Issue
Number 448
March 8, 2004
CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE
- MMWR notifies readers about the updated recommendation to
suspend routine use of third and fourth doses of PCV7
- Now's the time to get ready for National Infant Immunization
Week 2004
- New: Monograph on influenza vaccination for health care
workers now on "Infectious Diseases in Children" website
- Updated: NIP redesigns the Vaccines for Children web section
- Attention providers: You can download tri-fold parent,
patient, and professional brochures from the NIP website
- NNii announces website redesign
- New: Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) VIS available
for the first time in Chinese
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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; VPD, vaccine-preventable disease; WHO, World Health
Organization.
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March 8, 2004
MMWR NOTIFIES READERS ABOUT THE UPDATED RECOMMENDATION TO SUSPEND ROUTINE
USE OF THIRD AND FOURTH DOSES OF PCV7
CDC published "Notice to Readers: Updated Recommendations on the Use of
Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine: Suspension of Recommendation for Third and
Fourth Dose" in the March 5 issue of MMWR. The notice is reprinted below,
excluding references.
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On March 2, this notice was posted on the MMWR website
(http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr).
On February 13, 2004, CDC recommended that health-care providers temporarily
suspend routine use of the fourth dose of 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate
vaccine (PCV7) when vaccinating healthy children. This action was taken to
conserve vaccine and minimize the likelihood of shortages until Wyeth
Vaccines, the only U.S. supplier of PCV7 (marketed as Prevnar), restores
sufficient production capacity to meet the national need. Since that
recommendation, PCV7 production has been much less than expected because of
continuing problems with the PCV7 vial-filling production line. Shipments
have been delayed, resulting in spot shortages that might continue beyond
summer 2004 and become widespread. Effective immediately, to further
conserve vaccine, CDC recommends that all health-care providers temporarily
suspend routine administration of both the third and fourth doses to healthy
children.
Approximately 1.3 million doses of PCV7 are needed each month to provide
every infant in the United States with the full, 4-dose vaccination series.
For January-April 2004, total shipments are estimated to be <=55% of the
amount needed. Limiting healthy children to 2 doses of PCV7 will conserve
vaccine and permit more children to receive at least 2 doses. More vaccine
is expected to become available for distribution in May and June, but
availability cannot be guaranteed. CDC will continue to update health-care
providers on the status of vaccine supplies while the shortage persists.
PCV7 is highly effective. The routinely recommended 4-dose series has been
97% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 76%-100%) effective against invasive
disease caused by serotypes represented in the vaccine; effectiveness in
children who received 3 doses before age 1 year has been 87% (95% CI =
71%-94%), and effectiveness in children who received 2 doses has been 94%
(95% CI = 84%-98%) (CDC, unpublished data, 2004). Efficacy data from a
randomized, controlled trial suggest that 1-2 doses of pneumococcal
conjugate vaccine are protective during the 2-month interval before the next
dose, with 86% effectiveness (but a 95% CI that includes zero). Although
limited data support a 2-dose schedule among infants, this regimen is
preferable to vaccinating certain children with 3 doses and not vaccinating
others. Because PCV7 is a new vaccine, no long-term data on vaccine
effectiveness are available. However, the incidence of invasive pneumococcal
disease declines rapidly after age 2 years, even in unvaccinated children.
In 1998, before PCV7 was licensed, the incidence of invasive disease was 203
per 100,000 infants aged 1 year and 63 per 100,000 children aged 2 years.
To ensure that every child is protected against pneumococcal disease despite
the PCV7 shortage, CDC, in consultation with the American Academy of Family
Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Advisory Committee
on Immunization Practices, recommends that all health-care providers
temporarily discontinue administering the third and fourth dose of PCV7 to
healthy children. Health-care providers should continue to administer the
routine 4-dose series to children at increased risk for severe disease*.
Unvaccinated, healthy children aged 12-23 months should receive a single
dose of PCV7. For children aged >=2 years, PCV7 is not recommended
routinely.
This recommendation reflects CDC's assessment of the existing national PCV7
supply and will be changed if the supply changes. Updated information about
the national PCV7 supply is available from CDC at
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/news/shortages/default.htm
Health-care providers should maintain lists of children for whom conjugate
vaccine has been deferred so it can be administered when the supply allows.
The highest priority for vaccination among children who have been deferred
is children vaccinated with <=2 doses who are aged <1 year.
Because data on the long-term efficacy of 3-dose or 2-dose vaccine regimens
are limited, health-care providers should consider the diagnosis of invasive
pneumococcal disease in incompletely vaccinated children and are encouraged
to report invasive pneumococcal disease after any regimen of pneumococcal
conjugate vaccine to CDC through state health departments. If a pneumococcal
isolate is available from a vaccinated child, CDC will perform serotyping to
determine whether the type is included in the vaccine. Additional
information is available from CDC at
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/home-hcp.htm and by telephone, (404) 639-2215
or fax, (404) 639-3970.
* Including children with sickle cell disease and other hemoglobinopathies,
anatomic asplenia, chronic diseases (e.g., chronic cardiac and pulmonary
disease and diabetes), cerebrospinal fluid leak, human immunodeficiency
virus infection and other immunocompromising conditions, immunosuppressive
chemotherapy or long-term systemic corticosteroid use; children who have
undergone solid organ transplantation, and children who either have received
or will receive cochlear implants. All these children have been identified
as being at either "high risk" or "presumed high risk" for severe invasive
pneumoccocal disease.
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To access a web-text (HTML) version of the complete article, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5308a5.htm
To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version of this issue of MMWR, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5308.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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March 8, 2004
NOW'S THE TIME TO GET READY FOR NATIONAL INFANT IMMUNIZATION WEEK 2004
Scheduled for April 25-May 1, National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) gives
health departments, health care providers, and community leaders an
excellent opportunity to highlight the positive impact immunization has on
the lives of infants and children. Celebrated annually since 1994, NIIW
emphasizes immunizing infants against 12 VPDs by the age of two. This year's
theme--Vaccination: An Act of Love--reinforces the beneficial role vaccines
play in promoting the health of our nation's children.
More than 500 U.S. communities are expected to participate this year by
planning community awareness and media events that publicize infant
immunizations to parents, caregivers, health care providers, and community
groups. In addition, during this year's NIIW, the United States will join
the Pan American Health Organization and the U.S.-Mexico Border Health
Commission in supporting Vaccination Week in the Americas, which will
promote immunization in all countries of the Americas.
To help health departments, providers, and community leaders increase
community awareness of NIIW, NIP has posted numerous materials on its
website; all can be downloaded at no charge. Included are resources to help
create kickoff events, as well as sample public relations materials, radio
public service announcements, posters, flyers, stickers, banners, and
buttons. Many are available in both English and Spanish.
For more information about NIIW and to access resource materials, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/events/niiw
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March 8, 2004
NEW: MONOGRAPH ON INFLUENZA VACCINATION FOR HEALTH CARE WORKERS NOW ON
"INFECTIOUS DISEASES IN CHILDREN" WEBSITE
The February 2004 issue of the journal "Infectious Diseases in Children"
includes a monograph, "Importance of Vaccinating Health Care Workers Against
Influenza." Its four articles are based on interviews with Theodore C.
Eickhoff, MD, W. Paul Glezen, MD, Caroline Breese Hall, MD, and Samuel L.
Katz, MD.
To access the articles in the monograph, go to:
http://idinchildren.com/monograph/CMEframeset.asp?article=0402/splash.asp&mono=y
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March 8, 2004
UPDATED: NIP REDESIGNS THE VACCINES FOR CHILDREN WEB SECTION
NIP recently updated and redesigned the web section of the Vaccines for
Children (VFC) program. It now offers Q&A information for parents and
providers, as well as an array of information for state and territory
immunization projects.
To access the VFC web section, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/vfc/default.htm
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March 8, 2004
ATTENTION PROVIDERS: YOU CAN DOWNLOAD TRI-FOLD PARENT, PATIENT, AND
PROFESSIONAL BROCHURES FROM THE NIP WEBSITE
CDC's NIP website offers several tri-fold immunization brochures useful for
parent, patient, and professional education. Many are available in both
English and Spanish, and most are formatted for office printing, as well as
professional press printing. All are available for downloading; none is
available for order.
To access the brochures, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/default.htm Scroll down to the
Tri-Fold Brochures section to access the complete selection.
Following is a brief description of each brochure.
CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENT IMMUNIZATION BROCHURES
"Childhood Immunization: Protect the Child, Protect the Future." Intended
for parents; available in English and Spanish.
"Adolescent Immunization: Give a Teen Complete Protection." Intended for
parents; available in English and Spanish.
"Immunize Our Children: Protect the Circle of Life." Intended for American
Indian and Alaska Native communities; available in English.
"You Keep Track of Your Child; Now Keep Track of Your Child's
Immunizations." An immunization scheduler intended for parents; available in
English.
"Immunization Impacts Your Schools." Intended for school administrators,
leaders of parent organizations, teachers, school nurses, and other adults;
available in English.
"Vaccines for Children Program: Information for Parents." Intended for
parents; available in English.
"Vaccines for Children Program: Information for Health Care Providers."
Intended for health professionals; available in English.
"Immunization Registries: Using Technology To Improve Our Health." Intended
for health professionals; available in English.
ADULT IMMUNIZATION BROCHURE
"Adult Immunization: Protection for a Lifetime." Intended for patients;
available in English and Spanish.
VACCINE SAFETY BROCHURES
"Immunization: Find the Source." Intended for health professionals, parents,
and patients; available in English and Spanish.
"Vaccine Safety: Information for Parents." Intended for parents; available
in English and Spanish.
"Helping Parents Who Question Vaccines: Providers' Guide." Intended for
health professionals; available in English.
"Vaccine Safety: Information for Health Care Providers." Intended for health
professionals; available in English.
ADDITIONAL VACCINE SAFETY RESOURCES
The websites of both NIP and IAC offer parents and health care providers a
large selection of information about vaccine safety.
To access information from NIP, go to the Overview of Vaccine Safety web
section at
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/vacsafe
To access information from IAC, go to the Responding to Concerns About
Vaccines web section at
http://www.immunize.org/concerns
ADDITIONAL GENERAL IMMUNIZATION RESOURCES
To order free print publications and videos related to
immunization from CDC, go to the NIP online order form at
https://www2.cdc.gov/nchstp_od/PIWeb/niporderform.asp
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March 8, 2004
NNii ANNOUNCES WEBSITE REDESIGN
On February 25, the National Network for Immunization
Information (NNii) issued a press release announcing that
Immunization for Public Health (I4PH) recently redesigned NNii's
website, adding new content for parents, health professionals,
and the media.
Based in Galveston, TX, I4PH is a nonprofit corporation that
provides immunization information to those who need it. In the
near future, it will launch an English/Spanish immunization
information website to address global immunization issues.
An affiliation of several health professional organizations and
the University of Texas Medical Branch, NNii was established in
2000 to meet the public's need for science-based immunization
information. To access its redesigned website, go to:
http://www.immunizationinfo.org
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March 8, 2004
NEW: PNEUMOCOCCAL POLYSACCHARIDE VACCINE (PPV23) VIS AVAILABLE
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN CHINESE
Dated 7/29/97, the most current version of the pneumococcal
polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) VIS is available in Chinese on
IAC's website. We are grateful to the San Francisco Department
of Public Health, Communicable Disease Prevention Unit, for the
translation.
To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version of the PPV 23 VIS in
Chinese, go to: http://www.immunize.org/vis/ch_pne97.pdf
To access it in English, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/pneum3.pdf
For information about the use of VISs, and for VISs in a total
of 31 languages, go to: http://www.immunize.org/vis |
