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The temperature of the isolation medium exerted no significant effect on the rate of positive cultures for Neisseria gonorrhoeae . However, significantly more colonies were obtained on ambienttemperature medium than on cold (4 C) medium. A small number of specimens (six) failed to grow on cold medium but grew on ambient-temperature medium. Viable counts showed essentially no effect of medium temperature on the nondiscriminating strain, a 90% reduction on the cold medium for the cold-intolerant strain, and for the strains with warm medium preference, about twice as many colonies on warm as on cold or ambient-temperature medium.

Culture filtrates were prepared from dermatophytes under standard conditions and adapted for analytical isoelectric focusing in thin layer polyacrylamide gels over the pH range 3·5–9·5. Dermatophytes grown in trypticase soy broth secreted a large number of proteins displaying a wide range of isoelectric points (pls). Trichophyton megninii extracts contained a triplet of proteins focusing in the pH 8·0–8·5 range that were absent in taxonomically related T. kuryangei isolates. Single ascospore isolates and standard tester strains of Nannizzia otae (+) mating type were differentiated from the (-) mating type by proteins focusing at pH 6·5 and 8·4. These were markedly reduced in the (+) type. The isofocused pattern of Microsporum canis conformed closely to the (-) mating type of N. otae. The protein patterns of T. megninii and T. kuryangei were distinct from those obtained with M. canis and M. equinum because of an intense-staining broad protein band, pI 7·2, and three periodic acid-Schiff-positive glycoprote...

Keratinomyces ceretanicus was described as a new taxon distinct from Trichophyton ajelloi. Because of the morphological similarity between the two species, their mating behaviour was studied. The optimum temperature for growth of K. ceretanicus was found to be 25°C rather than 17°C. The type culture produced moderate numbers of microconidia on potato glucose agar after 2 weeks at 25°C and a large number of smooth, thick-walled, cylindro-fusiform, 7-to 12-celled macroconidia. On Sabouraud glucose agar containing chloramphenicol and cycloheximide growth was partially but not completely inhibited. When crossed on a soil-hair medium, K. ceretanicus produced fertile gymnothecia typical of Arthroderma uncinatum with 10 (−) mating type isolates of A. uncinatum. As a result, it is concluded that K. ceretanicus is a facultative synonym of T. ajelloi.

The penile ulcerations of 100 consecutive men were tested for microorganisms. A polymicrobial flora was identified in the ulcers of 97 men. The microorganisms recovered from these ulcers included combinations of anaerobic and aerobic bacteria (including Mycoplasma), herpes simplex virus, yeasts, and filamentous fungi. Fifty-three study entrants had microorganisms, identified by culture or serologic tests, that were considered primary in ulcer pathogenesis. Herpes simplex virus was the most prevalent and Treponema pallidum was the next most prevalent pathogen identified. Of our patients, 5% had two recognized pathogens confirmed by laboratory tests, and only one of these was suspected at clinical examination. In addition, the study suggests that microorganisms other than Haemophilus ducreyi can produce ulcers with a morphology mimicking chancroid.

SummaryThe determination of DNA base pair ratios has been described using a rapid agar-gel electrophoresis method for the separation of DNA bases obtained from formic acid hydrolyzates. The actual mol % G + C values calculated from spectrophotometric data on the electrophoretically separated bases compared favorably with values obtained by thermal denaturation or buoyant density determinations on separate aliquots of the same DNA.

SummarySuppression of corticosteroid production by inhibitors effected a tenfold increase in susceptibility of mice to death from endotoxin shock. Amphenone B and metyrapone caused some increase in susceptibility, but if given more than 1 hr before the endotoxin afforded protection to the test animals. Aminoglutethimide exerted a deleterious effect for at least 24 hr. The effect of the aminoglutethimide was reversed by pregnenolone, progesterone and deoxycorticosterone, although the LD50 remained lower than in the control animals. Corticosterone, cortisone and hydrocortisone afforded marked protection in both the endotoxin treated mice as well as the endotoxin-inhibitor treated mice. Andros-tenedione caused a decrease in the LD50 value in both the control and aminoglutethimidetreated mice. By contrast 17-a-hydroxyprogesterone afforded no protection against endotoxin in the control mice and a significant, but miniscule, degree of protection in the inhibitor-treated mice.This investigation was supported by ...

THE chick is equipped to undergo a short interval of nutritional privation following hatching due to the existence of the yolk sac. This organ may be removed immediately after hatching without deleterious effects if an adequate diet is provided (Harvey et al., 1955). The nutriment provided from the yolk is largely in the form of neutral fat, thus leading to a fatty liver and lipemia (Entenman et al., 1940). As the chick ages, the amounts and distribution of the classes of lipid in the liver change. This change has been followed by infrared spectrophotometry and is reported here. Although changes in liver composition have been demonstrated by infrared spectroscopy during pullorum disease (Cameron et al., 1958Cameron et al., 1959) no apparent alteration of the infrared spectrum of liver lipid was caused by infection with Salmonella pullorum. This infection has been shown by other means to induce changes in the level of saponifiable …

SummaryMice treated with endotoxin 18 hr earlier had markedly reduced liver carbohydrate, but with cortisone under the same conditions the level was more than doubled. Elipten exerted no apparent effect on the carbohydrate levels in normal mice, but very nearly eliminated the deposition of glycogen after the mice were treated with cortisone. The effect of endotoxemia on the liver carbohydrate was enhanced by Elipten, and ameliorated slightly by cortisone alone or in combination with Elipten.The author thanks Dr. J. J. Chart of CIBA for the supply of Elipten. This investigation was supported by USPHS research grant AI-06767 from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Four Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) and one opossum (Didelphis virginiana) were surveyed for the presence of fungi. Eighteen different fungi were isolated from rat samples and six from the opossum, including Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Hair and skin scrapings from laboratory raised Norway rats, bedding and air from the room yielded only Penicillium sp.

Curvularia lunata strain SP, isolated from a disseminated human infection, infected normal mice, but three other strains of C. lunata and one each of C. pallescens and C. spicifera did not. The SP strain was recovered in cultures from, and hyphal filaments were observed in, abscesses in the liver and spleen of experimentally infected mice. All strains of Curvularia infected mice treated with 400 rads X-irradiation and 10.0 mg cortisone, but at 400 rads and 5.0 mg only two strains of C. lunata (SP and Ghosh) and C. pallescens and C. spicifera infected mice. At 200 rads and 10.0 mg, C. lunata Sp, C. pallescens and C. spicifera; and at 200 rads and 5.0 mg, only C. lunata SP and C. pallescens caused infection. After X-irradiation (200 or 400 rads) or cortisone (5.0 or 10.0 mg) alone only C. lunata SP caused infections in mice.

A bacteriphage typing scheme for differentiating Proteus isolated from clinical specimens was developed. Twenty-one distinct patterns of lysis were seen when 15 bacteriophages isolated on 8 Proteus mirabilis , 1 P. vulgaris , and 1 P. morganii were used to type 162 of 189 (85.7%) P. mirabilis and P. vulgaris isolates. Seven phages isolated on 3 P. morganii were used to type 13 of 19 (68.4%) P. morganii isolates. Overall, 84.1% of the 208 isolates were lysed by at least 1 phage at routine test dilution (RTD) or 1,000 × RTD. Fifty isolates, retyped several weeks after the initial testing, showed no changes in lytic patterns. The phages retained their titers after storage at 4 C for several months. A computer analysis of the data showed that there was no relationship between the source of the isolate and bacteriophage type. This bacteriophage typing system may provide epidemiological information on strains involved in human infections.

(1975). Bacteriophage Typing of Gram-Negative Rod-Shaped Bacteria. CRC Critical Reviews in Clinical Laboratory Sciences: Vol. 6, No. 3, pp. 201-246.

ConclusionInjection of mice with 30 mg of GSH, especially intravenously, was complicated by the unphysiologic, extracellular distribution of the exogenous glutathione. The GSH given to mice to replace nonprotein sulfhydryl lost as a result of endotoxin shock provided only slight protection. Survival was significantly improved by intraperitoneal injection of 30 mg of GSH 4 hr before the endotoxin. Thus, there appears to be little therapeutic potential for GSH in endotoxin shock.

THE urease reaction has been used as a diagnostic method for a number of groups of bacteria. It is particularly useful in differentiating Proteus species from enteric pathogens1,2 and has also been used to differentiate Brucella suis from B. abortus and B. melitensis3. It also has been suggested that urease activity may serve as an indicator of pathogenic potential and of drug resistance among some groups of bacteria4–6. The urease activity of bacteria can readily be determined by inoculating the organisms on to a number of bacteriological media1,2. Seneca et al.6,7 reported that urease activity was observed in cell-free extracts obtained by sonic oscillation, even in groups characterized as lacking this enzyme by sensitive culture methods. The crude extracts such as were used in those investigations may contain large amounts of compounds which readily yield alkaline products; for example, extracts from enteric bacteria have been shown to produce amines from amino-acids8. Therefore, in order to eliminate spurious results, the more specific method involving reaction of acetylbenzoyl with urea has been used to determine urease activity of cell-free preparations9.

121 cases diagnosed clinically as tinea capitis were examined microscopically and culturally. In 80 cases the causative organism could be cultured.T. violaceum was the causative organism of the majority of the cases as it caused 47.5 % of the cases,T. schoenleinii 31.3 %,M. canis caused 26.1 %,T. tonsurans 1.3 %, whileM. audouinii caused none. In most of the cases ofT. violaceum infection, scaling and mild inflammation were the common clinical manifestation. The black dot or the bald patch appearance was rarely seen. Favus did not necessarily show the characteristic scutulae; in many cases ofT. schoenleinii infection, only few scales and mild inflammation were present.

Eaves, George N. (Wayne State University College of Medicine, Detroit, Mich.) and Charles D. Jeffries . Isolation and properties of an exocellular nuclease of Serratia marcescens . J. Bacteriol. 85: 273–278. 1963.—The exocellular nuclease of Serratia marcescens , isolated by anion-exchange chromatography on diethylaminoethyl-Sephadex, depolymerized deoxyribonucleic acid, ribonucleic acid, and the polynucleotide which is refractory to pancreatic ribonuclease activity. The enzyme was tentatively classified as a nonspecific phosphodiesterase. Magnesium was essential for activity, which was optimal at pH 8.8. The purified enzyme was completely inactivated by heating at 50 C for 15 min.