Etiology of acute lower respiratory tract infection.
OBJECTIVE
To identify pathogens responsible for acute severe lower respiratory tract infection (ALRTI) in under five children by non-invasive methods.


METHODS
95 children hospitalized with acute severe lower respiratory tract infection were investigated for identification of viruses, bacteria, chlamydia or mycoplasma by nasopharyngeal aspirates, blood culture and serology.


RESULTS
Etiological agents could be identified in 94% of the patients. Viruses from NP aspirate could be isolated in 36 (38%), bacterial isolates from blood cultures in 15 (16%); mycoplasma was identified in 23 (24%) and chlamydia in 10 (11%) by serological tests; mixed infections were present in 8 (8%) patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Noninvasive methods can be useful in identifying etiological agents in severe ALRTI.
Kabra
S K
SK
Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. skkabra@hotmail.com
Lodha
Rakesh
R
Broor
S
S
Chaudhary
R
R
Ghosh
M
M
Maitreyi
R S
RS
D002675:Child, Preschool; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009177:Mycoplasma pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / Q000382:microbiology; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000821:virology; D012136:Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012698:Serologic Tests