Haemophilus influenzae Invasive Disease, 2015

One hundred four cases of invasive Haemophilus influenzae disease (1.9 per 100,000 population) were reported in 2015. Cases ranged in age from newborn to 100 years (median 67 years). Allowing for more than one syndrome per case, 47 (39%) cases had pneumonia, 37 (31%) had bacteremia without another focus of infection, 12 (19%) had septic shock, 8 (7%) had meningitis, 2 (2%) had epiglottitis, 2 (2%) had septic arthritis, and 1 (1%) each had abscess, cellulitis, cerebritis, endocarditis, endophthalmitis, lymphadenopathy, otitis media, pericarditis, peritonitis, pleural effusion, and pneumonitis. Eighteen (17%) cases died.

Of 100 H. influenzae isolates for which typing was performed at PHL, 12 were type a, 14 were type f, 2 type b, 3 type e, and 69 were untypeable. Two cases of type b (Hib) disease occurred in 2015, compared to 1 case in 2014, 4 cases in 2013, and 3 cases in 2012. Both cases were in adults and survived. One case had pneumonia and the other had cellulitis.

The 18 deaths occurred in patients ranging in age from newborn to 94 years. Nine cases had pneumonia (of these 1 also had septic shock and 1 had meningitis), 8 had bacteremia without focus (of these 4 also had septic shock), and 2 had meningitis. Seventeen cases had H. influenzae isolated from blood and 1 from CSF. Underlying medical conditions were reported in 17 cases. Of the 18 cases that died, 14 case-isolates were untypeable, and 4 were serotype f.

• For up to date information see>> Haemophilus influenzae (invasive disease)
• Full issue>> Annual Summary of Communicable Diseases Reported to the Minnesota Department of Health, 2015