HIB vaccine

Children less than 6 weeks of age should not get Hib vaccine.

Most people who get Hib vaccine do not have any problems with it.

Hib vaccines are generally given at 2, 4, 6, and 12 to 15 months of age.

All children younger than 5 years of age should be vaccinated with the Hib vaccine.

The risk of Hib vaccine causing serious harm or death is extremely small.

Clinical trials and ongoing surveillance have shown Hib vaccine to be safe.

People who are moderately or severely ill at the time the shot is scheduled should usually wait until they recover before getting Hib vaccine.

Over 40 countries have included HIB vaccines in their expanded programs of immunization.

People who have ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction to a previous dose of Hib vaccine should not get another dose.

Introduction of Hib vaccine in developing countries lagged behind that in developed countries for several reasons.

Although Hib vaccine is given to children, Hib infections have also decreased in adults.

The Hib vaccine has now been combined with D.P.T. to reduce the number of shots.

Hib vaccine is not effective against non-type B Haemophilus influenzae.

Therefore, Hib vaccine is not usually recommended for adult use (DIII).

With the advent of the Hib vaccine, the incidence of epiglottitis has decreased, but the condition has not been eliminated.

Hib vaccine combined with diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis-polio vaccines and Hepatitis B vaccines are available in the US.

Hib vaccines cost about seven times the total cost of vaccines against measles, polio, tuberculosis, diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis.

However, H. influenzae was not observed after 1990 (presumably decreasing after incorporation of Hib vaccine into routine childhood vaccinations).

'The Hib vaccine is both safe and effective with no serious side effects,' said Rebecca Weston of Meningitis Research.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended the use of the Hib vaccine.

The first Hib vaccine licensed was a pure polysaccharide vaccine, first marketed in the US in 1985.

Compared with the regular formula group, the nucleotide group had significantly higher antibody levels to the Hib vaccine and, at seven months only, to the diphtheria vaccine.

Three vaccines of primary interest were discussed: hepatitis B vaccine, DPT vaccine, and the Hib vaccine.

Hib vaccine is another good example, because Hib disease was prevalent until just a few years ago, when conjugate vaccines that can be used for infants were finally developed.

(For example, measles vaccine contains measles virus, and Hib vaccine contains Hib bacteria.)