Vaccine-Preventable Disease on the Rise
A scar marking Dr. Lara Johnson’s neck is a constant reminder of a vaccine-preventable illness that struck her as a child.
When she was just 4 years old, Johnson faced a severe bacterial infection: Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). This bacteria attacked her epiglottis, the cartilage that protects the windpipe during eating, leading to a life-threatening situation where she struggled to breathe and swallow.
“I felt like I was choking,” Johnson recalls. “I had a fever and thought I might throw up.” Rushed to Covenant Children’s Hospital in Lubbock, Texas, where she is now the chief medical officer, she underwent an emergency tracheostomy. Her airway was opened surgically to allow her to breathe, and antibiotics eventually cleared the infection.
At that time, in 1980, a Hib vaccine was still seven years away from being introduced.
Before the vaccine was available, roughly 20,000 children, mainly young ones, were reported to suffer severe Hib infections annually in the U.S., according to the CDC. Sadly, many of these children experienced lasting brain damage, and around 1,000 lost their lives each year.
Once vaccinations began, the incidence of Hib infections plummeted to fewer than 50 cases a year. As a result, many doctors trained in the past decades have never encountered a case.
However, a troubling trend is emerging. Parents who haven’t witnessed the consequences of this fast-spreading infection are increasingly choosing not to vaccinate their children against Hib. Recent data from the CDC shows that the percentage of infants receiving the complete series of Hib vaccines decreased from 78.8% in 2019 to 77.6% in 2021.
Healthcare professionals like Johnson, who treated children during a measles outbreak in West Texas last year, are concerned that Hib could make a return as a vaccine-preventable disease.
“Measles is only the beginning,” warned Dr. Leisha Nolen, Utah’s state epidemiologist. The state is currently experiencing a rising measles outbreak, already recording 559 cases last week.
As the reluctance to vaccinate increases, the risk for Hib “is not something we can ignore,” Nolen said, emphasizing the potential consequences of seeing emergency rooms filled again with young children suffering from this dangerous illness.
A ‘Changing World of Medicine’
The CDC is monitoring Hib cases, though reporting can take a year or more, contrasting with quicker reporting during active outbreaks like flu or measles.
As of March 21, the CDC documented eight cases this year—two apiece in Ohio and New York, and single cases in Kansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
Conversations among pediatricians hint that more Hib cases may be occurring, leading to severe health issues.
Dr. Kathryn Edwards, a pediatric vaccine safety expert at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, noted her colleagues recently encountered two cases of Hib-related meningitis, a rarity in years past.
In Panama City, Florida, Dr. Eehab Kenawy reported hospitalizing two unvaccinated children with Hib—a 2-year-old and a 4-month-old who unfortunately died. Even Kenawy had not seen a Hib case in many years before now hearing reports about it.
As the threat of Hib potentially resurfaces, doctors need to rethink their approach when examining young, unvaccinated patients presenting with what may seem like common bacterial infections.
“It’s no longer just about strep throat or ear infections. We need to consider Hib in our differential diagnosis,” Kenawy explained. “This requires closer observation and perhaps more admissions or tests, which reflects the evolving landscape of medicine.”
Understanding Hib
Despite its name, Haemophilus influenzae doesn’t cause the seasonal flu. These bacteria can exist harmlessly in noses and throats, but certain strains, like Hib, can cause serious illnesses. They can lead to infections that are easy to treat, like ear infections, or serious, life-threatening issues, including meningitis.
Doctors remain concerned about Hib’s potential to cause inflammation in the brain and spinal cord, a serious condition known as meningitis. Before the vaccine, this was a frequent occurrence, sometimes requiring spinal taps for diagnosis.
“During my training between 1977 and 1980, I would perform multiple spinal taps every night,” remarked Dr. Paul Offit, a pediatrician and director at the Vaccine Education Center. “Now, pediatric residents don’t conduct them, highlighting the effectiveness of vaccines.”
The CDC currently recommends children under five receive three to four Hib vaccines, depending on which type they receive. Research indicates this complete series is over 93% effective in preventing the illness.
It’s not just Hib vaccines seeing declines; a 2025 NBC News investigation with Stanford University found that childhood vaccination rates have dropped in 77% of U.S. counties since 2019.
The number of parents hesitant to vaccinate their children has notably increased in recent years.
“There will always be those who say ‘no’ to vaccines, but this trend is certainly rising,” noted Dr. Rana Alissa, president of the Florida chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. “It’s now approaching alarming levels.”
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has played a role in amplifying anti-vaccine sentiments, downplaying outbreaks and even attempting to alter childhood vaccine schedules—a move that has faced legal challenges.
Doctors are striving to reverse the trend to keep vaccine-preventable diseases in the past.
“On my last night as a pediatric resident, a child with Hib came in and died by the next day,” Edwards reflected. “It’s heartbreaking to think everything I worked for could unravel due to one person.”
Personal Stories of Loss
Ashlee Dahlberg still grapples with the loss of her son, Liam, who succumbed to Hib last April. Just a day after returning from school complaining of a headache, Liam’s condition rapidly worsened.
“He seemed off but could still answer questions,” she recalled. After tests hinted at meningitis, he was transferred to a larger hospital, where further examinations confirmed he had contracted Hib. Tragically, by then, it had progressed to bacterial meningitis.
Shortly thereafter, scans revealed irreversible brain damage. Dahlberg reported that they had to take him off life support just two days after his diagnosis. Although Liam and his sisters had been vaccinated, his asthma medication made him more vulnerable to infections.
Dahlberg is now sharing her story to motivate other families to vaccinate their children, especially those like her son who may have weakened immune systems.
“It’s vital for others to realize that some kids, like mine, are at greater risk,” she emphasized. “What could be a mild cold for one child might pose a serious threat to another.”
“I cannot endure losing another child,” she stated, concerned for her younger daughter’s health as well.
