Glycogen synthetic abilities of Actinomyces viscosus and Actinomyces naeslundii freshly isolated from dental plaque over root surface caries lesions and non-carious sites.

Relative glycogen synthetic abilities of resting cells of fresh clinical isolates of Actinomyces viscosus and Actinomyces naeslundii originating from dental plaque samples over root surface caries lesions and non-carious sites were studied under anaerobic conditions at a constant pH of 7.0, with U-(14C)-glucose used as the carbon source. Although the rates of glucose utilization and total acid formation were essentially the same, A. viscosus strains isolated from root surface caries lesions showed glycogen synthetic abilities approximately two to seven times higher than did A. viscosus strains originating from non-carious sites, and also two to four times higher than did A. naeslundii strains originating from both carious and non-carious sites.

Coping with sickle cell disease: a profile and perspective of a pioneer self-help group.

Sickle cell anemia is a chronic, debilitating disease that is passed genetically from generation to generation. It is a disease marked by periods of well-being and crisis, and it has a profound effect on all bodily organs, shortening the lifespan of its victims. The disease also has far-reaching effects on family functioning and relationships. Support for affected families and individuals is therefore a vital component of any management regimen.In the 1960s, the idea for the Association for Sickle Cell Anemia Research (ASCAR) was implemented. The group was spearheaded by Dr. Roland B. Scott and Dr. Angella Ferguson, both of whom were members of the Department of Pediatrics at Freedmen's Hospital (now Howard University Hospital).This group was perhaps the first of its kind, and adopted as its goals education and family support as well as fund-raising to aid in the support of research. This article provides an overview of the development of this group, its organization and activities, as well as an appraisal of its accomplishments. It also offers specific suggestions for formulating similar groups.

A mobile unit as an adjunct to a community outreach program of education, screening, and counseling for sickle cell disease, nutritional anemia, and hypertension.

This paper describes the use of a mobile health unit as a part of a community education, screening, and counseling program. By virtue of its mobility and more flexible hours, this model extends services into the basic urban, suburban, and rural community. Quality control of the diagnostic and counseling activities on the unit is maintained through supervision by the full-time staff of the Howard University Center for Sickle Cell Disease. The program is a part of the University Health Science complex which provides backup consultation and referral sources. The mobile health unit is equipped with a laboratory and waiting, education, and counseling areas; it operates in conjunction with a speakers bureau which conducts a significant portion of the community education. Referrals are made from the unit to a variety of community resources but primarily for additional education and counseling for sickle cell and follow-up services for elevated blood pressure and low and borderline hemoglobin levels.

Thymic and mammary lymphosarcoma in a three-year-old heifer.

Ventral edema, dyspnea, fever, tachycardia, bloat and muffled heart sounds were identified in a 3-year-old heifer. Attempts to relieve the bloat by passing an orogastric tube were unsuccessful. The heifer was bovine leukemia virus-negative by the agar gel immunodiffusion test, and had normocytic, normochromic anemia, mature neutrophilia, and hyperproteinemia. Pleural effusion was identified by thoracic ultrasonography. Cytologic examination of pleural fluid revealed an increased number of atypical lymphocytes. The heifer died, and at necropsy, thymic and metastatic mammary lymphosarcoma was confirmed.

Bone marrow hypoplasia in a cat treated with griseofulvin.

Three weeks after initiation of griseofulvin treatment for dermatophytosis (40 mg/kg of body weight, q 12 h), an 8-yr-old domestic shorthair cat developed depression, vomiting, and pyrexia. Abnormalities found during physical examination included bilateral mydriasis, visual impairment, grade-II/V systolic murmur and multiple areas of alopecia. The cat was pancytopenic; serum biochemical abnormalities included hyperbilirubinemia, hyperglycemia, hyponatremia, and hypokalemia, and urinalysis revealed proteinuria, glycosuria, and bilirubinuria. Examination of a bone marrow aspirate revealed profound hypoplasia of all precursors. Griseofulvin toxicosis was diagnosed on the basis of the temporal relationship of drug administration with onset of clinical, hematologic, and biochemical abnormalities and failure to identify an infective or neoplastic cause for the bone marrow hypoplasia. The condition was refractory to treatment and the cat was euthanatized. Pathologic changes in the bone marrow were consistent with severe hypoplasia of all bone marrow precursors.

Neurologic disease attributable to infection with Parelaphostrongylus tenuis in blackbuck antelope.

Substantial mortality attributable to infection with Parelaphostrongylus tenuis was reported in 2 herds of blackbuck antelope (Antelope cervicapra) in southwestern Louisiana. Both herds had outbreaks in which all affected antelope had neurologic disease and subsequently died. Affected antelope were anorectic and weak. They staggered, trembled, isolated themselves from the herd, became recumbent, and, possibly, were blind. In 1 herd, 6 of 27 antelope were affected, and in the second herd, 7 antelope were affected. Both herds were on farms that raised various native and imported ruminants, including white-tailed deer. None of the remaining ruminants was affected during these outbreaks, and subsequent outbreaks have not been reported. Four antelope and the brain of a fifth antelope were submitted for postmortem examination. Meningeal worms were identified grossly in only 1 antelope. Metastrongyloid nematodes were detected histologically in 3 antelope. The amount and extent of inflammation varied greatly among affected antelope.

Disseminated infection with Neospora caninum in a ten-year-old dog.

Naturally-occurring neosporosis with multiple organ involvement was identified in a 10-year-old neutered male Basset hound dog. Clinical signs were first noticed 3 weeks prior to referral and consisted of crouched stance and mild pelvic limb ataxia. Dexamethasone administration had provided transient improvement. On presentation to the teaching hospital, clinical signs included depression, pelvic limb ataxia, inability to stand without assistance, and pain on deep palpation of the cervical and lumbar vertebral column. Lesions were found in the myocardium, liver, spleen, adrenal glands, brain, and spinal cord. Tachyzoites of Neospora caninum were found in the myocardium and adrenal glands. Organisms stained with anti-Neospora caninum, but not to anti-Toxoplasma gondii serum in an immunohistochemical test.

Intracellular Campylobacter-like organisms associated with rectal prolapse and proliferative enteroproctitis in emus (Dromaius novaehollandiae).

Rectal prolapse was the presenting clinical finding in a group of juvenile emus (Dromaius novaehollandiae). Gross findings included severely thickened and rugose distal rectal mucosae. Histologically, there were thickened villi, enterocyte hyperplasia, dilated glands filled with mucus and heterophils, and a dense infiltrate of heterophils, macrophages, lymphocytes, and plasma cells in the lamina propria. Examination of Warthin-Starry silver-stained sections revealed numerous apically located comma-shaped intracytoplasmic bacteria approximately 1 x 3 microns in size. Campylobacter-like organisms morphologically compatible with ileal symbiont intracellularis now known as Lawsonia intracellularis were seen via electron microscopy. Bacteria were further characterized by indirect immunofluorescence using monoclonal antibody specific for the 25-27-kd outer membrane protein of L. intracellularis.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the oral cavity and sputum of patients with cystic fibrosis.

Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) are often hosts to colonies of both mucoid and nonmucoid strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The major pathogens for chronic and recurrent pulmonary infection in these patients are the mucoid variants of P. aeruginosa. Of the 31 CF patients studied, 14 patients yielded both mucoid and nonmucoid strains of P. aeruginosa from the various oral ecologic sites and saliva. Of the sites tested, the dorsum of the tongue gave the highest yield of P. aeruginosa (27 strains), followed by the buccal mucosa (17 strains), saliva (15 strains), and dental plaques (6 strains). Eleven patients had P. aeruginosa in the oral cavity and sputum simultaneously. Antibiotic susceptibility tests on these multiple isolates suggest that CF patients may be cocolonized or coinfected by two or more strains of P. aeruginosa. Therefore, it may be important to identify multiple isolates of P. aeruginosa, not only from sputum cultures but also from oral cultures, for antibiotic-susceptibility testing. Oral colonization by the mucoid variants of P. aeruginosa may lead to further colonization in the lower respiratory tract and subsequent pulmonary infection in CF patients.