Burden of invasive disease caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) in Africa

Abstract

More than 10 million children younger than 5 years of age die every year and the majority of them from diseases that can be prevented by vaccines. Invasive infections caused Haemophilus influenzae b are one of the leading causes of infant and childhood pneumonia and meningitis. Hib can effectively been prevented by Hib conjugate vaccine which has been introduced during the 1990s in industrialized countries and has virtually eliminated invasive Hib disease. The poorest countries however, do not yet have implemented this safe and preventive intervention and one reason for this gap is low awareness and poor perception of published data and recently developed combination vaccines enabling effective immunization against five diseases by one vaccine (five in one). This article provides a descriptive analysis of the burden of Hib disease in Africa and shows the importance of implementation of vaccine in the this continent.