Rapid assessment tool for Haemophilus influenzae type b disease in developing countries.
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) still causes a substantial number of deaths among children in developing countries, despite the availability of effective conjugate vaccines. A major obstacle in developing a Hib vaccine has been limited awareness about the impact of Hib disease. A tool was developed to estimate the national rates of Hib meningitis and pneumonia by assessing retrospective local data over 7 to 10 days. Data from 11 countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia were studied and showed rates of Hib meningitis from >50 cases per 100,000 children >5 years in Ghana and Uganda to <15 per 100,000 in Iran, Jordan, and Uzbekistan. Results were affected by the quality of available data. The Hib rapid assessment tool can be useful to countries that desire a timely assessment of Hib disease rates.
Feikin
Daniel R
DR
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA. drf0@cdc.gov
Nelson
Christopher B
CB
Watt
James P
JP
Mohsni
Ezzeddine
E
Wenger
Jay D
JD
Levine
Orin S
OS
D000349:Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D001208:Asia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003906:Developing Countries; D019741:Haemophilus influenzae type b / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008583:Meningitis, Haemophilus / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D008877:Middle East / Q000453:epidemiology; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D013997:Time Factors