Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) disease is a serious disease caused by bacteria. It usually strikes children under 5 years old. It can also affect adults with certain medical conditions. Your child can get Hib disease by being around other children or adults who may have the bacteria and not know it. The germs spread from person to person.

 

Why should get vaccinated?

If the germs stay in the child’s nose and throat, the child probably will not get sick. But sometimes the germs spread into the lungs or the bloodstream, and then Hib can cause serious problems such as bacterial meningitis, pneumonia, severe swelling in the throat, infections of the blood, joints, bones, heart or death. This is called invasive Hib disease. Normally Hib vaccine can prevent these conditions.

 

Who should get Hib vaccine and when?

 

Hib vaccine	1st dose	2nd dose	3rd dose	Booster dose
Age	2 months of age	4 months of age	6 months of age (If needed depending on brand of vaccine)	12-15 months of age

 

Adults and children over 5 years old usually do not need Hib vaccine. However, it may be recommended for people with special health conditions. These conditions include;

• Sickle cell disease
• Before removal of the spleen
• Bone marrow transplant
• Cancer treatment with drugs.
• 5 to 18 years old with HIV/AIDS (human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome)

Please ask your doctor for details.

 

What should be done if Hib vaccine series was not completed?

Contact your doctor if a dose is missed. You may not be fully protected against disease if you do not receive the full series. If you miss a dose or get behind schedule, get the next dose as soon as you can. There is no need to start over.

 

Who should not get Hib vaccine or should wait?

• Hib vaccine should not be given to infants younger than 6 weeks of age.
• A person who has ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction after a previous dose of Hib vaccine, or has a severe allergy to any part of this vaccine, should not get Hib vaccine.
• People who are moderately or severely ill should probably wait until they recover. (People who are mildly ill can get Hib vaccine.)

 

What are the possible undesirable effects from Hib vaccine?

 

Mild Problems	Redness, warmth, or swelling where the shot was given Fever Drowsiness
Severe problems (very rare)	Very high fever (more than 38.3 degrees Celsius), or unusual behavior Signs of a severe allergic reaction can include hives, swelling of the face and throat, difficulty breathing, a fast heartbeat, dizziness, and weakness. These would usually start a few minutes to a few hours after the vaccination.

 

**If you have a severe allergic reaction, please consult your doctor**

 

What to do if your child has discomfort?

• If there is a fever, take a fever-reducing medicine such as paracetamol by appropriate dose
• If there is an injection site pain, swollen, hot, or red, apply a clean, cool, wet washcloth over the sore area. ​

 

Drug Interaction between Hib vaccine and other medications

Hib vaccine may be given at the same time as other vaccines or may be given as part of a combination vaccine which two or more types of vaccine are combined together into a single shot, so that one vaccination can protect against more than one disease.

Some medicines may interact with this vaccine. Tell your healthcare provider if you are taking any other medicines, especially of immunosuppressive drugs. They may reduce the immune response to vaccines.

This may not be a complete list of all interactions that may occur. Ask your health care provider if vaccine may interact with other medicines that you take. Check with your health care provider before you start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine.

Reference
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Haemophilus Influenzae Type b (Hib) Vaccine: What You Need to Know. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/vis/vis-statements/hib.html [Accessed 15 March 2022].