title: Diagnosis of bronchopulmonary infections by quantification of microflora.
abstract: The quantification of bacteria and fungi in sputum or bronchoaspirate is of clinical value for the diagnosis of respiratory tract infections. We have developed an easy method to count the micro-organisms in patients with respiratory tract infections. This consists of the quantification of micro-organisms by subsequent streakings of a calibrated loop on agar. The correlation between microbiological quantitative data and the clinical status of patients with lower respiratory tract infections is discussed. The data seem to indicate that certain bacteria present in sputum or bronchoaspirate above a certain concentration may be responsible for lower respiratory tract infections. In patients with immunological disorders or chronic pathologies even lower concentrations of micro-organisms in bronchial secretions probably are enough to cause infections. The advantage of this counting method of the microbic species from the respiratory tract consists of their quantification: thus we can attribute an etiological role to a high concentration of the germs, while micro-organisms at low concentrations are probably contaminants. By this method isolated colonies are obtained after 12-18 hours. The bacterial quantification, by respiratory samples examination of the same patient in the following days, allows us to evaluate the efficacy of antibacterial therapy, producing a reduction of bacterial concentration.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, University of Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pirali
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Longo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gelmi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Colombrita
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ravizzola
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pinsi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Peroni
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Manca
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Turano
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000382:microbiology; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D001982:Bronchial Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D001987:Bronchiectasis / Q000382:microbiology; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000382:microbiology; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000382:microbiology; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000175:diagnosis; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000382:microbiology; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000382:microbiology; D009181:Mycoses / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000382:microbiology; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology; D014135:Tracheal Stenosis / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents