Volume 5, Number 4, 217-219, DOI: 10.1007/s101560050039

Causative bacteria of respiratory tract infections in Kuwait by quantitative culture of sputum

K. Ahmed, S. Wilson, W. Y. Jamal, G. Martinez, K. Oishi, T. Nagatake and V. O. Rotimi

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Abstract

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

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