THE ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF NONTYPABLE HAEMOPHILUS-INFLUENZAE FROM THE SPUTUM OF ADULT CYSTIC-FIBROSIS PATIENTS

The role of non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae in cystic fibrosis (CF ) remains unclear, We wanted, therefore, to determine the presence and characteristics of non-typeable H. influenzae in sputum samples from patients with CF. In order to do this, we have assessed sputum samples from 55 consecutive clinically stable patients seen routinely at an a dult CF out-patient clinic Quantitative bacterial culture was performe d using a selective media containing cefsoludin, and isolates were cha racterized by biotyping and outer membrane protein profile analysis. I n 17 (30%) of these samples, non-typeable H. influenzae was isolated a nd was present in similar viable numbers (mean 7.7x10(8) colony-formin g units (cfu). mL(-1); SEM 3.1) to Pseudomonas aeruginosa (mean 8x10(8 ) cfu . mL(-1): sEM 2.4). All non-typeable H. influenzae isolates reco vered were beta-lactamase negative and sensitive to a range of antibio tics, Several biotypes and outer membrane protein profiles were observ ed, with no apparent association between these two phenotypic characte ristics. The study showed that large numbers of non-typeable H. influe nzae are often present in sputum from adult patients with CF, Further longitudinal studies of outer-membrane protein profile analysis are re quired to determine the dynamics of non-typeable H. influenzae coloniz ation in individual patients and the clinical significance.