Zentralblatt fur Bakteriologie. 1. Abt. Originale. A: Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Infektionskrankheiten und Parasitologie最新文献

The localization of the phosphate substituents in the core oligosaccharide of the lipopolysaccharides of Enterobacteriaceae has been reported for Salmonella minnesota and Escherichia coli B only. In these cases the localizations were done by a beta-elimination reaction in mild alkaline solution after periodate oxidation. We report now on a method generally applicable on carbohydrates. The localization of phosphate groups and the extent of substitution with phosphate residues in carbohydrates can be determined by the following reaction sequence: methylation, dephosphorylation, and reetherification (labelling) with C2H3J or C2H5J followed by derivatizing to partially methylated alditol acetates and analysis by combined gas liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. The results presented here are obtained by application of this method to isolated core oligosaccharides of lipopolysaccharides from E. coli C23.1, E. coli C71, E. coli F2515, and P. mirabilis R4/O 28. Phosphate is localized at C-4 of the chain heptoses in the lipopolysaccharides of E. coli C and E. coli R4, and at C-7 of the branching heptose in the lipopolysaccharide of P. mirabilis R4/O 28.

Twenty coded strains of the following species: Mycobacterium avium, M. fortuitum, M. gordonae, M. chelonei, M. intracellulare, M. kansasii, M. nonchromogenicum, M. scrofulaceum, M. terrae, M. triviale and M. xenopi, were subjected to identification in a co-operative study undertaken by seven laboratories of four countries (CSSR, GDR, PRP and USSR). Three of these laboratories recognized 18-19 (90-95%) of the strains, three others 15-17 (75-85%) and one laboratory recognized 8 (40%) strains. In the correctly identified species, agreement between the tests used by all participants was evaluated. The highest rates of agreement in positive or negative results (04-100%) were obtained for nitrate reduction, detection of arylsulphatase, urease and nicotinamidase in M. kansasii, M. avium-intracellulare and M. fortuitum.

An acute inflammatory response was induced in rabbits by an intramuscular injection of turpentine. After this injection serial serum samples were obtained and serum haptoglobin levels were monitored. In addition, increased antibacterial activity was measured using a viable plate and photometric growth assay. As early as 4 hrs after turpentine challenge an increase was noted in serum antibacterial activity towards Staphylococcus aureus. At 48 hrs pronounced killing activity was demonstrated against S. aureus and S. epidermidis but not against Escherichia coli or other gram negative bacilli. By five days another serum bactericidal activity was present against Bacillus subtilis. Enhanced serum antibacterial activity persisted for 2 weeks. Partial characterization of these factors indicates that they are probably beta lysins.

Submicroscopic aspects of the adherence of Group A streptococci to HEp-2 cells and the time sequence of their further interaction with these cells were studied. The M+ variant of streptococci, characterized by the presence of filamentous protrusions on the cell wall, displayed a high capacity for adherence, in contrast to the M- variant of the same strain, where adherence was low. The first stage of the interaction between M+ variant of Group A streptococci and HEp-2 cells was adherence of the filamentous protrusions of the bacterial cell wall to host cell cytoplasmic membrane; this was followed by closer contact of the streptococcus cell wall with HEp-2 cell surface. Continuing incubation led to the development of invaginations in the cytoplasmic membranes of HEp-2 cells, into which streptococci gradually penetrated. Ingestion of streptococci into the forming pseudovacuoles of the host cell was accompanied by bacterial cell division, culminating in total disintegration of the host cell and release of the streptococci into the medium. At all stages of the interaction there was a pronounced tendency to form multiple contacts between the surface structures of the streptococcus cell and the membrane structures of the animal cell being attacked.

Some aminopyridine complexes of palladium and PdCl2 showed an antiviral in vitro activity against enveloped DNA and RNA viruses such as vaccinia virus, pseudorabies virus, NDV and FPV. In contrast, naked RNA virus as mengovirus was not affected. The compounds were compatible for chicken embryo as well as FL cells in concentrations of 100-250 microM. The therapeutical index calculated from the maximally tolerated dose and the concentration causing a 50 per cent plaque reduction was determined with more than 45 for vaccinia virus, for example.

A leptospiricidal activity test mediated by immune serum plus guinea pig complement using 11 serovars of leptospiras belonging to 3 serogroups, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Pomona and Mini, indicated that the reaction was generally serogroup-specific. The immune serum from which the homologous or heterologous agglutinin was absorbed was then examined with the result that the anti-L. icterohaemorrhagiae and anti-L. sarmin antisera which absorbed with L. icterohaemorrhagiae and L. sarmin respectively did not agglutinate, but instead destroyed their homologous leptospiras in conjunction with complement. Many of the antisera which absorbed with the heterologous serovars did not agglutinate, but instead destroyed their respective heterologous strain. These findings indicate that the leptospiricidal activity test is more sensitive and more cross reactive than agglutination.

The antigenic variants which were found in leptospiras, Leptospira interrogans serovar copenhageni Shibaura grown in a liquid medium containing a homologous antiserum were found to be unstable. The unstable variants showed decreased agglutinability against the homologous antiserum. The decreased agglutinability of the unstable variants reverted to the parent's level of agglutinability after 1 or 2 passages through the normal serum medium. The unstable variants differed antigenically from the parent in the agglutinin-absorption test; however, the agglutinin-absorption test was found to be inadequate for showing the antigenic difference between the parent and the unstable variants because their difference was diminished when the agglutinin-absorbed antigen was increased. The application of Laurell rocket immunoelectrophoresis (LRI) to the SDS-extracted antigens revealed the distinct difference between the parent and the unstable variants. Other findings presented herein indicated the difference between the antigens of the parent and the unstable variants to be one of quantity. The magnitude of the quantitative difference between the antigens could be modified by the medium containing various concentrations of the homologous antiserum. The clones of the unstable variant showed antigenic characteristics which were similar to the original unstable variant.