Hib Vaccine would be available in Japan starting Dec 19, 2008:::Hibワクチンが12月19日販売開始

先週、娘の6ヶ月検診に行った時、先生にＨｉｂワクチンが１２月１９日から販売開始と言われた。

インターネットで調べると「インフルエンザ菌ｂ型（Ｈｉｂ）はインフルエンザウイルスとは違い、鼻の奥などから血液中に入り、髄膜炎などを起こす細菌で、日本では年間約６００件（推定）の感染症が発生。細菌性髄膜炎には５％の死亡例があり、２０％の割合で後遺症が残るとされる。早期発見が難しく、ワクチン投与が一番の予防法」だそうです。

接種対象は２か月以上５歳未満。生後２か月以上７か月未満は４～８週間隔で３回接種し、１年後に１回接種する。７か月以上１２か月未満は同様に２回接種し、１年後に１回。１歳以上は１回のみ。

料金は任意接種のため接種１回あたり９千円だそうです。ちょっと高いのですが、わが家では子供の健康が大事なので申し込もうと思っています。

ママ達もおかかり病院でＨｉｂワクチンについてご確認下さい。

Last week, when I went to the clinic for my daughter's 6 months check-up, my pediatrician told me that Hib Vaccine would be available starting 19th of December.

According to articles in the internet (Well, I search for it since the pediatrician explained it in Japanese and most of the words she used was medical terms that I dont understand), Hib Vaccine or Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine (Hib vaccine)is different from the ordinary Influenzae as when the germs spread into the bloodstream trough the throat, it could lead to bacterial meningitis.Every year in Japan, about 600 (estimated) children are affected by the disease, of whom some 5% die and 20% suffer from serious sequels.As early detection is very difficult, vaccine is the best prevention method.

Children above 2months and below 5years old could avail the said vaccine. There would be 3 times of vaccinations with 4-8 weeks of interval for above two months to below 7months old infants plus 1 time vaccination after a year. While, there would be 2 times of vaccinations for above 7 months old to below 12 months infants plus 1 time vaccination after a year. On the other hand, children above 1 year old would have 1 time vaccination only.

As this is an optional vaccination, the fee would cost 9,000yen (rate at the hospital I went to) per vaccine and would be shouldered by the parents.

Well, this is very expensive but I am thinking of doing so because health is priority in our family.

For more information, ask the clinic/hospital nearby your place.

FYI:
-According to WHO, this virus mainly affects children under age of 5, chiefly through meningitis ang pheunomia.
-Meningitis is an infection of the brain and spinal cord coverings, which can lead to lasting brain damage and deafness. Hib disease can also cause: pneumonia severe swelling in the throat, making it hard to breathe infections of the blood, joints, bones, and covering of the heart death

Source: http://www.the-miyanichi.co.jp/contents/index.php?itemid=13030&catid=74