SEROTYPES AND ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE IN HAEMOPHILUS INFLUENZAE IN A HOSPITAL PRACTICE

We studied the clinical spectrum, serotypes and antimicrobial resistance of Haemophilus influenzae received by our laboratory. The majority of cases involved the elderly (more than 60 years old) and children under the age of 5 years. Most infections involved the respiratory tract and were caused by non-serotypable strains. Invasive infections (meningitis, septic arthritis and bacteraemia) were infrequent and were caused by both type b and non-serotypable strains. The estimated incidence of invasive Haemophilus influenzae type b disease in children under the age of 5 years is at most 5 per 100 000 a year. Resistance to ampicillin (40.5%) and trimethoprim-sulfa (37.7%) was high and would affect the choice of antimicrobials used for treating Haemophilus influenzae infections.