ABSTRACT
Wound infections remain a major source of postoperative morbidity, accounting for about one-quarter of the total number of nosocomial infections. Anaerobic bacteria are a major cause of these infections, especially when they occur in proximity to a site where these bacteria reside as part of the normal flora. This chapter describes several infections where anaerobic bacteria play a major role. Additional information regarding wound infection after intraabdominal surgery is presented in Chapter 22, and tracheostomy wound site in Chapter 21.
