Acta Pathologica Microbiologica Scandinavica Series B Microbiology 1983-12-01

Antibiotic susceptibility pattern and capsular types of Haemophilus influenzae recovered from clinical specimens in northern Norway.

K Melby, T Leinslie, N Hagen, L H Vorland

Index: Acta Pathol. Microbiol. Immunol. Scand. B. 91(6) , 383-7, (1983)

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Abstract

One hundred and nine strains of Haemophilus influenzae recovered from clinical specimens were examined for antibiotic sensitivity pattern and capsular types. All strains from blood cultures, cerebrospinal fluid and a joint aspirate were type b whereas most of the isolates were acapsular when recovered from other specimens viz. wound secretions (67%), maxillary sinus (75%), lower resp tract (86%), nasal cavity (90%). Out of the 109 strains 88 (81%) were non-typable, and 3.6% were beta-lactamase-producing, two of which were type e, one was type b and one was acapsular. Three beta-lactamase-producing strains were isolated from specimens from the respiratory tract and one from blood cultures. Beta-lactamase-producing strains including one chloramphenicol-resistant strain harboured similar plasmids, as judged by agarose gel electrophoresis. The strains showed quite a uniform sensitivity to antibacterial agents with the exception of sulphonamides to which the capsular strains, particularly type b strains, were less susceptible.