The causative organisms of bronchopneumonia in infants in egypt

Abstract

(1) Lung puncture has been shown to be the best way to isolate the causative organism in bronchopneumonia in early life. (2) The technique of lung puncture is described in detail and its safety proved. (3) During the winters of 1932-1936, 233 cases of bronchopneumonia were lung punctured and the material obtained was cultured on blood agar and broth. (4) Of the 182 positive cases, 106 (58-3 per cent.) showed one organism, fifty-eight (31-9 per cent.) showed two organisms, fifteen (8-2 per cent.) showed three organisms and three (1-6 per cent.) showed four organisms. (5) The commonest organism found was B. influenzae (42-3 per cent.); then staphylococci (36-8 per cent.), streptococci (23-1 per cent.), pneumococci (17 6 per cent.), M. catarrhalis (16 5 per cent.). (6) Of the twenty-seven pneumococci typed: four cases (14 8 per cent.) were type IS seven cases (26 per cent.) type II, three cases (11 1 per cent.) type III and thirteen cases (48-1 per cent.) were type IV.