Comparison of antibiotic resistant and sensitive strains of Haemophilus influenzae type b in The Netherlands by outer-membrane protein subtyping.

The percentage of beta-lactamase producing Haemophilus influenzae strains from patients with meningitis in The Netherlands increased from 0% in 1975/1976 to 4.6% in 1985/1986 (n = 1559). Twenty-three isolates resistant to ampicillin, penicillin, chloramphenicol, rifampicin and/or tetracycline were subtyped to determine if one resistant strain was spreading. (Sub)typing was performed by capsular typing, analysis of the major outer membrane protein patterns on sodium dodecylsulfate gels (SDS-PAGE subtypes), lipopolysaccharide serotyping and biotyping. The (sub)types of the resistant strains were similar to those of sensitive strains, thus indicating that antibiotic resistant strains develop at random.