Diagnostic considerations and sample collection for anaerobic bacteria

Anaerobic bacteria are particularly frequent in infections following surgery and other trauma implanting bacteria of the normal mucosal flora. A few clinical clues of anerobic infections like smelling pus or discharge, preceeding aminoglycoside therapy or lack of anaerobic bacterial growth are important clues that anaerobes may be involved. Successful recovery of anaerobic bacteria, however, requires special techniques carried out by the clinician. Samples must be taken with a few basic rules in mind: (1) puncturing by syringe is the preferable method of sampling, (3) oxygen must not gain access to the samples (and must be removed before transport to the laboratory, if inadvertently admitted), (4) rapid transport to the laboratory improves the chance of successful recovery of anaerobes, and (5) special transport methods are required for specimens containing anaerobic bacteria.