Acute purulent pericarditis is a well-recognized, though infrequently seen, 
manifestation of systemic Haemophilus influenzae type b disease. We recently 
studied two pediatric patients who developed signs of this septic complication 
during appropriate antibiotic treatment for bacteremia. These case reports 
should alert physicians to the possibility that pericarditis may become 
clinically evident in patients with systemic H. influenzae infections many days 
after initiation of appropriate therapy. The pathophysiology, diagnostic 
modalities and therapy are briefly reviewed.