ABSTRACT
Several rapid method kits (one to four hours) have become available for the identification of Haemophilus and related genera. Two kits (the "Rapid NH" system and the "RIM Haemophilus" system), which include the identification and biotyping of H influenzae, were investigated for the rapid identification and biotyping of 193 isolates of H influenzae and the results compared with those obtained by more standard overnight methods. The kits were convenient to use and gave reliable and rapid speciation of all isolates. Both test systems were unreliable for biotyping: 42 isolates were wrongly biotyped by the RIM kit and 40 isolates wrongly biotyped by the rapid NH kit. It is concluded that the test kits may be useful for the rapid identification of H influenzae but that they are not reliable for the biotyping of this species.
Subject(s)
Bacterial Typing Techniques , Haemophilus influenzae/isolation & purification , Haemophilus influenzae/classificationABSTRACT
Altogether, 488 consecutive strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated from clinical specimens were serotyped and their antibiotic susceptibility determined. Of all strains isolated, 89.7% (90.6% for strains isolated from patients with serious infection) were of types present in the new polyvalent (23-valent) pneumococcal vaccine. Four strains showed reduced susceptibility to penicillin (minimum inhibitory concentration 0.1-1.0 mg/l). Two of those strains (both serotype 23) were also of intermediate susceptibility to other antibiotics (ampicillin, cephradine, chloramphenicol and tetracycline) but were sensitive to erythromycin. A significant proportion (12%) was resistant to tetracycline.
Subject(s)
Pneumococcal Infections/microbiology , Streptococcus pneumoniae/classification , Agglutination Tests , Ampicillin/pharmacology , Cephradine/pharmacology , Chloramphenicol/pharmacology , Counterimmunoelectrophoresis , Drug Resistance, Microbial , Erythromycin/pharmacology , Humans , Latex Fixation Tests , Northern Ireland , Penicillins/pharmacology , Serotyping , Streptococcus pneumoniae/drug effects , Tetracycline/pharmacologyABSTRACT
In a prospective survey carried out over 9 months in 1984 in the Department of Bacteriology, Belfast City Hospital, Campylobacter jejuni was isolated from 24 out of 1200 faecal specimens (2%) from patients with acute diarrhoea. This isolation rate is much lower than that from other parts of mainland Britain which report an isolation rate of between 8 and 15%. It is difficult to explain this large discrepancy but the limited availability of unpasteurized milk and the generally worse summer here (fewer barbecues, picnics) may be some reasons to explain this low incidence in N. Ireland.
Subject(s)
Campylobacter Infections/epidemiology , Campylobacter fetus/isolation & purification , Enteritis/epidemiology , Feces/microbiology , Diarrhea/epidemiology , Diarrhea/etiology , Enteritis/etiology , Humans , Northern Ireland , Prospective StudiesABSTRACT
Fourteen out of 150 (9.3%) consecutive strains of Haemophilus influenzae isolated on culture of sputum in the Bacteriology Department, Belfast City Hospital, during 1982/83 were found to be ampicillin-resistant (beta-lactamase-producing). Susceptibility testing to other antibiotics of these ampicillin-resistant strains showed that cefuroxime, cefotaxime, gentamicin, and amoxycillin with clavulanic acid were reliable alternatives. Other useful alternatives included tetracycline, trimethoprim and co-trimoxazole. Erythromycin was of limited usefulness.
