"Nanobacterium sanguineum"--is it a new life-form in search of human ailment or commensal: overview of its transmissibility and chemical means of intervention.

Morphological, cultural, and immuno-histochemical characteristics of "Nanobacterium sanguineum" (NB) described in the literature are reviewed. NB is reported to be a motile, Gram negative organism that divides by binary fission within a calcium-coated slimy shell; this yeast-like shell replicates by budding. It measures between 20 and 200 nm with a unique structure containing 16S ribosomal RNA. NB has been observed by electron microscopy in coronary artery plaques (CAD) and in kidney stones (KS) found in renal diseases. On the basis of supportive literature, we suggest that NB is not only present in the human body but also has auxiliary association with human ailments without a specific etiological role; anti-NB antibody has been detected in subjects with calcified lesions and inflammation in diverse ailments including choriodecidual inflammation in pregnancy, ovarian cancers, arthritis and even Alzheimer's disease. More recent report on the detection and vertical transmission of NB antigen and anti-NB antibody in HIV-infected mothers supports the view that NB might be an important opportunistic infective agent contributing to HIV pathology; we note that the presence of viable and transmitting NB was not studied and suggest further studies to establish vertical transmission of NB in HIV-infected persons. On the basis of the foregoing we suggest that NB possibly exacerbates human ailments and raise the question: Is NB a new life-form in search of human ailment or a commensal organism? Recognizing the presence of NB in the human body, we discuss clinical trials, reported in the literature relevant to its eradication, with a rectal suppository containing very high amounts of disodium EDTA and tetracycline. We suggest that tetracycline in this formulation acted in combination with EDTA, more as a chelating agent than an antibiotic; oxytetracycline- a non-chelating form of tetracycline-does not inhibit or kill NB. Evaluation of anti-NB effect of orally administrable and potentially safer as well as therapeutically more acceptable chelating agent -ascorbic acid, acting alone or in combination with antibiotics-that eradicates another slime forming bacterium - Pseudomonas aeruginosa - in children with cystic fibrosis, is suggested.