News

Hib infection rising despite vaccine

More people are contracting Hib infection despite the child vaccination programme according to Health Protection Agency (HPA) experts.

The HPA have told the British Medical Journal that rates in children are rising, especially amongst those that have been vaccinated and say that this could be reduced with booster vaccinations.

The vaccine was introduced as part of the routine baby immunisation programme in 1992 to help protect against the meningitis causing bacteria. Hib is the abbreviated term for the bacteria Haemophilus influenzae type b which, as well as meningitis can cause seriou illnesses such as pneumonia and epiglotitis, a swelling of the throat which can restrict breathing.

When the vaccine was introduced in 1992 there was a big drop in the number of infections. However, the vaccine had some problems and became less effective, leading to an increase in infections. From 1998, Hib cases in children started to rise significantly, almost doubling each year and mostly among those who were immunised in the programme as babies.

In response to this the department of Health introduced a booster campaign in May 2003, targeting children aged between 6 months and 4 years and the number of cases of Hib infection dropped.

However, recent research has shown that the number of Hib cases occurring in adults has risen and this has been blamed on the introduction of the vaccine in 1992.

Dr Mary Ramsay, from the HPA's immunisation department, who led the research, said, "The drop in infection rates among children meant reduced exposure to the disease for adults, and therefore lower rates of infection.

"This means that the level of antibodies in adults, to enable them to fight Hib infection, was no longer being boosted.

"Therefore, as the disease started to rise once again amongst children, some adults were less able than before to fight the infection."

However, Dr Ramsay says that a further booster programme will help by increasing 'herd immunity' a term used to describe mass immunisations which will protect the population as a whole regardless of whether or not someone has been vaccinated.

She adds, "This gradual increase in "herd immunity" will lead once again to a continuation of the fall in disease rates."

• With vaccines being in the news more and more, are you worried?Share your feelings in Discuss, Debate and Deliberate
• Find out more on vaccines? Should I get my child immunised?