Isolation of pathogenic bacteria from induced sputum from hospitalized children with pneumonia in Bangladesh.

Findings are presented from a prospective study conducted of 157 patients admitted to Dhaka Shishu Hospital in Dhaka Bangladesh to identify the bacteria present in the induced sputum of pediatric patients with X-ray-proven pneumonia. The patients were aged 21 days to 11 years 65% male and the most affected age group was between 6 months and 2 years old. Respiratory secretions produced by induced cough were taken by swab from the oropharynx for culture and smear. Analysis found the predominant bacteria to be Haemophilus influenzae Streptococcus pneumoniae Branhamella catarrhalis and Gram-negative bacilli. The serotyping of H. influenzae found that 76% were nontypable and 18% were of type b with 23.5% of H. influenzae isolates being B-lactamase producing. MIC90 of penicillin against S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae were 0.025 and 3.13 mcg/ml respectively. Ampicillin penicillin G amoxycillin and gentamicin were administered to treat the patients. The MIC results indicate that the strains encountered were not highly resistant to these antibiotics. All cases apparently improved on the basis of clinical evaluation and were discharged from the hospital.