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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Hemophilus influenzae is an important pathogen that is responsible for invasive and non-invasive infections in both children and adults. This study aims to assess the relationship of biotypes to the sites of infection, serotypes, antimicrobial susceptibility, b-lactamase production and age. METHODS: A total of 200 isolates of H.influenzae were obtained from clinical specimens over a period of 12 months from January 2001 through to January 2002 from King Abdul-Aziz University Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. RESULTS: Most of the strains were non-typable and were isolated from patients with non-invasive infections. The typable isolates from invasive infections mostly serotype b were isolated from blood, cerebrospinal fluid and hip joint aspirate. Biotype II accounted for 37% of the isolates followed by biotypes III and I (29.5% and 23%). The remaining 10.5% were made up of biotypes IV, V, VI and VII. A significantly high resistance to cotrimoxazole (33.5%) and ampicillin (19%) was observed. Two point five percent of the isolates were resistant to chloramphenicol. All the isolates resistant to ampicillin were b-lactamase producers and susceptible to cefuroxime, ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin and rifampicin. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that biotypes II and III are the predominant biotypes of H.influenzae found in non-invasive infections. There is an apparent relationship between biotype and site of infection which could be useful as an epidemiological marker.

Article Type

Research Article

First Page

1308

Last Page

1312

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