1 Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital, 1465 S Grand Blvd, St Louis, MO 63104
To the Editor.
Dr Gilsdorf's rather reassuring recommendation to discontinue respiratory isolation for children with Haemophilus influenzae type b infections after 24 hours of parenteral therapy, "without increased risk of nosocomial infection," was based on her failure to show nasopharyngeal colonization with H influenzae type b after 24 hours of appropriate antibiotics.1 Although this is in accord with currently recommended isolation policies, a modicum of skepticism should remain.
Previous studies have demonstrated the persistence of H influenzae type b in the nasopharynx and throat for up to six days after parenteral antibiotic therapy.2,3