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This case illustrates progressive anaerobic pleuropulmonary infection caused by Bifidobacterium eriksonii that eventually was fatal. Aspiration pneumonia, lung abscess, empyema, and finally necrotizing pneumonia characterized the clinical course. The organism is difficult to recover, but there is reason to suspect that it may be of greater etiologic importance than heretofore recognized in debilitated patients with pleuropulmonary infections. This patient was a 52-year-old alcoholic with periodontal disease. Both conditions are well-known factors underlying anaerobic pleuropulmonary infection. Alcoholism probably predisposed the patient to aspiration of oral secretions, the likely source of the infection.

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A case of clostridial endomyometritis and sepsis necessitating total abdominal hysterectomy which occurred 12 hours following abortion induced with intraamniotic administration of prostaglandin F2 alpha and laminaria tent insertion is discussed. Cultures from cervical, blood, and surgical specimens all yielded Clostridium perfringens. Intrauterine contamination with this microorganism most likely followed the insertion of laminaria tents through the cervical os, which was colonized with C. perfringens. Since C. perfringens may be present in the microflora of the lower female genital tract, great care must be taken to cleanse this area prior to intracervical laminaria tent insertion.

A prospective study was performed to determine the prevalence and persistence of group B streptococcal colonization among obstetric (high-risk) and nonobstetric (low-risk) personnel. Seventy-four individuals participated in the study and the following sites were sampled: throat, rectum, vagina (females) and anterior urethra (males). The overall colonization rate was 32.4% and no statistical difference was found between high- and low-risk groups. The most frequently recovered serotypes were type III (37.5%) and type II/Ic (33.3%). Individuals older than 30 years were more likely to carry type II/Ic, whereas personnel in their twenties were most frequently colonized with type III. The rectum was the most frequently colonized site (83.3%). The vagina/urethra was colonized in 62.5% and the throat in 8.4% of carriers. Twenty-three culture-positive individuals were recultured from all sites three to six months later and persistent colonization was found in 56.5%. There was no statistical difference in persistence between the high- and low-risk groups. Type III carriers tended to become culture-negative, whereas type II/Ic carriers were significantly more likely to remain colonized with group B streptococci.