[Etiology of acute infections of the lower respiratory tract in hospitalized infants: bacterial antigens].
Demonstration of bacterial antigens in biological fluids has been used for early detection of bacterial infections. Recent evidence suggests that higher detection rates of these antigens can be obtained from concentrated urine than from serum samples of patients. Evidence of bacterial infection by antigen detection was looked for from 50 fold concentrated urine samples by means of an ultrafilter system (Minicom) and latex agglutination for Haemophilus influenzae B (HiB) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (Sp) in three groups of patients. Group A (Positive controls), included 7 patients whose blood culture were positive for HiB (n = 5) and Sp (n = 2). Group B (Healthy controls) involved 16 children without clinical and laboratory signs of infection, coming from ambulatory well baby clinics and surgical wards, and group C was formed by 77 patients with negative blood cultures but with clinical and X ray evidence of lower respiratory tract infection. The corresponding antigen was demonstrated in urine samples from all group A patients. Three group B subjects gave positive results for HiB antigen. HiB antigen was detected from 10 and Sp antigen from 2 group C patients. These results suggest that the search for bacterial antigens in urine would be useful for etiological diagnosis and management of patients with bacterial pneumoniae. There is no definite explanation for the finding of HiB antigen in urine from apparently healthy children but the possibility of previous or actual asymptomatic infections must be taken into account.
Martínez
F
F
Escobar
A M
AM
Ceruti
E
E
Díaz
A
A
Farías
P
P
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000652:urine*; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007297:Inpatients; D007841:Latex Fixation Tests; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000652:urine*; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology*
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial
Etiología de las infecciones agudas del tracto respiratorio bajo en lactantes hospitalizados: antígenos bacterianos.