Five new infections with Hib: Haemophilus Influenzae type b in Minnesota has made more than clear the need of vaccination against the almost-deadly bacterium, which invades the lining of the brain, bloodstream and lungs causing meningitis, sepsis or pneumonia. It can further lead to brain damage or death. The bad news is that children who survive the disease can become deaf or have permanent brain damage.

Vaccines against Hib are given at ages 2, 4 and 6 months and a booster dose typically given at age 12 to 15 months. Before any Hib vaccine was available, some 20,000 US children would get serious and sometimes fatal Hib infections every year, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Among the five cases in Minnesota, three had not received vaccinations, including a seven-month old child who died. The other two cases involved a child who had been partially vaccinated while the other got all the vaccination doses but was affected due to immunodeficiency.

The tragedy of these children “is a terrible reminder to us that we can’t let our guard down. Bacteria and viruses are still out there, and if there is an opportunity, serious disease can come back,” Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said. She further underlined the importance of the vaccine against Hib. “Parents who wondered whether Hib vaccination is really necessary need to know the disease is still around; it is a very dangerous disease and we have a vaccine that can protect children.”