Branhamella catarrhalis in children and adults. A study of prevalence, time of colonisation, and association with upper and lower respiratory tract infections.
The colonisation rate of Branhamella catarrhalis in patients from 0 to 45 years of age was examined. Of 561 women admitted to hospital in labour, 6 (1%) carried B. catarrhalis in their throats but none carried the organism in their vaginas. None of 534 newborn babies became colonised at birth or during their 5 days' stay in hospital. Neither were 102 neonates < 1 month of age in hospital colonised. The maximum colonisation rate during childhood was observed in children 1-48 months of age with 143 of 266 (54%) children colonised. Among children 4-15 years of age, four of 57 (7%) children with healthy respiratory tracts were colonised. Significantly more children with upper or lower respiratory tract infections (RTI) were colonised (68%) than were children without such infections (36%), (P < 0.001). After recovery from RTI, the isolation rate in the RTI group fell to that of the non-RTI group. A seasonal variation in prevalence was not observed. Of all the strains of B. catarrhalis isolated, 84% produced beta-lactamase.
Department of Clinical Microbiology, Aalborg Hospital, Denmark.
T
T
Ejlertsen
E
E
Thisted
F
F
Ebbesen
B
B
Olesen
J
J
Renneberg
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D001936:Moraxella catarrhalis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016870:Neisseriaceae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission; D010614:Pharynx / Q000382:microbiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000382:microbiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission; D012621:Seasons; D013997:Time Factors; D014132:Trachea / Q000382:microbiology