Frequently asked questions about Haemophilus influenzae meningitis
What is Haemophilus influenzae type b?
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) is a type of bacteria. The bacteria can live in your nose and throat and usually don’t cause any harm. In some cases, Hib bacteria may move to other parts of your body and cause infection. This can range from mild ailments, such as ear infections and minor respiratory illness, to serious illnesses, such as meningitis, sepsis and pneumonia.
What is Haemophilus influenzae type a?
Haemophilus influenzae type a (Hia) is a type of bacteria. It can cause several different kinds of infections, ranging from mild ear infections to potentially life-threatening invasive disease such as meningitis or sepsis.
Invasive disease caused by Hia was once very rare, except in Indigenous populations in North America and Australia. But since 2008, the incidence of invasive disease caused by Hia has increased in the United States, with the highest incidence seen in American Indian and Alaska Native children.
6,7 There have also been reports of an increase in invasive Hia cases in Europe, including in England, Italy, Spain, Ireland and Portugal.
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What is the survival rate for Haemophilus influenzae meningitis cases?
Most people who get Hi meningitis will survive. Hib is the most common cause of meningitis due to
Haemophilus influenzae. Globally, an estimated two out of ten people who develop Hib meningitis will die. In countries without vaccination programs or where access to medical care is limited, as many as six out of ten people who get the disease may die.
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Is Haemophilus influenzae meningitis bacterial or viral?
Haemophilus influenzae meningitis is caused by a type of bacteria called
Haemophilus influenzae. There are six different serotypes of
Haemophilus influenzae bacteria (types a-f), as well as other
Haemophilus influenzae bacteria that are classified as non-typeable. The most virulent strain is
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and causes meningitis in 50-65% of infections.
Am I at risk of spreading or contracting the disease if I have been in contact with a patient with Haemophilus influenzae meningitis?
Haemophilus influenzae can spread to people who have close or prolonged contact with a patient with
Haemophilus influenzae meningitis. If you’re a close household contact of someone who has meningitis caused by Hib bacteria, you may need antibiotics to prevent becoming ill and to stop the disease from spreading.
In the UK, patients who have been ill with Hib meningitis will be given antibiotics to prevent them from carrying the bacteria before they leave hospital. Antibiotics will also be provided to their close household contacts in case they are carrying the bacteria, which will stop them from passing on the bacteria to anyone else.
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It’s important to remember that only a small fraction of people who are exposed to Hi bacteria become ill.
What is Meningitis Research Foundation doing to defeat Haemophilus influenzae meningitis?
Meningitis Research Foundation is part of WHO's Technical Taskforce for the
Global Road Map to Defeat Meningitis by 2030. This taskforce aims to achieve higher coverage of Hib vaccines globally by 2030 to protect as many people as possible. They also aim to have at least one vaccine that protects against Hia licensed by 2028 to address high levels of disease in indigenous communities in North America and Australia.
Research we’ve funded has made some important contributions towards achieving the best protection against Hib by highlighting the importance of the booster dose in the UK vaccine schedule.
Read more about
Meningitis Research Foundation funded research.