Bacterial tracheitis.

Bacterial tracheitis is a recently described clinical entity characterized by high fever, stridor, and airway obstruction. Laryngoscopy shows membraneous inflammation with notable subglottic edema and copious mucopus in the trachea. Staphylococcus aureus is the most common bacterium to be cultured. Subglottic narrowing can be seen on lateral soft-tissue roentgenograms of the neck. Bacterial tracheitis should be treated by establishing a controlled airway by endotracheal intubation or tracheotomy, rather than by usual modalities used for the treatment of croup. Bacterial tracheitis seems to be similar to croup but is more likely to be fatal. Two of the five patients described herein died.