Streptococcus suis toxic-shock syndrome and meningitis.

Three cases with S. suis bacteremia and meningitis were reported. The first case was a 23-year-old butcher who was a regular drinker of alcohol for two years and developed streptococcal toxic-shock syndrome. The organism was transmitted to him through a minor cut in his right arm. The second cases was a 49-year-old female laborer who had been consuming locally produced alcohol for 20 years and developed fever and meningitis. Unfortunately, she succumbed in seven days despite intensive supportive and cefotaxime treatments. The third case was a 45-year-old regular alcoholic drinker and car painter who was seen at a private hospital due to contusion at his left lateral chest wall. However, fever and confusion due to meningitis was detected upon admission. Irreversible deafness developed within 48 hours of ceftriaxone therapy for meningitis. He finally recovered with deafness. S. suis was isolated from blood and cerebrospinal fluid cultures in all three cases though initially reported to be viridans group of streptococci.

Urinary constituents in an endemic area of stones and renal tubular acidosis in northeastern Thailand.

Nephrolithiasis and endemic renal distal tubular acidosis are common in northeastern Thailand. The etiology is still unknown. It is generally accepted that urine electrolytes influence the capacity of urine to inhibit or promote renal and also bladder stones. The purpose of this study was to analyse the composition of the urine in the indigenous population in the northeast area and compare their values with data obtained from a group of age matched adults, living in Bangkok. Twenty-four hour urine samples from 23 normal adult villagers from six villages within the province of Khon Kaen and 34 normal adults living in Bangkok were collected, and the daily excretion of creatinine, uric acid, calcium and inorganic phosphate, sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium and oxalate were assayed. Daily urinary sodium, potassium, chloride and phosphate of the villagers were significantly lower than those of Bangkokians. No difference in the urinary excretion of calcium, magnesium, uric acid, oxalate and creatinine was found. The Na/Ca, and Ca/PO4 ratios of villagers were significantly lower than those of the Bangkok subjects. The villagers excreted significantly lower amounts of Na in the face of relatively higher urinary Ca. The above data, combined with our previous study showing the low values of urinary citrate in the villagers in the same areas, strongly indicate that the indigeneous population is at high risk in developing urolithiasis. The causes for these electrolyte abnormalities are still unknown. Low contents of the major electrolytes in their diets might play an important role. Low phosphate output indicates low protein diets.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

In vitro activities of antimicrobial combination against Pseudomonas pseudomallei.

P pseudomallei infection was treated empirically with an antimicrobial combination without hard evidence of a more favorable outcome over single drug regimens. The so-called "conventional' agents, namely kanamycin (K), chloramphenicol (C), doxycycline (D) and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (SMZ/TMP) are often combined. We determined the effects of the combination of these agents by standard time-kill curve. Six combinations were tested, i.e. K and C, K and D, K and SMZ/TMP, C and D, C and SMZ/TMP, and lastly, D and SMZ/TMP. Three recent clinical isolates of P. pseudomallei were used. The antimicrobial concentration in the combination selected was one-fourth of the minimal inhibiting concentration (MIC). Colony counts were performed at times 0, 2, 4, 6 and 24 hours. The results were interpreted using standard definition, as synergistic, additive and antagonistic effects. It was found that at time 0 to 6 hours, all of the combinations only acted additively. At 24 hours, however, there were 3 effects observed. These were (1) synergistic effects for K and D, and C and D; (2) additive effect for K and C, K and SMZ/TMP, and D and SMZ/TMP; and (3) antagonistic effect for C and SMZ/TMP. None of the combinations showed rapid killing rates. The results, although subjected to precautious extrapolation of in vitro to in vivo situations, suggested that the combined regimens of "conventional' drugs often acted additively, and none of these combinations offered fast killing.