Thirty-eight clinical isolates of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae were tested for the presence of hemagglutinating pili similar to those of H. influenzae type b (Hib) that mediate buccal epithelial cell adherence. Four endogenously hemagglutinating (HA+) strains were identified, and eight additional HA+ variants were obtained from HA- strains by erythrocyte enrichment. All 12 HA+ nontypeable...

With the decline in the rate of infections caused by Haemophilus influenzae serotype b since the widespread vaccination, non-b serotypes should be considered as potential pathogenic agents in children with invasive disease younger than 5 years old. We report the case of an immunocompetent 1-year-old boy with Haemophilus influenzae type f meningitis. The agent was identified in cerebrospinal flu...

Each of the serotypes of Haemophilus influenzae (types a to f) may colonize the respiratory tract of humans, but only type b strains commonly cause invasive systemic infections. To investigate the role of complement in immunity to encapsulated non-type b strains, rats were depleted of C3 with cobra venom factor and challenged with representative serotypes of H. influenzae (type a, b, c, or d) b...

 ABSTRACT Background: A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay with primers from "hpd" gene was compared with culture for the detection of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) in CSF samples from children suspected of meningitis. Methods: 300 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from suspected meningitis cases were studied by culture (Leventhal & Chocolate Agar) and PCR. Results: The latter...

OBJECTIVES To determine the effect of Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccination and its timing on the risk of type 1 diabetes in Finnish children. DESIGN Cumulative incidence and relative risk of type 1 diabetes was compared among three birth cohorts of Finnish children: those born during the 24 months before the H influenzae type b vaccination trial, those in the trial cohort who were vaccin...

Haemophilus influenzae type b causes more than 95% of serious H. influenzae meningitis. H. influenzae type e (Hie) has been implicated in a few cases of meningitis. Here, we present an adult Saudi patient with Hie meningitis and review the literature. The patient, a 19-year-old Saudi male with no significant past medical history, was noted by his family to have some changes in his mentation, co...

Epiglottitis in childhood is caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b. The usual antibiotic treatment at the Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria is a five day course of chloramphenicol. Increasingly, third generation cephalosporins are being used to treat invasive H influenzae type b infections and preliminary data suggest that they can be used successfully for epiglottitis. In a pros...

The development of protein-polysaccharide conjugate vaccines has had a major impact on Haemophilus influenzae type b disease. The application of this technology to Neisseria meningitidis is also striking, particularly for serogroup C. However, significant challenges exist for the development of vaccines against non-typeable H. influenzae and against N. meningitidis serogroup B. Issues such as n...