Atypical and Typical Bacteria in Children with Community Acquired Pneumonia.

This study seeks to determine the pathogens in respiratory specimens and blood serum obtained from children who present with community acquired pneumonia (CAP) diagnosed on the basis of clinical and radiological evidence. The study group consisted of 46 hospitalized children aged 1-11 years. The material for research consisted of pharyngeal swabs and samples of blood serum. One hundred and thirty eight pharyngeal swabs were examined for the presence of C. pneumoniae antigen, C. pneumoniae DNA, and for typical pathogens. C. pneumoniae DNA was detected in pharyngeal swabs with nested PCR. Classical microbiological culture was used for detection of typical bacteria. ELISA test were used for detection anti-C. pneumoniae and anti-M. pneumoniae antibodies in the serum. C. pneumoniae DNA was identified in 10.9% of children. Positive culture for typical pathogens was observed in 8.7% of children. Specific anti-C. pneumoniae IgM antibodies were found in 8.7% of children, and IgG and IgA antibodies in 1 child each. Specific anti-M. pneumoniae IgG antibodies were found in 13.1% of children and IgM antibodies in 1 child. We conclude that the underlying bacterial etiology of CAP is rather rarely conclusively confirmed in children. Nonetheless, determining the etiology of CAP is essential for the choice of treatment to optimize the use and effectiveness of antimicrobials and to avoid adverse effect. Due to considerable variations in the power of detection of the type of atypical bacteria causing CAP, the search for the optimum diagnostic methods continues.

Pathogens Causing Upper Respiratory Tract Infections in Outpatients.

The aim of the present study was to determine the results of typical and atypical bacteria microbiological tests in patients with symptoms of chronic cough. We investigated 230 outpatients aged from 1 to 83 years (112 female, 72 male, and 46 children) who were free of any respiratory tract infection at the time of study. The material for the investigation consisted of pharyngeal swabs. Two hundred and thirty pharyngeal swabs were examined for Chlamydia pneumoniae antigen and for typical pathogens each. Chlamydia pneumoniae antigen was detected using an indirect immunofluorescence test and classical microbiological culture was used for the detection of typical bacteria. The antigen was found in 44/230 (19.1 %) patients with chronic cough (23 women, 13 men, and 8 children). Positive culture for typical pathogens was observed in 65/230 (28.3 %) patients (37 women, 14 men, and 14 children). Simultaneous occurrence of Chlamydia pneumoniae and typical pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Moraxella catarrhalis, and Haemophilus influenzae, was observed in 11/230 (4.8 %) patients. The results show that in patients with chronic cough Chlamydia pneumoniae is detected less frequently than the typical pathogens are. A search for atypical bacteria in patients with chronic cough is needed to be able to conduct effective and sufficiently long therapy.

Detection of Chlamydophila Pneumoniae and Typical Bacteria in Patients with Chronic Cough.

The aim of research was to analyze the results of microbiological tests for typical and atypical bacteria in patients with symptoms of chronic cough. A total of 214 outpatients aged from 2 to 94 years (110 women, 64 men, and 40 children) with chronic cough were studied. Four hundred twenty eight throat swabs were examined for atypical bacteria antigen (Chlamydophila pneumoniae) (n=214) and typical pathogens (n=214). Chl. pneumoniae detection was performed using indirect immunofluorescence test. Classical microbiological culture was used for typical bacteria detection. Chl. pneumoniae antigen was detected in 55/214 (26.0%) patients with chronic cough (in 31 (28.2%) women, 14 (21.9%) men, and 10 (25.0%) children). Positive culture for typical pathogens was observed in 30 (27.3%) women, 22 (34.4%) men, and 21 (52.5%) children. Simultaneous occurrence of Chl. pneumoniae and typical pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus strain MSSA, Streptococcus pyogenes, or Moraxella catarrhalis) was found in 16 (7.5%) patients. The findings show that in patients with chronic cough Chl. pneumoniae infection, although less than that with typical pathogens, is rather frequent. Further, the performance of test for Chl. pneumoniae in throat swabs from patients with chronic cough is good and provides an efficient way to diagnose the infection and implement appropriate therapy.

Respiratory infection caused by Chlamydophila pneumoniae in children and adolescents in the Lower Silesia Region of Poland.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the incidence of Chlamydia pneumoniae respiratory tract infection in children and adolescents in the Lower Silesia Region in Poland in 2009. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 641 throat swabs obtained from 326 girls and 315 boys, aged 11 months to 18 years, were assessed diagnostically. The patients enrolled into the study were treated on an outpatient basis due to various, non-specific respiratory ailments. The most common presenting clinical symptom of a respiratory problem was dry cough, which occurred in 295 studied subjects, followed by runny nose and cough with discharge in 176 subjects, and other minor symptoms in 35 subjects. The assessment was conducted by an indirect immunofluorescence antibody (IFA) Chlamydia Testing kit (Cellabs, Sydney, Australia). RESULTS: Overall, Chlamydia infection was detected in the respiratory tract in 43.1% (276/ 641) of the children, with no clear gender differences. Of the 295 subjects presenting with dry cough, 122 (41.4%) had positive tests for Chlamydia. Of the 176 subjects with runny nose and cough and the 35 subjects with other symptoms, 83 (47.2%) and 8 (22.9%) had positive tests for Chlamydia, respectively. In the asymptomatic children who had direct contact with a Chlamydia infected person, there were 29.6% (8/27) positively tested cases, whereas in the children presenting symptoms, the percentage of positive tests was 48.3% (29/60). CONCLUSIONS: In children living in the Lower Silesia Region of Poland, there is a substantial ∼50% rate of Chlamydia infection, transmitted via airborne droplets. The finding of Chlamydia infection should be the signal for testing other subjects from the child's closest environment.