ADULT BACTEREMIC HAEMOPHILUS-PARAINFLUENZAE INFECTIONS - 7 REPORTS OF CASES AND A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Cases (7) of adult H. parainfluenzae infections diagnosed by positive blood cultures are compared with cases previously reported in the English literature. Three patients had pneumonia, while the others had epiglottitis with meningitis, pharyngitis, arthritis and endocarditis, respectively. Non-endocarditic manifestations of adult H. parainfluenzae infection were reported in 4 other cases. H. parainfluenzae was isolated from cerebral abscesses. Patients did well with antibiotic therapy and there were no deaths. Report of antibiotic sensitivity testing of 50 strains disclosed 6% of isolates resistant to ampicillin sodium, with all sensitive to chloramphenicol. If the antibiotic sensitivity of the organism is unknown, then chloramphenicol therapy should be instituted until adequate susceptibility studies are performed. If the organism is sensitive to ampicillin, then this is the drug of choice.