Functional potential of colonization defense of buccal epitheliocytes as an indicator of the clinical course of respiratory tract diseases

In the structure of children’s morbidity, one of the leading places is occupied by a class of respiratory diseases, which in quantitative terms is formed mainly by acute respiratory infections. The purpose — to investigate and evaluate the indicator significance of the functional potential of colonization defense in respiratory tract diseases.The paper presents the results of a study of colonization resistance indicators using modern research methods (colonization index, artificial colonization of the buccal epithelium and antiadhesive activity of saliva) in 184 patients aged 5 to 18 years with acute bronchitis, recurrent bronchitis and community-acquired pneumonia.Results. In a comparative aspect, the heterogeneity of the colonization level on buccal epitheliocytes of indigenous microflora (oral streptococci) was clearly traced, depending on the topic of the respiratory tract inflammatory lesion. Colonization resistance suffered the most in patients with community-acquired pneumonia. In patients of this group, the colonization index was within 0.89 (0.07) standard units (p < 0.01), which was combined with a pronounced adhesion of Candida albicans on buccal epitheliocytes (r = -0.72). In patients with acute bronchitis, the colonization index was 1.86 (0.21) standard units; with recurrent course of bronchitis – 1.27 (0.19) units (p < 0.01), while the indicators of the control group were 2.03 (0,18). The presence of less typical microorganisms in the oropharynx reflects the weakening of colonization resistance, signaling destabilization processes focused on the mucous membranes level.Conclusion. The deficiency of the mucosal protection functional reserve should be regarded as an unfavorable diagnostic marker of the course of a respiratory infection and the initiation of a bacterial inflammatory process in the respiratory system.