Chapter 20, Problem 12MC

Summary Introduction

Introduction:

The anaerobic bacteria are mainly found in various tracts in the human anatomy, like gastrointestinal, respiratory and urinary. These microbes restrain the growth of pathogenic bacteria and also synthesize vitamins that help in digestion. One of the most common anaerobes is Bacteroides, usually found in the intestinal tract. A variety of gastrointestinal diseases are caused by Bacteroides fragilis, due to the presence of a polysaccharide capsule. These bacteria can grow in the presence of bile and can be synthesized in bile esculin agar in the absence of oxygen as they are tolerant of bile.