Micrococcus Pyogenes Research Articles

Urinary tract infections caused by antibiotic-resistant coliform bacilli.

• Nosocomial (hospital-acquired) infections are receiving increasing attention and are often serious when they occur, since micro-organisms that become widely disseminated in the hospital environment are frequently resistant to commonly used chemotherapeutic agents. The chief interest in recent years has centered around infections caused by Micrococcus (Staphylococcus) pyogenes var. aureus. The present study indicates that infections with antibiotic-resistant coliform bacteria may also occur commonly in hospitals. It is well known that catheterization and instrumentation of the urinary tract frequently lead to urinary tract infections, but the relationship of such infections to organisms present in the hospital environment is not commonly appreciated. The authors were unable to determine the source of the resistant bacteria and the exact mode of infection; the catheters themselves, and the solutions used to irrigate them, could not be incriminated. Blankets, mattresses, and possibly the nasopharyngeal flora of hospital personnel appeared more likely possibilities. Results of antibiotic sensitivity tests from other hospital laboratories indicate that hospital-acquired infections with antibiotic-resistant coliform bacteria may be a widespread problem, and one that is largely unrecognized.

Further studies on the antibacterial activity of human serum on Micrococcus pyogenes and its inhibition by coagulase.

Further studies on the antibacterial activity of human serum on Micrococcus pyogenes and its inhibition by coagulase.

The effect of coagulase on the antibacterial activity of normal human serum against selected strains of Micrococcus pyogenes.

The effect of coagulase on the antibacterial activity of normal human serum against selected strains of Micrococcus pyogenes.

Staphylococcal Infections

In the recent epidemic of staphylococcal infections in the newborn nurseries at Ohio State University Hospital, a single strain of Micrococcus pyogenes, phage type 42B-47C-44A-52, was found to be responsible for all lesions. A report of this epidemic is to be published in Pediatrics (Schaffer, T. E., Baldwin, J. N., Rheins, M.S., and Sylvester, R. L., Jr.: Staphylococcal infections in newborn infants: I. A study of an epidemic among infants and nursing mothers). Since that time we have had opportunities to study organisms responsible for similar epidemics among newborns and nursing mothers in Portsmouth and Lancaster, Ohio; Lepeer, Michigan; Seattle, Washington; Hartford, Wisconsin; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and have found that in every instance phage type 42B-47C-44A-52 was responsible.

Some effects of a partially purified toxin of Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus on chicken erythrocytes

1. 1. A partially purified hemolytic fraction was obtained from a crude preparation of M. pyogenes var. aureus toxin by dialysis and precipitation with 20 per cent acetone. 2. 2. A respiratory acceleration previously reported in the crude toxin was removed by dialysis. 3. 3. Prior to hemolysis there is no loss of lipid from the membranes of chicken erythrocytes exposed to this toxin. 4. 4. The permeability of these cells to glycerol is unaffected. 5. 5. The present data are not incompatible with the hypothesis that these cells hemolyze in the presence of this toxin by colloidal osmotic hemolysis.

THERMAL RESISTANCE OF FOOD POISONING ORGANISMS IN POULTRY STUFFING

Thermal death times of food poisoning types of organisms as represented by Salmonella enteritidis, Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus, and Streptococcus faecalis in poultry stufing were investigated. The thermal destruction characteristics of these organisms are described in terms of z and F140 values. Streptococcus faecalis was considerably more heat resistant than the other two organisms studies. The data obtained indicate that roasting procedures for stuffed poultry, based on the attainment of a center stuffing temperature of 165°F., should be adequate to destroy such organisms if present in the stuffing.

Pseudomembranous Enterocolitis

During the past few years increasing clinical evidence has been gathered to seriously implicate Micrococcus pyogenes (Staphylococcus aureus) as the etiological agent responsible for the often fatal surgical complication known as pseudomembranous enterocolitis. This disease entity has been most frequently described as a necrotizing colitis or enteritis following major abdominal surgery in cases where intestinal antibiotics have been used as preoperative preparations. It is incorrect to associate this serious complication exclusively with abdominal operations or with the use of intestinal antibiotics. The disease has been observed after operations other than on the intestine. Dixon and Weismann 1 reported the development of necrotizing enterocolitis following operations on the brain, breast, uterus, gall bladder, and stomach. Our own report 2 included two cases of fatal enteritis following simple cholecystectomy in one and vagotomy with gastrojejunostomy in the other. There is ample evidence that the disease may occur without the use of antibiotics.

The Influence of Certain Sugars on the Antifungal Activity of Sodium Pyridinethione

Shaw et al. (8) synthesized a cyclic thiohydroxamic acid from 2bromopyridine N-oxide and reported a high in vitro activity against a variety of organisms. Pansy et al. (7) found this compound, 1-hydroxy2(1H) pyridinethione, to be extremely effective in controlling fungi in vitro at concentrations of 0.04-1.0 ppm. Soo-Hoo and Grunberg (9) conducted studies with various salts of 3-pyridinethiol with good re? sults against dermatophytic as well as phytopathogenic fungi. Modifications of medium constituents apparently are effective in altering the activity of some antibacterial compounds. Di Raimondo (4) reported that the vitamin B complex reduced the activity of the anti? biotics terramycin and tyrothricin against Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus. According to Weinberg (10), the inhibition of Mycobacterium avium by the antibiotics aureomycin and terramycin is significantly increased by the addition of phosphate to the medium. In this investigation, four different carbohydrate sources were em? ployed separately in conjunction with varying concentrations of sodium pyridinethione (the sodium salt of 2-pyridinethiol, 1-oxide 2) to deter-

Phenoxymethyl penicillin (penicillin V) therapy of subacute bacterial endocarditis.

• Penicillin V was compared with penicillin G as to the concentrations attained in the blood when the two antibiotics were taken by mouth. In eight normal fasting subjects the average serum concentrations showed that penicillin G was absorbed faster and reached a higher concentration during the first half-hour, but thereafter penicillin V reached concentrations 1.7 to 2.8 times as high as those of penicillin G, and this difference was found consistently at the end of the first, second, third, and fourth hours. Penicillin V also gave higher blood concentrations than did penicillin G when given to four patients orally at four-hour intervals over a period of weeks. Case histories of two patients with bacteremia caused by alpha-hemolytic streptococci Illustrated the effectiveness of orally administered penicillin V in bringing about a sustained clinical remission. A third patient, whose bacteremia was caused by Neisseria sicca, obtained clinical and bacteriological remission from a course consisting of 2 million units of penicillin V orally every four hours with 0.5 gm. each of streptomycin and dihydrostreptomycin intramuscularly twice daily. In a fourth patient, bacteremia caused by a Micrococcus pyogenes was halted but temporarily, and at the time of relapse the organism was found exceptionally resistant to antibiotics.

The influence of sealing pressure on survival of Serratia marcescens and Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus desiccated from the frozen state.

The influence of sealing pressure on survival of Serratia marcescens and Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus desiccated from the frozen state.

Further studies of the phenomenon of capsular swelling of Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus in the presence of immune serum.

Further studies of the phenomenon of capsular swelling of Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus in the presence of immune serum.

In vitro sensitivity of Micrococcus pyogenes to the commonly used antibiotics; application of these tests to the treatment of bacterial ocular infection.

In vitro sensitivity of Micrococcus pyogenes to the commonly used antibiotics; application of these tests to the treatment of bacterial ocular infection.

The Influence of Sealing Pressure on Survival of Serratia marcescens and Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus. Desiccated from the Frozen State1

The Influence of Sealing Pressure on Survival of Serratia marcescens and Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus. Desiccated from the Frozen State1

Estudo sobre Micrococcus pyogenes de mastite bovina

Seventy-three specimens of Micrococcus pyogenes from cows with mastitis were studied. The production of hemolysins, coagulation of oxalated plasma, fermentation of manitol pigmentation and fusion of gelatin were serched simultaneously. It was verified that a significative number of specimens were able to produce α β lysins. It was not possible to obtain pure β toxin. In the case that the plate culture suggested only the presence of β fi lysin, the filtrate exhibited also α lysin. The hemolitic strain were all positive to the coagulase test. All the strain were of albus type. Fermentation of manitol was showed in all coagulase positive and toxin producing strains. The results obtained were discussed.

Resistência do vírus da gripe à ação oligodinâmica da prata

Tentamos verificar, em algumas séries de experiências a ação oligodinâmica da prata sôbre o vírus da gripe, tipo A, amostra PR8 e tipo A-primo, amostra DL Rio empregando, para tal fim, recipientes, ora recobertos internamente, em delgadíssima camada, pela prata metálica ora contendo-a, sob a forma de pó, de mistura com o próprio material que constitui as paredes do frasco. Neste foi colocado o líquido alantóide contendo vírus verificando-se, de tempos em tempos, o seu poder patogênico para camundongos brancos e a persistência do seu poder hemaglutinante. Pelos resultados acima expostos vê-se que o referido vírus nada sofreu pela ação oligodinâmica da prata, nas condições experimentais descritas ao passo que, concomitantemente a mesma teve efeito ràpidamente mortal para bactérias pertencentes às espécies Micrococcus pyogenes e Escherichia coli. Assim sendo, logo se destaca a importância do fenômeno observado sabendo-se, além do mais, que a ação oligodinâmica, letal ou nociva, se tem verificado sôbre os sêres vivos em geral. Verificamos ainda, no decorrer dessas experiências, que a junção de bactérias não alterou a atividade do vírus quer as mesmas se encontrassem vivas quer mortas. As nossas pesquisas prosseguem com outros vírus, os mais diversos, cumprindo-nos salientar, desde logo, que o processo poderá ser empregado para o isolamento dêsses agentes conforme já o verificamos para o da gripe, em experiência acima descrita. Será uma das decorrências práticas da observação que fizemos, dependendo, as demais, de puro interêsse biológico, de investigações subseqüentes, baseadas na observação inicial que ora apresentamos.

Evidence for a common pathway for pyruvate and acetate oxidation by Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus

Studies are described which demonstrate a similarity between the oxidative patterns of pyruvate and acetate dissimilation by intact Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus cells. Observations which indicate this similarity are as follows: Sparking of acetate and pyruvate oxidation can be demonstrated using certain intermediates of known terminal oxidative pathways as sparkers. The patterns obtained with the two substrates are similar under such conditions. The degrees of inhibition of acetate and pyruvate oxidation by selective inhibitors of certain reactions in known terminal oxidative pathways are similar for the two substrates. The pattern of acetylmethylcarbinol formation from pyruvate and certain intermediates of known oxidative cycles and the alteration of this pattern by the addition of acetate suggest the existence of a common oxidative route; the mechanisms of this point are discussed. Although preliminary indications give evidence that the tricarboxylic acid cycle may be involved in the terminal oxidation of acetate and pyruvate, further work is required to demonstrate this more conclusively.

A study of the methylene blue and oxygen inhibition of pyruvate oxidation by Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus

The oxidation of pyruvate by resting-cell suspensions of a coagulasepositive, enterotoxin-producing strain of Staphylococcus aureus has been studied. With moderate substrate levels (10–20 μ M per Warburg cup) pyruvate was oxidized almost exclusively to acetate, carbon dioxide, and water. The respiratory quotient of this oxidation varied from 1.4 to 1.9 depending on the cell preparation used. The results indicate that some of the substrate was oxidized beyond the acetate level (R.Q., 2.0). Methylene blue or oxygen exerted an inhibitory effect upon pyruvate oxidation, and, under certain conditions, thiamine and magnesium overcame this inhibition. Evidence is presented to support the hypothesis that this organism possesses two separate systems for pyruvate oxidation. Washed-cell suspensions oxidize pyruvate predominantly by a system that is sensitive to methylene blue and oxygen. When this system is inhibited the competing system becomes dominant. However, the washed cells are deficient in thiamine and magnesium for optimum functioning of this latter system. A by-product of this second system is acetoin, indicating that there is an intermediate compound that may be either oxidized to acetate or condensed to form acetoin. If the washed cells are provided with a high substrate level or are supplemented with additional thiamine and magnesium, some of the pyruvate is metabolized by the second pathway even in the absence of an inhibitor for the first system.

Microbial resistance to antibiotics.

Excerpt Ever since the introduction of antibiotics there has been considerable interest in the problems stemming from the resistance of certain species or strains of bacteria. Because of the experi...

Pathogenicity of staphylococci; a comparison of alpha-hemolysin production with the coagulase test and clinical observations of virulence.

THE bacterial species Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus (Staphylococcus aureus) is often highly pathogenic for human beings, but the virulence of individual strains within the species varies considerably and except when a strain has been isolated from an obviously infected lesion its pathogenicity is always open to question. For this reason any test that can be correlated with pathogenicity in human patients is desirable. The production of coagulase is the test most widely used to indicate pathogenicity in vitro, and yet coagulase-positive staphylococci are commonly found in the absence of disease and, vice versa, coagulase-negative staphylococci occasionally cause infection. The present . . .

Chloramphenicol resistance in Micrococcus pyogenes. III. Antagonism of drug action and stimulation of growth by complex substances.

Chloramphenicol resistance in Micrococcus pyogenes. III. Antagonism of drug action and stimulation of growth by complex substances.