Issue
Number 370
March 10, 2003
CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE
- Updated "Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable
Diseases" now available
- Second printing of "Parents Guide to Childhood Immunizations"
now available from the National Immunization Program
- Updated: Revised "Guide for Vaccinating Pregnant Women" now on
the National Immunization Program website
- Coming soon: National Infant Immunization Week is scheduled
for April 13-19
- CDC reports on vaccination coverage among children enrolled in
Head Start and licensed child care facilities and those entering school
- WHO's redesigned injection safety web pages include
information about the Safe Injection Global Network
- New: CDC releases smallpox information for clinicians
- CDC clarifies catch-up schedule for Hib vaccine
- CDC reports on polio eradication in India
- CDC publishes update of smallpox vaccine adverse events
surveillance
- Reader alert: April 15 is the date for Massachusetts' Annual
Adult Immunization Conference
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March 10, 2003
UPDATED "EPIDEMIOLOGY AND PREVENTION OF VACCINE-PREVENTABLE DISEASES" NOW
AVAILABLE
The Seventh Edition of "Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable
Diseases" (the Pink Book) has been updated and reprinted. The updated
information includes changes to the smallpox chapter and to some tables in
Appendix A.
To order the second printing online from the Public Health Foundation for
$25 (plus shipping and handling), go to:
http://bookstore.phf.org/prod171.htm
Order it by phone at (877) 252-1200 or (800) 418-7246; by fax at (301)
843-0159; or by email at phf@tasco1.com
To access a camera-ready (PDF) fully formatted version of the updated
smallpox chapter, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/pink/smallpox.pdf
To access a camera-ready (PDF) fully formatted version of components of the
updated Appendix A, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/pink/appendices.htm and click on
the component(s) you want.
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March 10, 2003
SECOND PRINTING OF "PARENTS GUIDE TO CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATIONS" NOW AVAILABLE
FROM THE NATIONAL IMMUNIZATION PROGRAM
The second printing of the popular "Parents Guide to Childhood Immunization"
is now available from the website of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention National Immunization Program. Intended for parents, the
96-page booklet covers 12 childhood diseases and the vaccines that protect
children from them. The appendix includes an immunization schedule,
vaccination checklist, and information about vaccine safety and
vaccine side effects.
Health care providers can order up to 100 copies of the English-language
version and up to six copies of the Spanish-language version.
Booklets can be ordered by phone at (800) 232-2522 or online from the
"Publications for Providers and General Public" section of the National
Immunization Program website at
https://www2.cdc.gov/nchstp_od/PIWeb/niporderform.asp
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March 10, 2003
UPDATED: REVISED "GUIDE FOR VACCINATING PREGNANT WOMEN" NOW ON THE NATIONAL
IMMUNIZATION PROGRAM WEBSITE
In November 2002, the National Immunization Program updated the
English-language version of the popular pamphlet "Guide for
Vaccinating Pregnant Women." The Spanish-language version has not yet been
revised.
The 15-page guide has a chart of routine and travel vaccines recommended or
contraindicated during pregnancy and several pages of relevant passages from
various recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
(ACIP).
Changes were made in two areas:
- Since 1998, when the Guide was last
revised, ACIP updated its recommendations about general immunization,
smallpox, yellow fever, polio, rabies, anthrax, hepatitis A, and rubella.
The revised Guide reflects the updated recommendations.
- Information was dropped about three
vaccines: oral polio, cholera, and plague.
To access a camera-ready (PDF) version of the
revised guide from the National Immunization Program website, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/preg_guide.pdf
To access the HTML version, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/preg_guide.htm
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March 10, 2003
COMING SOON: NATIONAL INFANT IMMUNIZATION WEEK IS SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 13-19
Now in its tenth year, National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) emphasizes
immunizing infants against 11 vaccine-preventable diseases by the age
of two. Set for April 13-19--only five weeks from now--NIIW 2003 has this
theme: "Love them. Protect them. Immunize them."
More than 500 communities across the nation are expected to participate in
this important week by planning community awareness and media events
to promote infant immunizations to parents, care givers, health care
providers, and the general community.
To help in planning community activities, the National Immunization
Program's NIIW web pages offer ideas for creating an NIIW kickoff
event. Sample public relations materials, posters, flyers, web-link
icons, tri-fold brochures, and other resources are also available.
To access these materials, go to the NIIW web pages at
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/niiw
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March 10, 2003
CDC REPORTS ON VACCINATION COVERAGE AMONG CHILDREN ENROLLED IN HEAD START
AND LICENSED CHILD CARE FACILITIES AND THOSE ENTERING SCHOOL
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published "Vaccination
Coverage Among Children Enrolled in Head Start Programs, Licensed
Child Care Facilities, and Entering School--United States, 2000-01 School
Year " in the March 7 issue of the "Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report"
(MMWR). A summary made available to the press is reprinted below.
*********************
One of the national health objectives for 2010 is to maintain 95% or higher
vaccination coverage among children attending licensed childcare
centers and kindergarten through postsecondary school.
National estimates of vaccination coverage among children in licensed
child-care facilities, Head Start Programs, and those entering school have
been published yearly since 1997 on the basis of reports from
federally funded immunization programs. Coverage reported for the 2000–2001
school year appears similar to that in previous years; however decreases in
the number of programs reporting and the completeness of the reports do not
permit national coverage to be estimated reliably. CDC is working with
states and territories to assure that vaccination rates remain high among
these children by implementing strategies for collecting and reporting
coverage.
*********************
To obtain the complete text of the article online, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5209a3.htm
To obtain a camera-ready (PDF format) copy of this issue of MMWR, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5209.pdf
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://www.cdc.gov/mmwr Select
"Free 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 email.
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March 10, 2003
WHO'S REDESIGNED INJECTION SAFETY WEB PAGES INCLUDE INFORMATION
ABOUT THE SAFE INJECTION GLOBAL NETWORK
Immunization providers interested in international issues
regarding injection safety will want to bookmark the recently
redesigned injection safety web pages on the World Health
Organization (WHO) website.
As part of the redesign, the injection safety pages now include
materials from the Safe Injection Global Network (SIGN), a
coalition of stakeholders aiming to achieve safe and appropriate
use of injections throughout the world. The coalition has an
annual meeting and publishes "SIGNpost," an electronic
newsletter that facilitates informal discussions and experience
sharing among its 800-plus worldwide subscribers.
To access SIGN materials, go to:
http://www.who.int/injection_safety/sign/en
To access and subscribe to "SIGNpost," go to:
http://www.who.int/injection_safety/newsletter/SIGNPost/en
The injection safety home page also has an array of useful
information, including a printable brochure on injection
practices, a statement of the WHO injection safety strategy, and
a framework for assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating
national policies and plans for the safe and appropriate use of
injections.
To access the WHO injection safety home page, go to:
http://www.who.int/injection_safety/en
To access a toolbox of resources for managing national injection
policies, go to:
http://www.who.int/injection_safety/toolbox/en
To access resources from the Needle Safety web pages of
Immunization Action Coalition website, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/genr.d/needle.htm
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March 10, 2003
NEW: CDC RELEASES SMALLPOX INFORMATION FOR CLINICIANS
On March 3, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
began mailing smallpox information packets to 3.5 million
clinicians nationwide as part of the agency's established plan
to educate medical professionals about smallpox and the smallpox
vaccine.
The packet includes up-to-date information that will help
clinicians identify a case of smallpox, recognize and manage
patients with an adverse reaction to the vaccine, and help
others make decisions about receiving the vaccine. It also
includes an invitation for clinicians to join a registry that
will provide real-time information to help them prepare for
possible bioterrorism events.
An array of related information is available to clinicians from
the following CDC websites:
CDC has also established a public information hotline for
questions about smallpox and smallpox vaccine at (888) 246-2675
(English); (888) 246-2857 (Spanish); and (866) 874-2646 (TTY).
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March 10, 2003
CDC CLARIFIES CATCH-UP SCHEDULE FOR HIB VACCINE
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published
"Erratum: Vol. 52, No.4" in the March 7 issue of the "Morbidity
and Mortality Weekly Report" (MMWR). The Erratum concerns the
"MMWR QuickGuide," publication titled "Recommended Childhood and
Adolescent Immunization Schedule--United States, 2003," dated
January 31. According to the Erratum, the information about the
minimum interval between dose one and dose two for the Hib
vaccine was incorrect in "Table 1. Catch-up schedule for
children aged 4 months-6 years."
The entire text of the Erratum follows.
*********************
In the MMWR QuickGuide section titled "Recommended Childhood and
Adolescent Immunization Schedule--United States, 2003," an error
occurred in Table 1. In the "Dose one to dose two" column for
Hib (6 wks), the second recommendation should read "8 wks (as
final dose): if 1st dose given at age 12-14 months."
*********************
To obtain the complete text of the Erratum online, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5209a5.htm
To obtain a camera-ready (PDF version) copy of "Recommended
Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Schedule—United States,
2003," go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/wk/mm5204-immunization.pdf
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March 10, 2003
CDC REPORTS ON POLIO ERADICATION IN INDIA
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published
"Progress Toward Poliomyelitis Eradication–India, 2002 " in the
March 7 issue of the "Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report"
(MMWR). Part of a summary made available to the press is
reprinted below.
"In India, the incidence of polio decreased substantially from
1995 through 2001, with just 268 cases reported nationwide in
2001. A major regional resurgence of polio occurred in 2002 with
a total of 1,556 cases reported nationwide (as of January 25,
2003). Of these, 1,337 cases occurred in the two northern states
of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Large numbers of children remained
susceptible to poliovirus infection due to low oral poliovirus
vaccine (OPV) coverage caused in part by less frequent and lower
quality supplemental immunization activities (SIAs). SIA quality
is being improved and additional SIAs are planned for 2003. To
eradicate polio in India will require effective partnership
between the national and state governments as well as major
international partners."
To obtain the complete text of the article online, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5209a2.htm
To obtain a camera-ready (PDF format) copy of this issue of
MMWR, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5209.pdf
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March 10, 2003
CDC PUBLISHES UPDATE OF SMALLPOX VACCINE ADVERSE EVENTS
SURVEILLANCE
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published
"Smallpox Vaccine Adverse Events Among Civilians--United States,
February 25-March 3, 2003" in the March 7 issue of the
"Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report" (MMWR). The article
updates information published in the February 28 MMWR.
Surveillance for adverse events during the civilian smallpox
vaccination program is ongoing; regular surveillance reports
will be published in MMWR.
Portions of the article are reprinted below.
*************************
During the civilian smallpox vaccination program, CDC, the Food
and Drug Administration, and state health departments are
conducting surveillance for vaccine-associated adverse events.
In the first stage of the program, active surveillance is being
conducted for potentially life-threatening, moderate-to-severe,
and other serious adverse events and for vaccinia transmission
to contacts of vaccinees. Nonserious events are reported through
passive surveillance and are expected to be underreported. This
report summarizes smallpox vaccine adverse events reported among
civilians vaccinated as of February 28, 2003, and among contacts
of vaccinees, received by CDC from the Vaccine Adverse Event
Reporting System (VAERS) as of March 3. . . .
During January 24-February 28, smallpox vaccine was administered
to 12,690 civilian health-care and public health workers in 45
jurisdictions. No potentially life-threatening adverse events of
a type known previously to be caused by smallpox vaccination
have been reported as of March 3.
Two moderate-to-severe adverse events were reported. Both were
probable cases of ocular vaccinia, and both were traced to
contact with military personnel who received smallpox
vaccine. . . .
Three other serious adverse events were reported. One case
involved headache and dizziness; although headache has been
reported after smallpox vaccination, the causal role of smallpox
vaccine in this case is unknown. The other two events
(cholecystitis and hypertension) are not known to be associated
causally with smallpox vaccination. . . .
*************************
The Editorial Note stresses "the importance of proper
vaccination site care in preventing contact transmission of
vaccinia virus and the need for vaccinees and unvaccinated
persons who have contact with vaccinees to protect against
contact transmission."
To obtain the complete text of the article online, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5209a4.htm
To obtain a camera-ready (PDF format) copy of this issue of
MMWR, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5209.pdf
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March 10, 2003
READER ALERT: APRIL 15 IS THE DATE FOR MASSACHUSETTS' ANNUAL
ADULT IMMUNIZATION CONFERENCE
MassPRO, the health care improvement organization for
Massachusetts, and the Massachusetts Coalition for Adult
Immunization will hold the eighth Annual Adult Immunization
Conference on April 15 at the Centrum Centre, Worcester, MA.
Health care professionals involved with adult immunization in
community, hospital, private practice, or long-term care
settings are encouraged to attend.
Conference objectives include describing smallpox preparedness
planning for Massachusetts, summarizing current adult
immunization recommendations, reviewing successful pneumococcal
immunization efforts in various care settings, describing
strategies for immunizing underserved populations, and
discussing methods for creating new resources for immunization
activities.
For more information or to request a conference brochure, call
Monique Cassidy at (781) 890-0011, extension 226, or email her
at mcassidy.mapro@sdps.org
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