Transfusion associated bacteremia and septic shock due to Erwinia herbicola

We report a case of severe septicemia after blood transfusion to a 61-year-old man. The patient developed septic shock with signs of disseminated intravascular coagulation already during the blood transfusion. Blood culture from the patient showed growth of Erwinia herbicola and culture from the blood bag massive growth of the same microorganism. The bag had been stored in a refrigerator for 3 weeks after tapping. It is likely that contamination occurred during the tapping procedure.

[Detection of bacteria of the genus Erwinia in sanitary- microbiological control of dry milk products for infants]

The possibility of identification of Erwinia bacteria was established during the microbiological analysis of child nutrition products, containing vegetable components, for the presence of coliform bacteria. Biochemical and cultural-physiological properties differentiating Erwinia herbicola from Enterobacter agglomerans were studied, and the most significant differential-diagnostic tests for bacteria identification were determined. To identify Erwinia bacteria that do not belong to coliform bacteria the following additional tests are recommended for practical use at the sanitary-bacteriological laboratories: the presence of yellow or brown pigment during the growth in Endo medium; inoculation into nutrient agar medium with saccharose; inoculation into gelatin -containing medium.

Effect of aerosolization on subsequent bacterial survival

To determine whether aerosolization could impair bacterial survival, Pseudomonas syringae and Erwinia herbicola were aerosolized in a greenhouse, the aerosol was sampled at various distances from the site of release by using all-glass impingers, and bacterial survival was followed in the impingers for 6 h. Bacterial survival subsequent to aerosolization of P. syringae and E. herbicola was not impaired 1 m from the site of release. P. syringae aerosolized at 3 to 15 m from the site of release at a temperature of 12 degrees C and a relative humidity of 80% survived 35- to 65-fold better than P. syringae released at 27 degrees C and a relative humidity of 40%. No difference was observed in the survival of P. syringae and E. herbicola following aerosolization at the same temperature and relative humidity. Bacteria sprayed directly onto bean and oat plants established stable populations at comparable numbers on both plants over an 8-day period following inoculation. Bacteria that inoculated adjacent plants by drifting downwind up to 5 m were detectable at an initial population of 10(2) CFU/g on oats and 10(5) CFU/g on beans 2 h after the spray. However, bacterial populations on both plants were undetectable within 48 h.

Isolation of Erwinia chrysanthemi mutants altered in pectinolytic enzyme production

Various mutations in the pectin catabolic pathway of Erwinia chrysanthemi were isolated by selection of Mu-lac insertions, resulting in expression of the lac genes inducible by pectin degradation products. This approach allowed us to isolate lacZ fusions with the genes pelC, pelD, ogl and pem, encoding pectate lyases PLc and PLd, oligogalacturonate lyase and pectin methylesterase, respectively. Moreover, we obtained mutations affecting the regulation of pectinolytic enzymes; a locus called pecl appeared to be involved in induction of pectate lyases and pectin methylesterase. A second locus, called pecL, may encode an activator protein acting on pectate lyase production. Both pecl and pecL expression are induced in the presence of pectic polymers. The expression of the pem gene was studied in more detail by analysis of the pem-lacZ fusions. The expression of pem appears to be controlled by the negative regulatory gene kdgR, which controls all the genes involved in pectin degradation (pem, pel, ogl, kduD, kdul, kdgK, kdgA). This study confirmed that 2-keto-3-deoxygluconate is a key intermediate for the induction of the pectin catabolic pathway. The three genes pem, pelD and pecl were localized in the same region, near the ade-377 marker on the genetic map of the E. chrysanthemi strain 3937. The pem gene was located more precisely on an 18kb DNA fragment containing the pelADE cluster. However, this 18kb DNA fragment did not complement the pecl mutation. The pecL mutations were located near the ile-2 marker on the genetic map of E. chrysanthemi strain 3937.

Isolation and characterisation of transposon-induced mutants of Erwinia carotovora subsp. atroseptica exhibiting reduced virulence

The blackleg pathogen Erwinia carotovora subsp. atroseptica (Eca) causes an economically important disease of potatoes. We selected a genetically amenable Eca strain for the genetic analysis of virulence. Tn5 mutagenesis was used to generate nine mutants which exhibited reduced virulence (Rvi-) of strain SCRI1043. Following physiological characterisation, mutants were divided into three classes: (1) auxotrophs; (2) extracellular enzyme mutants; and (3) a growth rate mutant. The isolation of these Rvi- mutants has allowed us to consider some factors that affect Eca virulence.

Investigation of organic aerosols generated during sugar beet slicing

A description is given of a hygiene investigation made to determine workers' exposure to airborne microorganisms and antigen in the slicing area of a sugar beet refinery following complaints by the workers of work-related respiratory symptoms. Dust concentrations in the slicing area were not high (up to 3.5 mg/m3), but there were many airborne microorganisms (200,000 colony forming units/m3), mostly gram-positive bacteria. Of 15 workers, 7 had precipitins to a sugar beet extract. Of these 7, there were 5 who also had precipitins to an extract of dust collected on a 'Staplex' filter. There was a line of identity between the beet and dust extracts, indicating the dust contained appreciable quantities of beet antigen. As a result of these findings, local exhaust ventilation was installed before the next slicing season. Further investigations were made near the beginning and end of this second season. The results showed lower dust concentrations and markedly fewer numbers of airborne bacteria. Although total numbers of bacteria fell, numbers of gram-negative bacteria increased and, at the end of the season, comprised 20% of the total bacterial numbers. Specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration in the workers' serums fell between the two slicing seasons and then remained constant through the next slicing season. This reflected the environmental measurements that showed lower dust concentrations after the installation of exhaust ventilation equipment.

Endogenous endophthalmitis with lenticular abscess caused by Enterobacter agglomerans (Erwinia species)

We report for the first time a case of metastatic endophthalmitis caused by the gram-negative organism Enterobacter agglomerans (Erwinia species). One day following internal hemorrhoidal ligation, the patient developed anterior uveitis that progressed to panophthalmitis with a lenticular abscess and a necrotic retina. Despite aggressive surgery and appropriate antibiotic therapy, the affected eye lost useful vision.

Bacteriophage T4 resistant mutants of the plant pathogen Erwinia carotovora

Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) has been implied in a variety of pathogenic and symbiotic plant-bacterium interactions. In order to study the role of LPS in pathogenicity of Erwinia carotovora, a broad host range phytopathogen, we isolated LPS defective mutants of two subspecies of Erwinia carotovora, subsp. carotovora (Ecc) and subsp. astroseptica (Eca). This was accomplished by using the Escherichia coli phage T4 as a selective agent. Screening of Erwinia isolates revealed that some of them were sensitive to T4 and thus T4 could be employed in mutant isolation. Fully T4 resistant mutants were all shown to be defective in their LPS structure. Preliminary pathogenicity tests on tobacco did not, however, reveal any decrease in the virulence of the LPS defective strains.

Hand carriage of aerobic gram-negative rods may not be transient

In order to determine whether hand carriage of aerobic Gram-negative rods is continuous we used the glove-handwash technique to sample the hands of two groups (four each) of health care workers with normal hands (surgical intensive care unit, medical ward) and one group (four) with hand dermatitis (HD) and a group (five) of control subjects -- secretaries with no exposure to patients. Each subject was sampled repeatedly over three to six weeks. The mean number of samples for each group was 25.2, 23.2, 19.8 and 25.8 respectively. The HD group had more samples positive for aerobic Gram-negative rods than did the other two groups of health care workers while the control group had more samples positive than any of the three health care groups. Using various typing schemes and the following definition of continuous carriage (the isolation of an organism of the same serotype, pyocin type or biotype from more than two handwash samples) we found that 4 of 11 subjects from whom Klebsiella pneumoniae was isolated carried this organism continuously; 2 of 3 carried Pseudomonas aeruginosa continuously and 4 of 5 of the control subjects carried the same biotype of Enterobacter agglomerans continuously. We conclude that continuous hand carriage of aeroic Gram-negative rods is common and, among health care workers, those with hand dermatitis carry Gram-negative rods more frequently and in greater numbers than health care workers without hand dermatitis.

Hand carriage of aerobic Gram-negative rods by health care personnel

A quantitative culture technique (hand washed in a glove containing broth for 30 s) was used to determine the frequency of hand carriage of aerobic Gram-negative rods by various groups of health care workers and 104 control subjects. Overall, 31% of health care workers carried aerobic Gram-negative rods on their hands compared to 59% of control subjects (P < 0.001). Enterobacter agglomerans accounted for 40% of the isolates, and other Enterobacter spp. 7%. Other organisms included Acinetobacter calcoaceticus 21%, Serratia spp. 11%, Klebsiella spp. 10%, Moraxella spp. 3%, Pseudomonas spp. 3%, Proteus spp. 1.5%, Escherichia coli 1%; Morganella morganii, Citrobacter freundii, Aeromonas sp. and an isolate that was not speciated accounted for 0.5% each. We conclude that endemic hand carriage of aerobic Gram-negative rods by health care personnel is common, but significantly less than that of control subjects. Enterobacter agglomerans is found so frequently on the hands of control subjects that it must be considered part of the normal hand flora.

Evaluation of three differential media for detection of Enterobacter agglomerans (Erwinia herbicola)

Dextrin-fuchsine-sulfite medium (DFS), Rimler-Shotts agar (RS), and a new lysine-ornithine-mannitol agar (LOM) were tested for detection of Enterobacter agglomerans. In human stools, LOM and DFS were most sensitive at coliform-to-E. agglomerans ratios of less than or equal to 10(2) and E. agglomerans inocula of greater than 10(2) per plate. Both LOM and DFS detected one strain in 254 stools, but RS proved to be inhibitory.

Utilization of a thermosensitive episome bearing transposon TN10 to isolate Hfr donor strains of Erwinia carotovora subsp. chrysanthemi

A thermosensitive episome bearing the transposon Tn10, F(Ts)::Tn10 Lac+, has been successfully transferred from Escherichia coli to several wild strains of the enterobacteria Erwinia carotovora subsp. chrysanthemi, which are pathogenic on Saintpaulia ionantha. In one of these strains, all of the characters controlled by this episome (Lac+, Tetr, Tra+) were expressed, and its replication was stopped at 40 degrees C and above. At 30 degrees C, the episome was easily transferred between strains derived from E. carotovora subsp. chrysanthemi 3937j and to E coli. Hfr donor strains were obtained from a F' strain of 3937j by selecting clones which grew at 40 degrees C on plates containing tetracycline. One of these strains, Hfrq, was examined in more detail: the characters Lac+ and Tetr were stabilized and did not segregate higher than its parental F' strain. The mating was most efficient at 37 degrees C on a membrane. Hfrq transferred its chromosome to recipient strains at high frequency and in a polarized fashion, as evidenced by the gradient of transfer frequencies, the kinetics of marker entry (in interrupted mating experiments), and the analysis of linkage between different markers. The chromosome of Hfrq was most probably transferred in the following sequence: origin...met...xyl...arg...ile...leu...thr...cys...pan...ura...gal...trp...his. ..pur... Moreover, this genetic transfer system proved to be efficient in strain construction.

Collaborative investigation of the AutoMicrobic System Enterobacteriaceae biochemical card

The Enterobacteriaceae biochemical card used in six separate laboratories to identify 170 representatives of Enterobacteriaceae. The AutoMicrobic System (Vitek Systems, Inc.) performed with an accuracy of 97.8% as compared with 98.1% by the standard method selected and 97.6% by a commerically prepared manual system approach. During this time, 5,450 clinical isolates belonging to Enterobacteriaceae were analyzed. Compared with the routine methods used in the various laboratories, the AutoMicrobic System identified 96.4% correctly

Significance of Erwinia in the vagina as causative agents of urinary tract infections

The isolation of Erwiniae from the vagina became positive just before the occurrence of erwiniuria. It is proposed that the appearance of Erwiniae in the vagina is an important indicator in the prediction of urinary tract infection by Erwiniae.

Distribution of ice nucleation-active bacteria on plants in nature

A replica plating method for rapid quantitation of ice nucleation-active (INA) bacteria was developed. Leaf washings of plant samples from California, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, and Wisconsin were tested for the presence of INA bacteria. Of the 95 plant species sampled, 74 were found to harbor INA bacteria. Only the conifers were, as a group, unlikely to harbor INA bacteria. All of the INA bacteria isolated resembled either Pseudomonas syringae or Erwinia herbicola. Sufficient numbers of INA bacteria were present on the samples to account for the ice nuclei associated with leaves that are necessary for freezing injury to occur. Numbers of INA bacteria were large enough to suggest that plant surfaces may constitute a significant source of atmospheric ice nuclei.

Isolation and characterization of Hfr strains of Erwinia amylovora

Hfr strains (Hfr 159 and its derivatives, Hfr 160 and Hfr 161) were constructed from Erwinia amylovora ICPB EA178 by introducing an Escherichia coli F'his+ plasmid and then selecting for integration of F'his+ after treatment with acridine orange. The Hfr strains were relatively stable upon repeated transfers on nonselective media. Interrupted mating experiments and analyses of inheritance of unselected markers showed that his+ is transferred by Hfr 159 as the proximal marker at a relatively high frequency (about 5 x 10(-4) recombinants per input donor cell), followed by ilv+, orn+, arg+, pro+, rbs+, met+, trp+, leu+, ser+, and thr+ (not necessarily in that precise order). The donor strains, previously constructed in E. amylovora by integration of F'lac+ from E. coli transfer cys+ as the proximal marker followed by ser+. Further analysis of one of those earlier donor strains, Hfr99, showed that ser+ is followed by arg+, orn+, met+, pro+, leu+, ilv+, rbs+, his+, trp+, and thr+ (not necessarily in that precise order). Thus, the Hfr strains constructed by integration of F'his+ are different, in terms of origin and direction of transfer, from those derived from integration of F'lac+. The applicability of these Hfr strains to mapping the genes on the E. amylovora chromosome is indicated.

Serologic studies of the maize stalk rot pathogen Erwinia carotovora f. sp. zeae

With the help of serological techniques, namely microprecipitin, agglutination, and gel diffusion, sixteen isolates of maize stalk rot pathogen were proved to be identical. Serological techniques have thus been utilized as an additional tool for identifying the pathogen Erwinia carotovora f. sp. zea. It was also established that the pathogen does not perpetuate in the seed, either externally of internally. It could, however, be found through serological tests that infected ears carried the pathogen and transmitted it as a contaminant to the healthy seeds.

Identification of Erwinia sp., causing stalk rot of maize in Egypt

The physiological characteristics, pathogenic propensities, and the sensitivity towards certain antibiotics of the causal bacterium of stalk rot of maize, isolated in Egypt, were studied. Different isolates of Erwinia carotovora and E. atroseptica were included for comparative studies. The antibiotic sensitivity tests (including erythromycin) are of no value in differentiating between E. carotovora and E. atroseptica. The cultures of the causal bacterium of stalk rot of maize showed physiological characteristics similar to those known for E. chrysanthemi. The pathogenic propensities of E. chrysanthemi isolates suggest the presence of a number of pathotypes of E. chrysanthemi. The proposal of HARTMAN and KELMAN to identify maize stalk rot pathogen as E. chrysanthemi (corn pathotype) seems, therefore, to be the most appropriate name for this bacterium.

Group VE-2 (Chromobacterium typhiflavum) bacteremia

Group VE-2 (Chromobacterium typhiflavum) bacteremia occurred in a severely traumatized, post-neurosurgical patient. A discussion of the clinical occurrence of the organism, bacteriological characteristics, and antibiotic sensitivities is presented.

Endophthalmitis caused by an Erwinia species

A 14-year-old boy developed exogenous endophthalmitis presumably caused by an Erwinia species. To our knowledge, this is the firs reported case of endophthalmitis caused by an Erwinia species, which has been considered pathogenic for only the last ten years. The endophthalmitis developed after a piece of wood penetrated the patient's sclera. After removal of the foreign body, the patient received intravitreally and subconjunctivally administered gentamicin sulfate, intramuscularly administered cephaloridine, and a short course of orally administered prednisone. The patient had clinical and visual improvement.

Traumatic endophthalmitis caused by an Erwinia species

A previously healthy 70-year-old white man sustained a plant injury to his left eye while gardening and was admitted here because of an ensuing perforated cornea and endophthalmitis. The lens was opaque and its anterior capsule was ruptured. Culture of fluid obtained by anterior chamber paracentesis yielded a species of the Erwinia herbicolalathyri group (Enterobacter agglomerans). Thirty-seven days after a course of cefazolin and gentamicin therapy, corneal edema necessitated a planned extracapsular cataract extraction. The aqueous humor and lens again revealed the identical Erwinia species in pure culture. The patient received another course of cefazolin and showed improvement after the lens aspiration.

Nationwide epidemic of septicemia caused by contaminated intravenous products: mechanisms of intrinsic contamination

Between 1 July 1970 and April 1971, in many hospitals in this country, there were outbreaks of nosocomial septicemia caused by Enterobacter cloacae of E. agglomerans (formerly Erwinia, herbicola-lathyri). All of these hospitals used infusion products manufactured by one company, Abbott Laboratories, and all affected patients had onset of septicemia while receiving the company's infusion products. Septicemia was epidemiologically and microbiologically traced to intrinsic contamination of the company's screw-cap closure for infusion bottles which was sealed with a newly introduced elastomer liner. Epidemic organisms were isolated from these closures. Investigations both in the laboratory and in the manufacturing plant into the mechanism of contamination of these products revealed the following. (i) Epidemic strains were present in numerous areas throughout the manufacturing plants. (ii) Viable microorganisms gained access to the interior of screw-cap closures after the autoclave step of production. (iii) Cooling closures actively drew moisture through the thread interstices into the inner-most depths of the closure. (iv) Transfer of contaminants from closures to fluid was easily effected by simple manipulations duplicating normal in-hospital use. (v) The red-rubber liner used in the company's screw-cap closures before the introduction of elastomer contained a broad-spectrum antimicrobial inhibitor. The findings from this epidemic and the associated studies show that the screw-cap closure as it is now designed cannot be considered secure for products that must remain sterile.

Microflora and invert sugars in juice from healthy tissue of stored sugarbeets

Bacterial populations increased in juice of healthy tissue of sugarbeet roots stored at 5 C. Average counts showed a sixfold increase after 150 days of storage. Invert sugar levels increased over threefold in "American 4 Hybrid A" and remained fairly constant in "Mono-Hy D-2." The former cultivar also had significantly higher bacterial colony counts than the latter before 90 days of storage. Of 36 isolates identified, 16 were Pseudomonas spp. including P. chlororaphis; 6 Bacillus spp. including B. subtilis; 5 Arthrobacter spp. including A. globiformis; 4 yeasts; 2 Erwinia spp; 2 Flavobacterium spp. including F. aquatile; and Streptomyces longisporus. Isolates of all genera except S. longisporus were able to hydrolyze sucrose in vitro.

Intrageneric clustering and divergence of Erwinia strains from plants and man in the light of deoxyribonucleic acid segmental homology

The relationships among Erwinia species (originating from plants and man) and other enterobacteria were examined in terms of DNA–DNA segmental homology. All of the organisms studied show a "core homology" amounting to about 10–15%, thus supporting the inclusion of the erwinias in the taxonomic vicinity of the other enterobacteria, and also revealing that the present genus Erwinia is hardly separable from the other enterobacterial genera solely on the extent of DNA–DNA segmental homology. Genetic clusters based on DNA–DNA segmental homology are found within all of Dye's "natural" (phenotypic) groups of the genus Erwinia. However, these genetic clusters are not coextensive with any entire natural group, and designation of any of them as genera seems implausible at present. Except for a few cases of obvious synonymy, the several Erwinia nomenspecies generally showed significant nomen-species-specific segments of DNA, but a taxonomic revision at the species level based only on DNA–DNA segmental homology would seem premature. The Erwinia strains isolated from human clinical sources are essentially indistinguishable on the basis of DNA–DNA segmental homology from the epiphytic and related Erwinia strains derived from plants.

Direct selection for P1-sensitive mutants of enteric bacteria

A method has been developed to isolate mutants sensitive to coliphage P1 from bacterial genera normally not sensitive to this phage. P1clr100KM was used. This phage is heat inducible and confers kanamycin resistance when present as a prophage (in lysogens). P1-sensitive mutants of Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Citrobacter, and Erwinia have been found. This technique provides a well-known genetic system for the study of many bacterial genera that previously had either no such system or only a marginally useful means of genetic manipulation. It also extends the range of possible intergeneric hybrids that may be constructed and studied.

Gene transmission among strains of Erwinia amylovora

Stable donor strains of Erwinia amylovora were obtained from strain EA178R(1) (harboring an Escherichia coli F'lac) by selection for clones resistant to curing by acridine orange. These donor strains (EA178R(1)-99 and EA178R(1)-111) transfer chromosomal markers (arg, cys, gua, ilv, met, pro, ser, trp); the frequency of the appearance of recombinants prototrophic for Cys, Gua, Met, Ser, and Trp is highest (> 10(-5)), followed by recombinants prototrophic for Arg, Ilv, and Pro (10(-7) to 10(-5)). The results of interrupted matings, as well as the frequency of transmission of various markers, suggest that cys is transferred as an early marker by both donor strains. The Hfr state of these donor strains is rather likely on the basis of the following observations. The donor strains exhibit a relatively efficient and possibly oriented chromosome transfer; the Lac(+) character is not cured by acridine orange in these donor strains; and these donor strains do not transfer F.

Characteristics of Erwinia amylovora bacteriophage and its possible role in the epidemology of fire blight

Bacteriophage (S1) of Erwinia amylovora, isolated from soil at the base of fire-blight-infected trees, was characterized by small, clear plaques on E. amylovora strain PR1 and hazy plaques of the same size on a closely related, yellow, saprophytic bacterium, Y, which was isolated together with PR1 from the diseased trees. Phage S1 plated with optimal efficiency at 10C on PR1 and at 28C on Y was relatively unstable to storage at temperatures typical of summer and to ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, and lysogenized Y but not PR1. Pathogenicity tests in pear slices demonstrated that symptom development was (i) delayed when mixtures of either PR1 and phage S1 or PR1 and Y were inoculated, (ii) delayed when a culture of a phage-resistant mutant of PR1 was inoculated, and (iii) prevented from appearing at all when PR1 and the lysogenic form of Y, Y (S1), were inoculated together. Strain Y was easily lysogenized and Y (S1) released phage spontaneously and after UV irradiation. It is suggested that the yellow saprophyte, which is invariably isolated from fruit trees with E. amylovora, may frequently occur in its lysogenic form in nature and serve as a reservoir of phage which may exert some influence on the occurrence and severity of fire-blight disease.