Israel's Health Ministry has reported that an 11-month-old infant has been admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit with meningitis after contracting Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). The infant, from central Israel, did not receive the Hib vaccine, which provides immunity against this potentially severe infection.
An epidemiological investigation revealed that the infant missed the routine vaccination schedule. The Ministry is now taking steps to provide preventive treatment to individuals who may have been exposed to the infant.
Haemophilus influenzae can cause serious illnesses such as pneumonia, meningitis, and bloodstream infections, and can lead to long-term complications like hearing loss and cognitive impairments in young children. Although antibiotics are used to treat these infections, Haemophilus influenzae can sometimes be resistant, though amoxicillin is often effective.
In developed countries, the Hib vaccine has significantly reduced the incidence of these infections, but unvaccinated children remain at risk.
* Arutz 7 contributed to this article.