Immunomodulatory effects of Lactobacillous plantarum and Helicobacter pylori CagA⁺ on the expression of selected superficial molecules on monocyte and lymphocyte and the synthesis of cytokines in whole blood culture.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infections are usually superficial and clinically asymptomatic, but in approximately 10-20% cases it can be more aggressive and associated with other pathologies. The reason for weak or strong pro-inflammatory responses in gastric mucosa that occur during H. pylori infection is not understood. Combined treatment, including antibiotic therapy with administration of probiotic bacteria along, considerably improves the effectiveness of H. pylori eradication and reduces the relapse rate. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the effect of Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) and/or H. pylori CagA(+) on leucocytes in whole blood cultures. This study revealed how selected strains of H. pylori and L. plantarum modulate expression of chosen membrane markers of monocytes and lymphocytes, and the cytokine synthesis of in vitro cultures. The level of IFN-γ was higher in cultures stimulated with L. plantarum than in combination of this two examinated strains. We also observe the tendency to increase the level of IFN-γ by L. planatrum in relation to cells stimulated by H. pylori. In contrast, both H. pylori alone and in combination with L. plantarum had a strong modulatory effect on the synthesis of interleukin-10. Moreover lymphocytes with higher expression of CD25 and CD58 receptors was observed only in those cultures that were stimulated with L. plantarum strain alone or in combination with H. pylori. Effects exerted on the immune system, both in terms of natural and adaptive response, constitute the only functional criterion of probiotic bacteria. The immunostimulant effects documented in this study suggest that Lactobacillus spp. can restore immune function of mucosal membrane during symptomatic infection with H. pylori.

[Analysis of blood of children hospitalized in the Children Memorial Health Institute between July 1992 and November 1995]. / Analiza wyników posiewów krwi dzieci leczonych w Instytucie Centrum Zdrowia Dziecka w okresie od lipca 1992 do listopada 1995.

A total number of 6840 blood cultures were taken from 1753 patients hospitalized in the Children's Memorial Health Institute since 07.1992 to 11.1995. Among 6840 blood samples 679 (10.2%) were culture positive and 745 microorganisms were detected; 83.5% Gram(+) bacteria, 9.1% Enterobacteriaceae rods, 1.6% nonfermenters, anaerobes - 3.1% and yeast 2.1%. Fifty two percent of all isolated strains were represented by CoNS. These bacteria were isolated mainly from children hospitalized in cardiology, cardiosurgery, neurosurgery, gastroenterology departments and dialysis unit. We found 68% methicillin resistant strains of CoNS. S. aureus was isolated from blood of children on parenteral nutrition, peritoneal fluid from patients on CAPD, and from blood of children with osteomyelitis/arthritis. Fourty percent of the S. aureus strains were methicillin resistant. Nonfermenters and Enterobacteriaceae rods were isolated predominantly from ICU and gastroenterology department. High percentage of these strains were multiresistant to various antibiotics: penicillins, I and II generations cephalosporins, aminoglycosides and others.

Antibiotic resistance of bacterial strains isolated from children in Child Health Center, Warsaw.

This study examines the antibiotic susceptibility of 1792 bacterial strains isolated from hospitalized children between January and December 1993. A total of 1015 Gram-negative rods represented by members of Enterobacteriaceae family (770) and nonfermenters (245) were isolated. The most resistant strains were noticed among Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterobacter cloacae. From 38% to 46% of K. pneumoniae strains were resistant to third-generation cephalosporins, but all of them were sensitive to imipenem. From 60% to 80% of E. cloacae isolates were resistant to all beta-lactams, but sensitive to imipenem. Resistance of P. aeruginosa to aminoglycosides varied from 30% for gentamicin to 5% for amikacin. About 40% of P. aeruginosa strains were resistant to carbenicillin, and 25% to azlocillin and piperacillin, but only two strains were resistant to ceftazidime and imipenem. Among Gram-positive cocci the most frequently encountered were coagulase-negative staphylococci, followed by Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis. The methicillin-resistant strains of coagulase-negative staphylococci and S. aureus consisted 74.8% and 34%, respectively. All strains of methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci and S. aureus were sensitive to vancomycin.