Epidemiology of Haemophilus influenzae type b invasive disease in Wales

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the epidemiology of invasive disease due to Haemophilus influenzae type b, the clones responsible, and the antibiotic resistance of the isolates.

Design: Prospective population based analysis of clinical and epidemiological data collected for Gwynedd during 1980-90 and in the whole of Wales during 1988-90.

Setting: 19 hospitals in Wales; all medical microbiology laboratories in Wales participated.

Patients: 82 patients with confirmed invasive infections caused by H influenzae type b in Gwynedd during 1980-90 and 207 in Wales during 1988-90.

Main outcome measures: Clinical and epidemiological measures; analysis of the clonal types of the isolates based on the electrophoretic mobilities of 17 metabolic enzymes; and antibiotic resistance.

Results: The annual incidence of H influenzae type b infections in Gwynedd was 3.2 cases/100,000 and in Wales was 2.5 cases/100,000. Most cases occurred in children aged under 5 years, the highest annual incidence being in those aged under 1 (84.6/100,000 and 56.9/100,000 in Wales). The cumulative risk of acquiring H influenzae type b disease by the fifth birthday was one in 456 in Gwynedd and one in 578 in Wales. Fifteen per cent of cases in Gwynedd and 7% of those in Wales occurred in adults. Predominant clinical conditions were meningitis in children and pneumonia in adults. In Gwynedd 2/70 (3%) children and 5/12 (42%) adults died. Long term neurological sequelae occurred in 8% (4/48) of children who survived haemophilus meningitis. Children presenting with infection were usually the youngest members of their family. No secondary household cases were identified. 100 of 128 (78%) strains were of a single clone, electrophoretic type 12.5, and 4/207 (1.9%) isolates from Wales were resistant to both ampicillin and chloramphenicol.

Conclusions: The annual rate of infection in children aged under 5 in four Welsh counties was 12-44% higher than that previously published for the United Kingdom. The study emphasises the potential value of a vaccine effective in early infancy and provides baseline data to assess its efficacy after its introduction. Alternatives to ampicillin and chloramphenicol should be used as first line, empirical treatment for severe infections that might be caused by H influenzae type b in Wales.