All issues > Volume 44(5); 2001

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 2001;44(5):509-516. Published online May 15, 2001.

Carriage and Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Haemophilus influenzae Isolated from Oropharynges of Children

Kyung Hyo KH Kim¹, Kyoung Ah KA Lim¹, Il Tae IT Whang¹, Young Mi YM Hong¹, Eun Sook ES Kang², Ki Sook KS Hong²

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Ewha Woman`s University, Seoul, Korea
<sup>1</sup>Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Ewha Woman`s University, Seoul, Korea
²Department of Clinical Pathology, College of Medicine, Ewha Woman`s University, Seoul, Korea

Correspondence Kyung Hyo KH Kim ,Email: ewhakay@unitel.co.kr

Abstract

Purpose
: Haemophilus influenzae, one of the normal flora of the upper respiratory tract, can cause such infections as otitis, sinusitis, pneumonia, and meningitis in children. The oropharyngeal flora has therefore mainly been analyzed as a reservoir for pathogens. This study was performed to reveal the colonization rate of H. influenzae in the upper respiratory tract, their biotypes, their antimicrobial resistance and production of β-lactamase in healthy children.
Methods
: The specimens for H. influenzae were obtained through oropharyngeal swab from 209 healthy children, younger than 5 years of age in 4 day care centers from March 1998 to June 1998. These isolates of H. influenzae were tested for their biotypes, in vitro susceptibility to seven antimicrobial agents(ampicillin, ampicillin/sulbactam, aztreonam, chloramphenicol, cefotaxime, tetracycline and trimethoprim-sulfamedoxazole) by disc diffusion method and production of β- lactamase.
Results
: The carriage rate of H. influenzae in the day care center children was 13.4%(28/209). Of 24 isolates, 8 isolates(33%) were biotype II and 6 isolates(25%) were biotype I. The overall rates of resistance of 15 isolates are as follows; ampicillin 46.7%, tetracycline 28.6%, trimethoprim-sulfamedoxazole 14.3%, ampicillin/sulbactam 6.7%. The prevalence of β-lactamase producing isolates was 65.2%. All β-lactamase producing isolates were resistant to ampicillin. The resistance rates of β-lactamase producing isolates to tetracycline, trimethoprim-sulfamedoxazole, and ampicillin/sulbactam were 44.4%, 25.0%, and 11.1%, respectively.
Conclusion
: Children in day care centers in Seoul have high rates of H. influenzae carriage. The antimicrobial resistance of H. influenzae from the oropharyngeal specimens of healthy children was higher than expected.

Keywords :Haemophilus influenzae, Carriage rate, Antimicrobial resistance