The HiB Vaccine: What the Manufacturer's Insert Tells Us

About The Disease HiB

HiB, or Haemophilus influenza type b, used to be the most common cause of meningitis in children between 6 months and 4 years of age. Some cases of bronchitis, sinusitis and middle-ear infection are also caused by HiB. Presence of the disease is determined by a spinal tap, in addition to blood and urine tests.

The disease used to be considered rare until the late 1940's, when adults saw an increase in the disease. The leading theory as to why revolves around the use of antibiotics, since many of the common types used to treat the disease are no longer effective against it. Scientists hypothesize that the organism had mutated and become resistant.

In 1984, there were an estimated 20,000 cases of HiB infection (12,000 became meningitis) in the United States. Ten years later, after the introduction of the HiB Vaccine, there were 1,174 cases reported (source link )

The HiB Vaccine

Despite the evidence that this vaccine is quote effective, some parents have a difficult time deciding whether or not to give their child this particular vaccine. Parents can use the manufacturer's package insert to help them make this important decision. A package insert is included with all medications and provides a drug's description, intended purpose, contraindications (circumstances under which the drug should not be administered), side effects, and dosages.

Merck's Liquid PedVaxHIB

One brand of the HiB vaccine is PedVaxHIB by Merck. The package insert can be viewed in full by clicking here.

Ingredients of the HiB Vaccine

The vaccine is purified with the chemical ethanol, which has gained recent fame as being an alternative auto fuel. It is an alcohol derived from corn or any other starchy vegetable or plant such as potatoes or wheat. According to the University of Wisconsin's "Science is Fun" page on ethanol, "Ethanol is toxic, and the body begins to dispose of it immediately upon its consumption. Over 90% of it is processed by the liver. In the liver, the alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme converts ethanol into acetaldehyde, which is itself toxic...