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Haemophilus influenza organism Influenza

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Meningitis - H. influenzae

Alternative Names: H. influenzae meningitis; H. flu meningitis Symptoms: Irritability, poor feeding in infants Fever (in young infants the temperature may actually be below normal) Severe headache (older children) Nausea and vomiting Stiff neck or pain in neck when flexed Pain in back when neck is flexed foreward and chin brought toward chest (older children) Unusual body posturing Sensitivity to light Signs and tests: Bulging of the fontanelles (the soft spots on an infant's head) Opisthotonos (lying with the back arched, head, back, and chin up) Seizures Poor circulation Mental status changes (irritability, stupor, coma) Elevated white blood cell count in blood Spinal fluid showing increased number of white blood cells Spinal fluid culture showing bacteria Serology (antibodies in blood) showing recent exposure to H. influenzae Blood culture growing H. influenzae

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