Issue
Number 572
January 3, 2006
CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE
- New: ACIP releases hepatitis B recommendations for
infants, children, and adolescents
- Net conference on new hepatitis B recommendations is
scheduled for February 2; register by January 31
- Registration opens January 19 for CDC's satellite
broadcast on Epidemiology & Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases
- CDC reports on 2001-03 pertussis surveillance data
- World Health Organization reports on pandemic influenza
now available online
- Updated: IAC revises "It's federal law! You must give
your patients current Vaccine Information Statements (VISs)"
- Russian-language VISs for influenza and meningococcal
vaccines are revised
- January 10 teleconference to offer a preview and update
on the National Conference on Immunization Coalitions
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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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January 3, 2006
NEW: ACIP RELEASES HEPATITIS B RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INFANTS, CHILDREN, AND
ADOLESCENTS
On December 23, 2005, CDC published "A Comprehensive Immunization Strategy
to Eliminate Transmission of Hepatitis B Virus Infection in the United
States: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
(ACIP) Part 1: Immunization of Infants, Children, and Adolescents" in the
MMWR Recommendations and Reports. The new recommendations are the first
major update of the immunization strategy to eliminate hepatitis B virus in
the United States since 1991.
The summary to the recommendations is reprinted below.
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This report is the first of a two-part statement from the Advisory Committee
on Immunization Practices (ACIP) that updates the strategy to eliminate
hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission in the United States. The report
provides updated recommendations to improve prevention of perinatal and
early childhood HBV transmission, including implementation of universal
infant vaccination beginning at birth, and to increase vaccine coverage
among previously unvaccinated children and adolescents. Strategies to
enhance implementation of the recommendations include (1) establishing
standing orders for administration of hepatitis B vaccination beginning at
birth; (2) instituting delivery hospital policies and procedures and case
management programs to improve identification of and administration of
immunoprophylaxis to infants born to mothers who are hepatitis B surface
antigen (HBsAg) positive and to mothers with unknown HBsAg status at the
time of delivery; and (3) implementing vaccination record reviews for all
children aged 11-12 years and children and adolescents aged [younger than]
19 years who were born in countries with intermediate and high levels of HBV
endemicity, adopting hepatitis B vaccine requirements for school entry, and
integrating hepatitis B vaccination services into settings that serve
adolescents. The second part of the ACIP statement, which will include
updated recommendations and strategies to increase hepatitis B vaccination
of adults, will be published separately.
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To access a web-text (HTML) version of the recommendations, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5416a1.htm
To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version them, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/rr/rr5416.pdf
NOTE: The PDF version includes a free CDC-sponsored education activity that
can be submitted electronically or by fax or U.S. mail for CME, CEU, or CNE
credit. Simply read the recommendations, answer the questions at the end,
and follow instructions for submitting your answers.
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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January 3, 2006
NET CONFERENCE ON NEW HEPATITIS B RECOMMENDATIONS IS SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY
2; REGISTER BY JANUARY 31
NIP and the Division of Viral Hepatitis have scheduled a one-hour net
conference for 12 noon ET February 2. Titled New ACIP Recommendations:
Prevention of Perinatal and Childhood Hepatitis B Infections, the conference
is intended for hospital obstetrical and neonatal staff, prenatal care
providers, professional organizations involved in perinatal care, and public
health staff. For additional conference information, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/ed/ciinc/hepatitisb.htm
The conference requires pre-registration, as space is limited. Registration
will close when the course is full or on January 31 (midnight ET). To
register for the conference, go to:
http://www2.cdc.gov/nip/isd/hepbconference
The program will combine a telephone audio conference and simultaneous
online visual content. Participants can join the Q&A session by telephone or
Internet. For instructions and system requirements, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/ed/ciinc/instructions.htm
For additional information, go to:
nipinfo@cdc.gov
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January 3, 2006
REGISTRATION OPENS JANUARY 19 FOR CDC'S SATELLITE BROADCAST ON EPIDEMIOLOGY
& PREVENTION OF VACCINE-PREVENTABLE DISEASES
The CDC website now has updated information on the satellite broadcast of
Epidemiology & Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases, a live
interactive program offered by NIP. Online registration for continuing
education credit will open on January 19 (details are at the end of this
article).
Presented in four sessions, the course will be held on consecutive
Thursdays: February 9, 16, and 23, and March 2. All sessions will be
broadcast from 12 noon ET to 3:30PM ET.
The content of the four sessions is outlined below:
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Session One: principles of vaccination; general recommendations on
immunization; and vaccine storage, handling, and administration
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Session Two: pertussis, pneumococcal disease (childhood), polio, and Hib
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Session Three: measles, rubella, varicella, and meningococcal disease
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Session Four: hepatitis B, hepatitis A, influenza, and pneumococcal
disease (adult)
The faculty: Donna Weaver, RN, MN; Judy Schmidt, RN, EdD; Andrew Kroger, MD,
MPH; and William Atkinson, MD, MPH. All are with NIP; additional presenters
will include other CDC experts.
For comprehensive course information, including online registration
information, go to:
http://www.phppo.cdc.gov/phtn//epv06
If you have registration questions, email
ce@cdc.gov or phone (800) 418-7246. For other questions, email
nipinfo@cdc.gov
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January 3, 2006
CDC REPORTS ON 2001-03 PERTUSSIS SURVEILLANCE DATA
On December 23, 2005, MMWR published "Pertussis--United States,
2001-2003." Portions of the article are reprinted below.
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[From the article text]
Pertussis is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable bacterial illness
characterized by paroxysmal cough, posttussive vomiting, and inspiratory
whoop. Pertussis also can occur as a mild or moderate cough illness in
persons who are partially immune. In the United States, most
hospitalizations and nearly all deaths from pertussis are reported in
infants aged [younger than] 6 months, but substantial morbidity does occur
in other age groups. Infant/childhood vaccination has contributed to a
reduction of more than 90% in pertussis-related morbidity and mortality
since the early 1940s in the United States. Estimates of childhood
vaccination coverage with 3 [or more] doses of pertussis-containing
vaccine have exceeded 90% since 1994; however, reported pertussis cases
increased from a historic low of 1,010 in 1976 to 11,647 cases in 2003. A
substantial increase in reported cases has occurred among adolescents, who
become susceptible to pertussis approximately 6-10 years after childhood
vaccination. Recently, booster vaccines for adolescents and adults
combining pertussis antigens with tetanus and diphtheria toxoids (Tdap)
were approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). On June 30, 2005,
the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended Tdap
for all persons aged 11-18 years. This report summarizes national
surveillance data on pertussis reported to CDC during 2001-2003 and
focuses on pertussis reported among persons aged 10-19 years before
implementation of national recommendations for adolescent pertussis
vaccination. . . .
Of 9,609 persons aged 10-19 years with reported pertussis, 116 (1%) of
8,286 for whom information was provided were hospitalized, 148 (2%) of
7,560 had radiographically confirmed pneumonia, and 20 (0.2%) of 8,543
reported seizures as a complication of pertussis. Hospitalization and
complications of pertussis were most common among infants aged [younger
than] 6 months. Of the total 5,872 infants aged [younger than] 6 months,
3,255 (69%) of 4,748 for whom information was provided were hospitalized,
532 (13%) of 4,096 had radiographically confirmed pneumonia, and 79 (2%)
of 4,802 had seizures. Among persons of all ages with pertussis, 33 cases
of encephalopathy and 56 pertussis-related deaths were reported during
2001-2003. Fifty-one (91%) of the deaths were among infants aged [younger
than] 6 months, and 42 (75%) of the deaths were among infants aged
[younger than] 2 months.
Compared with other age groups, the greatest number of reported cases was
among persons aged 10-19 years. Among the 6,090 (63%) of 9,609 persons in
this age group reported as having confirmed pertussis, 1,570 cases (26%)
were confirmed by an epidemiologic link to a confirmed case, 1,356 (22%)
by culture, 1,562 (26%) by PCR [polymerase chain reaction], and 1,511
(25%) by the Massachusetts serologic test. . . .
[From the Editorial Note]
Reported cases of pertussis in the United States have increased since
1976, with a substantial increase among persons aged 10-19 years. Compared
with the increase observed in reported cases among adolescents, the
increases in cases reported in age groups that contain recently vaccinated
children have been small. Compared with older age groups, infants aged
[younger than] 6 months continued to have the highest reported incidence
of pertussis, and Hispanic infants were overrepresented in this group, as
also demonstrated in a previous study. Among all age groups, the reported
pertussis incidence in whites was higher than the incidence in blacks.
However, passive surveillance probably does not equally reflect the
relative burden of pertussis in all racial and ethnic groups; even among
reported cases, race and ethnicity data were complete in only 74% of
cases. . . .
Implementing the ACIP recommendation to vaccinate persons aged 11-18 years
with Tdap should substantially reduce morbidity associated with pertussis
among adolescents. In addition, the cost of case investigations and
outbreak-control measures by local and state health departments likely
will be reduced by an effective vaccination program targeting persons aged
11-18 years. Ensuring high coverage with Tdap in adolescents is an
important step to better control pertussis in the United States.
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To access a web-text (HTML) version of the complete article, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5450a3.htm
To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of this issue of MMWR, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5450.pdf
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January 3, 2006
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION REPORTS ON PANDEMIC INFLUENZA NOW AVAILABLE
ONLINE
Recently, the World Health Organization produced three excellent reports
on pandemic influenza. Information follows.
(1) A succinct overview of pandemic influenza, the first report appeared
December 9, 2005, in the WHO publication Weekly Epidemiological Record.
To access the report, titled "Ten things you need to know about pandemic
influenza," go to:
http://www.who.int/wer/2005/wer8049.pdf and scroll down to the report.
(2) The second is a two-part report on pandemic influenza preparations at
the international, national, and community levels. It appears in the
January 2006 issue of the CDC journal Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID).
To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of Part I ("Nonpharmaceutical
interventions for pandemic flu, international measures"), go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol12no01/pdfs/05-1370.pdf
To access a web-text (HTML) version of it, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol12no01/05-1370.htm
To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of Part II ("Nonpharmaceutical
interventions for pandemic influenza, national and community measures"),
go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol12no01/pdfs/05-1371.pdf
To access a web-text (HTML) version of it, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol12no01/05-1371.htm
The January issue of EID is devoted to a discussion of various aspects of
epidemic influenza, including history, pathogenesis, prevention, policy,
and research.
To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of the complete issue, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol12no01/pdfs/Vol12No01.pdf
To access a web-text (HTML) version of it, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/index.htm
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January 3, 2006
UPDATED: IAC REVISES "IT'S FEDERAL LAW! YOU MUST GIVE YOUR PATIENTS
CURRENT VACCINE INFORMATION STATEMENTS (VISs)"
IAC recently made a minor change to its one-page professional-education
piece "It's federal law! You must give your patients current Vaccine
Information Statements (VISs)." In the section titled "Most current
versions of VISs," the issue dates were updated for the VISs for trivalent
inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV; injectable) and live attenuated
intranasal influenza vaccine (LAIV; nasal spray). The current VIS issue
date for both vaccines is 10/20/05.
To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of the revised "It's federal
law!" go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/2027law.pdf
To access a web-text (HTML) version of it, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/2027law.htm
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January 3, 2006
RUSSIAN-LANGUAGE VISs FOR INFLUENZA AND MENINGOCOCCAL VACCINES ARE REVISED
Changes were recently made to the Russian-language versions of the VIS for
trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV; injectable) and the interim
VIS for meningococcal vaccine. IAC gratefully acknowledges the Minnesota
Department of Health for changing the translations.
VIS for injectable influenza vaccine (dated 10/20/05)
To obtain a ready-to-print (PDF) version of the VIS for TIV in Russian
(revised), go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/ru_flu05.pdf
To obtain it in English, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/2flu.pdf
Interim VIS for meningococcal vaccine (dated 10/7/05)
To obtain a ready-to-print (PDF) version of the interim VIS for
meningococcal vaccine in Russian (revised), go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/ru_men05.pdf
To obtain it in English, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/menin05.pdf
For information about the use of VISs, and for VISs in a total of 33
languages, visit IAC's VIS web section at
http://www.immunize.org/vis
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January 3, 2006
JANUARY 10 TELECONFERENCE TO OFFER A PREVIEW AND UPDATE ON THE NATIONAL
CONFERENCE ON IMMUNIZATION COALITIONS
The National Immunization Coalition TA [technical assistance] Network has
scheduled a teleconference that will present a preview and update on the
National Conference on Immunization Coalitions (NCIC). It will be held at
1:00PM, ET, January 10.
NOTE: CDC will give updates on the current influenza vaccine supply at the
beginning of this teleconference and at the beginning of future
teleconferences throughout the influenza season.
During the course of the teleconference, participants will (1) become
familiar with the history and past evaluations of NCIC, (2) learn the date
and location of the 2006 NCIC, as well as registration options, (3) learn
about the conference agenda and options for submitting an abstract, and
(4) learn how their organization can help support NCIC.
The presenters are Sarah Nasca, MPH, CHES, and Roberta Smith, MSPH. Nasca,
a member of the NCIC program committee, holds the position of instructor,
Department of Pediatrics, Center for Pediatric Research, Eastern Virginia
Medical Center. She is also the coordinator for Project Immunize Virginia.
Smith, the 2006 NCIC conference coordinator, is adult immunization
coordinator, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. She is
also the coordinator of the Colorado Influenza and Pneumococcal Alert
Coalition.
To register for the teleconference, send an email to
IZTA@aed.org Include this message: "Sign
me up for the NCIC update."
For additional information, or to access earlier programs, go to:
http://www.izcoalitionsta.org/confcall.cfm |
