Objective. Identify and assess exacerbations of infectious diseases and infectious agents alterations in the 4 year period in patients with cystic fibrosis.
Material and methods. Retrospective data analysis of microbiological crops of patients with cystic fibrosis who were treated in Kaunas Clinics in 2011-2014 years period was performed.
Results. Only 1 exacerbation was significantly more often observed in children compared with adult patients (84.6%, n=11 and respectively 15.4%, n=2 (p=0.018)). Patients were divided into two groups: the first group had 4 or less exacerbations and the second group had 5 or more exacerbations over investigation period. It was found that 2 or more infectious agents were signiffcantly more often observed in the second group with 5 or more exacerbations over investigation period (34.8%, n=8 and respectively 69.2%, n=9, p=0.047). The rate of S. aureus observation in multiple examinations remained stable and was between 55.6% and 69.2%. Growing tendency over multiple infectious exacerbations examinations was observed with Acinetobacter spp., Enterobacteriaceae family and Candida spp. At first microbiological examination Enterobacteriaceae was found only in 8.3% of patients, while at fifth examination Enterobacteriaceae was found in 30.8% of patients. There was no observation of Acinetobacter spp. in the second microbiological examination, but 15.4% patients were infected with Acinetobacter spp. in the fifth examination. The rate of P. aeruginosa observation over multiple examinations was not stable. The biggest rate of observation was found in the third and fourth exacerbation examinations, but in the fifth examination it was found only in 7.7% of patients.
Conclusion. The alteration of respiratory tract colonizing microorganisms in patients with cystic fibrosis depends on the patients’ age, possibly administrated prophylactic antibacterial therapy and the rate of exacerbations, although half of the patients’ respiratory tract is colonized by S. aureus.
