“…The reason for this is that, in Japan, as well as PRSP, a tendency toward an increase of β-lactamase-negative Ampicillin resistant H. infl uenzae (BLNAR) has been observed. [13][14][15][16][17][18] There have been no reports of detailed examination of the two resistant strains of PRSP and BLNAR that are involved in AURTI, including AOM. This being the case, from 2002 through 2004, while focusing on the trends of PRSP and BLNAR found in nasopharyngeal bacterial fl ora, we specifi cally examined the nasopharyngeal bacterial fl ora of healthy subjects, from infants to the elderly, and AURTI patients.…”