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Biomedical subjects

A L Coykendall

Publications and source records attributed to A L Coykendall.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Prosthetic hip infection related to a dental procedure despite antibiotic prophylaxis.

A 39-year-old man with systemic lupus erythematosus who was taking corticosteroids had a prosthetic hip infection with Streptococcus oralis after a dental procedure despite prophylaxis with erythromycin. The causative organism was resistant to erythromycin. For patients with prosthetic joints the literature does not support dental prophylaxis, which even if given appropriately, may fail to prevent infection. Some experts advocate giving antibiotic prophylaxis to patients at high risk, although data supporting this practice are limited. However, considering that most orthopedic surgeons and many dental clinicians provide antibiotic prophylaxis, alternatives to erythromycin such as a first-generation cephalosporin should be considered.

Adult↗

Classification and identification of the viridans streptococci.

This review traces the history of the human, nonhemolytic, or viridans, streptococci and describes improvements in their taxonomy wrought by study of their biochemical profiles and analysis of their nucleic acids. The goal was to define species on the basis of genetic relationships and to describe these species by their phenotypic characteristics so that they can be easily identified. This method has resulted in the division of some species. Streptococcus mutans has been divided into four species, two of which are common in humans. Three more mutans group species are indigenous to animals. Conversely, S. constellatus, S. intermedius, and "S. milleri" have been combined under S. anginosus. S. mitis (or "S. mitior") can be well-defined and includes S. sanguis II. There is genetic heterogeneity within S. sanguis, but the species is usually easy to identify. There is also some heterogeneity in S. bovis, but most human isolates are genetically related. Discussions of the taxonomy of these species are accompanied by descriptions of the characteristics by which these streptococci can be identified. Among these species are potential pathogens which should be suspected in cases of endocarditis and purulent infections of liver, brain, and other tissues.

Animals↗

Physiology of "mutans-like" Streptococcus ferus from wild rats.

Strains of Streptococcus ferus isolated from the oral cavities of wild rodents inhabiting sucrose-rich and sucrose-poor environments have many traits in common with the "mutans" streptococci. Thus, S. ferus HD3 and 8S1, like cariogenic S. sobrinus 6715-13, from adherent, alpha (1 leads to 3) glucopyranosyl-glucose linkage-rich, plaquelike deposits in vitro and in vivo through the action of constitutive glucosyltransferase(s) enzymes on sucrose, produce and degrade intracellular polysaccharide, produce short-chain fatty acids from the catabolism of mono- and disaccharides, carry the c antigen of S. mutans, and penetrate, persist, and proliferate in a sucrose-augmented fashion in the oral cavities of specific-pathogen-free rodent caries models. However, unlike infection with common S. mutans, infection with tested S. ferus strains does not cause caries. This avirulence appeared to result more from the reduced aciduricity of S. ferus than from differences in glucosyltransferase complements. Studies showed that despite generally similar growth rates and extracellular glucan syntheses, the acidogenic metabolism of S. ferus was more inhibited by declining environmental pH than was cariogenic S. sobrinus 6715-13 and that, in vitro, less hydroxyapatite was solubilized by S. ferus metabolic end products. The physiology of these S. ferus strains demonstrated that, in addition to plaque formation and acid production, acid tolerance was crucial to the carious process.

Agglutination↗

Colonization and cariogenicity of Streptococcus ferus in rats.

Streptococcus ferus, which is indigenous to wild rats, is a member of the mutans group of streptococci. We tested its ability to colonize and to cause caries in laboratory rats by comparing two strains of S. ferus with the very cariogenic Streptococcus sobrinus strain 6715. Groups of rats were fed either finely ground mouse chow or a 56% sucrose diet, or they were switched from chow to the sucrose diet. All three strains colonized the mouths of rats regardless of diet. However, the infectants reached higher proportions of the total flora more quickly in the rats consuming sucrose. Similarly, the percentage of the oral flora represented by an infecting organism increased numerically when rats originally fed chow were switched to the sucrose diet. S. ferus formed plaques on the teeth of the rats, but these plaques did not proliferate over smooth tooth surfaces as extensively as did those of S. sobrinus. Although S. ferus colonized and accumulated, it was non-cariogenic in rats fed sucrose compared both with rats fed similarly but infected with S. sobrinus 6715 and with uninfected controls. In vitro measurements suggested the S. ferus produced acid less rapidly than S. sobrinus. Thus, the lack of cariogenicity in S. ferus may result from an inability to form copious plaques on smooth tooth surfaces and from low acid production and, therefore, may represent a natural absence of the pathogenic potential usually inherent in the mutans streptococci.

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena↗

Production of phenylacetic acid by strains of Bacteroides asaccharolyticus and Bacteroides gingivalis (sp. nov.).

Strains of Bacteroides asaccharolyticus and Bacteroides melaninogenicus subspecies isolated from human and animal sources were examined for the production of phenylacetic acid. B. asaccharolyticus strains isolated from sites in humans and monkeys always produced phenylacetic acid. B. asaccharolyticus strains isolated from human nonoral sites consistently failed to produce this product. This metabolic difference correlates with the genetic dichotomy recently found to exist between oral and nonoral B. asaccharolyticus strains.

Animals↗

Serological and genetic examination of some nontypical Streptococcus mutans strains.

Thirty-four strains of Streptococcus mutans whose antigenic or genetic positions were unclear or unknown with respect to the serological scheme of Bratthall (1970) and Perch et al. (1974), or the genetic (deoxyribonucleic acid base sequence homology) scheme of Coykendall were analyzed to clarify their relationship to previously well-characterized strains. Strain OMZ175 of the "new" serotype f was genetically homologous with strains of S. mutans subsp. mutans. Strains of the "new" serotype g were homologous with serotype d strains (S. mutans subsp. sobrinus). Strains isolated from wild rats constituted a new genetic group but carried the c antigen. Thus, strains within a "genospecies" (subspecies) of S. mutans may not always carry a unique or characteristic antigen. We suggest that the existence of multiple serotypes within subspecies represents antigenic variation and adaptations to hosts.

Animals↗

DNA base sequence homologies among strains of Streptococcus sanguis.

DNA was isolated from 19 strains and substrains of Streptococcus sanguis and analysed for guanine plus cytosine (GC) contents and base sequence homologies. Three groups could be discerned: group 1 strains had 40-8 to 42-8 mol % GC; group 2, 42-7 to 44-0 mol % GC; group 3, 43-8 to 46-4 mol % GC. DNA homologies between groups 1 and 3 were 40 to 60% at 67 degrees C and 40% at 72 degrees C. The homologies of group 2 towards groups 1 and 3 were much lower. Strains in groups 1 and 3 hydrolysed arginine and aesculin and fermented inulin; group 2 strains did not. Groups 1 and 3 could be considered subspecies of S. sanguis. Group 2 should not be considered S. sanguis.

Arginine↗

Variation in internal polysaccharide synthesis among Streptococcus mutans strains.

Five strains, representative of Streptococcus mutans genetic group III antigenic group d, synthesized and degraded less intracellular polysaccharide (IPS) then 17 strains representative of other S. mutans groups. The strains that synthesize IPS degraded it rapidly. The production of acid in titratable amounts from endogenous IPS was usually complete within 1 h. IPS synthesis in S. mutans increased abruptly at culture glucose concentrations between 0.2 and 0.5% and was quantitated as both iodine-and glucose oxidase-positive material in cell hyrolysates. IPS degradation was measured by acid production in a pH-stat maintained at 7. The existence within group III d of a strain recently shown to be cariogenic in experimental animals suggest that IPS may not be a prerequisite for virulence in these cariogenic bacteria.

Acids↗

Streptococcus mutans in a wild, sucrose-eating rat population.

Streptococcus mutans, an organism implicated in dental caries and not previously found outside of man and certain laboratory animals, was isolated from the mouths of wild rats which ate sugar cane. The strains isolated fermented mannitol and sorbitol, and failed to grow in 6.5% NaCl or at 45 C. They formed in vitro plaques on nichrome wires when grown in sucrose broth. They also stored intracellular polysaccharide which could be catabolized by washed, resting cells. Deoxyribonucleic acid-deoxyribonucleic acid reassociations revealed two genetic types. One type shared extensive deoxyribonucleic acid base sequences with S. mutans strains HS6 and OMZ61, two members of a genetic type found in man and laboratory hamsters. The other type seemed unrelated to any S. mutans genetic type previously encountered. It is concluded that the ecological triad of tooth-sucrose-S. mutans is not a phenomenon unique to man and experimental animals.

Animals↗

Genetic heterogeneity in Streptococcus mutans.

The genetic homogeneity among eight cariogenic strains of Streptococcus mutans was assessed by deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-DNA reassociation experiments. DNA species were extracted from strains GS5, Ingbritt, 10449, FAl, BHT, E49, SLl, and KlR. Labeled DNA ((14)C-DNA) was extracted from strains 10449, FAl, and SLl. Denatured (14)C-DNA fragments were allowed to reassociate, i.e., form hybrid duplexes, with denatured DNA immobilized on membrane filters incubated in 0.45 m NaCl-0.045 m sodium citrate at 67 or 75 C. At 67 C, 10449 (14)C-DNA reassociated extensively only with GS5 and Ingbritt DNA. FAl (14)C-DNA hybridized extensively only with BHT DNA, and SLl (14)C-DNA reassociated with KlR and E49 DNA. DNA which hybridized extensively at 67 C also reassociated to a high degree at 75 C. Thermal elution of (14)C-FAl-BHT duplexes showed that the hybrid duplexes were thermostable. The results indicate that S. mutans is a genetically heterogeneous species. The strains studied can be divided into three (possibly four) genetic groups, and these groups closely parallel antigenic groups.

Carbon Isotopes↗