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A49.2: Haemophilus influenzae infection, unspecified site
Haemophilus influenzae Infections
Haemophilus influenzae, a type of bacteria, can cause many different kinds of infections. These infections range from mild, ear infections, to serious, like bloodstream infections.
Doctors consider some of these infections “invasive.” Invasive disease happens when the bacteria invade parts of the body that are normally free from germs. For example, H. influenzae can invade the spinal fluid, causing meningitis, or bloodstream, causing bacteremia. Invasive disease is usually serious, requiring treatment in a hospital, and can sometimes result in death.
The most common types of invasive disease caused by H. influenzae are:
- Pneumonia* (lung infection)
- Bloodstream infection
- Meningitis
- Epiglotittis (swelling in the throat)
- Cellulitis (skin infection)
- Infectious arthritis (inflammation of the joint)
H. influenzae can also be a common cause of ear infections in children and bronchitis in adults. Learn more about these illnesses.
Signs and Symptoms
Symptoms of pneumonia usually include:
- Fever and chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Sweating
- Chest pain
- Headache
- Muscle pain or aches
- Excessive tiredness
Bloodstream Infection
Symptoms of bloodstream infection usually include:
- Fever and chills
- Excessive tiredness
- Pain in the belly
- Nausea with or without vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Anxiety
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Altered mental status (confusion)
Bloodstream infection from H. influenzae can occur with or without pneumonia.
Meningitis
Symptoms of meningitis typically include sudden onset of:
- Fever
- Headache
- Stiff neck
- Nausea with or without vomiting
- Photophobia (eyes being more sensitive to light)
- Altered mental status (confusion)
Babies with meningitis may be irritable, vomit, feed poorly, or appear to be slow or inactive. In young babies, doctors may also test the child’s reflexes, which can be abnormal with meningitis.
Causes
Haemophilus influenzae disease is a name for any infection caused by bacteria called H. influenzae. There are 6 identifiable types of H. influenzae (named a through f) and other non-identifiable types (called nontypeable). The one that people are most familiar with is H. influenzae type b or Hib.
These bacteria live in people’s nose and throat, and usually cause no harm. However, the bacteria can sometimes move to other parts of the body and cause infection.
Experts do not know how long it takes after H. influenzae enter a person’s body for someone to get sick. However, it could take as little as a few days before symptoms appear.
How It Spreads
People spread H. influenzae, including Hib, to others through respiratory droplets. This happens when someone who has the bacteria in their nose or throat coughs or sneezes. People who are not sick but have the bacteria in their noses and throats can still spread the bacteria. That is how H. influenzae spreads most of the time.
The bacteria can also spread to people who have close or lengthy contact with a person with H. influenzae disease.
People at Increased Risk
H. influenzae, including Hib, disease occurs mostly in babies and children younger than 5 years old. Adults 65 years or older, American Indians, Alaska Natives, and people with certain medical conditions are also at increased risk. Those medical conditions include:
- Sickle cell disease
- Asplenia (no spleen)
- HIV infection
- Antibody and complement deficiency syndromes (rare conditions that affect the body’s ability to fight infections)
- Cancer requiring treatment with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or bone marrow stem cell transplant
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