J Clin Microbiol, 1988 Sep, 26(9), 1865 - 6 Identification of Actinomyces (Corynebacterium) pyogenes with the API 20 Strep system; Morrison JR et al.; A total of 62 strains of Actinomyces pyogenes (previously Corynebacterium pyogenes) were examined by the API 20 Strep system (API System, La Balme Les Grottes, Montalieu-Vercieu, France) . The system was shown to be reliable and rapid when the tests were compared with standard identification methods . No confusion occurred with streptococcal profiles in the current API 20 Strep data base. J Med Microbiol, 1988 Sep, 27(1), 45 - 50 Size and homology of the genomes of leprosy-derived corynebacteria, Mycobacterium leprae, and other corynebacteria and mycobacteria; Antoine I et al.; The genomes of Mycobacterium leprae and leprosy-derived corynebacteria (LDC), which have a similar base composition of guanine + cytosine 56 mol %, have been compared with those of reference bacteria of the CMN group (genera Corynebacterium, Mycobacterium, Nocardia) . Genome sizes of three LDC strains were (1.2-2.5) x 10(6) base pairs . DNA from four of seven LDC strains examined had homology levels greater than 60% . Two other strains had a homology of 40% when compared with the CMN strains and one strain was distinctly different . The DNA from all seven LDC strains gave 0.3-18% hybridisation with that of M . leprae, 5-16% with reference corynebacteria, 5-12% with M . bovis, and 2-8% with Nocardia caviae . The small size of the LDC genome and its unrelatedness to those of M . leprae and organisms of the CMN group shows the uniqueness of LDC. Clin Pharm, 1988 Sep, 7(9), 647 - 58 Teicoplanin: an investigational glycopeptide antibiotic; Pryka RD et al.; The chemistry, mechanism of action, antimicrobial spectrum, pharmacokinetics, adverse effects, and clinical uses of teicoplanin are reviewed . Teicoplanin, a novel glycopeptide that is similar to vancomycin, was isolated in the mid-1970s . A fermentation product of Actinoplanes teicomyceticus, teicoplanin is a structurally complex compound made up of six fatty-acid components attached to a common aglycone . Teicoplanin's mechanism of action, like that of vancomycin, is inhibition of cell-wall biosynthesis . In vitro activity is comparable to that of vancomycin and includes staphylococci, streptococci, corynebacterium, listeria, and anaerobic cocci . Resistance to teicoplanin has been reported with coagulase-negative staphylococci . Teicoplanin is 50 to 100 times more lipophilic than vancomycin . Teicoplanin is poorly absorbed after oral administration but is 90% bioavailable when administered intramuscularly . The drug distributes widely into body tissue and is eliminated primarily renally . Optimal dosing regimens and therapeutic serum drug concentrations have not been well established . Reported adverse effects have included irreversible ototoxicity, allergic reactions with maculopapular rash and eosinophilia, pain at intramuscular injection site, and elevation of aminotransferases . Initial clinical trials have yielded conflicting results in gram-positive bacteremia, endocarditis, osteomyelitis, and soft-tissue infections . Teicoplanin has shown promise in surgical and dental prophylaxis . Comparative trials with vancomycin and other antimicrobial agents must be completed before teicoplanin's role as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of systemic gram-positive infections is defined. Vet Pathol, 1988 Sep, 25(5), 362 - 8 Immunophenotype of pulmonary cellular infiltrates in sheep with visceral caseous lymphadenitis; Ellis JA; Pulmonary lesions associated with Corynebacterium ovis were analyzed with an indirect immunoperoxidase staining technique using monoclonal antibodies . The predominant cells in abscess walls and surrounding lung parenchyma were large macrophages which expressed major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules on their surfaces . T lymphocytes were prominent in the same sites in the naturally occurring lesions, and SBU-T4-positive ("helper/inducer") cells were the major subset of lymphocytes (mean T4/T8 ratio = 3.5) . B lymphocytes and granulocytes comprised minor populations of infiltrating cells . These results implicate activated macrophages and MHC class II-restricted T lymphocytes in the pathogenesis of established C . ovis infections in sheep. Int J Lepr Other Mycobact Dis, 1988 Sep, 56(3), 449 - 54 Molecular-genetic evidence for the relationship of Mycobacterium leprae to slow-growing pathogenic mycobacteria; Smida J et al.; A total of 1170 nucleotides of the 16S rRNA from Mycobacterium leprae were compared to the homologous regions of M . tuberculosis, M . bovis Vallee, M . avium, M . scrofulaceum, M . phlei, M . fortuitum and one representative each of the genera Corynebacterium, Nocardia, and Rhodococcus . Homology values were calculated and a phylogenetic tree was constructed from the evolutionary distance values . Despite differences in DNA G + C content and genome size, M . leprae is a true member of the slow-growing pathogenic mycobacteria, branching off intermediate to the other members of this subgroup . Slow- and fast-growing mycobacteria are phylogenetically well separated but constitute an individual branch of the actinomycetes proper . Significant structural variation of certain regions of the 16S rRNA may allow construction of M . leprae-specific probes used for rapid identification. Cancer, 1988 Aug 15, 62(4), 806 - 11 Treatment of malignant pleural effusions with intracavitary Corynebacterium parvum; Casali A et al.; Fifty-three cases of metastatic pleural effusion (30 haemorragic and 23 serofibrinous) were treated with 4 mg of Corynebacterium parvum (CP) injected weekly into the pleural cavity after total thoracentesis . Of the 53 effusions, 24 were metastases from lung cancer and 29 from breast cancer . Complete response (CR) was assessed as total resolution of pleural effusion after explorative thoracentesis . The results were as follows: 15 CR after two injections of CP, 30 CR after three, and 5 CR after the fourth administration . Three of 53 cases could not be evaluated because of early death . Of the 30 clearly haemorragic effusions, 25 turned into serofibrinosis after the first intrapleural injection of CP and the other five after the second . These findings indicate that intracavitary CP is the most adequate treatment for the control of neoplastic pleural effusion because it induces a significant clinical improvement with milder side effects with respect to other drugs and/or physical agents commonly used. Transplantation, 1988 Aug, 46(2), 261 - 6 Augmentation by Corynebacterium liquefaciens of erythrocyte surface H-2 expression and alloimmunogenicity for antibody responses; Yoshida T et al.; Intravenous injection of killed Corynebacterium liquefaciens induced a population of red blood cells that expressed both H-2K and H-2D antigens at exceptionally high density and displayed augmented immunogenicity for H-2 alloantigen-specific B cell activation . Injection of killed Escherichia coli or E . coli lipopolysaccharide was ineffective for the generation of such RBC . RBC that express H-2 antigens at high density first appeared at 7 days after injection of C . liquefaciens . These RBC persisted for more than 50 days, although they lost H-2 antigens gradually with time . The observed phenomenon was not due to enhanced erythropoiesis and peripheral release of immature RBC (reticulocytes); populations of both mature and immature RBC of mice injected with C . liquefaciens expressed H-2 antigens at high density, whereas those from normal mice or mice injected with phenyl hydrazine did not . Appearance of RBC expressing H-2 antigens at high density was preceded by a temporal increase in H-2 expression of bone marrow cells that included precursors of RBC . It was concluded that RBC expressing H-2 antigens at high density were descendants of bone marrow cells whose H-2 expression was augmented by C . liquefaciens . The present communication would be the 1st report of the bacteria-mediated augmentation of cell surface expression and activity of major-histocompatibility-complex class I antigens on host cells in vivo. Aust Vet J, 1988 Aug, 65(8), 241 - 4 Pathological findings in the bulbourethral glands of bulls; Campero CM et al.; The bulbourethral glands of 323 Bos indicus or B . indicus crossbred bulls more than 1 1/2 years old were examined in an abattoir study . Bulbourethral adenitis was diagnosed grossly and confirmed by histological examination in 4 (1.2%) . Unilateral chronic interstitial inflammation was seen in 2 cases; one of these was associated with a degenerative-type seminal vesiculitis . In the others adenitis was bilateral; in one case it was associated with a concretion and foreign (plant) material in the principal duct of the left bulbourethral gland; in the other bilateral case, numerous calculi were present and microscopically, a chronic active and diffuse inflammation was observed . Chemical analysis of the calculi showed calcium oxalate and tricalcium phosphate to be the most important components . Corynebacterium spp was isolated from the lesion with multiple calculi but attempts to isolate Chlamydia spp, Mycoplasma spp and Brucella abortus from the 4 adenitis cases were unsuccessful . Congenital abnormalities such as glandular fusion (2.2%) or unilateral aplasia (0.6%) were also observed . Cysts were the most common finding (19.2%), and duct dilation was frequent (7.1%) . The significance of these findings in relation to fertility is considered. Vet Microbiol, 1988 Aug, 17(4), 357 - 65 Teat skin normal flora and colonization with mastitis pathogen inhibitors; Woodward WD et al.; Isolates of bacteria from normal teats were used to attempt colonization of teats of dry cows or neonatal calves . Isolates for inoculation were chosen on the basis of ability to inhibit mastitis pathogens in vitro, with the ultimate goal of in vivo inhibition of mastitis pathogens at the teat surface . Three bacterial normal flora isolates (Corynebacterium xerosis, Bacillus sp . and Aerococcus viridans) persisted less than 10 days on the teats of dry cows . The fourth isolate, Staphylococcus hominis 1, was studied in greatest detail because studies characterizing the normal teat flora showed staphylococci to be the predominant flora . The S . hominis 1 isolated used for inoculation was an inhibitor of Gram-positive mastitis pathogens . It was a biotype not found on these teats prior to inoculation, thus facilitating identification of the inoculated isolate on sequential sampling . Colonization of newborn calves, before other bacterial flora became established, resulted in recovery of inoculated S . hominis 1 for an average of 51 days or longer . On dry cow teats it was detected for up to 28 days . On several occasions the inoculated S . hominis 1 was found in pure culture . Since many new infections occur during the dry period, the colonization of dry cow teats with S . hominis 1 organisms inhibitory for Gram-positive pathogens should be tested as an adjunct to other methods of mastitis prevention. J Am Vet Med Assoc, 1988 Aug 1, 193(3), 367 - 8 Gangrenous dermatitis caused by Corynebacterium ulcerans in Richardson ground squirrels; Olson ME et al.; Gangrenous dermatitis caused by Corynebacterium ulcerans developed in 63 of 350 wild Richardson ground squirrels (Spermophilus richardsonii) . Six squirrels died of toxemia and/or septicemia, but 57 responded to topical and parenteral administration of antibiotics . The epizo-otic was believed to be associated with fighting; infected and carrier ground squirrels most likely transmitted the C ulcerans through bite wounds . Individuals handling ground squirrels should be cautioned that C ulcerans may produce a diphtheria-like disease in human beings. J Dairy Sci, 1988 Aug, 71(8), 2035 - 43 Physiological and pathological factors influencing bovine immunoglobulin G2 concentration in milk; Caffin JP et al.; Bovine IgG2 concentration was determined by radial immunodiffusion in 355 milk samples of uninfected quarters, 101 milk samples of infected quarters, and 118 blood serum samples from 42 Holstein-Friesian cows taken at 30, 150, and 270 d . Concentration of IgG2 in blood serum (11.3 mg/ml) was highest at the beginning of lactation (30 d) . Immunoglobulin G2 concentration in milk (16.81 micrograms/ml) from cows with uninfected quarters was not affected by quarter location but was correlated with IgG2 concentration in blood serum (.30; P less than .001) . The IgG2 concentration in milk was lower in midlactation (150 d: 14.81 micrograms/ml) and in the two first lactations . Immunoglobulin G2 concentration in milk was correlated with SCC . Quarter infection by Corynebacterium bovis or major pathogens increased IgG2 concentration up to 47.9 micrograms/ml for Staphylococcus aureus . Only S . aureus influenced IgG2 concentration in blood serum . Correlation between IgG2 content and SCC in milk decreased when quarters were infected, regardless of bacterial species. Antibiot Khimioter, 1988 Aug, 33(8), 601 - 5 {Immunomodulating properties of the antigens of the cell walls of nontoxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae}; Shmeleva EA et al.; The total protein fraction was obtained by extraction with nonionic detergent NP-40 . The fraction composition and molecular parameters were studied with DDS-Na electrophoresis in polyacryl amide gel . Common properties of the Corynebacterium diphtheriae protein fraction 66 kD and an analogous fraction of the cell walls of staphylococci and the measles virus were shown with immunoblotting . Cell-mediated mechanisms of the immune response to contact with antigens of Corynebacterium diphtheriae cell walls were revealed. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1988 Aug, (8), 23 - 31 {Comparative analysis of the DNA of Corynebacterium diphtheriae phages and the cloning of the gene determining diphtheria toxin synthesis}; Kovgan AA et al.; The analysis of the DNA of one nontoxigenic C . diphtheriae phage and two toxigenic ones has revealed that phage phi 984tox+ belongs to omega-like tox+ phages, phage phi 9tox+ is a representative of a new group of phages and phage B (Freeman) tox is a deletion mutant of phage beta . The location of this deletion on the physical map of this phage has been established . To obtain the physical map of phage phi 984tox+, the complete library of internal DNA fragments has been constructed in vector pBR 322 . The gene of native diphtheria toxin has been cloned in vectors pBR 322 and pUR 250 . Plasmids pUR 250 with the inserts of the toxin gene have been shown to be unstable if tox and lac promoters are located in tandem before the body of the toxin gene . The prolonged cultivation of clones having such structure leads to the formation of a spontaneous mutation located in the region coding the C-end part of the A-fragment of the toxin. Vet Microbiol, 1988 Aug, 17(4), 323 - 34 Influence of immunomodulatory agents on bovine humoral and cellular immune responses to parenteral inoculation with bovine rotavirus vaccines; Archambault D et al.; Sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (DTC), mycobacterium cell wall extract (MCWE, Regressin), killed Corynebacterium parvum (C . parvum, Immunoregulin) and muramyldipeptide (MDP) were each combined with purified, live bovine rotavirus and inoculated into 3 month-old Holstein-Friesian calves in order to examine their ability to potentiate specific humoral and cellular immune responses . The vaccinated calves were boosted twice at 3 and 6 weeks after initial vaccine inoculation . The rotavirus was administered intramuscularly either in an aqueous suspension or in a water-in-oil (WIO) emulsion, prepared with incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA) . DTC and C . parvum were given by the intravenous route, while MCWE and MDP were incorporated directly in the rotavirus suspension . Two groups of calves were also vaccinated either with rotavirus and IFA or with rotavirus emulsified in mineral oil and a mannide oleate compound (MOC, Montanide 888) . A control group of calves was given phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution emulsified with IFA . The different vaccine preparations were then compared by studying the kinetics of serum rotavirus-neutralizing antibody production and of proliferative response by blood lymphocytes following in vitro stimulation with bovine rotavirus . The results showed that: (1) the bovine rotavirus should be incorporated in a WIO emulsion in order to induce a cell-mediated immune response as detected by the rotavirus-specific in vitro stimulation test with blood lymphocytes, and to produce higher neutralizing antibody titers in the serum; (2) the vaccines prepared with the mineral oil-MOC complex or IFA both induced comparable levels of humoral and cellular immune responses . The use of mineral oil and MOC as adjuvant may be preferred to IFA, because of the facility of preparing the vaccine and of the low viscosity of the resulting WIO emulsion: (3) the addition of MDP to the WIO emulsion prepared with IFA resulted in a higher cell-mediated immune response as determined by the in vitro blood lymphocyte transformation index specific for bovine rotavirus. J Gen Virol, 1988 Aug, 69 ( Pt 8), 1999 - 2010 Effect of macrophage activation on resistance of mouse peritoneal macrophages to infection with herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2; Sit MF et al.; To define the effect of heterogeneity of murine peritoneal macrophages (M phi) on intrinsic resistance to herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection, several M phi populations were characterized for their response to infection with HSV type 1 (HSV-1) and HSV-2 . Steady-state resident M phi (Res M phi) were compared in parallel with M phi activated with Corynebacterium parvum (now designated Propionibacterium acnes) (CP M phi) and thioglycollate-elicited inflammatory M phi (TG M phi) . Res M phi were completely non-permissive for productive virus infection and showed no c.p.e . The intrinsic resistance of CP M phi to HSV infection was similar to that of Res M phi, in that the infection was non-productive for infectious virus, but CP M phi showed marked c.p.e . TG M phi showed semi-permissiveness, with virus yields at least 10-fold higher than those in Res M phi and CP M phi, and marked c.p.e . The three distinct intrinsic response patterns were maintained regardless of whether M phi were derived from CD-1 or B6C3F1 mice, or whether the infecting virus was HSV-1 or HSV-2 . To define the level at which M phi restrict HSV replication, immunofluorescence assays for viral antigens and hybridization analyses for viral DNA were performed . All M phi populations showed immediate early and early virus polypeptides . Res M phi and CP M phi showed no viral DNA replication, but TG M phi showed moderate levels of viral DNA synthesis that paralleled the infectious virus titres produced . Investigation of the mechanism for the heterogeneous intrinsic antiviral response among the M phi revealed that interferon was not involved, because antiserum to mouse alpha/beta interferon did not alter the intrinsic resistance patterns . Induction of c.p.e . in M phi required live, replication-competent HSV . The involvement of tumour necrosis factor (TNF) in c.p.e . was found to be unlikely; no significant amounts of TNF were detected in the culture medium of the M phi, and inclusion of anti-TNF antibody did not inhibit c.p.e. J Interferon Res, 1988 Aug, 8(4), 405 - 13 Deficiency in interferon production of peripheral blood leukocytes from patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma; Ho AD et al.; In search for a rationale for the use of interferons (IFNs) in treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), we have investigated the IFN system of 13 patients with low-grade NHL, 15 patients with high-grade NHL, and 20 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia or leukemic immunocytoma (CLL/IC) . Production of IFN induced by phytohemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalin A (Con A), pokeweed mitogen (PWM), Corynebacterium parvum, Herpes simplex virus (HSV), Newcastle disease virus (NDV), and interleukin 2 (IL-2) were studied in the peripheral leukocytes from the patients and from 21 control persons by means of a whole blood technique . All three groups of patients with NHL had significantly reduced production upon stimulation by NDV (p ranged between 0.0038 and less than 0.0001) compared to controls . Similarly, C . parvum also induced lower titers of IFN in the leukocytes of patients with non-leukemic NHL (p = 0.0015 for low-grade NHL and p = 0.0038 for high-grade NHL) . When stimulated by PHA, the IFN response of all groups of patients was within normal range . With the exception in low-grade NHL, Con A also induced normal titers of IFN in the patients with NHL . The levels of IFN induced by PWM, HSV, and IL-2 were very low and no differences between controls and patients could be found . As NDV and C . parvum induce mainly IFN-alpha and the mitogens PHA and Con A mainly IFN-gamma, our results suggest that there is a deficiency in the IFN-alpha response in the patients with NHL but normal response in IFN-gamma . This deficiency may have implications for the choice of subtypes of IFN in the treatment of NHL. J Am Vet Med Assoc, 1988 Jul 1, 193(1), 89 - 90 Corynebacterium folliculitis in a horse; Heffner KA et al.; A 7-year-old Thoroughbred was examined for evaluation of mildly pruritic multiple skin lesions that had progressed from nodules to alopecia and crusts . Folliculitis caused by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis was diagnosed by bacterial culture . Oral treatment with a trimethoprimsulfadiazine paste resulted in resolution of all lesions, with normal hair regrowth. Am J Med Sci, 1988 Jul, 296(1), 57 - 8 Corynebacterium aquaticum infection in a patient with chronic granulomatous disease; Kaplan A et al.; Patients with chronic granulomatous disease are uniquely susceptible to infection with catalase-producing bacteria . Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella, Escherichia coli and Serratia marcescans are common infecting organisms . A 17-month-old boy with Corynebacterium aquaticum bacteremia is reported . This is only the third documented infection with this non-JK diphtheroid and the first case infection in a patient with chronic granulomatous disease . It is likely that our patient's underlying immune defect predisposed him to infection with this unusual, catalase-producing organism . Although these bacteria are common contaminants and rarely infecting agents, true infection should be considered in patients with chronic granulomatous disease from whom a diphtheroid is isolated. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg, 1988 Jul, 114(7), 763 - 5 Microbiology of the tonsils and adenoids in a pediatric population; DeDio RM et al.; To investigate the microbial flora of the tonsils and adenoids, the core tissue from the tonsils and adenoids of 50 children undergoing tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for either recurrent infection or airway obstruction was cultured aerobically and anaerobically, and the number of bacterial colonies was quantitated . The most common organisms isolated were alpha-hemolytic streptococci, nonpathogenic Neisseria species, Haemophilus species, Staphylococcus aureus, and Corynebacterium species . No anaerobes were identified . Bacterial isolates from the tonsils and adenoids were similar in number and frequency of occurrence . Potential pathogenic bacteria (Haemophilus species, S aureus, beta-hemolytic streptococci, and Streptococcus pneumoniae) were identified in 40 patients . Seventy-three percent of these patients shared a common pathogen in tonsil and adenoid tissue . Haemophilus species were recovered in 54% of patients and S aureus in 46% . No significant difference exists between the type and number of pathogens in patients undergoing adenotonsillectomy for recurrent infection or obstruction. J Clin Lab Immunol, 1988 Jul, 26(3), 129 - 34 Age and lpr dependent induction of increased sensitivity to the toxic effects of lipopolysaccharide and indomethacin in MRL mice: evidence for RES activation during disease progression; Hart DA; Injection of 4.5-6 month old female MRL-lpr/lpr mice with 200-250 micrograms lipopolysaccharide led to the death of the animals within two days . Treatment of age matched female control mice (MRL-+/+) or young (3 month) MRL-lpr/lpr mice did not lead to similar toxicity . However, pretreatment of young mice with the pyridine extract of residue of Corynebacterium parvum (alternatively designated Propionibacterium acnes) prior to lipopolysaccharide injection, led to the rapid death of 100% of the mice . Similarly, treatment of old MRL-lpr/lpr mice, or young mice pretreated with the C . parvum extract, with doses of indomethacin non-toxic to MRL-+/+ mice (5 mg/kg), led to 100% mortality . These results indicate that the presence of the lpr gene in MRL mice leads to an age-dependent induction of RES activation . Whether this RES activation is a result of the autoimmune diseases these animals exhibit or is a secondary sequelae of the lymphoproliferation associated with the lpr gene cannot be ascertained . However, the finding of increased sensitivity of old MRL-lpr/lpr mice to the toxic effects of indomethacin indicates that the RES activation occurring in these animals is similar to that observed previously in mice bearing the BCL1-leukemia or treated with C . parvum. Res Vet Sci, 1988 Jul, 45(1), 4 - 10 Influence of selenium on antibody production in sheep; Larsen HJ et al.; Three experiments were carried out, using sheep fed a marginally low selenium diet, to study the effect of selenium supplementation on the antibody response to tetanus toxoid and on the serum IgG concentration . Six groups of three six-month-old lambs were fed a basal diet containing 0.13 mg Se kg-1 supplemented with either 0.1, 0.5 or 1.0 mg Se kg-1, as sodium selenite or as selenomethionine . These animals generally showed enhanced antibody response to tetanus toxoid, parainfluenza-3 virus and Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, and their total serum IgG concentrations were higher than in unsupplemented control animals although few responses were statistically significant . In two field studies significantly higher titres to tetanus toxoid were detected in ewes injected with 100 mg selenium as barium selenate, although no influence on serum IgG concentrations was detected . Lambs from selenium supplemented ewes had significantly higher titres to tetanus toxoid than lambs from ewes in the control group . Dietary vitamin E supplementation had a similar effect on the antibody response to tetanus toxoid in ewes, though no additive effect was seen when vitamin E was given together with selenium. Genetika, 1988 Jul, 24(7), 1153 - 8 {Molecular cloning and the expression of the genes of amino acid biosynthesis of Corynebacterium glutamicum in Escherichia coli cells}; Beskrovnaia OIu et al.; Cloning of genes for threonine and lysine biosynthesis from Corynebacterium glutamicum was performed in Escherichia coli cells using the plasmid vector lambda pSL5 . The cloned genes are identified via complementation of thrB and lysA mutations . The gene complementing thrB of E . coli is located within a 4.1 kb EcoRI fragment of C . glutamicum chromosomal DNA . All the recombinant phasmids complementing the lysA gene of E . coli contain common 2.2 kb and 3.3 kb EcoRI C . glutamicum DNA fragments . The cloned DNA fragments hybridize with identical EcoRI fragments of C . glutamicum chromosomal DNA. Aust Vet J, 1988 Jul, 65(7), 214 - 7 The effect of selenium supplementation on immunity, and the establishment of an experimental Haemonchus contortus infection, in weaner merino sheep fed a low selenium diet; Jelinek PD et al.; Immunity in 12 weaner Merino sheep fed a low selenium (Se) diet (low Se sheep) was compared with that in 10 matching sheep fed the same diet but each given an intraruminal Se pellet (high Se sheep), while the sheep were housed in individual, sheltered pens . All sheep were challenged with killed Brucella abortus cells (days 0 and 28), rabbit red blood cells (days 0, 7 and 28) and corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis toxoid (days 0 and 28), and serum antibody titres were measured weekly for 8 weeks from day 0 . The sheep were then experimentally infected with Haemonchus contortus, and slaughtered 8 weeks later . The mean antibody titre to B . abortus, measured by 4 different tests, was significantly higher in the high Se sheep on occasions during the primary immune response phase (Rose Bengal test - day 21 (p less than 0.05), day 28 (p less than 0.025); complement fixation - day 7 (p less than 0.05); enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay - day 14 (p less than 0.01); serum agglutination - no differences), but not during the secondary phase . The mean antibody titre to rabbit red blood cells, measured by haemagglutination test, was marginally higher in the high Se sheep on day 49 (p = 0.049) . The mean antibody titre to C . pseudotuberculosis, measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, was not significantly different between the groups at any time during the trial . In addition, the mean in-vitro responsiveness of peripheral blood lymphocytes to stimulation with phytohaemagglutinin in the high Se sheep was significantly greater than that in 10 sheep from the low Se group on day 22 (p less than 0.01), but not day 50.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract, 1988 Jul, 18(4), 743 - 54 The microbial environment of the ear canal in health and disease; Kowalski JJ; Otitis externa is an important disease of dogs and, to a lesser degree, cats . The yeast Malassezia canis is the most common organism demonstrated in ear infections . Coagulase-positive staphylococci are the most common bacteria isolated, often occurring with M . canis . Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus are gram-negative bacteria that are frequently encountered . Other bacteria, such as beta-hemolytic streptococci, enterococci, Escherichia coli, and Corynebacterium are also important . Malassezia canis, coagulase-positive staphylococci, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa commonly occur as monoinfections, whereas other bacteria are typically associated with mixed infections . Smears may provide rapid diagnosis on which to base empiric treatment . Cultures should be considered in recurrent or refractory cases, especially those involving gram-negative bacteria . In practices that are not equipped to perform culture and susceptibility tests, it is advisable to seek the advice of a microbiology laboratory. Infection, 1988 Jul-Aug, 16(4), 245 - 7 Corynebacterium group D2 and urolithiasis in a boy with megacalycosis; Nadal D et al.; This is report on a boy with megacalycosis in whom infectious urolithiasis after eradication of Proteus mirabilis was maintained by Corynebacterium group D2. Cell Immunol, 1988 Jul, 114(2), 282 - 92 Differential in vitro modulation of suppressor and antitumor functions of mouse macrophages by lymphokines and/or endotoxin; Chang ZL et al.; Peritoneal macrophages of normal mice exhibited natural suppressor activity, as indicated by their ability to inhibit the proliferation of spleen cells in response to stimulation with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or concanavalin A (Con A) . Their suppressor function could be modulated in vitro with a variety of treatment regimens . High-dose lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (LPSH; 10 micrograms/ml) or lymphokines (supernatant from Con A-stimulated spleen cells) plus low-dose LPS (LPSL; 10 ng/ml) caused a reduction in the suppressor activity of adherent peritoneal macrophages . In contrast, these same treatments induced the macrophages to become tumoricidal and cytostatic for tumor cells, indicating a major dissociation between the regulation of suppressor and cytotoxic activities of macrophages . The lack of correlation between these activities was further demonstrated by macrophages that had been activated in vitro by Corynebacterium parvum: these cells expressed high tumoricidal and cytostatic activities, and also strong suppressor activity . The suppressor function could be selectively downregulated by in vitro pretreatment with LPSH. Am J Vet Res, 1988 Jul, 49(7), 1045 - 9 Association of bovine respiratory syncytial virus with atypical interstitial pneumonia in feedlot cattle; Collins JK et al.; Thirty-three cattle with fatal respiratory tract disease were examined for gross and histologic lesions and for the presence of viral and bacterial agents in the lungs . Fifteen cattle had lesions characteristic of atypical interstitial pneumonia (AIP), and 18 had other respiratory tract diseases, including infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, shipping fever pneumonia, bronchopneumonia, pulmonary abscess, and edema of the trachea . Gross necropsy findings in the cattle with AIP were uncollapsed and emphysematous lungs; histopathologic findings included interstitial edema, thickening of alveolar walls, hyaline membrane formation, and hyperplasia of type-II pneumonocytes . The infective agents found in the lungs of the 33 cattle included bovine respiratory syncytial virus, bovine herpesvirus type 1, Pasteurella sp, mycoplasmas, and Corynebacterium pyogenes . Bovine respiratory syncytial virus was detected by use of immunofluorescence and immunoperoxidase on lung tissue sections; bovine herpesvirus type 1 was detected by these techniques and by isolation of the virus . Bovine respiratory syncytial virus was significantly (P = 0.01) associated with lesions of AIP (11 of 15), compared with those of other respiratory tract diseases (5 of 18). Scand J Immunol, 1988 Jul, 28(1), 113 - 21 Modulation of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) expression by interferons and microbial agents . Independent regulation of MHC class II expression and induction of tumoricidal activity in bone marrow-derived mononuclear phagocytes; Keller R et al.; In a pure population of rat bone marrow-derived mononuclear phagocytes (BMM phi), the expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules and ability to manifest tumoricidal activity were simultaneously studied . Resting BMM phi, which express low levels of MHC class II molecules and do not manifest tumoricidal activity, become strongly MHC class II-positive, and evolve tumoricidal activity within 24 h when incubated with macrophage-activating lymphokines (MAF) or gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) . In contrast, BMM phi which were interacted for 24 h with heat-killed microbial agents (Corynebacterium parvum, Listeria) evolve tumoricidal activity without parallel enhancement of MHC class II expression . IFN-alpha,beta neither induced tumoricidal activity nor enhanced MHC class II expression . Further experiments have shown that (a) the kinetics of MAF- and/or IFN-gamma-induced amplification of MHC class II expression and of tumoricidal activity are different; (b) enhancement of MHC class II expression by rIFN-gamma is not invariably paralleled by induction of tumoricidal activity; and (c) inhibitors of macrophage tumoricidal activity differ in their ability to affect MHC class II expression . It is concluded from these findings that in a population of pure BMM phi, i.e . in the complete absence of lymphocytes, the expression of MHC molecules and induction of tumoricidal activity are independently regulated phenomena; in particular, the enhanced expression of MHC class II molecules is not a prerequisite for induction and/or manifestation of tumoricidal activity by mononuclear phagocytes. Eur J Biochem, 1988 Jun 15, 174(3), 451 - 8 Purification and properties of 4-hydroxycyclohexanecarboxylate dehydrogenase from Corynebacterium cyclohexanicum; Obata H et al.; 4-Hydroxycyclohexanecarboxylate dehydrogenase, which requires NAD as a cofactor, was detected in crude soluble extracts of Corynebacterium cyclohexanicum grown on cyclohexanecarboxylic acid as the sole carbon source . The dehydrogenase was purified from extracts to an electrophoretically homogenous state by ammonium sulfate precipitation and chromatography on DEAE-650s, agarose-NAD and hydroxyapatite . The enzyme consisted of two identical subunits and had a native relative molecular mass of 53,600 . There were two residues each of cysteine and tryptophan in the enzyme molecule . Oxo acid rather than hydroxy acid was routinely used as substrate for assay of the enzyme . The enzyme is highly specific for 4-oxocyclohexanecarboxylic acid: the carboxyl group is essential and the position of carbonyl group is important; neither the 2-oxo nor the 3-oxo homologue was used as substrate . A methyl substitution on the ring of 4-oxocyclohexanecarboxylate resulted in an almost complete loss of its activity . The reduction product was identified as trans-4-hydroxycyclohexanecarboxylic acid by gas-liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry . It was used as a substrate for the reverse reaction in the presence of NAD but not its cis-isomer . The enzyme was specific for the B-side (pro-S) hydrogen of NADH in the hydrogen transfer from NADH to 4-oxocyclohexanecarboxylate . The Km values for 4-oxocyclohexanecarboxylate and NADH in the reduction reaction at pH 6.8 were 0.50 mM and 0.28 mM, respectively, whereas those for trans-4-hydroxycyclohexanecarboxylate and NAD in the oxidation reaction at pH 8.8 were 0.51 mM and 0.23 mM, respectively . The equilibrium constant of the reaction was 1.79 x 10(-10) M . The enzyme was strongly inhibited by N-bromosuccinimide. Thorax, 1988 Jun, 43(6), 486 - 7 Pulmonary pseudotumour due to Corynebacterium equi in a patient with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; Bishopric GA et al.; A case of inflammatory pseudotumour of the lung in a patient with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome due to infection by Corynebacterium equi is described. Br J Exp Pathol, 1988 Jun, 69(3), 327 - 38 The ability of inflammatory bronchoalveolar leucocyte populations elicited with microbes or mineral dust to injure alveolar epithelial cells and degrade extracellular matrix in vitro; Donaldson K et al.; Inflammatory cells are recruited to the parenchyma of the lung in a range of conditions where they are considered to have the ability to exert damaging effects on elements of the alveolus . The injurious effects of rat bronchoalveolar-derived inflammatory cells on an alveolar Type II epithelial cell line were therefore assessed . Inflammatory populations produced by intratracheal injection of Corynebacterium parvum or quartz caused non-lethal detachment injury to the epithelial cells on co-culture whereas control bronchoalveolar cells had no effect on epithelial cells . The pathogenic mineral dusts quartz and chrysotile asbestos caused increased detachment injury when added to co-cultures of epithelial cells and bronchoalveolar leucocyte populations; neither titanium dioxide, a control mineral dust, nor zymosan were active in this respect . Detachment injury was particularly marked when quartz was added to co-cultures of epithelial cells and inflammatory bronchoalveolar cells from quartz treated lung . On the basis of anti-protease and anti-oxidant studies, the detachment injury was found to be mediated by protease alone in the case of quartz cells and protease plus oxidant in the case of C . parvum cells . The two inflammatory bronchoalveolar cell populations were found to have increased proteolytic activity, compared to control bronchoalveolar cells, as shown by increased ability to degrade fibronectin, laminin and denatured collagen . Inflammatory bronchoalveolar cells therefore have the potential to attack elements of the septal extracellular matrix as well as to compromise the integrity of the alveolar epithelium. Am J Vet Res, 1988 Jun, 49(6), 918 - 22 Pharmacokinetics and body fluid and endometrial concentrations of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in mares; Brown MP et al.; Six healthy adult mares were each given a single IV injection of trimethoprim (TMP)-sulfamethoxazole (SMZ) at a dosage of 2.5 mg of TMP/kg of body weight and 12.5 mg of SMZ/kg . Serum concentrations of each drug were measured serially over a 24-hour period . For TMP, the mean overall elimination rate constant (K) was 0.43/hr and the elimination half-life (t1/2) was 1.9 hours . The apparent volume of distribution (at steady state) was 1.62 L/kg and TMP clearance was 886 ml/hr/kg . For SMZ, K was 0.22/hr and t1/2 was 3.53 hours . The apparent volume of distribution at steady state was 0.33 L/kg and SMZ clearance was 78.2 ml/hr/kg . Each mare was then given 5 consecutive oral doses of TMP-SMZ at a rate of 2.5 mg of TMP/kg and 12.5 mg of SMZ/kg at 12-hour intervals . Trimethoprim and SMZ concentrations were measured in serum, synovial fluid, peritoneal fluid, CSF, urine, and endometrium . Although both mean TMP and SMZ serum concentrations were higher after the 5th dose than after the 1st dose, only the mean TMP concentration was significantly (P less than 0.05) different . After the 5th oral dose, concentrations of TMP and SMZ attained in body fluids (except CSF) and endometrial tissue were equal to or exceeded reported minimum inhibitory concentrations for Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, Staphylococcus sp, Streptococcus zooepidemicus, and several obligate anaerobes . Absorption of both drugs was variable after oral administration. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 1988 Jun, 7(3), 337 - 41 Infections caused by antibiotic-resistant Corynebacterium group D2; Soriano F et al.; A coryneform bacteria known as Corynebacterium group D2 pending definitive taxonomic classification, has emerged as a human pathogen . Although first described 16 years ago, the organism has only recently been implicated in clinical infections . It differs from all previously recognized species of Corynebacterium, and in common with Corynebacterium jeikeium exhibits a broad spectrum of antimicrobial resistance, being sensitive to only vancomycin, teicoplanin and some quinolones . The microorganisms is mainly involved in urinary tract infections, and its strong urease activity seems to play an important role in its pathogenicity . Corynebacterium jeikeium and group D2 are very different from the clinical and microbiological point of view . Corynebacterium group D2, like other coryneform bacteria, may be isolated from healthy skin in hospitalized patients, mainly females, while Corynebacterium jeikeium is more prevalent in males . Microbiologists should be aware that such a slow-growing microorganism may be responsible for clinical infections and should not be overlooked in routine cultures of clinical specimens. Pathol Biol (Paris), 1988 Jun, 36(5 Pt 2), 742 - 5 {Urinary Corynebacterium group D2 infections . A hospital epidemic and antibiotic sensitivity}; Fosse T et al.; An outbreak of Corynebacterium group D2 urinary tract infections was recently observed at Nice CHR . These infections were characterized by alkaline urine . The five first cases were reported in the same department and the ten other cases were latter observed in different departments . Age average was 79 and all patients had either an intra-vesical catheter of a urinary collector . Among samples of material tested, only one gave a positive culture . The 15 isolates showed a similar identification and antibiotic phenotype . These strains presented a multiple antibiotic resistance: resistance to beta-lactams, aminoglycosides (except streptomycin), erythromycin, chloramphenicol, tetracyclines . All strains were susceptible to rifampin, pristinamycin, fusidic acid and vancomycin. Inflammation, 1988 Jun, 12(3), 231 - 43 Oxidant production by control and inflammatory bronchoalveolar leukocyte populations treated with mineral dusts in vitro; Donaldson K et al.; Using a rat model we set out to determine whether exposure of bronchoalveolar-derived leukocytes to pathogenic mineral dusts in vitro caused them to undergo an oxidative burst and release potentially harmful oxidants . Three different populations, obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage, were chosen: control cells, cells obtained following instillation of heat-killed Corynebacterium parvum into the lung, and cells obtained following instillation of quartz . None of the populations showed any evidence of superoxide anion or hydrogen peroxide production when treated in vitro with the pathogenic dusts quartz and chrysotile asbestos, or the inert particulate titanium dioxide . Zymosan caused modest release of superoxide anion with all three populations, indicating that a respiratory burst was being provoked, while PMA, a soluble inducer of leukocyte oxidative burst, caused large-scale production of both oxidants . Preopsonization of mineral dust in rat serum did not render them capable of provoking an oxidative burst from lung-derived leukocytes. Arch Biochem Biophys, 1988 May 15, 263(1), 77 - 85 Purification and characterization of cutinase from a fluorescent Pseudomonas putida bacterial strain isolated from phyllosphere; Sebastian J et al.; Cutinase, an extracellular enzyme, was induced by cutin in a fluorescent Pseudomonas putida strain that was found to be cohabiting with an apparently nitrogen-fixing Corynebacterium . This enzyme was purified from the culture fluid by acetone precipitation followed by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, QAE-Sephadex, Sepharose 6B, and Sephadex G-100 . The purified enzyme showed a single band when subjected to polyacrylamide electrophoresis and the enzymatic activity coincided with the protein band . Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide electrophoresis showed a single band at a molecular weight of 30,000 and gel filtration of the native enzyme through a calibrated Sephadex G-100 column indicated a molecular weight of 30,000, showing that the enzyme is a monomer . The amino acid composition of bacterial cutinase is distinctly different from that of fungal or plant cutinases . This bacterial cutinase showed a broad pH optimum between 8.5 and 10.5 with 3H-labeled apple cutin as the substrate . Linear rates of cutin hydrolysis were measured up to 20 min of incubation time and 4 mg/ml of cutin gave the maximum hydrolysis rate . This cutinase catalyzed hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl esters of C4 to C16 fatty acids with decreasing V and increasing Km for the longer chain esters . It did not hydrolyze tripalmitoyl glycerol or trioleyl glycerol, indicating that this is not a general lipase . Active serine-directed reagents such as organophosphates and organoboronic acids severely inhibited the enzyme, suggesting that bacterial cutinase is an "active serine" enzyme . Neither thiol-directed reagents nor metal ion chelators had any effect on this enzyme . Antibody raised against purified enzyme gave a single precipitin line on Ouchterlony double diffusion analysis . Western blot analysis of the extracellular fluid of induced Ps . putida showed a single band at 30 kDa . No immunological cross-reactivity was detected between the present bacterial enzyme and the fungal enzyme from Fusarium solani pisi when rabbit antibodies against either enzyme was used. Schweiz Med Wochenschr, 1988 May 7, 118(18), 676 - 9 {Cutaneous diphtheria imported from tropical countries}; Thomann U et al.; Two cases of imported cutaneous diphtheria from tropical areas are described . Vacationing in the Seychelles, a 29-year-old man injured his left malleolus a few weeks before his return to Switzerland . The wound did not heal and an ulcer developed . Microbiologic investigation yielded toxinogenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae . There were no signs of systemic intoxication . The man had not been vaccinated against diphtheria since childhood . In the second case a 51-year-old woman returned from Thailand and Nepal with two very painful ulcers between the toes of her right foot, which was reddish-coloured . Microbiologic investigation again yielded toxinogenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae and there was no sign of systemic intoxication . Treatment with erythromycin brought about complete healing of the ulcers. J Am Vet Med Assoc, 1988 May 1, 192(9), 1297 - 8 Multicentric papillary cystadenoma in the udder of a cow; Reimer JM et al.; A mammary gland neoplasm was identified at necropsy in a 9-year-old ovariectomized Holstein cow with a 1-year history of an enlarged left hindquarter . A sterile serous secretion was expressed from the quarter . The cow developed Corynebacterium pyogenes infection in the quarter one year later and died of secondary complications . The left hindquarter was found to contain multiple cysts . The histologic diagnosis was multicentric papillary cystadenoma. J Clin Microbiol, 1988 May, 26(5), 1058 - 60 Detection of coagulase activity in Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae; Tesh MJ et al.; Coagulase activity was detected in 99% of 225 strains of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae . These strains included isolates from a variety of animal and environmental sources . Activity could be detected by the tube or slide technique, with the tube reactions being easier to interpret . Coagulation of rabbit and/or bovine plasma was observed, with most strains reacting in both . The activity appeared to be a common characteristic of the species and may be useful in differentiating E . rhusiopathiae from Listeria and Corynebacterium species, which fail to demonstrate the activity . There was no correlation noted between coagulase activity and the serotype, source, geographic origin, or virulence (as detected by mouse pathogenicity tests) of the isolates. Neurosurgery, 1988 May, 22(5), 868 - 72 Origin of organisms infecting ventricular shunts; Shapiro S et al.; Results of skin cultures obtained before 413 of 505 operations for cerebrospinal fluid-diverting ventricular shunt placement or revision in a pediatric population from April 1980 to May 1983 are analyzed and compared to results of cultures from 20 subsequent shunt infections . Sensitivities to 11 different antibiotics were determined for each isolate cultured . The total operative infection rate was 20 of 505 (4%) . Gram-negative bacilli alone accounted for 3 of 20 (15%) shunt infections . One gram-negative bacillus/Staphylococcus aureus infection occurred . Factors predisposing for gram-negative bacillus shunt infection were found in all 4 cases . The majority of shunt infections were caused by typical resident skin organisms: Staphylococcus epidermidis alone, 9/20 (45%); Staphylococcus aureus alone, 4/20 (20%); Corynebacterium sp., 1/20 (5%); alpha-Streptococcus with S . epidermidis, 1/20 (5%); and Micrococcus with S . epidermidis, 1/20 (5%) . Only 4 (20%) of the 20 shunt infections were due to organisms identical to those originally grown from the skin . Another 4 (20%) seemed to be infected with a strain of organism different from that initially recovered from the skin . The remaining skin organism shunt infections may or may not have come from the patient's skin . The data suggest that not all skin organism shunt infections arise from contamination by resident skin bacteria at the incision sites at the time of operation . Alternate sources for the infecting organisms are discussed . The antibiotic sensitivity data on skin isolates and shunt isolates suggest that vancomycin is the antibiotic best suited for prophylaxis against shunt infection at our institution. Pathol Biol (Paris), 1988 May, 36(5), 460 - 4 {Corynebacterium group D2 . Clinical study, biochemical identification and antibiotic sensitivity}; Marty N et al.; The comparative study of 44 isolates of Corynebacterium group D2, from urine, most frequently, shows the pathogenic role of these bacteria in urinary tract infection, with or without urinary stones . These microorganisms have an opportunistic behaviour in other non-urinary sites, and become pathogen in immunosuppressed conditions . The rapid tests as urease, glucose acidification, nitrate reductase, associated with multiple resistance to antibiotics (beta-lactams and aminosides) identify easily Corynebacterium group D2, from 48 h cultures under CO2 conditions . The results of MIC determination of 10 antibiotics, show the high activity (100% sensitivity) of vancomycin and pristinamycin, with MIC modes, respectively, 0.5 and 0.03 mg/l . These antibiotics are the most useful for the treatment of non-urinary infections . Among quinolones, the most active agents are ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin (MIC modes: 4 and 2 mg/l), so these antimicrobials could be used for the treatment of urinary tract infections caused by Corynebacterium group D2. Mol Microbiol, 1988 May, 2(3), 339 - 46 Expression of a biologically active diphtheria toxin fragment B in Escherichia coli; Cabiaux V et al.; The toxB gene of Corynebacterium diphtheriae bacteriophage beta encoding the B fragment of diphtheria toxin was cloned into an inducible expression vector . When expressed in Escherichia coli, fragment B was not proteolysed and was indistinguishable, by immunological criteria, from wild-type C . diphtheriae-derived fragment B . Soluble fragment B was partially purified from the cytoplasm by saline precipitation steps and was shown to compete with the wild-type diphtheria toxin for binding to receptors of sensitive eukaryotic cells . A complete diphtheria toxin was reconstituted by formation of the disulphide bridge between purified fragment A and recombinant fragment B, which migrates at the expected Mr on Western blots and which was able to block protein synthesis by ADP-ribosylation of elongation factor-2, thereby indicating that the recombinant fragment B had retained its biological activity. J Immunol, 1988 Apr 15, 140(8), 2753 - 9 The influence of adjuvant on induction of protective immunity by a non-living vaccine against schistosomiasis; James SL et al.; Mice were protected against subsequent infection with Schistosoma mansoni by intradermal or s.c . vaccination with killed schistosomula or soluble parasite extracts and bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) . Treatment with i.p . immunization was somewhat less effective, whereas i.m . vaccination failed to elicit protective immunity . The level of resistance induced by intradermal immunization was influenced by the strain of BCG used, and isolated BCG cell walls did not reliably substitute for whole BCG organisms as adjuvant . Bordetella pertussis vaccine and saponin were also able to function as adjuvants for protective immunity in this model, whereas other immunopotentiators including Corynebacterium parvum and aluminum hydroxide were ineffective . No correlation between resistance to challenge infection and antibody levels was detected . Animals immunized intradermally using either protective or non-protective adjuvants all showed minimal humoral reactivity against schistosomulum surface Ag but strong IgG response to soluble parasite components including paramyosin, which is the major serologically recognized Ag in mice vaccinated intradermally with schistosome Ag plus BCG and is protective in this model . In contrast, a strong correlation was observed between resistance and Ag-specific cell-mediated reactivity, including IFN production by T lymphocytes in vitro and macrophage activation in vivo . These results further substantiate the hypothesis that protection in this model is based on cell-mediated immune effector mechanisms . Moreover, they may be of general relevance in the design of vaccination protocols using other Ag or against other infectious agents. Aust Vet J, 1988 Apr, 65(4), 117 - 9 The effects of caseous lymphadenitis on wool production and bodyweight in young sheep; Paton MW et al.; Two hundred Merino wether hoggets were used to examine the effect of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection (caseous lymphadenitis) on wool production and bodyweight . Sheep which were challenged with C . pseudotuberculosis (artificially infected) and not vaccinated against this disease produced 0.20 kg less clean wool than unchallenged controls during the following 12 months . The incidence of sheep with lesions in the group that was vaccinated prior to challenge was 55% lower than in unvaccinated challenged sheep but their wool production was not significantly different from either the controls or the unvaccinated challenged sheep . Vaccinated sheep were also heavier than unvaccinated sheep 12 months after challenge . These results indicate that caseous lymphadenitis infection may reduce wool production. Am J Vet Res, 1988 Apr, 49(4), 459 - 63 Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection in adult ewes by inoculation in the external ear; Pepin M et al.; Caseous lymphadenitis, caused by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, was studied in ewes to devise a reliable method of induced infection that would help to understand mechanisms by which abscesses develop in lymph nodes or internal organs, especially the lungs . Fifteen adult ewes, from a flock where the occurrence of caseous lymphadenitis was unknown, were inoculated SC in the auricle with various doses of a virulent strain of C pseudotuberculosis . Ewes inoculated with at least 10(8) viable corynebacteria develop a strong local reaction that was apparent 4 hours after challenge exposure and lasted 7 to 14 days . Of these ewes, all developed at least 1 abscess and 3 developed multiple abscesses in lymph nodes draining the inoculated auricle and in the lungs . All infected ewes developed a strong antibody response against C pseudotuberculosis exotoxin, which persisted for 3 months . Of 9 ewes infected with 1.2 X 10(8) corynebacteria, 3 developed lesions because of field strains of C pseudotuberculosis and had an increased capacity to limit the dissemination of challenge-inoculum bacteria by developing only one abscess in the draining lymph node (parotid or prescapular lymph node) . Seemingly, inoculation in the external ear was a suitable method for obtaining a reproducible infection and indicated that a primary infection might protect against reinfection by limiting dissemination of C pseudotuberculosis. J Am Acad Dermatol, 1988 Apr, 18(4 Pt 1), 778 - 9 Trichomycosis axillaris: a different view; Levit F; Trichomycosis axillaris is a trivial disease of worldwide occurrence that is believed to be caused by the genus Corynebacteria . In addition to invading the cuticle of the hair, the Corynebacteria are believed to elaborate a material that, together with colonies of bacteria, make up the concretions formed on the hair shaft . A careful review of the literature on this disease indicates that this latter belief may not be correct. J Med Microbiol, 1988 Apr, 25(4), 279 - 83 Estimation of Corynebacterium diphtheriae antitoxin in human sera: a comparison of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with the toxin neutralisation test; Melville-Smith M et al.; Serum samples from 101 individuals were titrated for Corynebacterium diphtheriae antitoxin by an IgG-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a neutralisation test in tissue culture (TC) . In some of the sera, the concentrations of antitoxin determined by the two assays were different; antitoxin values in these sera were titrated again by neutralisation tests in guinea pigs (GNT) . Antitoxin concentrations of greater than 0.01 IU/ml by GNT partly corresponded to values obtained in both ELISA and TC . Only the values from TC agreed with lower GNT results . Heat inactivation of sera was investigated and rejected as a possible reason for the discrepancy in the results . ELISA can be used to detect levels of less than 0.1 IU/ml, although the accuracy below 0.01 IU/ml, often considered a protective level, is questionable . At higher levels ELISA was reproducible for the titration of diphtheria antitoxin in human sera and offers a useful alternative to both in-vivo assays and TC. J Med Microbiol, 1988 Apr, 25(4), 253 - 9 Nitrate- and nitrite-reducing bacteria in the achlorhydric stomach; Forsythe SJ et al.; The microbial composition of samples of gastric juice from eight achlorhydric patients was determined by aerobic and rigorously anaerobic culture techniques . Bacteria from 16 genera were commonly isolated, but representatives of only three genera, (streptococci, neisseriae and haemophili) were isolated from every patient . Nitrate and nitrite were both reduced by veillonellae, haemophili, staphylococci, corynebacteria, lactobacilli, flavobacteria and fusobacteria, but the potential rate of nitrate reduction by suspensions of veillonellae, Haemophilus parainfluenzae and members of the Enterobacteriaceae were up to ten times more rapid than the rate of nitrite reduction . Conversely, although all Neisseria spp . reduced nitrite only some strains reduced nitrate . Streptococci did not reduce nitrate . Streptococcus sanguis reduced nitrite when grown with haematin; other streptococci did not reduce nitrite . Bacterial nitrate and nitrite reduction were active over the pH range 6-8, similar to the pH range of the achlorhydric stomach . From a knowledge of the composition of the bacterial flora and their potential rates of nitrate and nitrite reduction under prevailing conditions, predictions were made about the tendency of nitrite to accumulate during nitrate reduction . Studies of the transient accumulation of nitrite by mixed cultures of H . parainfluenzae and N . subflava were consistent with these predictions . Haemophili and veillonellae could be responsible for the accumulation of nitrite in the gastric juice of some patients, whereas streptococci and neisseriae would tend to remove nitrite from the stomach as rapidly as it formed. Am J Clin Pathol, 1988 Apr, 89(4), 569 - 71 Corynebacterium xerosis septic arthritis; Valenstein P et al.; A 62-year-old man developed acute septic arthritis due to Corynebacterium xerosis . The patient was treated with ampicillin and rapidly recovered . To the authors' knowledge this is the only reported case of septic arthritis due to C . xerosis . Clinical features of this case and the five previously reported cases of diphtheroid arthritis are discussed. J Urol . 1988 Apr;139(4):810. Corynebacterium-induced cystitis with mucosal incrustations; Sofras F et al.; Alkaline-incrusted cystitis is a rare condition that was first described more than 70 years ago . Since then few cases have been reported . To our knowledge, we report the second such case in the literature in which Corynebacterium D2 was considered as the causative factor of incrusted cystitis. J Neurosurg, 1988 Apr, 68(4), 648 - 50 Corynebacterium Group JK pathogen in cerebrospinal fluid shunt infection . Report of two cases; Keren G et al.; The clinical and laboratory findings in two cases of aerobic Corynebacterium Group JK infection of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunts are described . These organisms have occasionally been reported as a cause of serious infections in man but have not been reported as a cause of shunt infection . In both cases, CSF pleocytosis was limited to 20 or 60 cells with variable protein and sugar values . Fever was a constant finding, frequently accompanied by signs of central nervous system dysfunction . Corynebacterium Group JK organisms are common contaminants of the normal skin flora . When isolated from the blood and/or the CSF of a patient with a CSF shunt who has symptoms and signs compatible with infection, the organism should not be dismissed as a contaminant . A significant feature of this group is its resistance to almost all presently available antibiotics including penicillin, the cephalosporins, and the aminoglycosides . These organisms are, however, sensitive to vancomycin. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1988 Apr, (4), 78 - 82 {Indices of diphtheria (antitoxic) immunity in the dynamics of the disease and its treatment in adults}; Pokrovskii VI et al.; A total of 1,034 serum samples from 618 persons, including patients with different forms of diphtheria, carriers of the toxigenic forms of Corynebacterium diphtheriae, and angina patients, were studied . Analysis of the incidence of antibodies to C . diphtheriae toxin and their titers revealed that in more than half of all diphtheria patients no antibodies to C . diphtheriae toxin were detected upon admission to hospital . At the same time in 26% of the patients no antibodies were detected during the whole period of the disease; in such patients the toxic and subtoxic forms of diphtheria were registered twice as often as in seropositive patients . In 31% of the patients seronegative by the moment of hospitalization a rapid increase in the titers of antibodies C . diphtheriae toxin was observed in the course of the disease, which was indicative of the secondary character of immune response in patients who had been immunized earlier. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 1988 Apr, 7(2), 190 - 3 Use of fosfomycin disks for isolation of diphtheroids; Wirsing von Koenig CH et al.; A fosfomycin disk (200 micrograms) placed on blood agar was used to select diphtheroids from clinical specimens . All Corynebacterium type strains tested, representing ten different groups of diphtheroids, and 150 toxigenic strains of Corynebacterium diphtheriae from different outbreaks, overgrew the fosfomycin disk, while other aerobic gram-positive rods had a large inhibition zone . The method increased the rate of isolation of diphtheroids in 1267 clinical specimens fivefold, from 1.4% to 7.6%, especially when the diphtheroids were found concomitantly with other bacteria . Overgrowth of the disk by other microorganisms occurred in 11% of the samples tested, but such microorganisms could easily be distinguished by culture morphology or Gram stain . Fosfomycin disks provide a simple, highly sensitive but not very specific aid for isolation of Corynebacterium diphtheriae and diphtheroids from clinical specimens. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 1988 Apr, 7(2), 178 - 82 Ceftazidime sodium carbonate versus ceftazidime arginine as empirical monotherapy in febrile neutropenic patients; Verhagen C et al.; A prospective randomized trial was conducted to determine the efficacy and safety of ceftazidime sodium carbonate versus a new arginine formulation of ceftazidime as empirical monotherapy in 100 febrile neutropenic patients . The clinical cure rate for ceftazidime sodium carbonate was 91% and for ceftazidime arginine 83% . Forty-two infections could be confirmed bacteriologically . Bacteriological cure rates were 87% and 81% respectively . Only one fatal infection-related outcome occurred during the first three days of therapy (ceftazidime arginine, Corynebacterium parvum) . No failures were recorded in bacteriologically proven gram-negative infections . Ceftazidime was confirmed to be safe and effective as empirical monotherapy in febrile neutropenic patients . The arginine formulation is as effective and safe as the sodium carbonate formulation, but easier to handle. Mol Gen Genet, 1988 Apr, 212(1), 105 - 11 General organization of the genes specifically involved in the diaminopimelate-lysine biosynthetic pathway of Corynebacterium glutamicum; Yeh P et al.; We utilized diaminopimelate-lysine mutants of Escherichia coli K12 to clone the genes specifically involved in the Corynebacterium glutamicum diaminopimelate-lysine anabolic pathway . From a cosmid genomic bank of C . glutamicum strain AS019, we isolated cosmids pSM71, pSM61 and pSM531, that are respectively able to complement dapA/dapB, dapD, and lysA mutants of E . coli . DNA hybridization analysis indicates that these complementing genes are located on the chromosome of C . glutamicum in at least three separate transcription units . Subcloning of parental cosmids in dapA, dapD, and lysA mutants of E . coli localized these genes, respectively, within 1.4, 3.4, and 1.8 kb fragments, cloned in an E . coli/C . glutamicum shuttle vector . Enzymatic analysis in C . glutamicum identified the dapA-complementing gene as L-2,3-dihydrodipicolinate synthetase (dapA), and the lysA-complementing gene as meso-diaminopimelate decarboxylase (lysA) . In contrast, complementation of E . coli dapD8, presumably lacking L-delta 1-tetrahydrodipicolinate synthetase (dapD), led us to clone a diaminopimelate-lysine anabolic gene of C . glutamicum which does not exist in E . coli: meso-diaminopimelate dehydrogenase . Although meso-diaminopimelate is crucial in lysine formation and in cell wall biosynthesis, expression of the genomic copies of the cloned genes, which encode activities involved at key branching points of the diaminopimelate-lysine pathway of C . glutamicum, appears constitutive with regard to the addition of diaminopimelate and/or lysine during cell growth. Chemioterapia, 1988 Apr, 7(2), 101 - 4 Efficacy of teicoplanin as antimicrobial treatment of severe nosocomial infections caused by gram-positive bacteria: a preliminary study; Micozzi A et al.; We used single daily intravenous teicoplanin as therapy for 12 severe nosocomial infections caused by gram-positive bacteria . A daily dosage of 3-6 mg/kg was usually adopted; however, in selected cases the dosage was increased to 8-9.5 mg/day on the basis of serum bactericidal monitoring . Most of these infections were life-threatening and included ventriculitis/meningitis (3 cases), sepsis (3 cases), mediastinitis (1 case) and extensive burn wound infection (1 case) . Staphylococcus aureus was by far the most frequent pathogen and methicillin-resistant strains were isolated in 7 out of 9 infections caused by this organism . The remaining isolates were Staphylococcus epidermidis, JK Corynebacterium, Streptococcus agalactiae and Propionilbacterium acnes . Additional antibiotics were used in 5 cases for concomitant gram-negative bacillus etiology (2 cases), granulocytopenia (2 cases), superinfection (1 case) . Overall a clinical success and microbial eradication were documented in 100% and 91% of 12 cases, respectively . Except one case of fever, no other major adverse effect was observed and no patient required trial therapy discontinuation . In conclusion, our preliminary data seem to suggest a satisfactory activity of teicoplanin against nosocomial gram-positive infections. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1988 Apr, 32(4), 434 - 7 Synergistic activity between vancomycin or teicoplanin and gentamicin or tobramycin against pathogenic diphtheroids; Spitzer PG et al.; The in vitro activities of vancomycin and teicoplanin alone and in combination with gentamicin or tobramycin were studied by time-kill techniques with 11 strains of pathogenic diphtheroids (Corynebacterium group JK) . The activities of vancomycin and teicoplanin were similar (MIC for 90% of strains tested {MIC90}, 1 microgram/ml), as were those of gentamicin and tobramycin (the MIC90 was 1 microgram/ml for five aminoglycoside-susceptible strains, and the MIC90 was greater than 1,024 micrograms/ml for six aminoglycoside-resistant strains) . No consistent synergistic killing could be demonstrated by the combination of glycopeptide and aminoglycoside antibiotics at arbitrarily chosen concentrations within the range of clinically achievable levels . However, by careful adjustment of both vancomycin and gentamicin concentrations within a narrow range below the MIC of each antibiotic, synergistic killing could be seen with an aminoglycoside-susceptible strain but not with an aminoglycoside-resistant strain . Synergism between glycopeptide and aminoglycoside antibiotics occurs with some diphtheroid organisms, but it may not be clinically relevant. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 1988 Apr, 7(2), 232 - 7 Epidemiology of diphtheria: polypeptide and restriction enzyme analysis in comparison with conventional phage typing; Krech T et al.; Several methods for epidemiological typing of Corynebacterium diphtheriae were compared with the well accepted phage typing analysis . For this purpose, isolates from outbreaks of diphtheria in specific areas of the FRG and Sweden were analyzed by phage typing, their bacterial polypeptide profiles were examined and their phage-DNA restriction enzyme patterns were compared . All techniques were able to identify whether certain outbreaks were epidemiologically linked or not . Phage typing and phage-DNA restriction enzyme fragment analysis were limited in their application to lysogenic strains, whereas bacterial polypeptide analysis was universally applicable . Analysis of bacterial polypeptides was superior to all methods, especially in terms of speed and simplicity. Mol Gen Genet, 1988 Apr, 212(1), 112 - 9 Nucleotide sequence of the lysA gene of Corynebacterium glutamicum and possible mechanisms for modulation of its expression; Yeh P et al.; Sequence analysis localized the lysA gene of Corynebacterium glutamicum strain AS019 within a 1.35 kb open reading frame, potentially encoding a 445 amino acid product . Immediately downstream from this gene we found a potential rho-independent transcription terminator, while the 5' flanking region (300 bp) harbors unusual topological and structural features, located in the vicinity of a potential ribosome binding site . Within this upstream region, enzymatic and genetic analyses indicated the occurrence of a promoter responsible for significant, although weak, expression of the encoded enzymatic activity . The same significant expression level was observed with a plasmid harboring an additional 0.5 kb of genomic information upstream from lysA, while its full expression apparently requires 2 kb of additional genomic information located immediately upstream from the cloned gene . The upstream sequence requirement apparently associated with the full expression of the lysA gene of C . glutamicum shows some similarity with the Escherichia coli system. Jpn J Pharmacol, 1988 Mar, 46(3), 247 - 54 Liver injury model in mice for immunopharmacological study; Nagai H et al.; Experimental liver injury was produced in mice by the immunological technique . The utility of these models as an immunopharmacological method was investigated . The first model was produced by the injection of anti-basic liver protein (BLP) rabbit antibody into DBA/2 mice that had been previously immunized with rabbit IgG . The second liver injury was caused by injection of anti-liver specific protein (LSP) rabbit antibody into DBA/2 mice . The third model was produced by the injection of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into Corynebacterium parvum pretreated ddY mice . In all injury models, extensive liver parenchymal cell damage was estimated by elevation of glutamate transaminase (GOT and GPT) activity . These were confirmed by histopathological studies of the liver . Typical histopathological changes in the liver from injured mice were submassive hepatocellular necrosis and infiltration of granulocytes and lymphocytes into the portal tract and sinusoid in the necrotic lesion . Administration of prednisolone and cyclophosphamide for 10 days prior to injection of eliciting antibodies or LPS suppressed the elevation of serum transaminase levels in all experimental liver injury models . Cianidanol and sylibin inhibited the elevation of GOT and GPT in anti-BLP induced liver injured mice . These evidences suggest that the above models are suitable for investigating the remedy for liver diseases. Am J Vet Res, 1988 Mar, 49(3), 295 - 9 Rhodococcus (Corynebacterium) equi: bactericidal capacity of neutrophils from neonatal and adult horses; Martens JG et al.; The capacity of hematogenous polymorphonuclear neutrophilic leukocytes (PMNL) to kill Rhodococcus equi was compared in horses of various ages . A radioisotope bactericidal assay was used to determine the capacity of PMNL to kill R equi . Assays were conducted on PMNL from horses in 3 groups: group I, 13 foals with a mean age of 3.3 days; group II, 10 group-I foals at a mean age of 35.7 days; and group III, adult dams of group-I foals . Bacteria were obtained from the lungs of a foal with R equi pneumonia and opsonized with fresh adult equine serum that contained R equi specific antibody . The mean peak percentage of R equi killed by PMNL was 78.9 for group I, 90.1 for group II, and 87.9 for group III . There was no significant difference (P greater than 0.05) among groups; however, 15% of foals in group I (2 foals) had a mean peak percentage of 30.5 killed, which was significantly (P less than 0.05) lower than the percentage for other foals in group I . The results of our investigation indicated that the capacity of PMNL to kill opsonized R equi is similar in neonatal, young, and adult horses . However, some neonatal foals have a substantially lower capacity to kill R equi, which may be an important factor in the pathogenesis of R equi infections. Am J Vet Res, 1988 Mar, 49(3), 327 - 9 Effect of naturally occurring intramammary infections by minor pathogens on new infections by major pathogens in cattle; Rainard P et al.; New mammary infections were recorded in 3 dairy herds during a lactation period by bacteriologic examination of milk samples at 3-week intervals . Influences of the infection status of quarters at the time of new infection and of microorganisms responsible for bacterial invasion were analyzed . The new infection rate in uninfected quarters was about 3 times the rate in quarters already harboring bacterial considered minor pathogens (coagulase-negative staphylococci and Corynebacterium bovis) or major pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus, streptococci) . The frequency of new infections with major pathogens was almost halved by preexisting infections with minor pathogens (P = 0.05), mainly because of coagulase-negative staphylococci (P = 0.05) and, to a lesser extent, C bovis (P = 0.19) . New infections by minor pathogens also were less frequent in quarters harboring a major pathogen (P less than 0.05), indicating that the competition or antagonism between mammary infections was a general phenomenon. Am J Vet Res, 1988 Feb, 49(2), 198 - 200 Effects of source and washing of erythrocytes on growth of bacterial pathogens from the bovine mammary gland; Shearer JK et al.; Effects of source and washing of RBC on quantitative growth and hemolytic zone sizes of common bacterial pathogens of the bovine mammary gland were evaluated . Blood samples used to prepare the blood agar media were obtained from 10 adult dairy cows, 10 dairy calves, and 10 sheep . Hemolytic zone sizes produced by Staphylococcus aureus were significantly (P less than 0.01) larger on blood agar prepared with washed RBC than on blood agar prepared with nonwashed RBC, regardless of RBC source . With the exception of Corynebacterium bovis, growth of all bacteria was equivalent or significantly higher on medium prepared with washed RBC, compared with that on medium prepared with nonwashed RBC, regardless of RBC source . Significantly higher numbers of C bovis (P less than 0.01) and Streptococcus agalactiae (P less than 0.01) were isolated on medium prepared with washed cow RBC . Significantly higher numbers of Str uberis (P less than 0.01) and S aureus (P less than 0.05) were isolated on medium prepared with washed sheep RBC and washed calf RBC, respectively . Growth of Escherichia coli was not affected by the RBC source . Seemingly, RBC used in the preparation of medium should be washed . The source of RBC, as well as inter-animal variation, also should be considered in the quality control of medium. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 1988 Feb, 7(1), 63 - 6 Comparative in vitro activity of the new quinolone fleroxacin (RO 23-6240); Verschraegen G et al.; RO 23-6240 (fleroxacin), pefloxacin, augmentin, cefaclor, cef-uroxime, ceftazidime, vancomycin, piperacillin and amikacin were tested against a wide variety of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria . The MICs of fleroxacin were very similar to those of pefloxacin . Against all the bacterial groups tested, the quinolones compared favorably with the other antimicrobials tested, particularly against the more resistant species such as Corynebacterium group JK and D2 and methicillin-resistant staphylococci. Scand J Immunol, 1988 Feb, 27(2), 187 - 94 Specific lymphoproliferation, gamma interferon production, and serum immunoglobulin G directed against a purified 32 kDa mycobacterial protein antigen (P32) in patients with active tuberculosis; Huygen K et al.; Twenty-one patients treated for active tuberculosis were examined for immune reactivity to purified protein derivative (PPD) and to a purified 32-kDa protein antigen (P32) from Mycobacterium bovis, strain BCG . Lymphoproliferation of peripheral blood leucocytes to PPD and P32 was positive in 95% and 71% of the patients respectively . A positive IFN-gamma response was detected in 62% against PPD and in 48% against P32 . Low blastogenesis and IFN-gamma production were observed, especially in patients with poor general health and advanced tuberculous lesions . Twelve out of twelve (100%) of the tuberculin-positive healthy volunteers responded to PPD and P32 with mean lymphoproliferation and IFN-gamma values that were higher than in the patient group . Twelve tuberculin-negative control subjects were completely unreactive to PPD and P32 antigen . On the other hand, IgG antibodies in the serum were detected in 95% of the patients against PPD, in 77% of the patients against P32 but in none of the tuberculin-positive or negative healthy volunteers . The highest IgG levels against PPD were found in those patients with the lowest in vitro lymphoproliferation and IFN-gamma production (r = -0.54; P less than 0.05) . Nonspecific interferon production following induction with Newcastle disease virus, Corynebacterium parvum, or phytohaemagglutinin was comparable in the control and patient groups . Finally, low IFN-alpha titres were detected in the serum of about 50% of the patients. Epidemiol Infect, 1988 Feb, 100(1), 83 - 90 The use of SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in epidemiological studies of Corynebacterium diphtheriae; Hallas G; Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of cell proteins was investigated as a possible typing method for Corynebacterium diphtheriae . A method was developed using stock strains which were representatives of the five gravis serotypes described by Robinson & Peeney (1936) . This technique was then applied to recent isolates sent to our laboratory for identification. Ophthalmology, 1988 Feb, 95(2), 156 - 61 Chronic vitritis with macrophagic inclusions . A sequela of treated endophthalmitis due to a coryneform bacterium; Margo CE et al.; A 75-year-old woman was treated successfully for endophthalmitis due to a coryneform bacterium contracted from a contaminated corneal graft . We were able to study the involved eye histologically when the patient died unexpectedly 5 1/2 weeks after treatment . The vitreous contained a moderate number of macrophages filled with PAS-positive particles . Ultrastructurally, the PAS-positive particles corresponded to degenerating bacterial cell walls . The striking resemblance of the macrophages in this case to macrophages in Whipple's disease is intriguing because Corynebacterium has been the most frequently implicated bacterial genus in the pathogenesis of Whipple's disease. Lab Anim Sci, 1988 Feb, 38(1), 42 - 5 Naturally occurring subclinical Corynebacterium kutscheri infection in laboratory rats: strain and age related antibody response; Suzuki E et al.; Naturally occurring subclinical Corynebacterium kutscheri infection was analyzed by antibody response related to the strain of rats . Wistar-Lewis, Wistar and Spraque-Dawley rats were high responders in seroconversion rates and antibody titers, while Brown Norway and Fischer rats were low responders . The antibody response was related to age also . Some young rats had maternal antibody to C . kutscheri, but antibody disappeared before 8 weeks of age . Rats were antibody-negative for several months thereafter and became antibody-positive after 6 months of age . The antibody response was highest at 8 to 9 months of age in subclinical C . kutscheri infection . This antibody response was very late, compared to the antibody response to Sendai virus and Mycoplasma infections. Am J Vet Res, 1988 Feb, 49(2), 223 - 6 Biochemical and genetic characterization of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis; Songer JG et al.; Isolates (n = 94) of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis were obtained from sheep, goats, horses, and cattle from various parts of the world . The isolates were characterized biochemically and by restriction endonuclease analysis of DNA . We found near homogeneity in the ability of isolates to ferment carbohydrates and to produce urease . All isolates produced phospholipase D and catalase . The ability of isolates from horses to reduce nitrate, the inability of isolates from sheep and goats to do so, and the correlation of this characteristic with results of restriction endonuclease analyses confirmed the existence of 2 biovars of C pseudotuberculosis . We propose that these biovars be referred to as biovar equi for isolates that reduce nitrate and biovar ovis for isolates that fail to do so. N Engl J Med, 1988 Jan 7, 318(1), 12 - 4 Molecular epidemiology of the 1984-1986 outbreak of diphtheria in Sweden; Rappuoli R et al.; Despite mass vaccination against diphtheria, many people have antibody titers below the protective level of 0.01 IU per milliliter . A recent outbreak of diphtheria in Sweden caused 17 clinical cases of diphtheria in the city of Goteborg; three of the patients died . A satellite outbreak occurred in Stockholm after a few months' delay . Using a new genetic probe, we analyzed 36 strains of Corynebacterium diphtheriae isolated in Sweden and Denmark during the period 1976 to 1986 . Although the 36 strains can be classified in 17 different groups of C . diphtheriae (several of them containing toxigenic strains), all the clinical and fatal cases of diphtheria were caused by isolates from the same group, strongly suggesting that the outbreak in Sweden was caused by a single strain that possibly had a virulence factor separate from toxigenicity . This strain may have been imported into Sweden from Denmark, since it was isolated for the first time in Copenhagen in 1983, before the outbreak in Sweden. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1988 Jan, 85(2), 607 - 11 Synergy between tumor necrosis factor and bacterial products causes hemorrhagic necrosis and lethal shock in normal mice; Rothstein JL et al.; We find a strong synergism between tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and bacteria or their products . Endotoxin-"free" recombinant TNF, even at very high doses (160 micrograms), did not alone cause hemorrhagic necrosis (HN) in the skin of normal mice . Similarly, TNF alone had a low systemic toxicity in tumor- and pathogen-free mice . However, TNF given intravenously with nanogram quantities of the endotoxin lipopolysaccharide caused lethal shock . Furthermore, subcutaneous injection of lipopolysaccharide made skin susceptible to subsequent induction of HN by TNF injected in the same site 24 hr later . Mycoplasma-infected cells or corynebacteria also synergized with TNF to cause HN or lethal shock . In addition, we find that lymphotoxin, a cytokine functionally and genetically related to TNF, also synergized with the bacteria to cause HN, whereas interleukin 1 alpha or interferon gamma did not . Together, the results indicate that a synergy between TNF and bacteria or their products causes HN and lethal shock in normal mice. Scand J Infect Dis, 1988, 20(3), 339 - 40 Corynebacterium haemolyticum septicemia in a girl with mononucleosis infectiosa; Goudswaard J et al.; Many isolates of Corynebacterium are dismissed as contaminants by technicians and microbiologists in the laboratory . We report the isolation of Corynebacterium haemolyticum from the blood of a 15-year-old girl with mononucleosis infectiosa and conclude that this species should be considered as a possible pathogen and not only be regarded as innocent bacteria, particularly in the immunocompromised host. Immunopharmacology, 1988 Jan-Feb, 15(1), 1 - 10 Correction of defective tumoricidal activity of macrophages from A/J mice by liposomal immunomodulators; Phillips NC et al.; The ability of liposomal immunomodulators to restore abnormal macrophage tumoricidal activity has been studied . Macrophages from A/J mice have impaired responses in vitro to macrophage activating factor, gamma-interferon, N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine (MDP) or lipopolysaccharide when compared with macrophages from normoresponsive C57BL/6J mice . Liposomes containing a lipophilic muramyl dipeptide MDP-glyceroyl dipalmitate, macrophage activating factor or gamma-interferon restored tumoricidal activity to levels similar to C57BL/6J macrophages . Pretreatment of A/J mice with Corynebacterium parvum resulted in low levels of macrophage tumoricidal activity: treatment of C . parvum-induced A/J macrophages in vivo or in vitro with liposomal MDP-glyceroyl dipalmitate or liposomal macrophage activating factor resulted in normal levels of cytotoxicity . Macrophages from A/J mice were unable to phagocytose liposomes in vitro as rapidly or to the same extent as macrophages from C57BL/6J mice . The levels of cytotoxicity observed indicate that this is not a limiting factor for the induction of tumoricidal activity by liposomal immunomodulators. Am J Vet Res, 1988 Jan, 49(1), 58 - 62 Bacteriologic and histologic studies of hepatic abscesses in cattle; Lechtenberg KF et al.; Twenty-eight abscessed livers were collected from feedlot cattle at an abattoir; specimens were obtained from 49 abscesses for bacteriologic culture and for histologic examination . Cultural procedures included techniques to enumerate and isolate facultative and obligate anaerobic bacteria . Anaerobic bacteria were isolated from all 49 abscesses, whereas facultative bacteria were isolated from only 22 . Mean bacterial counts for anaerobic and facultative bacteria were 3 X 10(8) and 8 X 10(8) bacteria/g of purulent material, respectively . Fusobacterium necrophorum, the only anaerobe isolated, was detected in 100% of the abscesses . Fusobacterium necrophorum biotype A was isolated from 57% of the abscesses (in pure culture from 75%), and F necrophorum biotype B was isolated from 47% of the abscesses (from 96% with mixed infections) . Corynebacterium pyogenes was the predominant facultative bacterium isolated . Histologic changes in abscesses were qualitatively similar; abscesses were pyogranulomatous, with a necrotic center surrounded by zones of inflammatory tissue . However, the severity of lesions varied, depending on the F necrophorum biotype involved . Portal triad fibrosis and bile-duct proliferation were most severe in biotype A and mixed biotype B infections and less severe in abscesses from which biotype B was isolated in pure culture. FEMS Microbiol Immunol, 1988 Jan, 1(1), 27 - 30 Inhibition of hydrogen peroxide release from activated macrophages by prior ingestion of erythrocytes or haemoglobin; Stewart LS et al.; Production of hydrogen peroxide by mouse peritoneal macrophages activated with Corynebacterium parvum was induced by incubating the cells with opsonised zymosan . H2O2 release was reduced by 47% when macrophages were preincubated with opsonised sheep erythrocytes . A significant decrease also occurred when the cells were preincubated with heat-denatured haemoglobin, but not when preincubated with opsonised erythrocyte ghosts, even though the latter were taken up by the macrophages . The ability of macrophages in an infected lesion to destroy microorganisms may therefore be impaired by ingestion of extravasated erythrocytes. Intensive Care Med, 1988, 15(1), 23 - 6 Corynebacterium JK: surgical infections in non-immunosuppressed patients; Lepape A et al.; Infection caused by Corynebacterium JK (CJK) has been recently described in immunocompromised patients . To evaluate the frequency of CJK infection among surgical and trauma intensive care patients, all patients with CJK isolations at clinical sites were reviewed . The criteria used were the presence of bacterial infection symptoms, isolation from significant sites and the efficiency of a vancomycin treatment . Eight patients were studied; 3 of them were considered infected, while 5 were judged only colonized . It is concluded that CJK infections can be a clinical problem in surgical trauma patients. Int J Immunopharmacol, 1988, 10(6), 729 - 37 Rosmarinic acid: a new inhibitor of complement C3-convertase with anti-inflammatory activity; Englberger W et al.; Rosmarinic acid (RA) is a naturally occurring compound, isolated from Rosmarinus officinalis or Melissa officinalis which inhibits the in vitro immunohaemolysis of antibody-coated sheep erythrocytes by guinea pig serum . In further experiments this reduced immunohaemolysis was found to be due to inhibition of the C3-convertase of the classical complement pathway . The threshold concentration for inhibition of C3-convertase was 10(-6) mol/l . RA with an optimal inhibitory concentration between 5 and 10 mumol/l., resulting in about 70% inhibition of haemolysis . However, higher concentrations of RA were less effective at inhibiting C3-convertase . The inhibition may not be specific for C3-convertase, since another serine protease, elastase, was also weakly inhibited by RA in vitro . RA also exhibited inhibitory activity in three in vivo models in which complement activation plays a role . Thus, RA (0.316-3.16 mg/kg i.m.) reduced paw oedema induced by cobra venom factor (CVF) in the rat, and at 1-100 mg/kg p.o . inhibited passive cutaneous anaphylaxis in the rat . In addition, at 10 mg/kg i.m . RA impaired in vivo activation by heat-killed Corynebacterium parvum (i.p.) of mouse macrophages, as measured by the decreased capacity of the activated macrophages to undergo the oxidative burst . RA (0.1-10 mg/kg i.m.) did not inhibit t-butyl hydroperoxide-induced paw oedema in the rat, indicating selectivity for complement-dependent processes. Biomed Pharmacother, 1988, 42(3), 217 - 20 The Corynebacterium granulosum-derived P40 immunomodulator exerts a synergistic effect on the activity of antiviral drugs in the treatment of experimental viral infections; Fattal-German M et al.; Comparative studies have been carried out on the effects on 2 viral-infection models (Herpes virus and influenza virus) of treatments consisting of either C . granulosum-derived immunomodulator P40, or of vidarabin or amantadine as antiviral drugs, or of combinations of vidarabin or amantadine with P40 . According to the modalities of administration of the P40 or of the antiviral drugs, the anti-infectious effect was more or less marked . In contrast, the combinations of P40 and antiviral drugs did not result in a cumulative effect but in significant synergy of the effects of each component of the treatments. Scand J Infect Dis, 1988, 20(1), 55 - 61 Corynebacterium group JK in a hematological ward: infections, colonization and environmental contamination; Telander B et al.; Because 2 patients with acute leukemia expired in septicemia with multiresistant Corynebacterium group JK (JK) the occurrence and significance of these bacteria in a hematological ward was analysed . During the following year JK was isolated in 6 other patients with acute leukemia, in 5 as a colonizing agent and in 1 as cause of an anorectal abscess . The environmental investigation with cultures from all patients, personnel and rooms in the ward disclosed heavy contamination with JK in 2 isolation rooms housing JK-colonized patients . Contamination with JK in other rooms was very sparse and there were no JK-positive cultures from personnel or other patients in the ward . Repeated environmental cultures taken after the JK-colonized patients left the isolation rooms showed sparse contamination with JK . Thus, JK strains can survive in the environment for a long time. J Cell Sci Suppl, 1988, 9, 151 - 67 Protein myristoylation as an intermediate step during signal transduction in macrophages: its role in arachidonic acid metabolism and in responses to interferon gamma; Aderem AA; The role of macrophages in the regulation of inflammation and immunity is, in part, due to their secretory repertoire . Among the important mediators released by macrophages are the products of both the cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways of arachidonic acid (20:4) metabolism . The principal focus of this paper is the mechanism by which bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) regulate 20:4 metabolism in macrophages . LPS has the capacity to prime macrophages for greatly enhanced 20:4 metabolism when the cells are subsequently challenged with a spectrum of triggers . Concomitant with priming, LPS also promotes the covalent attachment of myristic acid to a set of macrophage proteins . The time and concentration dependence of LPS-induced protein myristoylation is consistent with a role for myristoylation in LPS priming of the 20:4 cascade . One of the myristoylated proteins is a 68K (K = 10(3) Mr) protein kinase C substrate which associates with membranes upon myristoylation . LPS-primed macrophages show greatly increased phosphorylation of the 68K protein when the cells are subsequently treated with protein kinase C activating phorbol esters . It is proposed that the myristoylation of the 68K protein promotes its attachment to the membrane where it is more closely associated with activated protein kinase C (PKC), an association which would ensure more efficient catalysis during the mobilization and oxygenation of 20:4 . This paper also examines protein myristoylation during T-cell-mediated activation of macrophages . Immune-activated macrophages have an enhanced capacity to kill several infectious agents by oxidative mechanisms . The lymphokine gamma-interferon (IFN gamma) rapidly induces the myristoylation of a 48K protein . This 48K protein is also myristoylated in murine macrophages that have been activated in vivo by intraperitoneal injection of Corynebacterium parvum, suggesting that it may be an important intermediate in the activation of macrophages for enhanced microbicidal capacity. Int J Immunopharmacol, 1988, 10(4), 445 - 50 Effect of PSK, a protein-bound polysaccharide from Coriolus versicolor, on drug-metabolizing enzymes in sarcoma-180 bearing and normal mice; Fujita H et al.; The effects of PSK and Propionibacterium acnes (anaerobic Corynebacterium) on hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes were studied using sarcoma-180 bearing and non-tumor bearing mice . PSK had no influence on aminopyrine N-demethylase and aniline hydroxylase activities, cytochrome P-450 concentration in hepatic microsomes, and the reductase activity of cytochrome c in normal mice . The content of cytochrome P-450 was not significantly reduced in S-180 bearing mice . On the other hand, P . acnes administration significantly decreased the amount of cytochromes P-450 and b5 and aminopyrine N-demethylase activity . When FT-207 (Tegafur) was administered orally to S-180 bearing mice combined with the immunoadjuvants, only P . acnes significantly reduced the 5-FU levels in the serum and some organs. Scand J Infect Dis, 1988, 20(2), 173 - 6 Epidemiological typing of Corynebacterium diphtheriae isolated in Sweden 1984-1986; Hallander HO et al.; From September 1984 to December 1986 121 cases of culture-positive diphtheria were reported to the National Bacteriological Laboratory in Stockholm . Toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae nongravis was isolated from all but one of 33 patients with disease and from 69 healthy carriers . 63/65 toxigenic isolates, available for epidemiological typing, had the same phage type, 20, and the same restriction enzyme pattern, RE2 . This included strains isolated both from patients inside and outside of the traditional risk groups of people abusing alcohol and drugs . Non-toxigenic strains gave different phage types and RE patterns. Cancer Immunol Immunother, 1988, 26(3), 215 - 21 Correlation between increase in Ia-bearing macrophages and induction of T cell-dependent antitumor activity by Lactobacillus casei in mice; Kato I et al.; When Lactobacillus casei YIT 9018 (LC 9018) or Corynebacterium parvum, known to be immunomodulators possessing antitumor activity, were injected i.p . into BALB/c mice, peritoneal exudate macrophage Ia antigen detected by indirect immunofluorescence method was expressed on their cell surface, but it was not expressed following the injection of 10% proteose peptone, an inflammatory agent, or Lactobacillus fermentum YIT 0159 (LF 0159), which have no antitumor activity . The percentage and absolute number of Ia-positive peritoneal macrophages were maximum on the 7th day after the injection of LC 9018 . Immunization by injection of Meth A fibrosarcoma cells treated with mitomycin C (MMC-Meth A) 7 days after LC 9018 injection suppressed the growth of Meth A implanted i.p . 14 days after MMC-Meth A injection . A shorter interval between the injections of LC 9018 and MMC-Meth A did not allow suppression of Meth A growth . These results showed that the increase in Ia-positive macrophages in the peritoneal cavity coincided with the effective interval for induction of the antitumor activity by LC 9018 . The antitumor activity induced by injections of LC 9018 and MMC-Meth A did not affect the growth of RL male 1 leukemic cells, syngeneic to BALB/c mice . Neutralization (Winn type) tests showed that peritoneal T lymphocytes possessed tumor cytotoxicity and that the antitumor capacity was reduced by in vivo treatment with anti I-Ad monoclonal antibody simultaneously with and 1 day prior to MMC-Meth A injection . These results indicate that LC 9018-induced Ia-positive macrophages, which first encounter a tumor antigen in the peritoneal cavity, play an important role in the in vivo induction of tumor specific T cell-mediated antitumor immunity. Nat Immun Cell Growth Regul, 1988, 7(4), 193 - 215 Serotherapy of ovarian cancer; Lidor Y et al.; The development of monoclonal antibodies has permitted the identification of several ovarian-tumor-associated antigens which might serve as targets for serotherapy in vivo . With the exception of antibodies directed against growth factor receptors, unmodified monoclonal reagents must activate complement (C') components or bind effector cells to destroy tumor targets . Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) may be particularly important for eliminating tumor cells in vivo . A shortage of functionally active effector cells can limit the efficacy of serotherapy with heteroantisera or monoclonal reagents . The use of immunostimulants such as Corynebacterium parvum has increased the number and activity of effector cells for ADCC within the peritoneal compartment of mice and of patients with ovarian cancer . Intraperitoneal serotherapy can achieve direct contact between antibody and microscopic deposits of ovarian tumor cells which persist following cytoreductive operations and cytotoxic chemotherapy . Conjugation of monoclonal antibodies with radionuclides, drugs or toxins might increase the potency of serotherapy and circumvent the effector shortage . Clinical studies to date have evaluated radionuclide conjugates for imaging and for therapy . Patients with a small volume of disease have responded to treatment . Preclinical models suggest that drug and toxin conjugates might also prove active . Recent studies have demonstrated a synergistic interaction between different immunotoxins . Ovarian carcinoma is likely to be a valuable clinical model for evaluating immunoconjugates which react with epithelial tumor cells. Haemostasis, 1988, 18(3), 154 - 62 Differences between beige and bg/+ mice in the disruption of plasma proteinase regulation in the tumor-bearing state or following Corynebacterium parvum treatment . Evidence for the involvement of polymorphonuclear leukocyte proteinases; Hart DA; Mice bearing the B16 melanoma or treated with Corynebacterium parvum develop elevated levels of plasma neutral proteinase activity . Similar experiments carried out with C57BL/6-bg/bg (beige) mice, which are genetically deficient in polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) proteinases, revealed that such mice develop significantly diminished elevation in plasma proteinase activity compared to C57BL/6-bg/+ mice . Lysates of C . parvum elicited PMN from beige mice contained approximately 80% less neutral proteinase activity as did lysates of PMN from bg/+ mice . These results indicate that host cells, such as PMN, may become activated during the tumor progression, or following C . parvum treatment, causing degranulation and a subsequent elevation in plasma proteinase levels . If such an interpretation is correct, then this phenomenon may be the murine corollary to what has been observed in patients with certain inflammatory diseases or tumors. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1988 Jan, (1), 34 - 7 {Epidemiological surveillance of diphtheria infection in the territory of the Azerbaijan SSR}; Kasimova DIa; A complex of measures carried out with a view of effecting the epidemiological surveillance of diphtheria infection has made it possible to study the level and intensity of immunity to diphtheria and tetanus, determined in the passive hemagglutination test, in the child and adult population and to reveal groups, least protected against diphtheria infection . Bacteriological studies on the biological properties of Corynebacterium diphtheriae have revealed the contamination of various groups of children with this infective agents and permitted its complete characterization with the determination of its sero-, phago- and corycinovariants. G Batteriol Virol Immunol, 1988 Jan-Dec, 81(1-12), 10 - 24 Impairment of macrophage antiviral activity by soluble tumor products . Effects of bacterial immunomodulators; Bonina L et al.; The antiviral activities of normal rat peritoneal macrophages versus Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 were inhibited by sera from tumor-bearing rats and 3M KCl extracts of tumor mass . The inhibitory activity was demonstrated on the extrinsic as well as on the intrinsic macrophage functions . Sera from Corynebacterium parvum and Listeria monocytogenes treated tumor bearing rats did not inhibit these macrophages functions . Furthermore the 3 M KCl extracts from the tumor mass of the above treated TBR show a decrease in the capability to impair these macrophage functions . On the other hand, the treatment with the oral polyvalent adjuvant "Buccalin" was not able to restore the compromised antiviral activity in tumor bearing rats. Mol Microbiol, 1988 Jan, 2(1), 63 - 72 Nucleotide sequence and fine structural analysis of the Corynebacterium glutamicum hom-thrB operon; Peoples OP et al.; The complete nucleotide sequence of the Corynebacterium glutamicum hom-thrB operon has been determined and the structural genes and promoter region mapped . A polypeptide of Mr 46,136 is encoded by hom and a polypeptide of Mr 32,618 is encoded by thrB . Both predicted protein sequences show amino acid sequence homology to their counterparts in Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis . The promoter region has been mapped by S1-nuclease and deletion analysis . Located between -88, RNA start site and -219 (smallest deletion clone with complete activity) are sequence elements similar to those found in E . coli and B . subtilis promoters . Although there are no obvious attenuator-like structures in the 5'-untranslated region, there is a dyad-symmetry element, which may act as an operator. Mol Microbiol, 1988 Jan, 2(1), 53 - 62 Organization and regulation of the Corynebacterium glutamicum hom-thrB and thrC loci; Follettie MT et al.; The genes encoding the three terminal enzymes in the threonine biosynthetic pathway, homoserine dehydrogenase (hom), homoserine kinase (thrB) and threonine synthase (thrC) have been isolated from Corynebacterium glutamicum . The C . glutamicum hom and thrB genes were subcloned on a 3.6 kb SalI-generated chromosomal fragment . The C . glutamicum thrC gene was shown not to be linked to the hom-thrB locus . L-methionine represses the cloned homoserine dehydrogenase and homoserine kinase similar to that of the chromosomally encoded hom and thrB gene products . Northern hybridization analysis demonstrates that this repression is mediated at the level of transcription and that hom-thrB represents an operon in C . glutamicum. Life Sci, 1988, 42(20), 2019 - 27 Bone marrow derived macrophages have polyamine and ectoenzyme phenotypes distinct from resident macrophages; Dempsey WL et al.; Several prototype macrophage (MO) populations were compared for differences in ectoenzyme phenotype and polyamine content . Resident peritoneal MO and Corynebacterium parvum (CP)-activated peritoneal MO expressed unique ectoenzyme phenotypes, while bone marrow derived MO (BMDMO), obtained from stem cells after 7 days in culture with colony stimulating factor, and thioglycollate (TG)-elicited peritoneal MO exhibited a similar ectoenzyme phenotype . All of the MO populations, however, differed in polyamine accumulation patterns . These results suggest that ectoenzyme phenotypes do not serve as completely selective markers of MO differentiation . Moreover, BMDMO do not resemble steady state tissue peritoneal MO but appear to resemble inflammatory MO in several respects . Therefore activated BMDMO do not appear to provide an accurate model system for their continued use in studies to characterize the development of resident tissue MO. Med Microbiol Immunol (Berl), 1988, 177(1), 33 - 45 DNA methylation in leprosy-associated bacteria: Mycobacterium leprae and Corynebacterium tuberculostearicum; Hottat F et al.; The DNAs of two kinds of microorganisms from human leprosy lesion, Mycobacterium leprae and Corynebacterium tuberculostearicum (also known as "leprosy-derived corynebacterium" or LDC), have been analysed and compared with the genomes of reference bacteria of the CMN group (genera Corynebacterium, Mycobacterium and Nocardia) . The guanine-plus-cytosine content (% GC) of DNA was determined by a double-labelling procedure, which is unaffected by the presence of modified and unusual bases (that alter both buoyant density and mid-melting-point determinations) . Accordingly, the DNAs of seven LDC strains had GC values of 54-56 mol %, and that of armadillo-grown M . leprae a value of 54.8 +/- 0.9 mol % . Restriction patterns disclosed no methylated cytosine in the DNA sequences CCGG, GGCC, AGCT and GATC of either LDC or M . leprae DNA . N6-methyl adenine was present in the sequence GATC of all LDC strains, but was missing from the genomes of all others CMN organisms analysed, including M . leprae . By HPLC analysis of LDC-DNA hydrolysates, it was found that N6-methyladenine amounted to 1.8% of total DNA adenine, and was present exclusively within GATC sequences, which appeared all to be methylated . It is concluded that LDC represent a group of corynebacteria endowed with high genetic homogeneity and a unique restriction pattern, whereby their genome is easily distinguished from that of M . leprae, which has a similar base composition. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg, 1988, 82(1), 73 - 6 The use of non-specific immunopotentiators in experimental Trypanosoma cruzi infection; Abath FG et al.; The effects of levamisole, isoprinosine and Corynebacterium parvum on Trypanosoma cruzi (Y strain) experimental infection of mice were studied . In prophylactic treatment these drugs reduced the peak of parasitaemia, and had no apparent effect on mortality rate or on histopathological and electrocardiographic findings . Levamisole and isoprinosine had no effect when used after infection . Electrocardiograms were obtained from all chronic chagasic mice . The most frequent changes were left atrial overload and first degree atrio-ventricular block . These fin