Haemophilus influenzae Invasive Disease, 2017

One hundred twenty-five invasive Haemophilus influenzae disease cases (2.3 per 100,000 population) were reported in 2017. Cases ranged in age from newborn to 102 years (median 65 years). Allowing for more than one syndrome per case, 73 (58%) cases had pneumonia, 34 (27%) had bacteremia without another focus, 10 (8%) had septic shock, 7 (6%) had meningitis, 3 (2%) had epiglottitis, 3 (2%) had septic arthritis, 1 (1%) had pyelonephritis, and 1 (1%) had otitis media. Eight (6%) cases died.

Of 119 H. influenzae isolates for which typing was performed at PHL, 20 were type f, 14 type a, 2 type b (Hib), 5 type e, 1 type d, and 77 were untypeable. The 2 type b Hib disease cases compared to 5 cases in 2016, 2 in 2015, and 1 in 2014. One was in a child 1-4 years of age, and 1 was in an adult >60 years of age; both survived. One had pneumonia and one had epiglottitis.
The child was unvaccinated.

The 8 deaths occurred in patients ranging in age from 51 to 94 years. Five cases had pneumonia (of these, 2 also had septic shock), and 3 had bacteremia without another focus of infection. All 8 had H. influenzae isolated from blood. Co-morbidities were reported in all of them. Of the 8 that died, 6 case-isolates were untypeable, and 2 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, 2017