Selected Topics in Anaerobic Bacteriology
- Author: Deirdre L. Church1
- Editors: Randall T. Hayden2, Donna M. Wolk3, Karen C. Carroll4, Yi-Wei Tang5
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VIEW AFFILIATIONS HIDE AFFILIATIONSAffiliations: 1: Departments of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine and Medicine, University of Calgary, and Division of Microbiology, Calgary Laboratory Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4; 2: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN; 3: Geisinger Clinic, Danville, PA; 4: Johns Hopkins University Hospital, Baltimore, MD; 5: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Institute, New York, NY
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Received 05 June 2015 Accepted 27 August 2015 Published 12 August 2016
- Correspondence: Deirdre L. Church, [email protected], [email protected]

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Abstract:
Alteration in the host microbiome at skin and mucosal surfaces plays a role in the function of the immune system, and may predispose immunocompromised patients to infection. Because obligate anaerobes are the predominant type of bacteria present in humans at skin and mucosal surfaces, immunocompromised patients are at increased risk for serious invasive infection due to anaerobes. Laboratory approaches to the diagnosis of anaerobe infections that occur due to pyogenic, polymicrobial, or toxin-producing organisms are described. The clinical interpretation and limitations of anaerobe recovery from specimens, anaerobe-identification procedures, and antibiotic-susceptibility testing are outlined. Bacteriotherapy following analysis of disruption of the host microbiome has been effective for treatment of refractory or recurrent Clostridium difficile infection, and may become feasible for other conditions in the future.
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Citation: Church D. 2016. Selected Topics in Anaerobic Bacteriology. Microbiol Spectrum 4(4):DMIH2-0015-2015. doi:10.1128/microbiolspec.DMIH2-0015-2015.




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Abstract:
Alteration in the host microbiome at skin and mucosal surfaces plays a role in the function of the immune system, and may predispose immunocompromised patients to infection. Because obligate anaerobes are the predominant type of bacteria present in humans at skin and mucosal surfaces, immunocompromised patients are at increased risk for serious invasive infection due to anaerobes. Laboratory approaches to the diagnosis of anaerobe infections that occur due to pyogenic, polymicrobial, or toxin-producing organisms are described. The clinical interpretation and limitations of anaerobe recovery from specimens, anaerobe-identification procedures, and antibiotic-susceptibility testing are outlined. Bacteriotherapy following analysis of disruption of the host microbiome has been effective for treatment of refractory or recurrent Clostridium difficile infection, and may become feasible for other conditions in the future.

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Figures

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FIGURE 1
Anaerobic collection devices. (A) BBL Port-A-Cul Transport System (BD Diagnostics); (B) BD Eswab (BD Diagnostics); (C) BBL Anaerobic Vacutainer Specimen Collector (BD Diagnostics); (D) AnaeroGro – Prereduced anaerobic-culture medium (Hardy Diagnostics); (E) Anaerobic Tissue Transport Surgery Pack (Anaerobic Systems); (F) Starplex Anaerobic Transport Medium (Fisher Scientific); (G) Copan Liquid Amies Elution Swab (Eswab) (Copan Diagnostics Inc.); (H) Anaerobic Transport Medium – PRAS (Anaerobic Systems).

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FIGURE 2
Anaerobic culture-incubation systems. (A) BBL GasPak Plus and Anaerobic Jar (BD Diagnostics); (B) Anoxomat Mark II System and jars (Advanced Instruments, Inc.); (C) Different types of anaerobic chambers, including systems that require the use of gloves to access the chamber (top and middle images are from Plas-Labs and Bactron [ShelLabs]), and gloveless systems (bottom image) (Coy).

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FIGURE 3
Antibiotic-susceptibility disk testing – Gram-positive anaerobic bacteria.

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FIGURE 4
Antibiotic-susceptibility disk testing – Gram-negative anaerobic bacteria.

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FIGURE 5
Clostridial-necrotizing skin and soft-tissue infection. Courtesy of Dr. John Conly, University of Calgary.

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FIGURE 6
Yellow pseudomembranes of C. difficile colitis. Courtesy of Dr. Paul Beck, University of Calgary.

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FIGURE 7
Three-step testing algorithm for laboratory diagnosis of C. difficile infection. Adapted from reference ( 263 ) and reprinted with permission.

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FIGURE 8
C. DIFF QUIK CHEK Complete Assay. Illustration shows both GDH- and toxin-positive samples on the left, and a GDH-positive but toxin-negative sample on the right; see product monograph (TechLab, Blacksburg, VA, USA. See http://www.techlab.com/diagnostics/c-difficile/c-diff-quik-chek-complete-30525c-30550c-t30525c-t20550c/)
Tables

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TABLE 2
Acceptable and unacceptable types of specimens for anaerobic culture a

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TABLE 10
Rapid identification of anaerobic cocci a

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TABLE 11
Laboratory guidelines for work-up of anaerobes isolated from nonsterile-specimen cultures a

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TABLE 12
Clinical indications for susceptibility testing of anaerobic bacteria a

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TABLE 14
Population-based risk for anaerobic bacteremia associated with underlying conditions a

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TABLE 15
Guidelines for the use of diagnostic tests for detection of C. difficile infection a
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