Pulmonary Bacterial Pathogens in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis

Abstract

The aim of the research is to perform microbiological analysis of respiratory tract samples in patients with cystic fibrosis and to verify the aetiology, prevalence and antibiotic sensitivity of the isolated pathogens. Sixteen patients with cystic fibrosis aged from 3 months to 30 years were included. Twenty-nine respiratory and one digestive tract samples were tested. The identification of isolated pathogens was performed using conventional\break methods and automated miniAPI and VITEK 2 systems (bioMerieux, France). Antibiotic sensitivity of all isolates was determined by a disk diffusion test or the minimum inhibitory concentration method. A total of 34 microbial strains from 15 patients were isolated: Gram-positive bacteria 12 (35.29%), Gram-negative bacteria 20 (58.82%) and yeast-like fungi 2 (5.88%). S. aureus is the dominant pathogen among Gram-positive bacteria. Most of the Gram-negative bacteria are identified as P. aeruginosa and other non-fermenting glucose bacteria and the rest as H. influenzae and E. coli. P. aeruginosa was isolated from patients in different age groups. The strains showed good sensitivity to antibiotics. Microorganisms isolated from the respiratory tract in patient with cystic fibrosis vary over the period of follow-up. Gram-negative bacteria, especially P. aeruginosa, are dominant but showed good sensitivity to antimicrobial agents and no multidrug-resistant strains were isolated.