Robert M. Bannatyne

Job's syndrome—a variant of chronic granulomatous disease: Report of a case

A case of Jobs syndrome, a variant of chronic granulomatous disease, is desribed in a 5-year-old girl, the red-haired, fair-skinned child of dark-haired, dark-skinned immigrants from southern Italy. No underlying disease was discovered to account for her recurrent cold suppurative infections due to pyogenic staphylococci. The patients polymorphonuclear neutrophils failed to destroy some species of phagocytosed bacteria and to reduce nitro-blue tetrazolium dye. Streptococci, however, were handled normally. Similar but less marked defects were present in the polymorphonuclear neutrophils of a red-haired healthy sister. Consideration of the patients pedigree suggests that this disease is inherited on an autosomal recessive basis.

Successful Treatment of Candidaendophthalmitis With a Synergistic Combination of Amphotericin a and Rifampin

: Candida endophthalmitis, caused by transient candidemia, developed in a 14-year-old white girl receiving intravenous hyperalimentation. Antifungal synergism was established in vitro for the combination of amphotericin B and rifampin against the C. albicans isolate. A combined ten-day course of intravenous amphotericin B and oral rifampin was followed by the elimination of the infection and the preservation of good visual acuity.

Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Bordetella pertussis Strains Isolated from 1960 to 1981

The susceptibilities to erythromycin, rifampin, polymyxin B, ampicillin, tetracycline, gentamicin, fusidic acid, trimethoprim, and spectinomycin of 100 strains of Bordetella pertussis isolated between 1960 and 1981 were compared. No change in susceptibility to any of these drugs was noted.

Microassay for Amphotericin B

Depending on the hematocrit, duplicate or triplicate determinations of serum amphotericin B concentration may be made on as little as 100 μl of capillary blood obtained by finger prick. In an accurate plate diffusion bioassay, using Paecilomyces varioti as the indicator organism, levels of the drug in the therapeutic range can be determined fast enough for clinicians to modify their next dose.

Susceptibility of Candida albicans to Miconazole

A total of 439 clinical isolates of Candida albicans were tested for susceptibility to miconazole by the agar dilution technique. When tests were read at 48 and 24 h, 56 and 84%, respectively, of the strains were completely inhibited by 4.0 μg of miconazole per ml, the estimated upper limit of probable clinical susceptibility.

Comparative Susceptibility of Candida albicans to Amphotericin B and Amphotericin B Methyl Ester

The in vitro antifungal activities of amphotericin B (AMB) and amphotericin B methyl ester (AME) were compared against 465 clinical isolates of Candida albicans. AMB and AME possessed comparable activity against half of the strains, but against the remainder of the strains the activity of AME was slightly lower than that of AMB. Rarely did AME show superior antifungal activity to AMB.

The Continuing Problem of Purulent Meningitis in Infants and Children

Purulent meningitis continues to be a serious problem in most pediatric centers and constitutes a major medical emergency. Improved recovery rates are now obtained as a result of early diagnosis, prompt administration of optimal antimicrobial therapy, and provision of optimal supportive therapy.

Susceptibility of Haemophilus influenzae Type b to Rifampin and Sulfisoxazole

A total of 100 and 97% of Haemophilus influenzae type b strains from major infections were susceptible, respectively, to levels of rifampin and sulfisoxazole attainable in saliva. It is theoretically feasible to eliminate Haemophilus influenzae from the nasopharynx with these drugs.

Protective effectiveness of an endotoxin-depleted pertussis vaccine

Pertussis vaccine depleted of endotoxin by the polymyxin-Sepharose affinity chromatography method was tested for toxic activity and protective effectiveness in mice. Preparations containing 1000-fold and 1 000 000-fold less endotoxin fulfilled the established experimental criteria for freedom from toxicity. A fourfold concentrate of the former demonstrated a protection rate only 10% less than that of standard, untreated pertussis vaccine.

Cleaning up pertussis vaccine

The side effects regularly observed with standard pertussis vaccine are thought to be due to its endotoxin content. Using polymyxin-Sepharose affinity chromatography the endotoxin content of the vaccine can be reduced 1000-fold. Assays are currently in progress to test the protective effect of the purified vaccine.