[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-390184-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":81,"doc-detail-390184-en":131},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","haemophilus-influenzae-type-b-hib-questions-and-answers","Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib): Questions and Answers","","Comprehensive Q&A on Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) disease, explaining causes, routes of transmission, incubation uncertainty, and how severity varies by affected body systems. Details invasive disease manifestations such as meningitis, epiglottitis, pneumonia, and long-term neurologic outcomes. Covers diagnosis methods, antibiotic treatment and hospitalization needs, and discusses incidence trends in the United States before and after vaccine introduction.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/healthcare/","Healthcare",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/haemophilus-influenzae-type-b-hib-questions-and-answers/390184/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/haemophilus-influenzae-type-b-hib-questions-and-answers/390184.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"McQueen","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-30","2026-09-25",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",12,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"What causes Hib disease and what makes it serious?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"Hib disease is caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b. The most serious form is invasive disease in normally sterile sites such as the bloodstream or brain covering (meningitis).","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"How is Hib disease diagnosed and treated?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Diagnosis is usually based on one or more laboratory tests using a sample of infected body fluid such as blood or spinal fluid. Treatment uses antibiotics, and most people require hospitalization.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"When should Hib vaccination be given and who should receive it?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"Infants should receive routine Hib vaccine starting at 2 months, completing the 3- or 4-dose series by 15 months. Unvaccinated children aged 15 through 59 months should receive 1 dose; healthy people age five years or older are not routinely recommended.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},390184,1790763994,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,92,96,101,106,110,115,120,123,127],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":89,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":93,"show_sort_weight":94,"slug":95},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":97,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":98,"show_sort_weight":99,"slug":100},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":102,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":103,"show_sort_weight":104,"slug":105},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":107,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":108,"slug":109},7,40,"healthcare",{"id":111,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":112,"show_sort_weight":113,"slug":114},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":116,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":117,"show_sort_weight":118,"slug":119},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":118,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":121,"show_sort_weight":118,"slug":122},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":124,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":125,"show_sort_weight":124,"slug":126},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":128,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":129,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":130},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":132},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":133,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":134,"doc_module":4,"category_id":107,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":135,"file_id":136,"file_url":137,"file_type":138,"file_size":139,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":30,"language":140,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":144,"read_time":111,"preview_page_count":4},5909890329169,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_9964176cb1d06d4a9deccf72a44ae3dc","Haemophilus influenzae  type b (Hib): Questions and Answers  \ninformation about the disease and vaccines  \nWhat causes Hib disease?  \nHib disease is caused by a bacterium, Haemophilus influenzae type b. There are six different types of these bacteria (a through f), in addition to nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae. The most serious form of infection is invasive disease, referring to an infection in a normally sterile site, such as the bloodstream or the covering of the brain (meningitis). Before introduction of a vaccine, type b organisms accounted for 95% of all cases of invasive Haemophilus influenzae disease, and this is the only type against which the Hib vaccine protects.  \nHow does Hib disease spread?  \nHib disease is spread person-to-person by direct contact or through respiratory droplets. Usually the organisms remain in the nose and throat, but occasionally the bacteria spread to the lungs or bloodstream and cause a serious infection in the individual.  \nHow long does it take to show signs of Hib disease after being exposed?  \nThe incubation period of Hib disease is not certain, but could be as short as a few days.  \nWhat are the symptoms of Hib disease?  \nA person with invasive Hib disease can have different symptoms depending on what body systems are affected. (See next question.)  \nHow serious is Hib disease?  \nInvasive Hib disease can be very serious. Before the highly effective Hib vaccine was introduced, 50%–65% of cases of invasive Hib disease were Hib meningitis, an infection of the membranes covering the brain. Symptoms of meningitis include fever, stiff neck, and altered mental status. Between 3%–6% of children with Hib meningitis die. Among those who survive, up to 3 in 10 have permanent neurologic damage, including hearing loss, blindness, or other mental disabilities.  \nDuring the prevaccine era, 17% of invasive Hib cases  \nhad epiglottitis, an infection and swelling in the throat capable of causing life-threatening airway blockage. Hib could also cause pneumonia, joint infection, skin infection, and bone infection.  \nTwo tragic incidents showing the seriousness of Hib were reported from both Minnesota and Pennsylvania in early 2009. Minnesota reported a total of five cases of invasive Hib disease in children younger than 5 years from 2008, the largest number since 1992. Three of the children had not been vaccinated because of parent/guardian deferral or refusal. One of these children died. In Pennsylvania, seven cases were reported for the six-month period from October 2008–March 2009. Only one child had received any vaccine (1 dose) and 3 of the children died.  \nHow do I know if my child has Hib disease?  \nThe diagnosis of Hib disease is usually made based on one or more laboratory tests using a sample of infected body fluid, such as blood or spinal fluid.  \nIs there a treatment for Hib disease?  \nHib disease is treated with antibiotics. Most people with Hib disease require hospitalization. Even with antibiotic treatment, 3%–6% of all children with Hib meningitis die from the disease.  \nHow common is Hib disease in the United States?  \nBefore the introduction of a Hib vaccine, H. influenzae type b (Hib) was the leading cause of bacterial meningitis among children younger than age five years in the United States. Every year about 20,000 children younger than age five years got invasive Hib disease and about 1,000 children died. More than half of children who developed invasive Hib disease were younger than age 12 months.  \nFrom 1996 through 2000, an average of 68 reported cases of Hib disease occurred in children younger than age 5 years each year. By 2022, this number had  \ncontinued on the next page   \nFOR PROFESSIONALS [www.immunize.org /](www.immunize.org / FOR THE PUBLIC)[ FOR THE PUBLIC](www.immunize.org / FOR THE PUBLIC) [www.vaccineinformation.org](www.vaccineinformation.org)  \n[www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4206.pdf](www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4206.pdf)  Item \\#P4206 (2/18/2025)  \nScan for PDF  \ndroppe","cbCailP9PwUA16TD","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCailP9PwUA16TD","pdf",313056,"English","# What causes Hib disease?\n# How does Hib disease spread?\n# How long does it take to show signs after exposure?\n# What are the symptoms of Hib disease?\n# How serious is Hib disease?\n# How do I know if my child has Hib disease?\n# Is there a treatment for Hib disease?\n# How common is Hib disease in the United States?\n# Can you get Hib disease more than once?\n# When did Hib vaccine become available?\n# What type of vaccine is it?\n# How is this vaccine given?\n# Is there more than one brand of Hib vaccine?\n# Who should get this vaccine?","[{\"question\":\"What causes Hib disease and what makes it serious?\",\"answer\":\"Hib disease is caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b. The most serious form is invasive disease in normally sterile sites such as the bloodstream or brain covering (meningitis).\"},{\"question\":\"How is Hib disease diagnosed and treated?\",\"answer\":\"Diagnosis is usually based on one or more laboratory tests using a sample of infected body fluid such as blood or spinal fluid. Treatment uses antibiotics, and most people require hospitalization.\"},{\"question\":\"When should Hib vaccination be given and who should receive it?\",\"answer\":\"Infants should receive routine Hib vaccine starting at 2 months, completing the 3- or 4-dose series by 15 months. Unvaccinated children aged 15 through 59 months should receive 1 dose; healthy people age five years or older are not routinely recommended.\"}]","Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib): Questions and Answers | PDF",1790331133]