| Issue 1019: October 9, 2012 TOP STORIES
IAC HANDOUTS OFFICIAL RELEASES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS FEATURED RESOURCES
JOURNAL ARTICLES AND NEWSLETTERS
EDUCATION AND TRAINING CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS
TOP STORIES CDC makes important changes to its recommendations for vaccine storage and handling CDC recently made several important changes to its recommendations for vaccine storage and handling. They are published in the document Interim Vaccine Storage and Handling Guidance. The introduction is reprinted below. In response to recent scientific studies on equipment used for vaccine storage and a better understanding of best practices for vaccine storage and handling, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is providing interim guidance on appropriate vaccine storage and handling practices. This guidance is intended for use by all public and private sector providers and, while recognizing that cost may be a barrier, we encourage practices to move toward implementing these recommendations as soon as possible. CDC is currently evaluating the most efficient and cost effective method to phase these recommendations in and more guidance is forthcoming. With the goal of improving the way providers store and handle vaccines nationwide, several important changes have been made to previous recommendations issued by CDC, including: 1. Use of a biosafe glycol-encased probe or a similar temperature buffered probe rather than measurement of ambient air temperatures, and; 2. Use of digital data loggers with detachable probes that record and store temperature information at frequent programmable intervals for 24 hour temperature monitoring rather than non-continuous temperature monitoring, and; 3. Use of stand-alone refrigerator and stand-alone freezer units suitable for vaccine storage rather than combination (refrigerator+freezer) or other units not designed for storing fragile biologics, such as vaccines, and; 4. Discontinuing use of dorm-style or bar-style refrigerator/ freezers for ANY vaccine storage, even temporary storage, and; 5. Weekly review of vaccine expiration dates and rotation of vaccine stock Related Links
Spotlight on immunize.org: reminder to consider using IAC’s newest educational materials for patients and staff To help healthcare professionals carry out their immunization activities, IAC wants to remind you that in the past year we have created several new educational materials for patients and staff. Please review them to see if they might be of help to you in your work setting.
Shortage of Pentacel and Daptacel vaccines to continue throughout March 2013 On October 5, CDC updated its Current Vaccine Shortages & Delays web section with the information reprinted below. Availability of Sanofi Pasteur's Pentacel® and DAPTACEL® vaccines is currently reduced and it is anticipated that this will continue throughout March of 2013. Sanofi Pasteur’s single antigen inactivated polio and Hib vaccines are in sufficient supply to address historic usage of Pentacel® as well as the single antigen vaccines. Regarding DTaP, production and supply of GSK's single antigen and combination vaccines is currently sufficient to address anticipated supply gaps for DTaP-containing products. Back to top CDC publishes report on U.S.-acquired human rabies in which onset and diagnosis occurred abroad CDC publishes an update on U.S. and worldwide influenza activity during May 20–September 22, 2012 CDC published Update: Influenza Activity—United States and Worldwide, May 20–September 22, 2012 in the October 5 issue of MMWR (pages 785–789). A press summary of the article is reprinted below. The United States experienced low levels of seasonal influenza activity from May 20 to September 22, 2012; however more seasonal influenza viruses were detected in the summer months of previous years. Influenza A (H3N2), 2009 influenza A (H1N1), and influenza B viruses were detected worldwide and in the United States. Since July 12, 306 cases of influenza A (H3N2) variant virus have been detected. Although neither the influenza virus strain(s) that will predominate nor the severity of influenza-related disease during the 2012–13 influenza season can be predicted, characterization of viral isolates from specimens submitted during the summer demonstrated that the vast majority were antigenically similar to the influenza vaccine strains in the Northern Hemisphere 2012–13 vaccine. Back to top CDC publishes report on recent progress Afghanistan and Pakistan made in eradicating poliomyelitis CDC published Progress Toward Poliomyelitis Eradication— Afghanistan and Pakistan, January 2011–August 2012 in the October 5 issue of MMWR (pages 790–795). A press summary of the article is reprinted below. Afghanistan and Pakistan are two of the three remaining countries (the third is Nigeria) in which indigenous wild poliovirus (WPV) transmission has never been interrupted and remain a substantial threat to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative goal of a polio-free world. This report updates previous MMWR yearly reports and describes polio eradication activities and progress in Afghanistan and Pakistan during January 2011–August 2012, as of September 9, 2012. During this time period, WPV type 1 transmission occurred in conflict-affected areas in the South Region of Afghanistan and in three groups of districts in Pakistan. In addition to transmission within each country, lab data confirms cross-border transmission resulting from substantial population movements. Positive environmental sewage samples in Pakistan, in areas with no recent confirmed cases, highlight unrecognized continued polio transmission. To achieve polio eradication, both Afghanistan and Pakistan might consider reviewing how their national emergency action plans address commitment, management, and oversight by provincial and district authorities, as well as cross-border transmission of WPV and the safety of vaccination teams in insecure areas. Back to top IAC HANDOUTS IAC's checklists for vaccine contraindications have all been updated IAC recently updated and renamed the following checklists for vaccine contraindications.
Back to top OFFICIAL RELEASES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS Minnesota Department of Health updates its Tdap recommendations to include 10-year-olds The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) recently updated its recommendation for the use of Tdap vaccine to address the state's ongoing pertussis epidemic. Minnesota has reported more than 3500 cases of pertussis this year, and is on track to triple the highest number of cases reported annually in recent years. The revised recommendation retains the previous direction to keep the pertussis vaccination of infants, children, under-vaccinated 7–10 year olds, and adults up to date. It adds direction for vaccinating the state's children with Tdap starting at age 10 years. It advises clinicians to vaccinate a child who presents in clinic, but it does not advise a broad recall of 10–12-year-old patients for vaccination. Related Link
FEATURED RESOURCES CDC posts lots of resources to help immunization professionals promote influenza vaccination CDC is encouraging public and private healthcare providers to promote influenza vaccination to people in communities across the nation. It has made a variety of free materials available for all audiences. Following is a listing of them.
CMS's provider Communication Group distributes information about Medicare to providers Part of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Provider Communication Group (PCG) has an extensive communications network. It includes national, state, and local distribution, with large provider reach. PCG distributes Medicare information and news messages via 18 national Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) provider listservs; Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) listservs; Medicare's 10 regional offices’ listservs; and the CMS and MAC websites. In addition, PCG distributes to national provider partner organizations through the CMS Medicare FFS Provider e-News and the social media sites Twitter and LinkedIn. CMS Medicare FFS Provider e-News (e-News) The e-News is PCG’s primary communications vehicle with its national provider partners. The e-News is distributed via email every week and includes messaging on a variety of topics of interest to the FFS healthcare community. View the October 4, 2012, issue. 1. The e-News is distributed weekly to 187 national associations and organizations and more than 2,700 local organizations through Medicare's regional offices. 2. It reaches approximately 4.7 million providers and staff throughout the country. National Medicare FFS Provider Listservs and MAC Listservs Messages are also distributed through the National Medicare FFS Provider listservs. Messages are sent to individuals who subscribe to these listservs. 1. National Medicare FFS Provider Listservs—approximately 108.9 K subscribers 2. MAC Listservs—approximately 671.9K subscribers PCG will distribute information and news related to the 2012–2013 flu season through the communications network described above, as it becomes available. Related Link
JOURNAL ARTICLES AND NEWSLETTERS September 2012 issue of CDC's Immunization Works newsletter now available CDC recently released the September 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 September 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 CDC corrects information published in the September 28 MMWR on influenza H3N2v hospitalizations CDC published Erratum: Vol. 61, No. 38 in the October 5 issue of MMWR (page 802). It is reprinted below. In the printed version of the report "Influenza A (H3N2) Variant Virus-Related Hospitalizations—Ohio, 2012," an error occurred on p. 764, in the third sentence of the second paragraph. The sentence should read as follows: "Respiratory specimens were confirmed as positive for H3N2v virus by testing at the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) laboratory using the CDC FLU real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) Dx Panel for influenza A (H3N2)v and at CDC by rRT-PCR and genetic sequencing (1)." The online versions have been corrected. Back to top EDUCATION AND TRAINING CDC posts web-on-demand version of the August 16 broadcast of Immunization Update; CE credit available The web-on-demand version of CDC's August 16 Immunization Update is available for viewing and study. Related Links
CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS ACIP meeting scheduled for October 24–25 in Atlanta; registration deadline is Wednesday, October 10 The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) will hold its next meeting on October 24–25 at CDC's Clifton Road campus in Atlanta. To attend the meeting, ACIP attendees (participants and visitors) must register online by October 10. The ACIP web section has detailed information about the meeting, including access to online registration, live webcast instructions, and the meeting agenda. Back to top Missouri Immunization Conference planned for November 15–16 in St. Louis The Missouri Immunization Conference will be held in St. Louis on November 15–16. It is sponsored by the Gateway Immunization Coalition, in partnership with the Missouri State Department of Health and Senior Services, Bureau of Immunization Assessment and Assurance. Keynote speakers include Gary Marshall, MD, University of Louisville; epidemiologist William Atkinson, MD, MPH; and Mark Grabowsky, MD, National Vaccine Program Office, Department of Health and Human Services. Conference and registration information is available. 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
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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