Non spore forming anaerobic infections in children

Non spore forming anaerobic bacteria are an important component of normal flora in humans and are responsible for a variety of infections in children. They are often overlooked due to difficulties in their microbiological isolation. Most of the anaerobic infections are endogenous and polymicrobial. Certain predisposing factors and peculiar characteristics of anaerobic infections offer diagnostic clues to clinicians. Polymicrobial and pleomorphic appearance of gram stain combined with absence of growth on routine aerobic cultures supports the causative role of anaerobes in a particular infection. The presence of an anaerobic infection imposes on the clinician the duty of identifying an underlying situation which has predisposed the patient to the anaerobic infection. Treatment by appropriate antibiotics and surgical procedures is necessary.