title: Invasive disease caused by Haemophilus influenzae type a in Northern Ontario First Nations communities.
abstract: Seven epidemiologically unrelated cases of invasive Haemophilus influenzae type a (Hia) disease were identified in First Nations communities of Northwestern Ontario, Canada, in 2004-2008. In all cases, Hia was isolated from blood. The clinical presentation in most of the cases was moderately severe and all patients responded to antibiotic therapy. Laboratory analysis of Hia isolates from Northwestern Ontario indicated striking similarities in their phenotypic and genotypic characteristics. The findings are discussed in the context of current epidemiology of invasive Hia disease. Our data along with some published studies by others suggest an increased susceptibility to this infection among North American indigenous populations.
authors.affiliation: Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Thunder Bay and Sioux Lookout, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Len
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.affiliation: Vaccine Preventable Bacterial Diseases, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
authors.forename: Raymond S W
authors.initials: RSW
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.affiliation: Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Thunder Bay and Sioux Lookout, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Alanna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.|Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Frances B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Jamieson
authors.affiliation: Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Thunder Bay and Sioux Lookout, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ulanova
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006192:Haemophilus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D012703:Serotyping; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents