Biomaterial Database

Impact of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccination on Hib meningitis in children in Far North Queensland, 1989 to 2003. 2004

Jeffrey N Hanna

Tropical Public Health Unit, PO Box 1103, Cairns, QLD 4870. Jeffrey_hanna@health.qld.gov.au

Over the four years 1989 to 1992 there were 28 cases of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) meningitis in children aged under five years in Far North Queensland. Thirteen (46%) of the cases were in Indigenous children, indicating that the rate of the disease was about 3.5 times greater in these children than in non-Indigenous children. However, no cases of Hib meningitis have occurred in Indigenous children in Far North Queensland in the 10 years following the addition of Hib vaccines to the Australian Standard Vaccination Schedule in 1993. There was only one case of Hib meningitis, in a (vaccinated) non-Indigenous child, between 1994 and 2003. About 70 cases of Hib meningitis in children were prevented by Hib immunisation in Far North Queensland between 1994 and 2003; possibly as many as five deaths and 12 cases with neurological sequelae were also prevented.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007115	Immunization Schedule	Schedule giving optimum times usually for primary and/or secondary immunization.	Immunization Schedules,Schedule, Immunization,Schedules, Immunization
D007223	Infant	A child between 1 and 23 months of age.	Infants
D008297	Male		Males
D008583	Meningitis, Haemophilus	Infections of the nervous system caused by bacteria of the genus HAEMOPHILUS, and marked by prominent inflammation of the MENINGES. HAEMOPHILUS INFLUENZAE TYPE B is the most common causative organism. The condition primarily affects children under 6 years of age but may occur in adults.	Haemophilus influenzae Meningitis Type B,Hemophilus influenzae Meningitis Type B,Meningitis, Haemophilus influenzae Type F,Meningitis, Haemophilus parainfluenzae,Meningitis, Hemophilus,Meningitis, Hemophilus influenzae Type F,Meningitis, Hemophilus influenzae, Type B,Meninigitis, HiB,Type B Haemophilus influenzae Meningitis,Type B Hemophilus influenzae Meningitis,Haemophilus Meningitides,Haemophilus Meningitis,Haemophilus parainfluenzae Meningitides,Haemophilus parainfluenzae Meningitis,Hemophilus Meningitides,Hemophilus Meningitis,HiB Meninigitis,Meningitides, Haemophilus,Meningitides, Haemophilus parainfluenzae,Meningitides, Hemophilus
D011135	Polysaccharides, Bacterial	Polysaccharides found in bacteria and in capsules thereof.	Bacterial Polysaccharides
D011793	Queensland	A state in northeastern Australia. Its capital is Brisbane. Its coast was first visited by Captain Cook in 1770 and its first settlement (penal) was located on Moreton Bay in 1824. The name Cooksland was first proposed but honor to Queen Victoria prevailed. (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p996 & Room, Brewer's Dictionary of Names, 1992, p441)
D002675	Child, Preschool	A child between the ages of 2 and 5.	Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D005260	Female		Females
D006303	Health Services, Indigenous	Health care provided to specific cultural or tribal peoples which incorporates local customs, beliefs, and taboos.	Indigenous Health Services,Indigenous Services, Health,Services, Indigenous Health,Health Indigenous Service,Health Indigenous Services,Health Service, Indigenous,Indigenous Health Service,Indigenous Service, Health,Service, Health Indigenous,Service, Indigenous Health,Services, Health Indigenous
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man