The role of pneumococcal infection in development of exacerbations in children with bronchial asthma and obstructive bronchitis

Abstract

Pneumococcal infection remains the key cause of severe diseases of lower airways and deaths in children. The objective: to study the role of pneumococcal infection in pathogenesis of exacerbations of recurrent obstructive pulmonary diseases. Methods: etiological structure of lower airways infections was evaluated in 125 patients 1–15 years old with bronchial asthma or recurrent bronchitis. Results: etiologic role of Streptococcus pneumoniae in development of low airways infections was detected in 48% of patients with atopic asthma, 85% — with asthma without atopy, 97% — with recurrent bronchitis. Repeated microbiological examination confirmed chronic carriage of S. рneumoniae in nasopharinx in 31% of patients. Conclusion: early active prophylaxis with vaccine against pneumococcal infection including conjugated vaccines is able to prevent further progression of a disease.Key words: children, bronchial asthma, obstructive bronchitis, exacerbation, pneumococcal infection.