Q: I met with a road accident and ruptured my spleen. I am functioning without a spleen since then. The doctor in Dubai who had treated me gave me a note to take booster immunisation for Hib & Meningococcal A & C but the doctor in Mumbai recommended it after five years. My question is: what are the precautions I should take and when should I receive the booster immunisation? Can you recommend any doctor/hospital in Mumbai for this?

A:No boosters are needed for HiB vaccine. Meningococcal vaccine booster is required at 3-5 year intervals in case of epidemics. In other words, if an epidemic does break out or you happen to visit such a place do take it. In other situations, it is optimal but perhaps it is better to take it. I also trust you are taking annual influenza vaccine and a pneumococcal vaccine every 5 years.