Apmis

Jephcott, A. E.; Reyn, Alice

doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1971.tb00088.xpmid: 4999788

Five characteristic types of gonococcal colonies have been recognized. These and the special optical system needed to differentiate them are described in detail. Certain types were shown to be associated with clinical materials whereas others arose on laboratory subculture. The authors suggest that any work relevant to clinical infection (except sensitivity testing) or the aggressive action of gonococci should be carried out on clinically associated types.

Hofstad, Tor; Kristoffersen, Tore; Mæland, Johan A.

doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1971.tb00089.xpmid: 4106563

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) extracted with phenol‐water from five oral strains of Veillonella was studied by indirect haemagglutination techniques. The highly active LPS showed serological type‐specificity. LPS from at least two of the strains contained more than one anti‐genic determinant, carried by the same molecular complex. The determinant groups were of carbohydrate nature. Inhibition of haemagglutination with mono‐ and disaccharides gave information of the chemical composition of the determinant group in LPS from one of the strains examined. The LPS preparations were immunogenic in rabbits, giving rise to both ME‐resistant antibodies and antibodies sensitive to reductional cleavage with ME.

Biberfeld, Gunnel

doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1971.tb00090.xpmid: N/A

Comparison of the antibody response to M. pneumoniae in patients with pneumonia of different ages showed that most cases below 20 years had an early predominance of IgM relative to IgG complement fixing (CF) antibodies whereas most adults above 40 years possessed more IgG than IgM CF antibodies. Young patients usually developed higher titres of CF than of tetrazolium reduction inhibiting (TRI) antibodies while older patients often showed higher TRI than CF antibody titres. 7 out of 10 adult patients with excretion of M. pneumoniae of short duration formed little or no IgM antibodies while most cases with prolonged excretion had a rather potent IgM antibody response in the early phase of infection. But a longlasting persistence of M. pneumoniae in the throat was not necessarily accompanied by a longlasting IgM antibody response. The total serum IgM level increased during infection in patients who developed high or moderate titres of IgM antibodies to M. pneumoniae and of cold agglutinins but showed little or no change in patients who formed M. pneumoniae antibodies of IgG class almost exclusively. Absorption with M. pneumoniae organisms of 8 sera with elevated IgM resulted in a 8—34 per cent reduction of total IgM. Removal of the cold agglutinins reduced the IgM concentration by 11 per cent in one serum but had little or no effect on the IgM level in 7 other sera. Absorbable M. pneumoniae antibodies and cold agglutinins accounted for 30—57 per cent of the IgM increase which was demonstrated during the infection. Two to four years after M. pneumoniae pneumonia, CF antibodies persisted in 38 out of 41 cases, TRI antibodies in 39 of 41 cases and IFL antibodies of IgG class in all of 41 cases. 50 per cent of the sera obtained 4 years after infection contained IgM antibodies demonstrable by IFL and CF.

Tärnvik, A.

doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1971.tb00091.xpmid: 5286214

Lymphocytes purified from human blood responded poorly, to each of two different fractions of a phytohaemagglutinin preparation. One of the fractions agglutinated red cells and a mixture of mononuclear leucocytes and platelets (leucocytes‐platelets); the lymphocyte response to this fraction was increased by red cells as well as by leucocytes‐platelets. The other phytohaemagglutinin fraction agglutinated leucocytes‐platelets but not red cells; the response to this fraction was increased by leucocytes‐platelets but not by red cells. The results are compatible with the assumption that a component of phytohaemagglutinin bound to the red cell membrane induces lymphocyte stimulation more effectively than does phytohaemagglutinin in the absence of cells other than lymphocytes.

Lautrop, H.; ØRskov, I.; Gaarslev, K.

doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1971.tb00092.xpmid: 4938675

In Denmark 26 isolates of hydrogensulphide producing Escherichia coli were found during a period of 14 months beginning in May 1969. The isolates occurred in 25 different patients in nine different hospitals in three different geographical areas and they belonged to 13 different serotypes and 11 different fermentation types. It is therefore concluded that they do not belong to one but to many clones of E. coli. Experimentally it is shown that the H2S producing capacity is different from that possessed by ordinary E. coli. Also it has been demonstrated that one of the H2S producing variants can transfer its capacity for H2S production to an ordinary E. coli under circumstances pointing towards episome transfer as the most plausible mechanism. The idea that the variants themselves originated by episome transfer immediately suggests itself, but there are at present not sufficient data to substantiate the idea.

Normark, Staffan; Boman, Hans G.; Bloom, Gunnar D.

doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1971.tb00093.xpmid: 4999789

A chain‐forming mutant of Escherichia coli K12 has recently been described which exhibits a decreased tolerance to ampicillin, rifampicin, actinomycin D, and several other antibacterial agents {Normark et al. 1969, Normark 1970). The mutated gene responsible for chain formation and drug sensitivity, denoted envA, was mapped at 1.5 min {Normark 1970). In this paper the cell division process in the envA mutant and its wild type parental strain is investigated. Electron microscopy revealed that all layers of the cell envelope participate in the invagination process during cell “division in the wild type strain. In contrast, in the chain forming envA mutant, a septum was constantly formed at the site of division which separated individual cell units. The septum was delimited by the plasma membrane and was composed of periplasm and a central septal structure which by its sensitivity to lysozyme was identified as the murein skeleton. Plasmolysis of chains by 30 per cent sucrose caused a significant broadening of the septal regions, but left the murein layer intact. Ampicillin was without effect on the septal murein component. Sites at which the cytoplasmic membrane was attached to the cell wall were frequently observed in close relation to the invagination areas, even after removal of the murein layer by lysozyme. Inhibition of DNA and murein synthesis did not affect the ability of chains to be transformed into separate cells. Protein synthesis however, was a prerequisite for cell separations. It is suggested that the envA gene mediates a defect in the association of the murein skeleton with the outer layers of the envelope. Models for septum formation are presented.

Stålenheim, G.

doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1971.tb00094.xpmid: N/A

Protein A from Staphylococcus aureus inactivates human complement and complement from rabbit as well as from guinea pig. Complement fixation at different temperatures gives different results; possible reasons for this are discussed. Very large amounts of protein A are needed for inactivation of rabbit complement even in the presence of human IgG. EDTA inhibits the fixation of human complement and of guinea pig complement by protein A.

Gloss, O.; Digranes, A.

doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1971.tb00095.xpmid: 5286215

Two hundred and two strains of prompt lactose‐fermenting enterobacteria were examined, using 12 biochemical tests. In addition the susceptibility to several antibiotics was recorded. Identification on the basis of H2S production, ornithine decarboxylase activity, motility and citrate utilization (HOMoC) was compared with the results obtained using the classical IMV iC tests: indol, methyl red, Voges‐Proskauer and citrate. Only the former set of reactions seemed suitable for clear‐cut identification of the 4 genera Escherichia, Citrobacter, Enterobacter and Klebsiella. In showing low sensitivity to cephalotin Citrobacter and Enterobacter seemed to differ from the other 2 genera, and this could be used as an additional criterion for their identification.

Haukenes, G.; Aasen, J.

doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1971.tb00096.xpmid: 5286216

The separation of rubella haemagglutination‐inhibition (HI) antibodies and haemagglutina‐tion (HA) inhibitors by hydroxyl apatite chromatography and sucrose gradient centrifuga‐tion has been studied. Both methods permitted inhibitors and antibodies to be demonstrated separately. In hydroxyl apatite chromatography all inhibitors were found in the β‐lipo‐protein fractions. The usefulness of these methods in cases of suspected false positive and false negative reactions is discussed.

Dahle, Hans Kolbein; Sandvik, Olav

doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1971.tb00097.xpmid: 4999791

The occurrence of one, or two, proteinase fractions was demonstrated for 5 strains of Vibrio comma using the zymogram technique for proteinases. Most of the proteinase fractions moved more or less rapidly towards the cathode, although some were shown to migrate in the opposite direction at pH 6.2. Serological cross reactions were observed between proteinase fractions produced by a strain of Aeromonas liquefaciens and 2 of the V. comma stvains examined. The proteinase A of Ae. liquefaciens was shown to be enzymoserologically identical, or closely related, to one of the proteinase fractions of V. comma, while no relationship was observed between the proteinase B of Ae. liquefaciens and any of the V. comma proteinases. In order to remove the naturally occurring proteinase inhibitors from the antiproteinase‐containing γ‐globulins in immune serum, precipitation with sodium sulphate was used, with success, as demonstrated by disc electrophoresis and the Casein Precipitation Inhibition test (CPI‐test). The need for suitable separation techniques when using enzymes as a basis for the taxonomical differentiation of the corresponding organisms is emphasized.