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Biomedical subjects

S Colleen

Publications and source records attributed to S Colleen.

53 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1979

Surface properties of Staphylococcus saprophyticus and Staphylococcus epidermidis as studied by adherence tests and two-polymer, aqueous phase systems.

S. saprophyticus is an established pathogen in man, devoided of characteristics associated with pathogenicity in Staphylococcus aureus. The ability of this species to attach to cells from regions, viz. the urinary tract, where it acts as an invador and to cells from areas where it is known as a commensal, was compared to its behaviour in this respect with another staphylococcal species, viz. S. epidermidis. S. saprophyticus showed a preferenital adherence to human exfoliated urogenital cells, when compared with its ability to attach to skin and buccal cells from man and also when compared with procine cells from these regions. The profound ability to adhere to human exfoliated urogenital epithelial cells by far exceeded that of S. epidermidis, while no such species difference was found when testing porcine cells (S. saprophyticus is unknown as a urogenital tract pathogen in pigs). When studied in a two-polymer, aqueous phase system, S. saprophyticus and S. epidermidis were found to have a negative surface charge at pH 7.2, but the former carried a considerably higher surface charge density. Both staphylococcal species exhibited a poor hydrophobic interaction liability. These physico-chemical surface characteristics are briefly discussed with regard to the differential bacteria-cell interactions of these species.

Adhesiveness↗
PubMed1979

Carcinoembryonic antigen in urine in patients with urothelial carcinoma. An expression for the extent of inflammatory reaction of the urinary tract.

The concentration of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in urine and serum was determined repeatedly during one year in 213 patients followed because of previously treated urothelial carcinoma of the bladder. The findings were correlated to grade and stage of previously treated tumour, given therapy, recurrence and the cytological evaluation of a midstream urine specimen. During the period of follow up 43 recurrences were clinically observed. With the exception for the content of inflammatory cells no correlation was found between the CEA levels in urine or blood and the parameters studied. Thus CEA in urine and/or serum cannot substitute for cystourethroscopy, urography and exfoliative cytology in the follow-up of patients previously treated for urothelial carcinoma.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Attachment of bacteria to exfoliated cells from the urogenital tract.

To establish urogenital infections, organisms must adhere to the mucosal lining. A differential adherence capacity among various bacterial species was observed when exfoliated urethral and urothelial cells were tested in an in vitro system. No difference in the adherence capacity of a particular species was observed when tested with exfoliated cells obtained from voided urine from different healthy individuals of the same sex. Escherichia coli harvested directly from urine specimens of patients with significant bacteriuria showed a significantly higher capacity to adhere than when obtained from the primary isolation plate. Staphylococcus saprophyticus adhered significantly better to urothelial cells than did Staphylococcus epidermidis. Adherence did not differ when the tests were performed in ultrafiltrated, infected and noninfected urine. Variations of the osmolality did not influence the adherence rate of E. coli. Gonococci showed an increased capacity to adhere when tested in urine of increasing acidity. Gonococci producing T1 colonies adhered by significantly higher numbers per cell than such bacteria producing T4 colonies.

Bacteriuria↗
PubMed1978

Role of Chlamydia trachomatis in non-acute prostatitis.

The possible role of Chlamydia trachomatis in non-acute prostatitis was investigated by cultural and serological techniques in a study of 53 adult males. C. trachomatis was isolated from the urethra of only one of the 53 patients and from none of the 28 specimens of prostatic fluid from the same patients. By means of a modified microimmunofluorescent test, serum chlamydial IgG antibodies at a titre of 1/64 or greater, or IgM antibodies at a titre of 1/8 or greater, or both were detected in six of the patients, suggesting a recent or current chlamydial infection, while IgG or IgA antibodies at a titre of 1/8 or greater were detected in the specimens of prostatic fluid from two of the 28 men studied. In the seven patients with evidence of chlamydial infection, as well as in a further 13 of the 53 patients studied, the presenting symptoms suggested non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU) rather than prostatitis. Thus in this study C. trachomatis would appear to play a minor aetiological role, if any, in non-acute prostatitis.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

The microbial flora of the urogenital tract in women with symptoms of recurrent urinary tract infection. The non-influence of methenaminehippurate treatment on the idigenous flora.

Recurrent urinary tract infections are known to occur among 5 per cent of all females. These women frequently have episodes of symptoms of lower urinary tract infection even between periods of bacteriuria. In the present study, 25 women with a history of recurrent urinary tract infections, found to lack signs of obstructive uropathy, were subjected to an extensive urological and microbiological survey. The investigation showed that (i) "pyuria" was common (9/12) but usually of urethral origin, (ii) introital and/or urethral colonization with Enterobacteriaceae often (11/25) occurred, (iii) apart from Escherichia coli found in three patients, a Bacteroides species was isolated in two and ureaplasmas in one patient from suprapubically aspirated urine, and (iv) chlamydia, gonococci, and trichomonads were not found. The patients were given methenaminehippurate for 1 week and then reexamined. The treatment did not seem to influence the indigenous flora of the lower urogenital tract.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Magnesium and zinc in seminal fluid of healthy males and patients with non-acute prostatitis with and without gonorrhoea.

The concentrations of magnesium and zinc in the seminal fluid of 41 patients with symptoms of non-acute prostatitis and of 11 healthy age-matched males were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Possible sources of error in the determination of these metals in seminal fluid are discussed. The mean concentration of magnesium in the patients was 56.6 mug/ml (range 19-190) and in the controls 64.5 mug/ml (range 36-165). The corresponding figures for zinc were 79.2 mug/ml (range 13-283) and 67.5 mug/mg (range 34-116). Both in the patients and in the controls there was a significant correlation between the concentration of magnesium and that of zinc. No significant difference was found between the patients and the controls regarding the concentration of magnesium or zinc. From none of the patients could gonococci be cultured. However, in 6 of them, immunofluorescent studies revealed gonococci. The concentration of zinc (48.3 mug/ml) in seminal fluid from these 6 patients was significantly lower than in the remaining 35. Neither in the patients, nor in the controls, was any correlation found between the concentration of magnesium or zinc and that of fructose in seminal fluid. A significant correlation was found between the concentrations of these metals and the antibacterial activity (determined as the inhibitory effect on the growth of Staphylococcus albus) of the seminal fluid from the patients. A negative correlation was found between the concentration of zinc and an increase in the number of white blood cells in expressed prostatic fluid. No correlation was found between magnesium or zinc and the number of spermatozoa or the percentage of abnormal spermatozoa. The findings in the present study suggest that the secretion of magnesium and zinc is decreased in prostatitis. Because of the wide range of variation of magnesium and zinc in seminal fluid of healthy males, determination of these metals is of limited value in the diagnoses of prostatitis in a given case.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

Effect of metacycline treatment on non-acute prostatitis.

Sixty-nine patients with symptoms of non-acute prostatitis were treated with metacycline and placebo according to the double-blind crossover technique. The patients reported improvement significantly more often after metacycline than after placebo treatment. But no difference was found between metacycline and placebo in respect of the palpatory findings or the number, morphology and motility of spermatozoa, the number of white blood cells in expressed prostatitic fluid, the zinc, magnesium or fructose content or antibacterial activity of seminal fluid. The lysozyme level in seminal fluid was significantly more often reduced after treatment with metacycline than after placebo. "Therapeutic" concentrations of metacycline were demonstrable in expressed prostatitic fluid specimens collected three hours after intake of the dose prescribed. The majority of patients harbouring Neisseria gonorrhoeae or Mycoplasma hominis were improved after the antibiotic treatment and the organism was no longer demonstrable. No undesirable effects of the treatment with metacycline were observed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

Search for uro-genital tract infections in patients with symptoms of prostatitis. Studies on aerobic and strictly anaerobic bacteria, mycoplasmas, fungi, trichomonads and viruses.

Seventy-nine patients with symptoms of nonacute prostatitis and 20 healthy volunteers were examined for uro-genital tract infection with bacteria, mycoplasmas, fungi, trichomonads and viruses. No differences in the results of the bacterial cultures were found between the patients and the controls. In only a few cases were established urinary tract pathogens found, but in no instance were these findings reproducible in later specimens. The cultures of the expressed prostatic fluids and the samples of semen gave no information of the occurrence of bacteria over and above that obtainable from examination of the urethral specimens. Significant bacteriuria was not found in any of the patients. Though Neisseria gonorrhoeae could not be isolated from any of the subjects, immunofluorescent studies revealed such organisms in seminal fluid in 8% of the patients. Nine of the patients had 1 to 3 years been considered successfully treated for gonorrhoea. Five of these nine patients were still found to harbour gonococci, as judged from the immunofluorescent studies. Corynebacterium vaginale was recovered in an equally low frequency (5%) from the patients and the volunteers. There was no significant difference in the incidence of T-mycoplasmas between the patients (46%) and the controls (35%), while Mycoplasma hominis was only found in the patients (10%). Trichomonas vaginalis could not be detected in wet smears of expressed prostatic fluid in any of the subjects, but could be cultured from one such specimen. Metacycline treatment (performed according the double blind cross-over technique) was studied for effects on the bacterial flora. In about 10% of the patients, an earlier not observed relative dominance of gram-negative rods was found on the cultures made after the therapy. Candida albicans was only isolated from the patients. It was found more often after (24%) than before the (15%) treatment. Complement-fixing antibodies to N. gonorrhoeae, cytomegalovirus and Chlamydia were found in 10, 19, and 33% of the patients, respectively. The corresponding figures for the healthy males were 0, 20 and 5%.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

Antimicrobial activity of human seminal fluid.

The antibacterial, antifungal and antimycoplasmal activity of human semen was studied. Gram-positive aerobic bacterial species i.e. staphylococci, but not gram-negative aerobic bacteria, were inhibited by seminal fluid in vitro. Neither were anaerobic gram-positive or gram-negative bacteria, nor Candida or Mycoplasma inhibited. Semen of healthy males had a higher antibacterial effect on S. albus than that of patients with symptoms of chronic prostatitis. There was a positive correlation between the antibacterial power of the semen of the patients studied and their content of zinc and magnesium, while no correlation was found with fructose and lysozyme or the number of spermatozoa in any of the groups. A positive correlation was found between the antibacterial capacity and the volume of the ejaculate in the patients but not among the controls. The antibacterial substance(s) was dialysable, ether-extractable, resistant to boiling and partly to storage at room temperature. The addition of EDTA, tranexamic acid and ammonium reineckate to semen did not influence the antibacterial effect, which was, however, slightly inhibited by sodium polyanethol sulphonate. The nature of possible antibacterial substances in semen is discussed.

Antibiosis↗