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Infant dies after vaccination in E China

(Xinhu)
Updated: 2008-10-26 19:06

JINAN - A four-month-old baby died after receiving a pneumonia and meningitis vaccine in east China's Shandong Province, an official with the local health bureau said on Sunday.

The baby was vaccinated against Haemophilus influenza type B, or Hib, on October 19 at the Chinese Medicine Hospital in Liaocheng City.

"His mouth turned blue and his face turned pale several minutes after we left the hospital," said the baby's father, Yu Jingkuan. "He also had diarrhea. Then that afternoon, the baby looked normal."

However, Yu said his child suffered the same symptoms the next day.

"Doctors suggested the infant be transferred to another hospital for treatment, but my child died on the way." he said.

The vaccine was produced by Wosen Biotechnology Co. Ltd. in Yuxi City of the southwestern Yunnan Province. The company has sent staff to Liaocheng to investigate the death.

In the meantime, Liaocheng's health bureau ordered all hospitals in the city to suspend use of the vaccines.

According to the World Health Organization's (WHO) website, Hib is a bacteria that causes meningitis or pneumonia. It is estimated to be responsible for some three million serious illnesses and about 386,000 deaths per year. Almost all victims are children under the age of five,

WHO recommends the Hib vaccine as part of regular immunizations.