J Korean Med Sci.  2000 Dec;15(6):616-622. 10.3346/jkms.2000.15.6.616.

Serotypes and antimicrobial susceptibility in clinical isolates of Haemophilus influenzae from Korean children in prevaccination era

• Kwak YH
• Jung HS
• Park SE
• Park JY
• Kim EC
• Lee HJ
• Jacobs MR

• KMID: 2157539
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2000.15.6.616

Abstract

Fifty-five strains of Haemophilus influenzae recovered at a children's hospital in Korea from 1992 through 1997, were analyzed for serotype and antibiotic resistance. Antimicrobial susceptibility was tested by broth dilution method. Among the 55 strains, 26 were from normally sterile body fluids, of which 17 were from the immunocompetent children. Spectrum in the immunocompetent included meningitis (47%), bacteremic pneumonia (18%), and bacteremia without focus (35%). Three (12%) of 26 invasive infections were caused by non-type b: one type d and two type f. Nine of 29 non-sterile body fluid isolates belonged to one of encapsulted serotypes: four a, two c, one of each of b, d and e. Thirty two (58%) strains were resistant to ampicillin, and all of which produced beta-lactamase. All of the strains were highly susceptible to amoxicillin/clavulanate, cefixime, cefuroxime, azithromycin and ciprofloxacin, while 1 (2%), 7 (13%), 4 (7%) and 4 (7%) strains were intermediate to cefprozil, cefaclor, loracarbef, and clarithromycin, respectively. The serotype distribution of H. influenzae in Korean children is similar to those in developed countries before the introduction of Hib conjugate vaccine, and ampicillin resistance rate is among the highest published to date.

Keyword

Haemophilus influenzae; Serotyping; Drug Resistance; Microbial; Korea

MeSH Terms

Antibiotics/pharmacology*
Child
Haemophilus Infections/microbiology*
Haemophilus Infections/drug therapy
Haemophilus Vaccines
Haemophilus influenzae/isolation & purification
Haemophilus influenzae/drug effects*
Haemophilus influenzae/classification
Human
Korea
Microbial Sensitivity Tests
Serotyping