Bacillus Species associated with infection - B. anthracis, B. cereus, B. circulans, B. coagulans, B. licheniformis, B. megaterium, B. myroides, B. pumilus, B. sphaericus, B. subtilis, B. thuringiensis B. anthracis - the agent of anthrax - reported therapeutic agents - penicillin, erythromycin Other spp. associated with - pneumonia, septicaemia, eye infections, meningitis, food poisoning, endocarditis, bacteraemia, lung infection - reported susceptibilities and treatments - vancomycin, clindamycin, aminoglycosides, imipenem, penicillin (other spp.) Notes - other than anthrax (B. anthracis) and food poisoning (especially B. cereus), infections with Bacillus spp. are rare and poorly known - Bacillus spp. are common specimen and laboratory contaminants - B. thuringiensis, a biological insecticide has caused corneal infection - some organisms previously classified as Bacillus spp. have been reclassified as members of Brevibacillus and Paenibacillus References - Ihde, D.C., Armstrong, D. (1973). Clinical spectrum of infection due to Bacillus species. Am. J. Med. 55, 839-845. - Slimans et al. (1987). Serious infections caused by Bacillus species. Medicine (Balt.). 66, 218-223. - Weber et al. (1988). In vitro susceptibility of Bacillus spp. to selected antimicrobial agents. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 32, 642-645. - Isaacson et al. (1976). Pseudotumour of the lung caused by infection with Bacillus sphaericus. J. clin. Pathol. 29, 806-811. - Samples, J.R., Buettner. (1983). Corneal ulcer caused by a biological insecticide (Bacillus thuringiensis). Am. J. Ophthalmol. 95, 258-260. - Samples, J.R., Buettner. (1983). Ocular infection caused by a biological insecticide. J. infect. Dis. 148, 614. - Reller, L.B. (1973). Endocarditis caused by Bacillus subtilis. Am. J. clin. Pathol. 60, 714-718.
