Selective media for recovery of Haemophilus influenzae from specimens contaminated with upper respiratory tract microbial flora

Isolation of Haemophilus influenzae from specimens contaminated with upper respiratory tract microbial flora was attempted with three different media: enriched chocolate agar, chocolate agar plus vancomycin, and chocolate agar plus vancomycin, bacitracin, and clindamycin. Recovery rates of H. influenzae from 852 pediatric pharyngeal swab specimens were 6.0, 28.5, and 59.9%, respectively.