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Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae as a cause of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis

Daniel M Musher1, Aran Cunningham Nichol, Adriana M Rueda

  • 1Medical Care Line (Infectious Disease Section), Micheal E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA. daniel.musher@med.va.gov

Journal of Clinical Microbiology
|June 8, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae can cause spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, a rare condition. This case highlights how low complement levels in ascites fluid may hinder infection control despite adequate antibodies.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Clinical Medicine

Background:

  • Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is typically caused by gram-negative bacilli.
  • Haemophilus influenzae is an uncommon cause of SBP, with nontypeable strains being particularly rare.

Observation:

  • A case of SBP is presented where the causative agent was identified as nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae, biotype III.
  • The patient presented with typical symptoms of SBP.

Findings:

  • Infection persisted despite the presence of sufficient serum bactericidal antibodies against H. influenzae.
  • The likely reason for treatment failure was the absence of complement in the ascites fluid, impairing immune response.

Implications:

  • This case underscores the importance of considering less common pathogens in SBP.
  • It highlights the critical role of complement in ascites fluid for managing bacterial infections in this context.
  • Further research into the role of complement in SBP pathogenesis and treatment is warranted.

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