IAC Express 2011

Issue number 965: December 5, 2011

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Contents of this Issue
Select a title to jump to the article.
  1. CDC publishes report on recent human-to-human transmission of novel influenza A(H3N2) virus in Iowa
  2. It's National Influenza Vaccination Week: CDC's collection of resources will help you get the word out
  3. IAC's Video of the week offers a selection of influenza videos for National Influenza Vaccination Week
  4. Spotlight on immunize.org: influenza handouts for patients and staff
  5. CDC publishes report on increased measles transmission and outbreaks in Europe in 2011
  6. NCIRD publishes article that summarizes votes taken at the October ACIP meeting
  7. October issue of CDC's Immunization Works newsletter now available
  8. CDC develops influenza materials for refugees
  9. CDC publishes report on the introduction of rotavirus vaccine in Latin America and the Caribbean during 2006-2010
  10. Award-winning DVD! "Immunization Techniques: Best Practices with Infants, Children, and Adults"--from the California Department of Public Health, Immunization Branch
  11. Bulk quantities of the 2011-12 Influenza Vaccine Pocket Guides and PPSV Pocket Guides available--FREE!--from the National Influenza Vaccine Summit
  12. IAC posts Thai translation of the VIS for meningococcal vaccines
  13. January 9 is the nomination deadline for the Association of Immunization Managers' 2012 Natalie J. Smith, MD, Award
 
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 965: December 5, 2011
1.  CDC publishes report on recent human-to-human transmission of novel influenza A(H3N2) virus in Iowa

CDC published "Limited Human-to-Human Transmission of Novel Influenza A (H3N2) Virus--Iowa, November 2011" in the December 2 issue of MMWR. The first paragraph and a box titled "What is already known on this topic?" are reprinted below.

Note: This report was published as an MMWR Dispatch dated November 23 and posted on the MMWR website on November 29.


On November 20, 2011, CDC confirmed three cases of swine-origin triple reassortant influenza A (H3N2) (S-OtrH3N2) virus infection in children in two counties in Iowa. None of the children were hospitalized, and each has recovered from a mild episode of febrile respiratory illness. All three were in contact with one another, and none had a known recent exposure to swine. No additional human infections with this virus have been detected in Iowa, and no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission of this S-OtrH3N2 virus exists; surveillance is ongoing.

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ON THIS TOPIC?
Swine influenza viruses have been reported sporadically to infect humans. In the United States, seven cases of swine-origin triple reassortant influenza A (H3N2) (S-OtrH3N2) virus infection have been reported in 2011. Cases usually occur after exposure to swine.

WHAT IS ADDED BY THIS REPORT?
This report summarizes an investigation of three confirmed cases of human infection with S-OtrH3N2 virus in Iowa associated with limited person-to-person transmission. Cases occurred among children in contact with one another, and all cases were mild and self-limited. No child had known exposure to swine. The viruses identified are similar to seven previous cases reported in 2011, but these are the first cases reported from Iowa.

WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE?
State health departments are advised to report suspect novel influenza viruses detected through influenza surveillance promptly to CDC. Persons with influenza-like illnesses who have had contact with swine are encouraged to be tested for influenza.


To access the article, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6047a3.htm
 
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2 It's National Influenza Vaccination Week: CDC's collection of resources will help you get the word out

National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) was established to highlight the importance of continuing influenza vaccination throughout the holiday season and after. This year, it's scheduled for December 4-10.

NIVW COMMUNICATION MATERIALS
CDC has produced a broad range of communication materials that drive home the message that influenza is a serious disease and vaccination is the best protection against it. Materials include posters and brochures, fact sheets, a media toolkit, web tools, audio and video public service announcements, ready-to-print matte articles, and more.

To access these materials, go to the NIVW home page at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/NIVW

ADD YOUR NIVW ACTIVITY TO CDC'S FORM
If you are planning an activity during NIVW or beyond to encourage influenza vaccination, CDC would like to hear from you. Provide details about your NIVW activities at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/NIVW/form.htm

To see what others have planned for NIVW, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/NIVW/activities.htm

NIVW ANNOUNCEMENT IN MMWR
On December 2, MMWR published "Announcement: National Influenza Vaccination Week--December 4-10, 2011." The first paragraph is reprinted below.


National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) is a national observance established to highlight the importance of continuing influenza vaccination and to foster greater use of influenza vaccine through the holiday season into January and beyond. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, CDC, and other partners are conducting related activities during NIVW (December 4-10, 2011).


To access the article, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6047a5.htm
 
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3 IAC's Video of the week offers a selection of influenza videos for National Influenza Vaccination Week

National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) was established to highlight the importance of continuing to vaccinate people against influenza throughout the December holiday season and afterward. CDC provides links to several excellent videos and public service announcements (PSAs) that highlight the importance of influenza vaccination. In addition, you can also select videos developed by various immunization organizations.

The selection of influenza videos will be available on the home page of IAC's website through December 11. To access the videos, go to: http://www.immunize.org and click on the links in the box titled Video of the Week.

Remember to bookmark IAC's home page to view a new video every Monday.

To access the archives of IAC's Videos of the Week, go to: http://www.immunize.org/votw
 
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4 Spotlight on immunize.org: influenza handouts for patients and staff

It's National Influenza Vaccination Week! So if you're looking for quick access to influenza vaccination-related handouts for patients and staff, look no further. IAC's Influenza Handouts web section features more than a dozen pieces to help you carry out your vaccination activities this week and during the entire flu season.

To access IAC's Influenza Handouts, visit http://www.immunize.org/handouts/influenza-vaccines.asp

IAC's Handouts for Patients and Staff web section offers healthcare professionals and the public approximately 250 FREE English-language handouts (many also available in translation), which we encourage website users to print out, copy, and distribute widely. To access all of IAC's free handouts, go to: http://www.immunize.org/handouts
 
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5 CDC publishes report on increased measles transmission and outbreaks in Europe in 2011

CDC published "Increased Transmission and Outbreaks of Measles--European Region, 2011" in the December 2 issue of MMWR. A press summary of the article is reprinted below.


The European Region (EUR) is experiencing increased transmission and outbreaks of measles, primarily due to the failure to vaccinate the susceptible populations. Following 3 years of historic low incidence of measles in the European Region, the number of reported measles cases increased sharply since 2009. During 2011, 26,074 measles cases with outbreaks in 36 countries have been reported as of October 26, predominantly among older children and adults who were unvaccinated or had unknown vaccination status. Failure to vaccinate the susceptible populations is the primary reason for the increased transmission of measles virus in EUR, which poses a serious challenge to achieving the regional measles elimination goal by 2015. Eliminating measles in EUR by 2015 will require achieving =>95 percent coverage with 2 doses of measles-containing vaccine across a wide age range including adults, implementing effective outbreak control measures, and further strengthening surveillance.


To access the article, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6047a1.htm
 
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6 NCIRD publishes article that summarizes votes taken at the October ACIP meeting

The October issue of CDC's Immunization Works electronic newsletter contains an article that summarizes the votes taken at ACIP's October meeting. It is reprinted below.


ACIP Meeting: At the October 25-26, 2011, Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting in Atlanta, the ACIP voted for some new recommendations for currently used vaccines. These recommendations become official when published in the MMWR.

The ACIP voted to recommend one of the human papillomavirus vaccines, HPV4, for use in males 11 through 21 years of age. Additionally providers may use this vaccine for 9 through 10 year olds males and 22 through 26 year old males. Either HPV4 or HPV2 vaccine is recommended for females 11 through 26 years of age and providers may use either vaccine for females 9 through 10 years. The ACIP also recommends Hepatitis B vaccine for adults younger than 60 years with diabetes. Providers may give Hepatitis B to diabetic adults 60 years old or older. ACIP also voted to approve the recommended childhood and adult schedules for the 2012 calendar year. These schedules will be published in February.

Lastly ACIP discussed potential new recommendations for meningococcal conjugate vaccines for infants, pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for immunocompromised adults, influenza disease activity in the United States, the effectiveness of influenza vaccine, measles disease activity in the Americas, and the potential need for revaccination of immunocompetent HIV-infected children who received measles-mumps-rubella vaccine previously while they were immunocompromised. Please visit ACIP meetings (http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/acip/meetings.htm) for additional information.


To access the October issue of Immunization Works, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/news/newsltrs/imwrks/2011/201110.htm
 
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7 October issue of CDC's Immunization Works newsletter now available

CDC recently released the October issue of its monthly newsletter Immunization Works and posted it 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. The issue includes this announcement:


Immunization Works Newsletter Distribution List: Beginning in January, 2012, the Immunization Works newsletter will no longer be sent directly to your e-mail account. The newsletter will continue to be posted on the NCIRD Immunization Works newsletter web page
(http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/news/newsltrs/imwrks). To ensure you continue to receive the newsletter, you should visit the web page and click on the mailbox icon titled "get e-mail updates." By doing so, you will be notified immediately about the posting of future Immunization Works newsletters. We encourage you to share this link with your members so that they, too, can receive the most recent newsletter and information on immunizations. Stay tuned also for our new Twitter account to be announced in January.


Many articles in the October Immunization Works newsletter have been covered in this or previous issues of IAC Express. Following are titles of some of the notable articles that appear in the October issue.
  • Updated Hepatitis A VIS and Meningococcal VIS
     
  • Updated Recommendations for Use of Tdap in Pregnant Women and Persons Who Have or Anticipate Having Close Contact with an Infant Younger than 12 Months
     
  • ACIP Recommendations for Use of Quadrivalent Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine among Children Aged 9-23 Months at Increased Risk for Invasive Meningococcal Disease

To access the October issue, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/news/newsltrs/imwrks/2011/201110.htm

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8 CDC develops influenza materials for refugees

CDC has developed four influenza handouts intended to improve refugees' knowledge of influenza. Written in the native languages of refugee populations commonly resettled in the United States, the documents are tailored for low literacy populations. Each handout uses minimal text and visual cues to portray influenza information. Following are the titles of the four handouts.
  • Influenza (Flu) and You
  • Cleaning to Prevent Flu
  • Talking to Children about Flu
  • If Your Child Gets Sick with Flu

Each of the four handouts is available in English and the following ten languages: (1) Amharic (spoken in Ethiopia); (2) Arabic; (3) Burmese; (4) Dzongkha (spoken in Bhutan); (5) Farsi (spoken in Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Iran); (6) Karen (spoken in Burma, Thailand); (7) Kirundi (spoken in Burundi, Tanzania, Congo-Kinshasa, Uganda); (8) Nepali; (9) Oromo (spoken in Ethiopia); (10) Somali.

To access CDC's Immigrant and Refugee Resources web page, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/resources

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9 CDC publishes report on the introduction of rotavirus vaccine in Latin America and the Caribbean during 2006-2010

CDC published "Progress in the Introduction of Rotavirus Vaccine--Latin America and the Caribbean, 2006-2010" in the December 2 issue of MMWR. Reprinted below is a press summary of the article.


In 2010, some 7 million infants or [an estimated] 66 percent of the infants born in Latin America and the Caribbean were immunized against rotavirus infection, leading to substantial declines in the burden of hospitalizations and deaths from diarrhea in this region. Two effective rotavirus vaccines are now available for protecting children against rotavirus infection, the leading cause of childhood diarrhea, and the World Health Organization recommends these vaccines for all infants worldwide. By 2011, 14 of the 32 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean had made the vaccine available for all infants through their national immunization program. Studies from countries in this region have shown declines in the burden of hospitalizations and deaths related to severe diarrhea after rotavirus vaccine introduction. The successful uptake of rotavirus vaccines in these low-income and middle-income countries demonstrates that new vaccines can successfully reach the target populations in a timely manner after introduction.


To access the article, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6047a2.htm
 
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10.  Award-winning DVD! "Immunization Techniques: Best Practices with Infants, Children, and Adults"--from the California Department of Public Health, Immunization Branch

In 2010, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Immunization Branch, updated its award-winning training video, "Immunization Techniques: Best Practices with Infants, Children, and Adults." The 25-minute program can be used to train new employees and to refresh the skills of experienced staff. The video demonstrates the skills and techniques needed to administer vaccines to patients of all ages.

Prices start at $17 each for 1-9 copies and are greatly reduced for large orders, dropping to $3 each for 1,000-1,499 copies.

To learn more about the DVD, and find out how to order it, go to: http://www.immunize.org/dvd

For quotes on larger quantities, call (651) 647-9009 or email admininfo@immunize.org

The Immunization Action Coalition is the only nationwide vendor of the DVD.

Note for healthcare settings located in California: Contact your local health department immunization program for a free copy.
 
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11.  Bulk quantities of the 2011-12 Influenza Vaccine Pocket Guides and PPSV Pocket Guides available--FREE!--from the National Influenza Vaccine Summit

To aid in efforts to vaccinate against influenza and pneumococcal disease, readers are invited to place orders now for bulk quantities of the National Influenza Vaccine Summit's 2011-12 Influenza Vaccine Pocket Information Guide and Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccination (PPSV) Pocket Guide. Both are free--you can order them in the hundreds or thousands!

These laminated, 3.75 x 6.75-inch, 2-color cards serve as a convenient reference for front-line healthcare professionals who vaccinate patients. Place a bulk order now, and your organization will be ready to educate healthcare professionals at upcoming immunization training sessions and conferences. Each staff person who administers influenza or PPSV vaccine needs these handy resources.

See an image of the influenza vaccine pocket guide at http://www.immunize.org/pocketguides/pocketguide_flu.pdf

See an image of the PPSV pocket guide at http://www.immunize.org/pocketguides/pocketguide_ppsv.pdf

The 2011-12 influenza pocket guide and PPSV pocket guide are designed to be used by healthcare professionals only; THEY ARE NOT PATIENT HANDOUTS.

HOW TO ORDER
Place your order at http://www.preventinfluenza.org/pocketguides There is no cost for the pocket guides, shipping, or handling within the U.S.

If you have questions, email admininfo@immunize.org
 
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12.  IAC posts Thai translation of the VIS for meningococcal vaccines

IAC recently posted a Thai translation of the VIS for meningococcal vaccines on its website. IAC thanks Asian Pacific Health Care Venture for the translation.

To access the Thai translation of the VIS for meningococcal vaccines, as well as the English version, go to: http://www.immunize.org/vis/vis_meningococcal.asp

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
 
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13.  January 9 is the nomination deadline for the Association of Immunization Managers' 2012 Natalie J. Smith, MD, Award

The Association of Immunization Managers (AIM) is soliciting nominations for the 2012 Natalie J. Smith, MD, Award for excellence in program management. Nominations are due on January 9, 2012. The award is given annually to an outstanding program manager of one of the 64 federal immunization grantee immunization programs. The recipient of the 2012 award will be named on February 1, 2012, at the CDC/AIM Program Managers meeting in Atlanta.

For background information, selection criteria, and access to the nomination form, go to: http://www.immunizationmanagers.org/membership/natalie_smith_award.phtml and click on the hyperlinked text titled "2012 Natalie J. Smith, M.D. Award Nomination Form."
 
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About IZ Express

IZ Express is supported in part by Grant No. 1NH23IP922654 from CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. Its contents are solely the responsibility of Immunize.org and do not necessarily represent the official views of CDC.

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Editorial Information

  • Editor-in-Chief
    Kelly L. Moore, MD, MPH
  • Managing Editor
    John D. Grabenstein, RPh, PhD
  • Associate Editor
    Sharon G. Humiston, MD, MPH
  • Writer/Publication Coordinator
    Taryn Chapman, MS
    Courtnay Londo, MA
  • Style and Copy Editor
    Marian Deegan, JD
  • Web Edition Managers
    Arkady Shakhnovich
    Jermaine Royes
  • Contributing Writer
    Laurel H. Wood, MPA
  • Technical Reviewer
    Kayla Ohlde

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