[Susceptibilities of Enterococcus faecium, PRSP and MRSA to RP59500 and their correlations with those to other drugs].

Investigations on emergence of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREF) which has recently been attracting attention, especially in the Western countries, have been conducted in Japan. A total of 1,239 isolates of E. faecium were collected from 19 institutions during the period of April 1995 and June 1996, in the purpose of evaluating susceptibilities to variety of antimicrobial agents, including RP59500 and vancomycin (VCM), and detecting vancomycin-resistant genes (van genes). Susceptibilities of penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (PRSP) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were also studied. As a result, 2 isolates of E. faecium were found to be moderately resistant to VCM showing MIC of 8 micrograms/ml though the final identification in species level and the detection of van genes by PCR method have not been completed. On the other hand there detected no MRSA nor PRSP showing moderately resistant or resistant to VCM. It was concluded that RP59500 and VCM possessed favorable activity against clinically isolated E. faecium, PRSP and MRSA. Among other species of enterococci, moderately resistant strains to VCM showing MIC of 8 micrograms/ml were detected; 10 isolates of E. gallinarum, 4 of E. casseliflavus and 2 of E. flavescens. In those isolates, vanC1 and vanC2 were detected by PCR, and vanB was also detected in a isolates of E. gallinarum simultaneously.

Preoperative disinfection of the conjunctival sac in cataract surgery.

Conjunctival cultures were obtained from 488 patients undergoing cataract extraction. Bacterial isolation rates from the lids and conjunctiva were 84.6 and 36.7, respectively. Propionibacterium acnes was the only anaerobic organism identified. A significantly lower incidence of P. acnes was observed in the eyes after preoperative conjunctival irrigation using povidone-iodine solution (9%) compared with those using benzetonium chloride solution (30%). Topical use of ofloxacin and cefmenoxime for 1 or 2 days preoperatively, and irrigation of the conjunctival sac with a 16-fold-diluted povidone-iodine solution for at least 30 s immediately prior to cataract surgery are recommended.

Bactericidal effects of povidone-iodine solution to oral pathogenic bacteria in vitro.

Seven species of periodontal pathogenic bacteria (Bacteroides, gingivalis, Bacteroides intermedius, Bacteroides melaninogenicus, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Capnocytophaga spp., Eikenella corrodens) and two control species (Streptococcus intermedius, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) were selected in order to study the bactericidal effects of 10% povidone-iodine (PVP-I) aqueous solution in vitro. The PVP-I solution was diluted to 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400 and 12800 x and contact times were 15, 30 and 60 seconds. The strongest bactericidal effects on the seven periodontal pathogenic bacteria and two control bacteria were seen at a dilution of 400 x and a contact time of 15 seconds. Based on these findings, we advocate a 0.25% solution of 10% aqueous PVP-I for oral mucosa and periodontal pocket irrigation.

[Bacteriological examination of infections in the field of oral surgery].

Etiology of bacterial infections in the field of oral surgery was studied. A total of 270 samples collected from patients with encapsulated abscess in their oral cavities was examined and bacteria were isolated from the 244 samples (90.4%). The following results were found; 1) Organisms more than one from one sample were frequently isolated from cases with parodontitis, pericoronitis and gnathitis. Isolation of anaerobic bacteria was common (54.2%). 2) Streptococcus milleri and Streptococcus sanguis and Capnocytophaga species were the most common isolates among aerobic gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, respectively. 3) Peptostreptococcus micros and Eubacterium lentum were most frequent isolates among gram-negative anaerobic bacteria. Among gram-negative bacteria, Oral Group Bacteroides, especially Bacteroides gingivalis, Bacteroides intermedius, Bacteroides buccae and Bacteroides oralis were most prominent. 4) Isolation frequency of bacteria (both species and strains) was high from samples obtained from patients before antibiotic chemotherapy. 5) Most strains were sensitive to Midecamycin acetate and Josamycin. Minimum inhibitory concentration of 80% isolates (MIC80) against these antibiotics was 0.39 microgram/ml.

Bacterial aetiology of infantile diarrhoea in Papua New Guinea.

Bacterial examination of stools of children with diarrhoea was carried out at Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, where little information is available concerning the causative bacteria of diarrhoea. Shigellae, enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Campylobacter jejuni, and Aeromonas hydrophila were isolated with the decreasing frequency in that order. Among these, enterotoxigenic E. coli and C. jejuni were isolated for the first time in this country. Although Vibrio parahaemolyticus was recovered from sea water, no cases suffering from this organism were found.

Demonstration of cholera toxin-related factor in cultures of Aeromonas species by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

The production of toxins by Aeromonas species was examined by the suckling mouse test, the hemolysin test, and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with anticholera enterotoxin. A factor that was immunologically related to cholera enterotoxin was produced by 5 of 14 strains of Aeromonas hydrophila and 4 of 15 strains of Aeromonas sobria. Analysis by these assays and by a test for heat stability suggested that the factor differed from hemolysin and from toxin that was active in the suckling mouse test.