Genomic diversity and antimicrobial resistance of haemophilus colonizing the airways of young children with cystic fibrosis

Abstract

Respiratory infection during childhood is a key risk factor in early cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease progression. Haemophilus influenzae and Haemophilus parainfluenzae are routinely isolated from the lungs of children with CF; however, little is known about the frequency and characteristics of Haemophilus colonization in this context. Here, we describe the detection, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and genome sequencing of H. influenzae and H. parainfluenzae isolated from airway samples of 147 participants aged #12 years enrolled in the Australian Respiratory Early Surveillance Team for Cystic Fibrosis (AREST CF) program, Melbourne, Australia. The frequency of colonization per visit was 4...