title: Prevention of Haemophilus influenzae type b disease.
abstract: Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) is the leading cause of meningitis in children < 5 years of age. The majority of cases of Hib occur in infants < 2 years of age. Until recently the only vaccine available against this disease contained the pure polysaccharide (PRP) of Hib (Hib-PRP vaccine). The Hib-PRP vaccine was demonstrated to be efficacious in infants > 18 months of age but not below that age. This product was licensed for routine use in the USA for children aged 24 months or more. Recently a hyperimmune globulin termed bacterial polysaccharide immune globulin (BPIg) was prepared by immunizing adult donors with Hib-PRP, meningococcal and pneumococcal vaccines. BPIg has been demonstrated to prevent Hib infections when it is administered to infants at 4-month intervals. However, BPIg has not been licensed for routine use in the USA. A number of new Hib conjugate vaccines have also been developed in the last few years by convalently linking the Hib-PRP to different carrier proteins. Four different Hib conjugate vaccines have undergone clinical trials in the USA. Two of these vaccines, HbOC (Hib capsular oligosaccharide linked to CRM197) and Hib-OMPC (Hib capsular polysaccharide linked to Neisseria meningitidis outer membrane protein complex) have been demonstrated to protect infants aged 2 months or more from Hib disease. Both HbOC and Hib-OMPC are currently licensed for routine use in the USA. The widespread use of these vaccines should have a substantial impact in reducing morbidity and mortality from Hib disease.
authors.affiliation: Center for American Indian and Alaskan Native Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santosham
mesh_terms: D016667:Bacterial Capsules; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004168:Diphtheria Toxoid / Q000494:pharmacology; D006192:Haemophilus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D007223:Infant; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D004168:Diphtheria Toxoid; D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines; C055753:Haemophilus influenza type b polysaccharide vaccine-tetanus toxin conjugate; C044237:Haemophilus influenzae type b polysaccharide vaccine; C052180:Haemophilus influenzae type b-polysaccharide vaccine-diphtheria toxoid conjugate; C061964:Haemophilus influenzae-type b polysaccharide-Neisseria meningitidis outer membrane protein conjugate vaccine; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid; C061963:HibTITER protein, Haemophilus influenzae