Bacteroides fragilis is involved in 90% of anaerobic peritoneal infections. It also causes bacteremia associated with intra-abdominal infections, peritonitis and abscesses following rupture of viscus, and subcutaneous abscesses or burnsnear the anus.

What diseases do Bacteroides cause?

Bacteroides spp can be the sole cause of infection in certain rare clinical situations requiring special consideration. Endocarditis, osteomyelitis, septic arthritis, and meningitis are four such examples. In addition, brain abscesses caused by B. fragilis alone, or in a mixed infection require special consideration.

Is Bacteroides good or bad?

Amongst commensal bacteria, Bacteroides fragilis has a well-established role as a ‘resistance reservoir’, because it is extremely good at incorporating genes from others of its kind as well as ‘foreign’ genes into its extremely plastic genome by this process of gene transfer.