[Acute epiglottitides in the adult].

Two adults were admitted to the University Hospital of Geneva with acute Haemophilus influenzae type b epiglottitis. The disease was characterized by rapid progression of sore throat, upper dysphagia, fever and dyspnea. Acute upper airway obstruction required emergency tracheotomy in both cases. The patients recovered under ampicillin therapy. All the 100 cases from the literature for which clinical data were available have been analyzed:--Epiglottitis in adult is not exceptional.--Haemophilus influenzae type b is the most common infective organism documented, and was found in all positive blood cultures but one.--The typical presentation is severe sore throat, with upper dysphagia, fever and dyspnea.--Clinical course is rapid and serious, and acute respiratory distress develops in 57% of cases; overall mortality is 27%.--Emergency routine tracheotomy appears to be the most reliable treatment.