Non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae Osteomyelitis and Discitis of the Cervical Vertebrae in an Elderly Adult: A Case Report and Literature Review

While Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) is well described in the literature to cause osteomyelitis, non-typeable H. influenzae has not. In areas where vaccination is routine, the prevalence of Hib has declined, whereas, in contrast, the prevalence of non-typeable H. influenza has increased. Generally, the non-typeable strains are less invasive but can access the vascular system by transmural migration through epithelial tight junctions or by an independent intercellular mechanism. Herein, we described a case of a 79-year-old man with the first case of non-typeable H. influenzae causing cervical osteomyelitis with associated bacteremia in an elderly adult.