[Indication of mycoplasmas in the synovial fluid of rheumatoid arthritis patients]. / Indikatsiia mikoplazm v sinovial'noi zhidkosti bol'nykh revmatoidnym artritom.

Specimens of synovial fluid taken from patients with rheumatoid arthritis were tested for the presence of mycoplasmas and mycoplasmic antigens. In 30% of cases the direct inoculation into cell-free media permitted the detection of mycoplasma-like agents which could not be subcultured on solid media for identification. Mycoplasmic antigens were detected in the tested material with the same frequency by means of the immunofluorescence test. The use of cell cultures made it possible to isolate and identify mycoplasmas. M. arthritidis and M. fermentans, as well as their association, were identified in the immunofluorescence test and in cell cultures.

[Ultrastructure of the L forms of meningococcus]. / Ul'trastruktura L-form meningokokka.

The authors carried out an electron microscope study of the ultrastructure of the L-form of meningococcus. Several types of cells differing by shape, size, and electron density were revealed. Sharply angular cells closely adjacent to one another prevailed in the culture. Structureless material, possibly representing material of cellular wall was not infrequently revealed around the cells. Elemental bodies and membranous structures of the lamellar type were revealed within the cells.

[In vitro obtaining stable L forms of group A beta-hemolytic streptococci type 1 and 12]. / Polychenie in vitro stabil'nykh L form beta-gemoliticheskogo streptokokka gruppy A tipov 1 i 12

Stable L-forms of hemolytic streptococcus of group A of the 1st and 12th types were obtained in vitro under the effect of penicillin. L-form strains were passaged over 40 times and failed to reverse to the initial. Stability of the obtained L-cultures of the 1st and 12th types was confirmed by electron microscopy which showed the absence of cell wall in them. Morphology of the colonies on hard nutrient medium showed some difference in the L-form strains of the 1st and 12th type. Phage contrast microscopy demonstrated in the culture of the 12th type a relatively greater number of granular structures; as to the L-form cultures of the 1st type, it was mainly represented by the globular elements. Submicroscopic characteristic of the L-form of streptococcus was revealed on the ultra-thin sections of both L-form strains.