[Colonization (infection) of the respiratory tract in outpatients in 2000-2005 years]

Infections of the respiratory tract are one of the main causes of family doctor visiting. A variety of etiological factors (mostly viruses, typical and non typical bacteria) causes that the diagnosis of these infections is rarely made in outpatient practice (usually these are nose and throat smears); additionally the carrier state of typical bacteria in the respiratory tract impedes the interpretation of microbiological results. THE AIM OF THE STUDY was to assess the incidence of potential bacterial etiological factors of respiratory tract infections in outpatients in the years 2000-2005.

The 3270 microbiological results obtained from patients at the age of between 1 month and 88 years old with chronic and acute symptoms of respiratory tract infections were analyzed.

The positive results of bacteria culture indicating the possible bacterial etiological agent of infection were found from 1051 patients (34.4%), mostly in autumn - spring time. Most often were isolated: H. influenzae - 28.8%, S. pneumoniae - 22.1% and S. aureus - 22.1%, in less percentage M. catarrhalis - 14.1% and S. pyogenes - 13.1. Positive bacteria cultures were received most often from ear secretion- 66.8% (P. aeruginosa, S. aureus), from nose-41.2% (S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae), sputum - 34.9% (S. aureus), throat - 24.3% (H. influenzae, S. pyogenes).

It has been confirmed that predominant participation of viruses in respiratory system infections is observed and also seasonal character of their bacterial nature occurrence (35%). Most often were isolated: H. influenzae, S. pneumoniae, S. aureus, also M. catarrhalis. On the ground of carrier state of these bacteria in nasopharynx it is a clinician's decision to recognize the bacteria as the etiological agent of infection and possible use of antibiotic treatment.