To cite: Takata M, Fujikawa T, Goto R. BMJ Case Rep Published online: [please include Day Month Year] doi:10.1136/bcr-2016214742 DESCRIPTION A 65-year-old man with a history of rectal cancer surgery presented to the emergency department, with fever and arthralgia in the neck, radiating to the shoulder, since the previous day. Although the origin of the fever was unknown, he was eventually admit...

Varicella is a nearly ubiquitous acquired childhood disease. Infectious complications of varicella can be life- or limb-threatening. These complications appear 3 to 4 days after the appearance of varicella exanthem and are heralded by fever, pain, and erythema of the overlying skin. Airway complications of varicella are rare, rapidly evolving, and, unfortunately, difficult to visualize. We repo...

Introduction: Acute epiglottitis or supraglottitis is a rapidly progressing upper respiratory tract infection that can often threaten the airway patency. Epiglottic abscess that expands to the paraglottic (PGS) or preepiglottic (PES) space and acute airway obstruction constitute rare complications, exclusively presented in adults.   Case Report: We report two cases. In t...

An 8 month old child developed Haemophilus influenzae meningitis 12 days after his elder brother had developed epiglottitis. There is not at present in the United Kingdom a recognised policy for prophylactic treatment of contacts of patients with H influenzae infection. Variations in clinical practice were confirmed by the result of a survey of paediatricians in the Northern region.

Acute epiglotiitis is a disease of rapid onset and progression of symptoms and has been well described in children. The importance of being aware of this diagnosis is to prevent an acute upper airway obstruction that can be potentially fatal. Here we describe two cases of adult acute epiglottitis where the patients had severe symptoms of sorethroat but a normal looking oropharynx.