Bactron User Group  »   What is Anaerobic Bacteriology

Anaerobes are organisms that can grow without oxygen. Some can live with oxygen when it is present (facultative) and some cannot tolerate even a trace of oxygen (strict or obligatory). They are very prevalent, many as part of the normal human flora, and those which make up an estimated 50% of the earth's biota. Dozens of common infections are either exclusively anaerobic or mixed aerobic/anaerobic. Some obligatory anaerobes cause serious infections such as tetanus and gas gangrene or botulism in canned foods. Therefore, isolation and identification of anaerobes are very important in clinical diagnosis, research and in commercial processes such as canning and fermentation.