Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

D Taylor-Robinson

Publications and source records attributed to D Taylor-Robinson.

At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

The relation between vaginal pH and the microbiological status in vaginitis.

The vaginal pH, microbial flora and presence of clue cells were investigated in 89 women who were seen at a sexually transmitted diseases clinic with a vaginal discharge or because they were contacts of men with gonococcal or non-gonococcal urethritis or because they were seeking a routine examination. None of the women had received antibiotics for at least 4 weeks before examination. A clinically normal vaginal secretion was found in 21 (55%) of 38 women who had a vaginal pH of 5.0-5.5, while such a secretion was found in only 7 (14%) of 51 women who had a pH value of 6.0-7.5. Clue cells, Chlamydia trachomatis and Mycoplasma hominis were found two to three times more often in women with the higher pH value than in those with the lower value and Ureaplasma urealyticum and Trichomonas vaginalis also occurred more frequently in the former group. Furthermore, large numbers of M. hominis organisms (greater than or equal to 10(6) colour changing units/ml) were associated significantly with the higher pH value. However, there was no appreciable difference in the distribution of Candida albicans between the two groups. C. trachomatis but not the other micro-organisms was isolated most often from women who were taking oral contraceptives. The results indicate that a pH of greater than or equal to 6.0 is strongly predictive of infection and may be more useful than the type of discharge in suggesting a need for confirmatory microbiological tests.

Candida albicans↗
PubMed1985

Investigation into the value of Papanicolaou stained cervical smears for the diagnosis of chlamydial cervical infection.

Forty five (37%) of 121 female contacts of men with non-gonococcal urethritis or gonorrhoea were chlamydia positive, as judged by isolation or by detecting elementary bodies in smears with a fluorescein labelled chlamydial monoclonal antibody. Only six (13%) of these, however, had Papanicolaou stained smears in which there were inclusion like changes suggestive of chlamydial infection. Furthermore, of 15 patients who had such cytological changes, chlamydiae were detected in only six and the abnormalities were found also in Papanicolaou stained smears from 10 (13%) of the 76 chlamydia negative patients. Modifying the Papanicolaou stained smears by including endocervical material did not increase sensitivity. In addition, destaining and restaining them with the monoclonal antibody was time consuming and the results were unreliable. The staining of cervical smears with Papanicolaou reagent is a technique of low sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing or screening for chlamydial cervical infection and cannot be recommended.

Cervix Mucus↗
PubMed1985

Unsuccessful treatment of non-gonococcal urethritis with rosoxacin provides information on the aetiology of the disease.

In a controlled trial of rosoxacin in patients with non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU), 150 mg of the antibiotic given twice daily for 10 days was compared with 300 mg triple tetracycline (Deteclo) given twice daily for the same period. Only six (19%) of 31 patients treated with rosoxacin were free of urethritis after 10 days; Chlamydia trachomatis was reisolated from 12 (92%) of 13 patients who were chlamydia positive originally, and Ureaplasma urealyticum was reisolated from 12 (80%) of 15 patients who were ureaplasma positive originally. In contrast, 18 (58%) of 31 patients treated with triple tetracycline were cured clinically after 10 days; C trachomatis was not reisolated from any of 10 patients who were chlamydia positive originally, and U urealyticum was reisolated from only three (17%) of 18 patients who were ureaplasma positive originally. These results were consistent with the antimicrobial inactivity of rosoxacin in vitro and they cannot be reconciled with previous reports of successful use of this antibiotic in NGU. Ureaplasmas were isolated more frequently and in larger numbers from chlamydia negative than from chlamydia positive patients, but it is probable that ureaplasmas resistant to tetracycline were not responsible for persistent urethritis.

4-Quinolones↗
PubMed1985

Susceptibility of different serovars of Chlamydia trachomatis to inactivation by normal human serum.

The ability of a panel of normal human serum samples to inactivate 12 strains of Chlamydia trachomatis, each of a different serovar, was investigated. A wide range of antichlamydial activity was observed, with survival rates of C trachomatis varying from less than 1% in some experiments to 100% in others. The strain specificity of the anti-chlamydial activity exhibited by individual serum samples was not, however, related to the antigenic cross reactivity between serovars demonstrable by microimmunofluorescence testing, which suggested that type specific antigens were not predominantly involved in the inactivation process.

Antibodies↗
PubMed1985

Microbiological and serological study of non-gonococcal urethritis with special reference to Mycoplasma genitalium.

Twenty-two men with non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU), 19 with gonorrhoea, and 22 without urethritis were examined for various micro-organisms. Chlamydia trachomatis was isolated from the urethra of 45% of men with NGU, 21% of those with gonorrhoea, but from none without urethritis. Ureaplasma urealyticum but not Mycoplasma hominis was recovered from a larger proportion of men with NGU than from those in the other groups. M genitalium was isolated presumptively from 32% of men with NGU, 12% of those with gonorrhoea, from 10% of men without urethritis, and from 42% of the men with NGU from whom chlamydiae were not isolated. U urealyticum, M hominis, and M genitalium were sought also in the rectum of men in the three groups. The first two micro-organisms were confined almost exclusively to homosexual men, whereas M genitalium was apparently not restricted in this way and was found particularly in this site in men with NGU. The latter mycoplasma may be a resident primarily of the intestinal tract. A fourfold or greater rise in the titre of antibody to C trachomatis was detected in about 20% of the patients with NGU, but not in other men. A similar rise in the titre of antibody to M genitalium was seen in 29% of the patients with NGU and in 12% of those without urethritis. A concomitant antibody response to M pneumoniae, which is antigenically related to M genitalium, was seen in one patient only. The responses to M genitalium suggest infection by this mycoplasma and indicate the need for further serological studies.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMed1985

Chlamydial proctitis?

Chlamydia trachomatis was isolated from 21 (7%) of 309 specimens obtained in October 1982 from the rectum of homosexual men undergoing proctoscopy. During the same period Neisseria gonorrhoeae was isolated from 12 (3%) of 454 specimens obtained similarly. The clinical features of patients infected with each of these micro-organisms were compared with those of an uninfected group of homosexual men. No characteristic diagnostic features were noted in the infected men.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Ureaplasma urealyticum causing persistent urethritis in a patient with hypogammaglobulinaemia.

Ureaplasma urealyticum organisms (ureaplasmas) were isolated in large numbers (up to 10(8) colour changing units (ccu)/ml) over a period of four years from the urethra of a man with hypogammaglobulinaemia and non-gonococcal urethritis. Elimination of Mycoplasma hominis by antibiotic treatment early in the course of the urethritis did not diminish the severity of his condition, which indicated that this mycoplasma was not a cause. Courses of treatment with tetracyclines, spectinomycin, erythromycin, rosaramicin, and clindamycin on each occasion reduced the numbers of ureaplasma isolated from the urethra and the severity of disease. The organisms were not eliminated, however, sometimes due to the development of antibiotic resistance, and the urethritis recurred. Though netilmicin was not particularly effective in vitro, it was effective clinically, the disease resolving and the organisms disappearing for five months. Recurrence of urethritis, accompanied by epididymitis, was associated this time with the recovery of a different (tetracycline sensitive) ureaplasma strain; the urethritis and epididymitis were treated successfully with a combination of netilmicin and doxycycline. The administration of ureaplasma antiserum did not seem to be instrumental in eradicating the ureaplasmas. The various antibiotics had a greater influence on the mycoplasmas in the urethra than on those in the throat and joints, perhaps because the antibiotics were concentrated in the urogenital tract. The close association between the occurrence of urethritis and the ureaplasmas suggests strongly that they were responsible for it.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Serological evidence that chlamydiae and mycoplasmas are involved in infertility of women.

Women with a history of infertility for 2 or more years were examined by hysterosalpingography (HSG) and antibodies against Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma hominis and M. genitalium were measured by a microimmunofluorescence technique in sera obtained immediately before HSG. Of 45 women with abnormal HSG findings, 15 (33%) had antibodies to C. trachomatis and 16 (35.5%) to M. hominis. In contrast, of 61 women with normal HSG findings, only 8 (13%) and 7 (11.5%) had antibodies to these micro-organisms, respectively. Antibody against M. genitalium was found in 26 of the patients (20% abnormal HSG and 28% normal HSG), indicating the need for further investigation of the significance of this mycoplasma in female infertility. The present results do confirm, however, that C. trachomatis is an important cause of infertility in women and suggest strongly that M. hominis is implicated.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Urethral infection in male chimpanzees produced experimentally by Mycoplasma genitalium.

Four young male chimpanzees were inoculated intra-urethrally with a strain (G37) of Mycoplasma genitalium which had been isolated from the urethra of a patient with non-gonococcal urethritis. Two of the chimpanzees became infected as indicated by persistent recovery of the organisms from the urethra for 13 weeks and by an antibody response measured by both metabolism inhibition and micro-immunofluorescence techniques. The numbers of organisms isolated from both animals increased about 4 weeks after inoculation and antibody development was first detected 1 week later. The infected animals developed a minimal and inconsistently detected urethral polymorphonuclear leucocyte response which was not seen in those that were uninfected, nor in a chimpanzee that had been given medium only. The organisms were not isolated and the cellular response was not observed after treatment of the infected chimpanzees with oxytetracycline. One of the animals that had been infected was re-inoculated with strain G37 six months after successful treatment, but although the titre of serum antibody had diminished to its original level urethral recolonization did not occur. The organisms in the inoculum were not attenuated, however, because they infected another chimpanzee that had not had previous experience of M. genitalium. The results are discussed in relation to the potential of this mycoplasma to produce urethritis in man.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Acute upper genital-tract disease in female monkeys provoked experimentally by Mycoplasma genitalium.

The oviducts of two grivet monkeys and three marmosets, all sexually mature animals, were inoculated with Mycoplasma genitalium at laparotomy. The mycoplasma was not recovered from the grivet monkeys, nor from the oviducts of the marmosets although it was isolated intermittently from the vagina of two of the latter animals up to 4-6 weeks after inoculation. In contrast, all of the animals developed antibody to M. genitalium measured by a micro-immunofluorescence technique. It developed rapidly in the grivet monkeys but slowly in the marmosets, being detected first about 1 month after inoculation with a maximal response by 2 months. Furthermore, despite an absence of vaginal discharge or cytological response, all the animals developed a moderate to severe endosalpingitis characterized by the infiltration of acute inflammatory cells into the tubal epithelium, together with a lumenal exudate and adhesions between the mucosal folds. The changes are similar to those produced by Chlamydia trachomatis in simian models and naturally in women.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Effect on Chlamydia trachomatis infection of the murine genital tract of adoptive transfer of congenic immune cells or specific antibody.

Groups of progesterone-treated female CBA/nu mice were adoptively transferred with immune spleen cells or pooled antisera from congenic immunocompetent CBA donors that had been infected with a 'fast', human strain (SA-2f) of Chlamydia trachomatis. The spleen cells were given either intravenously (6.3 X 10(7) cells) or intraperitoneally (9.5 X 10(7) cells), and the antiserum (antibody titre 1:4096) was given intravenously. Strain SA-2f was introduced into the uterine cavity of these mice approximately 3 h after cell or antiserum transfer; antiserum was given also at intervals up to 23 days later. Untreated mice serving as controls were inoculated with chlamydiae in the same way. Subsequent recovery of chlamydiae from mice in the various groups indicated that transfer of cells or antiserum had not abrogated the chlamydial infections, despite high titres of chlamydial IgG antibody in the sera of all the recipient mice. These results confirm our earlier findings but are unlike those of some other investigators working with different mouse model systems. It seems that there are differences between systemic/respiratory immune mechanisms and those which operate locally in the uterus, which may be regarded as an immunologically privileged site.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Serological evidence implicating Mycoplasma genitalium in pelvic inflammatory disease.

31 women with acute pelvic inflammatory disease, in whom serum antibodies to Chlamydia trachomatis and Mycoplasma hominis could not be detected, were examined for antibodies to Mycoplasma genitalium by a microimmunofluorescence technique. About 40% of them had a fourfold or greater change in the titre of antibody during the one-month period after the onset of disease. This evidence implicates M genitalium in the aetiology of pelvic inflammatory disease.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1984

The distribution and effect of Chlamydia trachomatis in CBA mice inoculated genitally, intra-articularly or intravenously.

A "fast" egg-killing human strain of Chlamydia trachomatis was inoculated into normal CBA and congenic CBA/nu mice, which have an impairment of T-cell function and do not produce anti-chlamydial antibodies. The mice were inoculated by the intra-uterine, intra-articular, or intravenous routes. Some of the mice were first treated with progesterone, which allows successful chlamydial infection of the mouse genital tract when the organisms are introduced genitally. Mice were sacrificed up to 27 days after inoculation. Homogenates of joints, genital tract, spleen, liver, kidneys, eyes and lungs were prepared and tested for chlamydiae in cycloheximide-treated McCoy cell cultures. Chlamydiae were detected in the genital tracts and spleens, but not in the joints, of mice inoculated via the intra-uterine route. They were found in the joints and spleens of mice inoculated intra-articularly, and were detected also in spleens and, from the 4th to 6th day after inoculation, in joints of mice given the organisms intravenously. These results were obtained irrespective of whether or not the mice had received progesterone. The numbers of chlamydiae in the spleens and joints of the nude mice were larger and they persisted longer than in the corresponding immunocompetent animals, although this was not true for chlamydiae in the genital tract of mice inoculated via the intra-uterine route. Compartmentalisation of chlamydiae was evident although the spleen was infected consistently irrespective of the route of inoculation and, as mentioned, chlamydiae were found transiently in the joints following intravenous inoculation. This suggests that chlamydiae might also enter the human joint.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Enhancement of experimental Mycoplasma pulmonis infection of the mouse genital tract by progesterone treatment.

Experimental infection of the vagina of TO and CBA mice with Mycoplasma pulmonis was enchanced greatly by progesterone treatment. Almost all treated animals became infected, whereas only two-thirds of the untreated TO mice and less than half of the untreated CBA mice did so. Almost 1000-fold more organisms were recovered from treated than from untreated mice and the duration of infection was more than doubled. The enhanced infection in the hormone-treated animals was accompanied by a more severe vaginal polymorphonuclear leucocyte response which reached a maximum two weeks after inoculation of M. pulmonis. In the TO mice the eventual decline in cellular response coincided with the gradual disappearance of the mycoplasmal infection. The implications of these findings for genital infections of other animal species are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

The inhibitory effect of flurofamide on ureaplasmas and their elimination from marmosets by its use.

Flurofamide, a potent inhibitor of urease, at concentrations of 0.0007 to 0.001 mg/l inhibited the multiplication of three ureaplasma strains of human genital origin (one tetracycline-resistant) and two and three strains of marmoset genital and oral origin, respectively. However, a more than 1000-fold greater concentration of the drug was required to kill the organisms. Flurofamide did not inhibit the growth of arginine-hydrolysing or glucose-fermenting mycoplasmas, indicating its specificity for ureaplasmas. When it was given orally in a dose of 25 mg twice on one day and 25 mg on one further day to marmosets infected naturally with ureaplasmas in their throats, the organisms disappeared rapidly. The animals remained ureaplasma-free for 42 to 106 days, at which time they were successfully infected experimentally.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Characteristics of a gram-negative anaerobe isolated from men with non-gonococcal urethritis.

A small, fastidious gram-negative anaerobe was isolated from men with non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU). The isolates are described as NGU-associated anaerobes because they were extremely rare in men with urethritis other than NGU, and in asymptomatic men. They showed twitching motility, had many polar pili and appeared to be a homogenous group culturally, morphologically and biochemically. None of the strains fermented or utilised carbohydrates or organic acids as sole sources of carbon for energy and growth. However, growth of all strains was stimulated by formate and fumarate in liquid and solid media, especially in the former where growth seemed dependent on these growth factors. Unlike most anaerobes they produced cytochrome enzyme(s) that might be involved in oxidation-reduction reactions in the presence of oxygen as some of the strains were capable of growing in 5% oxygen. However, growth and energy generally resulted from anaerobic phosphorylation. Strains of this anaerobe seemed to require a low redox-potential (Eh) for survival during transportation but this was not essential for growth. Comparative studies with the other asaccharolytic anaerobes showed some similarity between the NGU-associated anaerobe, Bacteroides ureolyticus and Wolinella succinogenes. Like these, some NGU-associated strains pitted agar media and all produced urease. However, unlike these anaerobes, strains of the NGU-associated anaerobe produced enzymes for the hydrolysis of arginine, and the decarboxylation of lysine and ornithine. They also produced oxidase and some strains haemolysed sheep red cells. However, lactic acid was not an end-product of the metabolism of glucose by any of the strains. The NGU-associated anaerobes are strikingly different from anaerobic vibrios, B. praeacutus and B. asaccharolyticus.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1984

The anti-chlamydial effect of experimental Mycoplasma pulmonis infection in the murine genital tract.

Experimental Chlamydia trachomatis infection of the genital tract of female CBA and TO mice was greatly curtailed by a concurrent genital infection with Mycoplasma pulmonis. TO mice in which chlamydial infection had been suppressed by the mycoplasma infection were treated with the anti-mycoplasma agent, gentamicin. This did not cause a reappearance of the chlamydiae, suggesting that these organisms had been eliminated completely. The M. pulmonis infection stimulated a striking and persistent polymorphonuclear leukocyte response, which may have been the cause of the curtailment of the chlamydial infection.

Animals↗