Issue
Number 425
November 17, 2003
CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE
- CDC Health Advisory: Consumers advised that recent hepatitis A
outbreaks have been associated with green onions
- CDC reports on first human death associated with raccoon
rabies
- Wisconsin enacts legislation requiring college students to
receive meningococcal and hepatitis B information
- IAC posts new and revised Asian-language translations of the
2003-04 inactivated influenza VIS on its website
- Free: Bulk copies of the latest issue of "NEEDLE TIPS"
(October 2003) are just a click away
- Last chance: Adult Immunization Record Card available by the
carton at half-price--while supplies last
- December 15 is the deadline for abstracts for the National
Conference on Immunization Coalitions
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November 17, 2003
CDC HEALTH ADVISORY: CONSUMERS ADVISED THAT RECENT HEPATITIS A OUTBREAKS
HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH GREEN ONIONS
On November 15, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued
the following official CDC Health Advisory. CDC notes that a Health Advisory
"provides important information for a specific incident or situation; [it]
may not require immediate action." It is reprinted below in its entirety.
**********************
This is an official CDC Health Advisory
Distributed via Health Alert Network
November 15, 2003 19:28 EST (7:28 PM EST)
FROM FDA: CONSUMERS ADVISED THAT RECENT HEPATITIS A OUTBREAKS HAVE BEEN
ASSOCIATED WITH GREEN ONIONS
The Food and Drug Administration is advising the public that several recent
hepatitis A outbreaks have been associated with eating raw or undercooked
green onions (scallions). Hepatitis A is a liver disease that develops
within 6 weeks of an exposure. Hepatitis A is usually mild and characterized
by jaundice (yellow discoloration of the skin), fatigue, abdominal pain,
loss of appetite, nausea, diarrhea, and fever. It can occasionally be
severe, especially in people with liver disease.
Hepatitis A outbreaks associated with raw or undercooked green onions served
in restaurants occurred in Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia in
September. Another outbreak of hepatitis A among patrons of a single
restaurant occurred in Pennsylvania during late October and early November,
although the source of the outbreak has not yet been determined. CDC and the
State of Pennsylvania have an investigation underway to determine if a
specific food is associated with the Pennsylvania outbreak, and if so, the
exact source. The source of the green onions in the Tennessee outbreak is
Mexico. FDA is continuing to investigate and is working with Mexican
authorities to assess appropriate measures. FDA offers the following advice
to consumers concerned about the possibility of getting hepatitis A from
green onions:
- Cook green onions thoroughly. This
minimizes the risk of illness by reducing or eliminating the virus. Cook
in a casserole or saute in a skillet.
- Check food purchased at restaurants and
delicatessens and ask whether menu items contain raw or lightly cooked
green onions. Consumers who wish to reduce the risk of contracting
hepatitis should avoid food that contains raw green onions and
specifically request that raw or lightly cooked green onions not be added
to their food. Foods such as freshly prepared salsa and green salads often
contain raw green onions.
FDA, CDC, and the States are actively
investigating the outbreaks in an attempt to determine the exact source of
the green onions associated with the outbreaks and how they became
contaminated, so that corrective action can be taken.
While the investigations are ongoing, FDA will closely monitor the safety of
green onions and will take further actions as necessary to protect
consumers. Consumers who have recently eaten raw or lightly cooked green
onions do not need to take any specific measures, but should monitor their
health. Consumers who are experiencing symptoms that could be hepatitis A
should consult their health care providers or the local health department.
FDA ON THE INTERNET: www.fda.gov
For information about hepatitis A:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/a/faqa.htm
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November 17, 2003
CDC REPORTS ON FIRST HUMAN DEATH ASSOCIATED WITH RACCOON RABIES
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published "First Human
Death Associated with Raccoon Rabies--Virginia, 2003" in the November 14
issue of "Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report" (MMWR). A summary made
available to the press is reprinted below in its entirety.
***********************
Human rabies is a rare, but fatal, disease in the United States.
On March 10, 2003, a previously healthy man aged 25 years who resided and
worked in northern Virginia died with a diagnosis of meningoencephalitis of
unknown etiology after a 3-week illness. Testing of tissue samples at CDC
revealed viral inclusions suggestive of Negri bodies, and subsequent tests
confirmed a diagnosis of rabies. Genetic sequencing identified a rabies
virus variant associated with raccoons, but how the patient acquired
infection remains unknown. This report summarizes the investigation of the
first documented case of a human death from raccoon rabies in the United
States. Human rabies can be prevented by avoiding exposure to suspicious
animals, vaccinating and supervising pets, and seeking prompt medical
attention if a bite occurs.
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To obtain the complete text of the article online, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5245a4.htm
To obtain a camera-ready (PDF format) copy of this issue of MMWR, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5245.pdf
HOW TO OBTAIN A FREE ELECTRONIC SUBSCRIPTION TO THE MMWR:
To obtain a free electronic subscription to "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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November 17, 2003
WISCONSIN ENACTS LEGISLATION REQUIRING COLLEGE STUDENTS TO RECEIVE
MENINGOCOCCAL AND HEPATITIS B INFORMATION
The Wisconsin State Legislature passed legislation requiring public and
private post-secondary educational institutions to give all enrolled
students information about meningococcal and hepatitis B diseases and
vaccines. In addition, students residing in a residence hall or dormitory
are required to provide documentation if they have received immunization
against the two diseases. The governor approved the legislation October 16;
it goes into effect January 1, 2004.
The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) has compiled information about all
states that have meningococcal and hepatitis B prevention mandates for
colleges and universities.
To access information on meningococcal mandates for colleges and
universities, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/laws/menin.htm
This information is also depicted visually on a map of the United States. To
access the map, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/laws/meninmap.pdf
To access information on hepatitis B mandates for colleges and universities,
go to:
http://www.immunize.org/laws/hepbcollege.htm
This information is also depicted visually on a map of the United States. To
access the map, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/laws/hepbcolmap.pdf
For information about state mandates for other vaccines, including vaccines
for adults, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/laws
We depend on our readers to help us stay informed and ensure our
website contains the most current and accurate information
available. Please let us know when any changes occur in your
state by emailing us at admin@immunize.org
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November 17, 2003
IAC POSTS NEW AND REVISED ASIAN-LANGUAGE TRANSLATIONS OF THE
2003-04 INACTIVATED INFLUENZA VIS ON ITS WEBSITE
The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) recently posted the 2003-04 inactivated influenza VIS on its website in Cambodian, Hmong,
and Tagalog. Previously, the 2003-04 inactivated influenza VIS
was not available in these languages. In addition, IAC replaced
the Chinese- and Vietnamese-language 2003-04 inactivated
influenza VISs with slightly revised versions. IAC gratefully
acknowledges the California Department of Health Services for the
translations.
To access the 2003-04 inactivated influenza VIS in Cambodian, go
to: http://www.immunize.org/vis/ca_flu03.pdf
To access the 2003-04 inactivated influenza VIS in Chinese, go
to: http://www.immunize.org/vis/ch_flu03.pdf
To access the 2003-04 inactivated influenza VIS in Hmong, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/hm_flu03.pdf
To access the 2003-04 inactivated influenza VIS in Tagalog, go
to: http://www.immunize.org/vis/ta_flu03.pdf
To access the 2003-04 inactivated influenza VIS in Vietnamese, go
to: http://www.immunize.org/vis/vn_flu03.pdf
To access the 2003-04 inactivated influenza VIS in English, go
to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/2flu.pdf
For information on the use of VISs, and for VISs in a total of 30
languages, visit IAC's VIS web page at
http://www.immunize.org/vis
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November 17, 2003
FREE: BULK COPIES OF THE LATEST ISSUE OF "NEEDLE TIPS"
(OCTOBER 2003) ARE JUST A CLICK AWAY
The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) is giving away bulk
copies (up to 200 per request) of the October 2003 issue of
"NEEDLE TIPS" to make room for our January 2004 issue.
If you have an immunization conference or an educational program
coming up for health professionals, this 24-page publication is
an excellent item to distribute. It's packed with information
that can make many aspects of immunization go more smoothly. The
October issue includes a wealth of information on influenza
vaccination as well as updated professional-education material
about hepatitis B.
Because supplies are limited, it's best to make your request
right away. The free copies go quickly. Sorry, we can only mail
orders to addresses within the United States.
To request copies, fill out the online form on IAC's website:
http://www.immunize.org/oldnt
You will be asked to supply the following information:
- The number of copies you want (maximum 200)
- A description of how you plan to use the copies
- Your name and complete contact information, including mailing
address, telephone number, and email address
For further information, please contact Pat Storti, office
administrator, by email at pat@immunize.org
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November 17, 2003
LAST CHANCE: ADULT IMMUNIZATION RECORD CARD AVAILABLE BY THE
CARTON AT HALF-PRICE--WHILE SUPPLIES LAST
Our printer's error creates a wonderful opportunity for you to
stock up on one or more cartons of the Immunization Action
Coalition (IAC) Adult Immunization Record Card--and pay only half
the price you'd expect! We are offering a 3,750-card carton to
"IAC EXPRESS" readers for the marked-down price of $131.25, plus
shipping. Your typical cost would be $262.50 per carton.
We can offer the card at this price because our printer
mistakenly printed cards with the "old" design, which included
space for a patient's social security number. Cards with the
"new" design, which are not available at half price, have space
for a patient number instead.
The Adult Immunization Record Card is extremely popular. Since
introducing it in May 2002, IAC has shipped more than a million
cards to health care providers across the United States. Health
professionals find the card invaluable for educating patients
that immunization is a lifelong process and for giving patients
the means to keep a lifetime record of their immunization status.
Printed on smudge-proof, rip-proof, waterproof paper, the card
comes pre-folded to fit in a wallet. Its bright canary-yellow
color makes it easy to spot among credit cards and other items.
To view a copy of the "new" design online, go to: https://www.immunize.org/adultizcards/index.htm Remember, the
half-price card is identical to the online card with one
exception: The half-price card has "Social Security Number"
instead of "Patient Number."
You can place an order for a 3,750-card carton (or more) of the
half-price card in two ways: (1) fax your order to us at (651)
647-9131 or (2) send an email to the following address:
admin@immunize.org Include your complete shipping information
(your name, shipping address, and daytime phone number). Please
include your fax number in your fax or email to us, and we will
fax you a confirmation of your order and an expected shipping
date. We accept payment by check, purchase order, or credit card;
we will ship in 2-3 weeks. You pay shipping charges.
Orders will be filled only for multiples of 3,750 (e.g., 7,500,
11,250, 15,000, etc.) and will be shipped IN THE ORDER WE RECEIVE
THEM until supplies are depleted. Don't delay!
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November 17, 2003
DECEMBER 15 IS THE DEADLINE FOR ABSTRACTS FOR THE NATIONAL
CONFERENCE ON IMMUNIZATION COALITIONS
Scheduled for September 20-22, 2004, the sixth National
Conference on Immunization Coalitions will be held in
Norfolk, VA. It will provide training on creating, leading, and
sustaining effective local or state coalitions and partnerships
that address childhood, adolescent, and adult immunization. The
deadline for submitting abstracts electronically is December 15.
For information on submitting an abstract, go to:
http://www.cme.hsc.usf.edu/coph/immcoal
For information on the conference program, contact Annemarie
Beardsworth by phone at (401) 222-5658 or by email at
annemarieb@doh.state.ri.us
For information on conference logistics, contact the conference
administrator, Tracey Ryan, by phone at (813) 974-6682 or by
email at tryan@hsc.usf.edu |
