HAEMOPHILUS-INFLUENZAE MENINGITIS IN ADULT PATIENTS - ANALYSIS OF 12 CASES

Haemophilus influenzae is an unfrequent ethiologic agent of bacterial meningitis in adult patients. In the last 12 years, it was the cause i n 12 out of 238 cases (5.0%) of acute bacterial meninigitis in adults. There were 5 men and 7 women with a mean age (SD) of 45.4 (16) years (range: 18-68 years). Seven patients (60%) had a communication between subarachnoid space and skin surface or mucosal cavities, and five (41 .7%) had otitis or sinusitis. Most of the strains (9/12) were serotype b. Only one patient (8.3%) developed severe neurologic and extra-neur ologic complications, and was the one who died. One of the survivors ( 9.1%) had partial deafness. H. influenzae is not a negligible cause of bacterial meningitis in adults. Moreover, its detection has been incr easing in the last years. Patients with a cerebrospinal fluid leak, ot itis or sinusitis are at high risk. The outcome is usually favorable i f an early adequate therapy is given.