Correlation between Branhamella catarrhalis adherence to oropharyngeal cells and seasonal incidence of lower respiratory tract infections.

Abstract

Bacterial colonization of the oropharynx is the initial event in most lower respiratory tract infections. To study the role of bacterial adherence in lower respiratory tract infections caused by Branhamella catarrhalis (B. catarrhalis) in winter, in vitro adherence assays of the organism to human oropharyngeal cells were carried out in winter, spring, summer and autumn. A total of 57 adults of both sexes were studied from January to December 1985. Forty eight persons of 57 had chronic pulmonary diseases and the remaining 9 persons had other clinical entities and served as the control group. Predominance of lower respiratory tract infections caused by B. catarrhalis with high adherence rate was observed in winter. Adherence activity was moderate in spring and autumn and low in summer and accompanied by a similar incidence of lower respiratory tract infections with this bacteria. In addition, similar results were found in patients in whom investigations were done successively in the above four seasons. Bacterial adherence activity to cells however, was weak in winter in the control group. These results indicate that seasonal variation plays a significant role in the ability of B. catarrhalis to adhere to oropharyngeal cells. This is an important pathogenic factor correlated with the incidence of lower.respiratory tract infections in these patients. Branhamella catarrhalis ; adherence ; lower respiratory tract infections ; seasons

In vitro adherence of Streptococcus pneumoniae to oropharyngeal cells: Enhanced activity and colonization of the upper respiratory tract in patients with recurrent respiratory infections.

“…Cells were collected, washed and counted as previously described (Mbaki et al 1987). Briefly, the oropharynx was vigorously scraped with a cotton-tipped swab.…”

Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis Adherence to Human Bronchial and Oropharyngeal Cells: The Role of Adherence in Lower Respiratory Tract Infections

“…All of the CPD patients had chronic symptoms such as cough and sputum, and were moderately ill when symptoms were not aggravated; their frequent respiratory infections were determined to be caused by tion in the upper respiratory tract and nosocomial infection by P aeruginosa (10). We previously demonstrated, by investigating patients with CPD and age-matched controls, that increased adherence of B. catarrhalis to oropharyngeal cells was seen in patients with CPD and related to lower respiratory tract infections (13). The increased adherence of B. catarrhalis to oropharyngeal cells was not correlated with the age of the subjects but was correlated with the lung diseases in the patients (13).…”

“…Lower respiratory tract infections developed after bacterial colonization of the upper airways in compromised patients (7,9,12,13,23). Therefore, the investigation of bacterial binding to both upper and lower airway cells may provide clues to understanding the mechanism and pathogenesis of lower respiratory tract infections.…”

“…catarrhalis respiratory infections in patients with chronic pulmonary disease (CPD) was correlated with variance in the binding of the bacteria to upper airway cells (13). However, the pathogenicity of the bacteria in association with adherence to lower airway cells has not been investigated.…”

Effect of ampicillin, cefmetazole and minocycline on the adherence of Branhamella catarrhalis to pharyngeal epithelial cells.

“…Bacterial adherence on the surface of oral mucosa has been regarded as an important factor for pathogenic bacteria to invade lower respiratory tract (Johanson et al 1979). It has been recently reported that there is a significant correlation between the occurrence of infection and the adherence ability of B, catarrhalis to oropharyngeal cells from patients with respiratory diseases (Mbaki et al 1987). Several investigators (Ninane et al 1978;Johnson et al 1981;Matsumoto 1981;McLeod et al 1983) reported that B. catarrhalis has become an important respiratory pathogen.…”