Anaerobic bacteria including Bacteroides species and Clostridium difficile are important causes of infection that usually require specific antimicrobial therapy.
Keywords: Bacteroides; Clostridium difficile; antimicrobial therapy
Antimicrobials against Anaerobic Bacteria
Jon Brazier, Public Health Laboratory, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK
Brian I Duerden, Public Health Laboratory, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK
Published online: April 2001
DOI: 10.1038/npg.els.0002000
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Figure 1. C. difficile toxin-positive stools 1990–1998. (Compiled by Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre from data supplied by diagnostic microbiology laboratories in England and Wales.)
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| References | |
| Anonymous (1999) Clostridium difficile in England and Wales. Communicable Disease Report 9: No. 7, 12th February. | |
| Brazier JS, O'Neill GL and Duerden BI (1997) Polymerase chain reaction ribotypes of Clostridium difficile in hospitals in England and Wales. Reviews in Medical Microbiology 8 (supplement 1): S55–S56. | |
| Brazier JS, Stubbs SL and Duerden BI (1999) Metronidazole resistance among clinical isolates belonging to the Bacteroides fragilis group: time to be concerned? Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 44: 580–581. | |
| Cartmill TDI, Panigrahi H, Worsley MA, McCann DC, Nice CN and Keith E (1994) Management and control of a large outbreak of diarrhoea due to Clostridium difficile. Journal of Hospital Infection 27: 1–15. | |
| book Department of Health and Public Health Laboratory Service Joint Working Group (1994) Clostridium difficile Infection. Prevention and Management. Heywood, UK: BAPS Health Publication Unit. | |
| Duerden BI (1995) Role of the reference laboratory in susceptibility testing of anaerobes and a survey of isolates referred from laboratories in England and Wales during 1993–94. Clinical Infectious Diseases 20 (supplement 2): 180–186. | |
| Edwards R and Greenwood D (1996) Mechanisms responsible for reduced susceptibility to imipenem in Bacteroides fragilis. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 38: 941–951. | |
| Hall IC and O'Toole E (1935) Intestinal flora in newborn infants with a description of a new pathogenic anaerobe, Bacillus difficilis. American Journal of Diseases in Childhood 49: 390–402. | |
| Holst E, Helin I and Mardh PA (1981) Recovery of Clostridium difficile from children. Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases 13: 41–45. | |
| Lewis SJ, Potts LF and Barry RE (1998) The lack of therapeutic effect of Saccharomyces boulardii in the prevention of antibiotic related diarrhoea in elderly patients. Journal of Infection 36: 171–174. | |
| Tedesco FJ, Barton RW and Alpers DH (1974) Clindamycin-associated colitis. A prospective study. Annals of Internal Medicine 81: 429–433. | |
| Further Reading | |
| book Finegold SM and George WL (eds) (1989) Anaerobic Infections in Humans. San Diego: Academic Press. | |
| book Duerden BI and Drasar BS (eds) (1991) Anaerobes in Human Disease. London: Edward Arnold. | |
| Clostridium difficile infection (1998) Report of a Working Group. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 41 (supplement C). [Whole issue.] | |
