Bacteriology of the gut and its clinical implications

The bacteriology of the gastrointestinal tract is rapidly changing in laboratory techniques and clinical correlations. The flora is found to be very complex, predominantly anaerobic, and importantly dependent on diet. An etiologic role for colon bacteria in colon cancer is suggested by correlations between epidemiologic data and prevalent dietary patterns and stool culture findings. Cultures from aspiration pneumonia, subphrenic abscess, and other intra-abdominal sepsis all yield anaerobes, and for best results antibiotic therapy should combat them as well as aerobes.