Efficiency of papain-treated microfilariae of Wuchereria bancrofti (var. pacifica) as antigen for serodiagnosis of bancroftian filariasis in French Polynesia.

Papain-treated microfilariae of Wuchereria bancrofti have been used as antigen for indirect fluorescent assay: 0% of non-endemic sera, 8% of healthy exposed Polynesians, 48% of clinical patients and 96% of microfilaraemic subjects were positive by this test. The geometric mean titres were 22, 41, 147 and 605 respectively. Untreated microfilariae were unsuitable for diagnostic purposes. Dirofilaria immitis adult sections showed low reactivity, giving poor discrimination between non-endemic and microfilaraemic sera. The geometric mean titres were 6 and 61 respectively.

[The Pasteur network]. / Le réseau pastorien.

Inspired by Louis Pasteur, the international network of Pasteur Institutes forms an original body of research institutes whose vitality has grown steadily since Albert Calmette first created the Saigon Institute in 1891. The dynamic development of the 23 Pasteur Institutes currently implanted throughout the world was made possible by three driving forces. First of all, Pasteur's own teaching--"Advance only what you can prove experimentally"--the founding principle of modern research. Secondly, the international missions headed by leading collaborators including Thuillier who worked on cholera in Egypt, Loir who initiated antirabies research in Australia and Russia, Calmette in Saigon, and others in Rio de Janeiro, Dalat, Tunis and Alger. And finally Pasteur's own personal renown. Today the Pasteur Institutes fill a vital need in their respective countries developing and producing vaccines locally, serving often as the only competent medical laboratory in developing countries and helping improve standards of hygiene adapted to local situations. Fundamental research has always been at the heart of Pasteur Institutes, coupled with essential training for technicians and researchers alike. Despite political incertitudes and turmoil, the international network of Pasteur Institutes has held its place as the leader in scientific progress for over a century, setting the place for modern international research. The Cantacuzene Institute in Bucarest and the Pasteur Institute in Saint-Petersburg which joined the network in 1991 and 1993 are the most recent examples of the fundamental principle of exchange and cooperation so important for further development.

[Use of microfilaria treated with papain in the serodiagnosis of lymphatic filariasis caused by Wuchereria bancrofti (Var. pacifica)]. / Utilisation de microfilaires traitées à la papaine pour le sérodiagnostic de la filariose lymphatique à Wuchereria bancrofti (Var. pacifica).

A standardised method for serodiagnosis of lymphatic filariasis W. bancrofti (var. pacifica) was performed. The authors used indirect fluorescent assay with papain treated microfilariae as source of antigen. Very high levels of antibodies were obtained in 96% microfilaremic patients. The geometric mean titers were 22.7 for healthy subjects and 605.5 for the filariasis patients. Cross reactivity was studied with two subcutaneous and one lymphatic filariasis. The geometric mean titers were 211.1 for Onchocerca volvulus, 105.6 for Loa-loa and 254 for Brugia malayi patients. No significant reactivity was observed with some other parasites.

[African schistosomiasis at the invasion stage. Criteria for diagnosis. Control after 5 years (author's transl)]. / Les bilharzioses africaines de première invasion. Eléments de diagnostic. Evolution à 5 ans.

The authors expose their conclusions after controlling 181 young soldiers affected by schistosomiasis in an epidemic having occured in Tchad en 1973-74, none of them having been later on submitted to parasitic infection: --relative value of classical diagnosis criteria (50 p. 100); --reliability of immunologic symptoms; -- frequency, importance and precocity of specific granulomatous hepatic changes, detected by laparoscopie and biopsy (87,2 p. 100 of the cases). The value of niridazole is confirmed but continuance of granulomatosis after clinical recovery is not an exceptionnal possibility five years after the treatment, then raising diagnostic and immunologic problems.

ABAC identibiogramme: prototype of an automated system for identification of enterobacteria.

The ABAC Identibiogramme, an automated, computerized system for the identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of the Enterobacteriaceae has been developed recently. The biological basis of the system resides in lyophilized, highly discriminating media enclosed in wells of an automatically inoculated disposable cartridge. The introduction of a suitable specimen rehydrates and inoculates the media in the wells. After incubation for 16 to 18 h at 37 degrees C and the addition of only one reagent (Kovacs reagent), the media changes and the results obtained are interpreted by an automated optical system and a computer. The antibiogram is also used by the computer to confirm the biochemical identification of the organism. The identification accuracy of a prototype of the ABAC Identibiogramme system was compared with that of API 20 E and conventional methods using a total of 1,290 clinical isolates. The ABAC Identibiogramme correctly identified 96.8% of the organisms tested, misidentified 2.4% and failed to identify 0.8%. The results demonstrate the high reliability and good identification performance of the ABAC Identibiogramme in comparison to API 20 E and conventional methods.

[Comparison of the antimicrobial activity of pefloxacin (1589 RB), nalidixic acid and flumequin (author's transl)]. / Activité antibactérienne comparée in vitro de la péfloxacine (1589 RB), de l'acide nalidixique, de l'acide pipémidique et de la fluméquine.

The MIC of the four quinolones were determined for 839 bacterial isolates. The mean in vitro activity of pefloxacin against strains susceptible to nalidixic acid was found to be four times greater than flumequin, eight times greater than pipemidic acid, sixteen times greater than nalidixic acid. On resistant strains pefloxacin, at levels lower than 32 micrograms/ml, remained active against 67 go 100 per cent of the strains as a function of bacterial species. Streptocoques D and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, resistant to other quinolones, were found to be susceptible to pefloxacin.

[Sensitivity study for sulfamides and antibiotics of 260 strains of Neisseria meningitidis isolated in Upper Volta]. / Etude de la sensibilité aux sulfamides et aux antibiotiques de 260 souches de Neisseria meningitidis isolées en Haute-Volta.

260 strains of Neisseria meningitidis, collected on throat swabs performed systematically on healthy carriers, were tested for antibiotics and sulfonamides sensitivity. The M. I. C. for sulfonamides and antibiotics of each strain has been determined with the agar dilution technic. To study the sensitivity to sulfonamides 5% hemolysed horse blood has been added to the Mueller-Hinton medium. To study the sensitivity to antibiotics, 5% sheep blood has been added to Mueller-Hinton. Results may be so resumed:--Sulfadiazine: 80% of the strains are sensitive to 1 mcg/ml, 98% to 64 mcg/ml. --Chloramphenicol: 91% of the strains sensitive to 1 mcg/ml. --Penicillin and ampicillin: nearly 90% of the strains sensitive to 0.015 mcg/ml. --Cephalothin: 95% of the strains sensitive to 0.125 mcg/ml. --Tetracyclines: 88% of the strains sensitive to 0 5 mcg/ml. --Spiramycin: 98% of the strains sensitive to 4 mcg/ml. With each type of Meningococcus, distribution of the M. I. C. for each antibiotic has been studied. It appears that Meningococcus remains very sensitive to antibiotics. For sulfonamides sensitivity, this study doesn't show as frequent a resistance as some suggested. May be this is because of the technic of sulfamidogram using growing media containing inhibitors.

Comparative in vitro activity of 8 cephalosporins on 109 strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and 60 strains of Neisseria meningitidis.

The in vitro activity of 8 cephalosporins - cephalothin, cefamandole, cefoxitin, cefuroxime, cefotaxime, cefoperazone, moxalactam and ceftriaxone (Rocephin) was studied on 109 strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and 60 strains of Neisseria meningitidis, isolated from pathological material. Determination of the MICs of these antibiotics by an agar dilution method shows that on N. gonorrhoeae ceftriaxone (geometric mean of the MICs: 0.0008 microgram/ml) is the most active, followed by cefotaxime (0.001 microgram/ml); cefoperazone (0.008 microgram/ml) and moxalactam (0.01 microgram/ml) are one-tenth as active; then come cefuroxime (0.05 microgram/ml), cefamandole (0.10 microgram/ml) and finally cephalothin (0.26 microgram/ml) and cefoxitin (0.26 microgram/ml). The least susceptibility to penicillin and, to a greater degree, the production of beta-lactamase (8 strains) affect the level of susceptibility to these cephalosporins, but the MICs always remain relatively low.

Comparison of the in-vitro activities of ceftazidime and new cephalosporins against 107 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 249 strains of cefazolin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae.

Three hundred and fifty-six bacterial strains, including 107 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, were tested with ceftazidime and five other agents. All bacterial strains were resistant to cefazolin but were sensitive to 32 mg/l of ceftazidime or less.

Comparative in vitro antibacterial activity of seven semi-synthetic penicillins against aerobic gram-negative bacteria and enterococci.

The MICs and MBCs of mecillinam, ticarcillin, mezlocillin, azlocillin and piperacillin were determined by the microdilution method in liquid medium using 700 strains of gram-negative bacilli and enterococci isolated from pathological sources and classified as a function of their sensitivity to ampicillin and carbenicillin. The ampicillin and carbenicillin-sensitive strains were generally sensitive to the other penicillins, although there were differences in activity. The ampicillin and carbenicillin-resistant strains of Escherichia coli that produce a TEM-type penicillinase were sensitive to mecillinam. Mezlocillin, piperacillin and azlocillin had MICs of between 32 and 64 mg/l for 40% of these strains. The Klebsiella strains, whose broad-spectrum penicillinase deactivates ampicillin and carbenicillin, remained sensitive to mecillinam. Mezlocillin, azlocillin and piperacillin had MICs of less than 8 mg/l for 50% of these strains. The carbenicillin-resistant strains of Enterobacter and Citrobacter were also resistant to the other penicillins. Piperacillin and mezlocillin displayed some activity against certain strains of carbenicillin-resistant Serratia, Proteus and Acinetobacter. Azlocillin, piperacillin and, to a lesser degree, mezlocillin were active against the strains of Pseudomonas, for which carbenicillin had an MIC of about 512 mg/l. Ampicillin, mezlocillin and azlocillin showed the best activity against the enterococci, against which mecillinam was inactive. The MBC of these antibiotics is greatly influenced by the density of the bacterial inoculum.

["In vitro" activity of cefamandole, cefalotin, cefoxitin and cefuroxim against enterobacteria and Staphylococcus aureus isolated in hospital (author's transl)]. / Activité in vitro de la céfamandole comparée à l'activité de la céfalotine, de la céfoxitine et de la céfuroxime sur les entérobactéries et les Staphylococcus aureus isolés en milieu hospitalier.

The in vitro activity of cefamandole was compared with that of cephalotin, cefoxitin, and cefuroxime against 612 bacterial strains isolated in hospital. Cephalotin was more active than cefamandole and the other two cephalosporins against oxacillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus strains. In contrast, the activity of cefamandole was superior to that of the other cephalosporins against oxacillin-resistant strains of S. aureus. This improved activity was confirmed by study in media with a high salt content and by population analysis. The activity of cefamandole against cephalotin-sensitive enterobacteria was superior to that of the other cephalosporins. Its activity was comparable to that of cefoxitin and cefuroxime against cephalotin-resistant strains. However, there were marked variations in this activity in relation to the different species. The therapeutic use of these new cephalosporins, and of cefamandole in particular, should thus be selective and based on the results of bacteriologic studies.

[Evaluation of an automated procedure determining the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC). ]. / Evaluation d'une méthode automatique de détermination de la CMI : L'ABAC CMI.

The ABAC system allows to distribute simultaneously and automatically a standardized inoculum into microtube-cuvettes containing in lyophilized broth medium twofold serial dilutions of the antibiotics. After an 18 hours incubation time, The system prints automatically the MIC. We have compared the MIC of beta-lactam antibiotics (ampicillin, carbenicillin, cephalothin, cefoxitin, cefamandole, cefuroxime and cefotaxime) and 6 aminoglycoside (gentamicin, tobramycin, netilmycin, amikacin, kanamycin, lividomycin) obtained by the ABAC system and by the Agar dilution method for 302 gram negative bacilli. We also made a comparison of the MIC of 8 antibiotics (oxacillin, oleandomycin, spiramycin, erythromycin, clindamycin, pristinamycin, doxycycline, vancomycin) obtained by the 2 methods for 117 Staphylococcus aureus strains. The evaluation shows that the reproducibility of the results obtained by the ABAC system is good. The statistical analysis shows that the correlation between the MIC obtained with the 2 methods is excellent and that there is no significant discrepancy.

[Combined in vitro effect of new betalactam antibiotics and aminoglycosides against Pseudomonas aeruginosa ]. / Activité des associations nouvelles bêtalactamines - aminoglycosides sur Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Etude in vitro.

The association of 11 betalactam antibiotics (carbenicillin, ticarcillin, azlocillin, piperacillin, mezlocillin, cefotaxim, cefoperazone, ceftriaxon, moxalactam, cefsulodin, ceftazidim) with each of the 3 aminoglycosides (gentamicin, tobramycin, amikacin) were studied by the broth dilution method ("checkboard" technic) against 6 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa chosen as a function of their "phenotype". The coefficient of synergy (FIC and FBC) were calculated for the 198 combinations (33 combinations per strain). Bacteriostatic synergy was observed in 18 per cent of the cases and bactericidal synergy in 48 per cent. Synergic association were found to be a function of phenotype. Synergy was rarely observed against bacterial strains resistant to aminoglycosides. Synergy was most frequently observed with two antibiotics in intermediate potency, or an active aminoglycosides combined with an active betalactam antibiotic. The combination containing amikacin produced the most synergy.

[Comparative in vitro activity of 5 semi-synthetic penicillins against aerobic Gram-negative bacilli and enterococci (author's transl)]. / Activité comparée in vitro de 5 pénicillines semi-synthétiques sur les bacilles à Gram-négatif aérobies et les entérocoques.

The MICs and MBCs of mezlocillin, ticarcillin and piperacillin were determined by microdilution in liquid medium against 700 strains of Gram-negative bacilli and enterococci isolated from pathological materials and classified according to their sensitivity of ampicillin and carbenicillin. Strains sensitive to ampicillin and carbenicillin were usually sensitive to the other penicillins with weight for weight differences in activity. The MIC pf mezlocillin against 40% of ampicillin - and carbenicillin-resistant TEM-producing strains of E. coli ranged fron 32 to 64 micrograms/ml. In 50% of Klebsiella strains producing a broad-spectrum penicillinase which inhibited ampicillin and carbenicillin, the MIC of mezlocillin was equal or inferior to 8 micrograms/ml. Carbenicillin-resistant Enterobacter and Citrobacter strains were also resistant to the other penicillins under study. Mezlocillin and piperacillin showed some activity on a few strains of carbenicillin-resistant Serratia, Proteus and Acinetobacter spp. Piperacillin and, to a lesser degree, mezlocillin were active against those strains of Pseudomonas spp for which the MIC of carbenicillin was around 512 micrograms/ml. Mezlocillin and ampicillin were the most active of the antibiotics tested against Enterococci. The MBCs of all antibiotics in this study were strongly influenced by the size of the inoculum.

[The lymphocyte transformation test with the bedsonian antigen (bedsonian LTT) in old and recent Fiessinger-Leroy-Reiter syndromes and in ankylsoing spondylarthritis. Additional study]. / Le test de transformation lymphoblastique avec l'antigène bedsonien (TTL bedsonien) dans les syndromes de Fiessinger-Leroy-Reiter anciens et récents et dans les spondylarthrites ankylosantes Etude complémentaire

The lymphoblastic transformation test in the presence of bedsonian antigen was positive in 72 per cent of the cases confirmed Fiessinger-Leroy-Reiter syndrome, while it was negative in all the controls. This test remains positive over a long period since it was found to be positive in 69.75 per cent of old cases of FLR syndrome diagnosed 13-17 years previously. In cases of post-Reiter ankylosing spondylarthritis (ASp), the bedonian LTT was positive with equal frequency as in cases of FLR syndrome not complicated by ASp (68.4 per cent). On the other hand, in the cases of ASp without known history of FLR the test was positive much less frequently (17.7 per cent). There was no significant difference between the positivity rate of the bedsosian LTT in cases of pure axial ASp and in cases of ASP with peripheral lesions, neither in the group with post-Reiter ASp nor in the group with idiopathic ASp. In addition to its diagnostic value, this test is of great value in the epidemiological study of the group of rheumatic diseases that includes the FLR syndrome and ASp.

[Abnormalities of fibrin formation in benign viral hepatitis (author's transl)]. / Les anomalies de la fibrinoformation au cours des hépatites virales bénignes.

Abnormalities of fibrin formation were studied in 42 young adult patients with benign viral hepatitis. It was observed that there was a constant increase in thrombin time and reptilase time, evoking an abnormality of the second stage of fibrin formation, or the aggregation of fibrin monomers. This abnormality is not associated with the presence of inhibitors in the patients' serums, and is maximum at an alkaline pH. The hypothesis of an abnormality of the fibrinogen molecule, a dysfibrinogenemia, is the most likely cause, and this has to be confirmed by biochemical and immunochemical studies.

[Immunologic aspects of ankylosing spondylarthritis]. / Aspects immunologiques de la spondylarthrite ankylosante.

The immunological profile of 63 men, 53 of whom were carriers of the HLA B27 antigen, and 10 of whom were not, all of whom suffered from ankylosing spondylarthritis (ASP) which was either quiescent or subject to exacerbations, were studied: lymphocytic colonies, quantity determination of serum proteins, investigations of auto-immune antibodies. Following a discussion of the techniques, the results are presented and compared with those obtained in healthy subjects. No significant difference was revealed between the averages obtained for the results on the patients and the controls, nor as regards the B and T lymphocytes, the IgG, IgA, IgM immunoglobulins, the C3 fraction of the complement, or orosomucoid. The haptoglobin and alpha-antitrypsin rates increased significantly in the patients. Tests for the auto-immune antibodies were always negative. The results are compared to other, often contradictory, studies which have already been published. These authors conclude that the ASP in question does not seem to be an immunological disease.

[Dysenteric rheumatism. What remains in 1976?]. / Le rhumatisme dysentérique. Qu'en reste-il en 1976?

Joint manifestations that occur during or after an episode of dysentery, grouped under the name of dysenteric rheumatism, have been known since antiquity, and have been mainly found in military circles, in camps, or during military campaigns. After reviewing the principal epidemics of rheumatism complicated by joint manifestations, the authors show that the only different feature about what is called dysenteric rheumatism is the particular character of the joint manifestations which may be isolated or associated with other manifestations, notably ocular or urethral, forming then what is called the Fiessinger-Leroy-Reiter syndrome. The role of the dysentery bacillus in the genesis of the joint lesions is not clear. Although it may been suspected on the basis of epidemiological or bacteriological arguments in some cases, it has never been formally demonstrated and is often non-existent. The term dysenteric rheumatism is too restrictive and should henceforth be abandoned.