Assessment of Bronchial Lavage Samples For the Diagnosis of Childhood Pneumonia

Background: Lower respiratory tract infections are frequent and often serious diseases in children. Wide number of microorganisms may cause lower respiratory tract infections, and sometimes it could be very difficult to determine the exact causative.Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the reliability of specimens obtained by bronchial lavage in determining the etiology of childhood pneumonia.Methods: This is prospective study conducted during four years period, in a group of 60 children aged from 6 months to 18 years. All patients included in this study underwent bronchoscopy when they fulfilled criteria of routine clinical protocol, in order to set correct diagnosis of lower respiratory tract disease. Results of bacteriological analysis of PLA samples were compared against the results of bacteriological analysis of BL samples of the same patient.Results: In majority of subjects - 41 (68.32%), the bacteria isolated from the bronchial lavage samples was not identified in pharyngolaryngeal aspirate and was considered as the cause of infection. Haemophilus influenzae was the most frequently isolated pathogen in bronchial lavage samples.Conclusion: Findings based on analysis of bronchial lavage samples may be used as reliable criterion for etiological diagnosis in cases of pneumonia when initial empirical treatment failed.