Walsh & Hoyt: Lactobacilli

Lactobacilli are gram-positive, nonspore-forming, anaerobic bacilli that are part of the normal flora of the gastrointestinal tract, upper airway, and female genital tract. They occasionally are responsible for cases of endocarditis. Although these organisms rarely cause CNS infection, they are sometimes isolated from polymicrobial brain abscesses and empyemas. We are unaware of any cases of meningitis caused by lactobacilli, but there is no reason that such cases could not occur.