Observations on the Carriage of Pneumococci by Patients with Chronic Bronchitis, and their Families

Abstract

Previous workers (Stuart-Harris, Pownall, Scothorne & Franks, 1953; May, 1953)have reported studies on the bacterial flora of the sputum in cases of chronic bronchitis. Both pneumococci and Haemophilus influenzae have been reported frequently in the sputum but the source of these organisms, which might be either the patient's own upper respiratory tract or the environment, has not been traced.A long-term study of individuals with and without chronic bronchitis and of their families was therefore begun in an attempt to discern the role of exogenous infection in this disease. Observations were limited to the pneumococcus because serological identification of individual strains was readily possible in this species.