Issue
Number 445
February 23, 2004
CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE
- CDC reports on a fatal case of adult pertussis in Minnesota in
2003
- "Wall Street Journal" editorial describes intimidation by
activists who link autism with thimerosal in vaccines
- February issue of CDC's "Immunization Works!" electronic
newsletter now available on IAC's website
- For limited-literacy patients: Hepatitis A VIS now available
on video and DVD in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese
- Updated: IAC makes minor changes to its professional-education
sheet "Hepatitis B Facts: Testing and Vaccination"
- Errata: CDC clarifies information published in the February 13
issue of MMWR
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ABBREVIATIONS: AAFP, American Academy of Family Physicians, AAP, American
Academy of Pediatrics; ACIP, Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices;
CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; FDA, Food and Drug
Administration; IAC, Immunization Action Coalition; MMWR, Morbidity and
Mortality Weekly Report; NIP, National Immunization Program; VIS, Vaccine
Information Statement; WHO, World Health Organization.
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February 23, 2004
CDC REPORTS ON A FATAL CASE OF ADULT PERTUSSIS IN MINNESOTA IN 2003
CDC published "Fatal Case of Unsuspected Pertussis Diagnosed from a Blood
Culture--Minnesota, 2003" in the February 20 issue of MMWR. A summary made
available to the press is reprinted below in its entirety.
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In adolescents or adults, pertussis should be considered as the cause of
cough illness lasting >=2 weeks, especially if accompanied by a "whoop",
paroxysms of coughing, or vomiting.
A recent case of pertussis (whooping cough) in an elderly Minnesota woman
who later died and identification of 3 additional cases in other adults in
the community underline the importance of clinicians being aware that adults
can get the highly contagious cough illness and they should request
laboratory testing to confirm a diagnosis of pertussis. Increased reports of
pertussis in teens and adults in the United States since the 1980s are a
concern because infants who have not completed their pertussis vaccinations
may be at increased risk of acquiring this disease. Pertussis should always
be considered as a cause of cough illness lasting >=2 weeks among
adolescents and adults.
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To access a web-text (HTML) version of the complete article, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5306a5.htm
To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version of this issue of MMWR, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5306.pdf
To receive a FREE electronic subscription to MMWR (which includes new ACIP
statements), go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/mmwrsubscribe.html
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February 23, 2004
"WALL STREET JOURNAL" EDITORIAL DESCRIBES INTIMIDATION BY ACTIVISTS WHO LINK
AUTISM WITH THIMEROSAL IN VACCINES
"Autism and Vaccines," an editorial published in the "Wall Street Journal"
February 9, describes the harassing letters and emails the newspaper's staff
received after publishing an earlier editorial, "The Politics of Autism," on
December 29, 2003. The "Wall Street Journal" gave IAC permission to post
both editorials on its website for 6 months.
(Editor's note: IAC's permission to access these
two articles expired on August 17, 2004.)
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February 23, 2004
FEBRUARY ISSUE OF CDC'S "IMMUNIZATION WORKS!" ELECTRONIC
NEWSLETTER NOW AVAILABLE ON IAC'S WEBSITE
The February issue of "Immunization Works!" a monthly email
newsletter published by CDC, is available on IAC's website. The
newsletter offers members of the immunization community non-proprietary information about current topics. CDC encourages its
wide dissemination.
Some of the information in the February issue has already
appeared in previous issues of "IAC EXPRESS." Following is the
text of four articles we have not covered.
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OTHER IMMUNIZATION NEWS
NATIONAL INFANT IMMUNIZATION WEEK: National Infant Immunization
Week will be held April 25–May 1, 2004. This week highlights the
importance of timely childhood immunizations through various
events held throughout the country. The 2004 materials for NIIW
will be available online after February 23. For additional
promotional and other NIIW information, visit
www.cdc.gov/nip
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POLIO HISTORY INFORMATION SOUGHT: Do you have any materials,
devices, recollections, or anecdotes from the era of polio
epidemics--including the epidemics of 1916 or 1950? The
Smithsonian Institution is preparing an upcoming exhibition on
the history of polio. They have put out a call to doctors,
nurses, patients, and others to submit medical devices,
recollections, anecdotes, and memorabilia related to America's
polio outbreaks. For more information on this project contact
Katherine Ott of the Smithsonian at ottk@si.edu NOTE: Do not
send any objects unless directed to do so by the Smithsonian.
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MEETINGS, CONFERENCES, AND RESOURCES
JOB OPENINGS WITHIN THE NATIONAL IMMUNIZATION PROGRAM: NIP is
committed to recruiting and hiring qualified candidates for a
wide range of positions. Researchers, Medical Officers, and
Epidemiologists, as well as other specialties, are often needed
to fill positions within NIP. We encourage all interested
parties to apply for these jobs. For a current listing of
positions available at NIP, please visit
www.usajobs.opm.gov
Once at the site, conduct a search for "National Immunization
Program." Among other positions, NIP is currently seeking
applications for a Medical Officer for its headquarters in
Atlanta. The closing date for this position is February 26.
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNIZATION OPPORTUNITIES: The Global
Immunization Division at CDC is currently accepting applications
for the May and September 2004 Stop Transmission of Polio (STOP)
teams. CDC is recruiting candidates to work both in field
surveillance assignments, as well as data management
assignments. In order to qualify for consideration, candidates
must either have obtained a graduate degree or licensure in
health and have three years of relevant work experience (for
example, MD, PA, RN, DVM, MPH) OR have five years of relevant
work experience. Particularly desirable is field surveillance
and/or immunization program experience, especially in developing
countries, in addition to a demonstrated ability to work in
French, Portuguese, or Arabic. For more information and
application procedures, please visit
www.cdc.gov/nip/global/stopteam.htm
Also, CDC is currently recruiting Medical Officers and
Epidemiologists to work on measles, polio, and other activities
in Atlanta-based positions as well as long-term assignments
(2 yrs. minimum) in various overseas locations. We are
especially interested in mid-career professionals with at least
two years of international public health experience, disease
surveillance, and/or immunization program experience, and
excellent interpersonal skills. In addition, opportunities in
polio eradication activities in priority countries call for a
variety of public health professionals with experience in polio
eradication and AFP surveillance who can commit a minimum of six
weeks to field work. Interested individuals should send a
statement of interest and a current curriculum vita to Liz Bell
at ebell@cdc.gov or Carla Lee at
cel1@cdc.gov
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To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version of the entire February
issue of "Immunization Works!" go to:
http://www.immunize.org/news.d/news0204.pdf
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February 23, 2004
FOR LIMITED-LITERACY PATIENTS: HEPATITIS A VIS NOW AVAILABLE ON
VIDEO AND DVD IN ENGLISH, SPANISH, AND VIETNAMESE
Healthway Software of Fargo, ND, has recently produced video and
DVD versions of CDC's current hepatitis A VIS (dated 8/25/98).
Available in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese, these videos and
DVDs are particularly useful when you need to communicate
information on a VIS to recent immigrants or other populations
who may lack fluency in English. Each video and DVD costs $10
and runs between 7-1/2 and 10-1/2 minutes in length.
VIDEOS. To find out more about the hepatitis A VIS videos, click
the links below:
English: http://www.healthwaysoftware.com/enghepavid.htm
Spanish: http://www.healthwaysoftware.com/sphepavid.htm
Vietnamese: http://www.healthwaysoftware.com/vihepavid.htm
DVDs: To find out more about the hepatitis A VIS DVDs, click the
links below:
English: http://www.healthwaysoftware.com/enghepadvd.htm
Spanish: http://www.healthwaysoftware.com/sphepadvd.htm
Vietnamese: http://www.healthwaysoftware.com/vihepadvd.htm
ORDERING. To place an online order, go to:
http://www.healthwaysoftware.com/products.htm
To access an order form for fax and mail orders, go to:
http://www.healthwaysoftware.com/Orderform.pdf
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS. Healthway Software offers VISs and other
health education materials in video, DVD, and software formats.
To access Healthway Software's complete product line, go to:
http://www.healthwaysoftware.com and scroll down the left
column to the section titled Materials Available.
For additional information, email
order@healthwaysoftware.com
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February 23, 2004
UPDATED: IAC MAKES MINOR CHANGES TO ITS PROFESSIONAL-EDUCATION
SHEET "HEPATITIS B FACTS: TESTING AND VACCINATION"
IAC recently updated some information on its professional-education sheet "Hepatitis B Facts: Testing and Vaccination."
To access a web-text (HTML) version of the revised sheet, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p2110.htm
To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p2110.pdf
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February 23, 2004
ERRATA: CDC CLARIFIES INFORMATION PUBLISHED IN THE FEBRUARY 13
ISSUE OF MMWR
CDC published "Errata: Vol. 53, No. 5" in the February 20 issue
of MMWR. The article is reprinted below in its entirety.
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In the report, "Update: Adverse Events Following Civilian
Smallpox Vaccination---United States, 2003," on page 107, the
page numbers in reference 3 were incorrect. The correct
reference should read, "CDC. Secondary and tertiary transfer of
vaccinia virus among U.S. military personnel--United States and
worldwide, 2002-2004. MMWR 2004;53:103-5."
In the report, "Global Polio Eradication Initiative Strategic
Plan, 2004," on page 109, an error occurred in the address of
the website listed in the last sentence of the last paragraph.
The correct website address is
http://www.polioeradication.org/all/news/document.asp
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To access a web-text (HTML) version of the complete article, go
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5306a7.htm
To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version of this issue of MMWR,
go to: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5306.pdf |
