Issue Number 565            November 21, 2005

CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE

  1. Note: Watch tomorrow's IAC Express for an Unprotected People Report on a case of imported congenital rubella syndrome
  2. CDC updates its Influenza web section with information on avian influenza
  3. Use IAC's Adult Immunization Record Card to educate adult patients about their lifelong need for vaccination
  4. Updated: IAC revises several of its print materials for health professionals
  5. CDC reports that 48 percent of children under age six participated in immunization information systems in 2004

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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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November 21, 2005
NOTE: WATCH TOMORROW'S IAC EXPRESS FOR AN UNPROTECTED PEOPLE REPORT ON A CASE OF IMPORTED CONGENITAL RUBELLA SYNDROME

On November 22, IAC will publish an Unprotected People Report about an imported case of congenital rubella syndrome that occurred in New Hampshire in 2005.
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November 21, 2005
CDC UPDATES ITS INFLUENZA WEB SECTION WITH INFORMATION ON AVIAN INFLUENZA

CDC recently updated three pages of its Influenza web section:

  1. "Recent avian influenza outbreaks in Asia and Europe" (11/17/05)
  2. "Avian influenza infection in humans" (11/15/05)
  3. "Key facts about avian influenza (bird flu) and avian influenza A(H5N1) virus" (11/15/05)

To access these materials, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/whatsnew.htm#updated and click on the pertinent links.

To access a broad range of continually updated influenza information, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/flu
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November 21, 2005
USE IAC'S ADULT IMMUNIZATION RECORD CARD TO EDUCATE ADULT PATIENTS ABOUT THEIR LIFELONG NEED FOR VACCINATION

Many of your adult patients probably don't realize they may need to receive one or more vaccinations now and in the future. If you're looking for an easy, effective, and economical way to educate them, you should consider using IAC's Adult Immunization Record Card.

EASY
Succinct and focused, the record card is a superb educational and motivational tool to use with adults. It lists seven vaccines that all adults or certain adults should receive. Use it during patient encounters to make the point that vaccine-preventable diseases still exist in the United States and have serious health consequences for adults as well as children.

Then discuss the patient's vaccination status with them and suggest vaccinations they might need. Administer the needed vaccines, if possible, or get the patient to commit to making an appointment to receive them. Jot down the patient's next vaccination due dates on the record card, and give the card to the patient. Encourage them to refer to it to find out when they're due for their next Td booster, a pneumococcal vaccine dose, or other vaccination.

In a matter of minutes, you will have educated your patient about their lifelong need for vaccination, discussed their particular situation, and given them a way to remember which vaccines they need and when.

EFFECTIVE
The adult immunization record card must work: Since introducing it in May 2002, IAC has filled orders for more than 3.0 million cards. Healthcare providers across the nation are ordering and using it.

In addition, we have every reason to believe that patients are using it as well. Printed on rip-proof, smudge-proof, waterproof paper, the card is virtually indestructible. Plus, it's sized to fit in a wallet, where it's unlikely to be misplaced. And its bright yellow color makes it hard to miss. Once you give one to a patient, chances are good the patient will retain it and refer to it.

To view the card online, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/adultizcards/adultizcard.pdf

ECONOMICAL
The cost for one 250-count box is $35; two boxes (500 cards), $65; three boxes (750 cards), $90; four boxes (1,000 cards), $110. That is a remarkable price for a tool that can educate and motivate an adult patient to engage in a lifesaving preventive act over the course of a lifetime.

Additional pricing for larger quantities can be found on the online order form (see link below). NOTE: THE FIRST ORDER OF A 250-CARD BOX COMES WITH A 30-DAY MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE.

To order IAC's Adult Immunization Record Cards online (including online with a purchase order), go to:
https://www.immunize.org/adultizcards

To print an order form to send with payment information by fax or mail, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/adultizcards/izorder.pdf

If you have questions about IAC's Adult Immunization Record Card, call us at (651) 647-9009, or email us at admin@immunize.org (Use the same email address to request sample cards.)
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November 21, 2005
UPDATED: IAC REVISES SEVERAL OF ITS PRINT MATERIALS FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

IAC recently revised several of its materials for health professionals. We updated the following pieces in response to (1) the votes ACIP members took at their meeting in October and (2) new FDA vaccine approvals.

Updated pieces include the following:

  1. Summary of Recommendations for Childhood and Adolescent Immunization
  2. Screening Questionnaire for Child and Teen Immunization
  3. Screening Questionnaire for Adult Immunization
  4. Screening Questionnaire for Intranasal Influenza Vaccination
  5. Notification of Vaccination Letter
  6. Temperature Log for Vaccines (Fahrenheit)
  7. Temperature Log for Vaccines (Celsius)

1. Summary of Recommendations for Childhood and Adolescent Immunization (three pages) has updated information about tetanus-diphtheria-acellular-pertussis vaccine (Tdap) and hepatitis A vaccine.

To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of it, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/rules1.pdf

To access a web-text (HTML) version, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/nslt.d/n17/rules1.htm

2. Screening Questionnaire for Child and Teen Immunization (two pages) has updated information on three vaccines that protect against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (DTP, DTaP, Tdap) and on intranasal live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV). In addition, the introduction was changed.

To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of it, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4060scr.pdf

To access a web-text (HTML) version, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4060scr.htm

3. Screening Questionnaire for Adult Immunization (two pages) has updated information on intranasal live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV). Also, the introduction was changed.

To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of it, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4065scr.pdf

To access a web-text (HTML) version, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4065scr.htm

4. Screening Questionnaire for Intranasal Influenza Vaccination (two pages) has updated information on intranasal live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV). Also, the introduction was changed.

To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of it, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4067.pdf

To access a web-text (HTML) version, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4067.htm

5. Notification of Vaccination Letter (one page) has updated information on tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap), measles-mumps-rubella-varicella vaccine (MMRV), and intranasal live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV). In addition, the document was completely reformatted.

To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of it, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p3060not.pdf

No web-text (HTML) version is available.

6. Minor changes were made to the Temperature Log for Vaccines (Fahrenheit; four pages).

To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of it, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p3039.pdf

No web-text (HTML) version is available.

7. Minor changes were made to the Temperature Log for Vaccines (Celsius; four pages).

To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of it, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/news.d/celsius.pdf

No web-text (HTML) version is available.
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November 21, 2005
CDC REPORTS THAT 48 PERCENT OF CHILDREN UNDER AGE SIX PARTICIPATED IN IMMUNIZATION INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN 2004

CDC published "Immunization Information System Progress--United States, 2004" in the November 18 issue of MMWR. A portion of the article is reprinted below.

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One of the national health objectives for 2010 is to increase to at least 95% the proportion of children aged [younger than] 6 years who participate in fully operational, population-based immunization registries (objective no. 14-26). Immunization registries are confidential, computerized information systems that collect and consolidate vaccination data from multiple healthcare providers, generate reminder and recall notifications, and assess vaccination coverage within a defined geographic area. A registry with added capabilities, such as vaccine management, adverse event reporting, lifespan vaccination histories, and linkages with electronic data sources, is called an immunization information system (IIS). This report summarizes data from CDC's 2004 IIS Annual Report, a survey of 56 grantees in 50 states, five cities, and the District of Columbia (DC) that receive funding under section 317b of the Public Health Service Act. The findings indicate that approximately 48% of U.S. children aged [younger than] 6 years participated in an IIS. Moreover, 76% of public vaccination provider sites and 39% of private vaccination provider sites submitted immunization data to an IIS during the last 6 months of 2004. Overcoming challenges and barriers to increasing the number of provider sites and the percentage of children aged [younger than] 6 years participating in an IIS is critical to achieving the national health objective. CDC has developed a plan of action to address those challenges. Major components of the plan include, but are not limited to, a multiyear IIS business plan for each grantee and enhanced technical assistance to grantees with unresolved challenges.

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To access a web-text (HTML) version of the complete article, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5445a3.htm

To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of this issue of MMWR, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5445.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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Editorial Information

  • Editor-in-Chief
    Kelly L. Moore, MD, MPH
  • Managing Editor
    John D. Grabenstein, RPh, PhD
  • Associate Editor
    Sharon G. Humiston, MD, MPH
  • Writer/Publication Coordinator
    Taryn Chapman, MS
    Courtnay Londo, MA
  • Style and Copy Editor
    Marian Deegan, JD
  • Web Edition Managers
    Arkady Shakhnovich
    Jermaine Royes
  • Contributing Writer
    Laurel H. Wood, MPA
  • Technical Reviewer
    Kayla Ohlde

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