Bacterial tracheitis is an uncommon infectious cause of acute upper airway obstruction.
It was first described in the early 1900s. In 1979, Jones et al first used the term bacterial tracheitis to describe a diffuse inflammatory process of the larynx, trachea, and bronchi with adherent or semiadherent mucopurulent membranes within the trachea. Bacterial tracheitis is a diffuse inflammatory process of the larynx, trachea, and bronchi with adherent or semiadherent mucopurulent membranes within the trachea. Signs and symptoms usually are intermediate, between epiglottitis and croup. Acute airway obstruction may occur secondary to subglottic edema and sloughing of epithelial lining or the mucopurulent membrane within the trachea.