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The impact of split-night polysomnography for diagnosis and positive pressure therapy titration on treatment acceptance and adherence in sleep apnea/hypopnea.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: The time and resource intensive nature of the traditional two-night paradigm for diagnosing and titrating positive pressure therapy for Obstructive Sleep Apnea/Hypopnea (OSA/H) contributes to patient care cost and limitation of service availability. Although split night polysomography (PSG(SN)) algorithms can establish a diagnosis of OSA/H and establish a positive pressure prescription for many patients, there has been only limited evidence that this strategy does not impair acceptance and adherence to treatment. The objective of this study was to test the null hypothesis that PSG(SN) does not adversely impact acceptance and adherence to positive pressure therapy for OSA/H compared with a standard two-night PSG strategy (PSG(TN)). DESIGN: Retrospective case-controlled study. SETTING: University-based sleep disorders program PATIENTS: Both PSG(SN) and PSG(TN) (control) patients were selected on the basis of having an initial medical/sleep evaluation by a full-time physician member of the University of Pittsburgh Sleep Disorders Program, must not have had prior diagnostic PSG or treatment for sleep-disordered breathing, and must have been followed by the Sleep Program team. Selection of PSG(SN) patients required the ability to be matched with a control patient. Both groups underwent evaluation during the same time period. Of 146 patients who underwent PSG(SN) between October 1995 and September 1997, 51 had their initial evaluation and subsequent follow-up by physician-staff members of our Program. Of these, 15 were excluded from analysis because of a previous diagnostic PSG's or prior OSA/H therapy. Also, matches were unavailable for 5 patients. Seven patients refusal to use positive pressure at home and were not available for assessment of adherence, but were included in analysis of therapeutic acceptance. Thus, analysis of the impact of PSG(SN) on adherence to positive pressure therapy was based on a data set of 24 patients in whom a PSG(SN) was performed and 24 patients who had PSG(TN). The two groups were matched for age, Apnea+Hypopnea Index (AHI) and gender. MEASUREMENT AND RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the PSG(SN) and PSG(TN) groups with respect to age, body mass index (BMI), Desaturation Event Frequency (DEF), Arousal Index (ArI) or the Epworth Sleepiness Score (ESS). The nadir of oxyhemoglobin saturation (SpO2) during sleep was lower in the PSG(TN) than PSG(SN) group (69.3+/-15 vs. 79.8+/-9, mean+/-SD, p=0.012). During positive pressure titration, the time spent at the final pressure which was prescribed for the patients were comparable in both groups (123.4+/-64 vs. 161+/-96 minutes, PSG(SN) and PSG(TN), respectively, p=0.17). Adherence to therapy was objectively assessed by the average daily run-time of the positive pressure device at the first meter-read following initiation of treatment (55.1+/-44 vs. 40.8+/-16 days following home set-up, PSG(SN) and PSG(TN), respectively, p=0.14). Depending whether or not patients with previous exposure to positive pressure therapy were included in the analysis, 84-86% of patients undergoing PSG(SN) accepted therapy. There was no difference between the groups with respect to adherence (5.1+/-4 vs. 4.6+/-3 hours, PSG(SN) and PSG(TN), respectively, p=0.64). CONCLUSIONS: In a population of predominantly moderate-to-severe OSA/H patients, PSG(SN) strategy does not adversely impact on adherence to positive pressure therapy over the first six weeks of treatment. Acceptance of therapy is comparable to that reported in the literature following PSG(TN).

Adult↗

School absenteeism, parental work loss, and acceptance of childhood influenza vaccination.

BACKGROUND: Influenza causes school absenteeism and may cause parents to miss work to care for sick children. However, it is not known whether these factors influence parental acceptance of childhood vaccination. METHODS: A survey was mailed to parents of 1,805 children attending 3 elementary schools. It included questions about school absenteeism and employment status for adults who stayed home to care for an ill child. Parents were asked if they would consider vaccinating their child against a common wintertime respiratory virus. RESULTS: Of the 972 surveys returned (54% return rate), 954 could be analyzed. Only 13% of respondents stated that they would not consider vaccination for their child. Sixty-nine percent of children had been absent from school because of a nonasthma respiratory illness, with an average of 2.54 days missed per child. Among respondents whose child had missed any school, 33% would definitely consider vaccination compared with 24% of respondents whose child had not missed school (P < 0.01). As children missed more school days, vaccine acceptance increased. In 53% of families, an adult had to miss work to care for the ill child. Vaccine acceptance was higher if an adult caretaker had to lose time from work because of a child's illness (35% versus 25% for non-working caretakers, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Vaccine acceptance was closely linked with the amount of absenteeism caused by respiratory illness in the previous year. Parents who had to miss work to care for an ill child were more accepting of the vaccine than were other parents.

Absenteeism↗

Acceptance of repeat esophagogastroduodenoscopy to detect gastric cancer in a Chinese immigrant cohort.

GOAL: To study the feasibility of using repeat esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) to screen for Helicobacter pylori infection and gastric cancer in an Asian immigrant cohort. BACKGROUND: Immigrants in the United States (US) from countries with high per capita rates of gastric cancer remain at higher risk for gastric cancer. The existence of the possibly modifiable risk factor of H. pylori infection and the poor outcomes associated with late-stage disease make screening higher-risk groups with EGD an appealing possibility. It is unknown whether Asian immigrants in the US would accept an EGD-based strategy for gastric cancer screening. STUDY: Cross-sectional study of adult Chinese immigrants in New York City with dyspepsia who underwent EGD in an earlier gastric cancer detection study, who were offered a second EGD four years later. Our main outcome measure was acceptance or refusal of repeat EGD. RESULTS: Seventy-three of the 115 Chinese participants in the earlier study were successfully contacted for this current study. Twenty-three of 73 (32%) underwent repeat EGD. Leading reasons given for declining were lack of symptoms and lack of time. Significantly associated with acceptance of repeat EGD was the belief that EGD will find stomach cancer "nearly always" in someone who has it (P=0.0054; odds ratio=14.0, 2.1 to 94.2 95% confidence interval). CONCLUSIONS: Acceptance of repeat EGD for gastric cancer detection in a cohort of Chinese immigrants was relatively low despite the mitigation of cost and language factors, 2 major barriers to healthcare access. Relocation seemed to be a factor as well. In this population, perceptions of the benefits of EGD may influence acceptance of testing for cancer detection purposes.

Aged↗

Acceptability of formulations and application methods for vaginal microbicides among drug-involved women: results of product trials in three cities.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Female-controlled methods of HIV prevention, such as vaginal microbicides, are urgently needed, particularly among drug-involved women. Acceptability research is critical to product development. GOAL: To assess the acceptability of forms and application methods for future microbicides. DESIGN: Eighty-four drug-involved women were introduced in groups to three lubricant products, asked to try each for 3 weeks, and scheduled for individual follow-up interviews. RESULTS: Participants and their partners felt positive about the products, and expressed willingness to use microbicides if they were shown to be effective against HIV. Women agreed on product characteristics that influenced their reactions (e.g. ease of insertion, degree of "messiness"), but often disagreed on whether their reactions to these characteristics were positive or negative. CONCLUSION: Development of acceptable and effective HIV-prevention products depends on understanding the interaction between characteristics of the products and the characteristics and perceptions of women. Levels of sexual risk and acceptability factors based on drug-use patterns, race and ethnicity, culture, age, and types and attitudes of male partners suggest that a "one size fits all" approach will not win broad acceptance among drug-involved women.

Administration, Intravaginal↗

HIV-1 risk and vaccine acceptability in the Ugandan military.

Between July and October 1993, 570 19- to 22-year-old volunteers were screened for HIV-1, with a resulting seroprevalence rate of 18.3% (95% CI: 14.0%, 22.6%). A cohort of 249 HIV-1-noninfected military recruits in the Ugandan Peoples' Defense Forces was followed prospectively for up to 18 months to document rates of HIV-1 seroprevalence, seroconversion, and knowledge and attitudes related to vaccine acceptability. The HIV-1 seroincidence rate was 3.56 per 100 person-years (95% CI: 1.49, 5.62) over 309 person-years of observation. At the 3- and 12-month visits, subjects were interviewed on issues of acceptance and knowledge about vaccines, including anti-HIV vaccines in particular. More than 90% believe that HIV vaccines will not cause HIV infection, and if offered, 88% report that they would take the vaccine if they were not already infected. Nonvaccine prevention methods were considered less reliable; monogamy and condom use were considered effective by only 33.5% and 69.3% of the cohort respectively. After completing the vaccine acceptability questionnaire at the 12-month visit, subjects were offered an approved polyvalent meningococcal vaccine as an indicator of general vaccine acceptance. All subjects reported receiving at least one previous vaccination, and 95% willingly accepted the meningococcal vaccination. The Ugandan military is a stable population at substantial risk for HIV-1 infection and may be a suitable population for vaccine efficacy trials.

AIDS Vaccines↗

The Ponseti method for treatment of congenital club foot.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review of the Ponseti technique for the treatment of congenital club foot covers a topic of recently renewed interest. Pediatric orthopedists and parents have become increasingly enthusiastic about the success of this technique, which has been practiced continuously at the University of Iowa since 1948 but only recently become widely utilized. RECENT FINDINGS: Current literature has emphasized the reproducibility of these excellent results among multiple centers throughout the world. In addition, the role of the Internet, and accessibility of medical information have been central elements in the development of this phenomenon. SUMMARY: The current research should convince physicians that all children should be managed by the Ponseti technique at the outset. This research should also reassure physicians and parents that the overwhelming majority of children with club feet can be successfully managed, without the need for major reconstructive surgery.

Braces↗

Acceptability of urine screening for Neisseria gonorrheae and Chlamydia trachomatis in adolescents at an urban emergency department.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the acceptability of urine screening for Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis in adolescents in a pediatric emergency department. STUDY DESIGN: We used a prospective enrollment of adolescents aged 14-20 visiting an urban pediatric emergency department. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The main outcome measure was acceptance of urine STD screening rates. RESULTS: Of 1231 potential participants, 879 (71%) agreed to participate and 352 (29%) declined screening. Participants were similar to those refusing to participate in terms of gender. In multivariate analysis, age, race/ethnicity, and insurance status were associated with variation in sexually transmitted disease (STD) test acceptance, whereas the presence of a parent was not. Despite similar training, 1 of 3 recruiters had significantly lower acceptance rates than her peers. Overall, 10% of patients enrolled were found to have one or both infections. CONCLUSION: Urine screening for STDs can be efficiently conducted in an emergency department setting. This screening appears to be acceptable to most patients.

Adolescent↗

Factors predicting the acceptance of herpes simplex virus type 2 antibody testing among adolescents and young adults.

BACKGROUND: The rates and determinants of acceptance of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) testing have not been adequately studied. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to identify factors associated with acceptance of HSV-2 antibody testing in individuals with no history of genital herpes. STUDY: We conducted a cross-sectional survey study followed by the offer of free HSV-2 serologic testing at an urban sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic, 2 general adult medical clinics, an urban university campus, and an urban adolescent medicine clinic. A total of 1199 individuals aged 14 to 30 years completed the survey and were offered testing. RESULTS: A total of 68.4% accepted HSV-2 testing. Factors independently associated with acceptance were female sex, older age, having an STD history, having 1 or more sexual partners in the last 6 months, perceived vulnerability to HSV-2 infection, and perceived benefits of HSV-2 testing. Fear of needles predicted rejection of testing, as did attending a general medical clinic versus an STD clinic and nonwhite race. CONCLUSION: There is a substantial interest in HSV-2 antibody testing across a variety of settings. Those at greatest behavioral and historic risk for HSV-2 infection, women, and persons whose health beliefs are consistent with testing are more likely to accept serologic testing when it is offered.

Adolescent↗

Microbicide acceptability among high-risk urban U.S. women: experiences and perceptions of sexually transmitted HIV prevention.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to measure microbicide acceptability among high-risk women in Hartford, Connecticut, and contextual factors likely to affect acceptability and use. GOAL: The goal of this study was to assess usefulness of microbicides for HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention for high-risk women. STUDY: Ethnographic interviews (n = 75) and a survey (n = 471) explored women's perspectives on HIV/STI prevention, vaginal contraceptives similar to microbicides, and microbicide acceptability. Participants (n = 94) in a 2-week behavioral trial used an over-the-counter vaginal moisturizer to simulate microbicide use during sex with primary, casual, and/or paying partners. RESULTS: Findings showed limited experience with vaginal contraceptives, but high interest in microbicides as an alternative to condoms, indicated by an acceptability index score of 2.73 (standard deviation, 0.49; scale of 1-4) in the overall sample. General microbicide acceptability varied by ethnicity, prior contraceptive and violence/abuse experiences, relationship power, and other attitudinal factors. The simulation trial indicated significant willingness to use the product in various locations and with all types of partners. CONCLUSIONS: Vaginal microbicides may improve prevention outcomes for high-risk inner-city women.

Administration, Intravaginal↗

Predictors of human papillomavirus vaccination acceptability among underserved women.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to examine underserved women's acceptability of the forthcoming human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines and to identify correlates of HPV vaccine acceptability. STUDY DESIGN: A sample of primarily low-income minority women (n = 58) recruited from community health clinics completed a semistructured interview assessing health beliefs, vaccination attitudes, health behavior, and HPV vaccination intentions. RESULTS: Personal acceptability of the HPV vaccines was generally high. Moreover, 100% of parents were interested in having their children vaccinated. Correlates of vaccination intentions included health beliefs and attitudes (perceived risk of HPV infection, perceived safety and effectiveness of HPV vaccines, perceived physician encouragement for vaccination) and previous health behavior (HIV testing). Independent predictors of vaccine acceptability were also identified. CONCLUSIONS: The current study highlights key correlates of vaccine acceptability that may inform HPV vaccination campaigns for underserved populations.

Adolescent↗

Acceptance of HIV testing among pregnant women in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Increased prevention of maternal-to-child transmission of HIV-1 has now become possible due to the availability of effective antiretroviral drugs in developing countries. It is necessary for pregnant women to know their HIV status in order to administer timely treatment to reduce transmission of the virus. This study assesses correlates of acceptance of testing for HIV infection in the antenatal setting in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. METHODS: Between August 13, 2001 and November 27, 2002, 14,235 pregnant women were offered screening for HIV as part of routine prenatal care. Demographic information pertaining to the women and their partners, if applicable, was collected. Univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were carried out. RESULTS: The majority of women were married monogamously (60.0%), had < or =7 years of education (75%), and were unemployed (70.4%). Of the 14,235 women offered screening for HIV, 10,991 (77.2%) accepted. Site of recruitment was significantly associated with screening acceptance (P for trend < 0.0001). Additionally, age, education, marital status, and partner's occupation were significant predictors of testing acceptance. CONCLUSION: The site at which recruitment occurs is a significant factor in determining a woman's odds of accepting HIV testing. The site covariate includes such factors as individual counselor effects, length of waiting time, and length of time the site has been operational.

AIDS Serodiagnosis↗

A randomized trial on acceptability of voluntary HIV counselling and testing.

OBJECTIVES: To examine factors affecting readiness for and acceptability of voluntary HIV counselling and testing (VCT). METHODS: Participants in a population-based HIV survey conducted in an urban population in Zambia in 1996 were offered VCT. Although 29% of them expressed interest in being tested (readiness), only 4% of this group used the services (i.e. acceptability). When the survey was repeated 3 years later, VCT was designed differently to assess acceptability. At the cluster level the participants were randomly allocated to VCT either at the local clinic (similar to 1996, n = 1102) or at an optional location (n = 1343). RESULTS: Readiness varied significantly by age group (47% in age group 20-24 years vs. 18% in age group 40-49 years). There were contrasts between young (15-24 years) and older age groups (25-49 years) regarding the main factors associated with readiness. Whereas self-perceived risk of being HIV infected was the only significant factor among the young, poor self-rated health and ever HIV tested were important factors among the older. The acceptability was 11.8% among the group allocated to VCT at the local clinic compared with 55.8% for the group allocated to an optional location (RR, 4.7). CONCLUSIONS: Perceived risk of HIV infection had a major influence on VCT readiness among young people, whereas declining general health status, as indicated by self-rated health, was most evident among those of older age. A strong effect of placement on acceptability of VCT was demonstrated, indicating this barrier to be important in explaining low demands for VCT in the past. Differences in perceptions of how confidentiality is handled at the two locations might be an important underlying factor.

Adolescent↗

Women's knowledge and attitudes, and the acceptability of voluntary antenatal HIV testing.

OBJECTIVE: To assess pregnant women's knowledge of, and attitudes towards, antenatal HIV testing, and its acceptability to them. SETTING: Antenatal clinic at Guy's Hospital, London, six community antenatal clinics and a midwifery group practice. POPULATION: Eight hundred and forty-three women attending the antenatal clinics. METHOD: The women received a leaflet explaining HIV testing, and completed a questionnaire before and after their booking appointment. This included an assessment of their knowledge of, and attitudes towards HIV testing, and its acceptability. RESULTS: Seven hundred and eighty-nine women (94%) completed questionnaires. Fifty-one percent (n = 405) were Caucasian, 25% (n = 195) African, 11% (n = 86) West Indian and 13% (n = 100) were from other ethnic groups. Fifty-eight percent received the HIV information leaflet, of whom 86% had read it. Knowledge relating to HIV was good, the median knowledge score being 6 out of a possible 8, but it was less in non-Caucasian women and those with lower educational qualifications. Knowledge was not related to uptake of testing. Thirty-five percent of women accepted the offer of an HIV test, rates being higher in hospital clinics (41%) than in the midwifery group practice (10%) and the community clinics (30%). Women more likely to accept the offer of an HIV test were non-Caucasian (P = 0.0443), those who had thought about the HIV test before this pregnancy (P = 0.0298) and those seeing one particular midwife (P = 0.0003). Most women (67%) thought that all pregnant women should be offered the HIV test and then make their own decision. Overall, 64% women did not change their original pre-discussion decision on testing for HIV. Thirty-six percent of women changed their decision from 'yes' to 'no' or 'don't know' after seeing the midwife. Women attending the community clinics (P = 0.003) and those who had been tested before (P = 0.0451) were more likely to change their decision. CONCLUSION: This study, in a multiethnic population, has shown that knowledge regarding HIV is good but does not increase the uptake of testing. Women prefer to be offered the HIV test and make their own choice regarding whether to accept it.

Africa↗

Acceptance of nurse practitioners and physician assistants in meeting the perceived needs of rural communities.

Nurse practitioners and physician assistants have provided a partial solution to the shortage of primary care services in medically underserved rural areas. This paper describes the results of a study exploring community acceptance of nurse practitioners and physician assistants in rural medically underserved areas. Community acceptance in the context of this study implies not only satisfaction with care received, but also willingness of the community to support NP/PA practice through its infrastructure and encourage members to initially seek and continue to receive care from an NP or PA. Five focus groups were conducted in each of five rural medically underserved communities. The two most pervasive findings were the lack of previous exposure to NPs and PAs and the general belief that NPs and PAs would be accepted in these communities if certain conditions could be met. The theme of conditional acceptance included both personal and system factors. Personal factors included friendliness, competence, willingness to enter into the life of the community, and the ability to keep information confidential. System factors considered critical for acceptance included service type, integration with the existing health care system, cost, geographic proximity, and availability. The results of this study offer insight into community attitudes and suggest marketing strategies for those who plan to introduce NP or PA services into rural communities.

Focus Groups↗

Low health literacy is associated with HIV test acceptance.

BACKGROUND: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has proposed increasing the proportion of people who learn their HIV serostatus. The health care setting represents a logical site to accomplish this goal. However, little is known about factors that determine acceptability of HIV testing in health care settings, particularly patients' health literacy. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between patients' health literacy and acceptance of HIV testing among individuals at an urgent care center (UCC). METHODS: As part of a prospective study that sought to increase HIV testing at a UCC located in an inner-city hospital serving an indigent population, we surveyed patients who had been offered an HIV test by their providers and had accepted or refused testing. Pretest counseling was provided using a low-literacy brochure given to patients upon registration into the clinic. We measured health literacy level using the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine (REALM) scale. RESULTS: Three hundred seventy-two patients were enrolled in the study. In univariate analysis, no statistically significant difference between HIV test acceptors or refusers was found for gender, race/ethnicity, marital status, income, type of health insurance, educational level, or type of test offered. Acceptors were more likely to have a low literacy level (odds ratio [OR], 1.763; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.084 to 2.866) and be less than 40 years old (OR, 1.639; 95% CI, 1.085 to 2.475). In multivariate analysis, low health literacy was shown to be a predictor of HIV test acceptance controlling for age and education (OR, 2.017; 95% CI, 1.190 to 3.418). CONCLUSIONS: Low health literacy was shown to be a predictor of HIV test acceptance. Patients presenting to a UCC with poorer health literacy appear more willing to comply with health care providers' recommendations to undergo HIV testing than those with adequate health literacy when an "opt-out" strategy combined with a low-literacy brochure is used.

Adult↗

Improving the acceptability of the atrial defibrillator: patient-activated cardioversion versus automatic night cardioversion with and without sedation (ADSAS 2).

Acceptability of the atrial defibrillator is partly limited by concerns about shock related anxiety and discomfort. Sedation and/or automatic cardioversion therapy during sleep may ease shock discomfort and improve patient acceptability. Three atrial cardioversion techniques were compared: patient-activated cardioversion with sedation, automatic night cardioversion with sedation, and automatic night cardioversion without sedation. Sedation was oral midazolam (15 mg). Fifteen patients aged 60 +/- 13 years were assigned each strategy randomly for three consecutive episodes of persistent atrial fibrillation requiring cardioversion. Patients completed questionnaires for multiple parameters immediately and again at 24 hours postcardioversion. Atrial cardioversion strategies with oral sedation (patient-activated and automatic) significantly reduced shock recall by 77% (P < 0.005), therapy dissatisfaction by 57%-71% (P < 0.03), shock discomfort by 61%-73% (P < 0.01), shock pain by 79%-83% (P < 0.001), and shock intensity by 73%-77% (P < 0.03), compared to automatic night cardioversion without sedation (P < 0.02). Atrial shock pain was short-lived and caused little disruption to the patients' daily routines. Automatic night cardioversion without sedation, resulted in sleep disturbances not seen with the other strategies (42% vs 0%, P < 0.001) as well as concerns about future pain or discomfort. Twelve patients (80%) chose patient-activated cardioversion with sedation as their preferred treatment, and three (20%) remainder chose automatic night cardioversion with sedation. Ninety percent of patients chose automatic night cardioversion without sedation as the least acceptable therapy. Sedation significantly increases atrial shock acceptability regardless of cardioversion method. Shocks without sedation are significantly less acceptable to patients using the atrial defibrillators.

Anxiety↗

Social and psychological factors associated with adolescents' self-acceptance of occlusal condition.

Studies using plaster models of teeth and photographs simulating the full range of occlusal conditions have found high agreement between measures of adolescent social acceptability of these conditions and perceived need for orthodontic treatment. This study examined the association between adolescents' acceptability of their own occlusal condition, severity of malocclusion, and likelihood of undergoing orthodontic treatment. The factors predicting the acceptability of occlusal condition of 13-yr-olds, as assessed by the SASOC scale, were measurements of acceptability of general physical appearance, and the severity of occlusal condition. Variability in SASOC scores appeared to be independent of gender, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity. Gender, and severity of occlusal condition were important differences between subjects who had received, planned, or were undergoing orthodontic treatment, and those who had not. Neither SASOC scores nor perceived need for treatment accounted for a significant proportion of the variance between these groups. Although adolescents seeking orthodontic treatment had a greater severity of malocclusion than those not, little difference was observed between these groups in acceptance of occlusal condition.

Adolescent↗

Chemotactic transducer proteins of Escherichia coli exhibit homology with methyl-accepting proteins from distantly related bacteria.

Transducers are transmembrane, methyl-accepting proteins central to the chemotactic systems of the enteric bacteria Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium. Methyl-accepting proteins have been reported in a number of species in addition to these enteric bacteria. Those species include Bacillus subtilis and Spirochaeta aurantia, representatives of groups that diverged from ancestral enteric bacteria and from each other very early in bacterial evolution. An antiserum that reacts with all transducers of E. coli precipitated specifically methyl-accepting proteins from B. subtilis and S. aurantia, indicating that these proteins share antigenic determinants with transducers of E. coli. In addition, analysis of tryptic peptides by high-pressure liquid chromatography revealed similarities in the regions of methyl-accepting sites for proteins from all three species. These observations imply that structural features have been preserved in the three species from transducers contained in a common ancestor of eubacteria. It is thus reasonable to predict that other flagellated, chemotactic bacteria will be found to contain methyl-accepting proteins homologous to transducers of enteric bacteria.

Bacillus subtilis↗