RT Book, Section
A1 Cohen-Poradosu, Ronit
A1 Kasper, Dennis L.
A2 Kasper, Dennis L.
A2 Fauci, Anthony S.
SR Print(0)
ID 1141409381
T1 INFECTIONS DUE TO MIXED ANAEROBIC ORGANISMS
T2 Harrison's Infectious Diseases, 3e
YR 2017
FD 2017
PB McGraw-Hill Education
PP New York, NY
SN 9781259835971
LK accessbiomedicalscience.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1141409381
RD 2024/04/19
AB Anaerobes  comprise  the  predominant  class  of  bacteria  of  the  normal  human  microbiota  (formerly  termed  “the  normal  human  flora”)  that  reside  on  mucous  membranes  and  predominate  in  many  infectious  processes,  particularly  those  arising  from  mucosal  surfaces.  These  organisms  generally  cause  disease  subsequent  to  the  breakdown  of  mucosal  barriers  and  the  leakage  of  the  microbiota  into  normally  sterile  sites.  Infections  resulting  from  contamination  by  the  microbiota  are  usually  polymicrobial  and  involve  both  aerobic  and  anaerobic  bacteria.  However,  the  difficulties  encountered  in  handling  specimens  in  which  anaerobes  may  be  important  and  the  technical  challenges  entailed  in  cultivating  and  identifying  these  organisms  in  clinical  microbiology  laboratories  continue  to  leave  the  anaerobic  etiology  of  an  infectious  process  unproven  in  many  cases.  Therefore,  an  understanding  of  the  types  of  infections  in  which  anaerobes  can  play  a  role  is  crucial  in  selecting  appropriate  microbiologic  tools  to  identify  the  organisms  in  clinical  specimens  and  in  choosing  the  most  appropriate  treatment,  including  antibiotics  and  surgical  drainage  or  debridement  of  the  infected  site.