Identification and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of Anaerobes Isolated from Clinical Specimens: A Study Re-emphasizing Role of the Neglected Bacteria Causing Significant Infections

Abstract

Background: Anaerobic bacteria cause significant human infections but isolation, identification and antimicrobial susceptibility of these bacteria in routine microbiology is given least importance. Because of neglect towards this branch of microbiology, there is emergence of resistance to commonly used antibiotics.
Purpose: To know the prevalence, isolation, identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of anaerobes from clinical samples in our institute.
Material and Methods: A prospective study was done for identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of anaerobes by following standard methods.
Results: Isolation rate of anaerobic bacteria found in our study was 28.96%. Predominant organism was Peptostreptococcus species (26.20%). Sensitivity to metronidazole in our study was 88.64%. Bacteroides fragilis showed resistance to penicillin in 22.22% isolates. There was no resistance observed to rest of the antimicrobials tested to any other organism isolated.
Conclusion: This is the high time for microbiologists to show their interest in isolation with antimicrobial susceptibility testing with cooperation of clinicians to prevent anaerobic organisms to become “Super-bugs”.