Haemophilus influenzae type b carriage in Indigenous children and children attending childcare centers in the Northern Territory, Australia, spanning pre- and post-vaccine eras

This paper investigates Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) carriage in Indigenous children and children attending childcare centres in the Northern Territory of Australia, 1992–2005. More than 10 years after the introduction of the Hib conjugate vaccine, Hib carriage persists in Indigenous children (3.4%, 2003–2005) and children attending childcare centres (0.2%, 2004). This is the first Australian study to examine Hib carriage spanning the pre- and post-vaccination eras. Increasing carriage rates contribute to Hib disease resurgence especially in those with higher disease burdens, such as remote Indigenous Australians, ongoing carriage surveillance provides a sentinel warning system for invasive disease