RECOVERY OF ANAEROBIC-BACTERIA FROM PEDIATRIC-PATIENTS - ONE-YEAR EXPERIENCE

During 1975, 115 specimens from the soft tissues, body fluids and purulent sites in 105 pediatric ward and nursery patients were submitted to the clinical laboratory for anaerobic study; 75% of the cultures were positive. In most instances, specimens were collected in anaerobic transport tubes containing peptone yeast extract and glucose. In the laboratory, samples were processed by the anaerobic holding jar method. Nineteen different anaerobic organisms were isolated; the average number of species per specimen was 1.8. Bacteroides sp. were the most common isolates (45 strains). Other isolates included 44 anaerobic cocci (15 of which were Peptostreptococcus sp.), 22 Propionibacterium sp., 10 Fusobacterium sp., 9 Clostridium sp., 8 Veillonella sp., 6 Bifidobacterium sp. and 4 Eubacterium sp. The main sources of anaerobic isolates included 52 gastric aspirates, 46 soft tissue sites, 14 blood specimens, 12 CSF samples and 12 samples from the external ear canals. Of the 86 specimens that contained anaerobic bacteria, 41 (43%) had aerobic organisms present.