Doctors Told to Be Alert for Childhood Infections during Hib Vaccine Shortage

By Alice Carver
16:00, November 24th 2008
11 votes
Vote this story
Doctors Told to Be Alert for Childhood Infections during Hib Vaccine Shortage

On Thursday, U.S. health officials urged doctors to be more vigilant for suspected cases of invasive Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) in young children. Health officials are concerned about meningitis and sepsis, both bloodstream infections caused by Hib.

Last year, Merck & Co Inc recalled their Hib vaccines because of questions over the sterility of their production equipment. At the time, Merck said it planned to resume normal production late this year, but in October, this year, the company announced the vaccines would not be available until the middle of next year.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there has been no significant increase in the incidence of invasive Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) in young children since the beginning of the vaccine shortage. The annual rate of invasive Hib disease in children younger than five years was 0.13 per 100,000 during January-October 2008, compared with 0.11 per 100,000 children in 2007, according to the CDC.

But an analysis of a similar situation in England showed that Hib rebound was still possible. CDC epidemiologist Mike Jackson said there is enough vaccine to give children the primary doses at 2, 4, and 6 months of age, but not the booster doses. “We are not worried about sudden increases in Hib disease, but we are worried over time that, not having the booster, we could start to see increases in Hib,”Jackson said. Jackson advised doctors to notify local health departments if they find cases of Hib disease in children and get a clinical specimen for confirmation of the disease.



© 2007 - 2009 - eFluxMedia
dotclear

Other News in

OLPC Forced to Cut Staff

The growing financial crisis has taken its toll on yet another non-profit group, the One Laptop Per Child Organization. The OLPC organization pretty much speaks for itself and it is obvious that...

Digital TV Switch To Be Postponed

Digital TV Switch To Be Postponed

Obama’s transition team has asked Congress to postpone the switch from analog TV to digital, claiming that there is "insufficient support" for the problems consumers will experience...

Flynt and Francis Ask For $5 Billion Bailout

Flynt and Francis Ask For $5 Billion Bailout

During the financial crisis America is facing, many industries have asked for bailouts, relying on the fact that it’s the industries that keep the economy going, and that without a reason for...

Taylor Lautner, Still “Jacob” in New Moon

Taylor Lautner, Still “Jacob” in New Moon

  The Twilight series is one of the most successful fantasy book series, coming close behind such literary phenomena such as “The Lord of the Rings” or “Harry...

Mickey Rourke, Possible Villain in Iron Man 2

Mickey Rourke, Possible Villain in Iron Man 2

Hollywood has turned, in the last few decades, to a new source for movie scripts – comic books. Superman and Batman were the first superheroes who were the core of some of the most successful...

dotclear
Latest videos in Specials
And Finally... Ice Ice Baby.
Polo profits in Argentina
Billionaire Merckle's suicide
Trend Spotters Discuss the...
A Berlin Restaurant Goes...

dotclear
Specials You are here: Specials
» Specials   
E-mail To A Friend Print RSS Text size: Decrease font size Increase font size
dotclear
dotclear
dotclear
Most Popular in Specials
Obama's replacement provokes stormy showdown for US Senate

» read full story
dotclear

Interested In This Topic?

News Alert will keep you informed. Find out more.
dotclear
Photos Gallery
dotclear
Today's Latest News
OLPC Forced to Cut Staff

» read full story
dotclear