PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Evangelos Balis AU - Eugenios Metaxas AU - Despina Chrysovergi AU - Iosif Papaparaskeuas AU - Nikolaos Spanakis AU - George Tatsis AU - Athanasios Tsakris TI - The role of viruses and other atypical bacteria in bronchiectasis' exacerbations DP - 2011 Sep 01 TA - European Respiratory Journal PG - p2550 VI - 38 IP - Suppl 55 4099 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p2550.short 4100 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p2550.full SO - Eur Respir J2011 Sep 01; 38 AB - Introduction: Exacerbations in patients with bronchiectasis, is thought to occur either because of change in the bacterial load of an existing bacteria or because of colonization with a new bacterial strain. Despite the existence of data for the role of viruses and atypical bacteria in patients with COPD, there is paucity of data about their role in bronchiectasis.Aims and objectives: To study the effect of atypical bacteria and viruses in bronchiectasis exacerbationsMethods: An observational study was performed. For 12 months, 33 patients with bronchiectasis were followed up in 4 months intervals. They were submitted to bronchoscopy in an effort to determine baseline bacteria. Bronchsopcpy was also performed during exacerbations. Real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples for the detection of Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). In addition, antibody titers against Influenza A, Influenza B, Adenovirus, C. pneumoniae and M. pneumoniae were measured.Results: In total 116 visits were performed (97 baseline and 19 exacerbations). After the first 30 PCR tests, because of cost restrictions, PCR was agreed to be performed only in cases of elevated IgG, seroconversion, or positive IgM titers. Totally 74 PCR tests were performed. RSV was isolated in 4 subjects during baseline periods and none during exacerbations. All PCR tests were negative for atypical bacteria. There was no detection of IgM antibodies against the aforementioned microorganisms.Conclusions: Despite the small number of recorded exacerbations, atypical bacteria and viruses do not seem to have a role in exacerbations in patients with bronchiectasis.