acid-phosphatase and Mycobacterium-Infections

The effect of a water-soluble fraction (WSF) of a non-pathogenic strain of Mycobacterium phlei was studied in bovine subclinical mastitis (SCM) by measuring the myeloperoxidase and acid phosphatase enzyme levels in the milk leukocytes. Forty-five cows were divided into three equal groups. Group I, consisting of 15 healthy cows, served as the control, whereas groups II and III each contained 15 cows with subclinical mastitis on the basis of a positive reaction in the California mastitis test (CMT). The cows in group II received 100 microg of WSF in 5 ml sterile phosphate-buffered saline, pH 7.4 (PBS) once only, while those in group III received 5 ml sterile PBS daily for 7 days, both treatments being given by the intramammary route. Observations were made up to 30 days after treatment (AT). The CMT of the healthy milk was negative (0), whereas it ranged between 1 and 2 points in SCM. The somatic cell count (SCC) increased significantly (p < 0.05) on day 3, then fell steeply from day 7 up to day 30 AT in the cows in group II. A steady decrease in the total bacterial count (TBC) was observed in the group treated with WSF but the bacterial counts remained high in the groups treated with PBS. The mean acid phosphatase level was enhanced by 119% on day 3 AT in group II but only by 18.7% in the cows in group III. The mean myeloperoxidase level was enhanced by 100% in the cows in group II but only by 18% in those in group III on day 3 AT. This significant reduction in the bacterial load in infected cows caused by intramammary infusion of WSF may be due to activation of the microbicidal activity of the neutrophils, but this requires confirmation.

Topics: Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine; Acid Phosphatase; Animals; Cattle; Cell Count; Female; Leukocytes; Mastitis, Bovine; Milk; Mycobacterium Infections; Mycobacterium phlei; Peroxidase

In numerical classification, four species of the Mycobacterium nonchromogenicum complex, Mycobacterium nonchromogenicum, M. terrae, M. novum, and M. triviale, formed one cluster. These four species appeared to be reduced to one species, Mycobacterium nonchromogenicum. Furthermore, relationships between the species were numerically analyzed by using the hypothetical median organism pattern. The results showed that the M. nonchromogenicum complex can be divided into two subgroups: M. nonchromogenicum and the other three. These two subgroups were differentiated from each other by scores based on two or more positive reactions in the following three characteristics: resistance to bleomycin (5 microgram/ml); heat-stable acid phosphatase activity; nicotinamidase or pyrazinamidase activity or both activities. M. nonchromogenicum gave two or three positive reactions among these three, and M. terrae, M. novum, and M. triviale gave two or three negative reactions. Three cases of lung infection due to M. nonchromogenicum, as well as three other cases of probable lung infection due to M. nonchromogenicum, were observed in this study. Only one organism isolated from one doubtful case was M. terrae. Up to now, M. nonchromogenicum was considered a nonpathogen. It was shown, however, that this organism causes lung infection in humans.

Topics: Acid Phosphatase; Adult; Aged; Antitubercular Agents; Humans; Lung Diseases; Male; Middle Aged; Mycobacterium; Mycobacterium Infections

The heat-stable (70degrees C) acid phosphatase test performed by the method of Kind and King is a simple method for differentiating Mycobacterium kansasii, M. marinum, M. gastri, M. nonchromogenicum, and M. triviale from other slowly growing mycobacteria, and M. fortuitum from other rapidly growing acid-fast bacilli.

Topics: Acid Phosphatase; Animals; Bacteriological Techniques; Diagnosis, Differential; Heating; Humans; Mycobacterium; Mycobacterium Infections

A serially diluted bacterial suspension of the Kurume-42 strain of Mycobacterium lepraemurium maintained for 1255 days in a mouse foot pad (MFP) cell culture was inoculated in mice subcutaneously. The ID50 value was estimated at more than 10.7 and less than 85 organisms, indicating that pathogenicity of the organism had been maintained well in a long-term cell culture. The cells infected and maintained for a long period in the cell culture showed all the stages of cell mitosis. This suggests that the bacterial increase in cell cultures of M. lepraemurium is not only due to rephagocytosis of the bacilli released from the infected cells but also to a constant intracellular growth cycle of the bacilli accompanied by mitosis of the infected cells. In acid phosphatase activity, no appreciable differences were noted between the infected and uninfected cells as far as the present cell culture system was concerned. Most of the bacilli within the cells were ultrastructurally normal. Solid bacilli in phagosomes were surrounded by less electron-dense clear zones.

Topics: Acid Phosphatase; Animals; Cells, Cultured; Chromosomes, Bacterial; Cytoplasm; Mice; Mitosis; Mycobacterium Infections; Mycobacterium lepraemurium

Systemic infection of mice with Mycobacterium BCG leads to focal liver damage by producing many granulomas. By undefined mechanisms, this infection markedly enhances the animal's susceptibility to the lethal effect of endotoxin. Small doses of endotoxin given to BCG-infected mice were found to cause acute hepatic damage, as demonstrated by elevated activities of liver enzymes in serum and by morphologic alterations documented by light and electron microscopy and by histochemical technics. The morphologic alterations caused by endotoxin included glycogen depletion, mitochondrial swelling, disruption of the continuity of sinusoidal endothelium and focal injury characterized by marked vacuolization of hepatocytes and distension and fragmentation of rough endoplasmic reticulum. Histochemical studies revealed the apparent release of acid phosphatase from granules in the central portions of granulomas, and the release of beta-glucuronidase from the cytoplasm of hepatocytes.

Topics: Acid Phosphatase; Alanine Transaminase; Animals; Aspartate Aminotransferases; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; Endotoxins; Female; Glucuronidase; Glycolysis; Histological Techniques; Liver; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Microscopy, Electron; Mycobacterium bovis; Mycobacterium Infections

Topics: Acid Phosphatase; Animals; Chromatography, Gas; Chromatography, Thin Layer; Female; Histocytochemistry; Lipid Metabolism; Lymph Nodes; Lysophosphatidylcholines; Lysosomes; Macrophages; Mice; Mycobacterium Infections; Phospholipids; Sulfatases; Thymus Gland; Triglycerides

Topics: Acid Phosphatase; Animals; Cattle; Cattle Diseases; Glucuronidase; Glycoproteins; Mycobacterium Infections; N-Glycosyl Hydrolases; Ribonucleases; Time Factors

Topics: Acid Phosphatase; Animals; Bacillus; Biochemical Phenomena; Biochemistry; Cathepsins; Macrophages; Macrophages, Alveolar; Muramidase; Mycobacterium bovis; Mycobacterium Infections; Phagocytosis; Rabbits; Research; Seasons

Topics: Acid Phosphatase; Animals; BCG Vaccine; Culture Techniques; Esterases; Histocytochemistry; Immunity; Lipase; Macrophages; Muramidase; Mycobacterium Infections; Peptide Hydrolases; Peritoneal Cavity; Pulmonary Alveoli; Rabbits