Issue 1332: October 25, 2017
Ask the Experts—Question of the Week: Our patient is starting college with no documented doses of meningococcal ACWY. . . read more
TOP STORIES
IAC HANDOUTS
OFFICIAL RELEASES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
WORLD NEWS
FEATURED RESOURCES
JOURNAL ARTICLES AND NEWSLETTERS
CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS
TOP STORIES
FDA licenses Shingrix, the new shingles vaccine from GlaxoSmithKline, for use in adults age 50 and older
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has licensed Shingrix, the new shingles vaccine developed by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), for use in adults age 50 and older. News of its licensing was announced on October 20. The FDA approval letter and the package insert are both available on the FDA website. ACIP is expected to vote on its recommendation for the use of Shingrix on October 25.
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San Diego hepatitis A deaths rise to 19, with more than 500 confirmed cases
In San Diego, the hepatitis A outbreak has now led to 19 deaths, with 507 outbreak-related cases confirmed by the San Diego Health & Human Services Agency. There are also additional hepatitis A cases in the county and elsewhere in California. Cases related to the outbreak belong to a specific strain, a 1B genetic subtype not usually found in the United State, but rather in the Mediterranean and South Africa. Governor Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency for the state of California, where there have been over 600 outbreak-related cases. Community partners have continued to focus their efforts on vaccination, sanitation, and education as a means to stop the outbreak.
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IAC Spotlight! The "View All Materials" pages on IAC’s website list all 316 IAC handouts for patients and staff
The "View All Materials" pages in the Handouts section of IAC's website are the place where you can find all 316 handouts for patients and healthcare professionals. Opening the "View All Materials" tab on the Handouts for Patients and Staff page allows you to sort and view the handouts by title, language, date of most recent update, item number, handouts for staff, and handouts for patients.
Visit the "View All Materials" pages to view them sorted
You also have the choice of viewing all handouts for staff or all handouts for patients:
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Voices for Vaccines releases new podcast, “The Unvaccinated Children We Love,” about vaccine hesitancy among family and friends
Voices for Vaccines (VFV) has posted the tenth entry in its Vax Talk podcast series: The Unvaccinated Children We Love. Many people have family or friends who are opposed to vaccination or are hesitant to vaccinate their loved ones. How can a person break through loved ones' hesitancy toward vaccines? In this podcast, Karen Ernst, Voices for Vaccines, and Dr. Nathan Boonstraw, Blank Children's Hospital, talk to two women—one formerly hesitant and one a staunch advocate of vaccination—to discuss ways to change their loved ones' attitudes about vaccines. The podcast references some of the latest research on vaccines.
Read more about the podcast and access it here.
Voices for Vaccines is a national organization of parents and others who are dedicated to raising the level of the voices of immunization supporters. VFV invites everyone who values vaccines to become a member. Please spread the word to your friends and colleagues to register for the conference call and to join VFV!
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CDC publishes report on "Tdap Vaccination Coverage During Pregnancy—Selected Sites, United States, 2006–2015"
CDC published Tdap Vaccination Coverage During Pregnancy—Selected Sites, United States, 2006–2015 in the October 20 issue of MMWR (pages 1105–1108). A media release is reprinted below.
Tdap vaccination during pregnancy has increased between 2006 and 2017, from <1% in the years before the recommendation to 53% in 2015. However, this coverage is far short of the ACIP recommendation that every woman receive Tdap vaccine during each pregnancy. Since 2012 the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has recommended Tdap vaccination during each pregnancy. From 2006 through 2015, Tdap vaccination coverage in pregnant women participating in the Birth Defects Study of the Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University increased from <1% before 2010 to 28% in 2013 and reached 53% in 2015. Although Tdap coverage has increased in recent years, Tdap vaccine coverage remains far below the recommendation that every woman be vaccinated during each pregnancy. Increasing vaccination coverage during pregnancy could help reduce the impact of pertussis on infant morbidity and mortality.
Read the full report: Tdap Vaccination Coverage During Pregnancy—Selected Sites, United States, 2006–2015.
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Sabin Vaccine Institute now accepting nominations for the 2018 Albert B. Sabin Gold Medal, awarded annually for an individual's contribution to the immunization field
The Sabin Vaccine Institute is now accepting nominations for the 2018 Albert B. Sabin Gold Medal. This annual award is presented to an individual who has made a notable contribution to the field of immunization. Access more information about this award and the Sabin Vaccine Institute's instructions for submitting a candidate on the Albert B. Sabin Gold Medal Award web page.
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IAC HANDOUTS
IAC updates “Skills Checklist for Vaccine Administration,” a 3-page resource to help assess skills in administering vaccines
IAC recently updated its 3-page resource, Skills Checklist for Vaccine Administration, a tool to help assess staff members' and your own skills in administering vaccines. This resource, which is adapted from the California Department of Public Health's Immunization Branch, has been fully updated with many changes.
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IAC revises “Meningococcal B Vaccine Recommendations by Age and Risk Factor"
IAC recently revised Meningococcal B Vaccine Recommendations by Age and Risk Factor. Changes were made regarding the minimum intervals guidance when using Trumenba.
IAC's Handouts for Patients & 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.
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IAC makes small changes to “Meningococcal B Vaccine: CDC Answers Your Questions”
Small changes were recently made to Meningococcal B Vaccine: CDC Answers Your Questions, a staff educational resource. Changes were made in the guidance about minimum intervals when using Trumenba.
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IAC updates “Standing Orders for Administering Meningococcal B Vaccine to Adolescents and Adults”
IAC has updated its staff resource Standing Orders for Administering Meningococcal B Vaccine to Adolescents and Adults. Changes were made regarding the minimum interval guidance when using Trumenba.
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IAC reformats both its sets of standing orders for administering hepatitis A vaccine, one for children and teens and the other for adults
IAC recently reformatted both its sets of standing orders for administering hepatitis A vaccine, one for children and teens and the other for adults.
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New! IAC’s ready-to-print flyer, “Practical Resources from the Immunization Action Coalition”
IAC recently revised its ready-to-print flyer Practical Resources from the Immunization Action Coalition with a new title and design. Previously it was titled "Handy Resources." This piece is a perfect handout regarding IAC's key resources at immunization conferences!
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OFFICIAL RELEASES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Weekly Epidemiological Record publishes recommendations for the composition of influenza vaccines for the southern hemisphere's 2018 flu season
WHO published Recommended composition of influenza virus vaccines for use in the 2018 southern hemisphere influenza season in the October 20 issue of its Weekly Epidemiological Record. View a summary of the recommendations provided by the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza (VIDRL):
The WHO Consultation on the Composition of Influenza Vaccines for the Southern Hemisphere 2018 was held in Melbourne, Australia on 25–27 September 2017. The Centre was pleased to host the Consultation at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity. Following the Consultation, WHO made the following recommendation:
It is recommended that trivalent vaccines for use in the 2018 influenza season (southern hemisphere winter) contain the following:
- an A/Michigan/45/2015 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus;
- an A/Singapore/INFIMH-16-0019 (H3N2)-like virus;
- a B/Phuket/3073/2013-like virus.
It is recommended that quadrivalent vaccines containing two influenza B viruses contain the above three viruses and a B/Brisbane/60/2008-like virus.
View the full report of recommendations.
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WORLD NEWS
WHO assists Nigeria in launching 10-day campaign to immunize 874,000 people against yellow fever
WHO issued a press release on October 16 expressing its support for the Nigerian government’s launch of an intensive campaign to vaccinate 874,000 people against yellow fever. As of October 16, one case had been confirmed. This intensive vaccination effort, which began on October 13, will target the states of Kwara and Kogi, and will last 10 days. Two hundred healthcare workers and volunteers aim to vaccinate people ages 9 months to 45 years old. Nigeria’s last outbreak was in 2002, but other countries in the region—Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo—large outbreaks last year.
Access the full press release on the WHO website.
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AMA’s STEPS Forward posts “Adult Vaccinations: Team-Based Immunization,” a downloadable module for improving adult vaccination rates in primary care practices
AMA's STEPS Forward has posted Adult Vaccinations: Team-Based Immunization, a downloadable module for improving adult vaccination rates in primary care practices. This module is designed to improve adult vaccination rates in my practice by:
- outlining six STEPS to creating a successful team-based adult immunization program
- answering commonly asked questions about team-based adult immunization programs
- providing downloadable tools and training materials to guide you through the process.
Visit the Adult Vaccinations: Team-Based Immunization web page to download the free tools and to learn about CME accreditation for completing the module activities.
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Free app of The Vaccine Handbook available from the Immunization Action Coalition
A new app of The Vaccine Handbook is now available from the Immunization Action Coalition. The free app, which is available for Apple iPhones and iPads only, contains the complete 2017 (6th) edition of The Vaccine Handbook (“The Purple Book”), by Dr. Gary Marshall, professor of pediatrics and chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the University of Louisville. The app is fully searchable, with functionality that includes bookmarking, highlighting, user annotation, and links to important vaccination resources.
"The Purple Book" is a comprehensive source of vaccine information, drawing together vaccine science, guidance, and practice into a user-friendly resource for the private office, public health clinic, academic medical center, classroom, and hospital. The first section provides background on vaccine immunology, development, infrastructure, policy, standards, implementation, special circumstances, and—perhaps most importantly—addressing concerns. The second section contains details about every vaccine currently licensed in the U.S., including the burden and epidemiology of the respective disease, history of the immunization program, vaccine constituents, efficacy, safety, and recommendations.
The free app may be found by searching the iTunes App Store for “The Vaccine Handbook App” or clicking on the following link:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-vaccine-handbook-app/id1043246009?ls=1&mt=8.
Print copies of the book ($34.95 each; bulk discounts are available from the publisher) can be ordered from the Immunization Action Coalition website at www.immunize.org/vaccine-handbook.
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JOURNAL ARTICLES AND NEWSLETTERS
Study in Annals of Internal Medicine finds that 7 million men and 1.4 million women are infected with oral HPV infection
A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine on October 17 found that 7 million men and 1.4 million women are infected with oral HPV infection. The study, Oral Human Papillomavirus Infection: Differences in Prevalence Between Sexes and Concordance with Genital Human Papillomavirus Infection, NHANES 2011 to 2014, by K. Sonawane, et al., had the following objective, as stated in the abstract: "to determine the prevalence of oral HPV infection, as well as the concordance of oral and genital HPV infection, among U.S. men and women."
Read the full abstract on the Annals of Internal Medicine website.
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Immunization Coalitions! Nevada's upcoming conference has one-day track devoted to immunization coalitions. If you're part of a coalition, you'll want to be there!
The 2017 Nevada Health Conference, scheduled for November 13–14 at Green Valley Ranch in Henderson, Nevada (Las Vegas area), has a one-day track devoted to immunization coalitions. The conference theme, "The "People. Purpose. Passion: The Roadway to a Healthier Nevada" highlights innovative and timely health-related topics in the areas of immunization, maternal child health, chronic disease, public health policy, media training, and more. Registration ends November 3.
The Day 1 breakout sessions typically cover current immunization, maternal child health, and chronic disease topics. The Day 2 sessions allow attendees to choose from four session tracks for a day long, deep dive into that subject matter. One of these four tracks will cover coalition-focused topics, such as advocacy, fundraising, best practices, collaboration, and more. As there is no full National Conference for Immunization Coalitions and Partnerships (NCICP) planned for 2017 or 2018, immunization coalition and nonprofit leaders who usually attend NCICP should consider attending the Nevada Health Conference.
If you're part of a coalition, you'll want to be there!
Access more information on the conference home page.
Register for the conference.
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ASK THE EXPERTS
Question of the Week
Our patient is starting college with no documented doses of meningococcal ACWY vaccine and has had titers drawn. The lab test was positive for A, C, W, and Y. Lab reference values show >2.1 as "suggestive of protection." Can we accept this titer in lieu of documented MenACWY vaccine doses?
There are no acceptable serologic titers that can be used as evidence of protection against meningococcal A, C, W, and Y disease. In addition, the immunologic studies used for licensing purposes (serum bactericidal assay, SBA) are likely different from the serologic titers obtained at a doctor’s office (IgG antibody, for example). It is not clear what sort of testing is shown in the results you sent. However, even if SBA results are available, they cannot be used to assess whether there is a level of protection at the individual level.
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 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.
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