Anaerobes under assault: from cottage industry to industrialization of medicine and microbiology.

More than 100 years have elapsed since the initial discovery of anaerobiosis, the first anaerobic microbiological isolation, and the first clinical descriptions of human anaerobic infection. New species are still being discovered, the important role of anaerobes as normal flora and in the maintenance of health is becoming increasingly appreciated, and the development of resistance by anaerobes to virtually all antimicrobials has recently accelerated. Anaerobes and their products have been employed widely and at times have been associated with political evolution, such as the establishment of the state of Israel. Despite all this, the current era of recession and health care economizing threatens the field of anaerobic bacteriology with funding cutbacks and diminished recognition. In order to prevent stagnation in the field and its decline, anaerobists must remain committed and vigilant and must take an increasingly active stance in education, publication, and research.