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Div. of Media Relations
1600 Clifton Road
MS D-14
Atlanta, GA 30333
(404) 639-3286
Fax (404) 639-7394 |
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Synopsis for July 19, 2002
The MMWR is embargoed until 12 Noon, ET,
Thursdays.
- Tetanus ― Puerto Rico, 2002
- Pertussis Deaths ― United States, 2000
- Hepatitis B Vaccination Among High-Risk Adolescents
and Adults ― San Diego, California 1998–2001
Note: There is no telebriefing
scheduled for July 18, 2002.
Synopsis for July 19, 2002
Tetanus ― Puerto Rico, 2002
Tetanus vaccine is inexpensive, safe, and effective.
PRESS CONTACT:
Francisco Alvarado-Ramy, MD
Puerto Rico Department of Health
(787) 274–5527 |
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Between February and May 2002, the Puerto Rico Department of Health
(PRDOH) received reports of three tetanus cases, two of which were fatal.
None of the three persons had a definite history of prior vaccination with
tetanus toxoid and none was younger than 60 years of age. This is
consistent with the experience of the United States as a whole where
tetanus is associated with lack of vaccination or incomplete vaccination,
and more frequently occurs in older age groups. The increased risk in
older persons is thought due to the greater likelihood that they never
received a primary vaccination series or might not have received
subsequent tetanus boosters. Now that the tetanus vaccine shortage has
ended, health-care providers should review the vaccination status of all
patients and administer tetanus vaccine (Td) as indicated.
Pertussis Deaths ― United States, 2000
Medical care providers should consider pertussis as a cause of new
cough illness in persons of all ages.
PRESS CONTACT:
Kris Bisgard, MD
CDC, National Immunization Program
(404) 639–8255
(Alternate: Kelly Plott, same phone number) |
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In 2000, 17 pertussis (i.e., whooping cough) deaths were reported in the
United States. All deaths occurred in U.S.-born infants who became sick
before 4 months of age. Infants vulnerable to Bordetella pertussis
infection are those aged <6 months or those who have not yet received 3
doses of diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis (DTaP)
vaccine. B. pertussis can be transmitted to vulnerable infants by
infected parents, siblings, and others. To help prevent additional cases
of pertussis, antibiotics can be used to treat persons with pertussis and
their close contacts, including exposed infants. Timely vaccination of
infants and children according to current recommendations remains the most
effective way for parents and health-care providers to prevent pertussis.
Infants should receive the first DTaP vaccine at age 2 months, followed by
doses at ages 4, 6, and 15–18 months, and a booster dose at age 4–6
years.
Hepatitis B Vaccination Among High-Risk Adolescents and
Adults ― San Diego, California 1998–2001
San Diego County has implemented a
community-wide hepatitis B vaccination program for high-risk adolescents
and adults.
PRESS CONTACT:
Joanna Buffington, MD, MPH
CDC, National Center for Infectious Diseases
(404) 371–5460 |
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The program has been integrated into existing programs that serve high
risk persons, such as clinics for the treatment of sexually transmitted
diseases. Approximately 1.2 million persons in the United States have
chronic HBV infection, and an estimated 4,000 – 5,000 persons die each
year from HBV-related liver diseases. Despite the availability of a safe
and effective vaccine that has been recommended for persons at high risk
of infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection for more than 20
years, adults and older adolescents with high-risk sex and drug behaviors
are still not getting routinely vaccinated.
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