[Haemophilus colonization in children: serotypes, biotypes and antibiotic sensitivity]

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Infectious Diseases
• Microbiology
• Bacteriology

Background:

• Haemophilus species are common in the upper respiratory tract.
• Understanding carriage rates and antibiotic resistance is crucial for managing childhood infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of Haemophilus species in throat swabs of hospitalized children.
• To determine the carriage rates of specific Haemophilus influenzae types and assess antibiotic resistance patterns.

Main Methods:

• Throat swabs were collected from 273 hospitalized children aged 0-15 years.
• Detection and identification of Haemophilus species, including H. influenzae and H. parainfluenzae.
• Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed on isolated strains.

Main Results:

• Haemophilus was detected in 124 (45.4%) children.
• H. influenzae carriage rate was 15.7%, and H. parainfluenzae carriage rate was 31.8%.
• Ampicillin and tetracycline resistance were observed in some H. influenzae strains, and beta-lactamase production in H. parainfluenzae.

Conclusions:

• Haemophilus species are frequently carried by hospitalized children.
• Emerging antibiotic resistance in Haemophilus strains necessitates ongoing surveillance.
• Further research is needed to understand the clinical significance of these findings.