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A case-control study examining risk factors for invasive Haemophilus influenzae type b disease in Victoria, Australia
D A Clements1, K A Weigle, G L Gilbert
1Department of Microbiology, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
Objective:
To determine whether day-care attendance was a risk factor for Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) disease, particularly for epiglottitis.
Methodology:
A case-control analysis of risk factors for invasive Hib disease was performed in Victoria, Australia between February 1988 and February 1990 prior to the introduction of immunization for Hib. A total of 210 cases and 367 day surgery hospital controls were enrolled prospectively. Data were collected by questionnaire at the time of admission.
Results:
Logistic regression analysis showed that risk factors for meningitis were day-care attendance, household crowding and recent illness in a sibling. Risk factors for epiglottitis were day-care attendance and mother's birthplace in Australia or New Zealand.
Conclusions:
This study confirms that day-care attendance is a risk factor for Hib epiglottitis as well as meningitis. In addition, the mother's birthplace in Australia or New Zealand is a risk factor for epiglottitis in these data. The reason for this latter observation is unclear.