Wheeze in preschool age is associated with pulmonary bacterial infection and resolves after antibiotic therapy.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Neonates with airways colonized by Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae or Moraxella catarrhalis are at increased risk for recurrent wheeze which may resemble asthma early in life. It is not clear whether chronic colonization by these pathogens is causative for severe persistent wheeze in some preschool children and whether these children might benefit from antibiotic treatment. We assessed the relevance of bacterial colonization and chronic airway infection in preschool children with severe persistent wheezing and evaluated the outcome of long-time antibiotic treatment on the clinical course in such children.

Methodology/principal findings

Preschool children (n = 42) with severe persistent wheeze but no symptoms of acute pulmonary infection were inves

SUBMITTER: Schwerk N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3226624 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature