[Obtaining specific non-adsorbed sera to Haemophilus influenza for the agglutination test on glass]. / Poluchenie spetsificheskikh neadsorbirovannykh syvorotok k Haemophilus influenzae dlia reaktsii aggliutinatsii na stekle

Type-specific agglutinating sera to capsular antigenas of H. influenzae were recovered (from 1:3200 to 1:25600). With the given immunization scheme there formed mostly IgG immunoglobulins, and only insignificant amount of IgM (separation of G-200 Sephadex gel). IgG were found to be responsible for the type-specificity of the sera to bacteria, whereas the cross reactions within the H. influenzae genus were connected connected with the IgM. Use of the sera heated at various temperature regimens offered a possibility of obtaining highly specific agglutinating sera with the aid of which express serodiagnosis of the isolated H. influenzae strains was possible.

[Characteristics of some species of microorganisms related to the genus of hemoglobinophils]. / Kharakteristika nekotorykh vidov mikroorganizmov, otnosiashchikhsia k rodu gemoglobinofilov

The saccharolytic capacity in respect to 14 carbohydrates, the lipolytic activity, the presence of urease, catalase, galactosidase, the formation of hydrogen sulphide and indol and also serological properties with the species agglutinating sera were studied in the representatives of the genus of hemoglobinophilic microbes: H. influenzae, H. parainfluenzae, H. aegiptius, H. haemolyticus, H. aphrophilus. There were revealed differences in the individual representatives of the genus by the enzymatic activity and serological properties. Thus, representatives of H. influenzae possessed urease activity, but all of them lacked galactosidase. H. aegiptius possessed urease and galactosidase, and H. parainfluenzae, H. haemolyticus and H. aphrophilus--galactosidase of high activity, but no urease. Representatives of each of the species were agglutinated by homologous sera only.

[Use of the oblique illumination method for characterizing N. meningitidis cultures]. / Primenenie metoda kosogo osveshcheniia dlia kharakteristki kul'tur N. meningitidis

The authors used the method of oblique illumination for detection of the state of the population of meningococcus cultures. In studying 48 strains there were revealed three types of fluorescence of the colonies: bright orange with a transition into greenish-light blue along the lower margin (the I type), bright light blue with a narrow orange or green upper margin (the II type) and greyish-light blue colonies (the III type). The type of fluorescence was not associated with the sero-group specificity. Populations of meningococcus cultures, depending on conditions and duration of growth on the nutrient medium could consist both of the colonies with the same type of fluorescence, and also represent a combination of colonies with a different type of fluorescence. The colonies of the I and II types of fluorescence had marked group specificity, but mutation occurred during passage and the III type of fluorescence formed with a loss of serological specificity. Continuous selection of the colonies of the I and the II types of fluorescence permitted to preserve the population with specific properties necessary for production of diagnostic and vaccine preparations for a long time.

[Analysis of a group of Corynebacterium by numerical taxonomic methods]. / Analiz gruppy korinebakterii metodami chislovoi taksonomii

Strains (29) of Corynebacterium genus were studied with the use of the method of numerical taxonomy. 48 characteristics (including morphological, tinctorial, cultural and biochemical ones) were analyzed. All the strains tested proved to belong to the same taxon. The present method permitted to reveal various biotypes within the group studied.

[Improvement of the quality control of thioglycol medium]. / Usovershenstvovanie metoda kontrolia kachestva tioglikolevoi sredy.

The effect of thimerosal used at different concentrations on the growth of S. haemolyticus, strain Dick I, and A. faecalis, strain 415, has been studied. A. faecalis, strain 415, in contrast to S. haemolyticus, strain Dick I, has been shown to be highly sensitive to thimerosal. The growth and neutralizing properties of a number of lots of thyoglycol medium have been studied with the use of the above-mentioned strains. The advantages of A. faecalis, strain 415, over S. haemolyticus, strain Dick I, for the evaluation of these properties of thioglycol medium have been established. A. faecalis, strain 415, can be recommended for use as a test strain for evaluating the quality of thioglycol medium instead of S. haemolyticus, strain Dick I.

[Determination of the biological activity of Clostridium difficile toxins in in vivo and in vitro experiments]. / Opredeleneie biologicheskoi aktivnosti toksinov Clostridium difficile v éksperimentakh in vivo i in vitro.

The biological activity of the filtrates of 29 C. difficile strains was studied in vivo (suckling white mice) and in vitro (cell cultures of different species and origin). The action of the filtrates on the experimental models in vivo was evaluated from the cytotoxic effect index, while in vitro the intensity of the cytotoxic effect was evaluated from the percentage of dead cells in the monolayer. The results of the comparative determination of toxicity characteristics in vivo and in vitro demonstrated that cell cultures were more sensitive experimental models than suckling white mice. The use of cell cultures permitted the quantitative evaluation of the cytotoxic activity of the filtrates under study, as well as the detection of their cell-directed action at minimal concentrations.

[The fatty acid composition of Haemophilus and Pasteurella multocida cells as a phylogenetic marker]. / Zhirnokislotnyi sostav kletok Haemophilus i Pasteurella multocida kak filogeneticheskii marker.

When grown on meat-peptone agar with heated blood, different Haemophilus species (H. influenzae, H. parahaemolyticus, H. parasuis, H. pleuropneumoniae), including different H. influenzae serovars (a, b, c, d, e, f), and Pasteurella multocida have identical fatty acid composition, characterized by the prevalence of fatty acids with 16 carbon atoms, constituting about 70% and more of the total number of fatty acids, and a low level of fatty acids with 18 carbon atoms. P. multocida strains cultivated on meat-peptone agar with unheated blood have a greatly increased content of fatty acids with 18 carbon atoms, while the content of fatty acids with 16 carbon atoms is much lower. The identity of fatty acid composition under similar cultivation conditions, together with their similarity in other phenetic signs, is indicative of close phylogenic relationship between bacteria belonging to the genus Haemophilus and P. multocida.

[Dry medium for determining the beta-galactosidase activity of enterobacteria]. / Sukhaia sreda dlia opredeleniia beta-galaktozidaznoi aktivnosti énterobakterii.

Differential diagnosis of enterobacteria is based on the determination of beta-galactosidase enzyme, hydrolyzing lactose in the nutrient substrates; however, the tests suggested for its determination are time consuming and their use in practice is limited. Dry nutrient medium prepared by the authors containing o-nitrophenyl-betaD-pyranoside was tested on 1625 strains of enterobacteria in comparison with the Le Minor's ONPS test used at present. The results of beta-galactosidase determination by the, mentioned methods proved to coincide (significance level greater than 95%); this permits to recommend the method described--in dry nutrient medium--as a differential-diagnostic test for the identification of enterobacteria.

[Taxonomic subdivision of salmonellae]. / Taksonomicheskoe podrazdelenie sal'monell

Elaboration of an objective approach to the classification of salmonellae by the biochemical characteristics is of great theoretical and practical interest. The authors carried out a taxonomic analysis of 966 salmonellae and 241 arizonae by 26 biochemical signs. Similarity between all the couples was estimated on the computer M-220; group analysis was carried out by 3 methods with the successive reduction of the group level by 2%. The grouping results are presented on a dendrogram. Analysis of the dendrogram demonstrated that 4 taxons were distinctly traced at the level of 94%, which were united with one another at the level of 93%. The whole group formed at the level of S = 76%, which served as the genus level of the salmonella union. Arizona group was connected with the bond between the II and IV subgenera. A method of numerical taxonomy provied arizona and salmonella to be undoubtfully affiliated, this permitting to regard arizona as the subgenus II of the Salmonella genus.

[Assessment of the condition of the population of gonococcal cultures]. / Otsenka sostoianiia populiatsii gonokokkovykh kul'tur

Application of the method of oblique illumination permitted to reveal nonhomogeneousness of the cultures isolated from the patients with a different (acute and torpid) course of the disease. Passage of the freshly-isolated cultures on the nutrient media led to the appearance of mutants characterized by the fluorescence of the third type which also characterized all the 48 museum cultures stored for a long time on the nutrient media. The method suggested permits not only to evaluate the gonococcal cultures condition but also to carry out their directed selection.

[Isolation and identification of Neisseria in bronchial asthma]. / Vydelenie i identifikatsiia neisserii pri bronkhial'noi astme

A study was made of 29 strains of neisseria isolated from the mucosa of the pharynx and the bronchi of patients suffering from infectious-allergic bronchial asthma of different severity. Comparison of the strains by 22 tests (including the assessment of the morphological, biochemical and other signs) permitted to establish the species of neisseria with some probability. The species reference was determined in 23 cultures. N. perflava was isolated in 10 cases, N. subflava--in 6, N. flava--in 3 cases and N. sicca--in 4 cases, 2 strains corresponded to apigmentary N. cinerea. The species was not established in 4 cultures. There was found no connection between a definite microbial association and the species of neisseria and the severity of the disease. Pigment species of neisseria should be tested as diagnostic allergens.

[Rapid immunoenzyme analysis]. / Uskorennyi immunofermentnyi analiz.

A variant of the immunoenzyme assay, reducing the duration of the assay procedure by 3 hours in comparison with the standard technique, is presented. This rapid variant is sufficiently sensitive and reproducible.

[A paper indicator system for the identification of Enterobacteria]. / Sistema indikatornaia bumazhnaia dlia identifikatsii énterobakterii.

A paper indicator system has been developed in the USSR for the accelerated identification of vibrios and proposed for the identification of enterobacteria. This system consists of paper discs or strips impregnated with definite substrates (carbohydrates, polyatomic alcohols, amino acids, etc.) in combination with an indicator and stabilized with the polymer coating. Two kits for the identification of enterobacteria to the level of the genus (kit A for 9 tests) and to the level of the species (kit B for 25 tests) are presented.

[Nonpathogenic Neisseria on the mucosa of the respiratory tract in healthy persons and patients with infectious-allergic bronchial asthma]. / Nepatogennye neisserii na slizistykh obolochkakh dykhatel'nogo trakta zdorovykh i bol'nykh infektsionno-allergischeskoi bronkhial'noi astmoi.

The comparative study of Neisseria strains, isolated from the bronchi and the pharynx of healthy persons and infectious asthma patients, was made. Nonpathogenic Neisseria isolated from bronchial asthma patients were represented by the same species as those in the pharyngeal flora of healthy persons. Only N. perflava occurred in the pharynx and the bronchi of infectious asthma patients twice as often as in healthy persons. Neisseria colonies in the R-form were shown to prevail in the cultures obtained by the inoculation of the smears taken from asthma patients.

[Lytic ability, in relation to gram-positive microorganisms, of a preparation isolated from a Pseudomonas lytica culture]. / Liticheskaia aktivnost' v otnoshenii grampolozhitel'nykh mikroorganizmov fermentnogo preparata, vydelennogo iz kul'tury Pseudmonas lytica.

A lytic enzyme isolated from P. lytica was studied with respect to its effect on pathogenic grampositive and gramnegative organisms. All the grampositive organisms were lyzed by the enzyme to this or that extent. The cells of staphylococci were the most sensitive. The gramnegative organisms were resistant. It was suggested that the lytic enzyme could be used in preparing drugs for treating certain skin diseases caused by pathogenic staphylococci.