Protracted bacterial bronchitis is Chronic lower respiratory infection, defined as chronic moist cough for more than 4 weeks and resolution of symptoms in the majority when antibiotic therapy is given for at least 2 to 3 weeks.After airway epithelial cells impaired by various factors, bacteria such as haemophilus influenzae and streptococcus pneumoniae colonizes on bronchial mucous membranes and leads to neutrophil infiltration.The diagnosis of protracted bacterial bronchitis is mainly based on chronic moist cough persisting for more than 4 weeks, sometimes accompanied by wheezing, with normal chest x-ray and bronchial wall thickened on high-resolution computed tomography, revealed redness and edema of the bronchial mucous membranes sometimes accompanied by tracheobronchomalacia as the main characteristic of bronchoscopy.The definite diagnosis can be made if the culture of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid is positive.If the majority of symptoms cannot be removed after 4-week therapy, the underline pathogenesis should be searched.Curing of of acute bacterial infection can prevent protracted bacterial bronchitis.New vaccines offering all serotype protection are needed to prevent protracted bacterial bronchitis caused by haemophilus influenzae and streptococcus pneumoniae.

Protracted bronchitis; Bacteria