Hib Vaccine

Patient Education

What is HiB?

Hib stands for H.infuenza B - a type of bacterium that leads to invasive diseases like meningitis, epiglottitis, pneumonia, cellulitis, arthritis, sepsis, etc.

Which age group is affected by Hib infections?

Hib infection is most commonly seen in children <5 years of age. The mean age of onset is 6-24 months after which it declines gradually till 5 years. 95% of Hib infections occur before 5 years of age.

How is the Hib vaccine given?

Hib vaccine is given intramuscularly.

What is the schedule of Hib vaccination?

For a child less than 6 months, 3 primary doses are necessary. The first dose can be given at 6 weeks along with polio vaccine/DPT and subsequent 2 doses at 4 weeks interval along with subsequent polio vaccine/DPT. One booster will be necessary between 15-18 months of age.

For children between 6 months to 12 months: 2 primary doses at 4-8 weeks interval are given followed by a booster at 15-18 months of age. For children between 6 months to 12 months: 2 primary doses at 4 weeks interval are given followed by a booster at 15-18 months of age. If a child presents beyond 15 months till 15 years of age, only one dose is given straight as the booster dose. It is usually not given after 5 years of age.

What if a dose is delayed or missed?

There is no need to restart the schedule if a dose is delayed or missed. One should just complete the age-appropriate schedule of remaining vaccines. However, one is not protected well until one has completed the recommended schedule. Hence, a delay in vaccination is not desirable.

What are the side effects of the Hib vaccine?

Local reactions can occur like redness, swelling, pain, etc. They are more common with the first dose than with subsequent doses. Systemic side effects seen include fever, which is mild and lasts for 24 hours, excessive crying, fussiness, irritability, vomiting, drowsiness, anorexia, diarrhea, etc.

Can you use other vaccines together with the Hib vaccine?

With the need to use so many vaccines during early infancy, one has to use more than two vaccines together. Hib can be given along with other vaccines such as DPT/HBV at 6 and 10 weeks and the DPT vaccine at 14 weeks of age.

Of late combination vaccines containing DPT plus Hib plus Hepatitis B vaccine are available. The advantage of combination vaccines are many like timely completion of schedule, less number of visits to the doctor, less number of pricks to the child, less space & cost of transportation & storage, and better compliance from parents. Hence, whenever available such combinations should be used.

Who should be given Hib vaccine?

Hib vaccine is recommended and is widely used as a universal vaccine by many countries.