Biology 216 - Lect 28 - Obligate Anaerobes Obligate anaerobes - Grow only in absence of O2 and killed by exposure to O2 Disease from non-sporeforming anaerobes (non-Clostridia) is endogenous. A. General bacteriology - probably left over from pre-plant era Habitat - soil, water, animals Often associated with facultative (reduce O2) Mouth 50 % anaerobes; Colon 1000:1 anaerobes; Sebacious glands Why restricted to anaerobic environment? 1. O2 toxicity - no SOD, catalase or peroxidase (some have these) 2. Redox potential too low for proper e- transport (oxidation of enzymes and carriers) B. Organisms (Sporeformers Clostridium discussed next period in detail) 1. Gm negative rods - 2 groups of major medical importance a. Bacteroides - short, vacuolated. B. fragilis group of 5 species - colon, abdominal infection, virulence capsule, Pen resist (B-lactamase) Prevotella melaninogenicus and Porphyromonas - black pigmented, red fluorescing, oral, lung b. Fusobacterium - long thin tapering (fusing) - normal flora in GI, oral Lung and brain, ulcerative gingivitis 2. Gm negative cocci - rare in disease - omit 3. Gm positive rods - few in disease - Actinomyces, Bifidobacterium, Propionibacterium 4. Gm positive cocci - (anaerobic strept) - Peptostreptococcus, oral cavity, lung/brain C. Pathogenesis - little is known 1. Endogenous (except Clostridium) - Normal flora dictates disease site. 2. Colonization - areas with low O2 Trauma - devitilization of tissue Ischemia - diabetes, necrotic areas, inflammation necrosis (decreased O2 killing by PMN) Facultative coinfection - polymicrobic 3. Lesion - abscess, pus, putrification (proteolysis) 4. Diseases - based on location Lung - anaerobes 50 % of lung abscesses; Aspiration or orals (alcoholic, viral, anaesthesia, ...) CNS - hematogenous spread from lung (Bacteroides, Fuso, Peptostrep, Actino) Intraabdominal - large inoculum spills into peritoneum (Trauma, appendicitis, Carcinoma, Surgery) Inflammation walls off low inoculum; Large inoculum -> abscess, necrosis, debride. D. Diagnosis - Becoming more aware of anaerobe disease with better isolation techniques. 1. Clinical - abscess, gas in lesion, odor, history, near mucosal site 2. Specimen collection - beware normal flora contamination and O2 exposure Ex. Sputum will have normal flora anaerobes; blood, CSF.... any anaerobe is significant. Collect anaerobically (aspirate wound) Process immediately (15 min) or hold in transport medium (reduced) - inject specimen into capped. 3. Direct exam - Gm stain (stain poorly, pleomorphic, fusiform), Fl-Ab for Bacteroides. 4. Inoculation of media -care and expediency - examine blood culture and blind subculture. Minimal O2 exposure, pretreat media to reduce, PRAS (Pre-reduced anaerobic sterilized), boil broth, Store plates in N2 (fish tank), thioglycolate, enriched (Vit K), antibiotics to select. 5. Anaerobic growth systems a. Glove box - 90 % N2, 10 % CO2 (flush 20 times); Entry chamber, media, incubator, electric loop. b. Anaerobe jar - Evacuate with non-O2 gas Gas Pak - H2 generator, palladium -> H2O; Small versions; Redox indicator (LMB or reazurin) 6. ID - Biochems, kits (API-20 A), MiniteK Aerotolerance test; Presumpto (esculin, casein, starch...) Antibiotic sensitivity is species indicator - Kn, Colistin, Vanco... GLC - acid end products; Ether extract, derivatize (methylation), compare retention w/ standards E. Treatment - Surgical debridement; Combination antibiotics (Pen effective except B. fragilis - clinda, metronidazole) Metronidazole (flagyl) - reduced inside anaerobes & necrotic area -> active DNA damage