Epiglottitis diagnosed within hours of birth

Abstract

Acute epiglottitis refers to an acute infectious inflammation of the epiglottis usually associated with infection of the immediately adjacent supraglottic structures. It is a wellrecognized cause of catastrophic upper airway obstruction in children and adu1ts.l Haemophilus influenzae type B is widely accepted as being the most common etiologic agent giving rise to epiglottitis in all age groups.2-4 Since the introduction of conjugated vaccines against H influenzae type B, there has been a sharp decline in the incidence of invasive diseases caused by this organism in children, including epiglottitis.5-7 Epiglottitis has been recognized as an important, uncommon treatable cause of potentially fatal upper airway obstruction that can occur at almost any age. Cases before I month of age are quite rare. The earliest cases reported in the English literature include a case of a 5-day-old baby boy with