Branhamella catarrhalis as a human pathogen and a possible hospital infectant.

Branhamella catarrhalis, previously named Neisseria catarrhalis and supposed to be a saprophytic inhabitant of the human upper respiratory tract, is a facultative pathogen. It was already proved by other authors to be able to cause serious and even lethal respiratory infections and purulent meningitis. Our aim was only to call attention to its repeated and massive isolation of pure culture from nose and throat swabs of hospitalized children who mostly suffered from asthma bronchiale and spastic bronchitis. The isolation of this bacterium often occurred in clusters of 3 to 4 in the same ward. Some other observation indicate occasional spreading of this organisms from person to person at home and in the hospital. In most cases Branhamella catarrhalis behaved only as a mild infectant, but in immunodeficient or otherwise weakened patient it can cause serious hospital infection.