Bacteriology in disease: failure of a micro-ecological balance?

Both aerobic (mainly alpha-haemolytic streptococci) and anaerobic micro-organisms (like Prevotella and Peptostreptococcus species) are able to interfere with the growth of potential pathogens such as group A beta-haemolytic streptococci, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis. The present paper reviews the application of this concept of interference with respect to the development of common acute ear-, nose- and throat infections.