ANAEROBIC BACTERIA

 

INTRODUCTION:  The anaerobic bacteria are easily separated into two groups, those with and without spores. The spore forming anaerobes constitute the genus Clostridium. These are gram-positive bacilli, produce powerful exotoxins and occur across a wide variety of habitats. The important member of the non-spore bearing anaerobes is Bacteroides. Anaerobic infections are generally polymicrobial. These bacteria are found in mixed infections with other anaerobes, facultative anaerobes and aerobes.

HABITAT:  Clostridia are widely distributed in nature. Their main habitat is soil. Some of these, however, are commensals of intestinal canal of man and animals. Clostridium perfringens is uniformly present in the faeces of human beings whereas faeces of breast-fed infants commonly has Clostridium difficile in it. C.tetani has been isolated from 10-40% of faecal specimens of domestic animals.

CLASSIFICATION:  The spores in this genus are wider than the body of the bacterium thus giving it a swollen appearance which resembles a spindle and hence the name clostridium.  The clostridia can be classified on the basis of three simple criteria:

a)  Location and shape of spores.  

b)  Pathogenicity to human beings

c) Biochemical reactions

 

RELATED;

1.  PATHOGENICITY OF MICROBES

2.  PATHOGENICITY OF CLOSTRIDIUM

3.  BACTERIOLOGY

REFERENCES