Apmis

Flagstad, A.

doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1973.tb02221.xpmid: 4520222

Virus isolation was performed from faeces of one cat with symptoms of panleukopaenia and from autopsy material from six out of seven cats with macroscopical lesions of panleukopaenia. In a few cases a cytopathic effect was observed in feline kidney cell cultures. The virus produced intranuclear inclusion bodies. The inclusion bodies were detectable in stained preparations. Both the cytopathic effect and the intranuclear inclusion bodies occurred irregulary and was of a transient nature. Inoculation experiments were made on cats using culture material. Fulminating symptoms of panleukopaenia developed in five out of eight kittens after intraperitoneal inoculation.

Melchior, N. H.; Blom, J.; Tybring, L.; Birch‐Andersen, A.

doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1973.tb02222.xpmid: 4358286

The morphological response of E. coli to a new antibiotic, 6β‐[(hexahydro‐1H‐azepin‐1‐yl)‐methyleneamino]‐penicillanic acid (FL 1060), has been investigated and compared with the response to benzylpenicillin and ampicillin. At high concentrations of FL 1060 (1000 μg/ml) in osmotically stabilized media, E. coli responds in the same way as to penicillins by forming “rabbit ears” and spheroplasts. At lower concentrations down to the IC50 value (0.02 μg/ml), the cells, even in unstabilized media, first become ellipsoidal and later spherical. After 2–3 hours, lysis of the cells occurs. This is rather late, as compared to the early lysis obtained with penicillins. Electron microscopical investigations show no characteristic changes in the subcellular pattern. During the second hour of treatment, the bacterial culture contains a considerable number of cells presenting asymmetrical cell divisions. During the same period, nuclear stainings show abnormal nuclear regions with impaired segregation, resulting in chromatine bridges and horseshoe‐shaped chromatine regions. The results support the conception that, on cells in the pre‐lytic stage, FL 1060 interferes with the balance between lengthwise growth and cell division through cross wall formation.

Grange, J. M.; Nordstrom, Gerd

doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1973.tb02223.xpmid: 4203240

Forty‐eight strains of Mycobacterium ranae (Bergey et al.) have been phage typed with various dilutions of a suspension of mycobacteriophage BK4. A close correlation between lysis by 5 times 102 or less Plaque Forming Units (P.F.U.) of the phage and inositol‐utilising activity has been found. Strains that utilise inositol are lysed by 5 times 102 or less P.F.U., whereas strains that are unable to utilise inositol require 5 times 104 or more P.F.U. for lysis. In one group of strains of M. ranae the inositol‐utilisation is greatly reduced and only detectable by a sensitive technique. This is considered to be due to permeability factors rather than a defect in the inositol locus.

Helgeland, Svein; Grov, Arne; Schleifer, Karl H.

doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1973.tb02224.xpmid: 4128947

Antigenic determinants of Staphylococcus aureus mucopeptide and corresponding antibodies in rabbit antiserum have been studied, using synthetic peptides in inhibition of indirect haemagglutination and immunoadsorbent techniques. Results are presented to show that at least 3 determinants are present in the peptide subunits. The pentapeptide L‐Ala‐γ‐D‐Glu‐L‐Lys‐D‐Ala‐D‐Ala exhibits 2 determinants, one of which is located to the C‐terminal D‐Ala‐D‐Ala, and the penta‐glycine bridge one determinant.

Lehmann, Vidar

doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1973.tb02225.xpmid: 4271908

The effect of chelating agents and divalent metal ions on the enzymatic reaction of phospholipase C (haemolysin) of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus has been examined. Various phospholipids have been tested for their interference with phospholipase C‐induced haemolysis. The effects of the enzyme on red cell membrane phospholipids and red cell membrane adenosine triphosphatase (ATP‐ase) activities have been examined. In accordance with previous investigations, the total enzymatic activity (TA) was found to consist of a basal activity (BA) in the absence of Mg2+, plus an increase in activity induced by the addition of Mg2+ (MgA). Treatment of phospholipase C with 5 mM ethylendiaminetetraacetate (EDTA) prior to incubation with substrate, completely inactivated the enzyme. Addition of 5 mM Mg2+ restored 27 per cent of TA, while 0.1 mM Zn2+ did not reactivate the enzyme. The inhibitory effect of EDTA in the incubation mixture was overcome by Mg2+. In the haemolytic reaction, Zn2+ inhibited MgA in concentrations that had no detectable effect on BA. Micellar phospholipids were shown to have an inhibitory effect on haemolytic activity. The enzyme attacked lecithin, phosphatidylethanolamine and sphingomyelin of the red cell membrane, liberating 69 per cent of the membrane‐bound acid soluble phosphorus. Both ouabain‐sensitive and ‐insensitive ATP‐ase activities were partly inactivated.

Lehmann, Vidar

doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1973.tb02226.xpmid: 4203241

Extracellular and intracellular haemolysin (phospholipase C) of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus have been examined during bacterial growth in a chemically defined medium. The haemolytic activities of various strains of Acinetobacter, grown in broth media, have been compared. Intracellular haemolytic activity was detected only at the early stage of growth. Release of haemolysin from the cells started at this point and reached its maximum at the end of the logarithmic phase of growth. In A. calcoaceticus (anitratus), 6 out of 17 strains were haemolytic to human red cells, and in A. lwoffi 2 out of 13 strains. In broth culture filtrates, two distinct types of haemolysis occurred. In some strains, haemolysis increased after cooling (hot‐cold effect), while in others a regular, direct haemolysis occurred at 37° C, with no detectable increase in lysis after cooling. Both types of activity were inactivated by heating and by ethylendiaminetetraacetate, and activated by Mg2+ and albumin. All haemolytic filtrates examined released acid soluble phosphorus from lecithin. The two types of haemolytic activities showed immunological differences.

Håheim, Lars Reinhardt; Haukenes, Gunnar

doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1973.tb02227.xpmid: 4128948

Egg‐grown influenza virus A/PR/8/34 (HON1) was shown to lose the ability to absorb antibodies to the Forssman antigen as the virus purification procedure became more extensive. The haemagglutination caused by non‐infectious HA‐material, density ≤ 1.14 g/cm3, separated from intact virions by centrifuging to equilibrium in a CsC1 gradient, was inhibited by anti‐Forssman serum. No HI‐effect towards intact virions was obtained with this serum.

Rosendal, S.

doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1973.tb02228.xpmid: 4588018

The occurrence of mycoplasmas in the conjunctivae and in the respiratory and genital tracts of dogs has been investigated by cultivation experiments. Whereas mycoplasmas from conjunctiva could be cultivated in a few cases only, they occurred in a very high frequency in the upper respiratory tract without relation to clinical disease. Mycoplasmas from lungs with pneumonic lesions were cultivated, but not mycoplasmas from normal lungs. From the genital tract, they were isolated from half of the female dogs, and a little more frequently from the males. Using indirect immunofluorescence identification of mycoplasma colonies, a mixed flora was found in the pharynx of approx. 85 per cent of the examined dogs. In half of the female dogs, a mixed flora was present in the vagina whereas this was apparently not the case in the prepuce of male dogs.

Bergquist, N. R.; Danielsson, D.

doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1973.tb02229.xpmid: 4588019

Two different antigen preparations of human origin (sectioned thyroid cells and blood smears) were compared in the indirect immunofluorescence (IF) test for antinuclear antibodies (ANA). Two sets of sera were investigated with identical reagents at two laboratories equipped with similar optical systems. The reproducibility was 94 per cent if thyroid sections were used at both places but dropped to 72 per cent if one laboratory substituted thyroid sections for blood smears. All sera showing speckled staining with thyroid sections were negative with blood smears. Tests carried out on blood smears resulted consistently in higher ANA titres as compared with results obtained with thyroid sections. Low ANA titres were found in 5 per cent of healthy blood donors if blood smears were used but only in 1 per cent with sectioned thyroid cells. Tissue sections are recommended for routine screening of ANA.

Rhodes, Joan M.; Birch‐Andersen, A.; Ravn, Helene

doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1973.tb02230.xpmid: 4520223

Normal mouse and guinea pig macrophages, which had ingested horse radish peroxidase (HRP), were studied in the electron microscope. The majority of the HRP was situated in the phagolysosomes, 10, 30, 60 minutes and 24 hours after injection in vivo, or in vitro, at the shorter time intervals. The localization of 125I‐HRP in macrophages was also studied at the electron microscope level. Radioactivity was usually associated with the histochemical staining for peroxidase, which was chiefly situated in the phagolysosomes. Occasional grains were found on the surface of the cell. The significance of these findings is discussed, in the context of the role of macrophages in the induction of the immune response.