Haemophilus influenzae Invasive Disease, 2013

Ninety-one cases of invasive Haemophilus influenzae disease (1.7 per 100,000 population) were reported in 2013. Cases ranged in age from newborn to 100 years (median, 66 years). Allowing for more than one syndrome per case, 42 (46%) cases had pneumonia, 32 (35%) had bacteremia without another focus of infection, 7 (8%) had septic shock, 5 (6%) had meningitis, 2 (2%) each had cellulitis, epiglottitis and septic arthritis, 1 (10%) each had peritonitis, endometritis, empyema, osteomyelitis, and otitis media. Nine (10%) cases died.

Of 88 H. influenzae isolates for which typing was performed at the PHL, 16 (18%) were type f, 4 (5%) type b, 8 (9%) type a, 7 (8%) type e, and 53 (60%) were untypeable. Serotype f represented on average 14.5% of case-isolates from 2006-2012.

The 4 cases of type b (Hib) disease, compared to 3 cases reported in 2012, 3 cases in 2011, and 1 case in 2010. All 2013 cases were in adults >60 years of age. One case died.

The 9 deaths occurred in patients ranging in age from 50 to 100 years. Four cases had pneumonia (of these, 1 also had septic shock), 5 had bacteremia without focus (of these 2 also had septic shock). All 9 cases had
H. influenzae isolated from blood and 7 reported underlying medical conditions. Of the 9 cases that died, 6 case-isolates were untypeable, 2 were serotype f, and 1 was serotype b.

• For up to date information see>> Haemophilus influenzae (invasive disease)
• Full issue>> Annual Summary of Communicable Diseases Reported to the Minnesota Department of Health, 2013