Staphylococcus aureus in chronic and recurrent infections.

Ninety-four Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from chronic and recurrent skin and respiratory tract infections were investigated for several virulence factor expressions. Production of protein A was noticed in all of the tested strains in amounts from less than 0.1 to more than 2.5 ng per 10(6) bacterial cells. The percentage of the extracellularly produced protein A was found to lie between 4.5 and 27.8%. Two strains (both from the respiratory tract) produced more than 50% of protein A in the extracellular form and one strain did not produce any detectable amount of the extracellular protein A; 99% of the tested strains produced the clumping factor, 96% staphylocoagulase, 79% staphylokinase and 90% gelatinolytic activity; 79% produced alpha-toxin exclusively or in combination with delta- or beta-toxin; 8% of strains produced beta-toxin. There were differences in beta-toxin production between strains from the respiratory tract (5%) and skin infections (25%). delta-Toxin was produced by 53% of the strains. In each of the tested strains a complex of virulence factors was detected. The importance of inactivated extracellular products (especially alpha- and delta-toxin and in the case of skin infections also beta-toxin) as components of staphylococcal whole-cell vaccine was suggested.

[The role of anaerobic non-sporulating bacteria in urinary tract infections]. / Ucast anaeróbnych nesporulujúcich baktérií na infekciách mocových ciest.

In selected clinical departments the authors examined for the presence of aerobic bacterial flora 10,760 urine specimens. 3,460 specimens did not contain aerobic bacteria. These samples were examined for anaerobic bacteria. In 27 (0.8%) germs of anaerobic non-sporulating bacteria in monocultures were detected. The incidence of anaerobes correlated with the clinical picture of inflammations of the urinary pathways. Antibiotic therapy based on sensitivity tests was successful. The investigations provides evidence of the necessity of anaerobic examination of urine specimens in inflammations of the urinary pathways with an unknown aetiology.