Haemophilus influenzae type b
Hib vaccination
Vaccinating children against Hib has been very effective in cutting rates of Hib infections.
From more than 800 confirmed cases a year in England in the early 1990s, the number of Hib infections has now fallen to fewer than 20 cases a year.
The Hib vaccine is routinely offered to babies as part of the NHS childhood vaccination programme .
Babies have three separate doses of Hib vaccine at 8, 12and 16 weeks of age as part of the combined 5-in-1 vaccination .
A booster dose is alsooffered when a child is one year old as part of the combined Hib/MenC booster to provide longer-term protection.
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018
Introduction
Find out about haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), a bacterium that can cause a number of serious illnesses, particularly in young children.
Problems caused by Hib
Hib bacteria can cause several serious infections, including: meningitis infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord Septicaemia blood poisoning pneumonia infection of the lungs p
How Hib is spread
Hib bacteria can live in the nose and throat of healthy people, and usually don't cause any symptoms. The bacteria are usually spread in a similar way to cold and flu viruses, through infected drop
Hib vaccination
Vaccinating children against Hib has been very effective in cutting rates of Hib infections. From more than 800 confirmed cases a year in England in the early 1990s, the number of Hib infections has
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