Are There Circadian Variations of Polymorphonuclear Phagocytosis in Man?

Eleven male subjects were investigated to detect a possible circadian rhythm of the polymorphonuclear phagocytosis. Both cell activity and serum opsonins were studied for numerical detection of granulocytes having ingested at least one particle and for the mean number of ingested particles per cell. No significant temporal differences (ANOVA and cosinor) were found.     

Preparation and partial characterization of a Lactobacillus lactis bacteriophage

High-titer lysates of a bacteriophage active against Lactobacillus lactis were prepared from liquid cultures as well as from areas of confluent lysis in soft-agar overlayers. Phage concentration and purification were accomplished by means of polyethylene glycol precipitation, differential centrifugation, and cesium chloride gradient centrifugation. The buoyant density of this phagein cesium chloride was 1.4795 g/ml. Characterization of phage growth cycle by one-step growth experiments under optimal conditions showed that the latent period was about 120 min, that the rise period lasted approx. 130 min, and that the average burst-size was about 80.Abbreviations p.f.u. plaque forming units - m.o.i. multiplicity of infection - PEG polyethylene glycol - SSC standard saline citrate solution     

Opposing roles of IL-10 in acute bacterial infection

Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is recognized as an anti-inflammatory cytokine that downmodulates inflammatory immune responses at multiple levels. In innate cells, production of this cytokine is usually triggered after pathogen recognition receptor (PRR) engagement by pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) or damage-associated molecular patters (DAMPs), as well as by other soluble factors. Importantly, IL-10 is frequently secreted during acute bacterial infections and has been described to play a key role in infection resolution, although its effects can significantly vary depending on the infecting bacterium. While the production of IL-10 might favor host survival in some cases, it may also result harmful for the host in other circumstances, as it can prevent appropriate bacterial clearance. In this review we discuss the role of IL-10 in bacterial clearance and propose that this cytokine is required to recover from infection caused by extracellular or highly pro-inflammatory bacteria. Altogether, we propose that IL-10 drives excessive suppression of the immune response upon infection with intracellular bacteria or in non-inflammatory bacterial infections, which ultimately favors bacterial persistence and dissemination within the host. Thus, the nature of the bacterium causing infection is an important factor that needs to be taken into account when considering new immunotherapies that consist on the modulation of inflammation, such as IL-10. Indeed, induction of this cytokine may significantly improve the host’s immune response to certain bacteria when antibiotics are not completely effective.     

Kinetics of virus adsorption to single cells using fluorescent membrane probes and multiparameter flow cytometry

Different genetic stains of avian RNA tumor virus (ATV) were labeled with the fluorescent membrane probe R-18 (rhodamine conjugated to a hydrocarbon chain) and cellular receptors for virus infection were analyzed on a rapid, single-cell basis by a multiparameter cell sorter. Chicken cells genetically susceptible to various R-18 ATV were found to adsorb much more virus, as measured by increased fluorescent binding, than did genetically resistant chicken cells. Virus binding to receptor sites could be saturated with increased concentrations of labeled virus. This binding could be altered by removal of the polycation, polybrene, indicating the important influence of electrostatic forces. Correlated time measurements of virus binding to single cells were taken with these fluorescence measurements allowing for a minute-to-minute study of the kinetics of viral adsorption to resistant and susceptible cells. The ratio of fluorescence (proportional to the number of virions bound per cell) to light scatter (proportional to cell surface area) on a cell-to-cell basis was analyzed to examine the heterogeneity in fluorescent virion bound per unit cell surface area within a given cell type. With these calculations, it was found that a large amount, but not all, of observed fluorescence heterogeneity merely reflects differences in cell surface areas. However, there are significant differences in viral receptor site densities within this supposedly homogeneous population of cells. This study represents a successful application of fluorescent membrane probes and flow cytometry to the study of cellular responses to viral infection at the single-cell level. Sine large numbers of cells can be examined rapidly, small subpopulations of live virally susceptible or resistant cells can be cloned by multiparameter cell sorting.     

Fears,attitudes and opinions of suburban residents with regards to their urban foxes

Throughout Central Europe, foxes have taken over urban areas as their habitat. In Southern Germany, these foxes are also carriers of the small fox tapeworm, which causes a serious zoonotic infection in humans. Therefore, a survey was carried out in a suburb of the city of Munich. A postal questionnaire was used to analyse the attitudes, opinions and fears of these participants towards their urban foxes and the background to these attitudes. Questionnaires were sent to all households with gardens and collected in again via the community council. Seven hundred and seventy-nine or 31% of questionnaires were returned. Only a few people are afraid of the fox itself; however, 55% are afraid of the fox tapeworm. Worming the animals is the preferred counter-measure, with 81% in favour. The majority of inhabitants are pleased to see a fox in the community and feel the animals have a right to live. People are afraid of the tapeworm either because they have children in the household or because of increased knowledge of the subject or because it has increasingly become an issue. On the basis of the results of this study, it is to be expected that radical solutions such as killing the foxes are unlikely to be accepted among the population. Worming of the foxes does, however, meet with general approval.     

有关SARS病原冠状病毒合并感染组织胞浆菌的探讨

目的探讨SARS病原学的冠状病毒复合组织胞浆菌感染的问题。方法对象为SARS患者尸检1例和南猴(某猴场病死猴)尸检1例,采用病理组织学和免疫组化荧光检测的方法作检查,观察和比较两者尸检材料肺、脾、淋巴结和肝的病理变化和组织内组织胞浆菌的存在。结果1.人SARS和南猴的病理组织学改变极为相似。2.免疫组化结果表明,用人SARS恢复期血清和兔抗组织胞浆菌血清与组织胞浆菌抗原均呈阳性反应,显示此例SARS患者曾感染组织胞浆菌,其次用此两种抗血清分别与人SARS和南猴肺、脾、淋巴结尸检材料反应,均有组织胞浆菌阳性菌体的存在,说明人SARS和南猴脏器均有组织胞浆菌的感染。结论人SARS病原除冠状病毒外,还有组织胞浆菌的合并感染。     

117例医院真菌感染分析及预防

目的 了解佛山市南海人民医院真菌感染的分布,探讨有效预防和控制真菌感染的措施。方法 对该院117例真菌感染病例作回顾性分析。结果 3583例送检标本中真菌检出率为3．27％（117／3583）,医院内真菌感染率为2．95％（106／3583）。分离出真菌以白色念珠菌为主（70／117．59．8％）、热带念珠菌次之（17／117,14．5％）、霉菌居第3位（9／117．7．69％）。药敏显示：5-氟胞嘧啶、两性霉素B和制霉素敏感率较高,分别为92．4％、93．3％和92．5％,咪康唑、酮康唑和益康唑敏感率较低．为52．0％、49．0％和36．0％。结论 医院内真菌感染占真菌感染绝大部分,感染真菌以白色念珠菌为主。感染部位以呼吸道为主;临床规范、合理使用广谱抗生素,加强消毒护理工作。是预防控制真菌感染发生的最有效措施。     

Mycobacterium avium Subspecies Paratuberculosis in the Inflamed Gut Tissues of Patients with Crohn’s Disease in China and its Potential Relationship to the Consumption of Cow’s Milk: A Preliminary Study

Summary Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis infection in domestic livestock is widespread in many countries throughout the world. Studies in Europe and the USA show that M. avium subspecies paratuberculosis can be cultured from retail pasteurized cow’s milk and that these organisms are being transmitted to humans by this route. Most people with chronic inflammation of the intestine of the Crohn’s disease type are infected with these chronic enteric pathogens. The production and consumption of cow’s milk has increased in China and so also has the incidence of Crohn’s disease. The present preliminary investigation was carried out to determine whether M. avium subspecies paratuberculosis is present in the intestinal tissues of Chinese patients with Crohn’s disease who have never left China. Archival paraffin-embedded surgical pathology blocks from patients having surgery for Crohn’s disease (CD) or for cancer (nIBD) in China were studied. M. avium subspecies paratuberculosis was detected by nested IS900 PCR with Southern blotting and amplicon sequencing. The intestinal tissues of 9 of 13 (69.2%) CD patients and 2 of 14 (14.3%) nIBD patients were IS900 PCR positive (P = 0.0063; odds ratio = 13.5). These initial studies suggest that people in China are exposed to M. avium subspecies paratuberculosis and that as in other countries, the infection is significantly associated with Crohn’s disease. M. avium subspecies paratuberculosis in dairy herds and retail milk in China needs to be investigated.     

综合性ICU铜绿假单胞菌医院内感染临床及药敏分析

目的 探讨综合性ICU铜绿假单胞菌（PA）引发的医院内感染临床及其药敏特点。方法 对温州医学院附属第一医院ICU 1997～2002年铜绿假单胞菌医院感染进行回顾性分析.用16种常用抗生素进行体外药敏试验,采用Kirby-Bauer纸片扩散法按NCCLS标准进行。结果 根据感染部位,PA引发的感染常见于下呼吸道（87.64%）、尿路（7.87%）及皮肤（4.49%）。患者基础疾患包括神经系统疾病（43.82%）,COPD（12.36%）,各种恶性肿瘤（8.99%）,以及各种创伤和大手术后等。体外药物敏感率从高到低依次为头孢哌酮-舒巴坦（84.85%）,头孢他啶（80%）,妥布霉素（78.46%）,庆大霉素（67.5%）,亚胺培南（56.72%）,奈替米星（55.74%）,培氟沙星（45.33%）,替卡西林（38.60%）,其它头孢3代的敏感率均较低。结论 综合性ICU内PA引起的机会感染率高,在临床上应在药敏指导下用药,经验性治疗则优先考虑选用头孢哌酮-舒巴坦、头孢他啶、氨基糖甙类和亚胺培南等敏感性较高的抗生素,同时注意防止是交叉感染,积极治疗原发病。