The Hib Vaccine And Immunisation

Hib vaccines are composed of capsular polysaccharide from cultured Haemophilus influenzae

type b bacteria, conjugated to protein to strengthen immunogenicity. The vaccine has been a great public health success story.

Hib is transmitted from person to person through mucus droplets that are spread by coughing or sneezing. Hib can be treated with antibiotics, and conjugate Hib vaccines provide more than 95 percent protection in infants receiving the complete series of pediatric vaccination. Hib can also cause infection of the lungs, blood, joints, bones, throat, and covering of the heart. Hib can also cause serious respiratory symptoms that make breathing and swallowing difficult, including epiglottitis (infection in the throat) and pneumonia (infection in the lungs).

Hib is a bacterium that is commonly found lining the surface of the nose and the back of the throat. Hib infections may lead to a severe (very bad) hearing problem, brain damage, and even death. Hib disease usually strikes children under 5 years old. Hib can cause other severe infections in young children, including pneumonia, epiglottitis (swelling of the opening to the windpipe), infections in the blood, joints, bones, body tissues, or in the outer covering of the heart. The vaccine can be combined with other vaccines. Introduction of Hib vaccine in developing countries lagged behind developed countries for several reasons.

Children who are moderately to severely ill should probably wait until they recover before getting the Hib vaccine. A person with invasive Hib disease can have different symptoms depending on what body systems are affected. Even with antibiotic treatment, 3%-6% of all children with Hib meningitis die from the disease.

Every year about 20,000 children younger than age five years got severe Hib disease and about 1,000 children died. There are a number of barriers to vaccine introduction in these regions, including limited awareness and communication about the disease, uncertainty about Hib disease burden, and concerns about the financial and programmatic impacts of Hib vaccine introduction. From 2002 to 2004, the vaccine 2-year coverage rates in England remained stable at 93%. However the incidence of disease then increased to a maximum of 269 Hib cases in 2002.

Unimmunised patients with diagnosed Hib infections should be immunised as recurrence of disease can occur.

The Hib/MenC vaccine boosts your child's protection against two different diseases: Haemophilus influenzae type b meningitis C (MenC) infections. The Hib vaccine is one of the recommended childhood immunizations. Invasive disease occurs most often at three months to three years of age, peaking at six to seven months of age.

The currently used vaccine protects infants as young as six weeks old.

by: John Twyford

POST COMMENT

Canada Pharmacy explains how Marijuana affects your body Detecting The Indications A Dog Seizure May Affect Your Canine How to Choose Your Economy Sleeper Flight Healthy Snacks Journaling Your Way to a Healthy Life No More Excessive Sweating: Treatments Unveiled End Excessive Sweating Problems Today Excessive Sweating: Time To Live A Normal Life Again Facts Of Natural Body Give Your Furnace An Assist This Winter A Few Thoughts On How To Eat Healthy And Live Healthy The Facts On How To Eat Healthy Your Community Has A Direct Impact Upon Your Immediate Health And Wellness