Purulent meningitis and ischemic stroke resulted from large vessel occlusion in a child with generalized infection caused by Haemophilus influenzae

Abstract

The problem of generalized infection caused by Haemophilus influenzae is highly relevant to pediatric practice because of the disease severity and diversity of clinical manifestations. Purulent meningitis is the most common and most severe invasive form of infection caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and accounts for 50% of all cases. Purulent meningitis in children is characterized by high mortality and high incidence of residual neurological complications that often result in disability. The main cause if it is neurological complications in the acute period of the disease. In this article, we report a case of generalized Hib-infection, purulent meningitis, and a rare complication–thrombosis and occlusion of the large vessels, which caused acute cerebral ischemia/hypoxia. The combination of modern diagnostic methods, primarily neuroimaging, allowed us to verify the diagnosis at an early stage and ensured timely initiation of the appropriate therapy in order to prevent ischemic/hypoxic brain lesions. Parenteral injections of medications that increase the resistance of neurons and glial cells to hypoxia, such as cytoflavin, reduced neuronal damage in the acute period and residual neurological disorders during convalescence. Key words: vaccination, Haemophilus influenzae, purulent meningitis, children, complications, cytoflavin.