Anaerobic bacteria are organisms that could grow only in the abscence of free oxygen.
Therefore it is very difficult to culture the organisms. Anaerobic infections are often
neglected not only because of the difficulty of cultivation but also of identification which
require analysis of fattyacids. As the isolates in Korea have not been subjected to fatty
acid analysis, our knowledge in anaerobe infections are very limited.
This study was conducted to identify clinical isolates of anaerobes accurately with the
use of gas liquid chromatography(GLC) and to determine the relationship between
anaerobe species and the infection.
Clinical specimens obtained at YUMC during the period of September 1979-August
1980 were cultured anaerobically and the anaerobes isolated were identified with GLC if
necessary. Clinical conditions were reviewed retrospectively. Following results were
obtained.
1) A total of 342 anaerobic organisms were isolated from 282 clinical specimens. Most
frequently isolated anaerobes were Pc. asaccharolyticus, Ps. anaerobius, S. intermedius,
Cl. perfringens, B. fragilis and B. melaninogenicus.
2) Anaerobes were most frequently isolated from specimens of thorax, abdomen and
soft tissue wound.
3) With the review of 118 available patients' records, it was found that most frequent
clinical conditions were appendicitis with peritonitis, wound infection following GIT
cancer surgery, empyema, lung abscess, and infection of umblicus of new-torn and soft
tissues.
4) Only 18.4% of the specimens yielded anaerobes alone, and the remaining 81.6%
yielded both anaerobes mixed with aerobes.
5) With the use of GLC, up to 94.4% and 94.1% of isolates unidentifiable by
conventional methods, were satisfactorily identified during the periods of September
1979-May 1980 and June 1980-August 1980 respectively.
|