Haemophilus influenzae disease and immunization in developing countries.

A Funkhouser; M C Steinhoff; J Ward

doi:10.1093/clinids/13.supplement_6.s542

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Haemophilus influenzae disease and immunization in developing countries.

A Funkhouser·M C Steinhoff·J Ward

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Abstract

Haemophilus influenzae is one of the leading causes of severe bacterial infection in children of developing regions, causing 30% of the cases of culture-positive pneumonia and 20%-60% of the cases of bacterial meningitis. In infants and children, the majority of isolates from cerebrospinal fluid and blood and 16%-38% of pulmonary isolates are H. influenzae type b. The availability of several new polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccines for the prevention of invasive disease due to H. influenzae type b prompts this review of the epidemiology of H. influenzae disease in the developing world and of the characteristics of current H. influenzae type b vaccines. To develop a strategy for use of H. influenzae type b vaccines in developing countries, the following data are needed: the age-specific attack rates of H. influenzae type b disease and the immunogenicity and efficacy of these vaccines in young infants in developing countries. Should H. influenzae type b vaccines prove to be inadequate for the prevention of H. influenzae pneumonia, the use of non-type b H. influenzae vaccines may be necessary.

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Bacterial Capsules Bacterial Vaccines Child, Preschool Developing Countries Haemophilus Infections Haemophilus Vaccines Haemophilus influenzae Humans Immunization Infant Infant, Newborn Meningitis, Haemophilus Pneumonia Polysaccharides, Bacterial Journal Article Review

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A Funkhouser, M C Steinhoff, J Ward. Haemophilus influenzae disease and immunization in developing countries.. https://doi.org/10.1093/clinids%2F13.supplement_6.s542

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