Haemophilus meningitis

Etiology and epidemiology

 * by Hemofilus influenzae type b;
 * affects children from 3 months to 5 years;
 * in the pre-disease stage, there is usually an upper respiratory tract infection, fever, anorexia, vomiting.

Clinical findings

 * after uncharacteristic symptoms, fever increases;
 * in infants, the fontanela is arched; in older children meningeal signs.

Diagnosis

 * typical findings in punction;


 * latex agglutination can prove H. influenzae.

Complications and consequences

 * with fast and correct treatment, the finding recedes rapidly;
 * if we figure it out late in infants, obstructive hydrocephalus may occur;
 * the result can be psychomotor retardation and cranial nerve disorder, deafness (usually unilateral).

Therapy

 * previously successful treatment with ampicillin is often ineffective due to higher β-lactamase production;
 * treatment is initiated i.v. application of dexamethasone, immediately afterwards we apply cephalosporins III. generation (doses are the same as for meningococcal meningitis, for 5-10 days);
 * chloramphenicol is also effective, but we rarely use it for side effects.

Prevention

 * in countries where vaccination against HEB has been around for a longer time, this disease has been almost eradicated;
 * in the Czech republic it is part of the mandatory vaccinations sice July of 2001, few dozen cases are reported every year.

Prognosis

 * lethality is below 5%, the risk is higher in the event of a hydrocephalus

Similar articles

 * Haemophilus influenzae

Source

 * ws:Hemofilová meningitida
 * BENEŠ, Jiří. Studijní materiály [online]. ©2007. [cit. 2010]. .

Literature

 * HRODEK, Otto a Jan VAVŘINEC, et al. Pediatrie. 1. vydání. Praha : Galén, 2002. ISBN 80-7262-178-5.


 * ŠAŠINKA, Miroslav, Tibor ŠAGÁT a László KOVÁCS, et al. Pediatria. 2. vydání. Bratislava : Herba, 2007. ISBN 978-80-89171-49-1.