Differentiation of Haemophilus aegyptius and Haemophilus influenzae

This study aimed at clarifying the relationship of Haemophilus aegyptius and Haemophilus influenzae isolated from acute conjunctivitis in Egypt. Twenty-nine freshly isolated strains selected from a large clinical material were examined for morphological and growth characteristics, biochemical properties and susceptibility to selected antibiotics. H. aegyptius strains were clearly differentiated from strains of H. influenzae by their inability to grow on tryptic soy agar containing X + V factors, by their susceptibility to trooleandomycin, by a distinct bacillary morphology, and, in part, by not fermenting xylose. The results confirm that H. aegyptius is distinct from H. influenzae and provides reproducible means of differentiating the two species.