I Brook1, A E Gober. 1. Department of Pediatrics, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Our goal was to characterize the dynamics and bacterial interaction of the aerobic and anaerobic flora of nasal discharge of children at different stages of uncomplicated nasopharyngitis. METHODS AND PATIENTS: Serial semiquantitative nasopharyngeal (NP) and quantitative nasal discharge (ND) cultures were taken every 3 to 5 days from 20 children in whom purulent discharge eventually developed (group 1), and a single culture was obtained from a group of 20 who had only clear discharge (group 2). RESULTS: Aerobic and anaerobic bacteria were isolated from all NP cultures. Bacterial growth was present in 8 (40%) NDs of group 2. Only 7 (35%) of the clear NDs of group 1 showed bacterial growth; the number increased to 14 (70%) at the mucoid stage and 20 (100%) at the purulent stage. It declined to 6 (30%) at the final clear stage. The number of species and total number of organisms increased in the NDs of group 1. Group 1 patients had higher recovery rates of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae in their NP cultures than group 2 patients (P < 0.05). During the purulent stage, Peptostreptococcus species were isolated in 15 (75%), Fusobacterium species in 10 (50%), Prevotella species in 9 (45%), H influenzae in 8 (40%), S pneumoniae in 6 (30%), and beta-hemolytic streptococci in 5 (25%) of group 1 NDs. This was higher than their recovery in the clear stages of both groups and the mucoid stage of group 1. A total of 8 organisms capable of interfering with the growth of potential pathogens were isolated from the NPs of group 1, as compared with 35 from group 2 (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The development of purulent nasopharyngitis is associated with the pre-existing presence of potential pathogens and the absence of interfering organisms.
PURPOSE: Our goal was to characterize the dynamics and bacterial interaction of the aerobic and anaerobic flora of nasal discharge of children at different stages of uncomplicated nasopharyngitis. METHODS AND PATIENTS: Serial semiquantitative nasopharyngeal (NP) and quantitative nasal discharge (ND) cultures were taken every 3 to 5 days from 20 children in whom purulent discharge eventually developed (group 1), and a single culture was obtained from a group of 20 who had only clear discharge (group 2). RESULTS: Aerobic and anaerobic bacteria were isolated from all NP cultures. Bacterial growth was present in 8 (40%) NDs of group 2. Only 7 (35%) of the clear NDs of group 1 showed bacterial growth; the number increased to 14 (70%) at the mucoid stage and 20 (100%) at the purulent stage. It declined to 6 (30%) at the final clear stage. The number of species and total number of organisms increased in the NDs of group 1. Group 1 patients had higher recovery rates of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae in their NP cultures than group 2 patients (P < 0.05). During the purulent stage, Peptostreptococcus species were isolated in 15 (75%), Fusobacterium species in 10 (50%), Prevotella species in 9 (45%), H influenzae in 8 (40%), S pneumoniae in 6 (30%), and beta-hemolytic streptococci in 5 (25%) of group 1 NDs. This was higher than their recovery in the clear stages of both groups and the mucoid stage of group 1. A total of 8 organisms capable of interfering with the growth of potential pathogens were isolated from the NPs of group 1, as compared with 35 from group 2 (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The development of purulent nasopharyngitis is associated with the pre-existing presence of potential pathogens and the absence of interfering organisms.
Authors: Elena Chiappini; Francesca Santamaria; Gian Luigi Marseglia; Paola Marchisio; Luisa Galli; Renato Cutrera; Maurizio de Martino; Sara Antonini; Paolo Becherucci; Paolo Biasci; Barbara Bortone; Sergio Bottero; Valeria Caldarelli; Fabio Cardinale; Guido Castelli Gattinara; Martina Ciarcià; Daniele Ciofi; Sofia D'Elios; Giuseppe Di Mauro; Mattia Doria; Luciana Indinnimeo; Andrea Lo Vecchio; Francesco Macrì; Roberto Mattina; Vito Leonardo Miniello; Michele Miraglia Del Giudice; Guido Morbin; Marco Antonio Motisi; Andrea Novelli; Anna Teresa Palamara; Maria Laura Panatta; Angela Pasinato; Diego Peroni; Katia Perruccio; Giorgio Piacentini; Massimo Pifferi; Lorenzo Pignataro; Emanuela Sitzia; Chiara Tersigni; Sara Torretta; Irene Trambusti; Giulia Trippella; Diletta Valentini; Sandro Valentini; Attilio Varricchio; Maria Carmen Verga; Claudio Vicini; Marco Zecca; Alberto Villani Journal: Ital J Pediatr Date: 2021-10-25 Impact factor: 2.638