Streptococcal

Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol, 1989 Dec, 68(6), 770 - 2
Evaluation of antimicrobial activity in vitro of ten root canal sealers on Streptococcus sanguis and Streptococcus mutans; Barkhordar RA; The antimicrobial activity of ten root canal sealers was studied on Streptococcus sanguis and Streptococcus mutans . One hundred plates of trypticase soy agar-sheep red blood cell (10%), each with four distinct 3 mm diameter wells, were divided into two groups of 50 by means of the Lawn technique; one group was inoculated with S . sanguis and the other with S . mutans . Four milligrams of each root canal sealer was placed in each of three wells in 10 plates (five plates of each inoculant); the fourth well was left empty as a control site . Plates were incubated at 37 degrees C and checked after 2, 7, and 14 days . All root canal sealers inhibited growth of both organisms . The inhibitory zones for S . sanguis were larger than inhibitory zones for S . mutans for all tested sealers, except Diaket . Dentinol, Kerr, and Tubliseal had significantly more inhibitory effect on S . sanguis than did other tested sealers (p less than 0.05) . Diaket had superior inhibition on S . mutans.

Arch Dermatol, 1989 Dec, 125(12), 1658 - 61
Microbiology of infected epidermal cysts; Brook I; Specimens from 231 epidermal cyst abscesses were inoculated on media supportive for growth of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria . Of these, 192 yielded bacterial growth . Aerobic or facultative bacteria only were recovered in 84 specimens (44%), anaerobic bacteria only in 57 specimens (30%), and mixed aerobic and anaerobic bacteria in 51 specimens (26%) . A total of 315 isolates (162 anaerobes and 153 aerobes) were recovered . An average of 0.8 aerobic or facultative isolates per infected cyst were recovered, and this number was unrelated to the cysts' anatomic sites . However, the number of anaerobic bacteria varied; they were isolated more frequently in perirectal (1.5 isolates per specimen), vulvovaginal (1.4), and head (1.1) infections, and less frequently in trunk (0.7) and extremities (0.4) infections . The predominant aerobic or facultative bacteria were Staphylococcus aureus (81 isolates), group A streptococcus (9 isolates), and Escherichia coli (7 isolates) . The predominant anaerobic organisms were Peptostreptococcus species (85 isolates) and Bacteroides species (55 isolates, including 12 Bacteroides melaninogenicus and 9 Bacteroides fragilis groups) . The study highlights the polymicrobial nature and predominance of anaerobes in cyst abscesses in the perirectal, vulvovaginal, and head areas.

Infect Immun, 1989 Dec, 57(12), 3940 - 4
Bacteroides loeschei PK1295 cells express two distinct adhesins simultaneously; London J et al.; Bacteroides loeschei synthesizes two distinct adhesins that mediate its coaggregation with Streptococcus sanguis 34 and Actinomyces israeli PK14 . Streptococcal adhesin-specific and actinomyces adhesin-specific monoclonal antibodies were used to prepare antibody-coated 5- or 10-nm gold particles . These were used in immunoelectron microscopic studies to establish that essentially all bacteroides cells in a population express both adhesins . In general, the two sizes of gold particles representing each type of adhesin appeared to be spatially separated on neighboring fimbriae of B . loeschei . Deposition of antibody-coated gold particles, representing both types of adhesin, at or near the same fimbria was observed less frequently.

Infect Immun, 1989 Dec, 57(12), 3846 - 50
A method for allelic replacement that uses the conjugative transposon Tn916: deletion of the emm6.1 allele in Streptococcus pyogenes JRS4; Norgren M et al.; The emm6.1 allele of Streptococcus pyogenes JRS4 was deleted by using the conjugative transposon Tn916 . The aphA-3 gene, conferring resistance to kanamycin, was cloned between the sequences flanking the structural gene for the type 6 M protein (emm6.1) and inserted into the BstXI site of Tn916 to generate the chimeric transposon Tn916-5K3 . Because the BstXI site lies in a nonessential region of Tn916, the chimeric transposon could transfer by conjugation from Bacillus subtilis into JRS4 . In some of the transconjugants, Tn916-5K3 replaced the emm6.1 locus of JRS4 by homologous recombination between the cloned emm6.1-flanking regions and the resident chromosome . One recombinant studied in detail, JRS75, was kanamycin resistant and tetracycline sensitive and lacked immunologically detectable M6 protein . Furthermore, by Southern blot analysis, the DNA region encompassing the emm6.1 structural gene was found to have been replaced by aphA-3.

Infect Immun, 1989 Dec, 57(12), 3715 - 9
Molecular epidemiologic analysis of the type A streptococcal exotoxin (erythrogenic toxin) gene (speA) in clinical Streptococcus pyogenes strains; Yu CE et al.; A molecular epidemiology analysis was performed with over 440 clinical isolates of Streptococcus pyogenes obtained from 11 different countries in order to determine the frequency of occurrence of the type A streptococcal exotoxin (erythrogenic toxin) gene (speA) among group A strains . The colony hybridization technique employing a specific internal fragment of the speA gene was used for initial screening, and all positive results were further confirmed by the Southern hybridization technique . Among over 300 general strains obtained from patients with a variety of diseases, except scarlet fever (such as tonsillitis, impetigo, cellulitis, pyoderma, abscess, rheumatic fever, and glomerulonephritis), 15% were found to contain the speA gene . Among a group of 146 strains obtained from individuals described as having scarlet fever, 45% were shown to contain the speA gene . Further analysis of the data indicated that strains with certain M- or T-type surface antigens showed a higher (such as M and T types 1 and 3/13) or lower (such as M2, M12, T4, T5, and T28) tendency to contain the speA gene . No correlation was found between speA content of a strain and the ability to cause a specific disease, although strains possessing the speA gene were more likely to be associated with scarlet fever and rheumatic fever than with other types of disease.

J Osaka Univ Dent Sch, 1989 Dec, 29, 65 - 71
Effect of several resin monomers on water insoluble glucan formation by glucosyltransferase of Streptococcus sobrinus; Kawai K et al.; The cause or mechanism by which more plaque tend to accumulate on composite resins than on any other restorative materials has yet to be sufficiently explained . The purpose of this study was to investigate a possible mechanism by clarifying the effects of several monomers on the glucosyltransferase activity from Streptococcus sobrinus . The following results were obtained . In the individual resin monomers, di-, tri- and tetra-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (2G, 3G and 4G), Bis-GMA and UDMA showed a stimulatory tendency of water insoluble glucan (WIG) formation . However, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (IG), polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate (9G and 14G), and MMA diminished the synthesis of water soluble glucan as the concentration of monomers was increased . In addition, the eluate from experimental resin consisted of IG and Bis-GMA decreased the production of WIG when compared to that from 3G and Bis-GMA based resin . These results indicated that it was possible to develop a composite resin which inhibits plaque accumulation by using some antienzymatic monomers.

Infect Immun, 1989 Dec, 57(12), 3945 - 8
Spontaneous switching of the sucrose-promoted colony phenotype in Streptococcus sanguis; Tardif G et al.; Streptococcus sanguis on media containing 3% sucrose gives rise to characteristic hard cohesive colonies (designated Spp+) . Populations of Spp+ bacteria (strain Challis) on sucrose media switch to a soft noncohesive phenotype (designated Spp-) at a frequency of 10(-4) to 10(-3) . Spp- bacteria switch back to Spp+ bacteria at a similar frequency . Successive rounds of Spp variation were observed . The Spp phenotypic switch was associated with changes in extracellular glucosyltransferase activity.

J Card Surg, 1989 Dec, 4(4), 348 - 51
Bioprosthetic versus mechanical valve replacement in patients with infective endocarditis; Reul GJ et al.; During the 5-year period, 1979-1984, at the Texas Heart Institute, 4,598 patients underwent cardiac valve replacement procedures of which 185 were for acute infective endocarditis . Staphylococcus and streptococcus accounted for 80% of the cases and congestive heart failure was a leading indication in 63% . The purpose of this article is to evaluate the recurrence of endocarditis dependent upon whether the patient had an Ionescu-Shiley bioprosthetic pericardial valve or a mechanical valve (St . Jude Medical) . Actuarial freedom from both early and late reoperation was higher for prosthetic valves than bioprosthetic valve patients . We conclude that mechanical valves are the valves of choice in acute infective endocarditis which apparently is the results of less biologic tissue available for exposure to infection by the offending organisms.

J Card Surg, 1989 Dec, 4(4), 310 - 2
Infective endocarditis in children: the changing profile; Kaplan EL; This article discusses the principles for diagnosis and treatment of infective endocarditis in children . There has generally been a consistent volume of streptococcus endocarditis, the major lesion in pediatric endocarditis, but there has been an increase in Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis as well as neonatal endocarditis . Neonatal endocarditis is a severe form of the disease.

Thorax, 1989 Dec, 44(12), 1031 - 5
Prediction of microbial aetiology at admission to hospital for pneumonia from the presenting clinical features . British Thoracic Society Pneumonia Research Subcommittee; Farr BM et al.; The selection of initial antimicrobial treatment in a patient with community acquired pneumonia is an important clinical decision . Because this decision is usually made before the results of specific microbiological tests are available, we attempted to determine how well the presenting clinical features would allow prediction of microbial aetiology in 441 adults admitted to hospital with pneumonia . Five of 90 variable available on admission were selected for inclusion in a multivariate discriminant function analysis because of their strong association with one or more of the major aetiological subsets (Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, "other," and undetermined) . These variables were age, number of days ill before admission, presence or absence of bloody sputum and of lobar infiltration on chest radiograph, and white blood cell count . The microbial aetiology was correctly predicted by this discriminant function analysis in only 42% of cases, which gives a quantitative estimate of the degree of difficulty encountered in determining the microbial aetiology at the time of admission for pneumonia . When a similar discriminant function analysis was applied to the third of patients in whom the microbial aetiology was never determined, most of these cases were predicted to be due to Streptococcus pneumoniae.

J Gen Microbiol, 1989 Dec, 135 ( Pt 12), 3199 - 207
Effect of subculturing on expression of a cell-surface protein antigen by Streptococcus mutans; Koga T et al.; Two freshly isolated strains, Xc and Yc, of Streptococcus mutans serotype c from human dental plaque were subcultured 100 times in Brain Heart Infusion broth . The cell-surface hydrophobicity of strain Xc markedly decreased after subculturing 60 times, but that of strain Yc remained unaltered . Radioimmunoassay showed a close correlation between surface hydrophobicity and the amount of a cell-surface protein antigen (PAc) of Mr 190,000 . One hydrophilic variant (strain Xc100L), one relatively hydrophobic variant (strain Xc100H), and two hydrophobic variants (strains Yc100H1 and Yc100H2) were isolated from the 100-fold subcultures of hydrophobic strains Xc and Yc, respectively . SDS-PAGE showed that the amount of cell-associated and cell-free PAc of strain Xc100L was smaller than that of strains Xc and Xc100H . Strain Yc100H2 produced larger amounts of cell-associated PAc than strains Yc and Yc100H1 . Resting cells of hydrophilic strain Xc100L attached in smaller numbers to saliva-coated hydroxyapatite than did other hydrophobic strains . RNA dot-blot analysis demonstrated a significant decrease in PAc-specific mRNA in strain Xc100L, as compared with strains Xc and Xc100H . Neither rearrangement nor deletion in the structural gene (pac) for PAc of these strains was observed by Southern blot analysis . These findings suggest that a mechanism which regulates the transcription of the pac gene participates in the quantitative variation of PAc after repeated subculturing.

Ann Trop Paediatr, 1989 Dec, 9(4), 233 - 9
Hospital-acquired neonatal bacterial meningitis: the impacts of cefotaxime usage on mortality and of amikacin usage on incidence; Coovadia YM et al.; All cases of bacterial meningitis in the neonatal unit at King Edward VIII Hospital, Durban for the period 1 January 1981 to 31 December 1987 were reviewed . In particular, we looked at the impact of cefotaxime on mortality rates and amikacin on the incidence of hospital-acquired Gram-negative bacillary (GNB) meningitis . Klebsiella was found to be the commonest cause of neonatal meningitis, followed by Escherichia coli and Streptococcus agalactiae . Eighty-four per cent of all cases of GNB meningitis presented more than 3 days after birth, with the vast majority being caused by gentamicin-resistant Klebsiella . A decline in the incidence of meningitis from 1.27/1000 live births in 1981 and 0.95/1000 for the period 1981-1986 to 0.22/1000 live births in 1987, with no cases of Klebsiella meningitis being seen in that year, coincided with the exclusive use of amikacin as the parenteral aminoglycoside in place of gentamicin in the unit after August 1986 . The initial decline in the incidence of meningitis from 0.93/1000 in 1985 to 0.46/1000 in 1986 was attributed to the introduction in 1985 of strict hand disinfection measures to prevent cross-infection in the unit . The case mortality rate (CMR) fell from 0.65 for the period 1981-1984 to 0.42 for the period 1985-1987, and we believe this was largely a result of the introduction of cefotaxime in 1984 as first-line therapy for GNB meningitis, together with better patient care facilities.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

J Clin Microbiol, 1989 Dec, 27(12), 2633 - 6
Description of 14 new capsular types of Streptococcus suis; Gottschalk M et al.; Fourteen new capsular types of Streptococcus suis (types 9 to 22) are described . All reference strains are morphologically and biochemically similar to types previously described . Reference strain types 9 to 13, 15, 16, and 22 were isolated from diseased pigs, whereas types 17 to 19 and 21 came from clinically healthy pigs; type 14 was isolated from a human case of meningitis, and type 20 was isolated from a diseased calf . The group T streptococcus of de Moor has been included in the typing system as type 15 . Two-way cross-reactions between types 6 and 16 and a one-way cross-reaction between types 2 and 22 have been demonstrated . In addition, several cross-reactions probably not due to capsular material were detected among different types by using the coagglutination test . This test should not be used alone; weak or multiple positive reactions must be confirmed by the capsular reaction test or the capillary precipitation test.

Vet Immunol Immunopathol, 1989 Nov 30, 23(1-2), 85 - 101
Influence of technical parameters on the in vitro motility of equine neutrophils in the presence of streptococcal culture supernatant; Blancquaert AB et al.; To identify the influence of technical factors on the in vitro motility of equine neutrophils towards streptococcus culture supernatant in an under-agarose assay, we studied the changes in eight cell migration parameters . The distances the phagocytes travelled by directed, random and spontaneous migration increased with incubation time, cell concentration and the gelatin and serum contents of the migration plates . The contribution of chemotaxis to the phagocyte migrations, however, decreased simultaneously . The directed and random, though not the spontaneous, migrations of the phagocytes increased also when the chemoattractant wells were placed closer to the cell wells but so did the influence of the chemokinetic activity of the bacterial culture supernatant on phagocyte motility . In contrast, preincubation of migration plates with the chemoattractant, the agarose content of the migration plates and contamination of the granulocytes with non-migrating, mononuclear cells did not substantially affect the in vitro migrations of the neutrophils . The changes in the in vitro motility of the equine neutrophils by these technical factors were, in general, comparable to those reported for human cells attracted by a variety of host-and bacteria-derived chemoattractants.

J Biol Chem, 1989 Nov 25, 264(33), 19893 - 7
Transglycosylation and transfer reaction activities of endo-alpha-N-acetyl-D-galactosaminidase from Diplococcus (Streptococcus) pneumoniae; Bardales RM et al.; Endo-alpha-N-acetyl-D-galactosaminidase from Diplococcus pneumoniae was shown to have transglycosylation and transfer reaction (reversed hydrolysis) activities . Treatment of asialoglycoproteins having Gal beta 1----3GalNAc alpha 1----Ser/Thr linkages with enzyme preparations containing glycerol resulted in formation of nonreducing trisaccharides . The structure of the main trisaccharide (approximately 80%) was deduced to be Gal beta 1----3GalNAc alpha 1----1(3)-glycerol by analysis of sugar composition and the results of exoglycosidase treatment and periodate oxidation . The ability of the endoglycosidase to catalyze transfer of Gal beta 1----3GalNAc to various acceptors was also demonstrated by incubation of the enzyme with the disaccharide and the test compound . The following were found to show acceptor activity: glycerol, Tris, p-nitrophenol, threonine, serine, D-glucose, D-galactose, D-fucose, and 6-O-methylgalactose . Transfer to the primary hydroxyl groups of glycerol and hexoses appears to be favored since the major glycerol product was 1(3)-substituted and transfer to D-fucose and 6-O-methyl-D-galactose was less than that to D-galactose . In order to avoid spurious results, it is necessary to carry out incubations with this enzyme in the absence of glycerol and other hydroxy compounds . The potential use of this endoglycosidase in the synthesis of glycosides is indicated by our studies.

Thromb Haemost, 1989 Nov 24, 62(3), 1029 - 33
Procoagulant activity of endocardial vegetations and blood monocytes in rabbits with Streptococcus sanguis endocarditis; Buiting AG et al.; To investigate activation of the coagulation system in bacterial endocarditis, we determined the procoagulant activity of blood monocytes isolated from rabbits with Streptococcus sanguis-infected or sterile catheter-induced endocardial vegetations . This activity was determined directly after isolation from the peripheral blood and after stimulation in vitro by either endotoxin or by phagocytosis of S . sanguis . The procoagulant activity of the vegetations of these rabbits was also determined . The procoagulant activity of blood monocytes of rabbits with S . sanguis endocarditis was found to be similar to the activity of monocytes of rabbits with sterile vegetations, both at the time of isolation and after stimulation in vitro by exposure to endotoxin or phagocytosis of bacteria . The procoagulant activity of infected vegetations was significantly higher than that of sterile vegetations . We conclude that in bacterial endocarditis the coagulation system is activated locally at the site of the vegetation . Triggering probably occurs by thromboplastin generated by monocytes activated by phagocytosis of bacteria on the vegetational surface.

FEBS Lett, 1989 Nov 20, 258(1), 127 - 32
Sequence analysis of the cloned streptococcal cell surface antigen I/II; Kelly C et al.; The gene spa P (formerly designated as spa P1) encoding the Mr 185,000 surface antigen (I/II) of Streptococcus mutans, serotype c (NG5), has been sequenced . The gene (4683 bp) encodes a protein of 1561 amino acid residues including putative signal peptide (residues 1-38) and transmembrane (residues 1537-1556) sequences . The N-terminal region (60-550) has alanine-rich repeats and is predicted to be alpha-helical . However, the C-terminal region (800-1540) is proline-rich and favours an extended structure . Except for a short central variable region the sequences appear to be highly conserved for S . mutans serotype c . N-Terminal sequencing of separated antigen I and antigen II polypeptides suggests that the former represents the N-terminal and the latter the C-terminal portions of the intact antigen.

Biochemistry, 1989 Nov 14, 28(23), 9172 - 8
General mechanism for the bacterial toxicity of hypochlorous acid: abolition of ATP production; Barrette WC Jr et al.; The adenylate energy charges (EC) of Escherichia coli 25922, Pseudomonas aeruginosa 27853, and Streptococcus lactis 7962 rapidly fell in nutrient-rich media from values in excess of 0.9 to below 0.1 when the organisms were exposed to lethal levels of HOCl . The same cells maintained in energy-depleted states were incapable of attaining normal EC values necessary for biosynthesis and growth when challenged with nutrient energy sources after HOCl exposure . These changes correlated quantitatively with loss of replicative capabilities . Initial rates of transport of glucose, succinate, and various amino acids that act as respiratory substrates and the ATP hydrolase activity of the F1 complex from the ATP synthase of E . coli 25922 also declined in parallel with or preceded loss of viability . These results establish that cellular death is accompanied by complete disruption of bacterial ATP production by both oxidative and fermentative pathways as a consequence of inhibition of inner membrane bound systems responsible for these processes.

J Immunol Methods, 1989 Nov 13, 124(1), 131 - 5
Isolation of immunoglobulin G by affinity chromatography using an IgG Fc receptor protein from Streptococcus dysgalactiae coupled to a solid phase; Lammler C et al.; A culture of Streptococcus dysgalactiae (C 26) was shown to bind only to 125I-IgG, whereas another S . dysgalactiae culture (C 12) bound both 125I-IgG and 125I-albumin . The IgG-binding proteins could be readily solubilized by lysozyme treatment of the bacteria and isolated by affinity chromatography on IgG Sepharose . The purified IgG-binding protein from S . dysgalactiae C 26, which lacked simultaneous albumin binding activity, precipitated with IgG preparations from man, cow, horse, pig and mouse but not with chicken IgG . This IgG-binding protein was coupled to CNBr-activated Sepharose and subsequently used for the purification of IgG from both bovine and human serum . SDS-PAGE and immunoelectrophoretic studies confirmed the purity of the eluted proteins.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1989 Nov, 86(22), 8842 - 6
Horizontal transfer of penicillin-binding protein genes in penicillin-resistant clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae; Dowson CG et al.; Resistance to penicillin in clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae has occurred by the development of altered penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) that have greatly decreased affinity for the antibiotic . We have investigated the origins of penicillin-resistant strains by comparing the sequences of the transpeptidase domain of PBP2B from 6 penicillin-sensitive and 14 penicillin-resistant strains . In addition we have sequenced part of the amylomaltase gene from 2 of the sensitive and 6 of the resistant strains . The sequences of the amylomaltase gene of all of the strains and of the PBP2B gene of the penicillin-sensitive strain show that S . pneumoniae is genetically very uniform . In contrast the PBP2B genes of the penicillin-resistant strains show approximately equal to 14% sequence divergence from those of the penicillin-sensitive strains and the development of penicillin resistance has involved the replacement, presumably by transformation, of the original PBP2B gene by a homologous gene from an unknown source . This genetic event has occurred on at least two occasions, involving different sources, to produce the two classes of altered PBP2B genes found in penicillin-resistant strains of S . pneumoniae . There is considerable variation among the PBP2B genes of the resistant strains that may have arisen by secondary transformation events accompanied by mismatch repair subsequent to their original introductions into S . pneumoniae.

J Immunol, 1989 Nov 1, 143(9), 3049 - 53
Nonionic block polymer surfactants enhance the avidity of antibodies in polyclonal antisera against Streptococcus pneumoniae type 3 in normal and Xid mice; Van Dam GJ et al.; Avidities of antibody (sub)classes in polyclonal antisera against Streptococcus pneumoniae type 3 (S3) can be (semi) quantitatively determined with a specific inhibition ELISA . A hexasaccharide was isolated from the hydrolyzed S3 capsular polysaccharide and coupled to a protein-carrier . Mixtures containing these conjugates and nonionic block polymer (NBP) surfactants were used for immunization . After various immunizations of these conjugates without NBP the anti-S3 specific antibodies of IgM and IgG2a isotype decreased in both antibody level and avidity . The adjuvants NBP 1501 and L121 not only enhanced the hexasaccharide-protein induced IgM and IgG antibody levels but also clearly increased the avidity of the two antibody (sub)classes IgM and IgG2a . This effect was observed in normal (data not shown) and X-linked immunodefective mice . A maturation of the IgG antibody response was realized by the second immunization with hexasaccharide-protein conjugate whereas the third immunization showed no further increase in antibody level and avidity.

Infect Immun, 1989 Nov, 57(11), 3560 - 9
Biochemical characterization and evaluation of virulence of a fructosyltransferase-deficient mutant of Streptococcus mutans V403; Schroeder VA et al.; The Streptococcus mutans extracellular fructosyltransferase (FTF) enzyme may play a role in the formation of dental caries by synthesizing a fructan polymer that serves as an extracellular storage polysaccharide . We sought to determine if an FTF-deficient strain of S . mutans was less virulent than wild-type cells in a rat animal model system . Cloned ftf gene sequences from S . mutans GS5 were used to generate a defective copy of the ftf gene by inserting into the ftf coding region a DNA fragment which encoded erythromycin resistance . The plasmid which carried the defective ftf construct was introduced into S . mutans V403 by using genetic transformation . This defective construct replaced, by allelic exchange, the wild-type copy of the ftf gene carried on the V403 chromosome . FTF activity assays indicated that the recombinant strain, V1741, was deficient in fructan synthesis . However, extracellular protein preparations from this strain displayed an increased ability to generate glucose polymers (glucans) compared with V403 preparations . Levels of adherence to glass and rat tooth surfaces by strain V1741 were similar to those of the V403 strain . Both strains caused moderate decay on rat tooth surfaces; however, the FTF-deficient strain was less pathogenic compared with the wild-type strain . These results suggest that FTF activity contributes to the pathogenicity of S . mutans V403, possibly by generating extracellular fructans which serve as storage compounds.

Infect Immun, 1989 Nov, 57(11), 3306 - 13
Construction and characterization of isogenic mutants of Streptococcus mutans deficient in major surface protein antigen P1 (I/II); Lee SF et al.; The gene (spaP) coding for the Streptococcus mutans major surface protein antigen P1 (or I/II) has been cloned into Escherichia coli (S . F . Lee, A . Progulske-Fox, and A . S . Bleiweis, Infect . Immun . 56:2114-2119, 1988) . In the present study, this gene has been disrupted in vitro by insertional inactivation with pVA981, which carries a Tcr marker, and transformed into S . mutans NG8 (serotype c) by electroporation . Upon homologous recombination, the defective spaP was integrated into the genome as demonstrated by Southern hybridization analysis . One Tcr mutant, designated 834, selected by its nonreactivity with anti-P1 monoclonal antibodies, was found to lack the cell surface fuzzy layer which was clearly present on the parent cells . Analysis of extracellular fluids, sodium dodecyl sulfate-solubilized membranes, and cytoplasmic fractions by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that 834 had protein profiles identical to the parent . However, a 185-kilodalton protein which reacts with anti-P1 antibodies was missing from the wall of 834, suggesting that spaP has been specifically inactivated . This mutant displayed levels of glucosyltransferase and fructosyltransferase activities similar to those of the parent . It was much less hydrophobic than the parent . S . mutans NG8 aggregated readily in the presence of clarified whole saliva or a high-molecular-weight salivary agglutinin . This strain also adhered to agglutinin-coated hydroxyapatite . The P1-negative mutants, however, did not display these two properties, suggesting that P1 may play a role in saliva-mediated aggregation and adherence.

Zhonghua Min Guo Wei Sheng Wu Ji Mian Yi Xue Za Zhi, 1989 Nov, 22(4), 261 - 6
{Comparison of three pigment production media with CAMP and hippurate hydrolysis tests for the identification of beta-streptococcus group B}; Chen CH et al.; Three pigment production media were compared with CAMP and hippurate hydrolysis tests for the identification of beta-Streptococcus group B . A total of 129 clinical isolates of beta-Streptococcus group B and 287 beta-Streptococcus non group B were tested . The results show that sensitivities are: pigment medium, 99.2%, DMS medium, 95.6%, Columbia agar, 92.8%, CAMP test, 96.3%, hippurate hydrolysis test, 97.6% . As for specificities results show: CAMP test, 99.7%, the other tests, 100%; respectively . Pigment medium is a simple, convenient methodology.

Minerva Pediatr, 1989 Nov, 41(11), 571 - 6
{A critical review of the methods used in evaluating the antistreptolysin titre as a diagnostic index}; Nattero G et al.; Authors review the most common laboratory tests showing an immunologic response caused by group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus infections . After a preliminary evaluation on characteristics and peculiarities of different methods the results obtained are compared with the usually employed systems . The survey of most common analytical methods and personal experience lead to confirm and emphasize the laboratory results supporting and confirming, without substituting, the clinical data.

Fundam Appl Toxicol, 1989 Nov, 13(4), 843 - 58
Immunotoxicity of the semiconductor gallium arsenide in female B6C3F1 mice; Sikorski EE et al.; The effects of gallium arsenide (GaAs) exposure on immunocompetence of B6C3F1 female mice were investigated . GaAs was administered as a single intratracheal instillation at doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg . Fourteen days after exposure, various cellular and humoral immune parameters were assessed . GaAs exposure increased spleen cellularity in a dose-dependent manner . However, the percentages of Thy 1.2 positive and Ig positive cells were decreased and that of F4/80 positive cells was increased dose dependently . The IgM and IgG antibody-forming cell response of the spleen to the T-dependent antigen sheep erythrocytes was reduced by 66 and 48%, respectively, at 200 mg/kg . Levels of the serum complement protein, C3, were increased by as much as 16% with no significant change in CH50 levels . The mitogenic response of splenic T cells to Con A and PHA was unaffected by GaAs, but that of B cells to LPS was increased by 52% . The delayed hypersensitivity response to keyhole limpet hemocyanin and mixed lymphocyte response were significantly reduced in a dose-dependent manner by GaAs exposure . Natural killer cell activity against the YAC-1 mouse lymphoma was enhanced in treated mice . Analysis of peritoneal exudate cells (PEC) revealed a dose-dependent decrease in number and a shift in the composition of PECs . The percentage of PEC monocytes increased from 53% of the population to 81%, while the lymphocytes decreased from 46 to 20% . The adherent PEC population demonstrated decreased phagocytosis of covaspheres and increased phagocytosis of chicken erythrocytes (CRBC) . GaAs exposure had no effect on host resistance to Plasmodium yoelii or Streptococcus pneumoniae, but dose dependently increased resistance of the mouse to Listeria monocytogenes . Treated mice demonstrated a significantly decreased resistance to the B16F10 melanoma with a sevenfold increase in tumor burden at 200 mg/kg . GaAs affects both humoral and cellular immune parameters in mice and impairs the ability of the immune system to protect against B16F10 tumor challenge.

Pediatr Res, 1989 Nov, 26(5), 420 - 4
Roles of platelet-activating factor and thromboxane in group B Streptococcus-induced pulmonary hypertension in piglets; Pinheiro JM et al.; Platelet-activating factor causes pulmonary hypertension, shock, hypoxemia, neutropenia, and increased pulmonary vascular permeability; some of its effects are due to thromboxane A2 release . Evidence for a possible role of these mediators in the genesis of group B Streptococcus (GBS)-induced pulmonary hypertension was sought using specific receptor antagonists for PAF and thromboxane A2 (TxA2) in anesthetized, ventilated piglets (less than or equal to 12 d of age; n = 22) . Infusion of 1 X 10(8) GBS/kg/min for one hour resulted in a sustained and significant increase in pulmonary artery pressure (PPA) from 17 +/- 1 to 35 +/- 3 torr . Pretreatment with the TxA2 antagonist SQ 29548 (0.75 mg/kg intravenous), completely inhibited the effect of GBS on PPA . Pretreatment with either platelet-activating factor antagonists SRI 63072 (3 mg/kg intravenous) or SRI 63441 (1 mg/kg) did not affect the pulmonary hypertension due to GBS infusion . GBS-induced pulmonary hypertension could be reversed by SQ 29548; SRI 63072 did not affect PPA when administered to pigs with GBS-induced elevation in PPA . Inasmuch as prevention and reversal of GBS-induced pulmonary hypertension are accomplished with the TxA2 antagonist but not with PAF antagonists, these data suggest that TxA2, rather than PAF, is responsible for the early pulmonary hypertension in this model of neonatal GBS sepsis . Therefore, TxA2 antagonists may be clinically useful in treating pulmonary hypertension related to GBS sepsis.

Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol, 1989 Nov, 68(5), 571 - 5
Quantitative bacteriology of a case of acute parotitis; Lewis MA et al.; It is generally assumed that the microorganisms responsible for acute suppurative parotitis are facultative anaerobes, primarily Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus viridans . A quantitative microbiologic investigation of an aspirate of pus from the case we report revealed a microbial flora (5.1 X 10(6) CFU/ml) consisting entirely of strict anaerobes (Fusobacterium nucleatum and Peptostreptococcus anaerobius) . The strain of F . nucleatum was sensitive to metronidazole but resistant to penicillin, amoxicillin, and erythromycin (minimum inhibitory concentration greater than 16 micrograms/ml) . P . anaerobius was sensitive to the antibiotics tested . It is concluded that a high concentration of viable anaerobic bacteria may be present in acute suppurative parotitis and thus pus obtained from cases of sialadenitis should be cultured with microbiologic methods capable of isolating strict anaerobes . Additionally, antibiotic sensitivity should be determined routinely.

J Clin Microbiol, 1989 Nov, 27(11), 2606 - 8
Eikenella corrodens cellulitis and arthritis of the knee; Flesher SA et al.; Severe cellulitis and septic arthritis due to Eikenella corrodens and a viridans group streptococcus developed following dental manipulation in a patient with a history of hemarthrosis . Correct diagnosis was achieved by recognition of E . corrodens on a culture of a knee aspirate . Antimicrobial (ampicillin) therapy resulted in a therapeutic response.

Int Endod J, 1989 Nov, 22(6), 269 - 77
Capacity of anaerobic bacteria enclosed in a simulated root canal to induce inflammation; Wu MK et al.; In an effort to simulate the infected dental root canal, bacteria were enclosed in polyethylene tubes that were subcutaneously implanted into rats . Four different bacterial combinations, selected from nine oral species, were tested . The contents of 144 inoculated and implanted 'root canals' were analysed after 2 and 4 weeks of implantation . Bacteroides, Streptococcus, Actinomyces and Fusobacterium were inoculated in low numbers but dominated the mixed flora at the end of the experiment . The bacteria-filled tubes induced inflammation of the rat tissue at the implant opening ('foramen') . It is confirmed that mixed bacterial populations survive, show succession and develop within an enclosed environment . Such florae cause significant inflammation at the interface with the host tissues.

Arch Inst Cardiol Mex, 1989 Nov-Dec, 59(6), 607 - 10
{Infectious endocarditis in a healthy valve, arising from another valve}; Guadalajara-Boo JF et al.; We report a case of isolated aortic regurgitation complicated by active infective endocarditis with streptococcus viridans as causative organism . The affected structure was a previous normal mitral valve.

Jpn J Antibiot, 1989 Nov, 42(11), 2406 - 11
{Study on cefotaxime in respiratory surgery: transfer to lung tissue and kinetics in serum}; Morita J et al.; Cefotaxime (CTX) was intravenously administered in a dose of 1 g to patients just prior to lung surgery . Lung tissue specimens were collected at 1, 2 and 3 hours after the CTX administration, and the concentration of CTX in each specimen was determined . At the same time, the concentration of CTX in the serum was also measured . The results are summarized below . 1 . Determination of the CTX concentration in the lung tissue using bioassay showed values of 3.78 +/- 1.93 micrograms/g at 1 hour after CTX administration, 1.91 +/- 0.92 microgram/g at 2 hours, and 1.19 +/- 1.04 micrograms/g at 3 hours . 2 . Determination of the CTX concentration in the serum using bioassay showed values of 36.9 +/- 14.4 micrograms/ml at 30 minutes after CTX administration, 22.5 +/- 10.5 micrograms/ml at 1 hour, 12.8 +/- 6.32 micrograms/ml at 2 hours, 8.52 +/- 5.54 micrograms/ml at 3 hours, and 3.98 +/- 3.19 micrograms/ml at 6 hours . The serum half-life was calculated to be 1.82 hours . 3 . The CTX concentration of 3.78 +/- 1.93 micrograms/g in the lung tissue at 1 hour after CTX administration was more than 10 times higher than the MIC80 values for Streptococcus pneumoniae (MIC80 less than or equal to 0.025 microgram/ml) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (0.05 micrograms/ml), 2 of the principal causative organisms of respiratory tract infections . The pattern of change in concentrations of CTX in the serum of these surgical patients was concluded to be similar to the pattern in healthy adult subjects . On the basis of the results summarized above, it appears that CTX is a useful antimicrobial agent for application in the field of respiratory surgery.

Indian J Med Res, 1989 Nov, 89, 381 - 3
Adherence of Streptococcus pneumoniae to buccal epithelial cells of smokers & non-smokers; Mahajan B et al.; In vitro adherence of Streptococcus pneumoniae to buccal epithelial cells was assessed among smokers (51.9 +/- 20.8) and non-smokers (24.7 +/- 9.6) and found to be significantly higher (P less than 0.001) in smokers . The higher incidence of respiratory tract infection in smokers may be related to the enhanced adherence and better colonization of this bacterium in the throat.

Infection, 1989 Nov-Dec, 17(6), 385 - 7
Endocarditis caused by Gemella haemolysans; Kaufhold A et al.; Gemella haemolysans, a coccus related to the "Streptococcaceae", was isolated from the blood of a patient with endocarditis . The patient was successfully treated with a combination of penicillin G and tobramycin, followed by clindamycin . The taxonomy of this organism, especially its relationship to "Streptococcus morbillorum" is discussed and previously reported cases of Gemella infections are reviewed.

FEMS Microbiol Lett, 1989 Nov, 53(1-2), 187 - 92
Infection of Streptococcus oralis NCTC 11427 by pneumococcal phages; Ronda C et al.; We have found a group of pneumococcal bacteriophages (Cp-1, Cp-7) that can successfully infect and replicate in Streptococcus oralis, whereas Dp-1 was unable to infect this species . We have also developed conditions that allowed transfection of S . oralis using Dp-1 DNA . Our results support the direct involvement of the phage-coded lysins in the liberation of the phage progeny from infected S . oralis cells . Since S . oralis and S . pneumoniae are bacteria that share the same ecological niche in humans, the availability of the system described here should allow to extend our current studies on the modular organization of the lytic enzymes and might serve as a tool to study the evolutionary relationships between host and parasite.

FEMS Microbiol Lett, 1989 Nov, 53(1-2), 113 - 8
DNA uptake in competent Streptococcus pneumoniae requires ATP and is regulated by cytoplasmic pH; Clave C et al.; DNA uptake in competent Streptococcus pneumoniae was strongly dependent on intracellular pH . Ionophore treatments that either acidified or alkalinized the cytoplasm reduced DNA transport . This indicates that the optimum pH for DNA uptake corresponds to the intracellular pH of competent bacteria which is 8.3 +/- 0.2 . In addition, the ATP pool of the bacteria appeared to be a critical parameter in the process . The pattern of inhibition by arsenate, when the culture was treated at different steps of the competence cycle, suggested firstly, that a threshold ATP level was required to trigger transport and secondly, an ATP requirement for the process itself . This may indicate an ATP involvement in the activation of an uptake machinery functioning at the expense of ATP.

West J Med, 1989 Nov, 151(5), 520 - 4
Epiglottitis--an increasing problem for adults; Sheikh KH et al.; In a 2-year period, 9 adults were admitted to hospital with acute epiglottitis confirmed by direct laryngoscopy or lateral neck radiograph, or both . The mean age was 53 +/- 14 years, with acute epiglottitis occurring in 89% during the months of September to March . Intubation was required in 4 patients . The duration of symptoms was 7.8 +/- 2.4 hours for intubated patients versus 18.8 +/- 8.9 hours for those not intubated . For 6 patients an incorrect diagnosis was made on their first presentation . All 8 patients having laryngoscopy had typical findings, and none had respiratory obstruction precipitated by the procedure . In 5 patients blood cultures were positive, 4 for Hemophilus influenzae type b, and 1 for Streptococcus pneumoniae . In 2 patients the H influenzae was ampicillin-resistant . All patients recovered after receiving parenteral steroid therapy and appropriate antibiotics.

Rev Infect Dis, 1989 Nov-Dec, 11(6), 983 - 7
Multiple hepatic abscesses caused by Streptococcus milleri in association with an intrauterine device; Gelfand MS et al.; We report a case of Streptococcus milleri bacteremia and multiple hepatic abscesses secondary to an intrauterine device and a tuboovarian abscess . Hepatic abscess as a complication of an intrauterine device has previously been reported only once, with Actinomyces israelii as the causative agent . Our patient's hepatic abscesses were cured with medical therapy.

J Periodontol, 1989 Nov, 60(11), 624 - 7
Caries on root surfaces exposed following gingivectomy in conventional rats infected with Streptococcus sobrinus and Actinomyces viscosus; Firestone AR et al.; To study the ability of bacteria associated with coronal caries to initiate root surface caries, a rat model was used . Root surfaces were exposed by gingivectomy in rats fed a caries-promoting diet and orally inoculated with either Actinomyces viscosus M-100, Streptococcus sobrinus (mutans) 6715, or both . A fourth group received a diet containing antibiotics . The animals were sacrificed 64 days following the gingivectomy performed on the right molar quadrants . Gingivectomy significantly increased exposed lingual root length and root caries incidence . There were no caries on non-gingivectomy root surfaces . Root surface caries incidence in the groups inoculated with A . viscosus and A . viscosus plus S . sobrinus did not differ . For both these groups, root caries incidence was significantly greater than that for the group inoculated with S . sobrinus alone . Root caries incidence in this latter group did not differ from that in the control group.

J Pathol, 1989 Nov, 159(3), 245 - 53
Abnormal alveolar epithelial repair associated with failure of resolution in experimental streptococcal pneumonia; Rhodes GC et al.; We describe an experimental model in Wistar rats of non-resolving bronchopneumonia evoked by Streptococcus pneumoniae type 25 . In contrast to a model of resolving streptococcal pneumonia that we have previously described, morphological studies reveal that in this model, there is significant early damage to type 1 pneumocytes which progresses to necrosis, leaving isolated areas of denuded alveolar basement membrane . Furthermore, there is accompanying degeneration and necrosis of a proportion of the type 2 pneumocytes, and alveolar epithelial repair by proliferation and differentiation of these cells appears to be retarded . Isolated, hypertrophic, and hyperplastic foci of type 2 pneumocytes persist as the acute inflammatory response subsides, and organization progresses with proliferation and emigration of fibroblasts into the lumina of alveoli and terminal bronchioles . The resultant lesion is morphologically indistinguishable from bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia . We hypothesize that the abnormal outcome in this model of pneumonia is a consequence of the failure of proliferating type 2 pneumocytes to transform into type 1 pneumocytes and thus maintain the integrity of the alveolar epithelial surface.

Infect Immun, 1989 Nov, 57(11), 3527 - 33
Nucleotide sequence analysis of a type 1 fimbrial gene of Streptococcus sanguis FW213; Fenno JC et al.; A structural gene for type 1 fimbriae of Streptococcus sanguis FW213 was located within a 6-kilobase fragment cloned in Escherichia coli . A 1.6-kilobase internal fragment contains an open reading frame of 927 bases coding for an immunoreactive peptide of 34,349 daltons, which corresponds in size with an observed cytoplasmic form of fimbrial peptide (P . M . Fives-Taylor, F . L . Macrina, T . J . Pritchard, and S . J . Peene, Infect . Immun . 55:123-128, 1987) . Disruption of the reading frame by insertional mutagenesis results in loss of immunoreactivity . Consensus sequences for initiation of transcription and translation were identified 5' to the coding region . Transcription terminator-like sequences were found downstream of the coding region . The deduced amino acid sequence of the cloned fimbrial peptide shows a strongly hydrophobic signal sequence at the amino terminus . The carboxyl-terminal region does not include a hydrophobic membrane anchor sequence such as has been reported for other gram-positive surface structures . A hydrophobic region of 12 to 14 amino acids downstream from the putative signal sequence cleavage site exhibits homology with the Streptococcus pyogenes type 6 M protein repetitive region A (S . K . Hollingshead, V . A . Fischetti, and J . R . Scott, J . Biol . Chem., 261:1677-1686, 1986) . Functional homology at the level of protein secondary structure with Actinomyces viscosus T14V type 1 fimbriae (M . K . Yeung, B . M . Chassy, and J . O . Cisar, J . Bacteriol., 169:1678-1683, 1987) is proposed.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1989 Nov, 86(22), 8983 - 7
Definition of a bacterial virulence factor: sialylation of the group B streptococcal capsule; Wessels MR et al.; Sialylation of bacterial capsules has been proposed as an important virulence factor for several species of encapsulated pathogens, including group B Streptococcus . We have constructed a transposon mutant strain of type III group B Streptococcus that expresses a capsular polysaccharide differing from the wild type only in that the mutant strain's capsule lacks sialic acid . The mutant polysaccharide is antigenically identical to the capsular polysaccharide of type 14 Streptococcus pneumoniae, as predicted by the structures of the type III group B Streptococcus and S . pneumoniae polysaccharides . Loss of capsular sialic acid was associated with loss of virulence in the mutant strain in a neonatal rat model of lethal group B Streptococcus infection . These studies demonstrate directly that capsular sialic acid is a critical virulence determinant for type III group B Streptococcus and support the general hypothesis that surface sialylation aids pathogenic microorganisms in evading host defenses.

Shika Zairyo Kikai, 1989 Nov, 8(6), 890 - 5
{Inhibition of water insoluble glucan formation by eluate from amalgams}; Kawai K et al.; The effect of the eluate from amalgam on glucan synthesis was investigated in this study in order to elucidate the mechanisms by which plaque accumulation is inhibited on amalgam but not on enamel or composite . Glucosyltransferase (GTase) was prepared from a cultured supernatant of Streptococcus mutans B 13 by the ammonium sulfate precipitation method . Five commercial amalgams were tested . The eluate from amalgams was prepared by immersing the amalgam discs (10 mm dia . x2 mm thick.) into distilled water for 2 weeks . A glucan synthesizing system was compounded using GTase (50 microliters), {14C}-sucrose (100 microliters), distilled water, and the eluate (350 microliters) . After 18 h incubation at 37 degrees C, the formed water insoluble glucan was collected on glass fiber filters and its radioactivity was counted . Moreover, concentrations of zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) in the eluates were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry . The eluates from Dispersalloy and Fluor alloy, which eluted Zn, were the most inhibitory for glucan synthesis . Sybraloy, which released Cu to a much greater degree than the other amalgams and its eluate showed intermediate antienzymatic activity . The other amalgams, Hi-atomic M and Spherical-D, did not effect GTase at all . The results indicated that various amalgams strongly impact inhibition rates of glucan formation.

Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol, 1989 Nov, 1(5), 417 - 22
Deficient intracellular killing of bacteria by murine alveolar macrophages; Nibbering PH et al.; Microbiologic methods were used to assess the in vitro phagocytosis and intracellular killing of various species of bacteria by freshly isolated murine peritoneal and alveolar macrophages . Peritoneal macrophages showed effective phagocytosis of opsonized Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Listeria monocytogenes, and moderate ingestion of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli . Alveolar macrophages were poor in phagocytosing opsonized S . pyogenes, S . aureus, and E . coli; ingestion of S . pneumoniae, P . aeruginosa, and S . epidermidis was moderate . Peritoneal macrophages killed 40 to 80% of these bacteria intracellularly, but alveolar macrophages showed almost no intracellular killing of bacteria . To find out whether there is a correlation between the poor bactericidal activity of alveolar macrophages and the oxygen-dependent microbicidal mechanisms of these cells, we determined the uptake of oxygen and the release of superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide by macrophages at rest and after stimulation with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) or opsonized S . aureus . Upon exposure to these stimuli, peritoneal macrophages, but not alveolar macrophages, showed an increased uptake of oxygen and release of superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide . Because alveolar macrophages contain surface active material (SAM), we investigated the phagocytosis and intracellular killing of bacteria and the release of hydrogen peroxide by peritoneal macrophages pretreated with SAM . The results showed reduced phagocytosis and impaired intracellular killing of S . epidermidis by these macrophages . The release of hydrogen peroxide by SAM-pretreated peritoneal macrophages upon stimulation with PMA or opsonized S . aureus was equal to that of the control peritoneal macrophages.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

J Dairy Res, 1989 Nov, 56(5), 719 - 25
Changes in milk plasminogen, plasmin and in vitro bacterial growth in whey during early lactation; Kaartinen L et al.; The activity of milk plasmin, plasminogen and N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase (NAGase) and the trypsin-inhibitor capacity (TIC) were monitored in 40 quarters during the first month of lactation . TIC and NAGase activity decreased rapidly and plasmin activity more slowly during the first week . Conversely milk plasminogen increased as time elapsed from parturition . When the quality of whey was analysed as a growth medium for mastitis pathogens, a slight inhibition in the growth of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus agalactiae was seen at the day of parturition . There was a distinct stimulatory effect on the growth of Str . agalactiae during the second week of lactation . No relationship was found between in vitro bacterial growth and respective plasmin or plasminogen activity in milk.

J Med Chem, 1989 Nov, 32(11), 2450 - 60
Synthesis and biological properties of N63-carboxamides of teicoplanin antibiotics . Structure-activity relationships; Malabarba A et al.; The condensation of the carboxyl function of teicoplanin A2 (CTA) and its acidic hydrolysis pseudoaglycons (TB, TC) and aglycon (TD) with amines carrying various functional groups and chains produced amide derivatives with different isoelectric points and lipophilicities . Amide formation did not affect the ability of these compounds to bind to Ac2-L-Lys-D-Ala-D-Ala, a model for the natural peptide binding site in bacterial cell walls . The antimicrobial activities of teicoplanin amides were found to depend mostly on their ionic and lipophilic character and on the type and number of sugars present . Positively charged amides were generally more in vitro active than the respective unmodified antibiotics against Gram-positive organisms . In particular, most basic amides of CTA were markedly more active than teicoplanin against coagulase-negative staphylococci . A few amides of TC and most of those of TD also showed a certain activity against Gram-negative bacteria . In experimental Streptococcus pyogenes septicemia in the mouse, some basic amides were more active than the parent teicoplanins when administered subcutaneously . Some of those of CTA were also slightly more effective than teicoplanin by oral route.

J Bacteriol, 1989 Nov, 171(11), 6265 - 70
Purification of a fourth glucosyltransferase from Streptococcus sobrinus; Yamashita Y et al.; Recently, we found a novel primer-independent, water-soluble glucan synthase as a fourth glucosyltransferase (GTF) in a culture supernatant of strain AHT-k of Streptococcus sobrinus (Y . Yamashita, N . Hanada, and T . Takehara, Biochem . Biophys . Res . Commun . 150:687-693, 1988) . In the present study, four kinds of purified GTFs, including the novel GTF, were prepared . They were composed of two primer-dependent GTFs and two primer-independent GTFs . Of the primer-dependent GTFs, one was a water-insoluble glucan synthase and the other was a water-soluble glucan synthase; both of the primer-independent GTFs were water-soluble glucan synthases (GTF-Sis) . Using antisera against four purified GTFs, we concluded that the immunological properties of each were completely different from those of the others . Additionally, it was shown that the novel GTF-Si, which was previously shown to have a molecular weight of 137,000, was proteolytically degraded and could be isolated at a molecular weight of 152,000 and that Streptococcus cricetus secreted an enzyme that immunologically cross-reacted with GTF-Si . While the product of the novel GTF-Si was not an effective primer for both of the primer-dependent enzymes (water-soluble and -insoluble glucan synthases), the product of the enzyme affected the molecular size of the products of the other GTF-Sis.

Infect Immun, 1989 Nov, 57(11), 3372 - 6
Molecular cloning of the Streptococcus mutans gene specifying antigen A; Dao ML et al.; A gene encoding a Streptococcus mutans surface protein antigen has been isolated from a strain GS-5 gene bank constructed via the Streptococcus-Escherichia coli shuttle vector pSA3 . This E . coli recombinant clone, designated 4B2, expressed S . mutans proteins, as shown by Western immunoblot analysis with a specific rabbit antibody to S . mutans surface antigens . Three bands were observed, including a 52-kilodalton (kDa) protein (pI 5.7), a 29-kDa protein (pI 4.2), and a 20-kDa protein usually present in lower amounts . The 52- and 29-kDa proteins both reacted with a monoclonal antibody to S . mutans antigen A, a 29-kDa protein which has been characterized and used as a vaccine for the prevention of induced caries in rodents and monkeys . The 52-kDa protein, but not the 29-kDa protein, showed a capacity to bind to a broad number of carbohydrate polymers . The results from this study suggest that the recombinant 4B2 clone specifies a 52-kDa protein which is a precursor to the 29-kDa antigen A.

Gene, 1989 Oct 30, 82(2), 335 - 42
Plasmid vectors for constructing translational fusions to the B subunit of cholera toxin; Dertzbaugh MT et al.; A family of plasmid cloning vectors has been developed for creating translational fusions to the ctxB gene encoding the B subunit of cholera toxin (CTB) in Escherichia coli . These vectors permit insertion of transcriptionally and translationally competent gene sequences upstream from ctxB . To test the utility of the system, a portion of the glucosyltransferase B (GTF) gene (gtfB) from the cariogenic bacterium Streptococcus mutans GS-5 (Bratthall serotype c), encoding the N-terminal one-third of the protein, was inserted into each vector . E . coli lysates containing the constructs were partially purified by passage over a GM1 ganglioside affinity column . Western blotting analysis of the column retentate from one of the lysates revealed the presence of a novel 58-kDa protein which cross-reacted with antisera to GTF and CTB . These vectors are of general use for making other translational fusions to ctxB . The high binding affinity of CTB can be exploited in purifying large polypeptides fused to this relatively small protein . Moreover, these vectors can be used to create neoantigens with altered immunogenicity for use in polypeptide-based vaccines.

Lakartidningen, 1989 Oct 25, 86(43), 3672 - 5
{2 cases of severe Streptococcus group A infection}; Stegmayr B et al.; During recent years there have been several cases of death due to severe infection caused by GAS . Here we report two cases treated at our hospital, one of a patient presenting with preshock (case 1), the other of a patient with septic shock (case 2), in both of whom the concentrations of various coagulation factors and platelet counts were low . Other clinical findings common to both cases were scarlet coloured maculopapular exanthema, relative bradycardia, excessive tendency to develop oedema, and impaired function both in the lungs, kidneys and brain; and both patients were devoid of antibodies against the most predominant toxins (B and C) of the GAS strains isolated . Initial treatment comprised extensive administration of fluids, antibiotics, antithrombin, and low dose hydrocortisone . Plasma exchange by continuous centrifugation (CS 3000 Travenol Baxter) was given twice in case 1 and five times in case 2 . In case 2, besides human immunoglobulin with a high anti-GAS (toxins A, B and C) antibody content given at admission, the patient received respiratory support, infusion of inotropic drugs and CAVH . Both patients recovered . The risk of death is high in cases of progressive multiple organ failure during the course of septic shock; and where conventional treatment combinations fail to remedy the condition, adjuvant treatment components may prove successful.

Nucleic Acids Res, 1989 Oct 25, 17(20), 8149 - 57
Single amino acid changes that alter the DNA sequence specificity of the DNA-{N6-adenine} methyltransferase (Dam) of bacteriophage T4; Miner Z et al.; Bacteriophage T4 codes for a DNA-{N6-adenine} methyltransferase (Dam) which recognizes primarily the sequence GATC in both cytosine- and hydroxymethylcytosine-containing DNA . Hypermethylating mutants, damh, exhibit a relaxation in sequence specificity, that is, they are readily able to methylate non-canonical sites . We have determined that the damh mutation produces a single amino acid change (Pro126 to Ser126) in a region of homology (III) shared by three DNA-adenine methyltransferases; viz, T4 Dam, Escherichia coli Dam, and the DpnII modification enzyme of Streptococcus pneumoniae . We also describe another mutant, damc, which methylates GATC in cytosine-containing DNA, but not in hydroxymethylcytosine-containing DNA . This mutation also alters a single amino acid (Phe127 to Val127) . These results implicate homology region III as a domain involved in DNA sequence recognition . The effect of several different amino acids at residue 126 was examined by creating a polypeptide chain terminating codon at that position and comparing the methylation capability of partially purified enzymes produced in the presence of various suppressors . No enzyme activity is detected when phenylalanine, glutamic acid, or histidine is inserted at position 126 . However, insertion of alanine, cysteine, or glycine at residue 126 produces enzymatic activity similar to Damh.

Am J Ophthalmol, 1989 Oct 15, 108(4), 380 - 6
The comparative in vitro activity of ofloxacin and selected ophthalmic antimicrobial agents against ocular bacterial isolates; Osato MS et al.; The in vitro activity of ofloxacin, a new fluoroquinolone anti-infective agent, was evaluated against 419 ocular bacterial isolates of 55 species to determine its potential as a topical agent for the treatment of ocular infections . Other agents tested in this study, in which a modified tube-dilution procedure was used, include norfloxacin, gentamicin, tobramycin, chloramphenicol, and polymyxin B . Ofloxacin demonstrated good to excellent activity against a variety of gram-positive and gram-negative pathogens . The minimum inhibitory concentration against 90% of all bacterial strains tested (MIC90) of ofloxacin was 0.5 microgram/ml for Staphylococcus aureus and S . epidermidis, 2 micrograms/ml for Streptococcus pneumoniae, and 4 micrograms/ml for Pseudomonas aeruginosa . These species were more susceptible to ofloxacin than to any of the nonquinolones tested . The MIC90 of ofloxacin was lower than that of norfloxacin, another quinolone, against S . aureus, S . epidermidis, and St . pneumoniae and equal to that of norfloxacin against P . aeruginosa . Because of its broad spectrum of activity and excellent in vitro activity, we concluded that ofloxacin has the potential for development into a superior topical treatment for ocular infection.

Cell Immunol, 1989 Oct 15, 123(2), 373 - 83
Activation of human peripheral blood-derived monocytes by OK-432 (Streptococcus pyogenes): augmented cytotoxicity and secretion of TNF and synergy with rIFN-gamma; Bonavida B et al.; The biological response modifier OK-432 has been shown both to exert the enhancement of several immunological activities and to have a direct anti-tumor effect . The present study examines the immunopotentiating effect of OK-432 on peripheral blood monocytes (PBM) derived from normal humans . Monocyte activation was assessed by examining direct cell-mediated cytotoxic activity (CMC) and secretion of cytotoxic factors in the supernatant by the 51Cr release assay and secretion of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha detected by a sensitive radioimmunoassay . The OK-432-augmented activity was compared to that achieved by recombinant interferon-gamma (rIFN-gamma) . Coculture of PBM with OK-432 overnight resulted in significant augmentation of CMC and secretion of cytotoxic factors and TNF in the supernatant . The effects observed were dose dependent and the resulting activity was much more pronounced than that achieved with an optimal concentration of IFN-gamma . The monocyte- and supernatant-mediated cytotoxic activities were in a large part attributed to TNF as both activities were inhibited by anti-TNF antibody . Several parameters of monocyte activation by OK-432 were examined . The kinetics of monocyte activation revealed that a short time exposure (2-6 hr) was sufficient for activation but maximal activation was detected after 18 hr . However, the kinetics of the cytotoxic assay were not shortened and 16-20 hr was necessary for optimal cytotoxic activity . Significant synergy was obtained when suboptimal concentrations of OK-432 and IFN-gamma were used . The synergy was noted in CMC, supernatant activity, and TNF concentration . These results demonstrate that OK-432 is a potent activator of monocyte cytotoxicity and also activates secretion of TNF . Also, OK-432 is a much more potent activator than rIFN-gamma . The synergy with OK-432 and IFN-gamma suggests that OK-432-mediated activation of monocytes takes place by a different mechanism than that mediated by rIFN-gamma . Thus, monocytes and products thereof may actively participate in the in vivo anti-tumor effect mediated by OK-432.

J Immunol, 1989 Oct 15, 143(8), 2699 - 705
Immunogenicity of synthetic peptides derived from the sequences of a Streptococcus mutans cell surface antigen in nonhuman primates; Lehner T et al.; The immunogenicity and antigenicity of synthetic peptides (SP) derived from the sequences of a cell surface Ag of Streptococcus mutans were investigated in macaque monkeys . Immunization with the free peptides of 11, 17, and 21 residues failed to elicit serum antibodies or T cell responses . However, immunization with the SP17 and SP21 linked to tetanus toxoid (TT) as a carrier elicited serum antibodies and proliferative responses of lymphocytes, not only to the SP but also to the native streptococcal Ag . In vivo recall of SP-TT immunized monkeys with suboptimal doses of the native streptococcal Ag resulted in a significant increase in antibodies, both to the SP and the streptococcal Ag, confirming that the SP shares antigenic epitopes with the native Ag . B and T cell epitopes were then determined and a B cell epitope was found in residues 8-13, whereas an overlapping T cell epitope was located in residues 7-15 . The T cell epitope has an amino-terminal leucine and carboxy-terminal glycine and alanine added to residues 8-13 of the B cell epitope . In spite of the B and T cell epitopes being expressed in SP17 (residues 1-15), the monomer failed to induce serum antibodies without a carrier . However, immunization with a dimer of SP17 elicited both serum antibodies and proliferative responses of lymphocytes without a carrier . The results suggest that the monomeric SP17 is not immunogenic and needs to be dimerised in order to elicit antibodies and T cell responses, both to the SP and to the streptococcal Ag.

Presse Med, 1989 Oct 11, 18(32), 1553 - 5
{In vitro comparative effect of cefixime and 7 other beta-lactamines against Streptococcus pneumoniae}; Boussougant Y et al.; The comparative in vitro activities of cefixime, penicillin G, amoxicillin, cefotaxime, cefaclor, cefadroxyl, cefotiam and cefuroxime against 83 recent clinical isolates of S . pneumoniae were determined . In addition, the susceptibilities of 17 relatively or fully penicillin-resistant strains of S . pneumoniae were evaluated . Cefixime was more active than the first generation cephalosporins cefaclor and cefadroxyl against penicillin-susceptible strains . The MIC50 and MIC90 obtained by the agar dilution method were 0.25 and 0.5 mg/l respectively . The MICs obtained by a microdilution technique were one dilution lower . Cefixime exhibited little or no activity against relatively or fully penicillin-resistant strains.

Am J Vet Res, 1989 Oct, 50(10), 1667 - 71
Rapid detection of Streptococcus suis serotype 2 in weaned pigs; Moreau A et al.; A survey to detect Streptococcus suis serotype 2 in 1,716 weaned pigs was done in Quebec . Forty-nine sow herds were included in this survey: in 26 herds, S suis serotype 2 had been isolated during the preceding 12 months and in 23 herds (control), the organism had not been detected during a previous study . Swab specimens of the nasal cavity and tonsils of pigs were obtained for bacteriologic culture, and S suis serotype 2 was easily detected by the use of brain-heart infusion agar containing a Streptococcus-selective supplement and 5% goat antiserum raised against S suis serotype 2 . After measurement of the diameter of the precipitation zone of 539 isolates, a slide agglutination test was performed to identify the S suis serotype 2 isolates . The mean precipitation zone diameter obtained for group S suis serotype 2 was larger (P less than 0.001) than that for the group designated as "others" . With slide agglutination test results as reference and on the basis of discriminant analysis to stimulate detection of S suis serotype 2, 93.1% of all isolates were correctly classified, using the precipitation zone diameter as unique classification criterion . Relative specificity was 94.5% and relative sensitivity was 88.7% . Use of the precipitation zone diameter on a quantitative basis led to the proposal of a simple and reliable technique to screen swine herds for S suis serotype 2 in weaned pigs . Nasal and tonsillar swab specimens were obtained and analyzed concurrently for S suis serotype 2 . The organism was found in both sites in only 20.4% of 103 carrier pigs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Infect Immun, 1989 Oct, 57(10), 3194 - 203
Coaggregation of Fusobacterium nucleatum, Selenomonas flueggei, Selenomonas infelix, Selenomonas noxia, and Selenomonas sputigena with strains from 11 genera of oral bacteria; Kolenbrander PE et al.; Twenty-eight strains of Fusobacterium nucleatum and 41 Selenomonas strains, including S . sputigena (24 strains), S . flueggei (10 strains), S . infelix (5 strains), and S . noxia (2 strains), were tested for their ability to coaggregate with each other and with 49 other strains of oral bacteria representing Actinobacillus, Actinomyces, Bacteroides, Capnocytophaga, Gemella, Peptostreptococcus, Porphyromonas, Propionibacterium, Rothia, Streptococcus, and Veillonella species . Selenomonads coaggregated with fusobacteria and with Actinomyces naeslundii PK984 but not with any of the other bacteria, including other selenomonads . In contrast, fusobacteria coaggregated with members of all genera, although not with all strains of each species tested . Each fusobacterium strain appeared to have its own set of partners and coaggregation properties, unlike their partners, whose coaggregation properties in earlier surveys delineated distinct coaggregation groups . Coaggregations of fusobacteria with the 63 gram-negative strains were usually inhibited by EDTA, whereas those with the 27 gram-positive strains were usually not inhibited . Likewise, lactose-inhibitable coaggregations were common among some strains of fusobacteria and some strains from each of the genera containing gram-negative partners but were rarely observed with gram-positive partners . Heating the fusobacteria at 85 degrees C for 30 min completely prevented coaggregation with most partners, suggesting the involvement of a protein on the fusobacteria . Heat treatment of many of the gram-negative partners not only enhanced their coaggregation with the fusobacteria but also changed lactose-sensitive coaggregations to lactose-insensitive coaggregations . Although fusobacteria coaggregated with a broader variety of oral partner strains than any other group of oral bacteria tested to date, each fusobacterium exhibited coaggregation with only a certain set of partner strains, and none of the fusobacteria adhered to other strains of fusobacteria, indicating that recognition of partner cell surfaces is selective . The strains of F . nucleatum are heterogeneous and cannot be clustered into distinct coaggregation groups . Collectively, these results indicate that coaggregation between fusobacteria and many gram-negative partners is significantly different from their coaggregation with gram-positive partners . The contrasting variety of partners for fusobacteria and selenomonads supports the concept of coaggregation partner specificity that has been observed with every genus of oral bacteria so far examined.

J Dairy Sci, 1989 Oct, 72(10), 2728 - 32
Evaluation of the Rapid Strep system for identification of gram-positive, catalase-negative cocci isolated from bovine intramammary infections; Watts JL; The Rapid Strep system (Analytab Products, Plainview, NY) was used to identify 199 gram-positive, catalase-negative cocci isolated from bovine intramammary infections . The system accurately identified 88.4% of isolates . The system identified 100% of 46 Streptococcus agalactiae, 100% of 48 Streptococcus dysgalactiae, 54.5% of 11 Streptococcus equinus, and 96.2% of 53 Streptococcus uberis isolates . Enterococcus spp . were identified correctly 83.3% of the time . One of 4 Streptococcus saccharolyticus strains was identified as Streptococcus bovis, the previous classification for this organism, and 8 Streptococcus equi ssp . equi strains were misidentified as Streptococcus dysgalactiae . The Rapid Strep system was determined to be an acceptable alternative to conventional methods for identification of gram-positive, catalase-negative cocci isolated from bovine intramammary infections.

Mol Cell Biol, 1989 Oct, 9(10), 4432 - 40
Heteroduplex DNA correction in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is mismatch specific and requires functional PMS genes; Kramer B et al.; In vitro-constructed heteroduplex DNAs with defined mismatches were corrected in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells with efficiencies that were dependent on the mismatch . Single-nucleotide loops were repaired very efficiently; the base/base mismatches G/T, A/C, G/G, A/G, G/A, A/A, T/T, T/C, and C/T were repaired with a high to intermediate efficiency . The mismatch C/C and a 38-nucleotide loop were corrected with low efficiency . This substrate specificity pattern resembles that found in Escherichia coli and Streptococcus pneumoniae, suggesting an evolutionary relationship of DNA mismatch repair in pro- and eucaryotes . Repair of the listed mismatches was severely impaired in the putative S . cerevisiae DNA mismatch repair mutants pms1 and pms2 . Low-efficiency repair also characterized pms3 strains, except that correction of single-nucleotide loops occurred with an efficiency close to that of PMS wild-type strains . A close correlation was found between the repair efficiencies determined in this study and the observed postmeiotic segregation frequencies of alleles with known DNA sequence . This suggests an involvement of DNA mismatch repair in recombination and gene conversion in S . cerevisiae.

J Clin Microbiol, 1989 Oct, 27(10), 2148 - 51
Sialic acid levels and lag time of growth in chemically defined medium containing 200 mM phosphate among strains of various serotypes of Streptococcus agalactiae; Nagano Y et al.; The type-specific capsular polysaccharide antigen of Streptococcus agalactiae has in previous experimental studies been considered a significant antiphagocytic factor, whereas the lipoteichoic acid moiety has been suggested to be a factor in adherence to human fetal cell lines . Since epidemiological data concerning these cell constituents in strains from the genital tract are lacking, we attempted serotyping and analysis of these constituents of 100 vaginal isolates . The capsular polysaccharide level was shown to be the amount of sialic acid that occupied the terminal side chains of the polysaccharide . We carried out a study to ascertain whether strains exhibited a lag time of growth in a chemically defined medium containing 200 mM phosphate, which has been suggested to be characteristic of strains with high lipoteichoic acid levels . Strains were classified, on the basis of the results of distribution of sialic acid levels, into three categories: (i) strains with a low sialic acid content of equal to or less than 9 micrograms/mg of cell dry weight; (ii) strains with a moderate sialic acid content of more than 9 but less than 12 micrograms/mg of cell dry weight; and (iii) strains with a high sialic acid content of equal to or more than 12 micrograms/mg of cell dry weight . Strains that belonged to the last category, which, as previous experimental data indicate, are potentially virulent strains, were significantly distributed among isolates of types Ia (P less than 0.001) and III (P less than 0.05) . On the other hand, strains exhibiting a lag time of growth in the above-mentioned medium were detected to a significant extent in type III isolates (P <0.02) . These results may be related to the epidemiological finding that isolates from neonates with late-onset infection were more frequently serotype Ia and III isolates.

Arthritis Rheum, 1989 Oct, 32(10), 1268 - 72
Mass spectrometric quantitation of muramic acid, a bacterial cell wall component, in septic synovial fluids; Christensson B et al.; This is the first report describing the use of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for detection of muramic acid in infected synovial fluid (SF) . Muramic acid is a ubiquitous component of bacterial cell walls, and it has been proposed that it could serve as a chemical marker for the presence of live bacteria or bacterial debris in rheumatoid joints . Our goal was to determine whether muramic acid was present at detectable levels in septic SF, since this would serve as a positive control for studies of reactive and rheumatoid arthritis . Muramic acid was found to be present at levels of less than 250-1,700 ng/ml in 12 septic SF samples (10 of which were culture positive for Staphylococcus aureus and 1 each for Escherichia coli and Streptococcus pneumoniae) . Among these samples, those containing low bacterial colony counts did not contain detectable muramic acid . Muramic acid was also not detected in any SF samples from 20 control patients . We conclude that muramic acid can be used as a marker for the presence of bacterial peptidoglycan in SF . With further lowering of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry detection limits, determination of the quantities of bacterial debris present in joints of patients with rheumatoid or reactive arthritis will be attainable.

J Reprod Med, 1989 Oct, 34(10), 797 - 801
Is there an association between colonization with group B Streptococcus and prematurity?
Romero R, Mazor M, Oyarzun E, Sirtori M, Wu YK, Hobbins JC.
The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a relationship between colonization of the genitourinary tract with group B Streptococcus (GBS) and prematurity . A search of the literature was conducted to identify articles addressing this issue . Ten studies provided enough data for a critical review; seven studies focused on genital colonization and three on asymptomatic bacteriuria . An association between cervicovaginal colonization with GBS and prematurity could not be demonstrated in six of the seven studies . However, women with asymptomatic bacteriuria caused by GBS had a higher rate of prematurity than did women without asymptomatic bacteriuria . We conclude that the weight of the available evidence does not support an association between prematurity and GBS colonization of the genital tract in the absence of asymptomatic bacteriuria.

J Gen Microbiol, 1989 Oct, 135 ( Pt 10), 2611 - 21
Expression of the surface properties of the fibrillar Streptococcus salivarius HB and its adhesion deficient mutants grown in continuous culture under glucose limitation; Harty DW et al.; Streptococcus salivarius HB and four adhesion deficient mutants, HB-7, HB-V5, HB-V51 and HB-B, were grown in continuous culture in a defined medium under glucose limitation over a range of growth rates from 0.1 to 1.1 h-1 . The ability to coaggregate with Veillonella parvula V1 cells and the ability to adhere to buccal epithelial cells did not alter with increasing growth rate . Cell surface hydrophobicity decreased markedly with increasing growth rate for the non-fibrillar non-adhesive mutant HB-B but not for the other four strains which all carry different combinations of fibril classes . The thickness of the ruthenium red staining layer (RRL) also varied with growth rate for strain HB-B, ranging from 19.5 +/- 3.8 nm at high growth rate to a minimum of 12.3 +/- 4.8 nm at low growth rate . Low cell surface hydrophobicity correlated with a thicker RRL for strain HB-B . Strains HB-V5 and HB-7 also showed a significant increase in RRL thickness at high growth rates although to a lesser degree than HB-B . SDS-PAGE revealed a large number of protein bands common to all strains at all growth rates, with the major common protein occurring at 15.6 kDa . Protein bands at 70, 56, 40.5 and 39 kDa appeared stronger at high growth rates than at low . A protein band at 82 kDa showed strongly only at low growth rates . Therefore, adhesion and coaggregation are not phenotypically variable with increasing growth rate but RRL thickness, hydrophobicity and cell surface proteins may be phenotypically variable depending on the strain.

Res Microbiol, 1989 Oct, 140(8), 563 - 7
Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus surface properties in relation to their adherence to human buccal epithelial cells; Beck G et al.; Adherence to host cells by pathogenic bacteria is achieved through both specific and non-specific mechanisms . The former involve bacterial adhesin and corresponding cell receptors (Gibbons and Van Houte, 1980), while the second include electric charges and hydrophobicity of bacterial cell walls . In a previous study (Beck et al., 1988), we showed that these two cell surface characteristics vary during growth of Staphylococcus aureus in a manner which should promote adherence to host cells . The aims of the current study were to assess: (1) whether the same growth-related variations in surface properties were present in another bacterial species, Streptococcus pneumoniae; (2) whether the adherence of the two types of bacteria to epithelial cells was in fact different at different growth times; and (3) whether such differences were consistent with the observed surface properties.

Microbiologica, 1989 Oct, 12(4), 317 - 22
Isolation and characterization of two rumen Streptococcus bovis bacteriophages; Styriak I et al.; A method for the isolation of Streptococcus bovis bacteriophages from ruminal fluid of calves is described . Thirty to 2 x 10(3) phages per ml infecting Streptococcus bovis strains 4/1 and 47/3 were isolated directly from ruminal fluid . Two bacteriophages were characterized on the basis of plaque morphology, host ranges, electron microscopic morphology and DNA restriction endonuclease digestion patterns . The F1 and F3 phages formed clear plaques of different sizes . The plaque size of the F1 phage was about 1-1.5 mm in diameter, while the plaques of the F3 phage were larger (1.5-2.5 mm in diameter) . Both phages are placed in group B of Bradley's scheme and have different host ranges . The first isolation of Streptococcus bovis phage DNA is reported . Restriction analysis of their DNAs showed that phages F1 and F3 had different numbers of cleavage sites in their genomes and that they were not identical.

J Appl Bacteriol, 1989 Oct, 67(4), 425 - 31
A note on the isolation and propagation of lytic phages from Streptococcus uberis and their potential for strain typing; Hill AW et al.; Thirty-eight of 98 strains of Streptococcus uberis were shown to be carrying lysogenic phage . Although propagating strains were rare, host modification by field strains sensitive to phage was used to increase the lytic spectra . When 120 nationally-collected strains were challenged with 25 phages, selected on the basis of differing lytic spectra and propagating strains, 30% were susceptible to at least one phage, increasing to 42% when 480 strains from a single farm were considered . A typing system based on susceptibility to lytic phage was considered feasible.

Int J Gynaecol Obstet, 1989 Oct, 30(2), 99 - 103
Natural transmission of group B Streptococcus during delivery; Matorras R et al.; This is a study of group B Streptococcus during labor of 121 patients in whom group B Streptococcus was isolated in the vagina and/or rectum before delivery . The intrapartum vaginal culture was positive in 55.2% of the antepartum carriers (32/58) . When the vaginal culture during delivery was positive, the group B Streptococcus was isolated in the amniotic fluid 2 h after the rupture of membranes in 81% of the cases . The newborns of antepartum carriers, when the labor developed naturally, were colonized by group B Streptococcus in 69.2% of cases when the intrapartum vaginal and/or amniotic fluid cultures were positive (9/13), while only 5.6% of the newborns of antepartum carriers but with negative cultures during delivery were colonized by group B Streptococcus (1/18) . The most frequent positive neonatal culture was in the umbilicus (83.3%) followed by the external ear (62.5%).

Int J Gynaecol Obstet, 1989 Oct, 30(2), 155 - 9
Endometrial flora of infertile women in Zaria, northern Nigeria; Emembolu JO; Microbiological study of the endometrium of 114 infertile women cultured 48 organisms (42.2%) from 42 patients (36.8%) . Mycobacterium tuberculosis (16.7%) and Group B Streptococcus (8.8%) were the commonest organisms isolated . These organisms were also most commonly isolated from patients between the ages of 20 and 30 years . There is, however, an overall increase in the frequency of bacterial isolation with age-cohorts . Of the colonised patients, 36.8% were of parity less than two and most (26.3%) were nulliparous . It is possible that multiple marriages and polygamy played a significant role in the bacterial colonisation of the endometrium in the Hausa-Fulani population of Zaria, Nigeria.

J Am Vet Med Assoc, 1989 Oct 1, 195(7), 981 - 6
Hematologic effects of exposure to three infective agents in rabbits; Toth LA et al.; Infectious disease is typically accompanied by changes in the number and types of circulating leukocytes . To examine the effects of infectious challenge on the distribution of rabbit WBC, rabbits were inoculated IV with Streptococcus pyogenes, Escherichia coli, or Candida albicans . Blood was collected prior to and every 6 to 12 hours after inoculation for 48 hours . Infectious challenge did not substantially alter total WBC counts, but did cause neutrophilia and lymphopenia for 6 to 48 hours after inoculation . Similar patterns of leukocyte distribution were observed in rabbits with naturally developing clinical problems . Thus, high total WBC counts may not be a common characteristic of acute infectious conditions in rabbits, but differential distributions of various leukocyte populations can provide useful markers of disease in this species.

Acta Paediatr Jpn, 1989 Oct, 31(5), 529 - 36
Possible role of Streptococcus pyogenes in mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome . IX . Quantitation by ELISA of streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin in the serum of MCLS patients; Kawai M et al.; In the present paper we describe the use of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay reinforced with an introduction of monoclonal antibody, for the detection and quantitation of streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin (SPE) in the serum of patients with mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome (MCLS) . The amount of SPE was usually at a high level, and its 100% incidence in patients' sera was proved whenever the assay was made on the day of admission, thereby showing a marked contrast to carefully matched control sera which failed to mediate any positive result . As for the change in detected amount of the toxin, a clear dichotomy was observed between the serum of gammaglobulin-treated patients and that of infants given aspirin; in the former the positive result turned to negative rapidly following the initiation of treatment coupled with a defervescence, while in the latter the reduction of SPE levels was scarcely monitored for as long as 17 days after the onset of illness . Quantitation of SPE might be an auxiliary test for the diagnosis of MCLS, because a considerable amount of SPE was assessed in a patient who developed characteristic huge coronary artery aneurysms following an illness which did not fulfill the diagnostic criteria . These findings support our speculation in relation to the certain role of S . pyogenes as an etiological agent for MCLS . The possible mechanisms of gammaglobulin treatment in reducing the prevalence of cardiovascular lesions and the duration of systemic inflammation are discussed.

Br J Surg, 1989 Oct, 76(10), 1074 - 81
Postsplenectomy sepsis; Shaw JH et al.; This review examines the infectious consequences of elective and emergency splenectomy, highlighting the importance of infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae . The influence of splenectomy on the immune system is discussed and the efficacy of vaccines in preventing postsplenectomy sepsis is reviewed . The value of alternative methods of preventing postsplenectomy sepsis is considered.

Nippon Hotetsu Shika Gakkai Zasshi, 1989 Oct, 33(5), 1125 - 9
{Study on air-powder abrasive system for prosthetic clinical application . 3 . Bacterial adherence to the air-powder abraded metal surface}; Yamauchi M et al.; The purpose of this study is to investigate the relation between the metal surface texture and bacterial adherence . The surface of Au-Ag-Pd alloy was treated with or without air-powder abrasion . Seven standard strains and two clinical isolates were used . The alloys were mixed with {6-3H}-thimidine labelled bacteria . The radioactivity was measured with a scintilation counter . Streptococcus sanguis and clinical isolated Bacteroides gingivalis were adhered in a larger amount to the air-powder abraded alloy surface than to nonabraded alloy surface . These results indicated that careful consideration is needed for application of air-powder abrasive system on metal crown with secondary caries and periodontal disease.

Mikrobiyol Bul, 1989 Oct, 23(4), 361 - 8
{The characteristics of antibacterial root canal-filling materials}; Seven N et al.; The filling material of endomethasone Spad, N2, AH26, Diaket, Iod paste which are used in clinics often are evaluated from the point of view of their antibacterial effects to the microorganisms which are isolated from root canals . In the study, streptococcus were defined as the most often producing microorganisms in the canals . It was observed that, on the producing microorganisms, the most effective filling materials were spad and N2, following these were AH26, Diaket the less effective filling materials were endomenthasone and iod paste.

Vrach Delo, 1989 Oct, (10), 111 - 3
{A clinical and experimental study of longatsef}; Frolov AF et al.; Data are reported of the results of clinical trials of the therapeutic efficacy of longaceph--a drug of the new generation of cephalosporins with a long period of half-decay--in acute pneumonia complicating influenza in 42 patients . The sensitivity of 120 microbial strains to longaceph was also studied . It was established that cephalosporin possesses a high efficacy in diseases caused by gram-positive and gram-negative microorganisms . A high degree of sensitivity to longaceph was observed in pneumococci biogenous and Streptococcus viridans, Staphylococcus aureus and epidermidis, klebsiellae and escherichiae . A new property of longaceph was found, namely, its capacity to stimulate the formation of endogenous interferon.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1989 Oct, 55(10), 2664 - 8
Non-proton-motive-force-dependent sodium efflux from the ruminal bacterium Streptococcus bovis: bound versus free pools; Strobel HJ et al.; Growing cells of Streptococcus bovis JB1 had a sodium content of 1,125 nmol/mg of protein and, based on a ratio of cell volume to protein of 4.3 microliters/mg, the apparent intracellular sodium concentration was more than 240 mM . Much of this sodium could not be removed by water washing even if cells were boiled or treated with the pore-forming ionophore, gramicidin, but it could be exchanged for potassium . Stationary cultures had a 2.6-microliters volume per milligram of protein and a total sodium content of 410 mM . When stationary cultures were energized with glucose at pH 6 to 8, sodium (more than 200 mM) was expelled within 2 min, and it appeared that growing cells had a very small pool of free intracellular sodium . Sodium-proton antiport activity could not be demonstrated with a sodium pulse, and the protonophore SF6847, valinomycin, and the H+-ATPase inhibitor dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD) had little effect on sodium efflux, even though these inhibitors greatly reduced the proton-motive force . SF6847, valinomycin, and DCCD had little effect on intracellular ATP, but iodoacetate, an inhibitor of glycolysis, decreased ATP as well as sodium efflux . Stationary cells from sodium-deficient medium expelled little sodium after glucose addition and had 35% more ATP than stationary cells which were grown in sodium medium and expelled sodium . An artificial electrochemical gradient of sodium was able to drive ATP synthesis in stationary cells, and this ATP formation was not sensitive to DCCD . These results indicated that bacteria could have a significant pool of bound sodium and that sodium expulsion from S . bovis was directly coupled to ATP hydrolysis.

Anal Biochem, 1989 Sep, 181(2), 267 - 70
Determination of plasma pyridoxal 5'-phosphate by an enzymatic-high-performance liquid chromatographic procedure; Yu PH; An enzymatic-HPLC procedure for the determination of plasma pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) has been established . The assay is based on the decarboxylation of L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine using Streptococcus tyrosine decarboxylase apoenzyme, which requires PLP as cofactor . The product of the enzyme reaction, dopamine, is measured by Coulochem electrochemical detection with a series of oxidizing and then reducing electrodes . Trace amounts of PLP in the apoenzyme preparation were removed with the aid of cysteine-sulfinic acid and gel filtration . The detection limit for PLP by this method is 50 pM in plasma.

P N G Med J, 1989 Sep, 32(3), 185 - 8
Penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae and other nasal bacteria among children in remote areas of the fringe highlands of Papua New Guinea; Jenkins C et al.; The nasal bacteriology of children in two areas of the western Schrader Range was studied . One area, served by an aid post since 1976, was compared with the other, which received its first medical care in 1984 . Significant differences in the amount of resistance to penicillin were found, but not in the direction expected . These anomalous findings are interpreted in light of the particular histories of the groups involved, suggesting the transmission of resistant strains through contact among children.

Onderstepoort J Vet Res, 1989 Sep, 56(3), 203 - 4
The leech Batracobdelloides tricarinata (Blanchard, 1897) (Hirudinea: Glossiphoniidae) as a possible reservoir of the rainbow trout pathogenic Streptococcus species; Bragg RR et al.; A Streptococcus species biochemically and serologically identical to the rainbow trout pathogenic Streptococcus species was isolated from the internal organs of the fish specific leech, Batracobdelloides tricarinata . These leeches were obtained from Roodeplaat Dam, near Pretoria, in which rainbow trout do not occur . This is the first isolation of this bacterium from an environmental source not related to rainbow trout and it is proposed that this leech is a possible reservoir of the rainbow trout pathogenic Streptococcus sp . in South Africa.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 1989 Sep, 24 Suppl A, 9 - 29
In-vitro studies of meropenem; Jones RN et al.; Meropenem, a new carbapenem, was compared with imipenem and seven other broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents against approximately 1000 clinical isolates . Meropenem was two- to four-fold more active than imipenem against Gram-negative organisms and its spectrum of antimicrobial activity was wider than those of all other drugs tested . However, imipenem was more potent than meropenem against the staphylococci, Streptococcus spp . and enterococci . Many rarely isolated organisms were more susceptible to the carbapenems than to other comparison compounds . All anaerobic bacteria were inhibited by meropenem at less than or equal to 8 mg/l and 50% of strains were inhibited by 0.25 mg/l . Meropenem MICs were not significantly influenced by high inocula and the drug was generally bactericidal . Strains producing various beta-lactamases remained susceptible to meropenem but some isolates producing high levels of chromosomally-mediated enzymes showed an inoculum effect only at 10(7) cfu/ml . Meropenem demonstrated antagonism with several other beta-lactams against strains producing Type I cephalosporinases . Susceptibility tests performed on agar and in broth produced very similar meropenem results . Imipenem and meropenem shared a high degree of cross-susceptibility as measured by dilution test methods . Disc diffusion (10-micrograms disc) regression-line correlations with meropenem MICs are reported with two possible sets of interpretive criteria, using meropenem breakpoints of less than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to 4 mg/l.

J Adolesc Health Care, 1989 Sep, 10(5), 421 - 2
Recurrent group C streptococcal tonsillopharyngitis in an adolescent; Morgan MC et al.; Sore throat is a frequent complaint in the adolescent age group . Beta-hemolytic Streptococcus Group C is not a commonly reported etiology of tonsillopharyngitis . This is a case report of a 14-year-old adolescent female who had repeated episodes of pharyngitis secondary to beta hemolytic streptococcus Group C.

Biochem J, 1989 Sep 1, 262(2), 457 - 62
Active-site and membrane topology of the DD-peptidase/penicillin-binding protein no . 6 of Enterococcus hirae (Streptococcus faecium) A.T.C.C . 9790; el Kharroubi A et al.; The membrane-bound 43,000-Mr penicillin-binding protein no . 6 (PBP6) of Enterococcus hirae consists of a 30,000-Mr DD-peptidase/penicillin-binding domain and a approximately 130-residue C-terminal appendage . Removal of this appendage by trypsin proteolysis has no marked effect on the catalytic activity and penicillin-binding capacity of the PBP . Anchorage of the PBP in the membrane appears to be mediated by a short 15-20-residue stretch at the C-terminal end of the appendage . The sequence of the 50-residue N-terminal region of the PBP shows high degree of homology with the sequences of the corresponding regions of the PBPs5 of Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis . On this basis the active-site serine residue occurs at position 35 in the enterococcal PBP.

J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus, 1989 Sep-Oct, 26(5), 232 - 4; discussion 235
Periorbital cellulitis in infancy; Molarte AB et al.; To our knowledge, no previous study of periorbital cellulitis has focused on its specific characteristics in infants only (less than 1 year of age.) We retrospectively studied 30 cases of infantile periorbital cellulitis treated at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center from 1977 to 1988 . Characteristics of the disorder in our infants older than 1 month were similar to earlier reports of older children in terms of etiology, radiological and bacteriological findings, and course . However, compared with our older infants, our seven neonates (7 to 30 days old) had a higher incidence of ruptured dacryocele (29% vs 0%) and unknown source of the infection (43% vs 4%); but a lower incidence of preceding upper respiratory infection (14% vs 78%), abnormal sinus films (0% vs 22%), and positive blood cultures (14% vs 30%) . Of the positive cultures, Hemophilus sp was the most common pathogen among the older infants (35%), while Streptococcus and Staphylococcus were the most frequent among the neonates (71%) . All infections remained preseptal and responded well to intravenous antibiotics.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol, 1989 Sep, 10(9), 416 - 21
Investigation of a Streptococcus viridans pseudobacteremia epidemic at a university teaching hospital; Church DL et al.; For several months in 1986, an outbreak of Streptococcus viridans pseudobacteremia occurred at a large teaching hospital . All sources of laboratory blood culture contamination were excluded . A retrospective epidemiological study indicated that one phlebotomist, "P," collected a disproportionate number of the positive blood cultures . Further comparison of the paired blood culture results from the three months when the incidence was highest revealed a good concordance of results among all other phlebotomists (Kappa = 0.5), while P's results concurred with others less frequently than would be expected even by chance (Kappa less than 0.0) . Clinical follow-up showed that P did not routinely wear gloves while drawing blood and had eczema of the hands . Skin scrapings from the hands, right index finger/fingernail grew predominantly S viridans species that were compatible with those recovered from contaminated blood cultures . This epidemic demonstrated the need for early detection of this source as a cause of nosocomial pseudobacteremia.

Ir J Med Sci, 1989 Sep, 158(9), 230 - 2
Legionella: an infrequent cause of adult community acquired pneumonia in Dublin; Hone R et al.; The commonest infectious agents identified in community acquired pneumonia (CAP) amongst 50 patients admitted to a Dublin hospital were Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilis influenzae . Legionella pneumophila pneumonia occurred in only one patient who acquired infection abroad . A serological screen of blood bank donors and renal transplant recipients failed to detect antibody to Legionella pneumophila supporting the clinical findings of a low prevalence of infection in this community . It is concluded that initial antibiotic therapy for patients with CAP need not routinely include cover for Legionella.

J Pharmacol Exp Ther, 1989 Sep, 250(3), 1028 - 33
Efficacy of erythromycin acistrate (2'-acetyl erythromycin stearate) and erythromycin stearate in experimental infections in mice; Mannisto PT et al.; The efficacy of erythromycin stearate (ES) and its 2'-acetyl ester (erythromycin acistrate, EA) was compared in eight experimental infections in mice of both sexes . In two studies the mice were made leukopenic by whole-body irradiation . Four absorption studies were also performed in parallel . In Streptococcus pneumoniae peritonitis, the protective dose 50% (PD50) value of EA and ES, given s.c., did not differ from each other . The bioavailability of EA was slightly inferior to that of ES . In three other peritonitis studies (2 Staphylococci and 1 Streptococcus), where the treatments were given s.c., EA seemed to lag behind ES in efficacy . The parallel absorption experiment showed, however, that, as compared to ES, only about one-half of EA was released from the s.c . injection site to the blood . The adjusted PD50 values of both erythromycins were about the same, with one exception . When the treatments were given i.p . both erythromycins were equally effective, and the difference in bioavailability was minor . On the contrary, the efficacy of 2'-ethylsuccinyl erythromycin was only about one-tenth that of the other erythromycins as was also the bioavailability . Oral treatment gave similar therapeutic results with EA and ES, with similar bioavailabilities, too . In the muscle abscess model, single s.c . injections of EA and ES were equally effective in reducing the growth of Staphylococcus aureus . These results suggest that there is no great difference in the in vivo antibacterial performance of ES and its 2'-acetyl ester, although the absorption problems complicate the interpretation . Hence EA performs better than expected if only the hydrolyzed drug were useful.

J Clin Periodontol, 1989 Sep, 16(8), 519 - 24
Serum IgG antibodies reactive with lipoteichoic acid in adult patients with periodontitis; Monefeldt K et al.; IgG antibody levels to lipoteichoic acid (LTA), prepared from Streptococcus mutans cells, were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in serum samples from 149 subjects . An extract from Bacteroides gingivalis and lipopolysaccharide from Escherichia coli 055:B5 served as control antigens . The reference group comprised 28 systemically and periodontally healthy adults . The main test groups were: 52 persons with gingivitis only, and 69 patients with periodontitis . Within those groups, 37 patients had insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, another 20 patients were prospective or renal transplant recipients . The periodontitis patient group showed significantly (p less than 0.05) higher mean antibody value and higher frequency of extreme antibody responses to both LTA and B . gingivalis than the gingivitis group . LPS did not discriminate between the groups . Multiple regression analysis with gingivitis scores as the dependent variable selected plaque scores, anti-LTA antibody values and general health status as significant (p less than 0.05) regressors . The variance in radiographical alveolar bone loss was significantly (p less than 0.05) explained by age and by antibody values to B . gingivalis and to LTA . The patients with extreme immunological responsiveness to LTA or to B . gingivalis had about twice as much alveolar bone loss as those with normal serological reactivity . The results support the contention that LTA modulates the progression of periodontitis in humans.

Equine Vet J, 1989 Sep, 21(5), 351 - 3
Equine mastitis--a review of 28 cases; McCue PM et al.; Mastitis was diagnosed in 28 mares . Cytological evaluation of milk samples showed large numbers of neutrophils in 72 per cent and bacteria in 33 per cent . Aerobic bacteria were cultured from 71 per cent of samples . Streptococcus zooepidemicus was the most common isolate (37 per cent) . Gram-negative species accounted for 42 per cent . Determination of the probability for antimicrobial susceptibility of bacterial isolates from mares with mastitis indicated that a trimethoprim-sulphonamide combination would be active against more than 75 per cent of isolates while penicillin would be active against less than 60 per cent . Systemic antibiotics, frequent milking, hotpacks and/or hydrotherapy and, if possible, infusion of an intramammary antibiotic preparation is recommended for treatment of equine mastitis.

J Trauma, 1989 Sep, 29(9), 1217 - 20; discussion 1220-1
Pulmonary antipneumococcal defenses after hemisplenectomy; Hebert JC; Conservative splenic surgery such as partial splenectomy is advocated for splenic injuries, since splenectomy predisposes individuals to overwhelming sepsis with encapsulated organisms, of which Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most frequently isolated . The respiratory route is argued to be the most likely portal of entry of pneumococci; however, little data exist on the interaction of the spleen and pulmonary defense mechanisms against pneumococcal invasion . We studied the effect of splenectomy, 50% splenectomy (hemisplenectomy), 25% splenectomy, and sham operation on in vivo clearance of live pneumococci from the lungs of male CD-1 mice following an aerosol challenge of pneumococci . Splenectomy impaired pneumococcal clearance from mouse lung pairs and allowed for increased translocation of live pneumococci to tracheobronchial lymph nodes compared to sham-operated controls . Preservation of splenic mass by partial splenectomy improved lung clearance and allowed for fewer bacteria to be cultured from tracheobronchial lymph nodes compared to splenectomized animals . Clearance of live pneumococci from the lungs and survival were directly proportional to the amount of splenic tissue remaining . Splenic factors probably exist which regulate reticuloendothelial cell function throughout the host . Maintaining adequate splenic mass, therefore, is an important consideration when operating for splenic trauma.

J Bacteriol, 1989 Sep, 171(9), 4963 - 6
Dual mechanism for stimulation of glutamate transport by potassium ions in Streptococcus mutans; Sato Y et al.; An ATP-driven primary transport system operative for L-glutamate or L-aspartate in Streptococcus mutans is, through the entire pH range from 5.5 to 8.5, specifically stimulated by extracellular potassium ions . The stimulation by potassium ions observed in the low pH range between 5.5 and 7 has been interpreted to be due to potassium ion-dependent regulation of the intracellular pH (the first mechanism) . In the high pH range from 7 to 8.5, on the other hand, the present study demonstrates that potassium stimulation is essentially not associated with such intracellular pH regulation . This conclusion is based on our observation that potassium stimulation in the high pH range is insensitive to a proton conductor, carbonyl cyanide-p-trifluoromethoxy-phenyl-hydrazone . Since none of the other monovalent cations, including sodium, rubidium, ammonium, and Tris ions, could replace potassium ions in significantly stimulating glutamate transport, it is most likely that the influx of potassium ions specifically cancels the membrane potential derived by movement of glutamate with the net negative charges across a membrane and thus facilitates transport (the second mechanism) . The second mechanism appears to be operative even in a low pH range, in addition to the first mechanism.

Obstet Gynecol, 1989 Sep, 74(3 Pt 2), 437 - 9
Bacterial meningitis following epidural anesthesia for vaginal delivery: a case report; Berga S et al.; Acute bacterial meningitis following epidural anesthesia is a rare event . We describe a case in which a young woman received epidural anesthesia for vaginal delivery . The initial attempt at placement of the epidural resulted in entry into the subarachnoid space . The patient's postpartum course was complicated by persistent headache . She received epidural blood patch on two occasions, but her headache continued and she developed persistent fever . The diagnosis of acute bacterial meningitis was made on postpartum day 3 . Contamination of the subarachnoid space may have occurred at the time of the inadvertent spinal tap or via the epidural blood patch . Alternatively, this contamination may have occurred during a spontaneous bacteremic episode, as Streptococcus sanguis is a mouth organism commonly involved in dental caries.

Infect Immun, 1989 Sep, 57(9), 2712 - 8
Nonionic block polymer surfactants modulate the humoral immune response against Streptococcus pneumoniae-derived hexasaccharide-protein conjugates; Zigterman GJ et al.; Nonionic block polymer surfactants (NBPs) were tested for the capacity to stimulate the antibody response against hexasaccharide (HS), derived from Streptococcus pneumoniae type 3 capsular polysaccharide (S3PS), which was conjugated to proteins . The immune response was evaluated in the (CBA/N x BALB/c)F1 progeny, in which female mice are phenotypically normal whereas male mice carry an X-chromosome-linked immunodeficiency . NBPs L101, L121, 1101, and 1501 were able to increase anti-HS immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG levels in both normal and X-chromosome-linked immunodeficient mice (with up to 74-fold stimulation of antibody titers) . Distribution of S3PS-specific antibodies over the various IgG isotypes was restricted after immunization with either HS-bovine serum albumin or HS-keyhole limpet hemocyanin (HS-KLH) . Addition of NBPs (in particular 1501) resulted in a more diverse immune response with either antigen as judged by isotype distribution . Isoelectric focusing of individual sera and subsequent detection of S3PS-binding antibodies in these sera by immunochemical staining revealed a restricted number of different spectrotypes in the course of the immune response . Upon immunization of mice with HS-KLH, spectra of secreted antibodies were slightly more complex and more densely stained than after immunization with HS-bovine serum albumin . Furthermore, NBPs 1101 and 1501 appeared to be able to stimulate the secretion of antibodies, which were secreted only in small amounts without the use of NBPs . Different explanations for increased spectrotype diversity after immunization with KLH as the carrier and after administration of NBPs as the adjuvant are discussed.

Onderstepoort J Vet Res, 1989 Sep, 56(3), 179 - 84
A selective procedure for the field isolation of pathogenic Streptococcus spp . of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri); Bragg RR et al.; A procedure established for the selective isolation of the species of Streptococcus responsible for rainbow trout streptococcosis in South Africa, consisted of the inoculation of samples into nutrient broth which had been supplemented with 100 micrograms/ml of nalidixic acid, 160 micrograms/ml of oxolinic acid or 200 micrograms/ml of sodium azide . After incubation, the sample was plated onto tetrazolium agar on which the rainbow trout pathogenic Streptococcus species grew as a red colony . The colonies were isolated from the tetrazolium agar and identified as rainbow trout pathogenic isolates by biochemical and serological tests . In the laboratory the selective procedure is capable of detecting about 2 bacteria per ml . This procedure was used in the field and biochemically identical Streptococcus species were found in the mud and a freshwater crab from the water source of a site with a history of streptococcosis.

Endoscopy, 1989 Sep, 21(5), 240 - 1
Septic shock and bacteremia associated with laparoscopic guided liver biopsy, report on two cases; Domingo M et al.; Two cases of infectious complications after liver biopsy are reported . Klebsiella pneumoniae and beta-hemolytic Streptococcus were cultured . In both cases the biopsy was obtained under laparoscopic control . A 28-year-old woman with liver cirrhosis died 24 hours after liver biopsy as a result of septic shock and disseminated intravascular coagulation . A 67-year-old man with hepatic fibrosis suffered from transient bacteremia and recovered uneventfully after antibiotic therapy . In these patients, there was evidence to implicate pre-existing cholangitis as factor predisposing to postbiopsy bacteremia.

J Natl Med Assoc, 1989 Sep, 81(9), 937 - 41
Antimicrobial resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae: a growing universal concern; Hussein SS et al.; Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common cause of bacterial pneumonia, otitis media, bacteremia, and meningitis in infants, children, and immunocompromised and splenectomized patients . After the introduction of penicillin in 1940, pneumococci were regarded as uniformly sensitive to minimal inhibitory concentrations (less than or equal to 0.05 microgram/mL) . This idea persisted until 1967, when the first strain showing increased resistance to penicillin was isolated . Pneumococci with intermediate penicillin resistance recovered from different geographic areas have minimum inhibitory concentrations of 0.1 to 1.0 microgram/mL . In 1977, however, resistant strains were isolated with minimum inhibitory concentrations of 2 to 10 micrograms/mL; subsequently, strains resistant to other antibiotics including tetracycline, sulfonamides, erythromycin, lincomycin, chloramphenicol, clindamycin, streptomycin, and rifampin have also been reported . The authors emphasize the need for continued surveillance of pneumococcal isolates and recommend sensitivity testing of all isolates to penicillin.

Oral Microbiol Immunol, 1989 Sep, 4(3), 176 - 7
Streptococcus mutans, not detected?
Alaluusua S, Gronroos L, Kleemola-Kujala E.
The growth of Streptococcus mutans was followed for three years in 24 healthy 12-17 year-old children, who were selected for the study on the basis of undetectable levels of salivary S . mutans . The saliva samples were cultured by a dip-slide method based on mitis-salivarius agar supplemented with sucrose and bacitracin . At the final occasion, additional examination of plaque and saliva of 10 children using TSY20B agar was performed . During the 3-year study period, S . mutans was found in saliva samples from 15 children on one or more of the 4 test occasions, suggesting that most 'S . mutans negative individuals' were those in whom S . mutans could not be temporarily detected . The additional examination of plaque did not increase the number of 'S . mutans-positive individuals'.

Dent Mater, 1989 Sep, 5(5), 310 - 3
Antibacterial properties of five dental amalgams: an in vitro study; Morrier JJ et al.; The antibacterial activity of five commercially available amalgams (Cupromuc, Dispersalloy, Fluoralloy, Predalloy, and Synalloy) against two bacterial species frequently isolated from dental plaque and caries (Actinomyces viscosus and Streptococcus mutans) was studied by use of a modification of the method of Orstavik (1985) . All amalgams displayed some antibacterial properties . This antibacterial activity was amalgam- and bacteria-dependent . Cupromuc and Fluoralloy were the most active, and the non-gamma 2 amalgams showed intermediate activity . Combined with mechanical and biological properties, these differences should be taken into account when one is choosing an amalgam for clinical use.

Zhonghua Bing Li Xue Za Zhi, 1989 Sep, 18(3), 217 - 20
{The effect of depletion depletion macrophages on tumor-suppressive activity of polyactin A}; Chen GP; Trypan blue(T . blue) was used to block macrophages (M phi) for investigating the role of M phi in tumor-suppressing activity of polyactin A, a mannose-peptide immunomodulator extracted from alpha-streptococcus . Results showed that polyactin A could significantly inhibit the growth of transplanted S 180 tumor in mice . Anyhow, when M phi activities were blocked by T . blue, the protective effect of polyactin A was almost completely lost . Moreover, T . blue-treated mice showed larger tumor size than the controls . In addition, marked hemorrhagic necrosis was seen in the polyactin A-treated tumor, and the area of necrosis was larger than that in the controls . No significant difference was seen between T . blue-treated group and the controls . Furthermore, more M type ANAE+ cells were seen in the peripheral area of the tumors in polyactin A-treated groups than in any other group . All these findings suggest that the in vivo antitumor effect of polyactin A is produced mainly through M phi mechanisms.

Bull Tokyo Med Dent Univ, 1989 Sep, 36(3), 27 - 33
Serum IgG level against Streptococcus mutans in subjects with caries experience; Natasasmita S et al.; Serum IgG level against Streptococcus mutans serotype c was studied in 33 subjects, in relation to dental caries, oral hygiene and age . The activity of the serum IgG against the sonicated antigens of the bacterium was evaluated by micro-ELISA . The serum IgG titer to S . mutans was significantly higher in the subjects with no detectable carious lesions than in the subjects with active caries (p less than 0.05) . However, there was no clear difference between the serum IgG antibody to S . mutans and the DMF index . The serum IgG antibodies to S . mutans were associated with the level of oral hygiene but not with age.

Paediatr Indones, 1989 Sep-Oct, 29(9-10), 188 - 98
Bacterial endocarditis in children: clinical and laboratory findings, and the role of echocardiography in its diagnosis and management; Sastroasmoro S et al.; We report clinical and laboratory findings of 15 children with bacterial endocarditis, admitted to the Department of Child Health, University of Indonesia/Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital from February, 1987 to June, 1989 . There were 8 boys and 7 girls with bacterial endocarditis, ranging in age from 10 weeks to 16 years . The diagnosis was suspected because of prolonged fever, with or without other manifestations, i.e . congestive heart failure, refractory anemia, or paroxysmal atrial tachycardia . The underlying heart disease was congenital in 12 cases and rheumatic heart disease in 3 cases . The clinical, electrocardiographic, and radiologic manifestations were generally predominated by the pre-existing heart disease . No 'characteristic' findings of bacterial endocarditis, i.e . Osler's nodes, Janeway lesions or splinter haemorrhages were detected . Positive bacterial culture was obtained in 12 cases; the most frequent bacteria isolated was Pseudomonas aeruginosa (4 cases) . Streptococcus viridans was isolated in 2 cases only . Vegetation was visualized echocardiographically in 12 cases; 9 with clear cut evidence of large vegetation, and in the other 3 the vegetation was equivocal . On follow-up they disappeared gradually with clinical improvement . Large vegetation might need 2 full months to disappear echocardiographically . It is concluded that bacterial endocarditis is not a rare complication of structural heart disease in our hospital, with a high mortality rate . The availability of good resolution echocardiography has been very helpful in establishing the diagnosis as well as in following-up patients with bacterial endocarditis.

J Exp Med, 1989 Sep 1, 170(3), 959 - 69
Reduction of inflammation, tissue damage, and mortality in bacterial meningitis in rabbits treated with monoclonal antibodies against adhesion-promoting receptors of leukocytes; Tuomanen EI et al.; We tested if specific inhibition of recruitment of leukocytes across the blood brain barrier from the vascular compartment to the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) space reduced tissue damage and improved the outcome of infection in a rabbit model of experimental meningitis . The CD11/CD18 complex of receptors on leukocytes promotes adhesion of these cells to endothelia, a process required for egress of cells into the extravascular space . Intravenous injection of the anti-CD18 mAb IB4 effectively blocked the development of leukocytosis in the CSF of animals challenged intracisternally with living bacteria, bacterial endotoxin, or bacterial cell wall . This effect was associated with protection from blood brain barrier injury as measured by exclusion of serum proteins from CSF in mAb-treated animals . The densities of bacteria in CSF and the degrees of bacterial killing due to ampicillin were not affected by the antibody . Animals receiving the antibody experienced a delay in the development of bacteremia and a significantly reduced inflammatory response during ampicillin-induced bacterial killing . Therapy with mAb IB4 prevented development of brain edema and death in animals challenged with lethal doses of Streptococcus pneumoniae . These studies indicate that the major mechanism of leukocyte migration across the blood brain barrier involves the CD11/CD18 receptors and that inflammatory leukocytes recruited by this mechanism are a major cause of blood brain barrier injury and cerebral edema during meningitis.

Infect Immun, 1989 Sep, 57(9), 2912 - 3
Fimbria-associated adhesin of Bacteroides loeschei that recognizes receptors on procaryotic and eucaryotic cells; Weiss EI et al.; Inhibition studies with a set of adhesin-specific monoclonal antibodies and various sugars revealed that a fimbria-associated adhesin of Bacteroides loeschei recognizes receptors on both procaryotic and eucaryotic cells . These interactions permit this bacterium to attach to both types of cells, producing coaggregates in the presence of strains of Streptococcus sanguis and hemagglutination in the presence of neuraminidase-treated human erythrocytes.

Zentralbl Bakteriol, 1989 Sep, 271(3), 330 - 8
Suppressive effects of the bacterial immunostimulant OK-432 on the incidence of spontaneous thymic lymphoma in AKR mice; Watanabe T et al.; The mean survival age of female AKR/J mice was significantly prolonged, the enlargement of thymus was markedly suppressed, and the proliferation of ecotropic and recombinant murine leukemia viruses was inhibited when 2-month-old female AKR/J mice were injected intraperitoneally with attenuated Streptococcus pyogenes, strain Su (OK-432) twice weekly for 8 weeks . However, these effects of OK-432 in 2-month-old female AKR/J mice were not seen in 5-month-old female AKR/J mice . The difference in the effectiveness of OK-432 in these animals probably depends on the difference in the degree of the proliferation of ecotropic and recombinant murine leukemia viruses in the thymus which consequently lead to thymic lymphoma.

J Dent Res, 1989 Sep, 68(9), 1303 - 7
Adsorbed salivary acidic proline-rich proteins contribute to the adhesion of Streptococcus mutans JBP to apatitic surfaces; Gibbons RJ et al.; Experimental pellicles formed on hydroxyapatite (HA) beads from parotid or submandibular saliva promoted the adhesion of Streptococcus mutans JBP cells to a greater extent than did pellicles prepared from buffer, human plasma, or serum . The nature of the salivary components responsible was studied by the preparation of pellicles from fractions of parotid saliva obtained by chromatography on Trisacryl GF 2000 columns . Two groups of fractions promoted attachment of the organism . Components migrating in the high-molecular-weight mucin fraction were most effective, but a later-eluting fraction also possessed adhesion-promoting activity . Subfractionation of the latter material indicated that the adhesion-promoting activity was associated with the acidic proline-rich proteins (PRPs) . Pellicles prepared from 10-20-micrograms/mL solutions of pure PRP-1 were effective in promoting attachment of S . mutans JBP cells . PRP-3 was less effective, while human salivary statherin, fibrinogen, fibronectin, type 1 collagen, and the amino-terminal tryptic peptide derived from PRP-1 were ineffective . The quantities of 150-residue and 106-residue PRPs and of statherin, which became incorporated into experimental pellicles prepared from saliva, were estimated with use of radiolabeled protein tracers . The data obtained suggest that these proteins compete for similar binding sites on HA, and that their ratios in saliva would therefore influence the quantity of the larger PRPs that become incorporated into the pellicle . Such competition may contribute to the variability observed in the adhesion-promoting activities of different saliva samples.

J Bacteriol, 1989 Sep, 171(9), 4992 - 5
Variation in buoyant density of whole cells and isolated cell walls of Streptococcus faecium (ATCC 9790); Glaser D et al.; The buoyant density of whole cells of Streptococcus faecium varies with growth rate and during the cell cycle . Two possible explanations for this were explored: (i) the density of cell walls may vary, and (ii) the proportions of wall and cytoplasm may vary . We tested the first possibility by isolating walls from chilled, unfixed populations of S . faecium cells and fractionating them on Percoll density gradients . Mean cell wall density averaged 4% less than whole-cell density and did not vary significantly with growth rate . In addition, walls isolated from heavy and light fractions of a population of cells did not differ significantly in density . Thus, variation in the density of isolated cell walls could not account for the observed variation in whole-cell density within or between populations . Using previously published measurements of the physical dimensions of S . faecium cells, we also found that the relative proportions of wall and cytoplasm (see the second possibility above) could not account for the observed changes in whole-cell buoyant density.

Oral Microbiol Immunol, 1989 Sep, 4(3), 146 - 52
Glucosyltransferases of Streptococcus sobrinus C211 are both stimulated and inhibited by hydrogen peroxide; McAlister D et al.; There are 2 glucosyltransferases (GTF) produced by Streptococcus sobrinus C211 . One enzyme, GTF-S, produces a water-soluble glucan that is a-1,6-linked, with short a-1,3 branches, and the other enzyme, GTF-I, produces a water-insoluble glucan that is a-1,3-linked with a-1,6 branches . Hydrogen peroxide was found not only to be a potent inhibitor of GTF activity, but also a stimulator of GTF activity when employed at relatively low concentrations . At 0.88 M, H2O2 completely inhibited insoluble glucan synthesis, whereas at a 0.29 M concentration, H2O2 enhanced synthesis of the same glucan . Soluble glucan synthesis was also inhibited by H2O2 at 1.47 M . Low concentrations of hydrogen peroxide with GTF-S, however, caused the enzyme to convert from soluble glucan production to insoluble glucan production . 13C-Nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of glucans produced by peroxide-treated GTF confirmed that the production of a-1,3 linked glucans was increased with H2O2-treated GTF-S.

Pathol Biol (Paris), 1989 Sep, 37(7), 791 - 2
Resistance of two strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae to pristinamycin associated with 16-membered macrolides; Emond JP et al.; Two strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated from haemocultures show a phenotype resistance which has never been described within this species . This a is a dissociation between resistance and sensitivity within the macrolides group, associated with global resistance as regards pristinamycin (SA + SB).

Kansenshogaku Zasshi, 1989 Sep, 63(9), 979 - 85
{Studies on respiratory infections in the field of primary care (I) . Correlation between viral infection and secondary bacterial infection in patients visiting a doctor in private practice}; Watanabe A et al.; We attempted to find out whether there is a correlation between viral infection and secondary bacterial infection on the basis of the analysis of the results of the culture of virus and bacteria in the same specimen from the throat swabs of 95 patients who had an acute upper respiratory inflammation when they visited a doctor in private practice in Sendai city during the epidemic caused by influenza virus . Viral culture was performed by a microplate-method devised originally by Numazaki . The influenza virus was recovered from 56 cases (59%) consisting of 43 cases of type A (Hong-Kong) and 13 cases of type B . From 73 cases, (77%), 79 strains of possibly pathogenic bacteria were recovered, consisting of 43 strains of H . influenzae, 18 strains of S . aureus, seven strains of S . pneumoniae, four strains each of C . freundii and S . liquefaciens and one strain each of beta-haemolytic Streptococcus and B . catarrhalis . The incidence of positive culture of both virus and possibly pathogenic bacteria was high already at the early stage (2-3 days) of the disease . We found no correlation between the type of virus and the species of the microbial isolates . There was no difference in the incidence of positive bacterial culture in relation to age group . We suggest that a secondary bacterial infection occurs already at the early stage of the disease after viral infection because the incidence of positive culture of possibly pathogenic bacteria was high at the above stage.

Kansenshogaku Zasshi, 1989 Sep, 63(9), 1038 - 42
{A case of infective endocarditis due to Streptococcus agalactiae}; Takasugi T et al.; A 60 year-old woman, who was pointed out as having hyperglycemia, was admitted to our hospital, with a two-week history of fever . Blood sugar on admission was 424 mg/dl and blood cultures yielded Streptococcus agalactiae . Systolic and diastolic heart murmurs were heard . Echocardiography showed aortic regurgitation and vegetation on the aortic valve . Penicillin-G (4 million units every 4 hr) iv and streptomycin (1 g every 12 hr) im were started . Chemotherapy was continued for 48 days . After chemotherapy, aortic valve replacement was done . We reported a very rare infective endocarditis case due to Streptococcus agalactiae.

Zentralbl Bakteriol, 1989 Sep, 271(3), 321 - 9
Binding of immunoglobulin G and albumin to Streptococcus dysgalactiae; Lammler C et al.; All 24 cultures of Streptococcus dysgalactiae investigated bound 125I-IgG, 13 cultures additionally interacted with 125I-albumin . Inhibition experiments with unlabelled IgG and albumin preparations from humans and various animal species indicated the specificity of the binding sites which showed characteristics of IgG Fc-receptors of type III and albumin-receptors of type c . IgG and albumin-binding proteins could be removed from the streptococcal surface by solubilization and subsequently isolated by affinity chromatography . The isolated binding proteins of S . dysgalactiae strains C 12 and C 8 obtained from IgG and albumin sepharose precipitated with IgG in immunodiffusion reactions, and in immunoelectrophoretic studies, and they reacted, after transfer onto nitrocellulose, with 125I-IgG or 125I-albumin and vice versa . Antisera produced against IgG-binding proteins of S . dysgalactiae C 12 inhibited binding of 125I-IgG and 125I-albumin . Solubilization of binding proteins by trypsinization yielded low molecular weight fragments with 125I-IgG but not with 125I-albumin binding activities . IgG-binding proteins isolated from S . dysgalactiae C 26 reacted with 125I-IgG but not with 125I-albumin, indicating the presence of 2 groups of type III Fc-receptors among S . dysgalactiae strains.

Zentralbl Hyg Umweltmed, 1989 Sep, 188(6), 533 - 49
Disinfection with gaseous formaldehyde . Third Part: Bactericidal and sporicidal effectiveness of gaseous formaldehyde and level of residues in dependence on concentration, temperature and relative humidity; Casella ML et al.; The highest rate of inactivation of Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538), Streptococcus faecium (ATCC 6057) and spores of Bacillus subtilis var . niger (DSM 675) was observed at a relative humidity (RH) of 90-95% . At a RH of 60% D 0.75 mg HCHO l-1 air at 45 degrees C-values of 35 min and over 65 min were determined for S . aureus and for B . subtilis spores which decreased to D = 2.9 min and D = 20 min respectively at a RH of 90% . At 45 degrees C, an optimal formaldehyde (HCHO) concentration for the inactivation of S . aureus was within the range of 0.75 to 1.5 mg HCHO l-1 air, with D-values of 2.9 to 1.8 min respectively and for Bacillus subtilis spores from 1.5 to 3.2 mg HCHO l-1 air with D-values of 10.9 to 4.0 min respectively . The most effective bactericidal and sporicidal activity of HCHO was observed at temperatures ranging from 40 to 45 degrees C . The higher the exposure temperature the lower were the HCHO residues on 100 cm2 aluminium plates with a structured lacquer . Exposure to formaldehyde concentrations of 0.4 mg l-1 air for 60 minutes resulted in lower residual formaldehyde of 5.9, 5.6, 4.7 and 4.5 micrograms HCHO 100 cm-2 sample surface at 30, 35, 40 and 45 degrees C, respectively . In contrast, after exposures to 3.2 mg HCHO l-1 air residues of 48.5, 43.4, 35.6 and 30.6 micrograms HCHO 100 cm-2 were found at the same temperatures.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1989 Sep, 55(9), 2251 - 6
Cloning of a gene encoding a major secreted polypeptide of Listeria monocytogenes and its potential use as a species-specific probe; Flamm RK et al.; A gene, designated msp, that encodes a major secreted polypeptide with a molecular mass of approximately 60 kilodaltons (kDa) was cloned from Listeria monocytogenes 10403 . DNA hybridization analysis indicated that the msp gene was highly conserved among 15 independent L . monocytogenes isolates and that each of 5 isolates tested secreted a 60-kDa polypeptide that was immunologically related to the msp gene product . DNA sequences related to msp were not detected in any other Listeria species or in strains of Bacillus cereus, Bacillus thuringiensis, Streptococcus pyogenes, or Streptococcus pneumoniae when standard stringent DNA hybridization conditions were used . Under nonstringent conditions, related sequences were detected in Listeria ivanovii, Listeria seeligeri, and Listeria innocua, and immunoblot analysis indicated that these strains secreted polypeptides of about 60 kDa that were immunologically related to the msp gene product . The possibility of using the msp gene as a probe for the detection of L . monocytogenes and the potential functions of the msp gene product are discussed.

Nippon Shishubyo Gakkai Kaishi, 1989 Sep, 31(3), 941 - 7
{Clinical effects of chewing gum containing egg-white lysozyme and mace extract}; Yoshinuma N et al.; The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical effect of mace extract and egg-white lysozyme in two brands of chewing gum on gingival condition . Ever since mace extract containing dihydroguaiaretic acid was reported to inhibit the growth of Streptococcus mutans, plans were devised to include it in commercially available chewing gum . Before starting this study, two different types of experimental chewing gum containing mace extract or egg-white lysozyme were made up . A control was also prepared containing neither agent . The periodontal condition of 68 patients with gingivitis was determined based on PMA index (PMA), gingival index (GI), gingival bleeding index (GBI) and plaque scoring system (PSS) and randomly classified into three groups . Each group was instructed to use one or the other of the above type chewing gums after every meal . The results were as follows: 1 . No clinical changes were observed in the control group during this study . 2 . Gingival inflammation (PMA, GI, GBI) significantly improved as a result of using the experimental gums . 3 . Plaque reduction was found only in the mece-extract gum group . 4 . No clinical side effects were detected during this study.

Rev Chil Pediatr, 1989 Sep-Oct, 60(5), 262 - 6
{Neonatal bacterial infections: magnitude and clinical aspects}; Tellerias L et al.; A prospective study on major bacterial infections (MBI) has been made over a six-month period in a neonatal unit . Incidence of MBI was 6.8 per 1,000 live births . Rates were significantly higher in low (57/1,000) and very low-birth-weight newborns (200/1,000) . Septicemia occurred most frequently with group B hemolyticus streptococcus and staphylococcus aureus as the commonest infecting organisms . In 19/33 haematologic studies abnormal neutrophilic cell counts, thrombocytopenia or both were seen . Case/fatality rate was 50% in this series.

Biochem Pharmacol, 1989 Aug 15, 38(16), 2677 - 84
Tricyclic 2,4-diaminopyrimidines with broad antifolate activity and the ability to inhibit Pneumocystis carinii growth in cultured human lung fibroblasts in the presence of leucovorin; Rosowsky A et al.; A selected number of 1,3-diaminobenzo{f}quinazolines and 1,3-diamino-5,6-dihydrobenzo{f}quinazolines, which may be viewed as tricyclic analogues of the lipid-soluble antifolates pyrimethamine (PM), metoprine (DDMP), and etoprine (DDEP), were tested as inhibitors of purified dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) from WI-L2 lymphoblasts, and as inhibitors of the growth of Streptococcus faecium ATCC 8043 and L1210 murine leukemia cells in culture . In addition, these tricyclic compounds were tested for antimalarial activity against Plasmodium berghei in mice, and for the ability to inhibit the growth of Pneumocystis carinii trophozoites in WI-38 human lung fibroblast cultures in the presence of leucovorin (LV) . The most potent analogues were those with chlorine substitution in the ring distal to the 2,4-diaminopyrimidine moiety . Fully aromatic compounds tended to be more active than those in which the 5,6-bond was reduced, suggesting that planarity favors binding to the DHFR active site and may be favorable for cellular uptake . Several of the 2,4-diaminopyrimidine analogues showed greater potency than PM, DDMP or DDEP, and were more nearly comparable to the bicyclic 2,4-diaminopyrimidine antifolates trimetrexate (TMQ) or piritrexim (BW301U), which are known to be selectively toxic to P . carinii in the presence of LV . Two of the tricyclic compounds, 1,3-diamino-8-chlorobenzo{f}quinazoline and 1,3-diamino-9-chlorobenzo{f}quinazoline, proved to have activity similar to TMQ and BW301U in this system.

Gene, 1989 Aug 15, 80(2), 227 - 38
The difficulty of cloning Streptococcus pneumoniae mal and ami loci in Escherichia coli: toxicity of malX and amiA gene products; Martin B et al.; Stability problems are frequently encountered when cloning pneumococcal DNA in Escherichia coli multicopy plasmid vectors such as derivatives of ColE1 . In this paper, we report our investigations of these problems using the pneumococcal mal and ami regions . We offer evidence that, in both cases, promoters are not the primary cause of cloning problems . Indeed, successful cloning of mal and ami promoters has been achieved with standard vectors (devoid of transcriptional terminators flanking the insertion site) . Moreover, we show that the entire mal fragment can be introduced into an E . coli strain harboring a chromosomal mutation that reduces plasmid copy number . The cause of the cloning problems has been traced to the malX and amiA structural genes . Overexpression of these genes, which probably encode lipoproteins, could have deleterious effects on E . coli hosts, possibly as a result of impairing the protein export machinery.

Carbohydr Res, 1989 Aug 15, 191(2), 279 - 93
The complete structure of the capsular polysaccharide from Streptococcus sanguis 34; Abeygunawardana C et al.; A complete structure for the capsular polysaccharide of Streptococcus sanguis 34, which is responsible for coaggregation of this bacterium with Actinomyces viscosus T14V, an important step in the formation of dental plaque, is proposed, based partly on the 1H-n.m.r . spectrum, which was assigned by 2-dimensional COSY, homonuclear Hartmann-Hahn spectroscopy, and nuclear Overhauser effects . A phosphoric diester linkage was identified from the 31P-n.m.r . spectrum, and the linkage was determined from long range 1H-31P correlation spectroscopy . The proposed structure is supported both by methylation analysis before and after dephosphorylation and by g.l.c.-m.s . of the phosphorylated monosaccharides as their trimethylsilyl derivatives, isolated by partial hydrolysis of the polysaccharide . The structure is composed of repeating linear hexasaccharide units joined by a phosphoric diester linkage, i.e., {----PO4(-)----6)-alpha-D-GalpNAc-(1----3)-beta-L-Rhap-(1----4)-be ta -D-Glcp- (1----6)-beta-D-Galf-(1----6)-beta-D-GalpNAc-(1----3)-alpha-D-Galp -(1----}n.

Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi (Taipei), 1989 Aug, 44(2), 81 - 8
Multitest skin testing values of cell-mediated immunity among healthy individuals in Taiwan; Chang HM et al.; The multitest CMI system, a disposable device that simultaneously applies seven standardized preloaded antigens and diluent control, is a major advance for measurement of delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) in assessment of cell-mediated immunity (CMI) . The system was tested in 84 healthy volunteers, 42 in each sex, aged 4-62 years, to determine normal values for incidence and size of DTH responses to each of seven antigens . Incidence of positive responses to individual antigens varied from 84.5% to 11%, more than half of volunteers were reactive to Tuberculin, Candida and Diphtheria, and a third to Tetanus, Streptococcus and Tricophyton . 95.3% of volunteers to one or more antigens, and about two thirds to three or more . To better assess CMI, a two-part score based on 48-hour readings was employed . The mean number of positive antigens ranged between 2.2 and 3.3, the mean sum of their millimeter induration ranged between 10.8 and 18.2, the average sum of diameters were 16.7 mm in males and 15.2 mm in females . There was no statistic significance to sex and age during scoring, although there was somewhat higher in males, young and mature age groups . In our series, Tuberculin reaction is the highest one in this seven antigens, about 4.76% of volunteers are anergy . A statistical zone (95% confidence limits) of reduced DTH scores (hypoergy) was identified, it reveals sum of diameters less than 9mm in males and 7mm in females, number of positive antigens are less than 2 in each sex.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Vet Microbiol, 1989 Aug, 20(4), 349 - 56
Monoclonal antibodies for coagglutination of Streptococcus suis type 1; Payvandi F et al.; Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were sought that would identify Streptococcus suis . Spleen cells from Balb/c mice immunized with formalin-killed S . suis were fused with the murine cell-line SP-2/0 . Hybridomas positive for S . suis were identified by a solid-phase radioimmunoassay with a mixture of all available serotypes of S . suis . On further screening with individual serotypes of S . suis (Types 1, 2, 1/2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 12) and other related and unrelated bacteria, a hybridoma specific for Type 1 was identified . Another hybridoma was positive for all serotypes of S . suis . S . suis Type 1-specific MAbs in the form of ascites fluid was used in coagglutination test . Agglutination with S . suis Type 1 was observed within 45 s, while there was no reaction with other serotypes of S . suis or other bacteria, during the 5-min observation period . A library of type-specific MAbs should help in rapid and accurate serotyping of S . suis isolates.

Scand J Dent Res, 1989 Aug, 97(4), 338 - 45
Current-induced effects on growth and adhesion properties of Streptococcus mutans in vitro; Soderling E et al.; Current-induced effects on the growth and adhesion of Streptococcus mutans were studied . The spontaneous currents formed between gold-amalgam pairs showed starting current peaks of approximately 200 microA followed by constant currents of approximately 15 microA . The presence of the gold-amalgam pair had no effect on the growth of S . mutans, which was unaffected even when constant potentials of 1000 mV and 2000 mV were used to produce extreme experimental conditions . Three volts or more was needed to inhibit the growth of S . mutans . Organic acids produced by S . mutans during growth had also little or no effect on the magnitudes of the spontaneous currents formed between the gold-amalgam pairs . Adhesion of S . mutans, grown with or without added sucrose, appeared unaffected by spontaneous currents induced by the metal combinations.

Prenat Diagn, 1989 Aug, 9(8), 569 - 73
The value of routine cervical cultures before transcervical chorionic villus sampling; Kagie MJ et al.; In 226 women requesting chorionic villus sampling (CVS), routine cervical cultures were obtained before the procedure . Transcervical CVS was performed irrespective of the test results . The prevalence of potential pathogens in cervical cultures at our institution is low . Beta haemolytic Streptococcus was cultured in 3 per cent of the women . No pathogenic microorganisms were isolated in 64 per cent of the women . There was no relationship between culture results and the outcome of pregnancy . These observations suggest that adequate antiseptic cleansing of the genital tract is a suitable approach and there is no need to routinely perform cultures before CVS.

Acta Odontol Scand, 1989 Aug, 47(4), 233 - 8
Influence of age and immunization on development of gingivitis in rats; Lekic P et al.; To study the effect of age and antigenic priming on the development of gingivitis, 33 healthy rats were placed in contact with Streptococcus mutans, Actinomyces viscosus, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Bacteroides gingivalis . On days 0, 3, 7, and 14 after inoculation, the gingival condition was judged clinically and histologically, and serum antibody titers against the bacteria were measured . The rats were divided into three groups: 1 month old, 3 months old, and 3 months old immunized . None of the young rats developed gingivitis during the experiment, whereas half of the adult and all of the adult immunized rats bled on probing on days 7 and 14 . In general, antibody titers against the bacteria were low in young rats, moderate in adult rats, and high in adult immunized rats . These results indicate that adult rats react stronger to plaque antigens than young rats and that previous contact with the antigens increases the reaction.

Epidemiol Infect, 1989 Aug, 103(1), 165 - 71
DNA fingerprinting of Streptococcus uberis: a useful tool for epidemiology of bovine mastitis; Hill AW et al.; A simple and reproducible typing system based on restriction fragment size of chromosomal DNA was developed to compare isolates of Streptococcus uberis obtained from the bovine mammary gland . The endonuclease giving the most useful restriction patterns was Hind III . Although seven other endonucleases (Bgl 1, Eco R1, Not 1, Pst 1, Sfi 1, Sma 1, Xba 1) were also tested in the system . An image analyser was used to obtain a densitometric scan and a graphic display of the restriction patterns . Such a system will allow large scale data storage for future computer-aided comparison.

Epidemiol Infect, 1989 Aug, 103(1), 157 - 64
Occupational exposure to Streptococcus suis type 2; Robertson ID et al.; Antibody titres to Streptococcus suis type 2 were measured with an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in four occupational groups in New Zealand . No veterinary students, 9% of dairy farmers, 10% of meat inspectors and 21% of pig farmers were seropositive to S . suis type 2 . The development of antibody to S . suis type 2 was associated with occupational contact with pigs or their meat products . Subclinical infection with S . suis type 2 appears to occur in humans and the antibody produced is of only short duration . The annual incidence of subclinical infection and seroconversion in pig farmers may approach 28% . Thus S . suis type 2 may be one of the most infectious potentially zoonotic agents present in New Zealand, although very rarely resulting in clinical disease.

J Dent, 1989 Aug, 17(4), 166 - 70
Prevention of bacterial adhesion to denture acrylic; Wilson M et al.; A range of non-toxic polysaccharides were screened for their ability to prevent bacterial adhesion to denture acrylic in vitro . Sodium alginate, karaya gum and carrageenan were found to be the most effective, reducing adhesion of Streptococcus salivarius by 98.7, 97.9 and 99.2 per cent respectively . These three polysaccharides were then tested for their ability to reduce the number of bacteria adhering to dentures in vivo . Sodium alginate was the most effective, reducing the attachment of bacteria to the palate-contacting surface of the denture after 5 h of normal wear by 84 per cent compared with uncoated controls . The results of this investigation suggest that the accumulation of denture plaque may be prevented by frequent application of a renewable, sacrificial coating of a non-toxic polysaccharide.

Clin Chem, 1989 Aug, 35(8), 1763 - 6
Alterations in lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme patterns after therapy with streptokinase or streptococcal infection; Podlasek SJ et al.; Serum samples from patients receiving intravenous streptokinase were examined for evidence of interaction in vivo between streptokinase and lactate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.27; LD) . We found that this treatment produced a band of LD activity that remained at the electrophoretic origin of LD isoenzyme analysis . Treatment with tissue plasminogen activator produced no such band . The streptokinase-LD complex could be removed from serum by ultracentrifugation . It remained in the circulation for as long as 48 h after streptokinase infusion . A similar phenomenon was observed in a case of pneumococcal sepsis . Examination of supernates from both cultures of several species of Gram-positive cocci revealed interactions between human LD and Streptococcus groups A and C and also Streptococcus pneumoniae . Evidently streptokinase can form complexes with LD in vivo after either streptokinase therapy or infection, with consequent alteration of the LD isoenzyme pattern.

J Bacteriol, 1989 Aug, 171(8), 4355 - 61
The second peptidoglycan hydrolase of Streptococcus faecium ATCC 9790 covalently binds penicillin; Dolinger DL et al.; A second peptidoglycan hydrolase (muramidase-2) of Streptococcus faecium ATCC 9790 (Enterococcus hirae) has been purified to apparent homogeneity . The enzyme has been shown to be a beta-1,4-N-acetylmuramoylhydrolase (muramidase; EC 3.2.1.17) and to differ in substrate specificity from a previously isolated muramidase . Purified enzyme appears as two protein staining bands with molecular masses of 125 and 75 kilodaltons (kDa) on polyacrylamide gels after sodium dodecyl sulfate electrophoresis . Elution and renaturation of protein bands from sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels showed that both proteins have muramidase-2 activity . Both proteins have been shown to bind radioactive benzylpenicillin and have the same electrophoretic mobilities as penicillin-binding proteins 1 and 5 present in membrane preparations of this organism, respectively . Incubation of a {14C}penicillin G-labeled 125-kDa form of the enzyme with crude alkaline extracts from S . faecium (which did not contain added proteinase inhibitors) showed the endogenous conversion of the radiolabeled 125-kDa form to the radiolabeled 75-kDa form of the enzyme.

Infect Immun, 1989 Aug, 57(8), 2547 - 52
Pneumolysin, the thiol-activated toxin of Streptococcus pneumoniae, does not require a thiol group for in vitro activity; Saunders FK et al.; The role of the single cysteine residue in the activity of the thiol-activated toxin pneumolysin was investigated using oligonucleotide-mediated, site-directed mutagenesis . Three modified toxins in which the cysteine residue was changed to an alanine, a serine, or a glycine residue were purified to homogeneity and examined for activity . The Cys-428----Ala modified toxin was indistinguishable from the wild-type recombinant toxin in terms of hemolytic activity and lytic and inhibitory effects on human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN), indicating that the cysteine residue is not essential for toxin activity . The Cys-428----Ser and Cys-429----Gly modified toxins had reduced activity on erythrocytes and polymorphonuclear leukocytes, being 6 and 20 times less active than the wild type, respectively . However, all the modified toxins formed oligomers in erythrocyte membranes to the same extent as the wild-type recombinant toxin . This suggests that the cysteine residue at position 428 is involved in neither the binding of toxin to membranes nor its insertion into the membrane, and also that the formation of oligomers is not by itself sufficient for toxin activity.

Mol Microbiol, 1989 Aug, 3(8), 1111 - 9
Extensive sequence homology between IgA receptor and M proteins in Streptococcus pyogenes; Frithz E et al.; Many strains of Streptococcus pyogenes are known to express a receptor for IgA . The complete nucleotide sequence of the gene for such a receptor, protein Arp4, has been determined . The deduced amino acid sequence of 386 residues includes a signal sequence of 41 amino acids and a putative membrane anchor region, both of which are homologous to similar regions in other streptococcal surface proteins . The processed form of the IgA receptor has a length of 345 amino acids and a calculated molecular weight of 39544 . The N-terminal sequence of the processed form is different from that previously found for a similar IgA receptor isolated from a S . pyogenes strain of type M60 . The sequence of protein Arp4 shows extensive homology to the C-terminal half of streptococcal M proteins, but not to the streptococcal IgG receptor protein G or staphlyococcal protein A . Apart from the membrane anchor, this homology includes a sequence of 119 amino acid residues containing three repeated units and a 54-residue sequence without repeats . The protein expressed in Escherichia coli is found in the periplasmic space, in which it constitutes the major protein . Protein Arp4 is the first example of a surface protein that has both immunoglobulin-binding capacity and structural features characteristic of M proteins.

Zhonghua Nei Ke Za Zhi, 1989 Aug, 28(8), 482 - 5, 510-1
{Evaluation of the causative bacteria of pneumonia in the elderly in recent years}; Lu WX et al.; A study of 62 cases of elderly pneumonia (EP) in their sixties and eighties with etiologic bacteria confirmed by cultures of sputum, blood or pleural effusion was carried out Greater change of etiologic bacteria of EP in patients of eighties has been found when they were compared with those of sixties . In the group of eighties the incidence of Gram-negative bacilli increased (77%), including pseudomonas aeruginosa (48.39%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (17.35%) and Enteric coli (9.68%), while Staphylococcus aureus accounted only for 16.1% . There were 2 species of Streptococcus pneumoniae; both were mixed with other bacteria in cultures . In patients of eighties the etiologic agents isolated from pneumonia were more resistant to many common antibiotics . The above mentioned results suggest that the diagnosis of etiology of pneumonia in the elderly should be emphasized.

J Dairy Res, 1989 Aug, 56(4), 579 - 85
Automatic application of teat disinfectant through the milking machine cluster; Grindal RJ et al.; An automatic device, which infuses disinfectant into the mouthpiece of the liner of the milking machine cluster as teatcups are removed, is described . Application at this time avoids any delay in disinfection, reduces the workload in the parlour and increases reliability of application . The teats of 20 cows were contaminated before each milking by immersion in a suspension of Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus agalactiae and then disinfected manually or automatically with iodophor after milking . Str . agalactiae was recovered from less than 5% of swabs and there was no difference between the results from the two methods . Neither method of disinfection was as effective against Staph . aureus and the recovery rate was significantly greater for the automatic method for both swabs from teat barrel (P less than 0.05) and teat apex (P less than 0.001) . Rates of intramammary infection for quarters automatically or manually disinfected were similar and low (3/40 v . 6/40 respectively) . The automatic method facilitates cluster removal by relieving vacuum and decreasing frictional contact at the mouthpiece lip, and utilizes approximately half the quantity of disinfectant used by manual dipping (0.9 v . 1.9 ml/teat) . However, iodine contamination in the milk from the iodophor teat disinfectant was significantly increased from 14.4 to 102.2 micrograms 12/100 ml milk when no backflushing was practised.

Int J Cardiol, 1989 Aug, 24(2), 179 - 83
Infective endocarditis caused by Streptococcus agalactiae; Pringle SD et al.; We report a series of five cases of infective endocarditis caused by Streptococcus agalactiae (group B streptococcus) in Glasgow over a 30 month period . There were three males and two females mean age 48.6 years (range 28-63 years) . Only one patient had previous valvular heart disease . The infections were characterised by an acute presentation and an aggressive course with major arterial emboli . Despite early diagnosis and appropriate intravenous antibiotics three patients died, one after valve replacement and two before surgery could be undertaken . The remaining two patients had successful valve surgery and have recovered . S . agalactiae endocarditis is an uncommon but important condition which carries a high mortality . The infection is difficult to control with antibiotics alone and therefore early surgery may be indicated.

Am J Dis Child, 1989 Aug, 143(8), 916 - 8
Comparison of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid (augmentin) for the treatment of nonbullous impetigo; Dagan R et al.; We undertook a prospective double-blind controlled study to compare the efficacy of a drug that usually has no antistaphylococcal activity (amoxicillin trihydrate) with the efficacy of the same drug with an addition of a beta-lactamase inhibitor (amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid {Augmentin}) in the treatment of nonbullous impetigo . Fifty-one culture-positive patients, aged 6 months to 9 years, were included, 26 in the amoxicillin group and 25 in the Augmentin group . The study groups were clinically and bacteriologically comparable at the start of the study . Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from all patients and beta-hemolytic streptococcus from 14 (29%) . All staphylococci were sensitive to Augmentin but resistant to amoxicillin . Forty-nine patients completed the study . The clinical response was significantly better among the Augmentin recipients (marked improvement in 71% and 95% of patients after 2 and 5 days, respectively; no new lesions during the treatment course) than among the amoxicillin recipients (marked improvement in 44% and 68% of patients after 2 and 5 days, respectively; new lesions appeared in 20% of patients) . Recurrence within 3 weeks occurred in 12 (26%) of 49 patients, and no difference was observed between the two groups . We conclude that S aureus is common in nonbullous impetigo, and that at least in some cases it plays an important role in the course of the disease that can be altered by specific therapy.

Shikwa Gakuho, 1989 Aug, 89(8), 1385 - 405
{Studies on anaerobic infection in oro-maxillary region--rapid diagnosis by gas-liquid chromatography and antibiotic susceptibilities of anaerobic bacteria}; Tanaka JI; Subject material for this study was pus collected from patients with purulent inflammation in the oro-maxillary region . Direct gas-liquid chromatography (GLC) analysis was made, bacterial isolation and identification were carried out, and comparisons were made with results from GLC analysis and anaerobic isolates in a PYG medium . In addition, antibiotic susceptibilities of anaerobic bacteria were examined . Results 1 . Anaerobic bacteria were isolated from 85 of 100 cases of obstructive abscesses . Of the 85, 49 were cases of mixed infection involving both anaerobic and aerobic bacteria; and 64 cases were involved with more than 2 species of anaerobic bacteria . Of the 184 strains of anaerobic isolates, 53 were Bacteroides sp . and 51 were Peptostreptococcus sp . The 2 groups accounted for more than half of the isolates . 2 . Group A, in which no VFA was detected, accounted for 17 out of 100 cases . Group B, in which acetic acid was detected, accounted for 20 cases; and Group C, in which butyric acid was detected, accounted for 20 cases; and Group D, in which iso-valeric acid was detected, accounted for 8 cases . Direct GLC analysis revealed iso-caproic and caproic acids in the 35 cases constituting Group E . 3 . Whereas the percentage of anaerobic bacteria was 64.7% in Group A and 60% in Group B, significantly higher percentages were noted in Group C (95%), Group D (100%) and Group E (100%) . The following species were isolated as major member in the groups; Group A--Streptococcus intermedius, Group B--Peptostreptococcus micros, Group C--Fusobacterium nucleatum, Group D--Bacteroides gingivalis, and Group E--Peptostreptococcus anaerobius . 4 . In all cases, the sum of VFA produced in the PYG medium by anaerobic isolates was classified into Group A' to E' . Ratios of agreement between VFA as revealed by direct GLC and VFA as revealed by PYG.GLC were as follows: Group A-A'; 47.1%, Group B-B' and C-C'; 45%, Group D-D'; 87.5%, and Group E-E'; 62.9% . 5 . In Group B, no propionic acid was detected . The 2 cases in which acetic acid occurred in a concentration greater than 14 x 10(-4) meq/ml belonged to Group B' . In Group C, no isobutyric acid was detected; and the 5 cases in which butyric acid was detected in a concentration of more than 7 x 10(-4) meq/ml belonged to Group C' . Varelic acid was not detected in Group D; and 7 out of the 8 cases in which iso-valeric acid, irrespective of concentration, was detected belonged to Group D'.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Bull Tokyo Dent Coll, 1989 Aug, 30(3), 129 - 35
Antimicrobial action of natural substances on oral bacteria; Saeki Y et al.; The antimicrobial action of natural substances was investigated in vitro against oral bacteria including Streptococcus sp., Actinomyces sp., Actinobacillus sp., Bacteroides sp., Capnocytophaga sp., Eikenella sp., Fusobacterium sp . and Propionibacterium sp . Among the natural substances tested, hinokitiol was the most inhibitory to oral bacteria . Cinnamon bark oil, papua-mace extracts, and clove bud oil in spice extracts were also inhibitory against many oral bacteria . Egg white lysozyme exhibited antimicrobial action against the periodontitis associated bacteria.

J Gen Microbiol, 1989 Aug, 135 ( Pt 8), 2189 - 97
Ionic and energetic changes at competence in the naturally transformable bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae; Lopez A et al.; Addition of competence factor extracts to trigger competence in a culture of Streptococcus pneumoniae induced an increase in the intracellular pH and the Na+ content of the bacteria without any change in the K+ pool or in the membrane potential . These ionic shifts were concomitant with a stimulation of glycolysis that resulted in an enhanced ATP pool . Thus, in transforming conditions, at extracellular pH 7.8, competent bacteria presented a particularly high energetic state resulting from an increase in delta pH and in the ATP pool, associated with an enhanced Na+ content . These features are discussed in the context of homeostasis regulation in response to an environmental stimulus.

J Dent Res, 1989 Aug, 68(8), 1285 - 8
Development and in vitro evaluation of an intra-oral controlled-release delivery system for chlorhexidine; Mirth DB et al.; Copolymers of hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) were prepared and used to fabricate a membrane-controlled reservoir-type controlled-release delivery system for chlorhexidine that should be suitable for intra-oral use . The reservoir of the system was prepared by softening an 80:20 mixture of chlorhexidine diacetate and 50:50 HEMA:MMA copolymer with methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), and pressing standard amounts of the resulting dough-like mixture into silicone rubber molds . A membrane was applied to the reservoirs by rotating them through a solution of 30:70 HEMA:MMA copolymer in MEK . The finished oval-shaped controlled-release pellets were approximately 4.7 mm wide, 3.3 mm high, and 7.4 mm long, and contained 45.0 +/- 3.7 mg of chlorhexidine diacetate . The mean in vitro release rate of chlorhexidine diacetate from the pellets into 37 degrees C water was 608 +/- 55 micrograms/24 h for days 2 through 11, and 389 +/- 50 micrograms/24 h for days 15 to 30 of the test period . The chlorhexidine released on day 30 was biologically active, as determined by a serial dilution assay against Streptococcus mutans . The extended release of biologically active chlorhexidine at a controlled rate from this system suggests that it is worthy of further evaluation for the intra-oral therapy of chlorhexidine-treatable oral infections in non-compliant and physically or mentally compromised individuals.

Infect Immun, 1989 Aug, 57(8), 2324 - 30
Contribution of autolysin to virulence of Streptococcus pneumoniae; Berry AM et al.; Insertion-duplication mutagenesis was used to construct an autolysin-negative derivative of Streptococcus pneumoniae . This derivative was obtained by first transforming the nonencapsulated strain Rx1 with a derivative of the vector pVA891 carrying a 375-base-pair TaqI DNA fragment from the middle of the autolysin structural gene . DNA was extracted from the resultant erythromycin-resistant, autolysin-negative rough pneumococcus and used to transform S . pneumoniae D39, a virulent type 2 strain . Several erythromycin-resistant transformants were obtained from two independent experiments, and none of these transformants produced autolysin . Southern blot analysis confirmed that the autolysin gene in these transformants had been interrupted by the plasmid-derived sequences . The autolysin-negative mutants showed markedly reduced virulence for mice compared with that of strain D39; intranasal and intraperitoneal 50% lethal doses were increased 10(2)- and 10(5)-fold, respectively . Autolysin production was reinstated in one of the mutants by back-transformation with the cloned autolysin gene, with the concomitant loss of erythromycin resistance; the virulence of this isolate for mice was indistinguishable from that of D39 . The importance of autolysin in pathogenesis was confirmed by immunization-challenge studies . Mice immunized with purified autolysin survived significantly longer than did control mice after intranasal challenge with strain D39 . This study provides direct evidence that the pneumococcal autolysin contributes to virulence and identifies it as a potential vaccine antigen.

Gene, 1989 Aug 1, 80(1), 49 - 56
Nucleotide sequence and analysis of the Vibrio alginolyticus sucrase gene (scrB); Scholle RR et al.; The nucleotide sequence of a 2.119-kb DNA fragment containing the Vibrio alginolyticus sucrase gene (scrB) was determined . The complete sequence (484 aa residues) of the sucrase was deduced and homology was detected between the sucrase enzymes from V . alginolyticus and the Gram-positive bacteria Bacillus subtilis and Streptococcus mutans . In Escherichia coli cells the cloned V . alginolyticus sucrase is translocated to the periplasm . Transposon phoA mutagenesis experiments strongly suggested that V . alginolyticus sucrase in E . coli is not exported across the cytoplasmic membrane by means of a typical signal sequence.

Rev Med Chil, 1989 Aug, 117(8), 872 - 8
{Prevalence of Streptococcus mutans in pehuenche children, Chilean ethnic group}; Linossier A et al.; We studied 26 pehuenche children between 9 and 13 years of age and 12 non-pehuenche controls . Samples were obtained from saliva and from the bacterial plaque of 6 year molars and cultured anaerobically for 48 hr at 37 C in TYCSB medium . S mutans were obtained from 90% of children in both groups, all corresponding to biotype I (Coykendall) . Nutritional and hygienic habits did not differ between groups . These results confirm the ample distribution of S mutants in Chilean subjects.

Acta Paediatr Jpn, 1989 Aug, 31(4), 462 - 8
Possible role of Streptococcus pyogenes in mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome . VIII . Immunological tolerance to S . pyogenes-associated antigens seems essential to induction of MCLS; Osawa N et al.; In our previous studies, we attempted to show that new-born mice infected with an attenuated strain of Streptococcus pyogenes, and exposed to streptococcal antigens approximately one month later, failed to develop a humoral response to those antigens but were able to respond normally to other unrelated antigens . Since such immunological characteristics are identical to those of patients with the mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome (MCLS), the present studies were performed with the aim of assessing the antibody-forming activities of peripheral blood lymphocytes collected from MCLS patients . These lymphocytes were cultured in the presence of pokeweed mitogen, streptolysin-O and streptococcal C-polysaccharide, leading to their refractoriness to S . pyogenes-associated antigens coupled with normal responsiveness to unrelated antigens . The implication of such immunological responsiveness elicited from neonatal exposure to streptococcal antigens is discussed, particularly with reference to the induction of MCLS.

J Infect Dis, 1989 Aug, 160(2), 337 - 41
The role of beta-lactamase in mixed infections in mice in relation to treatment with ampicillin; Renneberg J et al.; Beta-lactamase-producing Staphylococcus aureus and Bacteroides fragilis in a localized mixed infection has been found to degrade the beta-lactam antibiotic at the focus of infection, thus protecting both the bacteria and pathogens susceptible to the antibiotic . To determine if beta-lactamase produced by Hemophilus influenzae and Branhamella catarrhalis have similar importance in mixed infections, a thread infection model in mice was used to evaluate the capacity of beta-lactamase produced by S . aureus, B . catarrhalis, or H . influenzae to hydrolyze ampicillin in a mixed infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae in mice . For both S . aureus and B . catarrhalis, the ampicillin concentrations at infection sites where beta-lactamase was produced were lower than at sites where beta-lactamase was not produced; however, this difference was not found when clavulanic acid was added to the ampicillin . In mixed infections with strains that did not produce beta-lactamase, ampicillin concentrations were similar with or without clavulanic acid . S . aureus was the best "protector" followed by B . catarrhalis . The beta-lactamase produced by H . influenzae failed to protect the S . pneumoniae . No bactericidal effect of clavulanic acid was found.

Arch Dermatol, 1989 Aug, 125(8), 1069 - 73
Topical mupirocin treatment of impetigo is equal to oral erythromycin therapy; Mertz PM et al.; Topical antimicrobial therapy has not been effective in the past against cutaneous bacterial infections . In this study, a new topical antibiotic ointment, mupirocin, was compared with oral erythromycin ethylsuccinate in the treatment of impetigo . Seventy-five patients clinically diagnosed as having impetigo and with positive cultures of Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, or both were examined in an investigator-blinded study . Patients used topical mupirocin applied three times daily or the usual oral dose of erythromycin ethylsuccinate (30 to 50 mg/kg per day) . Patients' lesions were examined clinically and cultured bacteriologically on days 0, 3, and 8, and 1 week after treatment . Susceptibility testing was performed on pathogens isolated to determine antibiotic resistance . Mupirocin treatment produced similar clinical results to oral erythromycin and was superior in the eradication of S aureus, including antibiotic-resistant S aureus . These results show topical mupirocin to be a safe and effective alternative to oral antibiotic therapy in the treatment of impetigo.

J Surg Res, 1989 Aug, 47(2), 120 - 3
Enhancement of survival from murine polymicrobial peritonitis with increased abdominal abscess formation; Cheadle WG et al.; Muramyl dipeptide (MDP), a purified synthetic immune adjuvant, has been shown to increase murine intraabdominal abscess formation in a monomicrobial model using Bacteroides fragilis . This effect required live bacteria and was abolished by appropriate antibiotics . A polymicrobial model of peritonitis and abdominal abscess formation using Streptococcus fecalis, Escherichia coli, and B . fragilis was initially used to determine mortality rates at various concentrations and obtain an appropriate LD50 . Animals were then pretreated with MDP or its inert buffer and underwent intraperitoneal injection of the appropriate bacterial suspension . Mortality and abdominal abscess formation were then assessed at 2 weeks after injection . There was a significant reduction in mortality (P less than 0.03) in mice treated with MDP compared to the controls . In surviving animals, there was also a significant increase in the number of animals forming abscesses (P less than 0.05) following treatment with MDP . This study has shown that nonspecific immune stimulation by MDP provided enhanced protection against a polymicrobial intraperitoneal challenge and paradoxically increased the formation of abdominal abscesses at the same time . This may be regarded as enhancement of the natural history of survival from peritonitis via bacterial containment through intraabdominal abscess formation, a manifestation of beneficial outcome in experimental peritonitis.

J Pediatr Surg, 1989 Aug, 24(8), 815 - 7
Gamma-globulin enhances survival in pneumococcal-challenged asplenic infant rats; Ford EG et al.; Early augmentation of a patient's immune system can be a valuable adjunct to standard supportive and antibiotic treatment of overwhelming postsplenectomy sepsis (OPSS) . Normal humoral immune factors against pneumococcal sepsis are replenished by the parenteral administration of human gamma-globulin (HGG) . Monthly prophylactic administration of HGG to asplenic individuals to prevent OPSS has been suggested . The cost of such measures is prohibitive, and the risk of serum-transmitted disease is significant . We administered HGG to splenectomized infant rats with pneumococcal sepsis to determine if mortality rates could be reduced and survival time prolonged . Fifty-six three-day-old rats underwent splenectomy and another 56, laparotomy without splenectomy . Twenty-eight animals from each operative group were administered HGG and the other 28, human serum albumin (HSA), 12 and 24 hours after inoculation with varying dosages of log-phase Streptococcus pneumoniae . The LD50 for asplenic animals was less than 50 colony forming units (cfu) per animal, while for the group with spleens, the LD50 was 250 to 500 cfu . There were no significant intragroup variations in LD50 between HGG and HSA subgroups . Survival times were compared using the BMDP1L-Life Tables and Survival Functions, and the generalized Wilcoxon t-test . These data show that host immunity to pneumococcal challenge in asplenic infant animals might be fully restored by the administration of HGG, even after the onset of symptoms . Survival of an asplenic child with evidence of OPSS might be enhanced by immediate administration of HGG.

Vet Rec, 1989 Jul 15, 125(3), 60 - 3
Incidence of clinical mastitis on farms with low somatic cell counts in bulk milk; Schukken YH et al.; A total of 1140 clinical cases of mastitis, with at least one inflamed quarter, were reported on 125 farms with somatic cell counts in bulk milk less than 150,000/ml . The average annual incidence was 17.9 cases per 100 cows and ranged from none to 80 cases per 100 cows . The microorganisms most frequently isolated were Escherichia coli (16.2 per cent), coagulase negative staphylococci (13.0 per cent), Staphylococcus aureus (9.6 per cent) and Streptococcus uberis (8.0 per cent) . Only two cases of Streptococcus agalactiae were found . As the incidence of clinical mastitis increased, the proportion of S aureus also increased, while the proportions of E coli, S uberis and Streptococcus dysgalactiae remained about the same . Most of the clinical cases of mastitis occurred in early lactation, in November, December and January . However, after correction for the number of calvings per month, the incidence of mastitis was highest in the early summer months.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1989 Jul, 33(7), 1111 - 2
Penicillin susceptibility of Streptococcus pneumoniae in a private pediatric hospital in Houston, Texas; Caraway N et al.; Of 493 isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae, 14 were found to have decreased penicillin susceptibility as determined by the oxacillin disk test . Of these 14 isolates, 4 were relatively resistant by quantitative susceptibility studies and 1 was penicillin resistant (MIC, 2 micrograms/ml) . This is the first confirmed penicillin-resistant isolate in the Houston, Tex., area.

J Periodontol, 1989 Jul, 60(7), 396 - 401
Effect of periodontal status of rotary electric toothbrushes vs . manual toothbrushes during periodontal maintenance . II . Microbiological results; Murray PA et al.; We compared the use of a rotary electric toothbrush with conventional toothbrushing for their effectiveness in modulating the subgingival microbiota . Forty subjects who had received periodontal treatment for moderate to advanced periodontitis and were on 3-month periodontal maintenance were divided into two equal groups matched for age and sex . One group used only the rotary tooth cleaner and the other group used conventional toothbrushing, dental floss, and toothpicks for 12 months . Subgingival plaque samples (two sites per patient) were taken from 10 subjects per group at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months and analyzed for percentage of obligate anaerobes and colony-forming units of black-pigmented Bacteroides, Fusobacterium, Actinomyces, Streptococcus, and Veillonella spp . The percentage of spirochetes and motile rods was determined by darkfield microscopy . Results showed that levels of obligate anaerobes, Fusobacterium, and Actinomyces and percentage of spirochetes and motile rods decreased significantly (P less than 0.05), while levels of Streptococcus spp . increased (P less than 0.05) for both groups . However, there was no significant difference between the two groups, indicating that the rotary tooth cleaner and conventional toothbrushing are equally effective in controlling gingivitis and fostering a less pathogenic microflora.

Zentralbl Bakteriol, 1989 Jul, 271(2), 137 - 45
Type-specific antigen of Streptococcus rattus strains (KAY1, FA1 and BHT) . II . Ultrastructural localization; Ota F et al.; Streptococcus rattus strains (KAY1, FA1 and BHT) were examined by electron microscopy in whole cell-mounted samples and ultrathin sections for the localization of the type-specific antigen, using specific antiserum and ferritin-labelled anti-rabbit IgG as secondary antibody . In thin sections as well as whole cell-mounted samples the antigen was observed as irregular masses over the entire surface of the cells, in particular in the septal region between cells . The localization of the antigen was also examined in thin sections of a cell wall fraction prepared by treating the whole cells with glass beads in a disintegrator . Ferritin particles were observed around the outer surface, but not as many in number as those in whole cell-mounted or sectioned samples and rarely on the inner surface of the cell wall.

Rev Infect Dis, 1989 Jul-Aug, 11(4), 586 - 99
Community-acquired pneumonia requiring hospitalization: 5-year prospective study; Marrie TJ et al.; We studied all patients with community-acquired pneumonia who were admitted to our 800-bed adult acute care hospital from 1 November 1981 to 15 March 1987 . The 719 patients had a mean age of 63.2 years; 18% were admitted from nursing homes, and 18% required ventilatory assistance as part of the therapy for pneumonia . Patients with nursing home-acquired pneumonia were significantly older; had a higher mortality (40% vs . 17%); were more likely to be admitted in January; were less likely to complain of cough, fever, anorexia, chills, headache, nausea, sore throat, myalgia, or arthralgia; and were more likely to be confused than those admitted from the community . Pneumonia of unknown etiology and aspiration pneumonia were more common and Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection less common among those with nursing home-acquired pneumonia . Streptococcus pneumoniae accounted for 58% of the 48 cases of bacteremia . None of the bacteremic patients received antibiotics before admission, compared with 34% of the nonbacteremic patients . Aerobic gram-negative rod bacteremia was not more frequent among nursing home patients than among those from the community . The overall mortality was 21% (8.5% for those less than 60 years of age and 28.6% for those greater than 60 years old) . By multivariate analysis the following variables were significant predictors of mortality: number of lobes involved by the pneumonic process, number of antibiotics used to treat the pneumonia, age, admission from a nursing home, ventilatory support, and the number of complications that occurred while the patient was in the hospital.

J Clin Periodontol, 1989 Jul, 16(6), 347 - 52
Effects of 6 months use of an antiseptic mouthrinse on supragingival dental plaque microflora; Minah GE et al.; This study was undertaken to determine whether long-term use (6-months) of an antiseptic mouthrinse (Listerine Antiseptic, Warner Lambert Co., Morris Plains, NJ, USA) led to an undesirable succession of oral pathogens or the emergence of resistant microbial forms . Supragingival plaque was collected from 83 subjects before treatment and after either 3 or 6 months use of either the active antiseptic or a 5% hydroalcohol control . Subjects rinsed with their assigned mouthrinse twice daily under supervision . The plaque samples were analyzed for microbial content by darkfield microscopy, culture on a series of nonselective and selective bacterial media, and by recognition of microbial forms by recognition of distinct colony on a nonselective medium . Statistical analysis of the results revealed no significant microbial shifts including no significant increases in presumptive oral pathogens, spirochetes, black-pigmented Bacteroides, Streptococcus mutans, or Candida albicans . Additionally, no detectable rise in either staphylococci or enteric bacteria, potential opportunistic pathogens, was observed.

Immunology, 1989 Jul, 67(3), 419 - 24
Local oral immunization with synthetic peptides induces a dual mucosal IgG and salivary IgA antibody response and prevents colonization of Streptococcus mutans; Lehner T et al.; A small cell surface antigen of Streptococcus mutans was partially sequenced and the amino terminal peptides of 11, 15 and 20 amino acid residues and a dimer of the 15 and 20 residues peptides were synthesized . The synthetic peptides (SP) were used in topical oral immunization of the gingivomucosal epithelium of macaque monkeys . Sequential examination for antibodies over a period of up to 30 weeks revealed that six applications of the linear or cyclized SP11 and a random SP11 induced negligible or very low antibody levels . In contrast, the SP17 (SP15 with added cysteine at each terminus), SP21 (SP20 with one cysteine) and the dimer (SP35) induced significant anti-SP as well as anti-native streptococcal antibodies in the gingival fluid and in saliva . The functional significance of this immune response was examined by studying its effect on oral colonization of S . mutans following feeding of a carbohydrate-rich diet . Whereas control animals, sham-immunized with a random SP of 11 residues, showed increased colonization of the teeth by S . mutans, there was no colonization or a significant reduction in colonization of animals immunized with the cyclized SP17, linear SP21 or dimerized SP35 . These experiments suggest that local immunization with SP derived from the sequences of a streptococcal cell surface antigen induce a dual local immune response of gingival IgG and salivary IgA antibodies against the SP and native SA . These antibodies may be involved in preventing colonization of S . mutans, which is the principal agent in the development of dental caries.

J Infect Dis, 1989 Jul, 160(1), 76 - 82
Genetic analysis of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes with the use of DNA fingerprinting; Viering TP et al.; Molecular genetic similarities among a Streptococcus pneumoniae library were examined by comparing DNA restriction endonuclease banding patterns (fingerprints) after nuclease digestion and agarose gel electrophoresis . Densitometric scanning graphs of DNA fingerprints on photonegative film were compared for similarity, i.e., the percentage of shared bands . Comparison of serotypes 1, 3, 12, 14, and 25 revealed 54% +/- 9% similarity . Fingerprints within serogroups IX and XVIII did not differ from non-cross-reactive types . Intraserotypic comparison of strains of type 25 (n = 5) revealed 89% +/- 4% similarity . Five strains of type 3 were 75% +/- 19% similar; however, two of these strains had 96% similarity and three strains had 98% +/- 2% similarity, perhaps suggesting subtypes with serotype 3 . Substantial DNA fingerprint differences were found among serotypes and significantly greater similarity among strains of a given type . Thus, DNA analyses used on other gram-positive bacteria are applicable to pneumococci.

J Infect Dis, 1989 Jul, 160(1), 66 - 75
Prevention of pneumococcal bacteremia by immunization with type 6 pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide vaccine in splenectomized rats; Iinuma H et al.; Postsplenectomy sepsis is well recognized and prophylactic vaccination with pneumococcal polysaccharide is recommended . However, the efficacy of vaccination with the polysaccharide in splenectomized individuals is not clear . The effect of type 6 pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine on the clearance of pneumococci from the bloodstream and lung was studied in splenectomized rats as was survival after intravenous challenge with Streptococcus pneumoniae, serum opsonic activity, and specific antibody titer by ELISA . Rats immunized with type 6 pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine had significantly increased survival (P less than .05) and clearance of pneumococci from the bloodstream and lung (P less than .05) after intravenous challenge with S . pneumoniae, significantly higher serum opsonic activity (P less than .02), and increased specific IgG and IgM antibody titer to the type 6 polysaccharide compared with controls treated with saline . There was close correlation between IgG antibody titer to type 6 polysaccharide and opsonic activity (r = .95) . These results suggest that pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine is effective for preventing pneumococcal bacteremia in splenectomized hosts.

Infect Immun, 1989 Jul, 57(7), 2037 - 42
Reduced virulence of a defined pneumolysin-negative mutant of Streptococcus pneumoniae; Berry AM et al.; Insertion-duplication mutagenesis was used to construct a pneumolysin-negative derivative of Streptococcus pneumoniae . This was achieved by first transforming the nonencapsulated strain Rx1 with a derivative of the vector pVA891 carrying a 690-base-pair DNA fragment from the middle of the pneumolysin structural gene . DNA was extracted from the resultant erythromycin-resistant, pneumolysin-negative rough pneumococcus and used to transform S . pneumoniae D39, a virulent type 2 strain . Several erythromycin-resistant transformants were obtained from two independent experiments, and none of these produced pneumolysin . Southern blot analysis confirmed that the pneumolysin gene in these transformants had been interrupted by the plasmid-derived sequences . The pneumolysin-negative mutants showed reduced virulence for mice compared with D39, as judged by survival time after intranasal challenge, intraperitoneal 50% lethal dose, and blood clearance studies . Pneumolysin production was reinstated in one of the mutants by transformation with the cloned pneumolysin gene, with the concomitant loss of erythromycin resistance; the virulence in mice of this isolate was indistinguishable from that of D39 . These results confirm the involvement of pneumolysin in pneumococcal pathogenesis.

Infect Immun, 1989 Jul, 57(7), 2006 - 13
Effect of Streptococcus pneumoniae on human respiratory epithelium in vitro; Steinfort C et al.; A total of 11 of 15 Streptococcus pneumoniae culture filtrates and all five bacterial autolysates produced by cell death in the stationary phase caused slowed ciliary beating and disruption of the surface integrity of human respiratory epithelium in organ culture . This effect was inhibited by cholesterol and was heat labile and reduced by standing at room temperature but was stable at -40 degrees C . The activity was detected at the late stationary phase of culture and was associated with the presence of hemolytic activity . Gel filtration of a concentrated culture filtrate and autolysate both yielded a single fraction of approximately 50 kilodaltons which slowed ciliary beating and were the only fractions with hemolytic activity . Rabbit antiserum to pneumolysin, a sulfhydryl-activated hemolytic cytotoxin released by S . pneumoniae during autolysis, neutralized the effect of the culture filtrate on respiratory epithelium . Both native and recombinant pneumolysin caused ciliary slowing and epithelial disruption . Electron microscopy showed a toxic effect of pneumolysin on epithelial cells: cytoplasmic blebs, mitochondrial swelling, cellular extrusion, and cell death, but no change in ciliary ultrastructure . Recombinant pneumolysin (10 micrograms/ml) caused ciliary slowing in the absence of changes in cell ultrastructure . Release of pneumolysin in the respiratory tract during infection may perturb host defenses, allowing bacterial proliferation and spread.

Infect Immun, 1989 Jul, 57(7), 1968 - 70
Transformation of fluoride resistance genes in Streptococcus mutans; Chansley PE et al.; To study the nature of fluoride resistance in Streptococcus mutans, we transformed DNA extracted from fluoride-resistant mutants of S . mutans GS-5 into fluoride-sensitive cells of the same strain . Transformation with DNA from first-step mutants produced transformants with resistance to either 600 or 1,000 micrograms of sodium fluoride per ml, both of which are within the first-step resistance range (400 to 1,000 micrograms/ml) . In five of six of these transformation experiments, however, the transformant resistance levels were greater than those of their respective DNA donors . Transformation with DNA from a second-step mutant resistant to 1,600 micrograms/ml resulted in transformants resistant to 600 micrograms/ml, similar to some transformants receiving DNA from first-step mutants . When a second-step mutant resistant to 3,000 micrograms/ml was used as a DNA donor, four different levels of resistance were seen in the transformants (600, 1,000, 1,500, and 2,000 micrograms/ml) . In many cases, the growth rates of the transformants (first and second step) were faster than those of the DNA donors . Additionally, many of the transformants demonstrated abrupt shifts in growth rates at relatively low culture densities.

Minerva Pediatr, 1989 Jul, 41(7), 353 - 8
{Epidemiology of beta-hemolytic streptococcus group B colonization in perinatology . Methodology considerations and personal data}; Sani S et al.; GBS have attracted increasing attention in recent years as a major cause of serious neonatal sepsis . The maternal genital tract is the principal source of organism for babies with the most serious early onset form of disease . Reported rates of GBS carriage in the genital and anorectal tract of pregnant women vary widely: much of the variations is undoubtedly associated with differences in laboratory technique, sampling site and number of samples taken . The key bacteriological factor is the use of enrichment culture technique . We have studied GBS colonization in 274 pregnant women during labor and in their newborns (275) . Carriage was documented in 25.91% women by vaginal (low portion) and anorectal swabs, and in 6.14% newborns by auricolar, pharyngeal and rectal swabs taken at birth and before leaving nursery . The higher rectal colonization rate in pregnant women suggests that the gastrointestinal tract is the primary site of GBS carriage . Colonized newborns have no obstetrics risk factors, except for maternal GBS carriage . Our data confirms that limiting antimicrobial intrapartum prophylaxis to premature infants leaves term infants (who account for 60% of the fetal cases of early onset disease) unprotected, unless membrane rupture is prolonged . Prevention of early onset infections among low-risk term infants will require additional investigations.

Jpn J Antibiot, 1989 Jul, 42(7), 1685 - 704
{Clinical study of cefpodoxime proxetil dry syrup for skin and soft tissue infections in the field of pediatrics}; Motohiro T et al.; Concurrently with administering a newly developed cephem derivative antibiotic (CEP), cefpodoxime proxetil (CPDX-PR, CS-807) dry syrup, to children with skin and soft tissue infections, activities of 7 drugs against a group of microorganisms were tested . The drugs tested included 4 drugs of the cephem group, R-3746, a Na-salt form of CPDX, cefaclor (CCL), cephalexin (CEX) and cefadroxil (CDX), and 3 drugs of the penicillin group, ampicillin (ABPC), methicillin (DMPPC) and cloxacillin (MCIPC) . The bacterial strains tested were 71 strains of Staphylococcus aureus and 1 strain of Streptococcus pyogenes, all isolated from the above cases of pediatric infections . Inoculum sizes used in these tests were 10(6) and 10(8) cfu/ml . Ages of children in those cases to which the drug was administered ranged from 2 months to 15 years . A total of 66 cases were treated, including 60 cases of impetigo, 5 cases of subcutaneous abscess and 1 case of phlegmon . The drug was administered for an average of 6 days with a daily average dose level of 9.4 mg/kg divided into 3 doses except 1 case where a twice daily dose regimen was used . Clinical and bacteriological effects were examined, and the occurrence of adverse reactions and abnormal laboratory test results were recorded . The results of these tests are summarized below . 1 . The activity test for R-3746 (Na-salt of CPDX) against 71 strains of S . aureus performed at an inoculum level of 10(8) cfu/ml showed 2 peaks of MIC values, one in a range of 1.56 to 6.25 micrograms/ml and the other higher than 100 micrograms/ml . The most prevalent MIC value was 3.13 micrograms/ml with MIC against 51 strains or 71.8% of the strains tested showing this value, and MIC values of 25 micrograms/ml or higher were obtained for 13 strains or 18.3% of the strains tested . The MIC80 was 6.25 micrograms/ml . Thus, R-3746 showed an antibacterial activity slightly weaker than MCIPC and DMPPC but similar to CCL, CEX and CDX . MIC values obtained at an inoculum level of 10(6) cfu/ml also had 2 peaks, one in a range of 1.56 to 3.13 micrograms/ml and the other higher than 25 micrograms/ml . Strains against which R-3746 had the MIC value of 3.13 micrograms/ml were the most numerous with 47 strains or 66.2%, and strains against which the MIC value of higher than 25 micrograms/ml was obtained were next with 13 strains or 18.3%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Biull Eksp Biol Med, 1989 Jul, 108(7), 74 - 6
{Monoclonal antibodies cross-reacting with fibroblasts of interstitial connective tissue of the myocardium and cell wall protein antigens of group A Streptococcus}; Abyzov VN et al.; Monoclonal antibodies (MCA) B6/5 and C5/3 were obtained after immunization of BALB/c mice with the protein non-type-specific antigens (NTSA) of streptococcal group A cell wall . MCA B6/5 in the indirect immunofluorescence react with human and animal interstitial connective tissue (ICT) of the myocardium and human fibroblast culture cells . MCA C5/3 react with the bands of muscle fibers of the myocardium . MCA B6/5 and C5/3 are autoantibodies . It was revealed that these MCA are directed to two streptococcal cross-reacting antigens (CRA) . Production of B6/5 and C5/3, apparently, does not depend on the possibility of some streptococcal antigens to bind fibrinogen . Bound immunoglobulins were not revealed in the ICT and in the muscle fibres by the cultivation of the C5/3 monoclone . Firstly it was stated that, MCA B6/5, reacting with fibroblasts and with streptococcal CRA, are capable to fix in the ICT of myocardium, what is typical for the phenomenon described in rheumatic fever.

J Infect, 1989 Jul, 19(1), 57 - 9
Pneumococcal cellulitis: a rare manifestation of pneumococcaemia in adults; Peters NS et al.; An elderly woman with rheumatoid arthritis of 8 years duration and for which she was receiving indomethacin, developed multifocal cellulitis with subsequent necrosis . Streptococcus pneumoniae type 1 was isolated from her blood and from blister fluid . Previous reported cases are summarised.

Am J Vet Res, 1989 Jul, 50(7), 1175 - 9
Effects of glycolytic and cytoskeletal inhibitors on phagocytic and nitroblue tetrazolium reductive activities of bovine neutrophils; Silva ID et al.; Phagocytic and oxidative metabolic activities of bovine blood neutrophils were determined in the presence of glycolytic (NaF) and cytoskeletal (colchicine, cytochalasin B, and prostaglandin E1) inhibitors . Phagocytosis and post-phagocytic oxidative metabolic activity, measured by nitroblue tetrazolium reduction, were determined using zymosan, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, or Streptococcus agalactiae . Sodium fluoride (1.25 microM to 1.25 mM concentrations) did not significantly (P greater than 0.05) inhibit phagocytosis of S aureus and Str agalactiae, whereas phagocytosis of zymosan and E coli was significantly (P less than 0.05) inhibited only at 1.25 mM concentration . Colchicine at 1.25 nM to 1.25 microM concentrations significantly inhibited phagocytosis of zymosan and E coli, but not of S aureus and Str agalactiae . Cytochalasin B at 1.25 nM to 1.25 microM concentrations significantly inhibited phagocytosis of zymosan and all 3 bacteria, whereas prostaglandin E1 was noninhibitory at similar concentrations . Nitroblue tetrazolium reduction, in general, was not significantly affected by NaF and cytoskeletal inhibitors.

Rev Infect Dis, 1989 Jul-Aug, 11 Suppl 5, S1212 - 9
Quinolones in the treatment of lower respiratory tract infections; Thys JP et al.; Because of their antimicrobial activity and pharmacologic properties, fluoroquinolones should be particularly suitable for the treatment of lower respiratory tract infections, although they might be less efficient in pneumococcal diseases . In fact, the overall clinical success rate of enoxacin, ofloxacin, pefloxacin, and ciprofloxacin is greater than 85%, and their efficacy compares favorably with that of other antibiotics . For acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis, however, beta-lactam or macrolide agents probably remain a first choice unless sputum reveals gram-negative pathogens; in the same way, drugs other than quinolones seem better indicated in community-acquired pneumonia because of the prevalence of Streptococcus pneumoniae in these infections . In contrast, nosocomial pulmonary infections due to gram-negative pathogens should be excellent candidates for therapy with new quinolones . These drugs, used with or without erythromycin and rifampin, might be useful in the treatment of legionnaires' disease.

Clin Microbiol Rev, 1989 Jul, 2(3), 285 - 314
Streptococcal M protein: molecular design and biological behavior; Fischetti VA; M protein is a major virulence determinant for the group A streptococcus by virtue of its ability to allow the organism to resist phagocytosis . Common in eucaryotes, the fibrillar coiled-coil design for the M molecule may prove to be a common motif for surface proteins in gram-positive organisms . This type of structure offers the organism several distinct advantages, ranging from antigenic variation to multiple functional domains . The close resemblance of this molecular design to that of certain mammalian proteins could help explain on a molecular level the formation of epitopes responsible for serological cross-reactions between microbial and mammalian proteins . Many of the approaches described in the elucidation of the M-protein structure may be applied for characterizing similar molecules in other microbial systems.

FASEB J, 1989 Jul, 3(9), 2062 - 6
Effects of microbial challenge on sleep in rabbits; Toth LA et al.; Rabbits challenged with viable Staphylococcus aureus exhibit marked time-dependent changes in sleep patterns . To examine the generality of this observation, we monitored sleep patterns for 24 h before and for 48 h after intravenous inoculation of rabbits with Streptococcus pyogenes, Escherichia coli, or Candida albicans . All three agents produced complex time-dependent changes in sleep . Inoculation with S . pyogenes or C . albicans increased the time spent in slow-wave sleep (SWS) during h 4-20 after challenge . Electroencephalographic delta wave amplitudes (DWA) increased during h 4-8 after injection, but decreased during h 24-38 after inoculation . Altered sleep patterns were not observed when similar doses of heat-killed organisms were administered . In contrast, inoculation with E . coli produced a large increase in both SWS time and DWA for the first 2-4 h after inoculation . DWA then decreased from 6 to 32 h after inoculation . Similar effects occurred when heat-killed E . coli were administered . Rapid eye movement sleep was reduced by all three agents . These data demonstrate that altered sleep patterns occur in response to infectious challenge in rabbits, and that these changes are related to the type of infectious organism involved.

J Bacteriol, 1989 Jul, 171(7), 4019 - 25
Isolation of a coaggregation-inhibiting cell wall polysaccharide from Streptococcus sanguis H1; Cassels FJ et al.; Coaggregation between Streptococcus sanguis H1 and Capnocytophaga ochracea ATCC 33596 cells is mediated by a carbohydrate receptor on the former and an adhesin on the latter . Two methods were used to release the carbohydrate receptor from the gram-positive streptococcus, autoclaving and mutanolysin treatment . The polysaccharide released from the streptococcal cell wall by either treatment was purified by ion-exchange chromatography; this polysaccharide inhibited coaggregation when preincubated with the gram-negative capnocytophaga partner . After hydrolysis of the polysaccharide by hydrofluoric acid (HF), the major oligosaccharide of the polysaccharide was purified by high-performance liquid chromatography . By analysis of the HF hydrolysis of the polysaccharide and the purified oligosaccharide, this major oligosaccharide appeared to be the repeating unit of the polysaccharide, with minor components resulting from internal hydrolysis of the major oligosaccharide . Gas chromatography results showed that the oligomer was a hexasaccharide, consisting of rhamnose, galactose, and glucose, in the ratio of 2:3:1, respectively . By weight, the purified hexasaccharide was a fourfold-more-potent inhibitor of coaggregation than the native polysaccharide . Resistance to hydrolysis by sulfuric acid alone and susceptibility to hydrolysis by HF suggested that oligosaccharide chains of the polysaccharide are linked by phosphodiester bonds . Studies with a coaggregation-defective mutant of S . sanguis H1 revealed that the cell walls of the mutant contained neither the polysaccharide nor the hexasaccharide repeating unit . The purification of both a polysaccharide and its constituent hexasaccharide repeating unit, which both inhibited coaggregation, and the absence of this polysaccharide or hexasaccharide on a coaggregation-defective mutant strongly suggest that the hexasaccharide derived from the polysaccharide functions as the receptor for the adhesin from C . ochracea ATCC 33596.

Circulation, 1989 Jul, 80(1), 206 - 14
Background of the prevention of cardiovascular disease . II . Arteriosclerosis, hypertension, and selected risk factors; Paul O; The prevention of cardiovascular disease antedates our current preoccupation with risk factors for coronary heart disease and hypertension . Indeed, earlier preventive efforts have in part been so successful that many people have forgotten that they existed . The almost forgotten entity, beriberi heart disease, was first prevented in 1883 by Takaki of Japan . With diphtheria, it was the identification of the causative bacillus by Klebs in 1883, leading finally to the development of diphtheria toxoid by Ramon in 1923, which resulted in the disappearance of diphtheritic heart disease . Success in the attack on syphilitic heart and vascular disease began with Bordet and Gengou in 1901 with the discovery of the phenomenon of complement fixation, and with the formulation of Salvarsan by Ehrlich in 1907 . The story of the prevention of rheumatic fever has a large cast of characters, but special recognition must be given to Coburn for his observations confirming the role of the hemolytic streptococcus published in 1931 and showing the prophylactic value of sulfanilamide published in 1939 . The important association of maternal rubella with congenital heart malformations was revealed by Gregg in 1941 . Alcoholic heart disease was identified particularly by Brigden and Evans in 1957 and 1959, respectively . In relation to coronary and hypertensive heart disease, the names of Anitschkow (1933), Leary (1935), and Keys (1948) in relation to diet, of Freis (1967) in the field of hypertension treatment, of White (1927) in relation to physical exercise, and of English, Willius, and Berkson (1940) and Hammond and Horn (1954) in the role of cigarette smoking, deserve special recognition.

Ann Emerg Med, 1989 Jul, 18(7), 785 - 7
Subgaleal abscess: an unusual presentation; Wiley JF 2nd et al.; We report a case of subgaleal abscess formation in a 16-year-old boy with varicella and minor head trauma . He presented four weeks after injury with left-sided scalp swelling and periorbital edema . There was no break in the skin over the involved area . Diagnosis was made on the basis of prolonged swelling, an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and computed tomography that showed a subgaleal fluid collection . Aspirated material grew Group A beta-hemolytic Streptococcus . Subgaleal abscess formation without an overlying wound is previously unreported . Management of subgaleal abscess usually requires operative debridement and IV antibiotics . However, in our patient, needle aspiration and oral antibiotics sufficed.

Rev Cubana Estomatol, 1989 Jul-Sep, 26(3), 191 - 206
{Streptococcus mutans: its relation to cariogenic activity}; Rodriguez Miro MJ et al.; This research was carried out with the purpose of learning about relationship between degree of infection by Streptococcus mutans in saliva and prevalence of caries and further incidence in a one year term . A total of 931 children aged 2-3 years of Havana City and Sancti Spiritus Province, and 10 different series of school children aged 6-12 years of both provinces, with a total of 848 children, were studied . A direct significant relationship between degree of infection by S . mutans and prevalence of caries (percentage of affected children and co/COPD index) was found in the groups under study . Likewise, in the relationship between previous degree of infection and incidence of caries, differences were significative in children aged 2-3 years and in six of the 10 series of school children, with a correlation (r) of 0.216 . It is analyzed that despite that degree of infection by Streptococcus mutans is the parameter with higher correlation with cariogenic activity, its predictive value is not enough by itself, therefore, a joint valuation with other parameters also related to cariogenic activity is required, in order to be able to reach necessary validity in the prognosis.

Arch Intern Med, 1989 Jul, 149(7), 1596 - 9
Central nervous system infections in the elderly; Behrman RE et al.; Review of records of patients aged 65 years and older admitted to The Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY, during the period from 1970 through 1985 revealed 57 episodes of central nervous system infections, including 50 meningitides, 5 brain abscesses, 1 subdural empyema, and 1 epidural abscess . Predisposing conditions were present in 17 patients with meningitis, and concurrent infections occurred in 19 patients . Streptococcus pneumoniae accounted for 43% of all isolates; 25% were gram-negative organisms . Of the patients in this sample, fever was present in 100%, meningismus was present in 58%, and change in mental status was present in 86% . Sixty-five percent of patients with meningitis survived; increased mortality was associated with altered mental status, inappropriate initial antibiotic therapy, and hypoglycorrhachia . Delay in diagnosis, underlying disease, and bacteremia did not significantly alter outcome . All patients with focal infections presented with localizing signs and all survived.

Infect Immun, 1989 Jul, 57(7), 2079 - 85
Isolation and characterization of the Streptococcus mutans gtfD gene, coding for primer-dependent soluble glucan synthesis; Hanada N et al.; Two glucosyltransferase genes from Streptococcus mutans GS-5, gtfB and gtfC, have been previously isolated and sequenced in this laboratory . In the present communication a third gtf gene, gtfD, was isolated and characterized . Isolation of the gene involved a novel procedure utilizing the integration plasmid pVA891 . A peptide expressed by the 1.7-kilobase DNA fragment from strain NHS1 (containing deletions in both the gtfB and gtfC genes) was initially identified in a pUC18 clone bank with antiglucosyltransferase antibodies . This fragment was integrated into the GS-5 chromosome following ligation into pVA891 and transformation, yielding strain DP2 . The vector together with one complete and one incomplete copy of the gtfD gene was removed from the chromosome of strain DP2 following EcoRI digestion, religation, and transformation of E . coli HB101 . The resultant plasmid, pNH4, expressed glucosyltransferase S (GTF-S) activity . The enzyme was purified to near homogeneity and was shown to synthesize water-soluble glucan exclusively in a primer-dependent manner . The molecular mass (155 kilodaltons) and the kinetic parameters of the purified enzyme were similar to those observed for the GTF-S enzyme previously purified from culture fluids of strain GS-5 . Insertional inactivation of the gtfD gene indicated that this gene is not required for in vitro sucrose-dependent adherence to smooth surfaces . Furthermore, inactivation of the gtfD gene in a gtfC gtfB mutant indicated that three distinct gtf genes involved in glucan formation are present on the S . mutans GS-5 chromosome . Southern blot analysis further suggested that the gtfD gene does not share demonstrable homology with the gtf genes from Streptococcus sanguis or Streptococcus sobrinus.

J Gen Microbiol, 1989 Jul, 135 ( Pt 7), 2055 - 63
Purification and characterization of cell-associated glucosyltransferase synthesizing insoluble glucan from Streptococcus mutans serotype c; Mukasa H et al.; Streptococcus mutans Ingbritt (serotype c) was shown to have a significant amount of cell-associated glucosyltransferase activity which synthesizes water-insoluble glucan from sucrose . The enzyme was extracted from the washed cells with SDS, renatured with Triton X-100, adsorbed to 1,3-alpha-D-glucan gel, and then eluted with SDS . The enzyme preparation was electrophoretically homogeneous, and the specific activity was 7.3 i.u . (mg protein)-1 . The enzyme had an Mr of 158,000 as determined by SDS-PAGE, and was a strongly hydrophilic protein, as judged by its amino acid composition . The enzyme gradually aggregated in the absence of SDS . The enzyme had an optimum pH of 6.5 and a Km value of 16.3 mm for sucrose . Activity was stimulated 1.7-fold by dextran T10, but was not stimulated by high concentrations of ammonium sulphate . Below a sodium phosphate buffer concentration of 50 mm, activity was reduced by 75% . This enzyme synthesized an insoluble D-glucan consisting of 76 mol% 1,3-alpha-linked glucose and 24 mol% 1,6-alpha-linked glucose.

Tohoku J Exp Med, 1989 Jul, 158(3), 227 - 35
Transthoracic needle aspiration of the lung in respiratory infections; Kohno S et al.; Transthoracic needle aspiration of the lung in guinea pigs with experimental pseudomonas pneumonia was evaluated . The number of bacteria in aspirates correlated well with that of bacteria in the lungs which showed diffuse pneumonia (10(7) inoculum group) . The number of deaths of experimental animals increased together with an increase of the times of aspiration . This procedure was also investigated in 16 patients of pneumonia and 17 patients of pulmonary abscess . The isolation rate of pathogen from pneumonia was 31.3% and that from pulmonary abscess 58.8% . A higher isolation rate was obtained with purulent aspirates . Predominantly anaerobic bacteria were isolated, and in pulmonary abscess usually in association with other bacteria . This method could be applied with success, for determining responsible pathogens . Even the normal oropharyngeal flora such as alpha-Streptococcus could be identified as pathogens . The complication rate was relatively low (6 out of 33 patients, 18.2%) including hemoptysis as a major one and pneumothorax or bloody sputum as minor ones . Transthoracic needle aspiration was reevaluated in experimental and clinical materials and was found to be an excellent and safe method for determining the responsible pathogen of respiratory infection.

Infect Immun, 1989 Jul, 57(7), 2210 - 3
Glucan-binding domain of a glucosyltransferase from Streptococcus sobrinus: isolation of a 55-kilodalton peptide from a trypsin digest of glucosyltransferase prebound to insoluble glucan; Kobayashi S et al.; We isolated a glucan-binding domain of water-insoluble glucan synthase (GTF-I) of Streptococcus sobrinus B13 . Mild trypsin digestion of GTF-I bound to a water-insoluble glucan (IG) produced one predominant large fragment (55 kilodaltons) . The fragment was easily recovered in IG precipitate . The isolated fragment had the same degree of affinity to IG as did the native GTF-I but no glucan synthesis activity . By the same method, a similar 55-kilodalton fragment was protected for GTF-Sd but not for GTF-Si . Immunological comparisons using specific antisera against the purified glucan-binding fragment of GTF-I from strain B13 indicated that GTF-I and GTF-S have a distinct glucan-binding domain.

Mech Ageing Dev, 1989 Jul, 49(1), 87 - 92
Effect of Streptococcus lactis preparation in diet of mice on inhibiting age-dependent loss of superoxide dismutase activity in tissues; Abe N et al.; SL-diet was prepared using commercial pellets supplemented with 1% pulverized Streptococcus lactis (SL) . SL fed group of ICR strain mice were bred from 8 weeks up to 75 weeks . End-point age for survival in these mice was approximately 75 weeks . No significant differences in survival rate were observed at 75 weeks between the commercial diet and SL-diet group . The superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in the liver, brain and erythrocytes of 75-week-old mice significantly decreased compared with those aged 10 weeks . Cu.Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD activities in the liver and brain of SL-diet mice were maintained in similar degree in the juvenile group, however, decreased significantly in the commercial diet group . SOD in erythrocytes was slightly decreased and no significant difference was noted in either group.

Mikrobiyol Bul, 1989 Jul, 23(3), 251 - 4
{Staphylococcus aureus infection in Apis mellifera L . (honeybees)}; Keskin N; The causative agent of American foulbrood is Bacillus larvae, the causes of the European foulbrood diseases are Streptococcus pluton and Bacillus alvei and the causes of the septicemia are Pseudomonas apiseptica and Escherichia coli in honeybees (Apis mellifera) . Apart from the above causative agents in this study, Staphylococcus aureus has been isolated and identified from honeybees (Apis mellifera).

J Immunol Methods, 1989 Jun 21, 120(2), 167 - 71
Quantitation of IgG antibody to Streptococcus pneumoniae vaccine by ELISA and FAST-ELISA using tyraminated antigen; Boctor FN et al.; We examined two ELISA methods for measuring antibodies to Streptococcus pneumoniae using tyraminated S . pneumoniae polysaccharide types 3, 7N, 9F and 14 as antigens . The ELISA has the usual format with a relatively long incubation time whereas the FAST-ELISA has a short incubation time and employs a different solid-phase configuration . We showed that both techniques can be used for the detection of antibodies to S . pneumoniae polysaccharides . Although its analytical sensitivity is about 1/10 of that of the ELISA, the FAST-ELISA is sufficiently sensitive to distinguish protective from unprotective levels of antibodies to the types of S . pneumoniae studied . In studying pre- and post-immunization response, we showed that type 3 is the most immunogenic.

J Mol Biol, 1989 Jun 20, 207(4), 841 - 2
Crystallization of the DpnM methylase from the DpnII restriction system of Streptococcus pneumoniae; Cerritelli S et al.; Three proteins, two DNA methylases and an endonuclease, from the DpnII restriction system of Streptococcus pneumoniae recognize the DNA sequence 5' GATC 3' but have very different amino acid sequences, which make them interesting subjects for structural determination . A purification procedure was developed that conveniently yields milligram amounts of the DpnM methylase . The DpnM protein tends to precipitate at reduced ionic strength, and this property was exploited to yield well-formed bipyramidal crystals . By X-ray diffraction, the crystals of DpnM were found to be orthorhombic, with cell dimensions a = 56.9 A, b = 68.2 A, c = 84.5 A; systematic absences identify the space group as P2(1)2(1)2(1) . Diffraction extends beyond 3 A, so the crystals may allow structural determination at atomic resolution.

FEBS Lett, 1989 Jun 5, 249(2), 383 - 8
Homology between surface protein antigen genes of Streptococcus sobrinus and Streptococcus mutans; Takahashi I et al.; The structural gene (pag gene) for a 210 kDa protein antigen of Streptococcus sobrinus serotype g was cloned and compared with that (pac gene) of a 190 kDa protein antigen of Streptococcus mutans serotype c . Immunodiffusion analysis revealed that the product of the pag gene immunologically cross-reacted with that of the pac gene . Southern blot and nucleotide sequence analyses revealed that a significant homology existed between the middle regions of the two structural genes.

Med J Aust, 1989 Jun 5, 150(11), 626 - 7, 630-1
The emergence of erythromycin resistance in Streptococcus pyogenes in Fremantle, Western Australia; Stingemore N et al.; Erythromycin resistance in Streptococcus pyogenes is unusual except in Japan . Since January 1, 1985, a dramatic increase has occurred in the prevalence of erythromycin-resistant Strept . pyogenes infections in the outpatients who have presented to Fremantle Hospital, Western Australia . In 1985, 1% of isolates of Strept . pyogenes was erythromycin-resistant . This had risen to 9.1% of isolates in 1986 and to 17.6% of isolates in 1987 . Several M- and T-types of Strept . pyogenes were involved . Treatment failure now can be expected when erythromycin is prescribed for the treatment of common infections in outpatients at this hospital . Laboratories that use disc methods of antimicrobial susceptibility testing may not detect erythromycin resistance in these organisms.

J Biol Chem, 1989 Jun 5, 264(16), 9592 - 601
N5-(L-1-carboxyethyl)-L-ornithine:NADP+ oxidoreductase from Streptococcus lactis . Purification and partial characterization; Thompson J; N5-(L-1-Carboxyethyl)-L-ornithine:NADP+ oxidoreductase (EC 1.5.1.-) from Streptococcus lactis K1 has been purified 8,000-fold to homogeneity . The NADPH-dependent enzyme mediates the reductive condensation between pyruvic acid and the delta- or epsilon-amino groups of L-ornithine and L-lysine to form N5-(L-1-carboxyethyl)-L-ornithine and N6-(L-1-carboxyethyl)-L-lysine, respectively . The five-step purification procedure involves ion-exchange (DE52 and phosphocellulose P-11), gel filtration (Ultrogel AcA 44), and affinity chromatography (2',5'-ADP-Sepharose 4B) . Approximately 100-200 micrograms of purified enzyme of specific activity 40 units/mg were obtained from 60 g of cells, wet weight . Anionic polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed a single enzymatically active protein band, whereas three species (pI 4.8-5.1) were detected by analytical electrofocusing . The purified enzyme is active over a broad pH range of 6.5-9.0 and is stable to heating at 50 degrees C for 10 min . Substrate Km values were determined to be: NADPH, 6.6 microM; pyruvate, 150 microM; ornithine, 3.3 mM; and lysine, 18.2 mM . The oxidoreductase has a relative molecular mass (Mr = 150,000) as estimated by high pressure liquid chromatography exclusion chromatography and by polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis . Conventional gel filtration indicated an Mr = 78,000, and a single protein band of Mr = 38,000 was revealed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis . The enzyme is composed of identical subunits of Mr = 38,000, which may associate to yield both dimeric and tetrameric forms . Polyclonal antibody to the purified protein inhibited enzyme activity . The amino acid composition of the enzyme is reported, and the sequence of the first 37 amino acids from the NH2 terminus has been determined by stepwise Edman degradation.

Lijec Vjesn, 1989 Jun-Jul, 111(6-7), 209 - 12
{Quality control of erythrocyte concentrates in 6 transfusion centers in Croatia}; Grgicevic D et al.; Quality control of red cell concentrates (RCC) was performed in six Blood Transfusion Centres in Croatia . Between 1.5 and 3.7% of the produced or/and used RCC were examined . Large differences in volume and haematocrit were found between red cell concentrates . 63.2% of concentrates had a volume larger than 225 ml . The mean haematocrit was 65.5%, and a haematocrit above 65% was observed in 51.6% of RCC . From 3.5% of RCC bacteria were isolated (gram positive coccus, Staphylococcus albus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Streptococcus haemolyticus) . The quality of RCC was not found to be satisfactory . In order to improve their quality procedures for their production, standards and legal requirements have to be established.

Taiwan Yi Xue Hui Za Zhi, 1989 Jun, 88(6), 589 - 94
Association between dental caries prevalence and Streptococcus mutans among 13-year-old children; Chia JS et al.; The prevalence of caries associated prevalence with Streptococcus mutans in saliva and pooled plaque was investigated among 13-year-old Chinese children . In conjunction with saliva sampling simplified greatly by adopting the oral rinse method, an initial threshold value of 10(4) colony forming units (cfu) per ml of rinse was established on the basis of the S . mutans counts from 27 caries-free individuals . The results of the present study showed that, of the total 58 children, 67.3% had S . mutans counts above the threshold value in their saliva, and they developed significantly more decayed surfaces (D) and decayed, missing, filled surfaces (DMFS) than did the children below this value . The association between caries activity and S . mutans counts either in saliva or in pooled plaque samples was even stronger when only decayed surfaces were taken into account . In addition, the detection frequency of S . mutans (81.8%) was higher in saliva than in the pooled plaque samples (43.2%) . This may demonstrate that saliva is more sensitive than dental plaque in predicting caries activity . The most prevalent biotypes of the S . mutans strains observed in this study were c and d . The results of this study indicate a significant association of S . mutans levels with caries prevalence . In the estimation of salivary S . mutans levels, the rinse method offered an easy and rapid identification for children with high caries risk and proved to be very practicable for epidemiological study on a larger scale.

Brain Behav Immun, 1989 Jun, 3(2), 160 - 70
Alteration of antibody response to pneumococcal polysaccharide type III in rats by neonatal immobilization stress; Taylor CE et al.; Our previous studies showed that stressing newborn animals by immobilization during the first 2 weeks of life caused significant changes in the capacity of adult rats to respond to stress as measured by the adrenal and circulating levels of catecholamines . In this report the effect of stress on the antibody response to the capsular polysaccharide of Type III Streptococcus pneumoniae (SSS-III) was investigated in two different strains of rats: Sprague-Dawley (SD) and Fischer (F) 344 rats . Animals were stressed 1 h each day for a total period of 10 days . Following this period of stress, animals were reared together along with littermate controls up to 40 days of age, when they were immunized with an optimally immunogenic dose of SSS-III . The results of experiments done with SD rats showed a substantial suppression of the antibody response when the response of the neonatally stressed animals was compared to the controls . In contrast, stressing adult SD animals for 10 days, followed by a 3-week recovery period prior to immunization with SSS-III, did not result in any significant (p greater than .05) suppression of antibody response . When F rats were used, the antibody response of the neonatally stressed rats was also significantly (p less than .05) lower than that of the controls . Thus, the effects of chronic, immobilization stress on antibody response can be long-lasting when the stressor is applied during the neonatal period.

Pediatr Dent, 1989 Jun, 11(2), 129 - 32
Screening preschool children for dental caries using a microbial test; Edelstein B et al.; The present report describes the usefulness of a microbial caries screening test in a population of children younger than 6 years . Two hundred children presenting to a private pediatric dental office were screened for Streptococcus mutans using a test adapted for the dental office . The numbers of S . mutans colonies were recorded semiquantitatively and carious lesions were assessed clinically and radiographically . Ninety-three per cent of children with caries were positive on the test (sensitivity), while 57% of the infected children had caries (specificity) . Uninfected children were almost always caries free (predictive value negative 95%) . The results also showed an increasing percentage of children with caries in groups of children with increasing infection level . These findings are consistent with both the central role of S . mutans in caries initiation and the multifactorial nature of caries development . The dramatically better results in the present report may reflect a closer correlation between caries activity and S . mutans infection in younger than in older children . Microbial screening may be useful for identification of young children infected with cariogenic microorganisms so that preventive and therapeutic treatments can be tailored to the needs of individual patients.

Oral Microbiol Immunol, 1989 Jun, 4(2), 65 - 70
Effect of a bacteriocin-producing strain of Streptococcus sobrinus on infection and establishment of Streptococcus mutans on tooth surfaces in rats; Kitamura K et al.; The effect of bacteriocin produced by Streptococcus sobrinus MT6223 on infection and establishment of Streptococcus mutans MT6222 was studied in specific pathogen-free rats . These strains were isolated from a carious lesion of a single subject . S . mutans MT6222 was found to be susceptible to the growth inhibitory action of S . sobrinus MT6223 . When simultaneously inoculated into the oral cavity of rats, even a small inoculum (10(5) CFU) of S . sobrinus MT6223 completely inhibited colonization of S . mutans MT6222 on the tooth surface . Also, S . sobrinus MT6223 eliminated S . mutans MT6222 when MT6223 (10(8) CFU) was inoculated 2 days after the inoculation of 10(8) CFU cells of MT6222 . Similar results were obtained in dental plaque samples from the tooth surface and the fissures of the upper molars at the end of the experiment . However, when S . sobrinus MT6223 (10(8) CFU) was inoculated 2 weeks after the inoculation of S . mutans MT6222 (10(8) CFU), MT6223 coexisted with MT6222 . However, the plaque samples showed that MT6223 inhibited the establishment of MT6222 on smooth surfaces, but not in fissures . In addition, MT6223 protected against subsequent infection with MT6222 . However, a nonbacteriocinogenic mutant of S . sobrinus MT6223 did not inhibit the infection and establishment of S . mutans MT6222.

Oral Microbiol Immunol, 1989 Jun, 4(2), 106 - 11
Interaction between surface protein antigens of Streptococcus mutans and human salivary components; Russell MW et al.; The potential involvement of surface antigens (Ags) I/II and III of Streptococcus mutans in its adherence to salivary pellicle-coated tooth surfaces was investigated . The binding of radiolabelled Ag I/II to hydroxyapatite was increased by pretreating the mineral with human parotid saliva, and binding was maintained in the continuous presence of saliva . Binding of Ag III to hydroxyapatite was inhibited by pretreatment with, or in the presence of, saliva . Various aminohexoses, and also tris, inhibited the binding of Ag I/II . When Ags I/II and III were tested for their ability to bind to salivary components separated by SDS gel electrophoresis, several proteins capable of binding Ag I/II were identified, notably 2 proteins of apparent relative molecular mass 28,000 and 38,000 . Analysis of these proteins, isolated by micro-preparative electrophoresis, indicated high proportions of proline, glycine, and glutamic acid, and overall compositions similar to basic proline-rich salivary proteins.

Eur J Pediatr, 1989 Jun, 148(7), 648 - 9
Haemolytic-uraemic syndrome associated with Streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis; Martinot A et al.; We report the first case of Haemolytic-uraemic syndrome (HUS) associated with Streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis . This supports a common pathogenic mechanism in HUS following infections by neuraminidase-producing organisms and in pneumococcal meningitis . We recommend that HUS must be considered in cases of renal failure and/or anaemia associated with pneumococcal meningitis, and that bacterial meningitis be considered in all patients with HUS and central nervous system involvement.

South Med J, 1989 Jun, 82(6), 699 - 704
Nosocomial sepsis in the neonatal intensive care unit; Kotloff KL et al.; During a 12-month study of the causes of and risk factors for nosocomial sepsis in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), we detected 23 episodes of nosocomial sepsis in 20 of the 155 infants at risk who were hospitalized in the NICU for at least one week . The associated mortality was 20% . Gram-positive organisms accounted for 15 (65%) of the episodes . Low birth weight, multiple gestation, and prolonged hospitalization were significant risk factors for nosocomial sepsis by univariate analysis; together, these three factors correctly predicted 80% of the infants with sepsis and 82% of the control subjects . By logistic regression analysis, however, length of stay was not a significant risk factor, but rather a confounding variable that was highly associated with birth weight . Analysis of risk factors for nosocomial sepsis showed that previous antibiotic therapy placed an infant at risk for candidemia; assisted ventilation was a risk factor for sepsis caused by group D Streptococcus and Candida albicans . Sepsis was related to infected or malfunctioning intravascular catheters in nine of the 20 infants with sepsis . Further investigation to determine strategies for preventing nosocomial septicemia in the low birth weight infant is warranted.

Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol, 1989 Jun, 98(6), 426 - 8
Bacteriology of chronic maxillary sinusitis in adults; Brook I; Aspirates of 72 chronically inflamed maxillary sinuses were processed for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria . Bacterial growth was present in 66 of the 72 specimens (92%) . Anaerobic bacteria were isolated in 58 of the 66 culture-positive specimens (88%) . Anaerobes only were recovered in 37 cases (56%) and in 21 (32%) they were mixed with aerobic or facultative bacteria . Aerobic or facultative bacteria were present in eight cases (12%) . A total of 185 isolates (2.8 per specimen)--131 (2.0 per specimen) anaerobes and 54 (0.8 per specimen) aerobes or facultatives--were isolated . The predominant anaerobic organisms were anaerobic cocci and Bacteroides sp, and the predominant aerobes or facultatives were Streptococcus sp and Staphylococcus aureus . Twelve of the 27 Bacteroides sp that were tested for beta-lactamase (44%) produced the enzyme . These findings indicate the major role of anaerobic organisms in chronic sinusitis.

Am J Med, 1989 Jun, 86(6 Pt 2), 776 - 9
Community-acquired bacteremia in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: clinical presentation, bacteriology, and outcome; Krumholz HM et al.; PURPOSE: Community-acquired bacteremia is an easily treatable infection occurring in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) . Although other studies have reported bacterial infections in AIDS patients, none have clearly described the clinical presentation of these patients . In this survey, we sought to define how frequently AIDS patients presented to our institution with community-acquired bacteremia; which organisms and sources of bacteremia were involved; the frequency that these patients presented with abnormal vital signs and white blood cell counts; and the in-hospital outcome of these patients . PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively identified patients with AIDS hospitalized at San Francisco General Hospital in the 16 months between August 1986 and December 1987 in whom a positive blood culture was drawn within 24 hours of admission . Each of the patient's charts was reviewed for demographic data, relevant past medical history, clinical admission information, laboratory data, and discharge status . RESULTS: We identified 44 episodes of community-acquired bacteremia in 38 patients with AIDS . These episodes represented approximately 5% of the admissions of patients with AIDS . The patients were young (mean age, 38 +/- 7 years), homosexual (43 of 44), and in some cases intravenous drug users (nine of 44) . On admission, only 57% of the patients were febrile (temperature greater than 38.3 degrees C) and 23% of the patients presented with normal vital signs . Twenty-seven percent were neutropenic (less than 1,000 neutrophils/mm3) . The most common sources of the bacteremia were pneumonia (10), an indwelling central venous line (eight), and cellulitis (seven) . A total of 14 patients had no apparent source . Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Escherichia coli were the most common organisms . Only four of the 44 patients died during their hospitalization . CONCLUSION: We conclude that patients with AIDS and community-acquired bacteremia can present to the hospital without abnormal vital signs or white blood cell counts . Clinicians cannot depend on these data to assist them in excluding the possibility of bacteremia in patients with AIDS . In addition, due to the variety of organisms found in our survey, we recommend that broad-spectrum antibiotics should be the empiric therapy in patients with a suspected bacterial infection.

J Bacteriol, 1989 Jun, 171(6), 2942 - 8
Concentration-dependent repression of the soluble and membrane components of the Streptococcus mutans phosphoenolpyruvate: sugar phosphotransferase system by glucose; Hamilton IR et al.; Growth of Streptococcus mutans Ingbritt in continuous culture (pH 7.0, dilution rate of 0.1 h-1) at medium glucose concentrations above 2.6 mM resulted in repression of the sugar-specific membrane components, enzyme IIGlc (EIIGlc) and EIIMan, of the phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system (PTS) . In one experiment, significant repression (27-fold) was observed with 73 mM glucose when the glycolytic capacity of the cells was reduced by only 2-fold and when the culture was still glucose limited . In a more comprehensive experiment in which cells were grown in continuous culture at eight glucose concentrations from 2.6 to 304 mM, in addition to repression of specific EII activities for glucose, mannose, 2-deoxyglucose, and fructose, synthesis of the general protein, EI, was repressed at all glucose levels above 2.6 mM to a maximum of 4-fold at 304 mM glucose when the culture was growing with excess glucose (i.e., nitrogen limited) . The other PTS general protein, HPr, was less sensitive to the exogenous glucose level but was nevertheless repressed fourfold under glucose-excess conditions . The Km for glucose for EIIGlc increased from 0.22 mM during growth at 3.6 mM glucose (glucose limited) to 0.48 mM at 271 mM glucose (glucose excess) . The shift from heterofermentation to homofermentation during growth with increasing glucose levels suggests the involvement of glycolytic intermediates, ATP, or another high-energy phosphate metabolite in regulation of the synthesis of the PTS components in S . mutans.

Pathol Biol (Paris), 1989 Jun, 37(5 Pt 2), 629 - 34
{Rapid determination of bactericidal kinetics by evaluating intracellular adenosine-triphosphate in bioluminescence}; Bonte M et al.; Killing kinetics measurement is usually time-consuming and tedious . Bioluminescent adenosine-triphosphate (ATP) assay, after intracellular nucleotide release by bacterial lysis, selects very quickly normal from antibiotic-modified and dead bacteria . Two simultaneous assays are performed with more and less strong lysis reagents (nucleotide releasing bacterial NRB, nucleotide releasing somatic NRS, Lumac) . Bioluminescence produced in a luciferine - luciferase system is measured with Biocounter M 2010 luminometer . Differential values of two assays reflect the intracellular ATP fraction of strongest bacteria in tested cultures . Killing curves of some beta lactamines (aminopenicillin and cephalosporins) were studied with active Escherichia coli and Streptococcus pneumoniae cultures . Bactericidal action was seen within few hours, and similar variations of intracellular ATP fraction and numbers of colony-forming units obtained by reference method were observed . This method, well-suited to large series of assays and very rapid (intracellular ATP assay within one minute), performs detailed killing kinetics in real time.

Aust N Z J Med, 1989 Jun, 19(3), 248 - 9
Streptococcus pyogenes pneumonia with abscess formation; McIntyre HD et al.; A 30-year-old female with mild asthma presented with high fever, hypotension, pleuritic chest pain, vomiting and diarrhea . Chest radiograph showed consolidation of the right upper lobe, and S . pyogenes was cultured from blood and sputum . Following initial rapid recovery the patient relapsed ten days after antibiotics were ceased, with rapid development of a large abscess cavity . Clinical improvement occurred following reinstitution of treatment including intravenous penicillin . Progressive radiological resolution eventuated during outpatient follow-up . This case demonstrates that S . pyogenes pneumonia may occur without an antecedent viral infection or major predisposing condition, cause rapid cavitation despite antiobiotic therapy and resolve satisfactorily with prolonged penicillin therapy.

Rev Clin Esp, 1989 Jun, 185(1), 14 - 8
{A quick test of latex agglutination for diagnosing streptococcal pharyngitis and predictive value of the clinical picture}; Diz Dios P et al.; One hundred and sixty patients with symptoms suggestive of pharyngitis were prospectively studied . The responsible agent in 24% of the cases was streptococcus B haemolyticus group A (EGA) with a clear predominance of female (64%) over male (36%) patients . The greatest number of infections by S . Pyogenes was observed in the age group between 5 and 9 years . No positive cases were found in children less than 3 years old . Utilizing the quick latex agglutination test and comparing the results to those obtained with conventional cultures, a diagnostic fiability of 91% was reached, with 94% specificity, 82% sensibility, 82% PPV, and 94% NPV . These results together with the simplicity and convenience of the technique confirm the usefulness of this diagnostic method . No clinical symptom can be significantly related to streptococcus B haemolyticus pharyngitis . The diagnosis based on the clinical picture has turned out inefficient.

Am J Vet Res, 1989 Jun, 50(6), 864 - 7
Uterine clearance mechanisms during the early postovulatory period in mares; LeBlanc MM et al.; Uterine response to inoculation with Streptococcus zooepidemicus organisms, 51Cr-labeled 15-microns microspheres, and charcoal was evaluated in 9 mares (4 resistant and 5 susceptible to endometritis) to determine mechanical and cellular clearance rates during the early postovulatory period . Mares were inoculated at estrus prior to ovulation during estrous cycles 1, 3, and 5 . Uterine swab specimens for aerobic and anaerobic bacteriologic culture and serum for progesterone determination were obtained on postovulation day 3 during estrous cycle 1, on the day of ovulation during estrous cycle 3, and on postovulation day 5 during estrous cycle 5 . Immediately thereafter, the uterus was irrigated with 50 ml of sterile physiologic saline solution containing tracer amounts of 125I-labeled human serum albumin . Streptococcus zooepidemicus was isolated from 10 of 15 (67%) uterine specimens collected from susceptible mares and incubated aerobically . Escherichia coli also was isolated from 2 of the 10 specimens incubated aerobically . Anaerobic bacteriologic culture of specimens from all mares yielded no growth . Chromium-labeled microspheres were recovered twice from 2 susceptible mares, on day 0 and day 5 . Charcoal was retained in 5 specimens collected from 3 susceptible mares . Bacteriologic culture of specimens from resistant mares did not yield growth . On day 0, chromium-labeled microspheres and charcoal were recovered once from 1 resistant mare . Mares susceptible to endometritis accumulated more fluid within the uterine lumen after ovulation than did resistant mares (mean +/- SEM, 52.73 +/- 15.22 ml and 7.41 +/- 1.96 ml, respectively; P less than 0.01) . From this study, it appeared that uterine cellular and bactericidal mechanisms are dysfunctional during the early postovulatory period . However, there appeared to be no disruption of the mechanisms responsible for mechanical clearance of materials inoculated in the uterus.

FEMS Microbiol Lett, 1989 Jun, 50(3), 279 - 82
Genetic and antigenic comparison of Streptococcus mutans fructosyltransferase and glucan-binding protein; Aduse-Opoku J et al.; The genes for fructosyltransferase (ftf) and glucan-binding protein (gbp) of Streptococcus mutans strain Ingbritt have been cloned in E . coli using bacteriophage and plasmid vectors . A single ftf gene appears to be responsible for the appearance of several FTF of different electrophoretic mobilities . Despite the fact that both ftf and gbp proteins synthesise fructans from sucrose in S . mutans and shown closely similar electrophoretic mobilities and isoelectric points, the restriction maps of the two genes are distinct, their DNAs do not hybridise and there is no immunological cross-reaction between the two proteins.

J Appl Bacteriol, 1989 Jun, 66(6), 535 - 41
Comparison of properties of collected cells and cells from the culture vessel during continuous culture of Streptococcus mutans Ingbritt; Mayo JA et al.; In continuous-culture studies chemostat effluents are usually collected into a receiving flask in an ice bath to obtain enough cells for an experiment . It is assumed that the properties of these are not significantly different from those of the culture in the chemostat vessel . This assumption has been tested for the dental pathogen Streptococcus mutans Ingbritt . Collected supernatant fluid and cells were compared with supernatant fluid and cells taken directly from the culture vessel, for four major groups of culture properties: viability and biomass, concentrations of metabolites and nutrients, activities of selected enzymes, and glycolytic rates . The assumption held true except for glycolytic rate during endogenous metabolism . It is suggested that comparison of collected and culture vessel cells is an important control which should be done in all continuous culture studies of microbial physiology and biochemistry, but that the properties of Strep . mutans cells collected on ice up to 16 h do reflect those of cells actively growing in the chemostat.

Ann Plast Surg, 1989 Jun, 22(6), 479 - 83
Skin graft survival--the bacterial answer; Perry AW et al.; An in vitro wound model was created to determine the mechanism by which bacteria cause skin graft failure . A wound surface was simulated by a human fibrin clot . Staphylococcus aureus or group A streptococcus was incubated over the clot . Either saline, human plasminogen, aprotinin, or epsilon-aminocaproic acid (EACA), or a combination of these, was added to the tubes . After 30 hours, the tubes were examined for the presence of the clot . The supernatant was then examined for the presence of fibrin degradation products (FDP) . S . aureus was incapable of destroying the fibrin clot without the presence of plasminogen in the culture media . Group A streptococcus was capable of some clot degradation, but this was markedly improved in the presence of plasminogen . High FDP levels correlated with the destruction of the clot . Both aprotinin and EACA were capable of preserving the fibrin clots . In this study we carefully controlled the chemical and bacterial milieu on a simulated wound.

Rev Med Chil, 1989 Jun, 116(6), 514 - 9
{Identification of group B beta hemolytic Streptococcus in infections of adults and children}; Fernandez A et al.; The frequency of isolation of group B beta-hemolytic streptococcus was investigated in samples from the skin, genitourinary tract and respiratory tract in adults and children, in 2 periods, 1977-79 and 1984-86 . Hydrolysis of sodium hippurate or bile and sensitivity to bacitracin were used to identify the germ . Serologic group was confirmed by coagglutination . The incidence of isolation increased from 6.1% (n = 18) to 28.7% (n = 119) from the first to the second period, ranking second among all S groups . Isolation from blood and from spinal fluid in newborns was observed only in the second period.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1989 Jun, 86(12), 4731 - 5
Identification of a high-virulence clone of type III Streptococcus agalactiae (group B Streptococcus) causing invasive neonatal disease; Musser JM et al.; Chromosomal genotypes of 128 isolates of six serotypes (Ia, Ib, Ic, II, Ic/II, and III) of Streptococcus agalactiae (group B Streptococcus) recovered predominantly from human infants in the United States were characterized by an analysis of electrophoretically demonstrable allelic profiles at 11 metabolic enzyme loci . Nineteen distinctive electrophoretic types (ETs), representing multilocus clonal genotypes, were identified . Mean genetic diversity per locus among ETs of isolates of the same serotype was, on average, nearly equal to that in all 19 ETs . Cluster analysis of the ETs revealed two primary phylogenetic divisions at a genetic distance of 0.65 . A single clone (ET 1) represented by 40 isolates expressing type III antigen formed division I . Division II was composed of 18 ETs in three major lineages diverging from one another at distances greater than 0.35 and included strains of all six antigenic classes . The type III organisms in division I produce more extracellular neuraminidase and apparently are more virulent than the type III strains in division II, which are related to strains of other serotypes that cause disease much less frequently . The existence of this unusually virulent clone accounts, in major part, for the high morbidity and mortality associated with infection by type III organisms.

Obstet Gynecol, 1989 Jun, 73(6), 966 - 70
A model of bacterially induced umbilical vein spasm, relevant to fetal hypoperfusion; Hyde S et al.; From experience with placental pathology and autopsies, we hypothesize that infected amniotic fluid may produce umbilical cord and placental surface vasospasm, reduced fetal perfusion, and perinatal asphyxia, morbidity, and mortality . We tested the hypothesis by a preliminary investigation with group B beta-hemolytic streptococcus, a common cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality . Our methods included suspension of isolated human umbilical vein segments in a 30-mL organ bath with modified Krebs solution, pH 7.3-7.4, under continuous aeration by 95% O2 and 5% CO2 at 37C . The vessels were attached to an isometric transducer which was connected to a polygraph . We tested Krebs solution, sterile culture medium, group B streptococcus spent medium, and washed whole group B streptococcus bacteria . Contractility was compared with results produced by 10(-5) M serotonin . The average contraction produced by 30 microL/mL group B streptococcus spent medium was 40.8% of that produced by serotonin . Whole washed bacteria produced 8.6% of the serotonin contraction . Krebs solution and sterile culture medium did not stimulate vascular contraction . Intraperitoneal injection of group B streptococcus spent medium in mice at four times the maximal experimental dose had little effect . Boiling group B streptococcus spent medium failed to affect its vasoactive stimulatory properties . We conclude that in vitro, group B streptococcus synthesizes a heat-stable, non-protein exotoxin that causes human umbilical vein contraction.

Z Stomatol, 1989 Jun, 86(4), 179 - 89
{Anticaries effectiveness of D(+)-galactose}; Lembke A et al.; The influence of different galactose concentrations on the cariogenic effect of Streptococcus mutans (strains: DSM 20381 and DSM 20523) in a sucrose diet (33%) was examined in an animal experiment . The treated Wistar rats were free of pathogenic germs at the beginning of the experiment . The experimental conditions were approximately in accordance with the "Consensus statement" of the American Dental Association . The sides of the teeth, the amount of film, the abrasion of the chewing surfaces, the amount of surface and fissure caries and the animals general condition were evaluated . The anticaries effectiveness of galactose is dependent on its concentration: 5.0% galactose reduces the amount of caries on a high significance level, lowers the abrasion of the chewing surfaces, possibly because of the increased amount of serum calcium related to this galactose concentration, and diminishes the amount of film . 1.5% galactose prevents caries significantly and strongly reduces the amount of film; 0.5% galactose reduces the amount of caries non-significantly, but diminishes the amount of film . The effect is based on the property of galactose to occupy the receptors of the pellicle (layer of glycoprotein on the tooth enamel), hence the adherence of specific germs (for example, Streptococcus mutans) ceases in whole or in part.

Aichi Gakuin Daigaku Shigakkai Shi, 1989 Jun, 27(2), 473 - 93
{Cariogenicity of Propionibacterium acnes, Streptococcus intermedius and Streptococcus mutans in germ-free rats}; Ogawa A; A comparative study has been made on the cariogenic potentials of Propionibacterium acnes ATCC 11828, Streptococcus intermedius OE-1 and Streptococcus mutans OZ-1 . The strains of P . acnes and S . intermedius have chondroitinase activity . As metabolic end-products, the P . acnes strain produces mainly a weak acid, propionic acid, whereas strong lactic acid is the main product of the strains of S . intermedius and S . mutans . Five germ-free rats were used for infection with each bacterial strain . The rats were fed with a 25% sucrose diet for 100 days and then sacrificed . The upper and lower molars were used for the determination of the smooth surface caries score . The right upper and lower jaws were used for the preparation of sections which were employed for the determination of the fissure caries score and microradiography . The left upper and lower jaws were decalcified and used for the preparation of thin sections for staining with Gram's, hematoxilin eosin, Mallory's, alcian blue-PAS, silver and toluidine blue stain . The results obtained were as follows: 1 . The recoveries of infected cells in the specimens obtained by swabbing the oral cavities were in the order of 10(4) CFU/mg wet weight regardless of the strains injected . 2 . Macroscopically, the P . acnes strain decalcified to a lesser extent some of the enamel surfaces of the lower molars . However, the S . intermedius strain produced mainly the fissure caries of the lower molars . The S . mutans strain destroyed the enamel extensively, resulting in the induction of rampant carious lesions . 3 . The caries scores of smooth surface determined by Keyes's method were 19.4 +/- 7.8, 46.8 +/- 5.8 and 118.4 +/- 15.4 in the rats infected with the strains of P . acnes, S . intermedius and S . mutans, respectively . The fissure caries score determined by the modified Konig's method were 8.5, 22.3 and 36.5 in the sections prepared from the rats infected with the strains of P . acnes, S . intermedius and S . mutans, respectively . 4 . Microradiography revealed no translucent area in the enamel and dentine of the P . acnes-infected molars, while in the S . intermedius-infected molars translucent areas were found at the dentino-enamel junction neighboring the bottoms of some fissures . The S . mutans-infected molars showed extensive translucent areas over the enamel and dentine of all of the molars . Even defects of the enamel and dentinal areas were observed in some of the molars . 5 . The decalcified tooth sections were stained in a similar manner irrespective of the type of organisms used to infect them.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Nippon Shishubyo Gakkai Kaishi, 1989 Jun, 31(2), 380 - 402
{Chemiluminescence and phagocytic reactions of human nuclear leukocytes incubated with Streptococcus sanguis}; Kobayashi N et al.; This experiment was designed to determine the role of indigenous organisms in gingival inflammation of the oral cavity, The test bacteria consisted of 3 strains of Streptococcus sanguis isolated from plaque at the gingival margin and grown in sure culture . These strains were subsequently designated as A, B and C . Peripheral nuclear leukocytes were isolated from 5 test subjects with clinically healthy gingiva . Luminol-dependent chemiluminescence and phagocytic functions of the 3 strains were measured, with the following results obtained . The mean peak value of luminol-dependent chemiluminescence following stimulation for strain A was 80.8 in the presence of serum, 38.8 in the presence of inactivated serum, and 20.5 in the absence of serum . For strain B it was 82.3 in the presence of serum, 6.4 in the presence of inactivated serum, and 2.5 in the absence of serum . For strain C it was 68.1 in the presence of serum, 65.3 in the presence of inactivated serum, and 8.3 in the absence of serum . In the absence of plasma strains A and B showed slight phagocytosis . In strain C, however, no phagocytosis was noted . In the presence of inactivated serum phagocytosis was increased strains A and B, but no phagocytosis was noted in strain C . In the presence of blood . phagocytosis was increased in strains A and B, but no phagocytosis was noted in strain C.

Oralprophylaxe, 1989 Jun, 11(2), 43 - 8
{Diet and plaque}; Banoczy J; In summary, many sugar substitutes have a direct effect on dental plaque formation and, therefore, also an indirect effect on hard tooth substance . Short-and long-term clinical studies have shown that xylitol reduces dental plaque . Short-term clinical tests have also demonstrated that sorbitol reduces plaque formation, probably due to retardation of acid formation . With time, this effect, however, diminishes due to adaptation of the microorganisms . Streptococcus mutans count and acid formation in dental plaque are favourably influenced by sugar substitutes, especially by the consumption of xylitol . The effect of sugar substitutes on dental plaque plays an important role for the anticariogenic and caries-reducing mode of action . The development of both caries and periodontal diseases can be favourably influenced by reduced plaque formation.

Indian J Dermatol, 1989 Jun, 34(2), 25 - 31
Bacteriology of pyodermas and antibiograms of pathogens; Singh G et al.; One hundred and seventy six cases of various clinical types of pyodermas were investigated to find the causative organism of the disease . Folliculitis formed the largest clinical group followed by infectious eczematoid dermatitis, secondary infection, furuncles, impetigo, ecthyma and carbuncle in descending order of frequency . A total of 189 micro-organisms were isolated from the specimens examined . A single infecting organism was isolated from 74.43% and more than one type of organism from 16.48% of cases . Coagulase positive staphylococcus (73.02%) was the predominant species followed by beta-haemolytic streptococcus (26.98%) . Coagulase positive staphylococcus was isolated from 109 (61.93%), beta-haemolytic streptococcus from 22 (12.5%) and both these organisms from 29 (16.48%) cases . The antibiotic resistance pattern showed maximum resistance to penicillin followed by ampicillin . None of the strain was found to be resistant to kanamycin . Low percentage of strains were found to be resistant to streptomycin, oxytetracycline, trimethoprim, cloxacillin, erythromycin, chloramphenicol, cephalexin, gentamycin and neomycin.

FEMS Microbiol Immunol, 1989 Jun, 1(6-7), 397 - 9
Secretor status and dental caries in Iceland; Holbrook WP et al.; The proportion of non-secretors of ABH blood-group substances among Icelanders is one of the highest recorded for European countries . Dental caries prevalence is also very high . In this study of dental caries in young adults mean number of decayed, missing and filled teeth for secretors were 17.4 and for non-secretors 19.9 (P less than 0.05) . A majority of patients seeking free dental treatment in the Dental School were non-secretors (62.7%) significantly more than the proportion of non-secretors in the general population (36%; P less than 0.01) . It is postulated that blood group substances may interfere with the adherence of Streptococcus mutans to teeth.

Nichidai Koko Kagaku, 1989 Jun, 15(2), 166 - 71
Diversity of surface protein antigen A gene in the chromosomal DNA of Streptococcus sobrinus; Abiko Y et al.; A recombinant plasmid, pYA724, containing an 8.45-kb DNA fragment encoding surface protein antigen A (spaA) from Streptococcus sobrinus 6715 was used to examine the DNA homology of the spaA gene with chromosomal DNA of Streptococcus sobrinus B13N . Restriction endonuclease BamHI-digested pYA724 DNA was 32P radio-labeled by nick-translation, and a Southern blot DNA-DNA hybridization experiment was carried out . pYA724 DNA hybridized with a BamHI fragment of B13N chromosomal DNA, and the size of this fragment was larger than 8.45 kb . The chromosomal DNA was digested with BamHI-Pst I, BamHI-Hind III, and BamHI-Sal I, and analyzed by Southern blot DNA hybridization . pYA724 DNA hybridized with different sizes and numbers of DNA fragments of B13N chromosomal DNA; however, the sizes were not identical to those of internal fragments expected from the pYA724 restriction map . SpaA gene clone derivative plasmids, pYA745 and pYA756, were digested with EcoRI and Hinc II, respectively, and electrophoresed together with the digested B13N chromosomal DNA on the same gel; then Southern blot analysis was carried out . Fragments with sizes corresponding to the EcoRI or HincII internal fragments of pYA745 and pYA756 were not observed among the B13N fragments . These data indicate that serotype d S . sobrinus B13N has DNA homologous with the spaA gene from serotype g strain 6715, although within the same biotype strain has a diversity of arrangement within the chromosome.

Am J Dent, 1989 Jun, 2(3), 74 - 6
Antibacterial effects of light-cured liners; DeSchepper EJ et al.; Light-cured liners and glass ionomers have recently been introduced and it has not been established if they are antimicrobial . This study determined the effectiveness of several light-cured liners against Streptococcus mutans #6715 . Fluoride release and pH determination tests were performed to define their antibacterial activity . After evaluation with agar diffusion methodology, two of the light-cured glass ionomers were considered inhibitory . These two liners released fluoride into the agar in excess of the minimum inhibitory value of 20 ppm . The other four materials released fluoride below reported inhibitory values, failed to lower the pH below 4.0 and were ineffective against Streptococcus mutans . The findings suggested that light-cured glass ionomers react similarly to conventionally-cured glass ionomers regarding antibacterial activity against Streptococcus mutans . It also indicated that antibacterial activity was dependent upon a lower pH . Fluoride release may not be as important to the mechanism of action; however, it cannot be ruled out.

J Bacteriol, 1989 Jun, 171(6), 3068 - 73
Bacteriophage association of streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin type C; Goshorn SC et al.; A gene encoding streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin type C (SPE C) was isolated from bacteriophage DNA derived from Streptococcus pyogenes CS112 . The gene, designated speC2, was shown to reside near the phage attachment site of phage CS112 . A restriction endonuclease map of the CS112 phage was generated, and the location and orientation of the speC2 gene were determined . Hybridization analyses of eight SPE C-producing strains revealed restriction fragment length polymorphism of the speC gene-containing DNA fragments and further showed that each speC was linked to a common CS112 phage-derived DNA fragment.

Infect Immun, 1989 Jun, 57(6), 1740 - 5
Cloning and expression of the streptococcal C5a peptidase gene in Escherichia coli: linkage to the type 12 M protein gene; Chen CC et al.; A genomic library of Streptococcus pyogenes CS24 DNA was constructed by cloning streptococcal DNA partially digested with Sau3A into the lambda replacement vector EMBL3 . The expression of streptococcal C5a peptidase (SCP) was analyzed by radioimmunoassay with hyperimmune rabbit serum . Two clones, lambda 4.1 and lambda 4.2, were found to express the desired antigen, and various DNA fragments from the hybrid bacteriophage lambda 4.1 were subcloned into the plasmid vector pUC9 in Escherichia coli . One of the recombinant plasmids, designated pTT1, contained a 5.8-kilobase (kb) streptococcal DNA insert . Analysis of total cellular protein from this E . coli clone by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western (immuno-) blotting identified a 140,000-Mr protein, similar in size to the native protein purified from S . pyogenes . Cloned SCP was functionally active, as shown by its ability to inhibit C5a-mediated chemotaxis . By deletion analysis with both restriction endonucleases and BAL 31 nuclease, the SCP gene was localized to a 4.3-kb segment of DNA . Southern hybridization experiments showed that the type 12 M protein-coding sequence is also present in the hybrid phage lambda 4.1, at approximately 2 kb upstream of the SCP structural gene . Western blot analysis indicated that the cloned streptococcal DNA in lambda 4.1 directed the expression of both SCP and M12 protein.

J Gen Microbiol, 1989 Jun, 135 ( Pt 6), 1431 - 9
Dissimilar effects of Na+ and K+ on the promotion of glucosyltransferase secretion in Streptococcus salivarius; Pitty LJ et al.; A defined growth medium (designated AP11), in which the concentrations of Na+ and K+ could be altered independently of one another, was developed for Streptococcus salivarius ATCC 25975 . The addition of 100 mM-Na+ to AP11-medium containing 25 mM-K+ initially reduced the rate of expression of extracellular glucosyltransferase (GTFe) . However, once S . salivarius had adaptated to grow in the presence of 100 mM-Na+, the rate of GTFe expression was stimulated . In fact once adapted to the presence of Na+ in the environment the same increase in the rate of enzyme expression was observed in all batch cultures irrespective of the K+ concentration (2-50 mM) . At 2 mM-K+ there was no change in the level of saturation of the membrane lipids when the Na+ concentration was increased from 0 mM to 100 mM . Na+-stimulation of GTFe expression was confirmed in non-proliferating cell suspensions at different K+ concentrations . In non-proliferating cell suspensions, GTFe expression outlined a rectangular hyperbola with respect to K+ concentration when the K+ concentration was stepped up from 2 mM . The increase in GTFe synthesis and secretion was transient and was similar to that previously reported by us in Na+-rich medium, though it did not reach the same high levels . The reduced transient stimulation of GTFe expression correlated both with an enrichment in the saturated fatty acids of the membrane lipids of S . salivarius, and with the fact that the degree of saturation was only slightly reduced when the K+ concentration was stepped up from 2 mM to 50 mM . Needless to say, the final octadecenoic to octadecanoic (C18:1/C18:0) fatty acid ratio retained its direct correlation with the transient increase in GTFe production following the step up in K+ concentration, giving rise to an apparent biphasic plot when combined with that previously reported.

Int J Food Microbiol, 1989 Jun, 8(3), 293 - 7
Impedimetric determination of activity of disinfectants and detergents on Listeria: preliminary study; Cordier JL et al.; The efficiency of several disinfectants or detergents against three strains of Listeria monocytogenes, one strain of Listeria innocua and two strains of Streptococcus group D was tested in water as well as in the presence of milk, whey and salt by an impedimetric method using a Bactometer M120 . Certain synergistic effects between active agents and matrix could be observed . Differences in sensitivities were noticed amongst the tested strains . Products containing iodine, peroxide or quaternary ammonium as active agents were shown to be efficient, even at relatively low concentrations.

Nippon Geka Gakkai Zasshi, 1989 Jun, 90(6), 819 - 25
{Study of in vitro OK432-induced IFN-gamma production in patients with gastric and esophageal cancers: comparison with in vitro skin tests}; Matsumoto H et al.; In the present study, we measured in vitro production of IFN-gamma induced by OK432 in peripheral mononuclear cells (PMC) and investigated the relationship between the skin reaction to Su-Ps, an extract of Streptococcus Pyogenes, and purified protein derivative (PPD) and the productibility of IFN-gamma in patients with gastric and esophageal cancers . PMC isolated with the Ficoll-conray centrifugation technique were adjusted to 10(6) cells/ml in RPMI-1640 medium supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum and incubated over 7 days at 37 degrees C in the presence of OK432 at 0.17 KE/ml in microculture plates . IFN-gamma secreted in the supernatants was measured consecutively during the observation period with radioimmunoassay . The results are summarized as follows . 1 . The production of IFN-gamma in PMC from patients with negative skin reaction to Su-Ps and PPD was significantly decreased as compared with the value obtained from patients who were positive in these skin tests (p less than 0.001) . 2 . In vitro production of IFN-gamma induced by OK432 was significantly correlated with the degree of skin tests to Su-Ps and PPD as well (r = 0.48, r = 0.41, p less than 0.01, respectively) . Thus, it is concluded that the assay of IFN-gamma produced in PMC cultures is useful to evaluate the immunological status of patients with cancer.

Mol Gen Genet, 1989 Jun, 217(2-3), 384 - 91
Secretory expression in Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis of human interferon alpha genes directed by staphylokinase signals; Breitling R et al.; A DNA segment covering the signal sequence coding region, the ribosome binding site, and the promoter of the staphylokinase (sak) 42D gene (Behnke and Gerlach 1987) was cloned into pUC19 to form a portable expression-secretion unit (ESU) . Fusion of human interferon alpha 1 (hIFN alpha 1) and hybrid hIFN alpha 1/2 genes to this sak ESU resulted in secretory expression of the two gene products in both Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis . While most of the IFN alpha was exported to the periplasmic space of E . coli, about 99% was secreted to the culture medium by recombinant B . subtilis strains . The total yield in E . coli was 1.2 x 10(5) IU/ml . This level of expression and export led to instability of the recombinant strains that was spontaneously relieved in vivo by inactivation of the sak ESU through insertion of an IS1 element . No such instability was observed with B . subtilis although expression and secretion levels reached even 3 x 10(6) IU/ml . Proteolytic degradation of IFN alpha by extracellular proteases was avoided by a combination of constitutive expression and secretion during the logarithmic growth phase and the use of exoprotease-reduced host strains . The IFN alpha 1 protein purified from B . subtilis culture supernatant was correctly processed, carried the expected 11 amino acid N-terminal elongation that resulted from DNA manipulations and proved to be homogenous in Western blotting experiments . The same recombinant plasmid that directed efficient secretion of hIFN alpha 1 in B . subtilis gave poor yields when introduced into Streptococcus sanguis.

Semin Respir Infect, 1989 Jun, 4(2), 133 - 8
Bacterial pneumonia in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection; Chaisson RE; Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is associated with abnormalities of humoral immunity that result in an increased incidence of bacterial pneumonia . From 2% to 10% of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-associated pneumonia is caused by encapsulated bacteria . Clinical features are usually typical of community-acquired pneumonia and include fever, productive cough, and chest pain . Focal radiographic infiltrates, an elevated WBC count, and mild hypoxemia are commonly observed . Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilis influenzae, other Streptococcus species, and Branhamella catarrhalis are the predominant organisms . Bacteremia is frequent, especially with S pneumoniae infections . Despite a rapid response to antibmicrobial agents, many patients experience recurrences . Prevention of bacterial infections with prophylactic antibiotics and immunizations is recommended for selected HIV-infected patients.

Infect Immun, 1989 Jun, 57(6), 1865 - 7
Group A streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin (scarlet fever toxin) type A and blastogen A are the same protein; Schlievert PM et al.; Group A streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxins A, B, and C (also known as scarlet fever toxins and erythrogenic toxins) were evaluated for relatedness to another streptococcus-derived lymphocyte mitogen, blastogen A . Streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin A and blastogen A were immunologically cross-reactive and shared the same molecular weight, N-terminal amino acid sequence, and capacity to stimulate rabbit splenocyte proliferation nonspecifically.

J Cereb Blood Flow Metab, 1989 Jun, 9(3), 381 - 7
Brain acidosis in experimental pneumococcal meningitis; Andersen NE et al.; Purulent meningitis is a serious disease that often has a lethal outcome or gives lasting complications due to brain damage . The processes causing brain dysfunction or damage are still not uncovered nor are the reasons for the characteristic increase of CSF lactate, or the decrease of glucose levels and of pH . We studied rabbits with experimentally induced purulent meningitis (Streptococcus pneumoniae) . Ten hours after the inoculation into cisterna magna the rabbits developed symptoms of meningitis, with stiffness of the neck, tachypnea, and fever . The CSF level of lactate and the number of leukocytes were significantly increased and the glucose level was decreased . Brain interstitial pH, as measured by ion selective microelectrodes, was significantly decreased from the normal level of 7.4 to 6.9 . The levels of energy metabolites in brain cortex, including glucose, were not different between controls and infected animals, and the lactate level was not elevated more than could have been explained by passive diffusion from the CSF . This shows that the brain tissue is not the source of CSF lactate nor the sink for glucose in CSF . The marked acidification of brain interstitial space and CSF demonstrates that purulent meningitis causes a significant disturbance of brain ion homeostasis that could be, at least in part, responsible for the brain dysfunction . We suggest that activated leukocytes consume CSF glucose and produce lactic acid and secrete protons, which causes the CSF and interstitial acidosis.

Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin, 1989 Jun-Jul, 7(6), 321 - 3
{Pneumococcal endocarditis: apropos of 3 cases}; Dronda F et al.; Streptococcus pneumoniae is a common pathogen in man . The incidence of endocarditis caused by this organism has diminished in the last decades, and now it is an exceptional condition . Three patients with pneumococcal endocarditis are reported . Their clinical and epidemiological features are reviewed and compared with previous literature . One of the instances was due to a strain with high resistance to penicillin; vancomycin was a valid alternative therapy.

Pediatr Infect Dis J, 1989 Jun, 8(6), 358 - 60
Lack of specificity of Chlamydiazyme for detection of vaginal chlamydial infection in prepubertal girls; Porder K et al.; A 1-year prospective study was undertaken of 65 prepubertal girls referred for evaluation of sexual abuse or vulvovaginitis to compare Chlamydiazyme, an enzyme immunoassay (EIA), with culture for the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis i in vaginal specimens . Five (8%) of 65 patients were initially EIA-positive . On repeat sampling without intervening antibiotic treatment, 4 girls who were initially positive became negative and 1 remained persistently positive . Chlamydial cultures were negative in all patients . The patient with the persistently positive EIA also had Group A streptococcal vaginitis . We were able to demonstrate that some strains of Group A Streptococcus can cause a positive reaction with the EIA . Cross-reactions with other bacterial species are also known to occur . We therefore conclude that Chlamydiazyme is not specific for the detection of chlamydial infection in the vagina of prepubertal girls and, for medicolegal reasons, should not be used for evaluation of sexual abuse.

Anal Biochem, 1989 May 15, 179(1), 209 - 15
Determination of the absolute configuration of the sugar residues of complex polysaccharides by circular dichroism spectroscopy; Kaluarachchi K et al.; Circular dichroism spectroscopy is used to determine the absolute configuration of the constituent sugar residues of bacterial polysaccharides from two strains of Streptococcus sanguis which are important receptors in bacterial coaggregation in the formation of dental plaque . A high-pressure liquid chromatographic method for carbohydrate analysis of glycoproteins, glycolipids, and polysaccharides has been extended to sugar chirality determination by collection of the eluted HPLC fractions and subsequent measurement of their circular dichroism spectra . The method involves methanolysis of the polysaccharide followed by formation of O-benzoyl derivatives and HPLC on reverse-phase columns . Circular dichroism spectra of the collected derivatives in acetonitrile solution in the region 230 nm show large ellipticity bands resulting from "chiral exciton" interaction among the O-benzoyl chromophores which are sensitive to the orientation of hydroxyl groups in the parent sugars . The sensitivity of the method is in the submicrogram range for the absolute configuration of single sugar residues . The circular dichroism of the intact polysaccharide in aqueous solution shows CD bands from the amide chromophore in the region 180 to 220 nm which are sensitive to the chirality of 2-acetamido sugar residues.

J Am Vet Med Assoc, 1989 May 15, 194(10), 1418 - 21
Cost of mastitis and its prevention in four dairy cattle herds on St Croix, US Virgin Islands; Ahl AS et al.; Nonclinical mastitis in the dairy herds on St Croix, US Virgin Islands, represents a prevalent (97%) and severe problem (44% of quarters had California Mastitis Test results of 2 or 3) . Streptococcus agalactiae (26%) and Staphylococcus aureus (22%) were the most prevalent pathogens . More than half (54%) of all organisms isolated and tested for resistance were resistant to ampicillin and benzyl penicillin; 29% were resistant to trimethoprim/sulfadiazine . Estimates of the loss of milk production suggested that there was a loss of 4.40 to 13.33 lb/cow/day . The yearly economic cost of prevention was estimated for each cow ($22.07); yearly income loss attributable to mastitis was estimated to be from $339 to $1,022/cow/yr . Suggestions for the prevention and control of mastitis are included.

Am J Ophthalmol, 1989 May 15, 107(5), 515 - 7
Bacterial corneoscleritis complicating pterygium excision; Farrell PL et al.; Pterygium excision was complicated by bacterial corneoscleritis and endophthalmitis in two patients, one who had received postoperative beta irradiation and the other topical thiotepa . These complications followed surgery by two and six weeks . Causative organisms were Streptococcus pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, respectively . Despite aggressive therapy, visual outcome was poor in both cases . These cases demonstrate that, although infrequent, complications of pterygium excision can be destructive and visually disabling.

Cell Immunol, 1989 May, 120(2), 477 - 81
Biological response modifier as antigen: OK432-specific T-cell clone as an anti-tumor effector cell; Ozaki S et al.; OK432, a Streptococcus preparation, is a biological response modifier that has been used in the treatment of malignant diseases . A cloned Thy 1.2+, L3T4+, Lyt 2.2- T cell (OK2.21), specific for OK432 and restricted to I-Ed, was isolated from BALB/c mice immunized with OK432 . OK2.21 not only secreted interleukin 2 but also killed Iad-bearing B-lymphoma cells in an antigen-specific manner . The clone also killed Ia-negative bystander tumor targets, but only in the presence of both OK432 and antigen-presenting cells . Despite the cytotoxicity against tumor cells, OK2.21 did not kill OK432-pulsed normal spleen cells . Injection of this clone together with OK432 to tumor-bearing BALB/c mice prolonged their survival, suggesting that this clone acts as an anti-tumor effector (or effector-inducer) cell in the therapy with OK432.

Zentralbl Bakteriol, 1989 May, 271(1), 46 - 53
Isolation and characterization of hyaluronidase from Streptococcus uberis; Schaufuss P et al.; All tested cultures of Streptococcus uberis produced free hyaluronidase . Hyaluronidase could be isolated by ammonium sulfate precipitation and was further purified by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, gelfiltration on ultragel ACA44 and isoelectric focusing . The purification factor was estimated to be 1689 . The purified hyaluronidase had an isoelectric point at pH 4.9 and a molecular weight of approximately 54000 D . It showed maximal enzyme activity at pH 6.0 and 45 degrees C . The Michaelis constant was estimated to be 7.0 X 10(-2) mg/ml . Hyaluronidase activity was stimulated by Ca++, Mg++, Mn++, Co++, Li+, and K+ and inhibited by Zn++ and Cd++ at final concentrations of 10 mmol/l, respectively.

Zentralbl Bakteriol, 1989 May, 271(1), 36 - 45
Type-specific antigen of Streptococcus rattus strains (KAY1 and FA1) . I . Characterization; Ota F et al.; A serotype-specific antigen was extracted from Streptococcus rattus KAY1 strain isolated first in Japan from human dental plaque and purified on an ion exchange column to compare it chemically and immunologically with that of FA1 strain which had been examined extensively by previous workers . Antigens of both strains reacted in a double diffusion test specifically with anti-FA1 serum which had previously been demonstrated specific for the strains in the same test, agglutination reactions and/or radioimmunoassay using whole cells . After separation on a DEAE-Sephadex A-25 ion exchange column the antigen was found to be resistant to various enzymatic treatments with pronases, lipase and nucleases and produce a single precipitin band against absorbed anti-FA1 serum in immunoelectrophoresis . Chemical analysis of this antigen revealed that it composed of carbohydrate, protein and a few percentages of glycerol and phosphorus . Hapten inhibition tests between antigen and antibody showed that galactose as well as glucose were the most potent inhibitors, suggesting their involvement in the antigenic determinant . Involvement of the sugars was also supported by gas chromatographic analysis and abolishment of reactivity with antiserum after the treatment of antigens with NaIO4 . Moreover, protein does not seem to be involved since after SDS-PAGE analysis an enzyme immunoassay gave a negative reaction with immunoblotted antigens.

Mol Microbiol, 1989 May, 3(5), 673 - 8
Molecular characterization of a surface protein antigen gene from serotype c Streptococcus mutans, implicated in dental caries; Okahashi N et al.; The complete nucleotide sequence of the gene for a cell-surface protein antigen (PAc) of Streptococcus mutans MT8148 (serotype c) was determined . The pac gene consisted of 4695 bp and coded for a 170773D protein . The pac gene product contained a putative 38 amino acid signal peptide, resulting in a 166817D mature protein . A potential promoter sequence and a putative Shine-Dalgarno sequence preceded the open reading frame . Two internal repeating amino acid sequences were present in the PAc . One repeating region located in the N-terminal region was rich in alanine, and the other located in the central region was rich in proline . Southern blot analysis under the less stringent condition (allowing up to 35% base mismatch) revealed that the probe covering the proline-rich region hybridized to DNA preparations from strains of Streptococcus cricetus, Streptococcus sobrinus and Streptococcus downei as well as Streptococcus mutans.

J Comp Pathol, 1989 May, 100(4), 435 - 42
Studies of the protective effect of different fractions of sera from pigs immune to Streptococcus suis type 2 infection; Holt ME et al.; Inoculation of mice with high doses of Streptococcus suis type 2 caused depression, anorexia, lethargy and sometimes death . This was prevented by prior inoculation of whole immune pig serum, the IgM and IgG fractions of immune pig serum and serum enriched with antibody to surface antigens . Clinical signs were not prevented by prior inoculation of pre-immune serum or serum depleted of antibody to surface antigens . Serum fractions that were protective in vivo were also opsonic in vitro . Western blot analysis identified two antigens of 44 and 78 kd that were recognized strongly by protective sera and a further four of 86, 94, 130 and 136 kd that were recognized less intensely.

Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol, 1989 May, 17(2), 97 - 107
Tracheostomy in children--the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital experience 1980-1985; Prescott CA et al.; During the 6 years (1980-1985) at The Red Cross Children's Hospital 293 children required a tracheostomy during treatment of a variety of disorders . Of these children 44% were under 1 year of age . Indications are discussed of which the commonest was LTB . Of the 3500 children seen with laryngotracheobronchitis (LTB) 4.6% had a tracheostomy--28% of those requiring airway intervention . Overall 67% of the children were decannulated within 10 weeks and 92% within a year . For 56% one or more further procedures prior to decannulation were required, including 34 children who required a laryngotracheoplasty . Obstructing stomal granulation tissue had to be removed from 51 children and suprastomal collapse was a cause of decannulation failure in 52 children . Use of an expiratory valve as an aid to decannulation is discussed . Five children died of tracheostomy airway complications and 25 children of a medical disorder . One complication, laryngeal incompetence, was particularly associated with herpetic laryngeal ulceration . Staphylococcus aureus and Hemophilus influenzae were the main organisms cultured in the early weeks, with Pseudomonas and Streptococcus species predominating later.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1989 May, 55(5), 1052 - 7
More monensin-sensitive, ammonia-producing bacteria from the rumen; Chen G et al.; Two monensin-sensitive bacteria which utilized carbohydrates poorly and grew rapidly on amino acids were isolated from the bovine rumen . The short rods (strain SR) fermented arginine, serine, lysine, glutamine, and threonine rapidly (greater than 158 nmol/mg of protein per h) and grew faster on casein digest containing short peptides than on free amino acids ().34 versus 0.29 h(-1)) . Gelatin hydrolysate, an amino acid source containing an abundance of long peptides, was unable to support growth or ammonia production, but there was a large increase in ammonia production if strain SR was cocultured with peptidase-producing ruminal bacteria (Bacteroides ruminicola or Streptococcus bovis) . Cocultures showed no synergism with short peptides . Strain SR washed out of continuous culture ().1 h(-1)) at pH 5.9 . The irregularly shaped organisms (strain F) deaminated glutamine, histidine, glutamate, and serine rapidly (greater than 137 nmol/mg of protein per min) and grew faster on free amino acids than on short peptides ().43 versus 0.21 h(-1)) . When strain F was provided with casein or gelatin hydrolysate and cocultured with peptidase-producing bacteria, there was a more than additive increase in ammonia production . Strain F grew in continuous culture (0.1 h(-1)) when the pH was as low as 5.3 . The irregularly shaped cells and short rods were present at less than 10(9)/ml in vivo, but they ahd very high specific activities of ammonia production (greater than 310 nmol of ammonia/mg of protein per min) and could play an important role in ruminal amino acid fermentation.

J Clin Microbiol, 1989 May, 27(5), 1068 - 71
Time to positivity for detection of bacteremia in neonates; Kurlat I et al.; The blood culture results of all samples obtained from newborns at Grady Memorial Hospital, Atlanta, Ga., during a 6-month period were analyzed to determine the time required for a blood culture to become positive, the time at which a culture could safely be considered negative, and the spectrum of isolated organisms . During the study period, 1,248 samples were submitted from all nurseries and processed by an automated detection instrument (BACTEC NR660) . Of the 1,248 samples, 98 (7.8%) were positive by the end of a 7-day processing period; 29 of the 98 were classified as definite bacterial pathogens, 52 were classified as possible bacterial pathogens, 9 were classified as yeasts, and 8 were classified as contaminants . Virtually all organisms (28 of 29) categorized as definite pathogens were identified by day 2 of processing, and all were identified by day 4 . All isolates of group B streptococcus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella species, and Staphylococcus aureus were identified by day 2 . Of all positive blood cultures, 79% were identified by day 2, 88% were identified by day 3, and 94% were identified by day 4 . Of the 21 isolates identified after day 2, the only definite pathogen was from a sick baby in the intensive care unit . From among the 870 term low-risk newborns cultured because of maternal risk factors, only four possible pathogens were identified after day 2 . The positive and negative predictive values of blood culture at days 2 and 4 were 92 and 99%, respectively.We conclude that, in our institution, (i) a 2-day processing period is sufficient to detect positive blood cultures in the asymptomatic term infant, (ii) a 4-day processing period will detect virtually all clinically important infections, and (iii) clinical yield from continuing blood culture processing beyond 4 days does not justify the time and cost involved.

Immunology, 1989 May, 67(1), 126 - 8
An association between Gc (vitamin D-binding protein) alleles and susceptibility to rheumatic fever; Bahr GM et al.; Rheumatic fever is associated with exaggerated activity of B cells with massive production of antibody to the Group A streptococcus . Gc (vitamin D-binding protein) is constitutively expressed on B-cell membranes in association with membrane immunoglobulin, and could be involved in cell activation . We therefore looked for associations between the three major Gc alleles and susceptibility to rheumatic fever in a homogeneous Arab population . Patients with tuberculosis or rheumatoid arthritis and control donors, were studied in parallel . Allele frequencies in the controls, rheumatoid and tuberculosis patients were identical to those found in a previous study of normal Arab donors . However, there was a striking association between Gc2 and rheumatic fever . This allele was twice as common in these patients as in controls (p = 0.0024), and was present in 56.4% of all rheumatic fever patients.

Ugeskr Laeger, 1989 May 1, 151(18), 1106 - 9
{Results of treatment of meningitis during a 10-year period}; Poulsgard L et al.; A review of 131 cases of purulent meningitis is presented . The patients are mainly non-pediatric and, because of that, meningitis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae predominates . This is the main reason for the high overall mortality of 15.6% . The main etiological cause of lethal meningitis was Streptococcus pneumoniae, and it is discussed whether chloramphenicol, previously shown to exert an antagonistic effect on beta-lactam antibiotics, contributes to the relatively high mortality . It is suggested that chloramphenicol should be withdrawn from meningitis treatment and replaced by cefuroxime.

J Clin Pathol, 1989 May, 42(5), 506 - 10
Hyaluronidase production in Streptococcus milleri in relation to infection; Unsworth PF; One hundred and seven (41%) of 262 isolates of Streptococcus milleri, from human sources, produced hyaluronidase . Hyaluronidase production was commoner in beta haemolytic isolates 32 of 39 (82%), many of which were of Lancefield group F . But hyaluronidase was also found in alpha and non-haemolytic isolates, and in groups A, C, G, and non-groupable isolates . There was a strong association between hyaluronidase production and isolation from known internal abscesses (48/58, 83%) compared with isolates from the normal flora of uninfected sites (24/97, 25%) . Isolates from 15 patients with endocarditis were uniformly negative, although 13 of 25 (52%) isolates from dental plaque produced the enzyme . Production of hyaluronidase may therefore be an important determinant in the pathogenicity of infection by S milleri and could be helpful in predicting the likelihood of deep purulent lesions in isolates from blood culture.

J Am Vet Med Assoc, 1989 May 1, 194(9), 1281 - 6
Description of an epizootic and persistence of Streptococcus equi infections in horses; Sweeney CR et al.; The age-specific attack rates of Streptococcus equi infections of the upper respiratory tract and lymph nodes (strangles) in horses for the different age groups were 17.6% for broodmares, 47.5% for 1-year-old horses, and 37.5% for foals . Streptococcus equi was isolated from nasal, pharyngeal, or lymph node specimens in 31 (60.8%) of 51 sick horses . A male 1-year-old horse, shipped from Kentucky to farm A, was considered to be the index case . Six (19.4%) of 31 horses with strangles remained as shedders of S equi after clinical signs of the disease had ended . Shedders of S equi were not identified from horses that were exposed to infected horses but never developed strangles.

Zentralbl Hyg Umweltmed, 1989 May, 188(1-2), 144 - 65
Disinfection with gaseous formaldehyde . First Part: Bactericidal and sporicidal effectiveness of formaldehyde with and without formation of a condensing layer; Casella ML et al.; Suspensions of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Streptococcus faecium ATCC 6057, and of spores of Bacillus subtilis var . niger DSM 675 dried on polished stainless steel carriers were exposed in a model chamber to 3.2 mg HCHO l-1 air at temperatures of 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 degrees C and the kinetics of their inactivation were determined by successive colony counting during the exposures . The HCHO treatment was carried out once with the formation of a condensing layer on the carriers and once without recondensation, at a RH of about 90% . In both procedures the cells or spores were suspended and dried in saline peptone water and additionally, in the case of the exposure without condensate layer, suspended in peptone water only . For S . aureus and S . faecium, significant differences between the two processes were only observed at 20 degrees C, whereby S . aureus showed for example a D-value of 14.8 minutes and after an exposure with condensate a D-value of 28.1 min . However at higher temperatures the effectiveness of HCHO in gaseous or condensate form was rather similar . At 35 degrees C the D-values after exposure to HCHO in condensate and gaseous form was for S . aureus 4.1 min and 5.9 min respectively, whereas after treatment at 40 degrees C D-values of 3.2 min and 3.8 min respectively were determined . At 35 and 40 degrees C D-values for S . aureus suspended in peptone water and exposed to gaseous HCHO were 50% lower than when suspended in saline peptone water . At lower exposure temperatures large differences were not registered . For the B . subtilis spores exposure to formaldehyde without condensation showed D-values of 34.8 and 5.6 min at 20 and 40 degrees C respectively . These are 8- and 4-fold lower than those of a corresponding exposure with a condensing layer . No D-value differences were observed for spores suspended and dried in saline peptone water or in peptone water after exposures to gaseous formaldehyde.

FEMS Microbiol Lett, 1989 May, 50(1-2), 229 - 33
Specific binding of collagen type IV to Streptococcus pyogenes; Kostrzynska M et al.; Many strains of Streptococcus pyogenes are capable of binding type IV collagen . In the present study, all 50 S . pyogenes strains isolated from patients with acute glomerulonephritis showed high or moderate affinity for radiolabelled type IV collagen . A majority of strains of other sources, such as reference strains of various M-types and strains isolated from patients with pharyngeal infections also bound type IV collagen; however, a number of weak binders or non-binders were found among those . The collagen type IV binding component(s) on S . pyogenes were susceptible to proteinase K digestion, partially sensitive to trypsin but insensitive to pepsin treatment at pH 5.5 . According to tests with three M-positive strains and their M-negative derivatives, the binding was not dependent on M-protein . The binding was saturable with time and inhibited by unlabelled type IV collagen . Partially inhibition was found with type II collagen, gelatin and fibrinogen but not with a number of other serum proteins.

South Med J, 1989 May, 82(5), 634 - 5
Septic shock and acute respiratory distress syndrome after salpingitis caused by Streptococcus pyogenes group A; Fikrig E et al.; A 32-year-old woman with acute salpingitis had signs and symptoms of sepsis, with hypotension, renal failure, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and disseminated intravascular coagulation . Streptococcus pyogenes group A was grown from blood cultures taken at the onset of illness, and salpingitis was confirmed at laparotomy . The patient recovered after appropriate antimicrobial and intensive supportive therapy.

Obstet Gynecol, 1989 May, 73(5 Pt 2), 875 - 7
Group B streptococcal breast abscess in a mother and mastitis in her infant; Rench MA et al.; Group B streptococcus is a common cause of postpartum infection, but breast abscess in a lactating woman has not been reported . Seven days postpartum, a woman developed mastitis resulting from type Ib/c group B streptococcus . She was treated with oral antibiotics for 1 week, with apparent resolution . Breast-feeding was continued, but at reduced frequency on the affected side . Two days later, local and systemic symptoms recurred, and a large breast abscess was surgically drained . Five days into the mother's initial episode of mastitis, her infant developed type Ib/c group B streptococcal mastitis, requiring hospitalization and parenteral antibiotic therapy . It is likely that the pathogenesis of infection in this mother-infant pair was circular, and that either early abscess formation during the mother's first clinical infection and/or milk stasis due to decreased frequency of breast-feeding resulted in transient group B streptococcal bacteremia, with seeding of breast tissue in the newborn.

Rev Odontostomatol (Paris), 1989 May-Jun, 18(3), 213 - 20
{Initial colonization of composite resins by Streptococcus mutans: the influence of polishing}; Barsotti O et al.; The purpose of the present investigation was to compare the in vitro initial colonization of Streptococcus mutans on three composite materials (HERCULITE, FILLISPAD and SILIFILL) regarding the polishing procedure (SOFT-LEX, 3M) . Surface roughness and bacterial deposit were analyzed by SEM and the deposit was estimated using a modified method of SKJORLAND . Results indicated that surface roughness was reduced by the polishing procedure, but this roughness was more important at the periphery of restorations . Bacterial deposit was strongly reduced on the polished materials but bacteria not adhered in the same number on the composites with a comparable surface roughness: the accumulation of bacteria was less important on FILLISPAD materials . It is concluded that the initial colonization of resin composites was not only dependent of surface roughness.

J Infect Dis, 1989 May, 159(5), 938 - 44
Evaluation of antibiotic diffusion into cardiac vegetations by quantitative autoradiography; Cremieux AC et al.; The reason bacterial endocarditis is difficult to cure has been controversial for many years . One explanation could be that antibiotic diffusion inside the vegetations is heterogeneous . This hypothesis was investigated by means of an autoradiographic study of diffusion of labeled antibiotics into large infected cardiac vegetations of nutritionally variant Streptococcus endocarditis in rabbits . Ten days after infection, 653 microCi of {3H}penicillin, 410 microCi of {3H}tobramycin, or 174 microCi of {14C}teicoplanin were injected iv over 30 min . Thirty minutes after the end of infusion (T30), vegetation/blood radioactivity ratios were 2.48 +/- 1.27, 2.49 +/- 0.67, and 3.94 +/- 1.19 for penicillin, tobramycin, and teicoplanin, respectively . Autoradiography clearly showed that distribution of the three drugs was different: Tobramycin was homogeneously distributed; penicillin was more concentrated at the periphery but still reached the center of vegetations; teicoplanin was concentrated only at the periphery . The same distribution pattern was observed with teicoplanin at T120 (i.e., one t1/2 beta later) and also after simultaneous infusion of a therapeutic dose (15 mg/kg) of cold teicoplanin . The diffusion gradient exhibited by some antibiotics could explain the difficulty in sterilizing vegetations despite high local concentrations, and the deleterious effect of the size of the vegetations on the therapeutic response.

Kansenshogaku Zasshi, 1989 May, 63(5), 541 - 8
{Clinical studies on septicemia and infective endocarditis encountered between 1985-1986}; Kobayashi Y et al.; Septicemia encountered at Kawasaki Municipal Hospital between 1985 and 1986 were studied clinically . Forty six patients had monomicrobial and 5 has polymicrobial infections, respectively . Out of these 46 patients with septicemia, 17 were due to Escherichia coli, 7 were due to Klebsiella pneumoniae and 4 were due to Staphylococcus aureus . Ten patients had hepatobiliary, 7 had hematological, 7 had malignant diseases as underlying diseases, respectively . Out of 10 patients complicated with septic shock, 7 died . Twenty three patients were community acquired infections . The age of most of the patients were over 50 . The mortality rate of more than 65-year-old patients were higher than that of other patients . Our of 5 patients with septicemia due to polymicrobial infection, only 1 patient with erythroleukemia died . Fifty patients were treated mainly with beta-lactam antibiotics such as piperacillin or cefmetazole alone or in combination with aminoglycosides and so on . Three patients with infective endocarditis were encountered during this period . Two were due to alpha-streptococcus and 1 was due to Enterococcus . A 41-year-old patient with mitral valve insufficiency and metastatic gastric carcinoma to the bone marrow were complicated with disseminated intravascular coagulation . This patient, however, was successfully treated with a daily dose of 24 mega units of benzylpenicillin, and was given gabexate mesilate, concomitantly.

Am J Otolaryngol, 1989 May-Jun, 10(3), 204 - 7
Adenoids and otitis media with effusion: nasopharyngeal flora; Tomonaga K et al.; In order to clarify the role of the microflora of the nasopharynx and adenoids as causative factors of otitis media with effusion (OME), bacteriologic species in middle ear effusions (MEEs), nasopharyngeal smears, and adenoid tissues of children with OME were cultured . The change in the microflora of the nasopharynx after adenoidectomy, and the degree of bacterial agreement between the microflora of the nasopharynx and adenoid tissue were investigated . Nasopharyngeal bacterial flora were investigated in 259 children with OME from November 1984 to November 1987 . The patients were divided into two groups: group A (43 patients) underwent adenoidectomy, and group B (216 patients) had no adenoidectomy . Hemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Branhamella catarrhalis, and Staphylococcus aureus were cultured in 66.7% of nasopharyngeal smears from group B, and in 46.5% from group A . Adenoid specimens for bacteriologic investigation were obtained from 38 adenoidectomy patients at surgery . Of these, H influenzae were cultured from adenoid specimens taken from 16 of the 26 patients with OME (group C), while only three of the 12 adenoidectomy patients without OME (group D) were found to have H influenzae in their adenoid specimens . The findings of this study suggest that adenoid vegetation plays an important role in the etiology of OME.

Rev Chil Pediatr, 1989 May-Jun, 60(3), 166 - 8
{Impetigo in children: etiology and response to treatment}; Birke E et al.; Seventy seven cases of impetigo were studied in children . Group A beta hemolyticus Streptococcus was the only bacterial agent isolated from 25 culture samples, Staphylococcus aureus from 6 and both agents from 39 cases . Cultures were negative in 7 children . The clinical response to treatment with penicillin G benzathine, crust removal and skin cleansing was satisfactory in 93.5% of the cases, nonresponders (6.5%) were satisfactory treated oral with cloxacillin.

J Bacteriol, 1989 May, 171(5), 2278 - 86
The exoA gene of Streptococcus pneumoniae and its product, a DNA exonuclease with apurinic endonuclease activity; Puyet A et al.; The gene encoding the major DNA exonuclease of Streptococcus pneumoniae, exoA, was cloned in a streptococcal host vector system . Its location was determined by subcloning and by insertion mutations . Transfer of a DNA segment containing the gene to an Escherichia coli expression vector showed that exoA was the structural gene for the enzyme and that it was adjacent to its promoter . DNA sequence determination indicated that the gene encoded a protein, ExoA, of molecular weight 31,263 . Under hyperexpression conditions, the ExoA protein constituted 10% of total cellular protein . In addition to previously demonstrated 3' to 5' exonuclease and 3'-phosphatase activities, ExoA was shown to make single-strand breaks at apurinic sites in DNA . Its enzymatic activities are thus similar to those of exonuclease III of E . coli and other gram-negative bacteria . The nucleotide sequence of exoA revealed it to be homologous to xth of E . coli, with 26% identity of amino acid residues in the predicted proteins . So far, no null chromosomal mutants of exoA have been obtained, and the biological function of ExoA remains unknown.

Gene, 1989 Apr 30, 77(2), 211 - 8
Production of pneumolysin, a pneumococcal toxin, in Bacillus subtilis; Taira S et al.; We have expressed the pneumolysin gene of Streptococcus pneumoniae in Bacillus subtilis, both from its own promoter and as a fusion protein . The level of expression of pneumolysin from its own promoter was low . The protein produced was hemolytically active . A higher level of expression (about 10 micrograms/ml of culture) was achieved when either one of two C-terminal fragments (corresponding to amino acids 265-471 and 55-471, respectively) or the entire coding part of the pneumolysin gene were fused to the promoter and signal sequence-coding region of the alpha-amylase gene of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens . The C-terminal fusion peptides reacted with anti-pneumolysin serum, but were not hemolytically active . In both cases most of the peptide remained cell-associated . When the entire pneumolysin gene was fused to the signal sequence, a hemolytically active form of pneumolysin could be detected, and most of the product was found in a processed form in the culture supernatant . The full-length pneumolysin secreted from B . subtilis was partially purified and used as antigen in an enzyme immunoassay with rabbit anti-pneumolysin serum.

Carbohydr Res, 1989 Apr 15, 187(2), 267 - 86
Isolation and structural studies of phosphate-containing oligosaccharides from alkaline and acid hydrolysates of Streptococcus pneumoniae type 6B capsular polysaccharide; van Dam JE et al.; The capsular polysaccharide of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 6B {----2)-alpha-D-Galp-(1----3)-alpha-D-Glcp-(1----3)-alpha-L-Rhap-( 1----4)- D-RibOH-(5-P----}n was depolymerised under alkaline (NaOH) and acidic (HF) conditions . The former treatment yielded, as the major component, alpha-2-P-Galp-(1----3)-alpha-Glcp-(1----3)-alpha-Rhap-(1----4)-5- P-RibOH . The latter treatment at -16 degrees gave alpha-Galp-(1----3)-alpha-Glcp-(1----3)-alpha-Rhap-(1----4)-Rib OH-(5-P----2)- alpha-Galp-(1----3)-alpha-Glcp-(1----3)-alpha-Rhap-(1----4)-Rib OH and at 4 degrees gave alpha-Galp-(1----3)-alpha-Glcp-(1----3)-alpha-Rhap-(1----4)-Rib OH . These oligosaccharides were characterised by sugar analysis, f.a.b.-m.s., and 1H- and 13C-n.m.r . spectroscopy.

Vet Rec, 1989 Apr 15, 124(15), 391 - 4
Prevalence of Streptococcus suis types 1 and 2 in domestic pigs in Australia and New Zealand; Robertson ID et al.; Using an indirect fluorescent antibody test, 54 per cent of 734 palatine tonsils of conventional pigs slaughtered in Australia and New Zealand were found to be infected with Streptococcus suis type 1 and 73 per cent of 959 were infected with S suis type 2 . Variations in the prevalence of infection in pigs from different herds were thought to be due to differences in the sample sizes rather than to real differences in the prevalence between herds . The prevalence of infection with S suis was similar in pigs of either sex and in different age groups . Streptococcus suis type 2 was detected in the blood of 3 per cent of apparently normal pigs slaughtered at a meat processing plant . The presence of this organism in edible tissue may pose a health risk to consumers and meat-workers . Both S suis types 1 and 2 were detected in the vaginas and uteri of slaughtered pigs and the female reproductive tract could be another site for the carriage of infection . Piglets from sows with vaginas infected with S suis type 2 became infected earlier than piglets from sows with uninfected vaginas . No infected male reproductive tracts were detected and venereal transmission of S suis therefore appears unlikely . Three specific pathogen free herds were found to be free from infection with both S suis types 1 and 2 . It is concluded that hysterectomy derived piglets are delivered free from infection, whereas some piglets born to sows with uterine and vaginal infections are either born infected or become infected at, or soon after, birth.

Nature, 1989 Apr 6, 338(6215), 514 - 8
Compliance of bacterial flagella measured with optical tweezers; Block SM et al.; The development of the gradient force optical particle trap ('optical tweezers') has made it possible to manipulate biological materials using a single beam of laser light . Optical traps can produce forces in the microdyne range on intact cells without causing overt damage: such forces are sufficient to arrest actively swimming bacteria and can overcome torque generated by the flagellar motor of a bacterium tethered to a glass surface by a flagellar filament . By calibrating the trapping force against Stokes' drag and measuring the twist that is sustained by this force, we determined the torsional compliance of flagella in tethered Escherichia coli and a motile Streptococcus . Flagella behaved as linear torsion springs for roughly half a revolution, but became much more rigid when turned beyond this point in either direction.

Infect Immun, 1989 Apr, 57(4), 1078 - 83
Modulation of the immune response to pneumococcal type 14 capsular polysaccharide-protein conjugates by the adjuvant Quil A depends on the properties of the conjugates; Verheul AF et al.; Streptococcus pneumoniae type 14 capsular polysaccharide-bovine serum albumin (S14PS-BSA) conjugates were prepared by water-soluble-carbodiimide-mediated condensation with or without the use of N-hydroxy-sulfosuccinimide . The immunogenicities of the capsular polysaccharide (S14PS) and of the conjugates were studied in (CBA/N x BALB/c)F1 mice and in female BALB/c mice . The response in these mice indicates that S14PS could be classified as a thymus-independent type 2 antigen . Coupling of S14PS to BSA improved the immunogenicity of this polysaccharide, and an immunoglobulin G memory response was evoked . Conjugation with N-hydroxysulfosuccinimide resulted in a product with a higher polysaccharide/protein ratio . This conjugate induced a greater immune response than did the classical conjugate . Quil A enhanced the immune response to S14PS and to most S14PS-BSA conjugates . The enhancement of the immune response to the conjugates seemed to depend on the coupling procedure . Our results indicate that for the construction of immunostimulating complexes based on polysaccharide or oligosaccharide-protein conjugates, attention should be paid to the degree of cross-linking of the antigens involved.

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