are part of the microbiota of the lower reproductive tract of women. Causes of infection Infections with anaerobic gram-positive cocci and microaerophilic streptococci are often caused by: Trauma Immunodeficiency Steroid therapy Vascular disease Malignancy Reduced blood supply Previous surgery Presence of a foreign body Sickle cell anemia Diabetes Treatment When Peptostreptococci and other anaerobes predominate, aggressive treatment of acute infection can prevent chronic infection. When the risk of anaerobic infection is high, as with intra-abdominal and post-surgical infections, proper antimicrobial prophylaxis may reduce the risk. Therapy with antimicrobials (e.g., aminoglycosides, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, older quinolones) often does not eradicate anaerobes. Taxonomy As of 2022, there are 5 species validly published in the genus Peptostreptococcus, with several species formerly being described, that have been moved to a more accurate genus. Not validly published species Peptostreptococcus faecalis Peptostreptococcus glycinophilus Candidatus Peptostreptococcus massiliensis Species formerly described in Peptostreptococcus Order Coriobacteriales Family Atopobiaceae Genus Lancefieldella: P. parvulus, first moved to Atopobium in 1993, reassigned in 2018. Order Eggerthellales Family Eggerthellaceae Genus Slackia: P. heliotrinreducens, reassigned in 1999. Order Eubacteriales Family Lachnospiraceae Genus Blautia: P. productus, first moved to Ruminococcus (Oscillospiraceae) in 1994, reassigned in 2008. Family Peptoniphilaceae Genus Anaerococcus: P. hydrogenalis, P. lactolyticus, P. octavius, P. prevotii, P. tetradius, P. vaginalis, reassigned in 2001. Genus Finegoldia: P. magnus, reassigned in 2000. Genus Gallicola: P. barnesae, reassigned in 2001. Genus Parvimonas: P. micros, reassigned in 2006. Genus Peptoniphilus: P. asaccharolyticus, P. harei, P. indolicus, P. ivorii, P. lacrimalis, reassigned in 2001. See also List of bacterial vaginosis microbiota References External links Peptostreptococcus infections from eMedicine. Peptostreptococcaceae Gut flora bacteria Bacterial vaginosis Bacteria genera Taxa described in 1936