Clinical Significance of Serotype, Biotype, and βLactamase Production of Respiratory Isolates of Hemophilus influenzae

Abstract
The correlation between clinical significance and serotype, biotype, and β-lactamase production of 101 respiratory isolates of Hemophilus influenza from nonbacteremic patients was determined. Six of 33 (18.2%) isolates from patients with definite or probable infection were serotypable; only two of 67 (3%) isolates from colonized patients were serotypable. Eight-seven and onehalf per cent of the serotypable strains were biotypes I or IV; 78.8% of nonserotypable strains were biotypes II, III, or V. Biotype distribution among isolates from patients with definite or probable infection were similar to isolates from colonized patients. β-lactamase production was not helpful in evaluating clinical significance. Nonserotypable H. influenzae is an important cause of nonbacteremic pneumonia in elderly men.

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