A prospective study on 220 patients were clinically diagnosed with COPD were included in the study. Early morning sputum samples were collected within 24 hours of admission in sterile bottle after an antiseptic oral rinse. Identification and its antibiogram from the sputum samples were done by the standard conventional methods. The quality of the sputum was assessed by Bartlett’s grading. The microbiological quality of the patients working environment was assessed by determining the concentrations and composition of bacteria and fungi present in the outdoor air using six stage Anderson’s air sampler. Study findings revealed that pathogenic bacterial organisms were found in 50 to 80% of patients with COPD during exacerbations. The major causative organisms are Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiellapneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenus, E.coli and Pseudomonas aerogenosa and the common fungal allergens are Aspergillusfumigatus, Candida albicans, Penicilliumand Rhizobium are found to be predominant organisms in causing allergic airway diseases. The findings of the present study shows clear evidence for presence of pathogenic microbiota in environment and cause allergic airway disease like COPD among the field working individuals
