[Branhamella catarrhalis: its respiratory pathogenicity in childhood]

Branhamella catarrhalis is a nasopharyngeal commensal which is being increasingly recognised as a pathogen, causing mainly infective exacerbations of chronic lung disease. It can also originate serious infections, like septicaemia, in patients with chronic predisposing conditions. During the period from 1979 to 1987, 22,501 respiratory tract samples from children were evaluated. Ninety nine isolated of Branhamella catarrhalis were identified (0.44%). Patients' age extended from 12 days to 9 years, with patients younger than two years representing 73%. Sixty three out of 77 cases investigated (82%) were positive for beta-lactamase. The most frequent finding was the recovery of Branhamella catarrhalis in tracheal aspirates from children with a tracheotomy or prolonged nasotracheal intubation. One of these children had a septic episode during which Branhamella catarrhalis was isolated from blood. Also remarkable is a case of pneumonia in a patient with congenital hypogammaglobulinaemia. Branhamella catarrhalis was also recovered in a wide variety of acute upper and lower respiratory tract infections in children without previous predisposing conditions. It is less clear its pathogenic role in these cases.