A deadly bacterial disease is making a comeback as vaccine rates fall

Key Points:

• Dr. Lara Johnson’s childhood experience with Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) highlights the severe consequences of this bacterial infection before the vaccine's introduction in 1987, which drastically reduced cases from about 20,000 annually to fewer than 50 in the U.S.
• Recent declines in Hib vaccination rates, from 78.8% in 2019 to 77.6% in 2021, alongside rising vaccine hesitancy, have led to new Hib cases and severe illnesses, raising concerns among doctors about a potential resurgence of this dangerous disease.
• Hib can cause serious infections including meningitis, which was a leading cause of bacterial meningitis in young children before vaccination; the CDC recommends three to four doses of the Hib vaccine for children under five, with over 93% effectiveness.
• The resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases like measles and Hib is linked to broader declines in childhood vaccination rates and increased skepticism fueled by public figures and policy changes, prompting medical professionals to urge renewed commitment to vaccination.
• Personal tragedies, such as the death of 8-year-old Liam Dahlberg from Hib meningitis despite vaccination of his siblings, underscore the critical importance of herd immunity to protect vulnerable children with weakened immune systems.