What is ActHIB (Haemophilus B Conjugate (Prp T) Vaccine)?

Haemophilus B is a type of influenza (flu) caused by bacteria.

Haemophilus B bacteria can infect the lungs or throat, and can also spread to the blood, bones, joints, brain, or spinal cord. It can cause breathing problems or meningitis, and these infections can be fatal.

Haemophilus B disease can spread from one person to another through small droplets of saliva that are expelled into the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The bacteria can also be passed through contact with objects the infected person has touched, such as a door handle, or other surface. The bacteria can also be passed through kissing, or sharing a drinking glass or eating utensil with an infected person.

Haemophilus B conjugate vaccine is used to prevent infection caused by haemophilus B bacteria, and is sometimes combined with vaccines to protect against other diseases. Haemophilus B vaccine will not protect against other types of influenza.

Haemophilus B conjugate vaccine works by exposing your child to a small dose of the bacteria or a protein from the bacteria, which causes the body to develop immunity to the disease. This vaccine will not treat an active infection that has already developed in the body.

Haemophilus B conjugate vaccine is for use in children between the ages of 2 months and 4 years old.

Like any vaccine, haemophilus B conjugate vaccine may not provide protection from disease in every person.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking ActHIB (Haemophilus B Conjugate (Prp T) Vaccine)?

Your child should not receive this vaccine if he or she has ever had an allergic reaction to a haemophilus B or a tetanus vaccine, or if the child has received cancer chemotherapy or radiation treatment in the past 3 months.

Before receiving haemophilus B conjugate vaccine, tell your child’s doctor if the child is allergic to any drugs, or has:

• a bleeding or blood clotting disorder such as hemophilia or easy bruising
• a history of seizures
• a neurologic disorder or disease affecting the brain (or if this was a reaction to a previous vaccine)
• an allergy to latex rubber
• a weak immune system caused by disease, bone marrow transplant, or by using certain medicines or receiving cancer treatments; or
• if the child is taking a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin)

FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether this vaccine is harmful to an unborn baby. Before you receive the vaccine, tell your doctor if you are pregnant.

Haemophilus B conjugate vaccine should not be given to a woman who is breast-feeding a baby.

ActHIB Side Effects

What are the possible side effects of ActHIB (Haemophilus B Conjugate (Prp T) Vaccine)?

Keep track of any and all side effects your child has after receiving this vaccine. When the child receives another haemophilus B vaccine in the future, you will need to tell the child’s doctor if the first shot caused any side effects.

Becoming infected with haemophilus B is much more dangerous to your child’s health than receiving the vaccine to protect against it. Like any medicine, this vaccine can cause side effects, but the risk of serious side effects is extremely low.

Get emergency medical help if your child has any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if your child has any of these serious side effects:

• extreme drowsiness, fainting
• fussiness, irritability, crying for an hour or longer
• seizure (black-out or convulsions); or
• high fever (within a few hours or a few days after the vaccine)

Less serious side effects may include:

• redness, pain, swelling, or a lump where the shot was given
• low fever
• mild fussiness or crying
• joint pain, body aches
• drowsiness; or
• diarrhea

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report vaccine side effects to the US Department of Health and Human Services at 1-800-822-7967.

ActHIB Interactions

What other drugs affect ActHIB (Haemophilus B Conjugate (Prp T) Vaccine)?

Before receiving this vaccine, tell the doctor about all other vaccines your child has recently received.

Also tell the doctor if your child has recently received drugs or treatments that can weaken the immune system, including:

• an oral, nasal, inhaled, or injectable steroid medicine
• medications to treat psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, or other autoimmune disorders, such as azathioprine (Imuran), efalizumab (Raptiva), etanercept (Enbrel), leflunomide (Arava), and others; or
• medicines to treat or prevent organ transplant rejection, such as basiliximab (Simulect), cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral, Gengraf), muromonab-CD3 (Orthoclone), mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept), sirolimus (Rapamune), or tacrolimus (Prograf)

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with haemophilus B conjugate vaccine. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications your child uses. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your child’s doctor.

What should I avoid while taking ActHIB (Haemophilus B Conjugate (Prp T) Vaccine)?

Follow your doctor’s instructions about any restrictions on food, beverages, or activity.

ActHIB Dosage

How should I take ActHIB (Haemophilus B Conjugate (Prp T) Vaccine)?

This vaccine is given as an injection (shot) into a muscle. Your child will receive this injection in a doctor’s office or other clinic setting.

Haemophilus B conjugate vaccine is given to children between the ages of 2 months and 18 months old. It may also be given to an older child with a medical conditions such as HIV or AIDS, sickle cell disease, or who is receiving cancer treatments or a bone marrow transfusion.

The haemophilus B conjugate vaccine is given in a series of shots. In most cases, this vaccine is given as 2 separate shots, 2 months apart. A booster dose is then given 2 months after the last shot, or no later than 4 years of age.

Your child’s individual booster schedule may be different from these guidelines. Follow your doctor’s instructions or the schedule recommended by the health department of the state you live in.

Your child can still receive a vaccine if he or she has a cold or fever. In the case of a more severe illness with a fever or any type of infection, wait until the child gets better before receiving this vaccine.

Your doctor may recommend treating fever and pain with an aspirin-free pain reliever such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, and others) when the shot is given and for the next 24 hours. Follow the label directions or your doctor’s instructions about how much of this medicine to give your child.

It is especially important to prevent fever from occurring in a child who has a seizure disorder such as epilepsy.

What happens if I overdose on ActHIB (Haemophilus B Conjugate (Prp T) Vaccine)?

An overdose of this vaccine is not likely to occur.

What happens if I miss a dose of ActHIB (Haemophilus B Conjugate (Prp T) Vaccine)?

Contact your doctor if you will miss a booster dose or if you get behind schedule. The next dose should be given as soon as possible. There is no need to start over.

Be sure your child receives all recommended doses of this vaccine. If your child does not receive the full series of vaccines, he or she may not be fully protected against the disease.

Edited from everydayhealth.com