Standard Precautions
Normal respiratory flora (exclusively from humans).
Invasive disease sharply declined after Hib conjugate vaccine widely used, especially in children <5 yrs old who were the main victims.
Most invasive disease is now caused by non-typeable strains.
Colonizer of the upper respiratory tract
NTHi may be cause of mucosal infections:
May cause invasive disease including (Most likely with HIB):
Droplet precautions if presentation is epiglottitis (H. influenzae type B HiB).
Hib conjugate vaccine protects against Hib infection but does not protect against Non-typeable strains of H. influenzae or strains A,C,D,E or F.
Vaccine Hib vaccine recommended for patient's with anatomical/functional asplenia (including sickle cell disease), hematopoietic stem cell transplant, cochlear implant, HIV.