title: Microbiology of necrotizing fasciitis associated with omphalitis in the newborn infant.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to report the aerobic and anaerobic microbiology of periumbilical necrotizing fasciitis in newborn infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review was done of the author's 20-year experience.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Specimens obtained from 11 newborn infants with periumbilical necrotizing fasciitis were cultured for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. A total of 38 bacterial isolates was recovered: 21 aerobic and facultative and 17 anaerobic. Aerobic or facultative bacteria only were present in 1 specimen (9%), anaerobes only in 2 (18%), and mixed aerobic and anaerobic flora in 8 (73%). Multiple organisms were recovered from all instances and the number of isolates varied from two to six (average 3.5 isolates per specimen). The predominant isolates were Peptostreptococcus sp. (7 isolates); Bacteroides fragilis group (6); streptococcus group B (4); and Staphylococcus aureus, streptococcus group D, Escherichia coli, and Proteus mirabilis (3 each). All patients underwent extensive debridement and resection, and they received supportive and antimicrobial therapy. Six (55%) of the patients died.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings illustrate the polymicrobial aerobic-anaerobic flora of periumbilical necrotizing fasciitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Georgetown University, School of Medicine, Washington, D.C., USA.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Brook
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D003646:Debridement; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D019115:Fasciitis, Necrotizing / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007249:Inflammation / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014472:Umbilicus / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents