Oropharyngeal colonization by Haemophilus influenzae in healthy children from Taubaté (São Paulo), prior to the Haemophilus influenzae type B vaccination program in Brazil.
Haemophilus influenzae is one of the most important bacterial agents of otitis and sinusitis. H. influenzae type b (Hib) is one of the main causes of meningitis, pneumonia, and septicemia in nonvaccinated children under 6 years of age. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of H. influenzae and Hib oropharyngeal colonization prior to the onset of the Hib vaccination program in Brazil in previously healthy children and to assess the susceptibility profile of this microorganism to a selected group of antimicrobials that are used to treat acute respiratory infections.


METHODS
Cultures of Haemophilus influenzae were made from oropharynx swabs from 987 children under 6 years of age who were enrolled in 29 day-care centers in Taubaté (a city of São Paulo state, Brazil) between July and December 1998.


RESULTS
The prevalence of H. influenzae carriers was 17.4%, and only 5.5% of the strains were beta-lactamase producers. The prevalence of Hib carriers was high, 7.3% on average (range, 0.0 - 33.3%).


CONCLUSIONS
The low prevalence of colonization by penicillin-resistant strains indicates that it is not necessary to substitute ampicilin or amoxicilin to effectively treat otitis and sinusitis caused by H. influenzae in Taubaté.
Bricks
Lucia Ferro
LF
Department of Pediatrics, Children's Institute, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. luciafb@icr.hcnet.usp.br
Mendes
Caio Márcio Figueredo
CM
Lucarevschi
Bianca Rezende
BR
Oplustil
Carmem Paz
CP
Zanella
Rosemeire C
RC
Bori
Adriana
A
Bertoli
Ciro João
CJ
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D002656:Child Day Care Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D005260:Female; D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019741:Haemophilus influenzae type b / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009960:Oropharynx / Q000382:microbiology*; D015995:Prevalence
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines