Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 1991 May-Jun, 14(3), 259 - 64 In vitro antibacterial activity of trospectomycin (U-63,366F) against anaerobic bacteria and aerobic gram-positive cocci in Chile; Montiel F et al.; The in vitro activity of trospectomycin sulfate was compared with those of several antimicrobials, against 301 anaerobic bacteria and 613 aerobic Gram-positive cocci . Trospectomycin was about 4- to 32-fold more active than was spectinomycin . Trospectomycin exhibited consistently good activity against all Bacteroides fragilis group isolates, except Bacteroides vulgatus, and against all other anaerobes comparable or higher to that of clindamycin . The trospectomycin's activity was most similar to that of vancomycin, even against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis. Surgery, 1991 May, 109(5), 652 - 5 A comparison of polypropylene mesh and expanded polytetrafluoroethylene patch for the repair of contaminated abdominal wall defects--an experimental study; Law NW et al.; Abdominal wall defects created in Sprague-Dawley rats were repaired with either polypropylene mesh (PPM) or expanded polytetrafluoroethylene patch (PTFE) . Tensiometric studies of abdominal wall strength showed that PPM and expanded PTFE provided a strong repair in uninfected wounds . Wounds reconstructed with expanded PTFE and contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus had a weak interface between the patch and the abdominal wall fascia . The strength of the interface was inadequate because collagen ingrowth in the material was inhibited . In contrast, the wound strength of PPM was unaffected by the presence of bacterial contamination. Srp Arh Celok Lek, 1991 May-Jun, 119(5-6), 138 - 42 {Development of resistance to aminoglycoside drugs in hospital strains of Staphylococcus aureus}; Petreska-Sibinovska D et al.; The purpose of this study is to determine the development of the resistance of hospital strains of Staphylococcus aureus to four aminoglycosides . Study observation was conducted in three periods with five years elapsed between each of them . The first pre-amikacin period (211 strains) lasted for 16 months . The second and the third post-amikacin periods lasted for 8 (53 strains) and 18 (230 strains) months, respectively . A total of 494 strains od S . aureus from 458 patients were examined . In the first period 40% strains were resistant to gentamicin, tobramycin and kanamycin . The percentage was increased to 90% in the second and the third period . No statistically significant difference among gentamicin, tobramicin and kanamicin in any of three periods was noticed . However, the frequency of the strains resistant to amikacin was increased from 36% in the second period to over 50% in the third . Nevertheless, statistically significant smaller number of strains was to be resistant to amikacin in respect to resistance to gentamicin, tobramicin and kanamicin (Fb = 54,84; p less than 0.01) . The degree of resistance during the second and third period indicates a significant increase of MIC for gentamicin and amikacin (p less than 0.01) . During this work phenotype exchange of strains took place . Hence, the phenotype TK from the first period was replaced with GTK during the second and with GKTA in the third. Zhonghua Min Guo Xiao Er Ke Yi Xue Hui Za Zhi, 1991 May-Jun, 32(3), 165 - 70 {Control of staphylococcal skin infections in a nursery}; Huang FY et al.; Outbreaks of skin infections due to Staphylococcus aureus continue to be a major problem in newborn nurseries . In this report, we described how the staphylococcal skin infections were controlled in the nursery during the last 5 1/2 years . An outbreak of staphylococcal skin infection (totally 29 cases) developed in January 1985, and declined dramatically to 3 cases in March of the same year when 3% hexachlorophene (HCP) bathing was used (period 1-January 1985 to March 1985) . The infections increased to 30 cases in May when HCP bathing was discontinued and was replaced by baby soap baths (period 2-April 1985 to May 1985) . Once again, HCP bathing (period 3-June 1985 to January 1987) was reinstituted and infection rate was reduced . After discontinuation of HCP (period 4-February 1987 to March 1987), another outbreak of staphylococcal skin infection reappeared . It was controlled again with HCP bathing (period 5-April 1987 to April 1988) . Daily baby soap baths were continued during period 6 (May 1988 to October 1988), and skin infections increased again . Finally in period 7 (November 1988 to June 1990), daily baby soaps were reinstituted and a triple dye was applied daily to the cord and to the surrounding skin (1 inch diameter) until discharge . During this period, staphylococcal skin infections was reduced to 1-4 cases and no more outbreaks occurred . Our data confirmed that 3% HCP bathing of newborns reduced the infection rate of Staphylococcus aureus during an endemic period, and supported that triple dye may be an alternative to HCP for preventing staphylococcal skin infection in a newborn nursery. Ann Ital Chir, 1991 May-Jun, 62(3), 275 - 80; discussion 280-1 {Perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis in reconstruction of the thoracic wall}; Rupprecht H et al.; Thirty youngs and children were submitted to surgical reconstruction of excavated chest . To prevent risk of infections (by Staphylococcus and mixed gram-negative flora) preoperative 100 mg/Kg body weight of cefotaxime was given . In all patients the operative wounds healed regularly . To evaluate cefotaxime level and that of its metabolites raised in the tissues, the very sensibles method HPLC was applied . Thus 45 minutes after antibiotic somministration, very high levels were present in cartilage 9.8 mmg/gr and in bones (9.3 mmg/gr) . Related to Staphylococcus aureus (MHK 90 of about 2 mmg/ml) results are of value also for other surgical orthopedic operations. Mol Biol Rep, 1991 May, 15(2), 65 - 72 Analysis of the structural relationships between the DNA-binding phosphoproteins pp42, pp43 and pp44 by in situ peptide mapping; Egyhazi E et al.; A structural homology is established between three DNA-binding phosphoproteins located in the 42 to 44 kDa range, referred to as pp42, pp43 and pp44, from Chironomus tentans salivary gland cells by in situ peptide mapping . The staining patterns of pp42, pp43 and pp44 which resulted from digestion with Staphylococcus aureus V8, trypsin or papain proteases show the presence of 8 to 15 spots majority of which have identical mobility . In the patterns of the digests generated by treatments with trypsin about 10 spots appear in common between any pair of the protein substrates . In addition, each pattern includes two to three peptides of mobility not present in the other . Thus the peptide mapping of pp42, pp43 and pp44 based on the staining patterns of proteolytic digests suggest the existence of structural homology between the three unlabelled substrates . The proteolytic peptides carrying the rapidly turning over phosphate groups form markedly different electrophoretic patterns than the unlabelled peptides visualized by staining . Treatment of 32P-labelled pp42, pp43 and pp44 with V8 generates only one labelled fragment in the 30 kD range . The cleavage patterns of pp44 produced by chymotrypsin or papain contain seven to ten labelled fragments while those of pp42 and pp43 contain only two . The 32P-labelled tryptic peptides of pp42, pp43 and pp44 exhibit a ladder pattern for each substrate which probably arise by a consecutive removal of 25 to 35 amino acid residues from the primary digestion products pp29, pp29.5 and pp30 by cleavage of four to five putative interdomain regions . The possibility that these three structurally related phosphoproteins belong to the category of transcription factors is discussed. Clin Exp Immunol, 1991 May, 84(2), 336 - 46 Expression of the fibronectin receptor VLA-5 is regulated during human B cell differentiation and activation; Ballard LL et al.; We examined the expression of VLA-5, a fibronectin receptor, during human B cell development and activation . VLA-5 is a member of the integrin supergene family; VLAs are heterodimers of at least six unique alpha chains sharing a common beta chain; most are involved in cell attachment to extracellular matrix (ECM) . A hypothesis of haematopoietic development is that maturing cells leave the bone marrow because of the loss of VLA-5 during differentiation . However, mature B cells are not primarily circulating cells, and the role of ECM receptors in homing to peripheral lymphoid tissue and inflammatory sites is unknown . To examine the expression of VLA-5 during B cell development, cell lines blocked at specific stages of differentiation were evaluated for their synthesis and surface expression of VLA-5 using VLA-5-specific antibody and cDNA probes . VLA-5 mRNA and surface expression were found in the pre-B cell lines, REH and Nall 1, but not in more differentiated Raji cells or in several EBV-transformed peripheral B cell lines . Circulating peripheral B lymphocytes and resting tonsillar and splenic B lymphocytes expressed no VLA-5 by FACS analysis . Interestingly, mRNA and surface expression of VLA-5 were found in SKW, a highly differentiated, IgM-secreting line . In addition, low levels of staining for VLA-5 expression could be demonstrated when tonsillar or peripheral blood B lymphocytes were stimulated by Staphylococcus aureus Cowan (SAC) . All cell lines expressed VLA-3 and VLA-4, two other receptors reported to mediate fibronectin binding in some cell types . Thus, our studies provided no evidence for developmental or inflammatory regulation of these receptors . Binding studies, however, demonstrated that adherence of both pre-B REH cells and SKW cells to fibronectin was almost completely inhibited by a monoclonal antibody to VLA-5 alpha . In addition, Raji cells, which lack VLA-5 but express VLA-3 and VLA-4, showed very low level binding to fibronectin . This demonstrates that for some B lymphocytes VLA-5, rather than other possible fibronectin receptors, primarily mediates attachment to fibronectin . These data also suggest that human VLA-5 expression is regulated during B cell development, with expression at a very early stage and then again after activation . This pattern of loss and reacquisition of an ECM receptor may be relevant to normal B cell maturation and to function during immunologic injury. J Immunol, 1991 May 1, 146(9), 2965 - 71 Tyrosine phosphorylation is an essential event in the stimulation of B lymphocytes by Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I; Roifman CM et al.; Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I (SAC) is a potent mitogen for purified human B cells . By using Western blotting with antiphosphotyrosine antibodies, we demonstrated that the mitogenic effect of SAC is associated with rapid tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins of 45, 68, 75, 97, and 145 kDa . This tyrosine phosphorylation was detected within 30 s of the addition of SAC; it reached a maximum within 10 min, after which it declined gradually . In contrast to SAC, most soluble anti-IgM antibodies do not induce proliferation of isolated human B cells . As indicated by Western blotting, soluble anti-IgM antibodies induced a similar pattern of tyrosine phosphorylation, with the exception of the 68-kDa protein, which was the most heavily phosphorylated protein in SAC-treated cells . A similar but less intense 68-kDa band was also induced by mitogenic anti-IgM bound to beads . This suggested that tyrosine phosphorylation, especially of p68, may play an important role in B cell mitogenesis . To test this hypothesis, we determined the effect of specific tyrosine kinase inhibitors (tyrphostins) on SAC-induced tyrosine phosphorylation, oncogene expression, and B cell proliferation . The concentration dependencies of inhibition of these processes suggested that they were linked . Nonspecific toxic effects of the tyrphostins were ruled out by the demonstration that the tyrphostins did not alter cell viability and did not inhibit B cell proliferation induced by phorbol esters, which do not induce tyrosine phosphorylation . For maximal inhibition of SAC-induced cell proliferation, the tyrophostins needed to be added before or shortly after addition of SAC . Taken together, these data indicate that tyrosine phosphorylation is an obligatory early signal in B cell proliferation. J Hosp Infect, 1991 May, 18(1), 35 - 43 Evolution of Staphylococcus aureus resistance to erythromycin in Denmark, 1959 to 1988: correlations between characteristics of erythromycin-resistant bacteraemia strains; Westh H et al.; In an attempt to characterize erythromycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus we present the intricate relationships between the following factors: phage type, period of isolation, antibiogram, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) to erythromycin, inducible or constitutive resistance, spectinomycin susceptibility, hospital- or community-acquired infection, and mortality rate . We studied 718 cases of bacteraemia with erythromycin-resistant S . aureus, occurring between 1959 and 1988 . Central factors were phage type pattern, period of isolation, and antibiogram . Between 1959 and 1973 the majority of the erythromycin-resistant strains were multiresistant and belonged to the 83A complex and the related group III . They were mainly inducibly resistant, spectinomycin resistant, and had intermediate MICs (1-4 mg l-1) to erythromycin . The majority of these strains came from hospital-acquired infections and still exist today, although in decreased numbers . By contrast, erythromycin-resistant S . aureus isolated in recent years are usually co-resistant only to penicillin and more rarely also to tetracycline . These strains have inducible resistance, are spectinomycin susceptible, and have a high erythromycin MIC . They are isolated both from hospital- and community-acquired infections . Strains with constitutive resistance to macrolides occurred at a stable low level (13%) during the whole observation period and always had high MICs to erythromycin . The mortality rate among patients with S . aureus bacteraemia due to an erythromycin-resistant strain was only associated with the year of infection and decreased from 61% in the first 15-year period to 40% in the subsequent 15 years. J Hosp Infect, 1991 May, 18(1), 23 - 34 Evolution of Staphylococcus aureus resistance to erythromycin in Denmark, 1959 to 1988: comparison with erythromycin-susceptible strains; Westh H et al.; Between 1959 and 1988, all Staphylococcus aureus strains (15 168 patients) isolated from blood in Denmark have been collected, investigated and stored, and clinical data has been obtained . Erythromycin resistance was found in 4.9% of these strains . The frequency of erythromycin resistance peaked at 25% in 1966, due to the spread in hospitals of multiresistant strains of the 83A complex . When these strains dominated, an increased mortality rate was seen in patients infected with erythromycin-resistant S . aureus . In contrast to most countries, erythromycin resistance in S . aureus declined to less than 5% in 1971, continued to fall to 1.3% in 1983, and has increased slowly to 2.4% in 1988 . The decline was only due to a decrease of multiresistant strains . Erythromycin-resistant strains isolated in recent years are predominantly resistant only to penicillin and erythromycin and belong to many different phage type patterns . In Denmark, inducible resistance has occurred at a stable high frequency of approximately 90% of the erythromycin-resistant strains during the last 30 years . Erythromycin-resistant strains isolated today, however, have higher minimum inhibitory concentrations, and are rarely resistant to spectinomycin, in contrast to the strains isolated in the first half of the observation period. Clin Exp Rheumatol, 1991 May-Jun, 9(3), 259 - 64 Effect of sulfasalazine on B cells; Imai F et al.; We studied the in vitro immunomodulatory effect of sulfasalazine on purified human B cells, using a reversed plaque forming cell (PFC) assay and a proliferation assay . Sulfasalazine inhibited the PFC response of B cells in a dose-dependent manner . Sulfasalazine was added to PFC culture systems at several time points after the cultures were started . A marked reduction in B cell response was seen in the early phases (0-48 hours) . Staphylococcus Aureus Cowan I (SAC) induced maximal B cell proliferation at day 3 . Sulfasalazine at 5 micrograms/ml depressed that maximal proliferation on day 3 . This indicates that sulfasalazine inhibited an early-phase event in the proliferation and differentiation of B cells . Sulfapyridine also inhibited the PFC response, but 5-aminosalicylic acid and N-acetyl sulfapyridine had no significant effect . These findings are significant since sulfapyridine is an active moiety of sulfasalazine, which is responsible for the second line of defense in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) . Adding T cells or macrophages to the PFC culture system had no significant effect . Furthermore, medium containing indomethacin was used to study the effect of prostaglandin released by residual macrophages . The results indicate that sulfasalazine inhibited the PFC response without affecting T cells, macrophages or prostaglandin . Sulfasalazine apparently has a direct immunosuppressive effect on B cells. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 1991 May, 10(5), 428 - 36 Typing of methicillin resistant and susceptible Staphylococcus aureus strains by ribosomal RNA gene restriction patterns using a biotinylated probe; Preheim L et al.; Nine methicillin-sensitive (MSSA) and 37 methicillin-resistant (MRSA) Staphylococcus aureus isolates of various phage types and resistotypes from seven countries were investigated . Chromosomal DNA was restricted with HindIII or EcoRI, Southern blotted and hybridised with a cDNA probe to 16S+23S rRNA derived from MRSA NCTC 10442 . Resulting rDNA profiles could be differentiated on the basis of 22 patterns which were unaffected by changes in plasmid, transposon, enterotoxin A or phage content . Percentage similarity values were calculated using the Dice coefficient and UPGA clustering . Australian and epidemic (EMRSA-1) isolates from the UK showed a high degree of similarity, but the pattern was not unique and was also found in MSSA and other MRSA, e.g . NCTC 10442 . An MSSA of phage group II was the most distinct isolate . The method shows potential as an additional tool in a complex typing system, types non-phage typable strains and may provide clues to the clonal evolution of MRSA and MSSA. Am J Med, 1991 May, 90(5), 595 - 600 Staphylococcal pyomyositis in patients infected by the human immunodeficiency virus; Schwartzman WA et al.; PURPOSE: We describe the manifestations of spontaneous staphylococcal pyomyositis in patients infected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) . PATIENTS AND METHODS: We present the courses of five previously unreported patients infected by HIV who presented to our medical centers with spontaneous staphylococcal pyomyositis . Additionally, we review all previously reported cases of this entity in HIV-infected patients and discuss its possible pathogenesis and importance in the context of HIV infection . RESULTS: All patients presented with gradually developing fever and localized pain and swelling without accompanying leukocytosis . Often only scant evidence of local inflammation was found . None of our patients used intravenous drugs, had a history of trauma, had HIV- or zidovudine-related myositis, or had other conditions known to be associated with serious staphylococcal infections . Two patients studied had normal serum levels of all IgG subclasses . Elevated serum IgE, eosinophilic inflammatory infiltrates, or marked peripheral eosinophilia was observed in two patients . CONCLUSIONS: Staphylococcal pyomyositis in HIV-infected patients presents in an indolent fashion, which may delay appropriate diagnosis and treatment . Since staphylococcal pyomyositis is infrequently reported in the United States, the development of 14 such cases (five in this series and nine previously reported) among the first 140,000 cases of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in this country implies that this patient population is predisposed to this infectious complication . The pathogenesis of this entity is uncertain, but it is notable that HIV-infected patients are commonly colonized by Staphylococcus aureus and that neutrophils from HIV-infected patients frequently manifest phagocytic, chemotactic, and oxidative defects, diminished expression of Fc tau RIII (CD16) and CR1, and impaired bactericidal activity against S . aureus. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1991 May, 35(5), 796 - 800 Enhancement of macrophage superoxide anion production by amphotericin B; Wilson E et al.; Amphotericin B (AmB) appears to have some important immunomodulatory effects, but its mechanism of action has not been explained . We investigated the effects of AmB on activation of human monocyte-derived macrophages . Macrophages cultured in the presence of AmB had an enhanced capacity to produce superoxide anion after stimulation with phorbol myristate acetate . This enhancement was dose dependent within a therapeutic range of AmB levels (0.1 to 3.0 mg/liter) . Macrophages cultured in the presence of AmB had enhanced surface expression of Ia antigen; phagocytosis of unopsonized zymosan, opsonized Staphylococcus aureus, or erythrocytes opsonized with C3bi or immunoglobulin G paradoxically appeared to be reduced, but results did not achieve statistical significance . AmB appears to activate macrophages and may do so via direct effects on the plasma membrane. J Biol Chem, 1991 Apr 15, 266(11), 7262 - 9 Biosynthesis and proteolytic processing of type XI collagen in embryonic chick sterna; Thom JR et al.; The biosynthesis and proteolytic processing of type XI procollagen was examined using pulse-chase labelling of 17-day embryonic chick sterna in organ culture with {3H}proline . Products of biosynthesis were analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with and without prior reduction of disulfide bonds . Pro-alpha chains, intermediates, and matrix forms were identified by cyanogen bromide or Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease digestion . The results show that type XI pro-alpha chains assemble into trimeric molecules with interchain disulfide bonds . Proteolytic processing begins at least 40 min after the start of labeling which is later than that of type II procollagen (25 min) . This first processing step involves the loss of the domain containing the interchain disulfide bonds which most likely is the carboxyl propeptide . In the case of the pro-alpha 3 chain, this generates the matrix form, m alpha 3, which retains its amino propeptide . For the pro-alpha 1 and pro-alpha 2 chains, this step generates intermediate forms, p alpha 1 and p alpha 2, which undergo a second proteolytic conversion to m alpha 1 and m alpha 2, and yet retain a pepsin-labile domain . The conversion of p alpha 2 to m alpha 2 is largely complete 2 h after labeling . p alpha 1 is converted to m alpha 1 very slowly and is 50% complete after 18 h of chase in organ culture . The apparent proteolytic processing within the amino propeptide, and the differential rate of processing between two chains in the same molecule are unusual and distinguish type XI from collagen types I, II, and III . It is possible that the extremely slow processing of p alpha 1 affects the formation of the heterotypic cartilage collagen fibrils and may be related to the function of type XI collagen. J Immunol, 1991 Apr 15, 146(8), 2504 - 12 Staphylococcal enterotoxin-dependent lysis of MHC class II negative target cells by cytolytic T lymphocytes; Herrmann T et al.; The enterotoxins of Staphylococcus aureus (SE) are extremely potent activators of human and mouse T lymphocytes . In general, T cell responses to SE are MHC class II dependent (presumably reflecting the ability of SE to bind directly to MHC class II molecules) and restricted to responding cells expressing certain T cell receptor beta-chain variable (TCR V beta) domains . Recently we demonstrated that CD8+ CTL expressing appropriate TCR V beta could recognize SE presented on MHC class II-bearing target cells . We now show that MHC class II expression is not strictly required for T cell recognition of SE . Both human and mouse MHC class II negative target cells could be recognized (i.e., lysed) in a SE-dependent fashion by CD8+ mouse CTL clones and polyclonal populations, provided that the CTL expressed appropriate TCR V beta elements . SE-dependent lysis of MHC class II negative targets by CTL was inhibited by mAb directed against CD3 or LFA-1, suggesting that SE recognition was TCR and cell contact dependent . Furthermore, different SE were recognized preferentially by CTL on MHC class II+ vs MHC class II- targets . Taken together, our data raise the possibility that SE binding structures distinct from MHC class II molecules may exist. Eur J Biochem, 1991 Apr 10, 197(1), 9 - 14 Staphylococcal phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphotransferase system . Purification and protein sequencing of the Staphylococcus carnosus histidine-containing protein, and cloning and DNA sequencing of the ptsH gene; Eisermann R et al.; The histidine-containing protein (HPr) of the bacterial phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphotransferase system (PTS) was isolated from Staphylococcus carnosus and purified to homogeneity . The protein sequence was determined by Edman degradation of peptides obtained by proteolytic digestion with proteases V8, trypsin and chemical cleavage with BrCN . Furthermore, immunological screening of a chromosomal S . carnosus DNA gene library in pUC19 vector enabled us to isolate S . carnosus HPr-expressing colonies . The nucleotide sequence of this ptsH gene and its flanking regions was determined by the dideoxy-chain-termination technique . Upstream, the 264-bp open reading frame of the ptsH gene is flanked by a putative S . carnosus promoter structure and a putative ptsI gene downstream suggesting that ptsH gene is the first gene in the PTS operon of S . carnosus . Comparison of the amino acid sequence of S . carnosus HPr with the HPr sequence of Staphylococcus aureus (derived from peptide sequencing) showed a high degree of similarity. J Biol Chem, 1991 Apr 5, 266(10), 6511 - 7 Fusion of newly formed phagosomes with endosomes in intact cells and in a cell-free system; Mayorga LS et al.; Phagosomes are membrane-bound vesicles, formed by the receptor-mediated internalization of particulate ligands, which exchange soluble and membrane proteins with other endocytic compartments as a part of their maturation process . This exchange of material is undoubtedly mediated by fusion of phagosomes with other membrane-bound compartments of the endocytic pathway . By using a particulate probe (fixed Staphylococcus aureus coated with mouse anti-dinitrophenol monoclonal antibody) localized in phagosomes and a soluble probe (dinitrophenol-derivitized beta-glucuronidase) internalized by receptor-mediated endocytosis, we have studied phagosome-endosome and phagosome-lysosome fusion in intact cells and in a cell-free system . Vesicle fusion was assessed by measuring beta-glucuronidase activity associated with S . aureus particles after lysis of the membranes . In intact macrophages, newly formed phagosomes fused with early endosomes and with lysosomes . Fusion with lysosomes was observed to commence after a short lag period of about 5 min . In broken-cell preparations, phagosomes were able to fuse with early endosomes . It was not possible to reconstitute phagosome-lysosome fusion in vitro . In vitro phagosome-endosome fusion required energy and cytosolic- and membrane-associated proteins . A nonhydrolyzable analog of GTP stimulated fusion at low cytosol concentrations and inhibited fusion at high cytosol concentrations . These observations indicate that the mechanisms mediating phagosome-endosome fusion are similar to those described for endosome-endosome fusion . Our results suggest that exchange of material with endosomes is an important step in the process of phagosome maturation. Monatsschr Kinderheilkd, 1991 Apr, 139(4), 231 - 4 {Toxic shock syndrome in a 6-year-old male}; Siermann A et al.; Toxic shock syndrome, caused by an exotoxin of staphylococcus aureus is very rare in children . On admission, beside the shock, abdominal problems as vomiting, diarrhoea and a developing adynamic ileus were outstanding in our patient . Not before additional symptoms as staphylococcal pneumonia with bacteriemia occurred and later desquamation of palms and feet, diagnosis of toxic shock syndrome could be confirmed. Bone Marrow Transplant, 1991 Apr, 7(4), 285 - 91 Early recovery of lymphocyte response to Candida after bone marrow transplantation in colonized patients; Tollemar J et al.; Blood lymphocyte responses to Candida protein antigen (CP, Candida mannan mitogen (CM) and Staphylococcus aureus protein A (SPA) were followed in 133 bone marrow transplant (BMT) recipients . Lymphocyte proliferative responses to CP and SPA normalized within 6-12 months . The response to CM was only decreased in non-colonized patients during the first 2 months post-BMT and had already returned to normal by 1 month in colonized patients . During the forthcoming years all three lymphocyte stimulatory tests responses reached donor levels . There was a tendency for low lymphocyte reactivity to CP, high reactivity to CM and equal reactivity for SPA among recipients of T cell-depleted marrows as compared to patients with conventional graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis . After BMT, patients who were colonized with Candida recovered and increased their lymphocyte response to CP and CM within 1-3 months, while non-colonized patients required more than 6 months to regain normal stimulatory capacity . Patients who developed grades II-IV acute GVHD had significantly higher pretransplant lymphocyte responses to both CP (p = 0.02) and CM (p = 0.02) than patients with grades 0-I acute GVHD . There was also a trend for patients who later had a confirmed invasive Candida infection to have high responses to CP before BMT (p = 0.07) . After BMT, stimulation by CM, CP and SPA was not affected by acute or chronic GVHD or cytomegalovirus . In conclusion, proliferative capacity to Candida is restored early after BMT and superficial fungal colonization seem to be of importance for this maturation. Pathol Biol (Paris), 1991 Apr, 39(4), 290 - 2 {Bacterio-expert: an integrated system for assisting in the validation of antibiotic sensitivity tests . Retrospective application in 4053 Staphylococcus}; Legras B et al.; Bacterio-expert is a simple expert system for assisting in the validation of antibiotic sensitivity testing . This system is incorporated in a data acquisition and editing program for bacteriologic test (Bacterio program written in Turbo-Pascal for personal computer users by the same authors) . The principles of this system are explained and results with 4,053 antibiotic sensitivity tests on Staphylococcus aureus isolates are reported . Approximately 10% of tests required corrections. J Comp Pathol, 1991 Apr, 104(3), 289 - 302 Infection of rabbit mammary glands with ovine mastitis bacterial strains; Amorena B et al.; An experimental model was developed in rabbits to study ovine mastitis . A total of 19 ovine mastitis bacterial strains (seven Staphylococcus aureus, four Staph . chromogenes, four Staph . hyicus and four Escherichia coli) were used for mammary gland infections . The histopathological results showed that the ovine mastitis types corresponded to experimental infections produced in the rabbit with the ovine strains . These results helped the grading of the bacterial species tested according to the severity of their effects on the mammary gland . The most pathogenic species was Staph . aureus, followed by E . coli, Staph . hyicus and Staph . chromogenes, in that order . There was, however, variation among strains within a given species (e.g . one out of seven Staph . aureus strains gave rise to a mild infection in sheep and rabbits) . The procedure was simple and consisted of introducing bacterial suspensions through alternate teat ducts of does with the help of a cannula . It helped minimize the number of animals required in the experiments. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1991 Apr, 57(4), 1121 - 7 Effect of organic N-halamines on selected membrane functions in intact Staphylococcus aureus cells; Williams DE et al.; Two N-halamine compounds, 3-chloro-4,4-dimethyl-2-oxazolidinone and 1,3-dichloro-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-2-imidazolidinone, were compared with free chlorine as to their effects on selected membrane functions of intact Staphylococcus aureus cells . Free chlorine was found to cause a loss of permeability control, as measured by the efflux of potassium from the cells and a dramatic increase in hydrogen ion permeability, and to affect cell respiration in a nonreversible fashion, as measured by oxygen uptake . The two N-halamines were found to have very little effect on permeability to either potassium or hydrogen ions but were both found to dramatically inhibit respiration in a reversible manner . It is proposed that the first step in the disinfection process by these N-halamines is an inhibition of respiratory enzymes that, if not reversed, ultimately leads to a loss of cell viability. Vaccine, 1991 Apr, 9(4), 221 - 7 Potential for vaccination against infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus; Foster TJ; Surface polysaccharides and proteins from S . aureus which could serve as components of a future subunit vaccine against staphylococcal disease in man and animals have recently been characterized . The majority of bovine mastitis and human clinical isolates of S . aureus produce a thin polysaccharide capsule which probably impairs phagocytosis . Protective immunity to S . aureus infections in laboratory animals has been induced by immunization with polysaccharide, and immune serum promotes phagocytosis of bacteria in vitro . S . aureus expresses several surface-exposed proteins that bind host plasma proteins to the bacterial cell or promote adherence of bacteria to host cells or to tissues . These activities may help bacteria avoid host defences and stimulate adherence and colonization to form foci of infection . In this article the properties of S . aureus surface polysaccharides and proteins are reviewed . Their contribution to virulence and the possibility that they could be used as components of new vaccine to combat mastitis in ruminants and nosocomial infections is discussed. J Appl Bacteriol, 1991 Apr, 70(4), 344 - 50 Staphylococcus aureus S-6: factors affecting its growth, enterotoxin B production and exoprotein formation; Nychas GJ et al.; The growth of Staphylococcus aureus S-6, enterotoxin production and exoprotein formation were always higher in NZ-amine A medium compared with brain heart infusion medium . The formation of exoproteins, including enterotoxin B, per bacterial cell in static culture was influenced by the addition of glucose . Lactate and amino acids were used by Staph . aureus S-6 in media without additional glucose . When both media were supplemented with glucose, lactic and acetic acids were produced . Different electrophoretic patterns for exoprotein formation were obtained when the organism was grown in shaken or static culture. Burns, 1991 Apr, 17(2), 151 - 4 Work-related burns: a 6-year retrospective study; Ng D et al.; During the 6 years from July 1984 to May 1990, 193 patients (30.2 per cent of all patients) were admitted to our regional adult burn centre, for treatment of work-related burn injuries . The median age of patients was 32.5 years (range 18-64 per cent), and 94 per cent were males . Fifty-nine per cent of the patients came from metropolitan Toronto, and 40 per cent from rural Ontario . Most of the patients (97.3 per cent) were referred to the burn centre within 24 h of their injury . The most common aetiology was electrical injury (29.5 per cent), followed by flame (24.4 per cent), contact (10.4 per cent), flash (9.8 per cent), tar and asphalt (9.3 per cent), scald (7.8 per cent), chemical (5.1 per cent), steam (4.7 per cent) and grease (1 per cent) . Within the electrical burn group, about one-half were flash burns, one-quarter were clothing fire injuries, and one-quarter were contact injuries . These occupational burns tended to be extensive injuries . The median body surface area (BSA) was 16.5 per cent, with a median full thickness (FT) component of 5.0 per cent . The average length of stay was 20.0 days . Inhalation injury requiring intubation occurred in 14.8 per cent of patients . Sepsis--confirmed by positive blood cultures--developed in 14 per cent of the patients, at an average time of 8.8 days postburn . Staphylococcus aureus was the commonest organism isolated from blood cultures . Pneumonia occurred in 6.3 per cent of patients . A total of 207 surgical procedures was performed on 113 of the 193 patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Am J Surg, 1991 Apr, 161(4), 422 - 5 Combined use of topical and systemic antibiotics; Scher KS et al.; An animal wound model was used to compare the effectiveness of topical and systemic antibiotics and to examine the validity of using a combined regimen of both routes of antibiotic delivery . Gross infection rates and wound bacterial concentrations were determined after contamination with Staphylococcus aureus or Escherichia coli . Both moderate (10(8) colony-forming units {CFU}) and heavy (10(12) CFU) contamination were studied for each organism . Following moderate contamination, topical and systemic antibiotics were equally effective in reducing both wound bacterial content and infection rate, but there was no benefit from the combined use of both modes of antibiotic delivery . An additive effect of the combined regimen was noted only when the level of wound contamination was heavy. Neurosurgery, 1991 Apr, 28(4), 623 - 5 Infected intracranial aneurysm in an infant: case report; Whitfield PC et al.; The case of a ruptured, infected intracranial aneurysm occurring in a 34-day-old child is reported . The child was brought for examination after a sudden onset of screaming and pallor, followed by focal seizures . Blood cultures grew Staphylococcus aureus, and a computed tomographic scan revealed a large hematoma in the region of the left sylvian fissure . An angiogram demonstrated a 17-mm aneurysm arising from a small branch of the middle cerebral artery . At craniotomy, the hematoma was evacuated and an infected aneurysm was removed . The etiology, pathogenesis, and management of infected intracranial aneurysms is discussed . Our patient is the youngest in whom such an aneurysm has yet been reported. Invest Radiol, 1991 Apr, 26(4), 304 - 8 Magnetic resonance imaging detection of early experimental periostitis . Comparison of magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and plain radiography with histopathologic correlation; Spaeth HJ et al.; This study characterizes the appearance of periosteal reaction by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and evaluates the efficacy of MRI versus computed tomography (CT), and plain film radiography (PF) in detecting early, experimentally induced periostitis . Acute Staphylococcus aureus osteomyelitis was induced in 30 legs of 20 New Zealand white rabbits . The rabbits were then imaged with MR, contrast-unenhanced CT, and PF 4 days after infection . Histologically, periosteal elevation was present in 27 cases . Periosteal ossification was seen in 23 cases, and cellular reaction without ossification in 4 cases . Periosteal reaction was demonstrated by PF in 21 (78%) and by CT in 20 (74%) cases . Evidence of periostitis was seen by MR in all 27% (100%) cases . MR resulted in two false-positive diagnoses . Multiple concentric, alternating high and low signal arcs demonstrated by MR in 19 (70%) cases represented periosteal ossification surrounded by fibrous or granulation tissue . These findings demonstrate the ability of MR to detect periostitis despite the absence of periosteal ossification . MR was more sensitive than CT (P less than .05) or PF (P less than .05) in the detection of experimentally induced periostitis. Cornell Vet, 1991 Apr, 81(2), 183 - 93 Fomites and reservoirs of Staphylococcus aureus causing intramammary infections as determined by phage typing: the effect of milking time hygiene practices; Fox LK et al.; We studied the association of milkers' hands and milking unit liners as fomites, and teat skin as a reservoir, with S . aureus intramammary infections (IMI) . Samples were collected from 40 commercial herds and S . aureus isolates were phage typed . Only 10 of 257 isolates were not typable . Of the milk samples, 8.4% had typable S . aureus; 4.5% and 9.2% of the skin and liner swabbings had typable S . aureus . Twenty-three different phage types were identified, 1 type was found in nearly 75% of the herds . Herds in which milking unit backflush was used were less likely to have the same phage type on the liners and the teat skin, and on the liners and milk samples, than herds that did not backflush . A greater percentage of liners had S . aureus of the same type as those causing S . aureus IMI, than skin swabbing solutions with the same type as that associated with IMI . Herds which did not use post-milking teat asepsis (teat dip) did not have a greater percentage of S . aureus isolates on the teat skin, nor were the S . aureus test skin isolates more likely to be of the same type as those causing intramammary infection . Results would suggest that the liner appears to be a significant fomite, that backflushing reduces its significance, and that teat skin is a less significant reservoir for S . aureus intramammary infection. J Med Microbiol, 1991 Apr, 34(4), 193 - 201 Genetic characterisation of resistance to metal ions in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: elimination of resistance to cadmium, mercury and tetracycline with loss of methicillin resistance; Poston SM et al.; Susceptibility to six metal ions--cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), arsenate (Asa), arsenite (Asi), antimony (Sb) and zinc (Zn)--was tested in 23 independent isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) obtained from Guy's Hospital (GH) during 1984-1986, which included 10 isolates of the UK epidemic EMRSA-1 strain . Strains were also tested for resistance to antibiotics and the nucleic-acid-binding compounds propamidine isethionate and ethidium bromide . A further 19 methicillin-resistant isolates, including 10 EMRSA-1 were obtained from other sources . Ten methicillin-sensitive, antibiotic sensitive isolates were from Guy's Hospital . Resistance to Hg was associated with methicillin resistance in 19 of the 20 EMRSA-1 isolates, all of which were resistant to Cd . Resistance to Cd and Hg was found in 13 out of 22 other MRSA isolates . Hg resistance was not present in the methicillin-sensitive isolates which were often (13 out of 19) moderately resistant to Cd . Multiple resistance to metal ions, including resistance to Hg, Asa, Asi and Sb, was uncommon . Resistance to Cd (MIC greater than 32 mg/L or 8-16 mg/L) was associated with increased resistance to Zn . In 11 of the consecutive MRSA isolates from Guy's Hospital seven distinct strains were recognised by phage type . Methicillin resistance in these strains varied from 16 to 1024 mg/L at 30 degrees C with a 2-8-fold lower minimum inhibitory concentration at 37 degrees C indicating some degree of heterogeneity . Representatives of the EMRSA-1 strain had the higher levels of resistance . Loss of methicillin resistance occurred in 0.2-5.0% of colonies tested after storage at room temperature in 10 of these isolates.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 1991 Apr, 32(5), 1523 - 33 Immune response to Staphylococcus aureus endophthalmitis in a rabbit model; Engstrom RE Jr et al.; Staphylococcus aureus is an important cause of severe bacterial endophthalmitis . Both immunoglobulin (Ig) G and A antibody titers to ribitol teichoic acid (RTA), the major antigenic determinant of the S . aureus cell wall, were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in serum, tears, aqueous, and vitreous on days 3, 7, 10, 14, 21, and 30 after intravitreal injection of viable S . aureus in rabbits . Clinical examination showed vitreous opacification in all rabbits from days 7-30 . Histopathologic examination showed acute inflammation on day 3 and chronic inflammation on days 7-30 in the conjunctiva, cornea, iris, ciliary body, and trabecular meshwork . The vitreous cavity contained neutrophils and necrotic cells on all days . Retinal necrosis was present on days 14-30 . Lymphoid follicles with plasma cells were identified in the conjunctiva, ciliary body, and choroid . The vitreous of experimental eyes showed increasing numbers of bacteria from days 3-14, followed by a decrease in numbers on day 21 and absence of viable bacteria on day 30 . Increases in IgG antibody levels to RTA were first detected in serum where they were higher than in tears, aqueous, and vitreous until day 14 . Vitreous IgG antibody levels to RTA in experimental eyes exceeded all other samples on day 14 and progressively increased thereafter; the other samples declined . The IgA antibody levels were increased in tears on day 14 and in the vitreous of experimental eyes on days 14, 21, and 30 . Vitreous IgG antibody levels to RTA were substantially higher than vitreous IgA antibody levels . An inverse correlation was found between vitreous IgG antibody levels and positive vitreous cultures, suggesting that the humoral immune response may be important in the spontaneous sterilization of the vitreous in this model. Chest, 1991 Apr, 99(4), 1040 - 2 Closure of a bronchopleural fistula with bronchoscopic instillation of tetracycline; Martin WR et al.; Persistent bronchopleural fistulas (BPF) due to infection, trauma, or thoracic surgical procedures are often difficult to manage . We report a patient with fulminant Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia complicated by chronic BPF formation which prevented weaning from mechanical ventilation due to severe air leak . Fistula closure was obtained by instillation of tetracycline into the fistula via a fiberoptic bronchoscope using a balloon catheter and blood clot occlusion technique . This closed the BPF and allowed successful weaning from mechanical ventilation. J Bacteriol, 1991 Apr, 173(7), 2398 - 400 Evidence that mycoplasmas, gram-negative bacteria, and certain gram-positive bacteria share a similar protein antigen; Sasaki T; It was demonstrated that mycoplasmas, gram-negative bacteria, and certain gram-positive bacteria share a similar protein antigen with a molecular weight ranging from 42,000 to 48,000 . Western blotting (immunoblotting) with an antibody specific to a 43-kDa membrane protein of Mycoplasma fermentans showed the existence of this protein antigen in all Mycoplasma spp . tested (14 species), Acholeplasma laidlawii (1 strain), and gram-negative bacteria (8 species) but only in Staphylococcus aureus of four gram-positive species tested . Neither Ureaplasma urealyticum nor mammalian cell cultures showed any cross-reactions with this antibody . These proteins were found in both cytoplasmic and membrane fractions of mycoplasma cells but were not exposed on the surface of mycoplasmal or bacterial cells. Med J Aust, 1991 Apr 1, 154(7), 481 - 3 Pyomyositis complicating the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome . A report of two cases with coexistent neutropenia; Thomas R et al.; OBJECTIVE: To identify some factors contributing to the development of pyomyositis in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) by a report of two cases and a review of the literature . CLINICAL FEATURES: A 36-year-old man with AIDS presented with tenderness of the left adductor longus muscle; a 28-year-old man with AIDS presented with fever and left leg pain . Both men had a history of severe neutropenia induced by drug treatment and opportunistic infections requiring treatment in hospital . The pyomyositis was defined by a gallium-67 scan (and, in one case, by a computed tomography scan) . In one case Staphylococcus aureus was cultured from blood; in the other it was cultured from pus from the pyomyositic abscess . INTERVENTIONS: Both patients had their abscesses drained . The first patient was treated with flucloxacillin (2 g every four hours, given intravenously) and rifampicin (450 mg by mouth each day) . The second patient was treated with flucloxacillin (2 g every four hours, given intravenously) and ticarcillin (3 g every six hours, given intravenously) . OUTCOME: After their symptoms abated, both patients were discharged from hospital, taking flucloxacillin by mouth as ongoing treatment . CONCLUSIONS: Staphylococcal infections are increasingly common in neutropenic patients . Neutropenia is likely to have contributed to the development of pyomyositis in these patients. Indian J Ophthalmol, 1991 Apr-Jun, 39(2), 59 - 61 Conjunctival microbial flora in leprosy; Garg SP et al.; Conjunctival sacs of seventy one leprosy patients, paramedical and medical personnel working in a leprosy home were cultured . None of these eyes had any pathology in the outer eye . Surprisingly, 46.2% of the eyes which showed a positive culture carried accepted pathogens; Staphylococcus aureus being the commonest . Determining the preoperative bacterial flora and their elimination before undertaking intraocular surgery is recommended. Mol Microbiol, 1991 Apr, 5(4), 959 - 68 Replication mutants of Staphylococcus aureus macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B resistance plasmid pT48; Catchpole I et al.; Copy-number mutants of Staphylococcus aureus macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B (MLS) resistance plasmid pT48 were isolated by their resistance to the non-inducing macrolide, tylosin . One mutant plasmid, pcopD3, showed a three- to five-fold cis-dominant increase in copy number, and nucleotide sequence analysis revealed that the mutant had a single base change within the replication region . All other pT48 mutants examined had the unusual phenotype of increased plasmid multimerization and elevated copy number . These mutants were effective in trans and DNA sequencing showed that plasmids with this phenotype were deleted in one of two ways . The deletions caused similar alterations to the C-terminus of the wild-type pT48 Rep protein . The two types of mutant Rep proteins terminate with the same pentapeptide sequence: Ala-Asn-Glu-Ile-Asp . The multimerization phenotype of these mutants can be explained by defective termination of rolling-circle type replication. Biochem J, 1991 Apr 1, 275 ( Pt 1), 93 - 7 Selective Ca2(+)-dependent interaction of calmodulin with the head domain of synapsin 1; Hayes NV et al.; The calcium-dependent regulatory protein calmodulin is a critical element in the machinery regulating exocytosis at nerve terminals . Okabe & Sobue {(1987) FEBS Lett . 213, 184-188} showed that calmodulin interacts with one of the proteins intimately connected with the neuronal exocytotic process, i.e . synapsin 1 . We have investigated the site at which calmodulin interacts with synapsin 1 . We find that it is possible to generate chemically cross-linked Ca2(+)-dependent complexes between synapsin 1 and calmodulin in vitro, and have used covalent cross-linking in conjunction with calmodulin affinity chromatography to identify fragments of synapsin 1 that interact with calmodulin . Ca2(+)-dependent calmodulin binding is restricted to the 'head' domain (residues 1-453 in bovine synapsin 1) . Within this domain the binding site is located in a unique 11 kDa Staphylococcus aureus V8 proteinase generated fragment . This fragment does not contain the site for cyclic-AMP-dependent phosphorylation and therefore does not represent the N-terminus of the protein. Protein Eng, 1991 Apr, 4(4), 469 - 73 Enzyme IIIlac of the staphylococcal phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphotransferase system: site-specific mutagenesis of histidine residues, biochemical characterization and 1H-NMR studies; Finkeldei U et al.; The lactose-specific phosphocarrier protein enzyme III of the bacterial phosphoenol-pyruvate-dependent phosphotransferase system of Staphylococcus aureus was modified by site-specific mutagenesis on the corresponding lacF gene in order to replace the histidine residues 78 and 82 of the amino acid sequence with a serine residue . Wild-type and both mutant genes were overexpressed in Escherichia coli and the gene products were purified to homogeneity . The conformation of wild-type and mutant proteins were monitored by 1H-NMR spectroscopy . In vitro phosphorylation studies on mutant lactose-specific enzyme III, as well as evidence from NMR spectroscopy, lead to the conclusion that His78 is the active-site for phosphorylation of lactose-specific enzyme III by phospho-HPr (histidine-containing protein) . The role of His82 probably is the enhancement of velocity and efficiency of the phosphotransfer from lactose-specific enzyme III to lactose-specific enzyme II . This result refutes the conclusion of former work based on data by protelytic cleavage and sequencing of the 32P-labeled peptide of lactose-specific enzyme III that His82 is the active-site for phosphorylation. J Chemother, 1991 Apr, 3(2), 91 - 7 Comparison of the effectiveness of various antibiotics in the treatment of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus experimental infective endocarditis; Apellaniz G et al.; The effectiveness of various antibiotics was tested in the eradication of a strain of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) of cardiac vegetations, in an experimental model of endocarditis in rabbits . Twelve animals comprised the control group and 48 the treated ones . After inducing the experimental endocarditis, the animals were treated for three days; then mortality, blood cultures at 48 and 72 hours and the title of the colony forming units per gram of vegetation (CFU/g) were evaluated . Imipenem and the cloxacillin-gentamicin association were found to be as effective as cloxacillin in eradicating the microorganisms of the vegetation . Clindamycin in high doses was shown to be a valid alternative . Vancomycin, teicoplanin, rifampin and ciprofloxacin were less effective than cloxacillin . The experimental model seems to be an effective method for evaluating antimicrobial treatments in staphylococcal endocarditis. J Biochem Biophys Methods, 1991 Apr, 22(3), 195 - 205 Cleavage by protease from Staphylococcus aureus V8: an improvement in the sequence analysis of human hemoglobin variants; Vasseur C et al.; Protease from Staphylococcus aureus V8 cleaves either at glutamic residues or at both aspartic and glutamic residues, depending on the experimental conditions . In structural analyses of human hemoglobin variants, the specificity of this enzyme is of considerable interest to localize substitutions occurring in medium or large size peptides as it cleaves in smaller fragments which may be unambiguously characterized . It may also recognize the replacement of an acidic residue by the corresponding amide, or vice versa, avoiding protein sequence analysis . The various aspects of the use of protease V8 are illustrated by the study of four alpha chain hemoglobin variants concerning peptides alpha T-9 and alpha T-12b. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 1991 Apr, 10(4), 232 - 9 Impermeability to quinolones in gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria; Bryan LE et al.; The initial step in the accumulation of fluoroquinolone antimicrobial agents is binding to cell surface components reduced by lowered pH and divalent cations . Uptake into gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria is by simple diffusion . Entry through the outer membrane occurs preferentially for most agents by the porin route but a second process using the self-promoted uptake pathway is active especially for more hydrophobic agents . Fluoroquinolones bind to vesicles of phospholipid which may be the initiating step in cross-cytoplasmic membrane diffusion . An active efflux system has been described in Escherichia coli with evidence supporting its presence in several other bacteria . Total upset is not altered by a resistant gyrase . Resistant isolates associated with reduced total quinolone accumulation due to lowered uptake have been described for laboratory mutants and clinical isolates . Most but not all of these have had alterations in outer membrane proteins . A functionally dominant resistance gene has been cloned from resistant Staphylococcus aureus and codes for a highly hydrophobic protein most likely membrane associated . This gene is expressed in Escherichia coli and specifies resistance especially to hydrophilic quinolones, possibly by altered accumulation. Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin, 1991 Apr, 9(4), 200 - 7 {Epidemic outbreak of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a general hospital . Preliminary report}; Parras F et al.; The incidence of MRSA infections in Spain had remained in a low level through the years, being MRSA usually less than 1.5% of all S . aureus isolates . Since October 1988, we have detected in our hospital a MRSA outbreak . The epidemic started in the surgical wards, and spread through the rest of the institution . The incidence of cases was higher in the ICU's, areas that act as "multipliers" of the outbreak . In spite of standard control measures, the total number of patients with MRSA was 245 in April 1990 . We studied prospectively a sample of 100 MRSA patients: thirty-six percent were colonized and 46% infected . The more common source of infection was the lower respiratory tract and primary bacteremia . The infection-related mortality was 30% . Our MRSA strain belong to phage type III, and shows a characteristic multiple antibiotic resistant pattern, the MRSA strain is sensitive to vancomycin, fusidic acid, phosphomycin and cotrimoxazole . Over the entire outbreak period, the MRSA strain developed resistance to rifampin, imipenem-cilastatin and ciprofloxacin . In spite of all control measures implemented, the outbreak can not have been totally controlled, and MRSA is now an endemic pathogen in our institution . Therefore, major changes in therapeutic approach to nosocomial infections have been since then introduced. J Gen Microbiol, 1991 Apr, 137 ( Pt 4), 771 - 8 Expression and secretion of staphylococcal nuclease in yeast: effects of amino-terminal sequences; Pines O et al.; Staphylococcus aureus nuclease A hybrid genes, encoding proteins OmpA-nuclease, lipo-nuclease and Pin-nuclease, were cloned downstream of the yeast GAL10 inducible promoter . OmpA-nuclease and lipo-nuclease contain the mature staphylococcal nuclease sequence preceded by the Escherichia coli OmpA and lipoprotein signal sequences, respectively, whereas Pin-nuclease lacks a defined signal sequence at its amino terminus . We found that: (a) the nuclease gene products synthesized in yeast are active, but they do not affect cell growth; (b) OmpA-nuclease and lipo-nuclease are partially processed and constitute approximately 1.0-1.5% of the yeast cell protein; (c) OmpA and lipoprotein signal sequences function similarly in secretion, allowing 35-40% of the processed nuclease to be translocated into the yeast periplasm; and (d) Pin-nuclease, which lacks hydrophobic sequences at its amino-terminus, is accumulated at a level tenfold lower than the hybrid proteins that do contain signal sequences . Nevertheless, 50% of the enzyme activity of Pin-nuclease in yeast is localized in the periplasmic space. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1991 Apr, 27(4), 469 - 74 Activity of clindamycin against Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis from four UK centres; Reeves DS et al.; MICs of penicillin, methicillin, clindamycin, erythromycin, sodium fusidate and gentamicin were determined by an agar dilution method for 300 current isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and 100 of S . epidermidis, collected from four centres, and 38 stock strains of methicillin-resistant S . aureus (MRSA) . All but one of the 300 current isolates of S . aureus were sensitive to clindamycin (MIC less than 0.5 mg/l), with an MIC90 of 0.12 mg/l . Of a total of 39 MRSA strains, 11 (28.2%) were resistant to clindamycin (MIC greater than 32 mg/l); all of these strains were also resistant to erythromycin . Ten of the 100 strains of S . epidermidis were resistant to clindamycin; they came from a reasonably equal geographical distribution and were also resistant to erythromycin . The results suggest that clindamycin might still be useful as a second-line agent for infections caused by S . aureus and S . epidermidis, although its activity against MRSA was limited to approximately two-thirds of the MRSA strains tested in this study. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1991 Apr, 27(4), 459 - 68 Antibacterial activity and penicillin-binding protein affinity of new cephalosporin derivatives in Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli; Singh MP et al.; A series of C3-substituted cephalosporins with different levels of oxidation was synthesized and the activities of eight compounds, including affinity for penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs), in Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were studied . The more hydrophobic cephalosporins, with a thiophene moiety at the C7 position, were more active than C7-methoxyiminoaminothiazole derivatives against S . aureus H (beta-lactam-susceptible), and compounds with a thioether function at C3 were more active than those with a sulphonyl function at this position . In contrast, the most active compounds against E . coli were hydrophilic, zwitterionic C7-methoxyimino-aminothiazole C3-thioether cephalosporins . The physicochemical properties of the most active compounds were in accord with those predicted for rapid outer membrane penetration . However, among the thiophene cephalosporins the dianionic sulphonyl compounds were more active than the monoanionic thioether derivatives . There was a reasonably good correlation between MICs and PBP affinities for S . aureus H . The compounds had most affinity for PBP 1 and least for PBP 4 . The two most potent compounds had high affinities for PBPs 1, 2 and 3 . The compounds had low affinities for the beta-lactam-insensitive PBP 2a of methicillin-resistant S . aureus strain DU4916-K7 . The novel cephalosporins had the highest affinities for PBPs 1a/1b and 3 of E . coli DCO . The major morphological response of E . coli to the compounds was cell elongation. Eur J Immunol, 1991 Apr, 21(4), 1033 - 7 Independent regulation of 55-kDa and 75-kDa tumor necrosis factor receptors during activation of human peripheral blood B lymphocytes; Erikstein BK et al.; We have studied the expression of two different tumor necrosis factor receptors (TNFR; 55 kDa and 75 kDa) on resting and activated human peripheral blood B lymphocytes using specific monoclonal antibodies (mAb) . Flow cytometric analysis revealed that most resting B cells expressed small amounts of the 75-kDa TNFR, and that the 75-kDa TNFR was markedly up-regulated upon stimulation with anti-mu or Staphylococcus aureus Cowan strain I (SAC) . In contrast, the expression of the 55-kDa TNFR was low on resting as well as on activated cells . B cell activation was accompanied by an increased binding of biotinylated TNF-alpha, and this binding could be blocked by preincubation by utr-1 (anti-75-kDa TNRF), but not the htr (anti-55-kDa TNFR) antibodies . Notably, a number of cytokines tested (interleukin 1 to 8, interferon-gamma, TNF-alpha and -beta) did not influence the expression of either the 75-kDa or the 55-kDa TNFR when given to resting B cells . Moreover, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate led to an early, marked down-regulation of the 75-kDa TNFR expression, followed by a later modest increase after greater than 24 h . In contrast to other cell systems where htr mAb have been found either to mimic or to inhibit TNF action, htr mAb had insignificant effects in assays for restimulation of preactivated B cells . However, utr-1 markedly inhibited the TNF-beta but only partly inhibited the TNF-alpha-induced proliferation . Taken together, our data suggest that changes in 75-kDa protein expression is responsible for the increased TNFR expression on activated vs . resting peripheral blood B cells and that this protein also may play an important functional role. J Infect Dis, 1991 Apr, 163(4), 837 - 42 The response of human peritoneal macrophages to stimulation with bacteria isolated from episodes of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis; Mackenzie RK et al.; The metabolism of arachidonic acid, by isolated peritoneal macrophages in response to stimulation with microorganisms isolated from continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients, is not specific to the individual strain but is determined by species . Isolates of Staphylococcus aureus (n = 7) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (n = 13) produced a significant increase in leukotriene B4 generation by peritoneal macrophages compared with unstimulated cells (P less than .001) . The coincubation of peritoneal macrophages with gram-negative organisms (n = 3), however, did not result in an increase in leukotriene B4 synthesis . In contrast, all the organisms tested significantly inhibited the formation of prostaglandin E2 and thromboxane B2 but the degree of inhibition was species dependent . The above results were reproduced using bacteria-free supernatants, indicating that the interaction was dependent on a secreted bacterial product . Thus in response to certain bacterial species, the recruitment of neutrophils may be facilitated by the generation of leukotriene B4 from peritoneal macrophages . In addition, the reduction in synthesis of prostaglandin E2 may remove a regulatory effect that this metabolite has on the immune response. J Infect Dis, 1991 Apr, 163(4), 819 - 24 Phagocyte-derived free radicals stimulated by ingestion of iron-rich Staphylococcus aureus: a spin-trapping study; Cohen MS et al.; Phagocytic cells generate superoxide (O2-) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), creating the substrates for hydroxyl radical (HO.) in the presence of redox active metals . Previously it was shown that HO . is not a physiologic product of human neutrophils or monocytes but can be generated in the presence of high concentrations of iron . This study was undertaken to determine whether bacterial iron could be used for the generation of HO . The growth of Staphylococcus aureus under iron-rich conditions increased bacterial iron concentration and phagocytosis of iron-rich bacteria allowed neutrophils to accumulate threefold more iron than ingestion of iron-starved organisms . Neither neutrophils nor monocytes ingesting iron-rich S . aureus generated iron-catalyzed HO . at levels detectable by spin-trapping techniques . No differences in the killing of iron-rich organisms by neutrophils was noted . The results suggest that HO . does not play a role in the killing of S . aureus by human neutrophils, regardless of their ability to deliver iron to the cell. Lymphokine Cytokine Res, 1991 Apr, 10(1-2), 1 - 6 Proliferative responses of B cells from elderly humans: abnormalities in early responsiveness are related to alterations in B cell activation molecules; Whisler RL et al.; Age-related changes are known to occur in the function of human T cells but less information is available about human B cells during aging . In this study, B cells obtained by negative selection from the peripheral blood of young and elderly subjects were stimulated in vitro with anti-IgM, Staphylococcus aureus Cowan strain I (SAC), or Staph protein A (SpA) from SAC . Their proliferative capabilities with and without lymphokines were quantitated by {3H}thymidine uptake . Stimulated B cells from elderly subjects were reduced in their overall ability to sustain normal levels of proliferation observed for B cells from young subjects . However, time course studies analyzing early proliferative responses revealed that B cells from one subset of elderly displayed persistent hyporesponsiveness whereas another subset demonstrated early hyperresponsiveness compared to B cells from young adults . Experiments to determine the frequencies of B cells with transferrin receptors (TfR) and low-affinity receptors for IgE (Fc epsilon RII/CD23) showed reductions in the expression of these two glycoproteins among stimulated B cells from elderly with the persistent decreases in proliferation . By contrast, unstimulated B cells of elderly subjects with early hyperresponsiveness displayed increased frequencies of TfR-positive cells, which became reduced after stimulation . Further, stimulated B cells from this group demonstrated greater frequencies of CD23 positive cells than young adults (13 vs . 8%) . Thus two distinct profiles of proliferative abnormalities can be observed in early cohorts of activated B cells from elderly humans . The association of these abnormalities with differences in TfR and CD23 suggests that certain age-related defects occur relatively early during the B cell activation scheme. Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin, 1991 Apr, 9(4), 208 - 10 {Teicoplanin versus cloxacillin, cloxacillin-gentamycin and vancomycin in the treatment of experimental endocarditis caused by methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus}; Apellaniz G et al.; Thirty-three rabbits, (12 in the control group and 21 treated, 5 with teicoplanin, vancomycin and cloxacillin-gentamycin and 6 with cloxacillin alone) with methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) experimentally induced endocarditis were studied to evaluate the efficacy of teicoplanin and its comparison with cloxacillin, vancomycin and cloxacillin-gentamycin . The rabbits were treated during three days . Mortality, blood cultures at 48 and 72 hours and the number of colonies forming units per gram of vegetation were then evaluated . There was statistically significantly differences between the control group and the 4 treated groups in respect of mortality (p less than 0.001), and blood culture's negativity at 48 and 72 hours (p less than 0.001), but not among the various groups of treatments . The CFU number of the vegetations were also significantly different between control and treatment groups (p less than 0.001) . Cloxacillin and the combination cloxacillin-gentamycin lowered the CFU number more than teicoplanin and vancomycin (p less than 0.005) . These results, allowed us to conclude than teicoplanin may be used as an alternative of standard treatments in infective endocarditis due to MSSA. Mol Microbiol, 1991 Apr, 5(4), 933 - 9 Insertional inactivation of the Staphylococcus aureus beta-toxin by bacteriophage phi 13 occurs by site- and orientation-specific integration of the phi 13 genome; Coleman D et al.; Lysogenization of Staphylococcus aureus by the serotype F converting bacteriophage phi 13 results in loss of beta-toxin expression . Sequence analysis of the S . aureus beta-toxin gene (hlb), the attachment site (attP)-containing region of phi 13 DNA and the chromosome/bacteriophage DNA junctions of a phi 13 lysogen, revealed that the molecular mechanism of loss of beta-toxin expression was due to insertion of the phi 13 genome into the 5' end of hlb . The insertion site (attB) within hlb contained a 14 base pair core sequence in common with attP and both ends of the integrated linear prophage genome of a phi 13 lysogen . These findings indicate that integration of the phi 13 genome into hlb is site- and orientation-specific. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1991 Apr, 27 Suppl B, 1 - 7 The post-antibiotic effect of teicoplanin: monotherapy and combination studies; Drabu YJ et al.; The post-antibiotic effect (PAE) of teicoplanin was measured alone and in combination with other antibiotics against Staphylococcus aureus . A total of five strains were used: the Oxford S . aureus and two clinical isolates each of methicillin sensitive and methicillin resistant strains . Fusidic acid had no or a small post-antibiotic influence (range 0-1.25 h) whereas a relatively higher PAE was seen for all other drugs against all strains: teicoplanin 2.4-4.1 h: gentamicin 3.1-5.2 h, rifampicin 3.0-3.95 h, and ciprofloxacin 1.6-3.4 h . Combination of teicoplanin with fusidic acid resulted in shorter PAEs than teicoplanin alone . In contrast, PAEs for all other combinations with teicoplanin were longer than PAE of teicoplanin, gentamicin, rifampicin or ciprofloxacin alone . Addition of teicoplanin during the post-antibiotic phase of the other antibiotics and vice versa showed that the only combination which was consistently bactericidal was that of teicoplanin with gentamicin . We conclude that these in-vitro results suggest that the combination of teicoplanin with gentamicin is likely to be the most effective of those tested and should be further evaluated in clinical trials. J Immunol, 1991 Apr 1, 146(7), 2122 - 9 Cross-linking of CD23 antigen by its natural ligand (IgE) or by anti-CD23 antibody prevents B lymphocyte proliferation and differentiation; Luo HY et al.; The possible role of CD23 in the activation of human B lymphocytes was systematically investigated by examining the effect of: 1) anti-CD23 mAb; 2) IgE or IgE-immune complexes and; 3) native or recombinant soluble CD23 of different m.w., on B cell proliferation . Intact anti-CD23 mAb or its F(ab')2 fragments inhibit the proliferation of tonsillar B lymphocytes costimulated with either Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I (SAC) or anti-IgM and IL-4 . The antibody has no effect when IL-2 or LMW-BCGF is used as the second stimulant . The response of IL-4-pretreated B cells (expressing high levels of CD23) to anti-IgM together with IL-2 or B cell-derived B cell growth factor is inhibited by anti-CD23 mAb, indicating that this antibody prevents B cell activation regardless of the B cell activators but provided that the density of CD23 on B cells is sufficient . Anti-CD23 mAb markedly inhibits DNA synthesis only when added during the first 12 h of the culture and has no effect on the ongoing proliferation of CD23-bearing B cell blasts (SAC induced and IL-4 supported or EBV transformed) . Monovalent Fab fragments of anti-CD23 mAb are inactive unless they are used in tandem with goat anti-mouse Fab suggesting that the inhibition is due to cross-linking of surface CD23 . Most interestingly, polymeric IgE or IgE-immune complexes have the same effect as anti-CD23 and moreover they inhibit IgM production by SAC and IL4-stimulated B cells . The inhibiting effect of IgE or of anti-CD23 mAb is not due to their neutralization of soluble CD23 because these failed to display B cell growth factor activity under various experimental conditions . It is concluded that IgE-immune complexes may regulate activation and differentiation of CD23-bearing surfaceIgM/surfaceIgD precursor B lymphocytes. Rev Argent Microbiol, 1991 Apr-Jun, 23(2), 79 - 85 {Growth of Staphylococcus aureus in solid media with a water activity less than 0.86}; Giannuzzi L et al.; The purpose of this study was to determine whether S . aureus could grow in solid substrates with aw 0.843 adjusted by water adsorption . The media used included dehydrated powder of pork, beef and milk as basic substrates in order to compensate an eventual deficiency; additional source of nutrients was added . The tested strains were ATCC 6538 P, FDA-C243, NA1 and FM1 . It was observed that no strain grew at 30 degrees C in those media at aw 0.843 . These data were compared with others which indicate that S . aureus could grow al aw 0.83-0.84 . The possible reasons for the difference in the minimal aw value reported to be required for the growth of S . aureus are discussed. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1991 Apr, (4), 8 - 11 {The action of tomicide on macromolecular synthesis in bacterial cells}; Butova LG et al.; The study of the rate of incorporation of labeled precursors for nucleic acids and protein into Staphylococcus aureus 209 P cell fraction, insoluble in trichloroacetic acid, has revealed that in the presence of tomicide in the medium in a dose of 1 MCI (600 micrograms/ml) the synthesis of DNA in inhibited rapidly and almost completely (by 90%) . The inhibition of the rate of incorporation of 3H-thymidine into the cells of staphylococcal culture by tomicide directly correlates with the concentration of the preparation within the range 100-600 micrograms/ml, the inhibition of the synthesis of RNA and protein being less pronounced than the inhibition of the synthesis of DNA. J Hosp Infect, 1991 Apr, 17(4), 255 - 69 Pulsed field gel electrophoresis as a new epidemiological tool for monitoring methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in an intensive care unit; Prevost G et al.; Pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of bacterial DNA was used in a 1-month epidemiological study of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in a 15-bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU) . Patient and hospital staff carriage as well as distribution of MRSA in the ICU environment were investigated, and a total of 3802 samples produced 175 isolates . The stability and the reproducibility of the PFGE method were satisfactory . Moreover, the plasmid content of the strains so far examined had no influence on the PFGE profiles of the MRSA strains . The polymorphic profiles observed also account for the use of this method as an epidemiological tool for investigating MRSA . Among 30 patients who stayed more than 4 days in the unit, PFGE analysis showed 11 episodes of colonization in nine patients, whereas lysotyping and plasmid DNA analysis demonstrated only eight and seven such episodes in the same patients, respectively . The combination of PFGE with lysotyping and plasmid analysis may provide a greater discriminatory capacity between MRSA isolates. J Oral Maxillofac Surg, 1991 Apr, 49(4), 392 - 6 Evaluation of antibiotic-supplemented bone allograft in a rabbit model; Petri WH 3rd; The use of an antibiotic-supplemented bone allograft (ASBA) as a material for placement in infected mandibular fractures was investigated in a rabbit model . In phase I of this project, fractures were created in the mandibles of 30 New Zealand white rabbits and injected with 5 x 10(6) colony-forming units of Staphylococcus aureus and Bacteroides melaninogenicus . The animals were divided into three treatment groups (A, B, or C) and treated with conventional treatment (CT), CT plus demineralized bone powder, or CT plus ASBA . In phase II, bone defects were created in the mandibles of 17 New Zealand white rabbits and then grafted with ASBA . Assessment of healing and vascular ingrowth was made at 2-day intervals through 3 weeks postoperatively, and then weekly until termination at 60 days postoperatively . Phase I results showed significantly enhanced healing in the ASBA-treated group when compared with the other treatment methods and healed fracture strength, which was comparable to the nonfractured, contralateral mandibular angle . Phase II results demonstrated vascular structures in the ASBA material by 4 days postoperatively and osteogenesis by 12 days postoperatively. Rev Latinoam Microbiol, 1991 Apr-Sep, 33(2-3), 145 - 8 {Isolation of Staphylococcus aureus by the Baird Parker method from powdered milk}; Sanchez Mendoza M et al.; There are many media recommended for the isolation of Staphylococcus aureus from foods, but only with some media one can obtain a good growth started with stressed cells . The Baird Parker (BP) medium is considered the best choice to recover stressed cells, however, it is not as good a medium to isolate Staphylococcus aureus from powder milk . Therefore, it is important to count with alternative media to enhance the chance for Staphylococcus aureus to grow from dehydrated products . Thirty-one powder milk samples contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus were analysed by Baird Parker method, employing four culture media: Baird Parker (BP), Baird Parker + tween + MgCl2 (BPTM), Pork plasma with bovine fibrinogen agar (PPF) and Salt Milk agar (SL) . Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in SL, 38.7%; in BP, 3.2%; in BPTM, 6.4%; and PPF, 0%. Rev Latinoam Microbiol, 1991 Apr-Sep, 33(2-3), 135 - 9 {Demonstration of staphylococcal thermonuclease from powdered milk}; Sanchez Mendoza M et al.; Demonstration of Staphylococcal Thermonuclease (TNase) from Powder Milk . Some authors have reported that the number of Staphylococcus aureus needed to produce a food-poisoning is 10(6) CFU per gram of food, however, other authors have reported foods without microorganisms but these have produced food-poisoning . Because the methods for staphylococcal enterotoxins demonstration in foods are laborious and expensive procedures, in this paper we tried to demonstrate the thermonuclease (TNase) presence in foods directly, as a helper test for screening foods suspected to be contaminated with this microorganism . To 112 powder milk samples were determined TNase presence by Tatini's et al (1976) and Lachica's (1972) technics, 31 of this samples had S . aureus . Only with Lachica's technique it could be possible to demonstrate TNase in 17 of 112 analyzed samples, 14 of these had viable S . aureus. J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol, 1991 Apr, 1(2), 125 - 8 The ability of granulocytes to engulf latex particles and Staphylococcus aureus in healthy children of parents with infectious asthma; Matusiewicz R et al.; A test to determine engulfing of neutral latex particles and Staphylococcus aureus by peripheral blood granulocytes was carried out in 28 healthy children who had at least one parent with infectious asthma and 13 children, in whom both parents had infectious asthma . A defect in engulfing neutral latex particles and Staphylococcus aureus by granulocytes was demonstrated in children who had both parents with infectious asthma. Vestn Khir Im I I Grek, 1991 Apr, 146(4), 28 - 31 {The characteristics of the microflora in suppurative wounds in a large city}; Konychev AV et al.; Based upon their experience with treatment of 259 patients the authors have shown that purulent diseases are caused mainly by Staphylococcus aureus in combination with other microbes . The microflora of purulent wounds often was antibiotic-resistant . The duration of treatment is dependent on the character of the microflora. Endodoncia, 1991 Apr-Jun, 9(2), 73 - 7 {Behavior of different strains of Staphylococcus aureus against root canal filling cements}; Pumarola J et al.; The mean goal of this study is the determination of the conduct of 120 strains of Staphylococcus aureus against seven root canal sealers: Traitement Spad, Endomethasone, N2 Universal, AH26 with silver, Diaket-A, Tubli Seal and Sealapex . The agar diffusion test was employed in the determination of its bacterial growth inhibition . The results obtained have demonstrated values very different between the tested strains . Therefore we recommended to employ strains with reference in the investigation of the bacterial growth inhibition in order to repeat equal experimentation conditions. J Chemother, 1991 Apr, 3(2), 108 - 16 Use of antimicrobial susceptibility testing for epidemiology and the selection of oral, parenteral and topical regimens for control of CAPD-associated Staphylococcus aureus infection; Pignatari A et al.; Staphylococcus aureus is an important cause of peritonitis in patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) . Using standard broth microdilution and disk diffusion methodology, we evaluated the in vitro activity of selected antimicrobial agents against S . aureus strains isolated from CAPD patients to assess candidate regimens for 1) topical agent control of colonization, 2) oral chemotherapy of CAPD infectious complications, and 3) parenteral treatment of serious CAPD-associated staphylococcal infections . A total of 34 isolates (31 patients) of S . aureus were available for testing, including 29 isolates (29 patients) from pericatheter skin, four isolates (four patients) from the nares, and one isolate from an episode of peritonitis . Six of the isolates were oxacillin-resistant (ORSA) . The antimicrobial agents tested by broth microdilution included 17 different quinolones, 10 cephalosporins, six glycopeptides, two aminoglycosides, and imipenem . A total of eight potential topical agents, including the antistaphylococcal agent mupirocin, were tested by disk diffusion . All of the quinolones, with the exception of nalidixic acid (MIC90 greater than 16 micrograms/ml), had excellent activity against both ORSA and oxacillin-susceptible S . aureus (OSSA) with the most active agent being WIN57273 (MIC90 less than or equal to 0.015 microgram/ml) . Imipenem and the cephalosporins, with the exception of cefixime, ceftazidime, and E-1040, possessed good activity against OSSA . None of the beta-lactam agents tested were active against ORSA . Likewise, the aminoglycosides, amikacin and gentamicin, exhibited good activity against OSSA strains but no activity against ORSA strains . All glycopeptides tested demonstrated excellent activity against ORSA strains . Of the topical antimicrobial agents tested only bacitracin, mupirocin, and nitrofurantoin were active against all OSSA and ORSA strains tested.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Eur J Biochem, 1991 Mar 28, 196(3), 743 - 50 Primary structure of a new actin-binding protein from human seminal plasma; Schaller J et al.; Secretory actin-binding protein (SABP), a glycoprotein from human seminal plasma, was isolated according to Akiyama and Kimura {Akiyama, K . & Kimura, H . (1990) Biochim . Biophys . Acta 1040, 206-210} . The complete amino acid sequence of SABP was determined with the aid of fragments generated by trypsin, Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease and pepsin . The single polypeptide chain of SABP contains 118 amino acids with a calculated Mr of 13,506 and pyroglutamic acid as the N-terminal residue . A single N-glycosidic carbohydrate moiety is located at Asn77 . The carbohydrate composition shows an unusually high amount of fucose . The arrangement of the two disulfide bonds is Cys37-Cys63 and Cys61-Cys95 . Sequence comparison revealed a high degree of similarity with a 14-kDa submandibular gland protein from mouse (45% identity and 64% similarity) . SABP is identical with a prolactin-inducible protein and a protein termed gross cystic disease fluid protein 15 (sequences translated from cDNA clones), both from human breast tissues . Although SABP was also detected in saliva, in extracts of the submandibular gland and seminal vesicles, little is known of its function. Vet Immunol Immunopathol, 1991 Mar, 28(1), 45 - 56 A colorimetric assay for quantitating bovine neutrophil bactericidal activity; Stevens MG et al.; A colorimetric assay was developed for quantitating bovine neutrophil bactericidal activity against Staphylococcus aureus . The procedure used the tetrazolium compound, 3-{4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl}-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) . The assay was conducted by incubating antibody-opsonized S . aureus with neutrophils in microtiter plates for 1 h at a ratio of 10 bacteria per neutrophil . Neutrophils were then lysed with saponin . The MTT was added and samples were incubated for 10 min . Live S . aureus reduced MTT to purple formazan . Dead bacteria and lysed neutrophils did not react with MTT . Bacterially-reduced formazan was solubilized by adding isopropanol and formazan production was quantitated by measuring absorption at 560 nm . Absorption of formazan was directly related to viable bacteria cell number and was used to determine the number of S . aureus not killed by neutrophils . The percentage of bacteria killed by neutrophils was determined by extrapolation from a standard formazan curve that was derived by incubating MTT with known numbers of S . aureus . The colorimetric MTT assay detected suppressed bactericidal activity after in vitro treatment of bovine neutrophils with colchicine, cytochalasin B, or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate . In vitro treatment of neutrophils with low levels of recombinant bovine interferon gamma (rBoIFN-gamma) enhanced bactericidal activity, whereas high levels decreased activity . These results suggest the colorimetric MTT bactericidal assay is efficacious in detecting modulation of bovine neutrophil bactericidal activity . Furthermore, the MTT assay has many advantages over traditional bactericidal assays in that it is sensitive, inexpensive, requires less than 3 h to complete, and can analyze many neutrophil samples in a single day. Int Ophthalmol, 1991 Mar, 15(2), 79 - 86 Intravitreal recombinant tissue plasminogen activator in the treatment of experimentally induced bacterial endophthalmitis; Baziuk N et al.; Intravitreal injection of antibiotics has been shown to be effective in the treatment of bacterial endophthalmitis, but does not prevent the formation of fibrin . Recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rTPA), a fibrinolytic agent, was evaluated in experimentally induced Staphylococcus aureus endophthalmitis in an animal model . Significant fibrinous reaction in the vitreous was present in three of six eyes treated with intravitreal injection of clindamycin and rTPA (50%) and in one of five eyes treated with clindamycin only (20%) . Fibrin clot formation in the anterior chamber was present in two of six eyes treated with clindamycin and rTPA (33%) and not observed in the clindamycin treated eyes (0%) . These findings suggest that rTPA does not play a beneficial role in the treatment of bacterial endophthalmitis in the presence of the vitreous. J Biol Chem, 1991 Mar 5, 266(7), 4037 - 40 Insulin and nonhydrolyzable GTP analogs induce translocation of GLUT 4 to the plasma membrane in alpha-toxin-permeabilized rat adipose cells; Baldini G et al.; Rat adipose cells treated with Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin are permeable and retain their ability to respond to insulin after hormone treatment . The GLUT 4 glucose transporter isoform, specific to fat and muscle cells, is translocated normally from low density microsomes to the plasma membrane in permeabilized cells . Addition of guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate), guanylyl imidodiphosphate, or guanylyl beta, gamma-methylenediphosphate to permeabilized adipocytes induces an insulin-like translocation of GLUT 4 to the plasma membrane; GTP or adenosine 5'-(beta, gamma-imino)triphosphate has no effect . No translocation of GLUT 4 is observed when GTP analogs are added to intact adipocytes . These results suggest the involvement of a GTP-binding protein in insulin-triggered recruitment of GLUT 4 to the cell surface. Anal Biochem, 1991 Mar 2, 193(2), 178 - 85 Proteosynthetic activity of immobilized Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease: application in the semisynthesis of molecular variants of alpha-globin; Sahni G et al.; The proteosynthetic activity of Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease (endoproteinase Glu-C) immobilized onto cross-linked agarose beads by reductive alkylation procedure has been investigated . The overall substrate specificity of the enzyme, as judged by peptide mapping of performic acid oxidized RNase A, as well as the high propensity of the protease to slice selectively the alpha-chain of hemoglobin (Hb) A at the Glu(30)-Arg(31) peptide bond at pH 4.0 and 37 degrees C was essentially unperturbed by the immobilization process . This high susceptibility of Glu(30) of the alpha-chain for proteolysis appears to be a consequence of the conformational aspects of the polypeptide in this region . The proteolysis of two mutant forms of alpha-chain, namely, those of Hb I (K16E) and Hb Sealy (D47H) by immobilized V8 protease at the Glu(30)-Arg(31) peptide bond proceeds with the same selectivity . The immobilized protease also retained the proteosynthetic activity, i.e., the ability to ligate the unprotected alpha-globin fragments at the Glu(30)-Arg(31) peptide bond in the presence of 30% 1-propanol . The use of the insoluble enzyme simplifies the procedures for the construction of new semisynthetic, molecular variants of alpha-globin . The general applicability of the immobilized enzyme for protein semisynthesis has been demonstrated by the construction of a doubly mutated alpha-globin . The complementary fragments from two natural mutant forms of alpha-globin, viz., alpha 1-30 (K16E) from Hb I and alpha 31-141 (D47H) from Hb Sealy, are readily ligated to form the double mutant alpha 1-141 (K16E;D47H). J Dairy Sci, 1991 Mar, 74(3), 826 - 32 Risk factors for clinical mastitis in herds with a low bulk milk somatic cell count . 2 . Risk factors for Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus; Schukken YH et al.; The incidence rate of clinical mastitis due to Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was studied in 125 herds with a low annual bulk milk somatic cell count (less than 150,000 cells/ml) . Risk factors that were offered to a multivariate Poisson regression model included general management, housing, cleaning procedures, cow and cubicle cleanliness, feeds and feeding, dry cow management, milking procedures, machine milking, disease prevention, and milk production . Some differences in epidemiology between E . coli and S . aureus were observed . In the S . aureus model, more milking procedure and milking machine variables were present . The milk production, drinking water source, amount of bedding, and ventilation were other important factors in the S . aureus model . Teat disinfection was an important risk factor in the E . coli model but was much less important in the S . aureus model . Cleaning procedures were more important in the E . coli model . The main breed on the farm and percentage of cows leaking milk were other important factors in the E . coli model. East Afr Med J, 1991 Mar, 68(3), 204 - 10 Diabetic ulcers--a clinical and bacteriological study; McLigeyo et al.; One hundred consecutive patients with diabetic ulcers were studied in an 8-month-period . There were 58 females . The mean age was 59.9 years . Eighty three patients had non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus . The mean duration of diabetes mellitus was 11.6 years . The mean duration of the ulcer was 8.5 months . Sixty nine of the ulcers were gangrenous . Over 50% of the ulcers involved the big toes . Neuropathic ulcers were found mainly in the sole of the feet . Roentgenograms showed evidence of osteomyelitis in 44 patients . There were 356 bacterial isolates (340 aerobes and 16 anaerobes) from the ulcers . There were 3.6 infecting organisms per ulcer in gangrenous ulcers, while in neuropathic ulcers, there were 3.4 infecting organisms per ulcer . In both types of ulcer Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were the commonest infecting organisms each being isolated in 88 of the 100 ulcers studied . In repeat bacterial cultures at 4 weeks there were 116 bacterial isolates . Staphylococcus aureus persisted in 63 ulcers despite therapy, while Escherichia coli persisted in 35 . There were no new organisms isolated at repeat cultures and no ulcer was completely sterile . The Staphylococcus aureus was 100% sensitive to Augmentin (Amoxicillin plus clavulinic acid), Clindamycin, Novobiocin, and Amikacin while the gram negative bacilli were sensitive to Cefotaxime, Piperacillin, Amikacin and augmentin, Clindamycin, Chloramphenicol and Lincomycin inhibited the growth of anaerobes to a varying degree. J Am Acad Dermatol, 1991 Mar, 24(3), 379 - 89 Recent advances in pediatric infectious diseases and their impact on dermatology; Grossman KL et al.; The past five years have seen numerous advances in the field of pediatric infectious diseases, and many of these have a substantial impact on the practice of dermatology . We review some of these advances and discuss their implications on etiology, diagnosis, therapy and complications of some relatively common conditions . The etiologic agent of exanthum subitum (roseola infantum) has been clearly implicated as a herpesvirus-6 . Although in the classically described situation high fever in a young child is followed by defervescence and rash, two new scenarios have been described associated with this virus . The first is fever without rash and the second is rash without fever . The etiologic agent of erythema infectiosum ("slapped cheek") has been shown to be a human parvovirus B19 . The virus has also been associated with aplastic crises (in hemoglobinopathies), hydrops fetalis, and a syndrome of subacute arthralgias in women . The etiologic agent in cat-scratch disease has recently been shown to be a small pleomorphic bacillus that also can produce pyogenic granuloma-like lesions in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome . The number of cases of congenital syphilis, particularly in large cities, is increasing tremendously . Many of these infants have received no prenatal care because of drug abuse problems in their parents . Finally, we describe the changing etiology of impetigo that is predominantly associated with Staphylococcus aureus . We further describe the growing resistance to erythromycin and several new erythromycin drug-drug interactions. Immunol Lett, 1991 Mar, 27(3), 225 - 30 Effect of metalloproteinase from Staphylococcus aureus on in vitro stimulation of human lymphocytes; Prokesova L et al.; Metalloproteinase (MP) produced by the majority of Staphylococcus aureus strains exerts, in a wide concentration range (0.1-100 micrograms/ml), no cytotoxic action on mononuclear leukocytes of human peripheral blood . The enzyme itself does not appreciably stimulate proliferation and differentiation of lymphocytes in culture, but affects the stimulation of both T and B lymphocytes by polyclonal activators . The action is dose-dependent . High doses of MP (100 micrograms/ml) lower the blastic transformation after stimulation with Con A, SpA, NDCM, S . aureus strain Wood 46 and with suboptimal doses of PWM . Optimal concentrations of the enzyme potentiate the stimulation of lymphocytes by PWM, PHA, S . aureus strains Cowan 1 and Wood 46, and by NDCM . The same potentiation effect was achieved whether the enzyme was added concurrently with the mitogen or 18 h later . This implies that the beginning of cell activation is not affected . A high MP concentration decreases the production of Ig in culture after stimulation with PWM whereas lower concentrations of MP enhance this production . Production of Ig after stimulation with NDCM and Wood 46 is decreased by MP . The possible action of exoproteinase from S . Aureus on the immune response during infection is discussed. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 1991 Mar, 10(3), 163 - 6 Interpretive criteria for disk diffusion susceptibility testing of sparfloxacin; Kayser FH et al.; Sparfloxacin disk susceptibility test criteria for the NCCLS and ICS/DIN methods were determined by testing 400 bacterial wild-type isolates . Disks containing 5 micrograms of the drug could be used satisfactorily in both procedures . The following interpretive zone size breakpoints for the NCCLS and ICS/DIN methods were proposed: less than or equal to 18 and 20 mm respectively for resistance (MIC greater than 1 mg/l), and greater than or equal to 23 and 25 mm respectively for susceptibility (MIC less than or equal to 0.5 mg/l) . These criteria were based on preliminary maximum serum concentrations of approximately 1.5 mg/l after a single oral dose of 400 mg of the drug . Regression equations for both methods correlating MICs and zone sizes based on test results for 361 organisms are presented . The equations allow calculation of breakpoints for higher or lower serum peak levels . Sparfloxacin was two to four times more active than ciprofloxacin against gram-positive cocci, and showed equal activity against gram-negative rods . Zone diameter quality control values for Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 were 26-30 mm (NCCLS) and 30-33 mm (ICS/DIN), and for Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 27-28 mm (NCCLS) and 29-31 mm (ICS/DIN). J Burn Care Rehabil, 1991 Mar-Apr, 12(2), 120 - 6 The bactericidal power of the blood and plasma of patients with burns; Ward CG et al.; Patients with burns are unusually susceptible to bacterial infections, but so far there is no satisfactory explanation for this lack of resistance . Since resistance to infection involves many different mechanisms, examination of individual components of the immune system may not sufficiently explain the underlying reasons for increased susceptibility . The use of whole blood for antibacterial tests has the advantage that all the immune systems present in that fluid compartment can take part in the bactericidal effect . Tests with Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus showed no evidence that the bactericidal power of the blood and plasma of patients with burns was less than that of normal control plasma . This suggests that the solution to the problem of increased susceptibility to infection in patients with burns does not lie with the blood but must be looked for elsewhere. Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss, 1991 Mar, 84(3), 355 - 9 {Infectious endocarditis of the right heart . Apropos of 10 cases}; Mesbahi R et al.; Ten cases of right-sided infective endocarditis (IE) were recorded in a retrospective study over a 5 year period (1984-88) . In 8 cases, IE complicated known congenital heart disease . One patient was followed up for rhumatic valvular disease and in the remaining case, IE seemed to have occurred on a normal valve . The inclusion criteria were based on the clinical signs: prolonged pyrexia, the finding of a new murmur or a change on cardiac auscultation, and eventually, the occurrence of a complication (7 cases) . The commonest complications were right ventricular failure and pulmonary embolism . A portal of entry was found in 5 cases: dental infection in 3 cases, osteomyelitis in 1 case and an abscess on the right leg in 1 case . Blood cultures were positive in 5 cases and grew a staphylococcus aureus on each occasion . Two-dimensional echocardiography showed vegetations in 9 cases . The short-term outcome was satisfactory . There were no fatalities and 5 patients underwent surgery. Vestn Otorinolaringol, 1991 Mar-Apr, (2), 51 - 4 {Immune status evaluation in the small amount of peripheral blood in children with chronic inflammatory diseases of the upper respiratory tract}; Lazarev VN et al.; This paper describes microtechniques for studying basic immune parameters which require small amounts of peripheral blood . These techniques include: relative (as a percentage) and absolute (per microliter) measurement of T-lymphocytes using the method of spontaneous rosette formation (SRF) with sheep erythrocytes (SE); B-lymphocytes using SRF with mouse erythrocytes; capability of band neutrophils for SRF with SE; and phagocytic activity of band neutrophils toward the Staphylococcus aureus strain under study in the autoserum reaction and with healthy children serum to detect potential changes in the opsonic activity of the patient's serum . Our measurements have demonstrated that the double density gradient method to measure lymphocytes and neutrophil bands in a small amount of blood makes it possible to determine immune parameters and reveal primary and secondary immune deficiencies . This is also supported by the fact that results derived from small and large amounts of blood of these children are identical . These measurements are relatively simple and not too time-consuming . All this shows that the above methods can be used for assessing the immune status of children with chronic upper airways diseases. FEMS Microbiol Lett, 1991 Mar 1, 62(2-3), 239 - 44 A toxic shock syndrome toxin mutant of Staphylococcus aureus isolated by allelic replacement lacks virulence in a rabbit uterine model; Sloane R et al.; The gene coding for toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 in S . aureus was inactivated by allelic replacement in two TSS-associated strains . One mutant derived from FRI1169 (a non-enterotoxigenic strain) lacked virulence in the rabbit uterine chamber infection model . This suggests that TSST-1 is the only determinant produced by this strain that can induce the symptoms of shock in rabbits . A novel method for allelic replacement involving transduction of plasmid integrants is described. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1991 Mar, 35(3), 575 - 8 Nonradioactive DNA probe for detection of gene for methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus; Ligozzi M et al.; A DNA probe was developed by inserting, in the SmaI site of pBluescript sK, a 528-bp fragment of the gene responsible for intrinsic resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics in Staphylococcus aureus (mec determinant) . The mec probe provided a useful tool for the rapid identification of the intrinsic resistance trait and for establishing guidelines for testing the in vitro susceptibility of S . aureus to beta-lactams. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1991 Mar, 35(3), 506 - 11 Effect of SDZ MRL 953 on the survival of mice with advanced sepsis that cannot be cured by antibiotics alone; Lam C et al.; Stimulation of nonspecific immunity as an additional modality for therapy of sepsis that cannot be cured by antibiotics alone was investigated . SDZ MRL 953, a novel monosaccharidic lipid A analog as a prototype immunostimulant, and cefotaxime or gentamicin were administered to normal or myelosuppressed mice in a state of advanced sepsis caused by Escherichia coli or Staphylococcus aureus . In this novel model, antibiotic therapy was initiated when the infected mice appeared moribund . At this stage, neither pretreatment with the immunostimulant nor therapy with high doses of cefotaxime or gentamicin was effective in protecting the animals from fatal sepsis . However, pretreatment with a single dose of SDZ MRL 953 1 day prior to microbial inoculation dramatically improved the curative effects of the antibiotics . Hence, long-term survival was significantly enhanced with increasing doses of the immunostimulant in the combined therapy . Peritoneal macrophages from SDZ MRL 953-pretreated animals were primed for enhanced production of microbicidal reactive oxygen metabolites in vitro . In conclusion, the results of the present study indicate that SDZ MRL 953 is a potential candidate for use in a clinical setting as an adjunct to antimicrobial therapy for infections that cannot be treated successfully with appropriate antibiotics alone. J Clin Microbiol, 1991 Mar, 29(3), 570 - 2 Comparison of the affinities to bovine and human prothrombin of the staphylocoagulases from Staphylococcus intermedius and Staphylococcus aureus of animal origin; Raus J et al.; Staphylocoagulases of Staphylococcus aureus (40 strains originally isolated from horses, dogs, cats, cows, sheep, opossums, pigs, humans, and a goat) and Staphylococcus intermedius (19 isolates from dogs and 1 pigeon strain) were tested for their affinity to prothrombins of either bovine or human origin . The tests used were the coagulase tube test (using human, bovine, or equine fibrinogen with either bovine or human prothrombin as the source of coagulase-reacting factor) and a chromogenic assay which enabled quantification of the amidolytic activity of the staphylocoagulase-prothrombin complex . S . intermedius showed weak specificity for human prothrombin, with 15% of the coagulases clotting human fibrinogen, 25% clotting equine fibrinogen, and 40% clotting bovine fibrinogen . However, 65% of coagulases clotted equine fibrinogen, 75% of coagulases clotted human fibrinogen, and 100% of coagulases clotted bovine fibrinogen when bovine prothrombin was used . The animal isolates of S . aureus displayed more diverse specificity toward prothrombin than S . intermedius strains . While 85% of coagulase preparations clotted human fibrinogen when human prothrombin was used, only 45% of preparations clotted bovine fibrinogen when bovine prothrombin was used . However, 62.5% of coagulases clotted human fibrinogen when bovine prothrombin was used and 85% of coagulases clotted bovine fibrinogen when human prothrombin was used . This may be a reflection of the diversity of the animal origins of S . aureus isolates. J Clin Microbiol, 1991 Mar, 29(3), 419 - 21 Occurrence of Staphylococcus lugdunensis in consecutive clinical cultures and relationship of isolation to infection; Herchline TE et al.; Consecutive record review over a 63-month period revealed 229 Staphylococcus lugdunensis isolates, or 10.1% of the staphylococcal species that were not Staphylococcus aureus or Staphylococcus epidermidis . A total of 155 S . lugdunensis specimens were isolated from sites over the entire bodies of the 143 patients studied . The most common clinical diagnoses were skin and skin structure infections (55.4%) and blood and vascular catheter infections (17.4%) . For 40% of the reviewed specimens, S . lugdunensis was the sole agent isolated, and for 60% of specimens, S . lugdunensis was isolated as part of mixed flora . In only 15.4% of clinically reviewed specimens was S . lugdunensis clearly a culture contaminant or colonizing organism . The pattern of human infection identified in this study emphasizes the predominance of skin and soft tissue S . lugdunensis infections over deep serious infections such as endocarditis, peritonitis, infected hip prosthesis, and osteomyelitis and vascular-associated infections . S . lugdunensis should be included along with S . epidermidis, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, and Staphylococcus saprophyticus as a coagulase-negative species of Staphylococcus pathogenic for humans. Ann Plast Surg, 1991 Mar, 26(3), 243 - 7 Wound healing and infection in pretibial lacerations; Warren RA et al.; Eighty-eight patients with pretibial lacerations were entered into a study to analyze bacteriological and wound-healing profiles . Fifty-four patients were followed to complete wound healing . A complete photographic record of wounds from time of presentation to healing was available for analysis in 49 of these patients . Staphylococcus aureus was the most common pathogen, but the correlation between clinical wound infection and growth of pathogenic bacteria was poor . Flucloxacillin alone was found to be significantly more effective in controlling wound infection than in combination with metronidazole . Computerized image analysis of the photographic records was performed . There was no significant difference in the healing times of the various classic surgical wound types, and image analysis confirmed that the rates of wound healing were generally similar in all the types of pretibial wounds. Spine, 1991 Mar, 16(3), 261 - 4 Causes and clinical management of vertebral osteomyelitis in Saskatchewan; Joughin E et al.; A retrospective review of all patients with vertebral osteomyelitis admitted to all Saskatchewan referral hospitals from 1973 to 1986 was undertaken to determine the incidence and clinical characteristics of the disease . There were 73 patients, an incidence of 5.3 cases/million per year . Erroneous initial diagnoses were common (41%) . There was a significantly increased risk in patients older than 60 years . Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequent organism . Mycobacterium tuberculosis was present in 29.5% and was more common in native Indian patients . Surgery was performed in 31% of all patients, and in 50% of those with tuberculous infections . The outcome was excellent in 92% of patients . Diabetes and transurethral resection of the prostate were risk factors for vertebral osteomyelitis. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1991 Mar, 44(3), 278 - 81 Helvecardins A and B, novel glycopeptide antibiotics . III . Biological properties; Takeuchi M et al.; Helvecardins (HVCs) A and B were strongly active against aerobic and anaerobic Gram-positive bacteria including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), but they were inactive against Gram-negative bacteria and fungi . Though HVC A showed only slightly stronger antimicrobial activity than beta-avoparcin (AVP), its in vivo protective activity against S . aureus infection in mice was greatly superior to AVP. Immunology, 1991 Mar, 72(3), 448 - 50 Characterization of the major neutrophil-stimulating activity present in culture medium conditioned by Staphylococcus aureus-stimulated mononuclear leucocytes; Bates EJ et al.; Culture medium co