IZ Express Issue 833 | Immunize.org

IAC Express 2009
Issue number 833: November 9, 2009

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Contents of this Issue Select a title to jump to the article.
CDC updates its H1N1 web section with information on vaccine supply, dosage, administration, and storage--and much more Leading physician groups urge pregnant women to get both seasonal and 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccines MMWR publishes article on fatal case of human rabies in Missouri in 2008 Healthy pregnant women mount a robust immune response after receiving one dose of 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine HHS orders intravenous antiviral influenza medication to help patients hospitalized with 2009 H1N1 influenza Health Alert Network (HAN) Info Service Message advises clinicians about antiviral treatments for 2009 H1N1 AAP offers information on coding for influenza vaccine and its administration IAC's Video of the Week--"Sneezing 101"--shows how a simple hygiene step can keep you and others healthy "CDC Features" educate the public about issues related to 2009 H1N1 influenza Keep vaccinating against seasonal influenza! Immunization Techniques video (DVD or VHS) offers a great way to give staff high-quality vaccination training CDC's two new flyers educate healthcare providers and parents about the Vaccines for Children program October issue of CDC's Immunization Works electronic newsletter recently released Correction: IAC Express amends statistic on annual number of meningitis cases reported among U.S. infants Notice: November 17 teleconference on infant meningococcal diseases has been postponed Laminated seasonal influenza vaccine pocket guides--FREE!--from the National Influenza Vaccine Summit VISs for 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccines available in 12 additional languages VIS translation: VIS for PPSV vaccine now available in Turkish Pediatrics publishes "Recommendations for Screening, Monitoring, and Referral of Pediatric Chronic Hepatitis B" MMWR publishes article on 2009 human vaccinia infection after contact with raccoon rabies vaccine bait in Pennsylvania Physician toolkit for adolescent immunization ready for downloading Summary report of ACIP's special July meeting on H1N1 influenza is now online National Conference on Immunization and Health Coalitions set for May 26-28 in Chicago; abstracts due February 1

Abbreviations

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.

Issue 833: November 9, 2009

CDC updates its H1N1 web section with information on vaccine supply, dosage, administration, and storage--and much more

CDC recently added or updated the following H1N1 influenza information for healthcare professionals.

Quick facts for clinicians on antiviral treatments for 2009 H1N1
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/antivirals/facts_clinicians.htm

Updated: Antiviral safety information web page
http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1flu/antivirals/safety_info.htm

Monovalent influenza vaccine dosage, administration, and storage
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/dosage.htm

Q & A regarding 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine supply
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/qa_vac_supply.htm

2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccine Supply Status (updated daily at noon ET)
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/vaccinesupply.htm

Letter from CDC to states
http://www.cdc.gov/media/pdf/Final-H1N1-Letter-to-State-Officials--CDC-Director.pdf

Fact Sheet: Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS)
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/factsheet_gbs.htm

2009 H1N1 Influenza: Resources for Pharmacists
http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1flu/pharmacist

List of guidance documents available on CMS H1N1 website
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/pdf/List_of_Annotated_CMS_Links_102609_rev.pdf

CDC's H1N1 Flu web section contains hundreds of documents for healthcare professionals and the public. To access the web section's home page, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu

To make it easy for you to keep up to date with developments, IAC has gathered important information related to H1N1 influenza into a single web section. To access this resource, go to: http://www.immunize.org/h1n1

Leading physician groups urge pregnant women to get both seasonal and 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccines

The American Medical Association recently posted a press release on its website announcing that it, two other physician groups, and CDC have jointly developed a Dear Colleague letter about the importance of vaccinating pregnant women with both seasonal and 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccines. The first two paragraphs of the press release are reprinted below.

At the end of this IAC Express story you will find links to the Dear Colleague letter, to a patient information sheet titled Pregnant Women and the Flu (available in English and Spanish), and to a CDC document titled 2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccine and Pregnant Women: Information for Healthcare Providers.

To help stress the urgent message that pregnant women must get vaccinated against both seasonal influenza and 2009 H1N1 to protect themselves and their unborn baby, the American Medical Association (AMA), American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) joined forces today. In a group letter sent to healthcare professionals nationwide, leaders from the four groups emphasized the increased number of deaths among pregnant women from influenza and provided helpful information for medical professionals.

The letter urges health care professionals to encourage their pregnant patients to get vaccinated and counsel them on the benefits of the vaccine. Both the seasonal influenza vaccine and the H1N1 vaccine are safe to administer to pregnant women in any trimester and can be given simultaneously. Pregnant women should be given the flu shot, not the nasal spray version of the vaccine. . . .

To access the Dear Colleague letter, go to:
http://www.ama-assn.org/assets/h1n1/mm/pregnant-colleague-letter.pdf

To access the full press release, go to:
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/h1n1/news/pregnant-women-flu-vaccines.shtml

To access the English version of Pregnant Women and the Flu, go to:
http://www.ama-assn.org/assets/h1n1/mm/h1n1-acog-pregnant-women.pdf

To access the Spanish version of Pregnant Women and the Flu, go to:
http://www.ama-assn.org/assets/h1n1/mm/h1n1-acog-preg-women-sp.pdf

To access the CDC document 2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccine and Pregnant Women: Information for Healthcare Providers, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/providers_qa.htm

MMWR publishes article on fatal case of human rabies in Missouri in 2008

CDC published "Human Rabies--Missouri, 2008" in the November 6 issue of MMWR. Portions of the article are reprinted below.

On November 24, 2008, the Missouri State Public Health Laboratory notified CDC of suspected rabies in a man aged 55 years from Missouri. The man had been bitten by a bat 4-6 weeks before symptom onset and had not sought medical care at the time of the bite. After visiting two emergency departments (EDs) with symptoms consistent with rabies, he was hospitalized on November 23 and treated using the Milwaukee protocol. On November 26, infection with a rabies virus variant associated with silver-haired bats was confirmed. The patient died on November 30. This report summarizes the patient's treatment and clinical course. The report highlights the importance of raising public awareness of rabies, particularly the risk for rabies after bat and other wildlife exposures. Healthcare providers should maintain a high clinical suspicion for rabies in patients with a recent animal bite history and unexplained encephalitis. . . .

Editorial Note:
The death described in this report illustrates the importance of promptly seeking medical evaluation after any potential bat exposure (i.e., any direct contact between a human and a bat) regardless of the health of the bat. Rabies is preventable if rabies immune globulin and vaccine are administered soon after an exposure. Bat exposures are of special concern because of the higher risk associated with bat exposures and because the wounds they inflict often are minor and easily overlooked. For bat contacts, even finding a bat in the same room might qualify as a potential exposure if the person might be unaware that a bite or direct contact had occurred (e.g., a deeply sleeping person awakens to find a bat in the room, an adult sees a bat in the room with a previously unattended child, mentally disabled person, or intoxicated person), although such situations should not be considered exposures if rabies can be ruled out by diagnostic testing of the bat, or circumstances suggest it is unlikely that an exposure took place.

Once symptoms begin, rabies has no standard treatment and is nearly always fatal. The Milwaukee protocol is an experimental treatment for rabies that was first used in 2004 as therapy in a Wisconsin patient who recovered from the disease. Subsequent attempts to treat rabies patients have been unsuccessful in North America; however, initial recovery was noted in one patient in Equatorial Guinea, whose subsequent death was attributed to malnutrition rather than rabies. . . .

Public education remains an important part of rabies prevention. Persons who are unvaccinated against rabies or lack appropriate training should be warned against handling bats. Campaigns aimed at elevating rabies awareness also should address misconceptions and attitudes that can lead to a lack of timely responsiveness to rabies virus exposures.

To access the full article in web-text (HTML) format, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5843a3.htm

To receive a FREE electronic subscription to MMWR (which includes new ACIP recommendations), go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/mmwrsubscribe.html

Healthy pregnant women mount a robust immune response after receiving one dose of 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine

On November 2, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a press release titled "Initial Results Show Pregnant Women Mount Strong Immune Response to One Dose of 2009 H1N1 Flu Vaccine." A portion of the press release is reprinted below.

Healthy pregnant women mount a robust immune response following just one dose of 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine, according to initial results from an ongoing clinical trial sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the National Institutes of Health.

"For pregnant women, who are among the most vulnerable to serious health problems from 2009 H1N1 infection, these initial results are very reassuring," says NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, MD. "The immune responses seen in these healthy pregnant women are comparable to those seen in healthy adults at the same time point after a single vaccination, and the vaccine has been well tolerated."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, since the outbreak began last spring, at least 100 pregnant women have been hospitalized in intensive care units in the United States and at the last official count, 28 pregnant women have died. . . .

To read the complete press release, go to:
http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/11/20091102a.html

HHS orders intravenous antiviral influenza medication to help patients hospitalized with 2009 H1N1 influenza

On November 5, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released a statement to the press regarding contract awards for antiviral drugs to help treat hospitalized 2009 H1N1 influenza patients. The first three paragraphs of the press release follow.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced contract awards for up to 120,000 treatment courses of intravenous (IV) antiviral drugs to help treat hospitalized 2009 H1N1 influenza patients.

Patients hospitalized with 2009 H1N1 influenza are evaluated to determine if antiviral drugs will be useful; some patients are not able to take the drugs that are currently available as pills or liquid and may benefit from intravenous antiviral medications.

To help meet the potential need for IV medications to combat the H1N1 virus, HHS ordered 10,000 treatment courses each from BioCryst, Roche, and GlaxoSmithKline, totaling $31.5 million. The contracts allow HHS to place additional orders of up to 30,000 treatment courses with each manufacturer over two years. Roche manufactures Tamiflu; GlaxoSmithKline, Relenza; and BioCryst manufactures Peramivir. . . .

To access the full press release, go to:
http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/11/20091105a.html

Health Alert Network (HAN) Info Service Message advises clinicians about antiviral treatments for 2009 H1N1

On November 6, CDC's Health Alert Network issued an Info Service Message containing key issues for clinicians concerning antiviral treatments for 2009 H1N1 influenza. The message advises clinicians that currently not all people recommended for antiviral treatment are being treated. It outlines recommendations for clinicians in making the judgment to treat and presents links to a variety of relevant CDC and FDA documents.

To read the HAN Info Service Message, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1flu/HAN/110609.htm

AAP offers information on coding for influenza vaccine and its administration

Pages 6-10 of the November issue of the AAP Immunization Initiatives Newsletter are devoted to an article titled "Coding for the Product & Administration of Influenza Vaccine." In addition, two other influenza coding documents are available on the AAP website; links to those are given below.

To access the November issue of the newsletter, go to:
http://www.cispimmunize.org/resour/pdf/November2009_enews.pdf

To access the 3-page document titled "Coding for Monovalent Influenza A (H1N1) Influenza Vaccine," go to:
http://www.aap.org/new/CodingMonovalentInfluenzaA.pdf

To access the 4-page document titled "Coverage and Payment for the H1N1 Influenza Immunization Services," go to:
http://www.aap.org/new/H1N1CoveragePayment.pdf

To be added to the AAP Immunization Initiatives Newsletter listserv, email cispimmunize@aap.org with "Newsletter" in the subject line and your name and email address in the body of the email.

IAC's Video of the Week--"Sneezing 101"--shows how a simple hygiene step can keep you and others healthy

"Sneeze in your sleeve" is the message of this entertaining 2-minute video developed by the Virginia Department of Health. As a team of school-age "researchers" demonstrate, proper sneezing technique can reduce the spread of influenza virus infection.

The video will be available on the home page of IAC's website through November 15. To access it, go to: http://www.immunize.org and click on the image under the words Video of the Week. 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. To view an IAC Video of the Week from the past, go to the video archive at http://www.immunize.org/votw

"CDC Features" educate the public about issues related to 2009 H1N1 influenza

The "CDC Features" web section now includes information for the public on five topics related to 2009 H1N1 influenza.

(1) "H1N1 Flu Vaccine--Why the Delay?" includes a short video to help explain how flu vaccines are made and why manufacturing and shipping vaccine takes so long.

To access "H1N1 Flu Vaccine--Why the Delay?" go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/Features/H1N1VaccineDelay

(2) "Frequently Asked Questions about the Safety of the 2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccine" provides the answers to 10 commonly asked questions about the safety of H1N1 influenza vaccines.

To access "Frequently Asked Questions about the Safety of the 2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccine," go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/Features/H1N1Vaccine

(3) "Asthma and 2009 H1N1 Flu" provides information on how to protect adults and children with asthma from influenza, and what to do if a person with asthma develops symptoms of influenza.

To access "Asthma and 2009 H1N1 Flu," go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/Features/AsthmaH1N1

(4) "Pregnancy and 2009 H1N1 Flu: Protect Yourself, Protect Your Baby" teaches pregnant women how to avoid contracting seasonal and H1N1 influenza and its possible serious complications.

To access "Pregnancy and 2009 H1N1 Flu: Protect Yourself, Protect Your Baby," go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/Features/PregnantH1N1Flu

(5) "Pneumonia Can Be Prevented--Vaccines Can Help" teaches that although pneumonia, on a global scale, causes more deaths than any other infectious disease, it can often be prevented with vaccines and can usually be treated with antibiotics or antiviral drugs.

To access "Pneumonia Can Be Prevented--Vaccines Can Help," go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/Features/Pneumonia

To access an alphabetical index of all "CDC Features," go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/az

10.

Keep vaccinating against seasonal influenza!

If you're wondering if you should continue to vaccinate patients against seasonal influenza now that H1N1 influenza vaccine has become available, the answer is YES! The 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine will not protect people against seasonal influenza, and seasonal influenza vaccine will not protect against H1N1 influenza.

To assist providers in finding seasonal influenza vaccine available for purchase, the National Influenza Vaccine Summit supports IVATS (Influenza Vaccine Availability Tracking System). IVATS provides information about vaccine manufacturers and distributors with vaccine available for purchase. To access this information in Excel spreadsheet format, go to:
http://www.preventinfluenza.org/ivats/ivats_09_10.xls

Many resources regarding influenza disease and vaccination are available to healthcare professionals and the public. Following is a list of some of them.

To access the National Influenza Vaccine Summit website, go to:
http://www.preventinfluenza.org

To access IAC's Seasonal Influenza web section, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/influenza

To access IAC's H1N1 Influenza web section, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/h1n1

To access CDC's Seasonal Flu web section, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu

To access CDC's Novel H1N1 Flu web section, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu

To access IAC's print pieces related to influenza, including screening questionnaires, patient education pieces, and sample standing orders, go to: http://www.immunize.org/printmaterials/dis_inf.asp

11.

Immunization Techniques video (DVD or VHS) offers a great way to give staff high-quality vaccination training

If your healthcare setting is vaccinating a lot more people than usual because of H1N1 influenza, this is a great time for your staff to review the recommended immunization techniques shown in the video Immunization Techniques: Safe, Effective, Caring. This popular and highly lauded 35-minute video offers healthcare providers a way to train their staff--quickly, effectively, and affordably (only $10.50 for each DVD or VHS ordered).

Developed in 2001 by the California Department of Health Services Immunization Branch in collaboration with a team of national experts, the video teaches best practices for administering intramuscular (IM) and subcutaneous (SC) vaccines to infants, children, and adults. PLEASE NOTE however, that because the video was released in 2001, it does NOT provide instruction on administering the nasal-spray influenza vaccines or the oral rotavirus vaccines. These vaccines were licensed after 2001.

Available in DVD and VHS formats, the video is designed for use as a "hands-on" instructional program for new staff, as well as a refresher course for experienced healthcare professionals. It discusses the following:

Anatomic sites
Choice of needle size
Vaccines and routes of administration
Demonstrations of infants, toddlers, kindergartners, and adults being vaccinated
How to "draw up" doses of vaccine

PRICING, ORDERING, AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. The cost is $10.50 per copy of the DVD or VHS.

For additional information about the DVD, or to order online or to download an order form, visit
http://www.immunize.org/shop/toolkit_iztechdvd.asp

For additional information about the VHS, or to order online or to download an order form, visit
http://www.immunize.org/shop/toolkit_iztechvhs.asp

12.

CDC's two new flyers educate healthcare providers and parents about the Vaccines for Children program

CDC recently posted two new flyers on its web section for the Vaccines For Children (VFC) program.

To access the flyer "Information for Parents from CDC: Get help paying for your child's vaccines!" go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/programs/vfc/downloads/flyer-vfc-parents-508.pdf

To access the flyer "Information for Healthcare Providers from CDC: VFC will benefit your patients and your practice!" go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/programs/vfc/downloads/flyer-vfc-hcp-508.pdf

13.

October issue of CDC's Immunization Works electronic newsletter recently released

CDC recently released the October issue of its monthly newsletter Immunization Works; it is posted on the website of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD). The newsletter offers the immunization community information about current topics. The information is in the public domain and can be reproduced and circulated widely.

Most of the information in the October issue has already appeared in previous issues of IAC Express. Here are the titles of articles in the October issue:

CDC Publishes VISs for Influenza Vaccines
Update on Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccines
Standing Orders for Administering Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccines Now Available
Stay Informed! [this article provides links to websites with up-to-date H1N1 influenza information]
Nation's Teen Vaccination Coverage Increasing--Variability Observed by Area, Race/Ethnicity, and Poverty Status
Increased Hib Vaccine Supplies
CDC Publishes Revised VISs for PPSV23, Rabies, and Shingles
Provisional Recommendations for Use of Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed
Updated Recommendations for Use of Hepatitis A Vaccine in Close Contacts of Newly Arriving International Adoptees
MMWR Report Underscores the Importance of Pneumococcal Vaccination
ACIP Recommends Revaccination of Persons at Prolonged Increased Risk for Meningococcal Disease
Update on Vaccine-Derived Polioviruses
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Funds Awarded
Human Papillomavirus Vaccination NetConference
Seasonal and H1N1 Influenza Articles Available for Reprinting
Clinical Vaccinology Course
Epidemiology & Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Course
National Immunization Conference
National Infant Immunization Week
2010 National Coalition Conference

To access the complete October issue from CDC's Vaccines & Immunizations website, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/news/newsltrs/imwrks/2009/200910.htm

14.

Correction: IAC Express amends statistic on annual number of meningitis cases reported among U.S. infants

In IAC Express #830, dated November 2, 2009, IAC made an error of fact in the article titled "November 17 webcast and teleconference on the impact of infant meningococcal disease to feature renowned experts" (http://www.immunize.org/express/issue830.asp#n11).

The article stated that CDC estimates that infant meningococcal disease affects 1,000-3,000 U.S. infants each year. The accurate information is that CDC estimates that each year there are approximately 400 cases of meningococcal disease among U.S. children younger than age 5 years and approximately 1,000-3,000 cases among people of all ages. IAC regrets the error and any inconvenience it may have caused readers of IAC Express.

15.

Notice: November 17 teleconference on infant meningococcal diseases has been postponed

The organizers of the IMD [Infant Meningococcal Disease] Aware Coalition's November 17 teleconference on infant meningococcal disease have informed us that the teleconference has been postponed. The teleconference was announced in the November 2 issue of IAC Express. We will notify readers once we learn the date of the rescheduled teleconference.

16.

Laminated seasonal influenza vaccine pocket guides--FREE!--from the National Influenza Vaccine Summit

With vaccination against 2009 H1N1 influenza underway, it is important to remember that seasonal influenza vaccination efforts must continue. To aid in these efforts, the Immunization Action Coalition is inviting IAC Express readers to place orders now for the National Influenza Vaccine Summit's 2009-10 Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Pocket Information Guides. They're free!

These laminated, 3.75 x 6.75-inch, 2-color cards serve as a convenient reference for front-line healthcare professionals who vaccinate patients. The cards provide the following information:

Indications, contraindications, and precautions for the injectable and intranasal seasonal influenza vaccines
Populations targeted for seasonal influenza vaccination
Dosage and route of administration for all the various seasonal influenza vaccine products
Talking points for discussing seasonal influenza vaccination with patients

See an image of the seasonal influenza vaccine pocket guide at
http://www.preventinfluenza.org/fluguide/pocketguide_flu.pdf

These pocket guides also serve as a reminder to keep giving seasonal influenza vaccine throughout the influenza season (through the spring months).

The Summit is also pleased to be able to offer pocket guides for the administration of pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV). See an image of the PPSV pocket guide at
http://www.immunize.org/ppvguide/pocketguide.pdf

Each of these pocket guides is designed to be used by healthcare professionals only; THEY ARE NOT PATIENT HANDOUTS.

HOW TO ORDER
Each order must be for a minimum of 100 pocket guides. Place your order at http://www.preventinfluenza.org/pocketguides There is no cost for the pocket guides, shipping, or handling within the U.S. Quantities are limited, so to avoid disappointment, place your order today!

If you have questions, email admininfo@immunize.org

BACKGROUND
These pocket guides were developed by, and are being provided under the sponsorship of the National Influenza Vaccine Summit, http://www.preventinfluenza.org The Summit brings together public and private stakeholders to facilitate and promote influenza vaccination. The pocket guides are also distributed by many major medical, nursing, and pharmacist organizations, specialty societies, state health departments, Indian Health Service Area facilities, Quality Improvement Organizations, Visiting Nurse Associations, community vaccinators, and many others.

Thanks for your dedication to immunization, and don't forget to keep vaccinating against seasonal influenza through the spring months!

17.

VISs for 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccines available in 12 additional languages

Dated 10/2/09, the VISs for 2009 H1N1 inactivated influenza vaccine (injectable) and 2009 H1N1 live attenuated influenza vaccine (nasal spray) are now available in Amharic (spoken in Ethiopia), Armenian, Bulgarian, Burmese, Cambodian, Oromo (spoken in Ethiopia and Kenya), Polish, Portuguese, Samoan, Serbo-Croatian, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese. IAC gratefully acknowledges the Massachusetts Department of Public Health for the Portuguese translations; the California Department of Public Health, Immunization Branch, for the Armenian, Cambodian, Bulgarian, Burmese, Polish, Samoan, Serbo-Croatian, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese translations; and the Minnesota Department of Health for the Amharic and Oromo translations.

VISs FOR THE INJECTABLE 2009 H1N1 INFLUENZA VACCINE

To access the new translations (Amharic, Armenian, Bulgarian, Burmese, Cambodian, Oromo, Polish, Portuguese, Samoan, Serbo-Croatian, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese), of the VIS for the injectable 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine, as well as this VIS in English and other translations, go to: http://www.immunize.org/vis/vis_h1n1_inactive.asp Click on the pertinent languages.

VISs FOR THE NASAL-SPRAY 2009 H1N1 INFLUENZA VACCINE

To access the new translations (Amharic, Armenian, Bulgarian, Burmese, Cambodian, Oromo, Polish, Portuguese, Samoan, Serbo-Croatian, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese) of the VIS for the nasal-spray 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine, as well as this VIS in English and other translations, go to: http://www.immunize.org/vis/vis_h1n1_live.asp Click on the pertinent languages.

For information about the use of VISs, and for VISs in more than 35 languages, visit IAC's VIS web section at
http://www.immunize.org/vis

For general information about VISs from CDC's website go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis

18.

VIS translation: VIS for PPSV vaccine now available in Turkish

The current version of the VIS for pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV), dated 10/6/09, is now available on the IAC website in Turkish. IAC gratefully acknowledges Mustafa Kozanoglu, MD, and Murat Serbest, MD, for the translation.

To obtain the VIS for PPSV in Turkish, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/tu_pne97.pdf

To obtain the VIS for PPSV in English, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/pneum3.pdf

For information about the use of VISs, and for VISs in more than 35 languages, visit IAC's VIS web section at
http://www.immunize.org/vis

For general information about VISs from CDC's website go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis

19.

Pediatrics publishes "Recommendations for Screening, Monitoring, and Referral of Pediatric Chronic Hepatitis B"

The November issue of AAP's journal Pediatrics includes an article titled "Recommendations for Screening, Monitoring, and Referral of Pediatric Chronic Hepatitis B." The abstract is reprinted blow.

Most children with chronic hepatitis B virus infection (persistent hepatitis B surface antigen-positive for >6 months) are asymptomatic and do not generally require treatment. These children are, however, at increased risk for severe complications later in life, including advanced liver disease and liver cancer. On November 11, 2008, the Hepatitis B Foundation, a nonprofit research and disease advocacy organization, convened a panel of nationally recognized North American pediatric liver specialists to consider and recommend an approach for the screening, monitoring, initial management, and referral of children with chronic hepatitis B. The panel developed recommendations to provide guidance to practitioners on determining what additional tests to conduct, how often to monitor on the basis of test results, and when to refer to a pediatric liver specialist to build a partnership between the practitioner and liver specialist to enhance the success of management of children with this lifelong infection.

To access the abstract, go to:
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/124/5/e1007

The full text of the article is available to Pediatrics subscribers and at medical libraries.

20.

MMWR publishes article on 2009 human vaccinia infection after contact with raccoon rabies vaccine bait in Pennsylvania.

CDC published "Human Vaccinia Infection After Contact with a Raccoon Rabies Vaccine Bait--Pennsylvania, 2009" in the November 6 issue of MMWR. A summary made available to the press is reprinted below in its entirety.

Dog owners should not attempt to remove baits from a dog's mouth. Gloves or plastic bags should be used to pick up and examine baits if necessary and additional baits that might be picked up by dogs or other pets should be removed from the immediate area. Individuals who are concerned that they might have been exposed to oral rabies vaccine from a ruptured bait should call the phone number written on the bait or call their local health department.

Vaccination of raccoons (and other wildlife) for rabies is accomplished in the United States using a live, oral vaccine. The vaccine is distributed in baits, which are ingested by raccoons. Vaccinia virus is the live component in the oral rabies vaccine. In August 2009, shortly after initiation of the autumn baiting campaign in western Pennsylvania, a woman developed multiple vaccinia virus lesions on her hand approximately five days after coming into contact with the oral rabies vaccine. Liquid vaccine had dripped onto her skin from a punctured bait that she had retrieved from her dog. The woman, who had been taking immune suppressive medications to treat inflammatory bowel disorder, was treated with vaccinia immunoglobulin and an investigational anti-viral agent.

To access the full article in web-text (HTML) format, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5843a2.htm

21.

Physician toolkit for adolescent immunization ready for downloading

Updated in 2009, "Be Wise--Immunize: Physician Toolkit for Adolescents" is a comprehensive reference guide on adolescent vaccinations for physicians and their staff. Published by the Texas Medical Association and Texas Medical Association Alliance, the toolkit contains a few resources pertinent only to Texas (e.g., Texas vaccination requirements, Texas Vaccines for Children program). Most of the materials have universal application, however.

To access the toolkit, go to: http://www.texmed.org/Template.aspx?id=2656#Toolkits Scroll down to the subhead titled Adolescent Vaccination. Click on the hyperlink titled Be Wise--Immunize Physician Toolkit for Adolescents.

22.

Summary report of ACIP's special July meeting on H1N1 influenza is now online

The CDC website recently posted the Summary Report of ACIP's special July 29 meeting on H1N1 influenza. To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of the report, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/acip/downloads/min-jul09.pdf

23.

National Conference on Immunization and Health Coalitions set for May 26-28 in Chicago; abstracts due February 1

The National Conference on Immunization and Health Coalitions will take place in Chicago on May 26-28. The event host is the Chicago Area Immunization Campaign.

Abstracts are being sought on many topics. The deadline for submitting abstracts is February 1; submissions must be in electronic format. To access the Call for Abstracts and the submission form, go to:
http://www.ilmaternal.org/ncihc/CallforAbstracts.pdf

The early registration fee is $260, a savings of $40 off the regular $300 registration fee. The deadline for early registration is February 12. To register online, go to: http://www.ilmaternal.org/ncihc/registration.html

For comprehensive conference information, including information on the conference program, go to: http://www.ilmaternal.org/ncihc2010.html Click on the links in the dark purple box located in the lower right corner of the web page.

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