"...Epiglottitis is an uncommon disease. Incidence in adults is about 1/100,000 per year. Historically, it has been a disease of adults. Adult epiglottitis is most frequently a disease of men, occurring during the fifth decade of life. In the last 50 years it has become more common in children, although incidence in children is declining. The ratio of incidence in children to adults was 2.6:1 in 1980 and dropped to 0.4:1 in 1993. Occurrence has decreased since introduction of Haemophilus influenzae B vaccine..."