Rapid identification of nontypeable and serotype b Haemophilus influenzae from nasopharyngeal secretions by the multiplex PCR.
OBJECTIVE
Heamophilus influenzae (H. influenzae) is an important pathogen responsible for both invasive and non-invasive infectious diseases. While encapsulated type b strain recognized as a major cause of severe invasive diseases, nontypeable strains are the major causes of non-invasive infectious diseases. Detection of this pathogen from nasopharyngeal secretions (NPS) is important.


METHODS
We developed a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for rapid identification of nontypeable and serotype b H. influenzae from nasopharyngeal secretions.


RESULTS
A total 25 nasopharyngeal secretions were evaluated in this study. The multiplex PCR provided rapid and unequivocal results for determining either nontypeable or encapsulated typeable especially type b strains including a determination of beta-lactamase productions.


CONCLUSIONS
The multiplex PCR based serotyping provided more reliable results than slide agglutination test (SAT) and is a valuable and expeditious method for identification of H. influenzae with determining capsular serotypes.
Billal
Dewan S
DS
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan.
Hotomi
Muneki
M
Suzumoto
Masaki
M
Yamauchi
Kazuma
K
Kobayashi
Intetsu
I
Fujihara
Keiji
K
Yamanaka
Noboru
N
D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000295:instrumentation; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012703:Serotyping