Bacteroides Health Dictionary

An antibiotic used in the treatment of serious infections. It is active against gram-positive cocci, including penicillin-resistant staphylococci (see STAPHYLOCOCCUS) and also many anaerobes (see ANAEROBE), especially Bacteroides fragilis. It is recommended for staphylococcal bone and joint infections such as OSTEOMYELITIS and intra-abdominal sepsis, as well as ENDOCARDITIS prophylaxis. Clindamycin has only limited use because of its adverse effects; patients should discontinue immediately if diarrhoea or colitis develops.... clindamycin

An infection of the endometrium (membraneous lining) of the UTERUS, FALLOPIAN TUBES and adjacent structures caused by the ascent of micro-organisms from the vulva and vagina. Around 100,000 women develop PID each year in the UK; most of those affected are under 25 years of age. Infection is commonly associated with sexual intercourse; Chlamydia trachomatis (see CHLAMYDIA) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (see NEISSERIACEAE) are the most common pathogens. Although these bacteria initiate PID, opportunistic bacteria such as STREPTOCOCCUS and bacteroides often replace them.

The infection may be silent – with no obvious symptoms – or symptoms may be troublesome, for example, vaginal discharge and sometimes a palpable mass in the lower abdomen. If a LAPAROSCOPY is done – usually by endoscopic examination – overt evidence of PID is found in around 65 per cent of suspected cases.

PID may be confused with APPENDICITIS, ECTOPIC PREGNANCY – and PID is a common cause of such pregnancies – ovarian cyst (see OVARIES, DISEASES OF) and in?ammatory disorders of the intestines. Treatment is with a combination of ANTIBIOTICS that are active against the likely pathogens, accompanied by ANALGESICS. Patients may become seriously ill and require hospital care, where surgery is sometimes required if conservative management is unsuccessful. All women who have PID should be screened for sexually transmitted disease and, if this is present, should be referred with their partner(s) to a genito-urinary medicine clinic. Up to 20 per cent of women who have PID become infertile, and there is a seven-to ten-fold greater risk of an ectopic pregnancy occurring.... pelvic inflammatory disease(pid)

a condition caused by overgrowth of certain species of the bacteria that are normally present in the vagina (e.g. Bacteroides, *Gardnerella vaginalis). One of the most common vaginal infections, it is marked by a greyish watery vaginal discharge with a characteristic fishy odour. Treatment is with clindamycin or metronidazole.... bacterial vaginosis

n. a rod-shaped bacterium (bacillus) that is so small that it resembles a spherical bacterium (coccus). Examples of such bacteria are *Bacteroides and *Brucella.... coccobacillus

acute painful gingivitis with ulceration, in which the tissues of the gums are rapidly destroyed. Occurring mainly in debilitated patients, it is associated with anaerobic microorganisms (see Fusobacterium; Bacteroides) and is accompanied by an unpleasant odour. Treatment is with *metronidazole and a careful and thorough regime of oral hygiene supplemented with oxidizing mouthwashes. In the past ulcerative gingivitis has been called acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (ANUG), Vincent stomatitis, or Vincent’s angina. A rare complication of severe ulcerative gingivitis is a *noma.... ulcerative gingivitis