Issue 1025: November 13, 2012 TOP STORIES
IAC HANDOUTS FEATURED RESOURCES
JOURNAL ARTICLES AND NEWSLETTERS
TOP STORIES MMWR announces fourth annual World Pneumonia Day was observed on Monday, November 12 CDC published Announcements: World Pneumonia Day — November 12, 2012 in the November 9 issue of MMWR (page 906). It is reprinted below. Pneumonia is the leading killer of young children around the world, causing approximately 20% of all child deaths. For countries to reach United Nations Millennium Development Goal 4 of reducing child mortality by two thirds (from 1990 levels) by 2015, interventions to prevent pneumonia deaths need to be implemented. Illness and deaths from pneumonia can be reduced with the use of Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus), Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), influenza, and measles vaccines; antimicrobial treatments; and exclusive breast feeding of young infants, among other strategies. New vaccine introduction to prevent pneumonia in developing countries has had unprecedented momentum over the past few years. Hib vaccines have been introduced or are ready to be introduced in all 71 lowest-income countries eligible for GAVI Alliance funding by 2013, and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines are expected to be introduced in 54 of these countries by 2015. In addition, a study to identify the etiology of pneumonia in developing countries is expected to generate data that will better guide prevention and treatment strategies, especially in countries that already are using Hib and pneumococcal vaccines. The fourth annual World Pneumonia Day is being observed November 12, 2012, to raise awareness about pneumonia's toll and to promote interventions to protect against, treat, and prevent the disease globally. Activities are being promoted by a coalition of more than 140 community-based organizations, academic institutions, government agencies, and foundations. Visit the World Pneumonia Day website for more information. Related Links
IAC Spotlight! Translations of Vaccine Information Statements (VISs) on immunize.org For healthcare professionals who provide vaccination services to people who don’t speak English, the Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) is the “go-to” spot for translations of VISs. For more than a decade, IAC has made these translations available on immunize.org. VIS translations in up to 40 languages are donated to IAC from generous partners and volunteers. For more than a year, IAC has had a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to support IAC’s role as the official clearinghouse for VIS translations. As a result of this federal funding, IAC provides translations in seven languages for each routinely recommended VIS. The languages we provide (within 30 days of CDC’s release of an English-language VIS) are Related Links If you are interested in becoming a translation partner of IAC, please contact translations@immunize.org. To find out how to provide VIS translations so they can be shared with the world via immunize.org, visit Translate for IAC. Back to top IAC HANDOUTS IAC updates "Influenza: Questions and Answers" IAC recently revised Influenza: Questions and Answers, a handout for patients and parents. Most notably, the information about first-time vaccination of children age 6 months through 8 years was revised. Related Link IAC's Handouts for Patients & Staff web section offers healthcare professionals and the public approximately 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 FEATURED RESOURCES Vaccine Education Center publishes new materials on the immunization schedule; updates three existing resources The Vaccine Education Center (VEC) at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia recently released a new fact sheet for parents on the recommended immunization schedule. In addition, VEC created a new product, a cling that's printed on special paper so it can cling to surfaces such as walls and refrigerators without the use of adhesives. The cling, titled Don't let your baby sail on uncharted waters . . . STAY ON COURSE! pictures the immunization schedule for babies age 0–23 months. To provide additional information supporting the above-mentioned new materials, VEC updated its web section related to the immunization schedule and gave it an easy-to-remember URL: http://vaccine.chop.edu/schedule. VEC also updated three fact sheets, one on various facts about childhood vaccines, another on aluminum in vaccines, and another on vaccine ingredients. Spanish-language versions of the fact sheets on the immunization schedule and aluminum in vaccines are available, as is a Spanish-language version of the cling. Fact sheets are available online for downloading or can be ordered for $4 per 50-sheet tear pad, plus shipping. Clings are available in multiples of five for $5, plus shipping. Discounts are available for orders of 50 clings and more. Back to top Influenza vaccination is recommended for nearly everyone, so please vaccinate your patients Influenza vaccination is recommended for everyone age 6 months and older, so please continue to vaccinate your patients. If you don't provide influenza vaccination in your clinic, please recommend vaccination to your patients and refer them to the HealthMap Vaccine Finder to locate sites near their workplace or home that offer influenza vaccination services.
JOURNAL ARTICLES AND NEWSLETTERS CDC publishes guidance for preventing and controlling certain infectious diseases—including viral hepatitis—in illicit drug users On November 9, CDC published an MMWR Recommendations and Reports titled Integrated Prevention Services for HIV Infection, Viral Hepatitis, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and Tuberculosis for Persons Who Use Drugs Illicitly: Summary Guidance from CDC and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The summary section is reprinted below. This report summarizes current (as of 2011) guidelines or recommendations published by multiple agencies of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for prevention and control of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, viral hepatitis, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and tuberculosis (TB) for persons who use drugs illicitly. It also summarizes existing evidence of effectiveness for practices to support delivery of integrated prevention services. Implementing integrated services for prevention of HIV infection, viral hepatitis, STDs, and TB is intended to provide persons who use drugs illicitly with increased access to services, to improve timeliness of service delivery, and to increase effectiveness of efforts to prevent infectious diseases that share common risk factors, behaviors, and social determinants. This guidance is intended for use by decision makers (e.g., local and federal agencies and leaders and managers of prevention and treatment services), health-care providers, social service providers, and prevention and treatment support groups. Consolidated guidance can strengthen efforts of health-care providers and public health providers to prevent and treat infectious diseases and substance use and mental disorders, use resources efficiently, and improve health-care services and outcomes in persons who use drugs illicitly. An integrated approach to service delivery for persons who use drugs incorporates recommended science-based public health strategies, including 1) prevention and treatment of substance use and mental disorders; 2) outreach programs; 3) risk assessment for illicit use of drugs; 4) risk assessment for infectious diseases; 5) screening, diagnosis, and counseling for infectious diseases; 6) vaccination; 7) prevention of mother-to-child transmission of infectious diseases; 8) interventions for reduction of risk behaviors; 9) partner services and contact follow-up; 10) referrals and linkage to care; 11) medical treatment for infectious diseases; and 12) delivery of integrated prevention services. These strategies are science-based, public health strategies to prevent and treat infectious diseases, substance use disorders, and mental disorders. Treatment of infectious diseases and treatment of substance use and mental disorders contribute to prevention of transmission of infectious diseases. Integrating prevention services can increase access to and timeliness of prevention and treatment. Back to top CDC reports on recent progress Nigeria made toward eradicating poliomyelitis CDC published Progress Toward Poliomyelitis Eradication— Nigeria, January 2011–September 2012 in the November 9 issue of MMWR (pages 899–904). A press summary of the article is reprinted below. Continuing wild poliovirus (WPV) transmission in Nigeria poses an ongoing risk for WPV reintroduction into polio-free countries and is a major obstacle to the success of global eradication. Nigeria is one of the three remaining countries (the others are Afghanistan and Pakistan) in which indigenous WPV transmission has never been interrupted. The number of WPV cases in northern Nigeria nearly tripled in 2011 compared with 2010. This was also seen in the first 9 months of 2012 when compared with the same period in 2011. Continuing WPV transmission in Nigeria poses an ongoing risk for WPV reintroduction into polio-free countries and is a major obstacle to the success of global eradication. During 2012, many measures outlined in Nigeria’s 2012 polio eradication emergency plan have been taken and field staffs have been added to improve the planning and performance of vaccine campaigns. While transmission has not been interrupted, campaign quality has started to improve. If WPV case counts and extent of circulation are not reduced substantially by mid-2013, additional innovative strategies to interrupt WPV transmission might need to be considered. Back to top  |
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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