Systemic Haemophilus influenzae infections in a community hospital: prevalence of ampicillin resistance.

Ampicillin-resistant strains are presently known to account for 10% to 20% of type b Haemophilus influenzae infections in the United States. To determine whether the incidence in a community hospital parallels that of several university hospitals, we reviewed medical records of the 99 children with type b Haemophilus systemic infections for the period 1976 to 1979. These cass represented 1.8% of all pediatric medical admissions. In 1976-1977, 5% of those infections were caused by resistant strains; the incidence increased to 19% for the period 1978-1979. This increase on a community hospital level parallels the increase in ampicillin resistance in Haemophilus noted in university hospitals and underscores the need for chloramphenicol (alone or in combination with ampicillin) as initial treatment for systemic Haemophilus infections.