Acute epiglottitis can occur in adults as well as in children. It can be easily missed if the epiglottis is not visualized.
Clinical findings:
(1) severe sore throat
(2) fever
(3) sitting erect and often leaning forward
(4) stridor
(5) an inflamed and erythematous epiglottis
The patient is at risk for upper airway obstruction and death. Obstruction can be triggered by an attempt to visualize the epiglottis, so one must be prepared to secure the airway immediately.
Laboratory findings:
(1) leukocytosis
(2) positive throat culture, often for Hemophilus influenzae
(3) positive blood cultures
Imaging studies:
(1) enlarged epiglottis seen on CT scan
(2) pneumonia
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