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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffChildren ages 2 to 6 are most susceptible to epiglottitis caused by Hib, but since routine childhood Hib immunizations began in the mid-1980s, the number of children with epiglottitis has dropped dramatically. Today the condition affects about one of every 100,000 adults a year and even fewer children.
It's difficult to predict who might develop epiglottitis, but certain factors increase the risk.
- Sex. Epiglottitis affects more males than females.
- Crowded conditions. Hib bacteria spread rapidly when people are in close contact, such as in child care centers, and even in households where one person has been infected. If someone in your family has been infected with Hib, all family members need to be evaluated by a physician and receive preventive treatment, if necessary.
- Weak immune system. If your immune system has been weakened by illness or medication, you're more susceptible to the bacterial infections that may cause epiglottitis.
