Issue 975: January 31, 2012

TOP STORIES

VACCINE INFORMATION STATEMENTS

FEATURED RESOURCES

JOURNAL ARTICLES AND NEWSLETTERS

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS



TOP STORIES

Spotlight on immunize.org: 28 more healthcare organizations join IAC's Honor Roll
IAC encourages qualifying healthcare organizations to apply for its Honor Roll for Patient Safety. The honor roll recognizes hospitals, medical practices, professional organizations, and government entities that have taken a stand for patient safety by implementing mandatory influenza vaccination policies for healthcare workers. More than 170 organizations are now enrolled.

Since November 21, when IAC Express last reported on the Honor Roll for Patient Safety, the following 28 institutions have been enrolled.

Institutions

Middlesex Hospital, Middletown, CT; Decatur County Memorial Hospital, Greensburg, IN; HealthSouth Deaconess Rehabilitation Hospital, Evansville, IN; Audrain Medical Center, Mexico, MO; Des Peres Hospital, St. Louis, MO; Hermann Area District Hospital, Hermann, MO; Phelps County Regional Medical Center, Rolla, MO; Putnam County Memorial Hospital, Unionville, MO; Ranken Jordan, Maryland Heights, MO; Southeast Health, Cape Girardeau, MO; St. Luke's Hospital, Chesterfield, MO; Camden County Health Services Center, Blackwood, NJ; Dosher Memorial Hospital, Southport, NC; St. Mary's Healthcare, Amsterdam, NY; Mercy Anderson, Cincinnati, OH; Mercy Health–Clermont Hospital, Batavia, OH; Mercy Health-Fairfield and Mt. Airy, OH; Mercy Hospital–Western Hills, Cincinnati, OH; Mercy Partners–Jewish Hospital, Cincinnati, OH; Summa Western Reserve Hospital, Cuyahoga Falls, OH; USPHS Lawton Service Unit, Lawton, OK; Springfield Hospital, Springfield, PA; Taylor Hospital, Ridley Park, PA; Medical City Dallas Hospital, Dallas, TX; Inove Health System, Falls Church, VA; Skyline Hospital, White Salmon, WA; Dove Healthcare West, Eau Claire, WI; North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit, North Bay, Ontario Canada.

Related Links
Back to top


CDC publishes report on use of Tdap in an Arizona emergency department in 2009-10
CDC published Notes from the Field: Use of Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis Vaccine (Tdap) in an Emergency Department—Arizona, 2009–2010 in the January 27 issue of MMWR (pages 55-56). The first paragraph, part of the second paragraph, and the entire last paragraph are reprinted below.

Because of an increasing incidence of reported pertussis cases attributed to waning immunity among adults and adolescents, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) in 2005 recommended administration of a new, combined tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap) for adolescents and adults aged 11–64 years. ACIP recommended that they receive a single dose of Tdap to replace tetanus and diphtheria toxoid vaccine (Td) for booster immunization against tetanus and diphtheria if they had not previously received Tdap. Adults aged ≥65 years were to receive Td according to ACIP recommendations. To learn whether these age-specific recommendations were being followed in an emergency department (ED), the charts of a sample of patients receiving tetanus vaccines at a large ED were reviewed.

The ED is part of an urban, academic center and has an annual volume of approximately 70,000 patient visits. Patients who received a tetanus booster during September 1, 2009–August 31, 2010, were identified through an inpatient pharmacy database
.

Overall adherence to ACIP guidelines for proper Tdap and Td administration was 75%. In this study, only patients who received tetanus boosters were studied; thus, data on the number of patients that failed to receive either Tdap or Td when it was indicated for wound management are not available. For patients aged 11–64 years, 76.1% received the ACIP-recommended Tdap vaccine. For adults aged ≥65 years, no licensed Tdap vaccine was available in the United States before 2010. Thus, all patients aged ≥65 years who were given a tetanus booster during the study period should have received Td; however, 32.1% received Tdap in place of the recommended Td. ACIP changed its recommendations in 2010 to recommend that adults aged ≥65 years receive Tdap in place of Td if they are health-care professionals or have close contact with an infant. The new guidelines also removed the recommended 2-year interval between tetanus vaccinations; no interval is now required between Td and Tdap vaccination. This study is of a single institution and might not be representative of all EDs. An electronic medical record reminder system for health-care providers might increase adherence to the ACIP guidelines.

Back to top


VACCINE INFORMATION STATEMENTS

CDC releases updated VIS for Td/Tdap vaccines
On January 24, CDC released a revised edition of the VIS for Td/Tdap vaccines. It incorporates information from updated ACIP recommendations regarding children age 7 through 9 years, adults 65 and older, and pregnant women. It also includes a paragraph about the risk of syncope. Because of the addition of risk information, CDC encourages providers to begin using the revised edition as soon as possible.
Back to top


FEATURED RESOURCES

Influenza vaccination is recommended for almost everyone, so please keep vaccinating
Influenza vaccination is recommended for everyone age 6 months and older, so please keep vaccinating your patients.

Following is a list of resources related to influenza disease and vaccination for healthcare professionals and the public.
Back to top


JOURNAL ARTICLES AND NEWSLETTERS

Errata in the January 6 MMWR article about receipt of A(H1N1)pdm09 vaccine by U.S. prisons and jails
CDC published Errata: Vol. 60, Nos. 51 & 52 in the January 27 issue of MMWR (page 57). It concerns errors that appeared in the article titled Receipt of A(H1N1)pdm09 Vaccine by Prisons and Jails—United States, 2009–10 Influenza Season, which was published in the January 6 issue of MMWR (pages 1737-1740). Errors occurred in the data presented in figure 2 and on page 1737 of the January 6 article.

Back to top


EDUCATION AND TRAINING

February 2 is the date of the Red Book webinar on the 2012 childhood immunization schedule
A Red Book webinar titled 2012 Immunization Schedule Recommendation will take place on February 2 at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT). The webinar will be approximately 60 minutes (45 minutes for the presentation, followed by a 15-minute Q&A period). The cost is $49.95.

Two additional Red Book immunization webinars are planned:
  • Human Papillomavirus Vaccines: Recommendations and Updates will be held on April 12
  • Summary of Major Changes in the 2012 Red Book
    will be held June 14
Access details about each webinar program and presenter by clicking on the webinar titles on this page.

Back to top


Clinical Vaccinology course to be held in Chicago on March 9–11
CDC and seven other national organizations are collaborating with the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID), Emory University School of Medicine, and the Emory Vaccine Center to sponsor a Clinical Vaccinology Course to be held March 9-11 in Chicago.

Back to top



Earn free CME/CE credit through the Florida Bureau of Immunization's video programs
The Bureau of Immunization of the Florida Department of Health offers free CME/CE credit to healthcare professionals who view any or all of the following three immunization video programs and submit the required post-tests or evaluations.
  • Vaccine Safety: A History of Protection and the Truth Behind the Fiction
  • We're in It Together: Herd Immunity and Completing Immunization Coverage
  • Childhood and Adolescent Immunizations
Information, instructions, and access to the videos
and post-tests/evaluations are available through the Suwannee River Area Health Education Center.

Back to top


CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS

Symposium on Dual Use Research: H5N1 Influenza Virus and Beyond to be held February 2 in New York City
On February 2, the New York Academy of Science will host Dual Use Research: H5N1 Influenza Virus and Beyond, an evening symposium and panel discussion. The event is also available as a webinar.

The event will focus on the following issue:
The U.S. National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity recently recommended that Nature and Science ask the authors of highly controversial studies with the avian influenza virus, H5N1, to remove certain methodological details. This perceived censorship, which aimed to minimize the risk of these findings being misused by would-be bioterrorists, is unprecedented and has sparked heated controversy in the scientific community. A discussion between scientists, publishers, and legal experts will explore the myriad issues surrounding the impending publication of these two studies and measures that will need to be undertaken to ensure the safety and security of future such research.
Back to top



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.

IZ Express Disclaimer
ISSN 2771-8085

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

This page was updated on .