This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Rubinstein, I.
Right arrow Articles by Pedersen, G. W.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Rubinstein, I.
Right arrow Articles by Pedersen, G. W.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology, September 2002, p. 1057-1060, Vol. 9, No. 5
1071-412X/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/CDLI.9.5.1057-1060.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Bacillus Species Are Present in Chewing Tobacco Sold in the United States and Evoke Plasma Exudation from the Oral Mucosa

Israel Rubinstein1,2,3* and Gerald W. Pedersen4

Departments of Medicine,1 Biopharmaceutical Sciences,2 Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois at Chicago,4 Chicago VA Health Care System West Side Division,Chicago, Illinois 606123

Received 6 March 2002/ Returned for modification 10 April 2002/ Accepted 28 May 2002

Five Bacillus species, predominantly Bacillus megaterium and Bacillus pumilus, were isolated from two popular brands of commercially available chewing tobacco [(5.0 ± 1) x 106 CFU/ml of supernatant; results for four experiments]. Moreover, the supernatant of the Bacillus culture evoked plasma exudation from postcapillary venules in the intact hamster cheek pouch, exudation that was mediated by the kallikrein/kinin metabolic pathway. Taken together, these data indicate that Bacillus species contaminate chewing tobacco commercially available in the United States and elaborate a potent exogenous virulence factor(s) that injures the oral mucosa.


* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Medicine (M/C 719), University of Illinois at Chicago, 840 South Wood St., Chicago, IL 60612-7323. Phone: (312) 996-8039. Fax: (312) 996-4665. E-mail: IRubinst{at}uic.edu.


Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology, September 2002, p. 1057-1060, Vol. 9, No. 5
1071-412X/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/CDLI.9.5.1057-1060.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.