STUDY OF BACTERIAL PATHOGENS IN SPUTUM SAMPLES AND THEIR ANTIBIOTIC SENSITIVITY PATTERN

Lower respiratory tract infections are among the most common infectious diseases of humans worldwide and account for high mortality and morbidity. In human beings, these include infections below vocal cords and it includes infections of trachea, bronchi and alveoli. Sputum was collected in a sterile wide mouth universal container. Sputum samples were examined microscopically, inoculated on - Blood agar, MacConkey’s agar and Chocolate agar. Organisms were identified by using standard microbiological methods. Antibiotic sensitivity was carried out by Kirby Bauer method. An overall prevalence of 364/555 (65.59%) of LRTIs was observed in this study. Age and sex wise distribution ? males 330/555 (59.46%) females 225/555 (40.54%). Males were predominant than females in all age groups. The predominant organisms isolated from LRTIs were Streptococcus pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae. Ampicillin+sulbactam, linezolid and ciprofloxacin demonstrate high level of sensitivity on respiratory tract pathogens. This study supports use of ampicillin+sulbactam as appropriate in the patients with LRTIs.