Issue Number 35
December 16, 1998
CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE
- AAP's statement on rotavirus is now
available on the web
- CDC's rotavirus vaccine information
for parents is on IAC's website
- Details of the 100 million dollar
donation are on the web
- Check out the National Vaccine Program
Office's new website
- MMWR publishes article on the impact
of the sequential IPV/OPV schedule on vaccination coverage levels in the U.S.
- MMWR publishes article on progress
toward eliminating Hib disease among infants and children in the U.S.
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(1)
December 1, 1998
AAP'S STATEMENT ON ROTAVIRUS IS NOW AVAILABLE ON THE WEB
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) policy statement, "Prevention of Rotavirus
Disease: Guidelines for Use of Rotavirus Vaccine," which was published in the
December issue of "Pediatrics," is on the AAP's website.
The AAP policy statement includes sections on the epidemiology of rotavirus infection,
clinical manifestations, protective efficacy after natural infection, immunologic
correlates of protection in vaccine studies, effect of oral rehydration, and vaccine
information (including storage, handling, dosage, and schedules). Also included are
sections on the economic impact of rotavirus disease, factors that may influence vaccine
acceptance, and the complete AAP recommendations for use of rotavirus vaccine.
To view and/or download the AAP's "Prevention of Rotavirus Disease: Guidelines for
Use of Rotavirus Vaccine," click here: http://www.aap.org/policy/re9840.html
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(2)
December 7, 1998
CDC'S ROTAVIRUS VACCINE INFORMATION FOR PARENTS IS ON IAC'S WEBSITE
CDC's two-page information sheet on rotavirus disease and the vaccine that prevents it can
be downloaded from the Immunization Action Coalition's website.
This information sheet answers many basic questions on rotavirus that parents may ask.
What is rotavirus? How effective is the vaccine? Who should get rotavirus vaccine and
when? Who should not get rotavirus vaccine? Who should wait? What are the risks from
rotavirus vaccine? What if there is a moderate or severe reaction? How can I learn more?
To download this camera-ready rotavirus information from IAC's website, click here: http://www.immunize.org/vis/rota.pdf
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(3)
December 2, 1998
DETAILS OF THE 100 MILLION DOLLAR DONATION ARE ON THE WEB
By now most of us know that on December 2, 1998, the William H. Gates Foundation awarded a
100 million dollar grant to the Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH) to
help speed the delivery of vaccines against four childhood diseases to developing
countries.
If you want to know the details of how PATH will use the funds to accomplish this
monumental task, you should visit the Children's Vaccine Program's website.
The Children's Vaccine Program (CVP) home page contains a powerful statement: "The
Bill and Melinda Gates Children's Vaccine Program believes that it is a human right and a
moral obligation that all of the world's children should have equal and timely access to
new vaccines." The site then lists CVP's goals, the partners, and the types of
activities CVP will support.
To visit the Children's Vaccine Program website, click here: http://www.path.org/childrensvaccine.htm
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(4)
December 1998
CHECK OUT THE NATIONAL VACCINE PROGRAM OFFICE'S NEW WEBSITE
Check out the National Vaccine Program Office's website and you'll find information on
immunization policies, concepts, and laws. You'll also find information on vaccine safety,
vaccine publications, the future of vaccines, where to find vaccine publications, and
more.
The National Vaccine Program Office (NVPO) is a division of the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services. NVPO was created by Congressional legislation in 1986. The role of the
NVPO is to carry out the objectives of the National Vaccine Plan. Click here to view
their site: http://www.cdc.gov/od/nvpo
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(5)
December 4, 1998
MMWR PUBLISHES ARTICLE ON THE IMPACT OF THE SEQUENTIAL IPV/OPV SCHEDULE ON VACCINATION
COVERAGE LEVELS IN THE U.S.
An article entitled, "Impact of the Sequential IPV/OPV Schedule on Vaccination
Coverage Levels - United States, 1997" was published in the MMWR on December 4, 1998.
This article describes and summarizes the investigation that was undertaken by CDC in two
HMOs. The study was conducted to determine if the January 1997 ACIP recommendation to use
IPV at 2 months and 4 months of age (followed by OPV at 12-18 months and again at 4-6
years) is resulting in reduced or delayed vaccination coverage because parents or
physicians might be reluctant to administer multiple injections at a single visit.
The "Editorial Note" states that the findings in the report indicate that the
use of IPV for the initial polio vaccine doses in these two HMOs was not associated with
decreases in vaccination coverage levels and that the findings are consistent with
evaluations conducted in other settings, including clinics serving children from
low-income families.
The "Editorial Note" further states that despite the increased use of IPV, four
cases of vaccine-associated paralytic polio have occurred in the United States since
January 1997. All cases were associated with receipt of the first or second dose of OPV
vaccine in an all-OPV schedule. The reader is reminded in the "Editorial Note"
that use of OPV is no longer recommended for the first two doses except in special
circumstances.
To access the complete text of the MMWR IPV/OPV article in text format, click here: http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00055785.htm
TO GET A FREE ELECTRONIC SUBSCRIPTION TO THE MMWR (delivered weekly), go to the MMWR
website and sign up. When you sign up, you will also receive all new ACIP statements which
are published as "Recommendations and Reports." To get to the MMWR website,
click here: http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/mmwr.html
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(6)
November 27, 1998
MMWR PUBLISHES ARTICLE ON PROGRESS TOWARD ELIMINATING HIB DISEASE AMONG INFANTS AND
CHILDREN IN THE U.S.
An article entitled, "Progress Toward Eliminating Haemophilus influenzae Type b
Disease Among Infants and Children - United States, 1987-1997" was published in the
MMWR on November 27, 1998. The article states that the incidence of Haemophilus influenzae
invasive disease among children under 5 years of age has declined more than 95% in the
United States since 1993. The accompanying charts, figures, and tables include
state-by-state information on the number and incidence of Hib invasive disease among
children under 5 years of age for the period 1996-1997 as well as the vaccination history
of children with Hib invasive disease for this same time period.
The "Editorial Note" stresses the importance of age-appropriate vaccination
starting at age 2 months and the need for health care providers to emphasize to parents
the importance of vaccinating children against Hib invasive disease.
To access the full text of the MMWR Hib article, click here: http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00055745.htm
TO GET A FREE ELECTRONIC SUBSCRIPTION TO THE MMWR (delivered weekly), go to the MMWR
website and sign up. When you sign up, you will also receive all new ACIP statements which
are published as "Recommendations and Reports." To get to the MMWR website,
click here: http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/mmwr.html
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