Haemophilus influenzae Infections Available to Purchase

Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) causes pneumonia, bacteremia, meningitis, epiglottitis, septic arthritis, cellulitis, otitis media, purulent pericarditis, and less commonly, endocarditis, endophthalmitis, osteomyelitis, peritonitis, and gangrene. Infections caused by encapsulated but non-type b H influenzae present in a similar manner to type b infections. Nonencapsulated strains more commonly cause infections of the respiratory tract (eg, otitis media, sinusitis, pneumonia, conjunctivitis), but cases of bacteremia, meningitis, chorioamnionitis, and neonatal septicemia are well described.

H influenzae is a pleomorphic gram-negative coccobacillus. Encapsulated strains express 1 of 6 antigenically distinct capsular polysaccharides (a through...