ABSTRACT

 The incidence or Lower Respiratory tract infections among elderly Patients attending the Federal Medical Center , Umuahia, Abia Slate. South East Nigeria was evaluated. The study was aimed at assessing the various organisms from sputum and lo test for their antimicrobial susceptibility. Two hundred and seventy patients whn were seen over a six month period and who were diagnosed for lower respiratory tract infections were used for the study. Out or this population. two hundred and fifty sputum samples were from symrtomatic patienis while twenty were from asymptomatic subjects. Sputum samples were examined for microscopy, culture and sensitivity. There were two hundred positive sputum samples from symp:omatic patients and twenty positive samples from asymptomatic control subjects. TIH~·l:ommonest organisms isolated were Streptococcus pneumoniae, Klebsiella pneuroniae. Pseudomonas aeruginosae Staphylococcus aureus and Coagulase Negative Staphylococcus aurevs The later was isolated from asymptomatic control group. Their percentage occurrence in sputum samples are as follows: Streptococcus pneumoniae 42% , Klebsiella pne11111011iae 20%. Staphylococcus aureus 16%, Pseudomonas aeruginosae 13%, Coagulase negative Staphylococcus aureu.,· 9%. From the study and the laboratory findings, a significant growth was obtained from the total number or sputum samples tested, The: incidence or lower respiratory trnct infections among the elderly patients (between the ages of 56 anti above) visiting the out-patient department of this Hospital was found to be 200(74%) of the total sputum samples of symptomatic subjects investigated.