Anaerobes play an important role in chorioamnionitis. Anaerobic infections of the skin and soft tissues, although less common, can be of unrivaled clinical severity. In addition to clostridial species, other anaerobes can participate in these processes. Multiple aerobic and anaerobic organisms can cause synergistic skin infections such as Meleney's progressive synergistic gangrene, necrotizing fasciitis, or Fournier's gangrene. In addition to broad-spectrum antibiotics, extensive surgical drainage is mandatory.
Mortality is high, even with treatment.
A similar range of anaerobic and aerobic bacteria can be responsible for nonclostridial gas-forming infections. These infections, which are more common in diabetics, range in severity from mild to fulminant. Surgical drainage is required for treatment and to obtain specimens for culture so that appropriate antibiotics can be selected. A variety of anaerobes and aerobes can be recovered from cutaneous abscesses and from cutaneous ulcers. These abscesses respond well to incision and drainage alone.