Abstract ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.
The serum antibody response to P-fimbriae of Escherichia coli in patients with genitourinary infections was investigated with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for P-fimbriae-specific IgG antibody. 1) Female patients with acute pyelonephritis had a significantly (P less than 0.01) higher titer of serum IgG antibody by ELISA, compared with patients with acute cystitis or control subjects. The prevalence of positive serum IgG antibody response was 65% in patients with acute pyelonephritis. 2) Patients with epididymitis with high fever had a significantly (P less than 0.01) higher titer of serum IgG antibody by ELISA, compared with patients with epididymitis without fever or control subjects. The prevalence of positive serum IgG antibody response was 60% in patients with epididymitis with high fever. Therefore, 65% of female patients with acute pyelonephritis and 60% of patients with epididymitis with high fever are infected with P-fimbriated E. coli. The measurement of serum antibody response to P-fimbriae must be helpful for the diagnosis and the antibiotic therapy of epididymitis.
Abstract ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.
A HEp-2 cell-vacuolation factor was extracted and purified from the culture supernatant of a Bacillus cereus strain which caused emetic-syndrome food poisoning. The final preparation was chemically pure, and the toxin was named as cereulide. Mass spectrometry, NMR studies and chemical degradation revealed that the cereulide is a cyclic dodecadepsipeptide, (D-O-Leu-D-Ala-L-O-Val-L-Val)3, which is closely related to the potassium ionophore, valinomycin.
The survival and distribution of Bacillus thuringiensis in farmland soil were analyzed.First, the survival of B. thuringiensis in soil was examined after spraying with the BT-microbial pesticide formulation and spores of B. thuringiensis, Aizawai (H-7) or Kurstaki (H-3a3b3c) isolates from the formulation onto the surface of 1 m2 of fields for vegetables. The spore counts of B. thuringiensis increased more or less in any fields immediately after the spray. However, the count decreased by approximately log 1 within 1-4 weeks. Thereafter, the number of spores remained constant at the level of 104 cfu/g for 8-12 months. B. thuringiensis, Aizawai and Kurstaki each maintained their ability to form parasporal crystals during residence in soil.Secondly, the distribution of B. thuringiensis was examined in various types of soils collected from 257 fields in Japan. Whether those fields had previously been treated with the BT pesticides was unknown. More than 80% of total samples contained B. cereus/thuringiensis at the levels of 104-106 cfu/g. Of 1, 906 B. cereus/thuringiensis strains from soil samples, 40 (2%) were identified as B. thuringiensis, due to the presence of the parasporal crystals. B. thuringiensis isolates were serotyped by means of the tube agglutination test with anti H sera of 32 known serovars. Consequently, all 40 strains were typed; they consited serovars H-3a3b3c (15 strains), 3a3d (12), 5a5c (1), 6a6c (4), 8a8c (1), 11a11c (5) and 13 (2). Among these serovars, serovar H-3a3b3c (B. thuringiensis, Kurstaki) which is formulated usually in the BT pesticides was isolated from 14 (5%) of 257 fields.
We examined 156 strains of Bacillus cereus for the presence of plasmids. Out of 156 Bacillus strains, 113 (72%) strains carried plasmids. Plasmids were detected from most of the strains isolated from specimens involved in 5 outbreaks of food poisoning. The plasmid profiles of Bacillus cereus were different among isolates derived from the various outbreaks, indicating that plasmid profile can be a useful epidemiological marker for Bacillus cereus.
Abstract Bacillus cereus strains from cases of severe or lethal systemic infections, including respiratory symptoms cases, were analyzed using multilocus sequence typing scheme of B. cereus MLST database. The isolates were evenly distributed between the two main clades, and 60% of them had allele profiles new to the database. Half of the collection's strains clustered in a lineage neighboring Bacillus anthracis phylogenetic origin. Strains from lethal cases with respiratory symptoms were allocated in both main clades. This is the first report of strains causing respiratory symptoms to be identified as genetically distant from B. anthracis . The phylogenetic location of the presented here strains was compared with all previously submitted to the database isolates from systemic infections, and were found to appear in the same clusters where clinical isolates from other studies had been assigned. It seems that the pathogenic strains are forming clusters on the phylogenetic tree.
Bacillus cereus is recognized as a major pathogenic bacterium that causes food poisoning and produces gastrointestinal diseases of 2 types: emetic and diarrheal. The emetic type, which is often linked to pasta and rice, arises from a preformed toxin, cereulide, in food. Rapid and accurate diagnostic methods for this emetic toxin are important but are limited. Here we describe 3 patients with B cereus food poisoning in which cereulide was detected and measured sequentially. Three family members began to vomit frequently 30 minutes after consuming reheated fried rice. After 6 hours, a 1-year-old brother died of acute encephalopathy. A 2-year-old sister who presented with unconsciousness recovered rapidly after plasma exchange and subsequent hemodialysis. Their mother recovered soon by fluid therapy. From leftover fried rice and the children's stomach contents, B cereus was isolated. Serum cereulide was detected in both children; it decreased to an undetected level in the sister. These cases highlight the importance of measuring the value of cereulide, which would reflect the severity of B cereus emetic food poisoning. The cases also suggest the possible role of blood-purification therapy in severe cases.
