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Biomedical subjects

E Schoutens

Publications and source records attributed to E Schoutens.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

In vitro comparison of synergism between cefamandole and gentamicin or tobramycin by the triple layer agar method with enzymatic inactivation.

A synergistic effect was shown with gentamicin and tobramycin by means of a triple layer agar technique and enzymatic inactivation of cefamandole after only four hours' incubation. When the strain is sensitive to cefamandole and aminoglycosides, synergy is observed against all the strains studied (Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus, Klebsiella, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter, and Haemophilus influenzae). No significant difference was noted between the cefamandole-tobramycin and the cefamandole-gentamicin combinations when the microbial strains were sensitive to the three antibiotics.

Anti-Bacterial Agents

Significance of the detection of beta-galactosidase and of beta-xylosidase in the taxonomic study of the genus Haemophilus.

A total of 314 strains of Haemophilus, isolated from clinical samples, were studied for the production of beta-galactosidase and beta-xylosidase. None of the H. influenzae strains studied (9 beta-lactamase positive strains and 129 beta-lactamase negative strains) possessed these enzymes. Both enzymes were almost constantly observed among strains of H. paraphrophilus (10 strains studied) and of H. paraphrohaemolyticus (9 strains studied). Among the other species (H. parainfluenzae, 55 strains; H. haemolyticus, 5 strains; H. parahaemolyticus, 97 strains), beta-galactosidase was present in about 30% of the strains studied whereas beta-xylosidase was detected occasionally (3% of the strains studied). Detection of these two enzymes could be a valuable test for the taxonomic study of the genus Haemophilus. However, the type of substrate used for the detection of beta-xylosidase is important: use of the para-nitro-phenyl-beta-xylopyranoside yielded more positive results than the use of its ortho-isomer.

Culture Media

Use and interpretation of Schlichter's test on Haemophilus influenzae: relation of in vitro to in vivo results for cefamandole.

When Haemophilus influenzae infections are treated by an antibiotic acting on the bacterial wall, the adequacy of antimicrobial therapy can be assessed by Schlichter's test. This test may be carried out using Mueller Hinton broth (or Mueller Hinton broth with 50% pooled serum and a supplement of Ca++ and Mg++) supplemented with Fildes' enrichment and an inoculum adjusted to the 0.5 McFarland turbidity standard diluted 200x. However, correct reading of end points can be obtained only by phase contrast microscopic examination, which allows the establishment of good correlation between the in vitro and in vivo findings. In patients with lung infections successfully treated with cefamandole, the presence of spheroplasts in samples derived from Schlichter's tests correlates well with clinical improvement and eradication of the pathogenic organism checked by transtracheal aspiration.

Blood Bactericidal Activity

[Ampicillin-resistant "Haemophilus": their detection and occurrence in Brussels area (author's transl)].

Three hundred and five strains of Haemophilus (129 H. influenzae, 55 H. parainfluenzae, 97 H. parahaemolyticus, 5 H. haemolyticus, 10 H. paraphrophilus and 9 H. paraphrohaemolyticus) isolated from pathological material over the year 1976, were systematically tested for beta-lactamase production. Only 2 strains of H. parainfluenzae produced this enzyme. Both were able to transfer ampicillin resistance to Escherichia coli K12. All strains but the two beta-lactamase producers were susceptible to penicillin G, ampicillin and cephalotin. However, the correct interpretation of the susceptibility tests needed the microscopic observation of prints of the inhibition zones surrounding the disks: all sensitive strains presented a hazy growth around the disks which corresponded to the presence of spheroplasts; this phenomenon was not observed with the 2 beta-lactamase producing strains of H. parainfluenzae which grew up to the disks but presented a typical bacillary form.

Ampicillin

Cytomegalovirus infection and graft survival in renal graft recipients.

We have studied 85 patients who received a renal transplant for CMV infection as well as for herpes simplex (HSV), herpes zoster (HZ), measles, mumps, rubella and hepatitis B. We found no evidence of primary or secondary infections for the non herpetic viruses except for hepatitis B infection that occurred in 17 per cent of the patients. CMV infection occurred in 87 per cent of the patients while antibody rises to HZ and HSV occurred in 30 and 13 per cent of the patients, respectively. The CMV infections occurred 2 to 4 months after the transplantation (mean time 11.1 weeks) and seemed to trigger the first episode of renal rejection that occurred earlier in the CMV infected group (mean time 12.1 weeks) than in the uninfected group (mean time 18.6 weeks). This difference in time is highly significant, p less than 0.001). However these CMV injections did not decrease the longterm survival of the grafted kidneys.

Adult

Qualitative study of paradoxical zone phenomenon of penicillins against 17 bacterial species of clinical importance.

Using a triple agar layer technique and enzymatic inactivation of penicillin, the occurrence of a paradoxical zone phenomenon (illustrated by a typical 'target' image around the reservoir of antibiotic) was determined for several bacterial species specially chosen with regards to their taxonomic position, clinical importance and penicillin susceptibility. Among gram-positive bacteria, a paradoxical zone was obtained for approximately 43% of the strains studied here (all 10 strains of Staphylococcus aureus, all 10 strains of Streptococcus faecalis, 7 of 10 strains of group B beta-hemolytic streptococci, 1 of 10 group A strains, 3 of 10 strains of alpha-hemolytic streptococci, 3 of 10 strains of Clostridium perfringens but for none of 10 strains each of Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Listeria monocytogenes). Among gram-negative bacteria, a target image was regularly obtained with Haemophilus influenzae (all 10 strains tested) and Proteus species (9 of 10 strains) but with none of the following species: Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Shigella, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Neisseria meningitidis and Bacteroides fragilis. Therapeutic implications of these observations are difficult to assess, and need further investigation.

Bacteria

Usefulness of transtracheal puncture and aspiration in the bacteriological diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis.

Transtracheal puncture enables two samples of bronchial secretions to be taken-the product of transtracheal aspiration and simultaneously expectorated sputum (obtained in 71% of the cases)-for the purpose of testing for Mycobacterium tuberculosis in cases of suspected pulmonary tuberculosis. Two groups of patients were studied: Group I: 100 patients who were poor expectorators and who all underwent transtracheal puncture; Group II (Control): 100 patients who expectorated well or who had been given gastric lavages immediately on admission. Laboratroy analyses revealed M. tuberculosis in at least one of the samples obtained from each of the 200 patients. The authors compare the efficiency of the methods used within each group and between the two groups. Samples obtained by transtracheal aspiration and simultaneous expectoration (75% of positive results) more often contained M. tuberculosis than the other Group I samples (64% of total positive results; 64% of positive results for spontaneous sputa, 65% for gastric fluids), and as often as the Group II samples (76% of total positive results), particularly the expectoration samples (78% of positive results). Simultaneously expectorated sputum more frequently contained M. tuberculosis (82% of positive results) than transtracheal aspiration (69% of positive results). Transtracheal puncture and/or simultaneous expectoration were the only examinations revealing M. tuberculosis in 34 patients in Group I. Non-specific bacteriological findings are not relevant. However, the authors point out that this technique is not always innocuous (although no serious complications were observed in this series), and that transtracheal puncture must always be carried out by physicians trained in the technique.

Adult

Isolation of Bacteroides corrodens and Eikenella corrodens from human clinical specimens. Comparative study of incidence and methods of identification.

In the course of a systematic search for Bacteroides corrodents and Eikenella corrodens in clinical specimens submitted for microbiological analysis, 61% of the specimens from anal abscesses, 6% of the vaginal specimens and none of the pharyngeal specimens yielded B. corrodens, whereas E. corrodens was recovered from only 9% of the pharyngeal specimens. Some characteristics were found to be useful in differentiating between the two species: B. corrodens strains were strictly anaerobic, cytochrome-oxidase-negative, urease-positive and gelatinase-positive; they were sensitive to lincomycin but resistant to vancomycin. E. corrodens strains on the other hand were facultatively anaerobic, oxidase-positive, urease-negative and gelatinase-negative; they were resistant to lincomycin but sensitive to vancomycin. The pathogenicity of the two species was difficult to assess as in most cases they were recovered from mixed cultures.

Anti-Bacterial Agents

Taxonomy of Acinetobacter: the usefulness of beta-D-xyloside xylohydrolase for strain differentiation.

One hundred and twenty-two clinical isolates of Acinetobacter were studied for the presence of beta-galactosidase and of beta-xylosidase, for biochemical characteristics, and for genetic interspecies transformation tests. All strains lacked beta-galactosidase; in contrast, beta-xylosidase was always present in the oxidative strains. This test proved to be of value for separating strains able to form acid from carbohydrates (A. anitratum and A. haemolyticus spp haemolyticus) from the non-oxidative strains (A. lwoffi and A. haemolyticus spp alcaligenes). However, the genetic relationship of all strains tested warrants further study before Acinetobacters are grouped into clearly defined species.

Acinetobacter

Pelviperitonitis and bacteremia due to Bacteroides splanchnicus. Report of a case.

A case of pelviperitonitis and bacteremia due to Bacteroides splanchnicus is discussed. It occurred in a 56 year old obese woman who had a history of cholelithiasis and of asymptomatic myomatous uterus. B. splanchnicus was isolated from a blood sample drawn on admission, and from peritoneal pus found at laparotomy on the 11th hospital day. In the latter sample, the strain was associated to Proteus mirabilis. The organism was sensitive to all ten antibiotics tested, including penicillin G. Aminoglycosides were not studied. The patient, who received ampicillin made an uneventful recovery after cholecystectom and peritoneal drainage.

Ampicillin

Clinical and bacteriological evaluation of amikacin in severe gram-negative infections.

Amikacin was administered to 51 patients with serious Gram-negative infections. A favorable clinical outcome was observed in 32 patients (62 per cent). No major untoward effects were noted. The severity of the underlying disease and the site of the infection were important for the outcome. Urinary tract infections responded in 21 (78 per cent) out of 27 patients, but bronchopulmonary infections responded in only 3 out of 10 patients (30 per cent). The degree of antibacterial activity of the serum of the patients receiving amikacin was found to be related to the outcome. An activity greater than or equal to 1/8 was associated with 78 per cent of favorable responses and was found more often in patients receiving 1500 mg daily.

Adult

[Ticarcillin].

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Carbenicillin

A Rapid, simple method for demonstrating synergy of amikacin and penicillin against various microorganisms.

A simple disk diffusion technique with use of triple-layer agar and enzymatic inactivation of penicillin demonstrated synergy between penicillins and aminoglycosides. The method was applied to measurement of the synergistic activity of amikacin and penicillin G against a strain of Streptococcus faecalis sensitive to both drugs, amikacin and ampicillin against a strain of S. faecalis sensitive to amplicillin but resistant to amikacin, and amikacin and carbenicillin against a strain of Proteus mirabilis sensitive to both drugs. The degree of synergy was related to the specific organism tested. For example, syngery of penicillin G and amikacin for S. faecalis could be demonstrated only when the organism was subjected first to the action of penicillin G alone. In addition to providing useful clinical information, the triple-layer technique appears to be a promising tool for the study and understanding of synergy between antimicrobial agents.

Amikacin