[The etiological role of enterococci in chronic obstructive bronchitis]

The role of enterococci in the development of chronic obstructive bronchitis was determined. Enterococcus faecalis, subspecies zymogens and liquefaciens, were found to be the etiological factors of chronic obstructive bronchitis both as the primary cause of the disease and, probably, the cause of secondary hospital infection. Enterococci isolated from patients had some signs of pathogenicity, their characteristic feature being multiple drug resistance. Chronic obstructive bronchitis caused by these microorganisms was accompanied by decreased immune responsiveness and the development of autoimmune processes.