Abstract

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Anaerobes are normally found within certain areas of the body but result in serious infection when they have access to a normally sterile body fluid or deep tissue. This paper reviewed and presents the current information on the relationship of anaerobic bacteria with surgical wound infections. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) changed the term surgical wound infections to surgical site infections, classified the anaerobic bacteria on the basis of oxygen requirements, and classified the surgical wounds based on degree of endogenous microbial contamination. The paper also reviewed other risk factors associated with surgical wound infections such as patient factors, surgical factors, preoperative patient care, theatre factors and equipment factors. Laboratory diagnosis of anaerobic bacterial infection, specimen collection techniques for cultivation of the anaerobic bacteria and various anaerobic growth media used in bacteriology have also been reviewed. The use of some antibiotic prophylaxis before surgery, and some ways of preventing the surgical wound infections were covered

Keywords: Anaerobiosis, bacteria, surgical, wounds, skin infection