[The Pneumococcus Observatory of the Central Region, from June 1, 1997 to May 31, 1998].

714 pneumococcus were listed from 14 laboratories between the 1 June 1997 and the 31 May 1998. Data capture was done on Epi info software and concerned age, file number, consultation/hospitalization, sample type, susceptibility to oxacilline (5 micrograms), the results of the E-test for penicillin G, amoxicillin, cefotaxime and the results of the routine disk diffusion susceptibility method. Strains with reduced susceptibility to penicillin G (PRSP) were collected by the coordinating center to perform MICs by the reference method of agar dilution and serotyping.

[Detection of beta-lactamase in samples obtained after tonsillectomy in children].

Production of beta-lactamase was detected using a microbiological assay (Guts test) in samples of tonsils, and by in Haemophilus growing from the same samples of both tonsils obtained from 30 children aged 2 to 13 years (18 aged < 6 years and 12 aged > or = 6 years). Two pieces from each tonsil, core and superficial, were studied. The procedure included direct microscopic examination of smears, and culture to identify Haemophilus, beta-haemolytic streptococci and Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Value of examination of the gastric aspirate for the diagnosis of neonatal infection.

To evaluate the interest of examination of the gastric aspirate (GA) as a contribution to decision making of initial antimicrobial therapy, all 3,989 neonates delivered in Orléans Maternity Hospital in 1990 have been studied. Microscopic examination: polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) were, respectively, absent/present/abundant in 180/130/25 treated (T) and in 2,567/1,032/90 untreated (NT) newborns. PMN were demonstrated in 2/5 documented, 4/6 obvious, 2/2 suspected and 34/58 possible infections.

[Urinary tract infection in gynecology-obstetrics: resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics and previous antibiotic therapy].

From June 1988 to October 1989, 190 women from the department of Obstetrics-Gynecology with bacteriuria due to Gram-negative rods were studied. One hundred and three were investigated as ambulatory patients. Fifty three had received treatment with a bêta-lactam antibiotic during the past three months and 11 between three and six-months before sampling.

Observations on the intestinal colonization by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in newborn infants.

We studied the intestinal flora of 23 newborns, whose meconium had yielded a pure culture of Pseudomonas aeruginosa on blood agar medium. Twelve infants had a single serotype of P. aeruginosa in their meconium, 10 had a second serotype and the last infant was carrying three distinct ones.

[The effect of roxithromycin on the aerobic fecal flora in children].

To evaluate the effect of roxithromycin on aerobic flora in 14 children treated orally (5 mg/kg/day during 5 to 7 days) quantitative stool cultures were performed using selective media. Enterobacteriaceae (EB), streptococci D (STR D), Staphylococcus aureus, Candida were counted at days 0, 2 and 5 days, and 2 days after treatment. The MIC of each strain was determined for roxithromycin, erythromycin and spiramycin.

[Resistance of Listeria monocytogenes to cefotaxime and ceftriaxone combined with an aminoside].

The in vitro antibacterial activity of cefotaxime and ceftriaxone-aminoglycoside combinations was studied against 20 clinical isolates of Listeria monocytogenes, and compared with the activity of the antibiotics alone. Minimal bacteriostatic and bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) as well as killing curves were determined using different parameters. In all cases, the MBCs of gentamicin and netilmicin were shown to be lowered by addition of CTX or CTR.

[Oropharyngeal aerobic flora in patients hospitalized in an ORL department].

As patients with E.N.T.

[Peritonitis in renal failure patients treated by continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. Treatment by intraperitoneal administration of a group M penicillin].

From February 1980 to February 1983, 55 patients with chronic renal failure were put on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. Eighty-four episodes of peritonitis occurred., i.

[Treatment of bone infections with gentamicin-containing acrylic cement beads. Prognostic value of the study of the suction drainage fluid].

Treatment of bone infections with gentamicin-PMMA beads is an adjunct to conventional surgery. Early failures occurred in a number of cases, due to technical problems, such as incomplete debridement, residual alloplastic material, or gentamicin-resistant pathogens. To evaluate short term results of the method, clinical and bacteriological pre-therapy data were compared with results obtained two and six weeks after surgery, in 25 patients.

[Antibiotic sensitivity of Streptococcus group B].

The minimal inhibitory and bactericidal concentration of 18 antibiotics for 412 isolates of group B streptococci from newborns, mothers or pregnant women were determined. 3.2% of these strains were less susceptible to penicillin G, 1% failed to be inhibited by erythromycin and 1% by chloramphenicol.

[Study of erythrocyte bilirubin. Evaluation of the risk of kernicterus].

351 analysis of bilirubin binding by erythrocytes (BE) and of non conjugated bilirubin (NCB) are realised. 15 analysis have an increasing of the value: 6 with NCB and BE high with EST; 3 with NCB high and BE normal with EST; 6 with NCB high and BE normal without EST and any complication.

[Comparative study of two microbiological assay methods of serum isoniazid].

Two microbiological assay techniques for estimation of biologically active isoniazid concentrations in human serum were compared : the vertical diffusion method and a large plate method similar to that commonly used for the antibiotics. Four hundred seventy four tests were carried out on the serum from 133 patients. Parallel titrations were determined by two biologists on the same serum samples, with the same standard solutions, by the two methods performed rapidly after the collection of specimens and after they have been stored in the frozen state during one week and were compared.

[Analysis of bilirubin binding by erythrocytes. Study of kernicterus risk (author's transl)].

351 analysis of bilirubin binding by erythrocytes (BE) and of non conjugated bilirubin (NCB) are realised. 331 analysis. 15 analysis have an increasing of the value : 6 with NCB and BE high with EST ; 3 with NCB high and BE normal with EST ; 6 with NCB high and BE normal without EST and any complication.

[The diagnostic value of quantitative bacteriology in tracheal aspirates compared to lung biopsy (author's transl)].

An attempt was made to define the value of the bacteriological examination of tracheal aspirations in patients on artificial ventilation. Quantitative cultures of lung biopsies, taken immediately after death, were made on 21 patients in an intensive care unit. The results were compared with the clinical signs, antibiotic therapy and quantitative cultures of tracheal secretions taken before and very soon after death.

[Cytotoxic action of Pseudomonas aeruginosa hemolysin].

The cytopathic action of haemolysin of Pseudomonas aeruginosa has been studied in mouse and human leucocytes. The morphological changes suggest that haemolysin affects the molecular architecture of the cell membrane, whose permeability is increased. It does not induce non-specific stimulation of peripheral lymphocytes.

Metabolically deficient dwarf-colony mutants of Escherichia coli: deficiency and resistance to antibiotics of strains isolated from urine culture.

Sixteen metabolically deficient dwarf-colony mutants of Escherichia coli were isolated from urine culture and represented about 2% of all E. coli isolated during the same period. In 14 cases, mutants were isolated from debilitated patients: elderly persons or patients in the terminal stages of a chronic disease.

[Effect of haemolysin of Pseudomonas aeruginosa on Ehrlich ascites tumor cells].

Haemolysin of Pseudomonas aeruginosa exerts toxic effects upon the metabolism of Ehrlich ascitic tumor cells : morphological changes appear readily ; respiration is inhibited more slowly ; the lethal effect determined by intraperitoneal injection of tumor cells is neutralized. Inhibition with human normal sera is complete for the hemolytic action, but incomplete for the cytopathic action.

[Dwarf colony mutants of Escherichia coli: plasmids resistant to antibiotics].

Deficient dwarf colony (DDC) mutants of E. coli K 12, harboring or no resistance plasmids, were obtained in vitro. The R plasmids of parental strains and to DDC mutants were transfered by conjugation to normal colony, and to DDC mutants of E.

[Dwarf colony mutants of "Escherichia coli" study of a strain isolated from an uroculture (author's transl)].

A dwarf colony mutant of Escherichia coli was isolated from the urine of a patient with an asymptomatic urinary infection. This dwarf mutant growths poorly (minute transparent colonies) on Trypticase Soja and Mueller-Hinton agar, and requires thiamine concentration of 3 x 10-11 M.

[Dwarf colony mutants of "staphylococcus": study of three strains isolated from patients with osteosynthesis (author's transl)].

Dwarf colony mutants of staphylococci were isolated from per operative samplings obtained from three patients with a bacterial contamination of their osteosynthesis material. The dwarf mutants grown in trypticase soja agar (TSA) after 72 h at 37 degrees C (two cases) and in nutrient broth (one case). They displayed poor growth (very small, transparent colonies on TSA), reduced biochemical activity, deficient pigment formation and intermediary resistance to aminoglucoside antibiotics (kanamycin, streptomycin, gentamicin).