Hemophilus influenzae bacteremia in elderly men with Kaposi's sarcoma: two case reports and a review of the literature.

Hemophilus influenzae is a common pathogen responsible for respiratory infections, meningitis, and bacteremia in children, and a rare cause of bacteremia in adults. We report two cases of H. influenzae bacteremia in elderly men with Kaposi's sarcoma. Both of the patients described are elderly men with no other stigmata of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Both Kaposi's sarcoma of the elderly and adult H. influenzae bacteremia are relatively uncommon, and the coappearance of these syndromes may suggest a common immune defect predisposing to these syndromes, or Kaposi's sarcoma may provide a portal of entry for this organism. We suggest that patients with Kaposi's sarcoma who may have bacteremia receive appropriate antibiotic treatment for H. influenzae until a causative agent is isolated.