1. Poster Presentation
2008 American Thoracic Society International Conference
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Stomatococcus Mucilaginous in patients with non-CF Bronchiectasis.
Ericsoussi B, Beri R, Mehta H, Ahmed Z, Schraufnagel D and Sadikot RT.
Department of Veterans Affairs and Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Illinois at
Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL
Purpose: The lower respiratory tract of patients with bronchiectasis is frequently
colonized with potentially pathogenic micro-organisms. Many of these pathogens
contribute to the progressive tissue damage that occurs in patients with bronchiectasis.
The purpose of this study was to define the pattern of microbial colonization in patients
with non-CF bonchiectasis who were followed up at our institute.
Methods: A retrospective study of all patients who were diagnosed with non-CF
bronchieactasis (1999-2006) was conducted at the University of Illinois Medical Center
in Chicago. All patients with an ICD code 494 and a clinical diagnosis of bronchiectasis
that were 18 years or above were included in the study. The study was approved by the
Institutional Review Board of our institute. Patients with a diagnosis of cystic fibrosis
(CF) were excluded. Data regarding age, sex, sputum, tracheal and bronchoalveolar
washing/lavage Gram stain and cultures was obtained on all patients.
Results: Three hundred patients (78 men and 222 women) with a diagnosis of non-CF
bronchiectasis were identified during the study period. Analysis of sputum, tracheal and
bronchial washings showed that 9% were colonized with P.aeruginosa and
S.Pneumoniae, 4% with H.Influenzae and 9% had Stomatocccus Mucilaginous isolated.
Atypical mycobacteria were isolated in 12% of patients of whom 8% were found to have
MAI. S. mucilagounous was only reported by the laboratory if the specimens were
collected from the lower respiratory tract i.e. bronchial washings and lavage or tracheal
aspirate.
Conclusions: Our data shows an interesting pattern of microbial pathogens from the
lower respiratory tract of patients with non-CF bronchiectasis compared to previously
reported pathogens in these patients. A significantly high percentage of patients were
found to have S.mucilaginous which is very interesting as these bacteria are reported to
form biofilms like P.aeruginosa. S. mucilaginous is often under-reported as a pathogen
due to difficulties in obtaining samples for culture as well as misidentification due to its
biochemical characteristics. Further studies are needed to establish the contribution of
S.mucilaginous to the pathogenesis and progression of bronchiectasis