Acute epiglottitis in children has almost vanished since the start of Hib vaccinations. Supraglottitis often develops in adults more slowly than in children. We reviewed all patients at Tampere University Hospital over the age of 18, who had been recorded with a diagnosis of epiglottitis or supraglottitis upon discharge from the hospital between 1989 and 2009. The most common symptoms were sore throat and pain on swallowing. Streptococcus was the most common causative agent. Most of the 308 patients had received conservative treatment. Supraglottitis should be remembered as possible diagnosis when an adult person complains of a sore throat.