Bifidobacterium

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1981 Nov, (11), 81 - 4
{Immunological reactivity to the products of normal microflora . III . Characteristics of antibodies to the common antigens of enterobacteria, enterococci and bifidobacteria}; Vershinina VI; The content and type of antibodies to the common antigens of enterobacteria, enterococci and bifidobacteria were studied in serum specimens obtained from 220 donors . Antibody titers to enterobacteria were almost twice as high as those to enterococci and 8 times higher than those in bifidobacteria . The final titer of the reaction with enterobacterial antigens in 90% of the donors was determined by IgG (7S); in respect of enterococci and bifidobacteria IgM played the leading role in 56% and 74% of the cases, respectively . In most cases the profile of immune responsiveness was characterized by marked individuality and comprised various titers and types of antibodies to the antigens of all three groups of bacteria . The results thus obtained are analyzed from the viewpoint of normal responsiveness to standard immunological stimuli; all individuals come in contact with such stimuli with an equal degree of probability.

Hoppe Seylers Z Physiol Chem, 1981 Nov, 362(11), 1455 - 63
{1H-NMR spectroscopy--a potent method for the determination of substrate specificity of sialidases (author's transl)}; Friebolin H et al.; We describe here the application of 1H-NMR spectroscopy to determine the substrate specificity of sialidases using a 1:1 mixture of NeuAc alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-4Glc and NeuAc alpha 2-6Gal beta 1-4Glc, one viral and five bacterial sialidases . This method utilizes the separate signals in NMR spectra, characteristic for the different alpha ketosidically linked NeuAc residues and also for bound and free NeuAc . The signals generally most suitable for these purposes are those of H3a, H3e and NCOCH3 . By observation and integration of these signals we can follow--qualitatively and quantitatively--which and how many NeuAc residues of the substrates are hydrolized . In contrast to the generally used colorimetric tests it is now possible to investigate with this method substrates containing two or more NeuAc residues and to determine the corresponding rate constants for hydrolysis of the differently bound NeuAc molecules . The six sialidases used show large differences in their specificity as compared with our "model substrate": The sialidase from fowl plague virus hydrolizes NeuAc alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-4Glc nearly 18 times and the enzyme from Clostridium perfringens four times, from Vibrio cholerae two times faster than NeuAc alpha 2-6Gal beta 1-4Glc . On the contrary, the sialidase from Arthrobacter ureafaciens hydrolizes the alpha 2-6 linkage six times faster than the alpha 2-3 linkage . The sialidases from Bifidobacterium show no obvious differences in their specificities relative to the linkage.

Infect Immun, 1981 Jul, 33(1), 95 - 102
Lactose-reversible coaggregation between oral actinomycetes and Streptococcus sanguis; Kolenbrander PE et al.; Freshly isolated strains of oral actinomycetes were obtained from human dental plaque and were tested for the ability to coaggregate with common laboratory stock strains of Streptococcus sanguis . Strains belonging to the genera Actinomyces, Arachnia, Bifidobacterium, and Bacterionema were isolated . Only members of the genus Actinomyces coaggregated with the streptococci, and only Actinomyces viscosus and Actinomyces naeslundii exhibited lactose-reversible interactions . A total of 61 strains, consisting of all of the A . viscosus isolates and 86% of the A . naeslundii isolates, coaggregated; 87% inhibited lactose-reversible coaggregation . On the basis of this property and the altered ability of strains to coaggregate after heat treatment of the cells, we delineated four coaggregation groups . The other 13% of the strains constituted a fifth group, which was characterized by a pattern of closely related interactions that were not reversed by lactose . Compared with previously characterized coaggregation properties determined with stock culture strains of actinomycetes, more than 80% of these fresh isolates exhibited identical coaggregation properties . Thus, most of the coaggregation between freshly isolated oral actinomycetes and streptococci involves lactose-reversible cell-cell interactions, which suggests that such coaggregation is mediated by a network of lectin-carbohydrate interactions between complementary cell surface structures on the two cell types.

Clin Biochem, 1981 Jun, 14(3), 135 - 41
The effect of metal chelators and other metabolic inhibitors on the growth of Bifidobacterium bifidus var . Pennsylvanicus; Bezkorovainy A et al.; Bifidobacterium bifidus var . Pennsylvanicus, a microaerophilic anaerobe, was grown in the presence of several potential growth inhibitors with the aim of defining its growth requirements and metabolic peculiarities . The following had no effect on its growth: citrate, serum transferrin, serum albumin, colchicine, fluoro-acetate, malonate, and rotenone . The following substances inhibited the growth: fluoride, azide, arsenite, 2, 4-dinitrophenol, hemin, hemoglobin, lactoferrin, alpha, alpha'-bipyridyl, and 8-hydroxyquinoline . Ferrous iron was able to negate the inhibition achieved by alpha, alpha'-bipyridyl, and 8-hydroxyquinoline . It is concluded that iron, probably in its ferrous state, is an obligatory nutrient for the microorganism, and that iron-porphyrin system(s) may be essential for the metabolism of this organism . Because the microorganisms contained in addition to iron large quantities of Mn, Zn, and Cu, it is likely that these metalloelements are crucial for the normal growth of the organism . Growth inhibition by fluoride indicates that Mg-dependent enzymes may also be present in the microorganism.

Science, 1981 May 15, 212(4496), 749 - 53
Chitin: New facets of research; Austin PR et al.; Research on chitin as a marine resource is pointing to novel applications for this cellulose-like biopolymer . Discovery of nondegrading solvent systems has permitted the spinning of filaments, for example, for use as surgical sutures . New methods for preparing the bioactive alkyl glycoside of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (the monomer unit of chitin) and a microcrystalline chitin has encouraged their use as promoters for growth of bifidobacteria and as an aid in digestion of high-lactose cheese whey by domestic animals . Chitin-protein complexes of several crustacean species show great variability in ratios of chitin to covalently bound protein and in residual protein in the "purified" chitins.

Jpn J Antibiot, 1981 May, 34(5), 719 - 22
{Influence of cefotiam (SCE-963, CTM) on bowel flora (author's transl)}; Iwaki S et al.; The influence on bowel flora of CTM was studied in 5 children who were taking normal diet . 1) In the cases following no diarrhea, administration of CTM caused no significant changes in bowel flora . In the cases following diarrhea, administration of CTM caused a fall in coliform, BEP group, Lactobacillus and Peptostreptococcus . However, after the administration was discontinued, the reduced bowel flora was returned to the normal range within a few days . 2) No overgrowth of bowel flora by Pseudomonas, Clostridium difficile or Candida was observed . 3) One strain of nontoxigenic Clostridium difficile was observed in the case of following no diarrhea . 4) As for the side effects, diarrhea was observed in 2 cases . BEP group: Nonspore making anaerobic Gram positive rods of Bifidobacterium, Eubacterium, Propionibacterium.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1981 Mar, (3), 58 - 61
{Interaction between Bifidobacterium bifidum, Proteus vulgaris, and Klebsiella pneumoniae 204 in the gastrointestinal tract of gnotobiotic chicks}; Timoshko MA et al.; Experiments on gnotobiont chickens indicated that the strains B . bifidum 1/85 phi, P . vulgaris F-30 and K . pneumoniae 204, when introduced simultaneously into the gastrointestinal tract in a single administration, proliferate there with the pronounced predominance of bifidobacteria . 6 additional administrations of B . bifidum 1/85 phi culture resulted in the complete suppression of microorganisms belonging to the genera Rroteus and Klebsiella as early as 10 days after the introduction of bifidobacteria . These data suggest that it is necessary to use B . bifidum 1/85 phi in cases of intestinal dysbacteriosis characterized by the predominance of microorganisms belonging to the genera Proteus and Klebsiella.

J Clin Microbiol, 1981 Mar, 13(3), 444 - 8
Rapid method that aids in distinguishing Gram-positive from Gram-negative anaerobic bacteria; Halebian S et al.; Several species of anaerobic bacteria display variable Gram stain reactions which often make identification difficult . A simple, rapid method utilizing a 3% solution of potassium hydroxide to distinguish between gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial was tested on 213 strains of anaerobic bacteria representing 19 genera . The Gram stain reaction and KOH test results were compared with the antibiotic disk susceptibilities (vancomycin and colistin) the preliminary grouping of anaerobic bacteria . All three procedures were in agreement for the majority of strains examined . Some strains of clostridia, eubacteria, and bifidobacteria stained gram negative or gram variable; the KOH and antibiotic disk susceptibility tests correctly classified these strains as gram-positive . The KOH test incorrectly grouped some strains of Bacteroides sp., Fusobacterium sp., Leptotrichia buccalis, and Veillonella parvula, but all Gram stain results for these strains were consistent for gram-negative bacteria . The KOH test is a useful supplement to the Gram stain and antibiotic disk susceptibility testing for the initial classification of anaerobic bacteria.

Infect Immun, 1981 Feb, 31(2), 580 - 3
Effect of oral administration of lysozyme or digested bacterial cell walls on immunostimulation in guinea pigs; Namba Y et al.; The effect of oral administration of bacteriolytic enzymes and enzymatically digested bacterial cell walls on immunostimulation in guinea pigs was studied . Guinea pigs were given lysozyme or pronase or both orally for a period of 8 days, and on day 7 they were primed with hepatitis B surface antigen . Circulating antibody titers to the antigen in the enzyme-treated group were significantly higher (four to six times, P less than 0.05) than those in nontreated control groups on day 16 after immunization . Stimulation of cellular immunity in the group receiving both lysozyme and pronase simultaneously was significantly increased compared with the group receiving only one of them . The humoral immune response was enhanced by oral administration of enzymatically digested cell walls isolated from Bifidobacterium longum . The result suggested that intestinal bacteria might be solubilized by oral administration of bacteriolytic enzymes and that the absorbable fragment of peptidoglycan released from the bacterial cell walls might be responsible for the enhanced host immune responses.

Hoppe Seylers Z Physiol Chem, 1981 Feb, 362(2), 153 - 62
Partial purification and properties of neuraminidase from Bifidobacterium lactentis; von Nicolai H et al.; Bifidobacterium lactentis 659 a gram-positive, nonsporeforming anaerobic bacterium originally isolated from the feces of breast-fed infants produces neuraminidase after enzyme induction with 2mM N-acetylmannosamine added to the culture medium . Bacteria were transferred and grown in a medium containing casein hydrolysate, lactose, sodium acetate, amino acids, vitamins, salts and 2% human milk for 48 h at 37 degrees C under N2/CO2 atmosphere . Two subcultures derived from the original strain B . lactentis 659 were investigated separately because of different growth characteristics . However, their taxonomic identity was not doubtful . Neuraminidase was liberated from the bacterial sediments by ultrasonic treatment in 0.15M NaCl and was isolated by 60% ammonium sulfate precipitation, dialysis, concentration, and column chromatography on Sepharose CL-6B and Sephadex G-100 . The enzyme exhibits a molecular weight of 38000 and a pH optimum in the range of pH 5--6 in barbital/acetate buffers . Starch gel electrophoresis and neuraminidase-specific staining with NeuAc alpha 2 leads to (3-methoxyphenyl) glycoside revealed two major and three minor enzyme bands . Michaelis constants (Km) were determined to be 7.1 mM for the (alpha 2 leads to 3) linkage of II3NeuAc-Lac, 7.5mM for the (alpha 2 leads to 6) linkage of II6Neu-Ac-Lac and 15mM for the (alpha 2 leads to 8) linkage in II3(leads from 2NeuAc8)2-Lac . Among the different groups of naturally occurring NeuAc-containing substrates, i.e . glycoproteins, gangliosides and oligosaccharides, B . lactentis neuraminidase cleaves oligosaccharides preferentially without remarkable differences between (alpha 2 leads to 3) and (alpha 2 leads to 6) linkages . Globular glycoproteins and mucins are poor substrates and gangliosides are practically not affected . In contrast, enzyme activity towards synthetic NeuAc glycosides is very high . The enzyme is activated by 50% with 50mM Ca2 and inhibited by 20mM EDTA accordingly . In general, B . lactentis neuraminidase shows a substrate specificity pattern similar to those found in other non-pathogenic and non-invasive representatives of the human bacterial flora . The potential biological role of intestinal Bifidobacteria will be discussed.

Laryngoscope, 1981 Feb, 91(2), 250 - 3
Aerobic and anaerobic bacteriology of cholesteatoma; Brook I; Cholesteatoma specimens were obtained from 28 patients undergoing surgery for chronic otitis media and cholesteatoma . All specimens were cultured for aerobic and anaerobic organisms . Bacterial growth was present in specimens of 24 of the 28 patients . A total of 74 bacterial isolates were present (40 aerobes and 34 anaerobes) . Aerobes alone were isolated from 8 (33%) of culture positive patients, 4 patients (26.7%) yielded only anaerobes, and 12 (50%) had both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria . Fifty isolates (27 aerobes and 23 aerobes) were present in a concentration greater than 10(6) CFU/gm . The most commonly isolated aerobic organisms were P . aeruginosa (9), Proteus sp . (7), K . pneumoniae (5), S . aureus (5), and E . coli (4) . The anaerobic bacteria most commonly isolated were gram-positive anaerobic cocci (12), Bacteroides sp . (12, including 5 B . fragilis group), Clostridium sp . (3), and Bifidobacterium sp . (3) . The above findings indicate the polymicrobial aerobic and anaerobic bacteriology of cholesteatoma.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1981 Feb, (2), 81 - 3
{Characteristics of the soluble antigens of bifidobacteria}; Vershinina VI; The immunological study of aqueous buffer extracts obtained from 45 strains of bifidobacteria belonging to the species B . bifidum, B . longum, B . adducens, B . breve, B . infantis and B . parvulorum was made . This study revealed 3 levels of the immunological specificity of soluble bifidobacterial proteins: common to the genus Bifidobacterium, common to a limited number of strains belonging to one or several species of bifidobacteria and strain-specific.

Kosm Biol Aviakosm Med, 1981, 15(3), 14 - 8
{Bifidobacterium flora status of cosmonauts before and after completing space flights}; Goncharova GI et al.; The state of bifidoflora was examined in eight cosmonauts before and after space flights of varying duration . Prelaunch quantity of bifidobacteria decreased drastically . In space flights of 30 days and longer the level of acid formation by bifidobacteria was reduced . The species composition of bifidoflora remained stable . The most typical intestinal species of bifidobacteria were B . Longum and B . adolescentis.

Microbiol Immunol, 1981, 25(7), 627 - 37
Properties of the biotin transport system in Bifidobacterium breve N4; Yazawa K et al.; Binding of biotin to resting cells of Bifidobacterium breve N4, which grew in a biotin-deficient medium, was independent of pH from 1 to 9 and of temperature below 50 C . It was not inhibited by metabolic inhibitors including sulfhydryl reagents, but it was inhibited by treatment with 80% ethanol or 5% trichloroacetic acid . It was also competitively inhibited by biotin-sulfone, but not by tetrahydrothiophene nor dethiobiotin . The binding constant was calculated to be 3.3 X 10(8) M--1 . The amount of biotin unextractable with hot water, representing part of the transported biotin, increased gradually for 20 min, this increase was inhibited by NaF, hydroxylamine and low temperature . 14C-biotin on the cells was displaced by cold biotin and biotin-sulfone; the displacement was not inhibited by metabolic inhibitors, but it was dependent on temperature . A few minutes after binding, the biotin was released to the medium . The release was dependent on pH and temperature, was affected by energy sources and was inhibited by metabolic inhibitors, e.g . NaF, p-chloromercuribenzoic acid and hydroxylamine . It could be stopped at any time by cooling to 0 C or by adding NaF, and the amount of accumulated biotin did not increase under those conditions . These results suggest that the binding sites on the cell surface decreased in number or in their binding affinity for biotin through an energy-dependent process.

Acta Histochem Suppl, 1981, 23, 241 - 7
Considerations on the value of freeze-etching technique in studying the ultrastructure of some anaerobic bacteria; Vaisman IS; Samples from periodic cultures of Clostridium perfringens, Clostridium oedematiens, Clostridium tetani and Bifidobacterium bifidum grown in liquid nutrient media were studied after freeze-fracturing and etching without pretreatment by means of chemical agents including cryo-protectants . Subunits in the cell all of Cl . tetani and differences in the distribution of globular particles in the plasma membrane of the investigated bacteria are revealed.

Urology, 1980 Dec, 16(6), 596 - 8
Urinary tract infection caused by anaerobic bacteria in children; Brook I; Anaerobic bacteria were recovered from 5 children with urinary tract infection (UTI) . Three had pyelonephritis and 2 cystitis . Two of the patients had a history of prior recurrent UTI . Urine samples were collected using suprapubic aspiration . The anaerobic organism recovered were 3 isolates of Bacteroides fragilis and one each of B . melaninogenicus, Peptococcus asaccharolyticus, and Bifidobacterium adolescentis . Mixed infection was present in 3 children . In 2 cases B . fragilis were present with Escherichia coli, and in the other case two anaerobes were present . All patients were treated with antimicrobial agents for ten to fourteen days and responded well to therapy . Two of the children had a recurrence of UTI with aerobic organisms recovered from their urine within six to eight months . This report demonstrates the association of anaerobic organisms with UTI in children . It is suggested that cultures for anaerobic organisms be performed in symptomatic children whose aerobic cultures show no bacterial growth.

Am J Clin Nutr, 1980 Nov, 33(11 Suppl), 2434 - 9
Influence of breast-feeding on the bifid flora of the newborn intestine; Beerens H et al.; Because of the predominance of Bifidobacterium bifidum in the intestine of the breast-fed infant, growth promoting factors were sought in human milk . In vitro, studies showed the presence of specific growth factors for B . bifidum in human milk . Other milks, including cow's milk, sheep's milk, pig's milk, and infant formulas did not promote the growth of this species, but did show activity on Bifidobacterium infantis and Bifidobacterium longum.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1980 Sep, (9), 65 - 70
{Microflora study of the intestinal cavity and mucosa normally and after gamma irradiation}; Korshunov VM et al.; Lactobacilli and bifidobacteria are numerically prevalent in the microflora of the mucous membrane in mice and guinea-pigs . Some opportunistic microorganisms (Proteus, enterococci, aerobic bacilli, clostridia in mice; streptococci, yeast, enterococci in guinea-pigs) can mainly be found in the cavity of the large intestine, only small amounts of these microorganisms (10(2)), if any, are present on the mucous membrane . In the course of postradiation dysbacteriosis in mice and guinea pigs all opportunistic microorganisms which inhabit the cavity of the large intestine, proliferating actively, disseminate into the small intestine and, probably, invade the mucous membrane . Such microorganism as Escherichia, Proteus, Clostridium, normally absent in intact animals, appear in the intestine of guinea of guinea pigs subjected to irradiation . At the same time lactobacilli and bifidobacteria sharply decrease in number.

J Gen Microbiol, 1980 Aug, 119(Pt 2), 373 - 96
A taxonomic study of Gardnerella vaginalis (Haemophilus vaginalis) Gardner and Dukes 1955; Piot P et al.; Fifty-five strains received as Haemophilus vaginalis or as catalase-negative coryneform bacteria from the vagina together with 61 marker cultures were subjected to numerical phenetic analyses using 149 unit characters . The data were examined using the simple matching (SSM), Jaccard (SJ) and pattern (DP) coefficients and clustering was achieved using the average linkage algorithm . Cluster composition was not markedly affected by the coefficient used or by test error, estimated at 6 . 5% . The H . vaginalis strains formed a tight cluster which was only distantly related to representatives of the genera arthrobacter, Cellulomonas, Corynebacterium sensu stricto, Erysipelothrix, Haemophilus, Kurthia, Lactobacillus, Listeria and Propionibacterium but shared a high overall affinity to unclassified catalase-negative coryneforms which formed a discrete taxon, cluster 9 . The H . vaginalis strains could be distinguished from the related strains in cluster 9 by several unrelated phenotypic characters . Using the S1 endonuclease assay, DNA-DNA hybridizations were performed with representative strains from the numerical as well as with reference strains of Bifidobacterium and Actinomyces . Haemophilus vaginalis was found to be a genotypically legitimate group and its DNA showed little homology with DNA from the marker strains tested . The DNA base composition of H . vaginalis was 42 to 44 mol % guanine plus cytosine . A new genus should be created to incorporate strains known as H . vaginalis or Corynebacterium vaginale . The name Gardnerella vaginalis proposed by Greenwood & Pickett (1979) is supported.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1980 Jul, 18(1), 58 - 62
Streptococcus faecium-derived antibacterial substance antagonistic to Bifidobacteria; Harasawa R et al.; An antagonistic strain of Streptococcus faecium was isolated from human feces, and it displayed a marked inhibition of bifidobacteria on agar plates . In liquid culture this isolate produced an antibacterial substance that can be partially purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography . Its activity was assayed by the inhibition of growth of Bifidobacterium longum . The substance was sensitive to digestion by proteolytic enzymes and alpha-amylase, but was resistant to treatment with 6 M urea, dithiothreitol, 2-mercaptoethanol, ethyl ether, chloroform, and lysozyme . It was also stable to heating at 100 degrees C for 60 min . Its molecular weight was estimated to be about 50,000 by gel filtration.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1980 Jul, (7), 25 - 9
{Effect of antibiotics and bifiodobacterium preparations on the intestinal microflora of mice irradiated with gamma quanta}; Korshunov VM et al.; The treatment of CBA mice, irradiated in a dose of 700 Gy with antibiotics (penicillin V, oxytetracycline, streptomycin) in combination with bacterial therapy (B . bifidum, strain 75-41) or with antibiotics alone led to the increased percentage of survivors among them in comparison with the control animals . At the same time the medical prognosis was better in cases of the combined treatment with antibiotics and bifidobacteria . This circumstance was due to the fact that the combined treatment with antibiotics and bifidobacteria, considerably facilitated the normalization of the microbial picture of the intestine; in this case the "eubiosis" of the intestinal tract was almost completely restored by the 22nd day after the irradiation, whereas in the treatment with antibiotics alone the inhibitory effect on the development of the opportunistic flora at a later period of the development of dysbacteriosis was less pronounced, while the number of lactic acid bacteria remained at the same low level as in the untreated mice.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1980 Jun, (6), 47 - 54
{Effect of lactobacillus and bifidobacteria preparations on the intestinal microflora of mice irradiated with gamma quanta}; Korshunov VM et al.; Lactobacilli (strain B12G) and bifidobacteria (strain 75-41), administered orally in a dose of 5 x 10 cells to CBA mice on days 1, 3, 5 and 10 after irradiation with gamma quanta in a dose of 700 rad, restored the "eubiosis" of the intestinal tract, specifically suppressing opportunistic bacteria and facilitating the normalization of the quantitative and qualitative correlation between microbial associations constituting the obligatory intestinal flora . For one thing, the preparations of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, used for treatment, restored the amount of lactobacilli in the intestinal tract of the irradiated animals to the level, characteristic of the intact animals; for another, these preparations prevented the dissemination of Escherichia, Proteus, Enterococcus in the small intestine and considerably decreased the amount of these microorganisms, as well as Clostridium, in the large intestine.

Cancer Res, 1980 Jun, 40(6), 2061 - 8
Selective localization and growth of Bifidobacterium bifidum in mouse tumors following intravenous administration; Kimura NT et al.; A strain of domestic bacteria, Bifidobacterium bifidum (Lac B), which is nonpathogenic and anerobic, selectively localized and proliferated in several types of mouse tumors following i.v . administration . None of the same bacilli could be detected in the tissues of healthy organs such as the liver, spleen, kidney, lung, blood, bone marrow, and muscle 48 or 96 hr after i.v . administration into tumor-bearing mice . Proliferation of Lac B in the tumor was artifically stimulated by i.p . administration of DDD-H-2s mice of a synthesized disaccharide, lactulose (4-O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-D-fructofuranose), a sugar which is not metabolized by mammalian tissue cells . Lac B, which survices and proliferates selectively in the tumor following i.v . administration into the tumor-bearing host, should aid in diagnosis and selective therapy for cancer.

Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1980 May-Jun, 131(3), 309 - 14
{Humanization of milk: "in vitro" influence of human milk, cow milk and infant formulae on the growth of "Bifidobacterium" (author's transl)}; Romond C et al.; Fresh human milk not only influence the physicochemical conditions in the infant's intestine, but also enhances the in vitro growth of Bifidobacterium Various Bifidobacterium strains belonging to different species can be clearly distinguished by their growth properties with different kinds of milk . Only B . bifidium, the predominant species in the intestine of breast-fed infants, is stimulated by human milk.

Ann Sclavo, 1980 May-Jun, 22(3), 319 - 44
{Saprophytic and opportunistic non spore-forming anaerobic microflora of the vagina (author's transl)}; Cavazzini G et al.; A microbiological survey has been carried out on 179 healthy, child-bearing aged, non-pregnant women, with the aim to evaluate the incidence of anaerobic non-spore forming bacteria in the normal vaginal flora . This group of bacteria has been isolated in 50.3% of women, with a clear prevalence of "anaerobic Streptococci " and Bacteroides, followed by Fusobacterium and Veillonella . No Propionibacterium, Eubacterium or Bifidobacterium have been isolated . According to many Authors the non-spore forming anaerobes must be considered opportunistic bacteria, responsible of many infections of the female genital tract, especially when associated with other aerobic or facultative bacteria . Antibiograms have demonstrated a wide spectrum of activity of chloramphenicol and clindamycin; although not widely distributed, antibacterial activity have also shown metronidazole, penicillins, cephalosporins and lincomycin.

Bull Tokyo Med Dent Univ, 1980 Mar, 27(1), 63 - 70
Anaerobic, gram-positive, pleomorphic rods in human gingival crevice; Maeda N; Sixty-two strains of anaerobic, gram-positive, pleomorphic rods were isolated from the gingival crevice of individuals clinically free from peridontal disease, and examined for biochemical characteristics, cellular and colonial morphology, and acid end-products from glucose fermentation . None of them produced indole, hydrogen sulfide, or catalase, but all hydrolysed esculin . Seven, 10 and 45 of 62 strains were identified as Bifidobacterium, Actinomyces naeslundii, and Actinomyces israelii, respectively, on the basis of biochemical characteristics.

Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1979 Dec, 245(4), 469 - 75
Importance of colicinogeny for the course of acute bacillary dysentery; Bures J et al.; The development of acute bacillary dysentery was followed in 23 patients involved in two outbreaks and in three sporadic, mutually unrelated cases . Repeated cultivations performed at 2-day intervals for 10 days yielded 386 identifiable strains of "opportune intestinal flora" . Escherichia coli colicinogenic activity is one of the significant factors of gastrointestinal tract protection . The period of shigella excretion is significantly reduced (p less than 0.02) if an appropriate colicinogenic E . coli strain is present . Analysis of the results suggested a working hypothesis of differentiated approach to bacillary dysentery treatment in outbreaks . In the absence of a suitable colicinogenic flora neomycin therapy should be administered since it does not damage the natural colonizing flora (bacteroids, bifidobacters, aerobic lactobacilli); in the presence of a suitable colicinogenic flora, no antibiotic should be used as this would abolish the coli-flora.

Vopr Pitan, 1979 Nov-Dec, (6), 49 - 53
{Effects of different types of newborn infant feeding on intestinal microbiocenosis}; Goncharova GI et al.; From 70 to 90% of premature infants on breast and additional feeding with a mixture of the "Similak" type showed normal bifidoflora, the main component of biocenosis of infant intestines . No positive shifts in the intestinal microflora composition or recovery of the bifidoflora physiological for children were recorded during feeding premature infants with pasteurized donor milk and additional feeding with kefir, a mixture of "Malyutka" and dry acidophilus mixture "Malyutka" . Positive results of using the above food in conjunction with bifidumbacterin point to the perspectiveness of using bifidobacteria in the development of therapeutic additives to the infant diet.

Kosm Biol Aviakosm Med, 1979 Nov-Dec, 13(6), 9 - 13
{Intestinal microflora makeup of astronauts before and after space flights}; Liz'ko NN et al.; The composition of the intestinal microflora of 12 cosmonauts was studied before and after space missions of varying duration . Changes in the intestinal microbial coenosis were found prelaunch . The pattern of changes did not vary with an increase in space flight duration . The use of special prophylactic measures exerted a positive effect on intestinal microecology . Bifidobacteria and lactobacilli showed the greatest changes inflight . Therefore, it seems important to arrange preflight sanation of the intestinal microflora as a prophylactic method.

J Biochem (Tokyo), 1979 Oct, 86(4), 923 - 8
Purification and properties of UDP-glucose (UDP-galactose) pyrophosphorylase from Bifidobacterium bifidum; Lee L et al.; An enzyme having both UDP-glucose (UDP-Glc) and UDP-galactose (UDP-Gal) pyrophosphorylase activities was purified to homogeneity from Bifidobacterium bifidum . The molecular weight of the enzyme was about 200,000 and it appeared to be composed of four identical subunits . The purified enzyme showed almost the same reactivity towards UDP-Glc and UDP-Gal, and showed about 10% of this activity towards UDP-xylose at 8 mM . The enzyme required magnesium ions for maximum activity . The apparent equilibrium constants were about 2.5 for UDP-Glc pyrophosphorolysis and 1.1 for UDP-Gal pyrophosphorolysis . The enzyme activities were inhibited by various nucleotides (product or substrate analogs) . Some sugar phosphates, such as fructose 6-P, erythrose 4-P, and 3-phosphoglycerate, stimulated the activities . These properties are discussed in relation to the significance of the enzyme in galactose metabolism of B . bifidum.

Am J Dis Child, 1979 Oct, 133(10), 1020 - 4
Recovery of anaerobic bacteria from pediatric patients . A one-year experience; Brook I et al.; During 1975, 115 speciments from the soft tissues, body fluids, and purulent sites in 105 pediatric ward and nursery patients were submitted to the clinical laboratory for anaerobic study, and 75% of the cultures were positive . In most instance specimens were collected in anaerobic transport tubes containing peptone yeast extract and glucose . In the laboratory, samples were processed by the anaerobic holding jar method . Nineteen different anaerobic organisms were isolated; the average number of species per specimen was 1.8 Bacteroides sp were the most common isolates (45 strains) . Other isolates included 44 anaerobic cocci (15 of which were Peptostreptococcus sp), 22 Propionibacterium sp, ten Fusobacterium sp, nine Clostridium sp, eight Veillonella sp, six Bifidobacterium sp, and four Eubacterium sp . The main sources of anaerobic isolates included 52 gastric aspirates, 46 soft tissue sites, 14 blood specimens, 12 CSF samples, and 12 samples from the external ear canals . Forty-one (43%) of the 86 specimens that contained anaerobic bacteria also had aerobic organisms present.

Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1979 Sep, 244(4), 525 - 34
Comparison of three methods of susceptibility testing of bacteroidaceae, peptococcaceae and other anaerobes to doxycycline; Werner H et al.; The in vitro activity of doxycycline against 147 strains of gram-positive and gram-negative anaerobes was determined by broth dilution, agar dilution and agar diffusion tests . The strains were isolated from clinical specimens in 1977 . Saccharolytic Bacteroides strains (39 B . fragilis, 6 B . thetaiotaomicron, 4 B . vulgatus) showed broth dilution MICs of less than or equal to 0.0625-4.0 microgram/ml after 5 h incubation and MICs of less than or equal to 16 microgram/ml after 15 h incubation at 37 degrees C . With strains of B . oralis, B . melaninogenicus ss . intermedius, B . corrodens, Veillonella sp . and Megasphaera elsdenii the broth dilution MICs were less than or equal to 0.0625-32 microgram/ml after 15 h incubation . Peptostreptococcus spp., Propionibacterium acnes, Eubacterium sp., Bifidobacterium sp . and Clostridium sp . had broth dilution MICs of less than or equal to 2 microgram/ml, whereas Peptococcus spp . were inhibited by less than or equal to 0.0625 to greater than 32 microgram/ml . With the great majority of strains tested, MICs were 2 to 256 times higher in agar than in broth dilution tests . Clinical and experimental studies seem to be needed to determine which of the in vitro data are correlated to the outcome of doxycycline therapy . Several groups and species were separately considered for statistical analysis of the relationship between zone size and MIC . With gram-positive anaerobes, correlation was poor between broth dilution MIC and zone size (correlation coefficients r = - 0.168 for Peptococcaceae, and r = - 0.108 for P . acnes) . When calculating the regression lines for agar dilution MICs and zone diameters, a higher correlation was found (r = - 0.9 for Peptococcaceae; r = - 0.397 for P . acnes) . With B . fragilis and other Bacteroides species correlation coefficients were r = - 0.807 to r = - 0.891 for broth and agar dilution MICs and zone size but stochastic linearity was lacking.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1979 Sep, 38(3), 544 - 6
Indole-3-lactic acid as a tryptophan metabolite produced by Bifidobacterium spp; Aragozzini F et al.; Fifty-one strains of the genus Bifidobacterium have been found to accumulate indole-3-lactic acid in culture broth . The isolated metabolite was identified through mass and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy . All the microorganisms tested, as resting cells, have been shown to be able to convert L-tryptophan into L-indole-3-lactic acid.

Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1979 Jul, 244(2-3), 260 - 7
The prevalence of anaerobic bacteria in suprapubic bladder aspirates obtained from pregnant women; Dankert J et al.; The incidence of asymptomatic bacteriuria due to aerobic, facultative anaerobic and strictly anaerobic bacteria during pregnancy was determined in 185 patients admitted for complications of pregnancy, using suprapubic bladder aspiration . Anaerobic bacterial counts of 103 per ml urine or higher were detected in 6.4 per cent of the specimens . The incidence of anaerobic bacteriuria seems comparable to that of bacteriuria due to aerobic and facultative anaerobic micro organisms . In our group of patients the incidence of the latter was 5.4% . The presence of anaerobic bacteria was not confined to the occurrence of a particular species . Peptostreptococcus species, Veillonella species, Bacteroides species, Eubacterium species, Clostridium species and Bifidobacterium species were isolated from specimens in concentrations of more than 103 per ml . Consequences of asymptomatic bacteriuria during pregnancy are totally uncertain . Further investigation is necessary to obtain insight into the effect of bacteriuria due to anaerobes upon the outcome of pregnancy.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1979 Jul, (7), 92 - 6
{Antagonistic interrelationships of Bifidobacterium bifidum i Proteus vulgaris in vitro in the digestive tract of gnotobiotic chicks}; Timoshko MA et al.; The antagonistic relations between Bacterium bifidum, strain I/850 phi, and Proteus vulgaris, strain F-30, were studied . These organisms, when introduced together in equal doses into the digestive tract of gnotobiotic chickens in a single administration, were shown to create certain ecological correlations in various organs with the prevalence of bifidobacteria which exerted no negative influence on Proteus vulgaris . The additional daily administration of bifidobacteria for 3 days running in doses 1000 times as great as the initial dose, the content of both dibifobacteria and Proteus vulgaris in the intestine being at that time at its maximum, resulted in the suppression of the growth of Proteus vulgaris . Our findings indicate that the influence of the pH of the medium should be considered in order to obtain the evidence of significantly pronounced antagonistic relations between the two organisms in vitro.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1979 Jun, (6), 54 - 8
{Morphology of the bifidobacteria by light and electron microscopy and their biological properties}; Liannaia AM et al.; The morphology and the acid-producing, antagonistic and enzymatic activity of the strains of bifidobacteria isolated from the intestine of adults and children were studied . Bifidobacteria showed a considerable polymorphism, all the strains were antagonistically active . The strains isolated from adults were found to have greater acid-producing activity; the predominant species were B . longum and B . adolescentis, and in children B . bifidum were also isolated . The characteristic feature of B . longum strains was the presence of a slime-like layer and formations resembling bubbles around bacterial cells . The stains with greater physiological activity were found to have an extensive mesosomal complex, as well as a great number of volutin granules.

Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1979 Apr, 243(2-3), 326 - 35
{Short-term oral chemoprophylaxis before intestine surgery . Quantitative determination of bacteria and fungi in stool specimens (author's transl)}; Linzenmeier G et al.; The methods of quantitative analysis of aerobe and anaerobe microbes and fungi stool specimens are described . The results of the studies in health people are compared to the results in patients undergoing surgical treatment of intestinal tract . A group of these patients received Neomycin and Bacitracin orally as short-time chemoprophylaxis to diminish possible woundinfection and/or sepsis . After oral medication germs as Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides and Clostridium (not Cl . perfringens) are reduced or lost, Veillonella, Eubacterium, Fusiformis, Peptostreptococcus and Lactobacillus were suppressed . Resistant strains of E . coli and Enterococci increased to high concentration/g faeces . After treatment the rate of gram-negative bacteria resistant to Neomycin increased . This might be of epidemiologically importance for the distribution of microbes resistant to Neomycin and other aminoglycosides as Klebsiella, Candida spec . and Torulopsis.

J Hyg (Lond), 1979 Apr, 82(2), 263 - 83
Factors affecting the incidence and anti-salmonella activity of the anaerobic caecal flora of the young chick; Barnes EM et al.; Thirty-two different types of anaerobic bacteria isolated from chickens have been tested for anti-salmonella activity in vitro . Under the conditions of the test only Bacteroides hypermegas and a Bifidobacterium sp . were shown to inhibit the salmonellas and this was attributed to the production of volatile fatty acids (VFA's) coupled with a low pH . When these organisms were tested in newly hatched chicks no inhibition of S . typhimurium occurred . Possible explanations for this observation are considered . The pH value and concentration of VFA's in the caecal material were determined in chicks from 0-84 days . In vitro tests with S . typhimurium indicated that, whilst the organism would be able to multiply at the pH and concentration of VFA's found during the first few days after hatching, the rapid increase in VFA concentration during the first 21 days would make this increasingly difficult . The significance of the developing caecal flora in relation to VFA production and pH is discussed . Because certain feed additives are known to influence the carriage of salmonellas, the sensitivity of various caecal anaerobes to these compounds was determined in vitro, generally at 1, 10 and 100 microgram/ml . The additives tested included flavomycin, furazolidone, nitrovin, tetracyline, tylosin, sulphaquinoxaline, virginiamycin and zinc bacitracin . All the organisms tested were inhibited by 100 microgram/ml furazolidone; none were inhibited by 500 microgram/ml sulphaquinoxaline . Changes occurring in the VFA concentration, pH value and microflora of the caeca of chicks fed for 49 days or longer on a normal starter diet or the same diet containing 10 or 100 mg/kg nitrovin have been compared . When the chicks were fed on the diet containing 100 mg/kg nitrovin, the Gram-negative non-sporing anaerobes were eliminated as a significant part of the caecal flora . However, the VFA concentration combined with a low pH in chicks from 2 weeks onwards was still sufficient to inhibit salmonella multiplication . Other possibly interrelated factors which might lead to an increased salmonella carrier rate in the nitrovin-treated chickens are discussed.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1979 Mar, 37(3), 379 - 82
Urease-producing species of intestinal anaerobes and their activities; Suzuki K et al.; Urease activities of anaerobic bacteria that constituted predominant gut flora were examined . It was demonstrated that some strains of Eubacterium aerofaciens, E . lentum, and Peptostreptococcus products produced urease . They were the most numerous species in human feces . All strains of Bifidobacterium infantis and some strains of Bacteroides multiacidus, B . bifidum, Clostridium symbiosum, Fusobacterium necrophorum, F . varium, Lactobacillus fermentum, Peptococcus asaccharolyticus, and P . prevotii produced urease . The optimum pH of the Lactobacillus urease was found to be 4.0, whereas the pH value of B . multiacidus urease was 8.0.

Nahrung, 1979, 23(4), 455 - 65
{Alteration of the normal intestinal flora in human sucklings within the last 20 years}; Grutte FK et al.; Analyses of the feces-flora and the feces-pH of breastfed infants and of infants nourished with commercial formulae (Ki-Na, Milasan) performed since 20 years were evaluated . In both regimens decreasing numbers of Bifidobacteria could be remarked . The dominating position of this groups of bacteria was limited more and more . Since 1971 the Bifidobacterium biotype, characteristic of feces of breastfed infants could be proved no more . Simultaneously germs of the E . coli-group and neonmycine-resistent forms increased . With breast-milk Proteus distinctly increased in the feces, whereas, formulae on cow's milk basis caused the reversed effect . Bacteroides and the group of H2S producing bacteria remained unaltered . In the stools of breastfed infants the pH-value increased slowly . These tendencies were marked still stronger in prematures . Enhancing influences from the environment as possible reasons for these developments were discussed.

Scand J Infect Dis Suppl, 1979, (19), 92 - 7
Acute appendicitis and Bacteroides fragilis; Pieper R et al.; Bacteria belonging to the Bacteroides fragilis group (B . fragilis, B . ovatus, B . vulgatus, B . distasonis, B . thetaiotaomicron and B . uniformis) were cultured in quantities of less than or equal to 10(5) c.f.u./ml from the excised appendix from 30 patients . Twenty-two patients (group I) had an acute purulent appendicitis (three with perforation), four were classified as slightly inflamed cases (group 2) and four had a normal appendix (group 3) . The B . fragilis group of bacteria dominated among the anaerobic isolates, but Bifidobacteria, Fusobacteri, Clostridium perfringens, Lactobacilli, Leptotrichia and Veillonella, in decreasing order, were isolated as well . Among isolates of aerobic bacteria, E . coli was most frequently isolated (26/30 patients) . No other genus was isolated from more than four of the appendices . Serological investigations of the humoral antibody response to polysaccharide antigens from four of the Bacteroides species showed that a doubling of the titer, or more, in paired serum samples could be observed as follows: against B . fragilis 6/22 patients (group 1), 3/8 patients (groups 2 and 3) . The corresponding figures for B . ovatus were 11/22 and 2/8, B . vulgatus 3/22 and 0/8 and B . distasonis 4/22 and 0/8 . Sera from two patients with ruptured appendix, and B . fragilis cultivated, showed the highest titer increases against the B . fragilis antigen . The data from the bacteriological and immunological investigations make us conclude that (i) the B . fragilis group of bacteria is the most common anaerobic group of bacteria isolated from normal and diseased appendices, (ii) the mere isolation of B . fragilis, encapsulated or not, does not imply an etiological role in appendicitis since there was no obvious difference in titer increases against B . fragilis in sera from patients with or without an inflamed appendix, and (iii) high, and significant, titer increases against B . fragilis are seen in sera from patients with ruptured appendix.

Biochim Biophys Acta, 1978 Nov 10, 527(1), 301 - 4
Presence of a single enzyme catalyzing the pyrophosphorolysis of UDP-glucose and UDP-galactose in Bifidobacterium bifidum; Lee LJ et al.; The enzyme preparation catalyzing the pyrophosphorolyses of UDP-glucose and UDPgalactose almost at the same rate was purified about 900-fold from Bifidobacterium bifidum grown on glucose medium . The two activities were always associated with each other, and their activity ratio was always constant throughout the purification steps . The final preparations was revealed homogeneous by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence and absence of sodium dodecyl sulfate . There was no significant difference in thermal stabilities of the two activities . From these results it was concluded that the UDPglucose and UDPgalactose pyrophosphorylase activities in B . bifidum are catalyzed by a single enzyme protein.

Int J Clin Pharmacol Biopharm, 1978 Nov, 16(11), 495 - 502
Use of gentamicin to prevent intestinal side effects of lincomycin therapy; Fesce E et al.; Mild to severe and persisting diarrhea and even colitis have been reported as a side effect of therapy with lincomycin and clindamycin . An alteration in the normal bowel flora with an overgrowth of coliforms and other antibiotic-resistant bacteria has been postulated as a mechanism for the development of diarrhea . Investigations were undertaken in men to observe whether the simultaneous administration of gentamicin was capable of preventing lincomycin-associated intestinal disturbances . Of the 30 subjects treated only with lincomycin 11 (36.6%) developed diarrhea . Of the 18 subjects treated with lincomycin and simultaneously with oral gentamicine, none developed diarrhea . Results of bacteriological examinations indicate that in subjects treated with lincomycin, some potentially pathogenic bacteria, like coliforms and clostridia, are still present in intestinal flora; the simultaneous absence of bifidobacteria and bacteriodes could result in the abolishment of the host resistance to the noxious activity of these endogenous bacteria, as some reported data of the literature suggest . Coliforms and the majority of clostridia strains are not present in subjects treated simultaneously with gentamicin.

Am J Clin Nutr, 1978 Oct, 31(10 Suppl), S128 - S130
Degradation of polysaccharides by intestinal bacterial enzymes; Salyers AA et al.; Polysaccharides with structures resembling components of dietary fiber were fermented by a number of species of anaerobic bacteria from the human colon . Some strains also fermented glycoprotein mucins . The strains that fermented the widest range of polysaccharide substrates were in the two genera Bacteroides and Bifidobacterium . Polysaccharide degrading enzymes from several Bacteroides species have been studied, and in most cases the enzyme activities were cell bound rather than extracellular . In all cases, the polysaccharide degrading enzymes were inducible rather than constitutive . Thus the metabolic activity of the flora could be altered considerably by the amount and type of fiber in the diet, even though the composition of the flora itself remained unchanged . The products of enzyme action included monosaccharides and oligosaccharides of varying chain lengths.

Yale J Biol Med, 1978 Sep-Oct, 51(5), 505 - 12
Bacteremia due to Bifidobacterium, Eubacterium or Lactobacillus; twenty-one cases and review of the literature; Bourne KA et al.; Twenty-one cases of bacteremia due to Bifidobacterium, Eubacterium and Lactobacillus are described . Transient bacteremic episodes with these organisms may follow trauma to the mouth, intestine, or vagina . The majority of the patients were female and most had an underlying condition that may have predisposed to bacteremia . Ten of the patients died despite antibiotic treatment.

Mikrobiologiia, 1978 Sep-Oct, 47(5), 924 - 31
{Fine structure of Bifidobacterium bifidum}; Vaisman ISh et al.; Cultures of Bifidobacterium bifidum 1 were grown in liquid and semisolid nutrient media for 14 hours to 6 days . Their preparations were then studied by electron microscopy on ultra-thin sections after a routine chemical fixation or on replicas after rapid freezing-fracturing and etching . This procedure made it possible to obtain new data about the structural organization of cells in the course of growth of cultures which were characterized by desynchronization of growth and division processes . The growth was inhibited later when populations reached the highest number of cells in the given set of conditions . The zone of nuclear vacuoles contained peculiar membrane structures which appeared and underwent certain changes related, apparently, to the mode of growth of this bacterium.

Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1978 Aug-Sep, 129B(2), 175 - 81
Amino acids produced by bifidobacteria and some Clostridia; Matteuzzi D et al.; A lot of 121 strains of bifidobacteria and 9 strains of clostridia were examined for their ability to release free amino acids in the culture broth . The bifidobacteria studied belong to 18 species or "homology group" and the clostridia to 8 species . The growth in a synthetic medium with ammonium salts as sole nitrogen source was also studied . All the clostridia and the majority of the bifidobacteria produce various amino acids . The possible ecological significance of these findings is suggested.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1978 Apr, 35(4), 670 - 8
Nonsporing, anaerobic, gram-positive rods in saliva and the gingival crevice of humans; Sanyal B et al.; Quantitative and qualitative examination of anaerobically isolated flora of the gingival crevice and saliva was carried out . It was found that half the organisms were anaerobes and that there were twice as many gram-positive organisms as there were gram-negative ones . Rods were predominant in the gingival crevice (60.5%) and cocci in saliva (69.1%) . Of the total organisms, nonsporing, gram-positive anaerobic rods accounted for 24% in the gingival crevice and 9.7% in saliva . These organisms were characterized on the basis of the type of fatty acids produced from glucose and various biochemical reactions . They belonged to the following genera: Actinomyces, Propionibacterium, Arachnia, Lactobacillus, Eubacterium, and Bifidobacterium . Bifidobacteria were present only in saliva . Although members of the other genera were present both in the gingival crevice and saliva, there were considerable differences in the proportion of any particular organism (in relation to the total anaerobic viable count) between the two sites . The result of this study also indicates a greater than previously appreciated level of Propionibacterium and Arachnia in the human mouth.

Am Surg, 1978 Apr, 44(4), 196 - 9
Microbial flora of the diseased stomach at resection; Bornside GH et al.; The relation of microbial flora in stomach contents and stomach wall was examined in paired specimens from 10 surgical patients and in specimens of wall from 10 additional patients . The flora of both contents and wall were similar . Paired specimens from five patients contained the same kinds of bacteria . Paired specimens from these patients were sterile . Contents from two patients contained bacteria, but the wall was sterile . Microorganisms isolated were streptococci, lactobacilli, bifidobacteria, bacteroides, staphylococci yeast, and coliforms . Bacterial counts ranged from 0 to 10(7.5) per ml or g in both contents and tissue . Survey of the literature shows that most specimens from patients with gastric ulcers or gastric malignancies are positive for bacteria, while only about 60% of specimens from patients with duodenal ulcers are positive.

Postgrad Med, 1978 Mar, 63(3), 187 - 8, 190, 192
Case report: fatal anaerobic pulmonary infection due to Bifidobacterium eriksonii; Green SL; This case illustrates progressive anaerobic pleuropulmonary infection caused by Bifidobacterium eriksonii that eventually was fatal . Aspiration pneumonia, lung abscess, empyema, and finally necrotizing pneumonia characterized the clinical course . The organism is difficult to recover, but there is reason to suspect that it may be of greater etiologic importance than heretofore recognized in debilitated patients with pleuropulmonary infections . This patient was a 52-year-old alcoholic with periodontal disease . Both conditions are well-known factors underlying anaerobic pleuropulmonary infection . Alcoholism probably predisposed the patient to aspiration of oral secretions, the likely source of the infection.

Microbios, 1978, 22(87), 35 - 43
Effects of antibiotics on the cation composition of Bifidobacterium bifidum subspecies pennsylvanicum; Veerkamp JH; Cell wall-inhibitory antibiotics caused a marked reduction of intracellular K+ and a small increase of Na+, together resulting in a decline of intracellular cation content . Chloramphenicol and tetracycline increased intracellular K+ but actinomycin decreased both Na+ and K+ content . The release and uptake of 86Rb+ were similarly affected by the antibiotics as the K+ content . The osmotic resistance of the protoplasts isolated from antibiotic-treated cells was apparently increased by inhibitors of cell wall synthesis, but decreased by inhibitors of protein synthesis . The ionophore valinomycin enhanced growth in normal and K+-rich medium, although cells released more than 90% of intracellular K+.

J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo), 1978, 24(6), 569 - 79
Interactions between Bifidobacterium bifidum N4 and Escherichia coli K-12 in their mixed cultures; Hara E et al.; The interactions between Bifidobacterium bifidum N4 (B . bifidum) and Escherichia coli K-12 (E . coli) were investigated in their mixed cultures . Under conditions in which both bacteria grew well in their pure culture, B . bifidum inhibited the growth of E . coli even when the latter was inoculated at 10(4)-fold and preincubated for 41 hr . The inhibition in the mixed cultures appeared when the pH values were reduced below 4.6 . When the lowering of pH was prevented by the addition of NaOH, no inhibition was observed . At the same initial pH of 6.5, lactic acid and acetic acid, metabolites of B . bifidum, had more inhibitory effect on the growth of E . coli than other aliphatic fatty acids . On the other hand, in the mixed cultures with E . coli, B . bifidum grew in the absence of its essential vitamins, riboflavin and pantetheine and, furthermore, aerobically.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1977 Nov, 34(5), 529 - 33
Fermentation of mucins and plant polysaccharides by anaerobic bacteria from the human colon; Salyers AA et al.; A total of 154 strains from 22 species of Bifidobacterium, Peptostreptococcus, Lactobacillus, Ruminococcus, Coprococcus, Eubacterium, and Fusobacterium, which are present in high concentrations in the human colon, were surveyed for their ability to ferment 21 different complex carbohydrates . Plant polysaccharides, including amylose, amylopectin, pectin, polygalacturonate, xylan, laminarin, guar gum, locust bean gum, gum ghatti, gum arabic, and gum tragacanth, were fermented by some strains from Bifidobacterium, Peptostreptococcus, Ruminococcus, and Eubacterium species . Porcine gastric mucin, which was fermented by some strains of Ruminococcus torques and Bifidobacterium bifidum, was the only mucin utilized by any of the strains tested.

Arch Microbiol, 1977 Oct 24, 115(1), 95 - 102
On the specificity of the uridine diphospho-N-acetylmuramyl-alanyl-D-glutamic acid: diamino acid ligase of Bifidobacterium globosum; Hammes WP et al.; The peptidoglycan of Bifidobacterium globosum contains ornithine and lysine alternately in the same position of the peptide subunit . The uridine diphospho-N-acetylmuramyl-alanyl-D-glutamic acid: diamino acid ligase of this organism was purified 700-fold . Since the activities for the incorporation of ornithine and lysine into uridine diphospho-N-acetylmuramyl-tripeptide did not separate during purification and since the incorporation of ornithine is competitively inhibited by lysine and vice versa, both ornithine and lysine are assumed to be incorporated by one single enzyme . Studies on the specificity of the ligase toward analogs of ornithine have shown that the enzyme requires a diamino, monocarboxylic acid with 4-6 carbon atoms . Methylation of the epsilon-amino group or hydroxylation of the delta-carbon atom of lysine decreases the competitive properties of the analog, whereas the substitution of the gamma-methylen group by sulfur (S-2-aminoethyl cysteine) results in a highly competitive compound.

Kosm Biol Aviakosm Med, 1977 Mar-Apr, 11(2), 57 - 9
{Intestinal autoflora of the test subjects in a 6-month biological engineering experiment}; Rerberg MS et al.; During a 6-month bioengineering experiment the intestinal microflora of four test subjects was examined . Changes in the composition of different groups of intestinal microflora (bifidobacteria, lactic-acid bacteria, sporogenous anaerobes, proteus, etc) were found . In spite of the unstable pattern of the intestinal microflora and its tendency for simplification, the total number of microorganisms in 1 g of feces remained relatively unchanged in all the test subjects.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 Feb, (2), 73 - 9
{Dynamics of the establishment of intestinal microflora in healthy full-term newborns}; Kozlova EP et al.; A study was made of the dynamics of establishment of the intestinal microflora in 79 healthy mature neonates born of healthy mothers . A total of 223 bacteriological examinations were conducted . A stable prevalence of bifidobacteria over the aerobic portion of the intestinal biocenosis occurred in all the children from the 8th day after birth . Along with this the following bacteria were continuously present in the intestine: lactic bacilli and streptococci E . coli, enterococci and staphylococci; however, their portion in the biocenosis was not great . Bacteroids, microbes of the Proteus genus, and yeast-like fungi were found in the cultures only before the establishment of a high bifidobacteria level . Conditionally pathogenic microorganisms and their associations were continuously revealed in 19.8% of healthy mature neonates . Apparently the qualitative prevalence of bifidobacteria prevented the clinical expression of dysbacteriosis in these children.

Am J Obstet Gynecol, 1977 Jan 1, 127(1), 80 - 5
Quantitative microflora of the vagina; Levison ME et al.; This study enumerated the predominant vaginal flora in 25 healthy patients: 18 prenatal (six with and 12 without gonorrhea) and seven nonpregnant without gonorrhea . All 25 patients had aerobes and 19 of the 25 had anerobes isolated in titers of greater than or equal to 10(5) colony-forming units (CFU per milliliter) . The most frequently isolated microorganism was the lactobacillus (aerobic and anaerobic species) followed by C . vaginale, viridans streptococci, anaerobic gram-positive cocci, and Bifidobacterium sp . Bacteroides fragilis was not isolated . There were no significant differences in the frequency of isolation of any specific microorganism or bacterial counts between pregnant and nonpregnant women or between pregnant women with and without gonorrhea (p greater than 0.05), except pregnant patients had significantly higher total facultative counts associated with significantly lower anaerobic lactobacilli counts and higher C . vaginale counts (p less than 0.01) than in nonpregnant patients.

Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, 1977, 43(2), 111 - 24
Effects of growth conditions on the ion composition of Bifidobacterium bifidum subsp . pennsylvanicum; Veerkamp JH; The cation content of Bifidobacterium bifidum subsp . pennsylvanicum was markedly influenced by the washing procedure of the cells, by the growth phase and the temperature, and by the composition of the culture medium . Optimal retention of cations was achieved by washing with 0.25 M MgCl2 at 20C . The intracellular Na+ concentration rose during growth in normal medium to a constant value in the stationary phase, the K+ concentration rose in the exponential phase, but fell in the stationary phase . Cells from 29-C cultures contained more Na+ and less K+ in the stationary phase than did cells from 37-C cultures, but the total cation content was the same at 29 and 37C . Intracellular Na+ and K+ concentrations were dependent on the concentrations in the medium and on its osmolarity . The intracellular Na+/K+ ratio varied from 0.04 to 2.3 . The concentrations of Na+,K+ and phosphate in the medium hardly affected growth . Mg2+-deficiency of the medium markedly decreased the concentration of Mg2+ within the cell; its concentration in the cell sap was greatly affected, but the amount of sedimentable, bound Mg2+ only slightly . The content of K+ within the cell decreased in Mg2+-deficient medium, but the concentration of Na+ did not . Omission of Tween 80 as well as its substitution by Tween 20 caused a decrease of intracellular K+ . Cells from Tween 40 and Tween 60 cultures additionally contained markedly less Na+.

Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, 1977, 43(2), 101 - 10
Effects of growth conditions on the lipid composition of Bifidobacterium bifidum subsp . pennsylvanicum; Veerkamp JH; Lipid-phosphorus and lipid-galactose content and phospholipid and fatty acid composition of Bifidobacterium bifidum subsp . pennsylvanicum were examined under a wide variety of growth conditions . Cells from 29-C cultures contained less lipid-phosphorus than did cells from 37-C cultures, but their lipid-galactose content and phospholipid composition did not differ . At both temperatures, the growth phase influenced the lipid composition similarly . Phosphate, Mg2+ and K+ concentrations in the medium did neither significantly change the cellular lipid-phosphorus content nor the phospholipid composition . Only Mg2+-deficiency markedly reduced growth and lowered the content of cellular lipid-galactose . Omission of Tween 80 from the medium did not affect growth, but lowered the content of lipid-galactose and augmented those of lipid-phosphorus and diphosphatidylglycerol in the cell . Increased osmolarity and substitution of other Tween for Tween 80 caused the same changes in lipid composition, and besides inhibited growth . Omitting Tween 80 and replacing it by other Tweens dramatically reduced the percentage of unsaturated fatty acids . C12- and C14-fatty acids made up about 50% of total fatty acids in cells from Tween 20 cultures and 12-14% in cells from Tween 40 and Tween 60 cultures . The differences in the decline of unsaturated fatty acids and in the degree of replacement of these acids by C12- and C14-fatty acids may be related to the variations in growth in cultures with various Tweens by way of changes in the physical state of the membrane lipids.

Sex Transm Dis, 1977 Jan-Mar, 4(1), 1 - 3
In vitro inhibition of growth of neisseria gonorrhoeae by genital microorganisms; Kaye D et al.; The ability of microorganisms present in titers of over 10(5)/ml in the vaginal or cervical secretions to inhibit growth of N . gonorrhoeae in vitro was tested . Study of a strain of N . gonorrhoeae against 77 microorganisms demonstrated that most strans of S . epidermidis, S . aureus and the one "Gaffkya anaerobia" interfered with the growth of the N . gonorrhoeae . A minority of strains of S . viridans, Neisseria, Candida and Bifidobacterium demonstrated interference . No strains of enterococcus, diptheroids, aerobic Lactobacillus, Peptostreptococcus, Peptococcus, anaerobic Lactobacillus or Veillonella demonstrated interference.

Biochim Biophys Acta, 1976 Dec 20, 450(3), 277 - 87
Biochemical changes in Bifidobacterium bifidum var . pennsylvanicus after cell wall inhibition . IX . Metabolism and release of cellular lipids in the presence of antibiotics; Veerkamp JH; Inhibiton of cell wall synthesis caused simultaneously an increase in cellular phospho-and glycolipids and a marked release of these compounds to the medium . The composition of the cellular and the released glyco-and phospholipids was almost the same . Antibiotics, which inhibit cell wall synthesis, did not influence glycolipid composition, but increased the relative and absolute amounts of disphosphatidylglycerol and its lysoderivatives . Incorporation and chase experiments demonstrated a considerable stimulation of phospholipid metabolism, and of diphosphatidylglycerol synthesis especially . Release of lipids was not accompanied by loss of cellular protein . Omission of Tween 80 from the medium decreased the release by about 50% and increased the relative amounts of the phosphogalactolipids in the cells and in the culture fluid . Inhibitors of protein synthesis and valinomycin caused a decrease in cellular lipidphosphorus content, and a relative increase of the phosphogalactolipids . No release of lipids was observed under these conditions.

Acta Med Okayama, 1976 Dec, 30(6), 371 - 8
Characterization of the glycolysis pathway and the plasma membrane of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains; Hayashi H et al.; The characteristics of the glycolytic pathway and the plasma membrane of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium were studied . The enzyme system of glycolysis (hexokinase, glucokinase and pyruvate kinase) which is the main source of energy in the anaerobic condition was localized in the cell soluble fraction (cytoplasma) of all species examined . Neither electron transfer chain components nor oxidase activities were found in anaerobically cultured Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium . Adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activities were mainly localized in the plasma membrane, suggesting that membrane ATPase is playing a key role in membrane transport and ATP synthesis of anaerobic bacilla . SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of membranes showed remarkable differences between the polypeptides patterns of B . adolescentis and B . bifidum . Such peculiarities in polypeptide patterns among the same genus may be useful in the identification of species.

Arch Microbiol, 1976 Nov 2, 110(23), 271 - 7
{Mechanism of the variation of the acetate/lactate/ratio during glucose fermentation by bifidobacteria (author's transl)}; Lauer E et al.; It is demonstrated that most strains of bifidobacteria form much more acetate and less lactic acid from glucose than is to be expected according to the breakdown of glucose via the "bifidoshunt" . The analysis of isotope distribution among the fermentation products of glucose labeled in different positions showed that the excess of acetate is the result of the phosphoroclastic splitting of a part of the pyruvate arising from carbons 4, 5, and 6 of glucose . In addition to acetate (carbons 5 and 6), formate is formed from carbon 4 and some acetate is reduced to ethanol . The formation of "extra" acetate occurs mainly during the log phase and is less pronounced in resting cells . The extent of the phosphoroclastic splitting of pyruvate varies considerably among different strains even among those from the same species.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1976 Oct, 32(4), 470 - 3
Presence of bifidobacteria in the rumen of calves fed different rations; Trovatelli LD et al.; A study was made on the numbers and species of bifidobacteria present in the rumen of calves fed high-roughage and high-concentrate diets . With the roughage ration the bifidobacteria were not detectable in a 10(-3) dilution, whereas with the concentrate ration their number was high, usually in the order of 10(8) to 10(9)/ml of rumen fluid . The species most represented, identified by means of deoxyribonucleic acid-deoxyribonucleic acid hybridization tests, included Bifidobacterium ruminale, Bifidobacterium globosum, and an apparently new species.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1976 Aug, (8), 33 - 6
{Composition of nucleic acids and concentration of methylated bases in the DNA of Bifidobacterium bifidum var . Tissier}; Pakhomova MV et al.; Nucleotide composition of the sum total DNA of B . bifidum, biotype III, was determined by paper chromatography in combination with ultraviolet spectrophotometry . DNA of B . bifidum was referred to the GC-type (GC -- 62.6 mol%) . Two additional nitrogen bases were present in the DNA composition; 5-methylcytosine and 6-methylaminopurine -- 0.45 mol% and 0.20 mol%, respectively . Nucleotide composition of the sum total RNA was studied with the aid of high-voltage electrophoresis in combination with ultraviolet spectrophotometry . The sum total RNA was referred to the high GC-type (GC -- 64.9 mol%) . These data permit to consider it reasonable to refer bifidobacteria to the Bifidobacterium genus.

J Hyg (Lond), 1976 Aug, 77(1), 129 - 39
Effect of various milk feeds on numbers of Escherichia coli and Bidifobacterium in the stools of new-born infants; Hewitt JH et al.; Escherichia coli was found in a similar proportion of stool specimens from infants who were breast-fed and from others fed on three different artificial-milk preparations . When E . coli was present its mean colony count in the stools of breast-fed infants was within the range of the mean counts for infants receiving the artificial -milk feeds . There was no consistent relation between high counts of bifidobacteria (Lactobacillus bifidus) and low counts of E . coli . This suggests that measures aimed at implanting or stimulating the growth of bifidobacteria in the large intestine of artificially fed infants may not greatly influence the E . coli population therein . The results are discussed in relation to the protection of artifically fed infants from E . coli enteritis.

J Med Microbiol, 1976 Aug, 9(3), 335 - 44
Bifidobacteria in the intestinal tract of infants: an in-vitro study; Bullen CL et al.; In-vitro studies showed that a number of factors are likely to influence the production and maintenance of a bifidobacillary flora and low pH in the faeces of newborn infants . Considerable importance is attached to the nature of the end products of bacterial metabolism in the large intestine . Thus, there is evidence to suggest that acetic acid and other metabolites of intraluminal bacterial growth suppress the growth of gram-negative organisms, but are without effect upon that of bifidobacteria . This mechanism in turn is controlled by the nature of the feed; important factors in breast milk include high lactose, low protein and low phosphate content.

Poult Sci, 1976 Jul, 55(4), 1375 - 83
Studies on the relationship between intestinal flora and cecal coccidiosis in chicken; Kimura N et al.; The bacteriological and histopathological changes in the ceca of young chickens after being infected with sporulated oocysts of Eimeria tenella were investigated . Lactobacilli and bifidobacteria showed remarkable decrease in number on the 5th day after infection, when shizont and gametocyate came to appear, and destruction of mucosa along with severe haemorrhaging was noticed . Other predominant bacteria like bacteroidaceae, catenabacteria and peptostreptococci showed only moderate and temporal decrease in number during the infection . Clostridium perfringens prolifereated after the 5th day post infection following the decline of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria . Proliferation of clostridia was so intense that the number was almost million times greater than that of the uninfected chicken at its peak on the 7th day after infection . Enterobacteria also showed a moderate but persistent increase in number . Most bacteria came to the normal population on the 10th day after infection . As for lactobacilli, bifidobacteria, clostridia and enterobacteria, the disturbances were still noticeable on the 17th day after injection . Antagonism between proliferated bacteria (clostridia and enterobacteria) and lactic acid bacteria (lactobacilli and bifidobacteria) whose intensity is suppose to be related to the cecal mucosa is suggested during cecal coccidiosis in chickens.

Urology, 1976 Apr, 7(4), 382 - 4
Aerobic and anaerobic flora in bladder urine of patients with indwelling urethral catheters; Sapico FL et al.; Twenty-five bladder urine specimens from 13 patients with long-standing indwelling catheters were obtained by percutaneous suprapubic needle aspiration to avoid contamination by extraneous flora and cultured aerobically and anaerobically . Twenty different species of organism were isolated from twenty-four positive specimens . The isolates were predominantly gram-negative aerobic or facultatively anaerobic bacilli, with occasional gram-positive aerobic cocci and yeasts . One patient had Clostridium perfringens and a Bifidobacterium and another had Veillonella and two species of Bifidobacterium . Both patients had four concomitant aerobic or facultative bacteria present . Anaerobic bacteria may therefore be found in the bladder urine of some patients with indwelling urethral catheters, but their role in the initiation and perpetuation of urinary tract infection in this setting remains unclear.

Jpn J Antibiot, 1976 Mar, 29(3), 325 - 31
{Antibacterial and bactericidal activity of tinidazole against anaerobic bacteria comparing with metronidazole (author's transl)}; Ninomiya K et al.; Antibacterial activity of tinidazole (1-2-(ethylsulfonyl)-2-methyl-5-nitroimidazole) against anaerobic bacteria including Peptococcus, Peptostreptococcus, Eubacterium, Propionibacterium, Bacteroides and Fusobacterium was studied by agar dilution method comparing with metronidazole . In addition to this work, bactericidal effect of tinidazole and metronidazole against P . prevotii, B . fragilis ss . fragilis and F . varium was examined by quantitative culture method after incubation in GAM broth containing of 4 MIC, 2 MIC, 1 MIC and 1/2 MIC of both drugs against each of three strains for 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 hours . All the strains of Peptococcus and Peptostreptococcus including P . anaerobius, P . saccharolyticus, P . prevotii and Ps . anaerobius and others were susceptible to a concentration of 6.25 mcg/ml of this drug . A concentration of 3.13 mcg/ml inhibited all strains of Bacteroides including B . fragilis ss . fragilis (12 strains), ss . vulgatus (5 strains), ss . thetaiotaomicron (4 strains) and ss . distasonis (2 strains) . To this concentration all strains of Fusobacterium including F . varium (20 strains), F . mortiferum (2 strains) and other Fusobacterium sp . (5 strains) were susceptible . On the contrary, Propionibacterium acnes (6 strains) was resistant to 100 mcg/ml or more of tinidazole and metronidazole . The antibacterial activity of tinidazole was stronger against Bacteroides than that of metronidazole, while almost equal against Peptococcus, Peptostreptococcus, Eubacterium and Fusobacterium . Tinidazole was bactericidal against F . varium in a concentration of 2 MIC till 24 hours of incubation but did not show such an activity on B . fragilis ss . fragilis in same concentration even after 12 hours of incubation . On the other hand, metronidazole was bactericidal against B . fragilis ss . fragilis while was not against F . varium . Against P . prevotii bactericidal activity of both drugs was similar . Tinidazole as well as metronidazole is an excellent chemotherapeutic agent against anaerobic bacteria excluding Propionibacterium acnes and Bifidobacterium adolescentis.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1976 Feb, 31(2), 304 - 12
Preservation of gastrointestinal bacteria and their microenvironmental associations in rats by freezing; Davis CP; The use of frozen rat gastrointestinal tissue samples for both the recovery of viable bacteria and for observation of microbial communities associated with the tissue was investigated . A decrease of 1 log in lactobacilli, bifidobacteria, and anaerobes was observed when the numbers of bacteria recoverable from frozen tissue (stored 7 to 9 days) were compared to those recoverable from fresh nonfrozen tissue (zero time control) . However, freezing did not appear to decrease the numbers of recoverable coliforms . Tissues, cleaved with razor blades after being frozen and stored for 7 to 9 days, showed bacterial communities situated on the mucosa and in the lumen of gastrointestinal specimens . This freezing technique preserved structures not previously observed in the gastrointestinal tract . This indicates that freezing is a good method to use to study such fragile microenvironments.

Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, 1976, 42(1-2), 49 - 57
Purification and properties of two fructose-6-phosphate phosphoketolases in Bifidobacterium; Sgorbati B et al.; Fructose-6-phosphate phosphoketolase was purified from type strains of two species of the genus Bifidobacterium: B . globosum and B . dentium . The first species has a preferred "animal" habitat, like feces of animals and rumen of cattle; the latter is harboured in "human" habitat, like feces and dental caries of man . Two electrophoretic types of phosphoketolase (F6PPK) were previously distinguished and called "animal" and "human" type according to the habitat of the bifid organism . The purified preparations of these two phosphoketolases displayed very different optimum pH range, metal activator and molecular weight; outstanding difference was found in the substrate specificity: the enzyme from B . globosum was able to split xylulose-5-P as well as fructose-6-P, whereas the phosphoketolase from B . dentium appeared to be specific for fructose-6-P.

Antibiotiki, 1976 Jan, 21(1), 81 - 4
{Bacterial fora of patients treated with bleomycin}; Dronova OM et al.; Microflora of the pharynx, nose, sputum and excrements was investigated . It was found that bleomycin therapy may induce or aggravate the shifts in microbiocenosis of the pharynx and sputum in the direction of pathogenization (increase in the number of Staph . aureus, hemolytic streptococci, enterobacteria) . A tendency to elimination of bifidobacteria and appearance of Proteus in the excrements was observed . Complications associated with the treatment are rarely of infectious origin.

J Gen Microbiol, 1975 Nov, 91(1), 17 - 44
Numerical taxonomy and laboratory identification of Actinomyces and Arachnia and some related bacteria; Holmberg K et al.; A numerical taxonomic study was made on 49 facultative anaerobic Gram-positive filamentous and/or diphtheroidal organisms isolated from dental plaques, carious dentin and faeces, together with 63 reference strains belonging to the genera Actinomyces, Arachnia, Bifidobacterium, Actinobacterium, Propionibacterium, Eubacterium and Lactobacillus . They were examined for 90 unit characters covering a wide range of tests and properties . The data were subjected to computer analysis in which the simple matching coefficient (SSM) and the similarity index (SJ) were calculated, and the results of single linkage techniques and an unweighted average linkage cluster analysis technique were compared . The strains fell into six major groups (phena) . The Actinomyces strains were recovered in two phena; the first contained Actinomyces israelii and the other facultative anaerobic Actinomyces, including subclusters equal to taxospecies of A . odontolyticus and A . viscosus/A . naeslundii, while the other phenon corresponded to the genera Arachnia, Actinobacterium, Bifidobacterium and Propionibacterium . The groups of Arachnia and Actinobacterium each contained one species, representing taxospecies of Arachnia propionica and Actinobacterium meyerii . Taxonomic criteria, both constant and discriminative, were selected to form a diagnostic table useful for laboratory identification of this group of organisms . Immunofluorescence supported the numerical data.

Antibiotiki, 1975 Nov, 20(11), 1024 - 7
{Effect of levomycetin on the microflora artificially introduced into the intestines of gnotobiotic chicks}; Timoshko MA et al.; Levomycetin effect on the microflora introduced into the intestine of abiotic chickens was studied . Levomycetin in a dose of 4 mg perosone chicken for 5 days provided a decrease in the number of Bifidobacteria, Lactobacteria, Escherichia and Enterococci by 100 to 10000 times and an increase in the number of Candida or disbacteriosis in the intestine . The highest effect was observed with respect to multiplication of Lactobacteria . This impaired the ecological quantitative ratio between the microorganisms . Re-establishment of the microbial biocenosis after discontinuation of levomycetin use was not complete . Repeated disbacteriosis in the gastrointestinal tract of the test-chickens was registered on the 16th day.

Can J Microbiol, 1975 Sep, 21(9), 1305 - 16
Scanning and transmission electron microscopy of three strains of Bifidobacterium; Bauer H et al.; Scanning and transmission electron microscopy was applied for a morphological study of three strains of Bifidobacterium grown on solid or liquid media . The pronounced pleomorphism of the cultures previously observed by light microscopy was confirmed . A possible sequence of the morphological events during transformation from one to another pleomorphic form is proposed for B . bifidum and B . longum . Ultrastructural differences such as the formation of extensive mesosomal complexes in B . longum and characteristic plasmalemma particles only observed in the B . bifidum mutant are described and discussed.

Biochim Biophys Acta, 1975 May 22, 388(2), 213 - 25
Biochemical changes in Bifidobacterium bifidum var . pennsylvanicus after cell wall inhibition . VIII . Composition and metabolism of phospholipids at different stages and conditions of growth; Van Schaik FW et al.; 1 . The phospholipid content and composition of Bifidobacterium bifidum var . pennsylvanicus is markedly influenced by the growth phase, the pH and the presence of human milk in the culture medium . 2 . The lipid-phosphorus content of the cells increases during the first period of active growth, but decreases later . The lipid-phosphorus content of the cells in the stationary phase is at constant pH 5.5 about 45 percent of that at constant pH 6.8 and final pH 5.2 . This difference is caused by a general reduction of all types of phospholipids . 3 . Phosphatidylglycerol content decreases during growth, diphosphatidylglycerol increases in the first period, but decreases later and especially in the stationary phase by an increase of its lysoderivatives . The phosphogalactolipids rise during growth in the non-controlled pH-culture to 70 percent of the phospholipids in the stationary phase . When pH is constant at 6.8 and 5.5 glycerolphosphorylgalactosyldiglyceride remains at a constant level of about 20 percent during growth . At pH 6.8 glycerophosphorylmonogalactosylmonoglyceride increases to 24 percent during cultivation; at pH 5.5 this lipid contributes only a few percent . 4 . Under all pH conditions, lack of human milk in the culture medium causes a marked increase of the lipid-phosphorus content of the cell, together with a high increase of the relative amounts of diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol and a decline of the phosphogalactolipids . The same changes are observed after inhibition of cell wall synthesis by various antibiotics, but not after inhibition of protein synthesis.

J Infect Dis, 1975 Apr, 131(4), 417 - 22
Susceptibility of Anaerobic bacteria to carbenicillin, cefoxitin, and related drugs; Sutter VL et al.; The agar dilution technique was used for determination of the bacteriostatic activity of carbenicillin, penicillin G, cefazolin, cephaloridine, cefoxitin, and cephalothin agaomst a variety of anaerobic bacteria . Carbenicillin showed a high level of activity at a concentration of smaller than or equal to 100 mug/ml; only five of 123 strains of Bacteroides fragilis, one strain of Bifidobacterium eriksonii, and one strain of Clostridium bifermentans were resistant to a concentration of larger than or equal to 100 mug/ml . Cefoxitin, a beta-lactamase-resistant drug, was highly active against B . fragilis and most other anaerobes at a concentration of smaller than or equal to 32 mug/ml; the exceptions were one strain of Bacteroides species and 13 of 28 strains of Clostridium species . The other cephalosporins were less active against B . fragilis but exhibited good activity against most of the other strains tested . Bactericidal concentrations of cefoxitin and cephalothin were determined for 51 selected strains by the broth dilution technique, and the activities of these drugs were compared with those of two other drugs (clindamycin and metronidazole) known to be very active against anaerobes . Metronidazole wasthe most consistently bactericidal of the four drugs tested for this activity.

Am J Clin Nutr, 1971 Aug, 24(8), 976 - 86
The uniqueness of human milk . Host resistance to infection; Mata LJ et al.; Publication Types:

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