title: Acute epiglottitis despite vaccination with haemophilus influenzae type B vaccine.
abstract: We present the case of a 20-month-old child who required admission to the intensive care with a presumptive diagnosis of acute laryngo-tracheo-bronchitis, for the management of acute upper airway obstruction. This child had received a complete course of Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) vaccine. Subsequent events showed that the diagnosis was not laryngo-tracheo-bronchitis but acute epiglottitis. We propose that a full course of vaccination is no guarantee against a subsequent illness with Hib and may actually lead to the wrong diagnosis and possibly life-threatening consequences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wagle
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004826:Epiglottitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006192:Haemophilus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines; D019741:Haemophilus influenzae type b / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines