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| Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz), 1980, 28(2), 345 - 55 Studies on acquired systemic resistance in mice with oral immunization with Shigella sonnei; Kowalewska D et al.; Virulent, viable Shigella sonnei bacilli introduced orally, induced in mice resistance against lethal intravenous (i.v.) infection with dysentery bacilli . The immunized animals survived lethal infection and also bacilli were effectively destroyed in the spleen and liver of the immunized animals . It was shown that orally induced immunity may be transferred into nonimmunized mice by means of serum and spleen cells taken on definite days after immunization of donors . Protective activity of serum appeared to be dependent on the presence of specific antibodies and was correlated with their titer . Protective activity of spleen cells occurred about 6 days after immunization of the cell donors with the bacilli . Cell suspensions, prepared from the spleens taken from donors on day 6, protected 100% of the recipients of these cells from lethal infection . Results of these studies indicate that bacterial infection developing in the intestine mobilizes besides local immunity also general immunity . Mechanism of the general immunity induced by orally administered dysentery bacilli is discussed. Rev Ig Bacteriol Virusol Parazitol Epidemiol Pneumoftiziol Bacteriol Virusol Parazitol Epidemiol, 1980 Jan-Mar, 25(1), 27 - 33 {Plesiomonas shigelloides isolated from 2 patients with acute enteritis}; Lucinescu S et al.; Three Plesiomonas shigelloides strains were isolated from 2 cases of acute enteritis . The bacilli developed in pure or predominantly pure cultures on ADCL and Istrati-Meitert isolation media . A description is given of the morphologic, cultural, biochemical properties and sensitivity of the strains to antibiotics . One of the patients presented agglutinins in a 1/40+ + titre . The arguments lending support to the causative role of these bacilli are discussed . It is for the first time that isolation of Plesiomonas shigelloides has been reported in Romania. J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus, 1980 Jan-Feb, 17(1), 48 - 51 Corneal ulceration due to Shigella flexneri; Kelinske M et al.; Shigella keratitis with ulceration is a rare occurrence with only four previous reports in the literature . Corneal ulceration appears to be characteristically superficial with a predilection for the inferior cornea . In the case reported here, resolution of ulceration occurred with the use of gentamicin and chloramphenicol, following a poor response to sulfacetamide . Experimental evidence strongly suggests that the course of infection is usually self-limited but that corneal scarring is a common sequelae . In the majority of the clinical cases reported to date, corneal ulceration has responded to appropriate antimicrobials with resolution, but has left residual opacification . To the extent that all of the cases were in young children, assessment of the degree of visual loss has been difficult to ascertain. Infect Immun, 1980 Jan, 27(1), 102 - 6 Action of bacterial lipopolysaccharide on the respiration of mouse liver mitochondria; McGivney A et al.; Escherichia coli O127:B8 lipopolysaccharide (LPS) inhibited oxygen consumption by isolated mouse liver mitochondria at 10 micrograms of LPS per mg of protein when glutamate + malate was the substrate and adenosine 5'-diphosphate had been added (state 3 respiration), but had little effect when adenosine 5'-diphosphate was not added (state 4 respiration) . LPS stimulated state 4 respiration at 10 micrograms/mg of mitochondrial protein when succinate was the substrate but had little effect on state 3 respiration . Lipid A from Shigella sonnei at 2 micrograms/mg of mitochondrial protein also stimulated state 4 respiration but did not affect state 3 respiration with succinate as the substrate . Lipid A, unlike LPS, caused a decrease in the adenosine 5'-diphosphate/O ratio . LPS at 100 micrograms/mg of mitochondrial protein impaired the reduction of cytochromes aa3, c, and b when succinate was the substrate but not when reduced nicotinamide dinucleotide, dithionite, or glutamate was the substrate. Albrecht Von Graefes Arch Klin Exp Ophthalmol, 1980, 214(1), 39 - 46 Shigella endotoxin-induced ocular inflammation in the normal and sensory denervated rabbit eye; Unger WG et al.; Injection of Shigella endotoxin (2 mug) into the vitreous chamber of a normal rabbit eye induces on infiltration of polymorphonuclear leucocytes, miosis, a moderately intense dilation of iris, conjunctival and limbal vessels, and a breakdown in the blood-aqueous and blood-vitreal barriers . Significant amounts of soluble blood protein and prostaglandin-like (PG) material are found in the aqueous and vitreous humours withdrawn at 24 h . Endotoxin injected into the sensory denervated eye elicits similar vascular changes which appear to occur less rapidly than in normal eyes . conversely, the levels of aqueous and vireal PG-like material, as well as the capacity of excised irides to form PG from exogenous precursors, seems greater in the denervated eyes . If PG is an important mediator of ocular changes in the early phases, the results suggest that the action of this inflammatory autacoid in facilitating the ocular changes is less effective in eyes deprived of functional sensory nerves. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1980 Jan, 17(1), 101 - 2 Rise and fall of shigella antibiotic resistance; Meyer PW et al.; Ampicillin resistance of shigellae first appeared in Omaha in 1971, peaked at 68% between 1973 and 1974, and declined to 7% between 1977 and 1978 . This reflected the rise and fall of strains with nine different multiple antibiotic resistance patterns that included ampicillin. J Recept Res, 1980, 1(2), 199 - 213 Interaction of Shigella shigae cytotoxin with receptors on sensitive and insensitive cells; Eiklid K et al.; The effect of a cytotoxin isolated from Shigella shigae has been tested on different cell lines . HeLa S3 cells, as well as some other human carcinoma cells, were killed by picomolar to femtomolar concentrations of the pure toxin, whereas certain other human carcinoma cells and a variety of non-epithelial cells from human tissue and from various animal tissues were resistant to-nanomolar concentrations of the toxin . Binding studies with 125 I-labelled Shigella shigae cytotoxin showed that the sensitive HeLa S3 cells contain 1.3 x 10(6) binding sites per cell, whereas in an insensitive HeLa cell line 2.6 x 10(5) sites per cell were measured . In all cases the apparent association constant, Ka was found to be about 10(10) M-1 . The binding occurred fairly rapidly, whereas dissociation of bound toxin occurred at a very slow rate, even in the presence of excess unlabaled toxin . All toxin sensitive cell lines bound similar amounts of toxin as HeLa S3 cells, whereas some of the resistant cell lines did not contain measurable amounts of toxin receptors. Scand J Rheumatol, 1980, 9(1), 17 - 23 Monocyte function in rheumatoid arthritis; Bar-Eli M et al.; Monocytes derived from peripheral blood of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) had a marked defect in their bactericidal activity against Staphylococcus albus and Listeria monocytogenes; whereas the phagocytic capacity of monocytes from RA patients for both Staph . albus and Shigella flexneri was similar to that of monocytes from healthy subjects . There were no significant differences between the patient and control groups with regard to antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) of monocyte against antibody-coated EL4 leukemia tumor cells . No correlation was observed between the rheumatoid factor (RF) titer in the serum of RA patients and the ADCC capacity of their monocytes . The ADCC of normal monocytes was reduced markedly following their incubation with serum from RA patients . It suggested that the defect in bactericidal activity in monocytes from RA patients may explain, at least in part, the susceptibility of RA patients to infections. J Clin Microbiol, 1980 Jan, 11(1), 65 - 7 Microscopic examination of stools from nonhuman primates as a way of predicting the presence of Shigella; Hirsh DC et al.; Microscopic examination of stool samples from captive nonhuman primates with diarrhea for the presence or absence of leukocytes or erythrocytes or both as a means of predicting the presence of Shigella spp . was performed . Analysis of the data multivariately by means of a log linear model did not show a three-way association between diarrhea, Shigella, and the presence or absence of cells. Vopr Med Khim, 1980 Jan-Feb, 26(1), 23 - 30 {Change in the nonesterified fatty acid makeup of Shigella flexneri No . 15172 type 3a in the process of passage on developing chick embryos}; Avkhutskaia GS et al.; Composition of nonesterified fatty acids/NEFAj from Shigella Flexneri was similar to that from other Gram-negative bacteria of the enteritic group . At the same time, NEFA of the dysenteric bacteria contained comparatively high amount of branched and cyclopropane-bearing fatty acids . Adaptation of Shigella Flexneri in the medium of developing chicken embryo led to a distinct increase in total NEFA content as well as of cyclopropane-bearing and saturated fatty acids in the bacteria and to a decrease in content of branched-chain and unsaturated fatty acids . Total content of NEFA and of unsaturated fatty acids was increased, but their qualitative composition became poor in amnions of developing chicken embryons under conditions of their infection with the Shigella. Zentralbl Bakteriol A, 1980, 248(1), 81 - 90 Studies on bacteriocin production and sensitivity of Klebiella strains using the Abbott-Shannon sets of standard strains; Israil AM; In the present study, the bacteriocin production of 308 Klebsiella strains and bacteriocin sensitivity of 131 Klebsiella strains were investigated by help of the two Abbott and Shannon sets of standard strains for colicin typing of Shigella sonnei . 63% of Klebsiella strains were found to be bacteriocin producers . Although a certain bacteriocin production pattern was predominant in 8 of 11 outbreaks studied it could not be demonstrated that this marker could confer any epidemiological relationship among the strains of the same focus . 70% of Klebsiella strains were colicin sensitive . Three different patterns of colicin sensitivity were described and one of them was predominant (in 89% of cases) . Three different patterns of colicin sensitivity were described and one of them was predominant (in 89% of cases) . Some particular aspects of colicin sensitivity in strains isolated from 2 subjects of the same focus are pointed out and the significance of this market for epidemiologicala strains were colicin sensitive . Three different patterns of colicin sensitivity were described and one of them was predominant (in 89% of cases) . Some particular aspects of colicin sensitivity in strains isolated from 2 subjects of the same focus are pointed out and the significance of this market for epidemiological studies is discussed. Zentralbl Bakteriol A, 1980, 248(1), 38 - 44 Studies on R-plasmid-determined drug resistance in serotypes 792 (E . coli O 28a28c:K73) and 145-46 (E . coli O 164); Trifonova A et al.; The drug resistance of 2368 strains belonging to serotypes 792 (E . coli O 28a28c:K73) and 145-46 (E . coli O 164) was studied . These serotypes were commonly found as causative agents of dysentery-like diseases in Bulgaria . It was established that the percentage of resistant strains of serotype 792 was by factor 2 higher than in serotype 145-46 . This finding was connected to the epidemic spread of this serotype in children communities, where the antibiotic therapy is a routine practice . A great diversity was found in the drug resistance types . The tetracycline type ranged first, followed by the chloramphenicol, ampicillin, streptomycin, sulfonamide, tetracycline type . A large part of the resistant strains carried R-plasmids . Fin + R-plasmids, coding for a synthesis of F-specific pili and determining multiple drug resistance, were most frequently found . Some R-plasmids of serotype 792 strains inhibited the growth of several Shigella bacteriophages, whereas R-plasmids of serotype 145-46 did not show any inhibiting activity . It is suggested to use the type of drug resistance and the characteristics of R-plasmids as supplementary epidemiological markers. Johns Hopkins Med J, 1979 Dec, 145(6), 209 - 16 Mucus-stimulating substances in human body fluids assayed in an invertebrate mucous cell system; Bang BG et al.; An in vitro cell system has been shown to respond differentially to body fluids from normal subjects and from those with disorders of mucus secretion . The urn cell complex of the marine invertebrate Sipunculus nudus responds to mucus-stimulating substances (MSS) in normal human lacrimal fluids and stool filtrates by producing mucus . The process of mucus secretion can be directly observed, and the amount produced can be measured, in a calibrated light microscope . MSS are decreased in lacrimal fluids of patients with dry-eye conditions, while they are periodically increased in filtered stools of patients with acute Shigella dysentery and acute cholera . MSS are remarkably increased isotonic dilutions of sera of rabbits with acute mucoid enteritis, but are absent from sera of normal rabbits . MSS are present in isotonic dilutions of normal human sera which are heated to 85 degrees C for 4 minutes, but are absent from similarly processed sera of immunosuppressed patients . Mean MSS values of heated sera of children with cystic fibrosis are higher than those of controls . The active factor in tears and serum is a large molecule and is heat-stable. J Bacteriol, 1979 Dec, 140(3), 1129 - 32 Siderophore synthesis in Klebsiella pneumoniae and Shigella sonnei during iron deficiency; Perry RD et al.; Klebsiella pneumoniae 298/53 and Shigella sonnei 43-GG9 exhibited restricted growth and enterochelin synthesis only under iron-deficient conditions . S . sonnei also produced an unidentified secondary hydroxamate siderophore. J Immunol, 1979 Dec, 123(6), 2558 - 62 Lipid A from endotoxin: antigenic activities of purified fractions in liposomes; Banerji B et al.; Isolation of lipid A by acid hydrolysis of Shigella flexneri lipopolysaccharide resulted in a product that consisted of a heterogeneous mixture of bands when visualized by thin layer chromatography . Differential extraction with ethyl acetate and chloroform, or extraction with EDTA, followed by chloroform-methanol-water (Bligh-Dyer extraction), or a combination of both extraction schemes, resulted in partial purification of immunologically active lipid A . Eight fractions were purified further by preparative thin layer chromatography, and each of the fractions had phosphate, carbohydrate, and esterified fatty acids . Upon incorporation into liposomes, five of the eight purified fractions reacted with anti-lipid A serum, but the three fractions with the most number of esterified fatty acids failed to react with anti-lipid A serum . At least one fraction that originally was unreactive with anti-lipid A serum became reactive as a hapten inhibitor upon removal of esterified fatty acids by alkaline hydrolysis . Alkali-treated fractions from "unreactive" and "reactive" lipid A had similar activities as hapten inhibitors . Our data suggest that lipid A can exist in multiple forms that differ by the number and placement, and possibly by the type, of fatty acids linked to the carbohydrate of lipid A . Highly acylated forms of lipid A do not react with antiserum against the unpurified lipid A mixture, but removal of fatty acids does expose immunoreactive groups. Cutis, 1979 Nov, 24(5), 514 - 23 Reiter's disease: modern concepts; Good AE; Reiter's disease (RD) is a reactive arthritis syndrome in which arthritis, conjunctivitis, dermatitis, and urethritis are the main features . It may be an acute and self-limited disease or it may cause severe debilitation . It generally follows an infectious episode, such as Shigella dysentery or nonspecific urethritis . Recent evidence has shown that patients in whom RD develops have a genetic disposition since the presence of HLA-B27 correlates highly with RD . Therapy of RD involves supportive care. Rev Ig Bacteriol Virusol Parazitol Epidemiol Pneumoftiziol Bacteriol Virusol Parazitol Epidemiol, 1979 Oct-Dec, 24(4), 213 - 22 {Studies concerning dysenteric infections in a closed children's community before and after antidysenteric vaccination . I . Epidemiological considerations on acute intestinal infections}; Dragomir I et al.; In the closed children's community studied between 1 Jan . 1976 and 13 June 1977, a high proportion (54%) of the total number of acute intestinal infections was of dysenteric etiology, i.e . 46,9% in the 0--1 year age-group and 21,1% in the 1--3 years age-group, the dominant Shigella subtype being represented by Shigella flexneri 2a (25.1%) . As only 37.2% of the total number of dysentery cases were manifested by enterocolitis and a high proportion (33.3%) ran a chronic course, the disease was not immediately diagnosed, an inadequate treatment was applied and a great number of carriers appeared . This, together with the high receptivity of such communities, accounts for the endemoepidemic character of the infection . Antidysenteric vaccination with the VADIZEN Dr . Istrati live bacillus vaccine, followed by a period of postvaccinal protection, with diminution in the number of dysentery, carriage and enteritis cases, both among the vaccinated and the non-vaccinated children, proves the utility of this vaccine in closed children's communities. Rev Ig Bacteriol Virusol Parazitol Epidemiol Pneumoftiziol Bacteriol Virusol Parazitol Epidemiol, 1979 Oct-Dec, 24(4), 207 - 12 {Characteristics of the outbreak and control of an epidemic of bacillary dysentery of hydric origin}; Paraschivescu I et al.; In December 1978, an unexpected outbreak of acute gastroenteritis occurred in a shoe factory . The clinical, epidemiological and laboratory investigations established the hydric origin of the dysentery due to Shigella flexneri 3 a, caused by the illicit communication of the drinking water and industrial water mains . The antiepidemic measures promptly taken arrested the outbreak in three days ; there were no secondary, contact cases. Antibiotiki, 1979 Oct, 24(10), 750 - 5 {Results of testing a new method of using antibiotics in nutrient media for the isolation of Shigella: the 2-streak method}; Priamukhina NS et al.; A new variant of media with antibiotics for isolation of Shigella, i.e . a method of 2 streaks each containing different antibiotics was tested in analysis of excrements from patients with acute dysentery . It was found that the new method is more effective than the well known method of gradient plates (isolation of Shigella in one series of the experiments amounted to 85.2 and 64.7 per cent respectively, and in the other series of the experiments the respective figures were 95.4 and 89.3 per cent) . Its efficiency was lower as compared to the procedure of inoculation onto 2 plates, i.e . onto the media with and without an antibiotic (isolation of Shigella was 67.5 and 77.4 per cent respectively) . The new method provided a higher frequency of Shigella isolation as compared to inoculation onto the media without an antibiotic, as well as onto any of the media used with one antibiotic . The method of 2 streaks offers wider possibilities for choosing the antibiotics for adding to the nutrient medium, as well as estimation of the antibioticograms and species structures of Shigella distributed in a concrete area. J Rheumatol, 1979 Sep-Oct, 6(5), 562 - 6 Search for Reiter's syndrome after an outbreak of Shigella sonnei dysentery; Kaslow RA et al.; Forty-seven % of 4,205 individuals living in a Puerto Rican community developed Shigella sonnei dysentery . Questionnaire and, where relevant, clinical evaluation of 1,970 patients and the remaining 2,235 unaffected residents disclosed no cases of Reiter's syndrome (RS) . Among the possible explanations for failure to observe any cases is the important suggestion that S . sonnei is not arthritogenic. Clin Gastroenterol, 1979 Sep, 8(3), 645 - 62 Shigella infections; Keusch GT; Shigellosis is a complex disease involving two distinct organs and two distinctive clinical presentations of intestinal involvement . It is also associated with a wide variety of extra-intestinal manifestations . Because these may precede the onset of diarrhoea/dysentery, and confuse the diagnosis, it is safe to denote shigellosis as a protean clinical problem . The disease is readily spread by contact because so few organisms are required to establish infection . It may also be spread through contaminated food or water, related to either defective sewage or a human carrier, and explosive outbreaks may occur in closed populations . Homosexuals are also at risk of venereal transmiddion of infection . Shigellosis is treatable with effective oral antimicrobials, responding both clinically and microbiologically . When organism are sensitive, ampicillin is the current drug of choice, and when they are resistant to ampicillin, trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole appears to be the best choice . Dehydration is not usually severe, and responds to oral rehydration therapy, which is highly recommended along with early refeeding. Isr J Med Sci, 1979 Sep, 15(9), 754 - 60 Etiology of acute gastroenteritis in children in Israel: role of human reoviruslike agent and bacterial pathogens; Jonas A et al.; A study of acute gastroenteritis in children was carried out with the aim of establishing the prevalence of human reoviruslike agent (HRLA) and its relation to other enteric pathogens in Israel . The stools of 384 children with acute diarrhea referred to a pediatric emergency service were screened for HRLA by counterimmunoelectroosmorphoresis (CIEOP) and for pathogenic bacteria . Evidence of HRLA infection was found in 65 patients (17%) . The highest infection rate prevailed during the cool season (25%), with a peak prevalence (41%) in November, when both the temperature and humidity were low . A very high proportion of HRLA was found in children younger than 36 months and no HRLA infection was observed in those older than nine years . The highest prevalence occurred in infants younger than six months, a situation rarely encountered in other countries . The main clinical features of HRLA infection were fever, vomiting, dehydration, signs of upper respiratory infection and carbohydrate intolerance . Bacterial pathogens accounted for 45% of enteric infections . Shigella species predominated (28%) during the summer season, especially in older children . In 38% of the study group, no etiologic agent could be detected . None of the 50 control subjects showed evidence of viral or bacterial pathogens in stools. Hosp Pract, 1979 Aug, 14(8), 33 - 40 Recognition mechanisms in infectious disease; Keusch GT; Recent studies have begun to elucidate the nature of pathogen-host recognition mechanisms . Not only is our understanding of the nature of infection thereby growing, but there is promise of an entirely new approach to treatment--by inhibiting or preventing the contact between pathogen and target cell, the first step in the infectious process . Models have largely been elucidated for shigella infections and cholera. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1979 Aug, (8), 31 - 6 {Recurrent Sonne dysentery morbidity caused by Shigella of varying enzymatic types}; Briko NI et al.; The proportion of repeated cases of dysentery caused by Sh . sonnei does not exceed 3.59% of the total number of bacteriologically confirmed cases of this infection . The frequency of reinfection depended on the enzymatic type of the causative agent . The rarest cases of reinfection were those occurring after the primary infection with Sh . sonnei, biochemical type 2, whereas the most frequent after the primary infection with Sh . sonnei, type 3 . Reinfection with heterologous Sh . sonnei was registered mostly 6-12 months after the primary infection, and with homologous Sh . sonnei after a 1 year and later. J Invest Dermatol, 1979 Aug, 73(2), 147 - 9 Monocyte function in psoriasis; Bar-Eli M et al.; Monocytes derived from the peripheral blood of psoriatic patients demonstrated a significantly higher phagocytic capacity (36 to 40%) for both 125I-labeled Shigella flexneri and 125I-labeled Staphylococcus albus compared with monocytes from healthy subjects . Monocytes from psoriatic patients showed a 2-to-4fold increase in bactericidal capacity against S . albus when compared with normal monocytes . However, the bactericidal capacity of monocytes from diphylline-treated patients did not differ from that of the control subjects . The antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) activity against EL4 tumor cells was found to be similar in both psoriatic patients and control subjects . It is postulated that these abnormalities of monocyte function in psoriasis are caused by a decreased cAMP/cGMP ratio similar to the decreased cAMP/cGMP ratio found in the lesional epidermis of this disease . It seems therefore, that the psoriatic abnormality is not confined to only one type of cell, the epidermal cell. Med Trop (Mars), 1979 Jul-Aug, 39(4), 457 - 62 {The role of immunization against bacterial enteric infections (author's transl)}; Rey M; The author reviews critically the available vaccines against salmonellosis and shigellosis, the more sophisticated vaccines against these two infections and cholera presently under experimentation and using parenteral or oral dispensing . To contribute to public health planning, with particular reference to developping countries, the authors points on the necessity to evaluate carefully the merits of the different techniques aiming at controling bacterial enteric infections . Sanitation seems to be the most effective and the less expensive technique. Med Trop (Mars), 1979 Jul-Aug, 39(4), 445 - 52 {Shigellosis in Tananarive (Madagascar) I - Epidemiologic and clinic features (author's transl)}; Capdevielle P et al.; Reviewing 67 cases of human adult shigellosis observed in Madagascar, the authors emphasize some epidemiologic and clinic features : high frequency during rainy season, usual dysenteriform aspect or diarrhoeas with fever, hemorragic forms, severity according to anterior state of colon and rectum, severity if cases associated with amoebiasis or schistosomiasis (Schistosoma mansoni). J Bacteriol, 1979 Jul, 139(1), 132 - 6 Distribution of glycerophospholipid-cholesterol acyltransferase in selected bacterial species; MacIntyre S et al.; The distribution of glycerophospholipid-cholesterol acyltransferase in selected bacterial species was examined . Enzyme activity was demonstrated in cell-free growth media from all members of the family Vibrionaceae which were tested except Plesiomonas shigelloides . In each case, enzyme was produced in exponential to early stationary phase and was excluded from Sepharose 6B, indicating a complex of high molecular weight . In a limited survey of other families, Stahylococcus aureus was the only organism outside the Vibrionaceae which was shown to produce the enzyme . In this case, however, the enzyme exhibited much less activity against erythrocyte membranes and appeared to have a lower molecular weight . The reasons for these differences and the importance of the acyltransferase as a biochemical identification tool are discussed. Med Trop (Mars), 1979 Jul-Aug, 39(4), 453 - 6 {Shigellosis in Tananarive (Madagascar) . II : Bacteriologic and therapeutic features (author's transl)}; Capdeville P et al.; In acute dysenteries or diarrhoeas shigellae are the bacterial organisms which are the most frequently isolated from coprocultures . The most frequent sub-group is sub-group B (S . flexniri) . In vitro, shigellae are sensible to all antibiotics but often resistant to sulfamids . Treatment is not difficult. Med Trop (Mars), 1979 Jul-Aug, 39(4), 365 - 8 {Travelers' diarrhea (author's transl)}; Andre LJ et al.; "Travelers' diarrhea" is an acute diarrhea sometimes associated with vomiting and afflicting travelers recently arrived in tropical or subtropical countries . Its incidence ranges from 20 to 50 p . 100 . It may cause severe deshydratation which is dangerous for third age tourists with humoral or visceral impairments . Recovery must not be expected before 3 to 10 days . Viruses do not seem frequently responsible and, among other causes (salmonellae, shigellae, staphylococci), colibacilli have a main role . They give cholera-like syndromes due to two enterotoxines . Treatment is symptomatic . Prophylaxis is important and chemical drugs as methyl-5-oxine must be prescribed rather than antibiotics which may induce resistances. J Gen Microbiol, 1979 Jul, 113(1), 73 - 81 Characterization of plasmids from antibiotic-resistant Shigella isolates by agarose gell electrophoresis; Jamieson AF et al.; Gel electrophoresis of DNA from 95 clinical isolates of Shigella sonnei and Shigella flexneri resistant to antibiotics revealed a heterogeneous plasmid population . Most of the plasmids were smaller than 6 megadaltons (Mdal) . Six S . sonnei isolates with the most common antibiotic resistance pattern were characterized . They had two plasmids in common: one was a self-transmissible Fi+ plasmid of 46 Mdal encoding resistance to streptomycin and sulphafurazole . In addition, several cryptic plasmids ranging in size from 1.0 to 24.5 Mdal were present . Mobilization of the 5.5 Mdal SuSm plasmid and a 1.0 Mdal cryptic plasmid was demonstrated with all six S . sonnei isolates during conjugation . This mobilization was mediated by the 46 Mdal self-transmissible Fi+ R plasmid and also by a 24.5 Mdal Fi- plasmid carrying no known drug resistance determinants. Eur J Biochem, 1979 Jul, 98(1), 309 - 16 Somatic antigens of Shigella . The structure of the specific polysaccharide of Shigella newcastle (Sh . flexneri type 6) lipopolysaccharide; Dmitriev BA et al.; The specific polysaccharide was obtained from the lipopolysaccharide of Shigella newcastle by mild acid hydrolysis and further purified by permeation chromatography on Sephadex G-50 . It was found to consist of L-rhamnose, 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-galactose, D-galacturonic acid residues and O-acetyl groups in the molar ratios of 2:1:1:1 . On the basis of 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, methylation analysis, partial acid hydrolysis, Smith degradation, and chromium trioxide oxidation, the following structure can be assigned to the repeating oligosaccharide unit of the polysaccharide:-4)DGalA(beta 1-3)DGalNAc-(beta 1-2)LAc3Rha(alpha 1-2)LRha(alpha 1-, where GalA = galacturonic acid . GalNAc = N-acetylgalactosamine, Ac3Rha = 3-O-acetylrhamnose . The structural and immunochemical data presented prove that Sh . newcastle lipopolysaccharide belongs to a 'non-classical' type of somatic antigens with acidic O-specific polysaccharide chains. Antibiotiki, 1979 Jul, 24(7), 532 - 5 {Course of dysentery and the specific alteration of the neutrophils in children in the use of monomycin and a diet with an increased protein content}; Vereshchagin IA et al.; Acute dysentery mainly due to Shigella sonnei and dynamics of the neutrophil damage index (NDI) of the blood were studied in 80 children at the age of 1 to 14 . 20 children (group 1) were treated with monomycin under conditions of a diet with an excessive content of protein (by 25% higher than the physiological norm) . 60 children or 3 groups of 20 children each were not subject to such conditions and were considered as control groups . Reduction in the time of recovery (by 4 days) and bacteriological sanation (by 6 days) of the convalescents in the 1st group decreased as compared to that in the control groups . The test for the NDI of the blood was close in all the groups . It was concluded that an excessive protein content in the diet increased the efficacy of monomycin therapy in dysentery children . It is recommended that the diet with an excessive protein content be used in monomycin treatment of dysentery children. Ann Sclavo, 1979 Jul-Aug, 21(4), 435 - 47 {Researches on the production of inhibitory substances by strains of "N . meningitidis" (author's transl)}; Barbuti S et al.; The possibility to produce some inhibitory substances has been researched in 85 strains of N . meningitidis belonging to different serogroups . By the double layer agar method, 9 of these strains have inhibited the growth of one or more indicator strains . We had the best results at 37 degrees C and 30 degrees C in tests made incubating 3 producer strains in different experiment conditions; the "Brain heart infusion agar" and the "Heart infusion agar" were the best and fittest culture media, used for the production of these substances . Several attempts to get the production of bacteriocins in liquid culture media have always given negative results, both by spontaneous growing and by ultraviolet irradiation and mitomycin induction . We were able to get 3 among these substances from as many strains of N . meningitidis (from the 85 tested) in the supernatant, only growing the strains in soft agar and centrifuging these growths . So these 3 bacteriocins had inhibited the growth of the 92% of the tested N . meningitidis, but they were inactive towards 296 bacterial strains belonging to Gram-positive and Gram-negative species (including the 15 strains of Shigella and E . coli given as indicators in the research of colicins), 70 strains of Mycoplasma and 9 L-forms of Pr . mirabilis and of St . aureus . Only 3 L-forms obtained from as many strains of N . meningitidis resulted to be inhibited by the three bacteriocins. Trop Geogr Med, 1979 Jun, 31(2), 213 - 23 Epidemiology of Shigella dysenteriae, type 1 infections, in Dacca urban area; Khan M et al.; A prospective study of 47 families with an index case of Shigella dysenteriae type 1 was conducted in the urban areas of Dacca . The subsequent infection rates in contacts type 1 were 30.6% and 28.3% in the age groups 0--4 and 5--9 . Total secondary infection rate was 20.4% with rates in males higher than in females . Among the contacts 12.5% developed diarrhoea caused by the same serotype, but 22.1% developed diarrhoea with undiagnosed causes . For one hospitalised case there were seven symptomatic cases and 10 infections . All the infected infants age 0--4 developed diarrhoea and one fourth needed hospitalisation; but none aged over 9 needed it . Of these families 19% coincidentally had infections with other shigela types . Many factors were related with the higher infection rate . Use of open source of water was a significant factor . Multiple resistance to antibiotic was found, however, Shigella shiga was sensitive to Ampicillin, Kanamycin, Colistin and Furazolidone. Infect Immun, 1979 Jun, 24(3), 879 - 86 Shigella infection of Henle intestinal epithelial cells: role of the bacterium; Hale TL et al.; Epithelial cell infection by Shigella flexneri 2a was studied in an in vitro model system . Using the Henle 407 human intestinal epithelial cell line as host cells, a standardized experimental protocol which allowed quantitative measurement of infection was developed . Intravellular residence of infecting organisms was confirmed by indirect fluorescent-antibody staining of unfixed and methanol-fixed (Henle 407) cells and by quantitative bacteriological culture of disrupted host cells after infection . The process of shigella entry into cells was evaluated by chemical or physical modulation of the bacterium under controlled experimental conditions . Shigella were subjected to mild heat, ultraviolet radiation aminoglycoside antibiotics, and immunoglobulins raised against S . flexneri 2a . The data show that heat-stable antigens on the bacterial surface are not solely responsible for infectivity of S . flexneri 2a . Furthermore, it was shown that physiological and synthetic functions of shigellae are required for entry into host cells. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1979 Jun, (6), 49 - 54 {Data to substantiate the early immunological diagnosis of dysentery}; Kaplin VN et al.; The interaction of the whole blood from patients with dysentery and gastrointestinal diseases of non-dysenteric etiology, with the causative agents of dysentery, Sh . sonnei and Sh . flexneri, and saprophytic, staphylococci labeled with radioactive isotopes was studied in vitro . In dysentery an increase in the capacity of the blood for Shigella fixation was observed from the beginning of the disease . During the 1st week of the disease this reaction was strictly specific and accompanied by a decrease in the fixation of staphylococci, but later the reaction became relatively specific . An increase in Shigella fixation occurred considerably earlier than immune antibody formation, as revealed by the indirect hemagglutination test . This research substantiates the possibility of an earlier immunological diagnosis of dysentery as compared with the serological methods. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1979 Jun, (6), 35 - 8 {Sh . flexneri population heterogeneity according to the cellular fatty acid makeup}; Vasiurenko ZP; The composition of fatty acids in the cells of 100 clones of Sh . flexneri, strain 9054, isolated from a dysentery patient was studied by the method of gas chromatography . Fatty acid composition in 75 clones was similar to the fatty acid composition of the initial culture: 25 clones differed to a variable degree from the prevailing group of clones in the content of unsaturated and cyclopropane fatty acids and, to a considerably lesser extent, in the content of palmitic acid and a number of other saturated fatty acids . After the change of the culture medium (agar and broth) the differences in the fatty acid composition of the clones could still be observed . The data obtained in this study indicate the heterogeneity of Shigella population in the composition of cellular fatty acids. Antibiotiki, 1979 Jun, 24(6), 461 - 4 {Level and nature of the drug resistance of Shigella flexneri}; Morozova NS et al.; Characteristics of antibiotic resistance of 300 strains of Shigella flexner 2a isolated from patients within 1976--1977 in the regions where these bacteria were very rare for a long period of time were studied . It was shown that most of the isolates were resistant to chloramphenicol (88.1 per cent), tetracycline (94.8 per cent), streptomycin (89.1 per cent), polymyxin M (82.4 per cent) and others . 46.5--61.6 per cent of the isolates were resistant to neomycin antibiotics . A high level of the resistance was also noted: the bactericidal effect was registered in 52.0-74.0 per cent of the cultures at a dose of 500--1000 microgram/ml . 91.4 per cent of the strains possessed multiple dug resistance, 78.8 per cent of them being simultaneously resistant to 4--7 drugs . Transmissive R-plasmids were found in 68.8 per cent of the isolates . After exposure to acridine dyes the plasmid nature of the resistance was confirmed in 72.3 per cent of the cultures . Variability of the r-determinant sets in r-plasmids was noted . Strains (64.9 per cent) carrying r-determinants Tc, Cm, Sm and Tc, Cm were more frequent . Strains with one transmissive r-determinant were usually solitary. Antibiotiki, 1979 Jun, 24(6), 458 - 60 {Dynamics of the change in sensitivity of shigellae to gentamycin and cephaloridine in vitro}; Shershevskaia RS; The dynamics of the changes in the Shigella sensitivity to gentamicin and cephaloridin was studied in vitro using liquid nutrient media with gradually increasing concentrations of the drugs . 50 passages were performed . It was found that Shigella flexner and sonnei decreased their sensitivity to gentamicin to a little extent and remained middle sensitive . Sensitivity of Shigella flexner to cephaloridin also changed to a little extent, while Shigella sonnei became moderately resistant. Ukr Biokhim Zh, 1979 May-Jun, 51(3), 231 - 5 {Effect of metabolism products of Shigella sonnei, Sh . flexneri and Sh . shigae on proteolytic activity of the organism connective tissue}; Demikhovskaia AA et al.; The activity of proteolytic enzymes, neutral proteinases and cathepsins E+D, was determined in homogenates from the tissues of capsules formed around diffusion chambers with shigella (Shigella sonnei, Sh . flexneri, Sh . shigae) 1, 2, 3, 5 and 10 days after their implantation to the abdominal cavity of rabbits . The specific proteolytic activity in the capsule tissues in the experimental variants is higher in all the studied periods than in the control and its singularities depend on the microbe species . The rise in the proteolytic activity is the highest under the effect of the Sh . shigae metabolism products, the influence of Sh . flexneri and Sh . sonnei in this respect is somewhat less pronounced. Infect Immun, 1979 May, 24(2), 580 - 2 Molecular characterization of plasmids from virulent and spontaneously occurring avirulent colonial variants of Shigella flexneri; Kopecko DJ et al.; Spontaneous transition of Shigella flexneri from T- to O-type colonies with concomitant loss of virulence dose not appear to be accompanied by a change in any of the four plasmic species found in the virulent parent. Infect Immun, 1979 May, 24(2), 441 - 8 Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin A antibodies to Shigella flexneri antigens; Keren DF; An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay has been developed to detect class-specific antibodies to Shigella flexneri lipopolysaccharide antigens . This enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay system has been used to measure antibodies present in serum or intestinal secretions without further purification . It is considerably more sensitive than passive hemagglutination, allowing detection of as little as 1.3 ng of specific immunoglobulin G antibody per ml in immune sera . Optimal conditions for this assay are outlined in this report. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1979 May, (5), 78 - 83 {Search for host specificity systems in Shigella using DD-series phages}; Tediashvili MI et al.; A total of 712 Shigella strains were studied with the use of dysentery diagnostic phages DD II, DD VI and DD VII in order to reveal the systems of host DNA specificity . The study comprised 4 tests: mass screening by the intensity of phagolytic reaction of phages in various strains; and the determination of the parameters of adsorption . As a result, an effective modification and restriction systems were revealed in Sh . sonnei 311 with the use of phage DD II . Bacteriophage DD VII was effectively restricted in E . coli CK, BB and BB/T4 . Cross titration showed that the modification and restriction systems of E . coli BB and BB/T4 differed from the specificity system of E . coli CK . Phage DD VI had an exceptionally broad spectrum of activity and was not sensitive to any known restriction system. Arch Ophthalmol, 1979 May, 97(5), 888 - 9 Corneal ulceration secondary to intestinal Shigella sonnei; Roper DL; A 34-month-old boy had a corneal ulcer due to Shigella sonnei . To my knowledge, this is the first documented case reported where the same organism was recovered from the stool . One other case of S sonnei and two cases of S flexneri corneal ulcers have appeared in the literature . All cases have been in young black boys between the ages of 23 months and 6 years . The exact pathogenesis remains unclear, but direct fecalocular inoculation into a preexisting epithelial defect, a probable herpetic dendrite in this case, is most likely. Am J Epidemiol, 1979 Apr, 109(4), 493 - 501 Etiology of gastroenteritis among Americans living in the Philippines; Echeverria P et al.; Between December 1975 and June 1976, American military personnel with diarrhea who were seen at an outpatient clinic at Clark Air Force Base Hospital were investigated to determine the etiology of their disease . Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli were detected in 16% (18/115), rotavirus in 4% (4/111), salmonellae in 3% (3/115), shigellae in 2% (2/115) and Giardia lamblia in 2% (3/152) of patients with diarrhea . Thus from only 27% of the subjects studied were identifiable potential pathogenic agents found . The incidence of gastroenteritis increased in May and June with the increase in rainfall; however, there was no increase in the proportion of diarrhea caused by any of these identifiable enteric pathogens . Americans experienced a seasonal increase of diarrhea similar to that affecting the Philippine population in Manila . Enterotoxigenic E . coli was the most common identifiable enteric pathogen among Americans with diarrhea at Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines during the study, though even in these cases, it may not have been the agent responsible for their illness. Pediatrics, 1979 Apr, 63(4), 511 - 6 Shigella vaginitis: report of 38 patients and review of the literature; Murphy TV et al.; Thirty-eight cases of Shigella vaginitis were identified in a retrospective review of records kept over the past 14 years . The cases of vaginitis were due to three subgroups of Shigella . Vaginitis varied in severity and duration, persisting for several months in some instances . In 47% of the cases, there was associated bloody vaginal discharge . Only two children had diarrhea temporally associated with vaginitis, but six others had had diarrhea . Many treatment modalities were used . Systemic antibiotic therapy appeared more effective than topical antimicrobials in the few patients who could be evaluated . Review of the literature revealed 32 additional cases, including four in adult women. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 1979 Apr, 18(4), 401 - 8 The effect of endotoxin-induced intraocular inflammation on the rat lens epithelium; Worgul BV et al.; Intraocular inflammation induced by an intravitreal injection of Shigella endotoxin into the rat eye produces early changes in the number of dividing cells of the lens epithelium and affects the organization of the meridional rows . A depression in mitotic activity in the germinative zone is observed during the first 24 hr after injection . At 48 hr, despite the continued mitotic inhibition in the germinative zone, an increase in cell division occurs in the central zone . By 72 hr, the germinative zone mitosis reappears and exceeds control values, whereas the central zone mitotic activity returns to normal . At that time mitotic figures are found in the transitional zone . Disorganization of the meridional rows is seen as early as 12 hr after injection (the first time period observed) and reaches a peak by 48 hr . During the next 5 days, however, the severity of the disorganization diminishes . By the seventh day the rows appear, for the most part, fully recovered, and the mitotic activity reaches normal or near-normal levels in all regions . The details of these observations and their possible relationship to inflammatory cataracta complicata are discussed. Postgrad Med, 1979 Mar, 65(3), 215 - 8 Sexually transmitted infections in homosexual men; Babb RR; Because of the form of sexual contact and the number of such contacts among homosexual men, physicians should be watchful for sexually transmitted infections in the homosexual community . Hepatitis B, anorectal gonorrhea, shigellosis, amebiasis, and giardiasis are now known to be among these infections . For treatment to be effective and epidemics avoided, physicians should question affected male patients about their sexual habits and advise abstinence from sexual contact until treatment is finished and cultures or smears are negative. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1979 Mar, 243(1), 57 - 73 The problem of interaction of shigella with epithelial cells; Petrovskaya VG et al.; A review and analysis of data on the investigation of factors concerning the initial events of interaction of Shigella with epithelial cells: attachment of penetration are presented . In the experiments with 3H-labeled bacteria it was shown that although common pili confer adhesive properties to bacteria but the penetration of Shigella into the cell is not increased . It was stated that LPS of Shigella O antigen plays an important role not only in interaction with cellular and humoral factors of the macroorganism defence but also in an initial stage of attachment of bacteria to the membrane of epithelial cells . However LPS of O antigen does not provide the penetration of the agent into the cell . In filtrates of virulent strains of Shigella flexneri, in contrast to those of smooth mutants and hybrids, lacking penetration ability, a biologically active factor (BAF) of protein or lipoprotein nature which reduced the LD50 of virulent and avirulent bacteria in infection of chicken embryos on chorioallantoic membrane, decreases ID50 and complicates the course of the infectious process in conjunctival infection of guinea pigs with virulent Shigella strain was revealed . S . flexneri transductant with a restored ability to induce kerato-conjunctivitis restored an ability to produce the BAF as well . Comparison of these data with the findings of other investigators was carried out . Perspectives of interpretation of penetration mechanism of Shigella into epithelial cells are discussed. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1979 Mar, (3), 40 - 2 {Electron microscopic study of experimental infection . II . A study of the dynamics of Shigella infection}; Korinteli VI et al.; The dynamics of experimental Shigella infection of chick embryo fibroblasts was studied with the use of electron microscopy . The antibiotic-resistant forms of Sh . sonnei 1,188 was found to be incapable of invasion into the fibroblast cytoplasm and intracellular proliferation . The destruction of fibroblasts observed during the infection was seemingly caused by the action of bacterial endotoxins. Antibiotiki, 1979 Mar, 24(3), 207 - 10 {Experimental study of the effectiveness of antibacterial preparations in treating dysentery}; Suptel' EA et al.; It was found that for successful elaboration of effective schemes for the use of antibacterial drugs in treatment of dysentery it was necessary to exploit various experimental models providing consideration of the drug toxicity and effect on the extra- and intracellular growth of the bacteria in addition to the other factors . The administration of enteroceptol for 3 days followed by furazolidon showed the best therapeutic effect in the treatment of guinea pigs with Shigella keratoconjunctivitis and Syrian hamsters with dysentery . The above drugs had low toxicity which was shown in the experiments with Hep-2 cell cultures . It was concluded that the use of the drugs with different modes of action was advisable in treatment of dysentery. J Clin Microbiol, 1979 Mar, 9(3), 437 - 40 Simple, differential staining technique for enumerating rickettsiae in yolk sac, tissue culture extracts, or purified suspensions; Silverman DJ et al.; A differential staining method employing acridine orange-stained rickettsiae and safranin-stained standardized suspensions of Shigella dysenteriae is described for enumerating rickettsiae harvested during various stages of the growth cycle. Can J Microbiol, 1979 Feb, 25(2), 233 - 5 Inhibitory effect of cocoa powder on the growth of a variety of bacteria in different media; Park CE et al.; The inhibitory effect of cocoa powder on 102 organisms belonging to 13 genera was determined . All organisms tested were inhibited by 5% cocoa . Shigella, Staphylococcus, Micrococcus, and Bacillus were the most sensitive . The degree of inhibition depended on the organism, temperature of incubation, and the medium in which the cocoa powder was suspended . Of six media tested, lactose broth and nutrient broth were the most inhibitory, while non-fat dry milk was the least inhibitory . Supplementing NB with tryptone or casein reduced the toxicity of cocoa. Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1979 Feb-Mar, 130(2), 195 - 202 {Phage-typing modifications induced by in vitro transfer of R plasmids . II . -- Phage-typing of Shigella sonnei (author's transl)}; Toucas M; Forty-two antibiotic resistance plasmids and twelve metabolic plasmids have been transferred to a strain of Shigella sonnei . The phage-typing modifications have been investigated after transfer of the different above described plasmids . Eleven of the R plasmids and five of the metabolic plasmids affect phage sensitivity . These modifications are not specific for any compatibility group. Immunology, 1979 Feb, 36(2), 199 - 205 Macrophage fatty acid composition and phagocytosis: effect of unsaturation on cellular phagocytic activity; Schroit AJ et al.; In order to manipulate the physical properties of the macrophages membrane, methods were developed which potentiated the incorporation of exogenously supplied fatty acids into membrane lipids . Chromatograms of macrophages which were grown in the presence of a variety of fatty acids demonstrated that exogenously supplied unsaturated fatty acids (palmitoleic, oleic, elaidic, linoleic, linolenic and arachidonic acids) were readily incorporated into the cells and selectively altered the fatty acyl composition of macrophage phospholipids . Up to 38% of the total cellular phospholipids were found to be derived from the exogenously added fatty acid supplements . The incorporation of the different fatty acids into cellular phospholipids had striking effects on cellular phagocytic activity . These effects were found to correlate with the degree of unsaturation, and the cis- or trans-double bond configuration . Thus, macrophage phagocytic ingestion rates of 125I-labelled Shigella flexneri were found to alter by more than 2-fold after the cells were cultivated in the presence of cis unsaturated fatty acids. Antibiotiki, 1979 Feb, 24(2), 100 - 5 {Antibiotic resistance of Shigella in different regions of the USSR}; Solodovnikov IuP et al.; Shigella were most sensitive to polymyxin ceporin, ampicillin, neomycin and furazolidone and resistant to chloramphenicol, tetracycline and streptomycin . Shigella resistant simultaneously to two or three drugs mainly to tetracycline + chloramphenicol, tetracycline + streptomycin and tetracycline + chloramphenicol + streptomycin were most frequent . The frequency of the Shigella strains carrying R-plasmids increased from 28 per cent in 1969--1970 to 72.6 per cent in 1977 . The Shigella strains isolated during the dysentery outbreak in 1973--1977 carried the R-factor controlling resistance to tetracycline + chloramphenicol, tetracycline + chloramphenicol + streptomycin, tetracycline + chloramphenicol + streptomycin + neomycin . Interaction between separate biochemical types, colicinogenicity and drug resistance classes was found in the Shigella isolates . The data on the effect of antibiotic (tetracyclines) intensive use in stock-raising defining wide spread of the R-plasmids controlling resistance to these drugs were obtained. J Clin Microbiol, 1979 Feb, 9(2), 288 - 9 Invasive strain of Escherichia coli belonging to O group 29; Toledo MR et al.; A strain of Escherichia coli isolated from a child with diarrhea was biochemically similar and antigenically identical (O and K antigens) to the standard strain of E . coli O group 29 and was positive in the Sereny test for invasiveness, which suggests that it can cause a Shigella-like illness. Infect Immun, 1979 Feb, 23(2), 465 - 71 Characteristics of lipid A-protein complex from endotoxin of Shigella dysenteriae type 1 (S and R strains); Sourek J et al.; Mild acetic acid hydrolysis of endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide-protein complex) of Shigella dysenteriae type 1 (S and R forms) yielded a lipid A-protein complex that consisted of amino acids, fatty acids, and sugar and, in terms of chemical composition, displayed no marked differences between the S and R forms . Its protein portion (53 to 56%) consisted of at least 16 amino acids . In the fatty acid portion (14 to 18%), myristic, 3-hydroxymyristic, palmitic, and stearic acids accounted for 50% . The sugar portion (10 to 12%) consisted solely of glucosamine . The remainder was unidentified substances, most of which contained phosphorus . Lipid A-protein complexes derived from both S and R forms were not toxic for mice in doses up to 1,000 microgram/mouse, but their Linulus test activity had increased considerably as compared with the starting lipopolysaccharide-protein complex material: from 10(-6) to 10(-10--10(-12) mg/ml . The lipid A-protein complexes were readily soluble in a water solution of triethylamine, in dimethyl sulfoxide, and in pyridine. Postgrad Med, 1979 Feb, 65(2), 173 - 6, 178-9 Acute infectious diarrhea in children; Barkin RM; Effective management of acute diarrheal disease depends on an understanding of the mechanisms and the pathogens responsible for diminished absorption of water from the intestines or increased secretion of water and electrolytes into the intestines . Initial therapy consists of fluid management, with hospitalization if dehydration is significant . Antibiotics are useful in treating specific disease entities, such as shigellosis . Careful attention to clinical status and follow-up is essential. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1979 Jan 26, 561(1), 232 - 9 Specificity and functions of guanine methylase of Shigella sonnei DDVI phage; Nikolskaya II et al.; DNA methylase methylating adenine with formation of 6-methylaminopurine has been identified in Shigella sonnei 1188 cells which are the natural host of DDVI phage . At the same time, in DNA of DDVI phage replicating both in Sh . sonnei 1188 cells and in Escherichia coli B cells 7-methylguanine was found as the only minor base in amounts of 0.25 and 0.27 mol per 100 mol of nucleotides, respectively . The extract of the infected cells was found to contain both kinds of DNA methylases: virus-specific guanine methylase and cellular adenine methylase . The lack of 6-methylaminopurine in DNA of this phage is explained by reversible inhibition of the cell enzyme in the infected cells . The amount of methyl groups transferred by DDVI-specific methylase on DNA does not depend on the species of the infected cells and is similar in the case of unmodified SD phage DNA and DNA of T2 phage methylated by E . coli B enzyme . Guanine methylase has been shown to be a DDVI-induced modification enzyme and to protect against restriction of B-type . It methylates double-stranded DNAs only and is inhibited by S-adenosylhomocysteine. Arzneimittelforschung, 1979, 29(5), 849 - 51 {Treatment of diarrhea with difenoxin hydrochloride in children (author's transl)}; Pece H; In an open clinical study symptomatic treatment was given to 93 children aged 16 days to 24 months who suffered from acute diarrhea . All the patients received antidiarrheal diet suited to their age . If indicated, the children were rehydrated with electrolyte and buffer solutions . In order to reduce the intestinal motility as well as the loss of water and electrolyte in the stool, but not to stop the stools, difenoxin hydrochloride (Lyspafen) in the commercial composition was prescribed . The dose was 1 drop/kg body weight/day administered in 3 single doses . The preparation was administered to the children for 4-6 days on the average . Regardless of the bacteriological findings in the stools, very good results were obtained in 59 patients (63.44%); sufficient results in 19 children (20.43%); and poor results in 15 children (16.13%) . In the group with negative stool samples very good results were obtained in 74% of the patients . The therapeutic results were very good to sufficient in the majority of cases belonging to the group with facultative pathogenic germs and pathogenic coli in the stools . In 66.67% (4 cases) of the children infected by Salmonellae and Shigellae the treatment was insufficient . No undesirable adverse reactions were seen in the children treated . Summing-up of the results revealed that cure of or improvement in the diarrhea was obtained in 83.87% of the test population. Antibiotiki, 1979 Jan, 24(1), 25 - 36 {Antibiotic sensitivity and the characteristics of transmissive R plasmids in Shigella belonging to various species}; Givental' NI et al.; Sensitivity of 241 Shigella strains isolated from patients at various regions of the USSR in 1975--1978 was tested with respect to 14 antibiotics by the method of serial dilutions . 90.5 per cent of the isolates proved to be resistant to the antibacterial drugs and the greater part of 75.9 per cent of them had multiple resistance . The resistance of the Shigella was most pronounced and frequent with respect to tetracycline, streptomycin, levomycetin, as well as ampicillin and carbenicillin . Gentamicin, cephaloridin, polymyxin M, kanamycin, monomycin, neomycin and rifampicin were highly active against the Shigella . More than 50 per cent of the isolates were sensitive to levomycetin, ampicillin and carbenicillin . Differences in the frequency of the resistant strains and the spectrum of the antibiotic resistance of different Shigella subgroups (species) were observed . The study of 173 multiple resistant Shigella strains showed that about 67 per cent of the strains had a capacity for transduction of the resistance markers into the recipient cells of E . coli . The conjugative R-plasmids were most frequent in Sh . boydii and Sh . sonnei (95 and 95 per cent respectively), less frequent in Sh . flexneri and Sh . newcastle (68 and 53 per cent respectively) and least frequent in the mannitol negative Shigella (25 per cent) . The capacity for transduction of R-plasmids in the strains carrying the determinants of resistance to 2 or 3 antibiotics was higher than in the strains carrying the determinant of resistance to one antibiotic . The clinical Shigella strains tested mainly had transmissive R-plasmids of fi--character (79 per cent). Postgrad Med J, 1979, 55 Suppl 4, 82 - 4 Comparison of cefaclor and ampicillin in the treatment of shigellosis; Ostrower VG; Fifty-four children with acute diarrhoea were treated orally with 50 mg/kg/day of either ampicillin in 4 divided doses, or with cefaclor in 3 divided doses for 5 days . Shigella was isolated from the stool of 28 patients, 6 of whom were hospitalized . All isolates, including ampicillin-resistant strains, were susceptible in vitro to cefaclor . For ampicillin-sensitive infections, the clinical response and clearing of Shigella from stools appeared to occur more rapidly in patients treated with ampicillin than in those treated with cefaclor . In areas where ampicillin resistance is a problem, cefaclor appears not to be a drug of choice for the treatment of Shigella. Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz), 1979, 27(5), 693 - 9 Comparison of some Shigella flexneri (Escherichia coli) hybrids in cross agglutination and agglutinin absorption tests; Lachowicz TM et al.; Antigenic structure of Lac+ hybrids selected from Escherichia coli x Shigella flexneri crosses was compared in the cross agglutination and absorption tests . Identity of the hybrids from the recipients of serotype 2a and variant Y was proved, as well as from serotypes 1b and 4b . The latter hybrids were coupled with Shigella flexneri strains 3a, 3b and 3c . The hybrids appeared almost identical with serotype 3c. Adv Exp Med Biol, 1979, 121B, 341 - 50 Phagocyte functions in familial Mediterranean fever; Bar-Eli M et al.; Monocytes derived from peripheral blood of patients with familial Mediterranean fever (F.M.F.) demonstrated lower phagocytic capacity for Shigella flexneri and depressed bactericidal activity against S . albus when compared to monocytes from healthy individuals . Treatment of patients with colchicine did not alter these functions . On the other hand, chemokinesis of PMN of F.M.F . patients was enhanced especially during attacks . Colchicine treatment decreased significantly the PMN chemotactic migration. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg, 1979, 73(6), 656 - 60 Sub-populations of peripheral lymphocytes from patients with shigella bacillary dysentery with associated leucocytosis; Jackson TM et al.; In this study we ascertained the proportion and absolute number of T, B and nul cell peripheral lymphocytes from Shigella dysenteriae type I patients and compared these results with those from age matched controls . Single blood samples were collected from 13 Bangladeshi children who complained of symptoms for one or more weeks . Patients were divided into two categories, with and without a leukaemoid response . The leukaemoid response was primarily granulocytic in nature, but there was a substantial increase in the mean number of lymphocytes . Over one third of the lymphocytes were nul cells . These cells rose proportionally to the decrease of T-cells, as the proportion of B-cells remained within normal range . One leukaemoid patient died . The absolute number of lymphocytes was normal and the B-cells were normal in respect of both proportions and absolute numbers . T-cell percentage and numbers were well below normal values. Genetika, 1979, 15(10), 1767 - 74 {Functional interactions of the genomes of Shigella sonnei phages and Escherichia coli phage T4 in mixed infection}; Zamchuk LA et al.; A comparative study of Shigella sonnei phages U and G and Escherichia coli phage T4 has shown that enzymes coded for by the Sh . sonnei phages can functionally substitute for some T4-coded products . This finding in indicative of an evolutionary relationship between T-even phages and disenteric phages U and G . The U phage is uncapable to compensate amber mutants for the genes that control the conversion of cytosine into 5-hydroxymethyl cytosine (5-HMC) and the glucosylation of the latter, which agrees with our earlier finding that the U phage DNA contains no 5-HMC . U and G phages are also found to exclude the T4 phage in the course of mixed infection. Infect Immun, 1979 Jan, 23(1), 178 - 80 Mitomycin C stimulates production of a toxin in Shigella species that causes morphological changes in Chinese hamster ovary cells; Takeda Y et al.; Shigella dysenteriae produced a toxin that caused morphological changes in Chinese hamster ovary cells which was different from the neurotoxin (Y . Takeda, K . Okamoto, and T . Miwatani, Infect . Immun . 18:546--548, 1977) . It was found that the toxin was produced not only by S . dysenteriae but also by S . flexneri, S . boydii, and S . sonnei . The production of the toxin was stimulated by the addition of 1 microgram of mitomycin C per ml to the culture in the early logarithmic growth phase. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg, 1979, 73(6), 677 - 9 Enhanced T-cell rosette formation in shigellosis by the in vitro use of thymopoietin; Jackson TM et al.; The results from this study suggest that the large nul cell lymphocyte population seen in patients with Shigella dysentery, does contain a sub-population of cells that will respond in vitro to thymopoietin, a bovine thymic extract, by increased E-rosette formation . It is felt that this sub-population is in fact immature T-cells . A previous study has shown that an unusual leukaemoid reaction develops in a substantial number of patients with Shigella dysentery . The leukaemoid response was primarily granulocytic in nature but there was also a substantial increase in the mean number of lymphocytes . The proportion of the various populations of lymphocytes from leukaemoid and non-leukaemoid subjects were altered, B-cells remained constant, while the T-cells were depressed with a corresponding rise in the proportion of nul cells . The cumulative results of this and other studies demonstrate that the T-cell arm of immunity is compromised in shigellosis . Indeed the degree of compromise may ultimately be the decisive factor in determining the severity of this disease. Allerg Immunol (Leipz), 1979, 25(1), 25 - 31 Humoral factors of local immunity in shigellosis; Chernokhvostova EV; Secretory immunoglobulins and antibodies were studied in dysentery patients of various age groups and in healthy persons . It is established that the level of IgA (mostly sIgA)) in coprofiltrates of patients is considerably increased and that the local production of sIgA starts very short (in 2--3 days) after the beginning of the disease . Specific coproantibodies are chiefly sIgA-antibodies . Increase of IgG in coprofiltrates is observed at early stages of the disease and is evidently due to transudation of serum proteins through the damaged mucosal membrane . High concentration of IgM is found mostly in coprofiltrates of children and is evidently the result of its local synthesis . -- Local immune response in shigellosis develops independently of systemic antibody formation . Increase of serum IgA level and appearance of sIgA-antibodies in sera of patients show the participation of local antibody forming system in formation of systemic immunity in intestinal infections. Am J Clin Nutr, 1979 Jan, 32(1), 229 - 33 Shigellosis and Escherichia coli diarrhea: relative importance of invasive and toxigenic mechanisms; O'Brien AD et al.; Shigellae and dysentery-like Escherichia coli must invade the epithelium of the colon to cause disease which can present as dysentery, diarrhea, or both . This paper addresses the possible role of a Shigella dysenteriae-like (Shiga-like) toxin in the pathogenesis of shigellosis and E . coli diarrheal diseases . The possibility for such a role is suggested by the following observations: 1) diarrhea, considered to be a result of secretion of water by the small bowel, is frequently observed in shigellosis, a large bowel disease . 2) Even though shigellae do not invade the jejunum of monkeys fed Shigella flexneri, jejunal secretion is seen in animals with diarrhea . 3) The Shiga toxin of S . dysenteriae has enterotoxic activity and other serotypes of shigellae produce Shiga-like toxins . 4) E . coli 015 RDEC-1 causes a diarrheal disease and frequently death in young rabbits . This organism neither produces E . coli enterotoxins nor is it invasive, but it may produce low levels of a Shiga-like toxin. Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz), 1979, 27(4), 571 - 7 Antigenic similarity of morphologic type CIII1 bacteriophages; Krzywy T et al.; The aim of the study was to demonstrate antigenic differentiation among bacteriophages belonging to the same morphologic type--CIII1 according to Krzywy and Slopek or A2 according to Ackermann . Twenty-six bacteriophages which multiplied on various strains of bacteria of the genera Escherichia, Shigella and Klebsiella, were studied . Serologic tests were done by the quantitative complement fixation test . Immune sera against 5 phi E . coli . D8 Sh . flexneri, G35 Sh . sonnei and Kl7 Klebsiella bacteriophages were obtained from rabbits . It was shown that bacteriophages of CIII1 morphologic type, with morphologically identical virion had different antigenic specificity . On the basis of results obtained the phages could be divided into eight serologic groups . The bacteriophages for which antisera were obtained belonged to four different serologic groups . All bacteriophages had some common antigens with 5 phi E . coli phage . The similarity points to a phylogenetic relationship among phages of CIII1 morphologic type. Bangladesh Med Res Counc Bull, 1978 Dec, 4(2), 86 - 93 Disease agents carried by flies in Dacca city; Khan AR et al.; Studies were conducted to determine the different disease agents naturally carried by flies in Dacca city by collecting outdoor unbaited flies from 8 different representative locations and identifying the agents in the laboratory . Out of 96 fly pools containing 25 flies each, 62.5%, 46.9%, 15.6%, 8.3%, 8.3%, 15.6% and 6.2% of the pools were found positive for Ascaris lumbrioeides, Trichuris trichiura, Hookworm, Enterebious vermicularis eggs and Entamoeba coli, Trichomonas spp Giardia spp . cysts, respectively . Similarly, out of the same number of fly pools, 8.3%, 6.25%, 66.6%, 20.8% and 29.2% of the pools were found positive for Shigella flexner-3, Cholera vibrio, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas, respectively besides many other non-pathogenic bacteria. Biull Eksp Biol Med, 1978 Dec, 86(12), 700 - 3 {Effect of leukocyte pyrogen on the phagocytic properties of macrophages in tissue culture}; Krotkova MR et al.; The effect of rabbit leukocytic pyrogen (LP) on the phagocytic activity of the peritoneal macrophages of albino mice against shigellae was investigated . The dose-effect dependence was revealed: high LP doses depressed the phagocytosis, and low ones were insufficiently effective; addition of average LP doses against the kanamycin background stimulated both the absorption phase and that of shigella digestion . Phagocytosis stimulation with LP was also accompanied by an increase of the acid phosphatase lysosomal enzyme activity in macrophages; the RNA content was not changed. Eur J Biochem, 1978 Nov 2, 91(1), 279 - 84 Structural studies of Shigella flexneri O-antigens; Kenne L et al.; The structures of the O-antigens of all known serotypes and subserotypes of Shigella flexneri have been reinvestigated . The results support the assumption that these antigens are composed of a basic tetrasaccharide repeating unit (1), to which alpha-D-glucopyranosyl and/or O-acetyl groups are attached at different positions . Leads to 3)-beta-D-GlcNAcp-(1 leads to 2)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1 leads to 2)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1 leads to 3)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1 leads to The immunological determinants responsible for O-factors I, II, IV, V and 7, 8 contain alpha-D-gluco-pyranosyl groups, the locations of which have been determined . O-Factor 6 is due to O-acetyl groups, linked to O-2 of the 3-substituted alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl residue in unit 1 and O-factor III seems to be due to the same groups . The chemical natures of the determinants responsible for O-factors 4 and 3, 4 are still obscure . The structural studies indicate that the immunological classification of Sh . flexneri serotypes and subserotypes, as regards these O-factors, may need revision. Vopr Virusol, 1978 Nov-Dec, (6), 724 - 31 {System of host specificity and the DNA methylases of shigellae and their phages}; Nikol'skaia II et al.; In Shigella sonnei cells there is a host DNA specificity system responsible for modification and restriction of DDII phage . DNA methylase from Shigella stutzeri cells is specific for adenine and catalyses the appearance of 6-'-methylaminopurine in the acceptory DNA . Methylases from Shigella sonnei cells are specific for adenine and cytosine and provide for the presence of 6'-methylaminopurine and 5'-methylcytosine in DNA . The modifying activity of these cells may be equally likely associated with both the enzymes . A simplified version of the additional methylation test has been developed for the study of enzyme specificity . The results of additional and cross methylation suggest that several adenine methylases are present in the cells of these Shigella, one of these enzymes being shared by Shigella stutzeri and Shigella sonnei . The DNA's isolated from Shigella sonnei and Shigella stutzeri cells are undermethylated and in vitro undergo additional methylation upon incubation with the appropriate enzyme. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1978 Nov, (11), 38 - 41 {Immunochemical findings about the high molecular weight surface antigens of Shigella sonnei}; Iarovaia LM et al.; The authors studied immunochemical properties of the high molecular fraction of surface soluble antigens obtained by extraction with salt solutions from Sh . sonnei (virulent strain 1041) dried with acetone . The high molecular fraction was isolated by gel-filtration on Sepharose-4B . Along with the O-somatic antigen, this fraction contained thermostable and thermolabile antigens resistant to trypsin and RNA-ase treatment, and also protein-containing antigens disintegrated by trypsin . In difference from the O-somatic antigen, one of the thermostable components was completely precipitated with 50% alcohol. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1978 Nov, 75(11), 5580 - 4 Naturally occurring promoter down mutation: nucleotide sequence of the trp promoter/operator/leader region of Shigella dysenteriae 16; Miozzari G et al.; The promoter/operator/leader region of the trp operon of Shigella dysenteriae 16 has single base pair differences from the corresponding region of Escherichia coli at positions -24 and -13 . The difference at -13 was shown to be responsible for the 90% reduction in promoter function characteristic of the trp operon of S . dysenteriae . The base pair difference at position -13 also renders the operator partially constitutive . This allows the organism to maintain relatively high repressed levels of the trp enzymes and increases the relative importance of attenuation as a transcription control mechanism . These findings and the earlier observation that the trpE protein of S . dysenteriae is only slightly active explain the low in vivo expression of the trp operon of this organism . Nutritional studies suggest that operons involved in other amino acid biosynthetic pathways in S . dysenteriae 16 may be similarly partially inactivated. Isr J Med Sci, 1978 Oct, 14(10), 1048 - 55 Isolates of Yersinia enterocolitica from clinical cases in Northern Israel; Shmilovitz M et al.; Bacteriologic data and some clinical and epidemiologic aspects concerning 53 clinical cases associated with Yersinia enterocolitica are described . This is the first published report of human cases of Y . enterocolitica infection in Israel . Seventy-eight isolates of Y . enterocolitica were obtained from stool cultures of these cases, with 94% on SS agar plates . The isolation of the organism, including its differentiation from related bacteria, is discussed . In 88% of 50 cases, the organisms were of serotype 0:3, biotype 4, phage type VIII and in 12%, serotype 0:1, 2a, 3, biotype 3, phage type XI . Sensitivity in vitro to antibacterial drugs and evaluation of the serologic diagnosis are also considered . With two exceptions, all 53 patients had acute enteritis, clinically similar to shigellosis . The cases came from towns and villages throughout northern Israel and were detected from July 1976 to November 1977 . Children under five years of age were 76% of the cases . Five cases appeared in two small institutional outbreaks . It is suggested that infection probably occurs in other parts of the country as well, and that difficulty in laboratory diagnosis is the reason for the lack of reported cases. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1978 Oct, (10), 77 - 82 {Production of auxotrophic mutants of Shigella sonnei}; Nastichkin IA et al.; Use of selection method with R . Ffm phage offered a possibility of obtaining R-forms of Sh . sonnei from the population of bacteria of phase II with a low frequency of natural dissociation . Mono- and polyauxotrophic mutant of I, II and R-phases by hir, ilv, pro, and mtl markers were obtained by treatment of Sh . sonnei strains with nitrosoguanidine and ethyl-methanesulfonate . The frequency of mutation in two Sh . sonnei strains studied in this work (UBC and No . 941) by the same genetic regions proved to differ . The change of Sh . sonnei phase I into phase II was observed only in selection by proline marker which could be connected with the existence in this region of a gene controlling the dissociation process. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1978 Sep, 241(3), 319 - 24 On the metabolic characteristics of hybrids Shigella flexneri x Escherichia coli, devoid of their ability for intracellular multiplication in the epithelial cells . IV . Growth characteristics in the presence of some tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates; Radoutcheva T et al.; The dynamics of avirulent xyl-str and xyl + hybrids Sh . flexneri was investigated in minimal medium in the presence of some tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates (succinate, malate, fumarate) and pyruvate . It was established that the hybrids with a replaced xyl-str or xyl-region show a considerably lower rate of multiplication in artificial media than the virulent recipient strains. J Am Vet Med Assoc, 1978 Sep 1, 173(5 Pt 2), 649 - 53 Interventions in diarrheas of infants and young children; DuPont HL; To prevent diarrhea, efforts must be directed toward decreasing environmental contamination of enteropathogens, altering exposure of persons to naturally occurring agents, or to increasing host tolerance to prevalent enteropathogens . A vaccine is feasible in the control of certain enteric infections among high risk groups: typhoid fever and cholera, in areas of hyperendemicity or during an epidemic, shigellosis in institutionalized populations that are at risk to develop illness due to known prevalent serotypes, enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli for US travelers to Latin America, and perhaps rotavirus for all children under 3 years of age . In diarrhea, the most useful form of treatment is an oral glucose/electrolyte solution, which in most cases will prevent dehydration . Lactose containing foods should be removed from the diet early in the course of diarrhea . Antimicrobial agents are necessary in the treatment of typhoid fever, are useful in the treatment of shigellosis, giardiasis, and amebiasis, and are contraindicated in intestinal salmonellosis. J Invest Dermatol, 1978 Sep, 71(3), 186 - 8 Enhanced chemotactic and phagocytic activities of leukocytes in psoriasis vulgaris; Wahba A et al.; Leukocytes derived from the peripheral blood of psoriatic patients demonstrated an enhanced chemotactic response compared with leukocytes from healthy subjects . No significant difference was detected between the chemotactic response of leukocytes from patients with minimal or no skin involvement and those from patients with extensive lesions . Psoriatic leukocytes also had a significantly higher capacity to engulf 125I labeled Shigella flexneri than control leukocytes . It is postulated that a decrease in the cyclic AMP/cyclic GMP ratio in psoriatic leukocytes, similar to the imbalance of these 2 cyclic nucleotides found in the lesional epidermis of psoriasis, might be the cause of their enhanced chemotactic and phagocytic activities. Aust J Exp Biol Med Sci, 1978 Aug, 56(4), 507 - 11 Effects of changes in Mg++ ion concentration upon bacterial inhibition by beta-2-thienylalanine in defined media; Brown KJ et al.; Variation in the inhibition of growth of Escherichia coli and Shigella sp . in various media containing beta-2-thienylalanine was attributed to differences in concentrations of Mg++ ions . Random blood samples 112 infants were tested for elevated phenylalanine in the phenylketonuria (PKU) screening assay . Magnesium ion levels also affected the results of this assay . At 0.05 g/1 MgSO4, the concentration present in commerical PKU test agar, four false positives were detected, while no readings could be made due to overgrowth of the Bacillus subtilis test strain when the concentration was increased to 0.1 g/1. J Hyg (Lond), 1978 Aug, 81(1), 131 - 8 High and low level tetracycline resistance in Shigella sonnei; Hawkins WA et al.; The results presented in this paper confirm the existence of two types of tetracycline resistance in Shigella sonnei . One group of strains had a high level of resistance to tetracycline and oxytetracyline, with a variable level of minocycline resistance . The second group had a lower level of tetracycline resistance and were sensitive to minocycline . After conjugation with E . coli K12 the selected E . coli transconjugants had the same levels of resistance as the parent Sh . sonnei strain, with one exception . Sh . sonnei 87 was resistant to a high level of tetracycline, but was able to transfer only low level resistance . It is suggested that Sh . sonnei 87 carriers two plasmids: pSU1, a conjugative plasmid conferring a low level of tetracycline resistance, and pSU2, a non-conjugative plasmid which confers a high level of resistance to tetracycline. Gastroenterology, 1978 Aug, 75(2), 297 - 301 Whipple's disease: case report with immunological studies; Kirkpatrick PM Jr et al.; A patient with Whipple's disease is described whose small bowel biopsy demonstrated antigenicity to rabbit antisera to groups A, B, C, and G streptococci and Shigella flexneri, but not to antisera to pneumococcus or Shigella sonnei by immunofluorescent techniques . In addition, the patient's lymphocytes responded normally to phytohemagglutinin and to concanavalin A . These studies support the idea what Whipple's disease is mediated by a bacteria-like agent which shares certain antigenic similarities with groups A, B, C, and G streptococci and S . flexneri, and that T cell dysfunction does not appear to be an essential prerequisite for the disease. N Z Med J, 1978 Jul 12, 88(615), 9 - 10 The transfer of antibiotic resistance by R plasmids in Shigellae; Bremner DA; Forty-five strains of Shigella species isolated at Auckland Hospital from 1972--1974 were investigated for antibiotic resistance . Forty-two strains were resistant to one or more antibiotics and 11 strains transferred antibiotic resistance by conjugation to E . coli. Am J Trop Med Hyg, 1978 Jul, 27(4), 840 - 2 Oxolinic acid for the treatment of chronic gastrointestinal Shigella carriers; Ribner BS et al.; Two patients were long-term gastrointestinal carriers of Shigella flexneri for 23 mo and 6 mo, respectively . Neither patient responded to oral antibiotics, despite in vitro sensitivity of the bacteria to the antibiotics administered . Oral oxolinic acid produced immediate cessation of the carrier state in both patients, with resolution of minor but persistent physical complaints. Biokhimiia, 1978 Jul, 43(7), 1228 - 32 {Study of the methylation process and DNA methylase specificity in Shigella}; Nikol'skaia II et al.; The nature and content of minor bases in DNA of 3 Shigella strains are investigated . DNAs from Shigella stutzeri 2, Sh . sonnei 1188 and Sh . sonnei 311 are found to contain 0.43, 0.56 and 0.45 mol.% of N6-methyladenine respectively . 5-methylcytosine (0.16 mol.%) is discovered in Sh . sonnei 311 . Substrate specificity of adenine methylase from Sh . sonnei 1188 with respect to phage DNAs of different host modification is investigated . Recognition sites for guanine methylase of DDVI phage and for adenine methylase of Sh . sonnei 1188 turned to be different . DNA of DDII phage grown in Sh . stutzeri 2 cells does not accept methyl groups under the treatment with Sh . sonnei 1188 extracts, but it is methylated by Escherichia coli extract . Adenine methylases of Sh . sonnei 1188 and Sh . stutzeri 2 are suggested to be either the same enzyme, or enzymes, which recognition sites are partially overlapped. J Virol, 1978 Jul, 27(1), 38 - 44 Interaction between bacteriophage Sf6 and Shigella flexner; Lindberg AA et al.; The Shigella flexneri phage Sf6 has an isometric head with hexagonal symmetry 53nm in diameter . The noncontractile tails in 16 nm long and terminates with a base plate containing six spikes . Sf6 is typical of the C phages in the morphological classification of Bradley . Phage Sf6 processes alpha-1,3-endorhamnosidase activity as demonstrated by methylation and reducing end group sugar analyses of the products obtained on interaction with the O-polysaccharide chain of S.flexneri strains which have the O-group 3,4 antigen . The major end product was an octasaccharide with the following structure: Rha III-GlcNAc-Rha I-Rha II-Rha III-GlcNAc-Rha I-Rha II . Acetylation of 0-2 of rhamnose III of the O-polysaccharide chain, either brought about by Sf6 lysogenization or found in wild-type S . flexneri (3b) strains, prevented enzymatic hydrolysis . O-deacetylation of the polysaccharide chain again made it susceptible to the S6f endorhamnosidase. Am J Epidemiol, 1978 Jul, 108(1), 47 - 52 Epidemiology of common-source outbreaks of shigellosis in the United States, 1961-1975; Black RE et al.; In 1961-1975, there were 72 foodborne and 38 waterborne outbreaks of shigellosis reported in the United States . Foodborne outbreaks were most often caused by salads with contamination attributed to poor hygiene of a food handler . Waterborne outbreaks most often involved semipublic water systems, and were usually the result of inadequate chlorination of water contaminated by human feces . In 110 common-source outbreaks, 16,541 persons were ill . The attack rate for both food- and waterborne shigellosis was 47%, and the case-fatality ratio was 0.1% in foodborne outbreaks and 0.2% in waterborne outbreaks. Br Med J, 1978 Jun 10, 1(6126), 1518 - 21 Haemolytic-uraemic syndrome complicating shigella dystentery in south Indian children; Raghupathy P et al.; Shigella dysentery caused 65% of all cases of acute renal failure (ARF) seen in children treated at the Christian Medical College Hospital, Vellore, during the 33 months ending September 1977 . In the 40 children with ARF secondary to shigella dysentery, haematological findings suggested that they were suffering from the haemolytic-uraemic syndrome, and glomerular hypercellularity and fibrin deposition were present in all 12 patients whose renal histology could be studied . Peritoneal dialysis was the main element of treatment: 43% of children who underwent dialysis improved, compared with only 25% of those who did not undergo dialysis . The haemolytic-uraemic syndrome precipitated by bacillary dystentery is therefore the most important cause of ARF in children aged under 5 years in Tamil Nadu and the adjoining area of Andhra Pradesh. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1978 Jun, (6), 100 - 2 {Action of Na-RNA on infection in mice infected with Shigella flexneri}; Zemskov MV et al.; Experiments were conducted on albino mice . Experimentally induced dysentery infection proved to become aggravated under the effect of yeast Na-RNA expressed in the increase of the number of animals which fell ill and perished . This phenomenon proved to be based on the acceleration of reproduction of the causative agent, with a simultaneous selection of its virulent clones seen both in vitro and in vivo. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1978 May, (5), 46 - 8 {Pathogenicity of the Shigella isolated from wild and game animals of the Far North of the USSR}; Grekova NA et al.; Experiments were conducted on guinea pigs . A study was made of the pathogenicity of brucellae culture isolated from various wild and Game animals of the extreme North of the USSR (wolf, polar fox, ermine, glutton) . The majority of the cultures under study proved to be highly pathogenic . Observations carried out led to the conclusion that brucella cultures circulating between the wild and domestic reindeers and migrating to other species of animals presented definite danger to the health of man. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1978 May, (5), 11 - 5 {Study of a collection of Shigella strains of provisional serovars (cultural and biochemical properties)}; Khomenko NA; The author studied 17 standard and local strains of shigellae of provisional serological variants (3873-50, 2000-53, 3341-53, 3615-53, 2710-54, 1621-54) . By a number of biochemical signs (alkalization of citrate agar of Christiansen and Molke's lacmus, the growth on acetate medium, utilization of soluble starch) and resistance to the genus-specific dysentery bacteriophage the cultures of serological variant 2000-53 possessed no properties of shigellae and were escherichia according to the general characteristics . The enzymatic and cultural properties of the rest of provisional serological variants corresponded to the characteristics of bacteria belonging to Shigella genus. Am J Epidemiol, 1978 May, 107(5), 433 - 8 Guillain-Barré syndrome: epidemiology of an outbreak; Khoury SA; In early January, 1976, an outbreak of gastroenteritis caused by contamination of the water supply system occurred in Salt, Jordan . This outbreak was followed by the appearance of peripheral neuropathy in 19 cases diagnosed as Guillain-Barre Syndrome . Clinically, gastroenteritis was suggestive of Shigellosis and one of nine patients with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, grew Shigella boydii . Epidemiology of the 19 cases with peripheral neuropathy is detailed . Seventeen patients had definite gastroenteritis symptoms prior to their neuropathy . The median incubation period was seven days. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1978 May, (5), 36 - 40 {Comparative study of the virulence of the Shigella isolated from bacterial carriers and from acute dysentery patients}; Ovchinnikova EA et al.; The authors present the results of study of the virulence of shigellae isolated from carriers and patients suffering from acute dysentery, on a continuous culture of E1 and Hep-2 cells . The virulence of shigellae isolated from carriers displayed no significant difference from the virulence of shigellae isolated from patients with a mild and moderately severe forms of dysentery . In the patient's organism shigellae were capable of retaining the initial virulence for a long time, despite the treatment and the influence of the macroorganism's protective factors . The authors believe that this was connected with the capacity of Shigellae to parasitic life in the cells of human intestinal epithelium, and, apparently, played a definite role in the formation of carrier state. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1978 May, (5), 20 - 6 {Experience with the diagnosis of dysentery in adults by determining antibodies to Shigella in the saliva}; Kolesnikova EN et al.; Concentration of immunoglobulins and titres of antibodies to Sh . sonnei, Sh . flexneri and enteropathogenic E . coli 0111 was determined in mixed saliva and the blood serum of patients suffering from Sonne dysentery, acute intestinal diseases of unknown etiology, and healthy individuals . The sum total immunoglobulin concentration in mixed saliva proved to be 53--81 times less than in the blood serum, but in the first substrate there was 53--75, and in the second--15% of immunoglobulin A . There proved to be distinct changes in the specific IgA-antibodies in the saliva of patients with Sonne dysentery . A preponderant accumulation of IgG-antibodies was noted in the blood serum . Elevation of both types of antibodies was maximal during the second week of the disease . Sonne dysentery was diagnosed in 80% of the patients by recording the intensity of shifts in the specific antibodies in the saliva, and in 63%--in the blood . The expediency of immunological testing of saliva for the diagnosis of dysentery is substantiated. J Infect Dis, 1978 May, 137(5), 641 - 4 Invasive Escherichia coli; Formal SB et al.; The present evidence indicates that Shigella-like pathogenicity is determined by a multiplacity of genes . Although deliberate attempts have been made to confer invasive virulence on E . coli strain K12 by employing classical procedures of recombination with virulent S . flexneri donor strains, they have not yet been successful . While we should, theoretically, be able to achieve this, the practical problem of testing for pathogenicity precludes screening larger numbers of hybrid clones for the acquisition of virulence . This increases the difficulty of successfully realizing that end . Nevertheless, since invasive-type pathogenicity is determined by multiple genetic loci, we consider it unlikely that random insertion of foreign DNA into the E . coli K12 genome could supply all of the genetic information necessary to convert this organism into an invasive enteric pathogen. Biull Eksp Biol Med, 1978 May, 85(5), 545 - 7 {Stimulation of nonspecific resistance in mice with high- and low-molecular fractions of endotoxin on 2 models of Shigella infection}; Shpiliuk GF et al.; The capacity of S . paratyphi B endotoxin and its high molecular (HMF) and low molecular (LMF) fractions to stimulate the resistance of mice to shigella infection in intraperitoneal and intranasal challenge was investigated . The HMF developed high activity after the intraperitoneal injection (efficiency index--EI = 2.8) . All the preparations were less active on the lung model (EI = 1.6--1.7) . Materials of this work lead to the conclusion that in studying the phenomenon of nonspecific resistance induction conditions providing antitoxic and antiinfectious resistance should be considered separately. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 1978 May, 17(5), 412 - 9 The insensitivity of the chicken eye to the inflammatory effects of x-rays in contrast to its sensitivity to other inflammatory agents; Stetz DE et al.; The effects of x-rays and three chemical agents, known to cause intraocular inflammation in mammalian eyes, were studied on the chicken eye because this species was reported to be insensitive to the cataractogenic effects of x-rays . Intravitreal injection of Shigella endotoxin and topical and/or intravitreal administration of PGE2, PGF2alpha, or arachidonic acid caused a breakdown of the blood-aqueous barrier, as indicated by flare and increased protein concentration in the aqueous humor . Following endotoxin injection, there was also a large accumulation of cells in the anterior chamber . The ocular inflammatory effects of endotoxin and arachidonic acid were inhibited by indomethacin . Thus the chicken eye reacts to these inflammatory agents in a manner similar to that previously described for the rabbit . In contrast, the inflammatory response which was reported to occur in the rabbit eye 3 to 4 hr after exposure to 500 or 1000 rads of x-rays was not observed in the chicken eye even after expsoure to 10,000 rads . Minimal flare and a small cellular infiltration were observed in some eyes only after extensive swelling of the surrounding tissues had developed . It is concluded that the insensitivity of the chicken eye to x-rays is due to some unique difference in the chain of events which mediates, or prevents, the effects of ionizing radiation rather than to a general insensivity to inflammatory agents. N Engl J Med, 1978 Apr 27, 298(17), 927 - 33 Hemolytic-uremic syndrome after shigellosis . Relation to endotoxemia and circulating immune complexes; Koster F et al.; To investigate three possible causes of the acute hemolysis in the hemolytic-uremic syndrome, we studied prospectively 207 children and 34 adults with shigellosis in Bangladesh . Nineteen children showed acute hemolytic anemia, a leukemoid reaction, thrombocytopenia and oliguria; nine other had, in addition, a serum urea nitrogen level of over 100 mg per diciliter . Eight of the nine had pseudomembranous colitis, and six of the nine died . The frequency of bacteremia was similar in all grades of shigellosis . Circulating immune complexes were found in 10 of 20 patients with uncomplicated shigellosis and in four of six with severe hemolytic-uremic syndrome . Limulus assay for endotoxemia was positive in nine of 18 patients with hemolysis (50 per cent) and three of 61 with uncomplicated shigellosis (5 per cent) (P less than 0.001) . These data support the hypothesis that severe colitis in shigellosis is associated with circulating endotoxin from the colon producing coagulopathy, renal microangiopathy and hemolytic anemia. Jpn J Med Sci Biol, 1978 Apr, 31(2), 135 - 42 On the serology of Plesiomonas shigelloides; Shimada T et al.; The serology of 87 strains of Plesiomonas shigelloides was studied . Thirty O antigenic groups and 11 H antigens were defined within the 87 strains, and an antigenic schema consisting of 40 serovars was established . Some O antigens of P . shigelloides were identical or closely related to those of some Shigella serovars. J Hyg (Lond), 1978 Apr, 80(2), 275 - 80 Two epidemics of diarrhoeal disease possibly caused by Plesiomonas shigelloides; Tsukamoto T et al.; Two epidemics of water-borne diarrhoeal disease involving a total of 1000 persons are reported . In both epidemics, none of the usual bacterial entero-pathogens were recognized and Plesiomonas shigelloides was the only suspect aetiological agent isolated . The ecology of P . shigelloides was investigated in these outbreaks . It was recognized as an inhabitant of fresh surface water and its presence was closely related to warm weather. Intensive Care Med, 1978 Apr, 4(2), 91 - 2 Catheter-induced ascites--an unusual complication of parenteral feeding; Axelsson CK et al.; A nearly fatal complication of parenteral feeding is reported . An emaciated infant with severe Shigella dysentery was treated with intravenous feeding through a catheter in the inferior vena cava . After three days severe ascites developed acutely . Venocavography revealed effusion into the peritoneal cavity due to the catheter having penetrated the wall of the inferior vena cava. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1978 Apr, (4), 59 - 62 {Immunoglobulins and antibodies of various classes in children immunized with live oral Shigella sonnei vaccine from the spontaneous mutant}; Kuz'min SN et al.; The authors determined the immunoglobulin and specific antibodies level in the blood serum of 17 children aged from 7 to 10 years during the immunization with live dysentery Some vaccine . Mancini's test demonstrated the absence of any differences in the amount of IgA and IgG in children of the given age group and in adults before the immunization; in comparison with adults, IgM was increased in children . 14 to 20 days after the immunization in children there was a significant elevation of the IgG only, whereas in adults the immunoglobulin level of all the 3 classes increased significantly . The titres of specific antibodies of the IgA-, IgG-classes and of hemagglutinins before the immunization detected by Coombs' test failed to differ in children from the titres of antibodies of these classes in adults; the level of IgM antibodies was much greater in children than in adults . The changes and accumulation of antibodies of various classes in children and adults during the enteral immunization with live dysentery vaccine differed significantly: in children the vaccine stimulated the IgA- and the IgM-antibody synthesis, whereas adults responded to the immunization by increased production of all the 3 antibody classes . On the basis of the noted immunological shifts a conclusions was drawn on a marked local immunization activity of the live enteral Sonne dysentery vaccine from the spontaneous mutant in children. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1978 Apr, (4), 102 - 7 {Various aspects of competitive relationship between Shigella and Escherichia coli}; Bondarenko VM et al.; One of the aspects of antagonistic relations could be the competence of microorganisms for specific sites of attachement to the epithelium common for shigellae and some E . coli serological types; this was demonstrated on a model of shigella-induced keratoconjunctivitis and in experiments with the HEp-2 cells infected with H3-glucose-labeled Sh . flexneri 5a, with combined administration of the latter with E . coli 08 and 028 . The data obtained emphasized the importance for the development of the infectious process of the primary stage of shigella attachment to the epithelium . It was also revealed that the presence of common pili in the strains or production of colicine by bacteria intensified the antagonistic activity of E . coli, irrespective of their serological type. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1978 Apr, 240(2), 184 - 90 Shigella sonnei colicine and phage types in East Bohemia region; Horak V et al.; From November 1972 to the end of 1975, Shigella sonnei types implicated in dysentery morbidity in a number of districts of East Bohemia region were studied . 301 strains subjected to phage typing and colicine typing were classified into 45 "combined" types . During the study five types prevailed in succession, each for a protracted period of time . Four of these types retained, in the great majority of cases, their original high drug sensitivity throughout the period of their prevalence . Other types were only encountered transiently and sporadically . As a result of a phagerestrictive effect of newly acquired plasmids there occurred, in rare instances in some strains, a change in phage type; or the colicine type changed while the phage type was retained as a result of another col factor having been acquired by the strain . The changes occurred in the course of epidemics. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1978 Apr, (4), 126 - 31 {Current methods of intraspecies typing of Shigella sonnei . 3 . Bacteriophage typing}; Mamontova TN et al.; Data are presented concerning the study of the phage type of Sh . sonnei isolated in various regions of the USSR . The strains isolated belonged to 64 phage types corresponding to the Hammarstrom's scheme . A variety of Shigella sonnei phage types both in one and in different territories of the country provided future prospects for successful use of phage typing for the purpose of epidemiological supervision and analysis of dysentery morbidity. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1978 Mar, (3), 60 - 5 {Ribosomal dysentery vaccine . I . Method of production, physical and chemical properties}; Levenson VI et al.; Studies of A . and G . Youmans on the experimental tuberculosis led to discovery of a fundamentally new type of vaccines (ribosomal vaccines) which proved to be highly effective in the prophylaxis of many experimental infections . Therefore it seems reasonable to prepare analogous vaccine from Shigellae for the study of its efficiency in experimental shigellosis . Ribosomal preparations from Shigella sonnei were prepared by sonic disruption of microbial cells followed by differential ultracentrifugation according to A . and G . Youmans' method with slight modifications . The yeild of ribosomal fraction was about 2 per cent by weight; all the series had an UV adsorption maximum at 260 nm, the ratio OD260:OD280 being approximately 2 . They contained about 55% of RNA, 35% of protein and no more than 8% of saccharides . As shown by centrifugation in sucrose gradient and by analytical ultracentrifugation the preparations were homogeneous . The presence of undissociated ribosomes was confirmed by electron microscopy . Thus, the ribosomal preparations obtained proved to be sufficiently purified for carrying out experimental investigations of their biological activity. JAMA, 1978 Feb 27, 239(9), 853 - 4 Single-dose tetracycline therapy for shigellosis in adults; Pickering LK et al.; Forty-two adults who had Shigella isolated from stool (26 symptomatic, 16 asymptomatic) received a single oral dose of tetracycline hydrochloride (2.5 g) . Minimal inhibitory concentrations of the 42 isolates demonstrated that 41% were sensitive to tetracycline . Sixteen of 18 patients with diarrhea who had tetracycline-resistant Shigella and all eight patients with diarrhea who had tetracycline-sensitive Shigella were clinical well and had Shigella-negative stools 48 hours after therapy . Fifteen of 16 asymptomatic patients demonstrated clearing of Shigella from stool within 48 hours of therapy . Single-dose tetracycline therapy is effective in the treatment of Shigella regardless of clinical expression of illness or in vitro sensitive of the organism. Biull Eksp Biol Med, 1978 Feb, 85(2), 247 - 9 {Fistulated diffusion chamber and its use in studying microbial associations in vivo}; Mikhno IL et al.; The fistulated diffusion chamber intended for the cultivation of microbial associations in vivo was elaborated . The interralation between the yeast-like Candida albicans fungi, staphylococci, shigella Sonnei, the influence of each one upon the macroorganism, and its response to their combined action were studied. Gut, 1978 Feb, 19(2), 108 - 13 Escherichia coli antibodies in patients with inflammatory bowel disease; Tabaqchali S et al.; Sera from 30 patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) (16 with Crohn's disease (CD) and 14 with ulcerative colitis (UC) were assayed for the presence of antibodies against 159 Escherichia coli O-antigens and compared with sera from 16 matched control subjects . The majority of patients with IBD had agglutinating antibodies to a higher number of Escherichia coli O-antigens and in higher titres than the control group . The number of positive agglutinins was O-33 mean 13.8 in CD, O-26 mean 7.9 for UC, and O-7 mean 1.5 in controls . Eight patients with IBD and arthropathy had antibodies to fewer O-antigens (O-7 mean 3.2) . The antibodies were in the IgG and IgM, in titres corresponding to original values . No specific O-serotypes were associated with IBD . Common serotypes, R-plasmid carrying serotypes, and those associated with shigella-like adult diarrhoea were detected . O14 was detected only in five patients and O119 in none . There was no correlation between the number of Escherichia coli agglutinins and the site and severity of the disease or type of therapy . It is suggested that the presence of the high numbers of Escherichia coli antibodies is secondary to the disease process and is unlikely to be causally involved in the pathogenesis of the disease, but may play a role in the perpetuation of the disease and in the extraintestinal complications. Arch Inst Pasteur Madagascar, 1978, 46(1), 29 - 50 {Plesiomonas shigelloides . 23 strains isolated from human stools in Madagascar}; Zeller H et al.; Twenty-three strains of Plesiomonas shigelloides isolated from human stools in Antananarivo are studied . Ficklness of some biochemical characters is observed . Ability to pathogenicity is tested on animals (cornea of guinea pigs, intestinal ligatured loops of rabbits). Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1978 Jan, (1), 97 - 102 {Aggravation of experimental dysentery in mice and acceleration of the process of multiplication of pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic bacteria under the effect of yeast RNA}; Zemskov VM et al.; Simultaneous infection of mice with Sh . flexneri subtype 2a, culture, with various doses of RNA sodium salt (NaRNA) or administration of the preparation 3 hours prior to or 6, 12, and 18 hours after the infection was accompanied by aggravation of the experimental infection in mice . This was expressed in a greater number of animals which contracted the disease and died, and in increased blood and peritoneal exudate microbiol density . The same processes were noted in mice infected with equal doses of shigella cultures passaged four times through broth with NaRNA, in comparison with the animals infected with shigellae passaged through broth alone . Incubation of a number of pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic microbes in broth with NaRNA was accompanied by a significant increase in the bacterial biomass volume; at the same time other conditionally patoogenic microbes or even different strains of the same type of the microbes reacted to NaRNA but weakly . A possibility of realization of all of these processes in vivo and their influence on the origination of bacterial complications and development of the infection is supposed. Acta Microbiol Acad Sci Hung, 1978, 25(4), 319 - 25 Enterotoxin production by Shigella flexneri type 2A, strain no . M42-43; Ketyi I et al.; Enterotoxin produced by Shigella flexneri type 2a, strain M42-43, is similar to "Shig-like" cytotoxic enterotoxin and shares common features with that of other S . flexneri strains . On the basis of molecular filtration and neutralization experiments it is suggested that the same molecule carries these biological characters. Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz), 1978, 26(1-6), 603 - 10 Studies on virulence of Shigella flexneri; Witkowska D et al.; The antigenic structure and some biological properties were compared in virulent S . flexneri strains of differences in: 1) antigenic composition; 2) biochemical activity; 3) sensitivity to a set of Shigella phages and 4) susceptibility to phagocytosis . The only difference found concerned the LD50 for mice; it was 10 to 100 times larger for avirulent than for virulent strains of S . flexneri . The toxic products of the strains were also compared . The lipopolisaccharide and free endotoxin purified from virulent and avirulent variants behaved similarly when tested for: LD50, pyrogenicity and the local Shwartzman reaction . A striking difference was demonstrated in the ultrastructure of lipopolisaccharide and free endotoxin isolated from virulent and avirulent variant of S . flexneri 3a. Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz), 1978, 26(1-6), 513 - 6 Interferon induction in mice by uniform salt forms of Shigella sonnei lipopolysaccharide and its components; Lugowski C et al.; Interferon-inducing capacity of uniform salts of Shigella sonnei lipopolysaccharide (LPS), its polysaccharide component and lipid A were compared . Low-molecular-weight triethylamine and ethanolamine salt forms of the lipopolysaccharide were most active in interferon production . It was confirmed that lipid part of LPS is responsible for interferon-inducing activity. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1978, (12), 67 - 9 {Media with yeast RNA for isolating Shigella flexneri from feces}; Zemskov MV et al.; The authors demonstrated a considerable, in comparison with the control, increase of the biomass of Sh . flexneri causative agent, when growing in meat-peptone broth with 1-4 mg of NaRNA, and of the number of colonies in the feces of the patients and of healthy persons artificially contaminated with Sh . flexneri when inoculated in Ploskirev's agar or Endo medium with 4 mg/ml of NaRNA . Using media with NaRNA for laboratory diagnosis of dysentery is recommended. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1978, (12), 37 - 42 {Characteristics of the action of the biologically active factor from virulent Shigella flexneri strains in a study on mice and a cell culture}; Miroliubova LV et al.; The authors subjected to further study the biologically active factor revealed by them earlier in the virulent Sh . flexneri cultures by using the genetically bound triad of Sh . flexneri 5a-222 cultures and the corresponding couple of Sh . flexneri 2a-516 . There was shown correlation of the strains virulence determined by the keratoconjunctival test, with the presence of genetically-determined production of the biologically active factor detectable in the culture filtrate, which produced toxic action of the continuous cell cultures in the virulen Sh . flexneri strains of different serovars (2a and 5a), and lethal action in intravenous injection to mice . Comparative study of toxicity of the preparations of the endotoxin, free endotoxin, and neurotoxin types showed the biologically active factor to resemble the neurotoxin, differing from it in the toxic action and thermolability . Filtrates of the virulent and genetically characterised avirulent strains differed in the protein and lipids content, this permitting to suggest participation of the protein and lipid complex in the toxic action of the biologically active factor. Acta Microbiol Acad Sci Hung, 1978, 25(3), 219 - 27 Unique features of heat-stable enterotoxin of Shigella flexneri; Ketyi I et al.; Sephadex G-100 fractions of ultrasonic lysate of Shigella felxneri were compared to the fractions of Escherichia coli lysates of Ent- , LT+ ST+, LT+ and ST+ strains . The range of molecular weight of S . flexneri ST fractions was the same as that of E . coli LT fractions . Rapid PF activity was associated with the ST peak in the case of S . flexneri, and followed the LT activity in the E . coli (LT+ ST+) fractions, and appeared in the same molecular weight range in the case of Ent- E . coli lysate . Cross neutralization could be demonstrated between S . flexneri ST and E . coli LT . Antigenic relationship between shigella ST and choleragen seemed to be less expressed and rather unilateral. Acta Microbiol Acad Sci Hung, 1978, 25(3), 165 - 71 Heat-stable enterotoxin produced by Shigella flexneri; Ketyi I et al.; Filtrates and ultrasonics extracts of Shigella flexneri showed rapid permeability factor (PF) test and proved positive in suckling mice and ligated rabbit loop tests within 4 hr . Delayed PF was not detected and the rabbit loop dilatation test read after 18 to 24 hr, the mouse pad oedema reaction, the test for elongation effect of CHO cells were also negative . In the delayed PF test a strong "blanching" effect was observed . A filtrate of an Ent-Escherichia coli strain was positive only in the rapid PF test, while filtrate and ultrasonic extract prepared from the Ent+ E . coli strain showed a positive reaction in all tests for enterotoxins (ST and LT) including the rapid PF test . Ultrasonic extracts of a S . flexneri and an Ent- E . coli strain concentrated by freeze-drying were fractionated on Sephadex G-100 column . S . flexneri fractions of 60--70ml were positive for rapid PF, dilation capacity in suckling mice, and the blanching effect in the delayed PF test . No positive reaction was found in the delayed PF test and in CHO cell culture . Similar fractions of Ent- E . Coli carried substances responsible for the rapid PF and the blanching effect, but without suckling mice positivity. Arkh Patol, 1978, 40(6), 78 - 85 {Experimental study of the pathogenesis of dysentery}; Maksimovich NA et al.; It was shown that experimental dysentery could be produced against the background of various pathologic conditions of experimental animals (avitaminosis, concurrent diseases, etc) . The studies in vivo and in vitro showed that intraepithelial parasitising of Shigella occurred in dysentery but did not play the leading role in the pathogenesis of the disease . Macrophages played a more important role, particularly in formation of the bacterial carrier state . In order to resolve some disputable problems of the pathogenesis of dysentery it is necessary to take into account the biological properties of the causative agent which change under the influence ov various effects, as well as the state of reponsiveness of the host. Arkh Patol, 1978, 40(4), 38 - 41 {Alkaline phosphatase of striated border of the enterocytes in experimental dysentery}; Koval'chuk VK; The activity of alkaline phosphatase of the striated border of enterocytes was studied experimentally in Syrian hamsters in the early stage of adsorption of Shigella zonnei on the epithelium of the small intestine and in a long-term dysentery infection . It was established that upon the direct effect of bacteria on the glycocalix of enterocytes the activity of the enzyme in it at the site of attachment decreased; upon a long-term effect of Shigella on the intestinal wall a decrease in the activity of alkaline phosphatase is systemic. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1978 Jan, (1), 134 - 40 {Ways of determination of the intensity of the epidemic process in Shigella sonnei dysentery}; Belikova-Aldakova VD et al.; Proper view on the true prevalence of Sonne dysentery characterised by polymorphous clinical picture in which many cases coursed in subclinical form could be reached only by using additional active methods for detecting the infection rate of the population . For this purpose the authors applied passive hemagglutination test which permitted to reveal the response of the organism to the antigenic stimulation in the course of two months after the sustained sickness . Over 12 000 persons were examined . According to the results of passive hemagglutination test seasonal activization of the epidemic process occurred one month earlier than it was revealed by recording of the incidence of the disease . The results of the mentioned test also showed infection rate of the population with Sonne dysentery to be as a rule greater than established by the official statistics. Acta Microbiol Pol, 1978, 27(2), 97 - 102 Lipopolysaccharides of Shigella flexneri 6 as phage receptors; Przondo-Hessek A et al.; Seven bacteriophages specifically lytic for representative strains of Shigella flexneri serotype 6 were studied . Cross hemagglutination experiments and chemical analysis of isolated lipopolysaccharides showed that strains 975 and 323 are smooth and strains 288, 551 and 488--rough . Lipopolysaccharides isolated from the smooth strains inactivated phages F10 and "a" whereas those from the rough strains demonstrated poor inactivation of specific bacteriophages . The lipopolysaccharides of both the smooth and rough strains were found to be phage "a" receptors . The results indicate that the varied sensitivity of S . flexneri 6 depends on the roughness of the strains. Arch Dis Child, 1977 Dec, 52(12), 960 - 1 Rifampicin therapy in shigellosis in infancy; Naveh Y et al.; Eleven infants aged 1-2 years suffering from shigellosis associated with Shigella flexneri type 6 were treated with rifampicin . All were initially treated with antimicrobial drugs to which Sh . flexneri was shown to be sensitive, but without effect . Rifampicin was effective in curing gastrointestinal symptoms and eradicating the bacilli in all infants in 5 days . The drug was given in a dose of 10-12 mg/kg per day divided into two equal parts, for 7 days . No untoward side effects were observed . Our experience should encourage the use of this agent in controlling outbreaks of shigellosis and in curing resistant Shigella spp . infections where other antimicrobial agents prove to be inefficient. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 Dec, (12), 44 - 8 {Experimental study, using a pulmonary model, of the pathogenic properties of genetically related strains of Sh . flexneri, differing in their ability to cause keratoconjunctivitis}; Dragunskaia EM et al.; Complex microbiological and morphological study of the genetically connected Sh . flexneri strains, avirulent by keratoconjunctival test showed that the greatest extent of the virulent loss was revealed in shigellae with mutation in the area glpK-gene: they lost the capacity to penetrate into the cells of the bronchial epithelium, to resist local leukocytic reaction and to produce an injurious action on the pulmonary vessels . Shigellae with the replaced kcpA- gene area mostly lost the capacity to penetrate into the epithelial cells of mouse bronchi and were eliminated from the epithelium by the 9th hour after the administration . Xyl--avir-hybrids obtained from crossing of Sh flexneri with the streptomycin-resistant E . coli K12 donors were characterized by the loss of the capacity to prolonged reproduction in the organism of mice with the retention of the capacity to penetration into the epithelium, of the influence on the development of the leukocytic reaction and of the damaging effect on the pulmonary capillaries. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 Dec, (12), 39 - 43 {Duration of bacterial discharge in Sonne dysentery}; Sharipov RZ et al.; The authors report on the results of their observations during 3 epidemic outbreaks . Despite different intervals at which the bacteriological examinations were carried out comparable data were obtained: during 2 outbreaks when no chemotherapeutic agents were used in 78.0 and 79.9% of children shigella discharge ceased in 4 weeks . Daily bacteriological examinations carried out in the course of the 3rd outbreak showed the maximal intermittent bacterial discharge for up to 79 days in individual cases. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 Nov, (11), 73 - 8 {Safety and immunologic effectiveness of polyantigen from shigellae for oral immunization of monkeys}; Dzhikidze EK et al.; Clinical, morphological, and immunological study was carried out in monkeys given shigellae antigen in tablets orally . Each tablet contained 0.5 mg of the antigens obtained by Boiven's method from Sh . flexneri 2a, 3, 4a, 4b, 6 and Sh . sonnei . Daily administration of the preparation for 4 days and then 4 times at the interval of 5 days proved to be harmless for monkeys . A marked immunomorphological reaction in the form of hyperplasia of the lymphoid elements of the wall of the large intestine and the lymph nodes occurred in response . There was found a resistance of the great majority of the immunized animals to the infection with the virulent Sh . flexneri 2a strain, this corresponding to the accumulation of cells secreting IgM and IgA in the wall of the large intestine. J Am Vet Med Assoc, 1977 Nov 1, 171(9), 855 - 8 Amyloidosis in rhesus monkeys with rheumatoid arthritis and enterocolitis; Chapman WL Jr et al.; Generalized amyloidosis was diagnosed by light and electron microscopy in 4 of 5 monkeys (Macaca mulatta) that had a history of chronic arthritis or chronic intermittent diarrhea, or both . Clinical signs and lesions of arthritis in the monkeys were compatible with diagnostic criteria for rheumatoid arthritis . Shigella sp was cultured from 1 monkey, and 2 other monkeys had colonic lesions characteristic of shigellosis . At necropsy, gross changes attributed to amyloid were seen only in the liver . Amyloid deposits in the liver, spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes, kidney, heart, adrenal glands, and other organs were determined by staining reactions and fine structural characteristics. Am J Med Sci, 1977 Nov-Dec, 274(3), 265 - 70 Monocyte function in familial Mediterranean fever; Bar-Eli M et al.; Monocytes derived from the peripheral blood of patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) demonstrated a consistently lower phagocytic capacity (38-44%) for 125I-labelled Shigella flexneri when compared to monocytes from healthy subjects . Phagocytosis of both viable and killed Staphylococcus albus was similar in patients and controls . However, FMF monocytes had a two- to eight-fold depressed bactericidal capacity against S . albus in comparison to normal monocytes . Acid phosphatase and beta-glucuronidase monocyte activities were similar in patients and controls . It is suggested that the defects in monocyte function may be of importance in the pathogenesis of FMF . Colchicine had no effect on any of the indices studied. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1977 Nov, 239(3), 352 - 60 On the metabolic characteristics of Shigella flexneri X Escherichia coli, devoid of ability for intracellular multiplication in epithelial cells . III . Oxygen uptake and dehydrogenase activity; Radoutcheva T et al.; The oxygen uptake and dehydrogenase activity of avirulent xyl+ and xyl- str hybrids (KCP-), obtained from virulent strains Sh . flexneri (Sh . flexneri 222 5 a and Sh . flexneri M42-432a) and donor strain E . coli AB 313, devoid of ability for intracellular multiplication in epithelial cells are studied . Some tricarboxylic acid intermediates, hexoses and pentoses were used as substrates . A definite tendency has been established, indicating a decreased rate of oxygen consumption and dehydrogenase activity of the hybrids, compared to the respiratory activity of the virulent recipient strains tsh . flexneri in all substrates used. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 Nov, (11), 79 - 86 {Assessment of the diagnostic effectiveness of antigenic preparations from Sonne shigellae}; Sumarokov AA et al.; The authors studied the diagnostic possibilities of 4 diagnistic agents from Sh . sonnei . A total of 1500 from 1122 persons were investigated . Specificity and sensitivity of the diagnostic agents from Sh . sonnei were determined . Methodical priciples of the objective assessment of the diagnostic efficacy of the antigenic preparations in the controlled epidemiological trial were elaborated . A possibility of establishment of the etiological diagnosis of Sonne dysentery in the passive hemagglutination or blast agglutination tests by the results of testing with the diagnostic agents of the serum obtained from the patient once or by determining the dynamics of the antibody titre rise in coupled serum portions was not great. Infect Immun, 1977 Nov, 18(2), 546 - 8 Toxin from the culture filtrate of Shigella dysenteriae that causes morphological changes in Chinese hamster ovary cells and is distinct from the neurotoxin; Takeda Y et al.; A toxin that causes morphological changes in Chinese hamster ovary cells was isolated from a culture filtrate of Shigella dysenteriae 1 . It was partially purified by successive column chromatography on diethylaminoethyl-cellulose, Bio-Gel A-5m, and hydroxylapatite . The toxin was separated from neurotoxin by diethylaminoethyl-cellulose column chromatography and was not lethal for mice. Antibiotiki, 1977 Oct, 22(10), 923 - 5 {Study of the antibiotic sensitivity of Shigella newcastle isolated in Zaporozhe Province}; Gusakova LV et al.; Sensitivity to antibacterial drugs of 510 strains of Shigella Newcastle isolated from both sporadic patients and cases during the disease outbreaks was studied . The studies revealed a rather high percentage of Shigella Newcastle resistant to the antibiotics widely used in clinical practice . Most of the strains, i.e . 90.5 per cent were resistant to tetracycline and a significant number of the isolates, i.e . 55.6--53.3 per cent were resistant to streptomycin and erythromycin . A statistically reliable predominance of the Shigella resistant to levomycetin and streptomycin in the disease foci was noted as compared to the Shigella isolated from the sporadic patients . Most of the isolates were simultaneously resistant to several antibiotics . Thus, resistance to 2,3--4 and 5--6 antibiotics was found in 28, 54.3 and I.I per cent of the cultures respectively . At the same time almost all Shigella Newcastle strains were sensitive to rifampicin, neomycin and monomycin (aminoglycoside antibiotics), enteroseptol (oxychinoline drug) and furazolidone (nitrofuran drug). Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 Oct, (10), 58 - 63 {Immunologic properties of soluble shigella antigens}; Gorbunova ES et al.; Of the live Sh . Flexner 2a and Sonne soluble antigens containing glucide-lipoid-protein complex, characterized by low toxicity, a high yield of dry substances, and the capacity to induce immunity production in mice after subcutaneous and oral immunization, were obtained by salt extraction and physical disintegration . Local antigen application into eye mucosa of guinea pigs produced local resistance against homologous causative agents and also stimulated production of the highest level of specific antibodies at the site of administration in oral and conjunctival vaccination . A marked antigenic-immunological activity of soluble shigella antigens in local administration permits to refer them to the group of protective ones and to recommend their further study in the capacity of preparations for enteral vaccination against dysentery. J Infect Dis, 1977 Oct, 136(4), 577 - 82 Studies with a new generation of oral attenuated shigella vaccine: Escherichia coli bearing surface antigens of Shigella flexneri; Levine MM et al.; In an attempt to develop a safe, proliferating, oral, attenuated vaccine against shigellosis, genes that control the synthesis of group- and type-specific somatic antigens of Shigella flexneri 2a were transferred via conjugation to a recipient strain of Escherichia coli . The resultant hybrid (E . coli expressing shigella surface antigens) vaccine strain, PGAI 42-1-15, believed to have a complete (smooth) lipopolysaccharide, was given to volunteers in two vaccination-challenge studies . The vaccine was well tolerated and gave evidence of intestinal proliferation . In trial no . 1, volunteers given two doses of vaccine one month apart were challenged after eight weeks with 10(4) virulent S . flexneri 2a . Attack rates were comparable in vaccinees (50%) and controls (40%) . In trial no . 2, vaccinees were given three weekly doses of vaccine and were challenged four weeks later with a small inoculum (10(2)) of S . flexneri 2a . Again, attack rates among vaccinees (47%) and controls (39%) were similar . It is unclear why this theoretically ideal, live shigella vaccine failed to protect against S . flexneri 2a. Gastroenterology, 1977 Oct, 73(4 Pt 1), 715 - 8 Symptomatic treatment of diarrhea with bismuth subsalicylate among students attending a Mexican university; DuPont HL et al.; Students attending a Mexican university who developed diarrhea were randomly treated with bismuth subsalicylate or a placebo . One hundred and eleven were given 30 ml each 1/2 hr until eight doses (total dose of active drug 4.2 g) were given and 58 students received twice this dose (8.2 g of active drug) over the 3 1/2-hr treatment period . The number of unformed stools was significantly decreased in both bismuth subsalicylate treatment groups compared to the placebo controls for the period 4 to 24 hr after therapy . A reduction in diarrhea was additionally noted for the duration of the 48-hr surveillance period for the students receiving the higher dose of active drug . Subjective relief within 24 hr of therapy of the symptoms of diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal pain or cramps was reported with a significantly increased frequency in the bismuth subsalicylate group . The most pronounced effect of the treatment occurred in the United States students with diarrhea who had recently arrived in Mexico . This appeared to be related to the favorable effect of bismut subsalicylate on the course of toxigenic Escherichia coli infection . Students with shigellosis did not experience a prolonged illness in either treatment group. JAMA, 1977 Sep 26, 238(13), 1387 - 9 Venereal transmission of enteric pathogens in male homosexuals . Two case reports; Mildvan D et al.; In two cases there was simultaneous or sequential occurrence of amebiasis, shigellosis, and giardiasis in male homosexuals . Enteric pathogens may, under the proper conditions, be venereally transmitted . In particular, the sexual practices of male homosexuals, most significantly, oral-anal contact, appear to provide the necesseary link for transmission . Evidence suggests that this is a growing problem. Eur J Biochem, 1977 Sep 15, 79(1), 111 - 5 Cell-wall lipopolysaccharide of the 'Shigella-like' Escherichia coli 058 . Structure of the polysaccharide chain; Dmitriev BA et al.; Two lipopolysaccharide preparations were obtained from Escherichia coli 058 by extraction with 45% aqueous phenol and fractional precipitation with cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (Cetavlon) . Chemical analysis and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecylsulfate showed that the two preparations differed only in the extent of the O-specific polysaccharide moiety . The O-specific polysaccharide was characterized with proton magnetic resonance and infrared spectroscopy, optical rotation and paper electrophoresis . Using gas-liquid chromatography and ion-exchange chromatography, it was shown to contain D-mannose, 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucose, 3-O-(R-1'-carboxyethyl)-L-rhamnose (rhamnolactylic acid), and O-acetyl groups in the molar ratios of 2:1:1:1 . The polysaccharide and oligosaccharides obtained from it were subjected to methylation and chromic acid oxidation . The results obtained indicated that the polysaccharide consists of tetrasaccharide repeating units in which the trisaccharide beta-GlcNAc1 - 4alphaMan-1 - 4(2/3-O-Ac)-Man is substituted at C-3 of the non-acetylated mannose with rhamnolactylic acid . The repeating units are joined through alpha-mannosyl-1 - 3-glucosamine bonds . This structure is identical with that of the cell wall polysaccharide of Shigella dysenteriae type 5. Bol Med Hosp Infant Mex, 1977 Sep-Oct, 34(5), 955 - 69 {Infectious agents in diarrhea of hospitalized children in Costa Rica}; Mata L et al.; Shigella, toxigenic Escherichia coli (stable toxin) and rotaviruses were frequently found among 50 children hospitalized with diarrhea studied during one year . These agents were less common among 45 controls without diarrhea, of comparable age and from the same wards as the cases reported . There was a greater frequency of respiratory symptoms in the diarrhea associated with rotaviruses . These were characterized by frequent bowel movements and vomiting and often fever . The bacterial diarrheas showed, in general, a more severe clinical picture than the viral ones . The rotaviruses had a low endemic level during April-October, but their prevalence increased in December and January; in such months these viruses were found in more than 50 per cent of the diarrheal cases. J Infect Dis, 1977 Sep, 136(3), 416 - 21 Immunization with Shigella dysenteriae type 1: evaluation of antitoxic immunity in prevention of experimental disease in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta); McIver J et al.; The role of serum antitoxic antibody in protection against the dysentery caused by Shigella dysenteriae type 1 (Shiga's bacillus) was studied in monkeys fed 10(10) virulent organisms after parenteral immunization with a formalin-inactivated Shiga toxoid preparation standardized in mice . Two 125-microgram doses of toxoid adsorbed on aluminum hydroxide adjuvant and given 14 days apart provided mice with a 54-fold increase in resistance to parenteral toxin . In rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta), the same regimen of toxoid permitted the safe parenteral administration of toxin in incremental doses ranging from 100 to 1,000 mouse 50% lethal doses and resulted in correspondingly high titers of antitoxin in serum . Nevertheless, the immunized monkeys responded to orally administered Shiga bacilli by development of diarrhea and dysentery that was as severe as (or more severe than) the response of unimmunized controls . The failure of extraordinarily high levels of circulating antibody to protect against experimental shigellosis suggests that the intestinal mucosal sites of toxinmediated response are beyond the reach of systemic antitoxin. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 Sep, (9), 86 - 9 {Phage conversion of the antigens in Escherichiae and Shigellae . 2 . Conversion of the somatic antigen in Shigella flexneri with the moderate E . coli 0129 phage}; Babkov VV et al.; The authors studied the converting activity of the moderate EF5 phage isolated from the lysogenic E . coli 0129 strain . It was shown that this phage converted the O-antigen with the detection of the type antigen V in the strains of Sh . flexneri of the serological type la and y-variant . The converted cultures contained the type antigen V and were identical by the antigenic properties to one another and the Sh . flexneri of the serological type 5 and E . coli 0129 . A conclusion was drawn that phages converting the antigens of Sh . flexneri could be encountered in escherichia and could modify the antigens in Sh . flexneri and escherichia possessing the antigenic factor 3,4. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 Sep, (9), 45 - 9 {Postvaccinal dysentery immunity studied on the model of ligated loop of the small intestine of rabbits}; Shpiliuk GF et al.; Chemical (detergent) antigens administered intraintestinally or intravenously to rabbits were applied to reproduce postvaccinal immunity to experimental shigellosis . There was noted an increase of the antibody level in the serum, an intensification of its preventive proerties, and the absence of dilatation of the isolated loops of the small intestine after the administration of the corresponding dysentery culture . Oral immunization of rabbits with the detergent antigen sorbed on ionexchange resin also led to immunity. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 Sep, (9), 114 - 8 {Study of the mechanism of reduction of the virulence in the Shigella flexneri strains resistant to streptomycin}; Lycheva GA et al.; Streptomycin-resistant mutations in donor strains of E . coli K12 Hfr AB 313 and AT-13 are not associated with the action of the strA-gene limiting the suppression . Shigella mutations str-r obtained by the method described in this paper also failed to limit the suppression . Changes in the virulence observed in transmission strA region from the str-r strains of E . coli and shigellae used in this work were not connected with mutations limiting the suppression (with competent mutations). Eur J Biochem, 1977 Sep, 78(2), 381 - 7 Somatic antigens of Shigella . The strucuture of the specific polysaccharide chain of Shigella dysenteriae type 5 lipopolysaccharide; Dmitriev BA et al.; The specific polysaccharide was released from Shigella dysenteriae type 5 lipopolysaccharide by mild acidic hydrolysis and then purified by gel chromatography on Sephadex G-50 . The polysaccharide was built up of residues of D-mannose, 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucose, 3-0-(D-1-carboxyethyl)-L-rhamnose (rhamnolactylic acid) and 0-acetyl groups in a ratio 2:1:1:1 . On the basis of radiospectroscopy, methylation analysis, Smith degradation, and chromium trioxide oxidation, the repeating oligosaccharide unit of the polysaccharide can be assigned the following structure: (formula: see text) where GlcNAc is 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucopyranose, Manp is mannopyranose, RhaLcA is rhammolacytic acid and Ac is an acetyl group . The serological properties of Sh . dysenteriae somatic antigens are discussed in relation to the chemical structures of their specific polysaccharides. Br J Pharmacol, 1977 Sep, 61(1), 39 - 46 Some effects of prostaglandins E1 and E2 and of endotoxin injected into the hypothalamus of young chicks: dissociation between endotoxin fever and the effects of prostaglandins; Artunkal AA et al.; Prostaglandins E1 and E2 elevated body temperature of young chicks when injected into the hypothalamus at thermoneutrality (31 degrees C) . In contrast, they lowered body temperature when so injected below thermoneutrality (16degreesC): the relation of the fall in body temperature to increased heat loss and decreased heat production was examined . 2 The above effects below thermoneutrality were potentiated by pretreatment with inhibitors of prostaglandin synthetase and possible reasons for this potentation are given . 3 The O-somatic antigen of Shigella dysenteriae consistently evoked hyperthermia when injected into the hypothalamus, irrespective of whether the chicks were within or below thermoneutrality . 4 Pretreatment with prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors failed to prevent the onset of endotoxin fever; however, duration of the fever, induced by intrahypothalamic injection of the O-somatic antigen of Shigella dysenteriae was reduced . 5 The intrahypothalamic injection, belwo thermoneutrality of prostaglandins E1, E2, noradrenaline, 5-hydroxytryptamine or carbachol reversed endotoxin fever, inducing even substantial falls in body temperature . 6 While the results cast some doubts on the role of prostaglandins of the E series as mediators of endotoxin fever in chicks, they cannot be eliminated as mediators until the significance of the reduction in duration of the pyrexic response by indomethacin and 5,8,11,14-eicosatetraynoic acid, and the degree of synthesis inhibition attained, are known. Br J Pharmacol, 1977 Sep, 61(1), 29 - 37 Some effects of intravenous prostaglandin E, and endotoxin in young chickens; Artunkal AA et al.; 1 The effects of intravenous prostaglandin E1 and endotoxin were studied in young chickens (11-17 days old) . 2 At a thermoneutral ambient temperature (31 degrees C), intravenous prostaglandin E1, produced behavioural and electrocortical sleep, increased oxygen consumption and, after an initial fall, elevated body temperature . Below thermoneutrality (16 degrees C), the initial hypothermic effect was more marked and oxygen consumption was lowered . 3 The soporific actions of prostaglandin E1 were sufficient to counteract dexamphetamine-induced behavioural and electrocortical arousal and vocalization . 4 Intravenous injection of the O-somatic antigen of Shigella dysenteriae evoked, after a latent period, long lasting hyperthermia . This indicates that in young chicks the blood brain barrier is probably permeable to endotoxins. Fortschr Med, 1977 Aug 25, 95(32), 1945 - 50 {Traveler's diarrhea}; Lux VG; Travellers' diarrhea afflicts up to 50 percent of tourists in certain geographic regions . It is a syndrome caused by a variety of pathogens, the most common of which is enterotoxigenic E . coli . Other responsible pathogens include salmonellae, shigellae, Entamoeba histolytica, Yersinia enterocolitica, Giardia lamblia and virus-like agents, seldom vibrios . Symptoms persist for only a few days and are only serious in 1/5 of the cases. S Afr Med J, 1977 Aug 6, 52(7), 261 - 5 A microbiological study of gastro-enteritis in Black infants; Freiman I et al.; A survey was carried out to determine the aetiological agents responsible for acute gastro-enteritis in Black infants . Bacteriological examination of 191 patients and 178 age-matched controls showed that salmonellae and shigellae together accounted for only 15% of cases and were harboured by almost 7% of controls . Seropositive 'enteropathogenic' Escherichia coli was an important cause of diarrhoea, especially in the summer months . Enterotoxin-producing E . coli was not a significant cause of gastro-enteritis in this study . This study suggests that routine serotyping of E . coli from infantile gastro-enteritis should be continued until the relationship of serotype and enterotoxigenicity with enteropathogenicity has been established . Rotaviruses were detected by electron microscopy in 14,4% of children . The clinical features associated with the different infectious agents are described. Postgrad Med, 1977 Aug, 62(2), 113 - 7 Recent developments in diarrheal diseases; Gangarosa EJ; Diarrheal diseases result from two different processes: toxin elaboration by pathogens such as Vibrio cholerae and some strains of Escherichia coli and invasion of tissue, eg, by shigellae and salmonellae . Intestinal motility serves as a normal cleansing mechanism of the intestine, and drugs that decrease this motility may facilitate replication of pathogens and their attachment to or invasion of the intestinal tissue . Therapy should not be aimed at suppressing the symptom of diarrhea . It is now known that the electrolytes lost in the course of diarrheal disease can be replaced orally if they are given in solution with glucose . Although commercial preparations are not readily available, an effective solution can be made from ingredients commonly found in the home . Oral rehydration has greatly simplified treatment and has significantly reduced the morbidity and mortality associated with diarrheal diseases. Lancet, 1977 Jul 2, 2(8027), 3 - 4 Patterns of sexually transmitted enteric diseases in a city; Dritz SK et al.; In the past three years cases of shigellosis, amoebiasis, and viral hepatitis A and B have increased fourfold to tenfold in San Francisco . These diseases were most common in people who had adopted "alternative life-styles", especially in young men, In many cases there was a history of frequent orogenital and oral-anal sexual contact between men with no common source . Despite energetic public-health measures and intensive efforts by physicians treating these cases, the increase has not yet been brought under control . Other cities may experience similar difficulties with sexual transmission of enteric diseases.20 Immunology, 1977 Jul, 33(1), 121 - 7 Macrophage phagocytic recognition sites . Demonstration of selectivity by hetero- and alloantisera; Schroit AJ et al.; Separate and independent phagocytic recognition sites have been identified on mouse peritoneal macrophages through the use of xenogeneic antimacrophage serum (AMS) and allogeneic anti H-2 antisera . Anti H-2d and anti H-2b antisera inhibit the binding and ingestion of opsonized erythrocytes (EA) by macrophages bearing H-2 haplotypes d and b, respectively . AMS and its F(ab')2 and Fab fragments inhibit the binding and ingestion of EA, and the ingestion but not the binding of 125I-labelled Shigella by macrophages . Neither antiserum inhibited the binding or ingestion of latex particles by macrophages . The results suggest that particulate binding to macrophages can be inhibited by two different mechanisms: a non-specific one where antibody bound to certain cell-surface antigens can mediate either directly or indirectly, and a specific interaction with Fc receptors . The possible mechanisms of non-specific antibody mediated phagocytic inhibition are discussed. Eur J Pharmacol, 1977 Jul 1, 44(1), 75 - 80 Increased prostaglandin synthetase activity in inflamed tissues of the rabbit eye; Bhattacherjee P et al.; Tissues from normal and inflamed rabbit eyes were examined for prostaglandin synthetase activity using homogenates and microsomal preparation . Ocular inflammation was induced with 10 microgram Shigella endotoxin injected into the vitreous body . Homogenates of iris-ciliary processes of normal and inflamed eyes synthesized 2.3 and 5.6 microgram respectively of prostaglandins per g wet weight of tissues from endogenous substrate . Intact tissues from normal and inflamed eyes produced similar amounts of prostaglandins (2.2 and 5.3 microgram/g wet wt . respectively) . Microsomes obtained from inflamed tissues produced 565 ng of prostaglandins per mg of protein per 30 min compared with 190 ng synthetized by normal microsomes . The apparent Km for the substrate of prostaglandin synthetase from inflamed tissues compared with that from normal was found to be lower . It is suggested that prostaglandin synthetase activity in the ocular tissues is modified during Shigella endotoxin-induced inflammation. Sex Transm Dis, 1977 Jul-Sep, 4(3), 89 - 91 Venereal transmission of shigellosis in Seattle-King county; Bader M et al.; In the past, shigellosis in Seattle-King County has been primarily a disease of children, their parients, and foreign travelers . During the 18 months beginning in July 1975, an outbreak of shigellosis in Seattle's community of gay men involved both Shigella flexneri and Shigella sonnei . They accounted for nearly 30% of all cases of shigellosis reported to the health department . Fellatio and/or oral-anal contact was reported by 90% of the infected homosexual men; this was probably the mechanism of transmission of most infections . Intercity spread was determined by case histories and by the finding of S . flexneri 3, a previously unusual organism in Seattle. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 Jul, (7), 44 - 7 {Phage conversion of escherichia and shigella antigens . I . Phage conversion of type I antigen of Sh . flexneri in entrophatogenic E . coli O129}; Babkov VV et al.; The authors realized conversion of type I Sh . flexneri in enteropathogenic E . coli O129 with converting moderate phage phi I Sh . flexneri . Phage phi I lysogenized 7.3--42.7% of the cells of antigenic E . coli variant O129 which lost type V antigen; conversion of the type I antigen of Sh . flexneri was revealed in the agglutination and adsorption of agglutinins tests . As a result, E . coli strain was obtained with the O-antigen identical to the O-antigen of Sh . flexneri Ia. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 Jul, (7), 102 - 5 {Experimental salmonellosis conjunctivitis and keratitis in guinea pigs}; Voino-Iasenetskii MV et al.; The authors present the results of morphological study of experimentally-induced conjunctivitis and keratitis induced in guinea pigs by salmonellae . It was revealed that injuries of the conjunctiva and cornea in salmonellae infection were different by development and morphological manifestations from keratoconjunctivitis caused by shigellae . This difference was due to specific peculiarities of the pathogenic properties of salmonellae and shigellae clearly expressed on the given experimental model. Infect Immun, 1977 Jul, 17(1), 4 - 8 Rough mutant of Shigella flexneri 2a that penetrates tissue culture cells but does not evoke keratoconjunctivitis in guinea pigs; Okamura N et al.; A rough mutant, designated 5503-01, has been isolated from a virulent strain of Shigella flexneri 2a 5503 . Strain 5503-01 produced smooth opaque colonies, whereas its parent strain produced characteristic green-gold translucent ones . Characterization of 5503-01 by agglutination tests, rhamnose content, and sensitivity spectra to "rough-specific" phages revealed that it had lost the specific somatic antigens . When 5503-01 was used to infect HeLa or L cells, it penetrated the cells and multiplied within the cytoplasm . On the other hand, it could not evoke keratoconjunctivitis in guinea pigs . The properties of this strain were remarkably stable against serial passages and preservation for a long period . The presence of a rough mutant with the ability to penetrate tissue culture cells suggest that specific O antigen is not of significance in the early step of the invasive process of shigellosis. Am J Epidemiol, 1977 Jul, 106(1), 61 - 6 Location of food consumption and travelers' diarrhea; Tjoa WS et al.; Daily food histories for one month were obtained in summer, 1975, from students attending a Mexican university to determine the influence of food consumption on the development and etiology of diarrhea . In newly-arrived students from the U.S . who ate half or more of their meals in the school cafeteria and public restaurants there were significant increases in diarrhea (p less than 0.005); shigella infection (p less than 0.05) and toxigenic E . coli infection (p less than 0.025) compared to the students eating a comparable number of meals in private homes . In the summer U.S . students there was also an association of diarrhea and eating from street vendors (p less than 0.05) . In full-time U.S . students who had lived in Mexico a year or longer as well as in Latin American students a relationship between location of meals and occurrence of enteric disease was not apparent . High numbers of enteric bacteria were recovered from food from the school's cafeteria, public restaurants, street vendors and small grocery stores . Shigella were isolated from cooked and uncooked hamburger patties from the school cafeteria . Four shigella carriers were found among kitchen personnel at the school . This study demonstrates that food serves as a major vehicle through which travelers' diarrhea occurs. Eur J Biochem, 1977 Jun 15, 76(2), 433 - 40 Somatic antigens of Shigella . Structural investigation on the O-specific polysaccharide chain of Shigella dysenteriae type-2 lipopolysaccharide; Dmitriev BA et al.; The O-specific polysaccharide obtained from Shigella dysenteriae type-2 lipopolysaccharide by mild acid hydrolysis consisted of N-acetylgalactosamine, N-acetylglucosamine, D-galactose, D-glucose, and O-acetyl group in the ratio of 2:1:1:1:1 . A number of oligosaccharides were obtained by deamination of the N-deacetylated polysaccharide and by Smith degradation of the both native and O-deacetylated polysaccharides . The identification of oligosaccharides along with methylation analysis and chromic anhydride oxidation showed that the polysaccharide was built up of the repeating pentasaccharide units whose proposed structure is given below: (see article) Serological properties of Sh . dysenteriae O-specific polysaccharides are discussed. Eur J Biochem, 1977 Jun 15, 76(2), 327 - 30 Structural studies of the Shigella flexneri variant X, type 5 a and type 5 b O-antigens; Kenne L et al.; Previous studies of different Shigella flexneri O-antigens indicate that their O-specific region is composed of oligosaccharide repeating units containing a basic tetrasaccharide structure, to which alpha-D-glucopyranosyl groups and O-acetyl groups may be attached to different positions . Structural studies of O-antigens from variant X, type 5a and type 5b lend further support to this assumption . These antigens contain terminal alpha-D-glucopyranosyl groups, one each per repeating unit in X and 5a, two in 5b . The location of these groups in the repeating unit has been determined. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 Jun, (6), 69 - 73 {Features of the monosaccharide composition and ultrastructure of lipopolysaccharides of different forms of Shigella sonnei}; Vaneeva NP et al.; The authors present the results of study of chemical monosaccharide composition and the ultrastructure of purified lipopolysaccharides (LPS) of the I and the II phases and the R-form of Sh . sonnei . The amount of lipids in LPS preparations increased with the change from S- into R-form . Galactose content in LPS of the II phase was less than in LPS of the I phase, and it was absent entirely in LPS of R-form . It was demonstrated by negative contrasting that LPS dissociation increased with S leads to R dissociation . A marked similarity was found between macromolecular aggregates of LPS of the II phase and of R-form. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 Jun, (6), 115 - 9 {Intraspecies antagonism of Sh . flexneri in an HEp-2 cell line model}; Bondarenko VM et al.; The authors describe an effect of suppression of invasion of the guinea pig eye conjunctiva and the HEp-2 epithelial cells by virulent Sh . flexneri bacilli, with a simultaneous administration of the same dose of avirulent shigella mutants, genetically connected with them . The data of morphological study and experiments with 3H-glucose labeled shigellae carried out on the cell species model indicated that the bacterial competition for the specific sites for absorption on the epithelial cells underlay the observed phenomenon. J Virol, 1977 Jun, 22(3), 694 - 701 Location of the ss--mutation of bacteriophage T7 in genes 10, the structural gene for the major capsid protein; Vetter D et al.; T7+ phage are unable to plate on a strain of Shigella sonnei D2 371-48 . Spontaneous phage mutants arise (ss--mutants) that are able to plate on this strain of Shigella . We have shown by complementation studies and genetic crosses that the ss--mutation maps in gene 10, the structural gene for the major protein of the capsid . This finding implies that the gene 10 protein may interact with a host protein during phage development and that the abortive infection of T7 observed in S . sonnei D2 371-48 with T7+ phage may be a defect in head morphogenesis . Our studies also reveal that various T7 strains commonly contain deletions in nonessential regions . T7 ss--mutants selected after growth of T7+ on Shigella D2 371-48 often acquire a deletion in the 0.7 gene that is not necessary for the ss--phenotype . Finally, we have found a new nonessential region of the T7 chromosome that is located between 33 and 35.5% of the T7 genome length. Am J Gastroenterol, 1977 May, 67(5), 478 - 84 The gay bowel syndrome . A review of colonic and rectal conditions in 200 male homosexuals; Sohn N et al.; Our experience in the management of 260 male homosexuals with colorectal problems is described . The increased incidence of amebiasis, shigellosis and hepatitis, specific and nonspecific protocolitides, venereal disease and anal warts, is emphasized . It is important to recognize homosexual patients and the conditions to which they are predisposed. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 May, (5), 29 - 33 {Comparative characteristics of cell-free filtrates of Shigella flexneri of different virulence}; Miroliubova LV et al.; It was shown for the first time that the virulent Sh . flexneri strain grown on Luria broth differed from the avirulent one by the yield of readily released surface-located complexes--lipopolysaccharide (determined by rhamnose) and protein into the filtrate . There was no distinct correlation between the strain virulence and the content of rhamnose-determined lipopolysaccharide in the filtrate; growing bacteria in the presence of Ca and Mg ions had no significant influence on the lipopolysaccharide release into the filtrate . Protein release into the cell-free filtrate was thrice that in the virulent shigella strain than in the avirulent one . When bacteria were grown in the presence of Ca ions protein release from the virulent strain increased 1.5-fold and changed but little in the avirulent culture . Cell-free filtrates of the virulent strain produced toxic action on L tissue culture cells; in conjunctival infection of guinea pigs they caused some reduction of the LD50 of the virulent strain and sharply aggravated the course of the infectious process . Heating of the filtrate at 100 degrees C for 15 min decreased their toxic action on L cells . The data obtained indicated that the active biological factor revealed in the virulent strain of Sh . flexneri was protein or its derivative. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 May, (5), 123 - 8 {Epidemiology of dysentery in Dagestan}; Sultanov GV et al.; Analysis of material on bacterial dysentery and other acute intestinal infections morbidity in the Dagestan ASSR for a period of 15 years showed high morbidity level and its variations, with reduction and elevation in individual years, and the leading role played by Shigella flexneri among the causative agents of dysentery . The greatest incidence of dysentery was revealed among children aged under one year and between 1 and 2 years . A high bacterial dysentery incidence was recorded in Dagestan throughout the whole year . However analysis of the seasonal dysentery curve showed the beginning of elevation in July, reaching the maximum in August, and lasting four months with a decline beginning in October . The persisting activity of the water route of dysentery transmission in the Dagestan ASSR requires particular attention to the organization of good-quality water-supply to the population of the republic. Can J Microbiol, 1977 May, 23(5), 563 - 6 Improved procedure of selective enrichment of Shigella in the presence of Escherichia coli by use of 4-chloro-2-cyclopentylphenyl beta-D-galactopyranoside; Park CE et al.; A previously described procedure for the selective enrichmen of Shigella in competition with E . coli has been modified and tested with a total of 48 strains of the four Shigella species . The new enrichment medium consists of 1,5-strength trypticase soy broth, 1 mM 4-chloro-2-cyclopentylphenyl beta-D-galactopyranoside (CPPG), 0.25% lactose, and 0.1 M citrate buffer (pH 6.2) . In competition with a 1000-fold higher population of E . coli than Shigella, 42 of 48 strains from the four species of Shigella were selectively enriched by the new method . Different lots of CPPG did not appear to affect the performance of the medium. Infect Immun, 1977 May, 16(2), 510 - 2 Inhibition of small-intestinal sugar and amino acid transport by the enterotoxin of Shigella dysenteriae I; Binder HJ et al.; The enterotoxin of Shigella dysenteriae I produces fluid and electrolyte secretion in the rabbit ileum . These present studies were designed to evaluate nonelectrolyte transport in rabbit ileal mucosa exposed to Shigella enterotoxin . Both 10 mM galactose and 5 mM L-alanine absorptions were significantly impaired in enterotoxin-exposed ileal mucosa compared with control mucosa . L-Alanine influx was not imparied in two other secretory processes: that induced by cholera enterotoxin and hyperosmolarity . These studies provide evidence that both surgar and amino acid absorptions are diminished in the small intestine by the enterotoxin of S . dysenteriae I. Pediatrics, 1977 May, 59(5), 726 - 9 Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole compared to ampicillin in the treatment of shigellosis; Chang MJ et al.; Twenty hospitalized children between 1 and 11 years of age were enrolled in a comparative randomized evaluation of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TM-SM) and ampicillin for the treatment of shigellosis . Each drug was provided for five days . The group treated with ampicillin had significantly more stools per day (mean 21.25) compared to the TM-SM group (8.64) . Treatment with TM-SM appeared to be associated with a more rapid reversion of stool cultures to normal, but these differences compared to ampicillin were not statistically significant . Review of all isolates of Shigella from our hospital revealed a marked decrease in sensitivity to ampicillin over the last six years . This pattern has been observed in other centers . TM-SM may be the best drug for the treatment of shigellosis in areas where multiple antibiotic-resistant organisms are common. J Infect Dis, 1977 May, 135(5), 735 - 43 Clinical and laboratory assessment of the pathogenicity of serotyped enteropathogenic Escherichia coli; Gurwith MJ et al.; Only one of 167 separate isolates of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EEC) was shown to produce enterotoxin, and none of the 167 isolates were invasive . Clinical features of 123 hospitalized children with EEC were compared with those of 917 infants with nonbacterial gastroenteritis and 145 infants infected with Shigella . The average duration of diarrhea (five or more stools per day) in hospitalized children with EEC, nonbacterial gastroenteritis, Shigella flexneri, and Shigella sonnei was 4.6, 2.4, 5.1, and 2.5 days, respectively . The average duration of fever in these four groups was 1.4, 1.2, 2.1, and 1.2 days, respectively . The difference in duration of diarrhea between children with EEC and those with nonbacterial gastroenteritis was significant (P less than 0.001), even when age and rural/urban origin were controlled by analysis of variance . Nevertheless, the EEC group tended to be younger and to have a higher proportion of infants of rural origin . Although it appears that EEC serotypes rarely identify invasive or enterotoxin-producing organisms, clinical features of infants with EEC-associated gastroenteritis suggest that these infants may represent a distinctive and clinically important group with gastroenteritis of greater severity than nonbacterial gastroenteritis. Minerva Med, 1977 Apr 30, 68(21), 1435 - 40 {The diffusion of salmonellae . Study of a homogeneous sample of 1257 children under 3 years of age in day-nurseries of Rome}; Panichi G; With a view to examining the importance of healthy carriers in the diffusion of salmonellas, 1257 faeces cultures were examined in a homogeneous population sample, well distributed in the area and considered healthy . The research was carried out between 5th March and 16th June 1975 . 5 pathogenic germs were isolated: 2 S . London, 1 S . Wien, 1 S . Blokey and 1 Shigella . The S . Wien proved resistant to several antibiotics . Discussing the technical and epidemiological aspects of this investigation, particularly in relation to the recent epidemic of S . Wien and to the increasing isolation of germs which present polychemoantiobioticoresistance, the importance of the health carrier is stressed along with the need to obtain an antibiogram before therapy to help eliminate germs resistance to several antibiodics. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 Apr, (4), 177 - 22 {Biological activity of extracts isolated from a virulent strain of Sh . flexneri grown in the presence of calcium ions}; Miroliubova LV et al.; The authors carried out a comparative study of the genetically connected Sh . flexneri cultures (3 virulent strains, 3 clones of an avirulent mutant selected in the flux of an oblique light from the virulent strain, and lac+ Kcp A-hybrids obtained by crossing the initial virulent cultures with the E . coli K12 Hfr strains) . The absence of any correlation between the virulence of the strains under study and the lipopolysaccharide (by rhamnose) content in the extracts from them in growing the cultures in the presence of calcium ions was noted . Toxicity of the extracts from the virulent cultures was demonstrated on a model of developing chick embryos . No such property was possessed by the extracts from avirulent strains . The extracts from the virulent cultures in nontoxic doses possessed the capacity to decrease LD50 of shigella strains used for the infection . The biologically active factor determined in the extracts from the virulent cultures apparently was not lipopolysaccharide. Arthritis Rheum, 1977 Apr, 20(3), 779 - 84 Antibody levels to enteric bacteria in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis; Gutowska-Grzegorczyk G et al.; In order to determine the immunologic status and possible susceptibility to bacterial infection in children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), titer of hemagglutingating antibodies to E coli 055, E coli 086, common antigen, and Shigella polyvalent antigen were measured . Immunoglobulin G was the predominant antibody . IgA antibodies were found in higher titer in children with JRA . No significant differences were found between children with JRA do not have any deficit in antibody production to specific bacterial antigens, and any increased appearance of infection in these children is more probably due to deficiencies in cellular factors. J Infect Dis, 1977 Apr, 135(4), 552 - 6 The pathogenesis of Shigella diarrhea . VI . Toxin and antitoxin in Shigella flexneri and Shigella sonnei infections in humans; Keusch GT et al.; Two strains of Shigella flexneri and one of Shigella sonnei were studied for toxin production in vitro . All of the three strains produced a cell-free cytotoxin that showed marked similarity to that produced by Shigella dysenteriae 1 . Each toxin eluted in two distinct peaks on chromatography with Sephadex G-150, was destroyed by heating at 90 C for 30 min, and was neutralized by S . dysenteriae 1 antitoxin . Patients with infections due to S . flexneri and S . sonnei developed antibody that neutralized S . dysenteriae 1 toxin in vitro . In three of seven positive sera studied by sucrose density-gradient ultracentrifugation, antibody activity was associated only with the IgM fraction . The time course of the antibody response resembled that found in infections due to S . dysenteriae 1, in which an IgM antitoxin antibody has also been described . Since three species of Shigella have now been shown to be toxigenic, it is possible that bacterial toxin may play a role, along with bacterial invasion, in the pathogenesis of infections due to S . flexneri and S . sonnei, as well as those due to S . dysenteriae 1. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 Apr, (4), 79 - 86 {Study of genetic control of synthesis of type III and 6th group-specific antigens of Flexner shigellae}; Bondarenko VM et al.; As revealed in experiments of interspecific and intraspecific crosses, the determinant responsible for the group-specific 6, as well as controling the synthesis of type III antigens of Sh . flexneri were localized near the lac-pro markers on the chromosome . In intraspecies crosses of bacteria of y variant with the donor Sh . flexneri 3c strain the percentage of linking of lac+a6+ was 32, and of lac+aIII+ --24 . Genetic confirmation of the dependence of the function of the a6 (defined as att6) determinant on the presence of an antigenic complex 3,4 and of the association of the serological detection of the antigen III on the gene a6 was presented . On the basis of the data of Gemski et al it can be supposed that the determinant of the a6 served as the site of attachment of a specific converting phage. Biull Eksp Biol Med, 1977 Mar, 83(3), 271 - 2 {Effect of Sonne shigella endotoxin on cholinergic regulation of intestinal circulation}; Galaguza IuP; A method of extracorporeal autoperfusion and resistography of the intestinal vessels and synchronous multichannal recording the systemic blood circulation were applied to the study of the influence of the Sh . sonnei endotoxin on the cholinergic regulation of the cardiovascular system in Macacus rhesus . It was shown that development of intoxication was accompanied by the changes in the cholinergic regulation of the intestinal and systemic circulation leading to its disturbance . Possibly affection of the cholinergic control structures and disturbances of the circulation determined the development and the course of the infectious process. Mol Biol (Mosk), 1977 Mar-Apr, 11(2), 323 - 31 {Immunogenic DNA of Shigella sonnei bacteriophage}; Zamchuk LA et al.; Immunogenic and some other properties of Sh, sonnei "Ufa" phage DNA were investigated . This DNA has been shown to possess high immunogenic activity indicating the presence of an unusual base . The base is distinct from 5-OmC, glucosylated 5-OmC, 5-OmU or dihydroxypentyluracil . The phage DNA is double stranded and has the molecular weight of 1.11.10(8) daltons and Tm=85.5 degrees C . Base sequences common with T4 DNA have been found using the competition DNA-DNA hybridization technique . Experiments on cross neutralization of intact phage with the corresponding antisera confirm the existence of common antigenic determinants in T4 and Sh, sonnei "Ufa" phage particles. Ann Sclavo, 1977 Mar-Apr, 19(2), 209 - 18 {An epidemic of bacillary dysentery caused by Shigella dysenteriae, type 1, in Mogadiscio}; Nuti M et al.; An epidemic of bacillary dysentery broke out at Mogadiscio in the first months of 1976 produced by Shigella dysenteriae type 1 supplanting all other familiers of Shigella before present in the zone . The date are relative to 675 cases with 27 deceased . The hydrological origin of epidemy was not probable. Infect Immun, 1977 Mar, 15(3), 796 - 8 Biological properties of Shigella flexneri 2A toxin and its serological relationship to Shigella dysenteriae 1 toxin; O'Brien AD et al.; A toxin extracted from heat-inactivated, alkaline-treated Shigella flexneri 2a showed biological properties similar to those of Shigella dysenteria 1 toxin . The S, flexneri 2a toxin was lethal to mice, enterotoxic for ileal loops of rabbits, and cytotoxic for HeLa cells . A serological relationship between S . flexneri 2a and S . dysenteriae 1 toxin was shown with cross neutralization tests. Tsitologiia, 1977 Feb, 19(2), 192 - 7 {Electron microscopic study of the interaction of shigellae with cell cultures . III . Functional-structural changes in transplanted amniotic cells exposed to extracellular Flexner shigellae}; Trofimova MN; A quantitative changes of RNA and proteins and structural peculiarities of compensative-regenerative character were discovered in amnion cells subjected to the action of extracellular virulent shigellas by means of successive cytophotometry and electron microscopy . The long contact with the bacteria lead to increased degenerative changes in the cell cytoplasm . The arising changes seem to involve toxicity caused by the action of exometabolites of Shigella flexneri. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1977 Feb, (2), 57 - 62 {Modern methods of intraspecies typing of Sonne shigellae . II . Spread of Sonne shigellae of different biochemical types}; Solodovnikov IuP et al.; The paper presents the results of studying peculiarities of the Sh . sonnei of different biochemical types spread established by their typing scheme suggested by the authors earlier according to rhamnose, xylose and maltose . The epidemic process in dysentery both during the years of the rise and of the decline of its incidence at various territories of the countries proved to be maintained on account of circulation of Sh . sonnei of various biochemical types . The results of studying their dissociative and virulent properties confirmed the biological separation of individual biochemical types . An interrelationship between the character of the biochemical pattern of Shigellae sonnei at the individual territories and the persisting activity of different ways of dysentery transmission was determined . The results of studying the biochemical pattern could be used as an indicator of the degree of activity of individual ways of dysentery spread at various territories. J Rheumatol, 1977 Spring, 4(1), 95 - 102 Family study of Reiter's disease and HLA B27 distribution; Kousa M et al.; Starting from index patients with confirmed Reiter's disease, a clinical and immunogenetic study was performed on 12 families in which there were further cases of arthritis . Altogether 51 family members were investigated and some information was available on 15 additional members . In most families there were two or three affected members in addition to the proband . The manifestations included acute polyarthritis (16 cases), which frequently followed urethritis or occurred as a complication of Yersinia or Shigella infection, and chronic arthritis (9 cases), either ankylosing spondylitis or peripheral arthritis . The latter characteristically had a remitting course, affecting mainly the large joints . Not a single subject had sero-positive rheumatoid arthritis . The HLA B27 gene was detected in all 12 families, and served as the main indicator of the familial trait for developing arthritis . In individual patients however, the association was not especially close, since there were members with this antigen who did not have arthritis in spite of a seemingly adequate triggering stimulus and others who had arthritis but not the antigen. J Med Primatol, 1977, 6(2), 127 - 32 Elimination of the Shigella carrier state in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) by trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole; Pucak GJ et al.; The Shigella carrier state was eliminated from its nonhuman primate host, Macaca mulatta . Each of 31 animals was treated twice a day for ten consecutive days with 16 mg trimethoprim and 80 mg sulfamethoxazole delivered via stomach tube . Fresh rectal swab and stool enrichment cultures were taken for seven consecutive days as well as the 35th and 78th days after treatment, and all were negative for shigellae . In addition, no clinical signs of shigellosis were observed during or following an extensive period of stress. Jikken Dobutsu, 1977 Jan, 26(1), 51 - 64 {Rearing and management of chimpanzees for experimental infection with hepatitis B virus (author's transl)}; Koshimizu K et al.; For the purpose of experimental infection with human hepatitis B virus, 14 chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) were delivered to the Division of Animal Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo . These chimps, 11 males and 3 females, born in the West Africa, had been reared for two to six months . Several days after delivery, they were anesthetized with Ketalar in order to make clinical, bacteriological and parasitological examinations; It was found that one of them was in malnutrition, and that another had dislocation of the shoulder joint and the associating abscess . All of them were negative for tuberculin test . In the bacteriological examination, Shigella sonnei was detected in the feces from one of them . Mycoplasma sp . was detected in the materials from the oral cavity of four head . As intestinal parasites, Ascaris sp . were detected in two head, Enterobius vermicularis in eight, Strongloides sp . in two, Oesophagostomum sp . in nine, tape worms in four, and Entamoeba coli in twelve . Microfilaria as blood parasite was detected in 11 of them . The laboratory used for the experimental infection was a room occupying about 42 m2, which had been built by renovating a part of our division building . Each of the cages used for rearing the chimps was contained in the isolation box made of stainless steel . The contaminated air in the isolation box was discharged forcedly into the exhausting duct with a fan, and further passed through the HEPA filter and the Miraceram honeycomb heater, and was then conducted to the already existing ventilation duct of the division building . Each chimp was fed on a ration of 200-350 g of the imported "Purina Monkey Chow 25" and also one grapefruit and one banana daily for the supply of vitamin C . The chimps weighed 16.1 kg on the average on delivery, but gained an average weight of 4.2 kg during the following four months. Acta Microbiol Acad Sci Hung, 1977, 24(1), 7 - 12 Oral immunization of monkeys with polyvalent dysentery vaccine; Dhikidze EK et al.; Macaca mulatta monkeys were immunized orally with polyvalent Boivin extract of Shigella flexneri 2a, 3a, 4a, 4b, 6 and Shigella sonnei . The total immumizing dose for each component was equivalent to 1.2 X 10(12) cells . After challenge with 7.5 X 10(10) cells of a virulent S . flexneri 2a strain, out of 20 immunized animals 2 developed dysentery and 4 showed mild dyspepsia; all 6 control animals became ill with dysentery . Vaccination failed to influence the incidence, duration or the intermittent character of shigella excretion . Protective antibodies appeared in high titre in the serum of immunized animals. J Hyg Epidemiol Microbiol Immunol, 1977, 21(3), 295 - 300 On the possible mechanism of the protective effect of Escherichia; Andreyeva ZM et al.; A model on a HEp-2 cell culture was elaborated, permitting the study of the ability of microbes to be adsorbed an to proliferate on the surface of cells and of the mechanism of their protective effect . The ability of E . coli strains to be adsorbed and to proliferate on the surface of a cell culture was found to differ . It has been demonstrated that the protection of the cell culture from subsequent infection with virulent Shigella can be explained not only by the antagonistic activity of E . coli strains, but also by their ability to be adsorbed and to proliferate on the surface of cells . A similar mechanism of protective effect is supposed in preparations of the Colibacterin type. Acta Microbiol Acad Sci Hung, 1977, 24(3), 261 - 2 Indole positive variant of Shigella boydii 1; Adam MM et al.; In a home for mentally handicapped children indole positive variants of Shigella boydii 1 were isolated beside indole negative strains of the same serotype . The variants differed from the indole negative counterparts in fermenting dulcitol, raffinose, and in the absence of splitting trehalose . In antigenic structure the indole positive variant was identical with the type strain . The isolates gave positive guinea pig eye test. Acta Microbiol Acad Sci Hung, 1977, 24(2), 139 - 47 Phenotypic correction of nonsense mutation carrying non-converting PE5 phages in Shigella flexneri with suppressor gene; Financsek I et al.; (i) Phenotypic suppression by aminoglycoside antibiotics of a polyauxotrophic Shigella flexneri var . Y strain on partially completed minimal medium has shown that its Thr dependence is associated with nonsense mutation . Induced Thr+ revertants selected from the culture yielded clones correcting the lytic cycle of nonsense T4 mutant phages . Transfer of R1am plasmid to these clones carrying a nonsense mutation of ampicillin resistance was performed . In this manner a S . flexneri var . Y derivative was isolated which, on the basis of the phenotypic correction of T4 phages and R1am factor, proved to be a suppressor positive clone . (ii) From phage PE5 responsible for conversion of type antigen V, mutants were isolated that had lost their converting capacity . Selected Sup+ and control Sup- strains were treated with the mutant phages and examined for the appearance of type antigen V . Three phage mutants were found to induce antigen conversion only in Sup+ strains . (iii) The data suggest that, at least with phage PE5, the information for type antigen conversion is carried by phage genome. Arkh Patol, 1977, 39(9), 14 - 22 {Characteristics of the ultrastructural changes of the large intestine mucosa after acute dysentery}; Bliuger AF et al.; Electron microscopic examinations of biopsy specimens of the large intestine from 8 patients one month after termination of the acute phase of dysentery revealed dystrophic and destructive changes in surface epithelium cells consisting in the lack of glycocalyx, fragmentation of microvilli, vacuolation and subsequent homogenization of the cytoplasm . Swelling and destruction of mitochondria, pyknosis and rhexisof the nucleus, exposure and loss of the intactness of the apical membrane of the cells were observed . The altered colonocytes frequently became detached off the basal membrane, exposing the stroma . The results of the study attest to long-term persistence of both the pathological and infectious processes in protracted forms of Shigella infection in man. Z Allg Mikrobiol, 1977, 17(5), 381 - 9 {Structure of shigella antigens . Heterogeneity of specific polysaccharides of 2 Shigella flexneri strains and 2 Sh . flexneri/Escherichia coli hybrids}; Seltmann G et al.; The S-specific polysaccharide from 2 Sh . flexneri wild strains (with serological var . X- and var . Y-specificity, respectively) and 2 Sh . flexneri E . coli hybrids (with the same specificities) can be separated by means of gel chromatography on Sephadex G-200 and G-50 into altogether 6 fractions per strain . Fraction G-200/1 (molecular weight greater than 10(6)D) represents a polymer consisting nearly exclusively of glucose and is present mainly in the two Y-type strains, much less in the two X-type strains . Fractions G-200/2 and G-200/3 (molecular weight approximately 10(5)D and approximately 2 - 10(4)D, respectively) seem to consist mainly of the S-specific side chains while fraction G-50/2 (molecular weight approximately 2000 D) presumably contains an SR-polysaccharide (core with one repeating unit.) Fraction G-50/3 (molecular weight approximately 100 D) contains the core polysaccharide and fraction G-50/4 splitting products (mainly KDO) . No significant differences in chromatographical behaviour and quantitative composition could be found between the polysaccharides of the wild strains and the hybrid strains . Because of the well-known stability of the glucosaminyl linkages the sugar analysis was not only performed after acidic hydrolysis . In some cases the acid hydrolysate was reacted with HNO2 to cleave the glucosaminyl linkages . In most cases the values obtaines now were higher than those obtained directly. Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz), 1977, 25(3), 323 - 30 Comparative studies on the immunologic properties of free endotoxin and lipopolysaccharide from Shigella sonnei; Kowalewska D et al.; Immunogenic, antigenic and toxic properties of free endotoxin isolated from culture media of Shigella sonnei, phase I, was studied . Experiments with mice showed that free endotoxin is about 3--4 times more active immunogenically and twice as toxic as cellular lipopolysaccharide . On the other hand, the antigenic activity of free endotoxin was about equal to that of lipopolysaccharide . In addition, free endotoxin had a common property characteristic for endotoxins isolated from Gram-negative bacteria, namely it stimulated the immunologic response to unrelated antigens, e.g . antigens of sheep red blood cells. J Hyg Epidemiol Microbiol Immunol, 1977, 21(1), 42 - 8 Effect of colicin V on S . sonnei in vivo and in tissue culture; Litinskii YI et al.; The effect of the preparation of colicin V, freed from the endotoxin of the producer strain E . coli Ca-7 on Sh . sonnei was studied in the keratoconjunctival tests on guinea pigs and in the cell culture Hep-2 . Colicin V was found to inhibit the development of dysenteric infection in vivo by delaying the incubation period . It has been demonstrated that the mentioned colicin blocks the process of adsorption of the causative agent on the surface of epithelial cells . Obviously, colicin V can also display bactericidal effect at the moment of intercellular migration of Shigellae, but it has no effect on bacteria which have penetrated into the cytoplasm of epithelial cells . The obtained data support the opinion of the role of colicins played in the development and course of infectious processes. J Hyg Epidemiol Microbiol Immunol, 1977, 21(1), 33 - 41 To Shigella sonnei phage typing; Aldova E et al.; The epidemiological significance of phage types changes in the course of years . In Czechoslovakia, in the years 1967-1971, the most frequent phage types were 2,6, 3, 30 and 65, and, in the Middle-Bohemian Region, 2,30, 6, 3 and 65 . In the epidemiological years 1972-1973 the sequence of the most frequent S . sonnet phage types changed in the Middle-Bohemian region to: 65, 23, 6, 2 and 12 . Some problems concerning the instability of phage types and the part of further auxiliary tests (biochemical differentiation according to Bojlen and drug sensitivity pattern) are discussed. Arkh Patol, 1977, 39(4), 68 - 73 {Morphologic demonstration of adsorption of Sonne shigellae onto intestinal epithelium}; Koval'chuk VK; Electron-microscopy studies of the process of absorption of Shigella sonnei on the epithelium of the intestine villi of Syrian hamstes were carried out . In the study there were used 20 animals and 8 stains of Shigellae isolated from patients with acute dysentery . It was shown that in inoculating into an isolated loop of the intestine adhesion of Shigellae to the surface of border cells was accompanied by rearrangement of glycocalyx with subsequent destruction of microvilli in the zone of adsorption . Simultaneously, lysis of adsorbed bacteria occurred . An assumption is put forward that penetration of Shigellae into the epithelium is a multistaged process which is realised in the phase of adsorption not by one bacterium but by the whole pepulation with the help of soluable substances producing a toxic effect. Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz), 1977, 25(2), 263 - 72 Investigatiaons on drug-resistance of Shigella sonnei bacilli isolated in Poland in the years 1959-1972; Tkaczowa A et al.; 2538 strains of Shigella sonnei bacilli, isolated from patients in the years 1959-1972, have been tested for drug-resistance . The strains examined came from different regions of Poland . Drug-resistance has been determined by the method of "multi-arm" disks of filter-paper . In investigations 12 chemotherapeutics have been employed . The tests performed have shown that 63% of strains were resistant to one or more chemotherapeutics . The percentage of streptomycin-resistant strains, found in the investigations, was higher than that found by other authors . In the material examined 24% of strains were resistant to antibiotics, and sensitive to sulfathiazole . No strains resistant to eight or more chemotherapeutics applied have been found. Arkh Patol, 1977, 39(2), 17 - 22 {Experimental study of bacteremia and its role in the pathogenesis of dysentery}; Suptel EA et al.; In experiments on white mice pathophysiological, bacteriological, histological and immunofluorescent methods of investigation were used; it was shown that Sonne dysentery bacteria were capable during a short period of time to penetrate into the blood from the lumen of the stomach and the small intestine and moreover to deposit in the cells of the mucosa of the said organs . Into the large intestine the pathogen penetrates from the above situated departments of the intestine, which was most often observed in impairment of the evacuatory function of the stomach; moreover, the possibility of elimination of Sonne Shigella, as well as products of their desintegration, by the large intestine wall was shown . Bacteriemia is a short-term phenomenon and could be identified at early periods following infection, which may account for the fact of rare identification of Shigella in the blood of patients with dysentery. Arthritis Rheum, 1977 Jan-Feb, 20(1), 100 - 4 Reiter's syndrome following Shigella flexneri 2a: a sequel to traveler's diarrhea . Report of a case with hepatitis; Good AE et al.; Shigella flexneri 2a was isolated from a patient with Reiter's syndrome (RS) following a family outbreak of traveler's diarrhea . Among 3 members at risk, only the patient was positive for HLA-B27 . Data from 3 similar families support the hypothesis that susceptibility to RS is genetically transmitted . It is urged that every effort be made to culture and subtype Shigella and other enteric pathogens in RS following diarrhea . Concurrently, the patient had hepatitis, interpreted as a parallel enteric infection. J Clin Microbiol, 1977 Jan, 5(1), 66 - 74 Bacteriophage typing of Shigella sonnei; Pruneda RC et al.; A bacteriophage-typing schema was developed for differentiating strains of Shigella sonnei . Sixty-seven bacteriophages were obtained from other collections, and 36 bacteriophages were isolated from sewage . From these 103 bacteriophages, a provisional set of 12 was chosen by computer analysis as being the most sensitive in differentiating strains of S . sonnei isolated in the United States . The provisional schema was used to type 265 strains from different geographical areas . It divided them into 87 different lysis patterns, and all 265 strains were typable . Smooth and rough colonial variants of the same strain had different lysis patterns, so the technique was standardized to type rough colonies only . Reproducibility was difficult to obtain until all conditions were carefully standardized . Changes in results were noted even on different lot numbers of Trypticase soy agar, which was defined as the standard medium . So that the medium would not be a variable, 100 pounds (ca 453.5 kg) of the same lot number was purchased . Bacteriophage typing was very useful in differentiating strains, and work should continue on establishing a standarized schema. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 1977 Jan, 16(1), 66 - 9 The ocular anti-inflammatory action of imidazole; Kass MA et al.; Imidazole administered intraperitoneally to albino rabbits at a dose of 250 mg . per kilogram inhibited the rise of aqueous humor protein concentration by approximately 50 per cent 30 minutes after paracentesis . Systemic imidazole administered daily to albino rabbits injected with intravitreal Shigella endotoxin decreased the conjunctival and iris hyperemia and reduced the anterior chamber cell and flare and the haziness of the optical media . Systemically administered imidazole had no effect on the aqueous humor concentrations of c-AMP or c-GMP in the rabbit . In vitro studies of rabbit ciliary body-iris phosphodiesterase activity indicated no effect of imidazole at a concentration of 10(-3) molar. Rev Ig Bacteriol Virusol Parazitol Epidemiol Pneumoftiziol Bacteriol Virusol Parazitol Epidemiol, 1977 Jan-Mar, 22(1), 23 - 6 {Therapeutic results in an epidemic outbreak of dysentery}; Buzneanu R et al.; The therapeutical results obtained in an epidemical outbreak of dysentery caused by Shigella flexneri type 2 A are reported, emphasizing the bacteriological failure of the treatment with Furazolidin in 52.1% of the cases and the good results obtained with Neomycin (Mycerine). Rev Ig Bacteriol Virusol Parazitol Epidemiol Pneumoftiziol Bacteriol Virusol Parazitol Epidemiol, 1977 Jan-Mar, 22(1), 17 - 21 {Effectiveness of repeated antibiotic or chemotherapeutic treatments on Shigella carrier states}; Brauner E et al.; A group of 39 former dysentery patients, who continued to excrete Shigella bacteria after a first cure of antibiotics when full clinical recovery was obtained, were treated differentially under bacteriological control . The carrier state was still extent in 7% of the cases after three antibiotic or chemotherapeutical cures . No direct relation was found between the sensitivity of Shigella to chemotherapeutics and the level of the carrier state . Although treated already in the acute stage with adequate antibiotics, resistance to a second therapeutical attempt was recorded in a proportion of 33% . It is considered useless to repeat the antibiotic or chemotherapeutical cures in the treatment of convalescent carriers because of the low efficiency and the biological and economical disadvantages. Antibiotiki, 1976 Dec, 21(12), 1085 - 9 {Effect of R-factors on the sensitivity of Shigella sonnei to nalidixic acid}; Sivolodskii EP; Bacteriostatic effect of nalidixic acid was studied by the method of serial dilutions in nutrient agar using 36 antibiotic sensitive strains of Shigella Sonnei and their conjugated substrains carrying separately the following R-factors: R1(TcCmSm) fi-, R2(TcCm) fi+, R3(CmSm) fi- . The above R-factors were isolated from clinical strains of Shigella Sonnei and transferred to the strains studied by means of an intermediate donor of E . coli MF-Nr . The bactericidal effect of nalidixic acid was studied on 9 antibiotic sensitive strains of Shigella Sonnei and their conjugated substrains carrying separately the following episomes: R1(TcCmSm) fi- and R2(TcCm) fi+ . It was studied by determination of the number of alive bacteria 24, 48 and 72 hours after their interaction in Hottinger broth with nalidixic acid (400 gamma/ml) . It was found that the R-factors did not change the sensitivity of Shigella Sonnei to the bacteriostatic effect of nalidixic acid: the MIC for the R- strains was 4+/- 0.14 gamma/ml, for the substrains with episomes R1(TcCmSm) fi-, R2(TcCm) fi+ and R3(CmSm) fi- it was 4.22 +/- 0.21, 3.88 +/- 0.25 and 4.16 +/- 0.27 gamma/ml respectively . The differences were not statistically reliable (P greater than 0.05) when estimated according to both Student criterion t and Wilcockson criterion for the wto-by-wto conjugated variants . The R-factors inreased the Shigella sensitivity to the bactericidal effect of nalidixic acid: the death rate of the R+-bacteria during the first day was 4--130 times higher than that of the two-by-two conjugated strains of the R-bacteria (P less than 0.01). J Hyg (Lond), 1976 Dec, 77(3), 341 - 8 Isolation of Shigella sonnei by fluid media; Price TH; Selenite F broth prepared in the laboratory from single ingredients was found to be significantly more efficient than nutrient broth in the isolation of Shigella sonnei from human faeces . It was more efficient than direct plating on deoxycholate citrate agar for diagnosisng Sonne dysentery in a local outbreak . The difference was significant . There was, however, no significant advantage for enrichment over direct plating when stools posted from Briston to Cardiff were examined . Laboratory prepared selenite F broth was preferable to the same medium purchased commercially from two different firms . The product of one frim was significantly better than that of the other . Two methods of sterilization of laboratory prepared selenite F broth were studied . Seitz filtered selenite was less inhibitory to the growth of samll numbers of Shigella sonnei . Sterilization by heating in free steam for periods of 15 min and over impaired the ability of selenite F broth to allow multiplication of small numbers of Shigella sonnei. Infect Immun, 1976 Dec, 14(6), 1290 - 2 Phage-dependent changes in Shigella flexneri type antigen synthesis; Financsek I et al.; Lysogenic conversion of Shigella flexneri type antigens was studied with the aid of wild-type and thermosensitive mutant phages . With all wild-type phages, the appearance of glycosylated antigen was accompanied by the appearance of polyprenyl phosphate glucose synthetase activity . With some of the mutant phages, the appearance of glycosylated antigen was not followed by the formation of lipid-linked glucose in the enzyme assay . The reverse has also been observed, i.e., the high rate of formation of lipid-linked glucose and the lack of V-type antigen. J Physiol, 1976 Dec, 263(3), 441 - 63 Cyclic adenosine 3', 5'-monophosphate in cerebrospinal fluid during thermoregulation and fever; Dascombe MJ et al.; 1 . Samples of cerebrospinal fluid (c.s.f.) have been taken from the cisterna magna of unanaesthetized cats, whilst rectal temperature was recorded, during exposure of the animals to various ambient temperatures and during fever induced by pyrogen . The concentration of adenosine 3', 5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) in samples of c.s.f . has been assayed . 2 . Cats exposed to low ambient temperatures (-2 to +2 degrees C) for 3 h maintained body temperature by both behavioural and autonomic heat gain activity . Exposure of cats to high ambient temperatures (44 - 45 degrees C) for 3.5 h caused a rise in body temperatures of about 2.5 degrees C, despite behavioural and autonomic heat loss activity . Neither cold nor heat stress had a significant effect on c.s.f . cyclic AMP . 3 . Fever induced by intravenous Shigella dysenteriae (2 and 20 mug/kg) was associated with a dose-related increase in the concentration of cyclic AMP in c.s.f . Paracetamol (75 mg/kg) injected I.P . before the onset of fever, suppressed the increase in both temperature and c.s.f . cyclic AMP in response to pyrogen . Paracetamol (50 and 100 mg/kg), injected after the onset of fever, caused a fall in temperature, which was not associated with a decrease in the concentration of cyclic AMP in c.s.f . 4 . Fever induced in cats by intravenous Shigella dysenteriae (20 mug/kg) was associated with an increase in the concentration of cyclic AMP in plasma as well as in c.s.f . 5 . The sodium salt of cyclic AMP (0.1-10 mg/kg) injected I.V . into unanaesthetized cats caused a dose-related hypothermia, which was associated with autonomic heat loss activity and a dose-related increase in the concentration of cyclic AMP in cisternal c.s.f., which was not mimicked by adenosine . 6 . It is concluded that the raised concentrations of cyclic AMP in c.s.f., in response to pyrogen I.V., do not mediate fever in the cat and that the concentration of cyclic AMP in cisternal c.s.f . may be affected by changes in the plasma concentration of the nucleotide. Science, 1976 Nov 26, 194(4268), 944 - 6 Risk of communicable disease infection associated with wastewater irrigation in agricultural settlements; Katzenelson E et al.; The incidence of enteric communicable diseases in 77 kibbutzim (agricultural communal settlements) practicing wastewater spray irrigation with partially treated nondisinfected oxidation pond effluent is compared with that in 130 kibbutzim practicing no form of wastewater irrigation . The incidence of shigellosis, salmonellosis, typhoid fever, and infectious hepatitis is two to four times higher in communities practicing wastewater irrigation . No significant differences are found for the incidence of streptococcal infections, tuberculosis, and laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza . Nor are differences found for enteric disease rates during the winter nonirrigation season . Strong wastewater treatment measures, including effective bacterial and viral inactivation through disinfection, are recommended for all cases of sewage irrigation or land disposal near residential areas in light of the potential public health risks involved. Bol Med Hosp Infant Mex, 1976 Nov-Dec, 33(6), 1411 - 22 {Shigellosis related with the cause of death in children}; Salas Martinez M; From a series of 4,147 postmortem studies, there were 2,280 cases of infectious processes as responsibility of death out of which, 647 corresponded to the digestive tract . Within the group of digestive tract infections, 283 were of bacterial nature and within this last group, there were 43 cases of shigellosis . Included in the fatal cases of shigellosis is the description of their description by ages and sexes; the types of enteropathogenic germs identified in the course of disease and at postmortem studies are mentioned and special reference is made to the type and localization of lesions within the digestive tract . Also, the type and localization of extraintestinal lesions, directly or indirectly related with shigellosis are described . Pathological processes considered as immediate cause of death are pointed out and from the group is extraintestinal infections, the germ identified in each as responsible of death is mentioned . Finally, a brief outline is made of the clinicopathological correlation. Antibiotiki, 1976 Nov, 21(11), 996 - 9 {Experimental study of the effect of a number of chemotherapeutic preparations on the intracellular growth of dysentery bacteria, and their interaction with epithelial cells}; Suptel' EA et al.; The effect of some chemotherapeutics on intercellular growth of Sh . sonnei and their capacity for penetration into cells Hep-2 and primarily triptinized cells of the monkey kidneys was studied . By the character of their effect the drugs were divided into 3 groups . The drugs of the first group, i.e . furazolidone had no effect on intracellular growth of Shigella . The drugs of the second group, i.e . neomycin, monomycin, kanamycin, polymyxin M, ampicillin, negram and 5-NOK induced a rapid decrease in the number of the specimens located inside the cells . The drugs of the third group, i . e . enteroseptol, streptomycin and tetracycline promoted a decrease in the intracellular growth of Shigella by the 3rd-4th day . None of the drugs could be detected inside the cells in the concentrations corresponding to the minimal bacteriostatic ones with respect to Shigella . The activity of the drugs of the second group was connected with their cytotoxicity. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1976 Nov, (11), 77 - 9 {Typing of Shigella sonnei in the GDR during epidemiological surveillance}; Zische K et al.; A total of 35,503 strains of Sh . sonnei were typed during the period from 1962 to 1974 at the Institute of Experimental Epidemiology . The principal method used was bacteriophage typing, and biochemical typing and determination of colicine formation served as auxiliary methods . Colicine type, resistogram and in some cases R-factor were determined in some of the strains . Such complex typing of Sh . sonnei is of value in epidemiological practice. Eur J Immunol, 1976 Nov, 6(11), 789 - 94 Studies on the relationships between the immunogenicity and catabolism of antigens and their binding to the surface of macrophages; Gallily R et al.; The relationship between immunogenicity of Shigella paradysenteriae, the branched synthetic polypeptide poly-L (Tyr, Glu)-polylpro-polyllys {(T, G)-Pro--L} and human albumin (HSA) interacting with macrophages and kinetics of antigen degradation and degree of binding to the cell surface was studied . Following thioglycollate inoculation into C57BL/6 mice, the peritoneal-stimllated macrophages had higher levels of hydrolases as compared to unstimulated cells . The lysates of the stimulated macrophages catabolized the three labeled antigens faster than did the lysates of unstimulatec cells . However, when degradation of labeled antigens by macrophage cells was assessed, no direct correlation could be demonstrated between the level of cell hydrolases and rate of (T, G)-Pro--L or HSA catabolism . The immunogenicity of antigens following their uptake by unstimulated and stimulated macrophages was determined by transfer of the antigen-bearing cells into irradiated and nonirradiated syngeneic recipients . No correlation was apparent between the rate of antigen degradation and the capacity to evoke a humoral response . Similarly, no correlation could be demonstrated between the amount of antigen bound to the macrophage cell surface and the immunogenicity of the antigen . It is suggested that neither the rate of antigen catabolism by macrophages nor the amount of antigen bound to the macrophage membrane is the sole factor which determines the immunogenicity of antigens interacting with macrophages. Am J Epidemiol, 1976 Nov, 104(5), 543 - 51 Shigellosis in the United States: ten-year review of nationwide surveillance, 1964-1973; Rosenberg ML et al.; In the 10 years 1964-1973, 105,832 isolations of shigellae were reported to the Center for Disease Control through a nationwide surveillance system . The number reported increased by approximately 13% annually, from 5852 in 1964, when only 17 centers reported all 4 quarters; to 16,797 in 1973, when 52 centers reported each quarter . The rate of reported isolations varied from 4.6 per 100,000 persons in 1965 to 9.1 per 100,000 in 1973 . Shigella sonnei accounted for 64% of all these isolates and for more than 80% of isolates in 1973 . The majority of reported cases of shigellosis occurred in young children and in women of childbearing age . During the 10-year surveillance period, 35 epidemics in 25 states were investigated . Two-thirds of these outbreaks were the result of person-to-person spread; investigations of common-source outbreaks showed the importance of both water and foodstuffs, especially salads, as potential vehicles of contamination . Indian reservations, custodial institutions, and day-care centers were identified as special high-risk settings for the transmission of shigellosis . The emergence of R-factor-mediated antimicrobial-resistance patterns in recent years has necessitated antibiotic sensitivity testing to determine the drug of choice for treatment of individual cases . Initial testing of oral vaccines suggests these vaccines will have only limited usefulness in protecting certain high-risk populations . Public health education coupled with improvements in water and sewerage systems remains the most satisfactory means of control. Carbohydr Res, 1976 Nov, 51(2), 229 - 37 New sugars from antigenic lipopolysaccharides of bacteria: identification and synthesis of 3-O-{(R)-1-carboxyethyl}-L-rhamnose, an acidic component of Shigella dysenteriae type 5 lipopolysaccharide; Kochetkov NK et al.; A new acidic sugar, 3-O-{(R)-1-carboxyethyl}-L-rhamnose (1), has been identified as a constituent of the O-antigenic lipopolysaccharide of Sh . dysenteriae type 5 . The structure of 1 has been established by physico-chemical methods and by synthesis . Alkylation of methyl 2,5-di-O-benzyl-alpha-L-rhamnofuranoside (6) with (S)- or (R)-2-chloropropionic acids, followed by removal of the protecting groups, afforded 3-O-{(R)-1-carboxyethyl}-L-rhamnose (9) and 3-O-{(S)-1-carboxyethyl}-L-rhamnose (10), respectively . The properties of 1 coincide with those of 9. Can Med Assoc J, 1976 Oct 9, 115(7), 647 - 9 Epidemic shigellosis on a worktrain in Labrador; White FM et al.; An epidemic of shigellosis occurred on a worktrain in western Labrador in October 1974 . During the outbreak 62 persons out of a crew of 91 became ill, 11 having recurrent illness; 14 were hospitalized . Epidemiologic analysis with laboratory confirmation implicated unchlorinated and contaminated lake water as the source of the epidemic . Faulty design of water storage tanks perpetuated the use of contaminated water; hence a second wave of illness occurred . The tanks were then thoroughly drained, cleaned and repaired . Many deficiencies in sanitation measures (most of which have since been rectified) were noted at the site of the epidemic as well as at other locations along the railway . Careful sanitation controls are essential in rapidly developing areas of northern Canada. Br J Vener Dis, 1976 Oct, 52(5), 348 - 50 Shigellosis . Another sexually transmitted disease? Drusin LM, Genvert G, Topf-Olstein B, Levy-Zombek E. Following the clinical observation that there appeared to be an association between shigellosis and male homosexuality, the medical records of 113 patients at The New York Hospital were reviewed retrospectively . Of the 38 males studied who were between the ages 19 and 61, seventeen were homosexual (44-7 per cent.) . Only one of the matched controls was homosexual . Of the men with shigellosis who had a history of foreign travel, 10 per cent . were homosexual; however, among the patients without a travel history, 57-1 per cent . were homosexual (P less than 0-05) . For male patients with shigellosis who do not have an appropriate travel history, the physician should expand his epidemiological investigation to include sexual contacts . Men and women who perform rectal intercourse should be cautioned to abstain from this activity until their stool cultures are negative for shigella . If a male patient with shigellosis is homosexual, he should be screened for other sexually transmitted diseases such as syphilis, gonorrhoea, hepatitis B, and amoebiasis. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1976 Oct, 236(1), 136 - 40 {Report about two cases of gastroenteritis caused by Plesiomonas shigelloides (author's transl)}; Jandl G et al.; Plesiomonas shigelloides was isolated out of the feces from two patients . In one case the patient (she just arrived back from Kenia) had cholera-like symptoms . In the other case the nonspecific symptoms led to an appendectomy . In this case the association of the clinical symptoms with the bacteriological results is doubtful . Plesiomonas shigelloides belongs to the genus III . (Plesiomonas) of the family II . (Vibrionaceae) Part 8 . (gram-negative facultatively anaerobic rods) . Some of Plesiomonas shigelloides strains share a common O antigen with Sh . sonnei . Literature about infectious gastroenteritis in humans due to Plesiomonas shigelloides is very spare . This is the reason why the pathogenicity of this bacterium on humans is not comonly known . After on year of stool-research, with a relative small number of specimens, we found Plesiomonas shigelloides twice . This is the reason why we could assume that this bacterium is more often in feces than we thought till now. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1976 Oct, (10), 60 - 5 {Molecular weight and size of the molecules of immunologically separate Shigella sonnei colicine types}; Leibova IM et al.; Biologically active electrophoretically homogeneous fractions of Sh . sonnei colicines (isolated by gel-chromatographic distribution on Sephadex) were characterized within the range of each of the immunologically isolated type by constant values of the molecular weight and the molecule size and also by close specific activity values . Immunologically nonhomogeneous types of colicines produced by Sh . sonnei differed considerably by their molecular-weight characteristics, the size of the molecules and the specific activity . The detected identity of the absorption spectra in the ultraviolet region of different types of colicines could point to the commonness of the structural elements of their protein molecules. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1976 Oct, (10), 31 - 8 {Interaction with the Hep-2 epithelial cells of Sh . flexneri R mutants and hybrids differing in O antigen structure}; Bondarenko VM et al.; The results of a study of the interaction of the R-mutants of Sh . flexneri of various chemotypes and shigellae hybrids with a definite genetic characteristics differing by structure of the O-antigen labeled with 3H-glucose, with the cells of the HEp-2 line demonstrated that the presence of the full value lipopolysaccharide structure apparently promoted the fixation of shigellae to the epithelial cells . The rough shigellae strains could retain the capacity to penetrate into the cells and to multiply partially in their cytoplasm, this pointing to the existence of additional factors providing the invasiveness of dysentery bacillae independent of the full value structure of the polysaccharide of their O-antigen. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1976 Oct, (10), 20 - 4 {Intraepithelial shigellae invasion of the intestinal mucosa in patients suffering from acute Sonne dysentery}; Sinel'nikova MP et al.; Data are presented on detection of intraepithelial localization of shigellae in the biopsy materials of the large and small intestine mucosa of the patients with various forms of acute Sonne dysentery, in comparison with the clinico-morphological picture of the disease . Biopsy specimens (60 of the large and 7 of the small intestine) were stained with thionine and examined bacterioscopically; an intracellular distribution of the microbes was revealed in 58 cases; in 53 of them a subsequent identification of the microbes by the fluorescent antibody method was carried out; in 47 cases (88.7%) invasion of Sh . sonnei into the cells of the epithelium of the mucosa of the large and the small intestine was confirmed . There proved to be a direct relationship between the severity of the course of the disease, the level of shigellae localization and the extent of contamination by them of the cells of the large intestinal mucosa . The role of the penetrating capacity of shigellae in the development of the pathological process in dysentery is discussed. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1976 Oct, 236(1), 99 - 104 Studies on the energetic metabolism of Shigella flexneri x Escherichia coli hybrids devoid of penetration ability . IV . Growth characteristics in the presence of some tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates; Radoutcheva T et al.; The dynamics of avirulant lac+KCP- hybrids Sh . flexneri multiplication was investigated in minimal medium in the presence of some tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates (fumarate, succinate, malate) and pyruvate . It was established that in spite of the loss of virulence in the rate of the multiplication of the hybrid strains, in comparison with that of the virulent recipient strains of Sh . flexneri, considerable differences were not observed. South Med J, 1976 Oct, 69(10), 1341 - 6 Shigellosis transmitted by nurses; Weissman JB et al.; Twelve cases of Shigella sonnei infection, with two deaths, occurred at a custodial institution in Donelson, Tennessee, in April and May 1973 . Nine of the cases and both deaths were in patients hospitalized at the institution's infirmary . The patients with nosocomial shigellosis were significantly younger and had been hospitalized significantly longer than controls . Epidemiologic investigation implicated staff members in the transmission of illness from one patient to another and identified the previous use of broad-spectrum antibiotics as a significant factor in placing patients at risk of acquiring shigellosis. Mikrobiyol Bul, 1976 Oct, 10(4), 473 - 99 { 771 Shigella strains isolated in a 15-year period from Americans living in Ankara . Comparisons with Shigella strains isolated from Turkish natives}; Berkman E; The author had worked as a bacteriologist in Ankara American Air Force Hospital from 1958 to 1972 . During this period of time he was able to isolate 771 shigella strains from the American patients of the hospital . The amounts and the percentages of the subgroups are listed below together with the two other Ankara City Pediatric hospital results (see article) . american community lived in Ankara for 15 years and shared many aspects which were important in shigella epidemiology like using city's tap water, shopping from the same green groceries to by fruits and vegetables so on . For shigella cases Ankara had seasonal alterations in July and August being the peak months . Americans, disease followed that course exactly . The big difference was being the local people of the city had those epidemics with the flexneri strains but Americans had them with the sonnei strains . To show the possible sources which could infect the community time to time and make sonnei predominant yielded negative result . All the patients stools were cultured . Sensitivity studies employing "plate disk diffusion" techniques were done . All patients treated accordingly . Stools checked for routine carriership exams . None become a chronic carrier . American installations had their shops, clubs, mess halls . The food handlers of these places had checked routinely by the preventive medicine office . None found infected . Only at 1963 the amount of flexneri isolations were higher than sonnei . All the remaining years sonnei were predominant . Antibiotic sensitivity studies showed no differences between subtypes . Except streptomycin and sulphamide strains stayed fairly sensitive to other antibiotics . Resistance factors contained maximum 6 markers . The little Americans community in Ankara consisted a unique and highly socioeconomic-wise developed group of the city . Many attempts to find the answer for the question is "who is infecting who" was always fruitless . That gives the impression as if the Americans were more sensitive to the shigella infections caused by sonnei strains for some reason . In another words Americans were more resistant to the infections other than sonnei. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1976 Oct, 236(1), 89 - 98 Sh . dysenteriae serotypes2,4,8-immunochemistry and phage receptor activity; Goldhar J et al.; Among three analyzed serotypes of Shigella dysenteriae, namely, the serotypes 2,4 and 8, the serotype 2 proved to be a strong immunogen in rabbits, inducing anti-polysaccharide antibodies as well as antiprotein antibodies in all the animals . In contrast, the serotypes 4 and 8 were weak immunogens and among the rabbits some have synthesized only anti-proteins while others had antibodies against the somatic conjugate . Aside from the somatic antigens, large amounts of proteins were isolated from all the strains; however, the numerous determinants of these proteins were proven with the help of a serum to proteins from Sh . sonnei . The polysaccharides were specific for the serotype . The sensitivity of Sh . dysenteriae strains to phage P1 and the phage receptor actigity of different bacterial extracts were examined . By using the phage receptor neutralization test, it was possible to demonstrate that the receptor substance is a common component present in the lipopolysaccharide . The nature of neutralization has been discussed. J Pediatr, 1976 Sep, 89(3), 491 - 3 Comparison of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and ampicillin theraphy for shigellosis in ambulatory; Nelson JD et al.; One-hundred seventy-four infants and children with acute diarrhea were treated as ambulatory patients with either ampicillin (100 mg/kg/day orally in four divided doses) or trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole (10 mg TMP and 50 mg SMX/KG/day orally in two divided doses) . There were 65 patients with shigellosis . Responses of those treated with TMP/SMX and of those with susceptible Shigella treated with ampicillin were comparable . Patients with resistant organisms failed to respond to ampicillin . All Shigella, including ampicillin-resistant strains, were suseptible in vitro to TMP/SMX, and patients with ampicillin-resistant strains responded favorably to treatment with TMP/SMX . TMP/SMX appears to be the best, currently available drug for the treatment of shigellosis. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1976 Sep, (9), 129 - 33 {Biological characteristics of enteropathogenic escherichia of serologic group 015:K}; Kiseleva BS et al.; A study was made of 239 strains of enteropathogenic escherichia 0151:K-- isolated in various regions of the USSR from patients with the clinical diagnosis of dysentery, gastroenteritis, intestinal coli-infection: a standard strain of the international collection of escherichia belonging to the given serological group was also studied . There was shown an increase in the role of these microorganisms among the enteropathogenic escherichia recorded at the territory of the USSR; they occupied the third place by the frequency of isolation after the serological group 0124:K72 and 0111:K58 . There was established a common nature of the enzymatic characteristics of escherichia 0151:K--with shigellae by the absence of lactose, sucrose, inosite, adonite fermentation, the presence of gasless, immobile variants containing no lysin decarboxylase, and a possibility of rapid differentiation from shigellae in the use of acetate medium . Among the escherichia 0151:K--there was revealed the presence of 5 biotypes by the capacity to gas-formation in glucose, arabinose, sorbit, dulcit fermentation, and decarboxylation of lysin and ornithin; three biotypes are described for the first time . Industrial issue of the agglutinating serum 0151:K--is necessary to provide the diagnosis of these microorganisms at the territory of the USSR. Antibiotiki, 1976 Sep, 21(9), 812 - 6 {Change in the sensitivity of dysentery bacteria to certain antibiotics, furazolidone and antifungal preparations when cultured together with Candida albicans}; Rebrova RN et al.; The effect of Candida albicans (2 collection cultures and 1 freshly isolated culture) on sensitivity of dysentery bacteria (5 Zonne strains, 4 Flexner strains and 2 Newcastle strains) to antibiotics, furazolidone and their combinations with nystatin or decamine was studied by the method of serial dilutions . A total of 937 tests were performed with the use of 10 concentrations in each test . It was found that sensitivity of the Shigella to levomycetin succinate, monomycin and furazolidone decreased in the presence of Candida . Decamine increased the bactericidal effect of furazolidone on Shigella in pure cultures and in addition increased sensitivity of various Shigella species to the antibiotics tested and especially furazolidone when the cultures were grown together with Candida albicans . Nystatin combination with levomycetin succinate and especially with monomycin increased sensitivity of various Shigella species in the presence of Candida albicans . The data are useful in treatment of dysentery since Candida are often isolated from dysentery patients. Vopr Pitan, 1976 Sep-Oct, (5), 67 - 70 {Role of stewed fruit-berries as a factor in the transmission of dysentery toxinfectious diseases}; Sedova NN; Experimental investigations aimed at working out methods for quantification of Sh . sonnei in experimentally infected stewed fruits and berries are described and the ways for educing the epidemiological hazards of a compote prepared by failing to comply with proper heat treatment - idicated . The presently proposed by the author procedure for bacteriological analysis of an infected compote is shown to be sensitive enough, for it enables one to count 10(2) and more Shigella cells in 1 ml of compote . The greatest epidemiological danger can be found in compote prepared through heating without subsequent boiling, since it contains intact viable Shigella cells, introduced into the compote prior to its heating. Antibiotiki, 1976 Sep, 21(9), 808 - 12 {Development of drug resistance and the cross resistance in Shigella to certain chemotherapeutic preparations in vitro}; Chernomordik AB et al.; A total of 700 Shigella cultures isolated in different regions of the Ukraine in 1974 and occasionally in 1971-1973 were studied . No cultures resistant to furazolidone or enteroseptol were found . Under the experimental conditions resistance to nitrofuran and especially oxycholine preparations in Shigella developed slowly when the cultures were passaged in broths with increasing concentrations of the drugs . Cross resistance in Shigella was observed with respect to (a) various nitrofuran preparations, less pronounced with respect to furacryline and (b) enteroseptol and 5-NOK . No cross resistance was noted between the above groups of the chemotherapeutics and levomycetin and tetracycline . 5-NOK inhibited the resistance development to streptomycin, while enteroseptol inhibited the development of resistance to furazolidone in Shigella . The studies showed that in the near future there will be observed no mass development of resistance to furazolidone and enteroseptol in Shigella. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1976 Aug, (8), 123 - 6 {Epidemiologic significance of detecting shigellae during examination of a healthy population}; Klimovitskaia VE et al.; The authors present the results of examination of the healthy population for shigellae carrier state . The efficacy of detection of shigellae depending on the season of the year and indications to the examination was compared . Analysis of the data obtained indicated that any examination for shigellae during the extraepidemic period was inexpedient . This conclusion was confirmed by the results of selective examination with the use of bacteriological and serological methods. Infect Immun, 1976 Aug, 14(2), 368 - 71 Fluid and electrolyte transport in rhesus monkeys challenged intracecally with Shigella flexneri 2a; Kinsey MD et al.; Shigella flexneri 2a is an invasive enteric pathogen that may produce diarrhea when ingested by human beings and subhuman primates . We have previously shown that shigella diarrhea correlates with water and electrolyte transport abnormalities in the jejunum and colon . Dysentery alone is associated only with colonic transport abnormalities . To define the relationship between invasion and inflammation of the colon and the occurrence of jejunal transport abnormalities, we studied water and electrolyte transport, histology, and bacteriology in rhesus monkeys that were infected by introducing S . flexneri 2a directly into the cecum . In contrast to the pattern of disease seen after oral administration, cecal inoculation resulted in clinical disease in 64% of animals, of which 94% manifested dysentery alone, rarely preceded by mild diarrhea . Histologically, invasion and inflammation was limited to the colon . Secretion of water and sodium occurred in the colon of infected monkeys when compared with controls, whereas transport was normal in the jejunum and ileum . These data further demonstrate that severe dysentery can result from cecal injection of shigellae, but also suggest that the occurrence of watery diarrhea requires and may result from an undefined interaction between the jejunal mucosa and the organisms during transit through the small intestine. Antibiotiki, 1976 Aug, 21(8), 732 - 4 {Distribution and properties of streptomycin-resistant clones in a population of freshly isolated Shigella sonnei strains}; Aleksin LM; It was found that the rate of emergence of streptomycin resistant clones in the populations of fresh isolates of Shigella Zonne amounted to 10(-6)--10(-4) . Such streptomycin resistant clones masked streptomycin resistance of the initial Shigella population . The main biological properties of the streptomycin resistant clones were identical to those of the initial population. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1976 Aug, 235(4), 408 - 12 On the metabolic characteristic of hybrids Shigella flexneri x Escherichia coli devoid of their ability for intracellular multiplication in the epithelial cells . II . Catalase and phosphatase activity; Radoutcheva T et al.; The catalase and phosphatase activity of avirulent by keratoconjunctival test of guinea pigs xyl+ and xyl-str (KCP-) hybrids that have lost their ability for intracellular multiplication, received from virulent strains . Sh . flexneri (Sh . flexneri 222 5 a and Sh . flexneri M42-43) and donor strain E . coli AB 313 was investigated . It is established that there is a definite dependence between the changes in the catalase and the phosphatase activities of the hybrid strains and the newly received by the hybridization genetic information . The enzyme activity of the hybrid strains always correlated with the level of this activity in the donor strains E . coli. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig A}, 1976 Aug, 235(4), 404 - 7 On the metabolic characteristic of hybrids Shigella flexneri x Escherichia coli devoid of their ability for intracellular multiplication in the epithelial cells . I . Glycolysis; Radoutcheva T et al.; The glycolysis (aerobic and in the presence of KCN) of avirulent xyl+ and xyl-str hybrids Sh . flexneri x E . coli, devoid of their ability to multiply intracellularly in the epithelial cells, is studied . It is established that their glycolytic activity is considerably higher than the activity of the donor strain E . coli, and deviate significantly compared with shown activity of the virulent recipient strains Sh . flexneri . Xyl-str hybrids are showing high values of glycolysis in aerobic conditions and in the presence of KCN, while in xyl+ hybrids very active glycolysis is observed only in the presence of KCN - probably completely sufficient for the persistence of bacteria in the host-cell at anaerobic conditions. J Infect Dis, 1976 Aug, 134(2), 135 - 43 Effect of enterotoxins of Vibrio cholerae, Escherichia coli, and Shigella dysenteriae type 1 on fluid and electrolyte transport in the colon; Donowitz M et al.; Experiments were designed to determine whether the enterotoxins of Vibrio cholerae, Escherichia coli, and Shigella dysenteriae type 1 alter the movement of fluid and electrolytes in the rat cecum . Net secretion of water and sodium were observed after incubation of 1.67 X10(-5) mug of purified cholera toxin (choleragen)/ml for 18 hr or of 50 mug/ml for 3 hr . The effect of choleragen on cecal transport of water and electrolytes was related to the dose . In addition, choleragen increased cecal mucosal content of adenosine 3':5'-cyclic phosphate but did not alter the histology of the cecum . The results demonstrate that the colon responds to choleragen in a manner similar to that of other tissues . In contrast, the enterotoxins of both E . coli and S . dysenteriae type 1 failed to affect cecal transport of water and electrolytes . These observations may explain several phenomena associated with the diarrhea produced by bacterial enterotoxins. Eur J Biochem, 1976 Jul 15, 66(3), 559 - 66 Somatic antigens of shigella . Structural investigation on the O-specific polysaccharide chain of Shigella dysenteriae type 1 lipopolysaccharide; Dmitriev BA et al.; The O-specific polysaccharide obtained from the lipopolysaccharide of Shigella dysenteriae type 1 (Shigella shiga) by mild acid hydrolysis followed by fractionation on Sephadex G-50 was found to be identical to that desribed by Morgan's group and was composed of L-rhamnose, D-galactose and N-acetyl-D-glycosamine in a ratio 2:1:1 . On the basis of methylation analysis data the polysaccharide was proved to be a linear chain of monosaccharide residues in pyranose forms substituted at position 3, except for that of galactose substituted at position 2 . Selective cleavage, based on the N-deacetylation reaction of the polymer, together with determination of linkage configurations by chromic anhydride oxidation showed that the O-specific polysaccharide is built up of repeating tetrasaccharide units whose proposed structure is given below -3)-alpha-L-Rhap (1-3)-alpha-L-Rhap(1-2)-alpha-D-Galp(1-3)-alphapD-GlcNAcp(1- where RHAP = rhamnopyranose, Galp = galactopyranose, and GlcNAcp = N-acetyl-glucosamine . The present findings confirmed the considerations of Heidelberger on the substitution patterns of L-rhamnose and D-galactose residues from the results of serological studies. G E N, 1976 Jul-Dec, 31(1-2), 33 - 8 {Intestinal motility and pattern of biliary acids in healthy children and children with acute and chronic diarrheic syndrome}; Cupello JL et al.; Thirteen children between the ages of six months and six years with acute diarrheal syndrome were investigated for Small Bowel Transit Time (SBTT) . The results were compared with another study made by our section in which eleven children were studied; seven with chronic non-specific diarrhea and four controls . All the subjects had a double lumen catheter positioned in the small intestine with ports located 1 meter apart . A bolus of 4% P.E.G . was delivered into the stomach and the rate of appearance was monitored at the two collecting ports . Four normal children had a small bowel transit time of 60 min/m; one subject with shigella revealed a small bowel transit time of 30 min . Eight children with acute non-specific diarrhea had a mean of 90 . Seven with chronic non-specific diarrhea had a mean of 99 min/m . Four patients with serotype positive E . coli had a mean of 83 . In each case where SBTT was delayed there was also an increase in luminal free bile acids . In conclusion, diarrheal syndrome in children may present accelerated or delayed SBTT according to the etiology of each . Children with diarrheal syndrome showed an abnormal bile acid pattern in the duodenum which may represent a bacterial overgrowth and introduce a pathogenic role in the disease. Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1976 Jul, 127(1), 3 - 14 {Chemotypes of "Shigella flexneri" R mutants and related phage receptors . I . -- Chemical study of the lipopolysaccharides (author's transl)}; Hannecart-Pokorni E et al.; The F6R rough mutants isolated from Shigella flexneri F6S, serotype 5b, and the FH rough mutants, derived from other serotypes of S . flexneri, were chemotyped according to the chemical analysis of their lipopolysaccharides . Further, the following stages of lipopolysaccharide core biosynthesis in S . flexneri have been established: --(KDO)3--heptose--heptose--glucose--galactose; the last three stages are: either --glucose--glucosamine--glucose, or --glucosamine--glucose--glucose . The results of the chemical study of the R lipopolysaccharides are compatible with the assumption of the existence of a similar core in all considered S . flexneri serotypes. Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1976 Jul, 127(1), 15 - 24 {Chemotypes of "Shigella flexneri" R mutants and related phage receptors . II . -- Localization of phage receptors (author's transl)}; Hannecart-Pokorni E et al.; Receptor sites for phages FP3, V, P1kcvir, H+, C21, T4, T3, T7 and 6SR have been investigated, by comparing the lytic activity of these phages on R mutants of strain F6 (F6R) and of various serotypes (FH) of Shigella flexneri with their inhibition by the lipopolysaccharides isolated from these mutants . The results suggest the following localizations for the receptor sites: phage FP3: lipid A-KDO; phage V: heptose or glucose; phage C21: heptose-glucose; phages H+, P1kcvir, T4 and T3: glucose; phage T7: glucose-galactose; phage 6SR: complete core structure. Am J Epidemiol, 1976 Jul, 104(1), 88 - 92 Shigellosis in custodial institutions . V . Effect of intervention with streptomycin-dependent Shigella sonnei vaccine in an institution with endemic disease; Levine MM et al.; A double-blind controlled field trial of live, oral, streptomycin-dependent Shigella sonnei vaccine was begun in an institution with endemic S . sonnei disease . Considerable unexpected child-to-child transmission of the vaccine strains inadvertantly caused the field trial to resemble a mass vaccination campaign . Although S . sonnei accounted for 90% of shigella infections from 1968 to 1971 and three-fourths of the cases occurred in the seven study cottages, S . sonnei disease disappeared following vaccination; epidemiologic features suggest a causal relationship . Clinical S . sonnei disease did not occur despite the detection by bacteriologic surveillance of carriers of virulent S . sonnei . Levels of hygiene remained compatible with transmission of shigella since 43 cases of S . flexneri 6 were seen . If the interpretation is correct, the disappearance of S . sonnei disease resulted from inadvertent "mass vaccination" and oral shigella vaccines may prove useful for control of endemic shigellosis institutions . Nevertheless, a properly designed controlled field trial, taking into account transmissibility of vaccine, in an institutional setting similar to Sunland is necessary to substantiate the role of oral shigella vaccines in control of institutional shigellosis. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1976 Jun 18, 435(2), 206 - 10 Methylated guanine derivative as a minor base in the DNA of phage DDVI Shigella disenteriae; Nikolskaya II et al.; 7-Methylguanine has been identified in the DNA of phage DDVI, which replicates in Escherichia coli B cells . The amount of this minor base is 0.27 mol per 100 mol of nucleotides . In the DNA of DDVI phage there is no 6-methylaminopurine which is usually a minor component in the DNA of E . coli B and phage T2, yet the DNA of DDVI phage is readily methylated during incubation in vitro with the B-specific methylase and adenosyl{3H}methionine with the label found only in 6-methylaminopurine . An extract of E . coli B cells infected with DDVI phage showed activity of a novel methylase which transfers the {3H}methyl group from S-adenosylmethionine to guanine, leading to the appearance of 7-methylguanine in the acceptor DNA. J Hyg (Lond), 1976 Jun, 76(3), 415 - 24 An outbreak of shigellosis in laboratory marmosets and tamarins (Family: Callithricidae); Cooper JE et al.; An outbreak of shigellosis due to Shigella sonnei, is reported in laboratory maintained marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) and tamarins (Saguinus nigricollis) . The clinical signs and pathological lesions are described and the microbiological findings discussed . Control of the disease was based upon hygiene and antibiotic therapy and the consequences of this approach are described in detail. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1976 Jun, (6), 66 - 70 {Use of the VShS elective-differential medium in the diagnosis of dysentery and other acute intestinal infections}; Priamukhina NS et al.; Results of trial of the VShS medium under conditions of direct seeding feces of patients suffering from dysentery and other acute intestinal disturbances demonstrated that by the efficacy of Sh . sonnei isolation it failed to differ from Ploskirev's bactoagar, was less effective in comparison with Levin's medium with levomycetin (the incidence of Shigella isolation was 49.7, 52.6 and 60.3%, respectively) and was the most effective in Sh . newcastle isolation . In seeding feces after their enrichment in selenite broth the VShS medium proved to be much more effective than Ploskirev's bactoagar by the incidence of isolation of Shigellae (90 and 65.7%). Gastroenterology, 1976 Jun, 70(6), 1085 - 90 Activation of intestinal mucosal adenylate cyclase by Shigella dysenteriae I enterotoxin; Charney AN et al.; Because the mechanism whereby Shigella dysenteriae I enterotoxin induces intestinal secretion is unclear, the effect of this toxin on adenylate cyclase activity in rabbit ileal mucosa was studied under various in vitro and in vivo conditions . Activation of adenylate cyclase by Shigella enterotoxin was observed only when substrate (ATP) concentrations above the Km of adenylate cyclase were employed . These concentrations of ATP are greater than those required to demonstrate activation of adenylate cyclase by cholera toxin . Under optimal assay conditions, doses of Shigella toxin between 5.4 and 900 mug of toxin protein and in vivo incubation times between 6 and 18 hr all increased adenylate cyclase activity by about 100% . Shigella toxin produced significant but highly variable increases in mucosal cyclic AMP concentrations, which were less that the rises seen with a comparable dose of cholera toxin . This variability in cyclic AMP response to Shigella toxin and the disparity between Shigella and cholera toxins' effects on mucosal cyclic AMP are probably the result of the different kinetics of adenylate cyclase activated by these enterotoxins . Mucosal Na-K-ATPase activity was unaffected by Shigella toxin . These observations suggest that alterations in fluid and electrolyte transport induced by Shigella enterotoxin may, in part, be mediated by the adenylate cyclase-cyclic AMP system. Ann Intern Med, 1976 May, 84(5), 564 - 6 An "experimental" epidemic of Reiter's syndrome revisited . Follow-up evidence on genetic and environmental factors; Calin A et al.; The relation between a specific infective event (shigellosis), a specific disease entity (Reiter's syndrome), and a specific histocompatibility antigen (HL-A B27) is documented by follow-up study of an epidemic of post-Shigella Reiter's syndrome . Five of the original 10 patients have been traced, HL-A typed, and clinically assessed 13 years after the initial episode . One of the 5 has minimal disease, remains symptom-free, and is HL-A B27-negative . The remaining 4 have followed a chronic course, have persistent active disease, and are HL-A B27-positive . It is estimated that after this single episode of shigellosis, from one sixth to one third of the persons who were HL-A B27-positive developed Reiter's syndrome . The prognosis for postdysenteric Reiter's syndrome must be guarded, especially in the subject who is B27-positive. Eur J Biochem, 1976 May 1, 64(2), 491 - 8 Cell-wall lipopolysaccharide of the 'Shigella-like' Escherichia coli 0124 . Structure of the polysaccharide chain; Dmitriev BA et al.; From Escherichia coli 0124 two lipopolysaccharide preparations were obtained with phenol/water extraction and cetavlon precipitation . Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecylsulfate and chemical analysis showed that the two preparations from E . coli 0124 and the corresponding preparations from Shigella dysenteriae type 3 reacted alike . The O-specific polysaccharide moiety was characterized with proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, optical rotation and paper electrophoresis . The constituents were determined by gas chromatography and ion-exchange chromatography . The polysaccharide contained glucose (Glc), galactose (Gal), galactosamine (GalN) and 4-O-(1'-carboxyethyl)-D-glucopyranose (glucolactilic acid, GlcLA) in the molar ratios of 1:2:1:1 . Glucolactilic acid, which has a structure similar to muramic acid, was first found in Sh . dysenteriae . The polysaccharide from E . coli 0124 and oligosaccharides obtained from it by partial acid hydrolysis were subjected to methylation analysis using the method of combined gas chromatography--mass spectrometry . The results indicated that the pentasaccharide repeating unit of the polysaccharide is (see article) . In the polysaccharide the repeating units are joined through galactofuranosidic linkages . This structure is identical with that of the somatic polysaccharide of Sh . dysenterae type 3. Bull Soc Pathol Exot Filiales, 1976 May-Jun, 69(3), 216 - 21 {Distribution of lysotypes and study of antibiotic sensitivity of Shigella flexneri 2 isolated in Iran}; Badalian K et al.; 152 strains of Shigella flexneri 2 isolated from the stools of patients having sporadic bacillary dysenteria have been studied for their phage types as well as for the presence of transferable resistance factor . The distribution of the phage types has shown a high predominance of lysotype 12 (67%) . Proportion of Shigella flexneri 2 strains resistant to one or several antibiotics has been highest in the years 1968 and 1973 . The most frequent transferable resistance pattern was found to be (Tc, Cm, Sm, Su) and the most successful transfer method was the celophane technique . Resistance loss varied according to the resistance pattern of the strains . Total loss of the resistance to Tc, Cm, Sm, Su occurred in 0,2-2 % only . Very often strains resistant to Tc, Cm, Sm, Su lost their resistance factor to Tc and Cm keeping the resistance factors for Su, Sm. J Infect Dis, 1976 May, 133(5), 572 - 5 Resistance of Shigella dysenteriae type 1 to ampicillin and other antimicrobial agents: strains isolated during a dysentery outbreak in a hospital in Mexico City; Olarte J et al.; In June 1972, an epidemic of dysentery began in a hospital ward lodging 22 children with tuberculosis . Fifteen of them developed the disease and five children died . The age of the children ranged from five months to four years . A rectal swab culture taken from all hospitalized children three weeks after the initiation of the outbreak revealed Shigella dysenteriae type 1 in five of the patients (28%) . The strains isolated were susceptible to cephalothin, gentamicin, kanamycin, colistin, trimethoprim, and nalidixic acid, but were resistant to ampicillin (greater than 5,000 mug/ml), chloramphenicol (300 mug/ml), streptomycin (400 mug/ml), tetracycline (100 mug/ml), and sulfadiazine (1,000 mug per disk) . Transfer experiments to Escherichia coli K-12 indicated that these strains were infected with two different plasmids; one was responsible for resistance to chloramphenicol, tetracycline, streptomycin, and sulfonamides, and the other caused resistance to ampicillin . The epidemiological and clinical importance of these findings is emphasized. J Bacteriol, 1976 May, 126(2), 668 - 78 Naturally occurring sites within the Shigella dysenteriae tryptophan operon severely limit tryptophan biosynthesis; Manson MD et al.; We investigated the structural, functional, and regulatory properties of the Shigella dysenteriae tryptophan (trp.) operon in transduction hybrids in which the cysB-trp-region of Escherichia coli is replaced by the corresponding region from S . dysenteriae . Tryptophan biosynthesis was largely blocked in the hybrids, although the order of the structural genes was identical with that of E . coli . Nutritional tests and enzyme assays revealed that the hybrids produced a defective anthranilate synthetase (ASase) . Deletion mapping identified two distinct sites in trpE, each of which was partially responsible for the instability and low activity of ASase . We also discovered a pleiotropic site trpP (S) that maps outside the structural gene region and is closely linked to the S . dysenteriae trp operator . trpP (S) reduced the rate of trp messenger ribonucleic acid synthesis, and consequently trp enzyme levels, 10-fold relative to wild-type E . coli . In recombinants in which the structural genes of E coli were under the control of the S . dysenteriae promoter, enzyme levels were also reduced 10-fold . In some fast-growing revertants of the original hybrids, the rates of trp messenger ribonucleic acid synthesis and levels of tryptophan synthetase were restored to values characteristic of wild-type E.coli . Thus, the Trp auxotrophy associated with the S dysenteriae trp operon derives from the combination of a defective ASase and decreased expression of the entire operon imposed by trpP (S).
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