Issue Number 399            July 14, 2003

CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE

  1. Look here for the materials you need to promote National Immunization Awareness Month
  2. "New York Times" editorial champions adult immunization
  3. NMA brochure on meningitis on college campuses now available
  4. Indiana enacts varicella legislation for kindergarten and first grade attendance
  5. WHO's Weekly Epidemiologic Record keeps readers informed about disease outbreaks around the globe
  6. Erie County Professional Immunization Seminar set for September 24
  7. APHA annual meeting planned for November 15-19 in San Francisco
  8. CDC publishes an update of smallpox adverse events surveillance
  9. CDC publishes an update on the current monkeypox outbreak

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July 14, 2003
LOOK HERE FOR THE MATERIALS YOU NEED TO PROMOTE NATIONAL IMMUNIZATION AWARENESS MONTH

The National Partnership for Immunization (NPI) has designated August 2003 as National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM). Each year, this commemorative month increases awareness about immunization across the  lifespan, as parents and children get ready for the return to school and the medical community prepares for the upcoming influenza season.

NPI offers brochures and other print materials to help promote NIAM. To access the materials as camera-ready (PDF) files, go to: http://www.partnersforimmunization.org/niam_prkit.html and click on the item(s) you want to view or download.

The materials are also available in print format as a promotional kit. To request a complimentary copy of the kit, contact Mischka Garel by email at mgarel@hmhb.org or by phone at (703) 836-6110.

Three useful one-page patient-education pieces that promote immunization across the lifespan are available from the website of the Immunization Action Coalition:

  • "When do Children and Teens Need Vaccinations?" This visual table shows the vaccination schedule for children and teens from birth to age 18.
     
    To access a camera-ready (PDF) copy, go to:
    http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/when1.pdf
     
    To access an HTML copy, go to:
    http://www.immunize.org/nslt.d/n17/when1.htm
     
  • "Are You 11-19 Years Old? Then You Need to be Vaccinated Against These Serious Diseases!" A reminder for teens about vaccines they need and might not have received.
     
    To access a camera-ready (PDF) copy, go to:
    http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/11teens8.pdf
     
    To access an HTML copy, go to:
    http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4020.htm
     
  • "Vaccination for Adults: You're NEVER Too Old to Get Shots!" A visual chart showing vaccines all or some adults need.
  • To access a camera-ready (PDF) copy, go to:
    http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4030a.pdf
     
    To access an HTML copy, go to:
    http://www.immunize.org/nslt.d/n18/p4030new.htm
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July 14, 2003
"NEW YORK TIMES" EDITORIAL CHAMPIONS ADULT IMMUNIZATION

In the space of six fact-packed paragraphs, "Vaccines for Adults," a "New York Times" editorial published July 9, makes a strong case for adult immunization.

The editorial opens by informing readers that almost 50,000 U.S. adults die from vaccine-preventable diseases each year. While pointing out that adult immunization is more difficult to achieve than its childhood counterpart  because adults have varied immunization needs, the editorial suggests that physicians such as gynecologists and  cardiologists, specialists who are likely to regularly see adult patients, should inform patients about adult vaccinations and also provide them. The editorial concludes with a call for doctors, hospitals, Medicare, and private  insurers to educate the public about the importance of adult immunization, pay for it or reimburse its cost, and develop a system that allows adult patients to track their immunization status.

The complete editorial is available on the newspaper's website until at least July 14; after then, only the first two paragraphs will be available. To access the complete editorial or the opening paragraphs, go to:

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/09/opinion/09WED2.html?n=Top%2fOpinion%2fEditorials%20and%20Op%2dEd%2fEditorials
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July 14, 2003
NMA BROCHURE ON MENINGITIS ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES NOW AVAILABLE

"Meningitis on Campus: Don't Wait. Vaccinate," a brochure produced by the National Meningitis Association (NMA), offers college-bound students and their parents a succinct, practical introduction to  meningococcal meningitis. In the space of two pages, it outlines the etiology and epidemiology of the disease and makes a strong case for vaccination.

Designed to be printed on 8-1/2" x 11" paper, the brochure can be folded in thirds for mailing or display. Because quantities are limited, NMA requests that individuals and organizations requiring fewer than 50  brochures download the file and print copies, if possible. To view and download a camera-ready (PDF) copy of the brochure from the NMA website, go to: http://www.nmaus.org/pdf/brochures/NMA%20Brochure_150%20DPI.pdf

To order printed brochures, call NMA at (866) 366-3662. NMA requests a donation to cover postage and handling.

To access an array of information about meningococcal meningitis, visit the NMA website at http://www.nmaus.org
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July 14, 2003
INDIANA ENACTS VARICELLA LEGISLATION FOR KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE ATTENDANCE

The General Assembly of Indiana passed legislation requiring children who enter kindergarten or first grade to be immunized against chickenpox or have a legal exemption for medical reasons or religious  beliefs. The governor signed the legislation May 8; it will go into effect for the 2004-2005 academic year.

The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) has compiled information about all states that have varicella prevention mandates. To access the information, go to: http://www.immunize.org/laws/varicel.htm

We depend on our readers to help us stay informed and to ensure our website contains the most current and accurate information available. Please let us know when any changes occur in your state.
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July 14, 2003
WHO'S "WEEKLY EPIDEMIOLOGIC RECORD" KEEPS READERS INFORMED ABOUT DISEASE OUTBREAKS AROUND THE GLOBE

A publication of the World Health Organization (WHO), the "Weekly Epidemiologic Record" (WER) gathers and disseminates epidemiological data useful in disease surveillance on a global level. Priority is given to diseases or risk factors known to threaten international health.

Now in its seventh decade, WER is published in a bilingual English/French format; it is available electronically and in print.

To subscribe to the electronic edition, email majordomo@who.ch Leave the subject field blank and enter "subscribe wer-reh" in the message field.

To subscribe to the print edition, go to: http://bookorders.who.int click on "subscription" in the left column, and scroll down to the WER listing.

For more information about WER, go to: http://www.who.int/wer/en
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July 14, 2003
ERIE COUNTY PROFESSIONAL IMMUNIZATION SEMINAR SET FOR SEPTEMBER 24

The Erie County Department of Health will hold the "Professional Immunization Seminar 2003" on September 24 at the Ambassador Convention Center, Erie, PA. Registration, which is free, is required; the deadline is September 17.

Part of the day's program will focus on responding to the potential use of biological weapons and to terroristic threats. The remainder will educate participants in current immunization practices, including the importance of the newborn dose of hepatitis B vaccine, the comparison of symptoms of pertussis with those of other upper respiratory infections, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices' most recent recommendations regarding influenza vaccine, vaccine safety issues, and more.

Intended for health professionals who give immunizations or set immunization policy in offices, clinics, or other health care settings, the seminar will feature presentations by William Atkinson, MD, MPH, epidemiologist with the National Immunization Program of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Neal Halsey, MD, Director, Institute for Vaccine Safety, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

For complete information on the seminar, including the agenda, continuing education credit, and registration, go to the seminar web page at http://ecdh.org/documents/Immi/Pro%20Imi%20Sem%202003.htm

For additional information, contact Angie King by email at aking@ecdh.org or by phone at (800) 352-0026 or (814) 451-6700.
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July 14, 2003
APHA ANNUAL MEETING PLANNED FOR NOVEMBER 15-19 IN SAN FRANCISCO

The American Public Health Association (APHA) will hold its 131st Annual Meeting and Exposition in San Francisco on November 15-19. September 5 is the early-bird registration deadline.

With the theme "Behavior, Lifestyle, and Social Determinants of Health," the meeting program will address the most promising intervention strategies, research gaps, and the state of the science relating to behavior, lifestyle, and determinants of health. It will also focus on the role of public health in addressing behavioral risk factors.

For comprehensive meeting information from the APHA meeting web page, go to: http://www.apha.org/meetings

For an array of contact information from the meeting's contact page, go to: http://www.apha.org/meetings/contact.htm

For registration information, contact Edward Shipley by email at edward.shipley@apha.org or by phone at (202) 777-2478.
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July 14, 2003
CDC PUBLISHES AN UPDATE OF SMALLPOX ADVERSE EVENTS SURVEILLANCE

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published "Update: Cardiac and Other Adverse Events Following Civilian Smallpox Vaccination--United States, 2003" in the July 11 issue of the "Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report" (MMWR).

The article reports that 37,802 civilian health care and public workers received smallpox vaccine between January 24, the start of the civilian smallpox vaccination program, and June 20. The article updates  information received as of June 20 by CDC from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) on vaccine-associated adverse events among civilian vaccinees and among contacts of vaccinees.

Between January 24 and June 20, two cases of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) were diagnosed three months after vaccination; the article includes case reports on both. A total of 21 cases of myo/pericarditis were reported, as were eight cases of ischemic heart disease, including five cases of myocardial infarction and three of angina.

In addition, 12 other serious events were reported, including one case of suspected generalized vaccinia and two cases of cardiomyopathy identified three months after smallpox vaccination in persons with no previous history of cardiomyopathy, coronary artery disease (CAD), or congestive heart failure. Of the nine other serious events reported, three were cases of chest pain, one of gastro-esophageal reflux disease, one of cholecystitis, one of sudden death caused by artherosclerotic CAD 69 days postvaccination, and three were neurologic cases.

To obtain the complete text of the article online, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5227a4.htm

To obtain a camera-ready (PDF format) copy of this issue of MMWR, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5227.pdf

To access an array of smallpox information from the CDC website, go to: http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox

HOW TO OBTAIN A FREE ELECTRONIC SUBSCRIPTION TO THE MMWR:
To obtain a free electronic subscription to the "Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report" (MMWR), visit CDC's MMWR website at: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr Select "Free Subscription" from the menu at the left of the screen. Once you have submitted the required information, weekly issues of the MMWR and all new ACIP statements (published as MMWR's "Recommendations and Reports") will arrive automatically by email.
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July 14, 2003
CDC PUBLISHES AN UPDATE ON THE CURRENT MONKEYPOX OUTBREAK

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published "Update: Multistate Outbreak of Monkeypox--Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin, 2003" in the July 11 issue of the "Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report" (MMWR). A portion of the article's first two paragraphs is reprinted below.

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CDC and state and local health departments continue to investigate cases of monkeypox among persons in the United States who had contact with wild or exotic mammalian pets or with persons with monkeypox. This report updates results of the epidemiologic investigation, provides information on the use of smallpox vaccine during the outbreak, and summarizes the animal tracing activities to identify the origin and subsequent distribution of infected animals.

Epidemiologic Investigation

As of July 8, 2003, a total of 71 cases of monkeypox have been reported to CDC from Wisconsin (39), Indiana (16), Illinois (12), Missouri (two), Kansas (one), and Ohio (one); these include 35 (49%) cases laboratory-confirmed at CDC and 36 (51%) suspect and probable cases under investigation by state and local health departments. Eleven cases were excluded from those reported previously because they met the exclusion criteria outlined in the updated national case definition, and one new case was added.

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To obtain the complete text of the article online, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5227a5.htm

To obtain a camera-ready (PDF format) copy of this issue of MMWR, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5227.pdf

To access an array of information on monkeypox from the CDC website, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/monkeypox

About IZ Express

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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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