Bratisl Med J
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Examination of ticks for the presence of F. tularensis resulted in the isolation of 29 strains, predominantly from the species D. reticulatus (19x), further from I. ricinus (8x) and from H. concinna (2x). The results confirmed the activity of the known endemic focus in the area of Podunajské Biskupice and revealed three new foci in the localities Smolenice (district of Trnava), Olichov (district of Nitra), and Plást'ovce (district of Levice). In the focus of Podunajské Biskupice the mean infestation of ticks of the species D. reticulatus was around 1.4% over the years of investigation. ⋯ The third part of the study addresses questions of the ecology of ticks. It analyzes their biological characteristics in our conditions, their spread and bionomy, particularly from aspects related with their epidemiological significance as vectors of Lyma borreliosis and tularemia. Systematic follow up of infestation of ticks with causative agents of borreliosis and tularemia in established endemic foci as well as in epidemiologically indicated localities is an inevitable part of modern surveillance of these infections.
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Killing of 61 seroresistant E. coli strains equipped with virulence plasmids (F, Ent, Hly, Col) and resistance plasmids (R) in polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) of healthy donors was determined by the cultivation plate and fluorescence methods of phagocytosis. Killing of the control E. coli strain K12 which does not possess any plasmids was studied by the fluorescent method. Compared to the fluorescent method, the cultivation plate method yielded a significantly higher killing rate of the bacteria after opsonization by 5% (p less than 0.05) and concentrated serum (p less than 0.001). Compared to the control E. coli strain K12, the killing rate of seroresistant E. coli strains in PMNL of healthy donors was significantly lower (p less than 0.001).
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The effect of the combination of sulbactam, cephalothin, and cephazolin was studied in vitro on 88 strains of E. coli and 11 strains of P. mirabilis producing beta-lactamases. Quantitative susceptibility of the tested strains to cephalothin was examined by the disk dilution method and the effect of the combinations with sulbactam by the micromethod. The production of beta-lactamases was determined by the qualitative test with the chromogenic substrate PODAC. ⋯ The effect of the combinations with sulbactam was assessed as synergistic, additive, indifferent or antagonistic. In the combination of sulbactam in the concentration of 16.0 mg/l with cephalothin and cephazolin a higher rate of synergistic and additive effect was recorded on both strains. In none of the combinations did sulbactam exert an antagonistic effect.