SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Nocardia”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1979

Interaction of Nocardia asteroides at different phases of growth with in vitro-maintained macrophages obtained from the lungs of normal and immunized rabbits.

The interactions of cells of Nocardia asteroides GUH-2 during different stages of growth with cultured macrophages obtained from the lungs of nonimmunized and immunized rabbits were studied. The nocardial cells from all stages grew intracellularly in "normal" alveolar macrophages; however, log-phase cells increased in numbers more rapidly than did stationary-phase cells. Macrophages obtained from the lungs of specifically immunized rabbits effectively inhibited the growth of stationary-phase cells but only temporarily retarded the growth of log-phase organisms. Specific antiserum added to the nocardial cells before incubation with presensitized macrophages caused enhanced phagocytosis and inactivation of the log-phase cells but had no effect on the fate of the stationary-phase nocardia. In addition, it was fo-nd that log-phase cells were phagocytized less effectively by normal macrophages than were the stationary-phase cells, and log-phase cells were more toxic to the macrophage monolayer. From these data we conclude that secondarily induced macrophages play a major role in host resistance to pulmonary nocardial infections, and antibody may be important for effective host resistance to the filamentous form of N. asteroides. Since the nocardia were able, with time, to overcome these effects, it appears that additional host factors (such as T-lymphocytes) must be involved in an effective host response to N. asteroides.

Animals↗

PubMed1979

Association of macrophage activation with antitumor effect on rat syngeneic fibrosarcoma by Nocardia rubra cell wall skeleton.

The antitumor activities of the cell wall skeleton (CWS) of Nocardia rubra were demonstrated for syngeneic fibrosarcoma (AMC-60) in ACI/N rats in regard to macrophage activation. In the 24-hr cytolytic test, activated macrophages which were fractionated from peritoneal exudate cells induced by i.p. injection of Nocardia CWS showed significant cytolytic activity for [125I]iododeoxyuridine-labeled tumor cells. Activated macrophages also strongly inhibited [3H]thymidine incorporation into the tumor cells during the 24-hr cytostatic test. When tumor cells were inoculated s.c. with activated macrophages in the Winn-type transfer assay, subsequent tumor growth was significantly inhibited. Repeated i.p. injection of the CWS seemed to enhance these antitumor activities of macrophages. The therapeutic effect of Nocardia CWS was assessed with the ascites tumor and with the solid tumor inoculated i.m. into the hind leg. In the former treatment, repeated i.p. injections completely prevented the accumulation of ascites fluid and resulted in prolongation of the survival period. The peritoneal macrophages harvested from these survivors had a strong cytolytic activity for tumor cells in the cytolytic test. In the latter treatment, repeated intratumoral injections inhibited the growth of primary tumor and prevented metastasis. Furthermore, peritoneal resident macrophages from these tumor-bearing rats treated intratumorally with the CWS were found to be cytolytic for tumor cells in the cytolytic test.

Animals↗

PubMed1978

Serological study of Nocardia pellegrino.

The serological relationship between Nocardia pellegrino strains was studied by means of immunodiffusion technique. Seven reference precipitation systems, including Nocardia asteroides (three strains), N. pellegrino Sn 5112, Rhodococcus, rhodochrous (two strains) and N. erythropolis were used. With one exception all of the strains of Nocardia pellegrino examined, seemed to be serologically related to the reference strain of N. pellegrino Sn 5112. They showed 4-5 common precipitates.

Antigens, Bacterial↗

PubMed1976

A paraffin baiting technique that enables a direct microscopic view of "in situ" morphology of Nocardia asteroides with the acid-fast or fluorescence staining procedures.

The paraffin slide culture technique has provided a means of greatly increasing the effectiveness of the paraffin baiting procedure in the identification of Nocardia asteroides. This has been accomplished with paraffin coated slides rather than the conventional paraffin coated rods, which allows for direct microscopic examination of the "in situ" growth because of its flat surface. This microscopic examination is further facilitated by staining with Kinyoun Acid-fast Stain, or combines three important elements necessary for the identification of Nocardia asteroides, namely; "in situ" morphology, acid-fastness and Auramine fluorescence. The conventional paraffin coated rod only shows the ability of Nocardia asteroides to utilize paraffin as a carbon source, and tells nothing about "in situ" morphology, acid-fastness, and fluorescence with Auramine Fluorochrome.

Bacteriological Techniques↗

PubMed1978

Factors influencing susceptibility of Nocardia species to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.

Demonstration of synergism between trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole against 10 Nocardia isolates was found to be critically dependent upon the isolate, the duration of incubation, and the trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole ratio. Inoculum effect was not significant. The trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole ratio in the commercial, fixed-dose combination was found to contain too little trimethoprim to be optimal for Nocardia.

Drug Combinations↗

PubMed1977

Nocardia infections in congenitally athymic (nude) mice and in other inbred mouse strains.

The mortality rate and histopathological features of Nocardia asteroides and Nocardia brasiliensis infections in congenitally athymic (nude) mice of ICR and C3H/eB origins were quite different from what we found for Swiss white mice and other inbred mouse strains (namely, C57/BL/6J, New Zealand Black, BALB/c, CBA/LAC, and C3H/eB). The immunocompetent littermates of the congenitally athymic mice occupied an intermediate position between their athymic siblings and Swiss white mice in terms of their responses to both these organisms. Macrophage ingestion and destruction of N. brasiliensis, as demonstrated by electron microscopy, was found to occur. The T-lymphocyte appears to be an essential component in normal mouse resistance to infection by both N. asteroides and N. brasiliensis.

Animals↗

PubMed1977

Bilateral intraocular Nocardia asteroides infection.

A 38-year-old man with hypogammaglobulinemia and pulmonary Nocardia asteroides infection developed an intraocular Nocardia infection. The diagnosis was confirmed by examination of a specimen removed at pars plana vitrectomy. The chorioretinal infection in one eye resolved partially, with no organisms visible on histopathologic examination of the globe at autopsy. One month before the patient's death from disseminated nocardial infection, the previously uninvolved right eye developed a new metastatic nocardial chorioretinal lesion. This lesion rapidly progressed in size until the patient's death and showed on postmortem examination the presence of organisms characteristic of N asteroides.

Adult↗

PubMed1978

Endogenous intraocular Nocardia asteroides in Hodgkin's disease.

A 60-year-old man receiving antituberculous and corticosteroid therapy for a granulomatous disease of uncertain etiology was found to have a chorioretinal mass in his right eye. Fluorescein angiography showed blockage of fluorescence by the mass and late leakage. Autopsy findings were compatible with Hodgkin's disease with disseminated nocardiosis caused by Nocardia asteroides. Organisms typical of Nocardia were found in the choroid and subretinal space. The patient's history, ophthalmic examination, and fluorescein angiographic findings suggested a type of chorioretinal involvement.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗

PubMed1978

Virulence of Nocardia asteroides during its growth cycle.

Cells of Nocardia asteroides undergo structural and chemical changes, especially in the cell wall, during growth in brain heart infusion broth. Experiments were devised to determine whether these changes affected the virulence of Nocardia for mice. It took, on the average, 1,380 times the number of colony-forming units at the stationary phase to achieve the same mortality induced by the log-phase cells. Cells in either the lag phase or early stationary phase of growth were intermediate in the numbers of colony forming units required to kill mice. Dry-weight determinations at different stages of growth demonstrated that the log-phase organisms were approximately 10 times heavier than stationary-phase cells. Thus, on the basis of dry-weight (micrograms) values, the average colony-forming unit of log phase is approximately 130 times more virulent than in stationary-phase cultures. Therefore, the stage of growth affects greatly the virulence of N. asteroides.

Animals↗

PubMed1978

Infectious agents in immunodeficient murine models: pathogenicity of Nocardia asteroides in congenitally athymic (nude) and hereditarily asplenic (Dh/+) mice.

Congenitally athymic (Nu/Nu), hereditarily asplenic (Dh/+), and littermate control mice were given intravenous injections of homogeneous cell suspensions of the virulent Nocardia asteroides GUH-2. Kill curve, 50% lethal dose, and kidney clearance data were obtained over a period of 3 months postinfection. N. asteroides initiated both an acute infectious process and a chronic, progressive disease in these animals when given intravenously. The heterozygous (Nu/+) mice appeared to be slightly more susceptible to the acute phase of infection than their nude littermates. In contrast, nude mice were at least 50 times more susceptible to chronic nocardial infection than were the heterozygous (Nu/+) controls. Swiss Webster specific pathogen-free mice were similar to heterozygous (Nu/+) mice in their susceptibility to N. asteroides. The hereditarily asplenic (Dh/+) mice were not as susceptible to lethal infection as were nude mice. However, asplenic mice demonstrated an inability to eliminate nocardia from infected kidneys, whereas their littermate control (+/+) mice were able to mount an effective response and destroy most of the organisms within the kidneys. Similar observations were noted when nude and heterozygous (Nu/+) littermate mice were infected in the footpad. The nude mice developed a systemic infection and died within 4 weeks with little inflammation of the footpad and no macroscopic lesions. In contrast, heterozygous (Nu/+) mice developed extensive local abscesses in the foot that persisted for at least 4 weeks. There was no animal death and no evidence of dissemination. The data presented herein indicate that T cells are essential for adequate host response against infection with a virulent strain of N. asteroides.

Animals↗

PubMed1979

Nocardia asteroides keratitis.

Nocardia asteroides has been reported as the cause of keratitis in only 7 cases and of other ocular disease in another 12 cases. We report a case of N. asteroides keratitis that presented 3 weeks after rural trauma and progressed despite trials of appropriate antibiotics. Seven weeks after the origianl injury a successful conjunctival flap was placed over the cornea. The morphology and the sensitivity testing of N. asteroides to antibiotics appears necessary before reliable information can be obtained for clinical use. Moreover, our case did not show the relatively benign course of other reported cases of nocardia keratitis.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1979

Apparent cure of intracranial Nocardia asteroides infection by minocycline.

Currently preferred therapy for CNS Nocardia infection is high-dose sulfonamide coupled with surgical drainage. Neither of these could be used in our patient; this led to therapy with minocycline alone. Several months after completion of minocycline therapy, the patient apparently is cured. His favorable outcome probably resulted from a combination of susceptibility of the organism to minocycline coupled with good CNS penetration of the agent resulting in CNS levels of drug 16 to 22 times higher than the Nocardia inhibitory concentration.

Alcoholism↗

PubMed1979

[Hepato-pulmonary Nocardia infections (report of one case) (author's transl)].

Actinomycosis due to Nocardia asteroides is a mainly pulmonary disease; the metastases are due to migration of the germ in the blood from the primary lung focus. The case reported here concerned a patient whose initial symptoms were mainly hepatic, suggesting an amoebic abscess of the liver. The pulmonary lesions appeared only secondarily with presence in the sputum of the nocardia which was responsible. Prolonged treatment with trimethoprime sulfamethazole led to complete and lasting cure of the lesions, confirmed radiographically and by a liver scan.

Aged↗

PubMed1977

Bacterial metabolism of substituted phenols. Oxidation of 4-(methylmercapto)-and 4-(methylsulfinyl)-phenol by Nocardia spec. DSM 43251.

4-(Methylmercapto)-phenol (MMP) and 4-(methylsulfinyl)-phenol (MSP) are oxidized by the soil isolate Nocardia spec. DSM 43251, which is closely related to Nocardia calcarea. The rate of degradation depends on the capability of a substrate to support growth and is strongly enhanced in the presence of a second carbon source under the conditions of cooxidation. MMP and MSP are cometabolized by hydroxylation of the benzene ring with the formation of the substituted catechol following by ring cleavage between carbon atoms 2 and 3 ("meta" fission) to give 2-hydroxy-5-methylmercapto-or-2-hydroxy-5-methylsulfinylmuconic semialdehyde. Oxidation of MMP to MSP represents a bypath of MMP-oxidation. The intermediates were identified on the basis of their physical properties. The enzymes responsible for the metabolism of MMP and MSP are induced by growth with MMP or MSP, but not with glucose. MMP-and MSP-induced cells catalyze the oxidation of a variety of substituted phenols. This indicates a rather low substrate specificity of the enzymes induced by MMP and MSP.

Acetates↗

PubMed1978

[Demonstration, kinetic study and solubilization of particular adenylate cyclase from Nocardia restricta].

An adenylate cyclase (EC r.6.1.1.) was found in cell-free extracts of several Nocardia species. The enzyme from Nocardia restricta has been specially studied. It is a membrane enzyme which exhibits a strong specific activity, one hundred times greater than that of mammals. It has an optimal pH of 8.5 in Tris buffer and an absolute requirement for divalent ions, Mg++ or Mn++ (Mn++ ions are the most efficient). The kinetic properties of this adenylate cyclase are similar to those that could be expected of an allosteric enzyme having, as a substrate, the ATP-Mg++ complex and, as an activator, free Mn++ ions. Ca++ ions are activators: they set up the maximum velocity without modification of the KM. GTP is a competitive inhibitor (KI = 5.10(-5) M). Fluoride ions have no detectable effect on activity. Non-ionic detergents, Lubrol WX and Triton X 100, are inhibitors of the enzyme which has been partially solubilized by repeated freezing and thawing, following by brief ultra-sonic treatment. Catalytic sites are not modified after the solubilization, but cooperative effects between moles of substrate ATP-Mn++ are diminished: the KM becomes smaller and the sigmoidal shape of the curve v = f (ATP-Mn++) is attenuated.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

PubMed1978

Some bits and pieces of the genus Nocardia: N. carnea, N. vaccinii, N. transvalensis, N. orientalis and N. aerocolonigenes.

Since 1951 when our taxonomic study of the genus Nocardia began, only eight strains of N. carnea (Rossi-Doria) Castellani & Chalmers, four strains of N. vaccinii Demaree & Smith, five of N. transvalensis Pijper & Pullinger, 21 or N. orientalis (Pittenger & Brigham) Pridham and 14 of N. aerocolonigenes (Shinobu & Kawato) Pridham have been found. These five groups of strains are described and are compared with strains of nine accepted species of Nocardia. With the possible exception of N. orientalis, more strains of these five taxa must be assembled and examined to establish the reliability of our descriptions and identifications.

Culture Media↗

PubMed1979

Microbial conversion of ethylbenzene to 1-phenethanol and acetophenone by Nocardia tartaricans ATCC 31190.

A culture of Nocardia tartaricans ATCC 31190 was capable of catalyzing the conversion of ethylbenzene to 1-phenethanol and acetophenone while growing in a shake flask culture with hexadecane as the source of carbon and energy. This subterminal oxidative reaction with ethylbenzene appears not to have been previously reported for Nocardia species. When N. tartaricans was grown on glucose as its source of carbon and energy and ethylbenzene was added, no subsequent production of 1-phenethanol or acetophenone was observed. The mechanisms of 1-phenethanol and acetophenone production from ethylbenzene are thought to involve a subterminal oxidation of the alpha-carbon of the alkyl group to 1-phenethanol followed by biological oxidation of the latter to acetophenone.

Acetophenones↗

PubMed1976

Interaction of Nocardia asteroides with cultured rabbit alveolar macrophages.

The interaction between virulent and less virulent strains of Nocardia asteroides and cultured rabbit alveolar macrophages was studied. It was shown that cells of the less virulent strain (N. asteroides 10905) were rapidly phagocytized and destroyed. However, some cells were able to avoid being killed, and they persisted within the macrophage in an altered, gram-negative form. These variants apparently increased in numbers after several days within the macrophage population, so that at 9 days postinfection more colony-forming units per macrophage were recovered than at 3 h. Little or no extracellular growth was observed in the tissue culture medium. During the increase at 9 days, both transitional-phase variants and L-forms of N. asteroides were isolated from the macrophages but not from the medium. Gram-positive bacterial cells were never observed in 9-day infected macrophages. In contrast, cells of the more virulent strain (N. asteroides 14759) were not destroyed after being ingested. After 6 h postinfection, it was observed that the number of colony-forming units per macrophage had increased significantly. There was no corresponding increase in extracellular organisms observed in the culture medium. Therefore, cells of N. asteroides 14759 were able to grow rapidly within cultured rabbit alveolar macrophages. Upon continued incubation of the infected cells (24 h postinfection), it was shown that this strain of Nocardia grew out of the macrophages as acid-fast branching filaments. From these data, it is clear that the initial interaction between N. asteroides and unstimulated, nonimmune alveolar macrophages depends upon the relative virulence of the nocardial strain.

Animals↗