Shigella

Ann Intern Med, 1986 Nov, 105(5), 690 - 4
Plesiomonas enteric infections in the United States; Holmberg SD et al.; Thirty-one persons nationwide from whom Plesiomonas shigelloides was isolated in large numbers from stool in 1984 were compared with 62 matched control subjects . Infection with P . shigelloides was strongly associated with eating uncooked shellfish, usually raw oysters, in the 48 hours before the onset of illness (p less than 0.00001) and with foreign travel (p less than 0.00006), usually to Mexico . Most ill persons had self-limited diarrhea with blood and mucus in stool and other clinical findings that suggested enteroinvasiveness of infecting organisms . Two patients developed their illnesses after taking ampicillin for reasons unrelated to diarrhea; plesiomonads recovered from their stools were resistant to ampicillin . Seven persons with gastrointestinal complaints had alleviation or resolution of their symptoms after taking antimicrobial agents to which recovered plesiomonads were susceptible . These findings suggest that P . shigelloides may cause enteric disease in the normal host, that it may be acquired from eating uncooked shellfish, and that it may be a cause of travelers' diarrhea.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1986 Nov, (11), 46 - 51
{Phenomenology and molecular mechanisms of Shigella sonnei dissociation: its variability in model in vivo and in vitro systems}; Kaminskii GD et al.; The dynamics of the accumulation of phase II S . sonnei in the infectious process in germ-free rats, during cultivation and in subcultures was studied . The in vivo variability of S . sonnei showed a sharply defined phasic character of the process with the periods of the apparent absence of phase II, the increase of its occurrence and stabilization with the preservation of S-forms in minor amounts . Kanamycin-resistant phase II accumulated in vivo more rapidly than in vitro . Cultivation with sodium desoxycholate was found to accelerate the process of disassociation . The characteristic feature of all dissociants detected in all systems was their plasmid profile: in phase I, plasmids of 120 and 60 Md, as well as small plasmids, were detected; in phase II disassociants, plasmid with a molecular weight of 120 Md was absent . The restriction analysis of total plasmid DNA by means of restrictase EcoR1 showed the absence of 3 fragments in phase II while other 13 fragments were retained . These results open prospects for the molecular cloning of the gene antigen of phase II.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1986 Nov, (11), 42 - 6
{Manifestations of genotypic and phenotypic heterogeneity in populations of Shigella sonnei and of humans at different phases of the development of the epidemic process}; Shapiro MI et al.; The study of the structure and developmental dynamics of S . sonnei populations and the state of local immunity to this infection in children under school age has revealed that the interaction of the heterogeneous populations of the parasite and the host is the internal motive force of the self-regulating phasic development of the epidemic process . In the course of this process complementary changes in the virulence of the infective agent and in the immunoresistance of children are generated on the basis of negative feed-back.

J Bacteriol, 1986 Nov, 168(2), 762 - 8
In vitro packaging of heteroduplex bacteriophage T7 DNA: evidence for repair of mismatched bases; Masker W; Heteroduplex DNA molecules that were wild type or contained combinations of amber, missense, and temperature-sensitive mutations were prepared from bacteriophage T7 . These DNA molecules were then encapsulated in in vitro packaging reactions so as to produce infective T7 phage . The genotypes of the phage were examined to determine the degree to which mismatched base pairs in the heteroduplex had been corrected . The data show that conversion of the mismatches took place either during in vitro packaging or immediately after infection of either an Escherichia coli or Shigella sonnei host . The mode of mismatch conversion observed in these experiments was independent of the host mutH, mutL, mutS, and uvrD genes . There was no significant amount of discrimination between markers on either of the two complementary strands . The observed frequency of conversion of a mismatch depended on the genetic marker being monitored and on experimental conditions but was generally in the range between 5 and 30%.

Ann Inst Pasteur Microbiol, 1986 Nov-Dec, 137B(3), 291 - 5
Elimination of a virulence plasmid from Shigella sonnei and Escherichia coli by antibiotics; Michel-Briand Y et al.; Plasmid pWR105 is a non-self-conjugative plasmid conferring enteroinvasive properties on Shigella sonnei . Loss of this plasmid is accompanied by loss of the invasive phenotype as well as of the form I antigen expression . Thirteen antibiotics belonging to different chemical families were used at subinhibitory concentrations to eliminate pWR105 from S . sonnei and Escherichia coli K12 . Rifampicin, novobiocin, chloramphenicol, cotrimoxazole and erythromycin eliminated the plasmid from both strains . Clindamycin eliminated pWR105 from E . coli only . Several other antibiotics gave a low rate of cure (ciprofloxacin, nalidixic acid, oxolinic acid, nifurzide, tilbroquinol, minocycline) . We may expect that these antibiotics would destabilize plasmids from other Shigella species and enteroinvasive E . coli, as these extrachromosomal DNA molecules share a high degree of homology.

Infect Immun, 1986 Nov, 54(2), 435 - 43
Characterization of Shigella flexneri sequences encoding congo red binding (crb): conservation of multiple crb sequences and role of IS1 in loss of the Crb+ phenotype; Daskaleros PA et al.; The ability to bind Congo red (Crb+) is associated with virulence of Shigella flexneri and is encoded by a large, 220-kilobase plasmid . We cloned fragments of this plasmid to isolate the sequences encoding Congo red binding, to determine the degree of conservation of these sequences among S . flexneri strains, and to study the molecular basis for loss of the Crb+ phenotype . At least two separate BamHI fragments cloned into plasmid vectors encode Congo red binding in E . coli or S . flexneri . One Crb+ clone, pTKS2, contains a copy of IS1 adjacent to the crb sequences . IS1 appears to be responsible for deletions leading to loss of Congo red binding in this clone . In addition, this clone was found to integrate into the chromosome at relatively high frequency . Integration resulted in loss of the Crb+ phenotype . A second clone, pTKS15, which has only limited homology to pTKS2, also encodes Congo red binding . The Crb+ phenotype of transformants carrying pTKS15 was detected at 37 degrees C but not at 30 degrees C, and thus it resembles Congo red binding in wild-type S . flexneri . HindIII digests of plasmid DNA from 10 different S . flexneri strains were hybridized to both of these Crb+ clones and to an IS1 probe . More than one fragment hybridized to pTKS2 or pTKS15 . In general, the sizes of these fragments were the same in S . flexneri strains of different serotypes, indicating conservation of these sequences . Three of five copies of IS1 were also found on the large S . flexneri plasmids . Two of the copies were on fragments of the same size in each strain . Analysis of Crb- derivatives of the 10 strains indicated that, although IS1 may be closely linked to crb sequences on the 220-kilobase plasmid, it is not responsible for the majority of deletions of this plasmid associated with loss of Congo red binding.

Infect Immun, 1986 Nov, 54(2), 395 - 402
DNA sequence and product analysis of the virF locus responsible for congo red binding and cell invasion in Shigella flexneri 2a; Sakai T et al.; The DNA sequence of virF, a locus associated with virulence and the ability to bind Congo red in Shigella flexneri 2a that is located on a 140-megadalton (230-kilobase) plasmid, was determined and analyzed . It was rich in A and T . The direction of transcription of virF was determined by using a chloramphenicol resistance cartridge . An open reading frame readable in this direction was found . Three proteins, 30, 27, and 21 kilodaltons, all corresponding to those predicted from the above sequence, were produced in minicells containing the virF locus . The three proteins were expressed only weakly in minicells with the 230-kilobase plasmid.

J Infect Dis, 1986 Nov, 154(5), 742 - 51
Colonization, virulence, and mucosal interaction of an enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (strain RDEC-1) expressing shigella somatic antigen in the rabbit intestine; Inman LR et al.; The group factor 3,4 somatic antigen was transferred by recombination from a donor strain of Shigella flexneri type 2a to the Escherichia coli O15 rabbit pathogen strain RDEC-1 . A hybrid clone (7482-1-1) that expressed only the S . flexneri 3,4 somatic antigen and a second clone (7482-1-7) from the same mating mixture that expressed only the O15 somatic antigen were compared for virulence in rabbits . The 7482-1-1 strain produced diarrhea in 10% of rabbits versus 84% for the 7482-1-7 strain (P less than .001) . In fluorescent antibody-stained, frozen, sectioned tissues, fewer 7482-1-1 bacteria adhered to ileum (P = .013) and cecum (P = .044) . Light and electron microscopic studies demonstrated that the recombinant strain, which adhered to membranous (M) cells to the same degree as the 7482-1-7 strain, was found beneath the epithelium, where its presence resulted in a marked acute inflammatory response . Both the 7482-1-1 and 7482-1-7 strains exhibited characteristic close adherence to M cells and absorptive ileal and cecal mucosa.

J Biol Chem, 1986 Oct 25, 261(30), 13928 - 31
Complete amino acid sequence of Shigella toxin B-chain . A novel polypeptide containing 69 amino acids and one disulfide bridge; Seidah NG et al.; The complete amino acid sequence of the B-chain of Shigella toxin has been determined using both liquid- and gas-phase sequenators . It reveals a 69-amino acid peptide with a single disulfide bridge, predicting a subunit molecular weight of 7691 . No Asn-X-Ser(Thr) sequence was found, confirming the absence of potential N-glycosylation sites . A computer data bank search using a mutation data matrix did not detect any similarity greater than 30% with known sequences to date, indicating a novel primary structure . However, some distant homology with the 103-residue B-chain of cholera and Escherichia coli enterotoxins was revealed . Hydropathy, fractional exposure, and Chou and Fasman calculations all point to an ordered structure with a hydrophobic core spanning residues 36-52 and a hydrophilic domain between residues 10 and 20, the latter probably representing the most antigenic domain.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1986 Oct, (10), 76 - 80
{Characteristics of erythrocyte diagnostic agents studied using optical methods}; Panina LK et al.; The quantitative characterization of erythrocyte diagnosticums (ED) has been made by optical methods (light microscopy with the use of an image analyzer, model Magiscan 2, and the opacity spectrum technique) . The following parameters of ED have been determined: the average of the major axis (5.25 +/- 0.57 micron for ED from Shigella sonnei and 5.53 +/- 0.50 micron for ED from Shigella flexneri), the ratio of semiaxes (p approximately equal to 3), the major axis length distribution, the refractive index (1.076 +/- 0.002) . For controlling the concentration of ED the use of the opacity spectrum technique is recommended.

Mol Gen Mikrobiol Virusol, 1986 Oct, (10), 16 - 21
{Functional characteristics of plasmids of Shigella sonnei 47 strains}; Kariagina AS et al.; The phenotypic characteristics of Shigella sonnei strain 47 containing 7 plasmids of low molecular weight and 2 plasmids 60-100 Md large have been studied . The strains of Escherichia coli containing the single plasmids or plasmid groups from Shigella sonnei have been obtained by transformation and conjugation . The comparison of phenotypes of the obtained strains has helped to find the plasmid location of the determinants for streptomycin resistance (P7), genes for colicinogenicity and colicin immunity (P5), the enzymes of host cell specificity system Sso47I (P6), Sso47II (P4), and the genes for the conjugative DNA transfer (P9) . Escherichia coli strains producing individual restriction enzymes SsoI and SsoII have been isolated.

Am J Pathol, 1986 Oct, 125(1), 69 - 80
Morphologic evaluation of the effects of Shiga toxin and E coli Shiga-like toxin on the rabbit intestine; Keenan KP et al.; The effects of a Shiga toxin derived from Shigella dysenteriae Type 1, Strain 60R, and a Shiga-like toxin from the enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7, Strain 933, were studied in the in vivo rabbit ileal loop model . The effects of both toxins were similar and resulted in severe villus blunting by 18-24 hours after exposure . With both toxins, a dose effect was noted; and the lesions, first detected at 2 hours after inoculation, became more severe over time . Both toxins appeared to act directly and selectively on the mature columnar absorptive epithelium of the intestinal villus, which resulted in the premature expulsion of these cells from the lateral villus wall, with a decrease in the villus/crypt ratio . The goblet mucous cells remained attached and frequently formed clusters on the blunt villus apices . The crypt epithelium underwent a rapid proliferation and maintained the epithelial integrity . The ultrastructural changes observed in the toxin-injured villus absorptive cells suggested that these cells underwent a process of apoptosis, rather than necrosis . These findings suggest that both toxins act in vivo in the small intestine on a specific cell population, the mature, differentiated absorptive villus epithelium.

Immunol Lett, 1986 Oct, 13(4), 197 - 201
Lack of serologically defined arthritogenic Shigella flexneri cell envelope antigens in post-dysenteric arthritis; van Bohemen CG et al.; Post-dysenteric or reactive arthritis (ReA) is closely associated with HLA-B27 . This histocompatibility antigen is heterogeneous and consists of 2 serologically defined variants: B27M1+M2+ and B27M1+M2- . This paper gives a qualitative evaluation of the antibodies present in the sera of 62 patients with dysentery due to Shigella flexneri 2a, a known arthritogenic bacterium . The patients were classified in 4 groups: B27M1+M2+ReA+ (n = 5), B27M1+M2+ReA- (n = 7); B27M1+M2-ReA- (n = 1); B27-ReA- (n = 49) . The isolated infectant possessed cell envelope antigens with B27M2-like epitopes (Mr 20,000) . Analysis of the spectrum of antibodies directed against the separated cell envelope antigens of S . flexneri in the sera of these patients revealed 7 main patterns of reactivity . The detectable immunogens encompassed protein stainable antigens (Mr 98, 78, 68, 54, 50, 44, 41, 35, 14 and 13 kDa), lipopolysaccharides and peptidoglycan . None of the sera possessed detectable antibodies to the B27M2-like antigen . Consequently, this antigen is unlikely to be associated with ReA, and this applies equally to other antigens or patterns of antigens . The arthritogenicity of S . flexneri may therefore not be determined by the presence or absence of detectable antibody titers to certain cell envelope antigens . We hypothesize that other properties of these antigens could be of significance.

J Immunol, 1986 Oct 1, 137(7), 2361 - 6
Characterization of Shigella flexneri-specific murine monoclonal antibodies by chemically defined glycoconjugates; Carlin NI et al.; Chemically defined glycoconjugates are demonstrated to have considerable potential for selecting hybridoma antibodies directed toward O-antigenic determinants, especially when used in combination with a panel of well-characterized LPS molecules . Monoclonal antibodies specific for the Shigella flexneri O-antigens of serogroup 5b, variants X and Y, were generated after immunization of BALB/c mice with killed bacterial cells, and active hybrids were selected on the basis of ELISA performed with the purified serotype-specific LPS antigen . Subsequent screening with a variety of glycoconjugates, derived from synthetic oligosaccharides and larger structures obtained by phage Sf6/endo-rhamnosidase hydrolysis of purified LPS established a detailed profile of binding characteristics for Shigella flexneri variant Y-specific antibodies . Together with the results of precipitin analysis and heavy chain isotyping experiments, a limited number of antibodies were selected as candidates for detailed studies of the antibody combining site.

Microbiologia, 1986 Oct, 2(2), 81 - 8
Plasmid profile analysis as a tool for characterization of epidemic Shigella sonnei strains; Mendoza MC et al.; The usefulness of plasmid profile analysis as a marker to determine the strain number of Shigella sonnei implicated in an epidemic outbreak and its prevalency in our community was studied . We could define two multirresistant strains and determine that the drug resistance was plasmid mediated in both . One strain carried a tra- plasmid which encoded (Sm, Sd)r, the other one carried two tra+ plasmids which encoded (Ap-Cb, Sm, Sd)r and (Sm, Km-Nm, Sd, Tp)r respectively . These strains and some coisolates collected during the later phase of the outbreak carried cryptic plasmids which showed similar electrophoretic mobilities.

Am J Gastroenterol, 1986 Oct, 81(10), 944 - 50
Cytomegalovirus infection of the alimentary tract: a clinicopathological correlation; Hinnant KL et al.; Alimentary tract cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections of 24 patients were reviewed, including 19 with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome . CMV inclusion bodies (CMV-IB) were calibrated per mm2 of tissue . CMV-IB counts were correlated with biopsy site, inflammatory response, and clinical parameters . Colonic biopsies showed the highest counts . Biopsies of the right colon had about three times as many CMV-IBs as those of the left . Upper alimentary tract biopsies had low counts . Mesenchymal cells were most affected (97%); 35% were identified as endothelial and 6% as smooth muscle . Only 3% of CMV-IBs were in epithelial cells . Grades of inflammation, 1-5, correlated directly with CMV-IB counts up to grade 4 . In grade 5 inflammation tissue destruction was so severe that CMV-IBs were difficult to recognize . Ulcers were demonstrated in more than half of all patients, either histologically or endoscopically . The inflammatory response was nonspecific, except for patchy infiltrates and the absence of lymphoid follicles, crypt abscesses, or granulomas . Gastrointestinal infections, such as shigellosis, candidiasis, mycobacteriosis, and cryptosporidiosis coexisted in 17 patients . No correlation was found between CMV-IB counts and severity of symptoms or length of survival . Alimentary tract CMV infections was the first manifestation of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome in 11 patients . Survival ranged from 2 wk to 19 months.

Infect Immun, 1986 Oct, 54(1), 32 - 6
Isolation, characterization, and mapping of Tn5 insertions into the 140-megadalton invasion plasmid defective in the mouse Sereny test in Shigella flexneri 2a; Sasakawa C et al.; Using Shigella flexneri 2a YSH6000, we isolated 304 independent Tn5 insertion mutants in the 230-kilobase invasion plasmid, pMYSH6000 . The site of each Tn5 insertion was assigned to 23 SalI fragments on the previously made SalI cleavage map of pMYSH6000 . Among the 304 insertions, 150 were negative in expression of four phenotypes examined (mouse Sereny test {Ser}, invasion into epithelial cells {Inv}, Congo red binding {Pcr}, and inhibition of bacterial growth {Igr} ): 12 were Ser- Inv+ Pcr+ Igr+, and 142 were positive in all four phenotypes . Tn5 insertions in the avirulent mutants were distributed in two separate SalI fragments, F and G, and in four contiguous SalI fragments, B, P, H, and D . Fragment G contains a novel class of determinant(s) which is required only for Ser+ but not for Inv+, Pcr+, and Igr+ . Fragment F contains the previously characterized virF locus . B, P, H, and D each contained both virulent and avirulent Tn5 insertions . This indicates that more than two gene clusters exist within this region . Both are required for expression of all four virulence phenotypes.

Scand J Prim Health Care, 1986 Sep, 4(3), 183 - 90
Growth, nutritional status and infant mortality of Turkish immigrant preschool children; Mjones S et al.; Turkish preschool children in Stockholm, Sweden, 59 born 1979, 32 born 1976 and 43 siblings of preschool age have been studied as to nutritional status including anthropometric parameters, dental caries, haemoglobin level and bacteriological and parasitological findings in faeces and as to deaths of siblings in Turkey and Sweden . Growth was very close to that of the Swedish standard . Two of three children with slightly subnormal growth had had recent direct or indirect contact with the home country . There were no signs of nutritional deficiency but dental caries was common . There was little anaemia . One case of shigellosis was found . Mortality of infancy was significantly reduced after immigration . The group had made a successful nutritional adaptation in Sweden considering their origin in regions of Turkey with a high prevalence of growth failure . Health care in this group should aim at prevention of diarrhoeal disease on visits to Turkey as well as of dental caries.

Acta Paediatr Scand, 1986 Sep, 75(5), 713 - 8
Observations questioning a protective role for breast-feeding in severe rotavirus diarrhea; Glass RI et al.; To investigate whether breast-feeding protects children against rotavirus diarrhea (RVD), we compared rates of breast-feeding by age and enteric pathogens among 2,276 children with diarrhea 0-4 years of age who attended a diarrhea hospital in Bangladesh . Infants 0-5 months were less likely to be breast-fed than children 6-11 months of age suggesting that some protection against diarrhea with all agents was associated with early breast-feeding . In every age group studied, breast-feeding was more common among children with RVD than among children with non-RVD whereas it was less common among children with cholera and shigellosis . Twenty percent of breast milks consumed by infants less than 1 year of age had high levels of neutralizing activity (greater than or equal to 320) to the Wa strain of rotavirus but this activity did not appear to be protective since the 30 infants with RVD consumed milk which had titers that did not differ significantly from those consumed by 44 infants with diarrhea of other cause . Despite the prolonged breast-feeding which is common in Bangladesh, the mean age of hospitalization with RVD is approximately the same as in countries where the duration of breast-feeding is quite short . None of these 3 independent observations support a protective role for breast-feeding against rotavirus diarrhea after the first months of life.

J Clin Microbiol, 1986 Sep, 24(3), 498 - 500
Comparison of DNA probes and the Sereny test for identification of invasive Shigella and Escherichia coli strains; Wood PK et al.; Forty-two Shigella and 29 Escherichia coli strains were screened for invasiveness in the Sereny test and for hybridization with two recently described DNA probes for the invasiveness plasmid . Both probes produced identical results . All Sereny-positive strains hybridized with both DNA probes . Three Sereny-negative strains also hybridized with the probes, suggesting that there are strains containing the invasiveness plasmid that are not pathogenic in animal models.

Bioorg Khim, 1986 Sep, 12(9), 1240 - 52
{Somatic antigens of Shigella and Escherichia coli . Determination of the structure of O-specific polysaccharide from Shigella boydii type 12 and its serological properties compared with the O-specific polysaccharide from Escherichia coli}; L'vov VL et al.; The structure of the O-specific polysaccharide of the somatic antigen (lipopolysaccharide) of Shigella boydii, type 12, was established by 1H- and 13C-NMR, methylation analysis and partial acid hydrolysis methods . The polysaccharide consists of pentasaccharide repeating units of the following structure: (formula; see text) The amount of O-acetyl groups was far less than stoichiometric, only about 2 for 3-4 repeating units . Nevertheless, the results of serological studies revealed 3-O-acetyl-alpha-L-rhamnose residue to be the major immunodominant group . In spite of the presence of similar trisaccharide fragments, the lipopolysaccharide and polysaccharide from Shigella boydii type 12 gave no crossreaction with lipopolysaccharide and polysaccharide from Escherichia coli 07 . The possible reasons of the absence of serological relatedness between the Sh . boydii, type 12, and E . coli 07 cells were discussed.

Bioorg Khim, 1986 Sep, 12(9), 1213 - 24
{Synthesis of a repeating unit and the dimer of the repeating unit of the major chain of Shigella flexneri O-antigen polysaccharide}; Tsvetkov IuE et al.; Methyl glycoside of the tetrasaccharide GlcNAc(beta 1-2)Rha(alpha 1-2)Rha(alpha 1-3)Rha, which represents a repeating unit of the basic chain of Shigella flexneri O-antigenic polysaccharides, was synthesized using acylated monosaccharide synthons . A dimer of the repeating unit, octasaccharide {GlcNAc(beta 1-2)Rha(alpha 1-2) Rha(alpha 1-3)Rha(alpha 1-3)}2-OMe was obtained by TrClO4-catalyzed condensation of two tetrasaccharide blocks.

Cell, 1986 Aug 15, 46(4), 551 - 5
A genetic determinant required for continuous reinfection of adjacent cells on large plasmid in S . flexneri 2a; Makino S et al.; We have identified a region (virG) on the 230 kb virulence plasmid of S . flexneri that is required for cell-to-cell spread of the bacterium . Tn5 insertions into this region result in avirulent mutants that can initially invade and multiply in epithelial cells, but tend to lose active movement and tend to localize within the cytoplasm, where they are gradually extinguished without infecting adjacent cells . The virG region was localized to within 4 kb and may contain a single cistron . Sequences hybridizing to this region were found in all intact virulence plasmids of Shigellae and enteroinvasive E . coli.

Infect Immun, 1986 Aug, 53(2), 372 - 7
Pathogenesis of Shigella diarrhea: rabbit intestinal cell microvillus membrane binding site for Shigella toxin; Fuchs G et al.; This study examined the binding of purified 125I-labeled shigella toxin to rabbit jejunal microvillus membranes (MVMs) . Toxin binding was concentration dependent, saturable, reversible, and specifically inhibited by unlabeled toxin . The calculated number of toxin molecules bound at 4 degrees C was 7.9 X 10(10) (3 X 10(10) to 2 X 10(11))/micrograms of MVM protein or 1.2 X 10(6) per enterocyte . Scatchard analysis showed the binding site to be of a single class with an equilibrium association constant, K, of 4.7 X 10(9) M-1 at 4 degrees C . Binding was inversely related to the temperature of incubation . A total of 80% of the labeled toxin binding at 4 degrees C dissociated from MVM when the temperature was raised to 37 degrees C, but reassociated when the temperature was again brought to 4 degrees C . There was no structural or functional change of MVM due to toxin as monitored by electron microscopy or assay of MVM sucrase activity . These studies demonstrate a specific binding site for shigella toxin on rabbit MVMs . The physiological relevance of this receptor remains to be determined.

Biokhimiia, 1986 Aug, 51(8), 1369 - 76
{Study of the conditions of activation and stabilization of DNA-methylases from Shigella sonnei 47 during fractionation, purification and storage}; Suchkov SV et al.; A comparative study of activation factors and stabilization conditions of partially purified and individual fractions of DNA-methylases of Shigella sonnei 47 was carried out . The stability of DNA-methylases in the course of storage was examined . The influence of activating factors and stabilization conditions differed significantly depending on the degree of purification and composition of methylase preparations . It was shown that glycerol is ineffective as a stabilizing agent . The activating effect of Ca2+ on Shigella sonnei 47 DNA-methylases was found to be universal, while albumin was shown to exert a more potent stabilizing action . The inactivating effect of proteases on DNA methylation enzymes during storage was demonstrated . A phenomenon of spontaneous fluctuations in the methylating activity of enzymatic preparations of Shigella sonnei 47 upon storage was observed.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1986 Aug, (8), 10 - 3
{Detection of immunosuppression factors in Shigella sonnei}; Frolov AF et al.; A factor, making noninvasive shigellae and other bacteria capable of suppressing immunological memory and secondary immune response manifested as delayed hypersensitivity, has been detected in the germ-free filtrates of the broth cultures of invasive S . sonnei.

South Med J, 1986 Aug, 79(8), 1046 - 7
Shigellosis complicated by acute appendicitis; Lending RE et al.; Acute appendicitis developed in a 23-year-old Mexican-American man with acute bacillary dysentery (shigellosis) . This is the first such case reported in the English literature.

Am J Epidemiol, 1986 Aug, 124(2), 299 - 305
Contaminated produce--a common source for two outbreaks of Shigella gastroenteritis; Martin DL et al.; Simultaneous outbreaks of Shigella sonnei gastroenteritis occurred in October 1983 at two Texas university campuses 60 miles (96 km) apart . There were no common food handlers, recreational activities, water sources or swimming areas to explain the introduction of Shigella at both campuses . However, tossed salads were found to be associated with illness at both campuses . The investigation disclosed that both schools had received produce shipments from the same company during the week preceding these outbreaks . Shigella isolates from cases at both universities, sent to the Centers for Disease Control for plasmid analysis and colicin typing, were found to be identical . The same organism was evidently not a frequent cause of shigellosis within a 160-mile (256 km) radius of these universities since only 19% of control isolates chosen from this area were identical to the type which caused these outbreaks . This is the first report of two related outbreaks of shigellosis that were caused by a contaminated food source and not by a food handler . Simultaneous foodborne outbreaks of shigellosis should trigger a search for potential contamination at every step of food handling from farm to kitchen.

Microb Pathog, 1986 Aug, 1(4), 325 - 34
Shiga toxin from Shigella dysenteriae 1 inhibits protein synthesis in reticulocyte lysates by inactivation of aminoacyl-tRNA binding; Brown JE et al.; Inhibition of the peptide elongation cycle of eukaryotic protein synthesis by Shiga toxin from Shigella dysenteriae 1 was examined in toxin-treated reticulocyte lysate mixtures . Peptidyl transferase activity of toxin-treated ribosomes was measured by following the decrease in peptidyl-tRNA concentrations when puromycin was added after incubation with toxin . Concentrations of {3H}leucine-labeled peptidyl-tRNA were measured by extraction with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide . The data suggest that Shiga toxin inhibited aminoacyl-tRNA binding . Toxin-treated ribosomes retained peptidyl transferase activity, and toxin did not block translocation . Furthermore, no inhibition of initiation of protein synthesis could be observed . Finally, Shiga toxin had no detectable nucleolytic effect on polysomal 28S rRNA, nor was hydrolysis of 5.8S or 5S rRNA observed.

Infect Immun, 1986 Aug, 53(2), 352 - 8
Identification of Shigella sonnei form I plasmid genes necessary for cell invasion and their conservation among Shigella species and enteroinvasive Escherichia coli; Watanabe H et al.; A series of Tn1 insertions in pSS120, the 120-megadalton form I plasmid of Shigella sonnei, were constructed by a Tn1-mediated conduction system previously described (H . Watanabe and A . Nakamura, Infect . Immun . 48:260-262, 1985, and screened for cell invasion in a tissue culture assay . The analysis of Tn1 insertion sites of seven noninvasive mutants suggested that four separate HindIII fragments were necessary for cell invasion . HindIII fragments including Tn1 of mutant plasmids were cloned into a vector plasmid, pACYC184 . The DNA was used as a DNA probe to identify the corresponding, parental HindIII fragments . We identified one contiguous molecule of 2.6- and 4.1-kilobase pair (kb) HindIII fragments as being responsible for restoring cell invasiveness to the three mutant plasmids, pHW505, pHW510, and pHW511 . Polypeptide analysis in minicells demonstrated that the contiguous HindIII fragments of 2.6 and 4.1 kb coded for at least four polypeptides, of 38, 41, 47, and 80 kilodaltons (kDa) . A comparison of polypeptides synthesized by parental and mutant plasmids strongly suggested that the 38-kDa protein was essential for cell invasion . The 4.1-kb DNA which encoded the 38-kDa protein was conserved among plasmids of Shigella species and enteroinvasive Escherichia coli.

Antibiot Med Biotekhnol, 1986 Aug, 31(8), 600 - 2
{Relationship of the pKMR plasmids detected in Shigella circulating in the Krasnodar Territory to incompatibility groups}; Shishkina ZV et al.; Shigella strains showed that in 43.9 per cent of the strains this feature was controlled by conjugative R plasmids . On the whole these were the plasmids allotting the bacterial cell with resistance simultaneously to SmTcCm (37.1 per cent) and SmTc (17.1 per cent) . The plasmids with other phenotypes were less frequent: SmApCm, 11.4 per cent, TcApCm, 8.6 per cent; SmTcApCm, 8.6 per cent; Tc, 8.6 per cent; Sm, 2.9 per cent; Cm, 2.9 per cent and TcCm, 2.9 per cent . The incompatibility groups of 19 plasmids were determined: Inc I zeta, 28.6 per cent; Inc zeta I and Inc B, 14.2 per cent; Inc FII, 8.6 per cent and Inc I alpha, 2.9 per cent.

Immunol Lett, 1986 Aug, 13(1-2), 71 - 4
HLA-B27M1M2 and high immune responsiveness to Shigella flexneri in post-dysenteric arthritis; van Bohemen CG et al.; The heterogeneous HLA-B27 antigen is closely associated with post-infectious or reactive arthritis (ReA) and is comprised of two serologically defined variants: B27M1+M2+ and B27M1+M2- . An outbreak of dysentery (n = 120) caused by a Shigella flexneri 2a strain, which possessed cell envelope antigens with epitopes resembling B27M2, resulted in five B27M1+M2+ patients with ReA . The remaining seven B27M1+M2+, one B27M1+M2- and all but three B27-negative patients remained free of joint symptoms; the latter three displayed arthralgia . IgM, IgG and IgA serum titers were statistically raised in all patient groups, but were exceptionally and persistently high in the B27M1+M2+ patients with ReA, especially IgA, as determined in acute-phase sera and sera sampled 1 year after dysentery . B27M1+M2+ thus appears to be a marker for a subset of disease, characterized by a high immune response . It is concluded that the B27M2 epitope is not unequivocally disease-related to Shigella ReA, that B27M1+M2+ is not likely to be the only immune-response-regulating gene involved in this form of ReA and that cross-reactivity between bacterial antigenic epitopes and B27 can only be part of a multifactorial process leading to ReA and in itself not sufficient to produce ReA . The intensity of the immune response appears to be another important factor.

Vet Pathol, 1986 Jul, 23(4), 425 - 30
Generalized amyloidosis in rhesus monkeys; Blanchard JL et al.; Necropsy materials from 57 cases of generalized amyloidosis in rhesus monkeys were reviewed . Clinically, animals with the disease were characterized by cachexia with muscle wasting, recurrent diarrhea, and arthritis . Gross lesions included hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, chronic/active colitis, fibrous strictures of the cecocolic junction, osteoarthritis, and generalized muscle atrophy . Histologic examination revealed minimal to severe deposits of amyloid in the small intestine (100%), spleen (93%), large intestine (67%), liver (40%), lymph nodes (71%), stomach and/or adrenal gland (32%) . More amyloid was deposited in the spleen, liver, and small intestine than in other organs . Shigella sp . were isolated from feces in 23% of the cases and 84% had histologic evidence of colitis . Other findings indicated that 100% of the animals had lung mites, 25% had strictures of the cecocolic junction, and 40% had osteoarthritis . Thirty percent of the cases occurred in animals 10 months to 5 years of age, 10% in ages 6 to 10 years, and 60% in animals greater than 10 years old.

Postgrad Med J, 1986 Jul, 62(729), 663 - 4
Septicaemia and pleural effusion due to Plesiomonas shigelloides; Humphreys H et al.; Plesiomonas shigelloides is a rare cause of invasive infection, most clinically significant isolates being from the gastrointestinal tract of animals and man . Recently it has been implicated as an increasing cause of opportunistic infections . We report a case of P . shigelloides septicaemia and pleural effusion in a patient with pre-existing alcoholic liver disease . This case serves to illustrate the possible role of P . shigelloides as an opportunistic pathogen in a compromised host especially where there is co-existing liver disease.

Infect Immun, 1986 Jul, 53(1), 57 - 63
Serum immune response to Shigella protein antigens in rhesus monkeys and humans infected with Shigella spp; Oaks EV et al.; The serum antibody response to proteins encoded by the virulence-associated plasmid of Shigella flexneri was determined in monkeys challenged with virulent S . flexneri serotype 2a . With water-extractable antigen in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, a significant increase in antibody titer against proteins from a plasmid-carrying, virulent strain of S . flexneri serotype 5 could be demonstrated in convalescent sera . There were minimal antibody titers against proteins from an avirulent (plasmid-free) organism . Previously identified plasmid-coded polypeptides a, b, c, and d were predominant antigens recognized by a majority of the convalescent sera in immunoblots . An additional 140-megadalton plasmid-coded polypeptide was also recognized by half of the sera . Convalescent serum from an infected monkey recognized antigens on the bacterial surface in several different plasmid-containing Shigella species and in an enteroinvasive Escherichia coli strain . A survey of sera obtained from children 5 to 10 years of age who had been infected with S . flexneri or S . sonnei revealed high enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay titers in both acute and convalescent sera against a water extract from a virulent Shigella strain . In contrast, children under 3 years of age had no antibody titer in either acute or convalescent sera against the virulence-associated shigella proteins, while 3- to 4-year-old children mounted an immune response against these proteins only in convalescence.

Rev Infect Dis, 1986 Jul-Aug, 8(4), 539 - 47
Acute infectious diarrhea among children in day care: epidemiology and control; Pickering LK et al.; The incidence of diarrhea among children in day care centers is highest for those under three years of age . Limited studies indicate that diarrhea occurs more frequently among children enrolled at these centers than among age-matched children cared for at home or in family day care . Most reported outbreaks have been caused by rotavirus, Giardia, Shigella, or combinations of these organisms . Children in day care centers commonly excrete enteropathogens in the absence of symptoms; the significance of this phenomenon in transmission is unknown . An association between higher rates of diarrhea and selected characteristics of centers--the most important of which is the presence of non-toilet-trained children--has been shown . The contamination of hands, communal toys, and other classroom objects as well as a lack of infection control measures play a role in the transmission of enteropathogens in outbreaks of diarrhea in day care centers . Spread of infection from non-toilet-trained children in centers to their families is common . Potential ways of dealing with this situation include education; development, implementation, and enforcement of regulations; and use of infection control measures . However, the effectiveness of specific control measures has not been systematically evaluated.

J Bacteriol, 1986 Jul, 167(1), 251 - 6
Expression of the unassembled capsid protein during infection of Shigella sonnei by bacteriophage T7 results in DNA damage that is repairable by bacteriophage T3, but not T7, DNA ligase; Beck PJ et al.; The abortive infection of bacteriophage T7 in Shigella sonnei D2 371-48 is characterized by a premature inhibition of phage DNA replication and nucleolytic breakdown of all phage DNA . Mutations in T7 gene 10 which are recessive to the presence of the wild-type allele can alleviate the restriction of phage growth . Phage T3 productively infects S . sonnei D2 371-48, as does a T7-T3 hybrid phage that contains, in particular, a gene 10 of T7 origin . It is the presence of T3 DNA ligase that allows phage growth on S . sonnei D2 371-48, and this enzyme can also rescue wild-type T7 from the abortive infection . T7+ is therefore functionally ligase deficient during the infection of S . sonnei D2 371-48; this deficiency is a result of the expression of the phage capsid protein, but it is independent of the assembly of the protein into a procapsid or other morphogenetic structure.

Infect Immun, 1986 Jul, 53(1), 135 - 40
Two toxin-converting phages from Escherichia coli O157:H7 strain 933 encode antigenically distinct toxins with similar biologic activities; Strockbine NA et al.; Escherichia coli O157:H7 strain 933 contains two distinct toxin-converting phages (933J and 933W) . The biologic activities and antigenic relationship between the toxins produced by 933J and 933W lysogens of E . coli K-12, as well as the homology of the genes that encode the two toxins, were examined in this study . The 933J and 933W toxins, like Shiga toxin produced by Shigella dysenteriae type 1, were cytotoxic for the same cell lines, caused paralysis and death in mice, and caused fluid accumulation in rabbit ileal segments . The cytotoxic activity of 933J toxin for HeLa cells was neutralized by anti-Shiga toxin, whereas the activity of 933W toxin was not neutralized by this antiserum . In contrast, an antiserum prepared against E . coli K-12(933W) neutralized 933W toxin but not 933J toxin or Shiga toxin . For E . coli 933, most of the cell-associated cytotoxin was neutralized by anti-Shiga toxin, whereas most of the extracellular cytotoxin was neutralized by anti-933W toxin . However, a mixture of these antisera indicated the presence of both toxins in cell lysates and culture supernatants . Among 50 elevated cytotoxin-producing strains of E . coli, we identified 11 strains isolated from cases of diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis, or hemolytic uremic syndrome that produced cell-associated cytotoxins which were neutralized by the 933W antitoxin . Southern hybridization studies showed that the cloned toxin structural genes from phage 933J hybridized with DNA from phage 933W under conditions estimated to allow no more than 26% base-pair mismatch . These findings indicate that E . coli produces two genetically related but antigenically distinct cytotoxins with similar biologic activities which we propose to name Shiga-like toxins I and II . Strains of E . coli that produce elevated levels of Shiga-like toxin I or Shiga-like toxin II, or both, have been associated with the clinical syndromes of diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis, and hemolytic uremic syndrome.

Microbiol Sci, 1986 Jul, 3(7), 216 - 9
Microbiological methods and plasmid pattern analysis in epidemiological control of Shigella sonnei infections; Bratoeva MP; Shigella sonnei plays an important aetiological role in bacillary dysentery . Advances in methodology for the study of intraspecies differentiation are proving to be valuable in the epidemiological analysis of infections caused by this agent.

Infect Immun, 1986 Jul, 53(1), 110 - 5
Shigella flexneri O-antigen epitopes: chemical and immunochemical analyses reveal that epitopes of type III and group 6 antigens are identical; Carlin NI et al.; In the present investigation we studied the nature of a Shigella flexneri O antigen, the type III antigen . No structural entity has yet been attributed to this antigen . Phenol-water-extracted lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) from all S . flexneri serotypes possessing either group 6 antigen or both type III antigen and group 6 antigen were subjected to de-O-acetylation by weak alkali treatment . Two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of serotype 3a native LPS and de-O-acetylated LPS were completely resolved, confirming the established structure (L . Kenne, B . Lindberg, K . Petersson, E . Katzenellenbogen, and E . Romanowska, Eur . J . Biochem . 91:279-284, 1978) and proving that no other structural alteration was introduced by the treatment . Both native and de-O-acetylated LPSs of serotypes 1b, 3a, 3b, and 4b were tested in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay against four absorbed rabbit anti-S . flexneri antisera and three monoclonal antibodies with specificity for different parts of the S . flexneri type III antigen and group 6 antigen . Upon de-O-acetylation, all binding capacity for the tested antibodies was lost . The chemical and immunological results indicate that the type III and group 6 antigens of S . flexneri are one and the same, a result of the presence of the O-acetyl group in rhamnose III of the repeating unit of the S . flexneri O-antigen chain.

Infect Immun, 1986 Jul, 53(1), 103 - 9
Monoclonal antibodies specific for Shigella flexneri lipopolysaccharides: clones binding to type I and type III:6,7,8 antigens, group 6 antigen, and a core epitope; Carlin NI et al.; Monoclonal antibodies against the Shigella flexneri lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were generated in two fusions by using the myeloma cell line Sp2/0 as a fusion partner with spleen cells from BALB/c mice immunized with S . flexneri serotypes 1b and 3a bacteria . The antibodies were characterized by immunoblotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), hemagglutination, and coagglutination . Four different types of monoclonal antibodies were isolated: antibodies specific for the core antigen of the LPS, antibodies specific for the type I O antigen, antibodies specific for the group 6 O antigen, and antibodies specific for the type III:6,7,8 O antigen . The core-specific antibodies were shown to be specific for the Escherichia coli R3 core, which all S . flexneri LPSs tested, except for S . flexneri serotype 6 LPS, have . The type I O antigen-specific antibodies were shown to bind exclusively to S . flexneri serotypes 1a and 1b in ELISA . The type III:6,7,8 O-antigen-specific antibodies were specific for S . flexneri serotype 3a in ELISA and hemagglutination . Two different group 6 O-antigen-specific antibodies were bound . One was bound in both ELISA and hemagglutination to LPSs of S . flexneri serotypes 1b, 3a, 3b, and 4b, whereas the second was bound only to LPSs of serotypes 3a, 3b, and 4b in ELISA but to LPSs of all four serotypes in hemagglutination . The specificity of the isolated I, III:6,7,8, and group 6 monoclonal antibodies was verified by coagglutination of 363 S . flexneri clinical isolates.

J Exp Med, 1986 Jun 1, 163(6), 1391 - 404
Pathogenesis of shigella diarrhea . XI . Isolation of a shigella toxin-binding glycolipid from rabbit jejunum and HeLa cells and its identification as globotriaosylceramide; Jacewicz M et al.; A glycolipid that specifically binds shigella toxin was isolated from both HeLa cells and rabbit jejunal mucosa and identified as globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) by its identical mobility on HPTLC to authentic erythrocyte Gb3 . Toxin also bound to a band tentatively identified as alpha-hydroxylated Gb3 . In addition, toxin bound to P1 antigen present in group B human erythrocyte glycolipid extracts . The common feature of the three binding glycolipids is a terminal Gal alpha 1----4Gal disaccharide linked beta 1----4 to either Glc or GlcNAc . Globoisotriaosylceramide, which differs from Gb3 only in possessing a Gal alpha 1----3Gal terminal disaccharide, and LacCer, which lacks the terminal Gal residue of Gb3, were incapable of binding the toxin . Binding was shown to be mediated by the B subunit by the use of isolated toxin A and B subunits and monoclonal subunit-specific antibodies . Gb3-containing liposomes competitively inhibited the binding of toxin to HeLa cell monolayers but did not inhibit toxin-induced cytotoxicity . These studies show an identical carbohydrate-specific glycolipid receptor for shigella toxin in gut and in HeLa cells . The toxin B subunit that mediates this binding has also been shown to recognize a glycoprotein receptor with different sugar specificity . Thus, we have demonstrated that the same small (Mr 6,500) B subunit polypeptide has two distinctive carbohydrate-specific binding sites . The Gal alpha 1----4Gal disaccharide of the glycolipid toxin receptor is also recognized by the Gal-Gal pilus of uropathogenic E . coli . This suggests the possibility that the pilus and toxin B subunit contain homologous sequences . If this is true, it may be possible to use the purified Gal-Gal pilus to produce toxin-neutralizing antibodies.

Am J Public Health, 1986 Jun, 76(6), 627 - 30
Control of day care shigellosis: a trial of convalescent day care in isolation; Tauxe RV et al.; Simultaneous outbreaks of S . sonnei infections occurred in September 1983 at two day care centers in Seattle, Washington . At both centers, there were high rates of diarrheal illness in the children (22/80 and 11/23, respectively), in staff members, and in family members of the ill children . The smaller center was temporarily closed, but the larger one remained open . Convalescent children and staff whose diarrhea had resolved and who were receiving appropriate antimicrobials were allowed to return to the larger center before negative cultures were obtained and were separated in an isolation room . No culture-proven cases of shigellosis occurred at either center in the following two months . Plasmid profile determinations suggested the Shigella were not transmitted from the center that remained open to the community . Estimated need for alternate child care requirements at the closed center were 100-fold greater than at the center with the isolation room . Caring for convalescent children in isolation at day care centers while they receive antimicrobial therapy may be a useful strategy for controlling day care shigellosis.

Microb Pathog, 1986 Jun, 1(3), 307 - 24
Genetic and biochemical analysis of Shigella dysenteriae 1 O antigen polysaccharide biosynthesis in Escherichia coli K-12: structure and functions of the rfb gene cluster; Sturm S et al.; The genetic organization and functions of the Shigella dysenteriae 1 rfb gene cluster, which specifies the somatic O antigen in this organism, have been studied in Escherichia coli K-12 by insertion and deletion mutagenesis of pSS9, a pBR322 hybrid containing the Shigella rfb genes . On the basis of the sensitivity/resistance to rough-specific bacteriophage T3 of E . coli K-12 derivatives containing mutant pSS9 plasmids, of the banding patterns and immunoreactivity of LPS isolated from such derivatives and electrophoresed on SDS-polyacrylamide gels, and of the sugar composition of the polysaccharide portion of the LPS determined by chemical analysis, six determinants for O antigen production were identified and localized . At least two determinants are involved in synthesis of TDP-rhamnose and the transfer of a rhamnose residue to the galactose-substituted core . One of these functions is probably TDP-rhamnose synthetase . A third function effects the transfer of a second rhamnose residue to the rha----gal-substituted core . A fourth function, for which evidence was obtained for two determinants (cistrons), is N-acetylglucosamine transferase, whereas a sixth determinant is necessary for extension of the first completed side chain repeat unit to the full O antigen polymer . These results confirmed the previously-determined chemical composition of the S . dysenteriae 1 O antigen and demonstrated that the order of the sugars is glcNAc----rha----rha----gal with gal as the first sugar linked to the core . Evidence was obtained for at least two transcriptional units in the rfb gene cluster and the approximate locations of two promoters are suggested . The detection of new electrophoretic species of LPS that may correspond to LPS biosynthetic intermediates, and the finding on the cell surfaces of structures corresponding to LPS core substituted with one or more O-specific sugars, appear to be novel findings.

Microb Pathog, 1986 Jun, 1(3), 299 - 306
Genetic and biochemical analysis of Shigella dysenteriae 1 O antigen polysaccharide biosynthesis in Escherichia coli K-12: 9 kb plasmid of S . dysenteriae 1 determines addition of a galactose residue to the lipopolysaccharide core; Sturm S et al.; Production of the somatic antigen, O-specific polysaccharide of Shigella dysenteriae 1 is determined by the chromosomal rfb gene cluster and the rfp gene located on the 9 kb plasmid pHW400 carried by this organism . When transferred to Escherichia coli K-12, which produces lipopolysaccharide consisting only of core oligosaccharide linked to lipid A, rfp gene-containing plasmids caused modification of the core oligosaccharide leading to the appearance of core molecules with new electrophoretic mobilities . Chemical analysis of the modified core has shown that it is substituted with a galactose residue which is the first sugar of the O-polysaccharide repeat unit.

Microb Pathog, 1986 Jun, 1(3), 289 - 97
Cloning of the rfb gene region of Shigella dysenteriae 1 and construction of an rfb-rfp gene cassette for the development of lipopolysaccharide-based live anti-dysentery vaccines; Sturm S et al.; Recent studies have shown that determinants for the production of O antigen lipopolysaccharide in Shigella dysenteriae 1 are distributed over two distinct genetic elements, the chromosome and a 9 kb plasmid designated pHW400 . In this communication, we describe the cloning of all determinants necessary for S . dysenteriae 1 O antigen production in E . coli K-12 and their combination in a single plasmid . An RP4::miniMu R-prime plasmid, R-prime 40, containing the his-rfb (histidine biosynthesis-lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis) gene region of the Shigella dysenteriae 1 chromosome was generated . E . coli K-12 bacteria containing R-prime 40 and pSS8, a transposon Tn5-tagged derivative of pHW400, produced lipopolysaccharide indistinguishable from that of S . dysenteriae 1 . Small DNA fragments containing the rfb gene cluster and the rfp gene were subcloned from R-prime 40 and pSS8 and subsequently combined in vector pACYC184 to produce pSS37 . This latter plasmid when introduced by transformation into E . coli K-12 provoked the formation of S . dysenteriae 1 O-specific lipopolysaccharide, a feature that suggests it may be useful in the construction of LPS-based live vaccines against the Shiga bacillus.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1986 May, 29(5), 883 - 6
Comparison of norfloxacin and nalidixic acid for treatment of dysentery caused by Shigella dysenteriae type 1 in adults; Rogerie F et al.; A severe epidemic of dysentery began late in 1979 in northeast Zaire and spread to Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania . The epidemic strain is a multiply resistant Shigella dysenteriae type 1, which acquired resistance against trimethoprim and more recently against nalidixic acid in the course of the epidemic . A comparative open trial in Rwandan adults with Shiga dysentery involved 18 patients treated with norfloxacin at 400 mg twice daily and 12 patients treated with nalidixic acid at 1 g three times daily for 5 days . All isolates showed in vitro susceptibility to both drugs . Though norfloxacin eliminated Shigella organisms from stools more rapidly than nalidixic acid, its clinical superiority did not reach the level of significance . Norfloxacin is a promising drug and is more effective than nalidixic acid in the treatment of multiresistant shigellosis.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1986 May, (5), 29 - 32
{Characteristics of the tissue population cycle of shigellae}; Bondarenko VM et al.; In experiments on human fetal intestinal explants infected with shigellae the specific multiplication rate of these infective agents, found to be 0.026, and the maximum level of their accumulation in erythrocytes, reaching 22-36 microbes per cell, have been determined . These phenomena can be observed after at least 3-hour incubation and end in the release of the infective agents from the affected area with shedding epithelial elements (villi) . Shigellae, aggregated in the shed villi easily adhering to the unaffected mucosa, ensure the intensive invasion of the epithelium, which leads to the continuation of the process . The regularity thus revealed indicates that the population cycle of the development of shigellae is limited by short intervals of 3-4 hours . During these intervals the repeated invasion and the release of shigellae, together with the shed epithelium, into the chyme-containing intestinal cavity occur . The conditions for the multiplication of shigellae and their specific multiplication rate in chyme are minimal (0.016).

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1986 May, (5), 25 - 8
{Biochemical properties of Shigella flexneri and their practical significance}; Priamukhina NS et al.; As the result of the study of 921 S . flexneri strains 1-6 and 4 (IV: 7,8), isolated in 31 regions of the USSR in 1975-1984, their biochemical characterization by 33 tests was made . All the strains under study proved to be typical in most of their constant signs, only some of strains 2a showed deviations in mannitol and some of strains 4a, in acetate . In strains of serovar 6, circulating in the USSR, specific features with respect to dulcitol and xylose were noted . The possibility of the biochemical subserovar typing of S . flexneri 1-5, X- and Y-var., with respect to maltose, arabinose, sorbitol and rhamnose was confirmed.

Rev Infect Dis, 1986 May-Jun, 8 Suppl 2, S217 - 22
Antimicrobial therapy for travelers' diarrhea; DuPont HL et al.; Three clinical trials were carried out to examine the efficacy of various antimicrobial agents in the treatment of travelers' diarrhea among students from the United States in Mexico . Thirty-seven subjects received twice daily for five days 160 mg of trimethoprim (TMP) and 800 mg of sulfamethoxazole (SMZ), 38 received 200 mg of TMP, and 35 received a placebo . Another group of students were given 100 mg of furazolidone (47 students) or ampicillin (47 students) four times a day for five days . In the third study, 500 mg of bicozamycin (72 students) or a placebo (68 students) was given four times a day for three days . Most students who received TMP-SMZ (78%), TMP (84%), or bicozamycin (85%) had recovered by 48 hr after initiation of treatment, as compared with 14% and 47% in the corresponding placebo groups and 55% in the furazolidone group . The agents had a positive effect for all etiologic categories, including diarrhea due to enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli and Shigella strains and illness without any established etiologic agents . Treatment failures were unusual with TMP-SMZ, TMP, and bicozamycin therapy (5% vs . 39% for the placebo-treated students) . The drugs were well tolerated . The use of TMP-SMZ or TMP alone in the empiric treatment of moderate to severe travelers' diarrhea is advocated.

Rev Infect Dis, 1986 May-Jun, 8 Suppl 2, S167 - 71
Antimicrobial agents in the prevention of travelers' diarrhea; DuPont HL et al.; Each of 433 adults traveling to Guadalajara, Mexico, from the United States during summer months was enrolled in one of four clinical trials of the protective effect of antimicrobial agents against travelers' diarrhea . Only one (2%) of 57 subjects taking trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (160 mg/800 mg daily) experienced diarrhea during a two-week study, whereas eight (14%) of 58 subjects taking trimethoprim alone (200 mg daily) and 10 (33%) of 30 taking placebo developed illness (P less than .05 and P less than .0001, respectively) . Diarrhea occurred significantly less frequently among subjects receiving trimethoprim than among placebo recipients (P less than .05) . None of 11 students given bicozamycin (500 mg four times daily) developed diarrhea during a three-week study, whereas 10 (53%) of 19 placebo recipients became ill (P = .003) . Four (7%) of 54 subjects receiving norfloxacin (400 mg daily) experienced diarrhea during a two-week study; in contrast, 34 (60%) of 57 placebo recipients developed diarrhea (P less than .0001) . The various antimicrobial agents prevented illness due to enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli and Shigella as well as that unassociated with a pathogen . The drugs were well tolerated . Current evidence suggests that trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole is the optimal antimicrobial agent available for prophylaxis of travelers' diarrhea.

Ann Inst Pasteur Microbiol, 1986 May-Jun, 137A(3), 267 - 78
Plasmid-mediated contact haemolytic activity in Shigella species: correlation with penetration into HeLa cells; Clerc P et al.; The main feature of virulent strains of Shigella is their ability to invade eucaryotic cells . This phenotype is both plasmid-mediated and temperature-regulated . In the present report, we demonstrate a plasmid-mediated and temperature-regulated haemolytic activity in S . flexneri, S . dysenteriae and S . sonnei . Detection of this haemolytic activity requires centrifugation of suspensions containing bacteria and erythrocytes, followed by incubation of the pellets at 37 degrees C . No soluble intra- or extracellular haemolytic activity could be detected . Dose-effect and electron microscopic studies demonstrated that direct contact of several virulent bacteria per erythrocyte was critical for haemolysis to occur . However, no local morphological alteration of the erythrocyte membrane at the site of contact with bacteria could be detected . Intensity of this haemolytic activity was fully correlated with the efficiency of penetration within HeLa cells, suggesting a common mechanism for induction of phagocytosis and lysis of erythrocytes.

J Bacteriol, 1986 May, 166(2), 375 - 9
Cloning and expression of the genes specifying Shiga-like toxin production in Escherichia coli H19; Huang A et al.; Some strains of Escherichia coli produce a protein which is cytotoxic for Vero cell and HeLa cell monolayers . This toxin is very similar to the toxin of Shigella dysenteriae 1 and has been named verotoxin or E . coli Shiga-like toxin . It has been shown that toxin conversion is due to a group of bacteriophages, one of which has been designated H-19B . In this study we report hybridization experiments showing that part of the H-19B genome is homologous to phage lambda . We have cloned a 1.7-kilobase BalI-BglII fragment from the genome of H-19B into pUC18 . The recombinant plasmid confers the ability to produce high levels of Shiga-like toxin on transformed E . coli cells . We demonstrate using an in vitro transcription/translation system that the cloned fragment specifies the two verotoxin subunit peptides which have masses of 31 and 5.5 kilodaltons . The identity of peptides was confirmed by immunoprecipitation with verotoxin antiserum and protein A-Sepharose beads.

Am J Epidemiol, 1986 Apr, 123(4), 710 - 20
Breast feeding as a determinant of severity in shigellosis . Evidence for protection throughout the first three years of life in Bangladeshi children; Clemens JD et al.; PIP: The influence of breastfeeding on the severity of illness in shigellosis was assessed in a case-control study involving 540 children presenting with shigellosis to a Bangladesh diarrheal disease hospital in 1980-82 . The 53 cases were children under 3 years of age with severe illness (i.e., rectal temperature above 102 F, severe neurologic manifestations, or severe dehydration), while the 487 age-matched controls had non-severe shigellosis . 42% of the cases compared with 59% of controls were breastfed, yielding an odds ratio of 0.49 (95% confidence interval, 0.28-0.86) . This finding suggests that breastfeeding substantially shifts the spectrum of severity in Shigella infections from severe to non-severe illness . The high degree of protection against severe shigellosis was also seen in malnourished children and in children reporting a recent history of measles . The protective effect of breastfeeding persisted even when the analysis was corrected for the confounding effects of age, nutritional status, and earlier receipt of medication . These results are consistent with data from both developed and developing countries indicating that breastfeeding reduces the severity of illness in childhood diarrhea . In Bangladesh, about 1/3 of mothers breastfeed for 3 years . In other areas of the developing world, however, breastfeeding beyond infancy is relatively uncommon . Because shigellosis accounts for substantial morbidity and mortality in developing countries, prolonged breastfeeding is recommended .

Teratology, 1986 Apr, 33(2), 243 - 6
Effect of Shigella toxin on preimplantation mouse embryos in vitro; Olsen WM et al.; Preimplantation mouse embryos at the 4-cell to 8-cell stage were exposed to Shigella dysenteriae toxin at concentrations of 0.001-100 pg/ml in vitro . The effect of the toxin was studied by morphological observation of the embryos to the blastocyst stage, by assessing protein synthesis with 14C-leucine incorporation, and by measuring embryonic adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content . Preimplantation mouse embryos were highly sensitive to the toxin . All variables investigated were adversely influenced by the toxin . After a lag period of 24 hr, 0.01 pg/ml toxin inhibited development to the blastocyst stage and protein synthesis . Toxin concentrations of 1.0 pg/ml resulted in a significant decrease in ATP content.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1986 Apr, (4), 21 - 4
{Dynamics of Shigella interaction with the epithelium in the infection process}; Zhalko-Titarenko VP et al.; The study of the adhesion of Shigella flexneri to intestinal mucosal explants from human postabortion fetuses, used as an experimental model, has revealed that the process of interaction between the infective agent and the epithelium develops in accordance with Langmuir's equation of the adsorption isotherm . The specific biological feature of the adhesive interaction between bacteria and the mucous membrane is the fact that the effective adhesion of microbes is possible only in case of their high concentration on the surface of the mucous membrane . In case of their low concentration in the parietal layer no microbial adhesion is observed, whereas epithelial villi infected with shigellae and fixed to the mucous membrane of the explant produce a high parietal concentration of the infective agents, which leads to the increase of adhesion by more than two orders.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1986 Apr, 29(4), 645 - 8
Comparative efficacies of single intravenous doses of ceftriaxone and ampicillin for shigellosis in a placebo-controlled trial; Kabir I et al.; To evaluate ceftriaxone for the treatment of shigellosis, 94 adult males with acute dysentery were randomly assigned to receive ceftriaxone (1 g), ampicillin (4 g), or saline placebo intravenously in single doses in a double-blind design . Stool cultures were positive for Shigella dysenteriae in 52 patients, S . flexneri in 38 patients, and other species in 4 patients . Both ceftriaxone and ampicillin caused reductions in the mean duration of fever and the means of daily stool frequency 2 to 4 days after therapy versus placebo (P less than 0.05) . The ability of ceftriaxone to reduce stool frequency during 6 days after treatment was significant in patients with S . flexneri infections (P less than 0.05), whereas S . dysenteriae infections were relatively refractory to improvement by both antibiotics . Neither drug had a significant effect on overall duration of diarrhea, blood in stool, or tenesmus . Ampicillin reduced the mean duration of positive stool cultures after treatment from 2.6 days in the placebo group to 1.1 days (P less than 0.05), whereas ceftriaxone did not affect the duration of Shigella sp . excretion . These results indicate that single intravenous doses of ceftriaxone and ampicillin caused some clinical improvement in acute shigellosis but only ampicillin exerted a bacteriological effect on Shigella sp . excretion.

J Clin Microbiol, 1986 Apr, 23(4), 715 - 7
Feasibility of same-day identification of members of the family Vibrionaceae by the API 20E system; Overman TL et al.; Sixty isolates, comprising nine species of the family Vibrionaceae, were tested with the API 20E 5-h same-day procedure (Analytab Products, Plainview, N.Y.) . Included were 27 Aeromonas hydrophila isolates, 10 Aeromonas sobria isolates, 7 Aeromonas caviae isolates, 3 Plesiomonas shigelloides isolates, 3 Vibrio alginolyticus isolates, 3 Vibrio cholerae isolates, 1 Vibrio fluvialis isolate, 5 Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates, and 1 Vibrio vulnificus isolate . The 5-h profile numbers were specific for the five Vibrio species and the Plesiomonas isolates . The three Aeromonas species shared seven 5-h profile numbers . Of the 63 5-h profile numbers generated by testing each isolate twice, 22 were identical to those found in the overnight analytical profile index . Of these, 20 were correct identifications, and two were incorrect . The remaining 41 5-h profile numbers were not found in the overnight analytical profile index . Because the 5-h analytical profile index does not contain any oxidase-positive organisms, the oxidase value was subtracted from the 63 5-h profile numbers to determine whether misidentifications could occur if the oxidase test was either not performed or not performed correctly . Only five of these factored profile numbers resulted in a possible misidentification . It is feasible, within limitations, to use the 5-h API 20E same-day procedure to identify the more commonly occurring members of the Vibrionaceae . The manufacturer should develop a data base for this purpose.

Am J Pathol, 1986 Apr, 123(1), 25 - 38
Ultrastructural pathology of the rectal mucosa in Shigella dysentery; Mathan MM et al.; Colonocyte damage in the rectal mucosa in shigellosis is the result of bacterial invasion and leads to ulceration . Additional factors in colonocyte damage may be the Shigella cytotoxin and, especially in colonic crypt cells, bacterial endotoxin . A vascular lesion was present in the lamina propria of the rectal mucosa, which resembled endothelial damage secondary to bacterial endotoxins . In patients with longer duration of symptoms, relative vascular insufficiency, activated lymphocytes, eosinophil and mast cell degranulation, and antibody-mediated colonocyte damage may all play a role.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1986 Apr, (4), 40 - 4
{Risk factors in the epidemiology of dysentery}; Zamotin BA et al.; The general tendency of a decrease in the morbidity rates of dysentery induced by Shigella sonnei and Shigella flexneri (separately) from Monday to the end of the week (Saturday-Sunday) has been revealed, and at the same time the "infection risk" for both kinds of salmonellosis has been found to fall on the last days of the week (Friday-Sunday).

Int J Epidemiol, 1986 Mar, 15(1), 116 - 21
Risk factors for diarrhoeal deaths: a case-control study at a diarrhoeal disease hospital in Bangladesh; Islam SS et al.; The study of diarrhoeal mortality risk has been limited to descriptive epidemiological investigations . This is the first case-control study in this area, and our results show that certain risk factors are predictive of diarrhoeal deaths . We have compared the disease history, associated complications, signs, symptoms and laboratory values of 346 patients who died on the medical wards of Dhaka Hospital and that for 346 matched controls to identify the risk factors for mortality . Patients presenting with oedema, severe dehydration or convulsion were found to have a risk of mortality two times higher than controls . Several laboratory results were compared by a matched pair analysis, demonstrating that hyponatraemia (less than 130 mmol/L), hypobicarbonaemia (less than 20 mmol/L) and raised anion gap (greater than 14.9 mmol/L) were moderately associated with mortality . However, hypoproteinaemia (less than 50 gm/L) was strongly associated . For children less than 10 years of age, both hyper- and hyponatraemia were found to be associated with mortality, and the nutritional status of the children modified the effect of hypernatraemia on diarrhoeal mortality . The strong association between diarrhoeal death and hypoproteinaemia may be due to the effect of the pre-existing malnutrition of these patients and/or their loss of protein during shigella infection . The various risk factors that we have identified could be used as a prognostic guide by physicians treating such patients.

Eur J Epidemiol, 1986 Mar, 2(1), 26 - 30
Epidemic Reiter's syndrome following an outbreak of shigellosis; Finch M et al.; We prospectively studied the occurrence of Reiter's syndrome (RS) or reactive arthritis (ReA) in 205 of 349 cruise-ship passengers who attended a buffet ashore and developed Shigella flexneri 2a enteritis . Five passengers probably had RS/ReA and 16 were possible or doubtful cases of RS/ReA . HLA-B27 was identified in 4 of 5 probable RS cases, but was not present in any of the 16 possible or doubtful cases nor in any of 20 passengers (controls) without any symptoms of RS/ReA . There was no statistically significant difference in the frequency of B7-Creg antigens in persons with possible or doubtful RS/ReA (9/16) compared to controls (8/20).

Cent Afr J Med, 1986 Mar, 32(3), 79 - 82
An epidemic of bacillary dysentery in western Rwanda 1981-1982; Huppertz HI; PIP: The epidemiologic and clinical aspects of a major Shigella dysenteriae epidemic resistant to all available drugs that occurred in Western Rwanda in 1981-82 are analyzed . About 5% of the population was affected . In total, there were 11,801 cases of dysentery, with an average of 833 cases/month . The course of the epidemic was independent from seasonal variations . In children under 5 years of age, the majority (61%) of dysentery cases involved males; at all other ages, however, there was a female preponderance . The duration of illness averaged 1 week . Since no effective chemotherapy could be found, treatment consisted of general supportive measures and rehydration . The overall case fatality rate 6%, with higher rates among children (12%) and adult men (9%) . Dehydration and fever were the 2 signs most frequently associated with a fatal outcome . 33 women followed in this study were pregnant while suffering from dysentery . 5 abortions, 3 premature deliveries, and 1 intrauterine death were recorded, suggesting that epidemic dysentery poses a serious risk to pregnant women . Disease transmission was primarily through direct contact . Health education is the most effective way to improve hygienic conditions among the peasant population of Rwanda and to decrease the risk of infection .

Antibiot Med Biotekhnol, 1986 Mar, 31(3), 215 - 7
{Conjugative R-plasmids simultaneously belonging to the 2 incompatibility groups INC I zeta and INC B}; Shishkina ZV et al.; Five plasmids detected in the clinical strains of Shigella were studied . The plasmids had similar phenotypes of antibiotic resistance and allotted streptomycin and tetracycline resistance to the host cell . None of them allotted the bacterial cells with sensitivity to phages specific for the Inc groups F, N, P and I . The molecular weights of the plasmids ranged from 47 to 50 MD . The studies on the incompatibility showed that pKMR 227, pKMR 228-1, pKMR 231, pKMR 242-1 and pKMR 245 plasmids simultaneously belonged to two Inc groups: Inc I zeta and Inc B . Two plasmids, i.e . R 805a and R 861a simultaneously belonging to the two Inc groups: Inc I zeta and Inc B are described in the literature . pKMR 231 and pKMR 242-1 plasmids detected by the authors differ from them by the antibiotic resistance phenotype . The other three pKMR plasmids in addition differ from them by belonging to Fin.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1986 Mar, (3), 75 - 8
{Bactericidal and immunocorrective properties of plant extracts}; Kolesnikova AG; Extract from oak cork, St . John's wort leaves and flowers and pine buds possess more pronounced bactericidal properties with respect to staphylococci, shigellae, Escherichia coli than decoctions from these medicinal plants . Such extracts may be included into complexes for the treatment of otorhinolaryngological diseases, enterocolitis in children and bacterial eczema . As a medicinal form, extract prepared from medicinal plants are more convenient for storage and permit more exact dosage.

Plasmid, 1986 Mar, 15(2), 119 - 31
Characterization of transferable plasmids from Shigella flexneri 2a that confer resistance to trimethoprim, streptomycin, and sulfonamides; Chinault AC et al.; A set of plasmids conferring resistance to several antibiotics, including the combination of trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole, has been isolated from Escherichia coli following conjugative cotransfer from a clinical isolate of Shigella flexneri 2a . One of the plasmids, pCN1, was shown by subcloning and DNA sequencing to carry a gene encoding a trimethoprim-insensitive dihydrofolate reductase identical to that found in E . coli transposon 7 . This plasmid was also shown to confer resistance to both streptomycin and spectinomycin by production of an adenylyltransferase that inactivated the drugs and the gene encoding this enzyme has also been sequenced . A second plasmid from the set, pCN2, was shown to inactivate streptomycin by a phosphotransferase mechanism and also to confer resistance to sulfonamides . The third plasmid from the set could not be correlated with a drug-resistance phenotype, but does appear to play a crucial role in plasmid mobilization.

J Med Microbiol, 1986 Mar, 21(2), 117 - 23
Adherence of non-fimbriate entero-invasive Escherichia coli O124 to guinea pig intestinal tract in vitro and in vivo; Ashkenazi S; The adherence properties of non-fimbriate entero-invasive Escherichia coli O124 in the guinea pig intestinal tract were studied . Quantitative in-vitro determinations were done by incubating radiolabelled bacteria with suspensions of viable intestinal cells released by treating loops of the guinea pig intestine with solutions containing EDTA, dithiothreitol and citrate . Non-bound bacteria were separated from the intestinal cells on a Percoll gradient . Only cells released from the colon, especially from its transverse and descending regions, avidly adhered to E . coli O124 (68-79 bacteria/cell), whereas the attachment to ileal cells was negligible . The adherence process was Ca++ and temperature-dependent, had an optimal pH of 6.2 and was inhibited by fucose, glucose or mannose . Several pretreatment studies of the bacteria or the colonic cells showed that the adherence was mediated by a carbohydrate-binding protein (adhesin or lectin) on the colonic cells and not on the bacterial surface . Results of studies of in-vitro adherence to intestinal loops and to intact intestinal surfaces correlated well with the in-vitro findings . These results indicate that the adherence of entero-invasive E . coli O124 to the gut is similar to the attachment of Shigella flexneri and is quite different from that of enterotoxigenic E . coli.

Gastroenterology, 1986 Mar, 90(3), 654 - 60
Rectal histology in acute bacillary dysentery; Anand BS et al.; A recent epidemic of acute Shigella dysentery in West Bengal (India) provided us with an opportunity to examine the rectal mucosal abnormalities seen in this condition . One hundred two patients were investigated using sigmoidoscopy, rectal biopsy, and rectal swab for culture . Pure culture of Shigella was obtained in 37 cases, and the rectal biopsy specimens from these patients were assessed in detail . The mean (+/- SD) duration of illness was 47.8 +/- 27.4 h (range 8-120 h), and most patients (31 of 37, 84%) had diarrhea with blood and mucus in the stools . Significant findings at histology were as follows . (a) Cellular infiltrate was predominantly round cell or mixed round cell and neutrophilic in the majority of patients (27, 73%) . (b) Disorganization of crypts was seen in as many as 31 patients (84%); in most subjects the distorted architecture was mild, but in a few the defect was severe with crypt branching and dilatation . (c) In the majority of patients the inflammatory process extended to the muscularis mucosae and submucosa; edema with or without increased cellular infiltrate was seen in the muscularis mucosae in 92% and in the submucosa in 80% . (d) There was no difference in the rectal histology of patients with a short history of disease (less than 48 h) compared with those with a longer history, except for goblet cell depletion which was more in those with diarrhea for more than 48 h . (e) The mucosal abnormalities in patients with watery diarrhea were, in general, milder than in those with dysentery, although the difference was statistically not significant; 2 of 6 patients with watery diarrhea had severe colitis . (f) The mucosal abnormalities were more severe in patients with Shigella dysenteriae infection compared with Shigella flexneri.

Isr J Med Sci, 1986 Mar-Apr, 22(3-4), 277 - 82
Cost-benefit of mass prophylaxis with immune serum globulin to control waterborne hepatitis A: a case study; Egoz N; Following a point-source epidemic of more than 8,000 cases of Shigella sonnei, which was caused by a sewage-contaminated water supply, immune serum globulin (ISG) was administered to 11,306 children, aged 5 to 9 years, and to 1,338 pregnant women to prevent a possible outbreak of hepatitis A . A cost-benefit analysis showed that the estimated cost of preventing one possible case of hepatitis in a child was $362.50, and in a pregnant women $11,514 . The benefit:cost ratios were 0.45 and 0.28, respectively . These relatively low ratios call for reconsideration of the guidelines that recommend ISG administration to children and pregnant women following an exposure to contaminated water.

Infect Immun, 1986 Mar, 51(3), 975 - 8
Effect of guinea pig or monkey colonic mucus on Shigella aggregation and invasion of HeLa cells by Shigella flexneri 1b and 2a; Dinari G et al.; The effects of guinea pig and rhesus monkey colonic mucus preparations on Shigella aggregation and invasion of HeLa cell monolayers by Shigella flexneri serotype 1b, 2a, and 5 strains were investigated . Guinea pig mucus caused agglutination of S . flexneri serotype 1b but not of S . flexneri serotype 2a or 5 . Guinea pig mucus also inhibited HeLa cell invasion by S . flexneri serotypes 1b and 2a . Monkey mucus neither agglutinated any Shigella strain nor inhibited HeLa cell invasion.

JAMA, 1986 Feb 14, 255(6), 757 - 60
Comparison of loperamide with bismuth subsalicylate for the treatment of acute travelers' diarrhea; Johnson PC et al.; Loperamide hydrochloride was compared with bismuth subsalicylate for the treatment of acute nondysenteric travelers' diarrhea in 219 students visiting seven countries in Latin America . Subjects whose condition was not improved with therapy could elect to take trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole . Persons receiving loperamide passed fewer unformed stools when compared with the bismuth subsalicylate group during the first four hours of therapy, from four to 24 hours, and from 24 to 48 hours after therapy was initiated . Among subjects with disease due to enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, Shigella sp, other pathogens, and unknown agents, fewer unformed stools were passed by the loperamide-treated subjects than the bismuth subsalicylate-treated subjects for all time periods studied . No significant prolongation of disease was seen in subjects with shigellosis treated with loperamide . Eight of the loperamide-treated subjects experienced constipation compared with one in the bismuth subsalicylate-treated group; otherwise, there was no difference in minor side effects experienced between both treatment groups . We conclude that loperamide is a safe and effective alternative to bismuth subsalicylate for the treatment of nondysenteric travelers' diarrhea.

Infect Immun, 1986 Feb, 51(2), 696 - 8
The use of mice in the Sereny test as a virulence assay of shigellae and enteroinvasive Escherichia coli; Murayama SY et al.; We examined the possibility that mice could be used in the Sereny test instead of guinea pigs or rabbits . Although the reactions in mice were more transient and not as pronounced as those in guinea pigs, mice indeed could be used to distinguish even macroscopically between virulent and avirulent shigellae . Virulent enteroinvasive Escherichia coli strains were also positive for the mouse Sereny test . We described the macroscopic and microscopic appearance of the mouse eyes . Thus, mice are recommended for use in the Sereny test, particularly when a large number of samples are to be tested.

Infect Immun, 1986 Feb, 51(2), 476 - 82
Molecular cloning of a genetic determinant for Congo red binding ability which is essential for the virulence of Shigella flexneri; Sakai T et al.; A DNA sequence of about 1.0 kilobase (kb) derived from a 230-kb (140-megadalton) plasmid in a fully virulent Shigella flexneri 2a strain, YSH6000, was cloned into Escherichia coli K-12 by selecting for the ability to bind Congo red (Pcr+ phenotype) . It was mapped and localized within the SalI restriction fragment F on the plasmid . This clone converted an S . flexneri strain which is avirulent as a result of a small deletion in the plasmid to full virulence but did not convert those without the 230-kb plasmid or with a plasmid bearing a more extensive deletion . This indicates that there are more than two virulence determinants on the plasmid . Thus, this sequence contains a genetic determinant which is essential but not sufficient for full virulence and expression of the Pcr+ phenotype in S . flexneri but is essential and sufficient for expression of the Pcr+ phenotype in E . coli K-12 . We noted that there exist some other regions on the 230-kb plasmid which express the Pcr+ phenotype in E . coli K-12 . Although these regions express the Pcr+ phenotype less markedly than the region cloned in the present study, they do hybridize with it.

Infect Immun, 1986 Feb, 51(2), 461 - 9
Multiplication of Shigella flexneri within HeLa cells: lysis of the phagocytic vacuole and plasmid-mediated contact hemolysis; Sansonetti PJ et al.; Virulent strains of Shigella flexneri invade HeLa cells with high efficiency . This crucial step in the pathogenic process is encoded by a 140-megadalton plasmid which induces phagocytosis of the bacteria by host cells . In this report we used pWR100, the virulence plasmid of S . flexneri serotype 5, and pHS4108, a 32-megadalton subclone of pWR100, to demonstrate that the plasmid is also responsible for rapid intracellular growth of the bacteria . The ability to replicate intracellularly was not correlated with induction of Shiga toxin . However, plasmid-mediated intracellular multiplication was strongly correlated with the ability of the bacteria to rapidly and efficiently lyse the phagocytic vacuole and replicate freely in the cytoplasm . Temperature-regulated plasmid-mediated contact hemolytic activity strongly correlated with both phagosomal membrane lysis and efficient intracellular multiplication . We propose this virulence plasmid-associated hemolysin to be an important factor in the invasion and proliferation of Shigella spp . in mammalian cells.

J Immunol, 1986 Feb 1, 136(3), 1081 - 6
Natural cytotoxic effector cell activity against Shigella flexneri-infected HeLa cells; Klimpel GR et al.; Virus and facultative intracellular bacteria both replicate within a host cell . The recognition and killing of virus-infected cells by natural killer (NK) cells is thought to be an important host immune function . However, little is known about immune recognition of bacteria-infected cells . In this report, we show for the first time that human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) and large granular lymphocytes (LGL) purified from PBL have significant levels of cytotoxic activity against Shigella flexneri-infected HeLa cells . This cytotoxic activity was dependent on bacterial invasion of the HeLa cells, because HeLa cells pretreated with a noninvasive isogenic variant of S . flexneri or soluble bacterial products were not killed . Pretreatment of PBL with interleukin 2 (IL 2) or interferon-alpha greatly enhanced the cytotoxic activity of PBL against Shigella-infected HeLa cells . Cytotoxic activity present in PBL or in PBL pretreated with IL 2 was shown to be associated with both Leu-11+ and Leu-11- cell populations . These results suggest that NK cell killing of bacteria-infected cells may play an important role in host defense against facultative intracellular bacterial infections.

J Infect Dis, 1986 Feb, 153(2), 238 - 48
Pathogenesis of shigella diarrhea: evidence for an N-linked glycoprotein shigella toxin receptor and receptor modulation by beta-galactosidase; Keusch GT et al.; Pathogenic mechanisms in infectious diseases often involve specific receptor-ligand interactions of cells and soluble molecules . To further elucidate structure-function relations for shigella toxin receptors, we studied binding of purified 125I-labeled toxin and biologic response under various conditions in an experimental model using HeLa cells . Response to toxin was reversibly inhibited by treatment of cells with trypsin or tunicamycin, an inhibitor of glycoprotein synthesis that also significantly inhibited toxin binding, a result indicating that the receptor is an N-linked glycoprotein . Removal of terminal beta-linked galactose from the HeLa cell surface with beta-galactosidase increased toxin binding and activity, and it also potentiated the effects of lysozyme and wheat-germ agglutinin, which recognize oligomeric beta 1----4-linked N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and inhibit toxin activity as well . Incubation of cells with beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase, which cleaves terminal beta-linked N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, inhibited toxin activity . Effects of beta-galactosidase were reversed by readdition of galactose to cell-surface oligosaccharide acceptors . The data demonstrate that alterations of a single sugar on cell-surface glycoproteins may have a dramatic effect on receptor activity and indicate that shigella toxin is a sugar-binding protein with specificity for beta 1----4-linked N-acetyl-D-glucosamine.

Infect Immun, 1986 Feb, 51(2), 470 - 5
Molecular alteration of the 140-megadalton plasmid associated with loss of virulence and Congo red binding activity in Shigella flexneri; Sasakawa C et al.; A plasmid of about 140 megadaltons has been associated with the invasiveness of Shigella flexneri . Upon subculturing in liquid media of fully virulent isolates of Shigella flexneri 2a YSH6000, which contains only a 230-kilobase-pair (kbp) plasmid in addition to 3.3- and 4.2-kbp cryptic plasmids characteristic to all S . flexneri strains, loss of invasiveness, loss of Congo red binding activity (Pcr), and complete loss of, or a deletion, or even a single-site IS insertion in the plasmid occurred simultaneously . This was ascribed to the fact that, once a noninvasive Pcr- cell has emerged, it overgrows the wild type as a consequence of its selective advantage in artificial media . A deletion map of the 230-kbp plasmid was made by analyzing SalI digests of 39 deletion derivatives plus 1 formed by insertion of an IS1-like element in independently isolated, noninvasive Pcr- mutants . Of 39 deletion derivatives, 16 belonged to a single type, and 6 belonged to another, suggesting deletion hot spots . The deletion map was confirmed and extended by analyzing 359 SalI-generated partial digests of the wild-type plasmid cloned into pBR322 . Three copies of IS1-like elements were found on three different SalI fragments by Southern hybridization . Segments required for the Pcr+ phenotype seemed to occur at several different locations in the plasmid . Each of 28 representative Pcr- mutants were negative by the Sereny test . Hence, many, or possibly all, Pcr determinants were required for full virulence.

Bull Soc Pathol Exot Filiales, 1986, 79(4), 435 - 46
{Bacteriological study of shigellosis in the Lake Kivu area (Central Africa) . Developments in the last 15 years (1968-1983)}; Rogerie F et al.; 1913 Shigella strains were isolated from 1968 to 1983 in lake Kivu area (Central Africa) . Distribution and evolution of serotypes, biotypes and antibiotypes were studied . The majority of serotypes and biotypes were stable . However, few of these strains showed variations, among them Shigella dysenteriae serotype 1, causing epidemic dysenteriae since 1981 . Epidemiologic survey of shigellosis in Kivu seems to be rather underdeveloped (4 bacteriology laboratories for an area of 10 million inhabitants) and the number of registered cases is probably underestimated . This problem is threatening the public health and coordination of laboratory activities, either local or regional, should be improved.

J Basic Microbiol, 1986, 26(5), 283 - 7
Surface hydrophobicity of plasmid-carrying virulent Shigella flexneri and their avirulent variants; Seltmann G et al.; Five pairs of strains of S . flexneri each differing in the colour of their colonies after growth on Congo red agar have been tested for their ability to cause keratoconjunctivitis in the guinea pig eye, for the presence of the 140 Md virulence plasmid, for the presence of the virulence marker antigen, and for their ability to adsorb to hydrophobic surfaces (cellulose nitrate filters and Phenyl Sepharose) . The results suggest that the presence of the 140 Md virulence plasmid provides the bacterial surface with a rather high degree of hydrophobicity; exceptions have been found.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1986 Jan, (1), 58 - 62
{Population migrations and the epidemic process of Flexner and Sonne dysentery}; Kolganov AV; Analysis of the materials from the Khabarovsk Territory for the representative period of 25 years (1956-1980) revealed the influence of the migration of the population on the level and dynamics of morbidity in different kinds of dysentery, Flexner's dysentery shown to occur more frequently than Sonne dysentery . Intensive migrations increase the proportion of susceptible persons among the population, thus facilitating the formation and circulation of Shigella strains with pronounced virulence.

J Int Med Res, 1986, 14(1), 19 - 29
The use of furoxone: a perspective; Phillips KF et al.; Acute infectious diarrhoea is a widespread cause of morbidity and mortality . Some of the major diarrhoeal diseases are cholera, typhoid fever, shigellosis (bacillary dysentery), salmonellosis, "travellers' diarrhoea", and giardiasis These diseases can be avoided with proper education, sanitation, and hygiene . However, the majority of these diseases occur most frequently in areas of the world where political and social upheaval, poverty, overcrowding, and a lack of education prevail . Although vaccines are available for some of the diseases, they are not completely effective . Antimicrobial therapy is effective in decreasing the duration and severity of diarrhoea and in reducing the likelihood of relapses, complications, and death . An antimicrobial drug for the treatment of acute infectious diarrhoeal disease must be relatively specific, effective, and safe, and it should not promote the development of resistant bacteria . Furazolidone (Furoxone) has been used for 30 years for the specific and symptomatic treatment of bacterial or protozoal diarrhoea and enteritis caused by susceptible organisms . Its effectiveness has often been shown to be comparable or superior to that of other drugs . In addition, the toxicity of furazolidone is relatively low, and it minimizes the development of resistant organisms . These characteristics should contribute to the continued use of furazolidone as a rational choice in the treatment of acute infectious diarrhoeal diseases that occur worldwide.

Pediatr Infect Dis, 1986 Jan-Feb, 5(1 Suppl), S29 - 43
Pediatric diarrhea: the challenge of prevention; Levine MM et al.; PIP: Conditions such as poverty, underdevelopment, and lack of education facilitate the widespread transmission of the pathogens that cause diarrheal disease, dysentery, and enteric fever in young children . Such infections produce high rates of morbidity, mortality, and adverse nutritional consequences in the first 2 years of life . Although rapid socioeconomic development has produced a precipitous decline in mortality due to diarrheal disease in the developed world, such a trend is not likely in developing countries unless alternative measures are pursued . Nonspecific interventions pursued have included oral rehydration therapy to prevent and treat dehydration, promotion of breast feeding, health education to teach maternal technology, and early realimentation to diminish the nutritional consequences of infant diarrhea . In addition, there is reason to be optimistic about the future development of various immunizing agents against the major enteric pathogens . Epidemiologic data support the conclusion that prior natural infection with enterotoxigenic E . coli, Shigella, rotavirus, and V . cholerae OL confers protective immunity . Among the divergent approaches being followed in the development of vaccines against rotavirus are: 1) use of animal rotavirus as possible attenuated strains; 2) attenuating human rotaviruses by passage in tissue culture; 3) development of hybrid reassortant strains by coinfecting tissue cultures with both an animal strain well adapted to tissue culture and a human strain and then selecting a hybrid virus that possesses the human virus neutralization antigen but grows to higher titre in tissue culture; 4) evaluation of rotaviruses isolated from asymptomatic infected neonates in nursery outbreaks for their safety, infectivity, and immunogenicity in older children; 5) cloning a DNA copy of the RNA genus responsible for the neutralization antigens of rotaviruses; and 6) preparation of a synthetic peptide of the critical epitope of the neutralization antigen .

Acta Microbiol Hung, 1986, 33(4), 341 - 4
ELISA detectable virulence marker antigen of enteroinvasive Escherichia coli is coded by a 140 megadalton plasmid; Pal T et al.; The ELISA reactive virulence marker antigen, characteristic of enteroinvasive Escherichia coli and virulent Shigella, expressed in an E . coli K-12 recipient after the 140 Md plasmid of an enteroinvasive E . coli strain had been introduced into it . Similarly to the epithelial cell penetration and Congo red binding capacities--known to be coded by the above plasmid--the virulence marker antigen expressed also only at 37 degrees C but not at 30 degrees C . These data suggest the plasmid coded nature of the virulence marker antigen.

Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz), 1986, 34(5-6), 513 - 6
Characterization of outer membrane proteins of virulent phase I Shigella sonnei strains and their avirulent phase I derivatives; Adamus G et al.; Comparison of polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic protein profiles of four isogenic sets of virulent phase I Sh . sonnei strains and their avirulent phase I cells revealed no differences in outer membrane protein composition between virulent and avirulent derivatives . However, significant qualitative and quantitative differences were found in composition of major outer membrane proteins between strains of different origin . All four strains tested contained one major protein of 33K . This protein was susceptible to proteolytic enzymes and was found to be heat modifiable . Other major proteins of 35K and 37K present in three strains and 36K present in one strain were identified as peptidoglycan associated proteins.

Microbiol Immunol, 1986, 30(11), 1115 - 27
Characterization of purified Shiga toxin from Shigella dysenteriae 1; Yutsudo T et al.; Shiga toxin was purified from the culture supernatant of Shigella dysenteriae 1 by ammonium sulfate fractionation, DEAE-cellulose column chromatography and repeated chromatofocusing column chromatography . About 1.6 mg of purified Shiga toxin was obtained from 15 liters of culture with a yield of about 27% . The molecular weight of purified Shiga toxin was estimated to be 62,000 . The toxin consisted of A and B subunits with molecular weights of about 30,000 and 5,000-6,000, respectively . The isoelectric point of purified Shiga toxin was 7.0 . Purified Shiga toxin showed the following biological activities: lethal toxicity to mice when injected intraperitoneally with an LD50 of 28 ng per mouse; cytotoxicity to Vero cells, killing about 50% of the cells at 1 pg and all of the cells at 10 pg; and fluid accumulation in rabbit ileal loops at a concentration of more than 1 microgram.

C R Acad Sci III, 1986, 303(13), 557 - 9
{Transmission of Vibrio cholerae . Possible role of the camel}; Dodin A et al.; Choleraic vibrio uses the moving means that man discovers to his own use . Camels (passive and active vehicles of large quantity of crude water) were experimentally infected with a Vibrio (tox . +) and an Aeromonas (tox . +) . Suckling young camels eliminate them for 6 days and grown-up camels for 25 days . This experience, associated with the discovery of Vibrio non 01 and Shigella in the caravan camel dungs, lead them to become a potential vector of spreading from one oasis to another.

Gene, 1986, 44(1), 165 - 9
Production of restriction endonucleases using multicopy Hsd plasmids occurring naturally in pathogenic Escherichia coli and Shigella boydii; Mise K et al.; A convenient procedure has been devised for detection of restriction endonucleases in the Escherichia coli-Shigella group . With this procedure, two restriction endonucleases, designated Sbo 13 and Eco T22, were found and later were identified as isoschizomers of NruI and AvaIII, respectively . These endonucleases were shown to be produced from small multicopy plasmids . They were isolated from nonpathogenic E . coli into which the plasmids had been introduced by transformation, and purified from contaminating nuclease activity . The yield was high, 1,000 units/g of wet cells for Sbo 13 and 500 units/g for Eco T22 . Sbo 13 and Eco T22 should be preferable to NruI and AvaIII because of the high yield and ease in handling the producer cells.

Acta Microbiol Hung, 1986, 33(1), 39 - 42
Studies on enterotoxin of Shigella dysenteriae type 1 . II . Systemic effects in rabbits of Shigella dysenteriae 1 enterotoxin; Asnani PJ et al.; The enterotoxin of Shigella dysenteriae type 1 is an acid and heat-labile protein . It induces a gut dilatory response and increases the levels of blood glucose, serum alkaline phosphatase and serum acid phosphatase in rabbits.

Int J Epidemiol, 1985 Dec, 14(4), 607 - 13
Fourteen years of shigellosis in Dhaka: an epidemiological analysis; Khan MU et al.; We examined whether the proportion of Shigellae patients among diarrhoeal cases, the distribution, species, case-fatality rates and hospital visits changed over time in Dhaka . We isolated 19639 Shigella strains from 822812 diarrhoea cases treated at the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B), between 1969 and 1982 . The number of cases increased from 209 (2.5%) in 1969 to 4833 (7.7%) in 1976 . Extrapolating from a 4% vigorous systematic sample of ICDDR,B hospital visits shigellosis cases and their proportion among diarrhoea cases increased to more than 9500 (12.0%) in 1981 . The prevalence of various shigellae species altered over time . For example: in 1969 Shigella flexneri predominated in 74% of all Shigella cases; in 1973 Shigella dysenteriae accounted for 56%, and in 1981 Shigella flexneri again predominated (75%) . More than 20% of all Shigella isolations were from infants: 60% in males and 40% in females . Over 7% of severe cases of Shigella infection referred from the outpatient department and admitted for treatment died . Nearly 40% of all the Shigella deaths were in infants of less than a year old while 49% were in 1-4 year old children . Increasing prevalence of shigellosis appears to be an important cause of diarrhoea in Dhaka especially among children . Areas with poor sanitation and water supply had higher prevalence . However, hospitalized cases represented a fraction of the actual problem . Resistance to antibiotics appears to be increasing and the development of new drugs and preventive methods within economic reach of less developed countries are crucial for reduction of the disease and related deaths.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {B}, 1985 Dec, 182(1), 58 - 63
{Spectrum of gram-negative rods in waste water from Jeddah/Saudi Arabia}; Muller HE et al.; 23 samples of effluent of the wastewater treatment plant of Jeddah/Saudi Arabia were investigated between September 1983 and November 1984 . A total of 395 strains of gram-negative fermentative bacteria were isolated and differentiated at species level . Neither vibrios, salmonellae, or shigellae were detected notwithstanding of enrichment procedures used . Furthermore, the occurrence of E . coli producing heat labile enterotoxin (LT) was studied using both Biken test and GM1-ELISA . The Biken test produced many false positive results which could not been confirmed by the more specific GM1-ELISA . All strains of E . coli investigated were negative . Therefore, the Biken test seems not to be a recommended method for detection of E . coli LT.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1985 Dec, 16(6), 691 - 8
Plasmid characterization of Shigella spp . isolated from children with shigellosis and asymptomatic excretors; Haider K et al.; Strains of Shigella dysenteriae type 1 and Sh . flexneri isolated during 1981-82 from children with shigellosis and also from asymptomatic excretors were examined for drug resistance and for the presence of plasmids . Shigella strains isolated from dysenteric children showed multiple plasmid bands . Thirty-eight percent of the strains transferred the drug resistance factor(s), either partially or fully to a recipient Escherichia coli K12 strain . Plasmids in the molecular weight range from between 44-76 Mdal were correlated with drug resistance . It was found that multi-resistant clinical isolates generally harbour a single large transmissible plasmid . Strains isolated from asymptomatic excretors demonstrated plasmid patterns different from those isolated from children with shigellosis although the bands were relatively homogeneous within each group . Both the groups showed the presence of a 140 Mdal plasmid band conferring invasiveness and such strains gave a positive Sereny test . This study thus shows that Shigella strains from asymptomatic excretors also retain invasiveness.

J Infect Dis, 1985 Dec, 152(6), 1114 - 9
Changing pattern of resistant Shiga bacillus (Shigella dysenteriae type 1) and Shigella flexneri in Bangladesh; Shahid NS et al.; Shigella dysenteriae type 1 (Shiga bacillus) has made a dramatic comeback in Bangladesh after 10 years when Shigella flexneri was the dominant serogroup . Whereas S . flexneri showed little increase in resistance to the commonly used antimicrobial agents--namely, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) and ampicillin-over the years, S . dysenteriae type 1 underwent rapid changes with regard to sensitivity pattern during the last two years . The first TMP-SMX-resistant strain of S . dysenteriae type 1 was detected in September 1982; however, by mid-1984 most strains were resistant while retaining sensitivity to ampicillin . During this period, the ratio of S . flexneri to S . dysenteriae type 1 narrowed from 0.15 to 1 . Such propagation of high resistance to TMP-SMX might have been due to widespread use of the drug imported into the country in large quantities . Resistance to ampicillin is increasing rapidly, particularly in S . dysenteriae type 1.

Infect Immun, 1985 Dec, 50(3), 620 - 9
Identification and antigenic characterization of virulence-associated, plasmid-coded proteins of Shigella spp . and enteroinvasive Escherichia coli; Hale TL et al.; Seven plasmid-coded polypeptides, designated a through g, were identified by two-dimensional nonequilibrium pH gradient electrophoresis of radiolabeled extracts from minicells of virulent Shigella flexneri serotypes 2a and 5 and enteroinvasive Escherichia coli O143 . These polypeptides were deemed to be products of 140-megadalton (MDa) virulence-associated plasmids because they were not synthesized in minicells which were not harboring a 140-MDa plasmid or in minicells which were carrying an F lac plasmid of the same incompatibility group . Synthesis of these polypeptides was repressed in minicells incubated at 30 degrees C and in minicells isolated from a noninvasive opaque colonial variant, even though these strains harbored a 140-MDa plasmid . Enriched fractions of polypeptides b, c, and d were obtained from S . flexneri serotype 5 by preparative isoelectric focusing, and polyclonal rabbit antisera recognizing each polypeptide were raised . These antisera were able to detect cross-reacting plasmid-coded polypeptide antigens in S . flexneri serotype 3, Shigella sonnei, and enteroinvasive E . coli O143 . In addition, Western blots of minicell extracts from S . flexneri serotype 5 or E . coli O143 indicated that plasmid-coded polypeptides a through d were recognized by convalescent antiserum from a monkey infected with S . flexneri serotype 2a.

Lancet, 1985 Nov 16, 2(8464), 1095 - 7
A non-radioactive DNA probe to identify Shigella and enteroinvasive Escherichia coli in stools of children with diarrhoea; Sethabutr O et al.; A non-radioactive biotinylated DNA probe was constructed to detect Shigella and enteroinvasive Escherichia coli (EIEC) . Specimens were examined with the biotinylated probe after removing streptavidin-binding glycoproteins with proteinase K . Both biotinylated and radioactive probes detected 125 pg of target-cell DNA after hybridisation for 24 h and exposure to indicator dyes or X-ray film for 4 h . Both probes hybridised with 52 EIEC and none of 16 non-EIEC examined; they also hybridised with stool blots from 11 of 13 children with culture-proven shigellosis or EIEC diarrhoea and were negative with stool blots from 43 children who were culture negative for Shigella and EIEC . Biotinylated DNA probes can be as sensitive as radiolabelled probes, but have the advantage of a longer shelf-life and greater availability.

J Clin Microbiol, 1985 Nov, 22(5), 778 - 81
Comparison of API 20E, API rapid E, and API rapid NFT for identification of members of the family Vibrionaceae; Overman TL et al.; Sixty isolates, from nine species of the family Vibrionaceae, were tested by the API 20E, API Rapid E, and API Rapid NFT systems . Results were compared with those obtained with standard biochemicals . Included were 7 Aeromonas caviae isolates, 27 Aeromonas hydrophilia isolates, 10 Aeromonas sobria isolates, 3 Plesiomonas shigelloides isolates, 3 Vibrio alginolyticus isolates, 3 Vibrio cholerae isolates, 1 Vibrio fluvialis isolate, 5 Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates, and 1 Vibrio vulnificus isolate . The API 20E correctly identified all the isolates within 24 h . The API Rapid E correctly identified only 77%, misidentified 8%, and failed to identify 2% of the isolates in 4 h . The remaining 13% of the isolates gave a low selectivity identification, with one of the choices being correct . The API Rapid NFT correctly identified 87%, misidentified 5%, gave a low selectivity identification for 8% of the isolates, and in some instances, required up to 48 h of incubation . The API 20E is a valid system for use in the identification of the more commonly occurring members of the family Vibrionaceae and the most accurate and efficient of the three systems tested.

Br J Rheumatol, 1985 Nov, 24(4), 332 - 9
Decreased chemiluminescent associated phagocytic response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to Chlamydia trachomatis in patients with HLA-B27+ anterior uveitis; Wakefield D et al.; The chemiluminescent (CL) associated phagocytic response of peripheral blood monocytes to two serovars of Chlamydia trachomatis, Shigella flexneri and zymosan was assessed in a group of 26 patients with anterior uveitis (AU) . HLA-B27+ patients with AU, when compared to HLA-B27- patients with AU and appropriate controls, had a significantly decreased CL response to C . trachomatis but no difference between groups in the response to S . flexneri and zymosan . The decreased chemiluminescent (phagocytic) response of mononuclear phagocytes to Chlamydiae may indicate an important abnormality in the pathogenesis of HLA-B27+ AU.

Biokhimiia, 1985 Nov, 50(11), 1797 - 804
{Fractionation and purification of DNA-methylases from Shigella sonnei 47}; Suchkov SV et al.; Possible applications of various column chromatography techniques and isoelectrofocusing for the study of DNA-methylases of Shigella sonnei 47 cells were analyzed . A simple, rapid and convenient procedure based on the use of cation-exchange chromatography was developed for obtaining a highly active total preparation of methylases . Affinity chromatography on heparin-Sepharose was shown to be a promising approach for separating methylases according to their specificity towards nitrous bases . Isoelectrofocusing was used to identify in Shigella sonnei 47 cells six individual methylating enzymes differing in their pI values . Under the stipulation that Shigella sonnei 47 DNA-methylases show a tendency to aggregate in the course of fractionation, column chromatography is of little or no use in isolating and purifying individual methylating enzymes of the given strain . The advantages of the isoelectrofocusing technique and its utility in the study of different molecular forms of site-specific enzymes are discussed.

Acta Paediatr Scand, 1985 Nov, 74(6), 897 - 903
Fluctuation of specific IgA antibodies in human milk; Cruz JR et al.; The concentration of secretory IgA and the levels of IgA specific antibodies against Escherichia coli labile-toxin, Shigella flexneri 6, and rotaviruses were determined in milk samples obtained serially from women during the first 16 weeks postpartum . The mean concentration of secretory IgA followed the expected pattern; the levels of specific antibodies fluctuated in an unpredictable manner and independently of milk secretory IgA content, becoming undetectable in many instances . Under some circumstances, continued breast-feeding may not guarantee continued intake of antibodies against intestinal pathogens by the breast-fed infant.

Science, 1985 Oct 11, 230(4722), 179 - 81
Cloning of Shiga-like toxin structural genes from a toxin converting phage of Escherichia coli; Newland JW et al.; The genes controlling high-level production of Shiga-like toxin (SLT) in Escherichia coli were cloned from the SLT converting phage 933J . This phage was isolated from a strain of E . coli that caused a foodborne outbreak of hemorrhagic colitis . The genes that convert normal E . coli to organisms producing high levels of toxin were cloned into the plasmid pBR328 and expressed in E . coli HB101 . DNA restriction mapping, subcloning, examination of the cloned gene products by minicell analysis, neutralization, and immunoprecipitation with antibodies to SLT were used to localize the toxin converting genes and identify them as structural genes for SLT . Southern hybridization studies established that the DNA fragment carrying the cloned toxin structural genes had homology with the DNA of Shigella.

J Hyg (Lond), 1985 Oct, 95(2), 483 - 92
An epidemic of acute diarrhoea in rural southern India associated with echovirus type 11 infection; Patel JR et al.; An epidemic of diarrhoea with two distinct waves affected a village of 1375 people in southern India in 1983 . The first wave of the epidemic, from the last week of December 1982, had a sharp peak in January 1983 and was over by March . Echovirus type 11 was isolated from patients, who also had a serum antibody response to the virus . During the second wave of the epidemic, from May to September 1983, the clinical features were different and Shigella flexneri was isolated without significant viral isolates . Infection during the first wave did not protect from the second wave . Virus isolation was in human intestinal tumour-derived differentiated epithelial cell lines; such cell lines may be useful for the isolation and identification of enteroviruses in clinical samples.

J Infect Dis, 1985 Oct, 152(4), 784 - 90
Shigella septicemia: prevalence, presentation, risk factors, and outcome; Struelens MJ et al.; The prevalence, presentation, and outcome of bacteremia due to Shigella and other gram-negative bacteria were determined by review of records of 2,018 inpatients with shigellosis who had their blood cultured in a Bangladeshi hospital in 1976-1983 . Shigella bacteremia occurred in 82 (4.1%) patients; other bacteremia occurred in 102 (5.1%) patients . Patients with shigella sepsis more frequently (P less than .02) manifested severe dehydration, abdominal tenderness or ileus, agitation or lethargy, and leukocytosis than did nonbacteremic controls; they developed more frequently (P less than .05) renal failure (26%), leukemoid reaction (22%), thrombocytopenia (20%), and hemolytic-uremic syndrome (6%) . The prevalence of all bacteremia was highest in the first year of life . Protein-energy malnutrition was a strong risk factor for shigella sepsis (P less than .01) . The fatality rate in shigella bacteremia (21%) was higher (P less than .005) than in nonbacteremic shigellosis (10%) but lower (P less than .001) than in other bacteremia (51%) . At highest risk of death from shigella bacteremia (P less than .01) were patients less than one year old, non-breast-fed, malnourished, and afebrile.

Antibiot Med Biotekhnol, 1985 Oct, 30(10), 757 - 60
{Effect of R plasmids on the growth characteristics of Shigella sonnei and Escherichia coli}; Medzhidov MM et al.; Revealing of growth characteristics in plasmid and plasmid-free strains was studied with the use of two different hosts: E . coli 15-3 and Sh . sonnei 11-941 containing conjugative R plasmids differing in the set of the resistance markers . It was shown that the R plasmids had no noticeable effect on the period of the lag phase and the time of the microbial cell generation . It was also shown that the number of the viable cells in separate cultures of the plasmid-free strain of Sh . sonnei 11-941 and its plasmid variants was of the same order . Counting of the viable cells in mixed cultures of the plasmid-free strain of E . coli 15-3 and its plasmid variant on the complete nutrient medium revealed an insignificant increase (by 10 per cent) in the proportion of the bacteria carrying the plasmid after 6-hour growth (during early stationary growth phase) and later, up to 24 hours . The results of the study suggested that development of nutrient media for microbial strains containing R plasmids does not require additional cultivation conditions.

Biokhimiia, 1985 Oct, 50(10), 1694 - 701
{Site-specificity of DNA methylases from Shigella sonnei 47 cells}; Lopatina NG et al.; A complex approach involving isoplith analysis, enzymatic treatment of methylated isopliths and a computer analysis of experimental data has been used for determining site specificity of six methylases from Shigella sonnei 47 cells termed according to their specificity for a nitrous base and pI as MC4.2, MC5.3, MC6.2, MC7.4, MC8.4 and MA9.5 . It has been found that the recognition site of MA9.5 is a palyndrome six-member structure of the 5'...GAATTC...3' type and that this enzyme is an isometimer with respect to MEcoRI . It has been demonstrated for the first time for methylases that the recognition site of MC4.2 is represented by a non-symmetrical four-member sequence, 5'...NCCCCN...3' characterized by unique blocking of cytosines . MC8.4 possesses a broad specificity of substrate recognition and methylates the cytosine residue within the composition of the non-symmetrical unique sequence 5'...N (C/Pu) CCN...3', whose 5'-terminal base is depleted in three nucleotides . MC5.3 methylates the 3'-terminal cytosine residue within the composition of the pentanucleotide palindrome recognition site, 5'...CCNGG...3' . MC6.2 and MC7.4 possess identical pentanucleotide recognition sites of 5'...(Py)CNG(Pu)...3', but are distinguished in pI . The latter finding has been shown for the first time for different methylases within one strain.

Radiobiologiia, 1985 Sep-Oct, 25(5), 707 - 10
{Shigella antigens in early pathogenetic therapy of experimental acute radiation sickness}; Gorbunova ES et al.; In experiments on gamma-irradiated hamsters it is shown that antigens, obtained from Sh . flexneri and sonnei by the sparing method, have a radioprotective therapeutic action . The antigens exhibit the immunostimulating activity which is perhaps one of the aspects of the mechanism involved in the formation of resistance to infectious complications in irradiated animals and of the favourable radioprotective effect.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1985 Sep, (9), 12 - 5
{Ribosomal dysentery vaccine . Study of response and antigenic activity in healthy volunteers}; Gavrilov AF et al.; In earlier studies Shigella sonnei ribosomal vaccine was shown to be highly protective for guinea pigs and monkeys . The object of the present study, carried out in 20 healthy volunteers, was the safety and the antigenic activity of this vaccine . The subcutaneous injection of the ribosomal vaccine in doses of 100 micrograms and 200 micrograms produced no febrile reactions nor biochemical and histological changes . The minimal local reaction was observed after injection into the subscapular region: in this case 200 micrograms of the vaccine produced neither severe, nor moderate reactions . A single injection of this dose led to a more than 4-fold rise in the levels of total and cysteine-resistant O-antibodies, as well as to the prolonged elevation of the complement level in the serum.

Microbiol Sci, 1985 Sep, 2(9), 275 - 8
Molecular genetics of virulence in Shigella; Binns MM; The application of modern genetic techniques to Shigella is revealing many interesting aspects of the genetics of virulence in these organisms . The information obtained allows rational approaches towards vaccine development to be investigated.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1985 Sep, (9), 8 - 12
{Comparative characteristics of antigenic conversion induced by Shigella flexneri and Escherichia coli 0129 phages}; Babkov VV; The interaction of S . flexneri converting phages PE5, P90 and fV with E . coli antigenic variant O129, E . coli O129 converting phage VB with the above antigenic variant and with S . flexneri y-variant was studied . Phage PE5 and phage VB were found to induce the conversion of O-antigen in E . coli antigenic variant 0129 and in S . flexneri y-variant with the detection of antigens V and 7,8 . Phages P90 and fV induced no conversion of O-antigen . Changes in the antigenic properties of convertants were confirmed by the results obtained in the agglutination test and in the agglutination adsorption test.

J Neuropathol Exp Neurol, 1985 Sep, 44(5), 496 - 506
Axonally transported Shigella cytotoxin is neuronotoxic; Wiley RG et al.; Shigella dysenteriae strains produce an exotoxin (SdT) which inhibits protein synthesis in susceptible cells and is neurotoxic in some species . Intraneural microinjection of highly purified SdT into the cervical vagus nerves of rats, mice, guinea pigs and rabbits produced cytopathic changes within 24 hours in vagal sensory but not motor neurons . These changes consisted of an initial loss of Nissl substance followed by progressive cell degeneration and resulted in permanent neuronal loss . Indirect immunoperoxidase staining demonstrated SdT in nodose ganglion sensory neurons but not in vagal motor neurons of the brainstem . In rats, fatal enterotoxicity was common after intraneural injection of SdT doses that were reliably neuronotoxic; in rabbits and mice, a fatal ascending paralysis occurred at similar doses . Cytopathic changes were noted rarely in nodose sensory neurons of the uninjected side in mice suggesting systemic distribution and neuronal uptake of toxin . Injection of SdT into the tongue muscles of rats and mice failed to affect hypoglossal motor neurons within 50 hours . We conclude SdT is taken up and retrogradely transported by vagal sensory neurons with a resultant destruction of these neurons . The relationship of these findings to the reported neurotoxicity of SdT is unclear . However, SdT may prove useful in making selective lesions or as a model for some forms of neuronal degeneration.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1985 Aug, 50(2), 337 - 41
Sensitivity to bile salts of Shigella flexneri sublethally heat stressed in buffer or broth; Tollison SB et al.; Batch cultures of Shigella flexneri M4243 were grown at 37 degrees C in broth to early stationary phase, washed, and heated at 50 degrees C in 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) . Cells were surface plated on a tryptic phytone glucose agar (TPGA), TPGA with 0.15 or 0.85% bile salts no . 3 (TPGA-BS 0.15 or TPGA-BS 0.85), or TPGA with 0.25 or 0.50% sodium deoxycholate (TPGA-DC 0.25 or TPGA-DC 0.50) . Cells sampled after no heating produced colony counts on TPGA-BS 0.85 or on TPGA-DC 0.50 that were no more than about 0.5 log lower than for unheated cell samples plated on TPGA . Cells heated at 50 degrees C for 30 min produced colony counts on TPGA-DC 0.50 or on TPGA-BS 0.85 that were about 1.5 logs lower than on TPGA . Cells heated for 30 min and shifted to TPG broth at 37 degrees C to allow resuscitation required about 2 h to regain tolerance to 0.85% BS . However, heated cells resuscitated on solid TPGA at 35 degrees C before being challenged with overlays of TPGA-BS 0.85 or TPGA-DC 0.50 required 6 to 8 h on TPGA to regain tolerance to 0.85% BS or 0.50% DC . To regain tolerance to overlays of 0.15% BS or 0.25% DC, heated cells required resuscitation periods on TPGA of about 2 or 2 to 6 h, respectively . Cells heated in TPG broth and sampled after no heating produced colony counts on TPGA that were about 1.5 logs lower than for unheated cell suspensions, suggesting greater apparent injury when heat stressed in broth than in buffer.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Eur J Clin Microbiol, 1985 Aug, 4(4), 417 - 8
Four cases of Shigella septicemia in Israel; Alkan M et al.; Four cases of shigella septicemia are presented . In two children infection was caused by Shigella flexneri and in two adults, who had underlying diseases which caused immunosuppression, by Shigella sonnei and Shigella schmitzi . All four patients responded to intravenous antibiotic therapy . In one patient the organism persisted in the stool, but was eliminated after oral administration of chloramphenicol . Shigella septicemia is not uncommon and blood cultures should be obtained in suspected cases.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1985 Aug, (8), 78 - 80
{Specific antigens of the causative agents and their antibodies in the circulating immune complexes in acute dysentery}; Bunin KV et al.; The level of circulating immune complexes has been determined in 53 patients in the dynamics of the disease . For the first time circulating immune complexes have been found to contain Shigella sonnei K-antigen and Shigella flexneri O-antigen, as well as IgA, IgG and IgM to Shigella . Shigella antigens can be detected from the first week of the disease, and their occurrence does not depend on the level of circulating complexes in patients blood serum.

J Clin Pathol, 1985 Jul, 38(7), 721 - 5
Infections in British clinical laboratories, 1982-3; Grist NR et al.; During 1982-3, 31 specific and 12 uncharacterized infections were reported from 30 of 240 laboratories, representing 29 223 person-years of experience . Thirteen cases of hepatitis included 10 of type B or non-A, non-B hepatitis of probable occupational origin (attributable incidence 34.2 per 100 000 person years) affecting haematology, biochemistry, and postmortem workers . Of nine cases of tuberculosis, three were probably acquired in the laboratory (attributable incidence 10.3 per 100 000 person years) and affected microbiology, morbid anatomy, and postmortem staff . Microbiology staff also acquired, probably from the laboratory, four shigella infections and one each of brucella and herpes . The general community was the probable source of three cases of hepatitis A, two of rubella, and one of varicella . During the two years the risk of laboratory acquired infection mainly concerned the postmortem room and mortuary.

Med Trop (Mars), 1985 Jul-Sep, 45(3), 235 - 43
{3-year study of shigellosis epidemic in Rwanda, Central Africa . Problems of public health and bacteriological aspects}; Vimont-Vicary P et al.; Since 1979, the Lakes region (Kivu in Zaire, Western Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi) has been stricken by a bacillary dysentery epidemic at S . dysenteriae type 1 . Supposed to be extinct since the 1950s., this bacillus has revealed a very noticeable virulence as well by the number of registered cases (524/100.000 in 1983 at Ruhengeri-Rwanda) as its fast break through . Demographic density (from 400 to 600/km2) has played an important role and has facilitated the transition toward epidemicity . Systematic bacteriological exams on the spot has allowed prompt identification of the involved germ, antibiotics to be used, and resistance variations during the period under consideration . The role of a regional laboratory to monitor diarrheal diseases has been demonstrated as of prime importance to set up a fighting strategy at regional level.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1985 Jul, (7), 55 - 9
{Local immunity in the parenteral immunization of guinea pigs with a ribosomal dysentery vaccine}; Liubinskaia MM et al.; After immunization of guinea pigs with Shigella sonnei ribosomal vaccine O-antibodies appeared not only in the blood serum of the animals, but also in their lacrimal fluid . Since no correlation between the levels of serum and secretory antibodies was detected and since the time course of changes in these antibody levels was quite different (serum antibodies reached their peak on day 7 while secretory antibodies, on day 14 after vaccination), antibodies in lacrimal fluid were supposed to reflect local immune response induced by parenteral administration of ribosomal vaccine, irrespective of systemic immune response . The peak of secretory O-antibodies coincided in time with the period of the highest protection of guinea pigs from Shigella keratoconjunctivitis . The animals with a high level of secretory antibodies were better protected from Shigella infection than those with a low level of secretory antibodies . These data suggest that locally produced O-antibodies play an important role in protective immunity induced by parenteral administration of the ribosomal vaccine.

Infection, 1985 Jul-Aug, 13(4), 169 - 73
Aeromonas and plesiomonas as possible causes of diarrhoea; Ljungh A et al.; The number of reports on the isolation of Aeromonas from patients with diarrhoeal disease is now large and suggests an etiological role of the bacterium . It is well established that strains of Aeromonas produce an enterotoxin . This enterotoxin is cytotonic, i.e . it does not damage the membrane, and it does not cross-react immunologically with cholera toxin and Escherichia coli heat-labile (LT) toxin . Most enterotoxigenic strains also produce a cytotoxic protein (hemolysin), the role of which is probably limited in diarrhoea but potentially toxic in humans in other kinds of infections . Strains of Plesiomonas shigelloides also seem to be able to cause diarrhoea in some cases . The pathogenesis of Plesiomonas-induced diarrhoea remains to be elucidated, but a heat-stable enterotoxin may be involved.

Infect Immun, 1985 Jul, 49(1), 67 - 71
Synthesis of aerobactin and a 76,000-dalton iron-regulated outer membrane protein by Escherichia coli K-12-Shigella flexneri hybrids and by enteroinvasive strains of Escherichia coli; Griffiths E et al.; One of the chromosomal segments associated with the virulence of Shigella flexneri and transferred to Escherichia coli K-12 by conjugation has been shown to code for the production of aerobactin and for the synthesis of an iron-regulated 76,000-dalton (76K) outer membrane protein . Analysis of various E . coli K-12-S . flexneri transconjugants showed that the genes involved with the synthesis of aerobactin and with the production of the 76K protein were linked to the mtl region of the S . flexneri chromosome . S . flexneri itself synthesized a 76K protein in its outer membrane under iron restriction as well as traces of 81K and 74K proteins . An examination of four enteroinvasive strains of E . coli showed that each produced aerobactin and a 76K outer membrane protein during iron-restricted growth . The profile of the iron-regulated proteins expressed by the enteroinvasive strains of E . coli was virtually identical to that expressed by the laboratory-constructed E . coli K-12-S . flexneri hybrids under the same growth conditions.

Infect Immun, 1985 Jul, 49(1), 164 - 71
Cloning of plasmid DNA sequences involved in invasion of HeLa cells by Shigella flexneri; Maurelli AT et al.; A large plasmid is found in virulent isolates of Shigella sp . and encodes functions essential for invasion of mammalian cells . To identify plasmid sequences necessary for invasion, we isolated a series of Tn5 insertions in pWR100, the virulence plasmid of Shigella flexneri serotype 5 . These insertions demonstrated that three separate EcoRI fragments of pWR100 were required for invasion of HeLa cells . However, the corresponding native EcoRI fragments, when cloned into pBR325, did not restore virulence to plasmidless strains . Construction of a lambda-sensitive, plasmidless Shigella recipient enabled us to shotgun clone plasmid DNA directly into S . flexneri by using the cosmid vector pJB8 and score for expression of invasive functions . In this fashion, we succeeded in isolating six independent recombinants which restored invasion of HeLa cells in plasmidless Shigella recipients . The cloned inserts all contained a common core of ca . 37 kilobases, thus defining a minimum sequence necessary for invasion of HeLa cells . Virulence-associated peptides produced by wild-type S . flexneri were also produced by the recombinants . Expression of these peptides and expression of invasiveness by the clones were regulated by growth temperature, as is expression of these traits in wild-type S . flexneri . A complete invasive phenotype was not expressed by the recombinants in that they failed to produce a positive Sereny test . Possible explanations for this behavior as it relates to the mechanism of bacterial invasion are discussed.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1985 Jul, (7), 77 - 80
{Immune response and immune tolerance to the O-antigen of Shigella flexneri VI}; Rubakova EI et al.; The method for the determination of the number of cells synthetizing antibodies to S . flexneri VI O-antigen in the spleen of mice has been developed . Primary immune response to this antigen has been studied with the use of the new method . Immune response to the optimum immunogenic dose of O-antigen has a manifest variable character . The intensity of primary immune response has been shown to rise with the increase of the dose of O-antigen from 0.004 to 50 micrograms . The preliminary injection of 200 micrograms of O-antigen, followed by the injection of cyclophosphamide 2 days later, leads to the development of specific immunological tolerance to O-antigen in experimental animals.

Vopr Med Khim, 1985 Jul-Aug, 31(4), 114 - 5
{Membrane activity of a cell-free filtrate of Shigella flexneri 2a}; Babadzhanova BN et al.; In the course of metabolism in Shigella Flexneri 2A strain there was noted secretion of a membrane-tropic factor into media . This factor increased the conductivity of bilayer lipid membranes causing formation of ionic channels in them . Minimal conductivity of the channels was about 25 pS in 0.5 M NaCl; at PH 7-8 the channels exhibited cation-anion selectivity . The calculated number of cation transfer (T+) was elevated with an increase in the channel amplitude, approaching 0.86 . Since the conductivity of the channels depended on the definite potential, the component studied appears to have an intracellular localization under normal conditions; possible mechanism of its liberation into surrounding medium is discussed.

Am J Med, 1985 Jun 28, 78(6B), 99 - 106
Prevention and treatment of infectious diarrhea . Speculations on the next 10 years; Edelman R; The next decade should explode with exciting schemes and novel agents for the prevention and treatment of infectious diarrhea . The development of oral, nonabsorbed antibiotics will continue, but new antidiarrheal drugs, such as gastrointestinal hormone analogues and alpha-adrenergic agonists, will be added to our therapeutic armamentarium . Improved oral rehydration solutions, such as glycine in electrolyte solution, promise to revolutionize the management of diarrhea by diminishing diarrheal stool volume to the point where losses are too small to be clinically relevant . Infant formulas and adult oral solutions fortified with antibodies raised against selected enteropathogens may provide a way to prevent infectious diarrheas in infants and travelers . Advances in genetic engineering will usher in a new era of experimental and licensed enteric vaccines, including those against cholera, Escherichia coli, Shigella, typhoid fever, and rotavirus.

JAMA, 1985 Jun 14, 253(22), 3294 - 5
Plesiomonas shigelloides-associated diarrhea; Reinhardt JF et al.; Plesiomonas shigelloides was thought to be the cause of diarrhea in six patients seen in Los Angeles . Although this organism is considered to be a cause of diarrhea in the Orient, it has infrequently been noted to be associated with diarrhea in North America.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {B}, 1985 Jun, 181(1-2), 197 - 205
'O'-antigens are essential virulence factors of Shigella sonnei and Shigella dysenteriae 1; Binns MM et al.; A novel transposon mutagenesis system has been developed for Shigella . We have used it to isolate specific mutants of Shigella sonnei and Shigella dysenteriae 1 that fail to produce lipopolysaccharide 'O' side chains . The virulence of the mutants was evaluated in the Sereny test and in a HeLa cell invasion assay . All HO'-minus mutants failed to provoke a positive Sereny reaction but retained the ability to invade HeLa cells . This demonstrates that 'O' side chains are virulence factors of S . sonnei and S . dysenteriae 1 . 'O'-minus mutants of S . sonnei which still contained the Form I plasmid were capable of invading HeLa cells whilst plasmid-minus mutants were not, demonstrating that this plasmid encodes properties other than 'O'-antigen production that are involved in virulence.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1985 Jun, (6), 44 - 8
{Method for the statistical processing of the results of an immunoenzyme analysis}; Rubtsov IV et al.; A method for the statistical processing of data having different distribution functions is proposed . This method consists in the use of integral distribution functions . The description of the method based on the use of Soviet serial table-top microcomputers, model Elektronika MK-56, with specially developed programs (primary statistical data processing and single-factor regression analysis) is presented . The possibilities of this method are illustrated, by way of example, by processing the results of the determination of Shigella sonnei O-antigen, obtained by ELISA of serum samples taken from patients divided into different clinical groups according to the dynamics of the disease and the therapeutic methods used, as well as from control groups: healthy persons and patients with other intestinal diseases (salmonellosis and Escherichia coli infection) . The above procedure has made it possible to differentiate the level of infectious O-antigenemia in accordance with the duration and the severity of the disease, as well as in accordance with the effectiveness of therapy.

Ann Inst Pasteur Microbiol, 1985 May-Jun, 136A(3), 339 - 45
Epidemiological markers of Shigella sonnei infections: R-plasmid fingerprinting, phage-typing and biotyping; Marranzano M et al.; In 1980, the number of Shigella sonnei strains isolated in Sicily increased markedly . Approximately 80% of the isolates belonged to phage-type 3 and showed the same antibiotic resistance pattern, suggesting that an epidemic had been going on for several months . Plasmid analysis of strains isolated at various times in different places supported this view . Agarose gel electrophoresis of plasmid preparations from seven selected phage-type 3 isolates showed the presence of two plasmids, of 80 megadaltons (Mdal) and 55 Mdal, respectively . In addition, all but one harboured a 2.8-Mdal plasmid, while a 30-Mdal and a 47-Mdal plasmid were, respectively, present in two other isolates . The 80-Mdal plasmid was self-transmissible to Escherichia coli K12, which acquired "en bloc" the resistance patterns of the donor strains . All the self-transmissible R plasmids fell into the incompatibility group I1 and showed a similar endonuclease cleavage pattern . An S . sonnei strain which was isolated during the same period, but did not belong to phage-type 3, exhibited a totally different plasmid pattern . We can conclude that phage-typing and R-plasmid characterization (i.e . incompatibility group, molecular weight and endonuclease cleavage pattern) represent the most reliable methods for epidemiologic study of S . sonnei isolates.

J Assoc Off Anal Chem, 1985 May-Jun, 68(3), 552 - 5
Improved enrichment for recovery of Shigella sonnei from foods; Mehlman IJ et al.; Shigella species were recovered from foods by the procedure described in the Bacteriological Analytical Manual, 5th Ed . The method is effective if Shigella species are present at about 10(6) cells/g . A 25 g food portion was incubated in Gram-negative (GN) and selenite cystine broths for 16 h at 35 degrees C and streaked onto MacConkey, Levine's eosin methylene blue, desoxycholate citrate, and xylose lysine desoxycholate agars . S . sonnei cells were recovered quantitatively at 44.5 degrees C, and along with other Shigella species, were grown with Escherichia coli in a tryptone broth under anaerobic conditions . Shigella species were also grown in a mixed microflora from foods . S . sonnei cells were inoculated into an enrichment broth containing 20 g tryptone, 2 g K2HPO4, 2 g KH2PO4, 1 g glucose, 5 g NaCl, 1.5 mL Tween 80, and 0.5 mg novobiocin/L (pH 7.0) and incubated for 20 h at 44 degrees C . Enrichments were streaked onto MacConkey agar and the plates were incubated 20 h at 35 degrees C . Suspect Shigella colonies were screened in glucose, tryptone, and lysine broths and in triple sugar iron and motility agars . The sensitivity varied from 0.3 to 1000 bacteria/g . The method has been examined with artificially inoculated lettuce, celery, brussels sprouts, mushrooms, and hamburger . It is also applicable to S . flexneri if incubation is conducted at 42 degrees C.

Am J Trop Med Hyg, 1985 May, 34(3), 547 - 54
A comparative study of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, Shigella, Aeromonas, and Vibrio as etiologies of diarrhea in northeastern Thailand; Echeverria P et al.; The incidence of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), Shigella, Aeromonas, and Vibrio was determined in patients with diarrhea seen at a hospital in northeastern Thailand, and compared with the incidence of these bacteria in household contacts and their neighbors . ETEC was identified in 17%, Shigella in 9%, Aeromonas in 9%, V . parahaemolyticus in 5%, and non-01 V . cholerae in 2% of 299 patients with diarrhea . These five species of bacteria were isolated more often from patients with diarrhea than persons without diarrhea (P less than 0.001) . ETEC was found more often in household contacts (22/141) and neighbors (18/147) of index cases than in persons living in homes not associated with ETEC infections (32/1,318; P less than 0.001) . While Shigella was isolated less often in family contacts (3/76) and neighbors (4/93) of patients with shigellosis, this enteric pathogen was also isolated more often from contacts than persons not associated with Shigella infection (13/1,437; P less than 0.001) . Both Aeromonas and non-01 V . cholerae can also be enteric pathogens; further efforts should be made to define the enteropathogenicity of these bacteria.

Am J Vet Res, 1985 May, 46(5), 1192 - 6
Immunologic abnormality in a group of Macaca arctoides with high mortality due to atypical mycobacterial and other disease processes; Holmberg CA et al.; Of 54 Macaca arctoides, 44 died during the 2.5 years after their assignment to a common cage . Although early deaths were due to trauma, acute gastric dilatation, and shigellosis; latter deaths were the result of a variety of uncommon diseases including atypical mycobacterial disease, malignant lymphoma, protozoan encephalomyelitis, and other necrotizing and inflammatory lesions . Atypical mycobacterial disease due to Mycobacterium avium intracellular serotypes was the most frequent single disease agent recognized (33% {18 macaques}) . This disease began in the ileum and large intestine with subsequent systemic involvement . An abnormality of host response to infective agents, in general, was indicated by the unusually high occurrence of this disease, as well as other disease processes . Morphologic evaluation of lymphoid organs revealed decreased cellularity of follicles and decreased numbers of plasma cells in all macaques, whereas T cell-dependent areas varied from hypocellular to hypercellular with 5 macaques with malignant lymphoma . The spontaneous erythrocyte rosette-forming subpopulation of T cells was decreased in peripheral blood, but was increased in lymph nodes containing atypical mycobacterial lesions . Serum immunoglobulin value decreased progressively in diseased macaques . A basic abnormality of T-cell subpopulations controlling other components of host response was suspected . Macrophages from lesions that contain mycobacterial organisms did not phagocytize latex beads normally in vitro, whereas monocytes in the blood of the same macaques were capable of in vitro phagocytosis.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1985 May, 259(3), 390 - 6
Inactivation by polymyxin B of the endotoxin-mediated interferon production in the rabbit; Jandejsek J et al.; Polymyxin B (PB) completely or at least significantly inhibited the capacity of Shigella dysenteriae 1 cells and the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and lipid A (LA) subunits of several bacterial endotoxins to induce interferon (IFN) in rabbits . Animals injected with LPS inactivated by PB to the point of not inducing detectable IFN levels did not develop hyporesponsiveness to secondary IFN induction by a homologous inducer . It was concluded that PB inhibits the IFN-inducing capacity of endotoxin and its subunits as a consequence of binding to the LA-moiety of LPS . The results confirmed the exclusive role of LA as the only IFN-inducing component of Gram-negative bacterial endotoxin.

Bioorg Khim, 1985 May, 11(5), 655 - 61
{Synthesis of oligosaccharide fragments of O-specific polysaccharides of Shigella flexneri . III . Synthesis of the tetrasaccharide Glc alpha 1-3Rha alpha 1-2(Glc alpha 1-3)Rha alpha 1-OMe and the pentasaccharide GlcNAc beta 1-2(Glc alpha 1-3)Rha alpha 1-2(Glc alpha 1-3)Rha alpha 1-OMe}; Bakinovskii LV et al.; Two synthetic schemes to prepare the title branched tetrasaccharide and pentasaccharide are described . These oligosaccharides represent fragments of the O-antigenic polysaccharides of Shigella flexneri serotype 5b.

Jpn J Med Sci Biol, 1985 Apr, 38(2), 73 - 6
New O and H antigens and additional serovars of Plesiomonas shigelloides; Shimada T et al.; The antigenic scheme for Plesiomonas shigelloides described by Shimada and Sakazaki (1978) has been expanded to 107 serovars consisting of 50 O serogroups and 17 H antigens.

Am J Clin Pathol, 1985 Apr, 83(4), 522 - 4
Overwhelming post-splenectomy infection with Plesiomonas shigelloides in a patient cured of Hodgkin's disease . A case report; Curti AJ et al.; The immune deficiencies of Hodgkin's disease persist to some degree even after the patients are clinically cured; these may be amplified by loss of splenic immunologic functions after staging laparotomy and splenectomy . The authors submit a case report wherein a bacterium of relatively low virulence, Plesiomonas shigelloides, was associated with a rapidly fulminant septicemia, disseminated intravascular coagulation, Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome, and death in a splenectomized patient free of Hodgkin's disease for approximately five years . This emphasizes the need for prolonged observation, rapid diagnosis, and aggressive intervention in immunocompromised patients, especially those supposedly cured of previous hematologic malignancy.

Infect Immun, 1985 Apr, 48(1), 260 - 2
Large plasmids associated with virulence in Shigella species have a common function necessary for epithelial cell penetration; Watanabe H et al.; Large plasmids (120 to 140 megadaltons) associated with virulence of Shigella sonnei, S . flexneri 2a and S . dysenteriae 1 were transferred from each strain into Escherichia coli K-12 and avirulent S . flexneri 1b strains by ampicillin transposon (Tn1)-mediated conduction . Strains with the virulence plasmid could penetrate tissue culture cells irrespective of the original host of the plasmid.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1985 Apr, (4), 45 - 8
{Detection of Shigella antigens in the feces of patients with acute intestinal diseases using a coagglutination reaction}; Tishchenko MS; A total of 113 patients with acute intestinal diseases have been examined with the use of the coagglutination test . 84.95% of the patients showed the presence of different Shigella antigens . In patients with bacteriologically confirmed dysentery the corresponding Shigella antigens were detected in 96.97% of cases in S . sonnei dysentery, in 90% of cases in S . flexneri dysentery, in 75% of cases in S . newcastle dysentery and in 100% of bases in S . boydii dysentery . In 81.6% of patients with acute intestinal diseases of unknown etiology the coagglutination test revealed the presence of various Shigella antigens.

Mikrobiyol Bul, 1985 Apr, 19(2), 73 - 87
{Shigella serotypes isolated July-October 1983 and their antibiotic sensitivity}; Ozsoy K et al.; Twenty four strains of Shigella were isolated from the stool of patients who had been admitted to the hospital with the complaint of diarrhea . Of these, 17 were found to be Sh . flexneri, and 7 Sh . boydii . Antibiotic susceptibility tests indicated that all of the 24 isolates probably had multiple resistance factors . Twenty three of 24 strains were found to be resistant to ampicillin . This may be important from a therapeutic point of view.

J Hyg (Lond), 1985 Apr, 94(2), 163 - 72
Plasmid characterization of drug-resistant Shigella dysenteriae 1 from an epidemic in Central Africa; Frost JA et al.; A widespread epidemic of severe dysentery in Zaire and neighbouring Central African countries was caused by a multiply drug-resistant strain of Shigella dysenteriae 1 . Early isolations were resistant to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, sulphonamides and tetracyclines (R-type = ACSSuT) . Later in the epidemic strains resistant to trimethoprim (Tm) became prevalent and a few strains resistant to kanamycin (K) or nalidixic acid were also isolated . All resistances except nalidixic acid were encoded by plasmids of incompatibility groups X (ACT) or I1 (ACSSuTTm) and the epidemic strain also carried an SSu plasmid and a number of cryptic plasmids . The Inc X plasmid from this epidemic is the same as that in Sh . dysenteriae 1 strains isolated in Somalia in 1976 whereas the epidemic strains from the Shiga outbreaks in Central America, 1969 to 1971, and Sri Lanka, 1979, carried plasmids of group B . This epidemic demonstrates that when a multiresistant strain includes resistance to trimethoprim, nalidixic acid is a suitable alternative therapeutic agent.

Infect Immun, 1985 Apr, 48(1), 165 - 8
Cloning the gene for Congo red binding in Shigella flexneri; Daskaleros PA et al.; The ability to bind the dye Congo red from agar medium is associated with virulence of Shigella species . DNA sequences conferring this property have been cloned from a large, 140-kilobase plasmid of Shigella flexneri into a plasmid vector . This recombinant plasmid does not fully restore virulence to S . flexneri isolates which have lost the large plasmid . This indicates that other genes present on the 140-kilobase plasmid must also be required for virulence of S . flexneri . The cloned fragment contains a copy of the insertion sequence IS1 closely linked to the gene for Congo red binding.

Infect Immun, 1985 Apr, 48(1), 124 - 9
Plaque formation by virulent Shigella flexneri; Oaks EV et al.; An in vitro tissue culture plaque assay was developed to investigate the intracellular replication and intercellular spread of virulent shigellae . Shigella plaques were formed in HeLa cell monolayers in the presence of an agarose overlay containing tissue culture medium and gentamicin, which eliminated extracellular bacterial growth . Microscopically, the plaques were characterized by a central area of dead host cells surrounded by cells infected with shigellae . Cells further away from the plaque center were uninfected . Inclusion of chloramphenicol or nalidixic acid in the overlay completely abolished plaque formation . Plaque formation was completely inhibited when infected monolayers were shifted from 37 to 30 degrees C . Shifting infected monolayers from 30 degrees C, where plaques do not form, to 37 degrees C resulted in the formation of plaques . Cultures of Shigella boydii, Shigella sonnei (form I), and all six serotypes of Shigella flexneri produced plaques . Shigellae isolated from plaques were Sereny test positive, contained a 140-megadalton plasmid, and were gentamicin sensitive . Noninvasive shigellae did not form plaques.

Immunology, 1985 Apr, 54(4), 665 - 76
Rabbit antisera against three different bacteria which can induce reactive arthritis: analysis by ELISA, immunoprecipitation and Western Blot; Ogasawara M et al.; Three strains of bacteria which induce reactive arthritis were collected: a Shigella flexneri, designated 7060; another Sh . flexneri, designated 316; and a Yersinia enterocolitica of serotype 03 . Rabbit antisera were generated against each of them to test for the extent and nature of cross-reactivity among these strains . When analysed by the ELISA technique, antisera against 7060 and 316 showed strong cross-reactivity with Y . enterocolitica . In contrast, the reaction of antisera prepared against putatively non-arthritis-causing bacteria reacted several-folds less . Using immunoprecipitation, sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western Blot procedures, a 92,000 MW cross-reactive antigen on the Yersinia was identified . The antigen was present on the outer membranes of the Y . enterocolitica, and enzyme digestion experiments showed that this antigen was protein in nature.

J Clin Microbiol, 1985 Apr, 21(4), 486 - 9
Infections acquired in clinical laboratories in Utah; Jacobson JT et al.; We reviewed laboratory-acquired infections occurring in Utah from 1978 through 1982 . Written and telephone interviews of supervisors of 1,191 laboratorians revealed an estimated annual incidence of 3 laboratory-acquired infections per 1,000 employees . Infections, in order of frequency, included hepatitis B (clinical cases), shigellosis, pharyngitis, cellulitis, tuberculosis (skin test conversion), conjunctivitis, and non-A, non-B hepatitis . One-half of large laboratories (over 25 employees), but only 12% of smaller laboratories, reported infections . The annual incidence, however, at smaller laboratories was more than three times greater than at large laboratories (5.0 versus 1.5 per 1,000; P less than 0.05, chi-square test) . Microbiologists were at greatest risk of infection, with an incidence of almost 1%, followed by generalists and phlebotomists . Shigellosis was acquired only by microbiologists and accounted for more than half of their infections . The most common laboratory-acquired infection, hepatitis B, affected a microbiologist, a hematologist, a phlebotomist, a pulmonary blood gas technician, and a blood bank technologist who died from her illness . Clinical cases of hepatitis B occurred at a rate 10 times higher than the rate in the general U.S . population . The incidence of tuberculosis skin test conversion was intermediate between rates reported for hospital employees and for the state of Utah.

Mol Gen Mikrobiol Virusol, 1985 Apr, (4), 31 - 5
{Separation of modification methylation and restriction enzymes from Shigella sonnei 47}; Kartashova IM et al.; Two systems for DNA host specificity have been demonstrated for Shigella sonnei cells, SsoI and SsoII . The aim of the present work was to separate the modificating methylases and restriction endonucleases from Shigella sonnei and to study the modificating functions of methylases MSsoI and MSsoII . The possibilities to separate the methylation and restriction enzymes by column chromatography on affine, ionoexchange and hydrophobic sorbents were analyzed . The scheme for separation of methylases and restriction endonucleases of Shigella sonnei was elaborated, consisting of the fractioning of total preparation on phenyl-sepharose and subsequent isoelectrofocusing on ampholines . The modification functions of MSsoI and MSsoII methylases obtained by this technique and devoid of concomitant restriction endonucleases were studied . The in vitro experiments have shown the acceptor DNA methylated by MSsoI or MSsoII to be RSsoI or RSsoII restriction proof.

Bioorg Khim, 1985 Apr, 11(4), 539 - 49
{Theoretical conformation analysis of tetrasaccharide-repeated links of the Shigella flexneri O-antigenic polysaccharide}; Lipkind GM et al.; Theoretical conformational analysis of four tetrasaccharide repeating units of the Shigella flexneri serogroup Y polysaccharide has been carried out . Interdependency of conformational states of neighbouring disaccharide units in the oligosaccharides has been investigated and conformational distribution of tetrasaccharides in solution calculated . Taking into account the entropy of oligosaccharide chains is shown to lead to significant correction of the results.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1985 Mar, 49(3), 637 - 43
Bactericidal properties of a new water disinfectant; Williams DE et al.; The N-chloramine compound 3-chloro-4,4-dimethyl-2-oxazolidinone (agent I) has been compared with calcium hypochlorite as to its efficacy as a bactericide for the treatment of water . The study included concentration, contact time, pH, temperature, and water quality as controlled variables . The species of bacteria tested were Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Shigella boydii . In general, for highly pure, demand-free water, calcium hypochlorite was the more rapid disinfectant at a given total chlorine concentration, although for water containing a controlled amount of organic load, agent I was the better disinfectant . The differences in efficacy of each of the two disinfectants can be attributed primarily to their different stabilities in water at various controlled conditions.

Gastroenterology, 1985 Mar, 88(3), 738 - 49
Electron microscopy of the intestine and rectum in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; Dobbins WO 3rd et al.; To provide a better understanding of the morphologic changes that take place in the intestine and colon in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), electron microscopy was performed on intestinal or colonic biopsy specimens obtained from 6 patients with AIDS and from 2 patients with AIDS-related lymphadenopathy syndrome . Cryptosporidia were attached to the plasma membrane of epithelial cells in 2 patients and were noninvasive . An invasive protozoan organism identified as Microsporidia was found in 1 patient . Evidence for epithelial cell injury was limited . Unusually prominent secretory granules in colonic epithelial cells (a morphologic counterpart of secretion) was found in 2 patients . Tubuloreticular structures were observed in 7 patients . The structures were found in endothelial cells, lymphocytes, monocytes, intraepithelial lymphocytes, and free in the capillary lumen . Tube- and ring-shaped forms were observed in 2 patients, prominent intraepithelial mast cells in 4 patients, rectal spirochetosis in 1 patient, and pseudomembranous colitis in 1 patient with intestinal and systemic shigellosis . Vesicular rosettes, retroviruses, other viruses, and Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare were not observed . These observations expand our knowledge of morphologic changes in the colonic and intestinal mucosa in patients with AIDS . Tubuloreticular structures are so prominent, in contrast to our previous electron-microscopic observations in other disease and normal states of the intestine and colon, that their finding (though clearly nonspecific) may be a clue to the diagnosis of AIDS in an otherwise equivocal situation.

Biochem Int, 1985 Mar, 10(3), 405 - 13
Sequence specificity of isolated DNA-adenine methylases from Mycobacterium smegmatis (butyricum) and Shigella sonnei 47 cells; Nikolskaya II et al.; A set of four individual DNA-adenine methylases differing in pI (isoelectric point) values (MMbu4.2, MMbu6.4, MMbu7.3, and MMbu8.7), and a sole methylating enzyme with the same base specificity (MSso9.5) are present in M . smegmatis (butyricum) and Sh . sonnei 47 cells, respectively . The sequence specificity of each of those was studied 'in vitro' by a combined approach that comprised isostich (purine tract) analysis and identification of the immediate neighbourhood of the methylated base within the sequence methylated . The MSso9.5 recognition site has been established as the hexanucleotide 'palindromic' 5'-G-A-A-T-T-C-3' sequence which is structurally similar to the analogous MEco RI recognition site . However, in contrast to MEco RI, MSso9.5 methylates the 5'-end adenine residue in the sequence and thus it appears to be an isometimer of MEco RI . By means of the same approach, the partial nucleotide sequences methylated by each of the four individual M . butyricum enzymes were determined . MMbu7.3 and MMbu8.7 exhibit the identical sequence specificity upon methylation of the degenerative trinucleotide 5'-Py-A-Py-3' sequence and thus these enzymes are assumed to represent the different molecular forms of the methylase . MMbu4.2 methylates the 5'-G-G-A-3' sequence and thus it is of a great value as the tool for negating effects of the RBam HI and RAva II-type restriction . MMbu6.4 is of a particular interest on account of its unique DNA methylation pattern which is distinguished in the pronounced clustering of purine bases in the 5'-Pu-Pu-Pu-Pu-Pu-3' sequence methylated.

Farmakol Toksikol, 1985 Mar-Apr, 48(2), 82 - 5
{Comparative pharmacological analysis of the mechanisms of thrombocyte aggregation induced by bacterial toxins and ADP}; Brill' GE et al.; It has been demonstrated in experiments in vitro that exotoxin and endotoxin of Shigella sonnei produce the concentration-dependent rabbit platelet aggregation . Acetylsalicylic acid and theophylline substantially inhibit the ADP-induced aggregation and suppress to a less degree the effects of bacterial toxins . Monoiodine acetate inhibits aggregation induced by ADP and potentiates the aggregating action of toxins.

Biokhimiia, 1985 Mar, 50(3), 495 - 502
{Determination of the adenine-specific methylase recognition site of Shigella sonnei 47, using hydrazinolysis with subsequent separation of purine oligonucleotides by thin layer chromatography on DEAE- cellulose.}; Lopatina NG et al.; A procedure for separation of oligopurine blocks of different length and composition by two-dimensional thin layer chromatography on DEAE-cellulose plates has been developed . This method allows a comparative analysis of the purine isostich content in the DNAs of various origin . In case of methylated DNA, the method permits to compare the substrate specificity of different enzymes responsible for the adenine residue methylation in the DNA . In combination with enzymatic treatment of labeled methylated isostichs, the method described can be used for the deciphering of the methylated sequences as well as for constructing, in a number of cases, the recognition site of adenine-specific methylases . Thus, it was demonstrated that methylase SsoI recognizes the 5...G-A-A-T-T-C .. . 3' sequence and methylates its adenine residue nearest to the 5'-end.

J Clin Microbiol, 1985 Mar, 21(3), 415 - 8
Modified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detecting enteroinvasive Escherichia coli and virulent Shigella strains; Pal T et al.; Immune sera were produced in rabbits with living cells of an enteroinvasive O143 strain of Escherichia coli . To remove O and K antibodies, sera were absorbed with an avirulent derivative of the same strain . In the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, absorbed sera reacted specifically with only virulent Shigella strains and enteroinvasive E . coli strains of different geographical origin, regardless of species or serogroups . The investigation of 83 strains indicated complete agreement between enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay results and those of the keratoconjunctivitis test . It is assumed that the absorbed immune sera reacted with a possible virulence marker antigen . This inexpensive and simple method provides an alternative to other virulence tests . It has a definite advantage for screening large number of isolates within 24 h.

Vopr Med Khim, 1985 Mar-Apr, 31(2), 131 - 6
{Restriction endonucleases from Shigella sonnei 47}; Uporova TM et al.; Two restrictases SsoI and SsoII, belonging to the enzymes of restriction of the class II, were isolated from a strain of dysenteric bacteria . The structure of the site sensitive to SsoI and SsoII was studied after fragmentation of testor DNA as well as by means of direct determination of nucleotide sequence . SsoI was shown to be an isoschizomer of the EcoRI restrictase from E . coli . Restrictase SsoII proved to be a new enzyme, which hydrolyzed the sequence 5' ...CCNGG. . 3' and was distinct from the known restrictases as shown by studies of the type of DNA hydrolyzed . A three-step procedure is developed for isolation of SsoII restrictase involving the consecutive chromatography on Blue Sepharose, phosphocellulose PII and phenyl-Sepharose . Restrictase SsoI and EcoRI were isolated by means of isoelectrofocusing using ampholines.

J Bacteriol, 1985 Mar, 161(3), 1233 - 5
Analysis of mobilization elements in plasmids from Shigella flexneri; Roessler E et al.; The mobilization properties of three plasmids were examined after cotransfer from Shigella flexneri to Escherichia coli . The largest plasmid, pCN1, was shown to be a conjugative R factor that could promote its own transfer and allow cotransfer of a 4.1-kilobase plasmid, pCN3; mobilization of the third plasmid, pCN2 (6.3 kilobases), required the presence of both pCN1 and pCN3 . Sequences from pCN2 and pCN3 homologous to the bom (basis of mobilization) sites of ColE1 and pBR322 were localized by analysis of site-specific deletion derivatives generated in vivo during the transfer of composite plasmids and were characterized by DNA sequencing.

Parasitology, 1985 Feb, 90 ( Pt 1), 57 - 66
Mycoses, bacterial infections and antibacterial activity in sandflies (Psychodidae) and their possible role in the transmission of leishmaniasis; Schlein Y et al.; High incidence of mycoses were found in the guts and malpighian tubes of Phlebotomus papatasi from the Jordan Valley and P . tobbi from Zakinthos, Greece . Infections with several different bacteria were also found in the guts of female P . tobbi . Fungi cultured from guts of laboratory reared P . papatasi that had similar mycoses were identified as Aspergillus sclerotiorum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae . Fungi-infected laboratory reared P . papatasi were refractory to artificial infections with a Leishmania major strain specific to them . The crop contents of P . papatasi, where sugar meals are stored, demonstrated antibacterial activity against the following bacterial species in culture: Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella sonnei, Streptococcus group A and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . It is postulated that the bacteria-free gut normal to sandflies is effected by the bacterial inhibitor present in the crop.

J Clin Microbiol, 1985 Feb, 21(2), 240 - 2
A new provisional serovar of Shigella dysenteriae; Shmilovitz M et al.; Bacterial isolates obtained in Israel from stool cultures of 17 sporadic cases of acute diarrhea during the years 1972 to 1980 and from 14 patients involved in an institutional outbreak in 1984 are described . These cultures gave the biochemical reactions and pathogenicity tests characteristics of the genus Shigella but failed to agglutinate, living or boiled, in any of the recognized or provisional Shigella antisera . All 31 cultures were biochemically and serologically identical, and owing to their inability to ferment mannitol, it is proposed that they be regarded as belonging to a new provisional serovar of Shigella dysenteriae . The strain I9809-73 is designated as the test strain for this new serovar.

Br J Exp Pathol, 1985 Feb, 66(1), 7 - 15
An animal model of haemolytic--uraemic syndrome in shigellosis: lipopolysaccharides of Shigella dysenteriae I and S . flexneri produce leucocyte-mediated renal cortical necrosis in rabbits; Butler T et al.; To develop an animal model of the haemolytic-uraemic syndrome during shigellosis, rabbits were injected with lipopolysaccharides (LPS) extracted by the hot phenol-water method from Shigella dysenteriae I and from S . flexneri . Two intravenous injections of LPS spaced by 24 h elicited renal cortical necrosis in a generalized Shwartzman reaction characterized by fibrin deposition in glomerular capillaries and by elevated plasma creatinine concentration . Rabbits rendered leucopenic by busulphan treatment were protected against renal cortical necrosis after injection with LPS derived from S . dysenteriae I . Both LPS preparations derived from Shigella species were also active in producing fever in rabbits, death in rabbits, and gelation of limulus lysate with approximately the same potency as a standard LPS of E . coli 055:B5 . These results demonstrated that the LPS of Shigella species given intravenously to rabbits produces renal cortical necrosis, which is caused by leucocyte-mediated intravascular fibrin deposition in renal blood vessels and which resembles histologically the renal lesion in the haemolytic-uraemic during shigellosis in humans.

Bioorg Khim, 1985 Feb, 11(2), 254 - 63
{Synthesis of oligosaccharide fragments of O-specific Shigella flexneri polysaccharides . II . Synthesis of trisaccharide Glc alpha1----3RHa alpha1----2Rha alpha1----OMe and tetrasaccharide GlcNAc beta1----2(Llc alpha1----3)Rha alpha1----2Rh alpha1----OMe}; Bakinovskii LV et al.; Methyl glycosides of the title linear trisaccharide and branched tetrasaccharide were synthesized by stepwise glycosylation . These oligosaccharides represent the fragments of O-antigenic polysaccharides of Shigella flexneri serotypes 2b, 3a, 5b, and X.

Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz), 1985, 33(5), 629 - 35
Transfer of immunity by means of spleen cells from mice immunized with outer membrane proteins of Shigella flexneri; Witkowska D et al.; Intraperitoneal immunization of mice with a single dose (5 micrograms) of outer membrane proteins (OMP) of Shigella flexneri was found to evoke in the spleen the appearance of cells by means of which immunity to lethal dose of Shigella could be transferred into other mice . Active cells capable of transferring immunity appeared in the spleen of the animals as early as on day 3, reached the strongest protective activity on day 4 and disappeared on day 8 after immunization . Active cells from animals immunized with two doses of OMP maintained in the spleens for 19 days . The experiments revealed that immunity to Shigella could be transferred only with lymphocytes; macrophages were found to be inactive.

Eksp Onkol, 1985, 7(4), 68 - 71
{Interrelation of erythropoiesis and lymphopoiesis in experimental infectious processes and in viral leukemogenesis}; Sanin AV et al.; Interrelation of erythropoiesis and immune response was studied in mice of various lines infected with mycoplasma species, Shigella flexneri 2a and Rauscher leukemia virus (R-MLV) . Intensity of erythropoiesis was estimated by the endocolonization data of sublethally irradiated mice and 59Fe incorporation, while immune reactivity--by generation of splenic antibody-forming cells in response to immunization with sheep erythrocytes . The inverse correlation between the ability of infectious agents to enhance erythropoiesis and to depress immune reactivity was found . Enhanced state of erythropoiesis was observed with concomitant diminished immune response when R-MLV and M . arthritidis or S . flexneri 2a (strain 516) were used . There was a positive correlation between the ability of mycoplasmae and shigellae to activate erythropoiesis and their stimulatory effect on R-MLV reproduction tested by the spleen focus-forming units (SFFU) enumeration technique . Possible role of mononuclear phagocytes in the phenomena mentioned is discussed.

Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, 1985, 51(2), 241 - 7
Plasmid-mediated drug resistance of shigellae in Kuwait; Chugh TD et al.; Of 153 clinical isolates of shigellae examined, 64.7% belonged to Shigella flexneri, 18.9% to Sh . sonnei, 11.8% to Sh . boydii and 4.6% to Sh . dysenteriae . Part of these isolates were resistant to sulfamethoxazole and streptomycin (88.2% each), ampicillin (66.7%), tetracycline (63.4%) and co-trimoxazole (43.1%), with levels of resistance (MIC50 and MIC90) being invariably high . Resistance to three or more drugs (multidrug resistance) was seen in 77.8% of the isolates . All the 25 strains examined for transfer of resistance contained R-plasmids, both autotransferable and non-autotransferable (mobilized by transfer factor X) . The frequency of transfer of different r-determinants varied from 2.7 X 10(-8) to 1.4 X 10(-3).

Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg, 1985, 79(2), 203 - 5
Treatment of severe bacillary dysentery with trimethoprim alone; Bogaerts J et al.; Trimethoprim (300 mg twice daily for five days) and co-trimoxazole (two tablets twice daily for five days) were compared as treatment for adult patients with severe shigellosis in Rwanda . Excellent bacteriological and clinical results were obtained with both regimens, with the exception of patients infected with a trimethoprim-resistant strain of Shigella dysenteriae type 1 . Since only 20 patients were investigated, the conclusions of our study do not reach statistical significance . Before recommending trimethoprim as standard therapy for shigellosis, the validity of our results should be tested in a larger trial and the long-term ecological consequences of monotherapy carefully monitored.

J Hyg Epidemiol Microbiol Immunol, 1985, 29(1), 59 - 68
To shigellosis epidemicity in East-Slovakian region; Kovacova D et al.; A set of 2227 strains of Shigella sonnei isolated from dysentery patients in East-Slovakian region from 1975 through 1977 was analyzed by age and sex of patients, place and time of isolation, and by phage type, colicin type and antibiogram patterns of strains . The study showed that some phage types tended to occur in association with certain colicin types, the most common combination being that of phage type 75 and col factor Ei (86% of strains) . In 1976 and 1977 this phage type gradually replaced col factor Ia that in 1975 was predominant . The rise in the incidence of these strains was striking and pointed to their intensive circulation among the population of East-Slovakian districts, particularly among children of preschool age . A hypothetic assumption is that such changes in the phage type and colicin type patterns might precede the new epidemic wave of dysentery outbreaks in the population . That would also explain e.g . the irregularity of dysentery epidemic cycles encountered in Czechoslovakia during the decade from 1972 through 1982 . The analysis of strains by pattern of antibiogram showed that the percentage of strains resistant to all antimicrobials and sulphonamides tested remained virtually constant over the three years under study and did not exceed 6% of strains . Only the strains monoresistant to tetracycline were found to show a striking rise in their incidence from 5% in 1975 to 23% in 1977 . In the majority of cases they were S . sonnei strains with col factor Ei.

J Infect, 1985 Jan, 10(1), 68 - 70
Shigella flexneri bacteraemia; Chagla AH et al.; Shigellosis is usually a non-invasive enteric disease, rarely accompanied by extra-intestinal manifestations . Shigella septicaemia is therefore reported in a child aged 10 months . In the laboratory the organism was resistant to ampicillin and only moderately susceptible to chloramphenicol . The patient responded well to cotrimoxazole to which the organism isolated was susceptible in vitro . We recommend that blood as well as faeces should be cultured in exceptionally ill patients with suspected or otherwise confirmed shigella infection.

Folia Microbiol (Praha), 1985, 30(1), 76 - 9
Fifty-four Shigella sonnei colicin types and their typing by specific indicator strains; Horak V; Fifty-four S . sonnei colicin types and 92 indicator strains used for their determination are listed . Most of the indicators were prepared by conjugational transfer of Col factors from shigellae to the recipient strains of E . coli K13 HfrR nalr and E . coli K12 ROW or by selection of resistant mutants of these strains or by combination of both methods . Ten indicators are S . sonnei strains . The indicator strains are suitable for E . coli colicin typing.

J Clin Microbiol, 1985 Jan, 21(1), 129 - 32
Addition of three new serotypes of Shigella boydii to the Shigella schema; Wathen-Grady HG et al.; No new serotypes have been added to the Shigella schema since 1958, although several provisional serotypes have been described . We conducted biochemical and serological studies on three provisional Shigella boydii serotypes . Four strains of serotype 2710-54 from four widely separated countries, 7 strains of serotype 3615-53 from three different countries, and 31 strains of serotype 1344-78 (E10163) from six different countries were included . Reactions of all three serotypes were consistent with those of S . boydii . On the basis of these results and other published research, we propose that these three provisional serotypes be admitted to the Shigella schema as S . boydii 16, 17, and 18.

Infect Immun, 1985 Jan, 47(1), 123 - 8
Effect of antigen form on local immunoglobulin A memory response of intestinal secretions to Shigella flexneri; Keren DF et al.; An enhanced memory response, as shown by increased titers of specific immunoglobulin A (IgA), was seen in intestinal secretions from isolated Thiry-Vella loops in rabbits primed orally with live, locally invasive Shigella sp . X16 and challenged 60 days later with a single oral dose of the same antigen . Heat-killed shigella preparations, when used as either the priming or challenge antigen, did not elicit such a memory response in this system . In the present study, the role of antigen form and dosage in eliciting the enhanced local IgA response was investigated . A noninvasive strain, Shigella flexneri 2457-0, was capable of significantly enhancing the mucosal IgA memory response, whereas heat-killed Shigella sp . X16 was unable to augment the local IgA response, even when the priming dose was increased 100-fold . A proposed mucosal adjuvant, DEAE-dextran, given orally with live Shigella sp . X16, did not enhance the local IgA response . Viable, noninvasive shigellae were effective priming agents in enhancing the local IgA memory response . The poor mucosal response to heat-killed shigella preparations is thought to be related to an ineffective delivery of nonviable bacterial antigens into gut-associated lymphoid tissues . The ability of the live, noninvasive strain to elicit a vigorous local IgA memory response when given orally to rabbits was consistent with previous findings that live preparations elicit the best mucosal IgA response.

Ciba Found Symp, 1985, 112, 193 - 214
Shigella toxin and the pathogenesis of shigellosis; Keusch GT et al.; Shigella dysenteriae 1 produces a periplasmic protein with multiple toxic effects in vivo and in vitro . These include neurotoxicity, cytotoxicity and enterotoxicity, as well as the ability to inhibit cell-free protein synthesis . The purified toxin is a protein of relative molecular mass (Mr) 64 000 . It is composed of one catalytically active A subunit (Mr = 32 000) that inhibits protein synthesis, and a complex of five B monomers (Mr approximately 6500 each) . Studies using subunit-specific antibodies demonstrate that the B subunit mediates the binding of toxin to toxin receptors in the cell membrane . In a model system in HeLa cell culture, the surface membrane receptor has been shown to be a glycoprotein, most probably asparagine-linked, and to contain oligomeric beta 1----4 linked N-acetyl-D-glucosamine . Studies with metabolic inhibitors and agents that disrupt the cytoskeleton, and/or alter the pH and function of acidic cytoplasmic vesicles, provide indirect evidence that toxin is transported from the cell surface to the cell interior . This process is probably receptor-mediated endocytosis, since it is also inhibited by amines that prevent receptor-mediated uptake of other ligands in well-characterized systems . The toxic action in the HeLa cell is due to the subsequent inhibition of protein synthesis which results from catalytic inactivation of the 60S ribosomal subunit and the cessation of polypeptide chain elongation . Inhibition of protein synthesis by toxin produced subsequent to bacterial invasion of colonic epithelial cells could explain the destructive lesions found in shigellosis . Although toxin can induce jejunal secretion in animal models, there is at present no clear explanation for the secretory response of the gut mucosa in shigella infection.

Trans Am Clin Climatol Assoc, 1985, 97, 32 - 42
Emporiatric enteritis: lessons learned from U.S . students in Mexico; Dupont HL et al.; In the studies reported, evidence has been presented that U.S . students traveling to Mexico represent a model for the study of travelers' diarrhea . The incidence of illness acquisition approximates that published in other studies of travelers . Natural immunity was shown to develop as students remained in Mexico presumably through repeated exposure to prevalent agents, particularly ETEC . ETEC, shigella strains and no detectable agent represented the largest groups when etiologic assessment was made . Food probably served as the important source of diarrhea particularly that due to ETEC and shigella strains . The level of bacteria isolated from food suggested that organism replication occurred due to improper temperature storage rather than to heavy initial contamination . The location of food consumption was related to degree of risk: self preparation was the safest, eating in Mexican homes the least safe and consumption of food in public restaurants was intermediate in risk . Water probably played a role in the transmission of viral infection . The risk of water contamination appeared to be highest during the rainy seasons . Finally, the antimicrobial agents TMP/SMX and TMP alone were shown to effectively prevent and treat this form of travelers' diarrhea.

J Hyg Epidemiol Microbiol Immunol, 1985, 29(2), 201 - 10
Experiences with serology of Plesiomonas shigelloides . 1 . O-antigenic structure; Aldova E; With a set of 30 O-antisera, O-antigens were identified in 80% of 158 Plesiomonas shigelloides strains . Only strains of one serovar (018) regularly contained capsular antigen that caused their inagglutinability in the live state . Two groups of serovars displayed some O-antigenic relationship: 03 and 029; 08, 011 and 012 . Each serovar in either group possessed a specific O-antigen and "group-common" minor antigens, which were designated I, II and III . Serovar 017 possessed O-antigen identical with that of Shigella sonnei phase I; this serovar was the most frequent one . Some serovars seemed to be ubiquitous; this was indicated by their wide geographic distribution and findings in man, domestic and feral animals, and water.

J Infect Dis, 1984 Dec, 150(6), 899 - 903
Distribution and spread of colonic lesions in shigellosis: a colonoscopic study; Speelman P et al.; In a study of the distribution and severity of colonic lesions in patients with shigellosis, colonoscopy was performed for 33 men with this disease . All 33 patients had inflammatory lesions in the rectosigmoid area; in 18 (55%) the lesions extended to the splenic flexure, in 14 (42%) the disease extended to the distal transverse colon, in nine (27%) the area of involvement included the proximal transverse colon, and in five (15%) pancolitis was evident . In most patients lesions were continuous and diffuse, with the intensity of inflammation decreasing in a proximal direction . Biopsied samples from proximal lesions usually showed less severe inflammation than did those from more distal lesions . Aphthoid erosions, which have not previously been described in shigellosis, were observed in five patients . Proximal colitis was associated with diarrhea of four or more days' duration (P less than .01, Fisher's exact test) . These findings indicate that the rectosigmoid is the most frequently and most severely affected area of the colon in shigellosis and suggest that during the course of shigella infection, colonic lesions extend in a proximal direction.

Biochem Int, 1984 Dec, 9(6), 771 - 81
Sequence specificity of isolated DNA-cytosine methylases from Shigella sonnei 47 cells; Nikolskaya II et al.; Five individual DNA-cytosine methylases differing in pI (isoelectric point) values are present in Shigella sonnei 47-cells . The sequence specificity of each of those was determined 'in vitro' by a highly efficient combined approach that included pyrimidine tract (isostic) analysis, identification of the immediate neighbourhood of the methylated base within the recognition sequence and the calculation method . The enzyme with pI 5.3 (MSso5.3) is the counterpart of the RSso 47 II in the Sso 47 II restriction-modification system and methylates the internal cytosine residue of the 'palindromic' 5'-C-C-N-G-G-3' sequence . The enzymes with pI 6.2 (MSso6.2) and 7.4 (MSso7.4) exhibit identical specificity upon methylation of the 'palindromic' 5'-Py-C-N-G-Pu-3' sequence, but differ in the pI values of the proteins . The enzyme with pI 4.2 (MSso4.2) recognizes the unique tetranucleotide 5'-C-C-C-C-3' sequence and methylates the second cytosine residue at the 5'-end of the sequence . The enzyme with pI 8.4 (MSso8.4) methylates the central cytosine residue within the degenerative trinucleotide 5'-(PuC)-C-C-3' sequence . MSso5.3, MSso6.2, and MSso7.4 are presumed to belong to the 'family' of sequence-specific (Eco RII-like) enzymes . These DNA-cytosine methylases are likely to be evolutionary related to Eco RII and to have undergone a sufficient genetic drift so as to recognize similar (but more degenerative) nucleotide sequences.

Pediatr Res, 1984 Dec, 18(12), 1366 - 71
The effect of postnatal age on the adherence of Shigella flexneri, Escherichia coli 0124, and E . coli 0128 to guinea pig intestinal cells; Ashkenazi S et al.; Since postnatal development of the gastrointestinal tract has an important effect on its microbial flora and may influence the types of intestinal infections, we examined the effect of age on bacterial adherence to intestinal epithelial cells . Radiolabeled bacteria were incubated with guinea pig enterocytes released by treating loops of the intestine with solutions containing EDTA, dithiothreitol, and citrate . Nonbound bacteria were separated from intestinal cells by sedimentation on a Percoll gradient . The colonic cells avidly bound Shigella flexneri (64 bacteria per cell), Escherichia coli 0124 (59), and E . coli 0128 (53) . The adherence process was Ca2+ and temperature dependent, was inhibited by fucose, glucose, and mannose, and was shown to be mediated by a carbohydrate-binding protein (lectin) on the colonic cells . Adherence of these bacteria to intestinal cells of newborn animals was only 15-25% of the adherence to adult animal cells and increased gradually, reaching adult values at about 2 weeks of age . The lectin activity, which was determined by agglutination of bacteria, was secreted with the colonic mucus . It was undetectable in the newborn animal, appeared gradually with age, and its titer correlated with the adherent capability of the colonic cells . E . coli 0128 was the only one of the bacteria tested which significantly adhered to the ileum (19 bacteria per cell) in a process inhibited by mannose . This adherence was mediated by a mannose-sensitive lectin in the bacterial pili, and not on the intestinal cells . The postnatal age had no effect on the adherence to the ileum; the newborn animal had the same adherence capability as the adult one.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

J Exp Med, 1984 Dec 1, 160(6), 1767 - 81
Pathogenesis of Shigella diarrhea . IX . Simplified high yield purification of Shigella toxin and characterization of subunit composition and function by the use of subunit-specific monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies; Donohue-Rolfe A et al.; A simple purification scheme for shigella cytotoxin was devised, resulting in high yields (approximately 50%) and a 1,300-fold increase in specific activity compared with the initial crude bacterial cell lysate . The purified toxin was enterotoxic in ligated rabbit ileal loops and neurotoxic when injected into the peritoneal cavity of mice . Measurement of specific activity of cytotoxin and enterotoxin demonstrated that these two toxicities copurify during the fractionation procedure . On sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis, the toxin migrated as two polypeptide subunits, an A subunit of 32,000 mol wt and a B subunit of 6,500 mol wt . Chemical cross-linking experiments demonstrate that the toxin is a complex consisting of one A and five B subunits with a molecular weight of 64,000 . Polyclonal rabbit anti-toxin and anti-subunit B antisera were produced as well as subunit-specific mouse monoclonal antibodies . All antibodies preincubated with toxin neutralized cytotoxic effects in HeLa cell monolayers . In contrast, only A subunit-specific antibodies were able to neutralize toxin prebound to the HeLa cell surface . Antibody to the B subunit also inhibited binding of 125I-labeled toxin to these cells by 94% or more . These data demonstrate that the B subunit is involved in shigella toxin binding to the cell surface.

J Clin Microbiol, 1984 Nov, 20(5), 985 - 7
Plesiomonas shigelloides in acute cholecystitis: a case report; Claesson BE et al.; Plesiomonas shigelloides was isolated as the sole pathogen from gallbladder bile and wall in a 58-year-old woman with acute cholecystitis . The patient developed an unusual postoperative complication characterized by culture-negative discharge from the wound in combination with extensive abdominal cellulitis and afebrility . Agglutinating antibodies to P . shigelloides were demonstrated in the serum of the patient by the microscopic Widal agglutination test.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1984 Nov, (11), 77 - 81
{Biological properties of a ribosomal vaccine from S . sonnei obtained by polyethylene glycol fractionation}; Levenson VI et al.; Shigella ribosomal vaccine was prepared by fractionation with polyethylene glycol (PEG), recently proposed as an alternative of the more expensive and labor-consuming technique of differential centrifugation . In the present investigation the biological activity of ribosomal preparations isolated by these two methods was compared . Ribosomal vaccine obtained by PEG fractionation proved to be nontoxic for mice (LD50 greater than 2 mg) and produced no local and systemic reactions in monkeys when introduced subcutaneously in a dose of 600 micrograms . Ribosomes isolated by the two methods did not differ in the antigenic potency of their O-specific component responsible for inducing antibody formation in guinea pigs and monkeys . The protective potency of Shigella ribosomal vaccines prepared by PEG fractionation and ultracentrifugation was compared by tests in guinea pigs under the conditions of intraconjunctival challenge 2 weeks after a single injection of 40-200 micrograms of ribosomes . The mean resistance rate (percentage of protected eyes) was almost the same with both preparations, 67% and 65%, while in the control (nonimmunized) group only 13% of eyes were resistant to challenge . In monkey tests two injections of ribosomal vaccine obtained by PEG fractionation ensured a high protective effect against dysentery . No clinical signs of dysentery were observed in two groups of the test animals (totaling 10 monkeys) immunized 5 and 16 weeks before oral challenge with a dose of 75 X 10(9) virulent shigellae, which caused dysentery of moderate severity in all 5 control monkeys . The low toxicity and high protective potency of ribosomes isolated from S . sonnei by PEG fractionation makes it possible to use this method for the large-scale production of ribosomal vaccine.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1984 Nov, (11), 72 - 6
{Cathepsin D activity in splenocytes in relation to Shigella virulence in an experiment}; Belaia IuA et al.; The overtime study of changes in the activity of cathepsin D, a lysosomal enzyme, in the splenocytes of CBA mice after their infection with virulent and avirulent Shigella strains of the same origin and with the same antigenic structure has been made . As the result of two months of observations, changes in the activity of this enzyme in the cytoplasmic and lysosomal cell fractions have been found to occur in phases . The activity of cathepsin D has been shown to depend on the virulence of Shigella strains used for inoculation . Virulent Shigella strains induce the pronounced and prolonged activation of the enzyme in the lysosomes, as well as in the cytoplasm . The latter phenomenon is probably indicative of the pathological labilization of the lysosomal membranes, induced by the virulent culture . Avirulent Shigella strains induce only the transient activity of the enzyme in the lysosomes without any essential changes in the permeability of their membranes . These data point to the possibility of differentiating virulent and avirulent Shigella strains by the determination of the enzymatic activity of splenocytes in infected animals.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1984 Nov, (11), 36 - 40
{Structure of the causative agents of shigellosis in areas of the USSR 1979-1981}; Tikhomirov ED et al.; Summarized data on the specific structure of Shigella strains isolated in different territories of the USSR in 1979-1981 are presented . These data indicate that in the intra-specific structure of S . flexneri strains the proportion of serological subvariant 2a increased and that of serological variant 6 and subvariants 16 and 4a decreased during this period . Using one of the base territories of the All-Union Shigellosis Center as an example, the spread of an unusual serological variant of S . flexneri (IV:7,8) in the USSR is shown . The increase of the proportion of S . boydii strains, mainly S . boydii 4, is noted.

Rev Infect Dis, 1984 Nov-Dec, 6(6), 840 - 54
Selective primary health care: strategies for control of disease in the developing world . XV . Acute diarrhea; Rohde JE; Diarrhea claims the lives of at least five million children per year and is a major contributor to malnutrition in developing countries . A variety of infectious agents cause diarrhea through several pathogenic mechanisms . Bacteria such as Shigella can directly invade the intestinal mucosa, and those similar to Vibrio cholerae or enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli can produce toxins that alter cellular absorption and secretions . Rotavirus appears to cause 30%-40% of diarrhea in toddlers . Diarrhea frequently accompanies parasitic infestation and infections in other parts of the body . Several methods, including improvement of water supplies and sanitation and administration of vaccines and antibiotics, may be useful in preventing mortality and morbidity due to diarrhea . Oral rehydration to replace fluids and electrolytes, accompanied by attention to early feeding and encouragement of breast feeding, is the most effective and economical intervention currently available.

J Clin Microbiol, 1984 Nov, 20(5), 959 - 61
DNA hybridization technique to detect Shigella species and enteroinvasive escherichia coli; Boileau CR et al.; A DNA hybridization method for the detection of Shigella species and enteroinvasive Escherichia coli is described . It is based upon the high degree of homology shared by the virulence plasmids present in all pathogenic strains . After 32P labeling, a 17-kilobase EcoRI restriction fragment of a virulence plasmid belonging to Shigella flexneri serotype 5 was used as a probe to detect Shigella species and enteroinvasive E . coli in isolated colonies . This method proved highly specific as well as sensitive and should be particularly useful for the characterization of atypical isolates and for large-scale epidemiological studies in endemic areas.

Am J Trop Med Hyg, 1984 Nov, 33(6), 1192 - 7
Epidemic Shiga bacillus dysentery in Central Africa; Ebright JR et al.; An outbreak of dysentery began late in 1979 in Central Africa and spread to involve a major portion of Zaire as well as Rwanda and Burundi . We traveled to a mission hospital in northeast Zaire during the epidemic and isolated Shigella dysenteriae, type 1, from most of the patients studied . All isolates were resistant to ampicillin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, sulfathiazole, and streptomycin but sensitive to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole . Antimicrobial resistance was transferable to Escherichia coli, and at least three plasmids were identified in the donor Shigella isolates by using agarose gel electrophoresis . One was coded for ampicillin, tetracycline, and chloramphenicol resistance while a second conferred resistance to ampicillin and chloramphenicol but not tetracycline . A third large plasmid of approximately 120 megadaltons could not be transferred to E . coli recipients . All S . dysenteriae isolates yielded identical kinetic growth curves when analyzed on the Abbot MS-2 Research System . This is the most extensive outbreak of dysentery caused by S . dysenteriae reported since the Central American epidemic of 1969, and the first epidemic caused by a strain resistant to ampicillin.

Infect Immun, 1984 Nov, 46(2), 470 - 5
Expression of lipopolysaccharide O antigen in Escherichia coli K-12 hybrids containing plasmid and chromosomal genes from Shigella dysenteriae 1; Hale TL et al.; The requirement for both plasmid and chromosomal genes in the biosynthesis of Shigella dysenteriae 1 lipopolysaccharide O antigen was demonstrated in Escherichia coli-Shigella hybrids . A 6-megadalton S . dysenteriae 1 plasmid, designated pWR23, was phenotypically tagged with the Tn3 ampicillin-resistance transposon . The tagged plasmid, designated pWR24, was transferred by transformation or conjugal mobilization to a rough E . coli K-12 recipient . Although the resultant hybrids were agglutinated in S . dysenteriae 1 antiserum, they did not remove all of the anti-Shiga agglutinins in absorption experiments . Modified lipid A core structure was detected in these hybrids, but Shiga O antigen was not expressed . When the his+ locus of the S . dysenteriae 1 chromosome was transferred by transduction to E . coli K-12 containing pWR24, complete Shiga O antigen was expressed . Lipopolysaccharide extracted from these hybrids was indistinguishable chemically, electrophoretically, and serologically from native S . dysenteriae 1 lipopolysaccharide.

Infect Immun, 1984 Nov, 46(2), 465 - 9
Oral vaccination of monkeys with an invasive Escherichia coli K-12 hybrid expressing Shigella flexneri 2a somatic antigen; Formal SB et al.; A living oral vaccine, designed to protect against Shigella flexneri 2a infections, was constructed by using Escherichia coli K-12 as a carrier strain . The hybrid strain, designated EC104, contained both chromosomal and plasmid genes from S . flexneri donor strains . In addition to expressing the S . flexneri 2a somatic antigen, it had inherited the property of epithelial-cell invasion . After the oral administration to rhesus monkeys, EC104 was isolated from the feces for up to 3 days, but by day 4 all stool cultures were negative . The serum antibody response against S . flexneri 2a somatic antigen was variable, but the vaccine conferred significant protection against an oral challenge with virulent S . flexneri 2a.

Jpn J Med Sci Biol, 1984 Oct-Dec, 37(5-6), 247 - 55
O-serogrouping scheme for mesophilic Aeromonas strains; Sakazaki R et al.; The O-antigens of 307 strains of mesophilic Aeromonas including 227 A . hydrophila and 80 A . caviae were studied and 44 O-serogroups defined among them . The presence of heat-labile masked antigen, which inhibits O-agglutination, was observed in some strains . As all the O-antisera prepared with these mesophilic Aeromonas strains contained some R-antibody, all diagnostic O-antisera must be absorbed with R-organisms before use . Some of the O-antigens were found to be identical or closely related to those of certain serovars of Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio fluvialis or Plesiomonas shigelloides.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1984 Oct, (10), 63 - 7
{Unusual serovar of the causative agent of Flexner's dysentery . I . Its distribution and biochemical properties}; Priamukhina NS et al.; The data on the circulation of some S . flexneri strains in the USSR are presented . The antigenic structure of these strains (type antigen 4 and group antigens 7, 8) is not characteristic of known serological subvariants 4a, 4b or var . X . The time course of changes in their spreading on certain base territories controlled by the All-Union Shigellosis Center in 1980-1983 is shown . The biochemical characteristics of S . flexneri strains IV:7,8 under study, isolated in the USSR and abroad (Czechoslovakia, London) from humans, from a monkey and from the environment, are given . Similarities in the biochemical reactions of these strains with respect to indole, rhamnose, saccharose, maltose, arabinose and raffinose have been revealed . The strains isolated in the USSR have shown differences in the spectra of their resistance to antibiotics, depending on their territorial origin.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1984 Oct, (10), 45 - 9
{Combined use of microbiological methods for the intraspecific differentiation of Shigella sonnei . II . The role of S . sonnei strains belonging to unclassifiable phagotypes in the etiology of dysentery in the People's Republic of Bulgaria}; Trifonova A et al.; The phage typing of S . sonnei strains in Bulgaria during 1973-1983 revealed that 10.07% of these strains could not be classified with the known phage types in accordance with the international scheme of Hammarstrom-Kallings . They were found to belong to so-called nonclassifiable (n.c.) phage types . Among 68 detected n.c . phage types only 24 (35.29%) were found to have a stable lytic picture and to be of epidemiological importance for the country . Experiments were carried out with the aim of finding out the mechanisms of the appearance of n.c . phage types by the study of the lysogenicity of the strains and the properties of R-plasmids isolated from them . The results of these experiments are discussed . The inclusion of some of the n.c . phage types of S . sonnei, occurring most frequently and isolated also in other countries, into the international scheme of Hammarstrom-Kallings is proposed.

Infect Immun, 1984 Oct, 46(1), 25 - 33
Cytotoxicity of human peripheral blood and colostral leukocytes against Shigella species; Morgan DR et al.; We examined the ability of human peripheral blood leukocytes to kill strains of Shigella sonnei and Shigella flexneri by using a modified bactericidal assay . Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) was demonstrated in the presence of specific rabbit immune serum directed against S . sonnei . With peripheral blood leukocytes from adults, ADCC was found only in the mononuclear cell and purified lymphocyte populations . Monocyte-macrophages and polymorphonuclear leukocytes were unable to demonstrate ADCC . Lymphocyte ADCC, which was not affected by the addition of phenylbutazone (an inhibitor of phagocytosis), was mediated by a non-T, Fc receptor-positive, HNK-1- cell . ADCC (using antiserum directed against virulent S . sonnei) was demonstrated against virulent S . sonnei but not against virulent S . sonnei or virulent S . flexneri . In contrast to leukocytes from adults, both mononuclear and polymorphonuclear cells from neonatal cord blood and from a patient with chronic granulomatous disease mediated anti-Shigella ADCC . Breast milk leukocytes (BMLs) collected 1 to 3 days postpartum were used as effector cells against virulent S . sonnei . The entire BML population, BMLs which did not adhere to plastic and BMLs which passed through nylon wool columns mediated both natural killer cytotoxicity and ADCC . In paired experiments, natural killer cytotoxicity and ADCC were significantly lower (30 to 45% inhibition) but not ablated, when phenylbutazone was added to BMLs and nylon wool-purified BMLs (P less than 0.05) . These experiments suggest that colostral leukocytes mediated both extracellular and intracellular bacteriolysis in the presence and absence of specific antiserum . These mechanisms may be active in vivo in protection against shigellosis.

Infect Immun, 1984 Oct, 46(1), 22 - 4
Cytotoxicity of leukocytes from normal and Shigella-susceptible (opium-treated) guinea pigs against virulent Shigella sonnei; Morgan DR et al.; Intraepithelial lymphocytes were collected from the ileum of adult Hartley strain guinea pigs and used as effector cells in a 60-min bactericidal assay with virulent Shigella sonnei as target cells . Natural killer cytotoxicity (NKC) and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) were measured and correlated with the resistance of the animals to infection by S . sonnei . Normal guinea pig intraepithelial lymphocytes exhibited mean NKC and ADCC values of 22.8 +/- 5.0 and 34.1 +/- 13.6, respectively . These animals were resistant to oral challenge with virulent S . sonnei . Intraepithelial lymphocytes from guinea pigs which were fasted for 4 days demonstrated NKC and ADCC values similar to those of normal animals (31.0 +/- 8.1 and 41.7 +/- 6.7, respectively) . These animals also were resistant to oral challenge . Intraepithelial lymphocytes from guinea pigs which were given 1 ml of deodorized tincture of opium 2 h before cell collection demonstrated deficient NKC (4.7 +/- 4.2) and ADCC (5.3 +/- 4.9) values but remained resistant to infection by S . sonnei . When guinea pigs were fasted for 4 days and given opium, deficient NKC (2.0 +/- 2.0) and ADCC (1.3 +/- 1.3) values were demonstrated; this group of animals was susceptible to infection by S . sonnei (P less than 0.04) . These experiments demonstrated that opium treatment depresses one form of gut immunity . When combined with starvation, opium treatment may increase susceptibility to infection by shigellae by modulation of immunity in addition to the effects on gut motility and bacterial flora.

J Biochem (Tokyo), 1984 Oct, 96(4), 1193 - 204
Characterization of a mini plasmid isolated from Shigella sonnei; Sugiura S et al.; A multicopy plasmid, 2.1 kb in size, was isolated from Shigella sonnei and named pKYM . This plasmid is cryptic and isolated along with pKY-1, a ColE1-like plasmid . In this paper, we report the physical map of pKYM and some characters required for its multiplication . The replication of the plasmid DNA does not require DNA polymerase I but depends on protein(s) produced by itself . The plasmid is poorly mobilized by the F factor.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1984 Oct, 81(19), 5975 - 9
Mercuric ion-resistance operons of plasmid R100 and transposon Tn501: the beginning of the operon including the regulatory region and the first two structural genes; Misra TK et al.; The mercuric ion-resistance operons of plasmid R100 (originally from Shigella) and transposon Tn501 (originally from a plasmid isolated in Pseudomonas) have been compared by DNA sequence analysis . The sequences for the first 1340 base pairs of Tn501 are given with the best alignment with the comparable 1319 base pairs of R100 . The homology between the two sequences starts at base 58 after the end of the insertion sequence IS-1 of R100 . The sequences include the transcriptional regulatory region, and the homology is particularly strong in regions just upstream from potential transcriptional initiation sites . The trans-acting regulatory gene merR consists of 180 base pairs in both cases and codes for a highly basic polypeptide of 60 amino acids, which is also rich in serine . The Tn501 and R100 merR genes differ in 25 of the 180 base positions, and the resulting polypeptides differ in seven amino acids . The regulatory region before the major transcription initiation site contains potential -35 and -10 sequences and dyad symmetrical sequences, which may be the merR binding sites for transcriptional regulation . The first structural gene, merT, encodes a highly hydrophobic polypeptide of 116 amino acids . The R100 and Tn501 merT genes differ in 17% of their positions, leading to 14 (12%) amino acid changes . This region had previously been shown to encode a protein governing membrane transport of mercuric ions . The second structural gene, merC, would give a 91 amino acid polypeptide with a hydrophobic amino-terminal segment . The Tn501 and R100 merC genes differ at 37 base positions, leading to 10 amino acid changes.

J Bacteriol, 1984 Oct, 160(1), 266 - 72
Aerobactin genes in Shigella spp; Lawlor KM et al.; Aerobactin, a hydroxamate iron transport compound, is synthesized by some, but not all, Shigella species . Conjugation and hybridization studies indicated that the genes for the synthesis and transport of aerobactin are linked and are found on the chromosome of Shigella flexneri, S . boydii, and S . sonnei . The genes were not found in S . dysenteriae . A number of aerobactin synthesis mutants and transport mutants have been isolated . The most common mutations are deletions of the biosynthesis or biosynthesis and transport genes . The Shigella aerobactin genes share considerable homology with the E . coli ColV aerobactin genes . On the ColV plasmid and in the Shigella chromosome, the aerobactin genes are associated with a repetitive sequence which has been identified as IS1.

Bioorg Khim, 1984 Oct, 10(10), 1421 - 2
{Immunochemical analysis of oligosaccharide fragments of O-specific Shigella flexneri polysaccharides}; Iankina NF et al.; Comparison of inhibitory properties of several synthetic oligosaccharides related to Sh . flexneri O-specific polysaccharides, namely Glc alpha 1-3Rha alpha 1-OMe, Glc alpha 1-3Rha alpha 1-2Rha alpha 1-OMe, Rha alpha 1-2(Glc alpha 1-3)Rha alpha 1-OMe, GlcNAc beta 1-2(Glc alpha 1-3)Rha alpha 1-OMe, and GlcNAc beta 1-2(Glc alpha 1-3) Rha alpha 1-2Rha alpha 1-OMe, using passive haemagglutination reaction demonstrated the tetrasaccharide to possess the highest activity in V; 7,8-anti-7,8 immune system . Among the oligosaccharides under study, only Rha alpha 1-2(Glc alpha 1-3)Rha alpha 1-OMe exhibited moderate anti-V activity.

J Clin Microbiol, 1984 Sep, 20(3), 597 - 8
Diarrhea due to Plesiomonas shigelloides in cancer patients; Rolston KV et al.; Plesiomonas shigelloides was isolated from the stools of two patients with gastrointestinal malignancies and from one "healthy" patient with diarrhea . No other enteric pathogens were isolated . One patient was neutropenic after antineoplastic chemotherapy . The two cancer patients had crampy abdominal pain and severe diarrhea and required antibiotic therapy for resolution of symptoms . The third patient responded to symptomatic treatment . Patients with gastrointestinal malignancies may be more susceptible to gastroenteritis caused by P . shigelloides than normal individuals, and these infections may be more severe than those seen in normal individuals.

Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1984 Sep-Oct, 135B(2), 155 - 64
Clonal distribution of multiple-drug-resistant Shigella sonnei strains: identification by means of plasmid pattern analysis; Tietze E et al.; The spread of particular clones of S . sonnei throughout the territory of the German Democratic Republic within one year was evaluated by means of plasmid pattern analysis of the bacterial isolates . Such epidemic clones are described by their "clone formulae" comprising the phage type, biotype, colicinogenotype, antibiogram and the plasmid pattern type . They were not observed before 1982, but potential progenitor strains could be identified as having occurred sporadically in the years before . The additional application of plasmid pattern analysis revealed a better discrimination of the epidemic distribution of distinct bacterial clones than the use of conventional methods such as phage-typing, biotyping and colicinogenotyping only.

Rev Infect Dis, 1984 Sep-Oct, 6(5), 633 - 9
Aeromonas hydrophila and Plesiomonas shigelloides as causes of intestinal infections; Holmberg SD et al.; Infections due to Aeromonas hydrophila and Plesiomonas shigelloides in immuno-compromised hosts have been well documented, but the role of these organisms in causing gastrointestinal disease in healthy persons is controversial . Despite difficulties in characterizing the exotoxins produced by Aeromonas species, there is accumulating evidence that these bacteria are capable of causing usually mild, self-limited diarrheal disease in previously healthy adults . Some pediatric patients may have protracted dysenteric symptoms . P . shigelloides, an organism closely related to Aeromonas species, may also cause diarrhea in the healthy host, but no exotoxins have yet been identified by the assays used to identify other bacterial enterotoxins . Replacement of fluid and electrolytes is the basis of treatment, and antimicrobial agents should be reserved for patients with chronic or serious illness, or for those at particular risk of serious illness (hepatobiliary disease, septicemia, neoplasms).

Infect Immun, 1984 Sep, 45(3), 642 - 8
Bacteriophage Mu d1(Apr lac) generates vir-lac operon fusions in Shigella flexneri 2a; Maurelli AT et al.; Previous studies have demonstrated that expression of virulence in Shigella spp . is controlled by growth temperature . To study the regulation of virulence (vir) genes, we set out to develop a rapid, easily-assayed phenotype with which to measure expression of virulence . This report described a procedure for isolating vir-lac operon fusions in S . flexneri 2a by using the specialized transducing bacteriophage Mu d1(Apr lac) of Casadaban and Cohen (M . Casadaban and S . N . Cohen, Proc . Natl . Acad . Sci . U.S.A . 76:4530-4533, 1976) . Mu d1(Apr lac) lysogens were isolated and screened for loss of virulence and for temperature-dependent expression of the lactose genes on Mu d1(Apr lac) . A recombinant plasmid carrying the Mu immunity gene was also introduced into lysogens of interest to stabilize the Mu d1(Apr lac) insertion and prevent possible thermal induction at 37 degrees C . The mutant which we isolated failed to penetrate tissue culture cells in the assay for virulence and produced almost 15-fold more beta-galactosidase when grown at 37 degrees C than when grown at 30 degrees C . The site of insertion of Mu d1(Apr lac) in this strain was shown to be in the 140-megadalton plasmid pSf2a140, which is known to be associated with virulence . P1L4-mediated transduction of the insertion into a virulent recipient demonstrated genetic linkage of Mu d1(Apr lac) with loss of virulence and temperature-dependent expression of beta-galactosidase . All of these features fulfill the phenotype expected for a Mu d1(Apr lac)-induced vir-lac operon fusion . This mutant provides us with a means of measuring expression of a gene function required for virulence by assaying for beta-galactosidase . The insertion will also serve as a starting point for mapping of genes on pSf2a140 which are necessary for expression of virulence.

Immunology, 1984 Aug, 52(4), 679 - 86
Wheat germ agglutinin potentiates uptake of bacteria by murine peritoneal macrophages; Gallily R et al.; Exposure of thioglycollate-elicited murine peritoneal macrophages to wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) increased markedly the uptake of six different bacteria, which have surface receptors for the lectin . Uptake of Staphylococcus aureus H was higher by 3-5-fold, of S . aureus 52A2 by 1.8-fold, of S . aureus 52A5 by 1.7-fold, of S . albus by 2.3-fold, of Shigella flexneri by 6-fold and of Micrococcus luteus by 6.5-fold . Klebsiella pneumoniae, devoid of receptors for WGA, was not phagocytosed following pretreatment of macrophages with the lectin . Pretreatment of the bacteria with the lectin also resulted, in most cases, in an increase in phagocytosis . Interaction of WGA with the macrophages and with the bacteria, as well as the potentiation of phagocytosis, was abolished by tri-N-acetylchitotriose, a saccharide that binds specifically to WGA, but not by monosaccharides which do not interact with this lectin . With non-elicited macrophages, enhancement of phagocytosis by WGA was less pronounced, probably because of the higher number of lectin-binding sites (5-fold) on the elicited cells . Peanut agglutinin and soybean agglutinin, that bind to macrophages but not to the bacteria studied, lack the ability to potentiate phagocytosis . Macrophage surface sugars thus appear to play an important role in phagocytosis by serving as receptors for lectins that form bridges between the macrophages and the microorganisms.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1984 Aug, (8), 37 - 40
{Analysis of the seasonality of acute intestinal diseases with regard to the detection of dysentery by antigen indication}; Karal'nik BV et al.; Coincidence in the seasonal changes of the registered morbidity in dysentery and in other acute intestinal diseases is observed . The occurrence of Shigella antigens, detected with the use of erythrocyte diagnostic reagents, in the excreta of patients with the clinical diagnosis of dysentery and patients with other acute intestinal disease has a seasonal character, its peak coinciding with the period of increased morbidity in bacteriologically confirmed dysentery . The correction of monthly morbidity levels in dysentery and in other acute intestinal diseases with due regard for the proportion of Shigella antigens in the findings, made in the groups of patients with the clinical diagnosis of dysentery and with the diagnosis of other acute intestinal diseases for the corresponding month, has revealed that the actual morbidity in other acute intestinal diseases has a less pronounced seasonal character in comparison with the registered morbidity . This fact substantiates the statement that in the group of patients with other acute intestinal diseases a large proportion of such diseases is, actually, of a noninfectious nature.

J Clin Microbiol, 1984 Aug, 20(2), 300 - 1
Usefulness of plasmid profiles for differentiation of Shigella isolates in Bangladesh; Tacket CO et al.; We studied the plasmid profiles of 136 Shigella isolates in Bangladesh to determine whether plasmid profiles could be used for differentiation of strains for epidemiological studies . Many different plasmid patterns were observed within each species, indicating that many genetically different strains of Shigella are responsible for illness in Bangladesh.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1984 Aug, 257(3), 343 - 7
Invasive ability of Plesiomonas shigelloides; Binns MM et al.; Five of 16 strains of Plesiomonas shigelloides freshly isolated from children with acute diarrhoea, exhibited invasiveness for HeLa cells comparable to that of Shigella sonnei . None of the five, however, gave a positive reaction in the Sereny test . Although three of the invasive strains shared antigens with Shigella, no correlation was observed between invasiveness and the possession of such antigens . Only one of the invasive strains produced a toxin detectable as causing rounding of HeLa cells, although others released a product which inhibited protein synthesis in HeLa cells but which failed to provoke any dramatic morphological change.

Res Commun Chem Pathol Pharmacol, 1984 Aug, 45(2), 313 - 6
Shigella sonnei endotoxin reduces arterial blood pressure but does not alter pituitary pro-opiocortin cleavage and corticosterone release in the rat; Saija A et al.; Intravenous (iv) bolus injection of 320 and 640 micrograms/Kg of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) of S . sonnei (either in phase I or in phase II) resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in mean arterial pressure, when given in freely moving rats . No changes were observed in plasma beta-endorphin (beta-EP), ACTH and corticosterone levels . Pituitary beta-EP content was not modified 1 h after iv injection of LPS . Data suggest that doses of LPS, which are able to produce reversible hypotension, do not alter pro-opiocortin cleavage and corticosterone release.

J Clin Invest, 1984 Jul, 74(1), 90 - 5
Peyer's patch lymphoid follicle epithelial adherence of a rabbit enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (strain RDEC-1) . Role of plasmid-mediated pili in initial adherence; Inman LR et al.; Escherichia coli (strain RDEC-1) adheres to M cells of rabbit Peyer's patch lymphoid follicle epithelium . The RDEC-1 strain contains an 85 X 10(6) D plasmid that codes for pili, which, when purified, adhere to gut absorptive epithelium . This study compared the in vivo lymphoid follicle adherence of the RDEC-1 strain with that of a Shigella flexneri (ShD15) that contained the 85 X 10(6) D plasmid and expressed the RDEC-1 pili, a control E . coli, and a control S . flexneri (ShD12) . The bacteria were given in a dose of 10(10) to 0.7-1.1 kg rabbits . The rabbits were sacrificed at 2, 4, 6, and 12 h postinoculation . Peyer's patch tissue was examined by electronmicroscopy and direct fluorescence microscopy . The piliated ShD15 and RDEC-1 bacteria adhered in large numbers at 2 and 4 h postinoculation, but only the RDEC-1 strain persisted and increased in numbers past that time . Control strains did not adhere . The ShD15 strain adhered to and was rapidly taken into M cells, precipitating an acute inflammatory reaction within the follicle and adjacent lumen . Initial lymphoid follicle M cell adherence of the ShD15 strain was associated with the possession of the adherence pilus plasmid . The failure of the ShD15 strain to survive and colonize the lymph follicle epithelium contrasts with the success of the RDEC-1 strain and indicates that the RDEC-1 strain possesses virulence factors in addition to pili.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1984 Jun, (6), 29 - 31
{Structure of a Shigella flexneri population in the process of forming microcolonies}; Voskun SE et al.; The study of the adaptation period of the S- and R-forms of S . flexneri in a nutritionally sufficient medium has revealed that the population structure characteristic of the S-form and Ra-chemotype comprises two classes of cells: actively growing and nonviable . Besides these two classes, the class of spontaneously lysing bacteria is present in the population of mutants with various degrees of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) lesions . The number of bacteria subject to autolysis increases with the progress of the degradation of the R-nucleus of LPS and depends on age of the inoculate . Morphological analysis has revealed that lysis affects mainly cells 2-3 microns long, which were in the middle of the growth stage at the moment of their inoculation.

Pediatrics, 1984 Jun, 73(6), 799 - 805
Effects of diarrhea associated with specific enteropathogens on the growth of children in rural Bangladesh; Black RE et al.; Village-based surveillance data from longitudinal studies in rural Bangladesh have been used to evaluate the nutritional consequences of infectious diseases, including diarrhea due to specific pathogens . The prevalences of specific illnesses were related to the ponderal and linear growth of young children for 2-month and 1-year periods . Of the common illnesses, only diarrhea had a significant inverse relationship with increments of weight during 2-month periods and of length during 1 year . Diarrhea accounted for 20% of the difference in linear growth between the study children and the international reference population during the first 5 years of life . Diarrhea associated with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli had a significant negative effect on the bimonthly weight gain of children in this community and shigellosis had the strongest negative effect on bimonthly and annual linear growth . Control of diarrhea due to enterotoxigenic E coli and Shigella would not only substantially diminish diarrheal morbidity but would also improve the growth of children and thereby reduce the prevalence of protein-energy malnutrition.

Infect Immun, 1984 Jun, 44(3), 747 - 9
Neuraminidase production by Vibrio cholerae O1 and other diarrheagenic bacteria; Kabir S et al.; Vibrio cholerae O1 strains belonging to both biotypes (classical and El Tor) and both serotypes (Ogawa and Inaba) produced neuraminidase which was released rather than cell bound . Classical strains made more neuraminidase than did El Tor strains . About one-third of V . cholerae non-O1 strains and one-fourth of Aeromonas hydrophila strains were neuraminidase positive . Strains of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and Shigella spp . did not produce detectable neuraminidase.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1984 Jun, (6), 64 - 8
{Neutralizing action of human blood preparations on Shigella enterotoxins and choleragen}; Kamzolkina NB et al.; The possibility of neutralizing the enterotoxic activity of S . dysenteriae 1 neurotoxin, S . sonnei live virulent cultures and cholerigen with immune sera of different animals, normal human sera and commercial gamma-globulin preparations is shown.

Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 1984 May 31, 121(1), 69 - 76
Primary amines and chloroquine inhibit cytotoxic responses to Shigella toxin and permit late antibody rescue of toxin treated cells; Keusch GT et al.; The effect of lysosomotrophic agents and primary amine inhibitors of transglutaminase on Shigella toxin activity in HeLa cells was determined by measuring cytotoxicity and late antibody rescue . All agents tested resulted in significant antibody rescue, but only ammonium chloride, dansylcadaverine, putrescine, bacitracin, serine/borate buffer, and chloroquine were inhibitory in the absence of added antibody . These compounds appear to be acting within the endocytic vacuole and/or inhibiting translocation of toxin from the cell surface to the cytosol . These data are consistent with a mechanism of translocation of ST from the cell surface to the cytosol by the process of receptor mediated endocytosis.

Helv Paediatr Acta, 1984 May, 39(2), 123 - 8
Shigellosis: incidence of convulsions and resistance to antibiotics; Lahat E et al.; One hundred and ninety-three children with bacillary dysentery were admitted to the "Assaf Harofeh Hospital" during the years 1975-1980 . Generalized convulsions were observed in 37 (19.2%) children . The incidence of seizures was significantly higher in children whose age ranged between 1 and 6 years when compared to those below or above this age range . Convulsions were not observed when fever was below 38 degrees C, however, higher fever was not associated with a parallel increase in their incidence . Temperature above 38 degrees C was less common in infants compared to older children . These findings suggest that convulsions in shigellosis do not differ from simple febrile convulsions in respect to age, sex, presence and degree of fever . The incidence of resistance to either ampicillin or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole was similar in all the various shigella strains isolated in our population.

Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1984 May-Jun, 135A(3), 375 - 87
Purification and properties of carboxylesterase B of Escherichia coli; Goullet P et al.; Carboxylesterase B produced by Escherichia coli was purified 1,350-fold with a recovery of 12% by successive gel filtrations, DEAE-trisacryl, phenyl-Sepharose chromatography and preparative electrophoresis . The purified enzyme was found to be homogeneous, as judged by a single precipitation line in Ouchterlony double diffusion in an experiment with homologous antiserum . The apparent molecular weight determined by gel filtration and the isoelectric point determined by electrofocusing were 57,000 and 4.6, respectively . Using acetate, propionate and butyrate esters of 1-naphtol, it was observed that elongation of the acyl carbon chain resulted in a progressive increase in velocity of ester hydrolysis . The apparent Km for 1-naphtyl acetate was found to be 0.25 mM . The enzyme was maximally active at pH 7.4 and was found to be unstable below pH 5 . Hydrolytic activity was preserved after heat treatment for 30 min at 60 degrees C, but was abolished by heating for 10 min at 70 degrees C . The enzyme was strongly inhibited by low concentrations of di-isopropyl fluorophosphate . This suggested that a serine residue is required for catalytic activity . Esterase was unaffected by tosyl-L-lysin chloromethylketone, iodoacetamide, 4-hydroxy-mercuribenzoate and EDTA . Using antiserum against purified carboxylesterase B of E . coli, significant immunological cross-reactions were observed between this antigen and carboxylesterase B produced by Shigella flexneri, S . boydii and S . sonnei.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1984 May, (5), 20 - 5
{Isolation and purification of bacterial ribosomes from endotoxin using polyethylene glycol}; Levenson VI et al.; The difficulties arising in the study of the immunogenicity of bacterial ribosomes and in their possible use as vaccines are due to the fact that preparative ultracentrifugation, constituting a necessary stage in most of the methods used for the isolation of ribosomes, has a low productive capacity . To develop a more effective method for obtaining Shigella ribosomal vaccines, an attempt to use the method of precipitation with 10% polyethylene glycol (PEG), proposed by Expert-Bezancon et al., has been made . The serological determination of O antigen has shown that nearly contained in the supernatant fluid S-30 can be detected in precipitated ribosomes . Taking into account the wide spectrum of the biological activity of bacterial endotoxin, it must be removed from the vaccine . The study has revealed that precipitation by means of ethanol (15-35%), low pH (4,2-4,7) and PEG (4-8%) can be used for this purpose . In accordance with the chosen method, the clarified material obtained by precipitation with 10% PEG is fractionated by means of 5% PEG which causes the complete precipitation of ribosomes, thus leaving endotoxin in the solution . Centrifugation in the density gradient of saccharose and electron microscopy have demonstrated that ribosomes isolated by this method possess typical sedimentation properties and structure . The yield of ribosomes is 3 times greater than that obtained by ultracentrifugation . Fractionation with PEG may be used as the method of the mass production of ribosomal vaccines.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1984 May, 25(5), 653 - 4
Sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim-resistant Shigella flexneri in northeastern Brazil; Tiemens KM et al.; In contrast to prior experience in northeastern Brazil, three of four Shigella flexneri strains recently isolated from patients with acute inflammatory diarrhea in this setting were found to be resistant to sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim . The resistant strains contained large, different plasmids, two of which were transferred with sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim resistance to Escherichia coli K-12 recipient strains.

Isr J Med Sci, 1984 Apr, 20(4), 364 - 5
Causes of diarrheal disease in soldiers stationed in Lebanon and in northern Israel; Leibovici L et al.; A study of acute gastroenteritis in soldiers was carried out during a 1-year period . Causes of diarrhea were compared between 33 soldiers stationed in southern Lebanon and 174 soldiers stationed in northern Israel . Shigella sp . caused 42.4% of diarrheal disease in Lebanon, compared with only 19.0% of cases in Israel . Sh . flexneri was a more common cause of bacillary dysentery in Lebanon than in Israel (71.4 vs . 18.2%, respectively), and caused a more severe illness.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1984 Apr, (4), 97 - 101
{Significance of bacteremia in the development of immunological memory suppression in Shigella sonnei infection in mice}; Frolov AF et al.; Experiments on mice infected intraperitoneally with S . sonnei have revealed that the level of bacteriemia is directly related to the duration of the blocking of immunological memory constituting the basis of secondary humoral and cell-mediated immune response . The transfer of syngeneic splenocytes from immunized mice has demonstrated that virulent S . sonnei directly affect the immunological memory cells.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1984 Apr, (4), 49 - 53
{Relation of the epidemiological characteristics of dysentery to the biological properties of the causative agents}; Ryndich AA et al.; The main forms of the epidemic manifestation of dysentery induced by different causative agents in 1975-1980 were revealed . During these years the cases of dysentery induced by Shigella sonnei, biovar II, were found to prevail (82.0-90.1%) both at the periods between epidemics and at the periods of the seasonal rise of morbidity . The experimental infection of white mice by intraperitoneal inoculation revealed no relationship between the seasonal rise of morbidity in dysentery and the virulence of its causative agents.

J Hyg (Lond), 1984 Apr, 92(2), 153 - 60
R plasmids conferring multiple drug resistance from shigella isolated in Korea; Chun D et al.; The majority (85%) of shigella isolated in 1980 and 1981 in Korea were Shigella flexneri, the others were Sh . sonnei (14%) with only a small number of Sh . dysenteriae . Only 14 of the 459 strains of shigella isolated were susceptible to all 12 drugs tested, and 445 were resistant to three or more drugs . Strains multiply resistant to the six drugs, chloramphenicol (Cm), tetracycline (Tc), streptomycin (Sm), sulfisomidine (Su), ampicillin (Ap) and trimethoprim (Tp) were most frequently encountered, followed by those resistant to Cm, Tc, Sm, Su and Tp . The complete patterns of resistance to drugs except nalidixic acid and rifampin in approximately 73% of drug-resistant strains were co-transferred to Escherichia coli by conjugation, indicating that the resistance was R plasmid-mediated . Randomly selected R plasmids conferring various patterns of resistance markers were tested for the incompatibility groups, and almost all of them were classified into Inc FII . Two of three R plasmids conferring resistance to Cm, Tc, Sm and Su were classified into Inc B and one to Inc FII . Two R types with resistance markers of Cm, Tc, Sm and Ap were not classified with our standard plasmids used.

J Hyg (Lond), 1984 Apr, 92(2), 145 - 52
Methods for the isolation of Aeromonas hydrophila and Plesiomonas shigelloides from faeces; Millership SE et al.; Two solid selective media, xylose deoxycholate citrate agar (XDCA) and bile salts brilliant green agar (BBG) and an enrichment broth-alkaline peptone water, were evaluated for the isolation of Aeromonas hydrophila and Plesiomonas shigelloides . Alkaline peptone water and XDCA are useful for recovery of Aeromonas but not Plesiomonas, whereas BBG is satisfactory for both organisms.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1984 Apr, (4), 87 - 9
{Significance of the indices of the metabolic and immunological reorganization of lymphocytes stimulated by a specific O-antigen in acute dysentery patients}; Kosiakova NI; Immunological and metabolic shifts occurring in the lymphocytes of patients with acute dysentery under the influence of specific Shigella O-antigens have been studied during the infectious process . These shifts, whose manifestation depends on the severity of the disease, have been shown to be most pronounced on week 1 of the disease, gradually subsiding by week 3 . The indices characterizing these shifts can be used for the evaluation of the severity of Shigella infection and its prognosis.

Br Med J (Clin Res Ed), 1984 Mar 10, 288(6419), 784 - 6
Drug resistance in Shigella dysenteriae, S flexneri and S boydii in England and Wales: increasing incidence of resistance to trimethoprim; Gross RJ et al.; A total of 2753 strains of shigella belonging to subgroups A, B, and C that were isolated from patients in England and Wales during the period from 1979 to mid-1983 were studied . Of these, 1690 (61%) were from patients recently returned from abroad or in contact with recent travellers, and 760 (45%) of these affected travellers from the Indian subcontinent . The number of strains resistant to sulphonamides and streptomycin remained at a high level throughout (average 76% and 72% respectively) . Resistance to tetracyclines, ampicillin, and chloramphenicol rose, reaching 63%, 51%, and 48%, respectively, in 1982 . Strains resistant to trimethoprim were seen in substantial numbers for the first time and increased from 1.3% of all strains in 1979 to 9.9% in 1982 and 16.8% in the first half of 1983 . The proportion of patients with recent foreign contact was notably smaller among those with strains resistant to trimethoprim than among those with strains sensitive to trimethoprim . The increase in resistance to trimethoprim might partly result from the use in Britain of compounds containing trimethoprim for the treatment of shigellosis.

J Diarrhoeal Dis Res, 1984 Mar, 2(1), 27 - 32
Epidemic dysentery caused by the Shiga bacillus in a southern Indian village; Mathan VI et al.; PIP: Multi-drug resistant Shigella dysenteriae type 1 caused an epidemic of dysentery in a village in southern India . The epidemic started as a common source outbreak, through the piped water supply of the village with subsequent person-to-person spread . Although the attack rate was high, with nearly 1/2 the children under age 5 being affected, the case fatality rate was only about 1% . Of the 248 patients who attended the field clinic, 89.4% passed small mucoid stools mixed with blood, with the majority complaining of crampy lower abdominal pain and tenesmus . The other 10.6% had a history of diarrhea, only without blood and mucus . Moreover, 126 patients were given appropriate doses of sulphamezathine for 4-7 days . Adequate doses of neomycin were also given as therapeutic agent to infected individuals . The role of early maintenance of hydration and nutrition in the field situation in managing diarrheal epidemics is emphasized . Comparisons with mortality figures in other epidemics support the hypothesis that early and adequate maintenance of hydration and nutrition is a significant factor in reducing mortality .

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1984 Mar, (3), 82 - 9
{Interrelation of virulent and avirulent (vaccinal) strains of Shigella flexneri 2A in long-term bacterial carriage in gnotobiotic rats}; Belaia IuA et al.; The ability of S . flexneri 2a virulent and avirulent (vaccine) strains No . 516 and No . 516 m to displace one another during long-term carrier state in germ-free rats has been studied . The long-term persistence of the vaccine strain in the intestine of the rats has been shown to produce colonization resistance to subsequent infection with the virulent culture of these bacteria . During carrier state in rats progressive S--R dissociation of the bacteria occurs, type II antigen is lost with simultaneous retention of group 3, 4 antigens and the resulting transformation of S . flexneri, serotype 2a, into variant y; the virulence of Shigella S-forms is also lost.

Eur J Biochem, 1984 Feb 15, 139(1), 189 - 94
The Shigella flexneri O-antigenic polysaccharide chain . Nature of the biological repeating unit; Carlin NI et al.; The sequence of monosaccharides in the biological repeating tetrasaccharide unit of Shigella flexneri variant Y O-antigenic polysaccharide chain was determined by subjecting three oligosaccharides of the polysaccharide, obtained by phage-Sf6-mediated enzymatic hydrolysis, to methylation analysis and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy . The smallest saccharide was shown to be a tetrasaccharide with the structure alpha-L-Rhap-(1-2)-L-Rha . The next saccharide, an octasaccharide, was shown to be a dimer of the tetrasaccharide with the L-Rha residues linked alpha 1.3 . The longest saccharide was shown to be a decasaccharide with the following structure: alpha-L-Rhap-(1-2)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1-3)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1- 3)-beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-2)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1-2)-alpha-L-Rhap++ + +-(1-3)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1-3)-beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-2)-alpha-L-R hap-(1-2)-L-Rha . Thus the decasaccharide differed from the octasaccharide and tetrasaccharide by having the alpha-L-Rhap-(1-2)-L-Rhap disaccharide added in the terminal non-reducing end of the saccharide chain . This shows that the alpha-L-Rhap-(1-2)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1-3)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1- 3)-D-GlcpNAc tetrasaccharide is the biological repeating unit of the O chain and that the repeating units are joined through a beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-2)-L-Rhap linkage . Inhibition experiments utilizing the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with S . flexneri Y lipopolysaccharide/S . flexneri Y rabbit antiserum showed that the decasaccharide was the best inhibitor (threefold as active as the octasaccharide and sixtyfold as active as the tetrasaccharide); this supports the postulated structure of the biological repeating unit.

Am J Dis Child, 1984 Feb, 138(2), 162 - 5
The leukemoid reaction in shigellosis; Butler T et al.; Leukemoid reactions occurred in 136 patients (3.8%) hospitalized with shigellosis in Bangladesh . Sixty-eight percent of the patients with leukemoid reactions were children less than 4 years old . When compared with patients without leukemoid reactions, the leukemoid reactions were significantly associated with children aged less than 10 years . The most common serotype of Shigella in the patients with leukemoid reactions was Shigella dysenteriae 1, isolated from 96 patients (71%), whereas the most common species in patients without leukemoid reactions was Shigella flexneri, isolated from 2,119 patients (62%) . The case fatality rate in patients with leukemoid reactions was 21% compared with 7.4% in patients without leukemoid reactions . These findings indicated that in patients with shigellosis, the leukemoid reaction was significantly associated with young children, isolation of S dysenteriae 1, and increased case fatality rate.

Clin Nephrol, 1984 Feb, 21(2), 126 - 33
Renal histopathology in the hemolytic-uremic syndrome following shigellosis; Koster FT et al.; The hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) following dysentery caused by S . dysenteriae Type 1, characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia and acute renal insufficiency, is clinically similar but not identical to the idiopathic HUS . We studied renal necropsy specimens of nine children who died of HUS following shigellosis by light and immunofluorescent microscopy and compared them to 12 controls: six cases with severe shigellosis without HUS, and six with pneumonia or sepsis . Eight of nine HUS cases showed cortical necrosis, extensive glomerular thrombosis or arterial thrombosis . Cases without HUS showed only scattered glomerular fibrin thrombin and widening of the mesangium . Among seven HUS cases studied by immunofluorescent microscopy, three demonstrated deposition of glomerular IgM and complement (C3) and one of the three had IgG and IgA as well; four cases had neither immunoglobulin or complement deposits . Among nine controls, two demonstrated IgM and three IgG, but none had C3 . Both HUS and non-HUS cases had fibrin deposition . In the three HUS cases studied by electron microscopy intracapillary material (fibrin and platelets) was seen in all three, and sparse electron-dense deposits in mesangial matrix in one . The data indicate that the renal histopathology in the HUS following shigellosis consistently presents as a severe thrombotic microangiopathy, but lacks the characteristic endothelial and mesangial lesions of idiopathic HUS . The infrequent demonstration of glomerular immunoglobulin deposition fails to support an immunoglobulin-mediated pathogenesis.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1984 Feb, (2), 91 - 4
{Immunological interrelations between Shigella sonnei differing in enzymatic activity and colicinogenicity}; Toluzakova NV; For the first time immunological interrelations between S . sonnei differing in enzymatic activity and colicinogenicity were studied . Specific postinfectious immunity against Shigella pneumonia in intranasally infected mice was used as a model for testing S . sonnei strains, biovars II and III, with colicinogenic markers designated S5 and IE2, respectively . The development of homologous and heterologous immunity was shown to occur in the animals; immunity to the more virulent strain II S5 proved to be significantly more intense than in comparison with immunity to the less virulent strain III IE2 . The unequal effectiveness of immunity to these strains (the more virulent were the strains, the more effective immunity they produced) was due to the fact that their populations contained different amounts of organisms in phase I responsible for infective action and immunity, and also, which was heretofore unknown, for the sensitivity of these bacteria to immunological action: the greater their virulence, the greater their sensitivity.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1984 Feb, (2), 17 - 9
{Further research on the use of media with Na-RNA for isolating Shigella}; Zemskov MV et al.; The isolation of shigellae from the feces of patients with the use of Ploskirev's bactoagar with Na-RNA added at a concentration of 4 mg/ml has facilitated the laboratory diagnosis of dysentery due to the increased resolution of the medium . The isolation of shigellae on the medium with the stimulating agent added occurs 9% more frequently than on the control medium.

Antibiotiki, 1984 Feb, 29(2), 124 - 6
{Chromosome markers of drug resistance as the selectors of potential vaccinal strains}; Bondarenko VM et al.; Mutations resulting in acquisition of the resistance to rifampicin, streptomycin, neamine, polymyxin M, mecillinam and high concentrations of nalidixic acid were studied with respect to their effect on virulence of Shigella flexneri by transduction of the markers from the spontaneous avirulent mutants to the initial strain . It was shown that the acquisition of the determinants of the resistance to rifampicin, streptomycin, neamine (nea A) and high concentration of nalidixic acid resulted in 100 per cent of the cases in losing the transductant capacity for causing keratoconjunctivitis in guinea-pigs . With the mutations resulting in the acquisition of resistance to neamine (nea B) and mecillinam virulence was lost only in a part of the clones (33 and 53 per cent respectively) . The changes in the pathogenic properties of the transductants with the acquired markers of the resistance to the above antibiotics were associated with impairment of the bacterial cell vital structures . It is suggested that the genetically characterized avirulen immunogenetic mutants be used as potential vaccinal strains.

Infect Immun, 1984 Feb, 43(2), 477 - 81
Purified Shigella enterotoxin does not alter intestinal motility; Fernandez A et al.; A purified Shigella enterotoxin (pST) and a cell-free lysate with pST removed (CFL-pST) from the whole-cell lysate of Shigella dysenteriae 60 R were used to study their effect on the myoelectric activity and mucosal integrity of rabbit ileal segments . We have previously defined two myoelectric patterns: the migrating action potential complex and repetitive bursts of action potentials that occur in response to certain bacteria and their enterotoxins . The in vivo model consisted of isolated ileal segments in male New Zealand White rabbits . The segments were infused with sterile saline (1 ml/h), pST (2.4-micrograms injection), or CFL-pST (1 ml/h) . Myoelectric activity in the segments exposed to pST was similar to that with the saline infusion, but CFL-pST induced significant alterations in myoelectric activity in the form of repetitive bursts of action potentials . The mucosa of the segments exposed to pST showed only mild inflammatory changes . In contrast, CFL-pST caused moderate to severe inflammatory changes with enterocyte necrosis . These studies show that pST, a known enterotoxin, did not alter myoelectric activity and had no significant effect on the integrity of ileal mucosa, as determined by light microscopy . CFL-pST caused both inflammation and tissue necrosis with significant alterations in motor activity . These studies suggest that S . dysenteriae 60 R produces a substance or substances other than pST that cause florid in vivo cytotoxicity and alter myoelectric activity.

Lancet, 1984 Jan 14, 1(8368), 77 - 8
Environmental and human isolates of Vibrio cholerae and Vibrio parahaemolyticus produce a Shigella dysenteriae 1 (Shiga)-like cytotoxin; O'Brien AD et al.; Some strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio cholerae, and non-O1 V cholerae produce a bacterial-cell-associated, heat-stable material that is cytotoxic for hela cells . Cytotoxicity is completely neutralised by antibody to purified Shigella dysenteriae 1 (Shiga) toxin but not by antibody to purified cholera toxin.

J Hyg Epidemiol Microbiol Immunol, 1984, 28(3), 319 - 29
Yersinia enterocolitica 03 findings on porcine tongues in comparison with yersiniosis incidence in man in Czechoslovakia; Aldova E et al.; Positive isolations of Yersinia obtained in repeated bacteriological examinations of porcine tongues at three slaughter-houses in Prague and a single examination at the slaughter-house at Kladno were compared with notified yersiniosis morbidity . The incidence of illnesses caused by Y . enterocolitica 03 does not exceed values of 4.5/100,000 and 3.5/100,000 population in the Czech and Slovak Socialist Republics, respectively, and is equal to a sixtieth part of the notified shigellosis and salmonellosis morbidity . Cultivation of 334 pooled samples consisting of 1142 porcine tongues yielded 12 strains (1.05%) of Y . enterocolitica 03, five strains (0.44%) of Y . pseudotuberculosis and 55 strains (4.82%) of other Yersinia organisms (indole-positive serotypes) . Because of the low isolation rates obtained for the individual Yersinia species, Y . enterocolitica 03 in particular, the isolation efficiency of different cultivation techniques and culture media was statistically evaluated for all Yersinia organisms jointly . Primary cultivation on deoxycholate-citrate medium yielded five of the 12 Y . enterocolitica 03 strains isolated . The other Yersinia strains grew only after preliminary propagation . Yersinia pseudotuberculosis grew almost exclusively (4 out of 5 strains) on McConkey's agar.

Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz), 1984, 32(5), 631 - 5
Protective properties of peptidoglycan associated protein of Shigella flexneri; Mulczyk M et al.; Groups of CH3/Hej mice were immunized with peptidoglycan associated protein (PGP) from Shigella flexneri 3a administered in a single intraperitoneal injection (5 micrograms per mouse) . After various periods post immunization the animals were challenged intraperitoneally with homologous bacteria . PGP proved to be strongly immunogenic . As early as one week after immunization all the animals survived challenge with 100 X LD100, and one third of the animals survived challenge with a dose of 500 X LD100 . This high state of immunity maintained at almost unaltered intensity for 12 weeks after immunization (the end of the observations period).

Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz), 1984, 32(4), 489 - 92
The purification of the peptidoglycan associated protein of Shigella sonnei phase I by chromatofocusing; Adamus G et al.; Peptidoglycan associated protein of Shigella sonnei phase I was isolated from outer membrane and purified by chromatofocusing technique according to its isoelectric point . The preparation of the protein proved to be homogenous in SDS-gel electrophoresis . Apparent molecular weight of the protein was determined as 36,000 and isoelectric point pI 5.0.

Epidemiol Rev, 1984, 6, 31 - 51
Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli of classic serotypes associated with infant diarrhea: epidemiology and pathogenesis; Levine MM et al.; A series of O:H serotypes of E . coli were incriminated by epidemiologic studies in the period 1945-1960 as a cause of epidemic diarrhea in infant nurseries as well as a major cause of sporadic infant diarrhea in the community . The term enteropathogenic E . coli was coined to refer to these infant diarrhea-associated serotypes . In the early 1970s, with the advent of laboratory tests to assess heat-labile and heat-stable enterotoxin production and enteroinvasiveness of E . coli, the classic serotype enteropathogenic E . coli strains were found to lack those particular properties . These observations led some to question their pathogenicity . However, since 1978, enteropathogenic E . coli have come to be appreciated anew as a separate class of diarrheagenic E . coli that cause diarrhea by distinct pathogenic mechanisms . The pathogenesis of these strains, which have been shown to cause diarrhea in volunteers, appears to involve both an enteroadhesiveness step and production of a toxin identical to Shigella toxin . A 55- to 65-Mdalton plasmid is involved in the attachment of enteropathogenic E . coli to intestinal mucosa which results in a pathognomonic histopathologic lesion visualized by electron microscopy . The lesion involves dissolution of enterocyte microvilli by the bacteria, effacement of the enterocyte outer membrane, and formation of a pedestal around the bacterium at point of contact with the outer membrane of the enterocyte . Case-control epidemiologic studies carried out since 1975 document that enteropathogenic E . coli remain an important cause of sporadic infant diarrhea in the community with up to 30 per cent of cases of acute diarrhea in young infants in Brazil and South Africa being attributed to these pathogens . Although nursery epidemics of enteropathogenic E . coli diarrhea have virtually disappeared from industrialized countries, some sporadic enteropathogenic E . coli diarrhea in infants in the community continues to occur . The relative importance of enteropathogenic E . coli as a cause of sporadic diarrhea in both industrialized and developing countries needs to be reassessed . New diagnostic techniques are awaited to simplify this task.

Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg, 1984, 78(2), 151 - 6
Changes in the trend of shigellosis in Dhaka: family study on secondary infection, clinical manifestation and sensitivity pattern: 1980; Khan MU et al.; The incidence of shigellosis and the death rate have increased and the resistance of shigellae to antibiotics has changed in Dhaka during our experiences . In 1980, we investigated the secondary infection and case rates, infection to case ratio, duration of illness, excretion of shigellae and antibiotic sensitivity pattern in 100 families with cases of shigellosis, culturing rectal swabs obtained by home visits for a 10-day period . Standard methods were used for culture and sensitivity tests . The over-all secondary infection rate in contacts was 27.3% and the case rate 10.7% . The rates were higher for Shigella flexneri than for Sh . dysenteriae . When the index cases were nought to four years old the secondary infection and case rates were higher than when index cases were older . Contacts aged nought to four years had highest attack rates . The average duration of excretion of Sh . flexneri was 4.5 and Sh . dysenteriae 2.6 days . Illness was one day longer for Sh . dysenteriae than for Sh . flexneri . Cases of shigellosis in hospital had higher rates of fever and blood in stool than those who were not in-patients . 40% of Sh . dysenteriae and 14% of Sh . flexneri were sensitive to tetracycline, 0 to 5% to streptomycin and 100% to sulphamethoxazole, trimethoprim and gentamicin . Incidence of Sh . flexneri had increased in 1980 but that of Sh . dysenteriae remained the same as in 1973 although Sh . dysenteriae type 1 appeared to be less infective in 1980 than in 1973.

Soc Sci Med, 1984, 18(12), 1061 - 2
An outbreak of shigellosis in an ultra-orthodox Jewish community; Porter B et al.; An outbreak of Shigellosis due to Shigella sonnei, S . flexnerii and S . boydii in an ultra-religious Jewish community in Southern Israel is described . The source of epidemic was traced to vegetables bought from a single source . The importance of epidemic and endemic modes of spread of Shigella is discussed.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1984 Jan, (1), 23 - 6
{Comparative study of the immunogenicity of neurotoxin preparations and their separate fractions obtained from Shigella sonnei, phases I and II}; Kamzolkina NB et al.; The immunogenicity of the preparations of phase I S . sonnei neurotoxin, determined by the keratoconjunctival test on guinea pigs, is linked mainly with the presence of a high-molecular component other than endotoxin in these preparations . The preparations of phase II S . sonnei neurotoxin do not contain the endotoxin and high-molecular antigens of S . sonnei, phase I, which protect guinea pigs from the development of experimental keratoconjunctivitis; these preparations are toxic for mice and possess low immunogenicity.

Am J Clin Nutr, 1984 Jan, 39(1), 87 - 94
Malnutrition is a determining factor in diarrheal duration, but not incidence, among young children in a longitudinal study in rural Bangladesh; Black RE et al.; Diarrhea and malnutrition are common in young children in developing countries and a reciprocal relationship has been postulated with diarrhea leading to malnutrition and malnutrition predisposing to diarrhea . To investigate the importance of malnutrition as a determining factor in diarrheal illnesses, data were analyzed from a longitudinal community-based study done in rural Bangladesh . Children classified by nutritional status according to a variety of anthropometric indicators were prospectively evaluated for incidence, duration, and etiology of diarrhea . Children with low weight for length had longer durations of diarrhea than better nourished children; however, children of differing nutritional status had similar diarrheal incidences . The duration of diarrhea, including that associated with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli and Shigella, increased progressively as nutritional status indicators worsened . These results suggest that nutritional interventions alone are unlikely to reduce the high incidence of diarrhea, but that efforts to improve nutritional status may have a beneficial effect on the duration of diarrhea and its unfavorable nutritional consequences.

J Clin Microbiol, 1984 Jan, 19(1), 79 - 80
Splenic abscess caused by Shigella flexneri and Bacteroides fragilis; Drow DL et al.; We report a case of splenic abscess from which only Shigella flexneri (serotype 1a) and Bacteroides fragilis were isolated . The patient was a 59-year-old diabetic female who displayed minimal gastrointestinal symptoms . The S . flexneri isolate was resistant to chloramphenicol and tetracycline . The possible synergistic relationship between the two organisms is discussed.

Infect Immun, 1984 Jan, 43(1), 397 - 401
Loss of pigmentation in Shigella flexneri 2a is correlated with loss of virulence and virulence-associated plasmid; Maurelli AT et al.; In this study, we examined the relationship between the virulence of Shigella flexneri 2a and the ability of strains of S . flexneri 2a to absorb Congo red . Spontaneous nonpigmented (i.e., unable to bind Congo red {Pcr-}) derivatives of a virulent, pigmented (Pcr+) strain of S . flexneri 2a were isolated and assayed for virulence as determined by their ability to invade epithelial cells . All Pcr- mutants examined lost the ability to invade epithelial cells and were thus avirulent . Agarose gel electrophoresis of plasmid DNA from these avirulent, Pcr- mutants showed that the majority of these strains had lost a plasmid band corresponding to a virulence-associated plasmid, pSf2a140 . In many of the mutants, concomitant loss of pigmentation, virulence, and pSf2a140 was accompanied by the appearance of a new plasmid, smaller than pSf2a140 . We believe these new plasmids to be deletion derivatives of pSf2a140 and that loss of pigmentation and loss of virulence are associated with deletions in pSf2a140 . We transduced Pcr- mutants to Pcr+ and isolated transductants which suppressed the Pcr- phenotype . None of the Pcr+ transductants regained the ability to invade epithelial cells . Several suppressors of the Pcr- phenotype were identified as mutations in cell wall biosynthesis . These results support our belief that although pigmentation is usually associated with virulence, genetic determinants unrelated to virulence can also affect the ability of the cell to bind Congo red . Therefore, the ability of S . flexneri 2a to bind Congo red does not necessarily imply the ability to invade epithelial cells . However, loss of ability to bind Congo red is accompanied by loss of virulence.

Infect Immun, 1984 Jan, 43(1), 391 - 6
A small plasmid in Shigella dysenteriae 1 specifies one or more functions essential for O antigen production and bacterial virulence; Watanabe H et al.; The role of plasmids in the virulence of Shigella dysenteriae 1 W30864, which contains at least five species, was investigated . By means of a standard plasmid-curing procedure, that is, bacterial cultivation at an elevated temperature, five virulence-deficient derivatives were obtained . One of these lacked a small, 6-megadalton plasmid, designated pHW400, exhibited reduced invasiveness for HeLa cells, and failed to produce the somatic antigen . Transposon tagging of the pHW400 plasmid to produce pHW401 and the transfer of this derivative into a variant of strain W30864 lacking pHW400 confirmed the conclusion that the pHW400 plasmid encodes one or more functions involved in O antigen (lipopolysaccharide) biosynthesis and bacterial virulence . A plasmid of similar size was detected in all of the three other strains of S . dysenteriae 1 examined.

Infect Immun, 1984 Jan, 43(1), 195 - 201
Temperature-dependent expression of virulence genes in Shigella species; Maurelli AT et al.; The pathogenicity of Shigella spp . involves the ability of the bacteria to penetrate and replicate within the epithelial cells of the large intestine . Model systems for examining the virulence of shigellae employ Henle intestinal epithelial cells in tissue culture and an in vivo assay for virulence in guinea pig eyes (Sereny test) . Using these systems, we studied the genetic and physiological bases for the ability of shigellae to invade epithelial cells . We found that expression of virulence in Shigella spp . is dependent on the temperature at which the bacteria are grown . When grown at 37 degrees C, strains of Shigella flexneri 2a, Shigella sonnei, and Shigella dysenteriae 1 were fully virulent and invaded Henle cells . They also produced keratoconjunctivitis in guinea pigs . When grown at 30 degrees C, the bacteria neither penetrated Henle cells nor produced conjunctivitis in the Sereny test and were phenotypically avirulent . Strains grown at 33 degrees C were only partially invasive in the Henle assay, whereas strains grown at 35 degrees C were as invasive as strains grown at 37 degrees C . Using the Henle cell assay, we determined that the loss of ability to penetrate epithelial cells was completely reversed by shifting the growth temperature from 30 to 37 degrees C . The percentage of Henle cells invaded by bacteria increased with increasing time of growth at 37 degrees C . Restoration of invasiveness after growth at 30 degrees C required protein synthesis . When shigellae were grown at 30 degrees C and shifted to 37 degrees C for 2 h in the presence of chloramphenicol, the bacteria remained noninvasive . Similarly treated bacteria grown at 37 degrees C were still invasive . These results suggested that expression of one or more genes required for virulence of Shigella spp . are subject to regulation by growth temperature.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1984 Jan, 47(1), 216 - 8
Inclusion bodies in Plesiomonas shigelloides; Pastian MR et al.; Inclusion bodies were discovered in seven environmental isolates of Plesiomonas shigelloides and the P . shigelloides control (ATCC 14029) . Differential staining indicated that the inclusion bodies may be composed of polyphosphates, and developmental stages of the bodies may occur . The inclusion bodies may be useful for rapid presumptive identification of this organism.

Carbohydr Res, 1983 Dec 23, 124(2), 301 - 11
Artificial carbohydrate antigens: a block synthesis of a linear, tetrasaccharide repeating-unit of the Shigella flexneri variant Y polysaccharide; Wessel HP et al.; Glycosylation of methyl 2,4-di-O-benzoyl-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside with 2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl bromide gave methyl 2,4-di-O-benzoyl-3-O-(2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl) -alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (4) in 93% yield . Conversion of 4 into the corresponding glycosyl bromide was accomplished with dibromomethyl methyl ether . Under Koenigs-Knorr conditions, this bromide reacted with 8-(methoxycarbonyl)octyl 2-O-(2-acetamido-4,6-O-benzylidene-2-deoxy-beta-D-glycopyranosyl)- 3,4-di-O- benzyl-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside, to provide the protected tetrasaccharide in 91% yield . Removal of blocking groups gave 8-(methoxycarbonyl)octyl O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1---- 3)-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1---- 3)-O-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1----2)-alpha-L- rhamnopyranoside . Together with previously synthesized tetrasaccharides of the Shigella flexneri Y O-antigen, this oligosaccharide has been used to study the conformation of O-antigens and to assist in the selection of S . flexneri, variant Y, specific monoclonal antibodies.

Carbohydr Res, 1983 Dec 10, 124(1), 141 - 9
Somatic antigens of Shigella: the structure of the polysaccharide chain of Shigella boydii type 2 lipopolysaccharide; L'vov VL et al.; The structure of the polysaccharide chain of Shigella boydii type 2 lipopolysaccharide was established using mainly 13C-n.m.r . spectroscopy, partial hydrolysis, Smith degradation, and methylation analysis . The repeating unit of the polysaccharide was concluded to be a branched hexasaccharide, as follows: (formula in text) . Acetaldehyde was detected in the hyrolysate of the lipopolysaccharide, but no evidence was obtained to indicate that acetaldehyde is located in the polysaccharide moiety.

J Lab Clin Med, 1983 Dec, 102(6), 847 - 57
Impaired and exhausted platelets in modified generalized Shwartzman reaction: an analogue of hemolytic uremic syndrome associated with endotoxemia; Fong JS et al.; Thrombocytopenia is characteristically associated with septicemia and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a subset of which has been shown to be associated with endotoxemia and shigellosis . An experimental model that closely resembles these clinical conditions is the generalized Shwartzman reaction modified with a continuous intravenous infusion of endotoxin for 5 hr in rabbits . In addition to exhibiting the triad of HUS (thrombocytopenia, hemolytic anemia, and azotemia), these animals also had circulating platelet aggregates, leukocytosis, lipidemia, hemoglobinemia, hyperfibrinogenemia, and prolonged partial thromboplastin time . Platelets that remained in circulation were chemically exhausted in serotonin content and functionally impaired in aggregation activities . Plasma from animals during thrombocytopenia and platelet functional deficiency had no effect of the aggregation responses of normal platelets . Although the single triggering event of endotoxin infusion was stopped at hour 5, recovery from abnormalities was only partial on day 2 and within normal limits by day 3 . In vitro studies supported platelet exhaustion as a mechanism for decreased platelet function after endotoxin infusion . The presence of circulating platelet aggregates and exhausted platelets suggested that the process of platelet activation took place at as long as 24 hr after the cessation of LPS infusion . Endotoxin and other mechanism(s) are likely to be operative in the pathogenesis leading to platelet activation . Further studies to reveal the mechanism of platelet exhaustion in the experimental model may help our understanding of corresponding events in clinical endotoxic injury and HUS associated with endotoxemia.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1983 Dec, 80(24), 7556 - 60
ampC beta-lactamase hyperproduction in Escherichia coli: natural ampicillin resistance generated by horizontal chromosomal DNA transfer from Shigella; Olsson O et al.; Six ampicillin-resistant clinical isolates of Escherichia coli that hyperproduced the chromosomal ampC beta-lactamase were studied . By DNA sequence analysis, we found that five of them were identical over an entire 449-base-pair sequence and carried a novel strong ampC promoter {Olsson, O., Bergstrom, S . & Normark, S . (1982) EMBO J . 1, 1411-1416} . Except for one base pair this sequence was identical to that of a low beta-lactamase-producing clinical isolate of Shigella sonnei . Spontaneous one-step mutants of S . sonnei that overproduced the ampC beta-lactamase by 45-fold were characterized and found to be mutated at the single base that distinguishes S . sonnei from the five E . coli hyperproducers . The most likely explanation for this result is that chromosomal DNA was transferred in vivo from Shigella to E . coli across the species barrier.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1983 Dec, (12), 34 - 7
{Dissociation and phagolytic characteristics of the Shigella isolated from patients with various clinical forms of dysentery}; Shibacheva NN et al.; The relationship between the severity of the disease and the phagolysis of the isolated cultures of S . flexneri and S . sonnei has been established . In the moderately severe form of the disease the duration of the latent period of the development of the phage has been found to increase in comparison with that in the mild form of the disease.

Z Kinderchir . 1983 Dec;38(6):419.
Appendiceal perforation and shigellosis; Tovar JA et al.; Appendiceal perforation and shigella enteritis were concomitantly observed in a 5-year-old boy . S . Sonnei was recovered from peritoneal exudate and faeces . This association must be kept in mind when treating patients with abdominal pain and gastroenteritis.

Microbiol Rev, 1983 Dec, 47(4), 510 - 50
New knowledge on pathogenesis of bacterial enteric infections as applied to vaccine development; Levine MM et al.; PIP: This review attempts to synthesize the new knowledge of pathogenesis of bacterial enteric infections and relate this information to vaccine development . Discussion focuses on human infections and to those in which significant strides have been made . As a general theme in the pathogenesis of bacterial enteric infections, pathogens can be characterized into 5 groups on the basis of their degree of ultimate invasiveness after ingestion by a susceptible hose: mucosal adherence and enterotoxin production; mucosal adherence and brush border dissolution -- enteropathogenic E . coli (EPEC) of "classical" serotypes; mucosal invasion and intraepithelial cell proliferation; mucosal translocation followed by bacterial proliferation in the lamina propria and mesenteric lymph nodes; and mucosal translocation followed by generalized infection . The review covers cholera (motility and chemotaxis, mucosal adhesion, flagellar sheath protein, hemagglutinins, outer membrane proteins, enterotoxin production, quality and duration of infection derived immunity, immune response in humans, LPS, flagellar sheath protein, cholera lectin, other cholera hemagglutinins, outer membrane protein, previous cholera vaccines, killer whole cell vaccines, toxoids, combination vaccines, attenuated versus cholerae vaccines): enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) (entertoxins, O:H serotypes and enterotoxin phenotypes, colonization factors, immune response in humans, vaccines against ETEC, and toxiods); EPEC (vaccines against EPEC); Shigella (smooth LPS O antigen, epithelial cell invasiveness, Shigella toxin, and Shigella vaccines); and typhoid fever (caccines against typhoid fever) . The major attraction of a nonliving oral cholera vaccine is its safety . A review of available information leads to the conclusion that an oral vaccine consisting of a combination of antigens, intending to stimulate both antibacterial and antitoxic immunity, would be most likely to succeed . Current approaches to immunoprophylaxis of ETEC infection involve vaccines that stimulate antitoxic or antiadhesion immunity or both by means of killed antigens or attenuated strains . It is likely that the most effective vaccines will contain appropriate antigens intended to simultaneously stimulate both antibacterial and antitoxic immunity, thereby leading to a synergistic protective effect . Now that the speical enteroadhesive properties of EPEC have been characterized and shown to be associated with a plasmid, it should be possible to identify the phenotypic gene products responsible for this phenomenon . It is likely that fimbriae or outer membrane proteins will prove to be the organelle of adhesion . When such information becomes available, it should be possible to prepare oral vaccines consisting of the purified antigen . Efficacy has been shown for attenuated Shigella strains utilized as oral vaccines . The major thrust in the development of new immunization agensts against typhoid fever is to identify immunizing agents at least equal in efficacy to the parenteral acetone killed vaccine but which cause no adverse reactions .

Int J Epidemiol, 1983 Dec, 12(4), 460 - 4
Clinical illnesses and causes of death in a Burmese refugee camp in Bangladesh; Khan MU et al.; In 1978 almost 200 000 Burmese refugees entered Bangladesh . Thirteen camps were set up for refugees . Data for the camp at Leda is presented here . There were four medical clinics; including a diarrhoea clinic operated by the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh . The four clinics recorded a total of 174 201 visits by the refugees, of which 28% were for watery diarrhoea, 32% for dysentery and 40% for other illnesses . Of 2321 diarrhoea stools cultured, 29.2% yielded pathogens of which 22% were Shigellae alone . Coliform count of water was extremely high . The death rate (89/1000/year) was higher than the birth rate (28/1000/year) . Most of the deaths were among infants (640), children (357) and old people (131) . Main causes of death were clinical diarrhoea (11.8%), fever (23%) and poor nutrition (52%) . Prompt arrangements for food, identifying the vulnerable groups, and proper sanitation perhaps could have reduced the number of deaths considerably.

Nature, 1983 Nov 10-16, 306(5939), 184 - 6
Antibody-dependent cell-mediated antibacterial activity of intestinal lymphocytes with secretory IgA; Tagliabue A et al.; Secretory antibodies of the IgA class (sIgA) are thought to have an important role in the defence against bacteria at mucosal surfaces--the level at which the infectious agents first come into contact with the host . However, the mechanism by which sIgA exert their antibacterial activity is still a matter of debate . After the recent discovery of receptors for the Fc portion of IgA (RFc alpha) on lymphocytes, monocytes and granulocytes of human, rabbit, guinea pig and mouse origin, it has been hypothesized that IgA also mediate antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) . Indeed, ADCC mediated by human leukocytes against bacteria has been demonstrated in the presence of human circulating IgA . As RFc alpha have also been shown to bind sIgA, we decided to investigate whether sIgA could mediate antibacterial ADCC when bound to lymphocytes from the murine gut-associated lymphoid tissues (GALT) which first interact with the invading bacteria . By using Shigella X16 (a hybrid strain between the enteric pathogen Shigella flexneri and Escherichia coli) as target in an in vitro assay that measures cell-mediated antibacterial responses, we found that murine lymphocytes from GALT but not from other tissues are able to exert natural antibacterial activity against Shigella X16, and that sIgA significantly and specifically increase the natural antibacterial activity of GALT lymphocytes from mice and induce antibacterial activity in cells from the spleen, but not from the thymus or popliteal lymph nodes . Thus, we now propose a new role for sIgA in protecting the host against infectious agents at the mucosal level.

Rev Rhum Mal Osteoartic, 1983 Nov, 50(11), 733 - 43
{National survey on reactive arthritis by the French Society of Rheumatology}; Amor B et al.; In 1982, 3370 cases of inflammatory rheumatism were declared . The geographical analysis of the distribution of these cases (departmental and regional) suggests that their distribution is not homogeneous throughout the country, with a predominance of psoriatic arthritis in the Midi and the Pyrenees and a predominance of rheumatic pelvispondylitis in Aquitaine . Based on the number of cases declared, we can calculate the distribution of each type of inflammatory rheumatism by age and by sex and the incidence per million inhabitants in each age group . These figures are only indicative, as the data from some departments was incomplete . The calculation of a "criterion of frequency" attempts to equalize this bias . Reactive arthritis (352 cases) represents 10.4 p . cent of all cases of inflammatory rheumatism . This large series collected over one year confirms the clinical data already established . The responsible organisms, by order of frequency, were: Chlamydia trachomatis, Yersinia enterocolitica, Shigella, Y . pseudotuberculosis and Ureaplasma urealyticum . 50 p . cent of these cases of arthritis were classified as reactive on the basis of clinical findings and history and the bacteria was not isolated . The HLA-B27 antigen is present in 68 p . cent of the 302 cases in which it was tested.

Biochem Int, 1983 Nov, 7(5), 605 - 15
Isoelectric focusing of bacterial DNA methylases; Nikolskaya II et al.; The multiplicity of bacterial DNA methylases has been shown for new microorganisms, Mycobacteria and Shigella, by a double-step procedure including column chromatography followed by isoelectric focusing of the total methylase fraction . The profiles of the DNA methylating activity of Sh . sonnei 47 and M . butyricum strains were studied . Sh . sonnei 47 cells were found to contain five different proteins responsible for DNA methylation and having pI 4.2, 5.3, 6.2, 8.4 and 9.2 . Four M . butyricum methylases were represented by proteins with pI 4.2, 6.0, 8.0 and 9.0.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1983 Nov, (11), 64 - 7
{Diagnostic test system for the quantitative determination of Shigella antigens in patient blood by an immunoenzyme analytical method}; Shabalina SV et al.; The diagnostic test system under trial has been shown to permit the detection of S . sonnei and S . flexneri specific antigens with an accuracy of 10(-3) micrograms . Along with high sensitivity, the test system has sufficiently high specificity . Statistically significant differences in the occurrence of specific dysentery antigens and their levels in the blood of dysentery patients and healthy persons have been revealed.

Res Commun Chem Pathol Pharmacol, 1983 Nov, 42(2), 213 - 22
Cardiovascular responses of conscious rats to acute intravenous and intracerebroventricular administration of Shigella sonnei endotoxin; Foca A et al.; Shigella sonnei lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was injected intravenous (iv) or into the lateral cerebral ventricle (icv) of freely moving rats . Iv injection of 320 micrograms/Kg reduced arterial blood pressure, increased heart rate and did not change pressor response and reflex bradycardia induced by iv bolus injection of phenylephrine (5 micrograms/Kg) . Iv injection of 640 micrograms/Kg reduced arterial blood pressure and heart rate, and altered baroreceptor reflexes . Icv injection of LPS (up to 50 micrograms/rat) neither changed resting blood pressure and heart rate nor modified phenylephrine induced pressor response and reflex bradycardia . Results suggest that S . sonnei endotoxin determines cardiovascular changes mainly through baroreceptor resetting . Data also seem to rule out a central nervous system involvement.

Infect Immun, 1983 Nov, 42(2), 771 - 7
Entry of Shigella dysenteriae toxin into HeLa cells; Eiklid K et al.; The rate of shigella toxin entry into the cytosol of HeLa S3 cells was estimated from the toxin-induced reduction in protein synthesis . Whereas high toxin concentrations strongly reduced protein synthesis within 30 min, lower concentrations required longer times . The major part of the cell-bound toxin entered only after several hours . Toxin entered cells after incubation at 25 degrees C but not at 20 degrees C, although toxin binding was the same at the two temperatures . Increasing the KCl concentration to 0.2 M protected against toxin . The toxin entry was strongly reduced when the level of ATP in the cells was reduced by incubation with metabolic inhibitors . Lysosomotrophic agents such as NH4Cl and chloroquine had little or no protective effect, but the protonophores carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone and carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone and the ionophore monensin protected cells against the toxin . Cells were also protected when the pH was reduced to 6.4 . The entry of shigella toxin is discussed in relation to that of other protein toxins with intracellular sites of action.

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