Listeriosis

Br J Surg, 1983 Sep, 70(9), 558 - 61
Fatal infection in mice after injection of immunosuppressive serum fractions from surgical patients; McIrvine AJ et al.; Following surgical or accidental trauma many patients show suppression of cellular immunity . In this investigation sera from severely burned patients and patients undergoing aortic aneurysm repair were studied . Sera shown to suppress phytohaemagglutinin-induced blastogenesis of normal human lymphocytes were fractionated using ion exchange and G25 Sephadex chromatography . Suppressive activity was largely confined to a low molecular weight (LMW) fraction and was dose dependent . LMW fractions of normal sera had no significant suppressive activity . The purpose of this study was to test the causal relationship between immunosuppressive serum and decreased resistance to bacterial infection . Listeria monocytogenes infected mice were used as an in vivo model to test suppression of cellular immunity . Injection of LMW fractions of suppressive sera significantly increased mortality in these mice, but had no effect on non-infected mice . There was good correlation between the in vitro and in vivo effects of the suppressive fractions . These results suggest that a circulating factor in the serum of injured patients suppresses cellular immunity and may be responsible for impaired resistance to infection.

Am J Obstet Gynecol, 1983 Sep 1, 147(1), 7 - 9
Listeriosis as a cause of maternal death: an obstetric complication of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS); Wetli CV et al.; A case of maternal death due to Listeria monocytogenes bacteremia, with survival of the prematurely delivered infant, is presented . Lymphopenia and a Haitian origin suggest that the fatal outcome was related to the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) . To our knowledge, this is the first recorded instance of a maternal death due to listeriosis.

Obstet Gynecol, 1983 Aug, 62(2), 256 - 61
Listeriosis and borreliosis as causes of antepartum fever; Shirts SR et al.; Fever of unknown origin in the pregnant woman presents special diagnostic, therapeutic, and obstetric problems . Two such clinically ill, febrile third-trimester patients, one presenting with maternal septicemia and transplacental fetal listeriosis and the other with borreliosis, are discussed . Although the neonatal outcome in such infections historically is poor, the infants of these mothers survived . It is suggested that special diagnostic procedures, timely administration of parenteral antibiotics, and vigilant antepartum testing be considered in all similar pregnant patients.

J Reticuloendothel Soc, 1983 Aug, 34(2), 131 - 41
Kinetics of killing Listeria monocytogenes by macrophages: rapid killing accompanying phagocytosis; Davies WA; The kinetics of bactericidal activity of activated macrophages can be precisely described by a mathematical model in which phagocytosis, killing, digestion, and release of degraded bacterial material are considered to occur continuously . To gain a better understanding of these events, I have determined the period of time between first contact of bacteria with macrophages and the onset of killing . Activated rat peritoneal macrophages were incubated for various times up to 15 min with Listeria monocytogenes previously labeled with 3H-thymidine and the unassociated bacteria removed by two centrifugations through a density interface . Both cell-associated radioactivity and cell-associated viable bacteria, determined as colony forming units after sonication of the cell pellet, increased with time of incubation . However, the specific viability of these bacteria, expressed as the ratio of number of viable bacteria per unit radioactivity declined with time, as an approximate inverse exponential, after a lag period of 2.9 +/- 0.8 min . Evidence is given that other possible causes for this decline in specific viability, other than death of the bacteria, such as preferential ingestion of dead Listeria, clumping of bacteria, variations in autolytic activity, or release of Listericidins are unlikely . I conclude therefore that activated macrophages kill Listeria approximately 3 min after the cell and the bacterium first make contact.

South Med J . 1983 Aug;76(8):1074.
Listeria monocytogenes prosthetic valve endocarditis; Davis WR et al.; Listeria monocytogenes is a rare cause of prosthetic valve endocarditis and in all of the four reported cases has occurred as a late complication . Bacteriologic cure of the infection has been obtained in all reported patients, using a standard regimen of either penicillin or penicillin and an aminoglycoside . The two deaths were associated with Starr-Edwards prostheses in the aortic position and have been attributed to embolic phenomena occurring after bacteriologic sterilization of the infected valve.

J Neuropathol Exp Neurol, 1983 Jul, 42(4), 409 - 20
Increased risk of experimental central nervous system listeriosis in rats with chronic serum sickness . An immunohistopathological study; Peress NS et al.; The incidence and severity of central nervous system (CNS) infection were increased following the intraperitoneal innoculation of Listeria monocytogenes in adult Wistar rats with experimental chronic serum sickness . The results were attributed to an alteration in the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier induced by immune complex deposits in the choroid plexus of animals hyperimmunized with bovine serum albumin . CNS inflammation occurred in 16 of 40 (40%) of the test animals studied; one of 36 (2.8%) controls had CNS inflammation . There were extensive pathological changes in the choroid plexus, subarachnoid space, and neural parenchyma of the test animals, as compared with only small inflammatory foci limited to the choroid plexus and subarachnoid space in the one affected control . This experimental model for inducing bacterial CNS infection simulates certain predisposing conditions in chronic immune disease, and may therefore be useful in studying the pathogenesis of CNS infection in such cases.

J Immunol, 1983 Jul, 131(1), 450 - 3
Models of T cell deficiency in listeriosis: the effects of cortisone and cyclosporin A on normal and nude BALB/c mice; Schaffner A et al.; It is often difficult to test the role of T lymphocytes in resistance to infection because most models of T cell deficiency are associated with altered nonspecific resistance . In an attempt to address this problem, we compared the effects of cyclosporin A (CyA), cortisone (CA), and the athymic state on the course of murine listeriosis . We chose listeriosis because resistance to Listeria monocytogenes occurs in two phases . Bacterial multiplication is controlled by nonspecific defense mechanisms in the early phase and by acquired T cell-dependent immunity in the second phase . Mice treated with CA died during the early phase, probably because of inhibition of the antimicrobial activity of nonimmune macrophages . Accordingly, the immunosuppressive effect of CA was similar in athymic and normal mice . Untreated nude mice developed chronic low grade infection, probably because of heightened activity of nonimmune macrophages . In contrast, immunosuppression with CyA did not affect early resistance but induced overwhelming, fatal disease in the later phase when control mice began to acquire resistance . CyA did not change the course of listeriosis in nude mice, confirming its specificity for T cell-dependent immunity . Thus, this study shows that CyA is a potent and specific inhibitor of T cell-mediated immunity and that T cell-dependent resistance is essential for survival from listeriosis, a conclusion that could not have been established by studies of the nude mouse or immunosuppression by CA.

Rev Infect Dis, 1983 Jul-Aug, 5 Suppl 3, S593 - 9
Evaluation of rifampin and other antibiotics against Listeria monocytogenes in vitro and in vivo; Scheld WM; The activity of rifampin and other antibiotics against Listeria monocytogenes in vitro and in experimental animal models of listeriosis is reviewed . Rifampin appears to be bacteriostatic against Listeria in vitro, and it is reported to be no more effective than penicillin against experimental listeria meningitis in the rabbit . However, because of insufficient clinical data, the optimal antibiotic regimen for listeriosis in humans remains conjectural . At present, the most frequently recommended regimen is combination therapy with ampicillin and gentamicin; trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole may prove useful in the penicillin-allergic individual.

Cell Immunol, 1983 Jun, 78(2), 199 - 205
Restriction in adoptive transfer of resistance to Listeria monocytogenes . II . Use of congenic and mutant mice show transfer to be H-2K restricted; Cheers C et al.; Adoptive transfer of cell-mediated immunity to the facultative intracellular bacterium Listeria monocytogenes is restricted by the H-2 complex of mice . Using C57BL/10 and C57BL/6 congenic strains of mice it was shown that compatibility of the H-2K locus, not the I region, was essential and sufficient for adoptive transfer and that H-2D compatibility was not relevant . Mutation at the H-2K locus prevented adoptive transfer, while mutation at the Ia-1 locus, as in the B6.C-H-2bm12 mutant of C57BL/6, did not affect adoptive transfer . The contrast between these findings and the previously accepted I region restriction of adoptive transfer of Listeria immunity is discussed.

Infect Immun, 1983 Jun, 40(3), 1170 - 7
Course of infection and development of immunity in experimental infection of mice with Listeria serotypes; von Koenig CH et al.; NMRI mice were experimentally infected with Listeria monocytogenes serotypes 1/2b, 3a, 4b, and 4d and Listeria innocua serotype 6b by different means . The course of infection was monitored, using bacteriological and histological methods . The following typical features of experimental infection with the various L . monocytogenes and L . innocua serotypes were observed . (i) On the basis of the mean lethal dose, L . monocytogenes 4b, 4d, and 1/2b proved to be mouse pathogenic, although to different degrees, L . monocytogenes 3a and L . innocua can be regarded as nonpathogenic for NMRI mice . The virulence of L . monocytogenes serotype 4d was increased 1,000-fold after adaptation to mice . (ii) Primary infection with any serotype of L . monocytogenes or L . innocua resulted in protection against a lethal challenge with the most virulent serotype, 4b . This protective immunity could be transferred by spleen cells . Compared with the duration of immunity achieved by infection with L . monocytogenes serotype 4b, the protection induced by infection with L . innocua was short lived and dose dependent . The data obtained also suggest that immunity after experimental infection with any serotype of L . monocytogenes or L . innocua is produced only when the animal host is filled with bacteria . (iii) The distribution of the germs in the internal organs of the mouse shortly after infection was dependent on the route of infection rather than on the serotype used . (iv) The main difference among the Listeria serotypes tested was their ability to multiply within the host and to induce a granulomatous inflammation . The results indicate that mouse pathogenicity and virulence of Listeria spp . cannot be defined only by the capacity of the bacteria to infect or kill conventional mice . Such a definition should include an analysis of the immune system of the host, a kinetic study of experimental infection, and a histomorphological evaluation of the lesions induced.

Immunobiology, 1983 May, 164(5), 402 - 16
A tumor-associated lactic dehydrogenase virus suppresses the host resistance to infection with Listeria monocytogenes; Isakov N et al.; Infection of mice with lactic dehydrogenase virus (LDV) causes a lifelong chronic infection which is followed by alterations in immune responses during the acute phase of the infection . LDV was found to impair many functions of the reticuloendothelial system and to suppress macrophage-dependent immune responses . We tested the effect of acute infection with LDV in mice on the macrophage-mediated resistance to infection with a virulent bacterium . We found that LDV reduces the host's capacity to resist infection with Listeria monocytogenes . Many tumor lines which are transferred in mice are infected with LDV, and their growth rate is affected by the presence of the virus . It is therefore important to distinguish between immune alterations in tumor-bearing mice which are caused by the progressive growth of the tumor and those which are secondary to the viral infection . We tested whether LDV and a circulatory factor from tumor-bearing mice with similar suppressive effects on anti-Listeria immunity are two different entities or whether they are similar . We found that the factor is associated with LDV-infected tumor cells and is absent in LDV-free tumor cells . Other biological and physical characteristics supported the assumption that the tumor-associated factor is the LDV.

South Med J, 1983 May, 76(5), 675 - 6
Listeria monocytogenes endocarditis on a prosthetic heart valve; Higgins TL et al.; Listeria monocytogenes endocarditis, an illness with a potentially high mortality developed in a patient with a porcine mitral valve heterograft . After treatment with parenteral ampicillin and streptomycin, blood cultures remained sterile and vegetations noted before treatment cleared . Delay in diagnosis and institution of appropriate antimicrobial therapy may occur because of the diverse morphologic features of L monocytogenes.

Immunology, 1983 May, 49(1), 45 - 51
Experimental allergic orchitis induced by unilateral intratesticular bacterial infection in guinea-pigs; Sanui H et al.; Inoculation of 1 X 10(3) viable Listeria monocytogenes into unilateral testis induced pathological changes in the contralateral testis and epididymis in guinea-pigs . Because L . Monocytogenes was not detected in the contralateral testis, liver or spleen during the period of the experiment, that is, bacterial growth was limited to the inoculated site, the pathological changes in the contralateral testis may be due to autoimmune mechanisms, but not due to bacterial inflammation . The pathological changes in our system were similar to those observed after the injection of testicular antigen in Freund's complete adjuvant . Delayed-in-onset erythematous skin reaction against testicular antigen and antisperm antibody in sera were detected in the guinea-pigs . The animal model in our system is a new one in which experimental autoimmune orchitis is induced by bacterial infection.

Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1983 May-Jun, 134A(3), 359 - 64
{Comparative virulence of the 5 genomic groups of Listeria monocytogenes (sensu lato)}; Rocourt J et al.; Virulence of the five genomic groups of Listeria monocytogenes (sensu lato) was tested toward mice by determination of LD50 and growth or survival kinetics in vivo . Virulent strains included L . monocytogenes (sensu lato) (genomic group 1) and "L . bulgarica" (genomic group 2) . The three other genomic groups, "L . innocua", "L . welshimeri" and "L . seeligeri", were apathogenic and avirulent under these experimental conditions.

J Biochem (Tokyo), 1983 May, 93(5), 1401 - 9
Structural and immunochemical studies of teichoic acid of Listeria monocytogenes; Kamisango K et al.; An immunologically active teichoic acid component was isolated from the cell wall of Listeria monocytogenes strain EGD . The teichoic acid component, accounting for about 20% of the weight of cell wall, contained N-acetylglucosamine, rhamnose, ribitol, and phosphorus in a molar ratio of 0.95 : 1.0 : 0.97 : 0.98 . The molecular weight of the teichoic acid chain was about 120,000 as analyzed by gel filtration . The probable structure was deduced from the results of methylation analysis, Smith degradation, and proton magnetic resonance spectrometry of the teichoic acid, together with the characterization of fragments obtained by treatment with hydrofluoric acid, as follows: (formula; see text) Inhibition testing with monosaccharide and fragments obtained from HF treatment of Listeria teichoic acid in the quantitative precipitin reaction suggested that the rhamnose residue is a major antigenic determinant.

J Cell Physiol, 1983 May, 115(2), 208 - 16
Comparative biochemical and cytochemical studies on superoxide and peroxide in mouse macrophages; Badwey JA et al.; Maximal rates of superoxide (O-2) release, and the cytochemical locales of peroxide staining in resident, elicited, and activated macrophages have been determined . Macrophages elicited into the peritoneum with either casein (1.2% w/v) or proteose-peptone (10.0% w/v) release about twice as much O-2 as macrophages activated by infection of the animals with either Listeria monocytogenes, or Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) followed by immune boosting with Purified Protein Derivative (PPD) (i.e., about 35 vs . 14-18 nmol O-2/min/10(7) cells) . Macrophages elicited with thioglycollate (3.0% w/v) and resident macrophages produce negligible amounts of O-2 upon stimulation with PMA . These data are compared with those reported by other investigators who used different procedures . A cytochemical procedure for localizing peroxide has been modified for use with murine macrophages . No production of H2O2 by macrophages is detected cytochemically in the absence of stimulation . Upon exposure to PMA, resident macrophages are still largely unresponsive . Approximately 20% of the casein elicited macrophages and BCG-PPD activated macrophages exhibit H2O2 staining, which is largely restricted to the cytoplasmic vesicles and channels induced by PMA in these cells . The only exception to this staining pattern is a small population (about 2%) of activated macrophages which exhibits H2O2 staining in the cytoplasmic vesicles and channels and on the plasmalemma as well.

Avian Dis, 1983 Apr-Jun, 27(2), 344 - 56
Cellular immune response to Marek's disease: listeriosis as a model of study; Carpenter SL et al.; The immune response of chickens to Listeria monocytogenes was studied as a potential model for cell-mediated immunocompetence . Chickens genetically resistant and susceptible to Marek's disease (MD) did not differ in their ability to survive Listeria, although during the early stages of infection the bacteria replicated more readily in MD-susceptible chickens . MD-susceptible chickens responded earlier than MD-resistant chickens, and with equal or increased intensity, in assays of various components of the cell-mediated reaction . These assays included T-cell activation, delayed-type hypersensitivity, and macrophage activation . These data indicate that genetic resistance or susceptibility to MD is not wholly dependent on the innate immunocompetence of the host . Co-infection with Listeria was used to measure cellular immunocompetence in MD-infected chickens . MD virus had no effect on the ability of host macrophages to control the growth of Listeria . The cell-mediated response was suppressed in MD-susceptible chickens . The occurrence of spleen cell proliferation, followed by marked suppression of the effector arm of the immune response in susceptible but not resistant chickens, indicated the possibility of an active suppressor-cell population associated with genetic susceptibility to MD.

Am J Reprod Immunol, 1983 Apr-May, 3(3), 111 - 3
Prenatal diagnosis of congenital listeriosis; Yarberry-Allen P et al.; A case of congenital listeriosis presenting with premature labor at 24 weeks' gestation is described . Listeria monocytogenes were isolated from the amniotic fluid, which also had an increased concentration of IgA . The significance of amniotic fluid Ig levels and their potential value in the diagnosis of intrauterine infections as an adjunct to the isolation of the infectious agent is discussed.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1983 Apr, 23(4), 555 - 8
Delayed bactericidal activity of beta-lactam antibiotics against Listeria monocytogenes: antagonism of chloramphenicol and rifampin; Winslow DL et al.; Penicillins are considered to be the drugs of choice for the treatment of listeric meningitis, and relapse of infection is rare when treatment is given in appropriate doses for at least 14 days . Despite this, in vitro studies by others have shown that penicillins are bacteriostatic against Listeria spp . We have shown that thienamycin, penicillin G, and ampicillin are the most active beta-lactam antibiotics against Listeria spp . Of 10 strains tested, 9 were killed by less than or equal to 8 micrograms of beta-lactam antibiotics (greater than or equal to 99.9% killing) when subcultures were performed after 48, rather than 24, h of incubation . In contrast, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, doxycycline, and rifampin were bacteriostatic after 48 h of incubation . In time-kill curves, these last drugs antagonized the bactericidal action of penicillins . In view of the inefficiency of opsonization in the cerebrospinal fluid, these antagonistic combinations should probably be avoided in documented or suspected listeric meningitis.

Infect Immun, 1983 Apr, 40(1), 440 - 3
Human peritoneal macrophage phagocytic, killing, and chemiluminescent responses to opsonized Listeria monocytogenes; MacGowan AP et al.; Opsonization with normal human serum, purified immunoglobulin G, or immunoglobulin G-deficient serum promoted phagocytosis of Listeria monocytogenes by human peritoneal macrophages . However, normal human serum was the most effective opsonin in elicting killing and chemiluminescent responses . Macrophages phagocytized and killed almost as much as polymorphonuclear leukocytes but produced considerably less chemiluminescence.

Clin Exp Immunol, 1983 Apr, 52(1), 199 - 206
Selective immunosuppression resulting from exposure to the carcinogenic congener of benzopyrene in B6C3F1 mice; Dean JH et al.; B6C3F1 mice were exposed to two congeners of benzopyrene, either the carcinogen benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P) or the non-carcinogen benzo(e)pyrene (B(e)P . Exposure of mice to B(a)P resulted in a reduced number of IgM and IgG antibody plaque forming cells (PFC) to the T-dependent (TD) antigen SRBC and IgM PFC's to the T-independent (TI) antigen LPS . The IgM response to hapten conjugated TI antigens was examined using TNP-LPS for reactivity of less mature B cells (B1) and TNP-Ficoll for more mature B cells (B2) . Exposure to B(a)P severely depressed the TNP-Ficoll PFC response by up to 77% without altering the TNP-LPS response . These data indicated that exposure to B(a)P alters differentiation and antibody production in mature B cells to both TD and B2 TI antigens . No change in PFC was observed following exposure to B(e)P . Mishell-Dutton co-cultures confirmed that B cells were affected and that T helper cells or suppressor Mphi were not involved . Parameters of cell-mediated immunocompetence including delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity to KLH, allograft or tumour cell rejection and susceptibility to Listeria monocytogens were unaltered in B(a)P treated mice.

J Reprod Med, 1983 Mar, 28(3), 212 - 4
Listeria monocytogenes . An important pathogen in premature labor and intrauterine fetal sepsis; Rivera-Alsina ME et al.; Listeria monocytogenes is a rare complication of pregnancy . Maternal listeriosis often causes premature labor and congenital infections . High perinatal morbidity and mortality rates are associated with this disease . Two cases of fetal perinatal infections, complications and management are discussed.

J Reticuloendothel Soc, 1983 Mar, 33(3), 231 - 8
Effect of local and systemic macrophage activation in hamsters on infection with Treponema pertenue and Treponema pallidum Bosnia A; Schell RF et al.; The role of nonspecific macrophage activation in the destruction of treponemes needs to be defined . Studies have been hindered by an inability to confirm that macrophages have enhanced bactericidal activity at the site of treponemal infection . We show that subcutaneous and intravenous vaccination with BCG (Mycobacterium bovis) induces macrophage activation in hamsters, as determined by an enhanced ability to suppress the growth of Listeria monocytogenes in the livers, spleens, and inguinal lymph nodes . However, hamsters challenged in the inguinal region with Treponema pertenue during periods of enhanced microbial resistance (3 to 8 weeks after BCG vaccination) developed lesions faster and with more necrosis . Increased numbers of treponemes were recovered from the regional lymph nodes of BCG-vaccinated hamsters than from nonvaccinated controls, although the differences were not statistically significant . No pathological differences were detected in BCG-vaccinated and non-vaccinated hamsters challenged with Treponema pallidum Bosnia A . These studies demonstrate that BCG vaccination influences the pathogenesis of some treponemal diseases without inducing macrophage-mediated treponemicidal activity.

J Infect, 1983 Mar, 6(2), 141 - 5
Listeria monocytogenes in Northern Nigeria; Onyemelukwe GC et al.; During a one-year prospective study, the clinical conditions in which Listeria monocytogenes was isolated from nineteen patients (six females, thirteen males) included meningitis, meningoencephalitis, spontaneous peritonitis, septicaemia, arthritis, pelvic infection and urethritis . All isolates were type 4 serotype . Both apparently well persons and patients with already compromised immune systems were observed . Subtyping of ascitic fluid lymphocytes in one patient with peritonitis showed predominantly T cell subpopulation and no B cells . Most isolates were sensitive to ampicillin, crystalline penicillin and erythromycin . A mortality of 27 per cent was recorded.

Ann Immunol (Paris), 1983 Mar-Apr, 134C(2), 255 - 64
{Inflammation and antibacterial resistance . III . Influence of an inflammatory reaction induced by the injection of polyacrylamide gels on the resistance of mice to Listeria monocytogenes infection}; Fontan E et al.; Inflammation was induced in the dorsal area of pathogen-free mice following subcutaneous injection of polyacrylamide microbeads (Biogel) of varying particle size (200-400 mesh) and pore size (exclusion limit ranging from a molecular weight of 2,000 to 300,000) . Six days after injection of the microbeads, mice were infected with 10(5) Listeria monocytogenes . Only animals injected with "Biogel P2, P4, P6" (exclusion limit 2,000, 4,000 and 6,000 respectively) survived this lethal inoculum of Listeria . A study of the kinetics of this increased resistance revealed that homogenates of granulomas, induced eight days before injection into mice, significantly decreased the number of listeria in the spleen of treated mice . Such increased resistance was not found in cell homogenates, but only in the exudate of 8-day old granulomas . Fractionation studies of the inflammatory exudates with ammonium sulfate showed that immunostimulating substance were present in the supernatant following precipitation with 80% saturated (NH4)2SO4.

Infect Immun, 1983 Mar, 39(3), 1208 - 13
Lack of correlative enhancement of passive transfer of delayed-type hypersensitivity and antilisterial resistance when using concanavalin A-stimulated primed spleen cells; Barry RA et al.; The adoptive transfer of resistance to Listeria monocytogenes can be significantly enhanced by in vitro incubation of primed murine spleen cells with concanavalin A (ConA) before transfer into syngeneic recipients . The level of transferred resistance, as measured by clearance of infectious organisms, can approach that observed in actively immunized mice . When delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses of passive transfer recipients were compared, there was no difference in the level of hypersensitivity exhibited by mice receiving either nonstimulated or ConA-stimulated, Listeria-immune spleen cells . In addition, the level of these adoptively transferred responses never approached the level of DTH observed in actively immunized mice . This inability of ConA-stimulated cells to enhance passive DTH in recipient mice was not dependent on the antigenic preparation of Listeria used to elicit the DTH response . Transfer of cultured, ConA-stimulated, Listeria-immune spleen cells did not lead either to specific or to nonspecific suppression of DTH responsiveness in actively immunized mice . These results indicate the possible existence of antigen-specific T-cells subpopulations which, after stimulation with ConA, exhibit differing efficiencies when responding in assays of cell-mediated immunity.

Infect Immun, 1983 Mar, 39(3), 1114 - 21
Chemical composition and biological functions of Listeria monocytogenes cell wall preparations; Hether NW et al.; A crude Listeria cell wall fraction, a purified fraction (PF) with demonstrated biological activity, as well as a third fraction of base-hydrolyzed PF (BHPF) were analyzed for chemical composition and activities not previously described . Listeria cell wall fraction and PF contained significant quantities of lipid, whereas BHPF was lipid depleted . Fatty acid compositions were typical of gram-positive bacteria . PF and BHPF were depleted in protein . Alanine, glutamic acid, diaminopimelic acid, glucosamine, and muramic acid were found in all fractions, in enhanced concentration in PF and BHPF, and with molar ratios typical of bacterial peptidoglycans . Major neutral sugars were rhamnose, ribose, ribitol, and glucose . The concentrations of rhamnose, ribose, and glucose were increased in BHPF . Differences in chemical composition of the fractions reflected differences in their biological activities: Listeria cell wall fraction induced resistance to Listeria infection, whereas PF did not . Mitogenic and adjuvant activities were demonstrated for Listeria cell wall fraction and PF but were lost in BHPF . BHPF retained the ability to induce macrophage-mediated tumoricidal activity and decrease resistance to Listeria infection.

Cell Immunol, 1983 Mar, 76(2), 304 - 10
Restriction in adoptive transfer of resistance to Listeria monocytogenes . I . Influence of non-H-2 loci; Cheers C et al.; In vivo adoptive transfer of T-cell-mediated immunity to the facultative intracellular bacterium Listeria monocytogenes is restricted, not only by the H-2 haplotype of the mice, but also by incompatibilities at non-H-2 loci . Thus, transfer between H-2 identical strains of mice with different background genes was reproducibly and significantly less efficient than transfer between completely syngeneic mice, although the restriction was less marked than that across the H-2 barrier . Restriction also occurred when parental cells were injected into semisyngeneic F1 hybrids and when cells from F1 hybrids were injected into parental strains . Using congenic strains of mice differing only at defined minor histocompatibility antigens, it was found that, of those loci available for study, antigens arising from the H-4 and H-8 loci strongly restricted transfer, whereas those specified by H-1, H-3, and H-7 did not.

Eur J Immunol, 1983 Mar, 13(3), 265 - 8
Interferon-gamma production by Listeria monocytogenes-specific T cells active in cellular antibacterial immunity; Kaufmann SH et al.; Cultures of peritoneal exudate T lymphocyte-enriched cells (PETLEC) from Listeria monocytogenes-immune mice, antigen-presenting cells (APC) and heat-killed L . monocytogenes produced high amounts of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) . High IFN titers were also observed after stimulation of L . monocytogenes-immune cell cultures with the T cell mitogens concanavalin A and phytohemagglutinin . L . monocytogenes-immune PETLEC produced several fold higher IFN titers than normal cell cultures in response to mitogen and antigen . Under both circumstances, APC were required for optimum responses . L . monocytogenes-immune PETLEC participating in IFN production were Lyt 1+23- . IFN-gamma was also produced in cultures of cloned L . monocytogenes-specific T cells . Since the same T cell clone showed antigen-specific proliferative responses and interleukin production in vitro, and could adoptively mediate delayed-type hypersensitivity and anti-listerial protection in vivo, it is suggested that IFN production is a function of specific T cells active in cellular antibacterial immunity.

Immunology, 1983 Mar, 48(3), 543 - 50
Effect of acute nutritional deprivation on immune function in mice . I . Macrophages; Wing EJ et al.; This study was designed to explore the effects of acute nutritional deprivation (starvation) on macrophage function in mice . In vivo macrophage activity was increased by starvation, as determined by multiplication of Listeria monocytogenes in both spleens and livers after intravenous injection . Similarly, in vitro studies revealed that the capacity of peritoneal macrophages to kill listeria was enhanced by starvation . This function was increased further by the addition of small concentrations of lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 10-100 ng/ml) . The bactericidal activity of macrophages from starved mice, however, did not reach the levels observed with macrophages from BCG-infected mice . Furthermore, LPS did not appear to be an important second signal for macrophage activation in vivo, as LPS-unresponsive mice (C3H/HeJ and A/J) were protected by starvation . In contrast to these results we found that starved mice were not protected against Toxoplasma gondii infection and that macrophages from starved mice were unable to prevent multiplication of toxoplasma trophozoites in vitro . In toto, these experiments suggest that macrophage function is enhanced by starvation, but that this enhancement is not sufficient to fulfill all criteria for macrophage activation.

J Nutr, 1983 Mar, 113(3), 610 - 7
Influence of early weaning and dietary fat on immune responses in adult rats; Carlomagno MA et al.; Equal numbers of female rats, either prematurely weaned at 14 days of age or allowed to nurse for 21 days, were pair-fed a diet containing either vegetable oil or cholesterol-enriched animal fat for 95 days . Thereafter all animals received the animal fat diet until 11 months of age . Rats were then immunized with sheep erythrocytes and the antibody response quantified . There was no significant effect of early weaning or diet on the number of plaque-forming splenocytes or on serum hemolysins . A significant positive correlation between HDL cholesterol and both plaque-forming cells and hemolysin titres was detected in the groups fed animal fat . Significant impairment in splenocyte blastogenic response to phytohemagglutinin was observed in rats receiving animal fat prior to 95 days . Separate groups of rats were infected 5 days before death with Listeria monocytogenes . Splenocyte blastogenesis was impaired in the group fed animal fat to a degree similar to that observed in uninfected rats fed the same diet, and there were increased numbers of bacteria recovered from the spleen and kidney of animals whose early diet contained animal fat . We conclude that the fat content of the early postweaning diet has an impact on immune responses which persists into adulthood.

Immun Infekt, 1983 Mar, 11(2), 61 - 4
{Antibiotic therapy in the compromised host--presented as a model for listeriosis in the mouse . II . Effect of tetracycline}; Hof H et al.; The effectiveness of tetracycline therapy on Listeria-infection in compromised host was evaluated in three different murine models . In normal adult mice infected with a tetracycline susceptible strain of Listeria monocytogenes, treatment with this antibiotic caused a reduced rate of multiplication of bacteria . That is, a low bacterial count was found in the spleen . When the macrophage system which in Listeria-infection represents a major defense mechanism was blocked through dextran sulfate 500, treatment with tetracycline was still very effective . In this case, bacterial multiplication has ceased . However, an elimination of the organisms could only be achieved after the macrophage system recovered from its temporary blockade . Secondly, nude athymic mice which are unable to develop cell mediated immunity were used to establish chronic infection with Listeria . Treatment with tetracycline in this instance only reduced bacterial counts moderately . Thirdly, five days old baby mice which are extremely susceptible to Listeria could at least partially be protected with tetracycline therapy against fatal infection.

Infect Immun, 1983 Feb, 39(2), 948 - 54
Effect of Micropolyspora faeni cells and cell wall fractions on rabbit alveolar macrophages; Learn DB et al.; The reactivity of alveolar macrophages (AM) to cells and cell wall fractions (CWF) of Micropolyspora faeni was investigated . Exposure of cultured AM to M . faeni and its CWF caused the AM to form clumps or aggregates which remained attached to the culture dish surface . Other gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria as well as yeast, zymosan, latex microspheres, and isolated peptidoglycan from Listeria monocytogenes did not cause this response . The response was independent of species source and antibody content of the serum used in culture . The use of heat-inactivated sera negated the role of complement activation in the aggregation of AM . AM cultures required a period of culture before exposure to cells or CWF for this response to occur . This response was both time and dose dependent . Rabbit peritoneal macrophages also exhibited the clumping response . Degradation of a purified CWF, fraction 3, with lysozyme greatly diminished the clumping response . Chemical purification of fraction 3 with periodate, formamide, or trichloracetic acid also decreased this activity . These data suggest that the major active component causing this response is peptidoglycan but that other materials associated with the cell wall may also be important . A soluble-factor chemotactic for normal rabbit AM was found in the culture fluid of AM exposed to fraction 3 . M . faeni cells and CWF also caused normal rabbit AM to chemiluminesce.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1983 Feb, 253(4), 559 - 65
Hemolytic phenomenons under the cultivation of Listeria innocua; Skalka B et al.; It was proved that Listeria innocua is able to hemolyze rabbit erythrocytes in blood agars when Oxoid or Difco nutrient agars are used as basic substrate . After 48 h incubation at 37 degrees C and a further 24 h at 4 degrees C the hemolytic effect was clearly expressed . The hot-cold incubation was inevitable . Unlike the hemolytic effect of L . monocytogenes, the hemolytic phenomenon of L . innocua was not enhanced by the equi-factor.

Infect Immun, 1983 Feb, 39(2), 532 - 9
Time course of antilisterial activity by immunologically activated murine peritoneal macrophages; Godfrey RW et al.; Murine peritoneal macrophages were rapidly rendered listericidal after exposure to lymphokine-rich supernatants (LRSs) derived from antigen-pulsed Listeria monocytogenes-immune spleen cells . A 6-h incubation period with LRSs was sufficient to induce microbicidal activity in resident macrophages . In vitro induction of macrophage listericidal activity by constant exposure to LRSs persisted for 18 h, after which time spleen cell factors were no longer capable of modifying intracellular inactivation of Listeria . Results obtained by utilizing a short assay indicated that the killing kinetics is extremely rapid, with large numbers of bacteria destroyed during the first 15 min of infection . Intracellular killing at this time appeared to be greatly dependent upon the stage of growth from which the microorganisms were harvested . Induction of bactericidal macrophages by infection of mice with a sublethal dose of virulent Listeria cells and subsequent intraperitoneal elicitation with heat-killed homologous bacteria was similarly a transient event . Macrophages harvested 18 h after antigenic challenge displayed dramatic antibacterial activity during the first 22 h in culture . After 22 h, activity was lost, and stasis was observed during the ensuing 23 h . At 68 h, macrophages were devoid of antilisterial action . Activity, however, could be recalled after incubation with LRSs.

Cell Immunol, 1983 Feb 1, 75(2), 283 - 91
Alternative induction of alpha/beta interferons and gamma interferon by listeria monocytogenes in mouse spleen cell cultures; Nakane A et al.; Production of interferon (IFN) by Listeria monocytogenes (LM) in nonimmunized mouse spleen cell cultures was studied . IFN-gamma defined by virtue of its acid stability and antigenicity was produced in spleen cell cultures obtained from ddY mice, C57BL/6 mice, and BALB/c mice in response to heat-killed (HK) LM within 24 hr . On the other hand, production of IFN-alpha/beta was demonstrated in spleen cell cultures obtained from one of four nude mice (BALB/c, nu/nu) . Therefore, it is important to know the reason why the spleen cells of mice other than nude mice did produce only IFN-gamma, but did not produce IFN-alpha/beta in response to HK-LM . Spleen cells obtained from ddY mice were fractionated, and the cellular source for IFN production of either IFN-alpha/beta or IFN-gamma induced by HK-LM was investigated . IFN-gamma was produced only by a mixture of T lymphocytes (nylon wool-nonadherent, Thy-1-positive cells) and macrophages by HK-LM . Neither T lymphocytes nor macrophages alone produced IFN by HK-LM . Macrophage-depleted spleen cells produced neither IFN-gamma nor IFN-alpha/beta, but these cells acquired the ability to produce IFN-alpha/beta, not IFN-gamma, only when they had been treated with IFN-alpha/beta . A possible mechanism of both IFN-gamma and IFN-alpha/beta induction by Listeria in mouse spleen cell cultures is discussed.

Rev Neurol (Paris), 1983, 139(2), 149 - 54
{Large listerial abscess of the brain stem . Favorable effect of antibiotic therapy}; Petit H et al.; A 52-year-old woman developed headache with fever followed after several days by a left hemiplegia, paralysis of the right IIIrd, Vth, and VIIth cranial nerves, and a right cerebellar syndrome . The CSF contained 48 white cells/mm3 and 0,80 g/l of proteins . Blood and CSF cultures were negative . In spite of an early massive antibiotic therapy, successive CT scans demonstrated the development of a voluminous rhombencephalic abscess . Clinical improvement occurred only after 1 month of treatment . The diagnosis of listeriosis, suggested clinically, was confirmed by elevated levels of antibodies to listeria Monocytogenes serotype 01 (1/80 to 1/1 280) . Signs regressed slowly and hemiplegic sequelae persisted . A review of the literature demonstrated the rare nature of listerian abscesses in the CNS: in 6 of the 9 cases reported the patients were immunodepressed and the abscess was located in the cerebral hemispheres . The elective rhombencephalic lesion of listerian encephalitis may also apply to abscesses, which can develop in previously healthy subjects . The clinical picture is that of a solitary brain stem abscess with a fatal outcome whatever the nature of the germ . Van Gilder, Allen and Lesser (1974) published the first report of a case that recovered after surgical drainage . The present case is the only one of the 6 cases reported in the literature in which a favorable outcome was obtained by antibiotic therapy.

Respiration, 1983, 44(2), 153 - 7
Pleural-pulmonary aspects of Listeria monocytogenes infection; Ananthraman A et al.; The most common forms of Listeria monocytogenes infection in adults are meningitis-encephalitis and sepsis . Infection of the pulmonary parenchyma and pleura have rarely been reported . A case of listeria meningitis presenting with pleural space infection in an immunosuppressed patient is presented and a review of 5 additional patients with listeria infection of the respiratory tract is included . All 6 patients described in this report had L . monocytogenes infections presenting with respiratory tract symptomatology, although 4 patients subsequently had positive blood or cerebrospinal fluid cultures . It is emphasized that a culture report of 'diphtheroids' from a thoracentesis specimen should not be automatically dismissed as contamination, particularly in an immune compromised patient.

Cell Immunol, 1983 Jan, 75(1), 134 - 43
Development of immunity against Listeria monocytogenes in athymic nude versus neonatally thymectomized mice; Nomoto K et al.; The thymus requirement for the development of immunological responsiveness was determined by estimation of immune responses raised to Listeria monocytogenes in athymic nude, neonatally thymectomized, and sham-operated mice at 6 weeks of age . Not only sham-operated mice, but also neonatally thymectomized mice could completely eliminate the bacteria from the spleen and liver, while athymic nude mice could not eliminate them and showed a persistent form of infection . A strong delayed footpad reaction and acquired cellular resistance could be raised in neonatally thymectomized mice just as well as in sham-operated mice, but not in athymic nude mice . The delayed footpad reaction could be induced in neonatally thymectomized mice without an accompanying ability to inhibit macrophage migration . These results suggest that T cells responsible for immunity against listerial infection require the presence of the thymus for only a very short period in their development.

Infect Immun, 1983 Jan, 39(1), 137 - 41
Effect of quinonyl-N-acetyl muramyl dipeptide on immune responses in tumor-bearing mice; Saiki I et al.; The efficacy of 6-O-QS-10-N-acetyl muramyl-L-valyl-D-isoglutamine methyl ester (quinonyl-MDP-66) for restoring impaired immune status was examined in mice bearing Lewis lung carcinoma . Quinonyl-MDP-66 suspended in phosphate-buffered saline was shown to restore the depressed allogeneic cell-mediated cytotoxicity of spleen cells from mice with Lewis lung carcinoma when the chemical was injected twice intraperitoneally, intravenously, or intratumorally . However, primary tumor size and the numbers of lung metastases were not affected when quinonyl-MDP-66 was administered under the present experimental conditions . Intraperitoneal injection of quinonyl-MDP-66 in mice with Lewis lung carcinoma enhanced host resistance to Listeria monocytogenes infection.

Zentralbl Gynakol, 1983, 105(20), 1295 - 1306
{Significance of new results in the research on human listeriosis}; Ortel S; In former years, especially between 1963 and 1969, in the GDR the listeriosis of pregnants, prematures, and newborns played a significant role, and the infantile mortality was influenced in a most unfavourable way . Since 1970 frequency of listeriosis diminished definitely in the GDR . - We present the route of embryo-infection of the most frequently occurring connatal listeriosis and the consequences there of for mother and child . - Investigations on Listeria-excretion in pregnants show that 34 (= 31%) of 110 morefold examined pregnants excreted Listeria in their feces . Particularly the distribution of serovars, excretion frequency with regard to duration of pregnancy, season, as to primipara and multipara was investigated . All 34 excretors are delivered of healthy babies . A treatment with antibiotics of pregnants excreting Listeria is no longer recommended . - With reference to the epidemiology, listeriosis should be indicated as geonosis or sapronosis because the infectious reservoir is the human environment . The bacteriological diagnosis of listeriosis can be accomplished with approved and successful methods especially the storage of specimens in thioglycolat broth at + 4 degrees C over a period of 26 weeks and the cultivation on tryptose-agar with nalidixine acid and trypaflavin . - Chemotherapeutics for infected mothers, adults, and newborns are the ampicillins, the ureidopenicillins, and antibiotic-combinations (ampicillin with gentamycin) . Preventive measures are especially the avoidance of dirt- and smear-infections and the contact with ill animals . In maternity hospitals infected mothers should be separated to elude hospital infections; the same request is accepted in newborn wards.

Int J Immunopharmacol, 1983, 5(6), 549 - 53
Effects of immunological adjuvants on the mouse complement system . I . The inability of the polyanion heparin to act as an adjuvant is paralleled by inefficient alternative complement pathway inhibition; Klerx JP et al.; Interference with hemolytic complement activity by polyanionic substances was studied in relation to the ability of these compounds to act as an adjuvant for a dead listeria vaccine . Heparin appeared a poor inhibitor of the mouse alternative pathway not only in contrast to its effects on the mouse classical and the human classical and alternative pathways, but also when compared to two polyanions with known adjuvant activity: dextran sulfate and suramin . For the three polyanions mentioned a correlation between adjuvant activity and mouse alternative pathway inhibition was observed . These findings suggest a possible causal relationship between interference with alternative complement pathway activation and adjuvant activity.

Pol Arch Weter, 1983, 23(4), 123 - 35
{Blood of healthy bulls and those with listeriosis with regard to the enzymatic differences in the lymphocytes}; Hoffmann-Czajkowska J et al.; A relationship between esterase positive and esterase negative lymphocytes in peripheral blood of a homogenous group of one-year old healthy bulls of NCB breed was found . Average values of other hematologic indices in these animals were also determined . Then the same indices were examined in bulls experimentally infected with Listeria monocytogenes and compared with the data for healthy animals . The following representative average values were found: erythrocytes 7,2 mill/mm3, leukocytes 8,6 thous./mm3 . The proportional composition of leukocytes is: neutrophils - 33,9; eosinophils - 2,9; basophils - 0,8; monocytes - 5,5; lymphocytes - 56,9 including esterase positive cells - 74,7% and esterase negative cells - 25,3% in it . Statistically significant differences concerned the proportional composition of esterase positive and esterase negative lymphocytes, as well as the quantity of monocytes, basophils, eosinophils and that of erythrocytes and leukocytes.

Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz), 1983, 31(4), 523 - 30
Functional studies on mouse macrophages activated by phospholipids from Listeria monocytogenes and Aspergillus fumigatus; Jakoniuk P et al.; The administration of phospholipids from Listeria monocytogenes and Aspergillus fumigatus to mice resulted in the development of macrophages with increased functional activity . It has been found that stimulated macrophages have increased phagocytic activity, enhanced chemotactic reactivity and augmented adherence to plastic surface . The activity of FcIg macrophages and complement receptors as well as the rate of the recovery of the FcIg receptors after phagocytosis were significantly higher in activated cells . The increase in phagocytosis, and FcIg and complement receptors activity was observed in macrophages cultured in vitro with phospholipids studied.

Acta Microbiol Hung, 1983, 30(2), 103 - 11
Phage typing of Listeria monocytogenes in Hungary; Ralovich B et al.; Ninety-eight (39.6%) out of 247 Listeria monocytogenes strains isolated from a variety of sources were typable by 27 phases . Of the 31 human strains only 3 belonged to phage types occurring in cattle, sheep and surface waters . A close correlation existed between serotype and phage type of the strains . Serotype 1/2 and 4 strains isolated in Hungary were less frequently typable than cultures originating from France . Phage typing is a useful tool for epidemiological tracing but, for a more effective differentiation, the number of phages should be increased and the method should be standardized.

Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol, 1983, 70(1), 59 - 64
Production of migration inhibitory factor by Listeria-immune mouse T lymphocytes, but not B lymphocytes; Kearns RJ et al.; Antigens and B cell mitogens have been reported to induce migration inhibition factor (MIF) production by mouse B cells . Immune resistance to the intracellular bacterium, Listeria monocytogenes is thought to involve T cells, but not B cells . Since Listeria-derived components are B cell, but not T cell mitogens, it was important to determine whether these materials could stimulate secretion of the lymphokine, MIF by T cells, B cells, or both . Thus populations of whole, unfractionated spleen cells, obtained from normal and Listeria-immune BDF1 mice, were cultured with or without 100 micrograms/ml of Listeria intracellular product (LIP) . The culture supernatants obtained 24 h later were assayed for MIF activity using the in vitro macrophage migration inhibition assay . Data obtained show that immune T lymphocytes release MIF in response to specific Listeria antigens, but that spleen B cells from immune and normal mice, obtained as immune, nylon-wool-adherent cells treated with anti-T-cell serum plus complement, are not capable of releasing MIF . This suggests that release of lymphokines by Listeria-immune or normal B cells stimulated with Listeria-derived antigens and mitogens is unlikely to contribute to resistance against Listeria in vivo.

Acta Med Scand, 1983, 213(5), 345 - 9
Cefotaxime versus ampicillin, methicillin and netilmicin in combination for treatment of febrile episodes in patients with haematologic malignancy; Friis H et al.; A prospective, randomized trial comparing treatment of 61 febrile episodes with cefotaxime (CTX) versus a combination of ampicillin, methicillin, and netilmicin (AMN) was carried out in 58 patients with leukaemia or malignant lymphoma, of whom 28 had a granulocyte count of less than or equal to 500 X 10(6)/l . The overall response frequency was 63% for CTX against 49% for the AMN combination, the latter figure being lower than generally reported in the literature . The difference was not statistically significant . In 21 episodes pathogens were isolated, 16 of them from the blood . All isolated bacteria but one, a strain of Bacteroides fragilis, were fully sensitive to at least one of the three antibiotics in the combination, and all but one, a strain of Listeria monocytogenes, were fully sensitive to CTX . These results indicate that CTX seems to be a promising alternative as monotherapy for empiric treatment of febrile episodes in patients with haematologic malignancies . Further investigations will, however, be required before completely rational choices between mono and combination therapy of febrile episodes in immunosuppressed patients can be made.

Nouv Presse Med, 1982 Dec 18, 11(51), 3773 - 7
{Diagnosis of listeriosis . Value and limitations of the leukocyte migration inhibition test}; Pujol M et al.; A human leucocyte migration inhibition test (HLMT) was performed in 50 healthy subjects and in 23 patients with bacteriologically confirmed listeriosis, using Listeria monocytogenes as antigen . Considerable inhibition was found in most patients, whereas the test was negative in all controls . In view of this consistent relationship between test and disease, it is suggested that the HLMT could be used for the indirect diagnosis of listeriosis, taking into account the delay between the onset of infection and the positivity of the test.

Am Rev Respir Dis, 1982 Dec, 126(6), 1045 - 9
Dose-dependent effect of glucocorticosteroids on pulmonary defenses in a steroid-resistant host; Blackwood LL et al.; An experimental model of Listeria monocytogenes pneumonia was employed in order to study the pathogenesis of lung infection with a facultative intracellular pathogen in normal and steroid-treated hosts . Guinea pigs, which resemble humans as a "steroid-resistant" species, were treated with week-long regimens of cortisone acetate or saline . Cortisone regimens were 100 mg/kg/day (low-dose) or 200 mg/kg/day (high-dose) . Lungs were then infected with Listeria monocytogenes, and groups were compared for survival as well as intrapulmonary killing of Listeria . A dose-dependent defect in pulmonary resistance to Listeria was observed among the steroid-treated animals, with survivals of 67% for the low-dose group and 0% for the high-dose group . Similarly, acquired in vivo pulmonary resistance to Listeria was diminished in steroid-treated animals, as reflected by reduced intrapulmonary killing and a tendency for systemic dissemination of Listeria . Numbers of T-lymphocytes in blood (p less than 0.001) and lungs (p less than 0.001) were significantly reduced in cortisone-treated animals . In addition, alveolar macrophages obtained from high-dose-treated animals displayed a 47% reduction in listericidal activity . It is concluded that glucocorticosteroid administration causes a dose-dependent reduction in pulmonary defenses to intracellular pathogens in the steroid-resistant host, and that suppression of both acquired local immunity as well as nonimmune defense mechanisms occurs.

Can J Microbiol, 1982 Dec, 28(12), 1373 - 81
Immunosuppression, nonspecific B-cell activation, and mitogenic activity associated with a high molecular weight component from Listeria monocytogenes; Otokunefor TV et al.; A high molecular component of a saline extract derived from Listeria monocytogenes contained amino acids, carbohydrates, and phosphorus . The same fraction was capable of promoting both the in vitro mitogenic and adjuvant activities and the in vivo immunosuppressive activity displayed by the crude extract . The material was mitogenic to B but not to T lymphocytes in vitro . Responses to sheep and horse erythrocytes as well as to lipopolysaccharide were suppressed . Immunosuppression was dose dependent and was present at 1, 2, or 3 days but absent 7 days after injection . Both primary and secondary responses to sheep erythrocytes were impaired.

J Reticuloendothel Soc, 1982 Dec, 32(6), 461 - 76
Kinetics of killing Listeria monocytogenes by macrophages: correlation of 3H-DNA release from labeled bacteria and changes in numbers of viable organisms by mathematical model; Davies WA; Conventional methods of assessing antibacterial activities of macrophages by viable counting are limited by the precision of the statistics and are difficult to interpret quantitatively because of unrestrained extracellular growth of bacteria . An alternative technique based on the release of radioactive DNA from labeled bacteria has been offered as overcoming these drawbacks . To assess it for use with macrophages I have made a correlation with the conventional viable counting method using a mathematical model . Opsonized Listeria monocytogenes labeled with 3H-thymidine were exposed to rat macrophages for periods up to 4 hr . Numbers of viable bacteria determined after sonication increased exponentially in the absence of live cells and this growth rate was progressively inhibited by increasing numbers of macrophages . After a lag period of 30-60 min soluble 3H appeared in the supernatant, the amount increasing with time and numbers of macrophages . To correlate these data I developed a mathematical model that considered that changes in numbers of viable organisms were due to the difference between rates of 1) growth of extracellular bacteria and 2) killing within the macrophage . On the basis of this model curves of best fit to the viable counts data were used to predict the release of radioactivity, assuming that death of a bacterium led to the total release of its label . These predictions and the experimental data agreed well, the lag period of 30-60 min between death of the bacterium and release of radioactivity being consistent with intracellular digestion . Release of soluble radioactivity appears to be an accurate reflection of the number of bacteria killed within the macrophage.

J Immunogenet, 1982 Dec, 9(6), 445 - 56
Genetic control of cell-mediated immunity in the rat . III . T cells restricted by the RT1.A locus recognize viable Listeria but not isolated bacterial antigens; Jungi TW et al.; This study investigates the discordance between the restriction criteria required for the transfer of cellular resistance to Listeria monocytogenes (LM) and those for the transfer of delayed type hypersensitivity to Listeria antigens . Infective bacteria elicit both RT1.A-restricted T cells and RT1.B-restricted T cells . Both populations of T cells mediate lymphoblast localization and macrophage accumulation, which are reactions characteristic of delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH), and cause macrophage activation with rapid and efficient bacterial elimination, which is an expression of cellular resistance . If alcohol-killed Listeria organisms (pLMA) are injected, only the RT1.B-restricted T cell subset is triggered . Direct comparison of lymphoblast localization in LM infection sites and the expression of resistance revealed that efficient resistance may be mediated by small numbers of lymphoblasts and that below a certain threshold there is no correlation between lymphoblast localization and the level of resistance.

Infect Immun, 1982 Dec, 38(3), 1164 - 71
Effect of pregnancy on resistance to Listeria monocytogenes and Toxoplasma gondii infections in mice; Luft BJ et al.; Studies of the effect of pregnancy on the capacity of mice to resist Listeria monocytogenes and Toxoplasma gondii infection revealed significantly diminished resistance of pregnant mice to infection by both agents as measured by mortality . The development of immunity to listeria was assessed by studying the kinetics of listeria growth in the livers and spleens of virgin and pregnant mice infected intravenously with a sublethal dose of listeria . In both virgin and pregnant mice there was a rise in the number of listeria colony-forming units per organ during the first 3 days after infection . Thereafter, there was a decline in colony-forming units in these organs in virgin mice but a persistence of listeria in spleens and livers of pregnant mice . Paradoxically, during the first 3 days after infection, listeria counts in spleens of virgin mice were significantly higher than those in pregnant mice . Nonspecific resistance to listeria conferred by chronic infection with T . gondii was significantly diminished in pregnant mice when measured by mortality and quantitative cultures of listeria in livers and spleens . These studies demonstrate a remarkably decreased resistance of pregnant mice to two intracellular organisms and a diminished capacity of pregnant mice to develop immunity to listeria . This decrease in resistance may play an important role in congenital transmission of these organisms.

J Immunogenet, 1982 Dec, 9(6), 433 - 43
Genetic control of cell-mediated immunity in the rat . II . Sharing of either the RT1.A or RT1.B locus is sufficient for transfer of antimicrobial resistance; Jungi TW et al.; The MHC restriction criteria for T cells activating macrophages in vivo and mediating antimicrobial resistance to Listeria monocytogenes were determined . Antimicrobial resistance could be transferred by T cells in order of decreasing efficiency from syngeneic, RT1.A compatible, RT1.B compatible and RT1 incompatible donors . Alloreactive T cells responding to either A locus or B locus encoded antigens in a graft-versus-host reaction were also able to activate macrophages . Approximately five times as many MLC-reactive precursors responded to B locus alloantigens as to A locus alloantigens, but A-restricted Listeria-specific T cells were considerably more numerous (or more efficient) in Listeria-infected hosts than were B-restricted, Listeria-specific T cells . This was unexpected, since A-restricted, Listeria-specific T cells failed to transfer delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) to soluble bacterial antigens.

Scand J Immunol, 1982 Dec, 16(6), 539 - 42
T-cell subsets induced in Listeria monocytogenes-immune mice . Ly phenotypes of T cells interacting with macrophages in vitro; Kaufmann SH et al.; Interactions of peritoneal exudate T lymphocytes from listeria-immune mice with macrophages from normal mice in the presence of heat-killed listeriae result in the induction of interleukins . The data show that Ly 1+, 23- T cells specific for listeria antigens are essential for interleukin induction and make it likely that, in addition, Ly 1+, 23+ T cells are required for optimal responses.

South Med J, 1982 Nov, 75(11), 1353 - 4
Antepartum treatment of Listeria monocytogenes septicemia; Katz VL et al.; Maternal septicemia with Listeria monocytogenes is becoming a more prevalent problem for those dealing with obstetric patients . A flu-like illness is often present in the mother prior to delivery of the infected infant . Treatment regimens have included intravenous antibiotic therapy for the mother and induction of labor . The infant often dies of respiratory distress syndrome due to prematurity . Data from the literature tend to support the concept of antepartum therapy without delivery, unless the fetus shows signs of pulmonary maturity or has died in utero . It is believed that this approach to maternal Listeria septicemia will improve perinatal morbidity and mortality.

Infect Immun, 1982 Nov, 38(2), 694 - 8
Recovery from T cell depletion during murine listeriosis and effect on a T-dependent antibody response; Chan YY et al.; During the infection of mice with Listeria monocytogenes, there is a profound depletion of T (Thy-1+ Ig-) lymphocytes between days 1 and 4, followed by an increase in T cells to three times normal levels by day 9 . The recovery of T cell numbers required cell proliferation, being sensitive to vinblastin and cyclophosphamide . Adult thymectomy 6 months before infection had no effect on recovery . The repopulating cells were no more sensitive than normal T cells to hydrocortisone . B lymphocytes (Ig+ cells) and null (Thy-1-Ig-) cells increased from day 1 after the injection of either live or (in contrast to T cells) killed Listeria organisms . Their increase was inhibited by vinblastin and cyclophosphamide . Despite T cell depletion, no depression of the antibody response to the T-dependent antigen, sheep erythrocytes, occurred during infection or when spleen cells were adoptively transferred from infected mice to irradiated recipients.

Infect Immun, 1982 Nov, 38(2), 686 - 93
Mechanism of depletion of T lymphocytes from the spleen of mice infected with Listeria monocytogenes; Chan YY et al.; Marked changes in the splenic lymphocyte populations during murine infection with Listeria monocytogenes were observed histologically and quantitated by the immunofluorescence of Thy-1+ immunoglobulin (Ig-) (T) and Ig+ (B) cells . Cells were depleted from the T-dependent areas of the spleen, and the number of T cells in suspensions prepared from spleens of mice 1 to 3 days after primary or secondary infection were less than 1/10 of normal . High numbers of alcohol-killed Listeria sp . did not cause any depletion . Depletion was not prevented by adrenalectomy . Although injected radiolabeled T cells distributed normally between spleen, liver, lymph node, and gut in infected mice, there appeared to be a barrier to their entry into depleted T-dependent areas of the spleen . Evidence for the destruction of T cells, but not of B cells, in the infected mouse spleen was obtained.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1982 Nov, 253(2), 225 - 35
Vitamin and nitrogen base requirements for Listeria monocytogenes and haemolysin production; Siddiqi R et al.; A complete chemically defined medium is described for the growth of different serovars of Listeria monocytogenes . The medium supported rapid, luxuriant and transferable growth . At the same time haemolysin production was induced to the same extent as in tryptose phosphate broth . Riboflavin and calcium-pantothenate were essential for the growth of all six strains tested . Biotin, pyridoxal-hydrochloride and p-aminobenzoic acid were either essential or stimulatory to all strains . Most strains did not require folic acid, thiamin, nicotinic acid and inositol, but they were stimulatory for some strains . Adenine was essential for two strains (NCTC 7973, 5214 m) while cytosine exhibited an inhibitory effect on the growth of all the strains.

Am J Med, 1982 Nov, 73(5), 773 - 7
Disseminated listeriosis presenting as acute hepatitis . Case reports and review of hepatic involvement in listeriosis; Yu VL et al.; We report three cases of disseminated listeriosis that presented as acute hepatitis characterized by striking increase of liver function test values and fever . Peak serum transaminases (SGOT) for each of three patients were 5,380, 2,350, and 443 mu/ml respectively . The correct diagnosis was not suspected in any of the patients until blood and cerebrospinal fluid cultures obtained routinely in the course of evaluation for fever grew Listeria monocytogenes . When antibiotic therapy was instituted, serum transaminase values plummeted in two patients; these two were eventually cured of their infection . The third patient succumbed to his infection; postmortem examination showed miliary abscesses of the liver which revealed L . monocytogenes . Review of the literature for previous reports of hepatic involvement in adult patients with listeriosis shows that hepatitis is an unusual mode of presentation . However, since we observed these three cases over a one-year period, we suspect this may not be an uncommon occurrence.

J Immunol, 1982 Nov, 129(5), 2179 - 85
Immunopathology of BCG infection in genetically resistant and susceptible mouse strains; Pelletier M et al.; Natural resistance to Mycobacterium bovis (BCG) is under the control of a single gene, designated Bcg . Resistant (Bcgr) mice prevent multiplication of an i.v . injected inoculum of congruent to 10(4) dispersed BCG cells, whereas progressive multiplication of this pathogen occurs in the first 3 wk of infection in spleens and livers of susceptible (Bcgs) mice . Striking differences in the development of cellular immunity, as measured by granuloma formation in the liver and spleen, delayed-typed hypersensitivity, and a resistance to the challenge with homologous (BCG) and heterologous (Listeria monocytogenes) pathogens, were detected between Bcgr (C3H/HeN and A/J) and Bcgs (C57BL/6J and B10.A) strains . Cellular immune reactions progressively developed in the Bcgs mice, as a response to the increasing bacterial load, whereas greatly inferior levels of acquired immunity were observed in Bcgr strains . These findings support the concept that mice genetically resistant to BCG infection are able to prevent bacterial multiplication without the need for a cellular immune response, whereas genetically susceptible mice will eventually control bacterial multiplication with the acquisition of cellular immunity.

Infect Immun, 1982 Nov, 38(2), 521 - 9
Genetic control of cell-mediated immunity in rats: involvement of RT1.B locus determinants in the proliferative response of T lymphocytes to Listeria antigens; Jungi TW et al.; The cellular requirements for Listeria monocytogenes antigen-induced, specific {3H}thymidine incorporation into lymphoid cells were analysed . Nylon-nonadherent lymph node and peritoneal exudate cells from infected athymic rats and mice failed to respond by proliferation, whereas control cells of thymus-bearing animals gave significant responses . In mice, cells expressing Thy-1 at a high density were required for the initiation of the proliferative response, but cells with lower density also participated in proliferation . Immune T cells alone failed to respond to L . monocytogenes antigen, but the addition of accessory cells provided optimal responses . These were nylon wool adherent, absent from thoracic duct lymph, but present in thymus and lymph nodes and particularly abundant in spleens of nonimmune rats . Accessory cells had to be matched at the B region of RT1, the major histocompatibility complex, to provide a stimulatory signal for L . monocytogenes antigen-specific T cells . Thus, the genetic restriction criteria were the same as for the transfer of delayed-type hypersensitivity to L . monocytogenes antigen, but differed from those controlling the transfer of acquired cellular resistance . The interaction between T cells and accessory cells could be blocked by alloantisera directed against Ia-antigens expressed on the accessory cell population . The study suggests that killed L . monocytogenes bacteria are presented by Ia-positive adherent cells in a RT1.B-restricted fashion to provide a proliferative signal for sensitized T cells.

Minerva Med, 1982 Oct 13, 73(39), 2683 - 5
{Recovery from from Listeria monocytogenes meningitis in an adult}; Giunta G et al.; The authors describe a case of meningitis by Listeria monocytogenes from which the patient, an adult suffering from a chronic lymphatic leukosis, recovered completely . Both the immune-suppressor treatment and the basic lymphoproliferative disease may have given rise to this infective disease . The diagnosis has been obtained by isolating the germ in liquor-cultures . We want to point out the importance of a specific and early antibiotic treatment.

Immunology, 1982 Oct, 47(2), 247 - 53
Two steps in the generation of acquired cellular resistance against Listeria monocytogenes: accumulation and activation of macrophages; Miyata M et al.; Mice were immunized with 1 X 10(3) viable Listeria monocytogenes, and the mechanism of the acquired resistance against challenge infection with 5 X 10(4) L . monocytogenes was studied by the use of the peritoneal cavity of mice as the site of challenge . An enhanced elimination of bacteria from the peritoneal cavity became detectable on day 5 after immunization, and lasted thereafter . Before day 10 postimmunization, a marked accumulation of macrophages was observed after the challenge but the in vitro listericidal activity of macrophages was not so enhanced . After day 15 postimmunization, peritoneal macrophages did not increase in number after the challenge but the in vitro listericidal activity of macrophages was the stronger . Accumulation of non-activated macrophages seemed to contribute mainly to the expression of acquired resistance against challenge in the early stage of immunization . So-called activated macrophages appeared to be generated only in the later stage of immunization . Thus it was suggested that there may be at least two steps in the expression of acquired listerial resistance.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1982 Oct, 22(4), 678 - 85
Tetracycline-resistant L-forms isolated from an antibiotic-susceptible strain of Listeria monocytogenes; Schmitt-Slomska J et al.; A tetracycline-susceptible strain of Listeria monocytogenes type 4b was converted to stable L-forms by penicillin . L-form variants resistant to tetracycline were then selected from a predominantly tetracycline-susceptible L-form population on plates containing penicillin and increasing concentrations of tetracycline . The origin of tetracycline-resistant L-forms from the parent Listeria strain was confirmed biochemically, by immunofluorescence, and by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis . Scanning and transmission electron microscopy confirmed the typical L-form structure and the complete lack of cell wall in both L-form strains . The level of {3H}tetracycline uptake was lower in tetracycline-resistant than in susceptible cells.

Infect Immun, 1982 Oct, 38(1), 58 - 65
Adjuvant activity of purified peptidoglycan of Listeria monocytogenes in mice and guinea pigs; Saiki I et al.; The immunological properties of peptidoglycan (L-PG) purified from the cell wall skeleton (L-CWS) of Listeria monocytogenes strain EGD were investigated and compared with the properties of L-CWS . L-PG consisted of alanine, glutamic acid, alpha, epsilon-diaminopimelic acid, muramic acid, and glucosamine . L-PG showed potent adjuvant activities for circulating antibody formation and development of delayed-type hypersensitivity to bacterial alpha-amylase in vivo and for the primary immune response to sheep erythrocytes in vitro, as well as L-CWS . Both L-PG and L-CWS enhanced the generation of cell-mediated cytotoxicity in allogeneic mice and activated thioglycolate-elicited peritoneal macrophages and macrophage cell line RAW 264 to kill tumor target cells in vitro . We also found that L-PG acted on normal spleen cells as a mitogen . Both L-PG and L-CWS had tumor (Meth A)-suppressive and -regressive activities in syngeneic mice . Our results suggest that the L-PG moiety retains the adjuvant and antitumor activities of L-CWS.

J Nutr, 1982 Aug, 112(8), 1498 - 505
Dietary stress and development of resistance ot Listeria monocytogenes in mice; Petro TM et al.; The native and acquired cell-mediated immune resistance against Listeria monocytogenes steadily developed in young mice after weaning and reached maximum activity at 6 and 12 weeks of age, respectively . Mice fed a high fat (20% corn oil) diet from 3 weeks of age had a significantly more rapid development of resistance against L . monocytogenes . Mice fed the high fat diet beginning at 6 and 12 weeks of age had significantly lower native preimmune resistance against L . monocytogenes after 3 weeks on the diet . On the other hand, 3-week-old mice fed a low protein (4% casein) diet had a significantly retarded development of native and acquired resistance against L . monocytogenes . However, mice consuming the low protein diet at 6, 12 or 24 weeks of age did not exhibit an impairment in this resistance . Therefore age at which the dietary stress, either low protein or high fat, was initiated had an important effect on native and acquired resistance of mice against L . monocytogenes.

Infect Immun, 1982 Aug, 37(2), 601 - 8
Alteration of cell-mediated immunity to Listeria monocytogenes in protein-malnourished mice treated with thymosin fraction V; Petro TM et al.; Cell-mediated immune reactivity, measured by lymphocyte responsiveness to phytohemagglutinin, was higher in both young or aged mice fed a 4% casein diet compared with age-matched controls . Treatment in vivo with bovine thymosin fraction V decreased the responsiveness to phytohemagglutinin of lymphocytes from mice fed either the control or moderately protein-deficient diets when compared with mice treated in vivo with saline . Resistance against Listeria monocytogenes, known to be a cell-mediated immune function, was impaired in young and aged mice which were fed the low-protein diet . Treatment with thymosin was able to significantly improve the cell-mediated immune resistance to L . monocytogenes of moderately protein-malnourished mice . Thymosin treatment impaired the resistance to L . monocytogenes of young or aged mice fed the control diet . The splenic natural killer cell cytotoxicity of protein-malnourished mice was impaired compared with that of mice fed the control diet . Treatment with thymosin did not restore the natural killer cell cytotoxic activity in protein-malnourished mice, but did enhance that activity in control mice.

Infect Immun, 1982 Aug, 37(2), 811 - 9
Direct activation of the J774.1 Murine macrophage cell line by mycoplasma arthritidis; Dietz JN et al.; Viable Mycoplasma arthritidis and supernatants from M . arthriditis cultures produced marked morphological changes in the J774.1 continuous macrophage line similar to those seen during activation of these cells by Mycobacterium bovis BCG cell walls . The mycoplasma-treated macrophages developed pronounced tumoricidal activity against syngenic 3T12-3 target cells and developed an enhanced capacity for the killing of intracellular listeriae, including both virulent and laboratory-maintained strains . Increased acid phosphatase levels and {14C}glucosamine uptake were also seen . We conclude that mycoplasmas can profoundly alter the functions of macrophages, an event which may not only have in vivo significance with regard to disease pathogenesis, but which may pose considerable problems for in vitro work when unsuspected mycoplasma contamination is present.

Infect Immun, 1982 Jul, 37(1), 64 - 9
Activation of macrophages by products of lymphocytes from normal and syphilitic rabbits; Lukehart SA; The production of soluble macrophage-activating factors by lymphocytes from syphilitic and normal rabbits was examined . Culture supernatants of splenic lymphocytes cultured with Treponema pallidum antigens or concanavalin A were incubated with rabbit peritoneal macrophages in vitro . The macrophage monolayers were then washed and infected with log-phase Listeria monocytogenes . Activation of the macrophages by lymphocyte products was measured by the ability of the macrophages to resist intracellular multiplication of Listeria and thus survive infection . Macrophages incubated with supernatants of unstimulated lymphocytes or T . pallidum-stimulated lymphocytes from normal rabbits were unable to resist intracellular multiplication of Listeria . Specifically stimulated lymphocytes from syphilitic rabbits and mitogen-stimulated lymphocytes from both normal and syphilitic rabbits demonstrated a clear ability to produce soluble factors which conferred upon macrophages the ability to limit the intracellular growth of the bacteria . Antigen or mitogen alone was unable to activate the macrophages; the presence of lymphocyte products was required.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1982 Jul, 22(1), 51 - 4
In vitro activities of trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole against Listeria monocytogenes; Winslow DL et al.; The in vitro activities of trimethoprim and sulfamethoxyazole against clinical isolates of Listeria monocytogenes were examined separately and in combination with a microtiter broth dilution system . Sulfamethoxazole demonstrated variable activity and was generally bacteriostatic . Trimethoprim alone was bactericidal against 96% of isolates at less than 0.5 microgram/ml . The bactericidal action of trimethoprim against L . monocytogenes was generally potentiated by sulfamethoxyazole even when isolates were relatively resistant to sulfamethoxyazole alone.

J Biochem (Tokyo), 1982 Jul, 92(1), 23 - 33
Structures and biological activities of peptidoglycans of Listeria monocytogenes and Propionibacterium acnes; Kamisango K et al.; The cell-wall skeletons of Listeria monocytogenes strain EGD and Propionibacterium acnes strain C7, which have the ability to induce macrophage activation, were analyzed, and the structures of the peptidoglycans were investigated . The analytical data indicate that both peptidoglycans have glucosamine residues with free amino groups, which are responsible for the resistance to lysozyme . Possible structures of these peptidoglycans were deduced from the composition and the results of determination of N- and C-terminal amino acids, together with the characterization of fragments obtained by enzymatic treatment and partial acid hydrolysis of both peptidoglycans . The results suggested that the peptidoglycan of L . monocytogenes contains a cross-linkage region of peptide chains with meso-diaminopimelic acid and D-alanine, which belongs to the A1 gamma type (Schleifer, K.H . & Kandler, O . (1972) Bacteriol . Rev . 36, 407-477), whereas the peptidoglycan of P . acnes contains a cross-linkage region of peptide chains with L,L-diaminopimelic acid and D-alanine, in which two glycine residues combine with amino and carboxyl groups of two L,L-diaminopimelic acid residues . The latter type should be classified as a new type . These cell-wall skeletons and peptidoglycans were shown to have immunoadjuvant activity on the induction of delayed-type hypersensitivity and suppressive activity on the growth of 3-methylcholanthrene-induced fibrosarcoma in BALB/c mice, and the peptidoglycans were shown to be an immunological-active principle of these cell-wall skeletons.

J Reticuloendothel Soc, 1982 Jul, 32(1), 25 - 35
Development of protective immunity against bacterial and viral infections in tumor-bearing mice coincident with suppression of tumor immunity; Bonventre PF et al.; This report addresses the question whether Meth A (methylcholanthrene-induced fibrosarcoma) tumor bearing Balb/c mice are able to develop specific antimicrobial immunity . Although specific suppressor T lymphocytes appeared during tumor growth which prevented expression of antitumor immunity, the development of protective immunity to L monocytogenes, S . pneumoniae or ectromelia virus infections was unimpaired . The Meth A tumor produced a soluble immunosuppressive factor which inhibited lymphocyte and macrophage functions in vitro . Tumor growth failed to inhibit the formation of immunoglobulin essential to antipneumococcal immunity, or the development of a specific acquired cellular resistance of primary importance in immunity to listeria and ectromelia virus infections . That tumor growth did not interfere with the development of cell mediated immunity was demonstrated by the effective transfer of antilisteria immunity by immune spleen from tumor-bearing mice.

J Exp Med, 1982 Jul 1, 156(1), 112 - 27
Enhanced production of murine interferon gamma by T cells generated in response to bacterial infection; Havell EA et al.; Spleen cell cultures derived from animals infected 6 d earlier with Listeria monocytogenes produced 10-20-fold more murine interferon gamma (MuIFN gamma) than spleen cells from nonimmune mice in response to stimulation with T cell mitogens . A striking temporal association was found between the enhanced synthesis of MuIFN gamma and the development of anti-Listeria immunity in that both the potential for increased MuIFN gamma production and the generation of Listeria-protective T cells developed and then decayed in unison . Treatment of spleen cells with monoclonal anti-Thy-1.2 plus complement virtually abolished the ability of cells from Listeria-immune mice to synthesize MuIFN gamma . The T cells producing MuIFN gamma were found to be more susceptible to complement-mediated lysis with monoclonal anti-Lyt-1.2 than with monoclonal anti-Lyt-2.2 . The production of MuIFN gamma was not affected by treating spleen cells with anti-IgG antisera or with a monoclonal antibody directed against I-A specificities . MuIFN gamma was detected 4 h after the beginning of mitogenic stimulation of spleen cell cultures, and peak levels of MuIFN gamma were reached by 18 h . The IFN synthesized by mitogen-induced spleen cells derived from Listeria-immune mice were relatively labile at pH 2.0 and neutralized by a rabbit anti-MuIFN gamma serum but not by an antiserum having specificities for MuIFN alpha and MuIFN beta . The apparent molecular weight of the MuIFN gamma, as estimated by molecular sieving on a Bio-gel P-60 column, was estimated to be 38,000, and the isoelectric point as determined by chromatofocusing was extremely heterogeneous, ranging between pH 5.0 and pH 7.0.

Clin Orthop, 1982 Jun, (166), 2 - 4
The classic . Ununited fractures in children . James Paget, 1891; Peltier LF; James Paget (1814-1899) entered St . Bartholomew's Hospital, London, as a medical student in 1834 . He never left . Like Pott, his whole professional life was spent in service to the hospital and its school of medicine . His career began in the preanesthesia, pre-Listerian era, and he lived to see the introduction of X-rays into medical practice . He is best remembered as a teacher and as a surgical pathologist . As a freshman medical student, he observed and described the cysts of Trichina spiralis in the diaphragm of his cadaver . His observations on ununited fractures in children were published in 1891 . The years between were filled with an active and distinguished career as a teacher, investigator, and surgeon.

J Exp Med, 1982 Jun 1, 155(6), 1870 - 5
Aging and antimicrobial immunity . Lowered efficiency of protective T cells as a contributing factor for the decreased resistance of senescent mice to listeriosis; Patel PJ; Experimental murine listeriosis was used as a model to investigate the immunological basis for the age-associated decline in antimicrobial immunity . The reduced capacity of protective T cells from Listeria-immune senescent mice to adoptively immunize normal syngeneic recipients could not be attributed to inhibition of their activity by suppressor cells . Radiolabeled enriched splenic T cells from Listeria-immune young or senescent donors exhibited an identical distribution pattern after an intravenous infusion into young recipients . Moreover, cells from Listeria-immune young donors showed markedly greater protective capacity than cells from senescent immune donors whether the cells were transferred to young or senescent recipients . Dose-response analysis of protective T cells revealed that in response to immunizing infection (a) senescent mice generated 10-fold fewer protective T cells, and (b) protective T cells from senescent mice were 100-fold less efficient than cells from young mice.

Helv Paediatr Acta, 1982 Jun, 37(3), 279 - 82
Listeria meningitis in an immunocompetent child; Chryssanthopoulos C et al.; We report a case of Listeria monocytogenes meningitis in an apparently healthy 3-year-old boy . This is the first case reported in English literature where adequate evaluation of immune status did not reveal an immunologic defect . The patient is in the age group least affected by an opportunistic organism and has been living in a district known for a high incidence of Listeria in livestock . The epidemiologic implication of this observation is discussed.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1982 Jun, 252(2), 176 - 90
{Special position of strongly haemolytic strains of the genus Listeria}; Seeliger HP et al.; The special status of the strongly haemolytic strains of serovar (sv) 5 of Listeria monocytogenes is reviewed . Besides some biochemical reactions sv 5 strains are characterized by their excessive haemolysis on sheep blood agar and by a positive result of the CAMP test with R . equi . The haemolysis is caused by a soluble thermolabile protein which stimulates the formation of antibodies and which is inhibited by cholesterol . Sv 5-strains are less virulent than strains of sv 1/2a and sv 4b . The antibiotic sensitivity patterns characteristic for listeriae and for the principles of treating Listeria infections, are valid for sv 5-strains, too . The special position of sv 5 versus the other serovars of L . monocytogenes - with particular reference to its biochemical activity, its haemolytic properties, its lysosensitivity and its pathogenicity - calls for a reconsideration of its taxonomic position within the genus Listeria.

Immunology, 1982 Jun, 46(2), 343 - 51
Stimulation of monocyte production by an endogenous mediator induced by a component from Listeria monocytogenes; Shum DT et al.; A monocytosis-producing activity (MPA) is present in a saline-extractable material (SE) from Listeria monocytogenes . The mechanism of stimulation of monocyte production by SE was studied . Serum obtained from mice at appropriate times after injection of SE induced monocytosis in normal recipients . The monocytosis-inducing activity present in serum differed from SE with respect to timing of the monocytosis, fractionation pattern on a Sephadex G-200 column, and thermolability . The minimum dose of SE capable of producing a monocytosis was 100 micrograms . Antibody to SE capable of detecting SE at a concentration of greater than 5 micrograms/ml failed to detect SE in samples of active serum . Therefore it seemed highly unlikely that activity in serum was due to the presence of trace amounts of SE . The activity present in serum was thermolabile and had a molecular weight of about 38,000 . The data are consistent with the hypothesis that injection of SE caused the production or release of an endogenous mediator capable of stimulating monocytosis.

J Exp Med, 1982 Jun 1, 155(6), 1754 - 65
Biological functions of t cell lines with specificity for the intracellular bacterium Listeria monocytogenes in vitro and in vivo; Kaufmann SH et al.; Peritoneal exudate T lymphocytes from mice immunized with live Listeria monocytogenes were cloned in double-layer soft agar containing heat-killed L . monocytogenes (lower layer) and syngeneic accessory cells (upper layer) . Colony-derived T cells were propagated in vitro in the presence of listerial antigen, syngeneic accessory cells, and T cell growth factor . In vitro proliferation, interleukin secretion, and bystander help for B cells of six such T cell lines and several sublines derived from them were found to be antigen dependent and restricted by the H-2IA locus of the major histocompatibility complex . In vivo, these T cell lines conferred delayed-type hypersensitivity to listerial antigen and protection to live L . monocytogenes . It is concluded that different biological functions of acquired antibacterial immunity can be mediated by a single T cell population.

J Clin Lab Immunol, 1982 May, 8(1), 51 - 4
Enhanced resistance to Listeria monocytogenes due to non-specifically activated macrophages in aged mice; Matsumoto T et al.; Age-related modification of protection to L . monocytogenes by macrophages was examined . Cumulative mortality rates of old (15-month-old) or very old (24 to 26-month-old) mice were lower than that of young (3-month-old) mice after an intravenous inoculation of L . monocytogenes . The numbers of bacteria in the livers and spleens of old or very old mice were smaller than that of young mice at an early stage of infection (1 day or 3 days) . Adversely, the numbers of bacteria in old or very old mice were larger than in young mice at a late stage (7 days) . Enhanced resistance to L . monocytogenes was shown not only in the case of systemic infection after an intravenous bacterial challenge, but also in the case of local infection in the thigh muscle or subcutaneous air cavity . The number of macrophages accumulating to the infected sites in old mice was not larger over a five day period than that in young mice in the case of local infection in a subcutaneous air cavity . Peritoneal macrophages derived from old mice suppressed more effectively the bacterial growth within macrophages in vitro than did those derived from young mice . These results suggest that the macrophage function of aged mice is not impaired and non-specifically activated macrophages contribute to the protection to L . monocytogenes in aged mice.

J Exp Med, 1982 May 1, 155(5), 1334 - 43
Non-H-2 restriction of expression of passively transferred delayed sensitivity; Berche PA et al.; The results of this study of allogeneic restriction of passively transferred delayed sensitivity to Listeria antigens serve to illustrate the complexity of in vivo models . They show that the H-2 restriction observed when delayed-type hypersensitivity was transferred between H-2-congenic strains was no more severe than the restriction observed when delayed-type hypersensitivity was transferred between parental and F1 mice and between different strains sharing the same H-2 haplotype . It is obvious that genes, in addition to those of the H-2 locus, can be responsible for allogeneic restriction in vivo.

Rev Infect Dis, 1982 May-Jun, 4(3), 665 - 82
Listeriosis in renal transplant recipients: report of an outbreak and review of 102 cases; Stamm AM et al.; We observed six renal transplant recipients with listeriosis during a 10-week period in the autumn of 1979 . Investigation of this outbreak established that the first four cases wer close contacts, all infected by Listeria monocytogenes serotype 1b . The source of infection and route of spread were not identified . A total of 102 renal transplant recipients with listeriosis have now been reported . The major manifestation of disease was meningitis in 50% of the patients, parenchymal disease of the central nervous system in 10%, both meningitis and parenchymal disease of the central nervous system in 9%, and primary bacteremia in 30% . The overall mortality rate was 26% . Pneumonia due to L . monocytogenes, a previously neglected finding, was present in seven patients (7%); five of the seven died . The route of transmission may sometimes be respiratory . Special techniques for isolation of L . monocytogenes from sputum are usually required but not complicated . We recommend that individual renal transplant patients with listeriosis be cared for with secretion and excretion precautions and that they be treated with ampicillin and gentamicin . We advocate the serotyping of all isolates and a careful case-control analysis of all epidemics, but we do not support the use of serologic testing or surveillance cultures.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1982 Apr, 251(4), 505 - 11
Isolation of bacteriophages from Listeria monocytogenes Serovar 5 and Listeria innocua; Rocourt J et al.; 11 new bacteriophages, 3 from Listeria monocytogenes serovar 5 and 8 from Listeria innocua were isolated from lysogenic strains without induction . Phagovar determinations were carried out with these phages and 12 other isolated from L . monocytogenes serovars 1/2 and 4b . 76% of the 142 strains from different serovars tested gave a lytic pattern . The new phage set increased the percentage of determinable L . innocua strains to 61.7% . Different phage patterns underline the distinction between L . monocytogenes and L . innocua . L . monocytogenes serovar 5 is characterized by its great sensibility to many phages from lysogenic strains of various serovars.

Infect Immun, 1982 Apr, 36(1), 169 - 75
Ontogeny of murine macrophages: functions related to antigen presentation; Lu CY et al.; Macrophage function in neonates was dissected into four components: antigen uptake and catabolism, cytotoxicity, antigen presentation, and the production of the lymphostimulatory molecule interleukin-1 (also called thymocyte mitogenic protein or lymphocyte-activating factor) . The uptake and catabolism of 125I-labeled Listeria monocytogenes was equivalent in macrophages from adult and neonatal mice . However, interactions between macrophages from neonates, heat-killed Listeria organisms, and immune T lymphocytes were impaired, and no cytocidal macrophages capable of killing tumor cells were generated . Previous studies with cells from adult mice had established that the development of cytocidal macrophages required Ia-bearing, antigen-presenting macrophages and histocompatibility at I-A between macrophages and T cells . To circumvent this requirement for antigen-presenting macrophages, an assay was used in which lymphokine was added directly to the macrophages from neonates . Strong cytocidal activity resulted . Thus, our studies confirmed that macrophages from neonates present antigen poorly but can acquire cytocidal function provided that the need for antigen-presenting function is bypassed . Similar conclusions were reached for the secretion of interleukin-1 . Macrophages from neonates spontaneously secreted as much mediator as macrophages from adults, and the secretion was increased after the ingestion of heat-killed Listeria organisms or endotoxin . However, the marked increase in interleukin-1 production that follows antigen-macrophage-lymphocyte interaction was best seen in macrophages from adults . Macrophages from neonates could be activated to ingest C3b-coated sheep erythrocytes.

Dtsch Med Wochenschr, 1982 Mar 19, 107(11), 415 - 8
{Chemotherapy of listeriosis (author's transl)}; Marklein G; Despite the occasional lack of antibacterial activity ampicillin is considered to be the drug of choice for antibacterial chemotherapy in listeriosis . In vitro comparison with new penicillins (mezlocillin, piperacillin) and cephalosporins (cefamandol, cefoxitin, cefuroxime, cefotaxime) showed ampicillin to have the most potent activity against Listeria monocytogenes . Minimal inhibition concentrations (MIC) were between 0.06 and 1 microgram/ml and minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBC) from 0.25 to 32 micrograms/ml . The MIC90 (minimal concentration inhibiting 90% of tested strains) was 0.48 for ampicillin, 8.0 for mezlocillin and 5.2 micrograms/ml for piperacillin . Among cephalosporins cefalotin was most effective with an MIC90 of 5.8 micrograms/ml . The MIC90 was 7.8 for cefamandol and 89.6 micrograms/ml for cefoxitin . Cefuroxime and ecfotoxime had MIC values of more than 128 micrograms/ml and showed no clinically relevant anti-listeria activity . Gentamicin and doxycyclin showed MIC90 values of 12 and 8 micrograms/ml, respectively . MBC and MIC values were closest together in gentamicin . Ampicillin, potentially combined with gentamicin, should remain treatment of choice in generalised Listeria monocytogenes infection.

An Esp Pediatr, 1982 Mar, 16(3), 199 - 209
{Neonatal listeriosis: third Spanish series on 45 observations (author's transl)}; Arbelo Lopez de Letona A et al.; During the period January'69-June'81, 45 cases of listeriosis in neonatal period were observed . 37 of them had an early onset (82%) while other eight had late infection disease (18%) . Incidence was 1/6,346 newborns with most frequent presentation in spring . No epidemic forms or asymptomatic carriers were discovered . Perinatal, clinical, analytical, radiological, bacteriologic and pathological data are shown, emphasizing differences between the two clinical forms . Overall mortality of 43%, although brought to zero in the last six years, together with the same percentage of neurological sequela in the late form, urges for better knowledge of epidemiology and preventive measures, as well as a closer obstetric-neonatal relationship.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1982 Mar, 21(3), 525 - 7
Antibiotic susceptibility and synergy of clinical isolates of Listeria monocytogenes; Tuazon CU et al.; Antibiotic susceptibility and synergy were studied in 12 clinical isolates of Listeria monocytogenes from patients with meningitis and septicemia . Rifampin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) were the most potent single drugs tested . Approximately 80% of the strains demonstrated full synergistic bactericidal activity with rifampin in combination with penicillin or ampicillin . Clinical experience dictates that ampicillin or penicillin should remain the antibiotic of choice in the treatment of severe infections, such as meningitis caused by L . monocytogenes . Where the use of penicillin is contraindicated (e.g., allergy or failure to respond), use of TMP-SMX might be considered . Further in vitro and vivo studies are needed before therapy with rifampin or TMP-SMX in combination with penicillin or ampicillin can be recommended.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1982 Mar, 251(3), 369 - 79
{Acquired resistance to facultative intracellular bacteria: as to the identity of the cell mediating protection and delayed hypersensitivity (author's transl)}; Kaufmann SH et al.; Acquired resistance to facultative intracellular bacteria depends on two interacting classes of cells: antigen specific T lymphocytes and mononuclear phagocytes . After specific interaction with antigen, T lymphocytes are capable of activating mononuclear phagocytes to form granulomas and to acquire enhanced bacteriocidal capacity . In general, protection is paralleled by delayed hypersensitivity to bacterial antigens . Although Robert Koch had already postulated that protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and delayed hypersensitivity to tuberculin in principle depend on an identical mechanism, this question has been unresolved thus far . Recently it has become possible (a) to select heterogeneous T cell subpopulations by serologic methods and (b) to clone and propagate homogeneous T cell lines in a biologically active form . Applying these techniques, we could show that a single T cell population specific for the intracellular bacterium, Listeria monocytogenes, is capable of mediating both antibacterial protection and delayed hypersensitivity . These data show that both functions in principle depend on an identical mechanism thus resolving the problem in Robert Koch's original sense.

Trop Geogr Med, 1982 Mar, 34(1), 87 - 9
Listeriosis in a neonate and the mother; Onyemelukwe GC et al.; Listeria meningitis developed in a two-day-old child whose mother harboured Listeria monocytogenes of the same serotype 4 in her vagina . Child and mother were both effectively treated with ampicillin . This is the first report of confirmed neonatal listeriosis from Nigeria.

J Immunol, 1982 Mar, 128(3), 1458 - 65
Control of macrophage Ia expression in neonatal mice--role of a splenic suppressor cell; Snyder DS et al.; The control of macrophage expression of I region-associated antigens (Ia) in neonatal mice was studied by comparing responses of neonatal and adult mice to immune vs nonimmune stimuli . Adults generated peritoneal exudates rich in Ia-bearing macrophages in response to i.p . injection of live Listeria monocytogenes, Listeria-immune T cells, and heat-killed Listeria, or a soluble mediator termed macrophage Ia-recruiting factor (MIRF) . Neonates failed to respond to these stimuli . In contrast, both neonates and adults generated Ia-negative peritoneal exudates when stimulated with thioglycollate . A neonatal spleen cell that blocked the response of adults both to immune T cells and heat-killed Listeria and to MIRF was identified and characterized . Some of the suppressor cells appeared to be early precursors of the phagocytic lineage that develop into mature monocyte-macrophages . Suppression was apparently mediated by metabolites of arachidonic acid since indomethacin and aspirin in vivo blocked the effect . Similar suppressor activity was found in adult bone marrow and in adult resident peritoneal exudate cells . Thus, the phagocytic line autoregulates its surface expression of Ia in both neonatal and adult mice . This mechanism becomes particularly pointed during early development and could contribute to the lack of immunity during ontogeny.

J Immunol, 1982 Mar, 128(3), 1221 - 8
Mac-2, a novel 32,000 Mr mouse macrophage subpopulation-specific antigen defined by monoclonal antibodies; Ho MK et al.; Two monoclonal antibodies, M3/31 and M3/38, were obtained by fusion of mouse myeloma cells with rat spleen cells immunized to immunoadsorbent-purified macrophage glycoproteins . Co-precipitation experiments show that antigenic determinants recognized by these two antibodies reside on the same molecular species, termed Mac-2, Mac-2, an antigen of 32,000 Mr, is synthesized by and expressed on the surface of thioglycollate-elicited macrophages as shown by {35S}-methionine and 125I labeling . Saturation binding experiments show that thioglycollate-elicited macrophages express 1.7 X 10(5) Mac-2 sites/cell . Thioglycollate-elicited macrophages are strongly absorptive for 125I-labeled M3/38 MAb . Kidneys are also absorptive; however, evidence is presented pointing to the nonspecificity of this absorption . Lymph node and thymus are negative, whereas spleen and bone marrow are weakly absorptive, probably due to stromal cells . Nonlymphoid tissues, such as lung, liver, heart, and brain, exhibit slight or no absorbing capacity . Cell suspensions from spleen, bone marrow, thymus, and peripheral lymph node are greater than 99% Mac-2- by immunofluorescent flow cytometry . In contrast, thioglycollate-elicited macrophages are greater than 96% strongly positive for Mac-2 . Only 20% of peptone-elicited cells are weakly positive, whereas resident peritoneal macrophages and other macrophage elicited by Listeria monocytogenes, Con A, or LPS are greater than 98% negative . SDS-PAGE of {35S}-methionine-labeled Mac-2 shows that thioglycollate-elicited macrophages synthesize 10- to 30-fold more Mac-2 than other peritoneal macrophage subpopulations, whereas all types of peritoneal macrophages synthesize and express on their surfaces similar amounts of the Mac-1 antigen . Mac-2 antigen is therefore induced in macrophages only in response to specific differentiative signals.

Immun Infekt, 1982 Mar, 10(2), 64 - 8
{Encephalitis due to listeria monocytogenes: a complication of immunosuppressive therapy (author's transl)}; Trautmann M et al.; Two cases of encephalitis due to Listeria monocytogenes with lethal outcome are presented . The infection occurred during immunosuppressive treatment for panarteritis nodosa and sarcoidosis, respectively . The pathological-anatomical findings were a diffuse purulent meningoencephalitis in the first case and a focal rhombencephalitis with necrotizing inflammation of brainstem and cerebellum in the second one . Listerial infections of the adult are gaining increasing importance as severe complications of immunosuppressive treatment.

Br Med J (Clin Res Ed), 1982 Feb 20, 284(6315), 542 - 4
Listeria monocytogenes meningitis and decreased phagocytosis associated with iron overload; van Asbeck BS et al.; A patient with Listeria monocytogenes meningitis was found to have idiopathic haemochromatosis and monocytes with reduced phagocytic capacity . The phagocytic function recovered completely after a series of therapeutic phlebotomies . In-vitro iron had a deleterious effect on the phagocytic capacity of monocytes and granulocytes . These findings show that iron overload in the host can increase susceptibility to L monocytogenes infection not only by increasing the virulence of the organism but also by reducing the phagocytic capacity of the monocytes.

Nouv Presse Med, 1982 Feb 4, 11(5 Pt 2), 327 - 8
{Comparative bacteriostatic and bactericidal activities of mezlocillin against Listeria (author's transl)}; Courtieu AL et al.; The bacteriostatic activity of mezlocillin was compared with those of benzylpenicillin, ampicillin, amoxicillin, carbenicillin and cephalothin against 197 strains of Listeria monocytogenes, including 18 laboratory strains belonging to various serotypes . The most active antibiotics were benzylpenicillin and amoxycillin (0.25 micrograms/ml inhibited 100% of the strains), followed by ampicillin (0.5 micrograms/ml); 98% of the strains were inhibited by mezlocillin 1 micrograms/ml . The bactericidal activity of mezlocillin was compared with that of ampicillin against 10 strains of Listeria . After 6 or 24 hours of incubation, the antibiotics had weak bactericidal activities . After 48 hours, MICs and MBCs were almost identical . The bactericidal activity of mezlocillin was one dilution greater than that of ampicillin.

Z Geburtshilfe Perinatol, 1982 Feb, 186(1), 1 - 8
{Listeriosis during pregnancy (author's transl)}; Winkler C et al.; Eight cases of materno-fetal listeriosis were discovered at the University Women's Hospital of Basel from May 1977 until June 1980 . This represent an incidence of 0,15% of all births . This infectious disease has often a fatal course for the unborn child, therefore it is important to know the clinical manifestations occurring with it . Listeriosis during pregnancy has a typical-two-stage course: During the first phase we see commonly a flu-like illness abating rapidly, about two weeks later fever starts again and premature contractions ensue, but no therapy is successful in controlling the fever and the premature labour . The usual fate for the unborn child is stillbirth or premature delivery with subsequent neonatal death due to prematurity, RDS, sepsis and meningitis . The low fetal and neonatal survival rate can be improved by two relatively simple measures: 1) a high index of suspicion with early diagnosis, 2) an early treatment with ampicillin either in the antepartal or neonatal stage . We review the epidemiology, the bacteriology, the serology and the histo-pathology of this relatively rare but important disease during pregnancy.

Infect Immun, 1982 Feb, 35(2), 560 - 5
Enhanced adoptive transfer of immunity to Listeria monocytogenes after in vitro culture of murine spleen cells with concanavalin A; Barry RA et al.; In vitro incubation of spleen cells with T-cell mitogens has been shown to augment cytotoxic and cytolytic T-cell function . The plant lectins Concanavalin A and phytohemagglutinin were employed in a similar fashion to investigate their abilities to enhance cell-mediated immunity to the microbial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes . Spleen cells from immune mice were incubated in vitro with Concanavalin A or phytohemagglutinin before passive transfer into normal recipients . Results indicated a 10- to 100-fold enhancement in the ability of these cells stimulated in vitro to transfer antilisterial resistance, as assayed by changes in 50% lethal dose values and enumeration of splenic bacterial proliferation.

Scand J Infect Dis, 1982, 14(4), 267 - 70
Severe meningitis due to Listeria monocytogenes . A review of 40 cases in adults; Bouvet E et al.; During a 10-yr period, 40 cases of severe Listeria monocytogenes meningitis were observed . All patients showed consciousness disturbances and 27 of them (68%) focal neurologic signs . Cranial nerve palsies were common (57%) . Early general seizures (13 patients) and presence of underlying disease (12 patients) were associated with a high mortality rate . Although the management of antibiotic therapy is open for discussion, chloramphenicol (used in 7 patients) seems to be more effective than other drugs.

Ann Rech Vet, 1982, 13(1), 1 - 9
{Swine alveolar macrophages: description and functional analysis}; Charley B; Swine alveolar macrophages (SAM) were characterized according to several properties: this spherical cell is able to adhere in vitro to plastic and glass substrata . Its size varies from 10 to 20 mu; on the cytochemistry level, up to 85% SAM appear to be peroxidase-negative, whereas they are all esterase-positive . The SAM phagocytic capacities were investigated by using three different substrata: zymosan, chicken red blood cells and Listeria monocytogenes . SAM were also characterized by their "accessory" function in mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation: under our experimental conditions SAM were not shown to be able to inhibit PHA-induced blood lymphocyte proliferation, as was shown for some other animal species . Finally, in an antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity test (ADCC), SAM were shown to be inactive although swine blood monocytes were cytotoxic.

Vet Med Nauki, 1982, 19(6), 3 - 7
{Method of controlling live vaccines against listeriosis}; Ivanov I et al.; Used was Anton's conjunctival test with guinea pigs to control the actual immunogenicity and innocuity of a live vaccine against listeriosis . It was found that local immunity could be produced following a successive conjunctival infection only, initially with the use of a listeriosis vaccine and in not less than ten days later with pathogenic strains of the respective serotype . The method makes it possible to carry out both titration and control on the equal volume ratio of the vaccinal strains of the two serotypes in the vaccine.

Vet Med Nauki, 1982, 19(4), 90 - 5
{Sensitivity of Listeria strains to drugs and disinfectants}; Pandurov S et al.; Comparative studies were carried out with 8 antibiotics, furazolidon, and 9 disinfection agents with regard to the sensitivity of a total of 14 strains of Listeria monocytogenes . The agents used were the most commonly employed ones in the practice in routinely applied concentrations . It was found that L . monocytogenes strains isolated from sheep had good sensitivity to the action of erythromycin, and penicillin, and were more slightly sensitive to chloramphenicol, gentamycin, tetracycline, and furazolidon . They were resistant to streptomycin and polymixin M . Good disinfection action against L . monocytogenes were shown to have formalin, phesiaform and partly phasiacept . Lower was the effect of sodium hydrate, proserine, and abosanite, while potassium permanganate, creolin, and chloramine did not show any bactericidal action.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1982 Jan, 79(1), 175 - 8
Decrease in macrophage antigen catabolism caused by ammonia and chloroquine is associated with inhibition of antigen presentation to T cells; Ziegler HK et al.; This paper describes the effects of two lysosomotropic compounds, ammonia and chloroquine, on the interaction of mononuclear phagocytes with immune T cells . The uptake and ingestion of Listeria monocytogenes by macrophages were not affected by the drugs; however, the macrophage catabolism of 125I-labeled Listeria was reduced in a dose-dependent way . The macrophage presentation of Listeria to T cells, an I-region-dependent phenomenon, was also inhibited . The degree of inhibition of catabolism paralleled that of antigen presentation . The inhibition of antigen presentation took place if the macrophages were treated before and during Listeria uptake; minimal inhibition took place if the macrophages were treated 30 min after Listeria ingestion, at which time a significant amount of bacteria was already catabolized . Our previous studies had shown that the macrophage-associated antigen recognized by T cells became apparent 30-60 min after uptake of Listeria . We conclude that ammonia and chloroquine affected an intracellular handling step required for the expression of the immunogen relevant for T-cell recognition.

Infect Immun, 1982 Jan, 35(1), 124 - 32
Fate of Listeria monocytogenes in murine peritoneal macrophage subpopulations; Harrington-Fowler L et al.; Peritoneal macrophages derived from CD-1 and C57BL/6 mice were separated into distinct groups based on their buoyant densities on discontinuous gradients of Percoll and assayed for antibacterial activity against Listeria monocytogenes . Subpopulations of peritoneal macrophages derived from Listeria-immune mice present a wide variation in their ability to control intracellular infection . Distinct subsets were found which exhibited bacteriostatic and listericidal activity . The fractionation procedure yielded a population of peroxidase-positive macrophages which were devoid of antilisterial action . Subpopulations of resident and elicited macrophages were also functionally heterogeneous in their ability to restrict intracellular growth of bacterial . In some experiments, subclasses were examined for secretion of plasminogen activator and phagocytosis of latex particles . These activities varied considerably with the status of activation of the macrophages, but failed to correlate with antimicrobial activity within given subpopulations.

Immunogenetics, 1982, 16(6), 571 - 6
Assessment of some genetic non-MHC differences with GVHR-induced anti-listeria activity of macrophages; Zinkernagel RM et al.; Parental cells A injected into (A X B)F1 heterozygotes induce a graft-versus-host reaction (GVHR) which induces systemic activation of anti-Listeria-bactericidal capacity of host macrophages . When donor lymphocytes differ from parent A with respect to various non-H-2 genetic markers, they may or may not be able to induce a GVHR . Some, but not all, known and some unknown non-H-2 differences can be assessed by this method within nine to 12 days . The method is described and some of the following non-H-2 differences are shown to influence GVHR-induced macrophage activation: male H-Y antigen, H-3 or H-4 (but not H-1 or H-9), and as yet underlined differences that apparently exist between mouse substrains of the same or similar designation, but obtained from different breeding establishments.

Gerontology, 1982, 28(4), 223 - 32
Macrophage function in senescence; Finger H et al.; Although the parenteral injection of dextran sulfate 500 (DS 500; 50 mg/kg body weight) into 22-month-old NMRI mice resulted in a complete loss of resistance when administered 1 day before the sublethal (4.5 X 10(3)) infection with Listeria monocytogenes, the consequences in aged animals were less dramatic than in young adult (2- to 3-month-old) controls . This was documented by prolonged survival times as well as reduced numbers of Listeriae in spleen . This indicates that aged mice possess an increased paghocytic capacity, as compared to young adult animals . In aged mice the DS 500-induced loss of resistance could be completely abolished by pretreatment with 3 X 10(9) heat-killed Bordetella pertussis organisms 4 days before the DS 500 injection, i.e., 5 days before listeric infection . This indicates that aged NMRI mice possess remarkable reserves in phagocytic activity.

Vet Med Nauki, 1982, 19(5), 45 - 50
{Decarboxylase and hemolytic activity in Listeria}; Ivanov I et al.; Investigated were a great number of Listeria monocytogenes strains of 1/2a, 4b, 5, and 6 serotypes for the production of decarboxilase, hemolysin, and pathogenicity for albino mice . It was found that only representatives of 1/2a serotype (40 out of 93 studied strains) produced decarboxilase for glutamic acid . The hemolytic activity was evaluated by means of a Spekol after the hemolysis of sheep erythrocytes . A correlation was established between hemolytic activity and pathogenicity, consisting in that albino mice were killed in a higher percent by strains that showed higher hemolytic activity.

Endocrinol Jpn, 1981 Dec, 28(6), 735 - 9
Primary aldosteronism associated with a primary double cancer of the thyroid and rectum: report of a case; Nishikawa M et al.; A variety of complications are encountered in primary aldosteronism . Among them, less well known is the association of functioning adrenocortical adenoma with neoplasia of other organs . Described here is a patient with primary aldosteronism who had undergone a surgical operation for thyroid cancer and died of meningoencephalitis due to Listeria monocytogenes . Moreover, the autopsy revealed that he had an adenocarcinoma of the rectum . To our knowledge, this is the first documented case of a patient who had both primary aldosteronism and a primary double cancer of the thyroid and rectum.

Immunology, 1981 Dec, 44(4), 789 - 98
Immunological memory to Listeria monocytogenes in rodents . IV . Studies on origin and fate of tissue-positioned T memory cells; Jungi TW et al.; In this report on memory T cells mediating anti-microbial resistance to Listeria monocytogenes (LM) it was analysed whether memory cells found in tissue during late-phase (e.g . 10-60 days after infection) are long-lived progeny of cells which settled in tissues during early phase (e.g . 4-10 days after infection), or whether they are short lived but constantly replaced from other sources of memory cells . The study provides evidence for both mechanisms . Transfer and parabiosis experiments as well as radiometric and autoradiographic studies suggested that early-phase cells give rise to late-phase memory cells in the extravascular compartment . These memory cells were shown to mediate resistance and respond to antigen in vitro . Mediators of resistance in the unstimulated peritoneal cavity during late-phase are long-lived . On the other hand, parabiosis studies suggested that late-phase resident peritoneal cells which mediate resistance and respond to antigen in vitro have in part arrived after the end of early phase . Such cells are found in low numbers in central lymph during late-phase . The simplest interpretation of these data is that LM-specific lymphoblasts spontaneously extravasate and settle in tissues as long-lived memory cells . Since the numbers of LM-specific lymphoblasts released from lymphoid tissue is highest during early phase, the majority of resident memory cells are progeny of early-phase lymphoblasts.

Can Med Assoc J, 1981 Dec 1, 125(11), 1217 - 21
Listeriosis at Vancouver General Hospital, 1965-79; Skidmore AG; The records were reviewed of all patients treated at the Vancouver General Hospital over the 15 years from 1965 through 1979 for infections proved by culture to have been caused by Listeria monocytogenes . Although listeriosis is not common in humans, certain groups seem to be susceptible - immunocompromised patients, pregnant women, neonates and the elderly . All these groups were represented among the 22 cases reviewed . There were 17 adults, 3 of whom were pregnant women who had only a mild influenza-like illness . Of the remaining 14 adults 9 were immunocompromised and 5 apparently immunocompetent; 7 presented with meningitis and 7 with bacteremia only . Of the five infants with neonatal listeriosis, two had early-onset disease (bacteremia) and three had the late-onset form (meningitis) . Seven patients were treated with penicillin alone, seven with ampicillin alone and eight with penicillin or ampicillin combined with kanamycin, gentamicin or chloramphenicol . There were eight deaths: several were directly attributable to the listeriosis, but in others the severity of the underlying illness was an important factor . Serotypes 1 and 4b were equally common among the 16 specimens of L . monocytogenes that were typed.

J Immunol, 1981 Dec, 127(6), 2354 - 61
Generation of alloreactive cytotoxic T lymphocytes: production of T cell and macrophage helper factors in addition to IL 1 and IL 2 by peritoneal cells from mice immunized to Listeria monocytogenes; Finke JH et al.; We investigate the production and biological activity of soluble helper factors produced by peritoneal T cells and macrophage derived from mice primed in vivo with Listeria monocytogenes . Supernatant fluids from co-cultures of these immune T cells and activated macrophages contained Interleukin 1 (IL 1) and Interleukin 2 (IL 2), and had the ability to assist the generation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) from a population of nylon wool nonadherent spleen cells sensitized to allogeneic heat-treated thymocytes . The ability to assist CTL development involved T cell and macrophage factors in addition to IL 1 and IL 2 . Immune T cells cultured alone produced a factor, devoid of significant IL 2 activity, that assisted CTL development only if adherent cells were present in the responding population . Activated macrophage produced a 38,000 dalton component, distinct from IL 1 on the basis of m.w., that assisted the development of CTL from nylon wool nonadherent splenic cells . Supernatants fluids from co-cultures of immune T cells and allogeneic, nonactivated macrophage contained a CTL helper factor but did not contain IL 1 or IL 2 activities . In contrast, supernatant fluids from co-cultures of immune T cells and syngeneic, nonactivated macrophage contained all 3 activities . This suggests a genetic restriction for the production of IL 1 and IL 2 that does not restrict the production of a CTL helper factor . These results demonstrate that T cell- and macrophage-derived helper factors distinct from IL 1 and IL 2 participate in the development of CTL.

J Immunol, 1981 Dec, 127(6), 2330 - 4
T cell-mediated cytotoxicity induced by Listeria monocytogenes . III . Phenotypic characteristics of mediator T cells; Woan MC et al.; Cytotoxic thymus-derived lymphocytes (CTL) generated in vitro by restimulating rat cells with Listeria antigen- (LMA) pulsed syngeneic accessory cells were characterized in respect to their surface membrane markers . LM-dependent CTL were devoid of detectable surface immunoglobulin (Ig) and receptors for the Fc region of rabbit IgG . Experiments with monoclonal antibodies to rat T cell markers revealed that these cytotoxic cells have the phenotypic profile W3/13+, W3/25-, MRC OX 8+ . LM-dependent CTL also bind the monoclonal antibody, MRC OX 3, which recognizes an Ia-antigen-like determinant on rat cells . Although LM-dependent CTL lack the W3/25 marker, their generation depends on the cooperative interplay of W3/25+ and W3/25- T cells.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1981 Dec, 251(1), 40 - 53
{In vitro susceptibility of Listeria monocytogenes with special reference to newer beta lactam antibiotics (author's transl)}; Marklein G et al.; Minimal inhibitory (MIC) and minimal lethal concentrations (MLC) of ampicillin, mezlocillin, piperacillin, cephalothin, cefamandole cefoxitin, cefuroxime, cefotaxime, gentamicin, and doxycycline against 44 strain of Listeria monocytogenes from clinical specimens were determined by broth dilution tests . With regard to the MIC90 and MLC90 values (concentrations which inhibited or killed 90 percent of the strains) ampicillin showed the greatest anti-listeric activity with 0,48 and 20,8 microgram/ml . The corresponding results for mezlocillin were 8,0 and 54,4 microgram/ml, for piperacillin 5,2 and 128 microgram/ml, resp . Among the cephalosporins, cephalothin showed the best activity (MIC90, 5,8 microgram/ml, MLC90, 76,8 microgram/ml) . The MIC90 values of cefamandole and cefoxitin were 7,8 and 89,6 microgram/ml, resp . and the MLC90 was more than 128 microgram/ml while there was no clinically relevant activity of cefuroxime and cefotaxime (MIC90 more than 128 microgram/ml) . The MIC90 and MLC90 results of gentamicin were 12 and 15,2 microgram/ml, resp, and those of doxycycline 8 and 25,6 microgram/ml, resp . There were only slight differences between gentamicin MIC and MLC values . Henceforward the drug of choice for the treatment of generalized listeric infections should be ampicillin eventually in combination with gentamicin.

J Immunol, 1981 Dec, 127(6), 2325 - 30
T cell-mediated cytotoxicity induced by Listeria monocytogenes . II . Specificity of cytolytic effector cells; Woan MC et al.; Listeria monocytogenes- (LM) antigen-dependent cytotoxic lymphocytes, identified in a companion manuscript as T cells (CTL), can kill a wide variety of target cells, including syngeneic fibroblasts of both fetal and adult origin, and certain allogeneic and xenogeneic tumor cells . Cold target cell inhibition assays revealed that cells susceptible to lysis can block the cytolytic process in a dose-dependent manner, whereas lysis-resistant cells cannot . Several lines of evidence indicate that to realize their cytolytic potential, LM-dependent CTL must bind to their targets . Aggressor cells that adhere to susceptible target cell monolayers have enhanced cytolytic activity when compared with unfractionated cells or cells that do not adhere . LM-dependent CTL fail to kill when they are separated from susceptible targets by an agar barrier . Arguments against the complicity of a soluble mediator in the killing process derive from the rapid (within 3 hr) expression of cytotoxicity in circumstances where cell contact can occur, and the finding that spent medium in which LM-dependent CTL are either activated or assayed is devoid of cytolytic activity . The specificity of LM-dependent CTL suggests that these effector T cells recognize an as yet unidentified array of antigens that are expressed on a variety of rodent cells . Their cytolytic repertoire cannot be ascribed solely to the polyclonal activation of alloreactive T cells, because responder cells that have been negatively selected for a particular RT-1 haplotype can kill target cells bearing these alloantigens.

J Immunol, 1981 Dec, 127(6), 2319 - 24
T cell-mediated cytotoxicity induced by Listeria monocytogenes . I . Activation of Listeria antigen-responsive T cells; Woan MC et al.; Soon after rats are infected with Listeria monocytogenes (LM), Listeria antigen- (LMA) responsive lymphocytes are delivered to the animal's thoracic duct . These LM-responsive lymphocytes can be restimulated in vitro by LMA to generate cells that have a potent cytolytic capability . The activation of LMA responsive lymphocytes is immunologically specific and dependent upon the activity of histocompatible accessory cells . Neither cell-free LMA nor LMA-pulsed allogeneic accessory cells can promote a significant cytotoxic response by negatively selected responder lymphocytes . LM-dependent cytolytic lymphocytes differ from natural killer (NK) cells inasmuch as their activation is not facilitated by interferon (IF) . Likewise, supernatants from cultures containing specifically sensitized thymus-derived (T) lymphocytes and histocompatible LMA-pulsed accessory cells fail to augment (day 2 and day 3 supernatants actually inhibit) the activation process . The results imply that the successful activation of LM dependent cytolytic lymphocytes requires the cooperative interplay of responder T cells and specific-antigen-pulsed accessory cells.

Boll Ist Sieroter Milan, 1981 Nov, 60(5), 437 - 40
{Agglutinating antibodies against Listeria monocytogenes in healthy adult subjects}; Morandi N et al.; The prevalence of antibodies to L . monocytogenes, type 1 and type 4b, in 334 healthy adults of Liguria land was determined by serological agglutination test . Agglutinins at low titer to L . monocytogenes are present in 22.45% of cases; in 88% of these the titer is 1:40 . On the whole, the incidence of antibodies to L . monocytogenes type 1 increases with age and is higher (53.33%) than to 4b (22.66%) . The incidence of agglutinins to O-antigens of L . monocytogenes is higher than to H-antigens.

J Immunol, 1981 Nov, 127(5), 1869 - 75
Identification of a macrophage antigen-processing event required for I-region-restricted antigen presentation to T lymphocytes; Ziegler K et al.; The mechanism of macrophage-antigen handling was studied using a system that involves the quantitation of the antigen-specific binding of Listeria monocytogenes-immune T cells to macrophages . Specific T cells did not bind to native antigen . Because the specific binding of T cells to macrophages could be measured during a short (5- to 15-min) interaction, it was possible to follow the temporal development of a T cell-binding substrate with increasing time of antigen-macrophage interaction . In contrast to the rapid (5-min) uptake of Listeria by macrophages, the development of T cell-binding ability required a 30- and 60-min period of antigen-macrophage interaction . During this processing period, Listeria organisms bound to the macrophage surface were ingested and partially catabolized . Unlike antigen uptake, antigen processing was a temperature-dependent and energy-requiring event . Although macrophages treated with paraformaldehyde before antigen processing did not develop T cell-binding activity, macrophages treated with paraformaldehyde after a 60-min antigen-processing period retained T cell-binding ability . The kinetics of antigen catabolism correlated with antigen processing, and inhibition of antigen catabolism was associated with a corresponding inhibition of antigen processing for T cell binding . Anti-Ia antibodies had no effect on Listeria uptake of catabolism . These results supply direct evidence for a macrophage-antigen processing event relevant to T cell recognition of antigen.

J Immunol, 1981 Nov, 127(5), 1792 - 9
Natural killer activity in the peritoneal exudates of mice infected with Listeria monocytogenes: characterization of the natural killer cells by using a monoclonal rat anti-murine macrophage antibody (M1/70); Holmberg LA et al.; Exudates induced by i.p . injection of five listeria monocytogenes (LM) constituted a rich source of CBA/J murine natural killer (NK) cells . Maximum expression of NK activity was seen from day 2 through day 6 after initial exposure to LM . When nylon wool nonadherent peritoneal exudate cells were examined by a single-cell cytotoxicity assay, the number of cells binding to YAC-1 target cells increased after infection as did their individual lytic capacity . A monoclonal rat anti-murine macrophage antibody (M1/70), previously shown by our group to recognize human NK cells, can also be used as a marker for murine NK cells . Utilizing M1/70 and the fluorescence-activated cell sorter, selection of M1/70-labeled mononuclear cells led to the enrichment of both NK and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity . These M1/70-positive cells had a distinctive morphology and contained granules on Wright-Giemsa staining . They were not phagocytic, did not contain nonspecific esterase, and lacked surface I-Ak, IgM determinants, complement receptors, and high levels of Thy 1.2.

Schweiz Med Wochenschr, 1981 Oct 24, 111(43), 1596 - 602
{Adult Listeria monocytogenes infections . Study of 10 cases and review of the literature}; Yersin BR et al.; Ten cases of adult L . monocytogenes infections were observed at the University Medical Center in Lausanne (Switzerland) during a 6 year observation period . There were 2 septicemias and 8 infections of the central nervous system . All the 4 patients with active neoplastic underlying disease died, against only one of those without neoplastic disease (76 years of age) . In 5 cases the diagnosis of L . monocytogenes infection of the central nervous system was delayed because of the subacute evolution of meningeal signs or, in the absence of meningeal signs, because of the subacute evolution of neurologic deficits . Furthermore, examination of the cerebrospinal fluid often did not suggest bacterial infection, and the Gram stain showed Gram-positive rods in only one of 8 cases with documented L . monocytogenes central nervous system infection . The only sign common to all patients was fever of less than 39 degrees C . This suggests that L . monocytogenes infection should be carefully considered in every patient with neurological symptoms and fever.

J Immunol, 1981 Oct, 127(4), 1411 - 4
Virus-immune and alloreactive response characteristics of thymocytes and spleen cells from young mice; Schwartz DH et al.; Thymocytes from 3-day-old mice generate a strong, virus-immune cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response when primed in irradiated, vaccinia-infected recipients . Effector potential is not detected in spleen until day 4 or 5, when alloreactive precursors may also be present . Mice of 8 days or older survive inoculation with large doses of vaccinia virus, and generate significant CTL activity in spleen . There is, unlike the situation described by others for Listeria antigens, no major defect in stimulator function for spleens of 1-wk-old mice . This is true for both the virus-specific and alloreactive CTL responses.

Jpn J Exp Med, 1981 Oct, 51(5), 251 - 9
Altered resistance to Listeria monocytogenes in diabetic mice; Ishibashi T et al.; Resistance to Listeria monocytogenes (L.M.) in diabetic state was studied using streptozotocin (SZ)-induced diabetic mice . SZ-diabetic mice showed an enhanced resistance to primary listerial infection with a sublethal dose of inoculum, whereas there was no difference between normal and diabetic hosts when challenged with a lethal dose . The growth of L.M . in diabetic mice was inhibited at an early stage of infection . However viable Listeria survived in diabetic mice at a later stage, suggesting the trend of persisting infection . Such enhanced resistance to L.M . in diabetic mice was associated with increased rate of spreading of peritoneal macrophages and with reduction in the level of delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) to L.M . Therefore, it seemed likely that the enhanced resistance to Listeria in diabetic mice would be due to nonspecifically activated macrophages . Secondary challenge in the immunized animals and transfer experiment with immune spleen cells revealed that the development of protective immunity in diabetic mice was inferior to that in normal mice . Treatment with insulin could hardly influence the altered resistance to L.M . in diabetic mice.

J Immunogenet, 1981 Oct, 8(5), 345 - 56
Genetic control of cell-mediated immunity in the rat . I . Transfer of DTH to bacterial antigens is restricted by the B region of RT1; Jungi TW et al.; The genetic basis of allogeneic restriction in the transfer of delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) to soluble Listeria monocytogenes antigens (LMA) in rats was analysed using a set of congenic strains . The DTH parameter assayed was the localization of radiolabelled donor lymphoblasts in subcutaneous antigen stimulation sites in the ear . Sharing of the RT1,B region between the donor and host was essential for the transfer of DTH to LMA, which suggests that the RT12.B region codes for restriction elements controlling antigen recognition by TDTH cells . The recombinant haplotype RT1 rl was exceptional in that transfer of DTH to A-region matched recipients was, at least in part, possible, Measurement of donor lymphoblast localization in DTH sites afforded an opportunity to quantify allogeneic effects influencing localization of sensitized donor cells in DTH sites borne by alien recipients . Both RT1.B and RT1.A region differences could induce allogeneic effects, but they were an order of magnitude lower than those based on restricted recognition by donor T cells.

Infect Immun, 1981 Oct, 34(1), 274 - 84
Dissociation of bactericidal activity from other functions of activated macrophages in exudates induced by thioglycolate medium; Spitalny GL; Macrophages displayed increased spreading, increased Fc-receptor-mediated phagocytosis, and increased secretion of plasminogen activator when collected from the peritoneal cavities of either Listeria-immune mice challenged intraperitoneally 3 days earlier with Listeria or nonimmune mice injected intraperitoneally 3 days earlier with fluid thioglycolate medium . In contrast, macrophages from the thioglycolate-induced peritoneal exudates were severely impaired in vitro in their ability to destroy Listeria . Injection of thioglycolate markedly interfered with the destruction of sublethal intraperitoneal challenge of Listeria, which resulted in nonimmune animals dying of an overwhelming systemic infection . In animals immune to Listeria, injection of thioglycolate delayed the onset of the expression of immunity to an intraperitoneal challenge of bacteria . The thioglycolate-induced suppression of bactericidal activity was determined to be confined to the site of injection . Results of experiments indicated that the colloidal agar in thioglycolate medium was the cause of the impairment of macrophage bactericidal activity . In addition to the impairment of bactericidal activity induced by agar, additional studies showed that an intraperitoneal injection of colloidal agar (0.075% wt/vol) by itself was a sufficient inflammatory stimulus for the accumulation of a large number of host phagocytic cells.

Infect Immun, 1981 Oct, 34(1), 16 - 9
Interactions of killed Listeria monocytogenes with the mouse complement system; van Kessel KP et al.; Incubation of mouse serum with Listeria monocytogenes involved activation of the alternative complement pathway, resulting in depletion of both classical and alternative pathway activity . The activation process gave rise to reactive (calcium- and magnesium-independent) lysis of, specifically, rabbit erythrocytes, which become resistant to this form of hemolysis by sensitization with antibodies . The possible implications of these findings for L . monocytogenes as an intracellular parasite and for rabbit erythrocytes as target cells for mouse alternative complement pathway activity are discussed.

Clin Exp Immunol, 1981 Sep, 45(3), 654 - 61
Antibacterial resistance in mice infected with Mycobacterium lepraemurium; Patel PJ; The differences in susceptibility among C57Bl/6, DBA/2 mice and their F1 hybrids to infections with M . lepraemurium were shown to depend upon the route of infection and size of the inoculum . A method was developed to measure the ability of lymphocytes obtained from M . lepraemurium-infected donors to effect adoptive immunization of syngeneic naive mice against infection with M . tuberculosis . This required sublethal irradiation of recipient mice prior to cell transfer and bacterial challenge . Using this method, it was found that mice infected subcutaneously generated antituberculous immune mechanisms concordantly with the development of delayed-hypersensitivity to antigens of M . lepraemurium . In contrast, intravenously infected mice demonstrated only a transient from of delayed hypersensitivity and little or no antimycobacterial immunity in that progression of infection was associated with a rapid decay of both these functions . Moreover, during the terminal stage, M . lepraemurium-infected mice lost the ability to control the growth of a sublethal intravenous inoculum of the antigenically unrelated bacterium . Listeria monocytogenes.

J Infect Dis, 1981 Sep, 144(3), 225 - 31
Suppression of antibacterial immunity by infection with influenza virus; Gardner ID; The effect of influenza virus infection on systemic antibacterial resistance was assessed in a mouse model . Prior infection with influenza virus by the intranasal route led to a reduced level of macrophage activation in response to intravenous challenge with Listeria monocytogenes . Specific immunity to Listeria was measured using adoptive transfer of immune spleen cells . Preinfection of recipient mice with influenza virus reduced the level of adoptive immunity . Influenza virus preinfection of immune cell donors produced a similar decrease, which suggested that specific thymus-derived cell-mediated immunity was impaired in addition to macrophage function . The exact mechanism affected by influenza virus infection was not clear, but there was thought to be a direct effect on the macrophage with a secondary effect on the thymus-derived cell via its accessory role in the specific immune response . The immune parameters studied were still depressed at a time when actual resistance was enhanced, a result which implied that nonimmunologic factors may be involved in the enhanced susceptibility to secondary infection.

Biull Eksp Biol Med, 1981 Sep, 92(9), 331 - 3
{Antigens common to human malignant tumors and certain species of microorganisms}; Zhukov-Verezhnikov NN et al.; Agglutination, gel precipitation and immunoelectrophoresis demonstrated the presence of antigens common for human malignant tumors of different sites and BCG and Listeria monocytogenic microorganisms . The radioimmunoassay of sera in the agglutination test showed that these sera reacted with tumor cells rather than with cells from normal human tissues . The common antigen had the electrophorectic mobility in the beta-globulin zone.

J Clin Lab Immunol, 1981 Sep, 6(2), 169 - 73
Modification of protective mechanisms against Listeria monocytogenes during pregnancy; Hamada M et al.; Protective mechanisms against Listeria monocytogenes were examined at different stages of pregnancy in C3H/He mice . Bacterial growth at an early phase of infection was depressed from day 10 of gestation to day 5 postpartum, whereas bacterial growth at a late phase of infection was enhanced on day 10 of gestation . Spleen cells from nonimmunized mice on day 10 of gestation suppressed the expression of acquired resistance to infection in immunized mice . We conclude that the augmented resistance during pregnancy at an early phase of primary infection is due to the activation of nonimmune macrophages, which compensates for the depressed cell-mediated immunity at a late phase of infection that may be due to the function of nonspecific suppressor cells detectable in the spleen of the pregnant mice.

J Exp Med, 1981 Sep 1, 154(3), 821 - 31
Aging and antimicrobial immunity . Impaired production of mediator T cells as a basis for the decreased resistance of senescent mice to listeriosis; Patel PJ; Immunity to infection of mice with the facultative, intracellular pathogen Listeria monocytogenes was employed as a model system to investigate the immunological basis for the age-associated decline in anti-microbial immunity . In response to a sublethal immunizing infection, aged (24-mo old or more) mice displayed a smaller increase in spleen weight, spleen cellularity, and splenic T cell content than young (3- to 4-mo-old) mice . Aged mice also generated a smaller number of anti-Listeria protective T cells at the time of a peak response, in that their spleen cells were 1,000-fold less protective than equivalent numbers of spleen cells from the young donors, even when enriched T cell populations were employed . These results suggest that the impaired ability of aged mice to produce protective T cells is mainly responsible for decreased resistance of these mice to infection with Listeria.

Med J Aust, 1981 Aug 22, 2(4), 188 - 91
Neonatal listeriosis: a summer outbreak; Niels le Souef P et al.; Neonatal listeriosis, a condition associated with high morbidity and mortality, has been reported infrequently in Australia, with only seven isolated cases appearing in the literature . This paper describes 12 cases of neonatal listeriosis diagnosed in two Western Australian hospitals in the 22 months after January, 1978 . These were the only cases diagnosed at these hospitals between 1970 and December, 1980 . The early onset form of the disease was diagnosed in 11 infants, a group characterized by the frequent associations of low birthweight (mean, 1805 g; range, 1200 g to 2670 g), preterm delivery (gestational age: mean, 33 weeks; range, 28 weeks to 38 weeks), maternal fever at the onset of labour, meconium-stained liquor, low Apgar scores, respiratory distress and septicaemia . The delayed-onset form was diagnosed in one full-term infant (birth-weight, 3050 g) with probable meningitis at one week of age . The over-all mortality rate of 17% was low, perhaps as a result of the early institution of treatment and prompt transfer to a neonatal intensive care unit . Ten of the 12 cases presented during the hottest, driest period of the year . No other common epidemiological factor was identified.

J Immunol, 1981 Aug, 127(2), 402 - 7
Genetic linkage of resistance to Listeria monocytogenes with macrophage inflammatory responses; Stevenson MM et al.; The mobilization of adequate numbers of mononuclear phagocytes to inflammatory foci was measured in Listeria-resistant and Listeria-sensitive mice . Resistant strains, such as B10.A, were found to have a 2- to 3-fold greater accumulation of peritoneal macrophages after i.p . treatment with a variety of nonspecific inflammatory stimuli in comparison to sensitive strains, such s A/J . In addition to low macrophage inflammatory responses, A/J mice had fewer resident peritoneal macrophages . Moreover, measurement of chemotaxis in vitro of equal numbers of thioglycollate-induced macrophages showed cells from A/J mice to be less responsive to complement-derived chemotactic factors . Thus, the mononuclear phagocyte systems of resistant B10.A and sensitive A/J mice were quantitatively and qualitatively different . A survey of inbred mouse strains revealed that these differences were not peculiar to A strain mice and that, in general, the level of the in vivo macrophage inflammatory response correlated with the level of resistance to Listeria in a given strain . Like resistance to Listeria, the macrophage inflammatory response was found to be genetically controlled by an autosomal, non-H-2-linked gene(s) expressed as incompletely dominant . Backcross analysis showed genetic linkage of the macrophage inflammatory response with resistance to Listeria . Thus, the results of this study provide formal evidence that the cellular basis of the genetically determined, enhanced resistance to Listeria is an augmented pool size of mononuclear phagocytes, and the prompt mobilization of these cells to foci of infection.

Infect Immun, 1981 Aug, 33(2), 477 - 81
Mechanism for nonspecific immunity of Listeria monocytogenes in rats mediated by platelets and the clotting system; Davies WA et al.; A proposed mechanism for nonspecific immunity to Listeria monocytogenes in rats based on the existence of an activatable lysin is described . Using a deoxyribonucleic acid release assay, we found lysin activity in serum made from whole blood but not in serum made from platelet-free plasma . Washed platelets and platelet lysates exhibited only partial activity as compared with that in serum . This activity was amplified by the addition of platelet-free plasma serum . The activity of the lysin was unaffected by heparin, dialysis, a serine esterase inhibitor, or heating to 56 degrees C for 30 min . Effective inhibitors were ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and stronger heating (to 65 degrees C) . Listeria organisms were found to reduce the recalcified clotting time to platelet-rich plasma in a dose-dependent fashion, indicating that the organisms can exhibit procoagulant activity . The susceptibility of rats to Listeria infection was enhanced by anticoagulant treatment . Rats were infected with Listeria organisms with and without administration of heparin . Heparin-treated rats developed bacteremia, and some died . None of the control rats developed bacteremia or died . These results suggest that natural immunity to Listeria infection is partly due to a platelet-dependent lysin which is activated during clotting and is, in turn, promoted by the Listeria organisms themselves.

Infect Immun, 1981 Aug, 33(2), 348 - 54
Killing of Listeria monocytogens by conventional and germfree rat sera; Czuprynski CJ et al.; Serum from both germfree and conventional rats, but not plasma or plasma serum, killed Listeria monocytogenes in vitro by a calcium-dependent mechanism that was independent of either complement or lysozyme and was not inhibited by the addition of iron . The listericidin was purified by passing either rat serum or platelet lysate through a nitrocellulose filter (0.2 micrometer) and eluting the activity from the filter with 0.02 N HCl . The partially purified listericidin was heat stable (56 degrees C for 30 min), removed by absorption with zymosan or bentonite, sensitive to treatment with trypsin or pronase, and inhibited by the addition of citrate (0.045 M), suggesting that the serum listericidin is a cationic protein . The development of serum listericidal activity, which could be important in the innate resistance of rats to L . monocytogenes, was dependent on both age and microbial status . Although some discrepancies exist between the serum listericidin and previous descriptions of serum beta-lysin, we believe that the rat serum listericidin is a similar cationic protein.

Boll Ist Sieroter Milan, 1981 Jul 31, 60(3), 198 - 205
{Human listeriosis in the Trieste area}; Campello C et al.; This report concerns 3 cases of human listeriosis occurred in the area of Trieste between 1974-1979 . Two newborns with a listeric early disease were observed in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit . One child was colonized during the delivery from the infected vaginal mucosa of the mother; no signs of sepsis nor systemic involvement was observed . In the second case a bacteremia was documented with clinical signs of sepsis, and in spite of negative cultures of the mother, an intra-uterine infection was hypothesized . During an investigation carried out in 1977 on prevalence of listeric infection in pregnant women of Trieste, 127 vaginal and rectal swabs were examined and one subject (0.8%) was found harbouring a strain of Listeria monocytogenes in the vaginal secretions . Some bacteriological and epidemiological topics on human listeriosis are discussed.

Acta Neurol Belg, 1981 Jul-Aug, 81(4), 205 - 14
{Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy after renal transplantation . Report of two cases}; Reznik M et al.; Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) occurred in two patients after kidney transplantation . Two years after such a transplantation associated with immunosuppressive chemotherapy, a 54-year-old male developed polyneuropathy, diffuse alterations of the central nervous system and he died with the suspicion of hypertensive encephalopathy due to progressive renal failure . A 45-year-old female had kidney transplantation first complicated by Listeria monocytogenes meningoencephalitis . She was cured from this disease and had a satisfactory social rehabilitation for two years . Afterwards, she suffered from various neurological ailments, including epilepsy, that were attributed to combined renal failure and developing hydrocephalus . One year after the onset of these neurological symptoms, the grafted kidney was removed and chemotherapy was discontinued but she died a few weeks later . Both patients had typical PML . By electron microscopy, performed on formalin fixed brain tissue, intranuclear round particles (40-50 nm) could be recognized in the first case only . These two cases are confronted with the six published observations of PML following organ transplantation . The frequency of PML has been estimated at 1 for 5000 kidney transplantation, 1 for 2000 chronic lymphoid leukemia and 1 for 10,000 Hodgkin's disease.

Eur J Immunol, 1981 Jul, 11(7), 556 - 61
Concanavalin A-induced resistance to Listeria monocytogenes and activation of macrophages: defect in mice treated with 89Sr; Masuda A et al.; 89Sr-treated mice injected with concanavalin A (Con A) 24 h prior to infection with Listeria monocytogenes (LM) could not enhance the clearance of LM from the spleen . Adoptive transfer of normal syngeneic spleen cells together with Con A rendered these animals more resistant . Spleen cells of 89Sr-treated or age-matched control mice were stimulated with con A for 24 h, and supernatant fluids were assessed for macrophage-activating factor (MAF), i.e . the ability to activate resident peritoneal macrophages to kill LM intracellularly in vitro . A defective MAF production by spleen cells was observed in 89Sr-treated, 2 week-old, and athymic nude mice . Also, treatment of spleen cells with anti-Thy-1.2 antiserum plus complement inhibited MAF production . Synergism between spleen cells from 89Sr-treated and nude mice did not occur . The cells required for MAF production were relatively resistant to gamma irradiation . Nylon wool filtration did not modify the ability of spleen cells to make MAF . 89Sr-treated mice possess macrophages responsive to MAF derived from normal spleen cells . The data suggest that the failure of 89Sr-treated mice to develop an anti-LM response observed in thi system could be due to a defective capacity to produce protective humoral factors and/or cells in response to Con A.

Infect Immun, 1981 Jul, 33(1), 11 - 6
Fate of Listeria monocytogenes in resident and activated macrophages; Harrington-Fowler L et al.; A sensitive and highly reproducible assay was utilized to study in vitro interactions of Listeria monocytogenes with resident and activated macrophages . The technique is not compromised by extracellular events and can readily differentiate between the efficiency of ingestion and the postphagocytic fate of bacteria . Heat-labile factors in human or homologous serum markedly enhanced the phagocytosis of Listeria without noticeably affecting the intracellular fate of the microorganisms . The behavior of Listeria within macrophages cultivated from C57BL/6 and BALB/c mouse strains corresponded to previous reports of in vivo growth patterns in inbred mice . Thioglycolate- or caseinate-elicited macrophages, although highly phagocytic, were unable to prevent the proliferation of Listeria . A bactericidal macrophage population was derived from from C57BL/6 mice which had been immunized intraperitoneally with a sublethal dose of L . monocytogenes and subsequently boosted with heat-killed homologous organisms . Elicitation of immune animals produced an increase in the percentage of peroxidase-positive macrophages, but this activity could not be correlated with restriction of intracellular bacterial growth.

Infect Immun, 1981 Jul, 33(1), 103 - 8
Interaction of rat platelets with Listeria monocytogenes; Czuprynski CJ et al.; Listeria monocytogenes induced aggregation of rat platelets in vitro and stimulated the nonlytic release of {3H}serotonin . Listeria-induced platelet aggregation and serotonin release required the presence of intact Listeria, was maximal at a 1:1 Listeria/platelet ratio, required a plasma cofactor, and was not inhibited by indomethacin, acetylsalicylic acid, or apyrase . Aggregation either of platelets in platelet-rich plasma with adenosine diphosphate or of washed platelets with thrombin resulted in the release of a listericidin from the platelets; however, direct interaction of L . monocytogenes with platelet-rich plasma did not kill Listeria . The ability of rats to clear an intravenous challenge of L . monocytogenes (0.005 50% lethal dose), as determined by the recovery of viable L . monocytogenes from the spleen and liver, was unaffected by prior treatment with antiplatelet serum.

Immunology, 1981 Jul, 43(3), 425 - 31
Effects of dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide on phagocytosis and digestion of Listeria monocytogenes by mouse peritoneal macrophages; Hofhuis FM et al.; Listeria monocytogenes was labelled with {3H}-thymidine and phagocytosis in vivo, measured after the intraperitoneal injection of killed or viable listeria . The loss of intracellular radioactivity after incubation in vitro was used as a measure for digestion . Killing was assessed by counting the numbers of viable listeria before and after in vitro incubation . Peritoneal macrophages from mice immunized with viable listeria showed better phagocytosis and digestion of both killed and viable listeria than macrophages from normal mice . Viable listeria were digested to a lesser degree than killed ones by both normal and immune macrophages . The simultaneous injection of the surfactant dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide (DDA) with killed or viable listeria greatly depressed the digestion of listeria . Phagocytosis of viable listeria was not affected whereas that of killed listeria was slightly enhanced . The injection of 10(8) killed listeria mixed with DDA greatly impaired the digestion of viable listeria 7 days but not 1 day after injection . The impairment of digestion was accompanied by an increase in the number of intracellular viable listeria.

J Immunol, 1981 Jul, 127(1), 342 - 6
Immunologic consequences of antibiotic-induced abridgement of bacterial infection: effect on generation and loss of protective T cells and level of immunologic memory; North RJ et al.; Ampicillin was employed in mice to determine the effect of rapidly abridging bacterial infection on the generation of T cell-mediated antibacterial immunity . It was found that antibiotic-induced abridgement of infection with Listeria monocytogenes had a pronounced effect on the generation of splenic T cells capable of adoptively immunizing normal recipients against a Listeria challenge infection . Ampicillin given at the time of maximum bacterial growth at 24 hr caused a striking reduction in the number of protective T cells produced at the time of peak response on day 6 . Although the greatest effect was caused by giving ampicillin early in infection, a significant reduction in peak T cell production occurred even when Ampicillin was given as late as day 5 . On the other hand, the effect of abridging infection at the onset of decay of the anti-Listeria response was to cause protective T cells to be lost from the spleen at a much faster rate . These results clearly show that regardless of any immunoregulatory mechanism involved, the duration of generation, and the onset and duration of decay of the anti-Listeria response are determined by the number of replicating Listeria in the tissues . Moreover, Ampicillin-induced abridgement of infection, either before or at the time of peak primary response, resulted in the expression of greatly reduced levels of immunologic memory at a later time . This indicates that memory cells are generated throughout the entire course of the primary anti-Listeria response, including the period of its decay.

Infect Immun, 1981 Jul, 33(1), 223 - 30
Biological activity of Bordetella pertussis in lipopolysaccharide-resistant mice; Wirsing von Koenig CH et al.; Effects of Bordetella pertussis organisms, such as adjuvanticity, induction of hypersplenia, and leukocytosis as well as modification of nonspecific resistance to infection and typical morphological response of lymphatic organs, were studied in the lipopolysaccharide-resistant C3H/HeJ mouse strain . It was shown that B . pertussis exerted all of these effects in C3H/HeJ mice, although the morphological response, hypersplenia, and modification of resistance to infection with Listeria monocytogenes in such animals were less pronounced than those in lipopolysaccharide-sensitive mouse strains . This indicated that the biological activity of B . pertussis as determined in the present studies, is due partly to structural components other than lipopolysaccharide.

Gann, 1981 Jun, 72(3), 435 - 9
Restorative effects of nandrolone decanoate on the mononuclear phagocyte system in tumor-bearing mice; Yoshida S et al.; The effects of nandrolone decanoate on the mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS) were examined in normal or tumor-bearing mice . Bactericidal activity against Listeria monocytogenes, carbon clearance test and leukocyte accumulation into the site of inflammation were depressed when viable cells of sarcoma-180 were inoculated subcutaneously into ddY mice 24hr before the assays . Pretreatment with nandrolone decanoate prevented such depression in tumor-bearing mice and increased MPS activities of normal or tumor-bearing mice above the level of non-treated normal mice . Nandrolone decanoate may be useful for the augmentation of antimicrobial activity in tumor-bearing hosts.

J Immunol, 1981 Jun, 126(6), 2496 - 8
Ia-bearing macrophages in athymic mice: antigen presentation and regulation; Lu CY et al.; Ia-bearing macrophages from spleens and peritoneal cavities of athymic (nu/nu) and euthymic (nu/+) were compared . Macrophages from both strains of mice had equal antigen-presenting ability . The basal numbers of unstimulated Ia-bearing peritoneal macrophages were equal, but only euthymic mice recruited large numbers of Ia-bearing macrophages after Listeria infection . The i.p . injections of a "macrophage Ia-recruiting factor" induced exudates rich in Ia-bearing macrophages in both athymic and euthymic mice . These data suggest 2 levels of control of Ia-bearing macrophages: a basal T cell-independent level and a stimulated level dependent on mature T cells.

Immunology, 1981 Jun, 43(2), 271 - 9
Delayed hypersensitivity reactions to Listeria monocytogenes in rats decomplemented with cobra factor and in C5-deficient mice; Jungi TW et al.; The in vivo effect of cobra factor (CoF), the complement-activating protein of cobra (Naja naja) venom, was investigated, using quantifiable assays for localization of labelled donor lymphoblasts and of host macrophages in intraperitoneal and subcutaneous sites of injection of antigens from Listeria monocytogenes . Both commercially available (Cordis) and highly purified CoF impaired these inflammatory responses, suggesting that the complement-activating protein was itself responsible rather than lymphocytotoxic or other contaminants . CoF had no measurable effect on lymphoblast localization during the first 7 hr, and only a slight effect at 24 hr, whereas macrophage accumulation was reduced by about 50% at 24 hr . This suggests that CoF treatment affected non-specific components of the early inflammatory reaction but had little or no effect on the subsequent immunospecific reaction . The effect of CoF on macrophages may be direct, or via depletion of complement components acting on macrophages, such as factor B and/or C3 or fragments thereof . It does not seem to involve the terminal complement components, C5--C9, since neither delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) nor cellular resistance to Listeria was reduced in C5-deficient mice when compared with C5-sufficient congenic controls.

J Immunol, 1981 Jun, 126(6), 2139 - 42
Alternative induction of IFN-alpha and IFN-gamma by Listeria monocytogenes in human peripheral blood mononuclear leukocyte cultures; Nakane A et al.; Production of interferon (IFN) by Listeria monocytogenes (LM) in human peripheral blood mononuclear leukocyte (PBML) cultures was studied . Acid-labile IFN-gamma was produced in Ficoll-Hypaque-purified mononuclear cell cultures in response to heat-killed LM (HK-LM) . However, plastic dish (PD)-nonadherent cells produced acid-stable IFN-alpha, whereas the cells reconstituted with PD-adherent cells (M phi) and PD-nonadherent cells produced IFN-gamma by HK-LM, IFN-gamma was produced only in a mixture of SRBC rosette-forming (T) cells and M phi . Neither T cells nor M phi produced IFN by HK-LM . On the other hand, IFN-alpha was produced from non-T and nylon wool-nonadherent (non-T, non-B) cells by stimulation with HK-LM in the absence of M phi . A reciprocal type of IFN produced in human PBML was absolutely dependent on the presence or absence of M phi . A soluble fraction extracted from sonically disrupted LM had a high potential to induce IFN-gamma in human PBML . Possible mechanism of the alternative production of IFN-gamma or IFN-alpha in human PBML by Listeria are discussed.

Clin Exp Immunol, 1981 May, 44(2), 355 - 8
Comparative effects of carrageenan on systemic candidiasis and listeriosis in mice; Hurtrel B et al.; Carrageenan, a toxic substance for the mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS), increase drastically the susceptibility of mice against Listeria monocytogenes challenge but induces concurrently an increasing resistance against systemic candidiasis and granulocytosis . These results corroborate the minor role played by MPS and suggest that polymorphonuclear cells play a major role in non-specific resistance of mice against systemic candidiasis.

Infect Immun, 1981 May, 32(2), 557 - 62
Aging and cellular defense mechanisms: age-related changes in resistance of mice to Listeria monocytogenes; Patel PJ; Age-related changes in resistance of mice to infection with Listeria monocytogenes were investigated . One-month-old mice exhibited the least resistance, and the resistance level increased over the first few months to reach a maximum by 8 months . Increase in age thereafter was accompanied by a slow but progressive decrease in resistance . Thus, 50% lethal doses for 1-, 8-, and 24-month-old mice were 10(4.2), 10(6.6), and 10(5.2), respectively . In spite of differences in resistance, the growth of Listeria in the organs of mice of different age groups was identical during the first 48 h of infection, regardless of the size of the inoculum . Moreover, both young (3- to 8-month-old) and old (22-month-old or older) mice inoculated with a small dose of Listeria were equally capable of inactivating the bacterial load in their spleens and livers within 8 to 10 days of infection . However, a difference in bacterial growth after day 2 of infection was observed when different age groups of mice were inoculated with a large dose of Listeria . These results suggest that the decreased capacity of aged mice to resist infection with Listeria is not due to deficiency in the innate mechanisms of antibacterial resistance, but instead is due to age-related decline in the capacity to acquire immunologically specific antibacterial immunity.

Infect Immun, 1981 Apr, 32(1), 188 - 93
Evidence for depletion of Ia+ macrophages and associated immunosuppression in African trypanosomiasis; Bagasra O et al.; The percentage of Ia antigen-bearing (Ia+) macrophages was significantly lower in mice infected with Trypanosoma rhodesiense than in normal controls . The degree of difference varied with the source of macrophages and time course of infection . The percentage of Ia+ macrophages isolated from spleens 10 days after infection was 71% of that in the controls, and depletion continued until Ia+ macrophages were almost undetectable 30 days after infection . The rate of depletion was slower in the peritoneal cavity . In contrast, Ia+ macrophages were not significantly depleted from the lymph nodes until 30 days after infection . The ability of macrophages from trypanosome-infected mice to present listerial antigen to sensitized T cells was significantly lower than in controls . Immune T cells had significantly less ability (43% of controls) to incorporate thymidine when exposed to splenic macrophages from infected mice during the early stage of disease . This loss of antigen presentation increased during the course of infection . Peritoneal macrophages also exhibited an early loss of ability to present antigen, but no significant decline occurred thereafter . No significant loss of antigen had occurred in the lymph node macrophages 10 days after infection, but during the later stages of the disease a significant loss was detected . Treatment of macrophages from infected and control mice with anti-Iab serum and complement inhibited their ability to present antigen . Our results demonstrate that Ia+ macrophages and their distribution can influence the ability of infected animals to process antigens and may therefore account in part for the immunosuppression observed in trypanosomiasis.

Chest, 1981 Apr, 79(4), 470 - 2
Ultrasonic visualization of the posterior thoracic aorta in long axis: diagnosis of a saccular mycotic aneurysm; Come PC et al.; A saccular aneurysm arising from the descending thoracic aorta was identified ultrasonically in a 60-year-old man with a subsequent pathologic diagnosis of a Listeria monocytogenes mycotic aneurysm . A cross-sectional scanning technique, which permitted visualization of the descending thoracic aorta in long axis, demonstrated a 3 X 5 cm relatively echo-free mass between the heart and the aorta . A communication between the mass and the aorta established the diagnosis of an aneurysm.

Can J Comp Med, 1981 Apr, 45(2), 196 - 8
Studies on glutamic acid decarboxylase from Listeria monocytogenes; Shah MS et al.; The isolation and characterization of glutamic acid decarboxylase from Listeria monocytogenes has been described . Effects of various concentrations of glutamic acid as a substrate and pyridoxal phosphate as coenzyme on the activity of the partially purified enzyme have been examined and their Km and Vmax values determined . The enzyme exhibits relatively higher activity in 0.1 M pyridine-pyridine hydrochloride buffer with a pH value of 4.6.

Infect Immun, 1981 Apr, 32(1), 323 - 31
Pathogenesis of Listeria monocytogenes for gnotobiotic rats; Czuprynski CJ et al.; Listeria monocytogenes colonized the gastrointestinal tract of adult germfree rats (10(10) to 10(11)/g, dry weight) within 24 h after oral exposure . Between 3 and 14 days after monoassociation, L . monocytogenes caused a self-limiting pseudomembranous colitis, bacteremia, and infection of the spleen and liver . Monoassociation of rats with Listeria for 8 weeks stimulated 32- and 4-fold increases in serum immunoglobulin A (IgA) and IgG, respectively, whereas serum IgM decreased 2-fold . The normal microbial flora was inhibitory to Listeria colonization, since L . monocytogenes was cleared from the gastrointestinal tract of formerly monoassociated rats within 20 days after conventionalization and did not colonize the gastrointestinal tract of conventional rats after intragastric instillation of 10(8) viable L . monocytogenes . Listeria-monoassociated rats delivered large litters of healthy pups whose gastrointestinal tracts were slowly colonized with L . monocytogenes . between 3 and 60 days of age, Listeria-monoassociated rat pups exhibited eight- and fourfold increases in serum IgG and IgM, respectively; however, serum IgA was elevated (16-fold) only at 9 to 15 days of age . Adult Listeria-monoassociated rats had acquired cellular resistance to intravenous challenge with L . monocytogenes . Prolonged monoassociation of L . monocytogenes in rats attenuated its virulence for conventional rats.

Tubercle, 1981 Mar, 62(1), 55 - 62
How environmental mycobacteria may predetermine the protective efficacy of BCG; Stanford JL et al.; A proposal is made that there are 2 mechanisms of cell mediated response to mycobacteria, both of which produce positive tuberculin tests and that one of them is more protective against mycobacterial infection than is the other . These are referred to respectively as the Listeria-type and the Koch-type of responses . Contact with environmental mycobacteria will induce one or other of these types of response and BCG vaccination will enhance it . Thus in those places where the environmental species prime for the Listeria-type of response subsequent BCG vaccination will afford good protection from both tuberculosis and leprosy . Where the Koch-type of response frequently results from environmental contact BCG will be ineffective . Evidence if presented that a large contact with Mycobacterium scrofulaceum is prejudicial to at least one marker of BCG efficacy in Burma.

Med Clin (Barc), 1981 Feb 25, 76(4), 169 - 71
{Listeriosis in the adult: report of 7 cases}; Pigrau Serrallach C et al.; Human beings are frequently exposed to Listeria monocytogenes, but these microorganisms are rarely pathogenic for healthy subjects . In recent years an increase in the frequency of listeriosis has been reported, especially in patients with severe underlying diseases . In the present work the clinical, microbiological, therapeutic and prognostic characteristics of seven adult cases of listeriosis are reviewed . L . monocytogenes was isolated from blood, cerebrospinal fluid or both . Most patients had an underlying illness (one alcoholic, one diabetic, one lymphoma, and two aplastic anemia), and three of them had received immunosuppressive treatment . The disease can have different clinical presentations; the commonest forms were septicemia and acute meningitis . All patients with an underlying disease succumbed to listeriosis . A comment is made on the possibility of confusion between L . monocytogenes and other germs, and some aspects of the epidemiology of listeriosis are analyzed.

Aust Vet J, 1981 Feb, 57(2), 94 - 6
An outbreak of listerial meningo-encephalitis in sheep; Vandegraaff R et al.; An outbreak of ovine listerial meningo-encephalitis on sheep farms in eastern Gippsland, Victoria, during winter and spring 1978, is recorded . Cases were confirmed by histology of brain or by culture of Listeria monocytogenes from sheep on 21 farms . The morbidity rate in affected flocks ranged from 0.2% to 8.0%, and the case fatality rate was almost 100% . The peak incidence of disease followed a period of continuous heavy rain and flooding of grazing pasture, and the majority of affected flocks were located on poorly drained coastal sandy soil . There was evidence of concurrent debilitating disease in many of the cases submitted for laboratory confirmation of listeriosis.

Postgrad Med J, 1981 Feb, 57(664), 77 - 9
Meningitis and bacteraemia due to Listeria monocytogenes in compromised hosts; Maayan MC et al.; The clinical history of 3 adult patients infected by Listeria monocytogenes is presented . One patient with chronic lymphatic leukaemia developed purulent meningitis; the 2 others had chronic renal failure and were undergoing routine haemodialysis . Of the latter, one developed meningitis and the other bacteraemia after receiving 2 blood transfusions . Immuno-suppression, or the underlying disease of the hosts, probably played a role in permitting the infection to establish itself . The rural environment may also have been conducive to the transfer of this particular, rarely infectious, micro-organism to these patients.

Zentralbl Bakteriol A, 1981 Feb, 248(4), 469 - 78
{Enzyme-immuno-assay in listeriosis: detection of antibody and antigen (author's transl)}; Meyer S et al.; An enzyme-immuno-assay (EIA) was developed for the determination of antibodies to Listeria monocytogenes O- and H-antigens of serotypes 1 and 4b, which are predominant in the Federal Republic of Germany . The results correlated well with the tube agglutination but the titers in EIA were considerably higher . Thus one advantage of EIA was its sensitivity . In addition, the EIA offers the possibility to detect antibodies belonging to different immunoglobulin classes . The EIA is easy to perform and required smaller amounts of reagents than the tube agglutination . Since optical densitys is determined in the EIA, the data obtained in this system are less variable than the tube agglutination which is read by eye . The method proved also to be useful for the detection of Listeria-Antigen . Approximately 0.3 microgram/ml of H-antigen could still be detected in the EIA . Since the serological diagnosis of Listeria-infections is hampered by the cross-reactions to various other bacterial antigens the detection of Listeria-antigen by a sensitive immunological procedure could be of considerable value . This is especially the case when culture procedures are not promising, e.g . during or after antimicrobial chemotherapy.

J Immunol, 1981 Feb, 126(2), 794 - 9
Antigen-presenting function of alveolar macrophages: uptake and presentation of Listeria monocytogenes; Weinberg DS et al.; Mouse alveolar macrophages were characterized and compared to resident peritoneal macrophages for their ability to take up and present to immune T cells the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes . Both macrophage populations contained a similar proportion of Ia-positive macrophages (approximately 5%) . However, alveolar macrophages showed a deficiency in the uptake of Listeria monocytogenes . Macrophage, antigen-presenting function was studied by measuring the proliferative response of Listeria-immune T cells to Listeria-pulsed macrophages . The alveolar macrophages were capable of presenting Listeria, although less effectively than the peritoneal macrophages . Listeria presentation by alveolar macrophages was dose dependent, antigen specific, and genetically restricted, and required the presence of Ia-positive macrophages . The differences in antigen-presenting function between alveolar and peritoneal macrophages appeared to be due solely to their differences in Listeria uptake . Thus, opsonizing Listeria resulted in marked enhancement of both Listeria uptake and presentation by alveolar macrophages . These findings demonstrate that alveolar macrophages possess I-region-dependent antigen-presenting function and emphasize the importance of bacterial binding by macrophages in generating effective immune stimulation.

J Interferon Res, 1981 Feb, 1(2), 271 - 85
CTL helper factor(s) produced by peritoneal cells of mice immunized to Listeria monocytogenes: relationship to interferon; Hsu L et al.; We have studied the relationship of interferons (IFN) to soluble helper factor(s) produced in vitro by activated peritoneal exudate cells of mice immunized to Listeria monocytogenes . This helper factor(s) can assist the generation of cytotoxic lymphocytes (CTLs) in response to allogeneic thymocytes that have been heat-treated to remove functional antigens that would normally stimulate CTLs in the absence of added exogenous help . In addition to IFN and CTL helper activity, a thymocyte proliferative activity also was detected . There appeared to be collaboration between activated nonadherent T cells and macrophages (MO) in the production of all three activities . The IFN produced appeared to be primarily IFN-gamma, however, some IFN-alpha/beta probably was present as well . Although CTL helper activity and IFN were both contained in fractions comprising the major peak of thymocyte proliferative activity when supernatant fluids containing all three were chromatographed, functional IFN could be deleted with pH-2 and anti-IFN treatment without appreciably altering the other two activities . Furthermore, when fluids containing helper activity, but depleted of functional IFN, were added to cultures of responder lymphocytes and heat-treated thymocytes, IFN was produced during the course of the five day culture as were CTLs . In parallel cultures to which fluids containing helper factor(s) were not added, no IFN was produced, and no CTLs were generated . Thus, although fluids having activities required for the generation of CTLs may be depleted of IFN at the time they are added to cultures, a role for IFN in some phase of CTL development cannot be excluded.

Perspect Pediatr Pathol, 1981, 6, 153 - 66
Perinatal listeriosis; Vawter GF; This sample of listerial infection amongst perinates is biased by small numbers and ascertainment . Nevertheless, it includes a broad spectrum of disease, with examples of established intrauterine septicemia, amniotic infection syndrome, intrapartum infection, and postnatal infection . The study shows that amniotic infection may eventuate in gestational loss, with or without invasive bacteremia and septicemia . Noteworthy are the association of perinatal listeriosis with abnormality of the birth canal, the occurrence of mixed primary infection and superinfection, and the frequency of findings suggesting underlying metabolic or humoral abnormalities . Excepting well-established septicemia with characteristic histopathology and distribution of lesions, the morphologic findings are not distinctive and are liable to be dominated by secondary complications, among which are changes reminiscent of disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, endotoxemia, and circulatory compromise.

Zentralbl Gynakol, 1981, 103(13), 721 - 31
{Problems of intra-uterine infections (author's transl)}; Wilken H; Mental and/or physical defects are recordable from seven or eight per cent of all children . While many causes may be responsible, some of them are associated with intra-uterine infections . Aetiological relationship between intra-uterine infection and embryonic or foetal damage has been studied in greater detail and secured so far only for some pathogens . These are quite often grouped under the acronym of TORCH (T = toxoplasmosis, O = others, including syphilis, listeriosis, and varicella, R = rubella, C = cytomegalovirus, H = herpes simplex) . The following complexes are also related to the problem of intra-uterine infections: prevention of the infection in pregnant women and thus embryos (primary prevention), diagnosis of certain infections during pregnancy and resulting steps (secondary prevention) as well as early diagnosis and therapy of newborns for congenital infections . Every pregnant woman should be included in a screening scheme for detection of rubella, toxoplasmosis, and, possibly, cytomegalovirus infection, somewhat comparable to what has been general practice for syphilis for a long time . Better methods actually are available for such schemes, against the background of more or less recently devised approaches to diagnosis, such as the ELISA technique by which to identify specific IgM antibodies.

Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol, 1981, 66(3), 350 - 4
Protective effect of sublethal intraperitoneal Listeria infection secondary to intranasal influenza infection in aged immunodeficient mice; Ahlstedt S et al.; Aged mice of the CBA/Ca strain, 15 months of age, and A/J mice, 17 months of age, exhibited impaired lymphoblastogenic response to concanavalin A but not to lipopolysaccharide . This defective cellular responsiveness was not accompanied by decreased antibody response to protein antigen or decreased ability to develop delayed hypersensitivity to picryl chloride . An increased susceptibility to influenza virus infection given intranasally was noted in the aged mice as compared with young animals . Such virus infection also impaired the lymphoblastogenic response to mitogens . Surprisingly, the virus infection in aged animals was less lethal after a subsequent infection with a small inoculum of Listeria bacteria.

Acta Neuropathol Suppl (Berl), 1981, 7, 189 - 91
Two cases of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy after renal transplantation; Reznik M et al.; Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) occurred in two patients after kidney transplantation . Less than 2 years after such a transplantation associated with immunosuppressive chemotherapy a 54-year-old male developed polyneuropathy then clinical diffuse alteration of the central nervous system . He died three months later with the suspicion of hypertensive encephalopathy due to progressive renal failure . A 45-year-old female had a kidney transplantation first rapidly complicated by Listeria monocytogenes meningoencephalitis . She was cured from this disease and had a satisfactory social rehabilitation during two years . Afterwards, she suffered various neurological troubles, including epilepsy, that were attributed to combined renal failure and developing hydrocephalus . One year after the onset of these neurological symptoms, the grafted kidney was removed and chemotherapy was discontinued . She died three months later . Both patients had typical PML with eosinophilic intranuclear inclusions in presumptive oligodendroglial cells . By electron microscopy, performed on formalin fixed brain tissue, round particles (40-50 nm) could be recognized in some glial cell nuclei . These two cases are confronted with the four published observations of PML following organ transplantation.

Infect Immun, 1981 Jan, 31(1), 396 - 407
Host defenses in murine malaria: analysis of plasmodial infection-caused defects in macrophage microbicidal capacities; Murphy JR; Macrophage-dependent killing of facultative intracellular bacteria was markedly impaired by overt erythrocytic Plasmodium yoelii or Plasmodium berghei infection of mice . P . yoelii infection was capable of ablating not only the macrophage microbicidal capacity of "normal" animals but also the bactericidal capacities of "activated" macrophages . The uptake by spleen and liver of an intravenous challenge of Listeria monocytogenes was not altered by plasmodial infection, but within hours of injection markedly enhanced bacterial growth was found in tissues of malarious mice . The evidence gives credence to the view that the uptake of bacteria by macrophages of malarious mice was normal but that malarious mice, unlike normal mice, were unable to kill the bacteria . The plasmodial infection-caused defect in macrophage microbicidal capacity could be partially mimicked by the intravenous injection of large numbers of nonreplicating heterologous particles (i.e., killed bacteria, sheep erythrocytes) . This result suggests that the uptake of particles generated during overt erythrocytic malaria may be responsible for the malaria-associated defects in macrophage bactericidal capacity.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1981 Jan, 19(1), 76 - 81
Efficacy of ampicillin therapy in experimental listeriosis in mice with impaired T-cell-mediated immune response; Bakker-Woudenberg IA et al.; The importance of intact host defense mechanisms for successful antimicrobial therapy was investigated via a comparison of the activities of ampicillin against experimental Listeria monocytogenes infections in normal mice and congenitally athymic (nude) mice . Nude mice were used for these experiments because recovery from infection with this organism depends on development of cellular immunity induced specifically by a T-cell-mediated reaction . When infections ampicillin per mouse (32 doses of 25 mg each), which is twenty times the dose required for a cure of infections in normal mice (8 doses of 5 mg each), would not cure infections in nude mice . With a reduction in inoculum to 10(5) colony-forming units, cures were obtained with a total ampicillin dose of 800 mg (32 doses of 25 mg each), but not with 400 mg (16 doses of 25 mg each) . These studies show clearly that the efficacy of ampicillin against infections with L . monocytogenes is dependent upon intact host defense mechanisms.

Infect Immun, 1981 Jan, 31(1), 136 - 43
In vivo and in vitro effects of lead on humoral and cell-mediated immunity; Lawrence DA; The humoral and cell-mediated immune responses of murine lymphocytes exposed to lead in vivo and in vitro were investigated . In vivo Pb was administered via the drinking water (0 to 10 mM) for 1 to 10 weeks . In vivo exposure of the mice to Pb did not alter significantly their plaque-forming cell response to sheep erythrocytes; however, their susceptibility to Listeria infection was reduced significantly with Pb dosages of greater than 0.4 mM . Although the in vivo plaque-forming cell responses did not appear to be altered, in vitro assessment of the reactivity of these in vivo Pb-exposed lymphocytes indicated that intermediate doses enhanced, but a high dose (10 mM) was suppressive . The 10 mM in vivo Pb dose suppressed the in vitro plaque-forming cell response, the mixed-lymphocyte culture response, and lipopolysaccharide-induced proliferation, but it did not affect concanavalin A- or phytohemagglutinin-induced proliferation . Interestingly, in vitro Pb exposure (10(-6) to 10(-4) M) of murine spleen cells caused an enhancement of most activities even though these in vitro concentrations of Pb were slightly above the in vivo concentrations . Direct in vitro Pb effects on the lymphocytes could be measured, and Pb consistently enhanced humoral and cell-mediated immunity.

Immunol Commun, 1981, 10(7), 591 - 9
A functional relationship between delayed hypersensitivity and antibacterial immunity; MacDonald TT et al.; The injection of living Listeria Monocytogenes into the site of a delayed hypersensitivity reaction in the footpads of mice resulted in inactivation of the organism . No such inactivation occurred when L . monocytogenes was injected into normal footpads . A correlation was observed between the magnitude of the delayed hypersensitivity reaction and the level of antibacterial resistance expressed within the delayed hypersensitivity site.

J Hyg Epidemiol Microbiol Immunol, 1981, 25(4), 424 - 30
Characteristics of listeria strains, isolated from micromammalia in Bulgaria; Manev C et al.; 56 Listeria strains isolated from the intestine contents of 13 species of micromammalia in Bulgaria were studied . 10 of the strains belong to the serovars 1/2a, 4A, 4b and 5 of Listeria monocytogenes and 44 of the strains belong to 10 antigenic variants of Listeria innocua . According to their characteristics these strains could hardly cause diseases in humans or domestic animals . Two strains have antigenic formulae O-V, VII, XIV and O-V, XIV and cannot be included in the existing classification . Prevalent are the strains antigen O-XV . They are more often isolated from synanthropic rodents . The hemolytic properties of the studied strains have the best correlation with the pathogenicity . The decomposition of rhamnose and xylose and the production of lysozyme could be a suitable basis for their classification in biotypes.

G Batteriol Virol Immunol, 1981 Jan-Jun, 74(1-6), 101 - 8
{Listeria monocytogenes agglutinating antibodies in children}; Rabagliati AM et al.; The AA . relate the results of a serological study on the spreading of listeria infection over the pediatric population of Liguria . The research of agglutinating antibodies for types 1 and 4b of L . monocytogenes in 367 sera gave the following results: -- 195 sera (53,13%) resulted positive, although at low titer (1/40) as a general rule; -- on the whole, agglutinins toward type 1 had considerably higher incidence than toward type 4b ones (57,43% and 5,12% respectively); -- O - antibodies had higher incidence (44,95%) than H - antibodies (22,34%).

Infect Immun, 1981 Jan, 31(1), 88 - 94
Increased resistance and depressed delayed-type hypersensitivity to Listeria monocytogenes induced by pretreatment with lipopolysaccharide; Galleli A et al.; Intravenous injection of a small dose of lipopolysaccharide 24 h before infection with Listeria monocytogenes enhanced the resistance of mice to this organism . This protective effect of lipopolysaccharide related to the ability of nonimmune macrophages to inhibit bacterial proliferation in livers and spleens . Surprisingly, lipopolysaccharide-treated mice exhibited inferior acquired immunity, as measured by adoptive transfer of immunity to normal mice, delayed-type hypersensitivity to Listeria antigens, and uptake of tritiated thymidine by lymphocytes in the spleen . These results support the view that lipopolysaccharide stimulates a highly effective anti-Listeria immunity via the macrophage component, despite interference with the lymphocyte component.

Folia Microbiol (Praha), 1981, 26(1), 52 - 8
Resistance to Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv infection induced by Listeria and mycobacterial lipids; Mara M et al.; The avirulent strain Listeria monocytogenes (Welshimer) induced upon a single injection 4 weeks prior to challenge with Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv resistance in guinea-pigs, which was manifested by a significant decrease of spleen weight and Feldman's index in immunized animals . The degree of resistance was dependent on the immunizing dose and time of administration . Repeated high doses of Listeria yielded only a low or no effect . Further increase of resistance was obtained using the BCG lipids; however, stimulation of resistance with listeria lipids was not successful and, finally, Freund's incomplete adjuvant was significantly effective in the Feldman index only . The BCG lipids, extracted with ethanol, which contained nitrogen and water-soluble substances, induced a significant resistance against M . tuberculosis infection . The chloroform-methanol BCG lipids were also effective, however, significantly less than the ethanol-extracted material . The listeria factor Ei itself or together with Freund's incomplete adjuvant possessed only low effectiveness against mycobacterial infection . However, if injected together with ethanol-extracted BCG lipids, it produced a significant degree of resistance which was higher than that induced by lipids only . The degree of resistance was comparable with the effect of living BCG strain which served as a source of isolated lipids.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1981, 249(4), 487 - 93
{Nonpathogenic listeriae: L . innocua sp . n . (Seeliger et Schoofs, 1977) (author's transl)}; Seeliger HP; In connexion with the separation of Listeria innocua (Seeliger and Schoofs, 1977) from Listeria monocytogenes (Murray et at., Pirie, 1940), resulting epidemiological and epizootological problems are discussed . L . innocua is apathogenic when conventional experimental models for testing Listeria monocytogenes are used . Under special conditions, i.e . use of suckling mice, strain Welshimer of L . innocua produced localized encephalitis (Patocka et al., 1979) . The peculiarities of L . innocua justify further studies at the immunological, infectious-pathological and genetical level . A description of the new species is given in the appendix of this paper.

Microbiol Immunol, 1981, 25(8), 837 - 45
Enhancement of cytotoxicity of human peripheral blood lymphocytes by interferon; Kato T et al.; Human lung carcinoma cells persistently infected with mumps virus (Pc-10/MpV) were lysed with human peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes (PBML) obtained from seropositive donors who had anti-mumps virus-neutralizing antibody in their sera . This cellular cytotoxicity was due not to the cytotoxic T lymphocytes but mainly to the non-T, non-B cells, possibly related to natural killer (NK) cells . Moreover, it was concerned not with antibody against mumps virus antigens but with alpha-interferon (IFN-alpha) produced in the mixture of human PBML and Pc-10/MpV cells, since this cellular cytotoxicity was suppressed by anti-human IFN-alpha rabbit serum . Exogeneous IFN-alpha augmented the cytotoxicity of non-T, non-B cells, not T cells, for the uninfected Pc-10 cells . IFN-gamma that had been induced by heat-killed Listeria monocytogenes in PBML had the same capacity to augment NK activity did IFN-alpha.

Chemotherapy, 1981, 27(3), 214 - 9
Murine model for therapy of listeriosis in the compromised host . I . Effect of ampicillin; Hof H et al.; Therapy of listeriosis with ampicillin was examined in two murine models with compromised defense mechanisms . In mice treated with dextran sulfate paralysing the function of the macrophage system, ampicillin was less able to reduce death rates as well as bacterial counts in the spleens than after infection of normal mice . In nude mice with chronic listeriosis, treatment with ampicillin was started 8 days after infection . The numbers of viable listeria cells decreased under therapy, but a bacteriologic cure was not achieved in a 6-day schedule . Relapse followed cessation of therapy.

Boll Soc Ital Biol Sper, 1980 Dec 15, 56(23), 2453 - 9
{Listeria monocytogenes action on viral T8 epithelioma growth}; Bonina L et al.; Effects of Listeria monocytogenes on normal and tumor-bearing rats were evaluated . Inhibition of T8 tumor and its metastases in tumor-bearing rats treated with L . monocytogenes was observed . Macrophage phagocyte functions, depressed in tumor bearing rats, was restored by L., monocytogenes . In particular, a dissociation between different macrophages functions in tumor-bearing rats was observed.

Postgrad Med, 1980 Dec, 68(6), 69 - 74
Listerial meningitis and renal allografts: a life-threatening affinity; Holden FA et al.; Two cases of Listeria monocytogenes infection in patients receiving immunosuppressive treatment after kidney transplantation are described . In the first, the infection, which occurred soon after transplantation and was accompanied by signs of mild chronic rejection, was the immediate cause of death . The other case occurred in a patient whose transplanted kidney had been functioning well for more than four years; this patient recovered . These cases, plus a review of 40 similar cases in the literature, point out the importance of anticipating possible listerial infection when septic meningitis arises in a patient with a transplanted kidney.

J Exp Med, 1980 Dec 1, 152(6), 1684 - 98
Demonstration of a soluble mediator that induces exudates rich in Ia-positive macrophages; Scher MG et al.; Previous studies have shown that Listeria monocytogenes-immune T cells, adoptively transferred into normal mice with killed Listeria organisms, induced peritoneal exudates rich in Ia-positive macrophages . We show now that culture fluids generated by Listeria-immune exudate cells and Listeria contain an activity that elicits Ia-rich exudates when injected intraperitoneally . The factor that recruits Ia-positive macrophages must be injected several times during a 2-d period for optimal demonstration of its activity . The induction of the factor is immunologically specific and requires Ia-positive macrophages, primed T lymphocytes, and antigen challenge . The factor is a nondialyzable protein and is not genetically restricted in its activity . The macrophages in the exudates induced by the factor bear Fc receptors, take up latex, synthesize I-A, but bear few C3 receptors . We have thus identified an immune mediator capable of controlling the Ia phenotype of the exudate macrophages.

Experientia, 1980 Nov 15, 36(11), 1321 - 3
The effect of Listeria monocytogenes lipids on immune response to T-dependent and T-independent antigens; Badmajew W et al.; The administration of Listeria monocytogenes lipids augmented the humoral immune response to ovalbumin (OVA), polyvinyl pyrrolidone and E . coli lipopolysaccharide, but failed to support the induction of delayed hypersensitivity to OVA.

Ann Immunol (Paris), 1980 Nov-Dec, 131D(3), 289 - 98
{Adoptive transfer of immunity against Treponema of Fribourg-Blanc (TFB) in the hamster: role of T lymphocytes (author's transl)}; Tissot Guerraz FT et al.; This adoptive transfer was studied in an inbred strain of syrian hamsters . Spleen and lymph node lymphocytes, from TFB-infected hamsters, were injected to isogeneic recipients . Anti-TFB immunity was studied in the recipients either by looking for the apparition of cutaneous lesions after superinfection by TFB, or by counting of Listeria monocytogenes remaining in the liver and in the spleen 48 h after a mixture of TFB and L . monocytogenes had been inoculated . The first method indicated that a complete inhibition of cutaneous lesions was obtained only with hyperimmunized donors . Our results also indicate that anti-TFB immunity was not medicated by B lymphocytes but by sensitized T lymphocytes.

Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1980 Nov-Dec, 131B(3), 267 - 76
{Bacteriostatic and bactericidal effect of penicillins, cephalosporins, aminoglycosides and ampicillin plus gentamicin compared to trimethoprim plus sulfamethoxazole on "Listeria monocytogenes" (author's transl)}; Boisivon A; The bacteriostatic effect of penicillins and old and new cephalosporins was studied on ten strains of Listeria monocytogenes . Their bactericidal effects were studied in relation to time and concentration of antibiotics . If the betalactamines are bactericidal after 48 h only, they can be distinguished by their MBC/MIC ratio . Cephalosporins have a smaller ratio (8 to 32/200) than penicillin and ampicillin; the new cephalosporins have not improved the bactericidal effect of the oldest . The association trimethoprim plus sulfamethoxazole was equivalent to ampicillin plus gentamicin.

Lab Invest, 1980 Nov, 43(5), 449 - 55
Electron microscopic observations on the interaction of Listeria monocytogenes and peritoneal macrophages of normal mice; De Heer E et al.; Acid phosphatase histochemistry was performed to study ultrastructurally the intracellular survival and digestion of Listeria monocytogenes in normal mouse peritoneal macrophages . Acid phosphatase activity proved to be a useful marker for digestive processes of the macrophages, as this activity could be seen in the cytoplasm of killed listeria before disintegration, but not in viable listeria . Almost all killed listeria and the majority of the viable listeria were found in phagosomes of the loosely fitting type . The fusion of lysosomes and phagosomes containing killed bacteria was completed very quickly; the fusion involving phagosomes containing viable listeria was delayed . This delay was abolished by opsonization of bacteria . Disintegration of killed listeria in macrophages could be seen . No such effects were observed when viable listeria were used . Increased numbers of listeria within the phagosomes upon longer incubation suggest multiplication within macrophages.

J Infect Dis, 1980 Nov, 142(5), 704 - 7
Effect of influenza virus infection on susceptibility to bacteria in mice; Gardner ID; A model of combined infection was established with intranasal influenza virus and systemic Listeria monocytogenes infections of mice . Prior infection of mice with influenza virus markedly influenced resistance to subsequent challenge with L . monocytogenes . If mice were infected with influenza virus within the 24-hr period before challenge, a substantial increase in mortality was reflected by enhanced growth of Listeria in the spleen . If mice were infected with influenza virus three or five days before challenge, mortality was decreased, with an accompanying reduction in the growth of Listeria in the spleen . Thus, pulmonary infection with influenza virus has a major effect on susceptibility to systemic infection, exerting a depressive effect on host resistance in the first 48 hr and then causing a longer period of enhanced resistance.

J Bacteriol, 1980 Nov, 144(2), 752 - 7
Chemiluminescence by Listeria monocytogenes; Roth JA et al.; Listeria monocytogenes cells suspended in brain heart infusion broth or in carbonated saline solution emitted light (chemiluminescence) that could be detected by a liquid scintillation spectrometer . This chemiluminescence was inhibited by superoxide dismutase and catalase but not by the hydroxyl radical scavengers mannitol and benzoate; it was also dependent upon and proportional to the carbonate ion concentration in the medium . Organisms suspended in carbonated saline solution which had ceased to chemiluminesce immediately began to chemiluminesce again when acetaldehyde was added but not when glucose, sucrose, or xanthine was added . Acetaldehyde-induced chemiluminescence was inhibited by suproxide dismutase and catalase but not by allopurinol . Our data indicate that the superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide, and the carbonate ion are involved in chemiluminescence by L . monocytogenes . Chemiluminescence is apparently initiated by the extracellular generation of superoxide anon by this organism . The mechanism for the production of the superoxide anion is not known, but xanthine oxidase does not appear to be involved.

Vet Rec, 1980 Oct 25, 107(17), 390 - 3
Listeria monocytogenes infection in bovine mastitis; Gitter M et al.; Listeria monocytogenes type 4 was isolated from milk of a cow affected with mastitis in the left fore quarter . Histological examination revealed a severe suppurative mastitis with eosinophil leucocytes predominating among the inflammatory cells . The findings and the public health aspect of the condition are discussed.

Infect Immun, 1980 Oct, 30(1), 316 - 9
Impaired resistance to bacterial infection after tumor implant is traced to lactic dehydrogenase virus; Bonventre PF et al.; A BALB/c mouse-passaged methylcholanthrene-induced fibrosarcoma tumor caused severe impairment of resistance to systemic listeriosis . Depressed resistance expressed immediately after tumor implantation was traced to inadvertent association of tumor with lactic dehydrogenase virus . Tumor cured of virus was totally inactive.

Reproduccion, 1980 Oct-Dec, 4(4), 309 - 14
{Listeriosis and fertility (author's transl)}; Gomez-Mampaso E et al.; The presence of Listeria monocytogenes is studied in 1112 women belonging to four different groups: healthy women with no pathological obstetric antecedents, women with pathological obstetric antecedents, sterile women, and women with neonates suffering from listeriosis . Investigation on Listeria monocytogenes was achieved in 512 cases from the endocervical cavity and in all cases from the vaginal exudate . We have obtained a total of 2.3% of positive results . The 25 isolations of Listeria monocytogenes correspond to women with macerated fetuses, dead during the birth or after the birth, or to women whose neonatus was diagnosed to have listeriosis . We have not obtained positive results in women with abortions or malformed fetuses . In the same way we have not objectified the relation between listeriosis and female sterility . The endocervical exudate provides 33% more isolations than the vaginal . The higher percentage of isolations is obtained within the first 10 days after birth.

Infect Immun, 1980 Oct, 30(1), 1 - 4
Enhanced elimination of Listeria monocytogenes at the site of delayed footpad reaction; Mitsuyama M et al.; The protective activity against a challenge infection with Listeria monocytogenes was investigated at the site of a delayed footpad reaction in mice immunized with viable or killed listeria . Delayed footpad reactivity was induced only in mice immunized with viable bacteria . Rapid and marked elimination of challenge bacteria was observed only at the site of reaction in mice immunized with viable bacteria but not in mice immunized with killed bacteria . Macrophage migration inhibitory activity was observed equally in both groups of mice . These results suggest that the delayed footpad reaction contributes directly to the elimination of bacteria irrespective of macrophage migration inhibitory activity.

Infect Immun, 1980 Sep, 29(3), 1200 - 1
Interaction of nonhuman primate peripheral blood leukocytes and Coccidioides immitis in vitro; Beaman L et al.; The leukocytes from rhesus macaques could not kill either endospores or arthrospores of Coccidioides immitis even in the presence of immune serum and complement, although these leukocytes were able to kill Candida and Listeria organisms.

Infect Immun, 1980 Sep, 29(3), 1102 - 10
Stimulation of activated rat T cells in vitro by Listeria monocytogenes antigens; Woan MC et al.; A soluble extract of Listeria monocytogenes bound firmly and in similar amounts to a variety of rat cells . Cells that bound this material differed in their capacity to stimulate the in vitro proliferation of lymphocytes obtained from the thoracic duct of Listeria-immune donors . The capacity of cells to serve as antigen-presenting cells in this system coincided or closely overlapped the expression on these cells of an Ia antigen-like structure . Three lines of evidence indicate that T cells respond to L . monocytogenes antigen: the responder cells are members of a nylon-wool nonadherent population that lacks readily detectable surface immunoglobulin; they express determinants recognized by the W3/25 monoclonal antibody (a surface marker of rat peripheral T cells); and they are stimulated optimally by L . monocytogenes antigen when the latter is displayed on cells that share a haplotype with the responder lymphocytes.

Cancer, 1980 Aug 1, 46(3), 619 - 20
Listeria monocytogenes empyema and bacteremia complicating chronic lymphocytic leukemia; Myers TJ et al.; A 60-year-old man receiving corticosteroid and cyclophosphamide therapy for chronic lymphocytic leukemia developed an empyema and bacteremia due to Listeria monocytogenes . The rapidly fulminant course of Listeria infections in immunosuppressed hosts and the necessity of prompt treatment of Listeria empyemas are emphasized.

Ann Immunol (Paris), 1980 Jul-Aug, 131D(1), 97 - 102
{Inflammation and host resistance against bacteria . II.--Isolation of an immunostimulating fraction extracted from mouse inflammatory granuloma, using a new technic of isoelectrofocusing (author's transl)}; Fontan E et al.; Five days following the subcutaneous injection, in the dorsal area of mice, of talc embedded in a calcium phosphate gel the induced granuloma were extracted, pooled and homogenized . After centrifugation, the supernatant was precipitated by 33% SO4(NH4)2 . The resulting precipitate (G33) was dialysed, lyophilized and fractionated following preparative isoelectrofocusing either with "Ultrodex" or "Pevikon" . This later supporting medium allowed, with a better yield than "Ultrodex" did, the recovery of a fraction with an isoelectric point of 4.9-5.1 . Following cross-immunoelectrophoresis with a rabbit mouse-G33 antiserum this fraction was found to contain transferrin and two other proteins of mouse serum . Mice injected IV with 25 microgram of this fraction, when challenged 24 h later, exhibited an increased resistance against Listeria monocytogenes.

Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1980 Jul-Aug, 131B(1), 47 - 57
Experimental infection of mice with Listeria monocytogenes and L . innocua; Audurier A et al.; Swiss mice were infected with two Listeria strains: L . monocytogenes strain 10401, serovar 4b, and L . innocua strain 390, serovar 6a . Bacteria were inoculated by intravenous, subcutaneous or oral routes, and then enumerated in the spleen . The splenic infection was studied comparatively for these three inoculation routes with both strains . Strain 390 caused a splenic colonization only after intravenous inoculation . For the 10401 strain, the peak of infection appeared on the 3rd day after inoculation; the intravenous route was the most efficient to kill mice, the subcutaneous one the most efficient to obtain a reproductible sublethal infection; the oral route infected regularly only with doses higher than 10(7) bacteria . A splenomegaly appeared only in mice infected with strain 10401 . Estimation of Listeria strain pathogenicity depended more on the measure of bacterial count in the spleen on the 3rd day of infection than on LD50 . To be able to compare quantitatively the pathogenicity of L . monocytogenes and L . innocua, it seemed impossible to use only one dose of bacteria and to inoculate through one route.

J Exp Med, 1980 Jul 1, 152(1), 241 - 6
Metabolism of purines in macrophages . Effect of functional state of the cells; Soberman RJ et al.; Ecto-5'-nucleotidase is known to be diminished markedly in activated compared to control mouse macrophages . The level of three purine nucleoside metabolizing enzymes, adenosine deaminase (EC 3.5.4.4), purine nucleoside phosphorylase (EC 2.4.2.1), and adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (EC 2.4.2.7) were measured in the sonicates of different populations of mouse peritoneal macrophages . Levels of adenine phosphoribosyltransferase and purine nucleoside phosphorylase in macrophages that were elicited with sodium caseinate or activated in vivo by prior intravenous injection of Listeria monocytogenes were eight times higher than those in resident cells . Levels of adenosine deaminase also tended to increase and were two times higher in elicited cells than in resident cells . The Km of each enzyme was the same in each cell population . The findings suggest that the levels of the ecto-5'-nucleotidase and of the intracellular enzymes are coordinated.

Infect Immun, 1980 Jul, 29(1), 59 - 65
Expression of antibacterial resistance at the site of a delayed hypersensitivity reaction; Patel PJ; The site of a delayed hypersensitivity reaction to tuberculin or bovine serum ablumin was shown to contain mechanisms that expressed increased antibacterial activity, as evidenced by restricted growth of a local inoculum of Listeria monocytogenes . As was the case with a delayed hypersensitivity reaction, the local generation of antibacterial activity was antigen specific and T-cell dependent . Antibacterial resistance was always expressed at the site of injection of specific antigen in sensitized mice, even though under certain circumstances there was no measurable increase in footpad thickness at this site . It thus appears that nonspecific antibacterial resistance represents a sensitive and quantitative method for measuring delayed hypersensitivity . More importantly, this study serves to provide a functional meaning for the delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction in that it demonstrates that such a reaction causes the focusing of mechanisms that can restrict the growth of bacteria at a site which may represent a source of microbial invasion.

J Immunogenet, 1980 Jun, 7(3), 243 - 60
Allogeneic restriction in the rat: genetic basis of restriction of the T cell mediators of delayed-type hypersensitivity and antimicrobial resistance to Listeria monocytogenes; Jungi TW et al.; The genetic basis of the restriction imposed on T cell mediating acquired antimicrobial resistance and delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) to Listeria in the rat was investigated . Sharing of MHC-coded genes between donors of sensitized T cells and antigen-stimulated recipients was both necessary and sufficient for efficient transfer of both resistance and DTH . Evidence to support this assumption was derived from experiments involving allogeneic transfers within major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-compatible strains and across MHC-barriers . Further support came from linkage studies with backcrossed rats and with the progeny of F1 rats mated with an unrelated strain . An unexpected difference in the compatibility requirements for effective transfer of DTH and resistance was noted in experiments involving the BI strain (formerly called B3) . Thus, while B-region compatibility was obligatory for expression of DTH in recipients of sensitized T cells, considerable levels of protection could be transferred to either A-region or B-region compatible hosts.

Infect Immun, 1980 Jun, 28(3), 654 - 9
Enhancement of resistance to infections by endotoxin-induced serum factor from Mycobacterium bovis BCG-infected mice; Parant MA et al.; Necrosis of a variety of transplanted murine tumors can be induced by serum from Mycobacterium bovis BCG-treated mice challenged with a lethal dose of endotoxin . Results reported here show that the tumor necrosis serum (TNS) enhances resistance to infections, protecting mice against two types of challenges, either with Klebsiella pneumoniae or with the intracellular parasite Listeria monocytogenes . Moreover, TNS activity was demonstrated in animals which are refractory to lipopolysaccharide and very susceptible to infections, such as 8-day-old mice and adult C3H/He mice . Protection passively transferred by TNS was not related to antibodies, since it was not decreased by absorption with homologous organisms.

Infect Immun, 1980 May, 28(2), 516 - 23
Cell-mediated immunity to intestinal infection; MacDonald TT et al.; Specified pathogen-free B6D2F1 mice were orally infected with various doses of Listeria monocytogenes . Oral inocula containing more than 2.5 X 10(8) live organisms consistently initiated infection in the Peyer's patches (PP) of the small intestine . At lower doses the infection was sporadic, with many mice showing no apparent infection in the PP . The PP appeared to be the only site of tissue invasion and L . monocytogenes survival in the intestinal tissues, as no organisms were recovered from mucosa dissected free of all visible PP . Within the PP, the bacteria multiplied and the infection then disseminated to the mesenteric lymph node (MLN), liver, and spleen . However, bacteria were almost completely eliminated from all tissues, both systemic and gut-associated by 6 days postinfection . Mice given a primary L . monocytogenes infection by the oral route were highly resistant to subsequent intravenous or oral challenge . Likewise, sublethal intravenous infection rendered mice highly resistant to subsequent oral infection . In addition, lymphocytes from the PP, MLN, and spleens of mice recovering from a primary oral infection were able to adoptively transfer immunity to normal recipients . Finally, after oral infection, mice did not display peripheral delayed hypersensitivity to L . monocytogenes antigens until the organisms had penetrated to the spleen.

Infect Immun, 1980 May, 28(2), 508 - 15
Macrophage activation and resistance to pulmonary tuberculosis; Lefford MJ; Mice were vaccinated with 300 micrograms of BCG cell walls (BCG-CW) in oil-in-water emulsion intravenously or with a high or low dose of living BCG by inhalation (BCG-HD or BCG-LD, respectively) . The consequences of vaccination were evaluated in terms of the growth of BCG in the lungs and spleen, lung and spleen weight, resistance to intravenous and airborne challenge with Listeria monocytogenes, airborne challenge with virulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv, and transfer of adoptive immunity . BCG-CW and BCG-HD mice developed increased lung weight, which was associated with transiet, low-level resistance to airborne L . monocytogenes and initial resistance to airborne H37Rv . Only BCG-CW mice developed splenomegaly, which was accompanied by high resistance to intravenous challenge with L . monocytogenes . The initial resistance of BCG-CW mice to H37Rv was not sustained, whereas that of BCG-HD mice persisted . There was no initial resistance to H37Rv in BCG-LD mice, but immunity was generated later . Overall, BCG-HD mice were most resistant to H37Rv, and BCG-CW and BCG-LD mice were less but equally resistant.

Immunology, 1980 May, 40(1), 117 - 21
Splenic regulation of cell-mediated immunity to Listeria monocytogenes; Poirot MK et al.; Splenectomized mice are more resistant than normal mice to infection by Listeria monocytogenes . The nature of splenic regulation of cell mediated immunity to Listeria was investigated . Splenectomized mice were reconstituted with normal syngeneic spleen cells and normal plasma from Listeria-stimulated normal donors to determine if suppression of resistance in normal mice was cellular or humoral . Mice receiving spleen cells showed no decreased resistance, but mice receiving plasma showed decreased resistance as determined from bacterial numbers in the liver . The suppressive effect was associated with plasma components having a molecular weight less than 10,000 . The data suggest that a suppressor factor is produced by spleen associated cells in response to stimulation of the cell-mediated immune system.

Infect Immun, 1980 May, 28(2), 381 - 6
Cellular basis for genetically determined enhanced resistance of certain mouse strains to listeriosis; Sadarangani C et al.; The characteristics of the mononuclear phagocytes mediating resistance to infection with Listeria during the early phase (0 to 48 h) of the response have been investigated in genetically determined susceptible (A/J) and resistant (C57BL/6, B10.A/SgSn) strains of mice . Irradiation immediately before infection profoundly enhanced the bacterial growth in the resistant strain, while having no effect in the susceptible strain, over a wide range (3 x 10(3) to 10(5)) of infective doses . This effect of irradiation is demonstrable at low-dose radiation (200 roentgens) and can be reversed by repopulation with 20 x 10(6) syngeneic nucleated bone marrow cells . Administration of dextran sulfate 500 24 h before infection profoundly enhanced the bacterial growth in the susceptible strain, while having much less effect in the resistant strain . Thus, the genetic advantage of the resistant mouse strains to listerial infection, at least during the early phase of the response, appears to be due to a cellular mechanism that is highly radiosensitive and relatively insensitive to dextran sulfate 500 . In the susceptible strain, the early protective cellular mechanism is radioresistant and highly dextran sulfate 500 sensitive.

Arch Neurol, 1980 Apr, 37(4), 243 - 4
Spinal cord abscess caused by Listeria monocytogenes; Morrison RE et al.; Listeria monocytogenes organisms were isolated from an intramedullary abscess in the cervical part of the spinal cord of an afebrile, previously healthy man who was occupationally exposed to farm animals . Acute neurologic abnormalities developed after a lumbar puncture, and cord widening was shown by myelography . Surgical decompression and antibiotic treatment for four weeks resulted in apparent bacteriologic cure with moderate neurologic sequelae.

Onderstepoort J Vet Res, 1980 Mar, 47(1), 1 - 6
A survey of the mosquito and Culicoides faunas at two localities in the Karoo region of South Africa with some observations of bionomics; Jupp PG et al.; The mosquito and Culicoides faunas were surveyed at Bethulie and Luckhoff in the arid Karoo region, south Orange Free State, to determine which species occurred, their relative prevalence and the effects of rainfall . The feeding preferences of these insects were also investigated by means of baited catches . Twenty-three mosquito species and 16 Culicoides species were collected . The commonest mosquito species, with their feeding preferences, if known, were as follows: Culex (Culex) univittatus Theo and Culex (Culex) pipiens Linnaeus, which are strongly ornithophilic and poorly anthropophilic; Culex (Culex) theileri Theo, which feeds on sheep and man avidly but is only moderately ornithophilic; Aedes (Neomelaniconion) luridus McIntosh, Aedes (Neomelaniconion) lineatopennis (Ludlow), Aedes (Ochlerotatus) caballus (Theo) and Aedes (Ochlerotatus) juppi McIntosh, all of which feed on sheep and man readily and which can aestivate as eggs for up to 20 months but only appear in numbers after rain; Anopheles (Cellia) listeri De Meillon, Anopheles (Cellia) squamosus Theo, Culex (Culex) quinquefasciatus Say and Culiseta (Akllotheobaldia) longiarelata (Macquart) . By far the commonest Culicoides at both localities was Culicoides pycnostictus Ingram & Macfie, which is strongly ornithophilic and also feeds on sheep . The following 5 species were also prevalent: Culicoides similis Carter, Ingran & Macfie, Culicoides spec . nov . 1., Culicoides schultzei (Enderlein), Culicoides ondersteportensis Fiedler and Culicoides nivosus De Meillon . The last species is strongly ornithophilic.

Obstet Gynecol, 1980 Mar, 55(3 Suppl), 5S - 8S
Listeria monocytogenes chorioamnionitis: diagnosis by transabdominal amniocentesis; Petrilli ES et al.; Two cases of Listeria monocytogenes chorioamnionitis are presented in which transabdominal amniocentesis was used to confirm the diagnosis and to obtain reliable intrauterine culture material free from lower genital tract contamination . The mechanisms of infection with Listeria monocytogenes in the pregnant patient are discussed.

Zentralbl Bakteriol A, 1980 Mar, 246(2), 211 - 27
Listeriosis in humans and animals in the Netherlands (1958-1977); Kampelmacher EH et al.; During the past twenty years 793 strains of Listeria monocytogenes were isolated from human beings in the Netherlands; of these 193 were taken from neonates and babies up to two months old . Isolations from adults came from patients (242) as well as clinically healthy people (358) . Septicaemia appeared to occur to an equal extent in men and women (20 and 29 respectively), whereas meningitis was found more often in men than in women (50 and 22 respectively) . A clear predisposition for L.m . develops after administration of immunosuppressive treatment and also in cases of liver disorders . Among veterinary surgeons listeriosis has been observed as an occupational disease . Isolations from animals have shown that L.m . may cause infections in every species of warm-blooded animal . Next to meningitis and abortus chronic and atypcial symptoms of the disease may be observed in animals . Epizootic spread of the disease has hardly ever been observed in the Netherlands . In clinically healthy humans and animals both the haemolytic and the non-haemolytic type of L.m . have been isolated from feces; as regards the latter type it is very questionable whether it has any pathogenic significance . When inoculating 10 days old hen's eggs the haemolytic strains will kill all embryo's within 4 days whereas all embryo's inoculated with non-haemolytic strains will survive . Both types of strains have also been isolated from waste- and surface waters . As regards epidemiological and epizootiological aspects the conclusion is warranted that continued research will be needed to get a clear picture of the course of infection of L.m . When isolating strains from contaminated material the so-called cold enrichment icubation at 4 degrees C continues to be of great value; in the course of our experiments the nalidixic-acid trypaflavine serum agar proved to be a very good selective medium . A number of stable biochemical reactions of L.m . are rather characteristic (salicine+, galactose-) but provide no clue to distinguish between haemolytic and non-haemolytic strains.

Zentralbl Bakteriol A, 1980 Mar, 246(2), 204 - 10
Primary immune response of mice to sheep erythrocytes during the course of infection with Listeria monocytogenes; Wirsing von Konig CH et al.; The influence of an infection with a sublethal dose of viable Listeria monocytogenes on the primary antibody-forming potential of mice against sheep erythrocytes (SE) was monitored by means of counting plaque-forming cells (PFC) in the spleen and measuring circulating antibodies against SE . Additionally, the course of infection was followed by determination of viable bacteria in the spleen . As against the injection of killed L . monocytogenes, infection with viable bacteria did not display any significant influence on the immune response against SE when the immunogenic stimulus was given either stimultaneously with the bacteria or on day 4 or 13 of infection, respectively . Vice versa, the immunization with the particulate antigen had no measurable influence on either course of outcome of infection with the parasite.

J Immunol, 1980 Mar, 124(3), 1426 - 32
Regulation of macrophage populations . I . Preferential induction of Ia-rich peritoneal exudates by immunologic stimuli; Beller DI et al.; The amounts of Ia-positive and -negative macrophages were studied in peritoneal exudates of normal mice or of mice injected with various inflammatory materials, infected with Listeria monocytogenes, or injected with hemocyanin . Ia-negative macrophages predominated in exudates from normal mice or from mice given mineral oil, peptone, thioglycollate, culture media, or endotoxin . Infection with Listeria caused a very marked increase in Ia-positive macrophages . The induction of Ia-positive macrophages by Listeria inoculation resulted in great part from an immune process . The Ia-positive exudates were more readily generated in immune mice given a secondary challenge with heat-killed organisms . Furthermore, immune T cells transplanted together with heat-killed organisms into normal mice resulted in Ia-rich exudates . Injection of hemocyanin also induced Ia-rich exudates involving an immune process . We conclude that an immune reaction involving T cells regulates the Ia phenotype of the exudate macrophage population . The Ia-positive macrophages were Fc and C3 receptor positive and phagocytized latex particles.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1980 Mar, (3), 35 - 8
{Electron microscopic findings on reversion of Listeria L-forms}; Konstantinova ND et al.; Reversion in L-forms of Listeria monocytogenes was studied with the use of electron microscopy . In the culture undergoing the process of reversion cells differing in size, form and the electron density of the cytoplasm were present . The process of reversion was characterized by the increase of cytoplasmic density, the decrease of nucleoid, the appearance of fibrillary material of medium electron density on the membrane surface and the longitudinal elongation of the cell . The cell wall of the revertants was thinner and its outer layer with greater electron density was less pronounced than in the initial culture.

Acta Trop, 1980 Mar, 37(1), 21 - 9
Immunity to Toxoplasma and Listeria induced by homologous and heterologous organisms; Rezai HR et al.; Cross protection of animals against various organisms have been shown for many years . This type of resistance to phylogenetically unrelated organisms might be attributed to certain immunological phenomena such as non-specific macrophage activation . In this report the cross-protective effect of some organisms against Toxoplasma gondii RH strain and Listeria monocytogenes is described . Groups of mice were immunized with BCG, Toxoplasma lysate antigen, viable cysts of T . gondii Tehran strain and heat killed L . monocytogenes . Seventeen days after initial immunization, the animals were tested for delayed hypersensitivity by a skin test . The hypersensitive animals in each group were challenged with either lethal doses of T . gondii RH strain or 5 x 10(5) viable L . monocytogenes . Among the animals challenged with T . gondii, it was observed that complete protection was achieved only in those mice immunized with viable cysts of T . gondii Tehran strain . Although all other immunized mice eventually died after infection, they did show some degree of resistance as their deaths were delayed considerably as compared to non-immunized animals . In animals which were infected with 5 x 10(5) L . monocytogenes, complete resistance was observed only in BCG immunized mice . The other antigens including L . monocytogenes induced partial resistance as evidenced by their survival times and the multiplication of the bacteria in various internal organs.

Zentralbl Bakteriol A, 1980 Feb, 246(1), 23 - 5
A simple method for the isolation of phages from Listeria monocytogenes; Durst J et al.; By application of a combined mitomycin-/heat treatment after freezing, 7 out of 29 Listeria monocytogenes strains which were found to be non-phage carriers by UV irradiation could release phages . Propagation of the obtained phages was promoted by storage at 4 degrees C . Apart from TNSA plates the application of chocolate plates appears to be necessary in order to study these phages.

Infect Immun, 1980 Feb, 27(2), 455 - 60
Thioglycolate medium decreases resistance to bacterial infection in mice; Baker LA et al.; Brewer thioglycolate medium, a bacterial culture medium which is widely used as a nonspecific in vivo macrophage stimulant, was tested for its effect on mouse resistance to bacterial infection . Mice which did or did not receive thioglycolate medium were challenged with Listeria monocytogenes . Injection of thioglycolate medium significantly decreased the ability of the host to resist infection . This decreased resistance occurred whether thioglycolate medium was injected 0 to 9 days before, or 1 to 2 h after Listeria challenge . Bacteria grew considerably better in washed adherent peritoneal cells from thioglycolate medium-injected mice than in washed adherent peritoneal cells from normal mice . Thus, thioglycolate medium may ultimately cause a decrease in macrophage function.

J Gen Microbiol, 1980 Feb, 116(2), 549 - 52
Physicochemical characteristics of Listeria specific antigen 2; Carlier Y et al.; Listeria specific antigen 2 (Ag2) was purified to within 97% of homogeneity, with a high yield, using both gel filtration and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis . Ag2 is a glycoprotein . Its isoelectric point is about 4.2 . As determined by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamid gel electrophoresis, its molecular weight in 16710 +/- 450 . Ag2 may aggregate easily since it was previously found in gel filtration in a peak corresponding to a molecular weight of 160000 . No enzyme activity has been found in Ag2.

Infect Immun, 1980 Feb, 27(2), 288 - 91
Failure of synthetic muramyl dipeptide to increase antibacterial resistance; Finger H et al.; Synthetic muranyl dipeptide, which potentiates antibody production and cellular immune responses at a dosage of 100 to 500 micrograms, did not enhance resistance to intravenous infection with a sublethal dose of 2 X 10(3) to 4 X 10(3) viable Listeria monocytogenes cells in mice when intraperitoneally injected either 20 min or 5 days before infection . Similarly, blockade of the mononuclear phagocyte system by dextran sulfate 500 could not be overcome by pretreatment with muramyl dipeptide . In contrast, dextran sulfate 500-induced loss of antibacterial resistance was found to be completely abolished by intraperitoneal injection of 3 X 10(9) killed Bordetella pertussis organisms when given 4 days before injection of dextran sulfate 500, i.e., 5 days before infection . B . pertussis were also effective in enhancing antibacterial resistance when administered 5 days before infection . The different behavior of the two adjuvants tested is assumed to be due to their different nonspecific proliferative capacities . Thus, B . pertussis are assumed to act by direct stimulation of the mononuclear phagocyte system whereas muramyl dipeptide does not.

Wien Klin Wochenschr, 1980 Jan 18, 92(2), 44 - 7
{A spate of listeriosis in newborn infants in Vienna (author's transl)}; Hirschl A et al.; Twelve years after the last bacteriologically verified case of human listeriosis was reported in Austria, 3 cases of neonatal listeriosis have been observed in Vienna within the space of a few months . In 2 patients the disease was definitely septicaemic, whilst the third suffered from predominantly pneumonic manifestations . As the clinical picture is not uniform, neonatal listeriosis may be difficult to recognize . Therefore, the consulted physician ought always to consider this disease, when he is confronted with obscure infections in newborn infants . The most important and, indeed, only diagnostic investigation to prove suspected listeriosis is bacteriological culture . Serological findings do not offer a conclusive diagnosis in cases of this disease.

Am J Clin Pathol, 1980 Jan, 73(1), 140 - 1
Listeria monocytogenes septic arthritis; Breckenridge RL Jr et al.; Listeria monocytogenes was isolated from both the blood and the synovial fluid of a diabetic patient with a septic arthritis involving the ankle.

Recent Results Cancer Res, 1980, 75, 213 - 9
Antimicrobial resistance enhancing activity of tumor necrosis serum factor induced by endotoxin in BCG-treated mice; Parant M; Serum from BCG-infected mice that receive a lethal dose of LPS induces necrosis of a variety of transplanted mouse tumors . This serum (TNS) was shown to protect mice against two types of infectious challenges, Klebsiella and Listeria organisms . The antimicrobial activity was also demonstrated in adult C3H/He mice and in newborn mice, which are known to be refractory to the LPS-mediated increase in nonspecific resistance to infections.

Int J Immunopharmacol, 1980, 2(4), 301 - 10
Examination of bone marrow, immunologic parameters and host susceptibility following pre- and postnatal exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD); Luster MI et al.; The effects of pre/postnatal exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) on various immunological, bone marrow and host susceptibility assays were examined in B6C3F1 hybrid mice . Exposure was accomplished by maternal dosing on Day 14 of gestation and again on Days 1, 7, and 14 following birth, employing dosages of 0, 1.0, 5.0 or 15.0 micrograms/kg body weight . The 15.0 micrograms/kg dosage was lethal to 70% of the offspring with the remainder of that dosage group revealing overt toxicity . Bone marrow toxicity occurred in both the 15.0 and 5.0 micrograms/kg dosage groups as evidenced by bone marrow hypocellularity and depressed colony formation of macrophage-granulocyte progenitor cells and pleuripotent stem cells . Evidence was presented that depression of lymphoproliferative responses following mitogen stimulation in TCDD-immunosuppressed mice was due to a functional defect of lymphocyte activation rather than suppressor cell activity . Administration of either Listeria monocytogenes or syngeneic PYB6 tumor cells in mice exposed to relatively low levels of TCDD during pre- and postnatal development increased their susceptibility to either bacterial or tumor challenge.

Parasite Immunol, 1980 Winter, 2(4), 249 - 60
Genetic control of immunity to parasites: adoptive transfer of immunity between inbred strains of mice characterized by rapid and slow immune expulsion of Trichinella spiralis; Wakelin D et al.; Adoptive transfer of immunity with immune mesenteric lymph node cells (IMLNC) was used to analyse the roles of immune and inflammatory events in determining the strain-characteristic time of expulsion of Trichinella spiralis from mice . Transfer of IMLNC within and between three rapidly responding strains (NIH, SWR, DBA1-all H-2q) resulted in accelerated worm expulsion, worm loss commencing before day 8 in each case . When NIH cells were transferred to slow-responder B10 congenic mice (B10G-H-2q) mice, immunity was evident at 8 days as a reduction in worm fecundity and only by 12 days as a reduction in worm numbers . A similar result was obtained when B10G cells were given to B10G recipients . In the reciprocal transfer, IMLNC from B10G transferred immunity to NIH as effectively and as rapidly as did NIH cells . Cells capable of transferring immunity were present in B10G mice as early as 4 days after infection, even though worm expulsion in this strain does not occur until after day 12 . Thus following heterologous transfers of IMLNC, the time of worm expulsion was determined by the response of the recipient, and presumably by the ability to generate intestinal inflammatory changes . Earlier work has shown that the strain-characteristic time of worm expulsion is genetically determined, but not by H-2 linked genes . A corollary of the present work is that non-H-2 linked genes control the generation of intestinal inflammatory changes in T . spiralis infections . H-2 genes may control lymphocyte responsiveness to infection and the haplotype H-2q may determine a rapid response . Comparisons are made with the genetic control of resistance to Listeria monocytogenes and possible mechanisms are discussed.

Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz), 1980, 28(4), 611 - 8
The effect of Listeria monocytogenes lipids on the activity of nonspecific immune mechanisms; Jakoniuk P et al.; The administration of Listeria monocytogenes lipids (LML) in mice resulted in the development of population of macrophages with increased phagocytic and microbicidal activity, as well as higher content of the lysosomal acid hydrolases . The elevation of the serum level of lysozyme, complement and properdin in guinea pigs after LML injection was observed . The normal macrophages cultured in vitro were also activated by LML independently on the presence or absence of autologous lymphocyte . It is concluded that the mechanism of the increase of the host resistance evoked by LML depends on the direct stimulatory effect of LML on the activity of the mononuclear phagocyte system.

Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz), 1980, 28(4), 603 - 9
The effect of Listeria monocytogenesis lipids on the mouse lymphocytes in vitro; Jakoniuk P et al.; The effect of Listeria monocytogenes lipids (LML) on the incorporation of 3H-thymidine into mouse spleen lymphocytes cultured in vitro was studied . It has been found that LML was mitogenic for B lymphocytes but did not stimulate T lymphocytes . The presence of autologous T dependent cells did not change the intensity of B lymphocytes stimulation of LML . However, macrophages markedly increased the effect of LML on B lymphocytes . The supernatants of the cultures of unfractionated spleen lymphocytes stimulated with LML, contrary to those stimulated with PHA, did not inhibit the macrophage migration . It has been concluded that LML is an unspecific B lymphocyte mitogen.

Med Microbiol Immunol (Berl), 1980, 168(4), 267 - 72
The effects of iron and temperature on the growth of Listeria monocytogenes in cell-free media; Nkuo TK et al.; The effects of variable iron and temperature on the growth of L . monocytogenes in vitro was investigated in cell-free tissue culture Medium 199 . Two temperatures, 37 degrees and 42 degrees C, and varying concentrations of iron (Fe+3) derived from ferric ammonium citrate, 40--130 microgram/ml, were selected for the study . Under these conditions, L . monocytogenes exhibited better growth at 37 degrees C than at 42 degrees C . Dose-effect was demonstrated at every succeeding higher Fe+3 concentration except 130 microgram/ml which was inhibitory . The implications of these results for tissue culture models and host-parasite relationship, are discussed.

Zentralbl Bakteriol A, 1980, 246(4), 506 - 11
Survival of Listeria monocytogenes in high salt concentrations; Shahamat M et al.; The bactericidal effects of high concentrations of common salt has been determined in a laboratory medium for Listeria monocytogenes strain (1, 2a, No . 18) . The survival time for the organism was followed at three different incubation temperatures (4, 22, 37 degrees C) . The influence of temperature on the action of salt is discussed.

Arch Exp Veterinarmed, 1980, 34(1), 115 - 8
{Trials of the use of live vaccines against brucellosis and listeriosis in farm animals}; Titov VV; A lyophilised live vaccine, developed on the basis of Listeria strain AUF (Serotype I), proved to provide adequate protection against all serotypes of listeriosis . The live vaccine was tested in field experiments over several years . Mortality among cattle, sheep, swine, and rabbit was considerably reduced in all immunisation areas, following several years of use in prophylaxis and after-care . Spectacular success was obtained from swine, with lethality having been lowered by the factor of 35 . A live vaccine against brucellosis was developed on the basis of strain Brucella abortus 82 . The properties of the strain are described . Its markedly pronounced immunogenicity is demonstrated in greater detail . Data are given on the use of the commercially available lyophilised vaccine which gave rates of success up to 100 per cent in certain contaminated areas . Work now is in progress on further optimisation of the vaccine and its large-scale manufacture at industrial level.

J Hyg Epidemiol Microbiol Immunol, 1980, 24(2), 164 - 76
Phenol-extracted lipopeptidopoly-saccharide (LPPS) complex from Listeria monocytogenes; Mara M et al.; Endotoxin phenol extraction method with subsequent ultracentrifugation and/or chromatographic analysis on Sepharose 2 B column were used to obtain biologically active isolate that turned out to contain polysaccharide, peptide and lipid fractions . The raw phenol extract formed 15% and the LPPS complex, obtained from it by ultracentrifugation, 0.17% of bacterial biomass . The LPPS complex contained 11 amino acids representing about 11% of its dry weight . Similarly as in factor Ei and in analogous extracts isolated by other authors the prevailing amino acids were glutamic acid, aspartic acid and lysine . The LPPS complex contained 1.26% of hexosamine, further hexoses, methyl pentoses and ribose . KDO was not detected . Further this complex consisted of 3% of freely-bound and 5% of firmly-bound lipids, beta-hydroxymyrist acid was not detectable . The composition of fatty acids in the firmly-bound lipid fraction of the LPPS complex differed quantitatively from that both in factor Ei and bacterial cell bodies . The tightness of lipid bonds during purification and the biological role of the Listeria lipids are discussed . On the basis of detected chemical and biological properties, both compatible and incompatible with peptidoglycan, a specific character of endotoxin-like isolates from L . monocytogenes is assumed.

Rev Cubana Med Trop, 1980 Jan-Apr, 32(1), 73 - 8
{Ventriculitis caused by Listeria monocytogenes}; Iglesias Sainz FJ et al.; A case of meningitis due to Listeria monocytogenes is reported . The bacteria was mainly located in brain ventricles and induced ventriculitis . The patient is clinically and bacteriologically analyzed . The greenish-yellow color of spinal fluid resembling the pigmentation of amniotic fluid by Listeria monocytogenes is stressed.

Chemotherapy, 1980, 26(3), 196 - 206
A murine model for listerial meningitis and meningoencephalomyelitis: therapeutic evaluation of drugs in mice; Tsai YH et al.; Meningitis and meningoencephalomyelitis caused by Listeria monocytogenes were experimentally established in mice . The pathological changes in brain and spinal cord resulting from the infection resemble those observed in man and domestic animals . The efficacy of 24 antibiotics in treating this experimental infection was determined . Minocycline and chlortetracycline were the most efficacious antiotics followed by amoxicillin, which was 2- to 4-fold less active than the former . However, the acute toxicity of amoxicillin to the murine central nervous system was at least 10-fold lower than that of the tetracyclines . Since parenteral amoxicillin may be of value in the management of listerial meningitis and meningoencephalomyelitis in man and domestic animals, clinical trials seem warranted.

Infect Immun, 1980 Jan, 27(1), 61 - 7
Resistance to listeriosis in mice that are deficient in the fifth component of complement; Petit JC; Infection with Listeria monocytogenes was studied in strains of mice with genetic absence of the fifth component of complement (C5) . Mice deficient in C5 consistently showed an increased growth of Listeria in their spleens as compared to normal mice . This increased growth was not corrected by administration of plasma containing C5 . Furthermore, depletion of C5 and terminal complement components by administration of cobra venom factor did not impair the resistance to Listeria infection of normal mice . No phagocytic defect could be detected in macrophages from strains lacking C5 . Transfer of bone marrow cells from C5+ but not from C5- mice corrected the marked increase of Listeria growth in mice having blockade of the reticuloendothelial system . We hypothesize that the defect of mice lacking C5 lies not in the absence of serum C5 but somewhere at the level of the macrophage.

Z Ernahrungswiss, 1979 Dec, 18(4), 221 - 32
Anti-infective properties of vitamin A; Hof H et al.; 1 . Six months after feeding a vitamin A free diet the liver content of mice was markedly reduced but not yet completely exhausted . These vitamin A deprived mice were either immunized with sheep erythrocytes or infected with Listeria monocytogenes . In comparison to normal control mice no significant difference ws observed . This indicates that neither the immune system nor the mononuclear-phagocytic system was involved . 2 . Mice treated with a high dose of vitamin A showed increased antibody production against sheep erythrocytes and also increased resistance against infection with L . monocytogenes . These experimental findings indicate a stimulatory effect on the immune system and the mononuclear phagocytic system . As a conclusion it is deduced that the term "anti-infective vitamin" does not hold absolutely true for vitamin A, although certain anti-infective properties cannot be denied.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1979 Dec, 16(6), 862 - 3
Evaluation of gentamicin and penicillin as a synergistic combination in experimental murine listeriosis; Edmiston CE Jr et al.; The administration of a combination of penicillin and gentamicin to mice given an intraperitoneal challenge of a highly pathogenic strain of Listeria monocytogenes resulted in increased survival as compared with groups receiving penicillin alone or gentamicin alone or a control group that received no antibiotic . The median survival of animals that eventually died was no longer than in groups receiving single antibiotics and suggests that additional studies should be carried out to further investigate the possibility of synergism in animal models.

J Autism Dev Disord, 1979 Dec, 9(4), 399 - 412
A food satiation and oral hygiene punishment program to suppress chronic rumination by retarded persons; Foxx RM et al.; Food satiation and oral hygiene punishment were used to treat the non-life-threatening rumination of two institutionalized profoundly retarded persons . Satiation consisted of allowing the clients to eat until a satiation criterion of food refusal was achieved or until two full meal portions were consumed . The oral hygiene procedure consisted of cleansing the clients' teeth and gums with Listerine for 2 minutes following each instance of rumination . In the formal study, three conditions--baseline, satiation, and satiation plus oral hygiene--were used following the lunch meal in a multiple-baseline across-subjects design . One client's rumination decreased from an average of 89.5% during baseline to 48.8% during the satiation condition and to 3% during satiation plus oral hygiene . The second client's rumination decreased from a baseline average of 49.9% to 7.9% during satiation and to 1.4% during satiation plus oral hygiene . Generalization probes taken following the breakfast and dinner meals showed a systematic decline in rumination as the various conditions were implemented following the lung meal . In the 16-week follow-up, rumination was treated following all meals with oral hygiene, and satiation was used at one of the daily meals for 1 week on a rotating basis . Rumination remained at a near-zero level following all meals throughout the follow-up . Thereafter, a maintenance program was conducted by the ward staff . The satiation plus oral hygiene punishment treatment program appears to be an immediate, effective, enduring, and humane method of treating the non-life-threatening rumination of retarded individuals.

Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol, 1979 Dec, 48(6), 517 - 22
The induction of hyperkeratotic white lesions in hamster cheek pouches with mouthwash; Bernstein ML et al.; Listerine mouthwash applied to the left cheek pouch mucosa of thirty-seven hamsters 45 minutes daily for 41 days caused diffuse, corrugated white lesions showing hyperkeratosis in 100 percent of the animals . The right (control) side showed essentially no changes in response to saline solution applied similarly . The significance of these findings is discussed.

Am J Clin Pathol, 1979 Dec, 72(6), 974 - 7
Listeria monocytogens: synergistic effects of ampicillin and gentamicin; Azimi PH et al.; Listeria monocytogenes infections are most common in newborn infants and persons with impaired defense mechanisms . There are reports of successful treatment with ampicillin alone: however, there is uncertainty as to what regimen constitutes the most effective therapy . The purpose of this study was to illustrate the in-vitro synergism between ampicillin and gentamicin against L . monocytogenes . Seven strains of L . monocytogenes isolated from bloods or cerebrospinal fluids of infants and three control strains obtained from the Center for Disease Control were tested . Minimal inhibitory concentrations of ampicillin and gentamicin were determined in Todd-Hewitt broth with an inoculum of 10(5) organisms/ml . Killing curves were determined for ampicillin 6 microgram/ml, gentamicin, 0.5 microgram/ml, and the combination of ampicillin, 6 microgram/ml, plus gentamicin, 0.5 microgram/ml . Incubation of approximately 10(7) organisms/ml with these concentrations of ampicillin and gentamicin caused no significant reduction in the viable bacterial population in 24 hours . The combination, on the other hand, was bactericidal in all seven strains isolated from patients and one control strain . The authors believe the ultimate test of the superiority of this combination to ampicillin alone must come from clinical studies . However, the synergistic and bactericidal effects of ampicillin with gentamicin may be very desirable in treatment of newborns and patients with underlying disease.

Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1979 Dec, 245(4), 459 - 61
{On the serology and immunbiology of listeriosis . VII . Communication: Further investigations on the agglutination-immobilization test (author's transl)}; Potel J; Factor antisera oriented to different serovars of Listeria moncytogenes, expecially to serovar 7 and Murray grayi (Listeria grayi) were tested . It was found that the agglutination-immobilization test detects antibodies oriented to the H-antigen . By contrast, the growth inhibition test measures antibodies oriented to the O-antigen . Summarizingly, it can be stated that the following three seroreactions, each based on a different mode of action, are available for the determination of antibodies specifically oriented to the somatic or flagellar antigens of L . monocytogenes: 1 . Bacterial agglutination reaction for the detection of O and H antibodies 2 . The growth-inhibition test for the detection of O antibodies 3 . The agglutination-immobilization test for the detection of H antibodies.

Infect Immun, 1979 Nov, 26(2), 680 - 5
Comparison of Brucella abortus and Brucella melitensis infections of mice and their effect on acquired cellular resistance; Young EJ et al.; By using mice infected with strains of Brucella abortus and Brucella melitensis we examined the histological responses to infection, the relationship of histology to persistence of organisms, and the relation of persistence of organisms to the acquisition of acquired cellular resistance (ACR) . Infection with B . abortus resulted in well-formed granulomas in the livers, which persisted for more than 30 days . In contrast, infection with B . melitensis produced microabscesses in the livers which resolved before 30 days . The clearance of organisms from the tissues was also different . A total of 30 days after infection, large numbers of viable bacteria were recovered from the tissues of B . abortus-infected mice whereas bacteria were no longer recoverable from B . melitensis-infected animals . ACR to Listeria monocytogenes, another intracellular pathogen, persisted for more than 30 days in B . abortus-infected mice but waned rapidly in B . melitensis-infected animals . This disappearance of ACR due to B . melitensis paralleled the clearance of bacteria from the tissues.

J Exp Med, 1979 Nov 1, 150(5), 1143 - 60
The specific binding of Listeria monocytogenes-immune T lymphocytes to macrophages . I . Quantitation and role of H-2 gene products; Ziegler K et al.; A system was developed to study the binding of Listeria monocytogenes-specific T cells to L . monocytogenes-pulsed macrophages as an analogue of the initial phase of T-cell activation: antigen recognition . Specific binding, demonstrable after a brief (1 h) contact, was quantitated by the depletion of L . monocytogenes-specific T-cell activity in the cells nonadherent to L . monocytogenes-pulsed macrophage monolayers . L . monocytogenes-specific T-cell function was measured by its ability to activate L . monocytogenes-pulsed macrophages, both to secrete a protein mitogenic for thymocytes and to effect nonspecific tumoricidal activity . These manifestations of T-cell function are known to be regulated by products of I region of the H-2 gene complex . Studies designed to determine the role of H-2 gene products in specific T-cell-macrophage binding have revealed the following . T cells bind specifically to syngeneic macrophages and poorly to allogeneic macrophages . The binding ability appears to map to the K end of the H-2 gene complex (K through I-E) . At least two distinct populations of B6AF1 T cells with binding avidity for L . monocytogenes presented on parental macrophages can be identified . Finally, the binding of a given parental-reactive B6AF1 T-cell clone can be specifically inhibited by pretreatment of the antigen-pulsed B6AF1 binding macrophage with anti-H-2 (anti-Ia) antibodies reactive with the appropriate parental haplotype . These results strongly suggest that H-2 gene products play a direct role in mediating the specific binding of T cells to macrophages and imply that the antigen-dependent physical interaction between T cells and macrophages is the initial, and determining, event in some forms of H-2 gene control of immune reactivity.

Infect Immun, 1979 Nov, 26(2), 422 - 6
Ia antigens in serum during different murine infections; Parish CR et al.; There exists in the mouse a family of I-region-controlled (Ia) antigens which carry carbohydrate-defined determinants . These antigens appear in serum as glycolipids and seem to be actively secreted by antigen-activated T-cells . This paper describes the ability of selected viral, bacterial, and protozoal infections of mice to markedly alter the serum levels of these Ia antigens . All the infectious agents examined induced substantial augmentation or suppression of serum Ia concentrations or both . Lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM) virus first enhanced and then suppressed serum Ia levels during the course of acute infection . Enhancement occurred during the time of ongoing virus replication and splenic lymphoproliferation while suppression coincided with the peak of the cytotoxic T-cell response and virus clearance . Listeria monocytogenes infection induced a substantial reduction in Ia levels at a time just after marked depletion of T-cells in the spleen . In contrast, Brucella abortus caused a significant increase in Ia levels 7 days postinfection, which correlates with the appearance of peak numbers of bacteria in tissues . Finally, Plasmodium yoelii, a nonlethal malarial parasite which stimulates prolonged T-cell proliferation, augmented serum Ia levels, whereas P . berghei, a lethal parasite which tends to inhibit . T-cell division, suppressed Ia secretion . Possible interpretations of these different results are presented.

Nouv Presse Med, 1979 Oct 22, 8(40), 3231 - 4
{Listeriosis in the kidney transplant recipients . Ten cases (author's transl)}; Buset M et al.; Three clinical pictures were found in ten cases of listeriosis after renal transplantation: septicemia (six cases), meningo-encephalitis (three cases) and asymtomatic but recurrent bacteriuria (one case) . Several features demonstrate profound immunologic disturbances in the recipient: close relationship in 9 cases out of 10 between infection and high doses of immunosuppressive drugs, unfavorable outcome of graft (accelerated rejection in 4 cases out of 10) and association in one case with lethal pulmonary infection due to opportunistic agents (cytomegalovirus and Pneumocystis carinii).

J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry, 1979 Oct, 42(10), 931 - 3
Infection of the brainstem by Listeria monocytogenes; Kennard C et al.; A case of brainstem infection by Listeria monocytogenes is described . The patient was a 63 year old man previously in good health and his illness did not follow the usual bi-phasic pattern . There was no prodromal phase, and the progressive brainstem signs with a lymphocytosis and a normal sugar level in the CSF led to a tentative diagnosis of viral brainstem encephalitis . Ampicillin was begun only when signs of pulmonary infection developed . Clinical diagnosis is difficult but ampicillin should probably be used in any doubtful case in which a "viral" brainstem encephalitis is being considered.

Clin Electroencephalogr, 1979 Oct, 10(4), 215 - 8
Patterns resembling tracé alternant in quiet sleep of an adult; Riley TL; An 18-year-old man with lymphoma and Listeria meningitis developed a pattern similar to trace alternant during quiet sleep . This is a pattern normally seen in the neonate during quiet sleep and probably represents diffuse brain disturbance of both cortical and deep gray matter if occurring in the adult, as with other discontinuous or burst-suppression patterns.

J Exp Med, 1979 Oct 1, 150(4), 1033 - 8
Specific Lyt 123 cells are involved in protection against Listeria monocytogenes and in delayed-type hypersensitivity to listerial antigens; Kaufmann SH et al.; Specific anti-Lyt antisera and complement were used to determine the Lyt phenotype of peritoneal exudate T lymphocytes from Listeria monocytogenes-immune mice . It was found that Lyt 123+ T cells are crucially involved both in protection against listerial infection and in delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) to listerial antigens . Thus, both functions critically depend on a T-cell subclass phenotypically different from that which mediates DTH to noninfectious antigens and help in antibody formation on the one hand, as well as those T cells mediating cytotoxic reactions on the other.

Vet Pathol, 1979 Sep, 16(5), 593 - 603
Fish oil-induced yellow fat disease in rats . IV . Functional studies of the reticuloendothelial system; Danse LH et al.; In rats with "stage S/E" yellow fat disease an injection of colloidal carbon resulted in a marked reduction in the number of circulating platelets . The death rate of rats with experimental Listeria monocytogenes infection, the number of bacteria in their spleens and the decrease of bacteria in their spleens on the days after infection were the same in rats with yellow fat disease as in controls . The fact that the rats died during the first few days after infection also may indicate that their immunological resistance to L . monocytogenes was not altered by yellow fat disease.

Ann Sclavo, 1979 Sep-Oct, 21(5), 714 - 9
{Meningoencephalitis caused by Listeria monocytogenes in adults . Description of 2 cases}; Sforza E et al.; Two patients are presented who had Listeria meningo-encephalitis . They were both adults and reduced in defences against infections . The diagnosis was made by isolation of Listeria monocytogenes from cerebrospinal fluid cultures . One of the patients recovered; other died although therapeutic measures were promptly started . The Authors suggest the need for a careful research about Listeria infections in our country.

J Infect Dis, 1979 Sep, 140(3), 287 - 94
Response to therapy in an experimental rabbit model of meningitis due to Listeria monocytogenes; Scheld WM et al.; A uniformly fatal, reproducible model of experimental meningitis due to Listeria monocytogenes was developed in rabbits for study of the natural progression of the disease and was used to evaluate treatment regimens . Bacterial titers in cerebrospinal fluid and pleocytosis approximated those found in humans . Therapeutic studies in vivo revealed that rifampin was less rapidly bactericidal than ampicillin or penicillin, the agents usually recommended for treatment of meningitis; that penicillin plus rifampin was no more efficacious than penicillin alone; that ampicillin demonstrated greater bactericidal activity in vivo than did penicillin; and that addition of an aminoglycoside (gentamicin) to either penicillin or ampicillin significantly enhanced their bactericidal activity in vivo . Ampicillin plus gentamicin was the most effective combination in vivo and may represent the preferred mode of therapy for listeria meningitis.

Infect Immun, 1979 Sep, 25(3), 971 - 7
Purification of a surface-specific soluble antigen from Listeria monocytogenes; Delvallez M et al.; A complex antigenic preparation obtained from Listeria monocytogenes serovariant 4b by freeze-pressing, centrifugation, and gel filtration treatment was studied by crossed immunoelectrophoresis, with the aim of preparing an antigenic fraction that could be used to investigate the serological response to listeric infection . Of 17 immunoprecipitates revealed in the soluble extract, one of three major antigens (designated antigen 2) was shown to be a strong antigen in humans or rabbits infected with L . monocytogenes serovariant 4b . A monospecific antiantigen 2 serum was obtained and used to prepare a serologically homogeneous antigen by immunoadsorption . Antigen 2, most probably located on the bacterial surface, is common to all serovariants of L . monocytogenes and to Listeria grayi and is not shared by the main bacterial species known to have common antigens with L . monocytogenes.

Arch Neurol, 1979 Aug, 36(8), 513 - 4
CNS listeriosis: rhomboencephalitis in a healthy, immunocompetent person; Katz RI et al.; A previously healthy woman had a febrile illness resembling aseptic meningoencephalitis . With the exception of mild increase in both CSF pressure and protein concentration, initial findings were normal, including negative bacterial cultures . Bilateral pyramidal and cerebellar signs with multiple lower cranial nerve pareses developed over a 48-hour period beginning on the tenth hospital day . Repeated blood and CSF studies had previously been nondiagnostic, but at that time, cultures became positive for Listeria monocytogenes . No underlying systemic disease or immunodeficiency was discovered . With appropriate antibiotic and supportive therapy, she made slow but significant improvement and, by the time of discharge from the hospital, had only minimal residual neurologic deficit . Clinical aspects of CNS listeriosis including the rare pontomedullary involvement are discussed.

Clin Exp Immunol, 1979 Aug, 37(2), 181 - 9
T cell-mediated immune responses of lupus-prone BXSB mice and other murine strains; Creighton WD et al.; Cellular-mediated immunity in the newly described BXSB strain of mice, which is prone to autoimmune disease, has been compared with that of two other strains, C57Bl/6 and 129/J . Quantificaiton of cytotoxic T cell responses to alloantigens and viruses (lymphocytic choriomeningitis and vaccinia virus) showed no difference in the kinetics of appearance and relative activity of cytotoxic T cells per spleen between the young and old BXSB and the control mice . The T cell-dependent primary footpad swelling after local injection with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus was within the same range for all strains tested with respect to kinetics, but the size was greater by two-fold in C57Bl/6 mice . The susceptibility to systemic infection and subsequent induction of lymphocytes immune to Listeria monocytogenes were about equivalent in all strains . However, clearance of Listeria by the reticuloendothelial system and early non-immune bactericidal activity of the young and old BXSB were significantly lower than in the control strains . The results indicate that the cellular-mediated immunity (CMI) of BXSB mice compared favourably with that of other strains and that there is no apparent differences between CMI of BXSB mice before the onset of disease and during the course of disease . The role of the reduced reticuloendothelial function of BXSB mice in their autoimmune disease or in their high susceptibility to infection remains to be determined.

Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1979 Aug-Sep, 130B(2), 179 - 89
{Bacteriophage typing of 823 "Listeria monocytogenes" strains isolated in France from 1958 to 1978 (author's transl)}; Audurier A et al.; This study was undertaken to establish a typing scheme for Listeria monocytogenes . A total of 823 strains, isolated in France from 1958 to 1978, were studied; 69.4% of these belonged to serotype 4 . Using a set of 20 phages, the lytic activity, frequency and specific character of these phages were estimated and phage typing carried out . We were able to define a phage typing system for L . monocytogenes using 12 principal phages and 3 secondary phages . In order to discriminate phages types within serotype 1, the phages 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 were used, and for phage types within serotype 4, the phages 10, 11, 14, 15, 16 and 17 . Secondary phages 8, 9 and 20 had a weak lytic activity, but their specificity was very high . The lytic patterns obtained with the phages 9 and 20 were restricted to strains of serotype 5 . We established a complete correlation between the lytic pattern of phages 1 to 8 and serotype 1, just as there was a correlation between the lytic pattern of phages 10 to 19 and serotype 4 . Using the set of 20 phages we were able to type 645 of 823 strains of L . monocytogenes . Thus we were able to type 78.4% of all the strains examined . This percentage was very different according to the serotype of the strains tested: 88% of strains of serotype 4 and 57% of strains of serotype 1 . With this set of phages 552 of 645 typable strains could be subdivided into 8 principal phagetypes: 3 types within the serotype 1 and 5 others in serotype 4 . This phage typing system can be used in some epidemiological situations, in taxonomic investigations or as bacterial markers.

Arch Dis Child, 1979 Jul, 54(7), 549 - 51
Two cases of perinatal listeriosis; Robertson MH et al.; Two cases of neonatal listeriosis are described . The incidence in the UK is given and the treatment of the pregnant woman is briefly discussed.

Ann Immunol (Paris), 1979 Jul-Aug, 130C(4), 587 - 94
Stimulation of cell-mediated resistance in mice to infection with Listeria monocytogenes by vitamin A; Hof H et al.; Vitamin A given as retinol-acetate, retinol-palmitate as well as the derivates retinoic acid and a retinoid, strongly fortified the resistance of mice to infection with virulent cells of Listeria monocytogenes . However, strong enhancement of resistance was only achieved when high toxic doses of vitamin A were given . Apparently, this effect was due to a stimulation of the function of the mononuclear phagocytic system rather than of the T lymphocyte.

Infect Immun, 1979 Jul, 25(1), 345 - 51
Phenotypic expression of genetically controlled host resistance to Listeria monocytogenes; Skamene E et al.; Several inbred mouse strains, all of them derived from the C57BL background, have genetically determined increased resistance to infection with Listeria monocytogenes, whereas a variety of other strains are relatively sensitive to this infection . Comparison of the host response to L . monocytogenes in the sensitive A strain and the resistant C57BL/6 (B6) strain revealed that the B6 mice were superior to A mice both in the T-cell-independent and in the T-cell-dependent phase of the response . Although animals of both strains had equal ability to clear their circulation of intravenously administered Listeria and to take up comparable amounts of bacteria in their livers and spleens, already 24 to 48 h after infection the genetic advantage of B6 strain mice to suppress bacterial proliferation was apparent . Both the primary (early and late) and the secondary responses as well as the ability to inactivate the bacterial load after adoptive protection by syngeneic immune lymphocytes were more efficient in the B6 animals, suggesting that the common effector macrophage arm of the antilisterial resistance rather than the lymphocyte arm (mediating the T-cell-dependent phase of response) is genetically controlled.

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