Issue Number
118
October 11, 1999
CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE
- CDC publishes article about influenza activity worldwide
- CDC publishes article on reasons Medicare beneficiaries
miss vaccinations
- FDA publishes information sheet on Influenza Virus Vaccine on the Web
- Spanish language influenza education materials available from NCAI
- CDC announces International Infection Control Week,
October 17-23, 1999
- Immunization Action Coalition's offer of free adult
immunization posters has ended
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October 8, 1999
CDC PUBLISHES ARTICLE ABOUT INFLUENZA ACTIVITY WORLDWIDE
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published "Update: Influenza Activity -- Worldwide,
May-September 1999" in the October 8, 1999, issue of the MMWR.
This article details worldwide influenza activity by region during May-September 1999 and includes information
collected from May-August 1999 on circulating strains of the influenza virus. The article's "Editorial Note"
addresses influenza immunization and treatment, and is reprinted in part as follows:
"Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for persons aged greater than or equal to 65 years,
persons residing in nursing homes or long-term-care facilities, anyone aged 6 months-64 years with
certain chronic medical conditions such as heart or lung disease (including asthma); diabetes; renal
insufficiency; hemoglobinopathies; immunocompromising illnesses or conditions requiring the use of
immunosuppressive medications; and children and adolescents aged 6 months-18 years receiving
long-term aspirin therapy who may be at risk for developing Reye syndrome after influenza. Health-care
providers, family members, and others in close contact with high-risk persons
should be vaccinated to diminish virus transmission. Serious complications from
influenza include pneumonia and worsening of underlying medical conditions and have resulted in an average of
approximately 110,000 hospitalizations and 20,000 deaths annually in the United States.
"Pregnant women with high-risk medical conditions should be vaccinated before the start of the influenza
season regardless of their stage of pregnancy. Pregnant women without high-risk medical conditions, but who will
be in their second or third trimester during the influenza season, are at elevated risk of complications
and should be vaccinated. Some experts prefer to vaccinate these women during the second trimester to
avoid a coincidental association with spontaneous abortion, which is common in the first trimester,
and because exposures to vaccines traditionally have been avoided during the first trimester.
"In the United States, the optimal time for organized influenza vaccination campaigns is October through
mid-November; however, after mid-November, health-care providers should continue to offer influenza vaccine to
high-risk unvaccinated persons throughout the influenza season even after influenza
activity has begun in the community. The timing of influenza activity varies
from year to year, and local influenza surveillance reports can be useful for
determining when influenza viruses are in local circulation.
"Although vaccination against influenza is the most effective method of reducing the impact of influenza,
antiviral agents provide a useful adjunct. Amantadine and rimantadine are approved for the prophylaxis or
treatment of influenza type A but neither is effective against influenza type B viruses.
Zanamivir, an orally inhaled neuraminidase inhibitor drug, was approved by the
Food and Drug Administration in July 1999 to treat uncomplicated influenza A and B infections.
"Information about influenza surveillance and vaccination is available through
the toll-free CDC Voice Information System, telephone (888) 232-3228, fax (888) 232-3299
(document no. 361100), or through CDC's World-Wide Web site, http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/flu/weekly.htm
From October through May, information is updated weekly."
To obtain a text version (HTML format) of this MMWR article, visit: http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm4839a3.htm
To obtain the 1999-2000 Influenza Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) in English, as well as in Cambodian,
Hmong, Laotian, Russian, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese, go to the Immunization Action Coalition's website at:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/index.htm
VISs are also available from your state health department. For a list of state immunization coordinator phone
numbers, visit: http://www.immunize.org/nslt.d/n18/coord18.htm
Looking for a checklist to remind you about who should receive influenza vaccine? The Immunization Action
Coalition has developed just such a checklist entitled "Give These People Influenza Vaccine!"
For a camera-ready copy (PDF format), visit: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/2013flu.pdf
To obtain this document in text version (HTML format), go to: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/2013flu.htm
For information on how to obtain a free electronic subscription to the MMWR,
see the instructions that follow article five below.
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October 8, 1999
CDC PUBLISHES ARTICLE ON REASONS MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES MISS VACCINATIONS
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a study entitled "Reasons Reported by Medicare
Beneficiaries for Not Receiving Influenza and Pneumococcal Vaccination -- United States, 1996" in the
October 8, 1999, issue of the MMWR.
According to the report, "In 1997, 65% of adults aged greater than or equal to
65 years reported receiving influenza vaccination during the previous 12 months and
45% reported ever receiving pneumococcal vaccination."
The findings of this study indicate that those who had not received influenza
vaccine were not aware that they needed influenza vaccination and/or had misconceptions about its
safety and efficacy. Most persons who had never received pneumococcal vaccination did not think they needed it. In
addition, the study found that "physicians miss opportunities to vaccinate older persons during office visits."
The article's "Editorial Note" states, "The reasons reported by this national
sample of Medicare beneficiaries for not receiving influenza or pneumococcal
vaccination were consistent with previously reported data that indicated a lack
of knowledge, misconceptions about vaccines and vaccine-associated illnesses, and lack of recommendations
from physicians. In 1996, lack of knowledge and lack of physician recommendations were the predominant
reasons cited by Medicare beneficiaries for not receiving pneumococcal vaccination; 57% of beneficiaries who reported
not receiving pneumococcal vaccination, i.e., 31% of the total 1996 Medicare population aged greater than
or equal to 65 years, were unaware that this vaccination was recommended.
"Because physicians provide the greatest proportion of vaccinations to Medicare beneficiaries (Health Care
Financing Administration, unpublished data, 1999), the 26% of beneficiaries who received influenza but not
pneumococcal vaccination indicates that physicians miss opportunities to vaccinate older persons during office
visits. Because physicians' recommendations for influenza and pneumococcal vaccination are accepted
by patients even when they have negative perceptions about the vaccinations,
health-care providers should include patient education with vaccination recommendations during scheduled appointments."
To read the full text version (HTML format) of this report, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm4839a4.htm
For information on how to obtain a free electronic subscription to the MMWR,
see the instructions that follow article five below.
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October 11, 1999
FDA PUBLISHES INFORMATION SHEET ON INFLUENZA VIRUS VACCINE ON THE WEB
Now available on the website of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA),
is an information sheet which describes the yearly process of developing influenza
vaccine and provides some information about this year's influenza vaccine lots.
The information sheet entitled "Availability of Influenza Virus Vaccine - 1999"
can be found on the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) website at:
http://www.fda.gov/cber/infosheets/flu092999.htm
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October 11, 1999
SPANISH LANGUAGE INFLUENZA EDUCATION MATERIALS AVAILABLE FROM NCAI
"Help Prevent Influenza" and "Get a Flu Shot Every Year" are the messages highlighted in a Spanish language influenza
poster and brochure developed by the National Coalition for Adult Immunization (NCAI) and the National
Foundation for Infectious Diseases. A useful resource for the office, pharmacy or other health care setting, the materials are
designed for Spanish-speaking populations and emphasize the importance of yearly
vaccination against influenza. Topics covered in these materials are the symptoms of
influenza,vaccine safety, and recommendations for vaccine use.
You can order one sample set of these influenza educational materials at no charge. The poster costs $11.50/10 copies.
The brochure costs $13.50/50 copies. Allow 4 weeks for delivery.
For more information about these materials and/or to request an order form, call NCAI at (301) 656-0003 or
send a fax to (301) 907-0878 or send an e-mail to: adultimm@aol.com
The order form for the materials is also available on NCAI's website at: http://www.nfid.org/ncai/publications/consumerspan/
(link discontinued)
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October 8, 1999
CDC ANNOUNCES INTERNATIONAL INFECTION CONTROL WEEK, OCTOBER 17-23, 1999
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a "Notice to Readers" entitled "International
Infection Control Week -- October 17-23, 1999" in the October 8, 1999, issue of the MMWR. The notice reads as
follows:
"Each year, approximately 2 million health-care-associated infections occur in
the United States. As many as one third of these infections is preventable, but
prevention requires vigilance on the part of the entire health-care team. International Infection Control Week (October 17-23),
observed by health-care facilities around the world, is intended to heighten public
awareness of and professional commitment to, infection control. During the fall and
winter months, infection-control professionals worldwide emphasize efforts to vaccinate persons against diseases
such as influenza and pneumonia while confronting antimicrobial resistance in pathogens and
emerging pathogens in the health-care setting. The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology has
created an Infection Control Week Resource Kit addressing issues such as needlestick injuries,
vaccinations, food safety, Lyme disease, and sexually transmitted diseases.
This free kit is available on the World-Wide Web at http://www.apic.org
Information about health-care-associated diseases also is available on the website of CDC's Hospital
Infections Program, National Center for Infectious Diseases, at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/hip
"
A text version (HTML format) of this notice can be found at: http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm4839a6.htm
HOW TO OBTAIN A FREE ELECTRONIC SUBSCRIPTION TO THE MMWR To obtain a free electronic subscription to the MMWR
(delivered weekly), go to the MMWR website and sign up. When you sign up, you will automatically
begin to receive all new ACIP statements which are published as MMWR's
"Recommendations and Reports." To go to the MMWR website, click here: http://www2.cdc.gov/mmwr/
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October 11, 1999
IMMUNIZATION ACTION COALITION'S OFFER OF FREE ADULT IMMUNIZATION POSTERS HAS ENDED
Thank you to everyone who responded to the Immunization Action Coalition's offer of free "Immunization...Not Just
Kids' Stuff" posters. Once again, we've had a deluge of requests. To ensure that we have enough posters to fill
existing orders, we must close the offer, effective today, Monday, October 11,
1999 at 5:00pm (Central Time). However, the posters are still available from
IAC's catalog (Item #Q2020) and cost $1 for 10 posters. To obtain a copy of
IAC's catalog, visit: http://www.immunize.org/nslt.d/n17/catalg1.htm
Please watch IAC EXPRESS for future resource "giveaways" like this one. The Coalition will continue to announce free
resources in upcoming months.
Happy Adult Immunization Awareness Week! |
