Sorption of non-narcotic analgetic drugs of medicinal charcoal.

Adsorption of four 5-pyrazolone derivatives and two carboxylic acids from aqueous solutions was studied. Partition coefficients for the analyzed drugs were calculated. Good corelation between log(k1, k2) (Langmuir constants) and log (octanol-water partition coefficient) of the drugs were found. The higher log(k1k2) value the higher solubility of the non-narcotic and analgetic drugs.

A simple disk-diffusion test for differentiation of yeast species.

A disk-diffusion method for identification of yeasts was developed that depended on their different but distinct susceptibilities to the following chemicals: janus green, ethidium bromide, 2, 3, 5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride, brilliant green, cycloheximide and rhodamine 6G. For 594 of 623 routinely isolated yeasts, the disk-diffusion and the commercial API 20C auxanogram tests gave the same identification, an agreement of 95.3%. Only 8 of 1052 isolates from clinical specimens were not identified by the disk-diffusion method. The method is simple, inexpensive and technically straightforward and for most isolates gives an identification in 24 h.

[Herpes simplex infection in the newborn infant]. / Herpes simplex-Infektion beim Neugeborenen.

A case of neonatal Herpes simplex infection is being described, which was diagnosed clinically as well as serologically. It concerns a child, which was born after 35 weeks of gestation. Two days after the delivery the mother showed typically efflorescences of Herpes simplex infection in the abdominal region. On the fifth day after birth the child showed a vesico-bullous exanthema beginning on the head and spreading out on breast and back. On day 14th a serious sepsis-like pattern of the disease with respiratory insufficiency and encephalitic symptoms could be seen. Treatment with Vidarabinphosphat and Acyclovir-Natrium was without definite success. At the age of five months the child showed a pseudobulbar-paralysis with tetra-spasticity. The cranial computer-tomography demonstrated a distinct hydrocephalus e vacuo and the electroencephalography registered only sporadic brain activity.

Comparison of microscopy, culture and enzyme immunoassay (Gonozyme) for the detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in urogenital specimens.

Urogenital specimens of male patients and female prostitutes were examined for gonorrhoea in a gonococcal antigen enzyme immunoassay (Gonozyme), by microscopic examination of stained smears and by bacterial culture. Out of 18 male patients, 14 showed positive reactions (all 14 by Gonozyme and by microscopy, but only eight by culture also). The sensitivity and specificity of Gonozyme was 100% in reference to microscopy. The predictive value for a positive test and for a negative test was 100%. The sensitivity of Gonozyme in reference to culture was also 100%, but the specificity was only 40%, because of the low yield of positive cultures. The predictive value for a positive test was 57% and for a negative test 100%. Out of 189 female prostitutes, 41 (22%) had a positive reaction in at least one test (Gonozyme, microscopy and culture were positive in 10; Gonozyme and culture in three; Gonozyme and microscopy in 14; Gonozyme alone in 11; culture alone in three). The sensitivity of Gonozyme was 100% and specificity 92% in reference to microscopy. The predictive value for a positive test was 63% and for a negative test 100%. In reference to culture, the sensitivity was 81% and specificity 86%. The predictive value for a positive test was 34% and for a negative test 98%. In prostitutes, the rate of asymptomatic infections was 14%, if one assumed that all Gonozyme-positive results were truly positive. Gonozyme proved to be the most sensitive method for screening female patients. To discriminate possibly false positive reactions, Gonozyme-positive specimens should be corroborated, preferably by bacterial cultivation.

[Polyradiculomeningoencephalitis caused by Epstein-Barr virus infection--description of a case with fatal outcome]. / Polyradikulomeningoenzephalitis durch Epstein-Barr-Virusinfektion--Darstellung eines Falles mit tödlichem Ausgang.

A 21 years old high school student, who, since early childhood, suffered from complete spinal paraplegia of unknown cause at D 10, suddenly, after a three week period with influenca -like prodromal symptoms, presented with acute polyradiculomeningoencephalitis . Positive reactions following Paul-Bunnell- Davidsohn -test and tests for specific antivirus IgG as well as specific IgM revealed acute Epstein-Barr-Virus infection, although no glandular signs could be found. The clinical findings consisted of peripheral sensory-motor tetraparesis, ataxia, nystagmus and disturbances of the caudal cranial nerves. Initially, the diagnosis of Fisher's syndrome was made. The orbicularis oculi reflex, however, indicated a circumscribed brainstem lesion in the medial reticular formation. This finding lead to the additional clinical diagnosis of encephalitis. Shortly after admission, a heart-arrest occurred, and, after successful reanimation, the patient presented with a "locked-in syndrome". On the 12th day after admission, he succumbed during a sudden drop of blood-pressure. Necropsy revealed septic shock as the cause of death, due to perforation of a duodenal ulcer. In the lower thoracic spinal cord a neurocytoma was found, which once lead to the paraplegia. Additionally, moderate inflammatory infiltrations were found in the basal leptomeninges, in the walls of several subcortical vessels and in the hypoglossal nerve. The infiltrations, at some sites, contained a large number of atypical lymphoid cells in the inflammatory meningeal exsudate . Microglial proliferation with satellitosis was found in the inferior olives, thus confirming the clinical diagnosis of polyradiculomeningoencephalitis . This case report should emphasize special features of EBV-infection with neurological complications: (1) in inflammatory diseases of the peripheral and central nervous system, infectious mononucleosis should always be drawn into the diagnostic considerations, even if heterophil antibodies and glandular symptoms are lacking. (2) In Guillain-Barré-syndrome, a transient external heart stimulator should be administered, in order to prevent heart arrest from acute autonomic neuropathy.

[Isolation of a penicillinase-producing strain of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Aix-la-Chapelle]. / Isolierung eines penizillinasebildenden Stammes von Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Aachen.

A penicillin-resistant strain of Neisseria gonorrhoeae was isolated from a surveyor living in Aixla-Chapelle, who had an acute gonorrheal urethritis after a trip to Asia (Singapore and Bangkok). The susceptibility pattern for 20 antibiotics was tested in sugar diffusion tests, for five antibiotics in agar dilution tests, and for 12 antibiotics in serial dilution tests with determinations of MIC and MBC, respectively. A modified method for the determination of the MIC is described. This method is characterized by an increased clarity of interpretation, reproducibility and avoidance of subjective mistakes in interpretation. The penicillinase production was demonstrated using the clover leaf technique. The isolated strain showed the highest MIC and MBC values for penicillin (MIC 48 micrograms/ml, MBC 64 micrograms/ml) and ampicillin (MIC 96 micrograms/ml, MBC 96 micrograms/ml) and the lowest values for cefotaxim (MIC less than 0.125 micrograms/ml, MBC 0,25 micrograms/ml).