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IAC Express 2009 |
| Issue number 799: May 18, 2009 |
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Please click here to subscribe to IAC Express
as well as other FREE IAC periodicals. |
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Contents
of this Issue
Select a title to jump to the article. |
- CDC
downgrades Travel Health Warning regarding travel to
Mexico to a Travel Health Precaution
- CDC
develops new H1N1 influenza educational resources
- Tomorrow
is World Hepatitis Day!
- MMWR
Notice to Readers recognizes hepatitis month and day
- MMWR
Notice to Readers announces new hepatitis B initiative
- IAC's Video of the Week answers questions about the number,
safety, and timing of childhood vaccines
- Re-translations of IAC's "Screening Questionnaire for Adult
Immunization" and "Vaccinations for Adults--You're NEVER too
old to get immunized!" available in seven languages
- IAC updates its professional-education piece "Pneumococcal
polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV): CDC answers your questions"
- The Vaccine Education Center offers a new resource on
aluminum in vaccines
- May 15 issue of MMWR includes article about H1N1 influenza
previously published as a MMWR Dispatch
- Date for
ACIP meeting changed to June 24-26
- Summary Report from the February 2009 ACIP meeting now
online
- MMWR publishes report on pediatric bacterial meningitis
surveillance in Africa
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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; AMA, American Medical Association; CDC, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention; FDA, Food and Drug Administration; IAC, Immunization
Action Coalition; MMWR, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report; NCIRD,
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases; NIVS, National
Influenza Vaccine Summit; VIS, Vaccine Information Statement; VPD,
vaccine-preventable disease; WHO, World Health Organization. |
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Issue 799: May 18, 2009 |
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1. |
CDC downgrades Travel Health Warning regarding travel to Mexico to a Travel
Health Precaution
On May 15, CDC issued a Travel Health Precaution
titled "CDC
Travel Health Warning for Novel H1N1 Flu in Mexico Removed." The
introductory sentence and first two sections follow.
CDC's Travel Health Warning recommending against non-essential
travel to Mexico, in effect since April 27, 2009, has now been
downgraded to a Travel Health Precaution for Mexico.
Current Situation
CDC has been monitoring the ongoing outbreak of novel H1N1 flu
in Mexico and, with the assistance of the Mexican authorities,
has obtained a more complete picture of the outbreak. There is
evidence that the Mexican outbreak is slowing down in many
cities though not all. In addition, the United States and other
countries are now seeing increasing numbers of cases not
associated with travel to Mexico. Finally, the risk of severe
disease from novel H1N1 virus infection now appears to be less
than originally thought.
CDC Recommendations
At this time, CDC has removed its recommendation that U.S.
travelers avoid travel to Mexico.
CDC continues to recommend that travelers visiting Mexico take
steps to protect themselves from getting novel H1N1 flu.
CDC recommends that travelers at high risk for complications
from any form of influenza discuss with their physicians the
risks and benefits of travel in the context of their planned
itinerary to Mexico, and may want to consider postponing travel.
Travelers at high risk for complications include:
- Children less than 5 years old
- Persons aged 65 years or older
- Children and adolescents (less than 18 years) who are
receiving long-term aspirin therapy and who might be at risk for
experiencing Reye syndrome after influenza virus infection
- Pregnant women
- Adults and children who have chronic pulmonary,
cardiovascular, hepatic, hematological, neurologic,
neuromuscular, or metabolic disorders
- Adults and children who have immunosuppression (including
immunosuppression caused by medications or by HIV)
- Residents of nursing homes and other chronic-care facilities
To read the entire document, which includes information on
preparing for a trip, what to do if a person gets sick during
travel, and more, go to:
http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/content/travel-health-precaution/novel-h1n1-flu-mexico.aspx
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2. |
CDC develops new H1N1 influenza educational resources
CDC has created several new tools that may be
useful to
clinicians and public health officials during the H1N1 influenza
epidemic.
(1) CDC and HHS are working together to provide social media
tools to encourage sharing, collaboration, and interactivity
during the current novel H1N1 influenza outbreak. Widgets,
mobile information, online videos, and the like reinforce and
personalize messages, reach new audiences, and build a
communication infrastructure based on open information exchange.
To access these new tools, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/socialmedia/h1n1
(2) CDC offers resources for employers--including guidance
documents and a PowerPoint presentation--to provide general H1N1
influenza information to employees, constituents, and other
partners at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/business
(3) CDC has developed an audio public service announcement to
provide information and guidance for recent fraudulent activity
surrounding ads for influenza remedies. Visit
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/psa/consumerfraud.htm to listen to
the announcement. Please share this link with others.
Remember, the home page of CDC's H1N1 Flu web section can be
accessed from http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu
Interim guidance documents from CDC can be accessed directly
from http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1flu/guidance
IAC has gathered important information related to H1N1 influenza
in a new web section to make it easier to keep up to date with
developments. To access this resource, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/h1n1
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3. |
Tomorrow is World Hepatitis Day!
May 19 is the second World Hepatitis Day.
Intended to increase
global awareness of the prevalence of and seriousness of viral
hepatitis disease, World Hepatitis Day is being coordinated by
the World Hepatitis Alliance, a non-governmental organization
that represents almost 200 hepatitis B and hepatitis C patient
groups from around the world. The World Hepatitis Alliance is a
global voice for the 500 million people worldwide living with
chronic viral hepatitis B (HBV) or chronic viral hepatitis C
(HCV).
The global campaign's theme is "Am I Number 12?" This concept
was designed not only to communicate the incredible statistic
that one in 12 people worldwide has HBV or HCV, but also to
encourage people to question themselves and get tested. This
inclusive theme is intended to combat the stigma often
associated with hepatitis B and C by highlighting the extent of
hepatitis viral infection across the world in a memorable way.
For information on the global campaign, go to:
http://www.worldhepatitisday.org
For information on planning efforts in the U.S., visit the
National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable at
http://www.nvhr.org/WHD-2009.htm
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4. |
MMWR Notice to Readers recognizes hepatitis month and day
CDC published "National Hepatitis Awareness Month
and World
Hepatitis Day--May 19, 2009" as a Notice to Readers in the May
15 issue of MMWR. The article follows in its entirety.
May is National Hepatitis Awareness Month in the United States,
and May 19 is World Hepatitis Day. Both events draw attention to
the large but often underrecognized burden of disease and death
associated with viral hepatitis and the importance of prevention
and early detection. An estimated 4.5 million persons in the
United States are living with chronic hepatitis B (HBV) or
hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, which together represent the
major cause of chronic liver disease and liver cancer. In 2006,
chronic viral hepatitis contributed to at least 15,000 deaths in
the United States. Globally, hepatitis B and C also are health
threats, killing approximately 1.5 million persons per year.
A comprehensive public heath approach comprising interventions
to protect vulnerable populations from infection (e.g.,
vaccination and adoption of safe injection procedures) and
timely screening and care for chronic HBV and HCV infection can
reduce the health burden of viral hepatitis. Additional
information about viral hepatitis is available at
http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis Information about World Hepatitis
Day activities is available at http://www.nvhr.org/WHD-2009.htm
To access a web-text (HTML) version of the complete article, go
to: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5818a5.htm
To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of this issue of MMWR,
go to: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5818.pdf
To receive a FREE electronic subscription to MMWR (which
includes new ACIP recommendations), go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/mmwrsubscribe.html
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5. |
MMWR Notice to Readers announces new hepatitis B initiative
CDC published "National Hepatitis B Initiative
for Asian
Americans/Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders" as a
Notice to Readers in the May 15 issue of MMWR. The article
follows in its entirety, excluding one reference.
CDC and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, along
with members of the National Task Force on Hepatitis B Expert
Panel, have created a strategic plan, Goals and Strategies to
Address Chronic Hepatitis B in Asian Americans/Native Hawaiian
and Other Pacific Islander Populations, which addresses the
disproportionate impact of chronic hepatitis B in these minority
communities.
An estimated 1.4 million persons in the United States are living
with chronic hepatitis B, and more than half are Asian Americans
and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders. These
populations have the highest rates of chronic hepatitis B among
all racial/ethnic groups in the United States and also a
disproportionately high risk for liver cancer. The HBV
infection-related death rate among Asian Americans and Native
Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders is seven times greater than
the rate among whites.
The strategic plan outlines the health education, screenings,
care, and research needed to reduce and eventually eliminate
chronic hepatitis B among Asian Americans and Native Hawaiian
and Other Pacific Islanders. Additional information is available
at http://www.omhrc.gov/templates/browse.aspx?lvl=2&lvlid=190
To access a web-text (HTML) version of the complete article, go
to: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5818a6.htm
To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of this issue of MMWR,
go to: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5818.pdf
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6. |
IAC's Video of the Week answers questions about the number, safety, and
timing of childhood vaccines
IAC encourages IAC Express readers to watch a
14-minute video
featuring Heidi Murkoff, the author of the popular What to
Expect When You're Expecting prenatal and parenting books, and
Dr. Jay M. Lieberman, pediatrician and professor of pediatrics,
University of California School of Medicine, Irvine. Intended
for the general public, the video answers questions about the
number, safety, and timing of childhood vaccinations.
The video will be available on the home page of IAC's website
through May 24. To access it, go to: http://www.immunize.org and
click on the image under the words Video of the Week, which
you'll find toward the top of the page. It may take a few
moments for the video to begin playing; please be patient!
Remember to bookmark IAC's home page to view a new video every
Monday. While you're at our home page, we encourage you to
browse around--you're sure to find resources and information
that will enhance your practice's immunization delivery.
All the videos featured as an IAC Video of the Week have
recently been archived in a new section of IAC's website. To
view any of the videos previously featured, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/votw/apr09.asp
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7. |
Re-translations of IAC's "Screening Questionnaire for Adult Immunization" and
"Vaccinations for Adults--You're NEVER too old to get immunized!" available
in seven languages
IAC recently had two of its popular print pieces
re-translated
to match the changes made to the English versions in April. The
updated versions of "Screening Questionnaire for Adult
Immunization" and "Vaccinations for Adults--You're NEVER too old
to get immunized!" are now available in Spanish, Arabic,
Chinese, French, Korean, Russian, and Vietnamese.
To access the Spanish translation of "Screening Questionnaire
for Adult Immunization," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4065-01.pdf
To access the Arabic translation of "Screening Questionnaire for
Adult Immunization," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4065-20.pdf
To access the Chinese translation of "Screening Questionnaire
for Adult Immunization," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4065-08.pdf
To access the French translation of "Screening Questionnaire for
Adult Immunization," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4065-10.pdf
To access the Korean translation of "Screening Questionnaire for
Adult Immunization," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4065-09.pdf
To access the Russian translation of "Screening Questionnaire
for Adult Immunization," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4065-07.pdf
To access the Vietnamese translation of "Screening Questionnaire
for Adult Immunization," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4065-05.pdf
To access the English version of "Screening Questionnaire for
Adult Immunization," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4065.pdf
To access the Spanish translation of "Vaccination for Adults--You're NEVER too old to get immunized," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4030-01.pdf
To access the Arabic translation of "Vaccination for Adults--You're NEVER too old to get immunized," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4030-20.pdf
To access the Chinese translation of "Vaccination for Adults--You're NEVER too old to get immunized," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4030-08.pdf
To access the French translation of "Vaccination for Adults--You're NEVER too old to get immunized," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4030-10.pdf
To access the Korean translation of "Vaccination for Adults--You're NEVER too old to get immunized," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4030-09.pdf
To access the Russian translation of "Vaccination for Adults--You're NEVER too old to get immunized," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4030-07.pdf
To access the Vietnamese translation of "Vaccination for Adults--You're NEVER too old to get immunized," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4030-05.pdf
To access the English version of "Vaccination for Adults--You're
NEVER too old to get immunized," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4030.pdf
To access additional FREE, ready-to-print translations from the
IAC website, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/printmaterials/translations.asp
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8. |
IAC
updates its professional-education piece "Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine
(PPSV): CDC answers your questions"
IAC recently made several changes to its
print resource for
healthcare professionals titled "Pneumococcal polysaccharidevaccine (PPSV): CDC answers your questions." Its content was
updated to reflect recently issued ACIP provisional
recommendations on PPSV use.
To access the revised "Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine
(PPSV): CDC answers your questions," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p2015.pdf
IAC's Print Materials web section offers healthcare
professionals and the public approximately 250 FREE English-language materials (many also available in translation), which
we encourage website users to print out, copy, and distribute
widely. To access all of IAC's free print materials, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/printmaterials
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9. |
The
Vaccine Education Center offers a new resource on aluminum in vaccines
The Vaccine Education Center (VEC) at the
Children's Hospital of
Philadelphia recently developed a new education sheet, "Aluminum
in Vaccines: What you should know." Intended for patients,
parents, and providers, the sheet answers the most frequently
asked questions about the use and safety of aluminum in
vaccines. English- and Spanish-language versions are available.
Health professionals can order two 50-sheet pads in each
language at no charge. Additional pads are available for $3,
plus shipping.
To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version of the sheet in English, click
here.
To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version of the sheet in Spanish, click
here.
Order by completing the online form at
https://www.chop.edu/vaccine/vec/profOrder.cfm#form or email
vaccines@email.chop.edu or call (215) 590-9990.
For additional ordering information, go to:
http://www.chop.edu/consumer/jsp/division/generic.jsp?id=75982
View all VEC's quality education materials at
https://www.chop.edu/consumer/jsp/division/generic.jsp?id=81901
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10. |
May 15 issue of MMWR includes article about H1N1 influenza previously
published as a MMWR Dispatch
The May 15 issue of MMWR includes an article,
"Novel Influenza A
(H1N1) Virus Infections in Three Pregnant Women--United States,
April–May 2009." It was previously published as a MMWR Dispatch
on May 12 and was covered in the May 13 issue of IAC Express.
The title and link to the MMWR article follow:
To access a web-text version of the article, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5818a3.htm
To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of this issue of MMWR,
go to: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5818.pdf
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11. |
Date for ACIP meeting changed to June 24-26
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
(ACIP) will
hold its next meeting on June 24-26 at CDC's Clifton Road campus
in Atlanta. Previously the meeting was scheduled for June 24-25.
The meeting is open to the general public.
To attend the ACIP meeting at the Clifton Road campus, ACIP
attendees (participants and visitors) must register online. June
5 is the online registration deadline for non-U.S. citizens.
June 12 is the deadline for U.S. citizens.
To access the online registration form, go to:
http://www2a.cdc.gov/nip/ACIP/JuneRegistration.asp
To access detailed information about the meeting, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/acip/meetings.htm#register
There you will find links to the meeting agenda, driving
directions, and other useful material.
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12. |
Summary Report from the February 2009 ACIP meeting now online
The CDC website recently posted the Summary
Report of ACIP's
February 25-26 meeting.
To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of the report, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/acip/downloads/min-feb09.pdf
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13. |
MMWR publishes report on pediatric bacterial meningitis surveillance in
Africa
CDC published "Pediatric Bacterial Meningitis
Surveillance--African Region, 2002–2008" in the May 15 issue of MMWR. A
portion of the summary made available to the press is reprinted
below.
A surveillance network for three childhood killers in Africa is
providing valuable data that informs vaccine introduction in
hard-hit countries. Each year, 500,000 children in Africaare killed by bacterial meningitis and pneumonia caused by
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), and Streptococcus
pneumoniae. In addition, Neisseria meningitidis is responsible
for recurring large-scale epidemics of bacterial meningitis. A
sentinel surveillance system was established in 2001 in 26
countries in the region, which has been useful for decisions to
use Hib vaccine in some countries. This network needs to be
maintained and strengthened to inform decisions about vaccine
introduction to prevent bacterial meningitis and pneumonia
caused by S. pneumoniae and N. meningitidis, and to monitor the
impact of vaccination.
To access a web-text (HTML) version of the complete article, go
to: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5818a2.htm
To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of this issue of MMWR,
go to: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5818.pdf
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