Identification of Pathogenic Microorganisms in Bronchial Washings and their Antibiotic Sensitivity Profile

This study was carried out to isolate and identify the pulmonary microbial pathogens in bronchial washings. It was intended to make a diagnosis of lower respiratory tract infections in bronchial washings of patients whose sputum specimen failed to expose any aerobic pathogenic microorganism.The study was conducted in Microbiology Laboratory, Allama Iqbal Medical College Lahore. The specimens were taken from patient of tuberculosis, Chest, Medicine, Gynea and ENT wards at Jinnah Hospital Lahore and transported to Microbiology Laboratory, Allama Iqbal Medical College Lahore. All samples were processed for Culture and sensitivity, microbial identification was based on colony morphology, Gram staining, Microscopy, Biochemical and antibiotic susceptibility testing. Out of 126 specimens of bronchial washings 44 (34.92%) specimen revealed no micro-organism on culture media. The remaining 82(65.08%) specimens revealed Pseudomonas aeruginosa 25(30.48%), Acinetobacter,17 (20.73%), Escherichia coli, 07(8.54%), Haemophilus infuenzae 3(3.66%), Proteus mirabiles 2 (2.44%), Klebsiella Pneumonia 3(3.66%); B-haemolytic streptococci 6(7.32%), Streptococcus pneumonia 7(8.54%), Staphylococcus aureus, 6(7.32%); Neisseria meningitidis 3(3.66%); Candida species 3(3.66%). This study suggests that bronchial alveolar washings are superior to sputum specimen in diagnosis of lower respiratory tract infections.