EDITOR'S NOTE: As one of its ongoing projects, the Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) publishes Unprotected People Reports. Most of these are accounts about people who have suffered or died from vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs); some are editorials or opinion pieces about the value of immunization. Periodically, we publish an IAC Express issue that briefly describes selected Unprotected People Reports and gives readers links to access the reports directly. This IAC Express issue is the latest in our Unprotected People series.

In the three seasonal influenza cases listed below, available with permission of Families Fighting Flu, parents recount the devastating loss of their pre-school-age daughters. A non-profit organization of families and healthcare professionals, Families Fighting Flu was established in memory of the children who die each year from complications of seasonal influenza. Its member families have witnessed their child's sudden decline from severe influenza, with many members having suffered the shattering loss of an infant, child, or teen. The organization's mission is to reduce pediatric deaths from influenza by raising awareness about the importance of annual seasonal influenza vaccination for children.

To access the ready-to-print (PDF) version of "The Story of Katie Bellovich," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/reports/report096.pdf

To view a web-text version of Katie's story, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/reports/report096.asp

To access the ready-to-print (PDF) version of "The Story of Emily Lastinger," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/reports/report097.pdf

To view a web-text version of Emily's story, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/reports/report097.asp

To access the ready-to-print (PDF) version of "The Story of Amanda Kanowitz," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/reports/report098.pdf

To view a web-text version of Amanda's story, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/reports/report098.asp

To read more IAC Unprotected People Reports about seasonal influenza cases, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/reports/influenza.asp

To learn more about Families Fighting Flu, go to:
http://www.familiesfightingflu.org

Measles is the focus of this opinion piece, written by John Lawrence Kiely, PhD, a retired research epidemiologist for CDC's National Center for Health Statistics. Dr. Kiely relates his personal experience with measles and reminds us that vigilance in maintaining high levels of vaccination coverage is necessary to prevent measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases from making a comeback.

To access the ready-to-print (PDF) version of "Measles: Not Worth the Risk," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/reports/report100.pdf

To view a web-text version of Dr. Kiely's story, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/reports/report100.asp

To read more IAC Unprotected People Reports about measles cases, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/reports/measles.asp

Meningococcal disease is a serious, often fatal bacterial infection that strikes nearly 3,000 Americans annually. In particular, adolescents and young adults are at increased risk of getting meningococcal disease. The disease strikes quickly and can have severe complications, including hearing loss, brain damage, limb amputations, and in too many cases, death.

In this report about meningococcal disease, Frankie Milley, founder of Meningitis Angels, shares the devastating account of the death of her only child, Ryan Wayne Milley, with the Immunization Action Coalition.

To access the ready-to-print (PDF) version of "In Memory of Ryan Milley," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/reports/report101.pdf

To view a web-text version of Ryan's story, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/reports/report101.asp

To read more IAC Unprotected People Reports about meningococcal cases, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/reports/meningococcus.asp

To learn more about Meningitis Angels, go to:
http://www.meningitis-angels.org

Mary O'Brien, MD, a physician at New York's Columbia University Health Service, wrote this gripping piece about the rapid deterioration in health of her patient Thomas, a 25-year-old graduate student. O'Brien discovers that Thomas is suffering from acute hepatitis B infection. She explains the disease process from infection to fulminant liver failure. The article is lengthy, but the prose is vivid and the story is unrelenting. As you read about Thomas, remember that hepatitis B infection can be a very serious disease and one that is totally preventable with routine immunization.

IAC reprints "A Lost Week" with permission of The Gettysburg Review and Dr. O'Brien.

To access the ready-to-print (PDF) version of "A Lost Week," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/reports/report102.pdf

To view a web-text version of Dr. O'Brien's article, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/reports/report102.asp

To read more IAC Unprotected People Reports about hepatitis B cases, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/reports/hepatitisb.asp

WANT TO READ MORE REPORTS?
To access more than 100 Unprotected People Reports that relate accounts of people's experiences with more than 15 vaccine-preventable diseases, go to: http://www.immunize.org/reports