Issue 1161: January 6, 2015
TOP STORIES
OFFICIAL RELEASES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS FEATURED RESOURCES
JOURNAL ARTICLES AND NEWSLETTERS
TOP STORIES FDA approves Rapivab to treat influenza infection On December 19, FDA approved Rapivab (peramivir) to treat influenza infection in adults. Rapivab is an inhibitor of influenza virus neuraminidase, an enzyme that releases viral particles from infected cells. Neuraminidase inhibitors are commonly used to treat influenza infection. Rapivab is the first neuraminidase inhibitor approved for intravenous (IV) administration and is administered as a single IV dose. It is intended for patients age 18 years and older who have acute uncomplicated influenza and have shown symptoms of influenza for no more than two days. Rapivab and other antiviral drugs used to treat influenza are not substitutes for vaccination. CDC recommends all people age 6 months and older receive an annual influenza vaccine. Rapivab is manufactured by BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, based in Durham, North Carolina. Related Link
IAC Spotlight! Six more healthcare organizations join IAC's Influenza Vaccination Honor Roll for mandatory healthcare worker vaccination IAC urges qualifying healthcare organizations to apply for its Influenza Vaccination Honor Roll. The honor roll recognizes hospitals, medical practices, professional organizations, health departments, and government entities that have taken a stand for patient safety by implementing mandatory influenza vaccination policies for healthcare personnel. More than 450 organizations are now enrolled. Since December 7, when IAC Express last reported on the Influenza Vaccination Honor Roll, six healthcare organizations have been enrolled. Newly added healthcare organizations, hospitals, and government agencies
OFFICIAL RELEASES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month January is Cervical Health Awareness Month, and the National Cervical Cancer Coalition (NCCC) urges every woman to make a New Year’s resolution to talk to her healthcare provider about preventing cervical cancer. The NCCC website includes resources and ideas to help healthcare and social services professionals get the word out about preventing cervical cancer, including promoting vaccination against HPV infection. Related Links From AAFP, AAP, ACOG, ACP, CDC, and IAC
HPV Resources from AAP
HPV resources from ACOG
HPV Resources from Voices for Vaccines
FEATURED RESOURCES National Public Health Information Coalition offers searchable databases of influenza resources The National Public Health Information Coalition (NPHIC) offers many resources to help healthcare professionals communicate about influenza. Materials posted in the pandemic and seasonal flu communications resource libraries were created by colleagues at public health agencies across the country. Save time and money by searching the library databases to find available resources you can use. The libraries include materials on prevention, vaccination, and advice for pregnant women, parents, and other targeted audiences. You will find news releases, brochures, fact sheets, radio and TV PSAs, and websites.
Back to top Influenza is serious; many resources are available to help healthcare professionals provide vaccination Vaccination remains the single most effective means of preventing influenza, and is recommended for everyone age six months and older. If you don't provide influenza vaccination in your clinic, please recommend vaccination to your patients and refer them to a clinic or pharmacy that provides vaccines or to the HealthMap Vaccine Finder to locate sites near their workplaces or homes that offer influenza vaccination services. Following is a list of resources related to influenza disease and vaccination for healthcare professionals and the public:
JOURNAL ARTICLES AND NEWSLETTERS CDC publishes figure displaying death rates from viral hepatitis among adults in the U.S., 1999–2011 CDC published QuickStats: Death Rates from Viral Hepatitis Among Adults Aged ≥18 Years, by Age Group and Sex—National Vital Statistics System, United States, 1999–2011 in the January 2 issue of MMWR (page 1230). The first paragraph is reprinted below. From 1999 to 2011, the death rate for viral hepatitis as the underlying or contributing cause of death among those aged 45–64 years increased 2.2 times among men (from 11.9 to 26.5 per 100,000 population) and 2.3 times among women (from 3.7 to 8.4 per 100,000 population). The death rate decreased 60% among men aged 18–44 years; among women aged 18–44 years the death rate did not change from 1999 to 2002 and then decreased 46% from 2003 to 2011. For men aged ≥65 years the death rate did not change from 1999 to 2003 and then increased 40% from 2004 to 2011. For women aged ≥65 years the rate did not change from 1999 to 2011. Related Links
December issue of CDC's Immunization Works newsletter now available CDC recently released the December 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 offers the immunization community information about current topics. The information is in the public domain and can be reproduced and circulated widely. Related Links Back to top ASK THE EXPERTS Question of the Week Do any of the bacterial vaccines that are recommended for people with functional or anatomic asplenia need to be given before splenectomy? Do the doses count if they are given during the 2 weeks prior to surgery? Answer: Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13), Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine (Hib), and meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4) should be given 14 days before splenectomy, if possible. Doses given during the 2 weeks (14 days) before surgery can be counted as valid. If the doses cannot be given prior to the splenectomy, they should be given as soon as the patient’s condition has stabilized after surgery. Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) should be administered 8 weeks after the dose of PCV13 for people 2 years of age and older. About IAC's Question of the Week Each week, IAC Express highlights a new, topical, or important-to-reiterate Q&A. This feature is a cooperative venture between IAC and CDC. William L. Atkinson, MD, MPH, IAC's associate director for immunization education, chooses a new Q&A to feature every week from a set of Q&As prepared by experts at CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. We hope you enjoy this new feature and find it helpful when dealing with difficult real-life scenarios in your vaccination practice. Please encourage your healthcare professional colleagues to sign up to receive IAC Express at www.immunize.org/subscribe. If you have a question for the CDC immunization experts, you can email them directly at nipinfo@cdc.gov. There is no charge for this service. Related Links
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About IZ Express
IZ Express is supported in part by Grant No. NH23IP922654 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