title: Nosocomial Branhamella catarrhalis in a paediatric intensive care unit: risk factors for disease.
abstract: There have been few reports on Branhamella catarrhalis as a nosocomial pathogen, and no risk factors for nosocomial infection have been identified. We report 11 cases (mean age 22 months) of nosocomial Branhamella catarrhalis respiratory tract infection in a paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) over a two-year period. There were 2 cases of pneumonia and 9 cases of bronchitis. Branhamella catarrhalis was the sole isolate recovered in 6 cases and was associated with other respiratory pathogens in 5 cases. A case-control study with two age-matched controls per patient (mean age 24.1 months) was undertaken to identify potential risk factors for infection; risk factors identified were the presence of an endotracheal tube (p less than 0.02) and frequent endotracheal tube suction (p less than 0.05). Five of 6 tested strains from PICU patients produced beta-lactamase. DNA preparations of 4 B. catarrhalis isolates from PICU patients revealed no plasmids. B. catarrhalis should be considered a potential nosocomial pathogen.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, New England Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111.
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Hecht
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Snydman
mesh_terms: D001900:Boston; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015278:Intensive Care Units, Pediatric; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D001936:Moraxella catarrhalis; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D012307:Risk Factors; D013396:Suction / Q000009:adverse effects