Abstract
Quantitative and qualitative stool and ileostomy effluent culture specimens were taken from 8 subjects with ileostomies, 8 with ileoproctostomies, 8 with transverse or descending colostomies, and 10 normal subjects. The specimens were cultured for total aerobes, anaerobes, coliforms,Streptococci, Lactobacilli andBacteroides. The predominant organisms cultured were from theBacteroides species in patients who had part of, or an intact colon. In subjects without any colon—ie, in those with an ileostomy—Bacteroides were recovered in significantly smaller numbers. The mean recovery ofBacteroides from the stools of normal subjects was 8.7±0.31 to log10 viable organisms/g of feces; from colostomy patients, 8.3±0.34; from ileoproctostomy patients, 6.8±0.39; and from ileostomy patients, 2.7±1.2.Bacteroides growth appears to be related to the amount of colonic tissue present, since recoveries are poor in patients with ileoproctostomies and still poorer in patients with ileostomies. The anal sphincter does not appear to be related to the predominance of anaerobic organisms, which predominate in patients with colostomies who do not have an anal sphincter.
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Supported in part by Grant No. 07817 from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, US Public Health Service.
The authors thank Dr. Paul Anderson for his guidance during the study, and Miss Sylvia Diamond, Mrs. Ruth Adams and Mr. William Gershengoren for their technical assistance.
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Levine, S.M., Gelfand, M., Hersh, T. et al. Intestinal bacterial flora after total and partial colon resection. Digest Dis Sci 15, 523–528 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02238111
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02238111