Haemophilus influenzae infection

Haemophilus influenzae infection
Other names: Haemophilus influenza disease[1]
Haemophilus influenzae meningitis
SpecialtyInfectious disease
TypesEar infections, bronchitis, pneumonia, sepsis, meningitis, epiglottis, skin infections, infectious arthritis.[2]
CausesHaemophilus influenzae[1]
Risk factorsWeak immune system, HIV, sickle cell disease, no spleen[3]
PreventionHib vaccine[4]
TreatmentAntibiotics[4]
Frequency3 million (serious cases)[5]
Deaths400,000 deaths per year[5]

Haemophilus influenzae infection, also known as Haemophilus influenzae disease is any infection caused by the bacteria Haemophilus influenzae.[1] Diseases in this group include ear infections, bronchitis, pneumonia, sepsis, meningitis, epiglottitis, skin infections and infectious arthritis.[2] All of these infections can cause a fever.[6] Other symptoms and signs depend on the part of the body that is infected; cough and breathlessness in pneumonia, tiredness and confusion in sepsis, headache, stiff neck and photophobia in meningitis.[6]

H. influenzae type b (Hib) causes severe H. influenzae disease.[3] It is spread by breathing in or having contact with respiratory droplets from either a sick or well person who carries H. influenza in their nose or throat.[3] Children under the age of five years, adults over 65 years, people from Alaska, American Indians and people with weakened immune systems, HIV, sickle cell disease and no spleen, are at higher risk of H. influenzae disease.[3]

Diagnosis is usually by laboratory testing of blood or spinal fluid.[4] Treatment is with antibiotics and correcting oxygen, blood pressure and wound care.[4] A safe and effective vaccine against Hib has been available since the 1980s.[5][7]

In groups that are not immunised, Hib is responsible for 95% of all severe H. influenzae infections.[5] Globally, Hib causes 3 million episodes of serious disease and 400,000 deaths per year.[5] In countries where the vaccine is part of an immunization programme, serious H. influenzae disease is rare.[8] Prior to the introduction of vaccination, it was the most common cause of bacterial meningitis in children, particularly those under the age of 3 years, in whom 3-5% carried the bacteria in their nose and throat without knowing.[9]

Signs and symptoms

Haemophilus influenzae disease is any infection caused by the bacteria Haemophilus influenzae,[1] Diseases in this group include ear infections, bronchitis, pneumonia, sepsis, meningitis, epiglottitis, skin infections and infectious arthritis.[2]

There is typically a fever.[6] Other signs and symptoms depend on the part of the body that is infected.[6]

Cause

H. influenzae type b (Hib) causes severe H. influenzae disease.[5] It is spread by breathing in or having contact with respiratory droplets from either a sick or well person who carries H. influenza in their nose or throat.[3]

Risk factors

Children under the age of five years, adults over 65 years, people from Alaska, American Indians and people with weakened immune systems, HIV, sickle cell disease and no spleen, are at higher risk of H. influenzae disease.[3]

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is usually by laboratory testing.[4]

  • Chest X-ray in a case of COPD exacerbation where a nasopharyngeal swab detected Haemophilus influenzae: Opacities (on the patient's right side) can be seen in other types of pneumonia, as well.
    Chest X-ray in a case of COPD exacerbation where a nasopharyngeal swab detected Haemophilus influenzae: Opacities (on the patient's right side) can be seen in other types of pneumonia, as well.
  • Chest X-ray of a case of Haemophilus influenzae, presumably as a secondary infection from influenza. It shows patchy consolidations, mainly in the right upper lobe (arrow).
    Chest X-ray of a case of Haemophilus influenzae, presumably as a secondary infection from influenza. It shows patchy consolidations, mainly in the right upper lobe (arrow).
  • Sputum Gram stain at 1000x magnification. The sputum is from a person with Haemophilus influenzae pneumonia, and the Gram negative coccobacilli are visible with a background of neutrophils.
    Sputum Gram stain at 1000x magnification. The sputum is from a person with Haemophilus influenzae pneumonia, and the Gram negative coccobacilli are visible with a background of neutrophils.
  • H. influenzae on a chocolate agar plate
    H. influenzae on a chocolate agar plate

Prevention

A vaccine against Haemophilus influenzae is safe and effective at preventing Haemophilus influenzae disease due to type b.[7]

  • Act-Hib
    Act-Hib
  • Infanrix hexa
    Infanrix hexa
  • Menitorix
    Menitorix

Treatment

Treatment is with antibiotics.[4]

Epidemiology

In groups that are not immunised, Hib is responsible for 95% of all severe H. influenzae infections.[5] Globally, Hib causes 3 million episodes of serious disease and 400,000 deaths per year.[5] In countries where the vaccine is part of an immunization programme, serious H. influenzae disease is rare.[8]

History

A safe and effective vaccine against Hib has been available since the 1980s.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "About Haemophilus influenzae | CDC". www.cdc.gov. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 18 March 2021. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 Yeh, Sylvia H. (2022). "4. Haemophilus influenzae Type B". In Jong, Elaine C.; Stevens, Dennis L. (eds.). Netter's Infectious Diseases (2nd ed.). Elsevier. pp. 16–19. ISBN 978-0-323-71159-3. Archived from the original on 2023-07-01. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Haemophilus influenzae: Causes and Transmission | CDC". www.cdc.gov. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 18 March 2021. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Haemophilus influenzae: Diagnosis and Treatment | CDC". www.cdc.gov. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 18 March 2021. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Factsheet about Invasive Haemophilus influenzae disease". European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Archived from the original on 7 November 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Symptoms of Haemophilus influenzae | CDC". www.cdc.gov. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 18 March 2021. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  7. 1 2 "Preventing Haemophilus influenzae | CDC". www.cdc.gov. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 18 March 2021. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  8. 1 2 Barlow, Gavin; Irving, William L.; Moss, Peter J. (2020). "20. Infectious disease". In Feather, Adam; Randall, David; Waterhouse, Mona (eds.). Kumar and Clark's Clinical Medicine (10th ed.). Elsevier. p. 545. ISBN 978-0-7020-7870-5. Archived from the original on 2022-01-11. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
  9. ↑ Heininger, Ulrich (2021). "19. Haemophilus influenza Type b (Hib) vaccines". In Vesikari, Timo; Damme, Pierre Van (eds.). Pediatric Vaccines and Vaccinations: A European Textbook (Second ed.). Switzerland: Springer. pp. 195–206. ISBN 978-3-030-77172-0. Archived from the original on 2022-01-11. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
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