Sensitivity to polyvalent therapeutic staphylococcal bacteriophage as a supplementary criterion of staphylococcal pathogenicity]

It is recommended to use the capacity of pathogenic staphylococci to be lysed by polyvalent therapeutic staphylococcal bacteriophage in the capacity of an additional simple and accessible criterion of staphylococcus pathogenicity. Of 147 strains of the pathogenic plasmacoagulating staphylococci 101 were lysed by the phage and of 166 nonplasmocoagulating nonpathogenic strains--only 6. This test correlated with the other signs of staphylococcus (lecithinase and hemolytic activity). The simplicity and sufficient specificity of this test permits to use it in any practical laboratory. Polyvalent diagnostic phage can be used on the basis of therapeutic bacteriophage by its additional adaptation to the pathogenic strains of staphylococcus.     

Relation of intrahospital morbidity from staphylococcal infections to some properties of hospital strains]

Analysis of staphylococcus infection morbidity in a large obstetrical hospital for 5 years offered a possibility of establishing an association between the severity of the course of staphylococcus infections in patients, the bacteriophage type of the causative agent and its resistance to antibiotics. The qualitative changes in morbidity in the direction of the prevalence of minor forms and mild course ocurred in parallel with the changes of the leading bacteriophage type from the epidemic 75/77 and 80/81 to the nonepidemic bacteriophage types of the III bacteriophage group and the changes of the antibiograms of the causative agents in the direction of an increase in the number of strains sensitive to antibiotics. Since the severity of the course of staphylococcus infection characterized the pathogenicity of the strain of the causative agent a conclusion could be drawn on the association between the sign of virulence and determinants of the medicinal resistance and definite prophages in the hospital strains of staphylococcus.     

Efficacy of the per os immunization and reimmunization of man with staphylococcal anatoxin]

By double immunization of 72 persons and single reimmunization of 38 persons per os with tablets containing 100 BU of purified concentrated staphylococcus toxoid (PCST) it was revealed that this immunization was harmless and the immunological response was adequate. The tablets were intended for application through the oral mucosa (oral) or the intestinal tract (enteral); the immunological response depended on the dose of the preparation and the scheme of administration. A high sensitization of healthy persons examined to staphylococcus was found. There was a tendency to reduction of hypersensitivity after the immunization with staphylococcus toxoid (examination in 6 months) and activation of reactions after the antigen administration (examination in 14 days).     

Immunoglobulins and staphylococcal antitoxin in the sera of patients subjected to surgery for acute appendicitis]

The content of staphylococcus antitoxin and IgA, IgG and IgM was studied in the sera of 200 patients operated on for various forms of acute appendicitis. 147 patients were subjected to express-immunization with a crude staphylococcus toxoid. It was revealed that the IgA, IgG and IgM level was much lower in the operated on patients than in healthy persons. Express immunization with the toxoid led to a marked increase in the level of staphylococcus antitoxin and also of the IgA, IgG, IgM in the sera of the vaccinated persons. There was no distinct association between the immunoglobulin content in the sera of the patients and the appearance in them of postoperative complications of staphylococcus etiology; it is not excluded, however, that an intensified IgM synthesis could play a certain role in the protection of the macroorganism from staphylococcus infection. A moderate, but statistically significant correlation between the titre of the staphylococcus antitoxin in the sera of the patients and the content of the IgM and IgA in them was revealed.     

Interrelationship between staphylococcal sensitization, the protective function of leukocytes and septic complications in the burned]

The state of staphylococcus sensitization and the index of completeness of staphylococcus phagocytosis was studied in 42 persons with severe burns. Development of staphylococcus complications was connected with marked specific microbial sensitization and disturbance of intracellular digestion of staphylococci by the patients' blood leukocytes. Detection of unfavourable interraltions of the antistaphylococcus immunity and allergy in the course of the disease can be of diagnostic and prognostic significance.     

Quantitative indices of lysozyme activity in staphylococci]

The lysozyme activity of 354 lysozyme-positive and 100 lysozyme-negative (by the results of qualitative test) staphylococcus strains were studied quantitatively. The method was based on titration of the lysozyme in the culture fluid of 48-hour broth cultures of the strains under study. The quantitative method proved to be more sensitive than the qualitative one, and permitted to reveal the lysozyme production in 71% of the strains which were formerly considered to be lysozyme-negative. There were distinct species differences between the lysozyme-positive staphylococci: the mean lysozyme level in the S. aureus was significantly greater then in the S. epidermis. There was no regular association between the lysozyme activity, staphylococcus origin, bacteriophage reference and the antibiotic resistance.     

Immunological activity of a Proteus vaccine administered to volunteers simultaneously with a pyoimmunogen and adsorbed staphylococcal anatoxin

The comparative study of the immunological activity of Proteus vaccine prepared from soluble antigenic complexes was made after the immunization of volunteers with this vaccine used in the form of a single preparation and in combination with pyoimmunogen (Pseudomonas aeruginosa vaccine) and/or adsorbed staphylococcal toxoid. The injection of the vaccine in the form of a single preparation and in different combinations increased the ingestion of Proteus cells by neutrophils. The injection of Proteus vaccine simultaneously with pyoimmunogen and staphylococcal toxoid ensured the intensive phagocytosis of staphylococci. All combinations with Proteus vaccine, used in this investigation, stimulated the intensive formation of antibodies to Proteus vaccine strain and Re-glycolipid. Proteus vaccine introduced in combination with adsorbed staphylococcal toxoid essentially stimulated the synthesis of anti-alpha-staphylolysin.     

Resistance of different strains of pathogenic staphylococcus to unfavorable environmental factors]

A study was made of the resistance to drying the UV-irradiation, the action of furacillin and chloramine displayed by 60 stains of S. aureus differing by origin (hospital and extrahospital), by the source of discharge (the upper respiratory tracts of carriers and the discharge of the purulent-inflammatory foci of surgical patients), relation to the antibiotics (polyresistant and sensitive) and phage-group reference. It was found that the resistance of staphylococci to the unfavourable factors was not always associated with the listed signs of the strains. In respect to drying a marked resistance was expressed by the hospital strains in comparison with the extrahospital ones, polyresistant in comparison with the sensitive ones, staphylococci of III and I+III phage groups in comparison with the strains of other bacteriophage groups. Strains of the III phage group proved to be the most resistant to the UV-irradiation. Strains isolated from carriers were more resistant to furacillin than staphylococci isolated from the purulent-inflammatory foci. Strains of the III phage group and nontyping had analogous advantages over the cultures of other phage groups.     

Electron microscopic study of experimental infection. 1. A study of the dynamics of staphylococcal infection]

The dynamics of staphylococcus infection was studied in experimental infection of chick embryo fibroblasts with electron microscopy. It was shown that the antibiotic-resistant forms of staphylococci (strain 79) were capable of invading the fibroblast cytoplasm inducing its gradual vacuolization up to complete destruction.     

Lysis of staphylococcal mastitis pathogens by bacteriophage phi11 endolysin

The Staphylococcus aureus bacteriophage phi11 endolysin has two peptidoglycan hydrolase domains (endopeptidase and amidase) and an SH3b cell wall-binding domain. In turbidity reduction assays, the purified protein can lyse untreated staphylococcal mastitis pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci (Staphylococcus chronogenes, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus hyicus, Staphylococcus simulans, Staphylococcus warneri and Staphylococcus xylosus), making it a strong candidate protein antimicrobial. This lytic activity is maintained at the pH (6.7), and the "free" calcium concentration (3 mM) of milk. Truncated endolysin-derived proteins containing only the endopeptidase domain also lyse staphylococci in the absence of the SH3b-binding domain.     

Action of lincomycin, chymotrypsin and their combinations on the course of experimental staphylococcal infection

The culture of Staphylococcus aureus was administered intraperitoneally in a dose of LD30 to albino mice. The animals of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd groups were treated with lincomycin, chymotripsin and combination of lincomycin with chymotripsin respectively. The animals of the 4th group were used as control and were not subjected to the treatment with the drugs. A part of the animals from every group was killed on the 3rd, 7th, 14th, 21st and subsequent days and their organs were investigated microscopically and bacteriologically. It was found that staphylococci was isolated from the control mice during a 50-day period after inoculation. Complete liberation of the organs from the causative agent within 25 days from the beginning of the experiment was registered in the animals treated with lincomycin. Isolation of the staphylococci was over by the 27th day in the animals treated with chymotrypsin. Liberation of the organs from the causative agent by the 17th day was observed in the albino mice treated with the combination of lincomycin with chymotrypsin. The combined use of lincomycin with chymotrypsin proved to be most effective: no death was registered among the albino mice, the levels of the pathogenicity and antibiotic resistance in the pathogenic staphylococci decreased.     

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.     

医院工作人员鼻腔葡萄球菌带菌状况年度推移的调查报告

本文报道1989年从202名医院工作人员鼻腔分离葡萄球菌的带菌状况和药敏性检测结果。并将此结果同作者等于1985年对200名同类人员检测的结果相比较,作了年度推移的调查分析发现1989年度的总带菌率(76.6％)比1985年度(84.5％)略有下降,但其中的金黄色葡萄球菌带菌率却从1985年的7.5％上升为10.4％。从1989年和1985两个年度的调查中,均发现临床科室人员金葡菌带菌率高于其它辅助科室人员,说明医务人员带菌率与接触病人成正相关关系。分离菌株对12种抗菌药物的耐药性检测结果显示,1989年分离菌株对其中9种的敏感性下降,并且从耐药谱显示出对5种抗菌药物耐药的多重耐药菌株明显增多。另从金葡菌的耐药情况,也看出1989年的耐药率高于1985年菌株。还在1989年分离的金葡菌中出现25％的耐甲氧西林菌株。     

Antigenic similarity of microorganisms to human group-specific blood factors and the immune response of persons with various ABO classifications

The isohemagglutination test with the introduction of the heat-stable fraction of microbial broth culture into the reacting system was used as a model of the antigen-antibody interaction. In the "A-anti-A" system the inhibition of isohemagglutination in the presence of staphylococcal allergen was observed. This inhibition was caused by the binding of the allergen with anti-A-antibodies, which was indicative of the antigenic similarity between staphylococcus and group-specific factor A. The influence of the similarity thus established on immune response was studied by the determination of antitoxic titers in 292 donors immunized with staphylococcal toxoid and in 86 patients with chronic hematogenic fistulous osteomyelitis with due regard of the ABO phenotype of the examinees. Subjects with group A(II) blood were found to have lesser antibody titers than those with blood of other groups and to be predisposed to the progressive course of staphylococcus-induced diseases.     

Immunosuppressor role of staphylococcal protein A

The removal of protein A from the surface of staphylococci by means of proteolytic enzymes increases the immunogenic properties of staphylococci. Staphylococci containing protein A are less effective in mediating the immunological memory than those treated with proteolytic enzymes. The conjugation of protein A with staphylococci treated with proteolytic enzymes leads to the decrease of the immunogenic properties of staphylococci. Protein A not bound to staphylococci also suppresses antistaphylococcal immune response. The protective properties of corpuscular staphylococcal antigen are increased after the removal of protein A from the surface of staphylococci by proteolysis.     

Patterns of the forming of an immunologic memory to staphylococcal corpuscular antigen

The experiments carried out on inbred mice have revealed that the level of the immunological memory to staphylococci depends on the intensity of the antigenic stimulation; high priming dose of antigen proving to be the most effective one. The opposite character of immune responsiveness observed during primary antibody response to particulate staphylococcal antigen in C3H and A/Sn mice increased after the second immunization. It is established that immunological memory to staphylococci may be induced in genetically athymic mice. Many antibody-forming cells are found in the bone marrow of the secondary immunized mice. This phenomenon may be due to the repopulation of the bone marrow tissue by recirculating memory cells.     

Study of the functional activity of the macrophages of animals immunized with staphylococcal alpha-anatoxin]

A study was made by histochemical methods of the activity of the enzymatic systems of macrophages from normal rabbits and those immunized with staphylococcus alpha-toxoid per se and infected with the strains of staphylococcus--producers of alpha-toxin or leukocydin. Immunization of rabbits was accompanied by a reduction in macrophages of the activity of the group of lysosomal enzymes and by an increase in the activity of the redox enzymes. In infection of "immune" macrophages with the living culture of the alpha-toxigenic strains the mentioned changes were more pronounced; no such changes were found after the infection with the leukocydin-active strain. The data obtained suggested that the lysosomal enzymes played a definite role in the process of phagocytosis.     

The effect of repeated administration of staphylococcal immune preparations on the development of local staphylococcal infection in mice

The study is concerned with the effect of repeated administration of staphylococcal immunopreparations on the development of a suppurative-inflammatory focus in the foot of the mouse. Subcutaneous administration of large doses of the antigenic complex of the staphylococcus (ACS) obtained by aqueous extraction, antiphagin and native anatoxin failed to induce an increase in sensitivity to staphylococcus. In some cases, the extent of development of the suppurative-inflammatory focus in the mice which had been given these preparations was less than in the control; this is suggestive of their protective effect. When comparing, on this model, the ACS preparations and corpuscular vaccine produced from poorly and highly virulent strains, we observed a more pronounced protective effect in the preparations from the poorly virulents strains. The extent of oedema was greater than in the control when adsorbed anatoxin was administered. The administration of staphylococcal preparations with a therapeutical purpose after staphylococcus infection caused a significant decrease in the size and intensity of manifestation of the suppurative-inflammatory focus in the foot. The model of limb oedema enabled us to reveal the sensitizing and protective effect of the preparations under study.     

ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCI—Familial Infections Caused by Exposure of Babies in Hospital Nurseries

An antibiotic resistant staphylococcus with bacteriophage pattern 52/42B/80/81^* is frequently responsible for infectious outbreaks in the newborn nursery. Some time after an outbreak had occurred in the University of California''s hospital nursery, family members of the infants were found to be infected with this strain. Two families were studied in detail. In one of them, infection developed in six of the seven members within eight months after the infant''s arrival. In the other, half of the family members had recurrent infections during a 13-month period.Infants who left the nursery as asymptomatic carriers were found as likely to transmit the infectious strain as those with clinical infection. Considerable time sometimes elapsed before infection developed in either the infant or the family members. In one instance the first familial infection occurred six months after the infant had left the nursery as an asymptomatic carrier.Newborn infants are quite likely to disseminate antibiotic resistant staphylococci which they may acquire from a hospital nursery. Infections developing among persons in contact with a young infant must be treated with the possibility of a resistant hospital staphylococcus in mind.     

女性非淋菌性宫颈炎葡萄球菌感染的研究

为了解女性生殖道葡萄球菌感染的情况,对６８例非淋菌性宫颈炎患者的宫颈试子进行葡萄球菌及部分病原微生物的分离与鉴定,共３１例患者检出葡萄球菌（检出率４５．５９％）,其中金黄色葡萄球菌１６株（检出率２３．５３％）,甲氧西林耐药菌株（ＭＲＳ）２０株（检出率２９．４１％）。在葡萄球菌感染者中,单一葡萄球菌感染仅５例,葡萄球菌与其它病原微一物混合感染２６例,两者差异非常显著（Ｐ＜０．００５）。这提示葡萄球菌