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Haemophilus Influenzae type b (Hib) disease is an invasive disease that primarily affects children under the age of five. This is because these children lack the natural antibodies that children over the age of five and adults have to fight against Hib. Hib is thought to be an airborne disease, spread through the respiratory droplets expelled during coughing and sneezing. The most common result of Hib is bacterial meningitis, although it can also cause epiglottitis (infection and swelling of the throat), pneumonia, arthritis, and other serious conditions. Meningitis causes fever, headaches, stiffness in the neck, vomiting and, in severe cases, seizures. Both meningitis and epiglottitis may result in death. Even when death is avoided, permanent brain damage occurs in about 30 percent of meningitis cases. The majority of cases of Hib-caused meningitis occur in children under two years of age. In 1980, prior to the introduction of the Hib vaccine, there were 20,000 cases of Hib reported in the United States. Today, Hib has been virtually eradicated from the U.S., with only 341 cases being reported between 1996 and 2000. Unfortunately, due to the lack of widespread vaccination, Hib continues to be a scourge in other areas of the world. It is estimated that Hib kills 400,000 children worldwide annually.

The majority of Robbins' career was dedicated to studying vaccines, with a special emphasis on vaccines utilizing polysaccharides and polysaccharide conjugates. A conjugate vaccine joins two substances into a single unit. In the case of the Hib vaccine, Robbins and Schneerson combined the polysaccharide capsule (the shell of the Hib bacterium) with a protein. The team selected this approach after early tests showed their initial (polysaccharide only) vaccine yielded mixed results. The vaccine provided immunity to children older than 18 months, but not to those under 18 months, who are the most susceptible to Hib infection. The introduction of the larger protein allowed the infant's immune systems to recognize the vaccine and produce antibodies against Hib. The first vaccine, for older children and adults, was approved for use in 1987. The second, for use with younger infants, was approved in 1990. Robbins and Schneerson's ingenuity has paid tremendous dividends, saving tens of thousands of young lives and preventing lifelong disability for many more.

Scientists are often single-minded in their pursuit of knowledge, shutting out all that doesn't further their cause. This quality not only marked Robbins' professional career, but spilled over into his personal life as well. While making a formal visit to the State Department, Robbins became intrigued with a beautiful Persian runner carpet, a private passion of his being Oriental rugs. He meticulously studied the weave, pattern and texture of the runner, following it down the hallway and into an exquisitely decorated room. Unfortunately, the ornate room was in fact the ladies' room - and, the security guard was intensely interested in knowing why he had stepped inside.

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Quotes by the Scientist

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Anecdotes

Fun Trivia About the Science

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Scientific Discovery Timeline

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