Anaerobic pulmonary infections in children.
Pulmonary infections due to anaerobic bacteria usually occur in children prone to aspiration. The source of the anaerobic bacteria is the oropharyngeal bacterial flora, where these organisms outnumber aerobic and facultative organisms in a 10:1 ratio. The most common lower respiratory tract infections where anaerobic bacteria are recovered mixed with aerobic organisms are aspiration pneumonia, lung abscess, and empyema. The predominant isolated anaerobic bacteria are Peptostreptococcus, Fusobacterium, pigmented Prevotella, and Porphyromonas spp. and Bacteroides fragilis group. Management of these infections includes the administration of antimicrobials effective against the anaerobic as well as the aerobic pathogens.
Brook
Itzhak
I
Department of Pediatrics, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA. ib6@georgetown.edu
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D002648:Child; D004653:Empyema / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008169:Lung Abscess / Q000150:complications; D011015:Pneumonia, Aspiration / Q000150:complications; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents