To determine the bacterial etiology of lower respiratory tract infections in Kuwait, we performed quantitative culture of
sputum and measured the susceptibilities of the isolated bacteria against different antibiotics. A total of 140 sputum samples
were collected for a period of 14 months for the study. Single and multiple pathogens as a cause of infection were isolated
from 55 and 15 samples, respectively. A total of 53.8% of
Streptococcus pneumoniae were penicillin-resistant and 52% and 57% of
Hemophilus influenzae and
Moraxella catarrhalis were β-lactamase positive, respectively. We concluded that the major pathogens of respiratory tract infections in Kuwait
were
H. influenzae,
M. catarrhalis,
S. pneumoniae, and
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and there was an increased resistance among the isolated bacteria against commonly used antibiotics.
Key words Quantitative culture - Sputum - Respiratory infections - Kuwait
Received: April 2, 1999 / Accepted: June 23, 1999