Numbers and types of anaerobic bacteria isolated from clinical specimens since 1960.
Between 1960 and 1974, 826 specimens, excluding stool, urine, sputum, and blood, yielded 689 (83%) positive cultures, of which 403 (58.5%) contained anaerobic bacteria. This represents 48.8% of the total specimens cultured. Isolates from 153 specimens obtained and stocked from 1965 to 1974 were reidentified by current criteria. Gram-negative bacilli, primarily bacteroides, were the most frequently isolated anaerobes, being found in 70% of 153 anaerobe-positive specimens and accounting for 42% of the total anaerobes isolated. Gram-positive cocci were second in occurrence, being found in 66% of 153 specimens and accounting for 40% of the total isolates. Bacteroides fragilis was by far the most frequently isolated species. Compairson of 14 years of cumulative data with data from current studies covering 1- to 2-year periods indicated that the anaerobes isolated from clinical material have not changed significantly in type or relative numbers.
D000693:Anaerobiosis; D001407:Bacillus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001441:Bacteroides fragilis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003013:Clostridium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005673:Fusobacterium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008660:Metabolism; D010460:Peptococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010462:Peptostreptococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013048:Specimen Handling; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification*