This Deadly Bacterial Disease Could Be Making a Comeback
AOL.com • • health
Key Points:
- Vaccination rates for Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), a potentially lethal bacterial infection in children, have declined in the U.S., dropping from 78.8% in 2019 to 77.6% in 2021 according to CDC data.
- Hib can cause serious infections such as meningitis, pneumonia, and bloodstream infections, with up to 6% of pediatric cases resulting in death.
- The Hib vaccine, given in a 3- or 4-dose series starting at two months old, is over 95% effective and has historically reduced disease rates by 99%, but vaccine hesitancy threatens this progress.
- Recent cases, including deaths of unvaccinated children in Florida, have raised concern among infectious disease experts about potential increases in Hib infections if vaccination rates continue to fall.
- Treatment for Hib includes antibiotics and supportive care, and the CDC recommends antibiotic prophylaxis for household contacts of infected children under four years old who are not fully vaccinated.
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