Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Oct 15;232(4):e585-e588.
doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiaf132.

Epidemiology of Invasive Haemophilus influenzae Type a Disease in Alaska, 2018-2022

Tori L Burket  1 , Heather M Scobie  1 , Carolynn DeByle  1 , Sara Bressler  1 , Ian Blake  1 , Laurie Orell  1 , Stephanie Massay  2 , Dana Bruden  1 , Benjamin P Westley  3 , Joseph B McLaughlin  2 , Marc Fischer  1
Affiliations

Epidemiology of Invasive Haemophilus influenzae Type a Disease in Alaska, 2018-2022

Tori L Burket et al. J Infect Dis. .

Abstract

We used statewide surveillance data to describe the epidemiology of invasive Haemophilus influenzae type a disease in Alaska during 2018 to 2022. Of 52 cases identified, 39 (75%) occurred among Alaska Native children aged <5 years who lived in rural areas of southwest or northern Alaska. The average annual incidence was 17.8 per 100 000 among children aged <5 years vs 0.3 among persons aged ≥5 years. Among 43 cases in children aged <5 years, 16 (37%) presented with meningitis and 6 (14%) died. Characterizing H influenzae type a disease epidemiology can help direct prevention strategies, including vaccine development and use. From 2018 to 2022, Alaska reported 52 invasive Haemophilus influenzae type a cases, primarily in Alaska Native children aged <5 years in rural areas. The incidence was significantly higher in this group, with notably increased rates of meningitis and mortality.

Keywords: Haemophilus influenzae; Alaska; adult; invasive bacterial diseases; pediatric.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Potential conflicts of interest. All authors: No reported conflicts. All authors have submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest. Conflicts that the editors consider relevant to the content of the manuscript have been disclosed.