[First appearance of penicillinase-producing gonococci at Bremen (author's transl)]. / Erstmaliges Auftreten penicillinasebildender Gonokokken in Bremen.

Three cases of penicillin-resistant gonorrhoea were detected at Bremen during a period of 3 months: in a tourist and 2 sailors. The infections had been acquired in Thailand, Africa, and USA, respectively. In all 3 cases penicillinase-producing strains of gonococci were isolated, resistant to penicillin in concentrations of 20 micrograms/ml and more. Patients were successfully treated with spectinomycin. The identification of penicillinase-producing strains of gonococci is of major epidemiological importance. Therefore, bacteriological investigations including sensitivity tests and, if necessary, penicillinase-tests should be done in each case of penicillin-resistant gonorrhoea. Relevant cases should be reported to the Venereal Diseases and Treponematoses Unit at Geneva, Switzerland.

[Flow sheets of urine samples in haemolytic uraemic syndrome. Examinations by analytic isotachophoresis (author's transl)]. / Ubersichtsspektren von Urinproben im Ablauf von hämolytisch-urämischen Syndromen. Untersuchungen mittels analytischer Isotachophorese.

In 29 urinary fractions of six children with haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) a specific substance could be demonstrate during the acute phase of the disease by means of isotachophoresis. Urine tests in six patients with other kidney diseases and with uraemia and in seven healthy persons did not show this substance. From this, we assume that the substance demonstrated in the isotachogram has a direct correlation to the HUS.

[Treatment of severe haemolytic-uraemic syndrome by dialysis (author's transl)]. / Dialysebehandlung des schweren hämolytisch-urämischen Syndroms.

Since 1973 haemodialysis was performed on 30 children with severe haemolytic-uraemic syndrome. Serial measurements were made of blood pressure, blood picture, renal function, complement values, excretion of fibrinogen split-products and beta2-microglobulin in urine. Of 22 children in the acute severe stage two died, in one case treatment having been started too late, in the other as a result of fulminating pneumococcal pneumonia. Twenty children survived without residual symptoms and with normal renal function. Of six children with severe progressive haemolytic-uraemic syndrome two developed terminal renal failure. In one child a renal transplantation has since been performed. One child requires chronic dialysis after nephrectomy. Three children died as a result of arterial hypertension, one of yeast septicaemia. Of two children with recurrent haemolytic-uraemic syndrome one developed terminal renal failure which was successfully treated by renal transplantation. One child died in a hypertensive crisis. The overall death rate of the group was 23%, in the group with the acute severe haemolytic-uraemic syndrome it was 9%. The results suggest that haemodialysis significantly improves the prognosis of severe haemolytic-uraemic syndrome.