From the Research
Peptostreptococcus anaerobius is the most likely anaerobic gram-positive cocci in pairs and clusters. This bacterium is a common part of the normal human microbiota, particularly found in the gastrointestinal and vaginal microbiota 1. It is known to cause various infections, including deep organ abscesses, obstetric and gynecological sepsis, and intraoral infections 2. The identification of P. anaerobius can be done through gram staining, phenotypic methods, MALDI-TOF MS, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing 1. P. anaerobius has shown resistance to certain antibiotics, such as penicillin, ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, and levofloxacin, and has intermediate susceptibility to ampicillin-sulbactam and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid 1. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing should be performed on P. anaerobius isolates due to their unpredictable susceptibility patterns 1. Some key points to consider when dealing with P. anaerobius infections include:
- The use of MALDI-TOF MS for direct identification from clinical specimens 1
- The importance of antimicrobial susceptibility testing to guide treatment 1
- The potential for P. anaerobius to cause severe infections, such as endocarditis and intraoral infections 2, 1
- The need for careful consideration of antibiotic resistance patterns when selecting treatment options 1, 3