Zhonghua Minguo wei sheng wu xue za zhi = Chinese journal of microbiology最新文献

Prevalence of cytoplasmic antibodies--smooth muscle antibodies (SMA), gastric parietal cell antibodies (GPA), and mitochondrial antibodies (MTA)--was evaluated in 148 normal persons and 168 patients by indirect immunofluorescent method. Their prevalence in normal persons was 0%, 2% and 0% for SMA, GPA and MTA respectively, while SMA and MTA were positive in 5.7% and 8.6% of the 35 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients respectively. The difference in the prevalence of SMA and MTA between these two groups was statistically significant. The higher prevalence of these antibodies and the occurrence of various kinds of antibodies in SLE patients support the thesis that SLE is an autoimmune phenomenon.

Both agar diluiton and agar diffusion tests with 8 clinically useful or potentially useful antimicrobial agents were performed with 74 strains of Bacteroides fragilis. Correlation of results obtained by the two methods and applicability of the single disc test to the measurement of antimicrobial susceptibility of anaerobes were analyzed. Prediction of susceptibility, intermediate susceptibility, and resistance of anaerobic bacteria to antimicrobial agents, based on the measurement of inhibition zone diameter, appeared to be satisfactory generally.

Cell-associated herpesvirus related to Marek's disease (MD) was isolated from the direct culture of kidney cells of naturally infected chickens at Taoyuan or by inoculation of clinical specimens to chick kidney (CK) and chick embryo fibroblast cells. The virus isolates replicated in CK or chick embryo kidney cell cultures were identified to be MD by the fluorescent-antibody technique.

Malic dehydrogenase (MDH) of the Formosan Philippine and Indonesian Strains of Schistosoma japonicum and 3 subspecies of snails, Oncomelania hupensis formosana, O. h. quadrasi, and O. h. lindoensis were identified by disc electrophoresis with 10.5% acrylamide gel columns using tris-malic buffer. Male worm extracts of S. japonicum demonstrated 3, 2, and 2 clear MDH patterns and female worm extracts showed patterns of 2, 1 and 1 for the Formosan, Philippine and Indonesian strains of the parasite, respectively. MDH patterns were the same for all 3 subspecies of snails; one major and one minor band being found in all.

During the period, May 1974 approximately April 1975, 4 groups of Chinese basic training recruits from different cities in Taiwan were examined for cases of nasopharyngeal Neisseria meningitidis. Before training the carrier rate of N. meningitidis was 13.7%. However, 7 approximately 8 weeks after training the carrier rate had increased to 20%. The majority of strains isolated were serogroup A. However, serogroups C and B, in that order of frequency, were also isolated. Only four strains were serologically untypable. Of 344 strains tested for drug susceptibility, 186 (54.1)% of these strains were found to be resistant to sulfadiazine.

UV absorption spectrum of polyene antibiotics was dramatically altered in the presence of steroids. The introduction of a steroid to an aqueous solution of polyene antibiotics resulted in a change in the ratio of absorbance of peak 3 (with shorter wavelength) to peak 1 (with longer wavelength), E3/E1. Interactions between 28 steroids and 4 polyene antibiotics were studied and the results revealed that the structures of steroids essential for the optimal interaction with polyene antibiotics were C-17 side chain, substitution C-3 hydroxyl group, intact steroid nucleus and aromatic A-ring. The ratio of E3/E1 was used for the determination of steroids in mycelium of Mucor hiemalis and the result was in good agreement with that obtained from gas chromatograph. The (-) strain had a greater change in the ratio of absorbance, E3/E1, than that of the (+) strain. The ratio of absorbance, E3/E1, decreased in the following order: the (-) strain, the (-) strain with the addition of the filtrate of (+) strains, the mated strains, the (+) with the addition of the filtrate of (-) strain and the (+) strain.

During 1969, a total of 1,476 fecal and rectal swab specimens was collected from children with diarrhea and 249 strains of shigella were isolated. The incidence was 16.9%. The serotypes of 249 strains were: Shigella dysenteriae, 1.6% (4 strains); S. flexneri, 73.1% (182 strains); S. boydii, 3.2 (8 strains) and S. sonnei, 22.1% (55 strains). There was no marked difference of the isolation rate throughout the whole year. The susceptibility of shigella isolates to chemotherapeutic agents were also investigated. The percentage of the strains susceptible to gentamicin was 97.2%; to cephaloridine, 93.2%; to kanamycin, 91.9%; to colistin, 91.6%; to hetacillin, 88.4%; to ampicillin, 82.4% and to nalidixic acid, 79.9%. The other tested chemotherapeutic agents were less effective.

In January and February 1974, 32 adults (20 males and 12 females) and a 13-year-old girl with taeniasis saginata were treated with the mixture of boiled areca nuts and pumpkin seeds at Mastoban, Jen-ai District, Nantou County, Taiwan. A total of 48 worms including 42 scolices were recovered from 29 cases. Side-effects were observed in 4 cases including 3 with complaints of dizziness, tinnitus, nausea and vomiting, and one with coma and abdominal pain. Mixtures of 75-150 g areca nuts and 50-100 g pumpkin seeds were judged effective and safe.

From 1967-1973, a total of 54 strains of Mycoplasma pneumoniae was isolated from patients suffering from different acute respiratory diseases, with an average positive isolation rate of 4.7%. Most mycoplasmas were isolated from patients aged 40-60, and with pneumonia of primary atypical pneumonias. The highest frequency of isolation was found in sputum collected 4-8 days after onset of illness. Colony formation on PPLO medium usually occurred 7-12 days after incubation. Serological tests were methods of choice for diagnosis of mycoplasmal pneumonia. In the 6 years period, 163 patients were diagnosed: 74 were positive only by metabolic inhibition test (MIT), 55 were positive only by cold agglutination test (CAT), and 34 gave positive by both tests. Of the above 2 tests, the CAT is nonspecific, but the MIT appears to be more sensitive and specific. Of the 94 sera positive by MIT, 42 (48.2%) were also positive by CAT; of those negative by MIT, 45 of 507 (8.8%) were positive by CAT. Of 45 sera with positive mycoplasma isolation, 37 (82.2%) were also positive by MIT, but only 22 (48.9%) showed the rises of CAT titers. Clinical features of mycoplasmal pneumonia were almost similar to those described by the other investigators. The chief symptoms were fever, coughs, chills, rales, malaise, sore throat headache and chest pain. The sedimentation rate of erythrocytes was accelerated. White count was normal in most cases. Both leucocytosis and leucopenia were found in 10% of the cases. Seasonal variation in incidence of mycoplasmal pneumonia was not obvious, however the lowest incidence occurred during summer. A roentgenogram of the chest was necessary for diagnosis of mycoplasmal pneumonia, and the lung infiltration was mainly located on right side (57.1%), segmentally, and limited to one lobe, especially the lower lobe.