Since the introduction of the Hib vaccine the potentially life-threatening condition of acute epiglottitis has happily become rare. Except, of course, in the MRCP exam.
The commonest cause of acute epiglottis was always h.influenzae, but many other pathogens can also cause it.
Presentation tends to be a 'toxic' looking patient with fever and stridor, often with a preceding sore throat.
Treatment is with a 3rd generation cephalosporin.
That's it for today, but if you fancy testing yourself on yesterday's battles click here to go to war 4...
