ABSTRACT
It has been shown that benzethonium chloride produces linear mixed-type inhibition of choline esterase and acetylcholine esterase. These enzymes also show-reagent-carry-over inhibition if the enzyme activities are measured in plastic cuvettes in which previously protein has been determined by the alkaline benzethonium chloride method. Choline esterase is about 10-fold more sensitive to benzethonium chloride than acetylcholine esterase. With acetylthiocholine as substrate Michaelis-Menten constants for choline esterase and acetylcholine esterase are 85 mumol/l and 102 mumol/l, respectively. Carry-over inhibitory effect of benzethonium chloride can be avoided by washing the cuvettes, after protein determination by the benzethonium chloride method, with 5 ml/l Triton X-100, 5 ml/l Tween 20 or 10 g/l sodium dodecyl sulphate. The latter has a disadvantage in that it precipitates out at low temperatures. The dry slide method (Johnson & Johnson) for serum choline esterase is free of the inhibitory effect until the concentration of benzethonium chloride in the sample reaches about 200 mumol/l.
Subject(s)
Acetylcholinesterase/drug effects , Benzethonium/pharmacology , Cholinesterase Inhibitors/pharmacology , Cholinesterases/drug effects , Acetylcholinesterase/metabolism , Benzethonium/adverse effects , Butyrylthiocholine/metabolism , Cholinesterase Inhibitors/adverse effects , Cholinesterases/metabolism , Humans , Indicators and Reagents/adverse effects , Kinetics , Substrate SpecificityABSTRACT
The inhibitory activities of amphotericin B, fluconazole, itraconazole, miconazole, ketoconazole and terbinafine against nine isolates from clinically apparent infections of Fusarium solani, four isolates of Fusarium moniliforme and 10 isolates of Fusarium oxysporum were determined with an agar diffusion method (Neosensitabs) and an agar dilution method. The inhibition zones obtained with antifungal Neosensitabs need very careful interpretation. We did not find a good correlation between the agar diffusion method using Neo-sensitabs preloaded with azoles and amphotericin B and the agar dilution method. Amphotericin B (12/23) and terbinafine (18/23) showed good activity. Miconazole (7/23) and ketoconazole (3/23) had poor inhibitory activity. Fluconazole and itraconazole (0/23) had no in vitro activity against any of the isolates tested.
Subject(s)
Antifungal Agents/pharmacology , Fusarium/drug effects , Amphotericin B/pharmacology , Fluconazole/pharmacology , Fusarium/isolation & purification , Humans , Itraconazole/pharmacology , Ketoconazole/pharmacology , Miconazole/pharmacology , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , Mycoses , Naphthalenes/pharmacology , Species Specificity , TerbinafineABSTRACT
Moraxella catarrhalis can easily be differentiated from other oxidase-positive, gram-negative cocci with tributyrine, 4-methylumbelliferyl butyrate, or indoxyl acetate. All M. catarrhalis give positive reactions, and all Neisseria spp. give negative reactions. The 4-methylumbelliferyl butyrate tube test and indoxyl acetate strip test provide same-day identification of M. catarrhalis isolates.
Subject(s)
Bacterial Typing Techniques , Moraxella catarrhalis/classification , Acetylesterase/metabolism , Acinetobacter/classification , Acinetobacter/metabolism , Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases/metabolism , Evaluation Studies as Topic , Humans , Hymecromone/analogs & derivatives , Hymecromone/metabolism , Indoles/metabolism , Moraxella/classification , Moraxella/metabolism , Moraxella catarrhalis/isolation & purification , Moraxella catarrhalis/metabolism , Neisseria/classification , Neisseria/metabolism , Species Specificity , Substrate Specificity , Triglycerides/metabolismABSTRACT
We report the case of a 71-year-old man with a prosthetic aortic valve endocarditis caused by Listeria monocytogenes. He was successfully treated with a combination of ampicillin and amikacin, and valve replacement surgery. This case and previously reported cases are discussed.
