An 11-month-old infant from central Israel was recently admitted to intensive care due to meningitis caused by the Haemophilus influenza type B (Hib) bacterium, as reported by the Health Ministry earlier this month.
The Health Ministry's epidemiological investigation revealed that the infant had not received the routine Hib vaccination. As a result, local health authorities are now working to provide preventive treatment to those who may have been in contact with the affected infant.
Haemophilus influenza type B can lead to severe complications such as meningitis, sepsis, and pneumonia. Symptoms include fever, headaches, vomiting, and altered consciousness. Without treatment, the disease can cause permanent neurological damage, developmental delays, seizures, and deafness. The Health Ministry underscored the critical importance of adhering to vaccination schedules to prevent such severe illnesses and outbreaks among children.
This case underscores the ongoing need for vigilance in vaccination practices. In 2021, a similar incident involved a two-year-old Israeli child who died from suspected meningitis while attending a Chabad kindergarten in Limassol, Cyprus.
