ANAEROBIC COCCI OF CLINICAL IMPORTANCE

The current knowledge is reviewed concerning the anaerobic cocci, in p articular those of clinical relevance. The anaerobic cocci are defined and their current taxonomic positions discussed. It is clear that new genera and species await to be characterised fully The overwhelming m ajority found in clinical material belong to the genus Peptostreptococ cus, with the remainder belonging to the veillonellae and, possibly, r uminococci. Human infections with other anaerobic cocci are extremely rare. Their morphology, metabolism and culture, and role in clinical i nfections are assessed. The methods for isolation and identification, which for some species are difficult, are presented, together with bri ef summaries of the clinically important species. The review concludes with the current status of antibiotic susceptibilities and the method s used to test susceptibility ii? vitro. There is no current consensus as to which susceptibility test method is the method of choice.