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Immunization Works! May 2010 Issue
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Immunization Works Monthly Update is provided to national health care provider and consumer groups for distribution to their members and constituencies. The immunization information provided is non-proprietary and is encouraged to be widely disseminated.
Front Page News
FDA Revises Recommendations for Rotavirus Vaccines: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revised its recommendations for rotavirus vaccines for the prevention of the disease in infants and has determined that it is appropriate for clinicians and health care professionals to resume the use of Rotarix and to continue the use of RotaTeq. The FDA reached its decision based on a careful evaluation of information from laboratory results from the manufacturers and the FDA’s own laboratories, a thorough review of the scientific literature, and input from scientific and public health experts, including members of the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee. Further information can be found at the FDA News and Events site
. Additional information is available from FDA for parents and caregivers and health care providers and public health professionals.
News & Summaries
Use of Combination Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella Vaccine, Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP): The May 7, 2010, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) presents new recommendations regarding use of the combination measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccine (MMRV, ProQuad, Merck & Co., Inc). For the first dose of measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccines at age 12–47 months, either MMR vaccine and varicella vaccine or MMRV vaccine may be used. Providers who are considering administering MMRV vaccine should discuss the benefits and risks of both vaccination options with the parents or caregivers. Unless the parent or caregiver expresses a preference for MMRV vaccine, CDC recommends that MMR vaccine and varicella vaccine should be administered for the first dose in this age group. For the second dose of measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccines at any age (15 months–12 years) and for the first dose at age ≥48 months, use of MMRV vaccine generally is preferred over separate injections of its equivalent component vaccines (i.e., MMR vaccine and varicella vaccine). This recommendation is consistent with ACIP’s 2009 provisional general recommendations regarding use of combination vaccines which state that use of a combination vaccine generally is preferred over its equivalent component vaccines.
The Adult Hepatitis Vaccine Project – California, 2007-2008: The May 7, 2010, MMWR contains a report that summarizes the project. Since hepatitis B vaccine was first released in 1981, a public health goal has been to vaccinate adults at risk for infection because of risky sexual behaviors and needle-sharing practices. However, vaccination coverage for this group has remained low. During 2007, in the United States, among the estimated 43,000 persons newly infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV), the highest rate was reported among persons aged 25-44 years, and the majority of these infections were among at-risk adults. Surveillance data were similar in California. In 2006, when the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended that hepatitis B vaccination be offered to all adults as part of routine prevention services in settings where a high proportion of those served are at increased risk, CDC launched a national initiative encouraging states to use existing federal funds to purchase adult hepatitis B–containing (HepB) vaccine. For more information, please see the full article, The Adult Hepatitis Vaccine Project -- California, 2007-2008 in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Rotavirus Vaccination Coverage Among Infants Aged 5 Months: Data from Immunization Information System (IIS) sentinel sites shows that rotavirus vaccine (RV) coverage increased following vaccine introduction and, in June 2009, averaged 72% at the eight currently participating IIS sentinel sites. However, ≥1 dose RV coverage among infants aged 5 months was 13% lower than the average coverage with ≥1 dose of DTaP and PCV7 at these same sites. Lower RV coverage could reflect typical new-vaccine coverage dynamics, the presence of RV-specific barriers, or both. Identifying and reducing barriers to vaccination and educating parents and providers about the health benefits of rotavirus vaccination should increase coverage and help prevent severe rotavirus disease. For more information, please see the full article, Rotavirus Vaccination Coverage Among Infants Aged 5 Months -- Immunization Information System Sentinel Sites, United States, June 2006-June 2009 in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
CDC Publishes Revised VISs for Anthrax, Human Papillomavirus (HPV), Japanese Encephalitis (JE), Pneumococcal Conjugate (PCV13) and Rotavirus: Specifics about the changes follow:
Anthrax: The anthrax VIS
[PDF-74KB -2 pages] was updated mainly to reflect the new routine 5-dose schedule. Other changes were made throughout, including differentiating between pre- and post-exposure schedules and updating the adverse events section.
Human Papillomavirus (HPV): Two VISs, Gardasil [PDF-64KB - 2 pages] and Cervarix [PDF-60KB - 2 pages], one for each licensed HPV vaccine; replace the single VIS previously available. These changes follow the licensure of Cervarix and approval of Gardasil for use in males.
Japanese Encephalitis (JE): Licensure of a second Japanese encephalitis vaccine also led to the development of two JE VISs, Ixiaro [PDF94-KB - 2 pages] and JE-VAX [PDF-67KB - 2 pages], one for each vaccine. As of spring 2011, the JE-VAX vaccine is no longer available and the VIS was removed from the web site.
Pneumococcal Conjugate (PCV13): The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine VIS [PDF-54KB - 2 pages] originally written for the 7-valent vaccine, was updated to apply to the recently-licensed 13-valent formulation.
Rotavirus: The rotavirus VIS [PDF-64KB - 2 pages] was updated to note the presence of porcine circovirus which is in both of the rotavirus vaccines.
For general information about VISs please visit the CDC VIS webpage. For information about the use of VISs, and for VISs in more than 35 languages, visit the Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) VIS webpage.
Save the Date: Join us for CDC’s annual Immunization Update on August 5, 2010. This satellite broadcast and webcast will feature several topics and highlight current and late-breaking immunization issues.
Stay Up-to-Date on the Latest Changes: CDC offers several new training courses for immunization providers. A self-study course focusing on Adult Immunization is expected to be released June 15, 2010. The annual Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases has just been released. It has been expanded to nine self-study modules.
Save the Date: World Pneumonia Day is November 12, 2010. The day will mobilize efforts to fight a neglected disease that kills more than two million children younger than the age of five worldwide each year. Nearly 100 organizations came together to commemorate the first-ever World Pneumonia Day in 2009. Events took place in more than 30 countries across 6 continents. More than 200 people attended the Global Pneumonia Summit in New York City and many more followed the live webcast online. Global media outreach efforts generated widespread international coverage on pneumonia.
Save the Date: Get Smart About Antibiotics Week is November 15-21, 2010. The event marks an annual effort to coordinate the work of CDC’s Get Smart: Know When Antibiotics Work campaign, state-based appropriate antibiotic use campaigns, non-profit partners, and for-profit partners. This one week observance highlights the issue of antibiotic resistance and the importance of appropriate antibiotic use. For the first time in 2010, CDC’s event will coincide with the European Antibiotic Awareness Day as an international partnership.
Influenza Update
Stay Informed! Information is updated frequently. Please visit the following websites for the latest updates:
Influenza Activity in the United States and Composition of the 2010-11 Influenza Vaccine: The April 16, 2010, MMWR reports the emergence and spread of the 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus resulted in substantial influenza activity in the United States throughout the summer and fall months of 2009, with activity peaking in late October. Activity declined beginning in November 2009 but continued at lower levels through March 2010. The 2009 H1N1 virus remained the dominant circulating influenza virus throughout the season. This report summarizes the influenza activity from August 30, 2009, the start of the 2009-10 influenza season, through March 27, 2010, and also reports on the 2010-11 Northern Hemisphere influenza vaccine strain selection. For more information, please see the full article, Update: Influenza Activity -- United States, August 30, 2009-March 27, 2010, and Composition of the 2010-11 Influenza Vaccine in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.State-Specific Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Coverage in the United States: The April 30, 2010, MMWR reports the advent of the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) pandemic in April 2009 made the 2009-10 influenza season highly unusual. Public awareness of the potential seriousness of influenza was heightened by media coverage of pandemic-associated hospitalizations and deaths, especially among younger persons. In the fall, the distribution of two separate influenza vaccines began, with distinct, although overlapping, recommendations from the ACIP. The results, compared with the previous season, suggest large increases in coverage for children and a moderate increase for adults aged 18-49 years without high-risk conditions. Health departments are working with CDC and other partners to identify and share best practices that lead to higher vaccination coverage that supported effective vaccination services. For more information, please see the full article, Interim Results: State-Specific Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Coverage -- United States, August 2009-January 2010 in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Meetings, Conferences & Resources
Another terrific NIC: More than 1,600 attendees participated in the 44th National Immunization Conference (NIC), held April 19-22, 2010, in Atlanta, GA. Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, provided the keynote address. The Phil Horne award went to Dr. Anne Schuchat, Director of CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Disease. The Hilleman Lecture was delivered by Dr. Nancy Cox, Director of the Influenza Division at CDC. Handouts and audio/video recordings from the conference will soon be available online at the NIC website. Remember to mark your calendars for the 45th NIC, to be held March 28-31, 2011, in Washington, DC.
National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW): April 24-May 1, 2010 marked the 16th anniversary of NIIW. Since 1994, NIIW has served as a call to action for parents, caregivers, and health care providers to ensure that infants are fully immunized. Hundreds of communities across the United States celebrated infant immunizations during the week with health fairs, free immunization clinics, educational forums for parents and health care providers, family-friendly events, and media campaigns. CDC vaccine experts visited several NIIW events throughout the country and talked to health care providers about current immunization topics. This year, CDC also developed new educational materials for parents and providers, including a parent-friendly immunization chart with information about vaccine-preventable diseases and a well-child visit tracker, where parents can record information about their children’s vaccines, milestones, and growth.
Over the years, NIIW has become a global celebration, with more than 60 countries around the world participating. For the seventh consecutive year, the United States-Mexico Border Health Commission partnered with the Pan American Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Mexico Secretariat of Health, and the ten border states to highlight the importance of protecting infants from vaccine-preventable diseases and celebrate the achievements of immunization programs along the United States-Mexico border. Las Cruces, NM hosted the inaugural event for NIIW/Vaccination Week in the Americas. The inaugural ceremony was followed by a professional conference that focused on improving immunization strategies in the U.S. - Mexico border region consisting of a series of plenary presentations delivered by selected researchers and specialists in infant and childhood immunizations including Dr. Melinda Wharton, Deputy Director, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, CDC; Dr. Vesta Richardson Lopez, General Director, National Center for Child and Adolescent Health (CENSIA); and other local partners. New Mexico First Lady Barbara Richardson showed her support for NIIW and attended the conference and presented awards to providers and individuals who have made a significant impact in improving immunization rates in New Mexico.
Many thanks to all the communities and partners who work tirelessly not only during NIIW/VWA, but throughout the year, to ensure that infants are protected against vaccine-preventable diseases!
2010 National Coalition Conference: The 9th National Conference on Immunization and Health Coalitions will be held May 26-28, 2010 in Chicago, IL. The conference will showcase successful ways in which health coalitions can improve immunization protection, prevent disease, improve access to care and health outcomes for underserved populations, reduce racial, ethnic, and geographic health disparities, educate new populations, and build community health infrastructures.
International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases: The International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases (ICEID) will be held July 11-14, 2010 in Atlanta, GA. The conference brings together public health professionals and encourages the exchange of scientific and public health information on global emerging infectious disease issues. ICEID 2010 will focus on the impact of various intervention and preventive strategies that have been implemented to address emerging infectious disease threats. Registration is now open. For more information, visit the ICEID website.
Program Managers Web Page: CDC’s Vaccines and Immunizations’ program managers web page was recently overhauled. During the NIC volunteers helped the Program Operations Branch and the NCIRD web team test its new design. The goal was to make it much easier for program managers and grantee staff to find regularly accessed information and resources. The page includes a feedback link so it can continue to be improved.
Newsletter Available: The Division of Bacterial Diseases (DBD) publishes a newsletter titled the DBD Bulletin. The newsletter highlights the work of DBD staff and provides updates and other resources. The Spring issue is availble on the DBD website.
CDC Training Opportunities: Through established programs, CDC offers many unique training opportunities in infectious diseases, including international opportunities. For a current listing of CDC training opportunities, please visit CDC’s Public Health Training web page.
CDC Job Openings: CDC is committed to recruiting and hiring qualified candidates for a wide range of immunization and other positions. Researchers, Medical Officers and Epidemiologists and other specialties are often needed to fill positions within CDC. For a current listing, including international opportunities, please visit CDC’s Employment web page.
The Immunization Works Database Manager can be contacted at:
nipimmzwrks@cdc.gov.
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Content last reviewed on May 27, 2010
Content Source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases
