Female genital tract abscess formation in the rat. Use of pathogens including enterococci

Previous animal experiments utilizing bowel flora have demonstrated synergy between various aerobes and anaerobes in the formation of intraabdominal abscesses. In these experiments, human female genital tract isolates were inserted into the abdominal and pelvic cavities of 151 female Sprague-Dawley rats. Inoculation with any single species of organism--Streptococcus faecalis, Enterobacter cloacae or Bacteroides bivius or a combination of two facultative organisms (S faecalis plus E cloacae)--did not result in a significant increase in abscess formation. Combination of a facultative organism or organisms with the anaerobe B bivius or S faecalis plus B bivius plus E cloacae resulted in 55% (P < .01) and 74% (P < .0005) rates of abscess formation, respectively, as compared with controls. Combinations including B fragilis demonstrated similar results. Thus, female genital tract facultative organisms demonstrate synergy in the presence of anaerobic organisms in the development of abscesses.