| Issue 1009: August 14, 2012 TOP STORIES
IAC HANDOUTS
OFFICIAL RELEASES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS FEATURED RESOURCES
JOURNAL ARTICLES AND NEWSLETTERS EDUCATION AND TRAINING CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS TOP STORIES CDC reports sharp increase in number of U.S. cases of influenza A (H3N2v) infections and releases information about human contact with pigs On August 9, Joseph Bresee, MD, chief, Epidemiology and Prevention Branch, Influenza Division, CDC, conducted a press briefing at which he presented updated information on the increase in U.S. influenza A (H3N2v) infections. A transcript of the press briefing is available; a paragraph of it is reprinted below. In a related move, on August 10, CDC released to its partners some key points about influenza A (H3N2v) infection. In this IAC Express article, a portion of the key points follows the information on the press briefing. From the transcript of the August 9 press briefing So as of today, there are 145 confirmed cases of influenza infection with H3N2v virus, since the current outbreaks began in July of this year. This includes one case in Hawaii, one case in Illinois, 113 cases being reported from Indiana, and 30 cases being reported from Ohio. This is clearly a significant increase since last week's total, so we thought it would be good to try to put this into context. Like we reported last week, confirmed cases have had exposure to swine, and most of these infections have occurred in people exhibiting swine, family members of exhibitors, people visiting swine barns at fairs, or people attending fairs where swine are present. The severity of human illness associated with this virus continues to resemble that of seasonal flu. Most cases are mild and self-limited and resolve on their own. Most cases have occurred in children. CDC has not received any report of deaths associated with H3N2v infection, and there have been two confirmed hospitalizations with H3N2v infection so far. Both patients have recovered and have been discharged. From the August 10 key points On August 10, CDC released to its partners some key points about influenza A (H3N2v). A section about preventing transmission from pigs to humans is reprinted below: Take Action to Prevent the Spread of Flu Viruses Between People and Pigs
Interim recommendations for the public and healthcare professionals were included in the August 3 CDC Health Advisory titled Increase in Influenza A H3N2v Virus Infections in Three U.S. States Back to top CDC posts information for clinicians about human infections with H3N2v virus On August 10, CDC posted Interim Information for Clinicians about Human Infections with H3N2v Virus. It includes sections on the following topics:
CDC publishes MMWR Early Release about evaluation of rapid influenza diagnostic tests for detection of H3N2v viruses On August 10, CDC published Evaluation of Rapid Influenza Diagnostic Tests for Influenza A (H3N2)v Virus and Updated Case Count—United States, 2012 as an MMWR Early Release. The first paragraph is reprinted below. Previous reports have described cases of influenza A (H3N2) variant (H3N2v) virus infection with the influenza A (H1N1)pdm09 M gene detected in the United States during July 2011–July 2012. This report provides (1) an update on the number of reported cases of H3N2v infections from July 12 to August 9, 2012, in the United States, (2) an updated results interpretation for the CDC Flu Real-Time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (rRT-PCR) Dx Panel for A (H3N2)v for public health laboratories, and (3) an evaluation of rapid influenza diagnostic tests for the detection of H3N2v viruses. Back to top Spotlight on immunize.org: influenza section offers one-stop access to vaccination resources Looking for online influenza vaccination resources? Look no further. To help you carry out your influenza vaccination activities this season, IAC’s Influenza web section offers one-stop access to essential materials, resources, and recommendations. In addition, IAC has launched a special section on swine-origin variant H3N2 influenza A virus (H3N2v) to help you stay up to date on the latest developments, official recommendations, and resources related to the recent outbreaks in the United States. Related Link Reminder: CDC's August 16 Immunization Update will cover recent immunization developments CDC will air Immunization Update 2012 on August 16 from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. ET and will rebroadcast the session on the same day from noon to 2:30 p.m. ET. The update will cover the following topics:
Additional details and registration information are available. A DVD of the course will be available after September on NCIRD's Education & Training page. Back to top IAC HANDOUTS IAC updates two handouts that advise patients with hepatitis C or HIV which vaccinations they need IAC completely revised and reformatted Vaccinations for Adults with Hepatitis C Infection (formerly titled "If you have hepatitis C, which vaccinations do you need?") and Vaccinations for Adults with HIV Infection (formerly titled "If you have HIV infection, which vaccinations do you need?"). IAC's Handouts for Patients and Staff web section offers healthcare professionals and the public more than 250 FREE English-language handouts (many also available in translation), which we encourage website users to print out, copy, and distribute widely. Back to top IAC updates "Meningococcal Vaccination Recommendations by Age and/or Risk Factor" IAC updated its new staff-education piece Meningococcal Vaccination Recommendations by Age and/or Risk Factor by adding vaccine trade names that correspond to these meningococcal vaccine abbreviations: MCV4, MCV4-D, and MPSV. The trade names were added near the top of the piece under the title. Back to top OFFICIAL RELEASES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS September 1 is application deadline for the Epidemic Intelligence Service's July 2013–June 2015 program CDC published Announcement: Epidemic Intelligence Service Application Deadline—September 1, 2012 in the August 10 issue of MMWR (page 602). The first two sentences of the announcement are reprinted below. Applications are now being accepted for CDC's July 2013–June 2015 Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) program. EIS is a 2-year, postgraduate program of service and on-the-job training for health professionals interested in the practice of epidemiology. Back to top FEATURED RESOURCES Pertussis Protection Campaign aims to increase Tdap vaccination of Minnesota's healthcare professionals The Pertussis Protection Campaign is an innovative project of the Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians Foundation (MAFP/F) in collaboration with the Immunization Action Coalition (IAC). It focuses on increasing Tdap vaccination among Minnesota's family physicians and other healthcare personnel. The pertussis campaign began in July when MAFP/F conducted a mailing to medical directors and clinic managers at 400-plus family medicine clinics in Minnesota. The campaign urges physicians and other medical staff to set a date to receive Tdap vaccine if they have not already been vaccinated. To encourage Minnesota physicians and healthcare organizations to participate in the campaign, MAFP/F created a downloadable campaign kit (available at the link above) with links to multiple resources that can help providers carry out the campaign. Professional societies and healthcare systems from other states who are interested in conducting similar campaigns in their states are encouraged to view these online resources. Questions about the campaign? Contact Lynn Balfour, Executive Director Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians Foundation foundation@mafp.org (952) 542-0130 or (800) 999-8198 The mission of the Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians Foundation, as the philanthropic arm of the Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians, is to support family physician healthcare delivery, research, and education, and to promote the specialty of family medicine. IAC is proud of its association with MAFP/F in this effort. Back to top American College of Physicians' Guide to Adult Immunization now available as a FREE App The American College of Physicians (ACP) recently announced that its Guide to Adult Immunization is now available as a free ACP Immunization Advisory App that can be downloaded via iTunes. A free webinar on communicating risks and benefits of vaccination to patients is also available. Updated in March 2012 and produced by faculty of ACP's Quality Improvement Programs and members of the ACP Adult Immunization Advisory Board, Guide to Adult Immunization (4th Edition: A Team-Based Manual) is intended to help internists develop systematic processes for incorporating immunization in their day-to-day practice. The complete guide is available electronically at no charge in high- and low-resolution PDF formats. It can also be downloaded in individual sections. To access the guide electronically, click on the first link above. Back to top JOURNAL ARTICLES AND NEWSLETTERS July 2012 issue of CDC's Immunization Works newsletter now available CDC recently released the July 2012 issue of its monthly newsletter Immunization Works and posted it on the website of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD). The newsletter is made available to national healthcare provider and consumer groups for distribution to their members and constituencies. The immunization information included is non-proprietary and is encouraged to be widely disseminated and shared. The July issue contains information about what has been going on in immunization in the past month. Much of it has already been covered in previous issues of IAC Express. Back to top EDUCATION AND TRAINING Archived recording of VICNetwork's July 25 "Influenza Update" webinar now available Did you miss the July 25 VICNetwork webinar titled "Influenza Outlook: Strategies and Plans for the 2012–13 Flu Season"? If so, you can listen to an archived recording and download the slides from the VICNetwork.org website. Back to top CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS Archived video broadcast of the June 2012 ACIP meeting now available ACIP recently posted the archived video broadcast of its June 20–21 meeting. Back to top  |
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IZ Express is supported in part by Grant No. 1NH23IP922654 from CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. Its contents are solely the responsibility of Immunize.org and do not necessarily represent the official views of CDC.
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ISSN 2771-8085
IZ Express Disclaimer
ISSN 2771-8085
Editorial Information
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Editor-in-ChiefKelly L. Moore, MD, MPH
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Managing EditorJohn D. Grabenstein, RPh, PhD
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Associate EditorSharon G. Humiston, MD, MPH
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Writer/Publication CoordinatorTaryn Chapman, MS
Courtnay Londo, MA -
Style and Copy EditorMarian Deegan, JD
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Web Edition ManagersArkady Shakhnovich
Jermaine Royes -
Contributing WriterLaurel H. Wood, MPA
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Technical ReviewerKayla Ohlde