A rapid and easy PCR-RFLP method for genotyping Serratia marcescens strains isolated in different hospital outbreaks and patient environments in the Lyon area, France.

A new genotyping method for Serratia marcescens is described. This method uses the flagellin gene as target for polymerase chain reaction amplification and Alu I restriction fragment length polymorphism. The strains tested belonged to 13 different hospital clusters of S. marcescens isolated between 1983 and 1988, concerning outbreaks and/or patient environments in different hospital units in Lyon and the Rhone-Alpes region of France. Initially, the classification had been performed by marcescinotyping. These strains were then tested by ribotyping and genotyping of the flagellin gene. Genotyping showed similar classification to ribotyping. The genotyping method is the easiest technique, as reproducible as ribotyping, and with almost the same ability to discriminate different strains. It does not need expensive equipment, is more rapid, and is less labor intensive than ribotyping. With this method, all strains of S. marcescens including sporadic isolates could be amplified and typed. Antibiotic sensitivity determination was found to be a useful complementary and confirmation test for all these typing methods.

[The value of parameters of iron metabolism in the differential diagnosis of anemias]. / Die Wertigkeit von Parametern des Eisenstoffwechsels in der Differentialdiagnose von Anämien.

As a result of investigations into the diagnostic validity of selected haematologic-morphological and clinical-chemical test factors of iron metabolism in the diagnosis of hypochromic anaemia, the examined test faktora are differently evaluated as individual parameters and in their combination. 1. Haematocrit (PCV) is equal to the determination of haemoglobin concentration as a search parameter. 2. The number of reticulocytes, copper and zinc as well as caeruloplasmin have a separating effect as individual parameters on the examined classes of iron deficiency and tumour and infect anaemia. 3. Iron has no value as a individual parameter. It is only in combination with TEBK and the haematologic test factors that is has a diagnostic value. 4. In contrast, ferritin as an individual parameter is of primary importance and should be used extensively in the laboratory diagnosis of hypochromic anaemia. 5. TEBK and transferrin may be supposed to be equal in their diagnostic value. 6. When used in combination, haemoglobin, MCV, TEBK, Transferrin, and ferritin have effective separating function. They permit hypochromic anaemia to be widely assigned to one or another kind of the examined classes.

[Optimizing the diagnosis of anemia]. / Optimierung der Diagnostik von Anämien.

The specific value of the erythrocyte parameters MCH and MCV for the differential-diagnostic arrangement of anaemias to the use of the haematological automations of analysis PHA 1/2 is represented. A prerequisite is the precise determination of haemoglobin concentration and erythrocyte number. MCHC has no sufficient discriminatory capacity.

Release of Fc-receptors after streptococcal lysis induced by a lytic enzyme from Streptomyces globisporus.

Streptomyces globisporus produced an enzyme which had lytic effects on streptococci and was able to solubilize their Fc-receptors. A new method for rapid purification of this enzyme was described. It consisted of adsorption to Amberlite CG 50 and subsequent chromatography on CM-cellulose Whatman CM 52. The purified enzyme was free of proteases and had lysed streptococci of serological groups A, B, C, G and L. It released Fc-receptors from the streptococcal surface in a biologically active form.