Invasive Haemophilus influenzae Infections in Household Contacts of Patients with Haemophilus influenzae Meningitis and Epiglottitis

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Abstract
In a retrospective nation-wide Swedish study of Haemophilus influenzae meningitis and epiglottitis, a total of 500 cases of culture-verified meningitis and 841 cases of epiglottitis fulfilling strict clinical criteria were found during a three-year period. Eight families with two cases of these infections occurring with an interval of less than 60 days were identified. Four of the secondary cases occurred in siblings and four in mothers of the index case. Two of the secondary cases were twins to the index case. This shows that the risk of developing invasive H. influenzae infections is considerably increased in both siblings and parents of patients with invasive infection. Rifampicin prophylaxis, which is recommended in the United States for family contacts, would, however, prevent less than 1% of all invasive infections with H. influenzae.