Comparison of ciprofloxacin with ampicillin in acute infectious exacerbations of chronic bronchitis. A double-blind crossover study.

Two separate acute bacterial exacerbations of chronic bronchitis and/or asthma were treated in 22 patients in a double-blind crossover study. One course of treatment consisted of 750 mg of ciprofloxacin twice daily and the other of 500 mg of ampicillin four times a day; each drug was given for 14 days. Patients were observed initially, every three to four days during therapy, and weekly during the post-therapy period.

Concentration of Mycobacterium avium by hospital hot water systems.

Water from 34 sites on two temporarily vacant hospital floors was analyzed for the presence of mycobacteria. These sites included 18 cold water taps and 16 hot water taps, including shower heads. A total of 14 sites (41%) demonstrated the presence of Mycobacterium avium as confirmed by biochemical characterization, DNA/rRNA probe analysis, and seroagglutination.

Mycobacteria in public water supplies: comparative resistance to chlorine.

The isolation of mycobacteria from municipal and hospital water supplies prompted an investigation of the susceptibility of environmental and clinical isolates of mycobacteria other than Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis to free chlorine. Experiments revealed that free chlorine concentrations of 1.0 mg l-1 eliminated 100,000 c.

Mycobacterium avium complex, an emerging pathogen in Massachusetts.

We report a study of 1,953 patients whose laboratory records from 1972 through 1983 at the Massachusetts Mycobacteria Reference Laboratory indicated the isolation of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) organisms. At least one clinical specimen from each patient during this period exhibited the organism. The incidence of isolation of MAC has increased fivefold since 1972, with a doubling of the number of patients with positive MAC specimens from normally sterile sites occurring since 1980.

Detection of pneumococci in blood cultures by latex agglutination.

Latex agglutination by use of the Pneumoslide test on clinical blood cultures detected 22 Streptococcus pneumoniae strains as the etiological agents in 47 streptococcal septic episodes. The other 25 isolates were identified as viridans streptococci or streptococci of groups A, B, D, or G. The test demonstrated 100% sensitivity, 92% specificity, and predictive values for positive and negative reactions of 91 and 92%, respectively.

Mycobacterial cervical lymphadenopathy. Relation of etiologic agents to age.

Age-related differences in etiology were examined in 214 instances of mycobacterial cervical lymphadenopathy. In adults, Mycobacterium tuberculosis was isolated from 147 lymph nodes and "atypical" mycobacteria was isolated from seven nodes. In contrast, M tuberculosis was isolated from only five nodes from children while other mycobacteria were isolated from 55 nodes.

Isolation of acid-fast organisms from surgical specimens.

A total of 204 surgical specimens positive for acid-fast organisms yielded 169 strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, 15 of which were isolated by Middlebrook 7H-9 broth medium only. Mycobacteria other than M. tuberculosis were isolated from 33 specimens, and Nocardia asteroides was isolated from 2 specimens.

Use of cetylpyridinium chloride in the decontamination of water for culture of mycobacteria.

Selective decontamination of large-volume aqueous samples for mycobacterial culture can be achieved with overnight exposure to 0.04% cetylpyridinium chloride.

Experimental alimentary infection of anole lizards (Anolis carolinensis) with Mycobacterium ulcerans.

Pathogenic Mycobacterium ulcerans were recovered from the stool of anole lizards up to 11 days after inoculation by stomach tube. M. ulcerans was isolated from the liver of 3 of 20 lizards and acid fast bacteria were seen in the mucosa of intrahepatic bile ducts in 2 of these 10 weeks post-inoculation.

Emergence of rifampin-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Massachusetts.

Tests of sensitivity to rifampin of over 2,200 strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis demonstrated a progressive increase in the number of rifampin-resistant isolates during the past four years in Massachusetts. No resistant strains were isolated in 1971, but two strains resistant to 1 mug of rifampin/ml were isolated in 1972. Nine rifampin-resistant strains were isolated in 1973 and 16 were isolated in 1974.

Experimental infection of anole lizards (Anolis carolinensis) with Mycobacterium ulcerans by the subcutaneous route.

To test whether herpetofauna could be a laboratory model for Mycobacterium ulcerans, 21 anole lizards were inoculated subcutaneously with viable M. ulcerans, 21 with autoclaved organisms, and 14 with an aqueous solution of 0.01% Tween 80.

Rapid identification of the taxon Rhodochrous in the clinical laboratory.

Degradation of ethylene glycol in Middlebrook 7H-10 agar medium by 26 out of 29 strains of the taxon rhodochrous seems to permit its separation from rapidly growing mycobacteria and certain actinomycetes which only exceptionally showed this property.

Purified protoplasmic peptides of mycobacteria: chemical composition of a tuberculin-active glycopeptide.

A tuberculin-active glycopeptide containing eight different amino acids and glucose was isolated from the protoplasm of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. A molecular weight of 4,000 to 5,000 was established by Sephadex gel filtration; other analyses showed a peptide to carbohydrate ratio of 9:1. These observations suggest a tentative composition of 3 to 4 residues of glucose, 12 residues each of aspartic and glutamic acids, 3 residues each of lysine, glycine, and serine, and 1 residue each of arginine, threonine, and alanine.

Purified protoplasmic peptides of mycobacteria: isolation of species-specific peptides from protoplasm of mycobacteria.

Infections with mycobacteria other than tubercle bacilli are responsible for a variable percentage of cross-reactions to tuberculin. Two major suggestions for circumventing this problem have been made: the first, development of a quantitative tuberculin test, is based on the fact that most cross-reactions are smaller than those caused by true tuberculous infections; the second, preparation of purified skin test antigens from other mycobacteria, is based on the hope that greater specificity will be displayed by homologous sensitin. Effort so far has been focused on the culture filtrates as the source of antigen.

Purified protoplasmic peptides of mycobacteria: in vivo and in vitro comparison of the species specificity of purified protoplasmic peptides and purified protein derivatives of mycobacterial culture filtrates.

The specificity of purified protein derivatives (PPD) prepared from the culture filtrates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (PPD), M. kansasii (PPD-Y), M. intracellulare (PPD-B), and M.

New approach for the evaluation of antimycobacterial drug combinations in vitro (the laboratory model man).

An attempt was made to study quantitatively the antimicrobial effect of combinations of commercially available antituberculosis drugs and antibiotics on the growth of multiple drug resistant strains of Mycobacteriunt intracellulare under simulated in vivo conditions. Combinations of erythromycin, isomiazid, methenamine, or exacillin eliminated populations of M. intracellulare when drug combinations in concentrations achievable in man were kept in contact with the organism for 10 hr daily.

Antimycobacterial activity of rifampin under in vitro and simulated in vivo conditions.

Minimal inhibitory concentrations of rifampin for different species of mycobacteria were determined in 7H-10 agar medium and Lowenstein-Jensen egg medium. When rifampin was incorporated into egg medium, approximately 90% of its activity was lost. The stability of rifampin was tested during storage at different temperatures and concentrations.