BACTEREMIA DUE TO HAEMOPHILUS INFECTIONS - A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY WITHEMPHASIS ON THE ELDERLY

We performed a retrospective study of all patients in a large health m aintenance organization in Southern California who were identified as having positive blood cultures for Haemophilus organisms during a 20-m onth period (September 1990 to May 1992) to assess the incidence, pres entation, and predisposing conditions of bacteremia due to these organ isms and to examine some of the features of these infections in the el derly. Thirty-eight patients with bacteremia due to haemophilus infect ions were identified. Ten (26.3%) patients were 65 years of age or old er. The incidence of bacteremic haemophilus infections in the elderly group was estimated at 2.7 per 100,000 individuals per year, which was almost three times greater than that for the younger age groups studi ed. When analyzed statistically, the presenting feature of the infecti on did not differ among age groups. Six patients died, four of whom we re elderly. All six deaths were due to nontypable Haemophilus influenz ae strains. Cancer was the only chronic underlying condition frequentl y found among the elderly patients. Three of 10 elderly patients lived in nursing homes; all three were infected with nontypable H. influenz ae strains, and all three died.