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Biomedical subjects

K Melby

Publications and source records attributed to K Melby.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Serum levels of ampicillin and gentamycin in neonates of varying gestational age.

Serum concentrations of gentamycin and ampicillin were investigated at loading and in steady state in two groups of neonates, of 26-33 weeks and 34-40 weeks gestation. At loading the usual intravenous dose of gentamycin (2.5 mg/kg) was increased by 50%, the usual intravenous dose of ampicillin (50 mg/kg) by 100%. Gentamycin and ampicillin were administered subsequently at the same intervals, 12 h in the 34-40 weeks group, and 18 h in the 26-33 weeks group. Adequate serum levels were achieved from the first day of treatment. For practical reasons ampicillin and gentamycin can be administered subsequently at identical intervals also when the intervals exceed 12 h. The ideal dosing interval for gentamycin in very preterm neonates is 24 h. When treating small preterm and term neonates with an aminoglycoside, rapid serum concentration analyses should be available, and the treatment modified accordingly.

Ampicillin↗
PubMed1986

A microbiological study of conjunctivitis with emphasis on Chlamydia trachomatis, in northern Norway.

To determine the microbiological agents in conjunctivitis in children and young adults, physicians outside hospitals were asked to obtain samples from the conjunctiva in patients presenting with conjunctivitis. Specimens from 194 patients and 177 healthy controls were cultivated for Chlamydia trachomatis. In 12 cases Chlamydia trachomatis was isolated (i.e. 4 neonates, 1 three-year-old child and 7 adults, aged 17 to 39 years), but in none of the controls. Of the specimens from patients 168 and all of the healthy controls were cultivated for both bacteria (including Chlamydia trachomatis) and viruses. The main micro-organisms, regarded as infectious, were Haemophilus influenzae (20), Streptococcus pneumoniae (18), Staphylococcus aureus (14) and Chlamydia trachomatis (9). Haemophilus influenzae (non-typable strains) were isolated more frequently in the age group below 5 years of age than in the age group 5-50 years. Herpes simplex virus (type II) was isolated in one neonate. Chlamydia trachomatis is among the most important infectious agents in conjunctivitis treated outside hospitals. As chlamydial infections need special attention regarding treatment and follow-up, physicians should be encouraged to obtain specimens for microbiological examination, including chlamydia, from the population at risk.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Some phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of prevailing gonococcal strains in northern Norway.

Ninety two non-penicillinase producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae (non-PPNG) strains were investigated by the restriction enzyme technique with Hind III enzyme. Serogrouping by coenzyme. A with monoclonal antibodies and testing susceptibility to doxycycline were also performed by an agar dilution method. Fifteen different restriction enzyme patterns were shown, of which three represented 50% (46/92) of all strains. One band, representing a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fragment of 1.45 kilobase pairs, was shared by all the strains investigated. Serogroup WI dominated, representing 57 isolates (62%) with four serovars, one of which was found in 82% (47/57) of the WI serogroups. Eight serovars were found among WII and WIII serogroups, but no one serovar dominated, as happened among WI serogroups. Identical serovars and restriction enzyme patterns were found in eight patients who were epidemiologically linked. All strains were highly or moderately sensitive to doxycycline, and the strains belonging to serogroup WI were more sensitive than those in the WII or WIII serogroups.

Bacteriological Techniques↗
PubMed1986

Antibody response in patients infected with one common strain of Campylobacter jejuni. Evidence for production of antibodies against thermostable soluble antigens.

Antibody production was investigated for ten patients from a group of 20 who had contracted infections with a strain of Campylobacter jejuni of serotype PEN 6,7. Production of antibody was determined by titrating ten sets of paired sera for agglutination of formalin-treated and heat-treated cell suspensions and by passive hemagglutination using both sheep and human O Rh-red blood cells sensitized with extracted soluble thermostable antigens. All patients had demonstrable antibodies against the formalin-treated cells, six had a four-fold or greater increase in antibody levels. Nine patients showed antibodies against the heat-inactivated cells of whom five showed a fourfold or greater rise in antibody levels. Three patients developed antibodies against the extracted thermostable antigens. Sera from 100 blood donors served as controls. Six paired sera from patients that had antibodies against the heated suspension were analyzed by an immunofluorescence technique for determining IgM, IgA and IgG antibodies against live and heat-inactivated bacteria. Each of the six sera displayed antibody response primarily of the IgM and IgA class with highest levels against live cell suspensions.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMed1986

Mononuclear phagocyte thromboplastin, bacterial counts and endotoxin levels in experimental endogenous gram-negative sepsis.

The relationship between mononuclear phagocyte thromboplastin activity, microorganisms and levels of endotoxin in peritoneal fluid and splanchnic and systemic circulation was evaluated during experimental endogenous gram-negative peritonitis in the rat. Significant rise in thromboplastin activity of mononuclear phagocytes was demonstrated in all three compartments. This newly synthesized thromboplastin is a trigger for important biologic systems such as the coagulation cascade, and thus may play a major role in the development of disseminated intravascular coagulation so often occurring in gram-negative sepsis. It probably also participates in the formation of fibrous intraabdominal adhesions. Aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms together with endotoxin were detected already 1 1/2 hours after induction of peritonitis, and subsequently were found to increase in parallel fashion. Determination of endotoxin is a rapid and seemingly reliable method for early detection of gram-negative infection and thus may be of clinical value.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Detection of serum antibody response in patients infected with one strain of Campylobacter jejuni with a DIG-ELISA method.

Paired sera from 10 patients and a convalescence sample from one patient suffering from campylobacteriosis were analysed for IgG, IgM and IgA antibodies against the infective organism (Campylobacter jejuni PEN 0:6,7) with a DIG-ELISA system. Either formalinized, ethanol-inactivated or heat-inactivated preparations of the infecting organism were used as antigens. Cross reactivity was tested with human sera having agglutinating antibodies against Yersinia enterocolitica (N = 6) or Salmonella typhi or S. parathyphi b (N = 7). All patients displayed IgA and IgM levels in the convalescence sample above that found in healthy blood donors (N = 55). Using the ethanol-inactivated or formalinized preparations more than 90% of the convalenscence sera showed IgG levels above that found in blood donors whereas the heat-inactivated preparation detected 73% IgG positives in the same group of sera. Serum from one patient infected with S. parathyphi b was positive in the test. This finding was interpreted as most likely due to a double infection. The study suggests that serum IgA may be a valuable marker for infection with this microorganism. Both the formalinized and the ethanol-inactivated preparations showed presence of flagella in contrast to the heat-inactivated preparation.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1985

Serotyping of Campylobacter jejuni isolated from sporadic cases and outbreaks in northern Norway.

In the northern regions of Norway, 123 cases of Campylobacter jejuni gastroenteritis were either sporadic infections or due to five separate outbreaks during 1980-83. Using a serotyping scheme based on thermostable antigens and the passive haemagglutination technique, 92 isolates were serotyped. Excluding duplicates from the outbreaks, the serotype distribution based on 79 isolates showed that serotypes 6, 7 and 12, 40 were the most frequent in occurrence. Each included 11 (13.9%) of the isolates and each serotype was also identified twice as the epidemic strain in four different outbreaks. A fifth outbreak strain was serotype 13, 16, 50. The number of isolates that reacted in one or more antisera of the cross reacting group of serotypes 4, 13, 16, 43 and 50 was 21 (26.6%). The other 23 isolates fell into 19 other serotypes and 13 (16.5%) were untypable.

Campylobacter Infections↗
PubMed1985

Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of penicillinase-producing strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

Thirty penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae (PPNG) strains, 26 representing 9 serovars of the protein IB and 4 representing 2 serovars of the protein IA serogroup, had 10 different patterns when investigated by the restriction enzyme (RE) technique with Hind III enzyme. One RE pattern dominated, representing 11 strains with 6 different serovars of both the protein IA and IB serogroup. Identical serovars and RE patterns were found among 7 patients (3, 2 and 2, respectively) with positive epidemiology. The majority of the strains (24/30) were resistant to, or showed decreased sensitivity to, doxycycline with minimum inhibitory concentrations between 1 and 8 mg/l, consistent with the Far East origin. All the 30 PPNG strains showed by agarose gel electrophoresis to harbour a 2.8 Mdalton, a 4.4 Mdalton, as well as a 24.5 Mdalton plasmid, whereas the two non-PPNG strains had only the 2.8 Mdalton plasmid.

DNA Restriction Enzymes↗
PubMed1985

Detection of antibodies to Yersinia enterocolitica by single radial diffusion-in-gel and peroxidase labelled antibodies.

Sixty-nine sera with agglutinating antibodies to Y.enterocolitica were tested with a DIG-ELISA method using ethanol inactivated preparations of Y.enterocolitica (0:3 and 0:9). All sera with agglutination titer greater than or equal to 1280 were positive of which 71% were positive for IgM and IgA. Sera having lower titers by the agglutination technique were usually positive only for IgG antibodies. By titer 160 70% were positive using a conjugate directed against IgG, IgA and IgM. Further investigations are necessary to determine the clinical implication of the antibody-response measured within these immunoglobulin classes.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMed1985

Activity of nine antibacterial agents on penicillinase- and nonpenicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolated from clinical specimens obtained in northern Norway.

34 penicillinase-producing (PPNG) and 102 nonpenicillinase producing (non-PPNG) strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae were tested against 9 antibacterial agents. Cefoxitin, latamoxef, cefotaxime and imipenem inhibited all PPNG (MIC less than 2 mg/l); chloramphenicol (2 mg/l) inhibited 86%, and 3% and 8%, respectively, were inhibited by 1 mg/l of doxycycline when disk diffusion or agar dilution sensitivity testing were performed. All PPNG strains were sensitive to spectinomycin (MIC less than 32 mg/l). Non-PPNG strains were uniformly sensitive to all antibacterial agents, doxycycline being slightly less active than the other compounds.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1985

Pulmonary elastase activity in response to Streptococcus pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Elastase activity generated during lung defense against aerobic bacteria was studied in an animal model. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid from hamsters inoculated with bacteria was assayed for elastase activity at 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 h after inoculation using a synthetic substrate of elastase, succinyl-trialanine-nitroanilide (SLAPN). Streptococcus pneumoniae type 25 inoculation led to a peak elastase activity of 0.72 +/- 0.27 X 10(-3) units, not significantly different from baseline (0.41 +/- 0.08 X 10(-3) units) or saline control (0.33 +/- 0.18 X 10(-3) units). In contrast, inoculation with Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PAO-1 (a species known to produce elastase as well as other virulence factors) produced peak elastase activity of 3.0 +/- 1.2 X 10(-3) units in BAL fluid, significantly higher than either pneumococcus type 25 or saline control (p less than 0.025). Inoculation with Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain E-64, an isogenic mutant of PAO-1 that produces a nonfunctional elastase, led to peak levels similar to the PAO-1 strain, suggesting that the presence of bacterial elastase was not the primary factor in BAL fluid elastase activity. Total numbers of granulocytes in BAL fluid from pneumococcus-inoculated animals (144 +/- 31 X 10(6] was significantly higher (p less than 0.05) than from either the PAO-1 (74 +/- 31 X 10(6] or E-64 (99 +/- 27 X 10(6] strains of Pseudomonas, Use of selective enzyme inhibitors of elastase, diisopropyl fluorophosphate and disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate, implied that the majority of elastase activity in BAL fluid was due to a serine protease, of which granulocyte elastase is the primary source.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Genomic fingerprinting in the epidemiology of gonorrhoea.

We investigated the usefulness of the restriction enzyme (RE) fingerprinting for epidemiological tracing in gonococcal disease. The RE patterns of three paired gonococcal isolates showed corresponding identical fingerprints. Within each of the three pairs of epidemiologically linked isolates the respective restriction patterns were completely identical. Also, the restriction patterns of 6 strains from a larger contact group were identical. Identical restriction patterns were also obtained in each of the two cases where isolates were recovered from both urethra and cervix. The serological findings were in perfect agreement with the genomic fingerprinting as to the identity between all strains of the same epidemiologic chain. Relapse of the original infection could be excluded in one case by the finding of a different RE pattern and also a different serovar pattern of the strain recovered 4 months later.

DNA Restriction Enzymes↗
PubMed1985

Faecal peritonitis in the rat. An experimental model for evaluation of surgical and adjuvant therapies.

Wistar rats were equipped with two central venous catheters used for parenteral nutrition/antibiotics and blood sampling. The rats were conditioned in special cages and given a meat pellet diet to achieve a bowel flora more similar to man. When the animals after two weeks were adjusted to life in cages, meat pellets and indwelling non-functioning venous catheters, peritonitis was induced with a standardized 3 mm caecal perforation without any ligation or devascularization. Within few hours the animals were severe septic and blood cultures were positive in all with a mixed flora of gram-negative coliforms and anaerobic bacteroides. Important occurrence of circulating endotoxin was detected and found to increase gradually till death. Without any treatment this form of septic peritonitis gave a 100% mortality. Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) reduced mortality to 50%. Substitution of TPN with a simple saline/glucose solution gave the same survival rate demonstrating the importance of fluid supply and crystalloids during the early phase of septicaemia. Intravenously given antimicrobial agents active against anaerobes (tinidazole) and aerobes (cefotaxim) will in combination reduce mortality to less than 15%. The lethal effect of a 3 mm caecal perforation was almost abolished when TPN was added to this combination of antimicrobial agents. Continuous peritoneal irrigation did not increase survival rate.

Animals↗