Bacillus cereus infections

The importance of Bacillus organisms, particularly B. cereus, in local infections has been largely overlooked because they are commonly encountered as contaminants in specimens or cultures. Turnbull et al. (J Clin Pathol 1979 ;32 :289-93) reported severe infections with B. cereus and prompted me to review the recent isolates in this laboratory. In the nine months, November 1978 to July 1979, there have been nine significant isolates of Bacillus. Details of these infections are given in the Table. Infected traumatic or surgical wounds of the limbs account for nearly half these cases, but clinical severity is very variable. It is my experience that moderate or heavy growths of Bacillus from wounds are usually of clinical significance.