Haemophilus influenzae (Hi) is a bacterium usually found in the upper respiratory tract of humans. Though it is recognized as a naturally occurring element in the human bacterial reservoir, Hi infections have the potential to be severe and even fatal, particularly when they result in conditions such as meningitis or epiglottitis. Because of this, Hi invasive infections are considered a reportable disease in Portugal. We report a case of a 58-year-old female, chronically adrenally suppressed on long-term steroids, who developed an invasive Hi type b infection that led to purpura fulminans and multiorgan failure after an acute episode of epiglottitis. According to our review of the literature, only three previous cases of invasive Hi type b disease-causing purpura fulminans have been described.
Keywords: acute epiglottitis in adults; haemophilus influenzae type b; immunocompetent patients; invasive haemophilus influenzae disease; purpura fulminans.
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