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October 28, 2002

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Reemergence, in Southwestern Alaska, of Invasive Haemophilus Influenzae Type b Disease Due to Strains Indistinguishable From Those Isolated From Vaccinated Children" Journal of Infectious Diseases

(www.journals.uchicago.edu/JID/home.html) (10/01/02) Vol. 186, No. 7, P. 958; Lucher, Lynne A.; Reeves, Michael; Hennessy, Thomas

Rural Alaska continues to face a problem with Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) disease and oropharyngeal carriage, though the region is involved in vaccination campaigns.  A study conducted in 1996 and 1997 sought to discover whether the resurgent strains of Hib disease were different from those selected for vaccination campaigns.  The researchers found 24 invasive carriage Hib isolates and 42 carriage Hib isolates from 1992 to 1997, 62 percent of which were related to two strains, the elecrophoretic type (ET) 55/PFGE 1 and ET 56/PFGE 3.  Those two strains were discovered in 74 percent of the carriers and resulted in 80 percent of the invasive Hib disease during the testing period.  Yet they were not substantially different from the strains carried by vaccinated children.  The findings indicate that a more effective elimination campaign must be waged in battling Hib disease.

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