Haemophilus influenzae meningitis in Sweden 1981-1983.

Abstract

SUMMARY Four hundred and seventy cases of meningitis caused by Haemophilus influenzae in children and 30 cases in adults were identified in Sweden between 1981 and 1983. The age specific incidence in the most susceptible age group (0-4 years) was 31/100 000/year (440 cases), which is higher than previously reported from Europe. A further 30 cases were seen in children aged 5-14. The risk of developing H influenzae meningitis before the age of 15 was 1 in 669. There were 11 deaths (2%) and five cases of serious neurological sequelae among the children. Only 18 children (4%) had predisposing diseases. All but one of the 294 strains of H influenzae from children that had been serotyped were type b. Infections in adults differed from infections in children. Five of the adults died (17%), 12 had important predisposing diseases, and at least six of the infections were caused by non-typable strains. It is concluded that research into the prevention of invasive H influenzae infections in children should have high priority.

Long-term follow-up of children with bacterial meningitis with emphasis on behavioural characteristics

“…The country-wide epidemiological investigation on bacterial meningitis, upon which the present study is based, confirmed that the case-fatality rate and frequency of serious sequelae after bacterial meningitis in children in Sweden are relatively low in comparison with other industrialised countries [4,6,17,20,21,22,24,31,33]. The case-fatality rate was 3% and serious neurological sequelae were seen in 2% of all patients.…”

“…Bacterial meningitis, most often caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), Neisseria meningitidis and Streptococcus pneumoniae, is a life threatening disease that causes death in 1%-15% of affected patients [3,33]. Survivors often have neurological sequelae and the reported rate of neurological sequelae varies between 10% and 50% [3].…”

Haemophilus influenzae Infections among Hospitalized Adult Patients

“…With the virtual elimination of Hib in industrialized countries due to universal childhood vaccination programs, invasive Hi infection in adults has gained importance.A Swedish study estimated an annual incidence of 1.1 invasive infections per 100,000 adults [1]. Similar numbers were found in a US study with an overall annual incidence of 1.7 invasive infections per 100,000 adults [2].…”

The epidemiology ofHaemophilus influenzaetype b disease in the Republic of Ireland

“…Our case definition which includes only culture positive cases is similar to that of other international studies [3,4,9,15]. The inclusion by some researchers [5,7,8,12] of a small proportion of additional cases (on average less than one percent) that are Hib antigen positive but culture negative should not affect comparability of data.…”

“…Meningitis is the principal clinical disease [1,3,7] but other conditions such as epiglottitis, pneumonia, cellulitis, bone and joint infections and septicaemia also occur [4][5][6]. The major disease burden occurs in children under 5 years [3][4][5][6]8].…”