Prevalence of Bacterial Lower Respiratory Tract Infections at a Tertiary Hospital in Jordan

Background: Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality globally. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that LRTI are the most common global cause of death from infectious diseases.  However, the specific etiologic agent associated with LRTI is often unknown. Aims: We determined the bacterial infections and seasonal patterns associated with LRTI among hospitalized cases at Jordan University Hospital (JUH) for a period of five years. Methods: We conducted a multi-year study among hospitalized patients in Jordan on LRTI-associated bacterial etiology. Results: We found bacterial infections among 105 (21.1%) out of 495 LRTI patients. The most frequently identified bacteria in the LRTI patients were Staphylococcus aureus (7.7%) followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (5.1%). Most of the LRTI patients (95.2%) had at least one chronic disease and many were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (16.8%). Of the 18 (3.64%) patients with LRTI who died at the hospital, 2 had a bacterial infection. We noticed a seasonal pattern of bacterial infections, with the highest prevalence during the winter months. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that early identification of bacterial agents and control of chronic disease may improve clinical management and reduce morbidity and mortality from LRTI

The Etiology of Viral Lower Respiratory Tract Infections at a Tertiary Hospital in Jordan over Five Years

Background Lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) is the most common condition treated in primary care and is considered the third leading cause of death worldwide. The objective of our study is to determine the etiological agents that cause viral LRTI in Jordan, aiming to help physicians to choose the appropriate treatment strategy. Materials and Methods We conducted a retrospective study on patients who were admitted with the diagnosis of LRTI between January, 2011 and January, 2016. We used Fast-track Diagnostics (FTD)® Respiratory 21 Kit (Fast-track Diagnostics, Luxembourg) real-time PCR to determine the viral etiology of LRTI, and we investigated pandemic H1N1 2009 swine flu virus using rapid test PCR. Results This study involved 495 patients with a mean age of 57.79 ± 18.43 years. The causative agents were identified in 157 patients out of 495 patients (31.7%). FTD real-time PCR was done for 170 patients, and the test was positive for seasonal Influenza A virus in 7.1% of patients, influenza B in 4.1%, RSV in 4.7%, metapneumovirus in 4.1%, adenovirus in 4.1%, corona 229E/NL63 in 4.1%, parainfluenza virus in 7.6%, and rhinovirus in 3.5%. The percent of cases who were positive for pandemic H1N1 2009 swine flu virus was 4.2%. The rate of ICU admission was 16.8%, and the mortality rate of LRTI was as low as 3.64%. Conclusions Viral LRTI is more common in winter season in Jordan, especially in January. Remarkably, Influenza A and Parainfluenza viruses were the main viral causative agents for LRTI in our study