How important are anaerobic bacteria in aspiration pneumonia: when should they be treated and what is optimal therapy.

Anaerobic bacteria are infrequent pulmonary pathogens, and, even then they are, they are almost never recovered due to the need for specimens uncontaminated by the upper airway flora and failure to do adequate anaerobic bacteriology. These bacteria are relatively common in selected types of lung infections including aspiration pneumonia, lung abscess, necrotizing pneumonia and emphyema. Preferred antibiotics for these infections based on clinical experience are clindamycin and any betalactam-betalactamase inhibitor.