Abstract
Simple methods to enhance the detection of pneumococci in respiratory secretions are needed. Sheep blood agar containing 5 mug of gentamicin per ml was more often positive (89%) than either standard sheep blood agar (54%) or mouse inoculation (65%) in recovering pneumococci from 62 adult and pediatric patients. In adults, the direct quellung test on sputum smear was a rapid, sensitive method for predicting subsequent pneumococcal isolation by culture (19 of 20 patients, 95%). The quellung test and gentamicin plate show improved sensitivity over current techniques for pneumococcal detection and can be recommended for general use.
Full text
PDF
Images in this article
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- AUSTRIAN R., GOLD J. PNEUMOCOCCAL BACTEREMIA WITH ESPECIAL REFERENCE TO BACTEREMIC PNEUMOCOCCAL PNEUMONIA. Ann Intern Med. 1964 May;60:759–776. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-60-5-759. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Barber M., Waterworth P. M. Activity of gentamicin against Pseudomonas and hospital Staphylococci. Br Med J. 1966 Jan 22;1(5481):203–205. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.5481.203. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Barrett-Connor E. The nonvalue of sputum culture in the diagnosis of pneumococcal pneumonia. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1971 Jun;103(6):845–848. doi: 10.1164/arrd.1971.103.6.845. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Black W. A., Van Buskirk F. Gentamicin blood agar used as a general-purpose selective medium. Appl Microbiol. 1973 Jun;25(6):905–907. doi: 10.1128/am.25.6.905-907.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Fiala M. A study of the combined role of viruses, mycoplasmas and bacteria in adult pneumonia. Am J Med Sci. 1969 Jan;257(1):44–51. doi: 10.1097/00000441-196901000-00005. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Kenny G. E., Wentworth B. B., Beasley R. P., Foy H. M. Correlation of circulating capsular polysaccharide with bacteremia in pneumococcal pneumonia. Infect Immun. 1972 Oct;6(4):431–437. doi: 10.1128/iai.6.4.431-437.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Lepow M. L., Balassanian N., Emmerich J., Roberts R. B., Rosenthal M. S., Wolinsky E. Interrelationships of viral, mycoplasmal, and bacterial agents in uncomplicated pneumonia. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1968 Apr;97(4):533–545. doi: 10.1164/arrd.1968.97.4.533. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- MAY J. R. The bacteriology of chronic bronchitis. Lancet. 1953 Sep 12;265(6785):534–537. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(53)90274-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Merrill C. W., Gwaltney J. M., Jr, Hendley J. W., Sande M. A. Rapid identification of pneumococci. Gram stain vs. the quellung reaction. N Engl J Med. 1973 Mar 8;288(10):510–512. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197303082881007. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Mostow S. R. Pneumonias acquired outside the hospital. Recognition and treatment. Med Clin North Am. 1974 May;58(3):555–564. doi: 10.1016/s0025-7125(16)32143-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Rathbun H. K., Govani I. Mouse inoculation as a means of identifying pneumococci in the sputum. Johns Hopkins Med J. 1967 Jan;120(1):46–48. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Tempest B., Morgan R., Davidson M., Eberle B., Oseasohn R. The value of respiratory tract bacteriology in pneumococcal pneumonia among Navajo Indians. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1974 May;109(5):577–578. doi: 10.1164/arrd.1974.109.5.577. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]