Abstract
Tests for precipitins against Staph. aureus, H. influenzae, Ps. aeruginosa, Strep. pneumoniae, and Kleb. pneumoniae were carried out on the serum of 195 patients with cystic fibrosis, whose ages ranged from 3 weeks to 31 years. Sputum was obtained for culture from 96 patients over 5 years old. Precipitins against Ps. aeruginosa were more common than those against any other organism, including Staph. aureus, in the 0- to 5- and 6- to 10- year-old groups, while mucoid Ps. aeruginosa was the commonest pathogen isolated from the sputum of the 6- to 10-year-old children. These findings suggest that Ps. aeruginosa is the commonest bronchial pathogen in the younger patients and seem to conflict with the belief that Staph. aureus is always the initial pathogen in cystic fibrosis. Indeed, in 2 patients Ps. aeruginosa was proved to be the initial pathogen, and it is probable that patients with cystic fibrosis are susceptible from birth to bronchial infection by any pathogen with which they come in contact. The prevalence of pseudomonas infection, in contrast to that for staphylococcal or haemophilus infections, fell strikingly in the oldest patients, and this may reflect the failure of many patients with pseudomonas infections to survive into adult life.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Burns M. W., May J. R. Bacterial precipitins in serum of patients with cystic fibrosis. Lancet. 1968 Feb 10;1(7537):270–272. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(68)90121-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Burns M. W., May J. R. Haemophilus influenzae precipitins in the serum of patients with chronic bronchial disorders. Lancet. 1967 Feb 18;1(7486):354–358. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(67)92895-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Burns M. W. Precipitins to Klebsiella and other enterobacteria in the serum of patients with chronic respiratory disorders. Lancet. 1968 Feb 24;1(7539):383–385. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(68)91353-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Burns M. W. Precipitins to pneumococcal C-substance polysaccharide in the serum of patients with chronic bronchial disorders. Lancet. 1968 Feb 3;1(7536):223–224. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(68)90848-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- DI SANT AGNESE P. A. Cystic fibrosis of the pancreas. Am J Med. 1956 Sep;21(3):406–422. doi: 10.1016/0002-9343(56)90040-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- MAY J. R. The bacteriology of chronic bronchitis. Lancet. 1953 Sep 12;265(6785):534–537. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(53)90274-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- May J. R., Roberts D. E. Bronchial infection in cystic fibrosis. Lancet. 1969 Mar 22;1(7595):602–603. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(69)91536-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Mearns M. B., Hunt G. H., Rushworth R. Bacterial flora of respiratory tract in patients with cystic fibrosis, 1950-71. Arch Dis Child. 1972 Dec;47(256):902–907. doi: 10.1136/adc.47.256.902. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- RAWLINS G. A. Liquefaction of sputum for bacteriological examination. Lancet. 1953 Sep 12;265(6785):538–539. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(53)90275-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]