[Incidence of selected bacterial pathogens of the respiratory tract in patients with bronchial asthma].

Chronic bacterial infections intensify the reactivity of bronchi and aggravate the course and the control of asthma. They cause the disorders of both function and the structure of respiratory epithelium. Not only structural elements of bacteria but also their toxins intensify the release of mediators of the inflammatory reaction (leucotriens, histamine, IL1, IL4, IL6, IL8, TNF alpha). The aim of our research is to determine the prevalence of microorganisms, which can have an influence on the course of asthma. Moraxella catarrhalis has been the most frequent isolated pathogen (23.7%) in patients with bronchial asthma. We have received only individual isolations of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae strains. Bacterial flora of the upper respiratory tract in patients with bronchial asthma has been more diverse in comparison with microflora of airways in healthy subjects. The significant percentage of Candida isolation in asthmatics (over 30% in bronchial tree secretion) poses the high risk of incidence of mycotic complications of inhaled steroids. In patients with asthma bronchial tree secretion is more valuable diagnostic material than pharyngeal swab.