[Bronchopulmonary infection due to Branhamella catarrhalis in patients with obstructive lung disease]

During the period from February 1988 to April 1990, 214 sputum samples from COPD patients with bronchopulmonary infection were quantitatively cultured. 17 strains were identified as Branhamella catarrhalis, being present in 7.9% of all sputum cultures and 11.0% of those positive for a pathogen (Quantity = 10(10)/L of Isolated Organism). Half of B. catarrhalis infection was isolated in mixed with other pathogens. Haemophilus influenza was the most frequently associated pathogen. The second was H. influenza plus Streptococcus pneumoniae. Of 17 B. catarrhalis, 2 strains were positive for beta-lactamase. The incidence of B. catarrhalis infection varied with the seasons, being prevalent in late winter and early spring. Many factors contributed to the pathogenicity of B. catarrhalis, such as the rapid increase of positive beta-lactamase strains and the change of seasons. The result showed that B. catarrhalis was the fourth frequent pathogen in COPD patients accompanied with bronchopulmonary infection. Most of the strains were resistant to penicillin, and beta-lactamase strains were discovered. Therefore, B. catarrhalis should be as a potential pathogen to be identified in sputum. A suitable method was recommended to identified B. catarrhalis.