Study objectives: Establish the aerobic and anaerobic microbiology of bacterial tracheitis in children.
Method: Retrospective review of specimens obtained from 14 children with bacterial tracheitis that were cultured for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria.
Results: A total 30 bacterial isolates were recovered, 17 aerobic and facultative anaerobic and 13 anaerobic. Aerobic bacteria only were present in six (43%) specimens, anaerobes only in three (21%), and mixed aerobic and anaerobic flora in five (36%). Polymicrobial flora was recovered in 10 of the 14 specimens. The predominant organisms were Staphylococcus aureus (5 isolates), Haemophilus influenzae type b (4), Peptostreptococcus sp. (4), pigmented Prevotella and Porphyromonas (4), Fusobacterium sp. (2), and Moraxella catarrhalis (2). Two organisms that were also isolated from the tracheal aspirates were recovered from the blood of two patients (one each of H. influenzae and Prevotella intermedia). Eleven beta-lactamase-producing organisms were isolated from nine patients. These included all isolates of S. aureus and M. catarrhalis, and two each of H. influenzae and Prevotella sp.
Conclusions: These data confirm the predominance of S. aureus and H. influenzae in causing bacterial tracheitis in children and suggest a potential role for anaerobic bacteria.