title: [Chemoprophylaxis in indirectly related cases of Haemophilus influenzae meningitis].
abstract: In January 1991, in a community near the South German town of Tübingen, an infant and a toddler developed a Haemophilus influenzae type B (HIB) meningitis within a period of one week. The patients had no direct contact with each other, but each of them had a healthy sibling that was older. These siblings attended the same kindergarten and the same group. Five months later we noted the same situation in another community. Two infants fell ill with HIB meningitis at short intervals from each other, and again both patients had no common contacts, but they did have healthy siblings attending the same kindergarten and group. Hence, it must be assumed that the HIB strain circulated among the healthy kindergarten children and was transmitted by these to the patients. In order to prevent that after the two pairs of patients we had observed, further patients would follow among the kindergarten children or their younger siblings, chemoprophylaxis with rifampicin was initiated in all kindergarten children, their younger siblings and the adult Kindergarten staff. The problems arising from these unusual case constellations in respect of mass prophylaxis with rifampicin in cases of Haemophilus influenzae type B meningitis that are merely indirectly linked to each other, are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Staatliches Gesundheitsamt Tübingen.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Oertel
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Hoppe
mesh_terms: D016667:Bacterial Capsules; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016358:Contact Tracing; D005260:Female; D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008583:Meningitis, Haemophilus / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012293:Rifampin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines; C044237:Haemophilus influenzae type b polysaccharide vaccine; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D012293:Rifampin
vernacular_title: Chemoprophylaxe bei indirekt zusammenhängenden Fällen von Haemophilus-influenzae-Meningitis.