Esterase electrophoresis: a molecular tool for studying the epidemiology of Branhamella catarrhalis nosocomial infection.

A new epidemiologic typing method based on electrophoresis of esterases had been developed for differentiating between clinical isolates of Branhamella catarrhalis. Twenty-two epidemiologically significant strains obtained from three Chest Units, a Paediatric Intensive Care Unit and a Paediatric Unit were compared with 54 randomly selected strains and 4 reference strains, including the species type strain, ATCC 25238. Thirty-four distinct zymotypes were characterized by polyacrylamide-agarose gel electrophoresis of the 80 strains. One infrequent zymotype was found in 2 neonates and another in 2 adults with nosocomial bronchopulmonary infections, suggesting the nosocomial spread of 2 outbreak strains of B. catarrhalis. A more frequent zymotype was isolated from 3 neonates with nosocomial bronchopulmonary infection and from 2 children with nosocomial rhinopharyngitis. The remaining 12 epidemiologically significant strains were of varied zymotypes. This work demonstrates that esterase electrophoresis is a suitable, readily reproducible, stable typing system applicable to the wide range of strains found in B. catarrhalis nosocomial infections.

[Nosocomial pulmonary infections caused by Branhamella catarrhalis in intensive care units]. / Infections pulmonaires nosocomiales à Branhamella catarrhalis en milieu de réanimation.

Branhamella catarrhalis, a normal inhabitant of the human nasopharynx, is an opportunistic agent that usually infects patients with underlying diseases. B. catarrhalis has become increasingly recognized as an important respiratory pathogen. From november 1985 to february 1988 we have diagnosed four B. catarrhalis nosocomial pulmonary infections in the adult pulmonary intensive care unit (ICU) and eight in the pediatric ICU. The origin of the contamination has remained unproven because of the lack of a typing system for the strains. All isolates produced beta-lactamase.

[In vitro activity of miocamycin compared with four other macrolides and with pristinamycin against Branhamella catarrhalis]. / Activité in vitro de la miocamycine comparée à celle de quatre autres macrolides et de la pristinamycine sur Branhamella catarrhalis.

The in vitro antibacterial activity of miocamycin was compared with four other macrolides (erythromycin, roxithromycin, josamycin, spiramycin) and pristinamycin against 90 clinical isolates of Branhamella catarrhalis by determination of minimum inhibitory concentrations. Sixty three strains were producing penicillinase. Fourteen carbons macrolides and pristinamycin are more effective than sixteen carbons macrolides. In this group, miocamycin have the best activity. There were no significant differences of susceptibility between penicillinase producing and non producing strains.

[In vitro activity of 3 fluoroquinolones on Branhamella catarrhalis]. / Etude in vitro de trois fluoroquinolones sur Branhamella catarrhalis.

The in vitro antibacterial activities of three fluoroquinolones (pefloxacin, ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin) against 90 clinical isolates of Branhamella catarrhalis were assessed by determination of minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs). 73.5% of the strains were producing penicillinase. The MICS90 were as follow: ciprofloxacin = 0.2 mg/l. The MIC50 and the MIC90 were similar. There was no correlation of MICs with beta-lactam resistance. Lung parenchyma and bronchial mucus diffusion of these three fluoroquinolones allowed their utilisation in Branhamella catarrhalis bronchopulmonary infections.