Vaginal microflora in girls of prepuberal age

The bacteriological study of vaginal microflora in 24 clinically healthy girls aged 7-8 years was carried out. Two criteria of normal vaginal biocenosis in girls of prepuberal age were proposed. The proportion of hemolytic bacteria in the vagina of a girl of prepuberal age could reach 100% of all microflora, provided the total bacterial count (TBC) exceed average values. A high proportion of hemolytic bacteria in the vaginal microflora of girls of prepuberal age in combination with a high level of TBC (even with TBC not exceeding the upper limit of its normal value) could probably by regarded as a border state. No fungi of the genus Candida should be isolated from vagina in girls of prepuberal age. Facultative anaerobic microflora was represented mainly by Staphylococcus epidermidis and S. saprophyticus. In 64.3 +/- 12.8% of cases bifidobacteria were detected in the girls vagina.     

Histological and microbiological aspects of the vagina in captive howler monkeys (Alouatta caraya)

The histology and the glycogen content of the vaginal epithelium was studied in 15 adultAlouatta caraya monkeys. The histological sections revealed a thin epithelium without cornification. The application of the PAS-amylase method showed absence of glycogen. The microbial flora of the vagina was examined in eight adultAlouatta caraya. The vaginal smears showed a mixed flora with a predominance of Gram+cocci. Haemolytic streptococci were found in 100% of the tested monkeys. Other cocci, such asStaphylococcus albus, Streptococcus faecalis andMicrococcus sp. were less frequent. Of the fecal organisms,Proteus sp. was the most frequently isolated. Neither ureaplasms nor any species ofLactobacillus could be isolated. Positive cultures for nonpathogenic yeasts was a common feature. The relation between the absence of glycogen in the vaginal epithelium and the impossibility to isolate lactobacilli is discussed.     

Drug sensitivity of bacterial strains isolated from clinical specimens during the years 1987-1988

Sensitivity to selected chemotherapeutics of various bacterial strains was analysed. Bacteria were isolated from the different material collected from patients within 1987-1988, and included: 690 strains of staphylococci, 465 strains of streptococci, 1224 strains of aerobic gram-negative bacilli, and 163 strains of anaerobic micro-organisms. Out of isolated staphylococci, the highest percentage was sensitive to vancomycin, pristinamycin, and fusidic acid. Vancomycin proved the most effective against streptococci followed by chloramphenicol and netilmicin . However, streptococci were highly sensitive to vancomycin within two years whereas their sensitivity to chloramphenicol and netilmicin .     

Microflora of the posterior pharyngeal wall, larynx and postoperative wounds in patients after laryngectomy]

The study group were persons with risk factors of colonization by pathogenic strains and included smokers, patients suffering from paradontosis, and patients with visibly neglected oral cavity and teeth. We isolated and classified to the species or genera 488 microorganisms. Of posterior pharyngeal wall flora, 61% of were Gram-negative bacteria, represented predominantly by Haemophilus and anaerobic rods and aerobic cocci belonging to the Neisseria and Moraxella (Branhamella) genera. In the group of Gram-positive cocci (34% of the total number of microorganisms), oral streptococci, Stomatococcus mucilaginosus and Streptococcus pneumoniae were isolated most frequently. The affected by neoplastic lesions larynx, was colonized by similar bacterial groups. However, the incidence of Gram-positive cocci was higher. The main etiologic factor of purulent post-operative wound inflammations were methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains (MRSA), which had been absent among the bacteria isolated from patients on admission.     

Opportunistic microorganisms in respiratory tract diseases in patients of the Moscow Province region

The respiratory tract microflora in patients with inflammatory processes of the upper and lower respiratory tracts in the Moscow Province region has been studied. Changes in the microflora were found to occur in patients with pyoinflammatory diseases (PID) of the upper and lower respiratory tracts have been found to occur. Gram-positive cocci, mainly staphylococci and streptococci, were shown to play the leading etiological role in the development of PID. As revealed in this study, the microorganisms detected in the inflammations of the upper and lower respiratory tracts are coagulase-negative staphylococci, mainly S. epidermidis, as well as enterococci and streptococci belonging to the group viridans.     

Staphylococci in skin microbiocenosis of the breasts in healthy women

The autoflora of different anatomical regions of the mammary glands in 120 healthy nulliparous women aged 18-24 years was studied by P. Williamson and A. M. Kligler's methods of smears and washings. From the nipple, the areola, and the adjacent region of the skin 2,248 strains of anaerobic microorganisms were isolated; of these, 63.83% were staphylococci and micrococci, 6.01% were streptococci, 1.91% were Neisseria, 17.79% were Corynebacterium, 3.87% were bacilli, 2.8% were enterobacteria, and 3.79% were fungi. Coagulase-positive staphylococci occurred in 1.56% of cases. Out of 11 coagulase-negative species of this genus, S. epidermidis occurred most frequently on the skin of the mammary glands. The nipple was found to have the highest bacterial contamination (0.55 X 10(6) +/- 0.7 X 10(5) cells/sq. cm for the right mamma and 0.59 X 10(6) +/- 0.7 X 10(5) cells/sq. cm for the left mamma) and the skin adjacent the areola, the lowest bacterial contamination (0.14 X 10(4) +/- 0.2 X 10(3) cells/sq. cm for the right mamma and 0.25 X 10(4) +/- 0.3 X 10(3) cells/sq. cm for the left mamma). P. Williams and A. M. Kligman's method of washings, more accurate and informative, was found to be preferable for the study of the quantitative characteristics of the dermal microbiocenosis of the mammary glands.     

Etiology of inflammatory maxillofacial diseases and estimation of the effectiveness of antibacterial drugs in vitro]

The results of identification of 710 clinical strains of anaerobic microorganisms isolated from the pathological foci of patients with maxillofacial diseases are presented. The species composition of the microflora associations in the cases with abscesses, phlegmon, lymphadenitis, osteomyelitis and parodontitis is described. Along with a high frequency of nonsporulating anaerobes, staphylococci, microaerophilic streptococci and in the cases with parodontitis actinomycetes, Bacillus licheniformis and Bacillus coagulans strains (1.6-15% of the isolated strains) were first detected in cases with various forms of the disease. Two groups of the drugs effective against the anaerobes were identified by the data on the antibiotic sensitivity. The lowest MICs along with the activity broad spectrum were defined for gramicidin, levomycetin and nitazol.     

Experimental study of combined staphylococcal, streptococcal and adenovirus infections in tissue culture]

Associated adenoviral, staphylococcus, and streptococcus infection was studied in the cultures of cells HEp-2 and PAO. Under conditions of monoinfection the cell culture largely inhibited the reproduction of staphylococci, and failed to influence the streptococci. In double and triple associated infections staphylococci overcame the inhibitory action of the cell culture. The pathogenic properties of cocci (plasma coagulation, hemotoxic properties) grown in the cell culture both under conditions of monoinfection, and in associations, failed to change. In double and triple associated infections adenoviruses did reproduce, but in lower titre than in monoinfection. Under conditions of mixed infection cocci penetrated and reproduced in the cell cytoplasm more intensively than in monoinfection. The cytopathic action was determined by viral associate, and was identical by its character to adenoviral monoinfection. A statistically significant increase in the activity of aldolase and transaminase enzymes was noted in mixed infection. The changes in the enzyme activity proved to depend on the character of the associations studied.     

Glucanase-producing organisms in human dental plaques.

Selective media were used to isolate a wide range of bacteria from sixty human dental plaques. Glucanase activities of the isolates were determined on dextran- and starch-containing media. All sixty samples of dental plaque yielded some colonies showing amylolytic and dextranolytic activities. The glucanase-producing organisms comprised 20% of the isolates. Of these 38% were Gram-positive rods, 27% Gram-positive cocci, 28% Gram-negative rods and 7% were Gram-negative cocci. The cultural groups most commonly represented among the glucanase-producing isolates were Actinomycetaceae, streptococci, haemophili and Gram-negative anaerobes. Species prominent among these isolates included Streptococcus sanguis, Streptococcus mitior, Actinomyces naeslundii, Actinomyces viscosus, Bacterionema matruchotii, Bifidobacterium sp. and Bacteroides sp. No isolates capable of degrading starch or dextran were identified as Streptococcus milleri, Rothia dentocariosa or Fusobacterium sp. This study has shown that a wide range of bacterial species commonly isolated from human dental plaques exhibit both amylolytic and dextranolytic activities. In order to understand glucan metabolism in human dental plaques further investigation of these catabolic activities is necessary.     

Composition of AME encoding gene in Gram positive Cocci--study on spread of aminoglycoside resistance

Aminoglycoside modifying enzymes (AMEs) are major factors which confer aminoglycoside resistance on bacteria. Composition of six genes encoding AMEs (including lately described aph 2"-genes) was investigated by PCR for 16 clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecalis, 16 clinical isolates of coagulase-positive (S. aureus) and 13 clinical isolates of coagulase negative staphylococci (S. haemolyticus, S. epidermidis) collected in Gdańsk region (Northern Poland) in the years 1998-2001. Diversity of AME encoding gene profiles (composition) was used to analyze spread of AME encoding gene among and within studied group of cocci. According to presence of particular genes we distinguish eleven different AME encoding gene profiles: seven profiles were unique for particular species while the most common was shared among S. aureus, coagulase negative staphylococci and enterococci. Regarding profile frequency statistical analysis (Fstat, AMOVA, cluster analysis UPGMA) shows: the difference between S. aureus and enterococci and coagulase-negative staphylococci, lack of difference between enterococci and coagulase-negative staphylococci, higher variability within than between studied species and presence of multispecies cluster. On the basis of the reports about ability of staphylococci to synthesis enterococcal pheromones, this finding lets assume that spread of aminoglycoside resistance gene among gram (+) cocci is limited only by the ability of stains to synthesis or induction of synthesis conjugation protein.     

Microbiological Evaluation of Pacific Shrimp Processing

Microbiological evaluation of Pacific shrimp (Pandalus jordani) processing was made from samples obtained at five key processing points. The microbial count of raw shrimp ranged from 1.3 x 10(6) to 3.0 x 10(6). The initial microbial flora, in order of predominance, was Acinetobacter-Moraxella, Flavobacterium, Pseudomonas, gram-positive cocci, and Bacillus species. No yeasts were isolated. Differences in processing practices influenced both microbial count and the shrimp flora. The microbial load, however, always increased after peeling and sorting operations and decreased after cooking, washing, and brining steps. Significantly, the gram-positive cocci were recovered with increasing frequency after each processing step, reaching 76% of the total load in a final product. Most of them, however, were coagulase-negative.     

The normal microbial flora of the baboon vagina.

The microbial flora of the upper vagina and cervix was examined in 38 adult baboons at various stages of the menstrual cycle. The mean number of different species isolated from each baboon was 9.5, with species of Bacteroides, Corynebacterium and group D streptococci predominating. Lactobacilli and mycoplasmas were found in 47.4 and 44.7% of the animals, respectively. No ureaplasms were isolated. Cyclical variations in the microbial flora were minimal.     

Distribution of Streptococcus troglodytae and Streptococcus dentirousetti in chimpanzee oral cavities

The aim of this study was to analyze the distribution and phenotypic properties of the indigenous streptococci in chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) oral cavities. Eleven chimpanzees (aged from 9 to 44 years, mean ± SD, 26.9 ± 12.6 years) in the Primate Research Institute of Kyoto University were enrolled in this research and brushing bacterial samples collected from them. Streptococci were isolated from the oral cavities of all chimpanzees. The isolates (n = 46) were identified as thirteen species by 16S rRNA genes analysis. The predominant species was Streptococcus sanguinis of mitis streptococci from five chimpanzees (45%). Mutans streptococci were isolated from six chimpanzees (55%). The predominant species in the mutans streptococci were Streptococcus troglodytae from four chimpanzees (36%), this species having been proposed as a novel species by us, and Streptococcus dentirousetti from three chimpanzees (27%). Streptococcus mutans was isolated from one chimpanzee (9%). However, Streptococcus sobrinus, Streptococcus macacae and Streptococcus downei, which are indigenous to human and monkey (Macaca fasciclaris) oral habitats, were not isolated. Of the mutans streptococci, S. troglodytae, S. dentirousetti, and S. mutans possessed strong adherence activity to glass surface.     

Occurrence and drug-resistance of beta-hemolytic streptococci

The aim of this study was the analysis of drug-resistance and frequency appearance of beta-hemolytic streptococci strains which were isolated in 2003-2005 in the University Hospital at the L. Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz University of Nicolaus Copernicus in Toruń. Among investigeted beta-hemolytic streptococci the most frequency isolated species was S. agalactiae. All isolates examined in our study were susceptible to penicillin, the higest rate of resistance was found for tetracycline. The rates of resistence to macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B (phenotyp MLS(B)) were as follows: S. agalactiae (18.7%), S. pyogenes (10.1%), group G streptococci (10.6%) and group C streptococci (8.0%). In our study we presented also a special case patient from which in investigeted period S. agalactiae was isolated twenty eight times. For ten chromosomal DNA isolated from this patient three different PFGE profiles were obtained.     

A survey of microorganisms for thermonuclease production

A total of 1204 cultures comprising 16 genera were surveyed for production of thermonuclease (TNase) in milk. Cultures other than Staphylococcus capable of TNase production were restricted to two genera, Streptococcus and Bacillus. Nineteen percent of 338 group D streptococci comprising four species (85% of which were Streptococcus faecalis) and 17% of 60 streptococci belonging to other groups produced TNase. Nine percent of 130 Bacillus cultures comprising six species produced the enzyme. On the other hand, 99% of coagulase-positive staphylococci produced TNase and only 18% of the coagulase-negative staphylococci produced the enzyme. The amount of TNase produced by streptococci and bacilli was significantly lower than that produced by coagulase-positive staphylococci. The pH profile of the streptococci and Bacillus TNases was similar to that of the staphylococcal TNase; each enzyme exhibited a minor peak at pH 7.0 and a broad major peak ranging from pH 8.5 to 10. The nuclease produced by coagulase-positive Staphylococcus was more heat stable than the nucleases produced by Streptococcus and Bacillus; there was little loss in activity of the staphylococcal enzyme after 60 min at 100 degrees C, whereas 50% of the activity of the streptococcal and Bacillus nucleases was destroyed in 40-60 min and 60-80 min, respectively.     

Sensitivity to antibiotics of bacterial strains isolated from clinical specimens during the years 1985-1986

Sensitivity of 312 strains of staphylococci, 386 strains of streptococci and 1193 strains of aerobic gram-negative bacilli to the selected antibiotics was tested. These strains were isolated from the clinical material at the Clinical Hospital No. 1 in Warsaw within 1985-1986. Staphylococci were sensitive to pristinamycin, cefazolin, fusidic acid, oxacillin, and clindamycin. In 1986, a decrease in the number of strains sensitive to these antibiotics, except cefazolin, was seen. In case of streptococci the most active proved chloramphenicol and gentamicin but a significant decrease in the percentage of sensitive strains was also noted in 1986. The highest number of gram-negative bacilli was sensitive to amikacin, colistin, nalidixic acid, pipemidic acid, and gentamicin. In 1986, a decrease in the percentage of sensitive strains was noted. Amikacin and colistin were the most active against Pseudomonas spp. while amikacin and nalidixic and pipemidic acids--against Proteus spp. Comparison of the results with those obtained in 1981-1984 has shown that the sensitivity of staphylococci changed the most significantly and this change was unfavourable. Gentamicin and amikacin remained the most active against gram-negative bacilli while amikacin and colimycin against Pseudomonas spp. In case of anaerobes the majority of strains was sensitive to chloramphenicol, tetracycline and clindamycin. Metronidazole was active against high percentage of Clostridium spp. and all gram-negative bacilli while the percentage of gram-positive bacilli and cocci was sensitive to metronidazole.     

Biological characteristics of Staphylococci circulating in hospitals in Nizhniĭ Novgorod

The study of 513 clinical isolates of staphylococci revealed that 8.4% of them were methicillin-resistant, their proportion in the isolates obtained from hospital patients being significantly higher than in the isolates obtained from patients in outpatient clinics (11.8% compared with 1.48%). Most of these isolates were coagulase-hegative staphylococci. The isolates obtained from urine, blood, discharge of the middle ear were in all cases represented by coagulase-negative staphylococci. Methicillin-resistant variants of S. aureus occurred mainly in discharge of surgical wounds and in sputum.     

The frequency of staphylococcal colonization of the intestines in children with the manifestations of dysbacteriosis

In 2100 children of different age groups the microbiocenosis of the large intestine was studied. The study revealed that the colonization of the mucous membrane of the large intestine with staphylococci developed in 30% of children with intestinal dysbacteriosis. Young children were mainly affected (91%). The prevailing species among isolated staphylococci was S. aureus (86%), capable of persistence in the intestine (30.9%). In children non typing S. aureus strains mainly circulated (70%), and among phage-typing strains isolates of phage group III prevailed (70.2%). The colonization of the intestine with coagulase-negative staphylococci was possible (14%). Microecological intestinal disturbances in children of different age groups were characterized by different degrees of changes in normal microflora with the prevalence of opportunistic microorganisms in the microbial picture.     

Bacterial Flora of Semen Collected from Danish Warmblood Stallions by Artificial Vagina

Semen samples were collected from 21 Danish Warmblood stallions by the Colorado artificial vagina (Colorado AV, 14 samples) or by the Missouri artificial vagina (Missouri AV, 7 samples). The semen was examined bacteriologically by direct plating (DP) on blood agar plates, and by plating of semen swabs stored in Stuart’s transport media (TM) at 4°C for 1–4 days. No significant differences were observed between results obtained by DP and cultures of identical TM samples. Of the 21 samples examined, only 1 TM (4.8%) and 2 DP samples (9.5%) were sterile, while the rest yielded a predominantly mixed flora comprising 1 to 4 bacterial genera. The natural flora was dominated by coagulase-negative staphylococci (Staphylococcus lentus, S. capitis, S. haemolyticus, S. xylosus) (16/21 = 76%), coryneforms (11/21 = 52%) and alpha-hemolytic streptococci and lactobacilli (7/21 = 33%). Potential venereal pathogens were isolated from 7 stallions (33%). Beta-hemolytic streptococci were found in 4 stallions used for natural service, whereas Pseudomonas aeruginosa serotype 6 (2 samples ) and Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae capsule type K5 (1 sample) were isolated from 3 stallions used exclusively for artificial insemination. The role of the stallion as a carrier of potential venereal pathogens, and the artificial vagina as a source of contamination, is discussed in the context of mare endometritis.     

正常口腔细菌与拔牙创干槽症的关系

本实验就11名非腐败坏死型拔牙创干槽症与8名腐败坏死型干槽症患者的拔牙创口的细菌进行了分离鉴定。结果表明两种类型的干槽症均为口腔正常菌群的混合感染,但在与某些特殊细菌的关系上却有较明显的差异,特别是与口腔专性厌氧菌增加的关系较大。本文提示患区各种细菌的比例与正常菌群的比例差异越大,则病变越重。本文的结果也说明了一些破坏正常生理结构的外科手术最终都将导致微生态失调或菌群失调,引起手术部位的病变。