Haemophilus influenzae infection

Weiser, J.N., Shchepetov, M. and Chong, S.T. (1997) Decoration of lipo-polysaccharide with phosphorylcholine a phase-variable characteristic of Haemophilus influenzae. Infection and Immunity 65, 943-950. 

Wang, X., et al., Toll-like receptor 4 mediates innate immune responses to Haemophilus influenzae infection in mouse lung, J. Immunol. 168, 2, 810, 2002. 

Infections of the external eye can be caused by viruses and by bacteria from the respiratory tract such as pneumococci and Haemophilus influenzae. Infections of the internal eye can be caused by the same bacteria through spread from a corneal (traumatic) ulcer or by S. aureus. The same pathogens are responsible for periorbital spread in severe sinusitis. Treponema pallidum, CMV and Toxoplasma cause intra-ocular infections. 

Mori M, Kuwabara S, Miyake M, Noda M, Kuroki H, Kamio H, Ogawara K, Hattori T (2000) Haemophilus influenzae infection and Guillain-BaiTe syndrome. Brain 2000 Oct 123 (Pt 10) 2171-8 123 2171-2178. 

Koga M, Yuki N, Tai T, Hirata K (2001) Miher Fisher syndrome and Haemophilus influenzae infection. Neurology 57 686-691. 

American Academy of Pediatrics. Haemophilus influenzae infections. In Pickering LK, Peter G, Baker CJ, et al, eds. 2000 Red Book Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases. Elk Grove Village, IL, American Academy of Pediatrics, 2000 262-272. 

Two other children, of 5 and 18 months, with Haemophilus influenzae infections, are also reported to have shown reductions of 75% and 94%, respectively, in serum chloramphenicol levels when given rifampicin 20 mg/kg daily for 4 days. These reductions occurred despite 20 to 25% increases in the chloramphenicol dosage. ... 

So far only four cases of an interaction between rifampicin and chloramphenicol appear to have been reported. However, the evidence is of good quality and in line with the way rifampicin interacts with other drugs, so this interaction should be taken seriously. There is a risk that serum chloramphenicol levels will become subtherapeutic. The authors of the second report point out that raising the chloramphenicol dosage may possibly expose the patient to a greater risk of bone marrow aplasia. They suggest delaying rifampicin prophylaxis in patients with invasive Haemophilus influenzae infections until the end of chloramphenicol treatment. 

There are a number of practical problems involved with using polysaccharides as vaccines as there are frequently too many different chemotypes for it to be practicable to prepare a vaccine. In some cases a limited number of serotypes are the dominant cause of infection and it may then be possible to produce vaccines. A major problem is the poor immune response elicited by polysaccharide antigens, which may in some cases be improved by chemical modification. This is (fie case for vaccines for Haemophilus influenzae type b (a causative agent of meningitis), where the antigenicity of the polysaccharide can be increased by coupling to proteins. 

Virus infections such as influenza and the common cold (in reality 300-400 different strains ofrhinovirus) infect epithelial cells ofthe respiratory tract and nasopharynx, respectively. Release ofthe virus, after lysis ofthe host cells, is to the void rather than to subepithelial tissues. The epithelia is further infected resulting in general degeneration ofthe tracts. Such damage predisposes the respiratory tract to infection with opportunistic pathogens such as Neisseria meningitidis and Haemophilus influenzae. 

Although viral infections are important causes of both otitis media and sinusitis, they are generally self-limiting. Bacterial infections m complicate viral illnesses, and are also primary causes of ear and sinus infections. Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae are the commonest bacterial pathogens. Amoxycillin is widely prescribed for these infections since it is microbiologically active, penetrates the middle ear, and sinuses, is well tolerated and has proved effective. 

A 2.5-year-old female with a sinus infection caused by Haemophilus influenzae is treated with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. 

CNS infections may be caused by a variety of bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites. The most common causes of bacterial meningitis include Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, Listeria monocytogenes, and Haemophilus influenzae. 

TLR4-/- and TLR4 lack of function mice (C3H/HeJ) have decreased clearance of Haemophilus influenzae [127], Salmonella [128], Mycobacterium tuberculosis [129], and RSV [130, 131] and are more susceptible to Candida albicans infection [132]. 

Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pyogenes and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are all microorganisms that can cause otitis media. Enterobius vermicularis is a threadworm leading to an infection characterised by itchy anus and the presence of white worms. 

Trollfors B. Cost-benefit analysis of general vaccination against haemophilus influenzae type b in Sweden. Scand J Infect Dis 1994 26 611-14. 

Lower respiratory tract infections - Staphylococcus aureus (penicillinase-producing), Escherichia coli, Klebsiella sp., Enterobacter sp., Haemophilus influenzae, Haemophilus parainfluenzae, Acinetobactersp., Serratia marcescens. 

Lower respiratory tract infections Lower respiratory tract infections, including pneumonia and bronchitis caused by E. coli, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, Haemophilus influenzae, P. mirabilis, Enterobacter sp. and S. marcescens. Septicemia Septicemia caused by . coli, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, P. mirabilis, S. marcescens, and Enterobacter sp. 

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