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In this investigation we found that adults with upper urinary tract infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa produced serum antibodies with bactericidal activity against the bacterium. Seventeen of 20 infected adults showed bactericidal activity with a titer range of 1:10 to 1:10,000.

Pseudomonas paucimobilis and Flavobacterium multivorum (formerly Group IIK biotype 1 and biotype 2, respectively) showed lectin-binding activity with Helix aspersa and no activity with eight other well-characterized lectins. Microagglutination titrations and immunodiffusion precipitation revealed specific antibody activity to immunizing antigens. However, no major antigens were found to be common from crude antigen preparations of P. paucimobilis and F. multivorum when tested against opposing antisera.

We found that sodium selenate added to F-G cysteine iron agar enhanced the growth of Legionella pneumophila (Philadelphia 1 strain), with visible colonies at 18 h of incubation. The optimum enhancement of growth was found to occur at a concentration of 5 to 10 microgram of selenium per ml as sodium selenate; enhanced growth, up to 22 times the number of colonies on F-G cysteine iron agar without selenate, was observed at 36 h.

A 65-year-old woman failed to develop increased creatine kinase or lactate dehydrogenase activity after a myocardial infarction. She had no measurable creatine kinase MB isoenzyme and no detectable patterns of normal LD isoenzyme activity. These determinations five months after the infarction showed normal values for total activity and isoenzyme patterns.

Sera of 1,000 adults (aged 50 to 104) from Memphis, Tennessee were tested by the microagglutination procedure for antibodies to Legionella pneumophila (Philadelphia 1 strain). Of the 1,000 sera tested, 53 (5.3%) had titers of 1:16 or greater to L. pneumophila.

Pseudomonas paucimobilis (group IIK, biotype 1) clinical isolates showed in vitro resistance to ampicillin, carbenicillin, cephalothin, cefoxitin, cefamandole, moxalactam, cefotaxime, cefoperazone, mezlocillin, azlocillin, piperacillin, and ticarcillin. Those agents to which the microbes were shown to be susceptible were tetracycline, chloramphenicol, gentamicin, tobramycin, kanamycin, amikacin, netilmicin, sisomicin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, and ceftizoxime.

Proposed virulence factors, including multiple antibiotic resistance and slime-mediated adherence, among coagulase-negative staphylococci colonizing healthy individuals from two different study populations were examined. Resistance to methicillin was more commonly seen than initially anticipated. In addition, adherence characteristics, as quantitated by a microtiter plate method, were very similar to those of strains of coagulase-negative staphylococci causing nosocomial infections.

The present investigation found that the rate of growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis was enhanced in the presence of sodium selenate. Stock cultures of M. tuberculosis streaked onto media containing sodium selenate showed visible colonies within three days, compared with 12 days on media without selenate. The optimum concentration for enhancement by sodium selenate was found to be 5 microgram/ml.

Twenty-one microbiologically documented episodes of coagulase-negative staphylococcal peritonitis occurred in 21 continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients. All strains involved in these infections were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility and in vitro adherence assays. Twenty of the strains were species identified using two commercially available systems. For comparison, 20 saprophytic strains of coagulase-negative staphylococci obtained from the nares and axillae of 10 uninfected, peritoneal dialysis patients were included for in vitro characterization. Staphylococcus epidermidis was the species most often identified for both clinical and saprophytic strains. Eighteen of the 21 (86%) clinical strains were resistant to penicillin G. Methicillin resistance, which was present in five clinical strains, was not found in saprophytic strains. Adherence assay determinations showed marked differences between clinical versus colonization strains, with the clinical isolates significantly more adherent (p less than 0.025) than colonization strains. Electron microscopic examination of silastic catheter segments incubated with a strain of S. epidermidis in used and unused dialysis fluids demonstrated marked differences in attachment of bacteria to catheter material.

Results for urinary glucose by the Boehringer Mannheim BM33071 test pad and a hexokinase-based method agree well. The new test, which involves the glucose oxidase/peroxidase reaction, measures as little as 260 mg of glucose per liter. Acetoacetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, and human hemoglobin do not interfere.

A Lancefield group L streptococcal infection was found in a previously healthy male adult during a survey of beta-hemolytic streptococci. The infection was apparently acquired subsequent to a mild injury to the face and contact with soil. Treatment with cephalothin and cephalexin was successful after surgical drainage of the wound abscess.