Learn About H Influenzae Meningitis
Meningitis is an infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. This covering is called the meninges.
Bacteria are one type of germ that can cause meningitis. Haemophilus influenzae type b is one kind of bacteria that causes meningitis.
H. influenzae meningitis; H. flu meningitis; Haemophilus influenzae type b meningitis
H influenzae meningitis is caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b bacteria. This illness is not the same as the flu (influenza), which is caused by a virus.
Before the Hib vaccine, H influenzae was the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in children under age 5. Since the vaccine became available in the United States, this type of meningitis occurs much less often in children.
H influenzae meningitis may occur after an upper respiratory infection. The infection usually spreads from the lungs and airways to the blood, then to the brain area.
Risk factors include:
- Attending day care
- Cancer
- Ear infection (otitis media) with H influenzae infection
- Family member with an H influenzae infection
- Native American race
- Pregnancy
- Older age
- Sinus infection (sinusitis)
- Sore throat (pharyngitis)
- Upper respiratory infection
- Weakened immune system
Symptoms usually come on quickly, and may include:
- Fever and chills
- Mental status changes
- Nausea and vomiting
- Sensitivity to light (photophobia)
- Severe headache
- Stiff neck (meningismus)
Other symptoms that can occur include:
- Agitation
- Bulging fontanelles in infants
- Decreased consciousness
- Poor feeding and irritability in children
- Rapid breathing
- Unusual posture, with the head and neck arched backwards (opisthotonos)
Antibiotics will be given as soon as possible. Ceftriaxone is one of the most commonly used antibiotics. Ampicillin may sometimes be used.
Corticosteroids may be used to fight inflammation, 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:
- Household members
- Roommates in dormitories
- Those who come into close contact with an infected person
University Of Helsinki And Helsinki University Hospital
Heikki Peltola is in Helsinki, Finland. Peltola is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of H Influenzae Meningitis. They are also highly rated in 11 other conditions, according to our data. Their top areas of expertise are Bacterial Meningitis, H Influenzae Meningitis, Meningitis, and Osteomyelitis in Children.
University College London
Brenda Adams-Kwambana is in London, United Kingdom. Adams-Kwambana is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of H Influenzae Meningitis. She is also highly rated in 6 other conditions, according to our data. Her top areas of expertise are H Influenzae Meningitis, Pneumococcal Meningitis, Staphylococcal Meningitis, and Bacterial Meningitis.
University Of Amsterdam
Matthijs Brouwer is in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Brouwer is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of H Influenzae Meningitis. He is also highly rated in 17 other conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Bacterial Meningitis, Meningitis, Brain Abscess, and Pneumococcal Meningitis.
Meningitis is a dangerous infection and it can be deadly. The sooner it is treated, the better the chance for recovery. Young children and adults over age 50 have the highest risk for death.
Long-term complications may include:
- Brain damage
- Buildup of fluid between the skull and brain (subdural effusion)
- Buildup of fluid inside the skull that leads to brain swelling (hydrocephalus)
- Hearing loss
- Seizures
Call 911 or the local emergency number or go to an emergency room if you suspect meningitis in a young child who has the following symptoms:
- Feeding problems
- High-pitched cry
- Irritability
- Persistent, unexplained fever
Meningitis can quickly become a life-threatening illness.
Infants and young children can be protected with the Hib vaccine.
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 person is diagnosed. All unvaccinated family members and close contacts of this person should begin antibiotic treatment as soon as possible to prevent spread of the infection. Ask your provider about antibiotics during the first visit.
Always use good hygiene habits, such as washing hands before and after changing a diaper, and after using the bathroom.
Published Date : October 25, 2020
Published By : Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Bacterial meningitis. www.cdc.gov/meningitis/bacterial.html. Updated August 6, 2019. Accessed December 1, 2020.
Nath A. Meningitis: bacterial, viral, and other. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 384.
Hasbun R, Van de Beek D, Brouwer MC, Tunkel AR. Acute meningitis. In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 87.