Hib

Key facts

  • Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b) causes a variety of serious illnesses, including swelling around the brain (meningitis), blood poisoning (septicaemia), swelling in the throat and lung infections (pneumonia).

  • Children who get Hib infections before two years old do not usually develop natural immunity.

  • Hib-containing vaccines are the best way to protect your child from Hib.

Last updated on 23 April 2023.

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When to vaccinate against Hib

It is recommended that you vaccinate your child against Hib at:


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What is Hib?

Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b) causes a variety of serious illnesses, including swelling around the brain (meningitis), blood poisoning (septicaemia), swelling in the throat and lung infections (pneumonia). Babies and children can die from the diseases caused by Hib. Those who survive often have brain damage. Hib spreads from person to person through the air, like a cold.1

What will happen to my child if they catch Hib?

Usual symptoms

  • Hib can cause a few different kinds of infection. These include septicaemia (blood poisoning), pneumonia (infected lungs), arthritis (infected joints), cellulitis (skin infection), meningitis (brain infection) and epiglottitis (throat infection that causes swelling and can stop a child from breathing).
  • Babies who get Hib infections usually have a fever, are unusually sleepy, and don’t feed well.
  • Children who get Hib infections before they are two years old do not usually develop natural immunity.

Less common symptoms

  • About 5 per cent of people with Hib-meningitis die. 
  • About 25 per cent of people who survive Hib-meningitis have permanent brain or nerve damage. 
What vaccine will protect my child against Hib?

In Australia, children receive a ‘combined’ vaccine (also called ‘hexavalent’), which strengthens immunity to Hib, as well as diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and hepatitis B.

When should my child be vaccinated?

It is recommended that children get a vaccine that protects against Hib at two months, four months, six months and 18 months.

It is important that children get all their vaccinations on time to ensure they have the best possible protection against infectious diseases.

Will my child catch Hib from the vaccine?

No, there is no risk that your child will catch Hib because the vaccine does not contain the live bacteria that causes the disease. Instead, it contains a part of the outer layer of the Hib bacteria (the ‘bacteria capsule’) that trains your child’s immune system to recognise and fight the infection.

What are the common reactions to the vaccine?
  • Up to 33 per cent of children who have vaccines that protect against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), Hib, or polio experience redness at the injection site that lasts up to a few days.
  • Up to 20 per cent of children who have vaccines that protect against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), Hib, or polio develop a mild fever that lasts one or two days.  
  • About 10 to 13 per cent of people who have vaccines that protect against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), Hib, polio, or hepatitis B experience mild swelling or pain at the injection site that lasts one or two days. 
  • About 5 to 10 per cent of babies who have vaccines that protect against polio experience decreased appetite.
  • About 2 per cent of people who get booster doses of a vaccine that protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough) get a sore red, swollen arm. The swelling starts in the first two days after vaccination. It lasts for one to seven days and then gets better. 
  • About 1 per cent of children who have a vaccine that protects against polio get a hard lump at the injection site that lasts a few days or weeks. 
Are there any rare and/or serious side effects to the vaccine?
  • Babies who get a fever (for any reason) occasionally experience a fit (febrile convulsion) that lasts from a few seconds to a few minutes. Febrile convulsions don’t have long-term effects on a child’s health and development.
  • Some people who get vaccines that protect against hepatitis B experience nausea or aches in their muscles or joints in the days afterwards.
  • About 0.0032 per cent of children aged 12 months or under who get a vaccine that protects against pertussis (whooping cough) experience hypotonic-hyporesponsive episodes (HHE). These children get very pale, go limp, and don’t respond to their surroundings. Their lips and fingernails can also turn blue. Most reactions last less than 30 minutes and can occur anytime from vaccination up to about 48 hours after vaccination.2 HHEs don’t usually have any long-term effects on children’s health.
  • About 0.0001 per cent of people have an allergic reaction following vaccination that affects their whole body, called anaphylaxis. This reaction usually happens within 15 minutes of getting the vaccination and can be treated with an injection of adrenaline. People who have this reaction usually recover quickly and don’t experience any long-term effects.

If your child doesn’t seem to be getting better, or you are worried about them, you can get help from: 

  • your doctor
  • your nearest emergency department
  • or by calling Health Direct on 1800 022 222.
What impact has vaccination had on the prevalence of Hib?

Prior to the introduction of immunisation, Hib was the most common cause of bacterial meningitis in Australian children. Vaccination has had a significant impact on the incidence of the disease among Australian infants. In the seven-year period between 1993 (when the vaccination was introduced) to 2000, Hib notifications declined by 87 per cent among children under 4 years of age. It is now a very rare disease in Australia.3,4

How vaccination has impacted the prevalence of hib