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PubMed1976

Nosocomial staphylococcal cervical lymphadenitis in infants: report of an outbreak.

Staphylococcus aureus infections developed in 16 of 721 infants born at a general hospital during a six-month period (October 1972 to March 1973). Twelve of the 16 affected infants had cervical adenitis, which usually became manifest two to four months after they were discharged from the hospital. Although most infants with adenitis underwent incision and drainage procedures, physicians noted few constitutional symptoms. Staphylococcal phage types from infants with adenitis were identical to phage types commonly recovered from colonized newborns and nursery personnel at the hospital. Despite the long period between hospital discharge and onset of clinical symptoms, cases of cervical adenitis were probably nosocomial in origin.

Cross Infection↗
PubMed1990

Toxic shock syndrome in scalded children.

Five patients showing clinical signs resembling the 'toxic shock syndrome' presented over a 4-month period at the Wessex Regional Burns Centre. Toxin-producing isolates of Staphylococcus aureus were made from wound swabs in four of the five patients. Four different phage types producing four different toxins were observed. Seven other patients yielded staphylococci from wound swabs but did not develop the toxic shock syndrome. In three of these latter patients the staphylococcus isolated was toxin producing. Since the syndrome carries a significant mortality risk it is desirable that it is recognized and treated without delay. To this end a simplified set of criteria for the identification of probable toxic shock syndrome cases is proposed. The observations suggest that toxic shock syndrome is more common than previously supposed. The syndrome may show a broad spectrum in its clinical presentation, and involve a wide range of staphylococcal phage types with possible involvement of several different enterotoxins.

Body Surface Area↗
PubMed1976

[Staphylogenic food poisoning in a children's home (author's transl)].

Disease affected a group of 56 children in a children's convalescent home. In the samples taken from the stomach as well as in the samples of the vomit brought up by the affected children, in which the remains of porridge oats were recognizable, cluster cocci were identified in the microscopic preparations. The latter were classified by culture growing and lysotypy into various staphylococcal phagotypes. These staphylococci were identified as enterotoxin A and enterotoxin C2 formers. Stains of staphylococci isolated from swabs taken from the throat, nose and hands of the persons engaged in the preparation of the porridge oats were of the same staphylococcal phage groups. Consequently it would appear that these persons contaminated the oats. The oats had been left overnight at about 2.5 centigrade and were served to 58 children at 7.45 in the morning. Around 9.30 the first cases presented. By about 12.00 their number had risen to 56. However, 24 hours later 41 children were again free from complaints despite the initial shock-like nature of the life-endangering conditions (vomiting, diarrhoea, circulatory disorders).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

The relative proliferation index as a more sensitive parameter for evaluating lymphoproliferative responses of cancer patients to mitogens and alloantigens.

Lymphocyte proliferation (LP) assays were performed in microculture using the T-cell mitogens phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and concanavalin A (Con A); the T + B cell mitogens, pokeweed mitogen (PWM) and staphylococcal phage lysate (SPL); and a pool of allogeneic stimulating leukocytes in one-way mixed leukocyte cultures (MLC) in lung and breast cancer patients and normal individuals. The resultant data were expressed in three different ways: (1) as mean counts per minute (CPM) of tritiated thymidine incorporation; (2) as a stimulation index (SI) and (3) as a relative proliferation index (RPI). The RPI is defined as the ratio of net CPM (nCPM) in experimental cultures with stimulant (E) minus medium control cultures (C) of a test individual to the mean nCPM of three or more normal individuals examined in the same assay on the same day. These expressions were then compared for their ability to discriminate between LP responses in cancer patients and normal individuals. The RPI value and selected cut-off values gave the most sensitive measure for the determination of depressed proliferative responses. These analyses demonstrated that lung carcinoma patients were depressed to PHA (50%), MLC (47%), PWM (43%) and Con A (40%). To a lesser degree, breast carcinoma patients were also depressed to MLC (36%), PHA (31%), PWM (27%) and Con A (19%). Our data indicate that the use of the RPI in the analysis of LP response represents an improved method for detecting impaired response of lymphocytes to general mitogens and alloantigens which can consistently reveal immunosuppression in many cancer patients and may be useful for serial monitoring of individual patients.

Antigens, Bacterial↗
PubMed1986

Morphology of staphylococcus bacteriophage P 1.

The group D staphylococcal phage P 1 was examined in the electron microscope after preparation by a variety of procedures. The virion was found to have an icosahedral capsid attached to a long contractile tail structure, the viral tail could be seen in partially contracted configurations. Morphological variants in the length of the sheath and needle were frequently found.

Capsid↗
PubMed1991

Construction of single-copy integration vectors for Staphylococcus aureus.

Single-copy integration vectors suitable for cloning in Staphylococcus aureus have been constructed. Their construction was based on the site-specific recombination system of staphylococcal phage, L54a. The vectors are capable of autonomous replication in Escherichia coli, but they are not endowed with a replication function in S. aureus. As a consequence, establishment of these vectors in S. aureus can only be achieved by the integration system of the phage. Once integrated into the chromosome, the vectors, or their derivatives, were stably inherited even without selective pressure. Because such a vector exists in an integrated form in S. aureus, the gene dosage of the DNA cloned in the vector matches that of the chromosome.

Bacteriophages↗
PubMed2002

Comparative analysis of the genomes of the temperate bacteriophages phi 11, phi 12 and phi 13 of Staphylococcus aureus 8325.

The genomes of the three temperate bacteriophages contained in the chromosome of Staphylococcus aureus 8325 have been extracted from the sequence database and analyzed. phi 11, phi 12 and phi 13 are members of the same lytic group but different serogroups and consequently co-habitate the same host cell. Their genomes are approximately 42 kb to 45 kb and contain about 90 ORFs of at least 50 codons. Of these, about 50 have similarities to known genes or to genes of other staphylococcal phages. Each of the phages clusters within a homology group that share large regions of sequence identity while intergroup homology is comparatively low. The arrangement of genes on the chromosomes of the three phages is similar and consistent with current modular theory of phage gene organization. The replicated genomes appear to be packaged by different mechanisms. Phage phi 11 and phi 12 have been found to contain sequences consistent with pac-site phages while phi 13 has sequences consistent with cos-site phages. The attBsite for phi 11 is located in an intergenic region of the S. aureus chromosome while phi 12 and phi 13 integrate into specific genes. The phi 12 att-site is within an unknown gene, but the phi 13 att-site is within the beta-toxin gene. In contrast to the other two phages, phi 13 also introduces the staphylokinase gene (sak) and a second gene related to expression of fib.

Base Composition↗
PubMed1998

The gene for toxic shock toxin is carried by a family of mobile pathogenicity islands in Staphylococcus aureus.

Tst, the gene for toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1), is part of a 15.2 kb genetic element in Staphylococcus aureus that is absent in TSST-1-negative strains. The prototype, in RN4282, is flanked by a 17 nucleotide direct repeat and contains genes for a second possible superantigen toxin, a Dichelobacter nodosus VapE homologue and a putative integrase. It is readily transferred to a recA recipient, and it always inserts into a unique chromosomal copy of the 17 nucleotide sequence in the same orientation. It is excised and circularized by staphylococcal phages phi13 and 80alpha and replicates during the growth of the latter, which transduces it at very high frequency. Because of its site and orientation specificity and because it lacks other identifiable phage-like genes, we consider it to be a pathogenicity island (PI) rather than a transposon or a defective phage. The tst element in RN4282, near tyrB, is designated SaPI1. That in RN3984 in the trp region is only partially homologous to SaPI1 and is excised by phage 80 but not by 80alpha. It is designated SaPI2. These PIs are the first in any gram-positive species and the first for which mobility has been demonstrated. Their mobility may be responsible for the spread of TSST-1 production among S. aureus strains.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1951

A rapid slide plaque technic for bacteriophage assay.

1. A modified rapid plaque-counting procedure is described, whereby staphylococcal phage host-cell suspensions in agar are spread over constant areas on glass slides and are incubated in moist chambers. 2. Statistical analysis indicated a precision of +/-8.2 for means of sets of eight slides incubated at 37 degrees C. and +/-7.6 for means of sets of eight incubated at 28 degrees C. 3. With the staphylococcus system, a temperature of 28 degrees C. yielded significantly higher counts than at 37 degrees C. 4. Counts made after 4 hours may be used as an estimate of the final plaque count bearing in mind the fact that the yield at this time is significantly less than at 24 hours. 5. The data presented compared favorably with the results obtained by the plate method used by Hershey, and suggest that a greater precision may be obtained by this method-at least for the staph. K phage system.

Bacteriophages↗
PubMed1977

Serotype B staphylococcal bacteriophage singly converting staphylokinase.

A new staphylococcal phage, Pphi-2, which could convert the capability of producing staphylokinase, was isolated. The phage is different from the phage reported by Winkler and co-workers [Nature(London) 195:407-408, 1962; J. Gen. Microbiol. 39:321-333, 1965]. The former is a single-converting phage belonging to serotype B, but the latter is a serotype F phage capable of converting not only staphylokinase but also beta-hemolysin. Staphylokinase, i.e., the fibrinolysin produced by Staphylococcus aureus, therefore, can now be classified into three types. One is controlled by the genes on the bacterial chromosome, and the other two are mediated by lysogenic conversion by prophage Pphi-2 and the classical phage reported by Winkler and co-workers.

Fibrinolysin↗
PubMed1975

Staphylococcal polysaccharide products inhibitory to Staphylococcus aureus bacteriophage.

Four products derived from Staphylococcus aureus cultures were partially purified and tested for inhibitory activity against staphylococcal phage. Phage inhibition, a specific stable phenomenon, was concentration dependent. All inhibitory products contained carbohydrate and amino acids, the most active (phage 73 lysate product) having a high carbohydrate content. Galactose, glucosamine, five or six amino acids, and possibly 3-O-methylglucose and a uronic acid were found as components in all active preparations. However, the exact nature of the active material remains undetermined.

Cell Wall↗
PubMed1985

Industrial exposure to organophosphorus compounds. Studies of a group of workers with a decrease in esterase-staining monocytes.

When an automated counting instrument using an esterase stain was employed, decreased monocyte counts were observed in a group of process workers exposed to organophosphate esters. Their monocyte counts were not found to be depressed with manual counting or with an automated counter using another staining method. The apparent depression was transient. In these workers and a comparison group, theoretical adverse consequences of decreased monocyte esterase and also possible changes in other esterases were explored. No anergy was seen with mumps or staphylococcal phage lysate hypersensitivity skin tests. Histology of the mumps reaction was similar in both groups. The depressed monocyte counts were significantly associated with a mild reduction in erythrocyte cell acetylcholinesterase, but no reduction was seen in plasma pseudocholinesterase or lymphocyte neurotoxic esterase.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Mechanism of stimulation of spleen mononuclear cells by gram-positive bacterial peptidoglycan].

Periodontal disease is a chlonic inflammatory disorder, and for which oral microbes are supposed to be responsible. Among oral microbials, gram-negative bacterias have been studied extensively in relation to periodontal disease for their pathogenicity due to their lipopolysaccharide (LPS), exocellular enzymes or bacterial toxin. As for gram-positive bacterials, it has been reported recently that gram-positive bacteria can elicit immunological responses, and this may be responsible for the initiation and/or development of periodontal disease. However, precise mechanisms of bacterial action, especially of gram-positive bacteria, on periodontal disease have not been elucidated yet. In this experiment, therefore, gram-positive bacteria (S. epidermidis), peptidoglycan subunits of S. epidermidis (SEPS) and muramyl dipeptide (MDP) were used to investigate for their activities to stimulate spleen mononuclear cells to replicate and produce various kinds of cytokines. Immunological responsibilities of various strains of mice were explored to investigate the difference of defence of mechanisms. Following results were obtained. (1) S. epidermidis itself showed a extremely low cell-mediated activity to stimulate the replication of spleen mononuclear cells in contrast to E. coli. Staphylococcal phage lysate and SEPS stimulated remarkally the replication of spleen mononuclear cells. (2) The stimulation of spleen mononuclear cells was accompanied by the production of interleukin 3 (IL-3) and colony stimulating factor (CSF), but interleukin 2(IL-2) was not produced as in the case of E. coli. (3) Analysis of cell surface antigens revealed the increase of the numbers of Ia+ and Mac-2+ bone marrow cells following stimulation of spleen mononuclear cells with SEPS. However, T or B cells were not increased. (4) Macrophage-depleted and antisera Ia-treated spleen mononuclear cells showed a marked decrease of replicating activity of spleen mononuclear cells. (5) Among the various strains of mice tested C3H/HeN, Balb/c, AKR, DBA/2, C57BL/6, ddY, C3H/HeJ, MRL/lpr and showed a high immunological responses, but Balb/c did not. C3C/HeJ and MRL/lpr also lacked immunological reactivity. These results suggest that proliferative response of lymphocyte with peptidoglycan in gram-positive bacterium is very important for infection and its defensive reaction against gram-positive bacteria.

Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine↗
PubMed1978

The concept of induction and elicitation as an immunotherapeutic approach.

The concept of "induction and elicitation," propounded by Stuart Mudd, circumvents the dangers of infecting the immunologically impaired individual without abrogating the effectiveness of the antigenic stimulus provided by an initial infection with living organisms. Mudd's concept utilizes the ubiquitous and naturally established delayed type hypersensitivity to Staphylococcus aureus as the primary induction step for the more effective use of bacterial fractions, such as staphylococcal phage lysate, a potent immunizing agent, commercially licensed and available, in the subsequent elicitation of a nonspecific, cell-mediated immune response. The results of an exploratory study in which induction and elicitation were applied as an immunotherapeutic modality, in combination with surgery, in a metastasizing animal tumor model (the F344 rat) are presented.

Animals↗