole were somewhat lower in gravidae than those in nonpregnant women . The mean elimination half-life values were 5.7 and 7.7 h after intake of 250 mg and 1.0 g metronidazole, respectively . As suggested by our pharmacokinetic results, the dosage regimen for treatment of anaerobic bacteria infection or parasitic infection in pregnant women can be the same as in nonpregnant patients.

J Environ Sci Health B, 1981, 16(5 Pt B), 637 - 48
Effect of DDT, fauna and flooding on microsomal growth in soil; Tu CM; Laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the effect of DDT, fauna and flooding on microbial growth in a sandy loam . Results indicated that soil microorganisms can tolerate the presence of DDT . Earthworms singly or in combination with springtails affected the average population of fungi in the DDT-untreated samples and of aerobic bacteria in the DDT-treated soils . Soil animals did not appear to have any effect on the populations of anaerobic bacteria . However, waterlogging brought about a decrease in aerobic bacteria and fungal populations, and an increase in anaerobic bacteria in both soils.

Chir Pediatr, 1981, 22(1), 13 - 6
{Analysis of germ cultures in 57 cases of appendicular peritonitis and 16 postoperative septic complications}; Garay J et al.; Reliable bacteriological data were obtained from 53 and 16 out of 64 pediatric appendiceal peritonitis an 17 of their suppurative complications . Studies for aerobic and anaerobic flora ws performed in all . Each primitive peritoneal exudate contained a mixed flora with an average of 1.3 aerobic and 2.27 anaerobic species . E . coli and B . fragilis were almost constantly found among other enteric bacteria . Exudates from wound or intraabdominal complicative infections contained an average of 1.3 aerobic and 3 anaerobic species, and again E . coli and B . fragilis were constantly present . In eleven patients, there were exudates available from both the peritonitis and the complications, and the flora was coincident for, at least, one gram in all, and for two or more in eight . These facts enable us to point out the importance of anaerobes in peritoneal infections and their complications . At the same time, we recall that antibiotic treatment of peritonitis must be prescribed with this evidence in mind.

Zentralbl Gynakol, 1981, 103(1), 46 - 52
{Use of Vagimid (Metronidazol) for chemotherapy of bacterial genital infections (author's transl)}; Brockmann J et al.; Vagimid (metronidazol) was used for antibacterial therapy in 115 cases of obstetric or gynaecological infections . The infections were brought under control in all cases . No Metronidazol-sensitive organisms were recordable, following treatment . The use of metronidazol on such infectious processes, particularly in cases in which other chemotherapeutic agents have failed or also in combination with less effective medicaments, seems to be justified for its strong action on obligate anaerobes which are aetiologically involved in the majority of these diseases.

Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, 1981, 47(4), 371 - 9
Rapid tests for esculin hydrolysis by anaerobic bacteria; Qadri SM et al.; Esculin hydrolysis is one of the biochemical tests used in the identification of anaerobic microorganisms . The conventional method by use of growing microbial cells requires 24-48 hours of incubation . On the other hand, growth independent methods like the buffered esculin test, the spot test, and the PathoTec strip test utilize the presence of constitutive enzymes and, therefore, yield results in 1-4 hours . A total of 817 anaerobic organisms were used in this study to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the three rapid methods . All three rapid methods gave excellent correlation with the standard conventional method . Over 99% of the organisms gave comparable results with the spot test and the buffered esculin test within one hour; the PathoTec strip test required up to 4 hours . The former two were not only more rapid but also more economical than the PathoTec strip test.

Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, 1981, 47(6), 499 - 507
A rapid method for the detection of tryptophanase in anaerobic bacteria; Karim MR et al.; A total of 633 anaerobic bacteria were examined for tryptophanase production using a rapid method which distinguishes within 5 to 180 minutes between anaerobes that contain tryptophanase and those that do not . Of the 196 tryptophanase-positive isolates tested, 99% showed tryptophanase activity within 2 hours as compared with 94.4% in 24 hours by a conventional method . A total of 299 tryptophanase-negative organisms were tested . Ninety three percent of these remained negative after 24 hours as compared with 95.3% when tested within a 24-h conventional method . Additional information was obtained on the sensitivity of this test and the time-dependent production of indole by tryptophanase.

Acta Chir Scand, 1981, 147(4), 277 - 83
Comparison of systemic prophylaxis with metronidazole-fosfomycin and metronidazole-cephalothin in elective colorectal surgery; Lindhagen J et al.; A comparative randomized study was designed to evaluate the prophylactic effect of two different combinations of antimicrobials, i.e . metronidazole-fosfomycin (n = 30) and metronidazole-cephalothin (n = 28), in elective colorectal surgery . The study was strictly consecutive and the treatment groups comparable . The total rate of surgical septic complications was low (10%) in both treatment groups . No anaerobic infections could be demonstrated and the clinical course was mild in all patients developing septic complications . No other antimicrobial therapy was given . Peroperative bacteriological sampling yielded aerobes and anaerobes in 51 and 32, respectively, of 58 patients . A high percentage of the isolated aerobes and anaerobes were cephalothin-resistant, whereas most aerobes were sensitive to fosfomycin . Only aerobes were isolated from surgical septic sites . The absence of anaerobic sepsis must be ascribed to the metronidazole prophylaxis; the probable reason for the low rate of surgical aerobic septic complications is that antimicrobials, active against aerobes, were included in the prophylactic regimens . The combination, metronidazole-fosfomycin, seems adequate and safe for continued evaluation.

Ups J Med Sci, 1981, 86(1), 75 - 81
Extensive small gut resection in the rat . Microbiological studies with a strict anaerobic technique; Forsberg JO et al.; The small intestinal microflora of the rat was examined 6 w after resection of the proximal half of the ileum . A comparison was made with animals where the ileum had only been transected and re-sutured . The study included a strict anaerobic culturing and an investigation of bacterial metabolites with a gas chromatography technique . In both groups the flora was found to be mainly facultative and there was no difference in the total number of bacteria . There was no difference between the groups or between the single animals in the proportional of aerobes-anaerobes . In spite of numerous adhesions between the ileal loops causing impaired intestinal motility and intraluminal stasis, there was no colonization of the small intestinal flora and the concentration of bacteria was too low to give a positive response for gas chromatography . It is stated that the low amount of intestinal bacterial flora is not likely to be a significant factor causing adaptive mucosal hyperplasia after gut resection.

Acta Microbiol Acad Sci Hung, 1981, 28(1), 1 - 5
Isolation of mycobacteria from contaminated material on selective media; Kormendy B et al.; A procedure more efficient than the earlier ones was developed for the isolation of mycobacteria from heavily contaminated materials . The contaminating microbes were killed by acid decontamination preceded by an incubation of 1 g sample in 5 ml nutrient broth at 33 degrees C for 4 h . The efficiency of isolation was examined using culture media containing varying concentrations of dimetridazole and/or clotrimazole (Canesten Bayer) . None of 40 mycobacterial strains representing all 4 Runyon groups was inhibited by 80 micrograms/ml of either of the inhibitors . From the sediment of acid-decontaminated samples, Lowenstein-Jensen medium containing 10 micrograms/ml of both dimetridazole and clotrimazole as well as Petragnani medium with and without glycerol and Sula media were inoculated . Model experiments and processing of 44 routine samples have made likely that aerobic sporeformers on the one hand and fungi and anaerobes on the other are killed, or at least depressed in growth, by pre-incubation combined with the addition of clotrimazole and dimetridazole to the culture medium . Thus, the isolation rate of mycobacteria can be improved.

Ann Clin Lab Sci, 1981 Jan-Feb, 11(1), 19 - 24
Identification of clinically significant anaerobic bacteria; Burdash NM et al.; By combining the various methodologies for anaerobic bacteriology, a scheme has been developed with four flow charts for the identification of the clinically significant anaerobic organisms . This scheme incorporates the use of gas chromatography and a micromethod biochemical system.

Neurosurgery, 1981 Jan, 8(1), 1 - 6
Fifteen-year review of the mortality of brain abscess; Alderson D et al.; Ninety consecutive cases of brain abscess admitted to this center between 1964 and 1978 have been reviewed . The overall mortality has fallen in three consecutive 5-year periods from 42 to 21 to 9.7% . A number of factors seem to be responsible for this . Early surgical intervention was associated with the reduction in mortality between the first and second 5-year periods . Recognition of the significance and extent of cerebral edema, confirmed since computed tomographic (CT) scans have been available, led to a greater use of steroids during the last 5-year period, but the number of patients thus treated was too small to permit an assessment of any effect on mortality . There is no evidence to suggest a change in the natural history of the disease, and surgical management has not altered significantly . Experience with CT scanning in this center in the diagnosis of brain abscess is limited . It is therefore not possible no assess whether any improvement in mortality may have arisen from the early and accurate diagnosis obtainable with this technique . Improvement in culture technique has been of major importance, leading to a better understanding of the bacteriology of brain abscesses . This has allowed a more rational antibiotic program to be instituted, in particular the use of agents active against obligate anaerobes.

Obstet Gynecol, 1981 Jan, 57(1), 51 - 8
Intravenous metronidazole or clindamycin with tobramycin for therapy of pelvic infections; Gall SA et al.; Anaerobic bacteria are important pathogens in obstetric and gynecologic infections . As metronidazole has excellent in vitro activity against almost all clinically significant anaerobes, the newly available parenteral form of the drug was evaluated in a comparative study with clindamycin . Forty-seven patients with postpartum endomyometritis with or without wound infection, acute or chronic salpingo-oophoritis, tuboovarian abscess, postoperative pelvic cellulitis or wound infection, or other soft-tissue infection were included in the study . Initially 6 patients were treated with metronidazole, usually combined with tobramycin, in an open study . Subsequently, 41 patients were treated on a randomized schedule of either metronidazole or clindamycin, each combined with tobramycin . Anaerobic bacteria were isolated from 86% (37 of 43) of the patients who had positive cultures from sites cultured for aerobes and anaerobes . Anaerobic gram-negative rods and gram-positive cocci were the predominant isolates from infected tissues . Of the patients who received metronidazole, 96% (25 of 26) were considered clinically cured; the remaining patient initially responded but continued to have slight temperature elevations . There were no adverse reactions to this drug . Of the patients who received clindamycin, 100% were considered clinically cured . The excellent therapeutic response to intravenous metronidazole and the predominance of pathogenic anaerobes observed in these infections support its use in the treatment of infections of the female genital tract.

Scand J Infect Dis Suppl, 1981, 26, 96 - 100
A multicentre comparison of clindamycin and metronidazole in the treatment of anaerobic infections; Collier J et al.; One hundred and seventy patients with intra-abdominal infection with non-sporing anaerobes were prospectively studied in an international multicentre study . Patients were randomly allocated to treatment with clindamycin or metronidazole, for a minimum of 48 h to a maximum of 7 days . Other antimicrobial therapy was permitted if indicated by in vitro susceptibility testing . The commonest infections were peritonitis, intra-abdominal abscesses and appendicitis (72 cases), colorectal carcinoma (23 cases), intestinal perforation (16 cases) and diverticulitis (13 cases) . Thirty patients received no other antimicrobial chemotherapy and in a further 94 patients, an aminoglycoside was given in addition to the study drugs . In 38 patients the infection required no surgical intervention . Appendicectomy was commonly performed and surgical drainage of pus was required in 14 patients . These variables were evenly distributed between the treatment groups . Both clindamycin and metronidazole were found to be effective therapy for anaerobic infections and were well tolerated . Of the 9 deaths in the study, 7 were in the clindamycin group, and 2 in the metronidazole group . The study protocol allowed patients who were responding poorly to treatment to be crossed over to the alternative therapy . This procedure was followed in 6 patients, 5 of whom were originally receiving clindamycin . It is concluded that metronidazole is as effective for anaerobic infections as clindamycin.

Scand J Infect Dis Suppl, 1981, 26, 79 - 83
Whole gut irrigation with saline, tinidazole and colistin before colorectal operations; Raahave D et al.; To date, 27 patients scheduled for colorectal operations have had their bowels prepared the day before operation by whole gut irrigation with up to 151 of an electrolyte solution (14 patients), while the other 13 patients had infused in addition 0.51 of a solution containing 500 mg tinidazole and 1 MIU colistin . During the operation, samples were taken from the abdominal and perineal operation wounds and the colorectal mucosa by a velvet pad rinse technique, which involved transportation in a CO2-atmosphere and cultivation in an anaerobic cabinet . The number of anaerobic bacteria present in the colon was significantly lower after the use of antimicrobials, while there was no such difference with regard to aerobic bacteria . There were no differences between the two groups in preclosure bacterial densities of abdominal and perineal wounds . The total number of bacteria inoculated, the wound inoculum, was considerably lower after antimicrobial administration . There were no infections in the 13 patients treated with these antimicrobials, while 4 out of the 14 patients in the control group developed infections.

Scand J Infect Dis Suppl, 1981, 26, 24 - 30
The role of nitroimidazole derivates in bacterial infections-metronidazole prophylaxis in appendectomy; Willis AT; The commonest complication of appendicetomy is surgical sepsis, the incidence of which may vary from 4% for normal appendices to 77% for gangrenous or perforated appendices . Although some of these infections are relatively trivial others are serious or even life-threatening . In an effort to reduce the incidence of serious sepsis surgeons have used a variety of topical and systemic prophylactic antibacterial agents such as penicillin, ampicillin, tetracycline, lincomycin, tobramycin, cephalosporins, neomycin, bacitracin, polymyxin and povidone iodine . Although none of these prophylactic procedures has been consistently effective, appropriate systemic antibiotics generally reduce the incidence of intra-abdominal sepsis, while appropriate local treatment reduces the incidence of wound infection . Most reports on the chemoprophylaxis of sepsis after appendicectomy have been concerned solely with clinical aspects of infection and have not considered the nature of the infecting agents . During the last few years there has been an increasing awareness of the importance of non-sporing anaerobes as the major cause of sepsis after surgery of the gastrointestinal tract . Studies carried out at the Luton and Dunstable Hospital and subsequently at other centres have shown that systemic metronidazole, which is a specifically anaerobicidal agent, is highly effective in preventing the development of sepsis due to anaerobes in postappendicetomy patients.

Scand J Infect Dis Suppl, 1981, 26, 101 - 3
Investigation of the prophylactic effect of tinidazole on the postoperative infection rate of patients undergoing vacuum aspiration; Krohn K; In a double-blind randomized trial the effect of a single oral tinidazole dose of 2 g, given pre-operatively, on the infection rate was assessed in 210 patients undergoing first trimester abortion by vacuum aspiration (VA) and compared to placebo medication . Anaerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria were the predominant organisms isolated from the cervix . Six patients in the tinidazole group and 11 from the control group developed a postoperative pelvic infection necessitating antibiotic therapy . In 2 patients, one in each group, hospitalization was necessary . This study indicated that identification of the bacteria present in the cervix before VA does not make it possible to predict the likelihood of the postoperative pelvic infection . Tinidazole administration preoperatively seems to reduce the postoperative pelvic infection rate after VA.

Clin Ther, 1981, 4 Suppl A, 25 - 44
Experience with cefotaxime in gynecology and obstetrics; Takase Z; Minimal inhibitory concentrations of cefotaxime, determined against clinical isolates from gynecological and obstetrical infections, were less than or equal to 1.56 microgram/ml against about 65% of the aerobes tested . Against anaerobic organisms, the growth of about 65% of the strains was inhibited by less than or equal to 12.5 microgram/ml . The passage of cefotaxime into human uterine tissue was investigated after a single 1-gm intravenous (IV) injection . Peak concentration of 12.24 microgram/gm was attained after about 20 minutes . Passage to the pelvic cavity fluid was studied after a single 2-gm IV dose of cefotaxime . Peak concentration of 22.8 microgram/ml was obtained after about 80 minutes . The placental passage of cefotaxime after a single 1-gm IV injection also was investigated . Compared with the mother's serum concentration, cord serum concentration was about one fourth and amniotic fluid concentration about one tenth . A maximum concentration of 0.63 microgram/ml was seen in the neonate . Clinical response rates were extremely favorable: 98% against uterine infections, 94% against adnexitis, 91% against pelvic infections, and 93% against external genital infections . Bacteriological effectiveness by pathogen was likewise high, showing eradication rates of 95% against gram-positive aerobes, 88% against gram-negative aerobes, and 96% against gram-negative anaerobes.

Scand J Infect Dis Suppl, 1981, 26, 14 - 8
Head-space gas chromatography as a tool in the identification of anaerobic bacteria and diagnosis of anaerobic infections; Mardh PA et al.; The identification of anaerobic bacteria to the species level can be a laborious and time consuming procedure . Gas chromatography offers a diagnostic aid, and the advantages of the recently introduced head-space gas chromatography technique are: it is rapid, accurate and easy to perform; it provides more information of differential diagnostic value; and the identification process can be automated by connecting the head-space gas chromatograph to an automatic injection unit and a computer which interprets the chromatograms . The head-space technique may be used for direct analyses of clinical specimens for rapid diagnoses of anaerobic infections.

Ann Biol Clin (Paris), 1981, 39(4), 181 - 4
{Detection of anaerobes by direct immunofluorescence on clinical samples : evaluation of fluoretec F and M (author's transl)}; Drugeon HB et al.; Immunofluorescence is a method allowing rapid identification of bacteria . The authors study two reagents . Fluoretec F and M, respectively detecting bacteroidis fragilis and bacteroidis melaninogenicus . These reactions were carried out directly on the clinical specimens . After a study carried out with 132 clinical specimens, by comparison with the usual techniques for isolation and identification, the following results were seen : Fluoretec F showed 89 p . cent concordance, 0.8 p . cent false negatives and 3 p . cent false positives . In 7.2 p . cent of cases, the type of discordance could not be determined . Fluoretec M showed 87.8 p, cent concordance, 6.1 p . cent false negatives, 0.8 p . cent false positives and in 5.3 . p . cent of cases, the discordance could not be specified . Application of direct immunofluorescence for these two specific tests allowed rapid orientation of diagnosis and allowed evaluation of reliability of culture techniques.

Experientia, 1980 Dec 15, 36(12), 1380 - 1
Rapid temperature programmed gas-liquid chromatography of volatile fatty acids (C1-C7) for the identification of anaerobic bacteria; Morin A et al.; A gas liquid chromatography method for the separation of 10 volatile fatty acids (C1-C7 and isomers) has been improved by using oven temperature programmed conditions . In our conditions, the proprietary stationary phase SP 1220 introduced by Supelco Inc., gave sharp separation of volatile fatty acids in less than 8 min . This method was suitable for analyses with both thermal conductivity and flame ionization detectors.

Chest, 1980 Dec, 78(6), 875 - 7
Bacteriology of tracheal aspirates in intubated newborn; Brook I et al.; The bacteriology of tracheal aspirates from 28 intubated newborn babies was studied . There was no correlation between such colonization and the respiratory distress syndrome . Endotracheal suction of intubated infants did provide a reliable specimen source for determining the etiology of perinatal pneumonia . Presence of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in the aspirate correlated well with infection . Anaerobic bacteria were found to play a role in three of the five cases of pneumonia.

Z Geburtshilfe Perinatol, 1980 Dec, 184(6), 418 - 23
{Perioperative metronidazole-prophylaxis for cesarian section (author's transl}; Gerstner G et al.; A prospective, randomized clinical trial was conducted in 103 patients undergoing cesarian section to assess the efficacy of prophylactic, intravenously administered Metronidazole on the infectious morbidity . A group of 53 patients with perioperative Metronidazol-prophylaxis was compared to a similar controll-group without prophylaxis . Bacteriologic swabs were taken from the cervix pre- and postoperatively, using anaerobic transport media . Prophylactic Metronidazole reduced postoperative fever of more than 38 degrees C on two subsequent days from 60% in the controll-group to 30,2% in the Metronidazole-group (p less than 0,01) wound infections were reduced from 18% without to 5,7% with prophylaxis (p less than 0,05) and Endometritis from 30% without to 13,2% with prophylaxis (p less than 0,05) . An additional antibiotic therapy was necessary in 44% of the cases in the controllgroup, compared to 24,5% of the cases in the Metronidazolegroup (p less than 0,05) . The mean duration of hospitalisation was reduced from 12,1 +/- 3,2 days in the controll-group to 11,2 +/- 2,1 in the Metronidazole-group (p less than 0,01) . Anaerobic bacteria were isolated from the servical swabs in 60% preoperatively, with a still increasing incidence to 72% postoperatively, compared to 7% in the Metronidazole-group . Our results suggest, that prophylactic, intravenously administered Metronidazol reduces the infectious morbidity following cesarian section due to the reduction of the anaerobic flora at the female genital-tract.

Science, 1980 Nov 7, 210(4470), 638 - 40
Bacterial resistance to ultraviolet irradiation under anaerobiosis: implications for pre-phanerozoic evolution; Rambler MB et al.; The concept that low concentrations of atmospheric oxygen and consequent unattenuated ultraviolet irradiation limited the emergence of Phanerozoic life, the Berkner-Marshall hypothesis, is no longer tenable . Anaerobic bacteria, which probably evolved far earlier than Metazoa, were irradiated in a special chamber under strictly anaerobic conditions . Both intrinsic resistance and photoreactivation by visible light were discovered in obligately and facultatively anaeroboc microbes . Atmospheric scientists have shown that small amounts of oxygen would have limied pre-Phanerozoic surface ultraviolet irradiation to fluxes well below those used in the anaerobic experiments described . Since adequate ultraviolet protection mechanisms evolved early, the late Proterozoic appearance of Metazoa probably was not related to high fluxes of solar ultraviolet radiation.

Gastroenterology, 1980 Nov, 79(5 Pt 1), 934 - 7
Actinomycosis complicating Crohn's disease; Manley PN et al.; A case of secondary infection of Crohn's disease by Actinomyces is reported . Clinically, Crohn's disease and actinomycosis may be difficult to differentiate . The distinguishing histopathological features of secondary actinomycosis include multiloculated abscesses, sulfur granules, typical organisms seen with Gram stain, and rarely, necrotizing granulomata . As actinomycosis may be cured by surgery and/or antibiotics, a careful search for Actinomyces including anaerobic culture is recommended in Crohn's disease with abscess formation.

Jpn J Antibiot, 1980 Nov, 33(11), 1171 - 82
{Antibacterial activity of cefoperazone against anaerobic bacteria (author's transl)}; Imamura H et al.; The following results were obtained from the comparison of cefoperazone (CPZ) with cefazolin (CEZ), cephalothin (CET) and cefoxitin (CFX) in respect to their antibacterial action against anaerobic bacteria: 1) CPZ showed an antibacterial spectrum which was comparable to those of the known antibiotics, CEZ, CET and CFX . CPZ was particularly effective against anaerobic Gram-positive bacteria . 2) CPZ showed a distribution of susceptibility against clinically isolated strains which was comparable to those of CEZ, CET and CFX, CPZ was slightly inferior to CFX against B . fragilis and B . thetaiotaomicron, but was somewhat superior to any of CEZ, CET and CFX against anaerobic Gram-positive rods and B . distasonis . 3) The susceptibility of B . fragilis and F . necrophorum to CPZ decreased with an increase in the amount of inoculation, while C . perfringens and P . asaccharolyticus did not show any difference in susceptibility with the amount of inoculation . 4) The values of MIC and MBC of CPZ showed good coincidence with each other, thereby testifying its superior bactericidal action . 5) Natural resistant mutants were not obtained . 6) According to the examination of resistance in a test tube, P . variabilis did not show any appreciable increase in resistance, but F . varium increased its resistance rapidly . 7) CPZ was inferior only to CFX in stability against the beta-lactamase of B . fragilis . All of CEZ, CET and CMD lacked stability against the beta-lactamase of B . fragilis . 8) CPZ was found effective for the treatment of experimental subcutaneous abscess in mice caused by F . necrophorum.

Clin Sci (Lond), 1980 Nov, 59(5), 329 - 36
Speed of change in pancreatic mass and in intestinal bacteriology of parenterally fed rats; Hughes CA et al.; 1 . Indices of pancreatic mass and bacterial counts for jejunal and ileal mucosa were studied in rats after 3, 6, 10 and 15 days of total parenteral nutrition and compared with the results from orally fed and sham intravenously fed control rats . 2 . Pancreatic wet weight corrected for body weight decreased significantly by 31--42% after 3, 6, 10 and 15 days of total parenteral nutrition . The most striking decrease occurred within 3 days . Other indices of pancreatic mass (protein and DNA) showed a similar pattern suggesting pancreatic hypoplasia . There was more DNA per g of pancreas, indicating that unless there were changes in tissue water cellular hypotrophy must have accompanied the hypoplasia . 3 . Pancreatic RNA also decreased significantly after 3--10 days of total parenteral nutrition, suggesting reduced protein synthesis . 4 . Bacterial counts (log number) whether expressed as number/unit length of intestine or number/g wet weight of mucosa were decreased for anaerobic bacteria in the jejunum after 3--15 days of total parenteral nutrition . In the ileum both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria increased after 6 days of parenteral nutrition and then decreased significantly . 5 . The changes in bacterial flora are unlikely to account for the adaptive hypoplasia seen in the intestine of intravenously fed rats.

Schweiz Med Wochenschr, 1980 Oct 25, 110(43), 1560 - 2
{Bacteriological diagnosis of anaerobic infections}; Wust J; To avoid false positive results it is very important that specimens for culture of anaerobic bacteria are not contaminated with normal flora from the skin or mucous membranes (mouth, intestinal tract, genital tract) . The specimen should be transported to the laboratory as fast as possible without exposure to oxygen . Liquid specimens, such as aspirates, are superior to swabs . For rapid presumptive diagnosis suitable methods are gram stain and direct gas-liquid chromatography for fatty acids . Culture is laborious and time-consuming.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1980 Oct, 40(4), 833 - 9
Isolation and some characteristics of anaerobic oxalate-degrading bacteria from the rumen; Dawson KA et al.; Obligately anaerobic oxalate-degrading bacteria were isolated from an enriched population of rumen bacteria in an oxalate-containing medium that had been depleted of other readily metabolized substrates . These organisms, which are the first reported anaerobic oxalate degraders isolated from the rumen, were gram negative, nonmotile rods . They grew in a medium containing sodium oxalate, yeast extract, cysteine, and minerals . The only substrate that supported growth was oxalate . Growth was directly related to the concentration of oxalate in the medium (1 to 111 mM), and cell yields were approximately 1.1 g (dry weight)/mol of oxalate degraded . Oxalate was stoichiometrically degraded to CO2 and formate . These anaerobes occupy a unique ecological niche and are distinct from any previously described oxalate-degrading bacteria.

Br J Vener Dis, 1980 Oct, 56(5), 285 - 90
Mechanisms of selective toxicity of metronidazole and other nitroimidazole drugs; Edwards DI; The selectively toxic effect of nitroimidazole drugs towards anaerobic bacteria and protozoa depends on a number of factors . The killing action of such drugs as metronidazole requires the reduction of the nitro group, a process which influences the rate of entry of the drug into the susceptible cell and which is determined by mechanisms involving ferredoxin-linked (or the equivalent) reactions in the cell . The reduced agent subsequently causes strand breakage of DNA, the extent of which depends on the A + T content of the DNA . Other effects of such drugs may include the possible inhibition of DNA repair mechanisms which exacerbate DNA damage, Inhibition of activity of nitroimidazoles may be caused by aminothiol radical scavengers and radioprotectors normally present in the cell or by the presence of other organisms in the environment (that is, the vagina) capable of inactivating the drugs.

Gut, 1980 Sep, 21(9), 793 - 8
Role of anaerobic bacteria in the metabolic welfare of the colonic mucosa in man; Roediger WE; Suspensions of isolated epithelial cells (colonocytes) from the human colon were used to assess utilisation of respiratory fuels which are normally available to the colonic mucosa in vivo . Cells were prepared from operative specimens of the ascending colon (seven) and descending colon (seven) . The fuels that were used were the short chain fatty acid n-butyrate, produced only by anaerobic bacteria in the colonic lumen, together with glucose and glutamine, normally present in the circulation . The percentage oxygen consumption attributable to n-butyrate, when this was the only substrate, was 73% in the ascending colon and 75% in the descending colon . In the presence of 10 mM glucose these proportions changed to 59% and 72% . Aerobic glycolysis was observed in both the ascending and descending colon . Glucose oxidation accounted for 85% of the oxygen consumption in the ascending colon and 30% in the descending colon . In the presence of 10 mM n-butyrate these proportions decreased to 41% in the ascending colon and 16% in the descending colon . Based on the assumption that events in the isolated colonocytes reflect utilization of fuels in vivo, the hypothesis is put forward that fatty acids of anaerobic bacteria are a major source of energy for the colonic mucosa, particularly of the distal colon.

Dis Colon Rectum, 1980 Sep, 23(6), 392 - 4
Prophylactic saline peritoneal lavage in elective colorectal operations; Minervini S et al.; The influence of a single peroperative five-liter saline peritoneal lavage has been assessed in 21 consecutive patients undergoing elective operation for colorectal cancer . The aim of the study was to investigate whether reduction in bacterial counts by saline lavage would reduce the incidence of infection and thereby avoid the need for prophylactic antimicrobials . Saline lavage was shown to reduce significantly counts in peritoneal fluid of aerobic bacteria from 2 x 10(4) to 5 x 10(1) (P less than 0.001) and to reduce the counts of anaerobes in peritoneal fluid from 8 x 10(4) to 1 x 10(2) (P less than 0.001) . Despite the profound reduction in peritoneal bacterial counts the rate of postoperative sepsis was extremely high; wound infection 47 per cent, intraabdominal abscess 26 per cent and septicemia 13 per cent . These results indicate that saline peritoneal lavage alone is no substitute for short-term antimicrobial prophylaxis.

S Afr Med J, 1980 Aug 9, 58(6), 246 - 8
'One-visit' therapy for pelvic inflammatory disease; van Gelderen CJ; Acute pelvic inflammatory disease is a very common gynaecological disorder, and more often than not it is caused by a mixed infection of aerobic and anaerobic organisms . Routine bacteriological investigation is consequently of little practical value in determining the therapeutic approach . In an open comparative trial, 60 patients were divided into two treatment groups of 30 patients each . Both groups received a combination of penicillins, probenecid, a sulphonamide and an imidazole derivative active against protozoa and anaerobes . Both regimens resulted in virtually the same therapeutic response in patients hospitalized for 6 days . The regimen consisting of ornidazole (as opposed to metronidazole) and the ultralong-acting sulphonamide, sulphadoxine (as opposed to sulphadimidine), can be given in a once-only administration, thereby greatly reducing the possibility of non-compliance in patients treated, as is customary, on an outpatient basis.

J Mol Evol, 1980 Aug, 15(4), 333 - 8
The earliest catabolic pathways; Clarke PH et al.; Anaerobic catabolism of amino acids may have provided the main source of energy for primitive microorganisms . Examples are given of amino acid catabolic reactions coupled to substrate level phosphorylations occurring in present-day anaerobes which may be biochemical fossils from a very early stage of the evolution of procaryotes.

Ann Intern Med, 1980 Aug, 93(2), 358 - 61
Infection prevention during profound granulocytopenia . New approaches to alimentary canal microbial suppression; Schimpff SC; During the past 10 years the concepts of total reverse isolation using laminar air flow rooms and alimentary canal microbial suppression using oral nonabsorbable antibiotics have each been proved effective in reducing serious infection for patients with profound, prolonged granulocytopenia . When these two modalities are combined, the net reduction in infections is about 75% . Oral nonabsorbable antibiotics, however, are poorly tolerated, costly, and frequently associated with the acquisition of resistant gram-negative rods when used outside the laminar air flow room setting . The concept of colonization resistance may be the new approach needed for microbial suppression of the nonisolated patient . If the anaerobic flora is undisturbed, newly acquired organisms generally cannot colonize the patient . Agents such as trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole suppress many of the potentially pathogenic aerobic bacteria but not the anaerobes, leaving colonization resistance relatively intact . The result thus far has been a reduction in infection without a concurrent increase in colonization or infection by organisms resistant to the antimicrobial agents commonly used for therapy.

Ann Intern Med, 1980 Aug, 93(2), 244 - 8
Peptococcus magnus: a significant human pathogen; Bourgault AM et al.; Peptococcus magnus was recovered from 10% of anaerobic cultures collected from suspected clinical infections over a 3.5-year period . It was the commonest species of anaerobic gram-positive cocci isolated (30%) . To evaluate the clinical significance of this organism, we retrospectively reviewed the charts of 222 patients from whom P . magnus was isolated . Twenty-five patients had no evidence of infection, 151 had mixed infections, and 32 had infections from which only P . magnus was isolated (pure cultures) . Mixed infections involved the following sites: bone and joint (32 cases), soft tissue (57 cases), foot ulcers (29 cases), abdominal cavity (16 cases), and miscellaneous (17 cases) . The average number of organisms was four (2.5 facultatives and 1.5 anaerobes) . Eighteen patients with pure cultures of P . magnus had bone or joint infections, and foreign bodies were present in 15 of these . Other pure cultures of P magnus infections included 12 soft tissue, one vascular graft, and one infected sternotomy with persistent bacteremia . Pure culture infections were usually chronic, and serious sequelae often resulted . Peptococcus magnus is frequently isolated from significant infections and seems particularly pathogenic in infections of bones and joints or in association with the presence of foreign bodies, or both.

J Clin Periodontol, 1980 Aug, 7(4), 309 - 15
Effects of a zinc citrate mouthwash on dental plaque and salivary bacteria; Addy M et al.; A double-blind crossover trial was carried out to assess the effect of zinc citrate on plaque accumulation in vivo and to measure total salivary aerobes and anaerobes both during the trial and throughout the day following a single rinse . When compared to the placebo, zinc citrate significantly reduced the plaque accumulation in the subjects . However, the mean reduction was small and of questionable clinical importance . A progressive increase in plaque was observed throughout both active and placebo 7-day rinsing periods . There was no significant reduction in salivary bacterial counts either during the crossover study or during the day following a single rinse with zinc citrate.

Br J Surg, 1980 Aug, 67(8), 547 - 50
Prophylactic metronidazole in appendicectomy: a controlled trial; Bates T et al.; Prophylactic metronidazole was compared with no treatment in a randomly allocated study of patients undergoing appendicectomy . A 1-g suppository of metronidazole was given with the premedication and 200 mg t.d.s . orally for 7 days thereafter . There were 4 hospital wound infections in the 87 patients receiving metronidazole and 11 out of 83 in the no-treatment group (P < 0.05) . However, 60 per cent of wound infections occurred at home and the overall infection rates were not significantly different . The duration of postoperative hospital stay was longer in the control group (5.8 days +/- 3.0 s.d.) than in the treated group (4.8 +/- 2.3; P < 0.01) . Only one anaerobic infection occurred in a patient receiving metronidazole but late infection was not prevented . Blood levels of metronidazole taken at the end of operation showed a wide variation but there was no correlation with subsequent infection . Culture of the appendix showed aerobic organisms in 88 per cent of cases and anaerobes in 72 per cent . It is suggested that an antibiotic which is effective against both aerobic and anaerobic organisms might have an advantage over metronidazole in appendicitis.

Aust N Z J Surg, 1980 Aug, 50(4), 429 - 33
The prevention of post-appendicectomy sepsis by metronidazole and cefazolin: a controlled double blind trial; Morris WT et al.; A double blind, randomized, controlled trial was carried out at two hospitals to try the effect of metronidazole, which is effective against most anaerobes, and cefazolin, which is effective against many aerobic organisms, singly and in combination, on the incidence of wound sepsis following appendicectomy . Patients were placed at random into one of four groups; to receive metronidazole and placebo, cefazolin and placebo, metronidazole and cefazolin, or double placebo . Patients with generalized peritonitis were excluded for ethical reasons . Treatment was started before operation and continued eight-hourly for twenty-four hours . All patients in the trial were followed up at about two weeks after discharge from hospital and their wounds inspected . Two hundred and seventy-one patients were assessed . Sepsis rates at the two hospitals were similar . On the untreated controls, 30% discharged pus from their wounds, and in the groups receiving one drug only, about 20% . In those receiving both drugs the infection rate was 3%, a highly significant difference from that in the other three groups.

Int J Oral Surg, 1980 Aug, 9(4), 274 - 80
Relationship between bacterial contamination and alveolitis after third molar surgery; Krekmanov L et al.; The frequency of alveolitis after third molar surgery was studied in three groups of 40 patients each . One group was premedicated with penicillin V, another with scopolamine, and the third group received no premedication . The respective frequencies of alveolitis were 5, 2.5 and 32.5 % (P less than 0.01 and P less than 0.001) . The aerobic flora in blood sampled from the socket before suturing was significantly reduced (P less than 0.05) in the penicillin group as compared with the controls . In alveolar blood clot sampled 48 h postoperatively, both aerobes and anaerobes were significantly diminished (P less than 0.01) . The concentration of penicillin V in alveolar blood ranged from 0.8 to 9.5 mg/l . The total bacterial content in alveolar blood before suturing showed poor correlation with the development of alveolitis . Abundant growth of aerobes was found, however, in 75 % of the patients with alveolitis, but in only 47 % of those without this complication.

Nucleic Acids Res, 1980 Jul 25, 8(14), 3125 - 31
A new restriction endonuclease from the anaerobic bacterium, Desulfovibrio desulfuricans, Norway; Makula RA et al.; The purification and characterization of a new restriction endonuclease, Dde 1, from a sulfate-reducing, anaerobic bacterium, Desulfovibrio desulfuricans, Norway, is reported . The enzyme recognizes the sequence (see formula index) and cleaves at the position indicated by the arrows . The enzyme preparation obtained is suitable for restriction mapping an ligation.

Ophthalmic Surg, 1980 Jul, 11(7), 435 - 6
Lacrimal system dacryoliths; Berlin AJ et al.; Seventy consecutive patients undergoing dacryocystorhinostomy for chronic dacryocystitis or dacryostenosis were analyzed . Lacrimal sac stones were found in 11 patients for an incidence of 16% . All stones were studied histopathologically and six of these stones demonstrated morphological characteristics compatible with fungus . Two stones were cultured and one of these grew aerobes with the other growing fungi only . A series of nine patients with canalicular dacryoliths was analyzed . All patients were studied clinically and bacteriologically . No fungus was found on any of these cases . Aerobic cultures were positive in two patients . All patients with canalicular stones grew anaerobes with arachnia propionica and fusobacterium species predominating . The treatment for both problems is recognition and removal of the stones.

Am J Obstet Gynecol, 1980 Jul 1, 137(5), 536 - 42
Clinical significance of amniotic fluid, amniotic membranes, and endometrial biopsy cultures at the time of cesarean section; Cooperman NR et al.; When we compared amniotic fluid and amniotic membranes, as a source of organisms at the time of cesarean section, amniotic membranes proved to be superior . During labor, intact membranes do not protect the amniotic cavity from contamination with pathogenic anaerobes and commensals . Ruptured membranes in the presence of prolonged labor predisposes the amniotic cavity to contamination with pathogenic anaerobes, commensals, and pathogenic aerobes . Cultures of the endometrial biopsy specimens taken from the site of incision at the time of cesarean section showed the presence of pathogens in 50% of the women with prolonged labor and ruptured membranes.

Am J Obstet Gynecol, 1980 Jun 15, 137(4), 451 - 8
Bacterial colonization of amniotic fluid in the presence of ruptured membranes; Miller JM Jr et al.; Amniotic fluid (AF) was collected from 37 selected patients by amniocentesis, aspiration through a pressure catheter, or aspiration at the time of cesarean section . The unspun AF was examined directly by Gram stain for bacteria and white blood cells (WBC) and was cultured . Thirteen AF cultures were positive, defined as growth on primary plating media which corresponded to greater than 10(2) colony-forming units (CFU) per milliliter . Almost equal numbers of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria were isolated . The presence of bacteria, but not WBC, on Gram stain of AF correlated significantly with a positive culture, which indicated that microscopic examination of AF would usually predict the culture result . Growth of greater than 10(2) CFU/ml from AF was significantly associated with clinical chorioamnionitis, but colonization also was observed in five afebrile patients, four of whom were in premature labor . In patients delivered by cesarean section, bacteria on Gram stain and a positive culture from AF each were significantly correlated with postpartum endometritis.

Am J Obstet Gynecol, 1980 Jun 15, 137(4), 432 - 8
Quantitative and qualitative effects of povidone-iodine liquid and gel on the aerobic and anaerobic flora of the female genital tract; Monif GR et al.; Povidone-iodine solution (Betadine Solution) produces a dramatic fall in the numbers of total aerobes and anaerobes recoverable from the posterior vaginal pool in the first 10 minutes following administration . Within 30 to 120 minutes, near baseline counts for both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria are re-established . When the vehicle for the povidone-iodine is changed to polyethylene glycol (Betadine Vaginal Gel) an effective antibacterial effect can be documented over a 3 hour period.

An Esp Pediatr, 1980 Jun, 13(6), 513 - 22
{Prevention of suppurative complications of appendiceal peritonitis (author's transl)}; Tovar JA; The high incidence and severity of suppurative complications consecutive to appendiceal rupture in children can justify this review . Mixed colonic flora, with a predominance of "E . coli" among and "B . fragilis" among anaerobes, is constantly recovered from the original purulent exudate as well as from that of suppurative complications . It seems therefore wise to complete surgical treatment with an adequate early antibiotic association direction to the particular flora . Gentamycin and Clindamycin seem to fulfill satisfactorily these requirement . On the contrary, peritoneal irrigation either with antiseptic or antibiotic fluids seems to be practically useless, and so are drains exept when they are inserted to evacuate a localized purulent collection Delayed closure of the contaminated wound can be an additional factor in the prevention of suppurative complications.

J Pediatr, 1980 Jun, 96(6), 1000 - 4
Percutaneous transtracheal aspiration in the diagnosis and treatment of aspiration pneumonia in children; Brook I; Seventy-four transtracheal aspirations and expectorated sputum specimens were collected from a number of children with aspiration pneumonia . The aspirates were cultured for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria . Cultures obtained through TTA contained fewer pathogens than in cultures of expectorated sputum . Gram stains of TTA aspirates offered prompt presumptive bacteriologic diagnosis in 93% of patients, whereas Gram stains of expectorated sputum were not specific . The recovery of Gram-negative enteric rods in the TTA aspirate provided guidance in adding an aminoglycoside to the antimicrobial therapy in 35 children (47%) . Side effects of TTA included mild hemoptysis and, in rare instances, subcutaneous emphysema . We found TTA to be a generally safe and useful procedure in the diagnosis and therapy of aspiration pneumonia in children.

J Dent Res, 1980 Jun, 59(6), 1033 - 40
Endotoxic activity in teeth with necrotic pulps; Dahlen G et al.; From root canals of 13 teeth with necrotic pulps, samples were taken for analysis of endotoxin content by means of the Limulus by lysate technique . The results were related to the viable bacteria count of root canal samples, phenol/water-extracted lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from different gram-negative anaerobic bacteria, and to different fractions of inflammation exudate . It was found that the endotoxic activity of the root canal samples was correlated with the presence and the number of gram-negative bacteria in the root canal.

Br J Surg, 1980 May, 67(5), 329 - 32
Bile bacteria in patients with benign bile duct stricture; Jackaman FR et al.; In a prospective study of 73 patients undergoing hepatodochojejunostomy for benign bile duct stricture who were covered by antibacterial prophylaxis with gentamicin and cephalolothin, bacteria were cultured from bile sampled at operation in 80 per cent of cases . Aerobic organisms were found in 50 cases (82 per cent) and anaerobic organisms in 11 cases (18 per cent) . Seventy-three per cent of the patients with postoperative septic complications had bile cultures positive for anaerobes at operation, and the same organisms were cultured from pus . All patients with anaerobes in the bile at some time in the perioperative period developed postoperative sepsis . Antibacterial prophylaxis with gentamicin and cephalothin, together with specific therapy with drugs effective against anaerobes when indicated, are recommended in the management of these cases.

Clin Orthop, 1980 May, (148), 169 - 71
Actinomyces meyeri osteomyelitis: an unusual cause of chronic infection of the tibia; Lipton M et al.; A 50-year-old man had draining fistulas of the right tibula for 15 years . He had been previously treated with antibiotic therapy of an unknown nature and by 3 sequestrectomies spaced over the 15-year interval, without a cure having been achieved . Several anaerobic bacteria, including Actinomyces meyeri were isolated from the bone lesion . The involvement of an actinomycete in osteomyelitis of a long bone is a very rare occurrence . After an additional sequestrectomy and penicillin therapy of an appropriate nature, clinical remission was achieved for the first time in 15 years.

Eur J Biochem, 1980 May, 106(1), 297 - 303
Structural comparisons of superoxide dismutases; Harris JI et al.; The amino-terminal sequences of superoxide dismutase isolated from seven microorganisms have been determined . These include the first sequences of enzyme from anaerobic phototrophes . Five enzymes contain iron and two manganese . The enzymes are all related to each other but not to the Cu/Zn family of superoxide dismutases . These sequences, taken with six others from the same family, show that there is no clear distinction in sequence between Fe and Mn types . Moreover it demonstrates a wide variation between enzymes from different bacteria . Also enzymes from anaerobes do not seem to be a particularly closely related group and are not more closely related to each other than to enzymes from aerobes . Two histidine residues are conserved in all proteins and secondary structure predictions suggest they are in close proximity in the same alpha-helix . These residues may provide ligands for the bound metal.

Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol Suppl, 1980 May-Jun, 89(3 Pt 2), 102 - 3
Persistent effusions of the middle ear . Cultures for anaerobic bacteria; Teele DW et al.; Recent reports of isolation of bacteria from effusions of the middle ear taken from asymptomatic children have suggested a possible role for persistent bacterial infection in the etiology of prolonged effusions . To investigate the significance of anaerobic bacteria in such effusions, we obtained 51 samples of middle ear effusion (MEE) from 30 children . After careful cleansing of the tympanic membrane with 70% alcohol, we performed tympanocentesis prior to performing a myringotomy . Fastidious bacteriologic methods failed to yield a single anaerobic isolate from any of these specimens . We conclude that anaerobic infection of MEE is exceedingly uncommon.

J Med Microbiol, 1980 May, 13(2), 257 - 63
Prolonged primary incubation in the isolation of anaerobic bacteria from clinical specimens; Wren MW; The value of prolonged primary anaerobic incubation for the isolation of anaerobic bacteria from clinical material was assessed by comparison of two incubation systems . Continuous incubation of primary anaerobic plates for 48 h was superior to conventional methods in that more anaerobes were isolated . The results indicate that in some cases prolonged incubation may be the only method of achieving the correct bacteriological diagnosis, particularly when relatively oxygen-sensitive strains are involved or when organisms may be damaged by exposure to oxygen during transport . Use of extended primary incubation provides a clearer picture of the microbial flora of the original lesion and reveals that some anaerobic genera may be more commonly involved than is at present recognised.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1980 Apr, 17(4), 740 - 2
Practical anaerobic broth-disk elution susceptibility test; Jorgensen JH et al.; A modified broth-disk elution method for routine susceptibility testing of anaerobic bacteria was compared with the proposed reference agar dilution method under study by the National Committee on Clinical Laboratory Standards . The broth-disk elution method used a 24-h test incubation period, Schaedler broth medium supplemented with menadione, and GasPak (BBL Microbiology Systems) incubation . Results obtained by this method compared favorably with carbenicillin, chloramphenicol, clindamycin, and penicillin minimal inhibitory concentrations . The 24-h incubation period led to major discrepancies with tetracycline disk elution tests . This method represents a practical routine procedure for testing of anaerobic bacterial isolates in hospital clinical microbiology laboratories.

J Clin Microbiol, 1980 Apr, 11(4), 418 - 21
Rapid gas-chromatographic method for identification of metabolic products of anaerobic bacteria; Rizzo AF; The volatile fatty acids, alcohols, nonvolatile fatty acids, and ketones produced by anaerobes can be separated and identified by using a single type of gas-chromatographic column . A rapid and simple procedure is described.

Am J Clin Pathol, 1980 Apr, 73(4), 558 - 61
Susceptibility testing with anaerobic blood culture isolates . Comparison of a rapid, direct methods with standardized method; Murray PR et al.; The results of a direct anaerobic susceptibility testing method were compared with those of a standardized method . Seventy-three blood culture isolates and eight antimicrobial agents were used . The results of the direct and standardized testing methods were within one two-fold dilution for 95.2% of the 584 anaerobe-antibiotic combinations tested . The direct susceptibility testing method is accurate and potentially valuable because the results are available more rapidly than those of the standardized testing method.

J Hyg (Lond), 1980 Apr, 84(2), 181 - 9
Airborne non-sporeforming anaerobic bacteria; Hambraeus A et al.; A large proportion of postoperative infections after clean surgery are thought to be exogenous . For aerobic bacteria different routes of transmission have been thoroughly studied . Airborne infection has been considered very important in infections after total hip replacement (Charnley, 1972) . Anaerobic non-sporing bacteria have been found in deep late infections after total hip replacement (Kamme et al . 1974; Schwan et al . 1977; Petrini, Nord & Welin-Berger, 1978) . However, infections caused by anaerobic bacteria have been considered endogenous, and little is known about the routes of transmission for these bacteria . The aim of this investigation has been to study the survival of anaerobic non-sporeforming bacteria in the air and environment to make it possible to study their routes of transmission in the operating room later.

Rev Ig Bacteriol Virusol Parazitol Epidemiol Pneumoftiziol Bacteriol Virusol Parazitol Epidemiol, 1980 Apr-Jun, 25(2), 107 - 10
{Sensitivity to combined metronidazole and penicillin in 227 strains of non-sporulated anaerobic bacteria}; Tatulescu M et al.; Combined metronidazol-penicillin, used in large amounts corresponding to the selective concentrations in vitro of 25 + 25 IU, may be assumed to be effective in all clinical infections in which one or several anaerobes are implicated . The experiments carried out demonstrate that this is valid for all categories of Grampositive or Gramnegative non-sporulate anaerobes . The antibiotic concentrations used are well tolerated by the human organism.

Schweiz Med Wochenschr, 1980 Mar 8, 110(10), 362 - 9
{Rapid diagnosis of anaerobic infections by means of the direct gaschromatographic study of clinical materials}; Wust J; Current methods for isolation and identification of obligately anaerobic bacteria are laborious and time-consuming . Direct gas-liquid chromatography of purulent and serous specimens for short-chain fatty acids allows a presumptive diagnosis of anaerobic infection . Good correlation was found for the cultural recovery of anaerobic bacteria and the presence of propionic acid in concentrations of greater than or equal to 1 muMol/ml, isobutyric, butyric, isovaleric, valeric, isocaproic and caproic acid at greater than or equal to 0.1 muMol/ml, and succinic acid at greater than or equal to 2 muMol/ml (either as single acids or in combination) . Specimens yielding no anaerobic bacteria in culture contained only acetic, lactic and small amounts of succinic acid, but none of the volatile acids.

Z Gastroenterol, 1980 Mar, 18(3), 155 - 60
Different actions of neomychin and metronidazole on breath hydrogen (H2) exhalation; Lembcke B et al.; Purpose of this investigation was to characterize the effect of antibiotics as a possible limiting factor for the evaluation of hydrogen (H2) breath analysis tests which depend on bacterial carbohydrate fermentation . Breath H2-excretion following ingestion of the non-absorbable disaccharide lactulose was monitored in healthy subjects before and after pretreatment with the aminoglycoside neomycin or with metronidazole . Metronidazole decreased the amount of hydrogen exhaled by 39 % (p<0.05) and peak H2-excretion by 42.1 % (p<0.01), because it suppresses anaerobe H2 producing microorganisms . Neomycin intensified nonsignificantly the integrated (0-6 hours) breath hydrogen response to lactulose (+43 %) and the maximal H2-concentration by 29.8 %, probably because it interferes with intestinal bacteria which are important for H2-consumption.

Infect Control, 1980 Mar-Apr, 1(2), 97 - 9
Pseudoepidemic of endocarditis in patients undergoing open heart surgery; Aber RC et al.; Between July 2 and July 16, 1979, three patients were reported to have gram-positive cocci as seen on Gram strain of excised, macerated heart valve tissue . No organisms were isolated in culture; however, our usual procedure for handling such valves is not adequate for isolation of strict anaerobes . The first patient was treated for presumed endocarditis; this resulted in three additional weeks of hospitalization . Review of the remaining 34 patients who had heart valve replacement surgery between February 1 and July 20, 1979 revealed three additional cases . Careful analysis revealed that nonviable, gram-positive cocci present in commercially prepared trypticase soy broth were being added to the tissue just prior to mortar and pestle grinding in the microbiology laboratory . The contaminated tubes were noted to have a visible sediment when carefully examined . The procedure for handling the broth has been revised; a simple screening procedure is used now to identify potentially contaminated broth . No further instances of false positive results on Gram-staining of heart valve tissue have occurred since this screening procedure was introduced.

Mol Biochem Parasitol, 1980 Mar, 1(1), 1 - 12
Energy metabolism of the anaerobic protozoon Giardia lamblia; Lindmark DG; Cells of the aerotolerant anaerobe Giardia lamblia respire in the presence of oxygen . Endogenous respiration is stimulated by glucose but not by other carbohydrates and Krebs cycle intermediates . Endogenous and glucose-stimulated respiration are insensitive to cyanide, malonate, and 2,4-dinitrophenol, but are inhibited by atabrin and iodoacetamide . G . lamblia produces ethanol, acetate and CO2 both aerobically and anaerobically either from endogenous reserves or exogenous glucose . Molecular hydrogen is not produced . The following enzyme activities were detected in homogenates: hexokinase, fructose-biphosphate aldolase, pyruvate kinase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, malate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase (decarboxylating), pyruvate synthase, acetyl-CoA synthetase, alcohol dehydrogenase (NADP+), NADH dehydrogenase, NADPH dehydrogenase, NADPH oxidoreductase and superoxide dismutase . The enzymes of energy and carbohydrate metabolism are nonsedimentable (109 000 x g for 30 min) . Activities of lactate dehydrogenase, hydrogenase, phosphate acetyltransferase, acetate kinase, citrate synthase, succinate dehydrogenase, fumarate hydratase and catalase were below the limits of detection . The results suggest the occurrence of glycolysis, energy production by substrate level phosphorylation and a flavin, iron-sulfur protein mediated electron transport system as well as the absence of cytochrome mediated oxidative phosphorylation and functional Krebs cycle.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1980 Feb, 17(2), 288 - 91
Vaspar broth-disk procedure for antibiotic susceptibility testing of anaerobic bacteria; West SE et al.; A modification of the Wilkins-Thiel broth-disk procedure for antibiotic susceptibility testing of anaerobic bacteria is described . This method utilizes an aerobically prepared medium overlaid with molten vaspar . Specialized anaerobic techniques or prereduced media are not required.

J Bacteriol, 1980 Feb, 141(2), 888 - 98
Isolation and characterization of outer and inner membranes of Selenomonas ruminantium: lipid compositions; Kamio Y et al.; The isolation procedure and characterization of the outer and inner membranes from Selenomonas ruminatium cells, a strictly anaerobic bacterium, are described . The metabolic fate of {14C}decanoate incorporated into the outer and inner membranes was examined . The percent distribution of radioactivities in the outer and inner membranes was about 40 and 50% of the total incorporated activity, respectively . Approximately 47% of the radioactivity incorporated into the outer membrane was recovered in the phospholipid fraction, and the remaining radioactivity was found in both aqueous and phenol layers when the outer membrane was treated with phenol-water . In contrast to {14C}decanoate, the percent distribution of {3H}glycerol in the outer and inner membranes was about 25 and 70% of the total incorporated activity, respectively . Most of the assimilated 3H was located in the phospholipid fraction of both membranes . However, no significant label was detected in either the protein or cell wall fraction . The following observations were made concerning lipid compositions in the outer and inner membranes by chemical and isotopic analyses . (i) The outer and inner membranes contained no detectable phosphatidyl glycerol or cardiolipin . (ii) A prominent radioactive compound, designated band III lipid, was found mainly in the outer membrane as a major radioactive spot when cells were grown with {14C}decanoate . This lipid contained phosphorus, 2-keto-3-deoxyoctulosonic acid and 3-OH fatty acid but no detectable glycerol . This lipid was identified tentatively to be 2-keto-3-deoxyoctulosonic acid-lipid A . (iii) Although the ubiquity of phosphatidyl ethanolamine plasmalogen in both outer and inner membranes was confirmed, the occurrence of the molecular species of phosphatidyl ethanolamine plasmalogen was quite different in the outer and inner membranes.

Surg Clin North Am, 1980 Feb, 60(1), 197 - 212
Infections following gastrointestinal surgery: intra-abdominal abscess; Nichols RL; Intra-abdominal sepsis is frequently present after trauma, surgical resection, or intrinsic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract . Infection may be generalized or localized in intraperitoneal or extraperitoneal locations as well as in solid organs . The offending microflora is polymicrobial, consisting of both aerobes and anaerobes . Adequate, prompt surgical drainage and the appropriate choice of parenteral antibiotics aimed at both types of bacteria will result in a more favorable postoperative course and will reduce the possibility of local infection and secondary septicemia.

Crit Care Med, 1980 Feb, 8(2), 55 - 60
The systemic septic response: does the organism matter?
Wiles JB, Cerra FB, Siegel JH, Border JR.
The clinical and physiological responses to septicemia were evaluated in 59 patients with 70 septic episodes . All patients were critically ill, had similar ICU support, and had positive blood cultures as well as a clinical infection when studied by dye dilution cardiac outputs . The overall ratio of gram-negative to gram-positive sepsis was 2.6:1.0 . Patients with septicemia caused by gram-positive organisms, gram-negative organisms, anaerobes, and fungi had similar fever, leucocyte, and acid-base responses . There were also no statistical differences in any physiological variables between organism group or between specific organisms . After volume loading, all patients exhibited a hyperdynamic cardiovascular response with abnormal vascular tone . Some degree of myocardial depression was a common feature of all forms of bacterial or fungal septicemia . Heart rate was the cardiac variable producing the increased cardiac output in this setting . The exact pathogenesis of the septic response remains undetermined . However, the response appears to be host determined and not peculiar to a specific pathogenic microorganism.

Aust N Z J Surg, 1980 Feb, 50(1), 73 - 5
Anaerobic bacteria, the colon and colitis; Roediger WE; Anaerobic bacteria constitute more than 90% of the bacteria in the colon . An anaerobic environment is needed to maintain their growth and the production of short-chain fatty acids by these bacteria from carbohydrates . Short-chain fatty acids are rapidly absorbed and essential for metabolic as well as functional welfare of the colonic mucosa . The importance of these acids in water absorption and in the patogenesis of colitis is discussed in relation to the concept of "energy deficiency diseases" of the colonic mucosa.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1980 Feb, 33(2), 173 - 81
Bu-2313, a new antibiotic complex active against anaerobes . III . Semi-synthesis of Bu-2313 A and B, and their analogs; Toda S et al.; Analogs of Bu-2313 A and B were prepared by C-acylation of tetramic acid derivatives with the dienoic acid moiety obtained by periodate oxidation of Bu-2313 A or B . The C-acylation proceeded in the presence of a strong base such as potassium t-butoxide, sodium hydride or lithium hydride, whereas the use of triethylamine afforded O-acylated products . The semi-synthetic Bu-2313 analogs exhibited antibacterial spectra similar to the parent antibiotic but none exceeded Bu-2313 B in activity.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1980 Feb, 33(2), 166 - 72
Bu-2313, a new antibiotic complex active against anaerobes . II . Structure determination of Bu-2313 A and B; Tsunakawa M et al.; The structures of Bu-2313 A and B have been determined . They are dienoyltetramic acid-containing antibiotics structurally related to streptolydigin and tirandamycin.

Cutis, 1980 Feb, 25(2), 194 - 5, 198-9
Gram-negative acne; Feibleman CE et al.; Gram-negative acne is an unusual, distinctive disease that is probably increasing in frequency . It seems directly related to long-term therapy with multiple antibiotics and in one of our cases with the misue of topical corticosteroids . Cultures should be taken from the obvious as well as the not so obvious sites--nares, ear canals, and perineum--with special technique to maximize growth of gram-negative and anaerobic bacteria . Our patients had a good response to appropriate systemic antibiotic and topical therapy.

J Bacteriol, 1980 Feb, 141(2), 593 - 602
Ammonia assimilation and glutamate formation in the anaerobe Selenomonas ruminantium; Smith CJ et al.; Selenomonas ruminantium was found to possess two pathways for NH4+ assimilation that resulted in net glutamate synthesis . One pathway fixed NH4+ through the action of an NADPH-linked glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) . Maximal GDH activity required KCl (about 0.48 M), but a variety of monovalent salts could replace KCl . Complete substrate saturation of the enzyme by NH4+ did not occur, and apparent Km values of 6.7 and 23 mM were estimated . Also, an NADH-linked GDH activity was observed but was not stimulated by KCl . Cells grown in media containing non-growth-rate-limiting concentrations of NH4+ had the highest levels of GDH activity . The second pathway fixed NH4+ into the amide of glutamine by an ATP-dependent glutamine synthetase (GS) . The GS did not display gamma-glutamyl transferase activity, and no evidence for an adenylylation/deadenylylation control mechanism was detected . GS activity was highest in cells grown under nitrogen limitation . Net glutamate synthesis from glutamine was effected by glutamate synthase activity (GOGAT) . The GOGAT activity was reductant dependent, and maximal activity occurred with dithionite-reduced methyl viologen as the source of electrons, although NADPH or NADH could partially replace this artificial donor system . Flavin adenine dinucleotide, flavin mononucleotide, or ferredoxin could not replace methyl viologen . GOGAT activity was maximal in cells grown with NH4+ as sole nitrogen source and decreased in media containing Casamino Acids.

Zentralbl Bakteriol A, 1980, 247(4), 502 - 16
{Blood cultures . Comparative study with 7 known and 2 new nutrient media for the detection of aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms (author's transl)}; Abdou MA et al.; The growth promoting properties of seven commercially manufactured and two recently developed culture media are compared according to a standardized method . The study is carried out alternately without and with the addition of 10% fresh human blood to the culture media . The carefully selected test strains include 20 species of bacteria and 2 species of yeasts which represent obligatory aerobic, facultative anaerobic and obligatory anaerobic microorganisms with quite different nutritional and atmospherical requirements . The 9 tested media are good enough for the purpose of culturing nonfastidious bacteria . However, most of the commercially prepared media failed to detect small inocula of very fastidious microbial agents, especially when no blood is added . Collectively, thiol broth is the most noneffective medium . The last but one is thioglycollate medium . Three culture media based on brain heart infusion formula prove to be effective . Those are the commercial brain heart dextrose and the two media recently developed by the authors, namely brain heart dipeptone (BHD) and brain heart dipeptone cysteine (BHDC) . BHD is the most suitable medium for the detection of obligatory aerobic and facultative anaerobic fastidious microorganisms . BHDC detects anaerobic fastidious bacteria quite effectively . The other media, namely Columbia, trypticase soy, trypticase soy sucrose, and Rosenow are of limited value with regard to the detection of small inocula of fastidious microorganisms . The causes of the unsatisfactory results with different commercial media are discussed in detail . The authors point out to the possible use of hypertonic media in special cases . Properties that should be fulfilled by blood culture media are proposed.

Infection, 1980, 8 Suppl 2, S212 - 4
Infections due to anaerobic bacteria: case reports; Shah PM; Four typical case histories are presented to illustrate the clinical situation in which anaerobic infections may occur . In all conditions in which there is a risk of aspiration (anaesthetic, alcoholism etc.) anaerobes should be suspected as one of the causative organisms of infection . In such pulmonary infections transtracheal aspiration must be performed to collect material . Infections with anaerobes can occur in compromised patients undergoing treatment with antibiotics which are not effective against anaerobes (e.g . aminoglycosides).

Infection, 1980, 8 Suppl 2, S198 - 201
Pathogenic significance of anaerobic bacteria in the female genital tract; Katranuschkova N; Comparative microbiological investigations of biopsy specimens from the cervix of women with gynaecological infections, and from the cervix secretion of healthy women with normal menstrual cycles, as well as animal experiments were conducted in order to determine the pathogenicity of non-sporeforming anaerobic bacteria in the female genital tract . From the results the following conclusions were drawn: any anerobic bacterium is considered pathogenic if it is cultured in liquid or solid medium from a non-gravid uterus, the tubes or the exudate in the small pelvis . Bacteria isolated from the cervial canal during puerperium or from the uterus are considered pathogenic if a large number grows on solid culture and if a known pathogenic species predominates . Bacteria isolated from the vagina can be of pathogenic significance if the clinical findings are not normal and if the above-mentioned criteria are considered.

Infection, 1980, 8 Suppl 2, S195 - 8
The therapy of anaerobic infections in obstetrics and gynecology; Hirsch HA et al.; The sites of infection and causative organisms found at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the University of Tubingen are reviewed . About 10% were wound infections, and 10% of all organisms were anaerobes . The principles of treatment of obstetrical and gynecological infections by surgery and chemotherapy are discussed . In cases of mixed infections, good antibiotic coverage of both aerobes and anaerobes should be provided.

Infection, 1980, 8 Suppl 2, S193 - 4
Diagnosis, prophylaxis and treatment of mixed (aerobic and anaerobic) infections following trauma or orthopaedic operation; Melnikova V; The prompt and effective diagnosis, prophylaxis anad treatment of anaerobic infections are of great importance to traumatologists and orthopaedic surgeons . As mixed infections with aerobic and anaerobic organisms occur frequently, proper and effective diagnosis is essential . According to our findings, clindamycin phosphate is an effective substance for treatment of infections with non-spore-forming anaerobes, and in combination with aminoglycosides it is effective against mixed infections with gram-negative rods.

Infection, 1980, 8 Suppl 2, S192 - 3
The importance of anaerobic infections in abdominal surgery; Peters H et al.; The clinical significance of anaerobic bacteria in infective complications occurring in intestinal surgery is discussed . For high-risk patients the authors recommend parenteral prophylactic administration of clindamycin and gentamicin.

Zentralbl Chir, 1980, 105(2), 128 - 31
{'Sterile' brain abscesses (author's transl)}; Burkert W et al.; In 16 cases of brain abscess (1970 to 1976) 10 could be identified to be bacteriologically sterile . However in 5 cases of "sterile" cerebral abscesses, where swabs were taken under anaerobic conditions, it was possible to isolate anaerobic bacteria in every case . It is concluded that in reality thse so-called "sterile" brain abscesses were also contaminated with anaerobes.

J Gen Microbiol, 1980 Jan, 116(1), 157 - 63
Fusobacterium polysaccharolyticum sp.nov., a gram-negative rod from the rumen that produces butyrate and ferments cellulose and starch; van Gylswyk NO; A new Gram-negative, non-sporulating, rod-shaped, anaerobic bacterium capable of fermenting cellulose and starch was isolated from the rumens of sheep fed supplemented maize stover diets . The organism fermented few carbohydrates, showing a preference for polysaccharides . The main acid products of carbohydrate fermentation were butyrate and formate . Acetate was utilized.

Chemotherapy, 1980, 26(2), 145 - 51
Tinidazole in the prophylaxis and treatment of anaerobic infection; Appelbaum PC et al.; The influence of prophylactic tinidazole therapy on vaginal carriage rates of anaerobes and the development of post-operative anaerobic infection was studied in 100 women undergoing abdominal hysterectomy . Tinidazole prophylaxis (50 patients) led to a decrease of anaerobe vaginal carriage rate from 56% pre-operatively to 10 and 30% on the third and seventh post-operative days, respectively . In the control group (50 patients), no significant decrease in anaerobe yield was noted, corresponding percentages being 72, 64 and 74 . Post-operative infection occurred in 34 cases (28 controls, 6 tinidazole prophylaxis) . Wound swabs from patients in the latter group did not yield anaerobes on culture, and infections either resolved spontaneously (2 cases) or responded to tinidazole therapy, with or without addition of ampicillin and kanamycin (4 cases) . In the control group, 21 cases of post-operative wound infection and 4 of vault infection were seen . Wound swabs from 6 of the former group yielded aerobes only and 10 mixed growth of aerobes/anaerobes . Post-operative wound/vault infections in control patients cleared spontaneously (18 cases) or responded to imidazole therapy, with or without ampicillin and kanamycin (7 cases) . These data suggest that tinidazole may be a useful adjunct in imidazole prophylaxis and treatment of anaerobic infection.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1980 Jan, 39(1), 265 - 7
Gastrointestinal ecology and histology of rats monoassociated with anaerobic bacteria; Wells CL et al.; Pure cultures of anaerobic bacteria colonized the gastrointestinal tracts of germfree rats and induced an increase in the cellularity of intestinal tissue.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1980 Jan, 39(1), 242 - 52
Evaluation by electron microscopy and anaerobic culture of types of rumen bacteria associated with digestion of forage cell walls; Akin DE; Different morphological types of rumen bacteria which degraded cell walls of forage grasses with various in vitro digestibilities were evaluated with electron microscopy . The majority of these bacteria (i.e., about 70% or more) consisted of two distinct types: (i) encapsulated cocci and (ii) irregularly shaped bacteria, resembling major fiber digesters found in the rumen . Each type was capable of degrading structurally intact cell walls . Differences (P less than or equal to 0.02) in the percent ratio of encapsulated cocci to irregularly shaped bacteria were observed between Bermuda grass and fescue; the ratio of encapsulated cocci to irregularly shaped bacteria between Bermuda grass and orchard grass was similar and variations were high . The proportion of irregularly shaped bacteria usually increased with increased time of digestion . Differences (P greater than 0.1) were not found in the percentage ratio of encapsulated cocci to irregularly shaped bacteria attached to specific tissue types in either Bermuda grass or fescue . However, encapsulated cocci tended to be more prevalent on sclerenchyma than other tissues in Bermuda grass, but less prevalent on sclerenchyma than other tissues in fescue . Transmission electron microscopy of tissue digestion of rapidly degraded orchard grass blades revealed that mesophyll, parenchyma bundle sheath, and parts of the epidermal cell wall apparently were degraded without direct attachment of bacteria although bacteria were near the cell walls undergoing digestion . Anaerobic growth studies showed that the total culturable bacteria developing on medium 10 and media containing carbohydrates similar to those in forage cell walls (i.e., pectin, xylan, and cellobiose) were 80% higher from rumen bacterial populations adapted in vitro to cell walls of orchard grass compared to those from Bermuda grass; the number of colonies from the orchard grass-adapted population was significantly (P less than or equal to 0.05) greater on the medium containing xylan . Filter paper tests showed that the cellulolytic activity of populations adapted to fescue was greater than that of orchard grass or Bermuda grass.

Handchirurgie, 1980, 12(3-4), 265 - 8
{Severe necrotic inflammation after human bite injuries}; Towfigh H; Human bites are highly infected wounds and must, therefore, be treated either under hospitalization or strict and regular ambulatory control . An X-ray should be taken to detect any foreign body or pathological bone changes . Exact bacteriological sampling for aerobic as well as anaerobic bacteria, surgical wound toilet, immobilisation of the extremity and the application of combined broadspectrum antibiotics are necessary measures . Surgical debridement should take place under regional or general anaesthesia and tourniquet . In neglected cases it may be necessary to sacrifice a fingertip or even an entire finger to prevent excessive and uncontrolled spread of the infection to the neighboring tissue.

Neurochirurgie, 1980, 26(5), 349 - 52
{Cerebral infections due to anaerobic organisms (author's transl)}; Roux FX et al.; Most of intracranial suppurations, especially those from E.N.T . origin, are secondary to anaerobic germs, which can be cocci Gram (+) or Gram (-), in association or not with aerobic bacteria . 97 cases have been observed between 1968 and 1979 at Lariboisiere Hospital . When the bacteriological study was realised in correct conditions, anaerobic germs were found in more than 60% of cases, and less than 10 % of cultures were negative . A lower mortality (11 %) and morbidity (34 %) rates follow an improvement in bacteriological diagnosis . Anaerobic bacteria stay very susceptible to antibiotics, such as the association Penicilline-Metronidazole; now, we prescribe immediately such a therapeutic, and eventually modify it after having received the antibiogram . As a conclusion, the treatment of brain abscesses could be simplified: CT scan and a rigourous bacteriology make possible an accurate control and follow-up of the suppuration after simple punction.

Microbios, 1980, 28(112), 97 - 106
Regulation of cellulase synthesis in Acetivibrio cellulolyticus; Saddler JN et al.; A mesophilic anaerobe, Acetivibrio cellulolyticus, isolated from a cellulose-enrichment culture, degraded cellulose by the secretion of cellulolytic enzymes into the culture medium . Both exo- and endoglucanase activities were detected and shown to be regulated by induction and catabolite repression . Endoglucanase synthesis was induced by cellulose, cellobiose and salicin . Synthesis induced during growth on cellobiose was inhibited, although not completely repressed by glucose . Exoglucanase activity was enhanced when cells were grown on insoluble or soluble poly beta-glucoside polymers . Activity was progressively inhibited by supplementing microcrystalline substrates with increasing amounts of cellobiose.

Ann Biol Clin (Paris), 1980, 38(6), 355 - 9
A swab transport system for anaerobic bacteria (Anatube); Hubrechts JM et al.; The Anatube is designed to be a practical system for swabs of human material which it is intended subsequently to culture for anaerobes . Basically, it consists of a large tube (A) in which is contained a second tube (B) of much smaller volume . The atmosphere in the large tube consists of nitrogen (90 p . cent) and CO2 (10 p . cent) . It is important that each specimen is taken with a swab which can be broken off at a particular place . After the sample has been put into the Anatube, the small amount oxygen thus entering the tube is diluted to a low enough concentration for anaerobic organisms to survive . To evaluate the clinical reliability of the Anatube as compared to the system using Stuarts Transport medium, cervical specimens were taken from one hundred unselected women attending the gynecological clinic.

Infection, 1980, 8 Suppl 2, S147 - 50
Collection and transport of specimens for anaerobic culture; Hallander HO et al.; By comparative studies of sampling methods it was shown that specimens should be obtained preferably by aspiration in order to avoid contamination by anaerobic flora . Anaerobic transport systems are recommended, though some anaerobic strains tolerate exposure to air surprisingly well . A gassed-out tube or vial is the method of choice for transporting fluid specimens for anaerobic culture.

Infection, 1980, 8 Suppl 2, S145 - 7
Factors contributing to loss of anaerobic bacteria in transit from the patient to the laboratory; Collee JG; Care and attention to detail in the sampling, transit and submission of a specimen for anaerobic bacteriological investigation are of paramount importance . The swab is a relatively inefficient sampling device and is often abused . A transport system may help, but a full evaluation of our sampling and transport methodology is needed and this will be influenced by local circumstances.

Infection, 1980, 8 Suppl 2, S150 - 2
Prompt and reliable culture of exacting anaerobic bacteria in anaerobic jars; Collee JG; The presently recognized anaerobic bacteria of clinical interest, with the possible exception of some spirochaetes, can be cultured by conventional procedures with an anaerobic jar . Care and attention to detail in the design and operation of an anaerobic jar are essential . Anaerobic cabinets and oxygen-free gassing systems may contribute to further research and development, but the potential usefulness of a good anaerobic jar in clinical bacteriology should not be under-rated.

J Supramol Struct, 1980, 13(4), 421 - 46
Evolution of membrane bioenergetics; Wilson TH et al.; One of the first problems encountered by primitive cells was that of volume regulation; the continuous entry of ions, (eg, NaCl) and water in response to the internal colloid osmotic pressure threatening to destroy the cell by lysis . We propose that to meet this environmental challenge cells evolved an ATP-driven proton extrusion system plus a membrane carrier that would exchange external protons with internal Na+ . With the appearance of the ability to generate proton gradients, additional mechanisms to harness this source of energy emerged . These would include proton-nutrient cotransport, K+ accumulation, nucleic acid entry, and motility . A more efficient system for the uptake of certain carbohydrates by vectorial phosphorylation via the PEP-phosphotransferase system probably appeared rather early in the evolution of anaerobic bacteria . The reversal of the proton-ATPase reaction to give net ATP synthesis became possible with the development of other types of efficient proton transporting machinery . Either light-driven bacterial rhodopsin or a redox system coupled to proton translocation would have served this function . Oxidation of one substrate coupled to the reduction of another substrate by membrane-bound enzymes evolved in such a manner that protons were extruded from the cell during the reaction . The progressive elaboration of this type of redox proton pump permitted the use of exogenous electron acceptors, such as fumarate, sulfate, and nitrate . The stepwise growth of these electron transport chains required the accretion of several flavoproteins, iron-sulfur proteins, quinones, and cytochromes . With modifications of these four basic components a chlorophyll-dependent photosynthetic system was subsequently evolved . The oxygen that was generated by this photosynthetic system from water would eventually accumulate in the atmosphere of the earth . With molecular oxygen present, the emergence of cytochrome oxidase would complete the respiratory chain . The proton economy of membrane energetics has been retained by most present-day microorganisms, mitochondria, chloroplasts, and cells of higher plants . A secondary use of the energy stored as an electrochemical difference of Na+ for powering membrane events probably also evolved in microorganisms . The exclusive age of the Na+ economy is distinctive of the plasma membrane of animal cells; the Na+-K+ ATPase sets up an electrochemical Na+ gradient that provides the energy for osmoregulation, Na+-nutrient co-transport, and the action potential of excitable cells.

Chemotherapy, 1980, 26(5), 344 - 53
Susceptibility of anaerobic bacteria in vitro to 23 antimicrobial agents; Bach VT et al.; 589 isolates of anaerobic bacteria, including 127 isolates of Bacterioides fracilis, were tested against 23 antimicrobial agents . At their usually achievable serum levels, carbenicillin, ticarcillin, mezlocillin and piperacillin; cefoxitin, minocycline, doxycycline, clindamycin, chloramphenicol and rifampin were effective against more than 80% of B . fragilis isolates . At usual therapeutic doses, penicillin (PEN), ampicillin (AMP), cyclacillin (CYC), cephalothin (CT), cefazolin (CZ), cephradine (CPD), cefamandole (CMD), cefaclor (CCL), cefuroxime (CRX), spectinomycin (SPT), tetracycline (TET), ethambutol (EMB) and isoniazid (INH) were ineffective against B . Fragilis . However, high and clinically tolerated doses of PEN, CMD and SPT inhibited more than 80% of B . fragilis isolates, but AMP, CYC, CT, CZ, CPD, CCL and CRX, TET, EMB and INH remained totally ineffective against B . fragilis . The therapeutic merits of these antibiotics are discussed.

Chemotherapy, 1980, 26(2), 111 - 5
In vitro susceptibility of anaerobic flora of the female genital tract to ampicillin compared to spectinomycin; Thadepalli H et al.; Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) may be caused by anaerobic bacteria and or gonococcus and therefore the efficacy of two antibiotics, ampicillin (AMP) and spectinomycin (SPM) commonly used in this setting was examined against 370 isolates of anaerobic bacteria . At the highest therapeutically achievable serum levels, AMP (16 micrograms/ml) inhibited 83% of all anaerobes and 70% of Bacterioides fragilis, and SPM (128 micrograms/ml) inhibited 98% of all anaerobes and 95% of B . fragilis strains tested . It therefore appears that both AMP and SPM may have a place in the treatment of PID . In our study, greater percentage of anaerobes were susceptible to SPM than previously reported . We used the 'glove box' technique used for testing the susceptibility of anaerobes.

Eur J Biochem, 1980, 107(1), 207 - 15
On the role of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase in growth cessation of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells cultured under oxygen deficiency; Loffler M; In pyrimidine biosynthesis the oxidation of dihydroorotate is catalyzed by dihydroorotate dehydrogenase, which is linked to the mitochondrial electron transport chain in vertebrates . In order to elucidate the role of this oxygen-dependent anabolic process in the arrest of cell proliferation under anaerobic culture conditions, the effect of the antimetabolite dihydro-5-azaorotic acid on growth, metabolism and cell cycle distribution of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells was studied and compared with the effect of oxygen-free culture conditions . Experiments with cell homogenates confirmed that the dehydrogenation of dihydroorotate is blocked by the inhibitor . In intact cells 2 mM dihydro-5-azaorotic acid inhibited incorporation of dihydro{6-14C}orotate into nucleic acids, and no further increase in RNA and DNA content was observed in its presence for several hours . The cells remained viable; glycolytic activity was normal; respiration was reduced; growth cessation occurred within a few hours . DNA histograms obtained by flow cytometry revealed an accumulation of cells in the G1 phase, which was also observed with anaerobically cultured cells . Substitution of cultures with pyrimidine nucleosides completely sustained cell proliferation in the presence of the inhibitor but not in an anoxic atmosphere . It is concluded that in the absence of oxygen cell proliferation may be arrested by inhibition of the dihydroorotate dehydrogenase alone . However, additional impairments of cell metabolism must play an important role.

Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd, 1979 Dec, 39(12), 1054 - 6
{The bacterial contamination of epidural catheters with areobe and anaerobe germs in obstetrics (author's transl)}; Bauer M et al.; Following anaesthesia the tips of 105 epidural catheters were investigated for aerobe and anaerobe bacteria . In one case aerobe germs (staphycoccus epidermidis) and in three cases anaerobe germs (propioni-bacteria were isolated . In two further cases aerobic growth was suspected but not confirmed in sub-cultures . The contamination rate was therefore 0.9% aerobe and 4.8% by anaerobe bacteria . Even in the face of a clinically uncomplicated course the presence of bacteria on the catheter tip is considered to be a potential risk for infection . As a preventive measure the skin disinfection procedure was changed and the disinfectant is left for sic minutes instead of three minutes.

J Clin Pathol, 1979 Dec, 32(12), 1203 - 5
Detection of anaerobic wound infection by analysis of pus swabs for volatile fatty acids by gas-liquid chromatography; Reed PJ et al.; Swabs were able to absorb enough extractable volatile fatty acids from broth cultures of anaerobic organisms for detection and analysis by gas-liquid chromatography (GLC) . Similarly, volatile fatty acids were often detected in swabs dipped into liquid pus . Fifty-three liquid pus specimens were then investigated fully to determine if GLC analysis of swab samples gave the same result as microbial culture of the specimens and GLC analysis of the liquid pus . Anaerobic bacteria failed to grow from 36 and volatile fatty acids were not extracted from swabs of 31 of these pus samples but were extracted from swabs of five . Anaerobic bacteria were isolated from 17 of the specimens, and in 15, volatile fatty acids were also detected in the swab samples; in two, volatile fatty acids were absent from both swab samples and liquid pus . In this study, results by culture and GLC analysis of swabs were similar in 87% of specimens.

Am J Clin Pathol, 1979 Dec, 72(6), 968 - 71
Comparison of three transport systems for recovery of aerobes and anaerobes from wounds; McConville JH et al.; A clinical evaluation of three commercially available transport systems (Anaerobic Specimen Collector, Becton-Dickenson; Anaswab, Scott Laboratories; and Trans-Cul, Wampole) was done, using as subjects 75 patients suspected of having infections . Holding times were purposely varied and ranged from 30 min to 48 hours . Totals of 22 aerobic species and 15 anaerobic species were isolated . There was essentially no difference among the three systems in the recoveries of aerobic or anaerobic organisms . Discrepancies appeared to be related to the order of collection and amount of clinical material available for culture . Time delay from collection to plating did not affect the recovery of aerobes or anaerobes . The three systems performed equally in the recovery of clinically significant pathogens from purulent clinical material.

J Bacteriol, 1979 Dec, 140(3), 893 - 901
Cytochrome c3 from the sulfate-reducing anaerobe Desulfovibrio africanus Benghazi: purification and properties; Singleton R Jr et al.; Cytochrome c3 was purified from Desulfovibrio africanus Benghazi by extraction with alkaline deoxyribonuclease, fractionation with ammonium sulfate, batch elution from carboxymethyl Sephadex followed by chromatography on the same resin, and gel filtration on Sephadex G-75 . The preparation was judge homogeneous by a variety of criteria . The molecular weight was determined in an analytical ultracentrifuge, and values between 14,400 and 15,490 were obtained, depending upon the presumed value of partial specific volume . Gel filtration on a calibrated column of Sephadex G-75 gave a value of 14,900 daltons . The amino acid composition was very similar to that observed for the cytochrome from other species of Desulfovibrio, with the exception of increased levels of ThR and PhE . S-Carboxymethylation of the protein before and after heme removal by HgCl2 demonstrated eight Cys molecules involved in heme binding or four heme sites per molecule . Titration with sodium dithionite under N2 gave an electrochemical potential (E' 0) of -276 mV relative to the normal hydrogen electrode . Electrochemical titration of the cytochrome gave a Nernst plot with two linear regions with E' 0 values of -0.376 and -0.534 V . The spectra produced at various potentials exhibited shifts in isosbestic points upon reduction, suggesting changes in conformation during the reaction.

Can J Microbiol, 1979 Dec, 25(12), 1427 - 32
Cellulose degradation by a new isolate from sewage sludge, a member of the Bacteroidaceae family; Saddler JN et al.; A mesophilic anaerobe, a member of the Bacteroidaceae family (NRC2248), isolated from a cellulose-enrichment culture, digested untreated Whatman cellulose powder and HCl-treated cotton battings while producing hydrogen, carbon dioxide, cellobiose, glucose, and acetic acid as the sole volatile acid . This organism also utilized cellobiose as carbon and energy source but did not utilize glucose . It grew well in synthetic medium containing ammonium salts as nitrogen source and having a pH value of 7.0-7.1 and an Eh value of -160mV or lower . The nutrient requirements of this organism were found to be similar to those of other anaerobes except for Na2S which inhibited cellulose degradation in concentrations above 0.75 mM . Best cellulose degradation occurred under an atmosphere of 80% N2-20% CO2 . Use of H2 or 80% H2-20% CO2 as headspace gas inhibited growth . Although accumulation of acetic acid in about 15-16 mM concentrations inhibited the further formation of H2, CO2, and acetic acid in the broth, it did not stop the degradation of cellulose . The results indicate that this organism has the ability to grow in media containing up to 20 g/L of cellulose and to produce industrially important and easily separable end products from cellulose.

J Gen Microbiol, 1979 Dec, 115(2), 301 - 7
Adenosine triphosphatase activity of Tritrichomonas foetus; Lloyd D et al.; Homogenates of Tritrichomonas foetus exhibited a Mg2+-dependent adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity, with a pH optimum in Tris buffers of 8.2 to 8.3 . The activity was not sensitive to oxygen . At high concentrations, quercetin and 4-chloro-7-nitrobenzofurazan inhibited ATPase activity in the cytoplasmic extract by 20 and 70%, respectively, whereas oligomycin, venturicidin, triethyltin, leucinostatin, dibutylchloromethyltin chloride, spegazzinine, efrapeptin, citreoviridin and sodium azide had no effect and N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodi-imide stimulated the activity somewhat . The activity was localized in a population of small cytoplasmic particles which also contained an acid phosphatase . There was no indication of an association of ATPase with hydrogenosomes . The ATPase activity (or activities) in this aerotolerant anaerobe is different from the ATPases characteristic of mitochondria or of anaerobic bacteria.

J Clin Microbiol, 1979 Nov, 10(5), 756 - 7
Relative recovery of anaerobes on different isolation media; Sondag JE et al.; The recovery of clinical anaerobic isolates on selective and nonselective agar media, as well as the time required to detect the isolates, was examined . Of a total of 235 isolates, 77, 46, and 40% were detected on Schaedler blood agar, colistinnalidixic acid blood agar, and kanamycin-vancomycin-lysed blood agar, respectively, and 94% were detected on the combination of Schaedler blood agar with kanamycin-vancomycin-lysed blood agar . A total of 19% of the anaerobes were detected after incubation for 1 day, and 70% were detected after 2 days.

Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1979 Nov-Dec, 130B(4), 399 - 406
{Study and differentiation of some hydrolases active on triglycerides and esters, in anaerobic bacteria, using gas liquid chromatography (author's transl)}; Guillou JP et al.; Anaerobic bacteria are classified using presence or absence of phospholipase and lipase, among other criteria . Techniques are described for the qualitative and quantitative detection of bacterial esterases (carboxylic ester hydrolase) and lipases (triacylglycerol acyl hydrolase) endo- or -exocellular, using gas liquid chromatographic method . Results with representatives anaerobic species are briefly presented.

J Clin Microbiol, 1979 Nov, 10(5), 622 - 7
Biochemical characterization of unidentified microaerophilic cocci isolated from heifer and dry-cow mastitis; Schwan O et al.; Thirty-nine strains of gram-positive microaerophilic cocci isolated from cases of heifer and dry-cow mastitis were biochemically characterized with the API 50E and API-ZYM test kit systems, gas-liquid chromatography for analysis of end products of glucose metabolism, and anaerobic biochemical tests (L . V . Holdeman, E . P . Cato, and W . E . C . Moore, Anaerobe Laboratory Manual, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, 1977) . Strains were screened for production of a variety of extracellular enzymes on substrate-containing agar plates and for hemolysin and coagulase production . Antibiotic susceptibility and sensitivity tests were also performed . The microaerophilic cocci displayed homogeneity with respect to the majority of the biochemical tests used; i.e., greater than or equal to 90% of the strains were consistently positive or negative in any one test and probably represent one species . All produced deoxyribonuclease, ribonuclease, and hyaluronidase, and 92% were positive for chondroitin sulfatase . Catalase and coagulase tests were negative . Greening was observed on bovine blood agar . Acetic and succinic acids were produced by all strains as the only detectable products of glucose metabolism . The strains were susceptible to penicillin G, cefoxitin, doxycycline, and chloramphenicol and were resistant to clindamycin, novobiocin, and metronidazole . Their taxonomic position remains unclear.

Cancer, 1979 Nov, 44(5), 1939 - 44
Current concepts of bacteremia in children with malignancies; Hoecker JL et al.; One hundred fifteen episodes of bacteremia occurred among 2790 children with malignancies hospitalized during a 45-month period . The mean age was 9.3 years with a male predilection (62%) . A greater (p less than .025) number of children over 10 years of age died with bacteremia when compared to younger children . The majority of episodes occurred in children with leukemia (56%); however, once bacteremia developed, a significantly (p less than .05) greater number of children with lymphoma died when compared to children with other malignancies . Absolute polymorphonuclear leukocyte counts were greater in survivors (p less than .025) than in children who died . Thirty-seven different microorganisms were isolated with E . coli, S . Aureus, P . aeruginosa, and K . pneumoniae accounting for 50% of the episodes . Anaerobes were isolated from blood of 12 (10%) children . Twelve children had polymicrobial bacteremia and 14 had recurrent bacteremia which occurred during antibiotic therapy . Mortality (78%) in these children was significantly (p less than .001) greater then in children from whom one microorganism was isolated (47%) . Interesting aspects include the resurgence of S . aureus, failure of development of meningitis in children with bacteremia, and unchanged antibiotic susceptibility since the last review of bacteremia in this institution . Polymicrobial and recurrent bacteremia necessitate obtaining simultaneous and sequential blood cultures to facilitate administration of appropriate antimicrobial therapy until bone marrow function improves.

Eur J Biochem, 1979 Nov, 101(2), 515 - 21
Studies on a mutant form of Escherichia coli citrate synthase desensitised to allosteric effectors; Danson MJ et al.; Naturally occurring citrate synthases fall into distinct molecular and catalytic types . Gram-negative bacteria produce a 'large' enzyme, allosterically inhibited by NADH and, in the facultative anaerobes such as Escherichia coli, also by 2-oxoglutarate . On the other hand, Gram-positive bacteria and all eukaryotes produce a 'small' citrate synthase which is insensitive to these metabolites . As a complement to structure-function studies we have explored the possibility of genetically altering one type of citrate synthase to the other . By mutagenesis and suitable selection we have succeeded in isolating a mutant of E . coli whose citrate synthase is both 'small' and insensitive to NADH and 2-oxoglutarate . Some characteristics of the enzyme are described . Such mutant enzymes offer a novel approach to the study of citrate synthase, its regulation and its natural diversity.

N Engl J Med, 1979 Oct 18, 301(16), 849 - 54
A neutrophil disorder induced by capnocytophaga, a dental micro-organism; Shurin SB et al.; We recovered capnocytophaga, a gram-negative anaerobe implicated in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease, from two patients with a history of dental infections . Neutrophils from both patients failed to acquire the asymmetric shape characteristic of normal neutrophils . Fluorescein staining of the patients' living neutrophils remained diffuse and patchy instead of showing the normal pattern in which the fluorescence is swept into the rear of the cell . The locomotion of one patient's neutrophils in vitro was less than 50 per cent of that of normal neutrophils, and migration of this patient's neutrophils into dermal abrasions was reduced, although phagocytosis and nitroblue tetrazolium reduction were normal . All abnormalities of neutrophil morphology and function disappeared after eradication of the capnocytophaga infections . Sonicates and culture medium of capnocytophaga contained a dialyzable substance that caused normal neutrophils to behave like neutrophils obtained from the infected patients.

Biochemistry, 1979 Oct 16, 18(21), 4714 - 24
Purification and properties of the flavoenzyme D-lactate dehydrogenase from Megasphaera elsdenii; Olson ST et al.; A pyridine nucleotide independent D-lactate dehydrogenase has been purified to apparent homogeneity from the anaerobic bacterium Megasphaera elsdenii . The enzyme has a molecular weight of 105 000 by sedimentation equilibrium analysis with a subunit molecular weight of 55 000 by sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis and is thus probably a dimer of identical subunits . It contains approximately 1 mol of FAD and 1 g-atom of Zn2+ per mol of protein subunit, and the flavin exhibits a fluorescence 1.7 times that of free FAD . An earlier purification {Brockman, H . L., & Wood, W . A . (1975 J . Bacteriol . 124, 1454--1461} results in substantial loss of the enzyme's zinc, which is required for catalytic activity . The new purification yields greater than 5 times the amount of enzyme previously isolated . The enzyme is specific for D-lactate, and no inhibition is observed with L-lactate . Surprisingly, the enzyme has a significant oxidase activity, which depends on the ionic strength . Vmax values of 190 and 530 min-1 were obtained at a gamma/2 of 0.224 and 0.442, respectively . Except for this atypically high oxygen reactivity, D-lactate dehydrogenase resembles other flavoenzyme dehydrogenases in that the flavin does not react with sulfite, the tryptophan content is low, and a neutral blue semiquinone is formed upon photochemical reduction . The enzyme flavin is reduced either by dithionite, by oxalate plus catalytic 5-deazaflavin in the presence of light, or by D-lactate . Two electrons per flavin were consumed in a dithionite titration, implyine with varying ratios of D-lactate and pyruvate, an Em7 of -0.219 +/- 0.007 V at 20 degrees C was calculated for the flavin . The enzyme requires dithiothreitol for stability . Rapid inactivation results when the enzyme is incubated with a substoichiometric level of Cu2+ . This inactivation can be reversed by dithiothreitol . It is proposed that the enzyme possesses a pair of cysteine residues capable of facile disulfide formation.

Lancet, 1979 Oct 13, 2(8146), 761 - 4
Prophylactic peroperative intravenous metronidazole in elective colorectal surgery; Eykyn SJ et al.; In a prospective double-blind randomised trial 83 patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery were given either preoperative intravenous metronidazole or intravenous normal saline . No other antimicrobials were given . Bowel preparation was the same for both groups . Deep post-operative wound sepsis occurred in 6 of 44 (13-6%) patients on metronidazole but in 20 of 39 (51-2%) control untreated patients . Anaerobes were responsible for all cases of deep sepsis in the metronidazole group (in 5 of the 6 cases aerobes were also isolated), and for 16 of the 20 cases of deep sepsis in the control group (all with aerobes) . Superficial infection in the metronidazole group was caused by aerobes . Anastomotic leakage occurred in 5 of the 6 patients who developed deep sepsis on metronidazole and in 10 of 20 patients on placebo . Peroperative intravenous metronidazole dramatically reduced postoperative sepsis but failed to prevent infection in the presence of anastomotic breakdown.

Arch Sci Med (Torino), 1979 Oct-Dec, 136(4), 653 - 7
{Presentation of a case of severe abdominal infection caused by anaerobic bacteria}; Decio B et al.; The problem of surgical infections is discussed, special attention being paid to the commonest bacterial agents, particularly those extremely serious forms induced by gram negative and anaerobic microorganisms . After an introduction regarding isolation methods and respective therapeutic programmes, attention is turned to the case of a young woman observed after an operation for perforated appendicular abscess later complicated by stercoraceous peritonitis . After initial antibiotic treatment, which was without effect, an association comprising Clindamycin, penicillin and gentamycin was employed . In just a few days this led complete remission of symptoms.

J Cancer Res Clin Oncol, 1979 Oct, 95(2), 115 - 22
Lipogenesis in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells under anaerobic culture conditions; Loffler M et al.; Anaerobic culture conditions (95% argon/5% CO2) caused a slightly greater increase in total lipids of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells than a gas phase of 20% O2, 75% N2, 5% CO2 . Whereas the rate of {U-14C}acetate incorporation into total lipids and lipid-subclasses rose markedly in the absence of oxygen, a drastic decrease of {U-14C}pyruvate and {1-14C}octanoate incorporation as well as a 30% reduction of 3H incorporation into lipids from tritiated water were observed under these conditions . Since profound changes in the metabolic state of cells cause alterations in the specific activity of the acetyl-CoA pool but do not alter the specific activity of intracellular water, this precursor is considered to be an adequate monitor for lipogenesis under aerobic and anaerobic culture conditions . Therefore, it is concluded that Ehrlich ascites tumor cells are not able to reoxidize NADH/NADPH in the absence of oxygen by a stimulation of biosynthesis of fatty acids as is discussed to be the case in normal cells . The slight increase in total lipids of anaerobically cultured cells seems to be the result of an imbalance between normal uptake and impaired utilization of lipids from serum-supplemented culture medium.

Gastroenterol Jpn, 1979 Oct, 14(5), 417 - 24
Conversion of 7-ketolithocholic acid to ursodeoxycholic acid by human intestinal anaerobic microorganisms: interchangeability of chenodeoxycholic acid and ursodeoxycholic acid; Higashi S et al.; Chenodeoxycholic acid, ursodeoxycholic acid and 7-ketolithocholic acid were incubated with human intestinal bacteria (source: 4 healthy males) at 37 degrees C for 72 hours in an anerobic condition . The bile acids of the products in culture medium were identified by three independent methods, thin layer chromatography, gas-liquid chromatography and GLC-mass spectrometry . Lithocholic acid, ursodeoxycholic acid and 7-ketolithocholic acid were observed in the culture of chenodeoxycholic acid . Lithocholic acid, chenodeoxycholic acid and 7-ketolithocholic acid were observed in the culture of ursodeoxycholic acid . Chenodeoxycholic acid and ursodeoxycholic acid were produced from 7-ketolithocholic acid . These data may suggest that chenodeoxycholic acid and ursodeoxycholic acid are interconvertible via 7-ketolithocholic acid by the mixed culture of human intestinal microorganisms under an anaerobic condition.

Int J Radiat Biol Relat Stud Phys Chem Med, 1979 Oct, 36(4), 367 - 77
Mechanism of action of nitroimidazole antimicrobial and antitumour radiosensitizing drugs . Effects of reduced misonidazole on DNA; Knight RC et al.; Electrolytic reduction of the hypoxic tumour cell radiosensitizing drug misonidazole was carried out at a controlled potential under anaerobic conditions in the presence of Escherichia coli DNA . During the reduction process the DNA was examined by viscometry, thermal hyperchromicity, melting and renaturation profiles, hydroxyapatite chromatography, agarose gel electrophoresis and alkaline sucrose density gradient centrifugation . The reduced drug decreases the viscosity, hyperchromicity and renaturation of DNA . These effects are consistent with strand breakage of the molecule which was corroborated by finding an increase in the single-strand content of DNA, increased migration and loss of fluorescence intensity on agarose gels and sedimentation to a less dense region in alkaline sucrose density gradients . The results are discussed in relation to postulated mechanisms of the selective toxicity of the drug towards anaerobes and cytotoxicity of electron affinic radiosensitizers of hypoxic tumour cells.

South Med J, 1979 Oct, 72(10), 1268 - 71
Penetrating keratoplasty using McCarey-Kaufman preserved corneal tissue; Mascarella K et al.; Two hundred consecutive penetrating keratoplasties, using suitable donor corneas stored in modified tissue culture medium (M-K medium), were performed by a single surgeon over a 21-month period . Two hundred consecutive cultures of the donor corneosclearl rims for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and fungi, done immediately after surgery, yielded 25 positive cultures for aerobic and anerobic bacteria and three for fungi . No clinical infections nor primary donor failures were encountered with patients after one to 21 months of follow-up . Preservation of excised corneas by trained technicians, under rigidly sterile, laminar-flow, tissue culture conditions appears to be a convenient, safe, and effective method of corneal preservation which permits elective keratoplasty.

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