Anaerobes survive in clinical specimens despite delayed processing

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Abstract
Quantitative cultures were performed on 11 purulent specimens of at least 2 ml from mixed aerobic-anaerobic [human] infections to determine the effect of prolonged exposure to air on the recovery of anaerobes. The specimens were processed immediately and after air exposure for 10 min and 1, 4 and 24 h. There were 37 anaerobic and 36 aerobic strains recovered from these specimens. Of the anaerobes, 26 were isolated with the initial processing and 22 were still present after air exposure for 24 h; there was little change with the sequential samplings. Eleven anaerobic strains were not detected in the initial culture but appeared sporadically in subsequent cultures. Most pathogenic anaerobes sampled this way survived in purulent exudate despite extended periods of air exposure. The major cause of discrepant results with periodic cultures was probably vagaries in sampling.