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

Links

Similar articles

• Haemophilus influenzae

Source

• ws:Hemofilová meningitida
• BENEŠ, Jiří. Studijní materiály [online]. ©2007. [cit. 2010]. <http://jirben.wz.cz>.

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.