Hib Question

[stacey05]

I read this from the package insert of ActHib vaccine:


>Before effective
vaccines were introduced, it was estimated that one in 200 children developed invasive H influenzae type b disease by the age of
5 years.<

Is this correct? It seems high to me. My parents' generation doesn't seem to be familiar with this disease and I know they weren't living in fear of it. It seems if it was this high, they would have been more aware and concerned.

Thanks,

Stacey

[japonica]

Just waiting for someone to come by with the stats, but even when we were growing up (in the 70s and 80s), it was never mentioned. No one talked about it. I know my mother had no idea what it was and visits to the family doctor didn't include warnings to be on guard for Hib. So, yes, if it was that much of a public health concern, then you'd imagine public awareness campaigns out there, leaflets in doctors' offices. Even the childcare book I was reading at the time for a babysitting course mentioned measles and mumps but not Hib.

[Addy's Mom]

I have two friends my age (late 30s) who are deaf because of it. Is that enough to make me get the vax? No, not necessarily. It's incredibly rare now.

Epiglottitis is a significant risk with this bacteria, but I have never heard of anyone developing this.

[stacey05]

Addys Mom,

That is sad about your friends. I am glad they survived it, though!! I do have a question for you. Do they know for sure it was hib? I mean, I thought before the vax they didn't test for the types? I could be way off, this is just something I have read in my research. I am wondering if it was meningitis and if so, how do they know it Hi and then how do they know it was type B? I am just really curious!
Thanks.

Stacey

[ema-adama]

There are very good discussion on this in the archives - regarding how the numbers were estimated.

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...&highlight=hib
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...&highlight=hib

Is there something specifical to your LO that makes you feel s/he is particularly at risk for menigitis from Hib?

[Addy's Mom]

Originally Posted by stacey05

Addys Mom,

That is sad about your friends. I am glad they survived it, though!! I do have a question for you. Do they know for sure it was hib? I mean, I thought before the vax they didn't test for the types? I could be way off, this is just something I have read in my research. I am wondering if it was meningitis and if so, how do they know it Hi and then how do they know it was type B? I am just really curious!
Thanks.

Stacey

That's what they told me (I volunteer at a school for the deaf). I didn't ask for details, but it was definitely an ear infection (just one, not multiple) that did it. And they said it was Hib. I could ask for more detail next time I see either one of them.

[stacey05]

That's ok...you don't have to ask them. It isn't really a big deal and it probably was hib. I have thought about this..I used to get soooo many ear infections, bad and painful ones when I was little...for many years! It was horrible. I ended up having my tonsils out to try and help stop the ear infections. Anyway, I was thinking about the fact that I didn't have a hib vaccine and survived. (I know some didn't and that is very sad) I know many people handle hib (not saying all my ear infections were hib...I don't know, of course) just fine. It doesn't always go invasive. Thanks for your help.