ABSTRACT
Some bacteria, isolated from the blood of hospitalized patients, have been shown to hemolyze red blood cells through a mechanism which was dependent on the oxygenated state of intracellular hemoglobin, since transformation of hemoglobin into the CO-derivative inhibited the lysis. Hemolysis was also inhibited by superoxide dismutase and catalase, while only catalase prevented the formation of methemoglobin in experiments where isolated oxyhemoglobin was exposed to metabolizing bacteria. Production by bacteria of extracellular superoxide was demonstrated. It is suggested that hemolysis is due to interaction of O-2 and/or H2O2 with intracellular hemoglobin and that some product of such interaction is the lytic agent.
Subject(s)
Enterococcus faecalis/metabolism , Hemolysis/drug effects , Hydrogen Peroxide/pharmacology , Pseudomonas/metabolism , Superoxide Dismutase/pharmacology , Blood/microbiology , Catalase/metabolism , Humans , Methemoglobin/metabolism , Oxygen/blood , Oxyhemoglobins/metabolismABSTRACT
Some morphological, histochemical and biochemical properties of the particles taking origin from the polysaccharide-proteins interaction in the presence of platelets and lymphocytes are described.
Subject(s)
Agar , Blood Platelets , Blood Proteins , Lymphocytes , Animals , Bacteria/growth & development , Blood Platelets/ultrastructure , Culture Media , Dogs , Humans , Lymphocytes/ultrastructure , Microscopy, Electron , Rabbits , RatsABSTRACT
Following 24 h incubation of normal blood in the presence of the microorganism, the evolution of cell wall deficient forms within the erythrocytes and a process of oxidation of the haemoglobin may be observed.
Subject(s)
Corynebacterium/physiology , Erythrocytes/microbiology , Hemoglobins/metabolism , Chemical Precipitation , Corynebacterium/ultrastructure , Erythrocytes/ultrastructure , Hemolysis , HumansABSTRACT
The evolution of cocci and diphtheroids taking origin from cell-wall-deficient forms seems not to be related to a particular state of illness, but to be the consequence of a generalized crypto-infection.
Subject(s)
Bacteria/growth & development , Bacterial Infections/blood , Culture Media , HumansABSTRACT
The corynebacteria-like microorganisms evoluting in the haemocultures take origin from electron dense granular bodies carried within the erythrocytes.
Subject(s)
Corynebacterium/ultrastructure , Erythrocytes/microbiology , Corynebacterium/growth & development , HumansABSTRACT
Immunological studies, performed with human sera and rabbit antisera upon some strains of Staph. epidermidis carried in the circulating blood of normal and thrombocytopenic subjects, indicate that the reactivity is very low and almost completely related to antigenic properties common to Staph. aureus.
Subject(s)
Blood/microbiology , Staphylococcal Infections/etiology , Thrombocytopenia/complications , Cross Reactions , Humans , Immunologic Techniques , Staphylococcus/isolation & purification , Staphylococcus aureus/immunologyABSTRACT
In human foetal blood the presence of Micrococcaceae in the unstable L-form, probably taking origin from the placental transmission of minimal reproductive units, has been recognized by means of microscopic and cultural methods.
Subject(s)
Fetal Blood/microbiology , Micrococcaceae/isolation & purification , Humans , L Forms , Mycobacteriaceae/isolation & purificationABSTRACT
The multiplication of Gram-positive Cocci originating from L-forms carried by platelets of autoimmune thrombocytopenic patients, may be attributed to the primary platelet damage enhanced following interaction with bacteria.
Subject(s)
L Forms , Micrococcus/isolation & purification , Purpura, Thrombocytopenic/microbiology , Blood Platelets/microbiology , Blood Platelets/ultrastructure , Humans , L Forms/ultrastructure , Micrococcus/ultrastructureABSTRACT
Following the results of previous researches suggesting that platelets might carry microbial forms, the incorporation of 14C-thymidine in suspensions of platelets from 500 normal human subjects has been taken under examination. The results have always yielded positive data even though with marked differences of a quantitative order from a case to another. The hypothesis that such an activity might be the consequence of a synthesis of DNA in the mitochondria had to be excluded. The peculiar relations linking the incorporation rate to the number of platelets and to the presence of plasma or serum in given amounts and the strong inhibition exerted by oxytetracyclines suggest that the detected metabolic activity may be attributed to the presence of bacterial L-forms carried by platelets. The results of cultural, optical and electron microscopical investigations, which will be published elsewere, confirmed such interpretation.
