Tipificación capsular mediante PCR de aislamientos de Haemophilus influenzae no tipificables por aglutinación. / [PCR-based capsular typing of Haemophilus influenzae isolates non-typeable by agglutination]

ABSTRACT

Haemophilus influenzae is recognized as a pathogenic agent responsible of localized and systemic infections. Six antigenically different capsular polysaccharide types have been described (a, b, c, d, e, and f ) which can be identified by slide agglutination with specific antisera. Besides there are non capsulated strains that cannot be typed by slide agglutination. The introduction of the conjugated vaccine produced an important reduction of invasive diseases caused by H. influenzae type b. Capsular typing by PCR is the most appropriated method for distinguishing non capsulated strains from capsule deficient type b mutants (b-) and for detecting strains of other serotypes that cannot be detected by slide agglutination. Capsular genotype was studied in 38 isolates of non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae received at INE-ANLIS [quot ]Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán[quot ] between 2002-2004. Of the isolates included in this study 78.9