What is HIB disease?

• Hib disease, also known as Haemophilus influenzae type b, is caused by small bacteria that can develop into serious, often life-threatening illnesses, with a number of complications. Hib disease usually occurs in children under 5 years of age.
   
• Hib is not related to the virus that causes the respiratory infections generally called "flu," even though influenzae is part of its scientific name.
  
  
• In some cases, adults may act as carriers for the disease although they may not show any symptoms. Adults often carry the disease to infants and young children who are at a much higher risk for severe complications and even death.

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• Some potential symptoms of infection from Haemophilus influenzae type b (or Hib disease) are:
• fever
• stiff neck
• altered mental status
• difficulty breathing or swallowing

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• Hib has been known to cause:
• swelling of the brain (bacterial meningitis)
• pneumonia
• certain types of arthritis
• severe swelling in the throat, making it hard to breath (epiglottitis)
• middle ear infection (otitis media)
• skin inflammation (cellulitis)
• bone infection
• dangerous heart disease (pericarditis).

• The most common Hib-related complication is bacterial meningitis, an inflammation of the membranes protecting the brain and spinal cord. Hib meningitis was the leading cause of post-birth severe delay and handicaps in the U.S. prior to the introduction of a vaccine.
   
• Potential complications of Hib meningitis include deafness, mental retardation, language disorder or delay, learning disabilities, motor abnormalities, and seizure activity.
  
  
• Even with antibiotic treatment, 3-6 % of children who develop Hib disease will die. In fact, before the introduction of a vaccine, Hib was responsible for almost as many cases and deaths as polio during its peak in the mid-1950s. Before the introduction of a Hib conjugate vaccine in 1987, Hib was the most common cause of bacterial meningitis, accounting for approximately 15,000 cases and 400-500 deaths every year.

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• Your child can get Hib disease by being around other children and adults who may have the bacteria.
   
• The bacteria enter the body through the nose and mouth, where they colonize (or begin to grow); the mode of passing into the bloodstream is unknown.
   
• Susceptibility to Hib depends on the host and his/her environment. There is a higher risk among Native American Indian, Hispanic and African-American populations. Other factors, such as household crowding, daycare attendance, socioeconomic status, low parental education levels and having school-aged siblings also increase the risk for disease.
  
  
• High immunization rates in older children have been shown to reduce the number of Hib cases in infants and younger children within a community.

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• Eighty-five percent (85%) of Hib cases occur in children under 5 years of age with children under the age of two at the greatest risk for Hib disease.
  
• Since the introduction of a Hib vaccine, cases of the disease have dropped from 20,000 in 1980 to a total of 341 cases from 1996-2000. To date, Hib disease has been reduced by 99%.  However, making sure your child is vaccinated and receives all the recommended immunizations is essential to further control the disease since Hib continues to circulate among the general population.

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• Hib is treated with antibiotics, and patients are advised to take all prescribed medication and avoid contact with others, particularly small infants and children.
   
• Ask your healthcare provider for treatment options if you think your child may have Hib.

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• Immunization remains the best preventive measure for protecting your child against Hib.  The CDC recommends that children should get the Hib vaccine at two, four and six* months of age and then a booster at 12-15 months of age.
  
  * There is one type of Hib vaccine that does not need the 6 month dose, your child’s health care provider will know how many doses your child should receive.

• Children under the age of two, who get an infection from Hib disease still need to receive the vaccine because the disease does not protect them in the future as well as the vaccine. 
   
• Children over five years of age do not require the Hib vaccination unless they are at high risk because of other medical conditions (e.g. does not have a spleen)
  
• Consult your healthcare provider to be sure your child has been vaccinated.

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