[Biological characteristics of Plesiomonas shigelloides strains of human and animal origin]. / Biologické vlastnosti kmenov Plesiomonas shigelloides humánneho a veterinárneho pôvodu.

We focused on serotyping and biological characteristics of Plesiomonas shigelloides strains potentially associated with virulence. Thirteen strains isolated from humans (H) and 14 strains of animal origin (A) were tested. The most frequent serotype among H strains was 040:H6 while 066:H3 predominated among A strains. All of the H strains and 92.8% of A strains were hydrophobic. H isolates showed lower motility (30.1 mm) compared to A isolates (46.8 mm). As many as 76.9% and 71.4% of H and A strains, respectively, produced beta-hemolysis. Both H and A strains exhibited low biofilm production on a glass surface. No significant differences were found between H and A strains in lipase production and histidine decarboxylase production. The zones of bacterial growth inhibition in response to oxidative stress were on average 26.6 mm and 28.1 mm for H and A strains, respectively. None of the strains tested produced unsubstituted short-chain acyl homoserine lactones. Our results showed that tested Plesiomonas shigelloides strains produced multiple potential virulence factors that may play a role in the pathogenesis of infections caused by this agent.

Specific detection of Plesiomonas shigelloides isolated from aquatic environments, animals and human diarrhoeal cases by PCR based on 23S rRNA gene.

Twenty-five strains of Plesiomonas shigelloides isolated from aquatic environment, 10 strains from human cases of diarrhoea and five strains from animals were identified by the polymerase chain reaction technique based on 23S rRNA gene. For this purpose, two primers targeted against part of the 5' half of the 23S rRNA gene of P. shigelloides (Escherichia coli number C-912, G-1195; Plesiomonas number C-906, G-1189) were designed. Results from our study indicated that this method might serve as a tool for a rapid and sensitive identification of P. shigelloides from different environmental and clinical sources.

Isolation, biochemical and serological characterisation of Plesiomonas shigelloides from freshwater in Northern Europe.

Isolation and characterisation of Plesiomonas shigelloides from fresh water in Northern Europe is reported in this study. The organisms were isolated from two lakes and a river in Sweden. All isolates of P. shigelloides showed an identical biochemical profile and belonged to different serotypes, namely, O18, O23, O26, O58 and O60. The study indicates that P. shigelloides may occur in the aquatic environment of cold climates and as a result, it is likely to be associated with human infections caused by waterborne pathogens in geographical areas with similar climatic conditions.

[Filamentous micromycetes in otitis]. / Vláknité mikromycéty u otitíd.

In 1984-1991 in the microbiological laboratory in Komárno (Slovak Republic) 4224 (100%) smears with the diagnosis of otitis were examined. From 138 (3.26%) of smears microscopic filamentous fungi were isolated, most frequently aspergillae from the group Aspergillus niger (34.1%), Aspergillus flavus (29.8%) and Aspergillus fumigatus (21.8% of 138 isolates). The strains of other species of filamentous micromycetes were found only rarely. A review on the incidence of filamentous micromycetes in otitis in different regions, based on data in the literature is presented.