“HAEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS AND BACTERIAL ETIOLOGY IN ACUTE RESPIRATORY ILLNESS IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL”
Main Article Content
Keywords
Acute Respiratory Illness, haematological parameters, neutrophils.
Abstract
Introduction
Acute Respiratory Illness (ARI) account for 30-60% of attendance and 20-30% of hospital
admissions. Key haematological markers, including white blood cell (WBC) count, neutrophil count, and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, play a vital role in distinguishing bacterial infections from viral ones .
Aim
To study the haematological parameters in patients with ARI and correlate with different bacterial etiologies.
Materials and Methods
This cross-sectional study was done over a span of 2 months in a tertiary care hospital in patients who were diagnosed with Acute Respiratory Illness combining clinical evaluations and laboratory analyses for comprehensive data collection.
Results
Out of the 100 patients the most common bacteria isolated were Streptococcus pneumoniae (18%), Haemophilus influenzae (15%), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (14%). Paediatric patients (under 18 years) made up 25% of the cohort, with a higher prevalence of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Streptococcus pneumoniae in this group.
The study included 50 males and 50 females, with a slight male predominance in severe cases, which may indicate a potential gender-related susceptibility to more serious respiratory infections.
Neutrophils and CRP levels are highest in infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, indicating their association with severe infections.Platelet counts remain within normal ranges for most patients, regardless of the bacteria isolated.
The most common symptoms reported were fever (present in 95% of cases), followed by cough (80%), dyspnoea (difficulty breathing) (70%), and sputum production (60%)..
Conclusion
Acute respiratory illnesses (ARIs), particularly those caused by bacterial pathogens, represent a major health challenge globally, especially in tertiary care settings. The ability to rapidly and accurately distinguish bacterial ARIs from viral and other etiologies is crucial for optimizing patient management, reducing unnecessary antibiotic usage, and preventing complications such as sepsis and respiratory failure. Haematological parameters, including Total Leukocyte Count (TLC), Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR), platelet count, and hemoglobin levels, offer practical and cost-effective tools for this purpose.
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Dr.Grace Madhuri Kambala
Associate Professor Department of Pathology, Guntur Medical College,Guntur.
Boddu Rajiv Shine
MBBS Undergraduate student , Guntur Medical College,Guntur