Hib vaccine recall

Due to a short-term reduction in the available number of doses of Hib-containing vaccines, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in consultation with the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, recommends that providers temporarily defer administering routine Hib vaccine booster doses to children between the ages of 12 and 15 months, except to children in specific high-risk groups. Providers should register and track all children for whom the booster dose is deferred so they can call them when the supply improves.

Children at increased risk for Hib disease include those with asplenia, sickle cell disease, human immunodeficiency virus infection and certain other immunodeficiency syndromes, and malignant neoplasms. American Indian/Alaskan Native children are at increased risk for Hib disease, particularly in their first six months of life.

The CDC recommends that providers continue to vaccinate these children with available Hib conjugate vaccines according to the routinely recommended schedules, including the 12 to 15 month booster dose. PedvaxHIB^® (if available), ActHIB^®, and TriHIBIT^® may be used for the booster doses during this shortage.

Hib vaccines are also recommended for use in prophylaxis for susceptible close contacts of patients with Hib disease. The CDC recommends that providers continue to vaccinate close contacts according to published guidelines.

For the full text, please refer to the CDC website at: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5650a4.htm?s_cid+mm5650a4_e.