title: Haemophilus influenzae resistance in a community hospital.
abstract: We prospectively tabulated all isolates of Haemophilus influenzae at DeKalb Medical Center from 1987 through 1989 to assess the occurrence of antibiotic resistance in patients of different ages. Of 325 total strains isolated, 24% produced beta-lactamase, rendering them resistant to ampicillin and amoxicillin. Antibiotic resistance was as common in patients older than age 60 (24%) as in younger patients (23%). Sensitivity testing by disk diffusion and microdilution techniques on 71 isolates (37 beta-lactamase-positive) showed uniform susceptibility to cefuroxime, cefotaxime, amoxicillin/clavulanate, cefaclor, and chloramphenicol, but three beta-lactamase-positive isolates were resistant to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. The high rate of ampicillin resistance noted in elderly patients has implications for the choice of antimicrobial therapy for these infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, DeKalb Medical Center, Decatur, GA 30033.
authors.forename: N F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Jerris
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000667:Ampicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D005845:Georgia; D006192:Haemophilus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D006764:Hospitals, Community; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D000667:Ampicillin; D000658:Amoxicillin; D001618:beta-Lactamases