ABSTRACT
Vibrio vulnificus, a halophilic vibrio is an estuarine gram-negative bacteria that is associated with severe and frequently fatal wound infections and life-threatening septicemia. Bacteriocins are defined as antibacterial substance produced by various species of bacteria which are usually active against closely related organisms. Bacteriocins have found widespread application in epidemiological studies as specific markers of bacteria. It was proposed by Ha et al. (1990. J. Korean. Soc. Microbiol. 25: 586.) to give the bacteriocins produced by V. vulnificus the name "vulnificins". In the present study, a total of 72 strains of V. vulnificus isolated from patients and oysters were subjected to screen potential producers and indicators of vulnificin, applying ultraviolet induction method. Sensitivity of several strains of Serratia marcesans, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Shigella flexneri, Salmonella typhi and Yersinia enterocolitica to vulnificins were also examined out. All the tested strains of V. vulnificus produced vulnificins active against indicator strains with various different inhibitory patterns. The spectrum of vulnificin activity and sensitive spectrum of indicator strains were considerably broad. Interestingly, almost all strains of S. marcescens, P. aeruginosa, Salmonella sp., Shigella sp. and Y. enterocolitica tested were sensitive to 1-7 vulnificin(s). Taken together, the present study demonstrated that all of the isolates of V. vulnificus produced vulnificins and that 8 good vulnificin producers and 10 good indicators were detected. These strains can be employed efficiently for establishing vulnificin typing scheme of V. vulnificus and for the detection of bacteriocinogeny and sensitivity in V. vulnificus. Biological role of vulnificin remains to be further elucidated.
Subject(s)
Humans , Bacteria , Bacteriocins , Gram-Negative Bacteria , Ostreidae , Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Salmonella , Salmonella typhi , Sepsis , Serratia , Shigella , Shigella flexneri , Vibrio vulnificus , Vibrio , Wound Infection , Yersinia enterocoliticaABSTRACT
Patients with breast lesion suggestive of malignancy underwent Tc-99m MIBI scan in order to assess the value of this technique in the detection of breast carcinoma and axillary lymph node metastasis. One hundred five patients with breast lesion underwent 99m-MIBI scan before biopsy. 20mCi of Tc-99m MIBI was given intravenously in contralateral arm of the breast lesion and planar prone lateral and supine anterior views for 10 minutes each were taken. Pathological diagnoses were carcinoma in 77 breasts of 76 patients and benign in 29 patients. Pathologic types were DCIS in 4, IDC in 62, mucinous carcinoma in 3, medullary carcinoma in 2 and others in 6. The pathologic tumor status was DCIS in 4, T1 in 27 ,T2 in 30, T3 in 6, T4 in 4 and Tx is 6 cases. All patients with multiple lesions were positive. The sensitivity of Tc-99m-MIBI scan was 95%(73/77) and specificity was 69%(20/29). Sensitivity of mammography and ultrasonography were 85% and 82%. Axillary metastasis study showed 68% sensitivity and 92% specificity. The Tc-99m MIBI scan is a highly effective method in the diagnosis of breast cancer.