Role of anaerobic bacteria in simian enteric diseases.

Screening of monkeys for anaerobic bacteria showed that the incidence of non-spore-forming anaerobes was 2.0-2.5 times higher than that of clostridia. The overwhelming majority of isolated anaerobes were saprophytes and opportunistic bacteria. The incidence of C. perfringens was higher in monkeys with enteric infections of obscure etiology and dead from these diseases than in healthy animals (48.2 vs. 36.8%).