ACTIVITY OF THE FRENCH HAEMOPHILUS-INFLUE NZAE NATIONAL REFERENCE CENTER, YEARS 1994-1995 - OUTSET OF THE POST-VACCINAL ERA

During the two year period, 1994 and 1995, an important decrease of ty pe b isolates and of meningitis occurence was observed. Strains isolat ed from meningitis were non-typable in 30 and 47 % of the cases. Great er incidence of meningitis occured in children between 3 and 5 years o f age. This dramatic change could be due to the impact of H. influenza e type b vaccines on the epidemiology of H. influenzae type b meningit is. In the same period and for all the strains, beta-lactamase product ion did not vary and concerned 27 % of the strains. Beta-lactamase pro duction concerned 33 % of the strains isolated from otitis media. Ampi cillin resistance without beta-lactamase production was detected in 1. 1 % of the strains studied in 1995 (non capsulated strains). Resistanc e to tetracyclin (8 %), chloramphenicol (2 %), and cotrimoxazole (10 % ) was lower than in previous surveys.