R plasmids in vibrionaceae - beta-lactamases in Vibrio cholerae (NAG-Heiberg II) and A. hydrophyla.

290 natural isolates of Aeromonas, Plesiomonas and Vibrio strains isolated from surface waters have been tested for antibiotic resistance, and 123 have been found resistant to various drugs, mostly beta-lactam antibiotics. 14 of them, with high-level of resistances, transfered antibiotic resistance using three recipient strains of Enterobacteriaceae. One strain of Vibrio NAG (Heiberg II) transfered the resistance to ampicillin, carbenicillin and cephaloridin to both E. coli K12 3110 and S. typhimurium LT2 recipient, and further, in the second cycle of transfer, to E. coli K12 185 Nx strain. One additional strain of Aeromonas hydrophyla transfered a high-level ampicillin- and a low-level gentamicin resistance to E. coli K12 3110 only. Here, the resistances could not be transfered in the second cycle, and, they did not occur in the same exconjugant colony. This confirms previous reports that antibiotic resistance is widely distributed among strains found in wild nature.

Complement consumption in fresh blood sera by double culture of Paramecium caudatum and Aerobacter cloacae compared with survival and stage of disease in some malignant tumors in man.

Using the complement consumption test by double culture of Paramecium caudatum and Aerobacter cloacae (DPA) as antigen we examined blood sera and compared survival rates and stage of disease in 124 patients with carcinoma of cervix uteri, corpus uteri, ovaries and breast. The evidence suggests that bacteria Aerobacter cloacae constitute the proper antigenically effective substances of DPA. The intensity of reaction and therapy the relative titres of antibodies detected by the test were expressed by the amount of complement consumed in the reaction and designated by the abbreviation "NMHD", i. e. number of minimum haemolytic doses of complement fixed by antigen in the reaction. Patients with NMHD above 8 (i. e. with an intensive reaction corresponding to a high level of antibodies) exhibited partly higher three-year survival rates -- starting from the time of diagnosis, partly more often the clinical stages of disease I or II as compared with patients with NMHD below 4. The best survival rates were found in patients with NMHD above 8 and clinical stage I or II. NMHD values in patients with the initial period of disease and in healthy women did not differ substantially.