Antimicrobial resistance in Haemophilus influenzae isolated from blood, cerebrospinal fluid, middle ear fluid and throat samples of children. A nationwide study in Finland in 1988-1990.
A nation-wide survey of the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in Haemophilus influenzae was conducted on isolates collected in 1988-90 from middle ear fluid (MEF), blood, or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in infected children or throat samples of healthy children. Altogether 885 strains were examined regarding capsular type b, beta-lactamase production and the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of ampicillin, cefaclor, erythromycin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, trimethoprim and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for these strains was determined by the agar dilution method. 99% (578/585) of MEF isolates, 93% (112/121) of throat isolates, but only 6% (10/179) of blood/CSF isolates were not of type b (Hib). The rate of beta-lactamase production was 11.4% among Hib strains, 8.0% among non-type b MEF isolates, and 4.5% among non-type b throat isolates. No increase in the prevalence of beta-lactamase production in H. influenzae has taken place in Finland since the early 1980s. Resistance to ampicillin among strains that lacked beta-lactamase activity was rare (0.2%). Of the non-type b MEF and throat isolates, 5.9% and 2.7%, respectively, were resistant to trimethoprim and 3.6% and 2.7%, respectively, to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Resistance to other drugs was rare (< 2%) in all isolate groups.
Nissinen
A
A
Antimicrobial Research Laboratory, National Public Health Institute, Turku, Finland.
Herva
E
E
Katila
M L
ML
Kontiainen
S
S
Liimatainen
O
O
Oinonen
S
S
Takala
A K
AK
Huovinen
P
P
D000667:Ampicillin / Q000494:pharmacology; D000668:Ampicillin Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016667:Bacterial Capsules / Q000032:analysis; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000382:microbiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000382:microbiology; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006192:Haemophilus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010614:Pharynx / Q000382:microbiology; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000096:biosynthesis
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000667:Ampicillin; D001618:beta-Lactamases