Antimicrobial activity of Coniothyrium minitans and its macrolide antibiotic macrosphelide A.

AIMS: Assessment of antimicrobial activity of the mycoparasite Coniothyrium minitans and its macrolide antibiotic macrosphelide A. METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirteen isolates of C. minitans were tested for ability to inhibit a number of filamentous fungi, yeasts, oomycetes and bacteria in agar based tests. Activity was found against some ascomycetes, basidiomycetes, oomycetes and Gram-positive bacteria, but not against zygomycetes, yeasts or Gram-negative bacteria tested. Six C. minitans isolates (Conio, Contans, IVT1, CM/AP/3118, B279/1, A1/327/1) were found to produce macrosphelide A in liquid culture and no other antibiotics were detected. On agar, macrosphelide A inhibited growth of some ascomycetes, basidiomycetes, oomycetes and all four Gram-positive bacteria tested, including the medically important Staphylococcus aureus with a minimum inhibitory concentration of < or =500 microg ml(-1). There was no inhibition observed against the yeasts and Gram-negative bacteria when macrosphelide A was tested at 700 microg ml(-1). CONCLUSIONS: The spectrum and level of activity of macrosphelide A produced by C. minitans against micro-organisms are extended markedly compared to previous reports. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Macrosphelide A was effective against Staph. aureus. Further study on the control of this bacterium is merited in view of the development of antibiotic resistance.

Prevalence of vitamin D inadequacy in Belfast following fragility fracture.

BACKGROUND: It is well established that vitamin D levels are sub-optimal in older people and that adults with fragility fracture have low levels of serum vitamin D. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence of vitamin D inadequacy in an elderly population with fragility fractures and to compare data with previously published work from Glasgow. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Two retrospective patient audits were carried out using records from the out-patient Osteoporosis Clinic at Musgrave Park Hospital and from in-patient hip fracture admissions at the Royal Victoria Hospital. RESULTS: There were data for 86 patients with fragility fracture from the Osteoporosis Clinic, 40.7% patients had vertebral fractures and 10.5% multiple fractures. Patients with hip fracture were excluded from the analysis. 69.8% of the patients were women. The mean age at the time of fracture was 65.3 years and 70.9% of patients were aged 60 years or over and 32.6% were aged 75 years or over. At the time of out-patient attendance, 73.3% were receiving supplementation with calcium and vitamin D. The mean vitamin D level was 52.3 nmol/L (21.0 ng/mL), SD = 23.4 (9.4). There were 83.7% of patients who had a vitamin D level < 80 nmol/L, 73.3% < 70 nmol/L and 55.8% < 50 nmol/L. There were no significant differences by patient age or sex. Data were also analysed according to supplementation status, in patients not taking supplements (n = 23) mean vitamin D level was 48.1 nmol/L (19.3 ng/mL), SD = 27.4 (11.0) compared with 53.8 nmol/L (21.6 ng/mL), SD = 21.8 (8.7) in the 63 patients taking supplements. Prevalence of inadequacy was higher in the patients not taking supplements 82.6% versus 67.1% at the 70 nmol/L threshold. There were data for 43 hip fracture patients, 95.3% of the patients were women. The mean age at the time of fracture was 78.3 years, 95.3% of patients were aged 60 years or over and 69.8% were aged 75 years or over. Data were not available on whether these patients were receiving supplementation. The mean vitamin D level was 36.1 nmol/L (14.5 ng/mL), SD = 24.8 (9.9). 90.7% of patients had a vitamin D level < 80 nmol/L, 88.4% < 70 nmol/L ( approximately 28 ng/mL) and 88.4% < 50 nmol/L ( approximately 20 ng/mL). CONCLUSIONS: The levels of vitamin D inadequacy revealed in this audit were similar to those in an earlier audit carried out in Glasgow. Thus studies at two locations in the UK confirm the high prevalence of vitamin D inadequacy, furthermore, the prevalence of inadequacy appears to be higher in those patients with a hip fracture.

A study of bone mineral density in women with forearm fracture in Northern Ireland.

A group of Northern Ireland women aged 40-75 years of age with low-trauma forearm fracture were studied to determine the incidence of such fractures and the prevalence of osteoporosis in this fracture population. A total of 1,147 subjects were identified in 1997 and 1998 throughout Northern Ireland following low-trauma forearm fractures, as well as 699 residents in the Eastern Health and Social Services Board (EHSSB), enabling calculation of the annual incidence rate of new low-trauma forearm fractures at 2.69/1,000 population aged 40-75. A total of 375 participants consented to have bone mineral density (BMD) measurements undertaken at the femoral neck, spine, and forearm using a Lunar Expert bone densitometer. Osteoporosis at the femur was present in 14% of women, at the spine in 29%, and at the forearm in 32%. A total of 45% were osteoporotic at one or more measured sites, but only 18% were on treatment for osteoporosis. Additional significant risk factors identified included an early menopause in 24.5% and current or previous corticosteroid use in 13%. Only 1.6% received information on treatment of osteoporosis at the time of fracture. Increased awareness is needed in both primary and secondary care including fracture services to improve treatment of women with low-trauma fracture.

Effects of water extracts of a composted manure-straw mixture on the plant pathogen Botrytis cinerea.

Manure-straw mixtures were composted and water extracts, made by incubating compost in water for 3 to 18 days, were assessed for antagonistic activity against Botrytis cinerea, using a range of tests. Extracts of all ages inhibited conidial germination on glass slides and reduced mycelial growth on agar. Mixing extracts of all ages with droplets of suspensions of B. cinerea conidia on detached Phaseolus bean leaves suppressed lesion development, but only 3- to 8-day-old extracts had an effect when sprayed onto leaves 2 days before inoculation. Extracts contained a large and varied microbial population of actinomycetes (0.3 to 2.4×10(5) c.f.u.ml(-1)), bacteria (1.5 to 5.6×10(10) c.f.u.ml(-1)), filamentous fungi (25.0 to 45.5 c.f.u. ml(-1)) and yeasts (26.1 to 62.6 c.f.u.ml(-1)). Eight- and 18-day-old extracts lost activity completely on filter sterilization or autoclaving. Weekly sprays of 8-day-old extracts onto lettuce in the glasshouse had no effect on the incidence of grey mould, but significantly reduced its severity and increased marketable yield. The use of compost extracts in biocontrol of plant diseases and their possible mode of action is discussed.