About Vaccination - Haemophilus influenzae type b

When I take Willow to the Pediatrician and she gets any kind of shots, the doctor gives us a pamphlet with information on the shots (Likely from the CDC). So, since everyone is all up in arms about the links between vaccinations and things like autism, I thought I'd take an in-depth look at the vaccinations. Next in line is the Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccination.

The United States' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Vaccinations and Immunizations section has a recommended immunization schedule that you can download. They also have a lot of great information for each and every vaccination so this is where I will start in my search for information. Here is their pamphlet on the Hib Vaccination.

The Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccination is given in four doses. The first is at 2 months of age, the second at 4 months of age, the third at 6 months of age, and the fourth at 12-15 months of age. This vaccination is may be given at the same time as other vaccinations.

First, what exactly is Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)?
Haemophilus influenzae type b, formerly called Pfeiffer's bacillus or Bacillus influenzae, is a non-motile Gram-negative coccobacillus (rod-shaped bacteria) first described in 1892 by Richard Pfeiffer during an influenza pandemic. A member of the Pasteurellaceae family it is generally aerobic (breathes oxygen), but can grow as a facultative anaerobe. H. influenzae was mistakenly considered to be the cause of the common flu until 1933, when the viral etiology of the flu became apparent. Still, H. influenzae is responsible for a wide range of clinical diseases.

H. influenzae was the first free-living organism to have its entire genome sequenced.

Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) is one of six related types of bacterium. In 2000, H.influenzae type B (Hib) was estimated to have caused two to three million cases of serious disease, notably pneumonia and meningitis, and 450 000 deaths in young children.

Not long ago Hib disease (Haemophilus influenzae type b) was the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in children less than 5 years old. As recently as the mid-1980s it struck one child out of every 200in that age group. About 1 in 4 of these children suffered permanent brain damage, and about 1 in 20 died. Hib disease is spread through the air by coughing, sneezing, and even breathing. If the bacteria stay in a child’s nose and throat, the child will probably not get sick. But if they spread to the lungs or bloodstream, the child can get meningitis (inflammation of the covering of the brain), pneumonia, epiglottitis (inflammation in the throat), arthritis, or other problems. A child who is infected can spread the disease to others for as long as the bacteria remain in the body. Antibiotics can stop the spread in 2 to 4 days.

History of the Hib Vaccination - The first Hib vaccine was licensed in 1985. Scientists later reformulated the vaccine so that it would be effective in children under 18 months of age, and the FDA licensed this improved version in 1987. The currently used Hib vaccine protects infants as young as six weeks old.

Hib is contagious until antibiotics have been administered. The Hib bacterium is commonly present in the nose and throat. Bacteria are transmitted from person to person in droplets through sneezing, coughing. Infected children may carry Hib bacteria without showing any signs or symptoms of illness, but they can still infect others. The risk of disease is highest for children between six months and two years of age.

Before Hib vaccine, about 20,000 children in the United States under 5 years old got severe Hib disease each year and nearly 1,000 people died.

Signs of Hib: Pneumonia and meningitis are the most important diseases caused by Hib bacteria. In developing countries, pneumonia is more common than meningitis in children with Hib disease. Hib disease should be suspected in the case of any child with signs and symptoms of meningitis or pneumonia.

Hib is spread through coughing and sneezing.

Risks of Hib vaccination - A vaccine, like any medicine, is capable of causing serious problems, such as severe allergic reactions. The risk of Hib vaccine causing serious harm or death is extremely small. Most people who get Hib vaccine do not have any problems with it.

Mild Problems (Common)

• Redness, warmth, or swelling where the shot was given (up to 1/4 of children)


• Fever over 101oF (up to 1 out of 20 children)

You should be on the lookout for any unusual condition, such as a serious allergic reaction, high fever or behavior changes.

Signs of a serious allergic reaction (within a few minutes to a few hours after the shot) can include:

• difficulty breathing


• hoarseness or wheezing


• hives


• paleness


• weakness


• a fast heart beat


• dizziness

Some people should not get Hib vaccine or should wait.

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


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


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

I found an awesome website that lists the package inserts and ingredients for all available vaccinations (e.g. provided by MERK or GlaxoSmithKline). It's called the World Association for Vaccine Education. You can find their page on Hib here.

Since we always hear about the link between getting vaccinated and some other disease or condition, I did a search to see if there were links between the Hib vaccination and any kind of disease or neurological disorder and I couldn't find anything that wasn't mentioned in the vaccination information pamphlet.


More Information:

• Guide to Contraindications to Vaccination (a Contraindication is a condition or factor that increases the risks involved in using a particular drug, carrying out a medical procedure, or engaging in a particular activity.)


• Parents Guide to Childhood Immunization


• Division of Environmental Health and Communicable Disease Prevention pamphlet on Hib


• VaccineInformation.org - The Immunization Action Coalition works to increase immunization rates and prevent disease by creating and distributing educational materials for health professionals and the public that enhance the delivery of safe and effective immunization services. The Coalition also facilitates communication about the safety, efficacy, and use of vaccines within the broad immunization community of patients, parents, health care organizations, and government health agencies.


• Facts for Parents About Vaccine Safety from the AAP

And since there are those people that are concerned about links of vaccinations to neurological disorders and the like I thought I'd include some of their links as well:

Generation Rescue is an international movement of scientists, physicians and parent-volunteers researching the causes and treatments for autism and mentoring thousands of families in recovering their children from autism.

The Thinktwice Global Vaccine Institute was established in 1996 to provide parents and other concerned people with educational resources enabling them to make more informed vaccine decisions. Thinktwice encourages an uncensored exchange of vaccine information, and supports every family's right to accept or reject vaccines. Thinktwice's Hib page.


I asked my pediatrician if she had a lot of parents who were choosing to NOT vaccinate their children. She said she could count on one hand the total number and that she, of course, recommends AGAINST not vaccinating your children.

Previously:
Hepatitis B Vaccination Information
Rotavirus Vaccination Information
Diphtheria Vaccination Information
Tetanus Vaccination Information
Pertussis (Whooping Cough) Vaccination

Next week: Pneumococcal Vaccination