| IAC Express 2006 |
| Issue number 627: October 30, 2006 |
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Contents
of this Issue
Select a title to jump to the article. |
- New: ACIP votes to
recommend Herpes zoster (shingles) vaccine for adults age 60 years and
older
- Mark your calendar: CDC
schedules the live satellite broadcast Adult Immunization 2006 for
December 7
- Influenza summit's web
section posts resources to boost vaccination rates of health workers and
others at risk
- CDC's web section on HPV
infection and vaccine is reformatted; Spanish-language materials are added
- NIP revises its
interactive immunization scheduler for children age 5 years and younger
- CDC update on U.S. mumps
activity during 2006 encourages vaccination for those with high risk for
exposure
- Updated: IAC revises four
of its education sheets for health professionals to include new vaccine
information
- WHO releases its action
plan for increasing the vaccine supply to combat a global influenza
pandemic
- Heads up: The deadline for
abstract submission for NFID's Conference on Vaccine Research is February
2, 2007
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| Abbreviations |
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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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| Issue 627: October
30, 2006 |
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1. |
New: ACIP votes
to recommend Herpes zoster (shingles) vaccine for adults age 60 years and
older
On October 26, CDC issued a press release announcing that ACIP has voted to
recommend herpes zoster (shingles) vaccination for adults age 60 years and
older. It is reprinted below in its entirety.
For Immediate Release
October 26, 2006
CDC'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS "SHINGLES" VACCINATION
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a federal panel of
immunization experts, has recommended people age 60 and older receive a new
vaccine to prevent herpes zoster, or shingles, a condition that often leads
to debilitating chronic pain.
The ACIP to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) voted
Wednesday, October 25, 2006, to recommend a newly licensed zoster vaccine,
Zostavax manufactured by Merck, to protect against shingles be given to all
people age 60 and older, including those who have had a previous episode of
shingles.
"Vaccines aren't just for kids anymore—and this vaccine represents an
important medical breakthrough aimed at improving health in older people,"
said Dr. Anne Schuchat, assistant surgeon general and director of CDC's
National Center for Immunizations and Respiratory Diseases. "These vaccine
recommendations address a health problem for people age 60 and older. It has
been tested and has been found to be safe and effective in providing
protection against shingles and associated chronic pain."
Zostavax, the only zoster vaccine on the market, was studied in approximately
38,000 individuals throughout the United States who were age 60 years and
older. Half received the vaccine and half received a placebo. Study
participants were followed for an average of three years to see if they
developed shingles and, if they did, how long the pain lasted. Zostavax
reduced the occurrence of shingles by about 50 percent and post herpetic
neuralgia (pain persisting after an episode of shingles) by 67 percent.
While the ability for the vaccine to prevent shingles declined with age, the
risk of chronic pain among those older vaccinated persons who still developed
shingles was lowered. The most common reported side effects in vaccine
recipients were mild, such as reactions at the injection site and headache.
Varicella zoster virus (VZV) causes varicella, or chickenpox, and becomes
dormant within the nerves following exposure or a case of chickenpox. It can
reactivate later in life to cause shingles. About 25 percent of people
develop zoster during their lifetime, and there are about one million cases
of shingles per year. The risk is highest in the elderly, and it increases
with age starting at around 50 years. Shingles often causes chronic pain, and
the risk of suffering chronic pain increases with age, starting at 60 years.
Shingles is much less contagious than chickenpox.
The ACIP, consisting of 15 members appointed by the Secretary of the
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), advises the director of CDC
and Secretary of HHS on control of vaccine-preventable disease and vaccine
usage. Recommendations of the ACIP become CDC policy when they are accepted
by the director of CDC and are published in CDC's Morbidity and Mortality
Weekly Report (MMWR).
To access the press release, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/pressrel/r061026.htm
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2. |
Mark Your Calendar: CDC schedules the live satellite
broadcast Adult Immunization 2006 for December 7
The live satellite broadcast and web cast "Adult Immunization 2006" will
update healthcare personnel on current adult immunization recommendations.
The 2.5-hour broadcast is scheduled for December 7 from noon to 2:30PM ET. It
will feature a live question-and-answer session in which participants
nationwide can interact with the course instructors on toll-free telephone
lines.
Program. The program covers the following: the burden of vaccine-preventable
diseases among adults in the United States, highlights from the 2006-2007
Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule, and strategies to improve adult
vaccination coverage levels. It will include a discussion of vaccines
routinely recommended for adults, including influenza, pneumococcal, Tdap,
human papillomavirus, and herpes zoster. The program will also address
vaccines recommended for healthcare personnel and identify resources relevant
to vaccine recommendations for international travel.
Faculty. The course instructors are Donna Weaver, MN, RN, and Andrew Kroger,
MD, MPH. Both are with the CDC's National Center for Immunization and
Respiratory Diseases.
Audience. The program's intended audience includes physicians, nurses, nurse
practitioners, physician assistants, Department of Defense paraprofessionals,
pharmacists, health educators, and their colleagues who either administer
vaccines or set policy for their offices, clinics, or communicable disease or
infection control programs. Private and public healthcare providers,
including pediatricians, family practice specialists, residents, and medical
and nursing students are encouraged to participate.
Registration. Registration is not required. HOWEVER, ONLINE REGISTRATION IS
REQUIRED TO RECEIVE CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS. To register, go to:
http://www2a.cdc.gov/phtnonline Individual registration begins on
November 9.
Questions. For additional registration information, email
ce@cdc.gov or
call (800) 418-7246. For additional program information, email
nipinfo@cdc.gov
Web cast. The program will have a live web cast at
http://www2a.cdc.gov/PHTN/webcast/adult-imm06
For technical support and to prepare for the web cast ahead of time, go to:
http://www.phppo.cdc.gov/phtn/webcast/webtest/technical.asp
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3. |
Influenza
Summit's web section posts resources to boost vaccination rates of health
workers and others at risk
The web section of the National Influenza Vaccine Summit was recently updated
with resources for increasing the influenza vaccination rates of healthcare
workers and others for whom the vaccine is recommended. These two resources
will be of particular interest to IAC Express readers:
(1) National Influenza Vaccine Summit Health Care Worker Home Page, which
offers links to information from the federal government and toolkits from
national organizations and state health departments. To access it, go to:
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/16633.html
(2) Summit Influenza Immunization Tools for Providers, which offers links to
toolkits from national organizations and state health departments, a billing
chart, and the summit's Influenza Vaccine Availability Tracking System. To
access it, go to:
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/16952.html
The National Influenza Vaccine Summit web section is part of the website of
the American Medical Association. In addition to the resources mentioned, it
includes presentations from meetings and information about influenza vaccine
manufacturing, supply, and distribution. To access the web site, go to
http://www.ama-assn.org/go/influenzasummit
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4. |
CDC's web section
on HPV infection and vaccine is reformatted; spanish-language materials are
added
The web section on human papillomavirus (HPV) was recently reformatted, and
Spanish-language materials were added. The web section now contains links to
materials on the following topics:
- Facts, including fact sheets and Q&As (some
in Spanish)
- Statistics
- Treatment
- HPV and cervical cancer
- HPV vaccine
- Clinicians' resources
- Educators' resources (including a slide
show, brochure, and poster in Spanish and English)
- Archives
To access the web section, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv
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5. |
NIP revises its
interactive immunization scheduler for children age 5 years and younger
On October 19, the NIP website updated the interactive Childhood Immunization
Schedule for children age 5 years and younger. It allows parents to find out
which vaccinations their child needs simply by entering the child's birth
date. The scheduler is based on the 2006 Childhood and Adolescent
Immunization Schedule.
Parents who use the interactive scheduler are cautioned that the information
it contains may not be accurate for a child who has a condition that affects
the immune system. Parents are also encouraged to consult a clinician for
advice on their child's immunization needs.
To access the scheduler, go to:
http://www2a.cdc.gov/nip/kidstuff/newscheduler_le
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6. |
CDC
update on
U.S. mumps activity during 2006 encourages vaccination for those with high
risk for exposure
CDC published "Brief Report: Update: Mumps Activity—United States, January
1-October 7, 2006" in the October 27 issue of MMWR. Portions of the article
are reprinted below.
During January 1-October 7, 2006, a total of 45 states and the District of
Columbia reported 5,783 confirmed or probable mumps cases to CDC. This
includes 2,597 cases previously reported by 11 states during January 1-April
29, 2006. This report summarizes the epidemiology of mumps cases in the
United States during 2006. With low levels of reported mumps continuing,
healthcare workers should remain alert to suspected mumps, conduct
appropriate laboratory testing, and use every opportunity to ensure adequate
immunity, particularly among populations at high risk for mumps. . . .
Among the 5,783 cases for which weeks of onset are known, cases peaked during
April 16-29, the onset period for 1,498 (26%) cases. The number of reported
cases decreased during May-September, when most students were not attending
college. However, since students began returning to school in August, mumps
clusters have been reported from three college or university campuses in
Illinois (84 cases), Kansas (22 cases), and Virginia (12 cases). Most of
these cases (96%) were reported in persons who had received 2 doses of MMR
[measles, mumps, rubella] vaccine. Because 2 doses of mumps-containing
vaccine are not 100% effective in a setting with high vaccination coverage
such as the United States, most mumps cases likely will occur in persons who
have received the 2 doses. Multiple other factors might have contributed to
the spread of the mumps outbreak (e.g., the close-contact environment of
college dormitories or varying college admission requirements for MMR
vaccination).
Healthcare providers should continue to remain alert for suspected mumps
cases, conduct appropriate diagnostic testing, and report these cases to
local or state health departments. . . .
In response to this nationwide mumps outbreak, ACIP recommendations for
prevention and control of mumps were updated. Evidence of immunity through
documentation of vaccination is now defined as 1 dose of live mumps vaccine
for preschool-aged children and adults not at high risk for exposure and
infection and 2 doses of live mumps vaccine for school-aged children (i.e.,
grades kindergarten-12) and adults at high risk for exposure and infection
(i.e., healthcare workers, international travelers, and students at post-high
school education institutions). Additional recommendations for outbreak
control include administering a second dose of MMR for preschool children and
adults not at high risk for exposure and infection if these persons are part
of a group that is experiencing an outbreak. To ensure high levels of
immunity, especially among groups at high risk for exposure and infection,
every opportunity should be used to provide the first or second dose of MMR
vaccine to those without adequate evidence of immunity (e.g., documentation
of vaccination). Private healthcare providers, clinics, health departments,
healthcare institutions, schools, universities, and colleges should consider
offering MMR vaccine through such settings as routine preventive health
services and special immunization clinics, including providing MMR in
conjunction with influenza vaccine.
To access a web-text (HTML) version of the complete article, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5542a3.htm
To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of this issue of MMWR, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5542.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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7. |
Updated: IAC
revises four of its education sheets for health professionals to Include new
vaccine information
IAC recently updated the following education sheets with new vaccine
information:
Vaccine Handling Tips: Outdated or Improperly Stored Vaccines Won't Protect
Patients! was updated with information about storing human papillomavirus (HPV)
vaccine and zoster (shingles) vaccine. To access a ready-to-print (PDF)
version of the updated piece, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p3048.pdf
Emergency Response Worksheet now reflects a vaccine manufacturer's name
change from Chiron Vaccines USA to Novartis Vaccines. To access a
ready-to-print (PDF) version of the updated piece, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p3051.pdf
Suggested Supplies Checklist for Pediatric and Adult Immunization Clinic was
reformatted to accommodate listings for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine;
rotavirus vaccine; tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccine;
measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV) vaccine; and zoster (shingles)
vaccine. To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of the updated piece, go
to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p3046chk.pdf
Suggested Supplies Checklist for Adult Immunization Clinic was reformatted to
accommodate listings for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine; tetanus,
diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccine; and zoster (shingles) vaccine. To
access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of the updated piece, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p3047.pdf
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8. |
WHO releases its action plan for increasing the vaccine
supply to combat a global influenza pandemic
On October 23, WHO issued a press release announcing the publication of a
document, Global Pandemic Influenza Action Plan to Increase Vaccine Supply.
Portions of the press release are reprinted below. A link to the document is
given at the end of this IAC Express article.
A set of activities identified in the World Health Organization's (WHO's) new
Global Pandemic Influenza Action Plan to Increase Vaccine Supply requires
immediate and sustained action and funding, if the world is to be prepared
for an influenza pandemic to which there would be almost universal
susceptibility.
"We are presently several billion doses short of the amount of pandemic
influenza vaccine we would need to protect the global population. This
situation could lead to a public health crisis," said Dr Marie-Paule Kieny,
director, WHO Initiative for Vaccine Research. "The Global Action Plan sets
the course for what needs to be done, starting now, to increase vaccine
production capacity and close the gap. In just three to five years we could
begin to see results that could save many lives in case of a pandemic. . . ."
To access the complete press release, go to:
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2006/pr58/en/index.html
To access the document, go to:
http://www.who.int/vaccines-documents/DocsPDF06/863.pdf
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9. |
Heads Up: The deadline for abstract submission for
NFID's Conference on Vaccine Research is February 2, 2007
The tenth annual Conference on Vaccine Research, sponsored by National
Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID), will be held in Baltimore on April
30-May 2, 2007. The deadline for abstract submission is February 2, 2007.
To access conference information, including the online abstract submission
form and instructions for submitting an abstract, go to:
http://www.nfid.org/conferences/vaccine07 and click on the pertinent
link(s).
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