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Is Your Baby Protected against Hib Disease?

Photo: A mother and childHib bacteria can cause serious disease in infants and children. Parents of infants should check vaccination records to see if their child has received all doses of Hib vaccine. If not sure, parents should call their child's doctor, nurse, or clinic.

 

What is Hib Disease and Is It Serious?

Photo: Parents holding a  babyHib disease is caused by bacteria called Haemophilus influenzae type b. Hib bacteria are spread through contact with mucus or droplets from the nose and throat of an infected person when they cough or sneeze. Hib can be spread by people who are ill with the disease. More commonly, however, Hib is spread by people who have the bacteria in their noses and throats but who are not ill.

Before Hib vaccines, there were about 20,000 cases of invasive Hib each year in the U.S. Invasive disease means that germs invade parts of the body that are normally free from germs. When this happens, disease is usually very severe, causing hospitalization or even death. Before a Hib vaccine was available, Hib was the most common cause of bacterial meningitis in the U.S. About 12,000 children each year—most of them younger than 5 years of age—got Hib meningitis. Meningitis is just one of the invasive diseases that can be caused by Hib. Hib can also cause life-threatening infections that make it difficult to breathe, including epiglottitis (infection in the throat) and pneumonia (infection in the lungs). Other forms of invasive Hib disease include blood, bone, or joint infections.

Despite the success of Hib vaccine, parents need to remember the disease is still out there. Hib can be carried in the noses and throats of people who are not sick from the disease. These people can spread Hib bacteria to infants and children who are not protected by Hib vaccine. Vaccinating infants protects them at a time when they are most vulnerable to disease. If vaccination levels get too low in the U.S., Hib disease could make a comeback.

How Can I Protect My Child from Hib Disease?

Photo: A mother and infantHib vaccine prevents Hib disease. All children under 5 years of age should be vaccinated with Hib vaccine. Many more children would get Hib disease if we stopped vaccinating. There are two types of Hib vaccine for infants. With one vaccine, your child is given a dose at 2, 4, and 6 months of age; with the other vaccine, your child is given a dose at 2 and 4 months of age. Right now, most babies receive the vaccine that is given at 2, 4, and 6 months of age.

All children need a booster shot at 12–15 months of age. However, due to a temporary vaccine shortage, healthy children may need to wait for their booster shot. It is most important for high-risk children─those with no spleen; those with sickle cell disease, HIV, or other immune system problems; or those who are Alaska Native or Native American─to receive the Hib booster.

Hib vaccine can safely be combined with other vaccines to make combination vaccines. These combination vaccines may be used for any or all doses given at 2, 4, and 6 months of age, known as the primary series. If combination vaccines are the only vaccines available to your child's healthcare provider, they should be used to complete the primary Hib series, even if this results in your child receiving additional doses of another vaccine. If your child misses a dose or gets behind schedule, the next dose should be given as soon as possible. There is no need to start over. Call your child's healthcare provider if you have questions and to make sure your child has received all scheduled doses of Hib vaccine.

More Information for Parents

More Information for Healthcare Providers

USA.gov: The U.S. Government's Official Web PortalDepartment of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention   1600 Clifton Rd. Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) TTY: (888) 232-6348, 24 Hours/Every Day - cdcinfo@cdc.gov

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