Evaluation of the resistance of Enterobacteriaceae strains to antibiotics--comparison of strains from clinical material versus environment.

The authors analyzed resistance to antibiotics of bacterial strains from the family of enterobacteriaceae comparing the resistance of two sets of strains, one set being strains isolated from clinical material of patients, the other being those isolated from municipal waste water of the 4th district of Bratislava. Referring to higher index of resistance in strains isolated from outer environment, they draw attention to high number of strains resistant to ampicillin and tetracyclin in clinical material and that of gentamicin-resistant ones from outer environment. Some views on standardization of empirical antibiotic therapy of infections due to strains from clinical material and outer environment are formulated and changes in the antibiotic spectrum effectivity as compared with past results as well as possible unsatisfactory success in treatment by means of currently applied broad spectrum antibiotics in cases of empiric therapy of infections are pointed to. Information on incidence of polyresistant strains of Enterobacteriaceae in outer environment and municipal waste water is presented.

Human interferon alfa therapy and hepatitis B virus markers in the serum of patients with chronic course of illness.

Dynamics of serum levels of HBsAg, HBeAg and anti HBc were followed during human interferon alpha (Hu IFN alpha) therapy of patients with chronic active or chronic persistent hepatitis B. More or less expressed oscillations of HBsAg serum levels seen in two out of our six treated patients seemed to occur due to IFN effect. Little and seldom changes were observed in HBeAg and anti HBc serum levels. The profiles of HBsAg serum levels of interferon-treated patients compared with the profiles of "conventionally" treated patients disclosed occurrence of spontaneous or perhaps interferon-induced cyclic elevations and depressions of HBsAg blood levels. The possible significance of this phenomenon is discussed.

Appearance and some unusual features of Epstein-Barr virus antibody production in infectious mononucleosis and other health disorders.

The indirect immunofluorescence (IF) test and the complement-fixation reaction (CFR) were used in examination of over 1500 sera obtained from patients with infectious mononucleosis (IM) and other health disorders. The evidence obtained supports a direct aetiological relationship between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and IM and points on a relationship of EBV to some other lymphadenopathies and health disorders. The incidence of the IgG type antibody against virus capsid antigen (EB-VCA) and soluble antigen (CF-SA) obtained from EBV genome-positive cells among different age groups of patients is described along with results of long-term examinations of serum samples from IM patients. The appearance and dynamics of production of both types of EBV antibody and their persistence in the organism varied. Long-lasting oscillations, in particular of the EB-VCA antibody levels were found in sera of patients with prolonged health disorders following IM. The diagnosis value of the IF test and the CFR is discussed.