A lectin slide agglutination test has been developed for the confirmatory identification of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. With wheat germ lectin as an agglutinin, 164 of 165 clinical isolates of N. gonorrhoeae gave a 3 to 4+ reaction within 6 to 8 min. Four gonococcal isolates, even though negative by the fluorescent-antibody method, gave strong positive reactions with the wheat germ lectin. Among 23 isolates of Neisseria meningitidis tested, which included representatives of serogroups A, B, C, D, X, Y, and Z, only one strain in group X gave a false-positive reaction. The nonpathogenic species of Neisseria, as well as Branhamella catarrhalis, all showed negative reactions with the wheat germ agglutinin. The novel method provides a simple, rapid, and inexpensive means for the laboratory diagnosis of gonorrhea and obviates the need for performing second-stage sugar fermentation studies or utilizing the more expensive fluorescent-antibody techniques.

Purified populations of bone marrow-derived (B-) lymphocytes and thymus-derived (T-) lymphocytes were obtained from C3D2F1 hybrid mice shown to be immune to Salmonella typhimurium. These subpopulations of lymphocytes were injected into normal mice; four days later the animals were challenged with 50 50% lethal doses of S. typhimurium, and viable bacteria in livers, spleens, and blood were counted at various intervals after challenge. On day 8 after challenge, the mice supplemented with B-lymphocytes showed a significant decrease in the number of organisms recovered from all three sites, compared with that seen in recipients of T-lymphocytes and in controls. The mice given B-lymphocytes showed a better rate of survival (65%) than mice that received only T-lymphocytes (21%) or T-lymphocyte fractions contaminated 10%-30% with B-lymphocytes (49%). These data indicate that, although the humoral response is not totally protective, it does play an important role in the suppression of the infection during its early stages.

Current literature suggests that lectins are becoming valuable reagents for the laboratory identification of infectious agents. The identification of bacteria, fungi, or protozoa may be confirmed if they bind to or agglutinate with certain lectins. Assay kits utilizing specific lectin agglutination reactions, coupled with conventional enzyme determinations, have been proposed for several bacteria. Factors such as specificity, stability, assay rapidity, and costs combine to make lectins attractive diagnostic reagents. It is likely that the use of lectins in diagnostic microbiology will continue to grow.

An increasing number of severe, even fatal cases of strongyloidiasis in patients on immunosuppressive drugs are being reported. During a 26 month period, three severe cases of Strongyloides stercoralis infestation were diagnosed in patients who were on steroid therapy. These cases are of special interest because of the following factors. Firstly, all the patients lived in a nonendemic metropolitan area. Secondly, a single stool specimen from one patient contained several distinct developmental stages of the parasite's life cycle. This finding appears to be unique considering the fact that the patient had not been administered a purgative or anthelminthic. Lastly, a surviving renal transplant patient continues to have persistent strongyloidiasis despite repeated Mintezol (thiabendazole) therapy.