Haemophilus influenzae non-type b infections in children
J. R. Gilsdorf
During a four-year surveillance period in a tertiary care children's
hospital, nine children experienced 11 episodes of Haemophilus influenzae
non-type b invasive infections, representing 9% of all invasive H
influenzae infections. Of these nine children, two had lymphoproliferative
disorders; one had immunoglobulin subclass deficiency; one had severe
congenital heart disease, with chronic heart failure; two had cerebrospinal
fluid leaks; and two were premature neonates whose mothers had prolonged
rupture of amniotic membranes. Only one child had no evidence of an
underlying condition that might predispose him to infection with these
ordinarily nonpathogenic organisms. Three of the isolates were serotype f,
one was serotype e, and the remaining seven were nontypable, with types a
through f antisera. Thus, the majority of children experiencing invasive H
influenzae non-type b infections appear to have a predisposing medical
condition. To aid in detecting these unusual infections, all H influenzae
isolates from otherwise sterile body sites should be serotyped, and those
children with non-type b isolates should be evaluated for a possible
predisposing underlying illness.
