Incidence and Type Distribution of Capsulated H. influenzae Strains

Dawson, Betty; Zinnemann, K.

doi:10.1136/bmj.1.4761.740

Cited by 35 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 8 publications

(5 reference statements)

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“…Finally, inadequate recognition of the fact that haemophili are a constituent of the normal flora of the mucous membranes of the human throat (Dawson & Zinnemann, 1952;Kilian, Heine-Jensen & Bulow, 1972), oral cavity (Fleming & Maclean, 1930;Sims, 1970) and sometimes genital tract (Lapage, 196 I ;Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology, 1974) has resulted in a lack of incentive for a closer study of virulence factors of pathogenic haemophili, and impeded the evaluation of the significance of results obtained in clinical bacteriological laboratories. The same problems also apply to the veterinary field.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Taxonomic Study of the Genus Haemophilus, with the Proposal of a New Species

Kilian¹

1976

Journal of General Microbiology

687

433

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A collection of 426 Haemophilus strains isolated from people with infectious diseases and from the normal flora of mucous membranes in humans and various animal species was studied in an attempt to revise and improve the taxonomy of the genus Haemophilus. The examinations included the determination of a number of biochemical and physiological properties, of which several had not previously been applied to the taxonomy of haemophili. The resulting data revealed many hitherto unrecognized characters of taxonomic significance, and several of the species can now be more accurately defined. The classification presented is supported by the DNA base composition of a large number of representative strains. A diagnostic key to the different taxa is presented. Haemophilus injluenzae and H. paruinfluenzae have been subdivided into a number of biotypes. It is possible to demonstrate a relationship between the individual biotypes of H. influenzae and the origin of the strains assigned to them. The results indicate that H. aegyptius, H. parahaemolyticus and H. paraphrohaemolyticus do not merit specific status. Four unnamed taxa of V-factor-dependent haemophili have been recognized. The name Haemophilus segnis is proposed for one of these taxa, which consists mainly of strains isolated from the human oral cavity. It is demonstrated that the name H. ducreyi has been used for different groups of bacteria, and that only one of these groups can legitimately be assigned to the genus Haemophilus. Haemolytic V-factor-dependent strains from swine, previously included in H. parahaemolyticus, are significantly different from strains of human origin and should be named H.pleuropneumoniae. None of the strains from swine and fowls were haemindependent. The relationships of these strains to the species H. suis and H. gallinarum, and to H. parasuis and H. paragallinarum are discussed. Haemophilus piscium is shown not to belong to the genus Haemophilus. The taxonomic position of H. aphrophilus is uncertain and its possible relationship to Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans requires further study. The positive correlation found between the ecology of the strains studied and their affiliation with the different taxa is discussed.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Taxonomic Study of the Genus Haemophilus, with the Proposal of a New Species

Kilian¹

1976

Journal of General Microbiology

687

433

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“…The available information suggests that under normal conditions H. influenzae type b is carried in the upper respiratory tract by about 3 % of children under 5 years old and about 1 % of older children and adults (Dawson & Zinnemann, 1952;Masters et al 1958). But Good, Fousek, Grossmann & Boisvert (1943) found carriers of such strains in the homes of 3 out of 5 children with illnesses due to H. influenzae type b; whereas they found none in the homes of 9 'control' children (3 carrying type b strains without associated symptoms and 6 from whom no such organisms had been grown).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Naso-pharyngeal carriage of Haemophilus influenzae type B

Turk

1963

J. Hyg.

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H.influenzae type b, the sero-type which causes meningitis, was isolated from 3 (2·4 %) of 127 naso-pharyngeal swabs from white non-Jamaican children resident in Jamaica, and from 14 (2·9 %) of 473 such swabs from a mixed group of Jamaican children. Much higher frequencies were found in households in which cases of haemophilus meningitis had recently occurred (41 %), in the nursery of an orphan home (up to 70%) and in a day-nursery. In the orphan home nursery the high frequency persisted over a number of months, but no case of meningitis or other relevant disease occurred. A high concentration of this organism is therefore compatible with normal health, and the significance of high concentrations in the homes of meningitis patients is not certain.I am indebted to the Standing Advisory Committee for Medical Research in the British Caribbean for a grant towards the cost of materials; to a number of colleagues at the University College of the West Indies, notably Dr E. H. Back, Senior Lecturer in Paediatrics, and the staff of the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine; to those in charge of the orphan home, the day-nursery, the play-school and the other institutions visited; to many cooperative parents and children and to my wife for help in the collection of specimens.

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“…The usefulness of inhibiting other pharyngeal organisms was recognized at about this same time with the development of a medium encorporating sodium oleate (I), which also appeared to enhance the growth of H. influenzae. Crystal violet (S), brilliant green (6), penicillin (4), and bacitracin (3) have been utilized to inhibit other bacteria. Recently, saponin disks have been employed on sheep blood agar plates to hemolyze erythrocytes producing a cleared zone rich in V factor allowing growth and observation of iridescent encapsulated H .…”

Section: Prevalence Of Hib In Infants and Young Childrenmentioning

confidence: 99%

Use of Antiserum Agar for Detection of Haemophilus influenzae Type b in the Pharynx

1975

Pediatr Res

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ExtractAn antiserum agar medium was-evaluated to determine its usefulness and accuracy in the study of the prevalence of Haemophilus influenzae type b ( H I B ) in the pharynx of infants and young children. The effects of varying the concentration of ingredients (Levinthal base, antiserum, and bacitracin) were demonstrated. The medium could be stored at 4' for periods up to 12 weeks with no loss of effectiveness. All halo-producing organisms detected after 24-40 hr of incubation were found to be HIB. When fewer than 20 colonies of H I B were.found on antiserum agar, H I B could not be detected on either rabbit blood agar or chocolate human blood agar simultaneously inoculated with throat swab fluids. Radial streaking with a 0.001-ml calibrated loop yielded at least twice as many isolated colonies with halos than did inoculation by streaking from a children and is rarely found in adults (16). However, these estimatcs of frequency are based on relatively small numbers chiefly because of the time-consuming bacteriologic differentiation of H I B from other organisms in the pharynx, particularly the much more prevalent nonencapsulated H . i n f l u e n z a e , H . influenzae of other capsular types, H a e m o p h i l u s parainfluenzae and H a e m o p h i l u s h e m o l v t i c u s .Recently, an antiserum agar technique originally described by Petrie (I I) and later used by Pittman (12) and her associates and by Ouchterlony (lo), was utilized by Bradshaw e t a!. (2) to study bacterial antigens cross-reactive with the capsular polysaccharide of H I B in children and in laboratory animals. In the present report, an antiserum agar medium was evaluated to determine its usefulness and accuracy in the study of the prevalence of HIB in infants and young children. swabbed area of the plate.Oropharyngeal culture of 543 healthy Pittsburgh preschoolchildren indicated that the prevalence of H I B is about 3 % in This technique utilized hyperimmune HIB antiserum and bacichildren age 6 months through 3 years; H I B colonization was not tracin incorporated into clear agar with a Levinthal base. Identifiobserved during the first 6 months of life. There was a much higher cation was achieved by observing halos of precipitation surroundcarrier rate (65% ) for siblings of patients with H I B meningitis or ing individual colonies of HIB. epiglottitis, as well a s a greater intensity of colonization; nearly HIB antisera was prepared in goats, sheep, and burros as three-quarters of the sibling carriers had over 5 x lo4 HIB described previously (13). The concentration of precipitating colonies/throat swab. anti-type b antibody ranged from 1.8-3.4 mg protein/ml. LevinThe medium is dependent on large amounts of potent and highly thal base with added N A D (17) at 1.0 wg/ml was stored at -Zoo. specific antiserum, a concentrated Levinthal base, and a refined Bacitracin (]8), brain heart infusion (BHI) (19), and SeaKem agar. Its advantages are rapidity, sensitivity, specificity, and a agarose (20) were used without modification. potential for q...

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Incidence and Type Distribution of Capsulated H. influenzae Strains

Cited by 35 publications

References 8 publications

A Taxonomic Study of the Genus Haemophilus, with the Proposal of a New Species

A Taxonomic Study of the Genus Haemophilus, with the Proposal of a New Species

Naso-pharyngeal carriage of Haemophilus influenzae type B

Use of Antiserum Agar for Detection of Haemophilus influenzae Type b in the Pharynx

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