The hemagglutinating properties of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains isolated from patients with nonspecific lung diseases]

To detect d-mannose-sensitive (MS) pili in 31 P. aeruginosa strains isolated from the respiratory tract of patients with inflammatory and purulent destructive pulmonary diseases, the hemagglutination (HA) test was used. The isolated Pseudomonas under study differed in the degree of manifestation of their MS adhesins. Among them microorganisms with pronounced HA activity (high HA titer) occurred, as well as those whose HA activity was less pronounced (low HA titer). P. aeruginosa strains with pronounced HA activity were more frequently isolated from patients with purulent destructive processes in the lungs. A correlation between the state of the patient at the moment of bacteriological examination and the degree of manifestation of MS pili in the P. aeruginosa strain isolated from this patients was established. The value of HA titer in the presence of d-mannose is indicative of the presence of MS adhesins in a P. aeruginosa strain.     

Etiology of acute suppurative destructive pneumonias in children]

Clinical, immunological and bacteriological studies were carried out in 63 children with the so-called staphylococcus destruction of the lungs. It was shown that in some of the cases destructive process in the lungs, along with the pathogenic staphylococcus, could be caused by the Gram negative bacteria (Proteus, Bac. pyocyaneus, etc.). It was found that in children of different age groups the titre of antistaphylococcus antibodies up to 0.5 AU/ml was normal and pointed to the absence of any inflammatory disease of staphylococcus etiology; a titre of 2 AU/ml - and overcould be considered as diagnostic. In connection with bacterial poly-etiology of acute destruction of the lungs in children it is suggested that it should be designated as "acute purulent destructive pneumonia". The importance of immuno-bacteriological studies in children with diseases with the mentioned pathology is emphasized; these examinations permit to choose proper complex therapy.     

Chemotherapy of bacteroides infection under clinical and experimental conditions

Bacteroides were detected in pus and bioptates of the majority of 125 patients with purulent and purulent septic infections of various localization. In 90 per cent of the subjects the bacteroides were detected in association with aerobes, facultative and obligate anaerobic bacteria. The species of the bacteroides and concomitant microflora isolated from the cases with different diseases were defined by endogenic sources of the microbial contamination. Sensitivity of 112 bacteroide strains to antimicrobial agents was tested. Chloramphenicol, clindamycin, metronidazole, cefotaxime and heliomycin proved to be the most efficient. Efficacy of heliomycin was detected in hamsters with experimental bacteroide infection in the buccal sac. Thorough bacteriological examination is required for rational chemotherapy of bacteroide infections.     

Changes in the structure and antibiotic sensitivity of the wound microflora in suppurative surgical infection of the soft tissues

The results of the study on the composition, properties and antibiotic sensitivity of pathogenic microbes isolated from purulent wounds of the soft tissues of patients treated in the Institute clinic in 1977-1980 are presented. The frequency of secondary infection of the purulent wounds was estimated. During this period the percentage of gram-negative bacteria isolated from opened purulent foci increased. In some cases investigation of the time course of the purulent processes revealed new microbial strains, such as pathogenic staphylococci or opportunistic gram-negative bacteria. Sometimes replacement of the causative agent by new organisms was observed. The new strains were high- and multiple-resistant to the antibiotics.     

Study of the properties of E. coli of serological group 03 isolated in acute intestinal diseases]

The authors studied the properties of 115 strains of E. coli of serological group 03 isolated from 49 children and adults with acute intestinal disturbances. The majority of the children (82.9%) were aged under one year. Results of the study of the antigenic structure and biochemical properties permitted to differentiate the strains isolated into 3 serological types, with the prevalence of strains of type O3 : K2 (L) : H2 (78.3%), and 8 biochemical variants. The majority of the strains possessed hemolytic properties. Strains of serological group O3 were isolated repeatedly from the patients during the sickness, whereas none were revealed in examination of 132 healthy children and adults. The data obtained permitted to consider these microbes to be possible causative agents of intestinal coliinfection, and to refer them to the enteropathogenic category.     

Microbial analysis of clinical material taken from patients at the Oncology Center, Maria Skłodowkda-Curie Institute in Warsaw in 1997

An analysis was carried out of the microbiological investigations of clinical material samples obtained from the patients of two oncology centres belonging to the Warsaw Oncology Centre. Microorganisms cultured from urine, blood, catheters, smears of wounds and other materials were analysed. From 4839 clinical material samples from the Ursynów centre 1755 bacterial strains were isolated. From 423 samples from the centre in Wawelska Street 171 strains were obtained. In infections of patients from the centres the number of Gram-positive cocci was twice that of Gram-negative rods. In the investigated clinical material S. aureus was the most frequently isolated Gram-positive coccus, while E. coli was the most frequent species among Gram-negative bacteria. In the infections of oncological patients a considerable frequency was noted of yeast-like fungi, especially C. albicans. Particularly disquieting was the increasing number of isolates of C. glabrata and C. krusei strains resistant to fluconazole.     

Acid-fast bacilli in aspiration smears from tuberculous lymph nodes. An analysis of 255 cases

An analysis of fine needle aspiration (FNA) smears from 255 patients with tuberculous lymphadenopathy was done. The aspirates were either purulent, cheesy or mixed with blood. A total of 56.4% of all cases aspirated showed acid-fast bacilli. Of the cases in which purulent material was aspirated, 66% were positive for acid-fast bacilli. These findings stress the importance of doing Ziehl-Neelsen staining in smears of all cases suspected of being tuberculous in etiology, particularly when purulent material is aspirated.     

Biological properties of microorganisms as the basis for the prognosis of the severity of pyoinflammatory pleuropulmonary diseases

In the study of 65 microbial cultures isolated from the purulent foci in acute pulmonary abscess and acute pyothorax of 48 patients, a wide spectrum of microflora was detected. Staphylococci and Pseudomonas prevailed among aerobes, bacteroids and peptostreptococci--among anaerobes. In cases of the prolonged course of the pathological process, as compared with the common one, microorganisms exhibited hemolytic activity and high antilysozyme and anticomplementary levels. These findings served as the basis for working out a mathematical model for the prognosis of the disease course with 95% probability.     

Microbiological monitoring for the causative agents of nosocomial infections (exemplified by resuscitation and intensive therapy units)]

More than 900 isolates from at least 1500 patients were tested within 1996-1998. Gram-negative organisms were the main pathogens isolated from patients with different forms of nosocomial complications such as late pneumonia, associated with artificial ventilation of the lungs, and various secondary wound or urinary tract infections. The prevalence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was stated. Antibioticograms showed that the most active drugs were imipenem (more than 90 per cent of the susceptible isolates) and ticarcillin/clavulanate (48-58 per cent of the susceptible isolates). The activity of ticarcillin/clavulanate (Timentin) was practically the same as that of imipenem against 21 strains of P.aeruginosa isolated from the blood and cerebrospinal fluid of 21 patients with sepsis and 3 patients with secondary purulent meningitis.     

Streptococcus group B in meningitis and infection of newborn infants

Streptococci were isolated from the liquor or blood of 102 newborn infants and 16 infants in the first month of their life, suspected of having purulent meningitis, in 22 cases (18,5%). 5 isolated streptococcal strains were classified with group B on the basis of their cultural, biochemical and serological features. All of these strains were isolated from newborn infants during the first 3-4 days of their life. The occurrence of group B streptococci among all examined newborn infants was 4.8%; among the newborns with the positive results of bacteriological examination (73 infants) this figure was as high as 6.8%. The authors emphasize the necessity of producing, on an industrial scale, diagnostic preparations for the identification of group B streptococci playing a significant role in septic diseases and meningitides in newborns.     

Exploration of natural foci of tularemia and plague in Armenia using the serological examination of bird droppings and excrements of predatory mammals]

Forty strains of tularemia and 619 of plague microbes were isolated in 1974 in bacteriological examination of natural plague and tularemia foci from a great number of small mammals and their ectoparasites. At the same time in serological examination (in the antibody neutralization test) of bird pellets, 52 mummified cadavers, and 34 excretion samples of mammalian beasts of prey collected in Armenia (its central and North-Western part) in 1973 the antigen of tularemia microbe was revealed in 73, 8, and 3, and of plagye--in 42, 5, and 1 cases, respectively. In one of the sites examined the number of positive findings failed to exceed 10--17%, this indicating a low intensity of the epizootic in the majority of the places. Judging by the mean titres of the serological test, which varied from 1:12 to 1:1428 in examination for tularemia and from 1:12 to 1428 in examination for plague, it was possible to detect both epizootics coursing during the examination, and those which occurred several monts ago. Tularemia and plague foci were not infrequently present at the same territories, and these diseases could involve the same individual animals of Microtus arvalis (Pall.). The data obtained pointed to the greater effectiveness of examination of bird's pellets and excretions of mammalian beasts of prey for the reconnaisance investigation of the natural foci of plague and tularemia in comparison with the bacteriological methods applied usually.     

Digestion of dead bacteria by germ-free rats

In fecal smears from germ-free rats on ordinary diets, varying amounts of bacteria can be demonstrated by morphological methods. Due to the present knowledge of the fastidiousness of many intestinal microbes, the origin and status of viability of these bacteria are important. On a diet that was shown by microscopic examination not to contain any microorganisms, the feces of germ-free rats became free of bacteria within 1 week. When animals on such a diet were fed killed bacteria, all Gram-negative strains and certain strains of clostridia were digested, whereas nearly all Gram-positive strains were not. Such differences in digestibility could have both immunological and nutritional implications.     

Imipenem resistance in Gram-negative rods and its consumption between 1999 and 2005

Multidrug resistant Gram-negative rods are increasingly isolated from clinical specimens, especially from hospitalized patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of imipenem resistant strains of Gram-negative rods isolated in dr. A. Jurasz University Hospital in Bydgoszcz between 1999 and 2005 and imipenem consumption in this period. Out of 109614 isolated microorganisms, Gram-negative rods were 28,5%, 637 (2,0%) of strains were resistant to imipenem. These strains were isolated mostly from patients hospitalized in intensive care and rehabilitation clinics. Among imipenem-resistant strains Pseudomonas aeruginosa prevailed (88,9%). P. aeruginosa strains were sensitive to colistin, 45,5% of them to aztreonam and 44,0% to ceftazidime. The imipenem consumption in the appropriate years included in this study was: 805,00; 1201,25; 940,00; 1390,00; 1660,00; 1341,25; 1841,25 DDD respectively, and was strictly connected with increasing imipenem-resistant Gram-negative rods isolation.     

Intraoperative bacteriological examination of patients operated on under extracorporeal circulation

Results of bacteriological examination of 41 patients during surgical operations on the heart under conditions of artificial blood circulation are presented. The frequency of contamination of intraoperative++ samples and species composition of the isolated microflora were analyzed. It was shown that representatives of nonfermenting gram-negative++ bacteria isolated during the operations and characterized by high antibiotic resistance could be the agents causing purulent septic complications in the patients during the postoperative period. It is concluded that intraoperative++ bacteriological examination of cardiosurgical patients with successive investigation of several samples from the pericardium before and after perfusion, as well as specimens of perfusion blood at various stages and resected heart valves is advisable.     

The prevalence of Yersinia and its serologic variants in patients with acute intestinal diseases of undetermined etiology in Leningrad

Among Yersinia enterocolitica strains of 32 serovars, proposed as typing strains, some strains were found to belong to new species. Y. enterocolitica sensu stricto was represented by 21 serovars in the collection of typing strains. The occurrence of different Yersinia serovars in patients with acute enteric diseases of unknown etiology in Leningrad in 1983-1986 was determined with the use of the set of monoreceptor to 21 serovars. Out of 2,947 cultures studied by biochemical and serological methods, 81% were typed. Among them 18 Y. enterocolitica serovars were determined. Their characteristic feature was the prevalence of serovar O3 and an insignificant proportion of serovar O9. More frequently Yersinia were detected in patients with the primary diagnosis of acute enteric diseases (93.5%). The overwhelming majority (two-thirds) of Yersinia strains were isolated from children. A great number of strains detected in this study (70%) was isolated on days 10-15 of the bacteriological examination. In 927 cultures the following biovars were determined: the strains of serovar O3 belonged to biovar 4 and all other strains, to biovar 1.     

Laboratory and clinical study of nitazole]

Nitazole, a drug from the nitrotiazole group, was shown to be active in vitro against bacteroides, peptococci, peptostreptococci, clostridia, staphylococci, colibacilli and streptococci. By its activity and antibacterial spectrum nitazole had some advantages over metronidazole, a drug from the nitroimidazole group. Experimental study of nitazole aerosole formulation in 4 models of purulent wounds of rabbits infected by Bacteroides fragilis, B. melaninogenicus, Clostridium perfringens 27 and Staphylococcus aureus 209P revealed its high therapeutic efficacy. In the treatment of 37 patients with purulent wounds of the soft tissues including 12 cases isolating anaerobic microbes, the clinical process of the acute suppuration in all the patients at the average reduced to the 5th-7th day. By the data of the bacteriological and cytological examinations the wound surface was ready for putting in stitches or free perforated cutaneous graft by the 10th-12th day. The drug tolerance was good. No adverse reaction were observed under the nitazole dressing in any case during the treatment of the wounds.     

Characteristics of the antibiotic sensitivity of nitrofuran--resistant Gram-negative bacteria of clinical origin]

494 persons with various purulent inflammatory diseases were examined. Gram-negative nitrofuran resistant organisms isolated from the clinical material were found in 22.9 per cent of the cases. Representatives of Enterobacteriaceae, Klebsiella-Enterobacter-Serratia (26.8 per cent), Proteus-Providencia (16.8 per cent) and E. coli-Arizona-Citrobacter (16.1 per cent) predominated. Pseudomonas (32.1 per cent) and Acinetobacter (5.3 per cent) predominated among the aerobic gram-negative bacteria. Sensitivity of 131 strains to 10 chemotherapeutic drugs was determined. 60.4 per cent of the aerobic and 44.2 per cent of the Coli bacteria had multiple drug resistance (to 5 and more drugs). The organisms isolated from the urine and wound excretion were most resistant. Representatives of Pseudomonas and Klebsiella-Enterobacter predominated among the polyresistant cultures. High sensitivity of the isolates to gentamicin, carbenicillin and nalidixic acid was noted.     

Bacteriologic and serologic studies of an outbreak of plague in the State of Paraíba, Brazil

During a plaque outbreak in the Borborema Plateau focus (Paraiba), bacteriological and serological studies were carried out in material from 452 patients (48 positives), 1,938 rodents and other small mammals (75 positives), 4,756 dogs (141 positives) and 2,047 cats (57 positives) obtained from 41 counties (out of which, 21 produced positive samples). Twenty Yersinia pestis strains isolated from material from 3 patients and 17 rodents, displayed biochemical reactions, virulence factors, antibiotic susceptibility and animal experimental pathogenicity similar to those observed in strains previously isolated. According to our findings this recent plague outbreak did not exhibit different factors from those observed during prior outbreaks in other plague foci in the northeast of Brazil.     

Interrelation of the enterotoxigenic properties and the antigenic structure of Escherichia

The enzymatic signs and serological characteristics of Escherichia enterotoxigenic strains isolated from patients with acute intestinal diseases and from healthy persons were studied. The cultures were subdivided into 24 enzymatic variants and classified with 48 serogroups and 61 serovars. The enterotoxigenic properties of the strains were compared with their serological characteristics and enzymatic signs. The strains, isolated from different persons and classified with the same serovar, belonged to the same variant with respect to the type of enterotoxin they produced (only thermostable enterotoxin, only thermolabile enterotoxin, or both), were similar in the degree of their toxigenicity and belonged, as a rule, to the same enzymatic variant. The data on the presence of manifest interrelation between the enteropathogenicity of Escherichia and their structure, as well as on the stability of the enterotoxigenic properties of these organisms, indicate that in acute intestinal diseases the determination of Escherichia enterotoxigenic strains can be carried out by common bacteriological techniques with the use of specific agglutinating sera.     

Study of beta-lactamase activity of staphylococci from different sources

The beta-lactamase activity of staphylococci isolated from the nasopharynx and skin of children with destructive affections of the lungs and from blood of patients with cardiovascular diseases subjected to surgical operations was determined with acidometric and microbiological procedures. Interrelation between synthesis of beta-lactamase by the staphylococcal strains and their resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics was demonstrated. No correlation of the antibiotic resistance and the taxonomic position of the staphylococcal strains was observed.