[Characteristics of Haemophilus influenzae strains isolated from the sputum of acute pneumonia patients with influenza].

The morphological, cultural, biochemical and antigenic properties of 232 H. influenzae strains isolated from the sputum of patients with acute pneumonia were studied. Biochemical typing carried out by Kilian's method permitted the division of the strains into 5 biovars; of these, 94.5 +/- 2.0% belonged to biovars I, II and III. For serological typing the test of coagglutination with staphylococcal protein A was used. This test proved to be highly sensitive, economical in respect of antiserum consumption and did not require the use of agglutinating sera free from cross-reacting antibodies. H. influenzae strains, biovar II and capsular serovar b, prevailed in the sputum of pneumonia patients.