No abstract available.
Chlamydia*

No abstract available.
Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory* ; Peritonitis* ; Trichosporon*

No abstract available.
Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory* ; Peritonitis* ; Trichosporon*

No abstract available.
Yersinia*

No abstract available.
Yersinia*

BACKGROUND: Chlamydia pneumoniae causes pneumonia and upper respiratory tract infection and has been recently reported to be associated with coronary atherosclerosis. The difference between C. pneumoniae and other Chlamydia spp. has been demonstrated by serologic study, DNA analysis and ultrastructural observation. However, studies concerning the developmental cycle of C. pneumoniae are relatively short. This study was conducted to investigate the morphological changes and developmental characteristics of C pneumoniae in the HeLa cell. METHODS: To observe the intracellular inclusion of C. pneumoniae, the cultured HeLa cell monolayer was stained with Jones' iodine and Giemsa. The ultrastructures were examined with an electron microscope at 6, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hr after inoculation of elementary bodies. RESULTS: The C. pneumoniae organisms which formed intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies in HeLa cells were negative on iodine stain. In Giemsa-stained preparation, the inclusion bodies of variable sizes with a bluish purple color were identified in the cytoplasm of infected HeLa cells. After 6 hrs of infection, the elementary bodies with electron-dense spicule shaped substance of C. pneumoniae were enclosed by the HeLa cell membrane and were taken the host cell by endocytosis. After 24 hrs of infection, the electron-dense material in the elementary bodies were disappearing and the elementary bodies were transforming into reticulate bodies. After 48 hrs of infection, the reticulate bodies of C. pneumoniae were seen dividing by binary fission. Small electron-dense round bodies(miniature bodies) appeared near completion of division. After 72 hrs of infection. about half of the reticulate bodies were transformed into elementary bodies. Newly formed elementary bodies had a pear-shaped structure and large periplasmic space. After 96 hrs of infection. mature elementary bodies with condensed electron-dense material and a rigid outer membrane were observed. Miniature bodies were located in the cytoplasm of the elementary bodies. CONCLUSIONS: These unique morphological changes in HeLa cell culture show the developmental characteristics of C. pneumoniae.
Chlamydia* ; Chlamydophila pneumoniae* ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Cytoplasm ; DNA ; Endocytosis ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Inclusion Bodies ; Iodine ; Membranes ; Periplasm ; Pneumonia ; Respiratory Tract Infections

BACKGROUND: Chlamydia pneumoniae, a new species of the obligate intracellular Chlamydia, has been recognized as a significant pathogen that causes infection of the human respiratory tract and has recently been associated with coronary atherosclerosis. Diagnosis of infections with C. pneumoniae is problematic, because the syndrome usually presents few distinguishing features and culture of the organism is far more difficult than other Chlamydia species. To further improve the cell culture isolation and passage of C. pneumoniae organisms. we have studied several chemical and physical factors that might affect their viability and growth. METHODS: C. pneumoniae strain (TW-183) was obtained from the Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta. Ga. First we compared McCoy HeLa-229, and HEp-2 cells in the search for a more efficient and practical cell culture system. The growth rate of C. pneumoniae was assessed by the effects of diethylaminoethyl-dextrin, by the adequate centrifugation force and time, by the growth promoting effect of cycloheximide, and by the optimal incubation time. All of the results were evaluated by the indirect immunofluorescent stain using the genus-specific monoclonal antibody(HYMo 1-1) to Chlamydia. RESULTS: The HEp-2 cell was the most efficient for culturing C. pneumoniae and the inclusion bodies in monolayer were increased with DEAE-dextran pretreatment at 30microgram/ml. Also application of a centrifugal force of 1.500 xg for at least 15 minute during inoculation enhanced the growth of C. pneumoniae. The best concentration of cycloheximide in the culture medium for host cell cytostasis was 1microgram/ml. The yields of organisms were greater when the cultures were harvested at 48 hours. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that this system may make it more practical for laboratories to culture for C. pneumoniae.
Cell Culture Techniques ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Centrifugation ; Chlamydia* ; Chlamydophila pneumoniae* ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Cycloheximide ; DEAE-Dextran ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Inclusion Bodies ; Pneumonia ; Respiratory System

BACKGROUND: Rapid screening of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) is very important for controlling and preventing the spread of VRE in hospitals. We compared the performance characteristics of a chromogenic agar (ChromID VRE, bioMerieux, France: CA) to that of Enterococcosel agar (supplemented with 6 microgram/mL of vancomycin :EA) for direct detection of VRE from stool swabs. METHODS: Total 125 rectal swabs were collected from 57 patients in the intensive care units of an 850-bed university hospital over a period of 3 months. The samples were inoculated on EA, CA and into broth enrichment containing 6 microgram/mL of vancomycin (BE). BE was subcultured on CA after overnight incubation. RESULTS: Eighty two samples from 22 patients were positive for VRE by BE. At 24 h, the sensitivity/specificity of EA and CA were 89%/100% and 72%/100%, respectively. At 48 h, the sensitivity/specificity of EA and CA were 94%/89% and 89%/100%, respectively. CONCLUSION: CA provides equivalent sensitivity comparable to EA for the recovery of VRE at 48 h incubation, and has additional advantage of being able to differentiate between vancomycine resistant E. faecium and E. faecalis.
Agar ; Humans ; Imidazoles ; Intensive Care Units ; Mass Screening ; Nitro Compounds ; Vancomycin

No Abstract available.
Infection Control*

BACKGROUND: Polymerase chain reaction(PCR) was developed to diagnose viral infections such as herpes simplex virus(HSV) more rapidly and accurately than the culture technique. Nested PCR, with knowingly higher sensitivity and specificity than the conventional PCR, has been recently applied to determine HSV isotyping. OBJECTIVE: We conducted this study to compare the prevalence of each HSV isotype among patients with HSV infections by nested PCR in relation to different age groups and body sites. METHODS: Specimens were collected with cotton-swabs from the lesions, and then snap frozen, and stored at -70 degrees C in a deep freezer until processed. They were innoculated into the monolayer of Vero(African green monkey kidney) cells, and later examined for cytopathic effects. DNAs were extracted from each specimen and were amplified by using nested PCR with the primers against the genes encoding gpD of HSV-1 and HSV-2, respectively. RESULTS: Of 127 patients, who had been diagnosed as HSV infections by the culture technique, all cases were positive in the nested PCR method. The positive cases of each isotype for HSV-1, HSV-2 and mixed infections (HSV-1 & HSV-2) were 77 (61%), 36 (28%) and 14 (11%), respectively. The prevalence of infections with HSV-1 in the age group under 19 years old was significantly higher than that in the age group over 20 years old (p<0.05). The prevalence of infections with HSV-2 in the age group over 20 years old was significantly higher than that in the age group under 19 years old (p<0.05). There was a close correlation between the HSV isotypes and their predilection sites of the body, showing HSV-1 for area above the waist including lips, oral cavity, eyes, face, fingers and chest, otherwise HSV-2 and mixed infections for area below the waist including genital organs and buttocks (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: It was suggested that the prevalence of each HSV isotype in certain age groups of the patients might be somewhat different from those reported in other studies. The affinity of HSV isotypes to the specific sites of the body was reconfirmed. This study indicated that nested PCR might be a relatively rapid and cost-efficient test with very high sensitivity and specificity for HSV isotyping.
Buttocks ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Coinfection ; Culture Techniques ; DNA ; Fingers ; Genitalia ; Herpes Simplex* ; Herpesvirus 1, Human ; Herpesvirus 2, Human ; Humans ; Lip ; Mouth ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Prevalence ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Simplexvirus* ; Thorax ; Young Adult