ABSTRACT
Haemophilus influenzae type b [Hib] can now be prevented by vaccination. We present the clinical and laboratory characteristics of acute invasive H. influenzae diseases in children admitted over a 4-year period to a tertiary paediatric ward of the Al-Ain medical district hospital, before vaccination became available in the United Arab Emirates. In all, 38 children had bacteriologically proven H. influenzae invasive diseases and all the isolates were serotype b. Meningitis was diagnosed in 60.5% of the children and 66% of the studied children were under 12 months. There were no deaths but substantial morbidity occurred in 12 children
Subject(s)
Child , Humans , Infant , Acute Disease , Age Distribution , Child, Preschool , Cluster Analysis , Haemophilus Infections/epidemiology , Haemophilus Vaccines/supply & distribution , Hospitals, District , Morbidity , Patient Admission/statistics & numerical data , Retrospective Studies , VaccinationABSTRACT
A 6 month old Indian child with haemophilus influenzae type b [Hib] invasive disease and residing in Al Ain area of the UAE is described. The infant presented with fever and progressive orbital cellulitis of 12 hours duration. His clinical course deteriorated rapidly over the ensuing few hours and he eventually died of irreversible septic shock 2 weeks after admission. Blood and cerebrospinal fluid culture grew Hib. Hib infection is totally preventable with active immunization of children