Vaccines and Preventable Diseases:
Hib In-Short
Description
A severe bacterial infection, occurring primarily in infants and children under 5 years
Symptoms
Meningitis, pneumonia, sepsis, epiglotittis (a severe throat infection), skin infections, and arthritis
(Can be serious in children under age 1, but there is little risk of getting the disease after age 5)
Complications
Hib meningitis (death in one out of 20 children, and permanent brain damage in 10% - 30% of the survivors)
Transmission
Transmission is most likely through respiratory droplets (coughing and sneezing).
Vaccine
Hib vaccine is highly effective at preventing Hib disease.
Who Needs to be Vaccinated?
Does my child need this vaccine?
All children under 5 years of age should be vaccinated with the Hib vaccine.
For additional details, consult the Hib Vaccine Information Statement 
(2 pages) (text-only)
and the Childhood Immunization Schedule.
As an adult, do I need it?
Most people over 5 years old do not need Hib vaccine. However, you should discuss getting the vaccine with your physician if you have sickle cell anemia, or if your immune system is weakened because of
- HIV/AIDS or other diseases that affect the immune system
- treatment with drugs such as long-term steroids
- cancer treatment with x-rays or drugs
- bone marrow or organ transplant
- damaged spleen or no spleen.
For additional details, consult the Hib Vaccine Information Statement (2 pages) (text-only) and the Adult Immunization Schedule.
Return to main Hib Vaccination page
Content last reviewed on May 18, 2007
Content Source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases