Overview

• Liam Dahlberg developed a headache at home in April and died within 24 hours after an invasive Haemophilus influenzae type b infection progressed to untreatable meningitis.
• Doctors say Liam was vaccinated but likely caught Hib from an unvaccinated person as childhood immunization rates have declined in recent years.
• Since the Hib vaccine’s introduction in 1985, serious infections have dropped from about 20,000 annual cases to rare occurrences in the U.S., though exemptions are on the rise.
• Dahlberg has created a Change.org petition calling on state lawmakers to remove religious and philosophical exemptions for school-required vaccinations.
• Health officials warn Hib spreads via respiratory droplets even from asymptomatic carriers and urge parents to follow CDC guidelines for early childhood immunization.