[Bacteriological examination of bronchitis and pneumonia. Part I: Is sputum an appropriate material to be examined?--a literary review (author's transl)].

In a literary review the respiratory tract in its physiological condition, the causative agents of bacterial pneumonias and bronchitides are taken into consideration as are also concerned with the question of the suitability of sputum as a material to be examined by infections of the lower respiratory tract which above all with regard to the diagnostic value to other materials as transtracheal aspiration (TTA), bronchial aspiration (BA) and lung aspiration (LA) specimens.