[Hemorrhagic colitis caused by verotoxigenic Escherichia coli. Presentation of 9 cases].

Objective: To describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of nine patients with enteritis caused by verocytotoxin-producing E. coli O157.

Patients And Methods: Clinical data of patients was collected retrospectively, the isolated strains were tested for verotoxin production (VT) using Vero cell culture line, and presence of VT1 and VT2 gene sequences was detected using amplification techniques (PCR), biotype was also determined using twelve biochemical tests, and genomic macrorestriction profile (PFGE).

Hemorrhagic stroke as a complication of bacterial meningitis in adults: report of three cases and review.

We describe three adults who had hemorrhagic strokes during the acute phase of bacterial meningitis (BM). We also report the results of a literature review and a review of the charts of 296 adults treated at our hospital for acute BM. The diagnosis of hemorrhagic stroke was made based on the results of cerebral computed tomography (CT) for two of 92 patients with BM who had CT performed and by means of lumbar puncture and a postmortem study in one other case.

[IS6110 for typing strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: application of a standardized protocol with computerized image analysis].

Background: For the epidemiological control of tuberculosis it is necessary to use specific markers for strain differentiation. The analysis of the restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) by using the insertion sequence IS6110 as a probe, allows us to establish accurately the strains which are around in a population. Our study evaluates the efficiency of this marker in 136 strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated from our surroundings.

Treatment of pulmonary disease caused by Mycobacterium kansasii: results of 18 vs 12 months' chemotherapy.

Setting: Chest Clinic, Sant Pau Hospital, Barcelona, Spain.

Objective: To assess the therapeutic response of pulmonary disease due to Mycobacterium kansasii to 12 and 18 months of chemotherapy.

Design: 28 patients with criteria of pulmonary disease caused by M.

NGF binding to the trk tyrosine kinase receptor requires the extracellular immunoglobulin-like domains.

Neurotrophins initiate their biological effects by activating members of the trk tyrosine kinase subfamily. The extracellular region of trk receptors is distinguished by several common structural features, including leucine-rich repeats, clusters of cysteine-rich domains, and two immunoglobulin-like domains. However, the receptor sequences required for ligand binding have not been localized.

Escherichia coli capsular polysaccharide and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in cirrhosis.

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is a frequent and severe complication of cirrhosis. Escherichia coli is the most frequent bacterium isolated in this condition. The presence of capsular antigens, mainly the K1 capsular polysaccharide, has been associated with invasiveness in E coli infections.

[Epidemic outbreak of shigellosis following water intake].

Background: To describe the clinical, epidemiologic and microbiologic characteristics of an outbreak of shigellosis.

Methods: Twenty-six patients affected by shigellosis were studied. Upon identification of the outbreak, a questionnaire was carried out in relatives to determine the attack-rate.

Comparison of macrorestriction analysis of genomic DNA by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and ribotyping with conventional methods for differentiation of Escherichia coli 0124 isolates.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the usefulness of different phenotypic and genotypic markers for epidemiological typing of enteroinvasive Escherichia coli 0124 (EIEC 0124). METHODS: Seven sporadic EIEC 0124 isolates and 22 isolates from two different outbreaks were characterized. Chromosomal deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) macrorestriction analysis with XbaI resolved by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and ribotyping with each of the three restriction endonucleases BglII EcoRI, and ClaI were compared with biotyping, antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and plasmid profiles.

Organic chemistry in Titan's atmosphere: new data from laboratory simulations at low temperature.

Many experiments have already been carried out to simulate organic chemistry on Titan, the largest satellite of Saturn. They can provide fruitful information on the nature of minor organic constituents likely to be present in Titan's atmosphere, both in gas and aerosol phases. Indeed, all the organic compounds but one already detected in Titan's atmosphere have been identified in simulation experiments.

[Fiberoptic bronchoscope disinfection with glutaraldehyde phenolate in 1:8 solution].

We evaluated the efficacy of phenolated glutaraldehyde in a 1:8 solution for the disinfection of bronchofibroscopes that were highly contaminated with Serratia marcescens and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. An Olympus BF-P10 bronchofibroscope was contaminated with artificial samples containing one of the aforementioned microorganisms in concentrations nearing 10(8) colony forming units per milliliter (cfu/ml). The instruments were then washed with soap and water and submerged in a 1:8 solution of phenolated glutaraldehyde.

Domain structure of laccase I from the lignin-degrading basidiomycete PM1 revealed by differential scanning calorimetry.

The application of scanning calorimetry to investigate laccase I from the lignin-degrading basidomycete PM1 (CECT 2971) showed three thermal transitions beneath the overall endotherm following the previous heating of the sample up to 60 degrees C. The thermodynamic parameters of these three transitions satisfy a model of two-state independent unfolding, supporting a three-domain organization of the enzyme. It is shown that the catalytic site of laccase I is located in the domain with the thermally-induced transition at 76 degrees C.

[Application of molecular epidemiology techniques in the study of food poisoning caused by Staphylococcus aureus].

Background: The use of molecular epidemiology techniques has provided better knowledge as to the clonal organization of bacterian populations and thus allows better follow up of epidemics. An alimentary toxiinfection in a Barcelona school produced by Staphylococcus aureus was analyzed by the combination of epidemiologic, phenotype and genotype markers with the aim of determining the source of the alimentary contamination.

Methods: Nine strains of Staphylococcus aureus isolated in 6 food manipulators and 3 patients were studied with the following markers: biotype, antibiotype, phagotype, plasmid profile, polymorphism of the size of the restriction fragments of total DNA and ribotype.

A comparative study of ribotyping and arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction for investigation of hospital outbreaks of Acinetobacter baumannii infection.

Arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR) and ribotyping were compared in an investigation of an outbreak of Acinetobacter baumannii infections. Twenty-five clinical isolates shown previously by other criteria to belong to two different groups, and nine randomly selected A. baumannii clinical isolates from other hospitals were investigated.

[Clinico-epidemiologic study of human listeriosis in Barcelona (1990-1991)].

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of human listeriosis in Barcelona in addition to its clinical form of presentation, seasonability, risk groups and evolution.

Methods: A prospective study of the cases of listeriosis registered in the city of Barcelona, Spain (population of 1,643,542 inhabitants) over the period from January 1, 1990 to December 31, 1991 was carried out.

Results: Fifty-five cases were reviewed with a global rate of incidence of listeriosis of 9.

[Utility of the direct culture examination (Ziehl-Neelsen) using the Bactec system for the presumptive identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, Mycobacterium avium complex, Mycobacterium xenopi, and Mycobacterium kansasii].

Background: The usefulness of the microscopic examination of Bactec 12B and 13A growth medium as a method for the possible identification of M. tuberculosis complex, M. avium complex, M.