Bacterial Tracheitis: Report of Eight New Cases and Review

Serious complications of an obstructive upper airway infection in a young child

“…(5) That was the case with our patient as well, who had fever and evolving respiratory tract symptoms only the last eight hours before he Morbidities associated with bacterial tracheitis may include: respiratory and cardiopulmonary arrest, respiratory failure requiring intubation and mechanical ventilation, pneumonia, septic shock, toxic shock syndrome, ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome), MOF (multiple organ failure). (10)(11)(12) Immunization against H. influenza type B has resulted in decreasing incidence of early childhood H. influenza type B typical epiglottitis, while routine use of corticosteroids for viral croup (even for mild cases) has dramatically changed the morbidity of these entities. Vaccine failure, as well as low HiB antibody titre, has been reported, emphasizing the importance of considering acute epiglottitis in the differential diagnosis of the child presenting with acute upper airway obstruction.…”

Bacterial tracheitis in children: Approach to diagnosis and treatment

“…Locally, this results in production of thick, mucopurulent exudates, ulceration and sloughing of the tracheal mucosa (5,8). This can result in a variable degree of upper airway obstruction.…”

“…The viral illness is believed to cause transient local or systemic alterations in the immune response that predispose the host to bacterial infection (3,8,10,11). This theory is strongly supported by the observation that bacterial tracheitis cases occur most often during upsurges of winter viral epidemics in the community, including that of viral croup (9,12,13).…”

“…In the preantibiotic era, Group A Streptococcus was the most common bacterial pathogen identified. Following the development of effective antimicrobial agents, S aureus became the most common causative organism for many years (5,8,15). More recently, Moraxella catarrhalis (M catarrhalis was previously named Branhamalla catarrhalis; for purpose of clarification, we will refer to this organism as M catarrhalis throughout the article), has been identified with increased frequency as a cause of bacterial tracheitis (8,15).…”

“…Following the development of effective antimicrobial agents, S aureus became the most common causative organism for many years (5,8,15). More recently, Moraxella catarrhalis (M catarrhalis was previously named Branhamalla catarrhalis; for purpose of clarification, we will refer to this organism as M catarrhalis throughout the article), has been identified with increased frequency as a cause of bacterial tracheitis (8,15). In the most recently published case series of children with bacterial tracheitis, M catarrhalis was identified in tracheal secretions more often than S aureus, and was associated with more severe disease (12).…”