Meningitis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Meningitis, including details on viral, bacterial, spinal, symptoms, treatment.

Community-acquired Haemophilus influenzae meningitis in adults.

Brouwer MC, van de Beek D, Heckenberg SG, Spanjaard L, de Gans J

Department of Neurology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. m.c.brouwer@amc.uva.nl

Haemophilus influenzae is an uncommon cause of bacterial meningitis in adults. This report describes a prospective evaluation of 16 episodes of community-acquired H. influenzae meningitis in a nationwide study on bacterial meningitis. Predisposing conditions were present in eight (50%) of the 16 episodes; the most common predisposing conditions were otitis or sinusitis (five episodes; 31%) and remote neurosurgery or head trauma (three episodes; 19%). One (6%) episode was fatal and hearing loss occurred in four (25%) episodes. It was concluded that H. influenzae meningitis in adults is a disease with a rather benign clinical course and a relatively good prognosis compared with pneumococcal meningitis.

Published 15 March 2007 in Clin Microbiol Infect, 13(4): 439-42.
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