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Schistosomes as the vehicles of salmonella infection
LABORATORY MEETING
437
N o v e l a p p a r a t u s for the m i c r o s c o p i c o b s e r v a t i o n o f p r o t o z o a n c u l t u r e s P. L. C H I O D I N I
Protozoology Department, IVellcome Research Laboratories, Beckenham, Kent A vessel was designed in which intra-erythrocytic protozoa could be cultivated and high power light microscopic observation made of culture in situ via a central observation well. The central observation well was made from a 50 ml. glass syringe, the barrel and plunger of which were cut at right angles to their longitudinal axes. The cut ends were then ground flat. A glass coverslip was attached to one end of the plunger using Araldite. T h e edges of the coverglass were ground flush to the surface of the plunger so that it could move freely in the cut barrel. The barrel was mounted in a glass jacket fitted with 3 access ports. T h e base of the glass jacket was ground flat and an optically flat sheet of glass joined to it with Araldite. T h e barrel and base plate were so arranged that the longitudinal axis of the barrel was perpendicular to the optically flat glass, so that when the plunger was depressed the coverglass and base plate met face to face. Culture material is introduced to the vessel through a serum cap via a hypodermic needle. The inner sleeve is depressed and a layer of culture of uniform thickness, normally a cell monolayer, is trapped between coverglass and base plate, permitting observation under an oil immersion objective introduced down the centre well of the culture vessel. T h e layer of culture is still in contact with the rest of the culture ,and therefore remains under the same conditions during the period of observation; a considerable advantage over conventional wet preparations. The inner sleeve may be raised between observations, so that separate random samples are obtained at each observation. Introduction of, for example, a gas supply, inhibitors, fresh cells or parasites can be undertaken via the serum caps.
Acknowledgement I am most grateful to Mr. R. Newman for his expert assembly of the apparatus.
S c h i s t o s o m e s as t h e v e h i c l e s o f s a l m o n e l l a i n f e c t i o n S T U A R T W. Y O U N G , G E N E H A G A S H I AND R E F A A T K A M E L United States N A M R U-3, Cairo, Egypt Living S. mamoni were removed from 2 patients with chronic salmonellosis using the extra-corporeal filtration technique and colonies of S. paratyphi A were cultured from their surface. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed many colonies of S. paratyphi A on and within the surface tissues of the schistosomes. This is thought to be the first clear demonstration of a bacteria-parasite interaction within a human host; the tegumental colonization of schistosomes by Salmonella may predispose the schistosome infected patient to the chronic S. paratyphi A infection.
H a e m a t o l o g i c a l o b s e r v a t i o n s i n r a b b i t s i n f e c t e d w i t h 7". brucei G. C. J E N K I N S , C H R I S T I N E M. FORSBERG, JEAN BROWN, F. E. B O U L T O N AND C. W. PARR
Department of Haematology, The London Hospital Medical College A series of observations were made in which the haematological data of sandy-lop rabbits infected with T. brucei $42 (obtained from Dr. D. Godfrey at the Lister Institute) together with normal controls were demonstrated. The results presented showed the decrease in red cell counts, platelet counts, haemoglobin and packed cell volttmes with the concomitant increase in the proportion of reticulocytes and red cell pyruvate kinase levels. During the course of the infection thin blood films showed the presence of low parasitaemia and several types of abnormal red ceils. Bone marrow samples taken when the animals were moribund showed hyperpLasia of the erythroid series and a proportionately greater number of trypanosomes than seen in the thin blood films.
437
N o v e l a p p a r a t u s for the m i c r o s c o p i c o b s e r v a t i o n o f p r o t o z o a n c u l t u r e s P. L. C H I O D I N I
Protozoology Department, IVellcome Research Laboratories, Beckenham, Kent A vessel was designed in which intra-erythrocytic protozoa could be cultivated and high power light microscopic observation made of culture in situ via a central observation well. The central observation well was made from a 50 ml. glass syringe, the barrel and plunger of which were cut at right angles to their longitudinal axes. The cut ends were then ground flat. A glass coverslip was attached to one end of the plunger using Araldite. T h e edges of the coverglass were ground flush to the surface of the plunger so that it could move freely in the cut barrel. The barrel was mounted in a glass jacket fitted with 3 access ports. T h e base of the glass jacket was ground flat and an optically flat sheet of glass joined to it with Araldite. T h e barrel and base plate were so arranged that the longitudinal axis of the barrel was perpendicular to the optically flat glass, so that when the plunger was depressed the coverglass and base plate met face to face. Culture material is introduced to the vessel through a serum cap via a hypodermic needle. The inner sleeve is depressed and a layer of culture of uniform thickness, normally a cell monolayer, is trapped between coverglass and base plate, permitting observation under an oil immersion objective introduced down the centre well of the culture vessel. T h e layer of culture is still in contact with the rest of the culture ,and therefore remains under the same conditions during the period of observation; a considerable advantage over conventional wet preparations. The inner sleeve may be raised between observations, so that separate random samples are obtained at each observation. Introduction of, for example, a gas supply, inhibitors, fresh cells or parasites can be undertaken via the serum caps.
Acknowledgement I am most grateful to Mr. R. Newman for his expert assembly of the apparatus.
S c h i s t o s o m e s as t h e v e h i c l e s o f s a l m o n e l l a i n f e c t i o n S T U A R T W. Y O U N G , G E N E H A G A S H I AND R E F A A T K A M E L United States N A M R U-3, Cairo, Egypt Living S. mamoni were removed from 2 patients with chronic salmonellosis using the extra-corporeal filtration technique and colonies of S. paratyphi A were cultured from their surface. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed many colonies of S. paratyphi A on and within the surface tissues of the schistosomes. This is thought to be the first clear demonstration of a bacteria-parasite interaction within a human host; the tegumental colonization of schistosomes by Salmonella may predispose the schistosome infected patient to the chronic S. paratyphi A infection.
H a e m a t o l o g i c a l o b s e r v a t i o n s i n r a b b i t s i n f e c t e d w i t h 7". brucei G. C. J E N K I N S , C H R I S T I N E M. FORSBERG, JEAN BROWN, F. E. B O U L T O N AND C. W. PARR
Department of Haematology, The London Hospital Medical College A series of observations were made in which the haematological data of sandy-lop rabbits infected with T. brucei $42 (obtained from Dr. D. Godfrey at the Lister Institute) together with normal controls were demonstrated. The results presented showed the decrease in red cell counts, platelet counts, haemoglobin and packed cell volttmes with the concomitant increase in the proportion of reticulocytes and red cell pyruvate kinase levels. During the course of the infection thin blood films showed the presence of low parasitaemia and several types of abnormal red ceils. Bone marrow samples taken when the animals were moribund showed hyperpLasia of the erythroid series and a proportionately greater number of trypanosomes than seen in the thin blood films.