After an initial cough, many children develop a chronic wet cough, which can lead to a disease known as protracted bacterial bronchitis, or PBB.

Dr Robyn Marsh, the study’s lead author and a Menzies Senior Research Fellow, notes that children with recurrent PBB are more likely to develop bronchiectasis, a serious lung illness.

“We know that for most kids with PBB, their cough will get better after they have had a two-week course of antibiotics, but we also know that some kids will have repeated episodes of bronchitis that never seem to get better,” says Dr. Marsh.

“This puts them at risk of developing a severe lung disease called bronchiectasis. We know that chest infections can lead to PBB and bronchiectasis, but the reasons why only some kids respond to antibiotics isn’t always clear.”

In this study, to collect a sample from the lungs for testing, the researchers employed a technique known as bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). A sterile solution is used to flush the child’s airways and collect a fluid sample containing the bacteria that cause the child’s chest illness during the procedure.

The study found that some kids with persistent wet coughs had a bacterial slime – called a biofilm – in their lungs.

This is the first study to show that biofilm is prevalent among affected children.

Dr Ruth Thornton, the study co-author, says the strong microscope with contrasting colors helped locate and identify the bacterial slime found in the damaged lungs.

“This is an important discovery as we know that when bacteria live in these slimes they can be more than a thousand times more resistant to antibiotics than the bacteria that cause the acute infections that you take your child to the doctor for. This means that when you stop antibiotics your child is likely to get yet another infection,” adds. Dr. Thornton.

The findings of the study, according to Professor Anne Chang AM, Menzies Head of Child Health, are an encouraging step forward in helping to treat the children who have been suffering.

“This is really exciting. We’ve suspected these children have biofilm-associated infections for a while but until now, no one has proven it. Now that we’ve seen it, we can start investigating new ways to treat these children so that fewer of them will progress to having severe lung disease,” adds Prof Chang.

Source: 10.1016/S2666-5247(21)00300-1

Image Credit: Getty

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