title: The clinical importance of anaerobic bacteria in wound infections after gastrointestinal surgery.
abstract: Wound cultures from 54 patients with infections after gastrointestinal surgery were examined. Cultures from wounds after surgery on the upper gastrointestinal tract grew few organisms, mainly aerobic gram-positive cocci. Culture from wounds on the lower gastrointestinal tract grew strains of bacteria, aerobic and anaerobic gram-negative rods dominating. Indirect immunofluorescence studies on acute and convalescent phase sera showed significant immune response against Bacteroides fragilis in a majority of cases. Immune response against anaerobic cocci was seldom found. Very high antibody titres against Clostridium perfringens were often found, both in patients' and control sera.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000391:Air Microbiology; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D001441:Bacteroides fragilis / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003016:Clostridium perfringens / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D006088:Gram-Negative Aerobic Bacteria / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006089:Gram-Negative Anaerobic Bacteria / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009873:Operating Rooms; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial