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Biomedical subjects

S Alpert

Publications and source records attributed to S Alpert.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1977

Microbiological investigation of Bartholin's gland abscesses and cysts.

Percutaneous aspirates from intact Bartholin's gland cysts (12) and abscesses (34) were examined for bacteria and genital mycoplasmas. Aspirates from 10 of the 12 patients with Bartholin's gland cysts were sterile. Aspirates from the other two cysts contained organisms that are part of the vaginal microbial flora. Of the 34 abscesses, 24 (70.6 per cent) contained bacteria. Eight abscesses contained gram-negative rods in pure culture and four contained gonococci in pure culture. Twelve abscesses contained one or more vaginal organisms including anaerobic gram-negative rods (eight isolates), anaerobic gram-positive cocci (eight), Staphylococcus epidermidis (four), and microaerophilic streptococci (three). Although most of the patients had genital mycoplasmas isolated from vaginal cultures, Mycoplasma hominis was isolated from only one and Ureaplasma urealyticum from none of the aspirates.

Abscess↗
PubMed1977

Elective postoperative radiotherapy for locally advanced colorectal cancer. A preliminary report.

Preoperative radiotherapy in colorectal carcinoma invalidates surgical staging and delays performing the surgical resection. Postoperative radiotherapy does neither. From October 1972, to December 1975, 40 patients at high risk for local recurrence (B2 and C) received postoperative radiotherapy. Lesions that were located in the rectum, rectosigmoid and low sigmoid colon were given 4600 rads in four and a half weeks through an inverted T-shaped field which encompassed the pelvic and paraortic nodes. Patients with tumors located above mid-sigmoid were treated to the entire abdominal cavity by the moving strip technique. Of 19 patients with rectal and rectosigmoid lesions, 14 (74%) are alive without evidence of disease. Two had local recurrence in the treated area. Of 21 patients with lesions above the mid-sigmoid, four have failed locally, while 11 (52%) are alive without evidence of disease. One of these 40 patients died to radiation enteritis. Although the follow up period is short, the results suggest that a moderate dose of radiation may prevent local recurrence in patients with locally advanced colorectal cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Vaginal colonization with group B streptococcus: a study in college women.

Vaginal specimens for culture of group B Streptococcus and anonymous questionnaires were obtained from 499 college women. Group B Streptococcus was isolated from 90 (18.0%) of the participants. A selective broth medium was more sensitive for detection of vaginal isolates (85 of 493; 17.2%) than was direct inoculation of blood agar plates (44 of 466; 9.4%). The most prevalent serotypes among the isolates were type III (37.9%) and type II (25.3%). Logit analysis identified four factors associated with a higher prevalence of vaginal colonization with group B Streptococcus. These organisms were isolated significantly more often from (1) women who had an intrauterine device (50% vs. 18.6%; P less than 0.001), (2) sexually experienced women (20% vs. 7.1%; P less than 0.02), (3) women studied during the first half of the menstrual cycle (26.5% vs. 14.5%; P less than 0.01), and (4) women 20 years of age or younger (21.4% vs. 14.8%; P less than 0.05). The prevalence of colonization with group B Streptococcus was not related to sexual practices, history of venereal disease, use of oral contraceptives, presence of gynecologic symptoms, use of antibiotics, race, educational level, marital status, or history of pregnancy.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Quantitative bacteriology of the vaginal flora.

Quantitative bacteriology was performed on vaginal secretions from healthy adult women. The analysis included a single sample from 17 college students and 35 samples from five volunteers collected at intervals of three to five days throughout the menstrual cycle. Mean concentrations in all 52 specimens were 10(8.1) aerobic bacteria/g and 10(9.1) anaerobic bacteria/g. The rank of predominant organisms, according to rates of recovery in concentrations of greater than 10(5) colony-forming units/g, was anaerobic and facultative Lacrobacillus species, Peptococcus species, Bacteroides species, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Corynebacterium species, Peotostreptococcus species, and Eubacterium species. Sequential samples collected throughout the menstrual cycle showed relatively consistent mean levels of anaerobes and a significant decrease in concentrations of aerobes in premenstrual specimens compared with those in the specimens collected in the week following onset of menses. Analysis of sequential specimens from each of the five individuals showed considerable variation in species recovered. These data indicate that the vaginal flora in healthy adult women is a dynamic ecosystem in which anaerobes are usually the numerically dominant bacteria.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

Vaginal colonization with Corynebacterium vaginale (Haemophilus vaginalis).

Vaginal cultures for Corynebacterium vaginale and confidential questionnaires were obtained from unselected young women who consulted a gynecologist in a student health service. In all, 466 women were studied, 150 (32.2%) of whom were colonized with C. vaginale. Logit analysis defined four factors that were significantly associated with colonization with C. vaginale: nonwhite race, use of oral contraceptives, no history of marriage, and a history of pregnancy. Sexual experience had little influence on colonization; C. vaginale was isolated from 16 (29%) of 56 sexually inexperienced women and from 40 (41%) of 98 women who had had intercourse with six or more men. After a few patients with trichomoniasis were excluded, there was no association between colonization with C. vaginale and an abnormal vaginal discharge, either as reported by the participant or as noted by the examining physician.

Black People↗
PubMed1977

Lymphocyte monitoring as a predictor of renal allograft rejection.

The ability to predict acute renal allograft rejection episodes or infectious potentials by immunologic monitoring was studied in 15 renal transplant recipients. Specifically, total circulating erythrocyte- (E) and erythrocyte-antibody-complement (EAC) rosetting cells were serially studied for the first two months after transplantation and related to immunosuppressive therapy and rejection activity. Total circulating, E-rosetting cells (T cells) were noted to be significantly depressed if rabbit anti-human thymocyte globulin (RAHTG) was used in the immunosuppression protocol. The rate at which these T cells repopulated the circulation was measured by calculating their slope (delta total E-rosettes/delta time). Patients with acute rejection had an average slope of 3.2 +/- 0.68 compared to those without rejection, whose slope was 0.74 +/- 0.35 (p less than 0.01). The rapid repopulation of T cells occurred about 10 days before clinical parameters of rejection were evident. The incidence of infection was greater in those patients with total E-rosettes less than 200/mm3. Serial monitoring of total E-rosetting cells after transplantation provides a diagnostic tool for predicting ensuing rejections and can also be used to gain information concerning the susceptibility to infection.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

In vitro activity of p-hydroxybenzyl penicillin (penicillin X) and five other penicillins against Neisseria gonorrhoeae: comparisons of strains from patients with uncomplicated infections and from women with pelvic inflammatory disease.

Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of six penicillins against 95 strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae from patients with uncomplicated anogenital infections and 22 strains from women with pelvic inflammatory disease were determined by an agar plate dilution method, using an inocula replicator. Against all 117 strains, the order of activity observed was: BL-P1654 > penicillin X > penicillin G > ampicillin > amoxicillin = carbenicillin. MICs against strains isolated from women with gonococcal pelvic inflammatory disease were significantly higher than those against isolates from uncomplicated infections: BL-P1654, P < 0.001; penicillin X, P < 0.001; penicillin G, P < 0.001; ampicillin, P < 0.001; and amoxicillin, P < 0.05. MICs of penicillin G were >/=0.125 mug/ml against 33 (36%) of the 92 strains from patients with uncomplicated infections, as contrasted with 15 (68%) of the 22 isolates from women with pelvic inflammatory disease (P < 0.01). The means of the MICs of penicillin G were 0.06 mug/ml for the former and 0.14 mug/ml for the latter.

Female↗
PubMed1977

Hepatotoxicity of erythromycin estolate during pregnancy.

Women in the second half of pregnancy, who were infected with genital mycoplasmas and who gave written informed consent, were randomly assigned to receive capsules of identical appearance containing erythromycin estolate, clindamycin hydrochloride, or a placebo for 6 weeks. Levels of serum glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (SGOT) were determined before and during treatment by a fluorometric method. All pretreatment levels of SGOT were normal (<41 units). Participants who received erythromycin estolate had significantly more abnormally elevated levels of SGOT (16/161, 9.9%) than did those who received clindamycin (4/168, 2.4%, P < 0.01) or those who received placebo (3/165, 1.8%, P < 0.01). Elevated levels of SGOT ranged from 44 to 130 U. Serum bilirubin levels were normal. Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity was abnormal in six of six participants who had abnormal levels of SGOT while receiving erythromycin estolate. There were few associated symptoms, and all levels of SGOT returned to normal after cessation of treatment. The treatment of pregnant women with erythromycin estolate may be inadvisable.

Aspartate Aminotransferases↗
PubMed1977

Quantitative determination of antibody to capsular polysaccharide in infection with type III strains of group B Streptococcus.

The development of antibody in response to invasive infection with type III strains of group B Streptococcus was studied in sera from 31 infants and 4 adults by means of a quantitative radioactive antigen-binding assay. Low concentrations of antibody were consistently found in the acute sera of patients who developed clinical illness. Although adults with puerperal sepsis and infants with bone or joint infection uniformly demonstrated significant rises in serum antibody concentration after recovery, much lower levels of antibody were detected in convalescent sera from infants recovering from meningitis or sepsis. The median antibody concentration in sera from 43 parturients with type III strains of group B Streptococcus isolated from vaginal cultures whose neonates failed to develop symptomatic disease was significantly greater than that in sera from 29 mothers of infants with invasive, type III, group B streptococcal infection. Study of paired maternal and cord sera demonstrated a significant correlation between the antibody concentration in a mother's serum and that in her neonate.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

Colonization with group B streptococci in girls under 16 years of age.

Cultures from the vagina, pharynx, and anal canal of 100 healthy girls, 2 months through 15 years of age, were examined for the presence of group B streptococci. Of the 100 participants, 20% were colonized at one or more of these three sites. Pharyngeal colonization was detected in 15% of the girls under 11 years of age and in 5% of those over 11 years of age. Colonization at anogenital sites were observed in 19% of participants under 3 years of age, in 25% of those 11 years of age and older, and in only 4% of those between the ages of 3 and 10 years (P less than .025). The concentration of serum antibody directed against the polysaccharide capsular antigen isolated from type III, group B Streptococcus appeared, in part, to be related to increasing age.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

Comparison of methods for the isolation of genital mycoplasmas from men.

Two hundred nine men were studied to determine the optimal method of obtaining cultures for genital mycoplasma. Ureaplasma urealyticum (T-mycoplasmas) was isolated from 95 (45.5%) of the participants. Urethral cultures obtained by means of urethrogenital calcium alginate swabs identified 82 (86%) of the 95 colonized men. Urethral cultures taken with cotton-tipped applicators (76%) urine cultures (27%), and cultures of the coronal sulcus (24%) detected fewer colonized men. All men who were colonized with U. urealyticum were identified by one of the two urethral cultures. Mycoplasma hominis was recovered from 73 (34.9%) of the 209 men. Urethral cultures identified most of the circumcised men who were colonized with M. hominis (11 of 14; 79%). In contrast, cultures from the coronal sulcus detected most of the colonized uncircumcised men (49 of 59; 83%). More than 90% of the men who were colonized with M. hominis were identified by either urethral culture or culture of the coronal sulcus. A similar study was conducted among 143 normal college students yielded comparable results.

Bacteriological Techniques↗
PubMed1976

Reevaluation of the role of T-mycoplasmas in nongonococcal urethritis.

T-mycoplasmas have been associated with nongonococcal urethritis (NGU) in studies in which these organisms were found to be more prevalent among men with NGU than among control groups of men. In none of these studies were the groups matched for sexual experience, a variable which we have shown to be an important determinant of colonization with T-mycoplasmas. We obtained urethral cultures for genital mycoplasmas from men presenting to the Boston City Hospital with gonococcal urethritis and with NGU, and from men of comparable sexual experience who did not have urethritis. Colonization with T-mycoplasmas was no more prevalent among men who had NGU than among the men who did not have urethritis. These data raise some serious questions about the role of T-mycoplasmas in nongonococcal urethritis.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Chorioamnionitis and colonization of the newborn infant with genital mycoplasmas.

To study the role of Mycoplasma hominis and T-mycoplasmas (Ureaplasma urealyticum) in chorioamnionitis, we obtained culture from 249 puerperal women and their babies. The placentas were examined histologically. Infants whose placentas showed inflammation (chorioamnionitis) had cultures positive for T-mycoplasmas more frequently (37.5 per cent) than those with normal placentas (19.0 per cent) (P = 0.021). Colonization with M. hominis was found in 16.0 per cent of the babies and was not significantly associated with chorioamnionitis. Material colonization with mycoplasmas was more frequent (73.4 per cent) and was not correlated with placental inflammation. We conclude that a substantial proportion of cases of chorioamnionitis may be caused by prenatal infection with T-mycoplasmas. The fact that these organisms are not highly virulent could explain the frequent finding of inflammed placentas from otherwise normal pregnacies. No adverse clinical effects of the placental lesions or of mycoplasmal colonization could be detected in this small study.

Amnion↗
PubMed1975

Combined type-specific antisera in the identification of Mycoplasma hominis.

In the usual serologic test for Mycoplasma hominis, disks containing antibody to a prototype strain are applied to an agar plate that has been inoculated with the microorganism to be tested, and inhibition of growth is studied. The recent demonstration that M. hominis is not serologically homogeneous but consists of at least seven serotypes suggested the need for reexamination of the specificity of the disk test. The inhibition of growth of M. hominis on solid medium by disks containing seven antisera to the seven prototype strains was studied. Antisera to strains 1, 2, and 3 significantly inhibited all seven prototype strains, but the other four antisera did not inhibit the growth of all heterologous strains. The individual antisera 1, 2, and 3 did not inhibit all of a group of 19 recent genital isolates of M. hominis. However, when the three antisera were combined, they inhibited all 19 isolates as much as or more than any of the three alone. The growth of the prototype strain 5 (PG 21) and of some recent clinical isolates was not completely prevented by the homologous or reference antisera, but the growth of all was partially inhibited.

Animals↗
PubMed1974

Comparison of spectinomycin hydrochloride and aqueous procaine penicillin G in the treatment of uncomplicated gonorrhea.

Men and women with uncomplicated gonorrhea were randomly assigned to receive aqueous procaine penicillin G (2,400,000 U for men; 2,400,000 U daily for 2 days for women) or spectinomycin hydrochloride (2.0 g for men; 4.0 g for women). Among men who returned for post-treatment evaluation within 10 days, treatment failures were noted among 16 (20.3%) of 79 men who received penicillin and 8 (9.5%) of 84 men who received spectinomycin (P < 0.1). Similarly, 6 (13.3%) of 45 women who received penicillin and 3 (6.5%) of 46 women who received spectinomycin had positive endocervical cultures for Neisseria gonorrhoeae at the time of the post-treatment examination (P = not significant).

Female↗