Increase in Quinolone Resistance in a Haemophilus influenzae Strain Isolated from a Patient with Recurrent Respiratory Infections Treated with Ofloxacin

The increase in the level of quinolone resistance of Haemophilus influenzae clinical isolates during ofloxacin therapy of a patient with recurrent respiratory infections was investigated. The first isolate (MIC of ciprofloxacin of 2 microg/ml) and the second isolate (MIC of 32 microg/ml) belonged to the same clone, as shown by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and the increase in the resistance level was associated with a substitution in Ser-84 to Arg in the ParC protein. These results emphasize the potential risk of development of quinolone-resistant H. influenzae during fluoroquinolone therapy in patients with recurrent respiratory infection.