Epiglottitis

Sometimes the epiglottis becomes infected with bacteria, usually Haemophilus influenzae Haemophilus influenzae Infections Haemophilus influenzae are gram-negative bacteria that can cause infection in the respiratory tract, which can spread to other organs. Infection is spread through sneezing, coughing,... read more type B.

Haemophilus influenzae–related epiglottitis was most common among children, but routine vaccination against Haemophilus has almost eliminated this infection in children. Now more cases of epiglottitis occur in adults. However, children may get epiglottitis caused by other bacteria, and adults and unvaccinated children can still be infected by Haemophilus influenzae type B.

The swelling caused by this infection may block the airway and lead to difficulty breathing and death. Because children have a smaller airway than adults, epiglottitis is much more dangerous in children but can also be fatal in adults.

Children with epiglottitis often have bacteria in the bloodstream (bacteremia Bacteremia Bacteremia is the presence of bacteria in the bloodstream. Bacteremia may result from ordinary activities (such as vigorous toothbrushing), dental or medical procedures, or from infections ... read more ), which sometimes spreads the infection to the lungs, the joints, the tissues covering the brain (meninges), the sac around the heart, or the tissues beneath the skin.

In children with epiglottitis, symptoms develop suddenly, and fatal narrowing of the larynx can occur within a few hours of the start of symptoms. Symptoms include

Because the infection is in the epiglottis, the back of the throat often does not appear infected. As swelling of the epiglottis starts to narrow the airway, the child first begins to make a squeaking noise when breathing in (stridor) and then has progressively worse trouble breathing. The condition progresses rapidly.

In adults with epiglottitis, symptoms are similar to those of children, including sore throat, fever, difficulty swallowing, and drooling, but symptoms usually take more than 24 hours to develop. Because the adult airway is larger, blockage of the airway is less common and less sudden. However, the airway can still become blocked, and adults may die if diagnosis and treatment are delayed. Often, there is no visible inflammation in the throat. Thus, when people have severe throat pain but a normal-appearing throat, doctors may suspect they have epiglottitis.

Epiglottitis caused by Haemophilus influenzae type B can be effectively prevented with the Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) vaccine Haemophilus influenzae Type b Vaccine The Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine helps protect against bacterial infections due to Hib, such as pneumonia and meningitis. These infections may be serious in children. Use... read more .

In treating a person with epiglottitis, doctors make sure the person's airway is open. They take children to the operating room and insert a plastic breathing tube through the mouth into the trachea (orotracheal intubation). The tube keeps the airway from swelling shut. Doctors also place a breathing tube in adults who are having difficulty breathing, particularly those whose airway is severely blocked. However, adults who do not have difficulty breathing do not need a breathing tube and can be closely observed in an intensive care unit. If a breathing tube cannot be inserted, doctors can do a temporary tracheotomy, creating a hole in the trachea so that the person can breathe.

All adults and children with epiglottitis are given antibiotics (such as ceftriaxone).