title: Distribution and Diversity of hmw1A Among Invasive Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae Isolates in Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The pathogenesis of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) begins with adhesion to the rhinopharyngeal mucosa. Almost 38-80% of NTHi clinical isolates produce proteins that belong to the High Molecular Weight (HMW) family of adhesins, which are believed to facilitate colonization.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the present study, the prevalence of hmwA, which encodes the HMW adhesin, was determined for a collection of 32 NTHi isolates. Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) was performed to advance our understanding of hmwA binding sequence diversity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results demonstrated that hmwA was detected in 61% of NTHi isolates. According to RFLP, isolates were divided into three groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on these observations, it is hypothesized that some strains of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae infect some specific areas more than other parts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mycobacteriology and Pulmonary Research, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Milad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shahini Shams Abadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Mycobacteriology and Pulmonary Research, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Davar
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Siadat
authors.affiliation: Department of Mycobacteriology and Pulmonary Research, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Farzam
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vaziri
authors.affiliation: Department of Mycobacteriology and Pulmonary Research, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Davari
authors.affiliation: Department of Mycobacteriology and Pulmonary Research, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Abolfazl
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fateh
authors.affiliation: Department of Mycobacteriology and Pulmonary Research, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Shahin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pourazar
authors.affiliation: Department of Mycobacteriology and Pulmonary Research, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Farid
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Abdolrahimi
authors.affiliation: Department of Mycobacteriology and Pulmonary Research, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Morteza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghazanfari
keywords: Adhesins; HMW1 protein; Haemophilus influenza