Which disease is specifically targeted by the Hib vaccine?

• A. Haemophilus influenzae type b disease
• B. Pneumococcal disease
• C. Pertussis disease
• D. Diphtheria disease

Answer: (A)

Haemophilus influenzae type b disease is what the Hib vaccine targets. This vaccine teaches the immune system to recognize and fight encapsulated type b bacteria, preventing invasive infections such as meningitis, epiglottitis, and bacteremia that used to be common in young children. It’s a conjugate vaccine, linking the polysaccharide capsule to a protein carrier to boost immune response in infancy. Other vaccines protect against diseases caused by different organisms—pneumococcal disease from Streptococcus pneumoniae, pertussis from Bordetella pertussis, and diphtheria from Corynebacterium diphtheriae.