Haemophilus Influenzae Type B
Haemophilus Influenzae Type B Causes
Hib is caused by the bacteria that belong to the family of Pasteurellaceae which is generally aerobic but can develop as a facultative anaerobe.
Haemophilus Influenzae Type B Definition
Hib is an bacterium which is said to be responsible for some three million severe illnesses and an estimated 386,000 mortalities per year mainly through pneumonia and meningitis. Affected children range from five years old and below. In developing countries where a large majority of Hib deaths occur, pneumonia is accounted for bigger number of mortalities than meningitis.
Haemophilus Influenzae Type B Diagnosis
Blood agar growth Chocolate agar Serological testing Blood culture
Haemophilus Influenzae Type B Symptoms and Signs
Hib symptoms may include lethargy, fever, vomiting and stiff neck.
Haemophilus Influenzae Type B Treatment
The treatment of Hib needs an intense, sustained course of antibiotics though this is not always the case for developing countries. Hib conjugate vaccines are effective and almost have no side effects. Antibiotics used are cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, or ampicillin with chloramphenicol to treat severe cases. Preventive antibiotics such as rifampin are taken in by the people who have been exposed to Hib disease.