Bacterial colonisation of the respiratory tract in chronic bronchitis |
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| Authors: | H. L. Butt R. L. Clancy A. W. Cripps K. Murree-Allen N. A. Saunders D. C. Sutherland M. J. Hensley |
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| Affiliation: | Senior Scientific Officer, Microbiology Department, Mater Hospital, Waratah, NSW.;Professor of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW.;Director, Auspharm Institute for Mucosal Immunology, Rankin Drive, Shortland, Newcastle.;Director, Thoracic Medicine, Royal Newcastle Hospital, Newcastle.;Professor of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Newcastle, Newcastle.;Clinical Director, Hunter Immunology Unit, Royal Newcastle Hospital, Newcastle.;Associate Professor in Clinical Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Newcastle, Newcastle. |
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| Abstract: | One hundred and nine subjects with chronic bronchitis were studied prior to winter and without clinical infection, to determine baseline patterns of bacterial colonisation. Qualitative analysis of cultures of oropharyngeal swabs showed little difference from age matched normal controls (17) except for growth of small numbers of Gram negative coliforms in the chronic bronchitic group. Quantitation of bacteria colonising the oropharynx showed small numbers (mean of 105 cfu/ml), with no particular bacteria dominating. Haemophilus influenzae was present in 7.3% of throat swabs from chronic bronchitic patients, but the organism was always less than 10% of the total count. Quantitation of bacteria in sputum showed significantly higher numbers (mean 107 cfu/ml). H. influenzae was detected in 25.7% of available specimens, and when present constituted > 90% of the total count. Biotyping of H. influenzae isolates demonstrated a separate colonisation of the upper and lower respiratory tracts. |
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| Keywords: | Chronic bronchitis colonisation haemophilus influenzae. |
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