title: Aerobic and anaerobic bacteriology of cervical adenitis in children.
abstract: Needle aspirates from 53 inflamed cervical lymph glands were studies for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and mycobacteria. Bacterial growth was achieved in 45 patients (85%). Sixty-six bacterial isolates were recovered, averaging 1.5 isolates per specimen (0.8 aerobes and 0.7 anaerobes), with as many as 4 isolates in some specimens. Aerobic organisms alone were recovered in 27 aspirates (60%) of the 45 culture-positive aspirates, anaerobic bacteria alone in 8 (18%), and mixed aerobic and anaerobic bacteria in 9 specimens (20%). Mycobacterium scrofulaceum was recovered in one (2%). The predominant aerobic organisms were Staphylococcus aureus (14 isolates) and group A beta hemolytic streptococci (8). A total of 31 anaerobes were recovered, including gram-positive cocci (9, including 6 Peptococcus sp. and 3 Peptostreptococcus sp.), 8 Bacteroides sp. (including 3 B. melaninogenicus), 5 Propionibacterium acnes, and 4 Fusobacterium nucleatum. These data demonstrate the role of anaerobic organisms in cervical lymphadenitis and the need to culture aspirated material for both aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006088:Gram-Negative Aerobic Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006089:Gram-Negative Anaerobic Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008199:Lymphadenitis / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification