Characterization of Peptostreptococcus species in skin infections

Abstract

We examined the characteristics of Peptostreptococcus species in infectious skin diseases. P. magnus was the species identified most frequently, followed by P. asaccharolyticus. Peptostreptococcus species were mainly isolated from infected atheroma and secondary infections due to ulcers; their resistance to five antimicrobial agents was generally low. The resistance of the three predominant Peptostreptococcus species to the antimicrobials was similar to that of all of the Peptostreptococcus species. The predominant Peptostreptococcus species isolated from infected atheroma might be pathogenic. It was considered that the presence of anaerobes as well as aerobes was important to induce the infectious condition.