Issue Number 40
December 30, 1998
CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE
- OPV is no longer recommended for the
first two doses of the polio series, except in special circumstances
- CDC satellite broadcast,
"Preparing for the Next Influenza Pandemic," to air on February 25
- MMWR publishes article on influenza
vaccination status of persons aged 65-79
- Editors' reminder: Free influenza
teaching module available
- Conference on vaccine research set for
March 28-30
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(1)
December 30, 1998
OPV IS NO LONGER RECOMMENDED FOR THE FIRST TWO DOSES OF THE POLIO SERIES, EXCEPT IN
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES
OPV is no longer recommended for the first two doses of the polio series, except in
special circumstances such as a child whose parents do not accept the recommended number
of injections, or a child who will be traveling to a polio-endemic area. This
recommendation was made by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) at its
October 21-22, 1998, meeting. The ACIP voted to continue recommending that the first two
doses of polio vaccine should be IPV at 2 and 4 months of age, followed by a dose of OPV
at 12-18 months and another dose of OPV at 4-6 years of age. Use of IPV for all doses is
also acceptable.
An article on the ACIP's changes in the polio vaccination schedule, which appeared in the
November 26, 1998, issue of CDC's National Immunization Program's "Polio Vaccine
UPDATE," stated that implementation of this recommendation will begin January 1,
1999, with release of the Recommended Childhood Immunization Schedule. The entire article
is reprinted as follows:
ACIP MODIFIES POLIO VACCINATION SCHEDULE
"The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to recommend a change
in the polio vaccination schedule during its meeting held in Atlanta, Georgia, October
21-22, 1998. The ACIP voted to continue recommending that the first two doses of polio
vaccine should be IPV at 2 and 4 months of age, followed by two doses of OPV at 12-18
months and 4-6 years of age. Use of IPV for all doses is also acceptable.
"The change from the 1997 ACIP recommendation is that OPV is no longer recommended
for the first two doses except in special circumstances, such as a child whose parents do
not accept the recommended number of injections, or a child who will be traveling to a
polio-endemic area.
"OPV continues to be recommended as the most effective vaccine for mass immunization
campaigns to control outbreaks due to wild polio virus. IPV is the only poliovirus vaccine
recommended for children who are immunocompromised, who have close contact with
immunocompromised persons, or who have an increased risk of developing polio.
"Implementation of the recommendation will begin January 1, 1999, with release of the
revised Recommended Childhood Immunization Schedule. A revised Vaccine Information
Statement will be provided to states for distribution in the near future.
"The recommendation was made to address continued concerns related to VAPP and OPV.
There were four confirmed cases of VAPP reported during 1997-98, all associated with the
first or second dose of an all-OPV schedule. Three suspected cases of VAPP are being
investigated. There has been no confirmed VAPP reported with the sequential schedule.
Expanded use of IPV has not been associated with increased risk or unexpected adverse
events, according to data from the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS).
"The ACIP also expressed a strong desire to set a date for transition to an all-IPV
schedule and will form a working group to consider how such a transition would be
implemented. The process would involve working in conjunction with a wider group of
partners, including State and local health departments, immunization coalitions, private
providers, and national minority and community-based organizations."
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December 30, 1998
CDC SATELLITE BROADCAST, "PREPARING FOR THE NEXT INFLUENZA PANDEMIC," TO AIR ON
FEBRUARY 25
On Thursday, February 25, 1999, CDC will present the satellite course, "Preparing for
the Next Influenza Pandemic." The course will be broadcast twice, once from 9 a.m. to
11:30 a.m. eastern time and again from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. eastern time.
A brochure announcing the satellite course
contains the following sobering message:
"... Epidemiologists agree that the probability is high that another dangerous new
strain of the influenza virus will emerge. In an effort to lessen the worldwide
morbidity and mortality that such a strain will cause, public health experts from federal,
state and local agencies have developed state and local guidelines to prepare for the next
influenza pandemic and its anticipated vaccine shortage and disruption of social and
community services."
This live, interactive 2.5 hour broadcast will introduce the guidelines and facilitate
state and local emergency response preparation, which can be adapted to other infectious
disease crises. The course will be moderated by William L. Atkinson, MD, MPH, medical
epidemiologist, National Immunization Program, CDC. The faculty will include
representatives of state and local preparedness programs and guideline developers. For
more detailed information about the course, click here:
http://www.cdc.gov/phtn/pandemic/pandemicflu.htm
For information on the availability of this program in your area and to register and order
materials, contact your satellite broadcast state coordinator (click here for these phone
numbers: http://www.cdc.gov/phtn/stcoords.htm
) or call your state immunization program manager (click here for these phone numbers: http://www.immunize.org/nslt.d/n18/coord18.htm
)
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December 25, 1998
MMWR PUBLISHES ARTICLE ON INFLUENZA VACCINATION STATUS OF PERSONS AGED 65-79
An article entitled "Influenza Vaccination Status of Persons Aged 65-79 Years -
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, February-March 1997" was published in the MMWR on
December 25, 1998.
The article summarizes the results of a telephone survey conducted to estimate the
prevalence of influenza vaccination, assess barriers to influenza vaccine use in the
county, and to evaluate Medicare claims as a measure of vaccination use. The survey was
conducted by the Allegheny County Health Department, and the responders were aged 65-79
years of age during February-March 1997.
According to the article the findings from the survey indicate that 75% of the survey
responders reported receiving influenza vaccination during the 1996-97 influenza season in
comparison with the Medicare claims which indicated that 36% of Allegheny County residents
in this age bracket received influenza vaccine.
The article also states that "among the 176 vaccinated participants, the most
commonly reported sources of vaccination were physicians' offices (50%), health-care
centers (29%), and shopping malls or other locations (21%). Persons of other racial/ethnic
groups were more likely than whites to visit personal physicians (62% [95% CI = 45%- 78%]
versus 48% [95% CI = 40%-56%]; OR =1.8; [95% CI = 0.8-4.1]) and less likely to go to
shopping malls and other public places for vaccination."
The "Editorial Note" makes the following statement concerning the influence of
physicians on influenza vaccine use:
"The high proportion of residents reporting physicians as their source of vaccination
and the 15% of residents reporting lack of physician's recommendation as a reason for not
being vaccinated underscore the influence of physicians on influenza vaccine use.
Academic institutions (e.g., schools of medicine and schools of public health) could
provide physician training through continued medical-education sessions that focus on
reducing missed opportunities for vaccination and using a patient reminder system.
Countywide provider and public educational and promotional campaigns can help dispel
concerns about influenza
vaccination and improve acceptance of the vaccine by older adults."
To access the complete article in text format, click here: http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00056047.htm
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December 30, 1998
EDITORS' REMINDER: FREE INFLUENZA TEACHING MODULE AVAILABLE
The Association of Teachers of Preventive Medicine (ATPM) will send you their teaching
module, "Influenza Prevention" for the cost of shipping and handling. This
module contains innovative case-based materials that address gaps in knowledge and skills
related to vaccine indications, contraindications, and delivery strategies. The materials
are based on the most current ACIP recommendations.
If it is your job to teach technical information about influenza to clinicians or
clinicians-in-training, you might want to take advantage of this offer. For more
information about these materials or other resources that are available from ATPM, call
800-789-6737 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. eastern time.
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December 25, 1998
CONFERENCE ON VACCINE RESEARCH SET FOR MARCH 28-30
Information on the Second Annual Conference on Vaccine Research, which is set for March
28-30, 1999, was published as a "Notice to Readers" in the December 25, 1998,
MMWR. The entire notice reads as follows:
CONFERENCE ON VACCINE RESEARCH
"The Second Annual Conference on Vaccine Research: Basic Science-Product
Development-Clinical and Field Studies will be held March 28-30, 1999, in Bethesda,
Maryland. Cosponsors are CDC, the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID), the
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the Center for Biologics Evaluation
and Research of the Food and Drug Administration, the World Health Organization, the
Children's Vaccine Initiative, the International Society for Vaccines, and the Albert B.
Sabin Vaccine Institute. This conference will feature scientific data from the diverse
disciplines involved in the research and development of vaccines and associated
technologies for disease control through vaccination. Additional information about program
announcements, registration, and
abstract submission is available from NFID, Attention: Mr. Kip Kantelo, Suite 750, 4733
Bethesda Ave., Bethesda, MD 20814-5228; telephone: (301) 656-0003; fax: (301) 907-0878;
e-mail: kkantelo@aol.com; and from the World-Wide Web site, http://www.nfid.org/conferences/." |
