Microbiology of perianal cellulitis in children: comparison of skin swabs and needle aspiration

Objective To establish the aerobic and anaerobic microbiology of perianal c ellulitis in children, comparing skin swab and needle aspirate methodology. Method Swabs of involved skin and needle aspirates of cellulitis were studi ed for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Results Specimens obtained from 10 patients with perianal cellulitis showed bacterial growth. Polymicrobial aerobic-anaerobic flora was found in all s kin surface cultures, where the predominate isolates were Peptostreptococcu s spp., Escherichia coli, and alpha hemolytic streptococci. The number of i solates in needle aspirates varied between one and two. The predominant one s were E. coli(3), Peptostreptococcus spp, (3), Staphylococcus aureus (2), and Bacteroides fragilis group (2), Complete or partial concordance in micr obiology between skin swabs and needle aspirates was present in six instanc es. In four instances, isolates recovered from needle aspirates were not is olated from the skin surface. Conclusions This study demonstrates the diversity of aerobic and anaerobic organisms isolated from perianal cellulitis, and the superiority of needle aspirates in establishing the microbiology of the infection.