Recovery of anaerobic bacteria from four children with postthoracotomy sternal wound infection.

The cases of 4 children who developed postthoracotomy sternal wound infection caused by anaerobic bacteria are presented. The predominate anaerobes were Peptostreptococcus species and pigmented Prevotella species. Polymicrobial infection was present in all cases, and aerobic bacteria also were recovered in 2 instances. All patients responded to surgical debridement and antimicrobials effective against the isolated aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. These findings highlight the potential importance of anaerobic bacteria in postthoracotomy sternal wound infection.