Anaerobic Infections

Pathogenic MechanismsOur philosophic models of infection are based on concepts of microbial monoetiology. Pasteur demonstrated that certain micro-organisms were responsible for specific syndromes. This concept was formalized into its present liturgical style by Robert Koch in his famous "Postulates." To complete the trilogy, Erhlich created a "magic bullet," the drug designed for a specific infection. In its final form, this principle reads: one microbe-one disease-one drug.The concept of monoetiology applies to infections such as lobar pneumonia, typhoid fever, diphtheria and cholera. But this classic design does not fit most infections associated with anaerobic bacteria. These septic processes . . .