Gibbs, Claire

Howarth, Timothy

Venkatesan, Sudharsan

Heraganahally, Sanjana S

Abeyaratne, Asanga

Heraganahally, Subash

2025-03-11

Sputum microbiology is an integral aspect of managing patients with bronchiectasis. Adult Aboriginal Australians have a high bronchiectasis disease burden; however, as yet there is sparce literature detailing the sputum microbiology profile in this population.To assess the sputum microbiology profile among Aboriginal patients aged ≥18 years with chest computed tomography-confirmed bronchiectasis in the Top End Northern Territory of Australia.All available sputum samples processed in a single laboratory service with established protocols for examining and reporting sputum microbiology results between 2011 through 2020 were assessed in relation to demographics, lung function parameters, chest radiology, inhaled pharmacotherapy, hospital admissions restricted to respiratory conditions and all-cause mortality.Four hundred twenty-eight patients (median age 47 years, 56% female) had sputum cultures available to assess. Haemophilus spp. was the most common (64%), followed by yeast/Candida spp. (53%) and Pseudomonas spp. (36%). Polymicrobial cultures were noted in 92% of patients. There were significant geographic differences on a region-wise and community-wise basis. Patients with yeast/Candida spp. and Pseudomonas spp. recorded more hospitalisations (median 7 (interquartile range (IQR) 3-14) and 8 (IQR 4-16)). In multivariate models, both yeast/Candida spp. (odds ratio (OR) 2.63 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.68-4.14)) and Pseudomonas spp. (OR 1.95 (95% CI 1.25-3.04)) were associated with increased odds for mortality. Other than higher Pseudomonas spp. isolated with the use of inhaled corticosteroids, no significant association was observed either with lung function or chest radiology.Adult Aboriginal Australians with bronchiectasis harbour a significant microorganism load that may play a role in overall morbidity and mortality.

Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.

Flinders University, College of Medicine and Public Health, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.

Darwin Respiratory and Sleep Health, Darwin Private Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.

Department of Technical Physics, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.

Flinders University, College of Medicine and Public Health, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.

Department of Infectious Diseases, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.

Division of Medicine, The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.

Department of Medicine, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.

Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.

Flinders University, College of Medicine and Public Health, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.

Darwin Respiratory and Sleep Health, Darwin Private Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.

School of Medicine, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.

Intern Med J . 2025 Mar 11. doi: 10.1111/imj.70020. Online ahead of print.

1445-5994

0000-0003-3028-0376

0000-0003-4130-3668

0000-0003-0788-7137

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40066862/?otool=iaurydwlib

https://hdl.handle.net/10137/14186

bacterial infections

clinical outcomes

exacerbations

fungal infections

microorganism

pulmonary

Sputum microbiology data and related clinical outcomes among adult Aboriginal Australians with bronchiectasis.

Journal Article

Publication