Endotoxins of gram-negative anaerobic bacteria.

The author reviews the data available on endotoxins of Fusobacterium, Sphaerophorus, Leptotrichia, and Veillonella species, and reports his own findings with lipopolysaccharides extracted from Bacteroides fragilis strains by the trichloroacetic acid method. The latter extracts showed a very low toxicity for mice after i.v. injection of dosages of less than or equal to 500 micrograms and a slight leucopenic effect in mice after intraperitoneal injection of 50 micrograms.

Search for Acinetobacter calcoaceticus subsp. anitratus: enrichment of fecal samples.

None of 50 healthy individuals and only 2 of 50 hospitalized patients (with Acinetobacter anitratus elsewhere) yielded A. anitratus on enrichment from fecal samples.

[Comparison of antimicrobial activity and stability to beta-lactamases of cefoperazone, cefotaxime, lamoxactam and ceftriaxon]. / Vergleichende Untersuchungen zur antimikrobiellen Aktivität und beta-Lactamasebeständigkeit von Cefoperazon, Cefotaxim, Lamoxactam und Ceftriaxon.

Ceftriaxon (Ro 13-9904) is a new cephalosporin, whose structure resembles cefotaxime. This study compares the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC-s) of Ceftriaxon, cefoperazone, cefotaxime, lamoxactam and gentamicin against 622 isolates of various Enterobacteriaceae, non-fermenters and Aeromonas hydrophila. Furthermore the minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBC-s) were determined for some organism; additionally destruction of beta-lactamantibiotics in the presence of beta-lactamases was studied by a bioassay technique. The in vitro activity of Ceftriaxon against gramnegative bacteria was found very similar to that of cefotaxime. The susceptibility of Enterobacter sp. to the three cephalosporines was exceeded by lamoxactam while cefoperazone was the most active beta-lactam-antibiotic against Pseudomonas. Lactamases, which inactivated cefotaxime also destroyed Ceftriaxon in a greater extend. No hydrolysis of lamoxactam and cefoperazone occurred by nearly all bacterial extracts tested.

[Culture and differentiation of obligatory aerobic gram-negative rods from human material; a scheme for application in routine diagnosis (author's transl)]. / Züchtung und Differenzierung obligat aerober gramnegativer Stäbchen aus menschlichem Untersuchungsmaterial. Schema zur Anwendung in der Routine-Diagnostik

The diagnosis of obligately aerobic Gram-negative rods in the clinical laboratory may encounter difficulties since media used for Enterobacteriacae are only partially usable for the diagnosis of this group of bacteria (Psuedomonas, Xanthomonas, Alcaligenes, Achromobacter, Brucella, Bordetella, Flavobacterium, Moraxella, Acinetobacter, and some still unnamed taxa). We have developed a diagnostic scheme, based on recent publications in the field and representing an extension of earlier tables from this and other laboratories, which attempts to classify a maximal number of obligately aerobic Gram-negative rods with a minimal number of tests. The scheme, employed on 4051 strains, used blood agar and MacConkey Agar as isolation media. Growth characteristics on these media and microscopic morphology may be of help, but only the type of growth on Triple Sugar Iron (or Kligler's) Agar is characteristic for the group as a whole (no growth in the butt, alkalinization or no pH change on the slant). A primary identification series employs tests for oxidase (Kovacs), oxidation of glucose and xylose (in OF medium), deoxyribonuclease and indole (in DNase Test Agar with Methyl Green), nitrate reduction (in Indole Nitrite Medium), motility (hanging drop), and fluorescein production (on Flo Agar). Results of Kirby-Bauer antimicrobial sensitivity testing serve as additional (colistin) or confirmatory criteria. Incubation is at 30 degrees C for 24-48 hrs. If a diagnosis is not possible than, a secondary series, including tests for lysine decarboxylase (tablets), 4 hr urease, esculin hydrolysis, growth at 42 C and on SS Agar, gelatin liquefaction, and flagellar staining may have to be used, and read after 4-24 hrs at 30 degrees C. Five tables, drawn up according to oxidase, glucose, and xylose reactions, serve to identify the species or taxa. Biotypes cannot be differentiated. The scheme will need updating as more knowledge of these bacteria will become available.

[Hazards associated with artificial humidification in tracheotomized patients (author's transl)]. / Zur Gefährdung Tracheotomierter durch künstliche Klimatisation Bakteriologische Untersuchungen an einem auf Verdunsterbasis arbeitenden Luftbefeuchter

Bacteriological testing in tracheotomized patients has shown that infection can be avoided when only sterilized water is used for post-surgical humidification and is disinfected at least every two days. In so doing, water condensation can be avoided by the use of concomitant tube heating. Conclusions indicate that humidifers which utilize water evaporation are more useful in patient care than ultra-sonic nebulizers.

Haemophilus influenzae type b septicaemia associated with myonecrosis and thigh abscess.

A case is reported of a male adult with Haemophilus influenzae type b septicaemia and subsequent abscess in the left thigh due to this microorganism following injection of phenylbutazone. The phenylbutazone probably caused muscle cell damage. It is assumed that Haemophilus influenzae type b colonized the site during an episode of septicaemia, with subsequent development of necrosis and abscess.

Pasteurella multocida septicemia not associated with primary liver disease.

Although systemic infections with Pasteurella multocida rarely occur in humans, liver cirrhosis associated with septicemia due to this organism has been frequently reported. Two cases of elderly women with Pasteurella multocida septicemia are described who had diabetes mellitus and breast cancer, respectively. Underlying diseases other than liver cirrhosis as well as factors hitherto unknown in otherwise healthy persons also enhance the risk of Pasteurella multocida septicemia.

Persistent colonization of carbon dioxide incubators with Candida parapsilosis.

Recurrent contamination of bacteriological specimens with Candida parapsilosis led to epidemiological investigations which indicated persistent colonization of carbon dioxide incubators as the most likely source. Changes in the technical arrangements and institution of a meticulous cleansing protocol eliminated contamination of specimens but not colonization of the incubators. Tests for tolerance of 17% NaCl and survival at 50 degrees C, and SDS-PAGE analysis of crude cell extracts allowed discrimination between epidemic and non-epidemic isolates, while enzyme profile analysis and susceptibility studies failed as typing methods.