Haemophilus influenzae meningitis is a bacterial infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord (meninges).
See also:
H. influenzae meningitis; H. flu meningitis
Causes, incidence, and risk factorsH. influenzae meningitis is caused by Haemophilus influenzae bacteria. This bacteria should not be confused with the disease influenza, an upper respiratory infection caused by the influenza virus.
Before the Hib vaccine became available, H. influenzae was the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in children under 5 years of age. Since the introduction of the vaccine in the U.S., H. influenzae now occurs in less than 2 in 100,000 children. It still causes 5% - 10% of bacterial meningitis cases in adults.
H. influenzae meningitis may come after an upper respiratory infection. The infection usually spreads from the respiratory tract to the bloodstream, and then to the meninges. At the meninges, the bacteria produce infection and inflammation, causing serious illness and sometimes death.
Risk factors include:
Signs include:
For any patient with meningitis, it is important to perform a lumbar puncture ("spinal tap"), in which spinal fluid (known as cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF) is collected for testing.
Other tests include:
Treatment must be started as soon as meningitis is suspected. H. influenzae meningitis should be treated with antibiotics given through a vein (IV).
Steroid medication may also be used, mostly in children. Steroids are given to reduce hearing loss, which is a common complication of meningitis in children.
Expectations (prognosis)The likely outcome is good with early treatment. However, 3 - 5% of patients do not survive.
ComplicationsContact your health care provider or go to an emergency room if you experience symptoms of H. influenzae or if you notice these symptoms in your child. Meningitis can quickly become life-threatening.
PreventionTo protect infants and young children:
To prevent infection after being exposed to H. influenzae meningitis:
Swartz MN. Meningitis: bacterial, viral, and other. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: chap 437.
Haemophilus influenzae meningitis is a bacterial infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord (meninges).
See also:
H. influenzae meningitis; H. flu meningitis
Causes, incidence, and risk factorsH. influenzae meningitis is caused by Haemophilus influenzae bacteria. These bacteria should not be confused with the disease influenza, an upper respiratory infection caused by the influenza virus.
Before the Hib vaccine became available, H. influenzae was the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in children under age 5. Since the introduction of the vaccine in the U.S., H. influenzae meningitis occurs in less than 2 in 100,000 children. It still causes 5% - 10% of bacterial meningitis cases in adults.
H. influenzae meningitis may occur after an upper respiratory infection. The infection usually spreads from the respiratory tract to the bloodstream, and then to the meninges. At the meninges, the bacteria produce infection and inflammation, causing serious illness and sometimes death.
Risk factors include:
Symptoms usually come on quickly, and may include:
Other symptoms that can occur with this disease:
Physical examination will usually show:
For a patient who is suspected of having meningitis, it is important to perform a lumbar puncture ("spinal tap"), in which spinal fluid (known as cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF) is collected for testing.
Tests that may be done include:
Treatment with antibiotics should be started as soon as possible. Ceftriaxone is one of the most commonly used antibiotics.
If the antibiotic is not working and the health care provider suspects antibiotic resistance, chloramphenicol with ampicillin may be used. Sometimes corticosteroids may be used, especially in children.
Unvaccinated people who are in close contact with someone who has H. influenzae meningitis should be given antibiotics to prevent infection. Such people include:
Early treatment improves the outcome. However, 3 - 5% of patients do not survive. Young children and adults over 50 have the highest risk of death.
ComplicationsCall the local emergency number (such as 911) or go to an emergency room if you suspect meningitis in a young child who has the following symptoms:
Call the local emergency number if you develop any of the serious symptoms listed above. Meningitis can quickly become a life-threatening illness.
PreventionTo protect infants and young children:
All unvaccinated family members and close contacts (especially in health care or school settings) of people with this type of meningitis should begin antibiotic treatment as soon as possible to prevent spread of the infection. Ask your health care provider about this during the first visit.
Close contacts in the same household, school, or day care center should be watched for early signs of the disease as soon as the first case is diagnosed. If two cases occur in a day care center, preventive antibiotics should be considered. Always use good hygiene habits, such as washing hands before and after changing a diaper, and after using the bathroom.
ReferencesSwartz MN. Meningitis: bacterial, viral, and other. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: chap 437.
Reviewed ByReview Date: 09/15/2010
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Jatin M. Vyas, PhD, MD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
Preventive treatment with antibiotics is sometimes recommended for the close contacts of an individual who is ill with meningococcal or H. influenzae type b meningitis.
meningitis
Some flu victims had no H. influenzae in their lungs.
The source of the disease was Hemophilus influenzae, a bacteria that causes inflammation of the meninges, the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
Four doses
Older children are more frequently infected by the bacteria Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria meningitidis, and Streptococci pneumoniae.
Thomas H. Wright has written: 'A historical and physical sketch of a malignant epidemick' -- subject(s): Cerebrospinal Meningitis, Meningitis, Cerebrospinal, Phlebotomy
Streb B was the cause of my 5-dayold son's meningitis. It is found vaginally in some women, so during delivery it could be passed on to the baby. Strep B can also cause other very serious bacterial infections in newborns. In the US. doctors swab all expectant mums as part of the childbirth routine. Unfortunately that's not the case in Britain, but thankfully my son was diagnosed swiftly and made a full recovery.
Haemophilus influenzae can cause pneumonia, but it is not what causes influenza. Influenza is a disease that is caused by a virus. Haemophilus influenzae is the name of a bacterium. It was originally thought to be the cause of influenza before they had discovered viruses, that is how a bacterium got the name with "influenzae" in it. This type of bacteria also can cause meningitis, septic arthritis, and many other infections, commonly in children under 5 who have immature immune systems. It is a bacterium that can be present without causing illness, unless the person has a suppressed immune system.when does influenza useally start
* Viral Meningitis - the most common form of meningitis, caused by a viral infection. It occurs mostly in the summer.* Bacterial Meningitis - the less common form of the disease; always associated with serious and severe illness.
Bacterical Meningitis refers to the condition where the meninges, or outer membrane of the brain and spinal cord, are inflamed due to a bacterical infection. As such, it can potentially be caused by a number of different pathogens. However, the most common bacteria involved in the developed world are Streptococcus pnuemoniae and Neisseria meningitidis.Other culprits indentified in bacterical meningitis case have included Listeria monosytogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Haemophilus influenzae as well.Also keep in mind, bacterial meningitis is not an isolated illness, but is often a sign of a systemic bacterial infection - an infection that has spread throughout the entire body. An infection that has progressed to the point on invading the cetral nervous system can result in septicemia and death if the patient does not receive prompt medical attention.
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