Do you develop immunity to Hib?

[DebHibb]

I am 99% sure DS had Hib at 6 mos of age. He was never tested for it, but he had all the symptoms, and the age and time of year were classic case from what I read.

So, can he get it again? Is it like getting a cold where there are a billion different strains of it? Or is he less likely to get it again. I've read conflicting information, so now I am confused.: Nothing new though...

[~member~]

Passive protection of some infants is provided by transplacentally acquired maternal IgG antibodies and
breastfeeding during the first 6 months of life

In the prevaccine era, most children acquired immunity by
5–6 years of age through asymptomatic infection by Hib bacteria.

Asymptomatic meaning no signs or symptoms.
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/pink/hib.pdf

http://www.mamadearest.ca/en/info/newman/protects.htm

Antibodies, which are also called immunoglobulins, take five basic forms, denoted as IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD and IgE. All have been found in human milk, but by far the most abundant type is IgA, specifically the form known as secretory IgA, which is found in great amounts throughout the gut and respiratory system of adults.

So, as long as you breastfeed, your baby will be protected.

Also, take note that breastfeeding will provide acquired immunity...
http://www.mansfield.ohio-state.edu/...on/black17.htm

Acquired (specific) immunity is the immunity that is responsible for subsequent exposures to the same pathogens causing less or no disease (i.e., your becoming "immune")
Additionally, naturally acquired immunity occurs when an infant obtains colostrum from mom

"Colostrum is the first fluid secreted by the mammary glands after childbirth. Although deficient in many nutrients found in milk, colostrum contains large quantities of antibodies that cross the intestinal mucosa and enter the infant's blood."

The infant is thus naturally immune against many or all of the diseases that the mother is immune to especially as a consequence of the mother possessing antibodies (a form of specific immunity) against the associated pathogens

[Plummeting]

Why do you believe he had HIB? Hib meningitis shares many symptoms with other forms of meningitis, namely viral types of meningitis. Hib meningitis is a very severe disease that requires treatment of some sort. Viral meningitis, while sharing many of the same symptoms, usually resolves on its own without treatment.

[DebHibb]

Thanks for the responses.

DS was put on antibiotics for a really nasty ear infection that was at the forefront of the 6 wk long illness, so technically I guess he did receive 'treatment'.

What got me thinking it was Hib, was because DH went to the doc after being sick for 3 weeks (I had been sick for about 2, but he was much worse). His doc said he had Hib (although he was not tested). DH was on antibiotics for 2 more weeks before he finally knocked it. I was also sick slightly for a couple more weeks. Basically, the entire month of April we were all horribly sick - worse than ever before in my life, etc.

Then I looked up Hib (after DH went to the doc), and read that it is most common betw 6-7 mos of age, and in the Spring (exactly where we were at - although I can't find this link now ), and his symptoms were right on. I don't honestly know if he did or not, it just seemed to fit. It could very well have been some other milder version - but let me tell ya' - it wasn't particularly mild. We were all completely useless and miserable for a month. I began to seriously consider my decision to not/delay vaxing - oh, and we were EBF (well, experimenting with solids, but no FF) at the time.

However, if DH and I got it, then the whole immunity thing doesn't make much sense - unless we all had something else. Of course, neither of us have been vaxed, but I would have thought we'd build up an immunity (like I'd read). I guess I'll never really know...

[snowbird25ca]

Just for the record, I wanted to add that having HIB doesn't mean you get meningitis from it. It can cause meningitis, but that's worst case scenario when you get HIB. So it is possible to have exposure to HIB & get immunity without ever getting super sick.

As to the original question, if it was HIB, then you should be immune, but there's really no way to know for sure since there was no testing the dr. did on your dh. I think it'll forever be a mystery.