Identification of lactic acid bacteria isolated from human blood cultures

Fifteen lactic acid bacterial strains were isolated from blood cultures from 15 different patients in the Faculty Hospital in Brno, Czech Republic. All strains were identified using biochemical tests and repetitive PCR using the (GTG)5 primer. Doubtful identification results were confirmed by whole-cell protein analysis. The strains were assigned to the genera Lactobacillus (eight strains representing seven species), Leuconostoc (six strains representing four species) and Weissella (one strain). Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed using the E-test and revealed high-level resistance to cotrimoxazol, metronidazole, vancomycin and teicoplanin, but nearly all strains were susceptible to erythromycin, clindamycin, ampicillin and penicillin.

[Eye involvement of borrelia aetiology]

We present a case of eye involvement -- intermediate uveitis -- during tick-borne borreliosis in a 10-year-old boy. Ophthalmologic examination revealed impaired vision, apparent thick floating whitish opacity in the vitreous humour of the left eye and fine fibres in the vitreous humour of the right eye. Sonographic examination confirmed hyperechogenic opacity in the vitreous humour. An autoimmune process was suspected but not confirmed. Serological examination showed IgG antibodies against three pathogenic borreliae and borderline values of IgM antibodies against Borrelia garinii were found by immunoblot. The boy was treated with intravenous ceftriaxone for 21 days. The subsequent sonographic examination showed only minute sporadic echogenicity. Biomicroscopically, only residual opacity in the vitreous humour was found. Isolated eye involvement of borrelia aetiology is rare. The discussion provides a review of similar cases of uveitis including diagnosis of the eye form as published in literature.

Relevance of immunological variables in neuroborreliosis and multiple sclerosis

OBJECTIVES

The aims were to investigate the frequency of intrathecal synthesis of specific antibodies against measles (M), rubella (R) and varicella zoster (Z) viruses (MRZ reaction) as a diagnostic marker between multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuroborreliosis (NB) groups and to postulate the most typical cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) variables profile of these entities.

METHODS

Three cohorts of patients were investigated: MS (n = 42), NB (n = 27) and other neurological diseases (OND) (n = 15). Measles, rubella, varicella zoster and borrelia-specific IgG antibodies were measured by ELISA, Q(alb) (CSF/serum albumin ratio) as a marker of blood-CSF barrier function and specific antibody indices (AI) were calculated according to relevant formulae. IgG oligoclonal bands (OB) were detected by isoelectric focusing and immunoenzymatic staining.

RESULTS

Eighty-eight percent of MS patients had positive MRZ reaction and 26.2% had positive anti-borrelia AI. Eighty-nine percent of NB patients had positive anti-borrelia AI and two patients had individually anti-measles and rubella positive AI. MS-CSF variables profile included the presence of IgG OB in 81%, elevated Q(alb) in 31% and normal cell count in 66.7%. Of NB patients IgG OB were positive in 74%, elevated Q(alb) in 81.5% and normal cell count in 7.4%.

CONCLUSION

MRZ reaction was proved as statistically significant marker in differential diagnosis between MS and NB. Typical CSF variables profile of these two entities is highly supportive, especially when MRZ is included.

[Distal protection during primary coronary angioplasty in patients with acute myocardial infarction]

BACKGROUND

The aim of the study was to assess the safety, feasibility and efficacy of mechanical distal protection during primary angioplasty using FilterWire EZ (FW).

METHOD AND RESULTS

Thirty-one patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) were treated by primary angioplasty with distal protection using FW. The results were compared with a matched control group consisting of 33 patients with AMI treated by primary angioplasty alone. Successful FW positioning was obtained in 30 patients (97%). In these patients a lower rate of distal embolisation (3 vs. 18%, p=0.04) was found and a more effective reperfusion was assessed by ST elevation's resolution >50% immediately after the procedure (83 vs. 61%, p=0.05). A higher number of patients with corrected TIMI frame count <27 in FW group supported more effective reperfusion to but this difference did not reached statistical significance (87 vs. 73%, p=0.09). There were no differences between groups regarding average peak CK and CK-MB. However, there is a trend to lower release in FW group (32.1+/-24.5 vs. 35.3+/-31.0, p=0.33; 4.2+/-3 vs. 4.4+3.7, p=0.44).

CONCLUSIONS

The presented study confirmed that distal embolisation during primary angioplasty is a frequent phenomenon. In this setting, adjunctive use of the FW is feasible and save, and it may improve myocardial reperfusion by reducing the embolic events.

The extracellular matrix of rat pacinian corpuscles: an analysis of its fine structure

The Pacinian corpuscle consists of a sensory axon terminal that is enveloped by two different structures, the inner core and the capsule. Since proteoglycans are extremely water soluble and are extracted by conventional methods for electron microscopy, the current picture of the structural composition of the extracellular matrix in the inner core and the capsule of the Pacinian corpuscle is incomplete. To study the structural composition of the extracellular matrix of the Pacinian corpuscles, cationic dyes (ruthenium red, alcian blue, acridine orange) and tannic acid were applied simultaneously with the aldehyde fixation. The interosseal Pacinian corpuscles of the rat were fixed either in 2% formaldehyde and 1.5% glutaraldehyde, with the addition of one of these cationic dyes or, in Zamboni's fixative, with tannic acid added. The cationic dyes and tannic acid revealed a different structural pattern of proteoglycans in the extracellular matrix in the inner core and in the capsule of the rat Pacinian corpuscles. The inner core surrounding the sensory axon terminal is a compartment containing proteoglycans that were distributed not only in the extracellular matrix but also in the cytoplasm of the lamellae. In addition, this excitable domain was separated from the capsular fluid by a thick layer of proteoglycans on its surface. An enlarged interlamellar space of the capsule contained large amounts of proteoglycans that were removed by digestion with chondroitinase-ABC. Ruthenium red and alcian blue provided only electron dense granules, probably corresponding to collapsed monomeric proteoglycan molecules. Acridine orange and tannic acid preserved proteoglycans very well and made it possible to visualize them as "bottlebrush" structures in the electron microscope. These results show that the inner core and the capsule of rat Pacinian corpuscles have different structural patterns of proteoglycans, which are probably involved in different functions.

An immunocytochemical analysis of growing axons in a silicone chamber prefilled with artificial sponge matrix

We have used antibodies against growth associated protein (GAP-43), phosphorylated neurofilament protein of 200 kDa molecular weight (RT-97) and substance P (SP) to analyze regrowing axons and their features in a silicone chamber filled with resorbable sponge matrix within the first two weeks after sciatic nerve transection in the rat. Growing axons identified with the GAP-43 antibody extended over a distance of about 7 mm from the proximal stump at 7 days and grew over a 10 mm gap within, 14 days. This is a markedly longer distance than in the case of the standard chamber model without artificial sponge matrix. The regrowing axons were labelled with RT-97 already on the 7th day up to a distance of 5 mm and they made up about 75% of all axons in the first segments. The number of RT-97-positive axons did not increase significantly over the next 7 days, although they could be identified over a longer distance. Some of the growing axons expressed SP-like immunoreactivity (LI) 14 days, but not 7 days after chamber application and constituted about 30% of all growing axons in the first segment. The SP-LI fibres also appeared to grow from the distal stump since they were found in larger numbers in the distal segments than in central ones. Those fibres accompanying blood vessels are probably sympathetic. Our findings demonstrate that axons are able to bridge a 10 mm gap within 14 days under appropriate substrate conditions, which are provided by the resorbable fibrin sponge.