Infectious arthritis in the neonate caused by Haemophilus influenzae
D. M. Granoff and G. A. Nankervis
Two newborns had hematogenous pyarthrosis due to Haemophilus influenzae.
One infant had signs of sepsis and dactylitis involving several fingers and
toes. She also developed a soft tissue abscess, meningitis, and a septic
hip, and was found to be infected with a nontypable organism. In the second
infant, a shoulder traumatized at birth became infected with a type b
strain. In both cases, the patients were successfully treated, but delays
occurred in selecting the optimal therapeutic agent because of failure to
appreciate that Haemophilus may cause systemic infection in the newborn. In
the first infant the source of the infection was identified as the mother's
endocervical canal. This patient is also of interest because in contrast to
previous reports of Haemophilus infection in the newborn, bactericidal
activity was present in the maternal serum.
