Fatal non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae sepsis complicated with acute respiratory distress syndrome: case report and literature review.

A previously healthy 31-month-old male child became acutely ill with dyspnea and high fever 48 h after admission for acute bronchitis. He experienced sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome throughout the subsequent hospitalization, eventually expiring despite aggressive treatment with antibiotics and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Blood cultures yielded ampicillin-resistant non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of fatal non-typeable H. influenzae sepsis and ARDS in a child without an underlying predisposing condition.