Issue Number
166
May 19,
2000
CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE
- CDC publishes new ACIP statement on polio immunization
in the United States
- CDC publishes revision of acute hepatitis panel
- CDC publishes announcement of web-based hepatitis C
training for health professionals
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(1)
May 19, 2000
CDC PUBLISHES NEW ACIP STATEMENT ON POLIO IMMUNIZATION IN THE UNITED STATES
On May 19, 2000, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published "Poliomyelitis Prevention in the United States:
Updated Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
(ACIP)." This document is a new issue of "MMWR Recommendations and Reports" and replaces the 1997
ACIP recommendations for the prevention of poliomyelitis and contains important information for immunization providers.
The Summary of this MMWR report reads as follows:
"Summary: These recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for poliomyelitis
prevention replace those issued in 1997. As of January 1, 2000, ACIP recommends exclusive use of
inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) for routine childhood polio vaccination in
the United States. All children should receive four doses of IPV at ages 2, 4,
and 6-18 months and 4-6 years. Oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) should be used only in certain circumstances, which are detailed in these
recommendations. Since 1979, the only indigenous cases of polio reported in the United States have been associated
with the use of the live OPV. Until recently, the benefits of OPV use (i.e., intestinal immunity, secondary spread)
outweighed the risk for vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis (VAPP) (i.e., one case among 2.4 million
vaccine doses distributed). In 1997, to decrease the risk for VAPP but maintain the benefits of OPV, ACIP
recommended replacing the all-OPV schedule with a sequential schedule of IPV followed by OPV. Since 1997, the global polio eradication initiative has
progressed rapidly, and the likelihood of poliovirus importation into the United
States has decreased substantially. In addition, the sequential schedule has
been well accepted. No declines in childhood immunization coverage were observed, despite the need for
additional injections. On the basis of these data, ACIP recommended on June 17, 1999, an all-IPV schedule for
routine childhood polio vaccination in the United States to eliminate the risk for VAPP.
ACIP reaffirms its support for the global polio eradication initiative and the use
of OPV as the only vaccine recommended to eradicate polio from the remaining countries where polio is endemic."
According to the report, OPV should be used in the United States only for outbreak control, unvaccinated children
traveling in fewer than 4 weeks to areas where polio is endemic, and children whose parents do not accept the
recommended number of vaccine injections. These children should receive OPV only for the third or fourth dose, or
for both the third and fourth dose. Health-care providers should administer OPV only after discussing with
parents or caregivers the risk of VAPP.
To obtain the complete text version (HTML format) of this MMWR report, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr4905a1.htm
To obtain a camera-ready copy (PDF format) of this report,
go to: ftp://ftp.cdc.gov/pub/Publications/mmwr/rr/rr4905.pdf
The PDF version of this report includes a free CDC-sponsored continuing
education activity that can be completed online or submitted via U.S. mail for
CME, CEU, or CNE credit. Simply read the MMWR report, answer the questions about the report, and follow the instructions for
submitting your answers.
For information on how to obtain a free electronic subscription to the MMWR,
see the instructions that follow article three below.
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(2)
May 19, 2000
CDC PUBLISHES REVISION OF ACUTE HEPATITIS PANEL
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a Notice to Readers titled "Revision of Acute
Hepatitis Panel" in the May 19, 2000, issue of the MMWR. The Notice reads as follows:
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Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes are standardized codes developed and maintained by the American Medical
Association (AMA) for the classification and reporting of medical services. The Health Care Financing
Administration (HCFA) requires the use of these codes for reporting services
to Medicare and Medicaid for reimbursement. On January 1, 1998, the components of the test panel for acute
viral hepatitis (CPT#80059) were changed to exclude the tests for IgM antibody to hepatitis A virus (IgM
anti-HAV) and IgM antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (IgM anti-HBc), the tests that specifically identify recent infection
with hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV).
Effective January 1, 2000 (CPT 2000), the acute hepatitis
panel has been revised (CPT#80074) to re-include the tests for IgM anti-HAV and IgM
anti-HBc. This revised panel, which also includes tests for hepatitis B
surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibody to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV), should be used
to diagnose any patient presenting with signs and/or symptoms of acute viral
hepatitis. Additional information on CPT codes is available at the AMA World-Wide
Web site, http://www.ama-assn.org/med-sci/cpt/coding.htm
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To obtain the text version (HTML format) of this MMWR
Notice to Readers, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm4919a4.htm
For information on how to obtain a free electronic subscription to the MMWR,
see the instructions that follow article three below.
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(3)
May 19, 2000
CDC PUBLISHES ANNOUNCEMENT OF WEB-BASED HEPATITIS C TRAINING FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a Notice to Readers titled "New Web-Based
Training on Hepatitis C for Health Professionals" in the May 19, 2000, issue of the MMWR. The Notice reads as
follows:
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On May 15, 2000, CDC posted on its World-Wide Web site an interactive web-based training program titled "Hepatitis C:
What Clinicians and Other Health Professionals Need to Know." The program is at
http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis.
This program provides users with up-to-date information on the epidemiology,
diagnosis, and management of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and HCV-related chronic disease.
Users also can test their knowledge of the material through study questions at the end of each section and case studies
at the end of the program. Continuing medical and nursing education credits are available free from CDC on completion
of the training. The American Academy of Family Physicians also will grant the academy's education credits
on completion of training and filing with the academy.
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To obtain the text version (HTML format) of this MMWR Notice to Readers, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm4919a5.htm
HOW TO OBTAIN A FREE ELECTRONIC SUBSCRIPTION TO THE MMWR:
To obtain a free electronic subscription to the "Morbidity and Mortality Weekly
Report" (MMWR), visit CDC's MMWR website at: http://www2.cdc.gov/mmwr
Select "Free MMWR Subscription" from the menu at the left of the screen. Once you have submitted the required
information, weekly issues of the MMWR and all new ACIP statements (published as MMWR's
"Recommendations and Reports") will arrive automatically by e-mail.
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