Nathan D. Bills

Molecular identification of Mycobacterium chimaera as a cause of infection in a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

This report describes a case of Mycobacterium chimaera infection in a patient with a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease where the organism was identified by using molecular methods. M. chimaera was identified from fresh lung tissue and from an instrument-negative mycobacterial growth indicator tube broth culture. The utility of using sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer region for the rapid identification of a slow-growing nontuberculous Mycobacterium spp. where conventional culture methods were not successful was shown.

Tissue folate levels in transgenic mice with tumors and in nontransgenic controls

Tissues, whole blood, serum, and tumor folate of a tumor-bearing transgenie (TBT) mouse model for human neurqfibromatosis were measured to characterize effects of neoplasia on concentration of folate among tissues and tumors. Tissues of 11 TBT mice (killed when tumor burden was estimated to be 1% of body weight to minimize possible t~ffects of eachexia) and eight nontransgenic controls (NTC) of similar age were analyzedJbr fi~late. TBT mice had 1.5 +- 0.2 tumors. Tumor mass was 0.35 +- O. I0 g/mouse, and overall tumor folate concentrations were 0.38 +_ O. I0 nmol/g. Overall total tumor Jolate was 0.13 +- 0.04 nmol/mouse. Body weights and erythrocyte and leukocyte counts of TBT and NTC mice were similar. Hematocrits and hemoglobin concentrations were lower in TBT than in NTC mice. Livers and kidneys from TBT mice weighed less than those of NTC mice while spleens weighed more. Both groups had similar folate concentrations in liver and spleen while concentrations in kidney, brain, and serum were lower in TBT than in NTC miee. Folate per liver, kidney, and brain was lower while that per spleen was higher in TBT than in NTC mice. Tumor folate concentrations were lower than those of most mouse nontumor tissues. Folate concentrations of tumors were variable and were ranked as follows: nose > tail >--.[bot >-- ear. The presettce of tumors was associated with reduced folate concentration of some nontumor tissues. Folate concentrations of kidney, brain, and serum decreased as the number and mass of tumors increased.