ABSTRACT
The clinical significance of viridans streptococci isolated from the blood cultures of 86 patients was determined. Isolates that were significant or suggestive of infection represented only 21% of the cases. Among 54 isolates for which the species was known, Streptococcus sanguis II was the most common. However, a significant association between species and clinical significance was not found.
Subject(s)
Blood/microbiology , Sepsis/diagnosis , Streptococcal Infections/diagnosis , Streptococcus/isolation & purification , Endocarditis, Bacterial/diagnosis , Humans , Streptococcus sanguis/isolation & purificationABSTRACT
The cellular fatty acids (C11-C20) from 18 species and strains within the genera Microsporum, Trichophyton, and Epidermophyton were determined by gas liquid chromatography. In addition, the effects of incubation time and temperature on fatty acid composition were investigated in selected species. The dermatophytes investigated represented anthropophilic, geophilic, and zoophilic species. Linoleic (18:2), oleic (18:1), and palmitic acid (16:0), accounted for 83.6-94.5% of the fatty acids of dermatophytes. Fatty acid composition and degree of unsaturation did not show any correlations with taxonomic status or ecological group. Incubation time influenced fatty acid composition slightly, but tendencies towards unsaturation and chain elongation were not observed. Elevated incubation temperature (37 degrees C) tended to increase the degree of total fatty acid unsaturation.
Subject(s)
Arthrodermataceae/analysis , Fatty Acids/analysis , Animals , Culture Techniques , Epidermophyton/analysis , Fatty Acids/pharmacology , Hypersensitivity/etiology , Linolenic Acids/analysis , Microsporum/analysis , Temperature , Time Factors , Trichophyton/analysisABSTRACT
Phagocytosis of Cryptococcus neoformans by normal and thioglycolate-activated mouse peritoneal macrophages was studied. Thioglycolate-activated macrophages exhibited a lower percent phagocytosis than did normal macrophages. Differences in phagocytosis could not be attributed to differences in macrophage viability, minor variations in the concentration of adherent macrophages, or a general depression in activated macrophage phagocytosis. Thioglycolate-activated macrophages required heat-labile opsonins for optimal phagocytosis of non-encapsulated cryptococci, whereas nonactivated macrophages did not require heat-labile opsonins for phagocytosis of the yeast. Both types of macrophages exhibited similar sensitivity to the phagocytosis-inhibiting properties of cryptococcal polysaccharide. The results show that depletion of heat-labile opsonins from serum or inactivation of yeast-bound, heat-labile opsonins by polysaccharide cannot account for the phagocytosis-inhibiting properties of cryptococcal polysaccharide.
