Anaerobic infections in the newborn infant

Within the period of 1 year in a special care nursery, Bacteroids were obtained in three blood cultures from neonates with suspected sepsis. Two cases of fatal infection with Bacteroides bacteremia in neonates are reported. A third seriously ill infant was suspected of having an anaerobic infection and appeared to respond when antibiotics were changed to include broad coverage for anaerobic organisms. Preliminary observations of the clinical pharmacology of parenteral clindamycin in low-birth-weight infants are presented. With present improvement in laboratory methodology for isolating anaerobic organisms and aggressive attempts at diagnosis, these bacteria may be increasingly recognized as an important cause of perinatal infections.