IAC Express 2011

Issue number 921: April 4, 2011

Please click here to subscribe to IAC Express as well as other FREE IAC periodicals.

Contents of this Issue
Select a title to jump to the article.

All at IAC mourn the passing of our beloved colleague and friend, Becky Payne
CDC summarizes ACIP's recent votes on Tdap vaccination of healthcare workers, booster dose of Japanese encephalitis vaccine, and more
American Nurses Association and eight other professional societies urge clinicians to follow CDC's new Tdap recommendations
HHS announces launch of a new consumer-focused immunization website--www.vaccines.gov
Minnesota Department of Health reports 15 confirmed cases of measles
IAC updates its popular provider-education handout "Healthcare Personnel Vaccination Recommendations"
IAC updates its "Do I Need Any Vaccinations Today?" adult patient screening questionnaire" and "Vaccine Handling Tips" for proper vaccine storage
IAC's Video of the Week features Somali-language videos developed to educate Somali-American parents
Spotlight on immunize.org: where you'll find information on upcoming immunization events and conferences
National Infant Immunization Week is April 23-30; be sure to add your activities to the CDC website
NCIRD announces National Immunization Conference will move to an every-other-year schedule; next conference to be held in Atlanta in 2013
ACIP updates U.S. vaccine abbreviations
77 U.S. children have died from complications of influenza during the 2010-11 season--so please keep vaccinating!
March issue of CDC's Immunization Works newsletter now available
CDC publishes results of 2001-2008 U.S. tetanus surveillance
CDC posts live meeting archive of the February ACIP meeting
Award-winning DVD! "Immunization Techniques: Best Practices with Infants, Children, and Adults"--from the California Department of Public Health, Immunization Branch
"Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines 2010" available in hard copy and electronic formats
April is STD Awareness Month; young people urged to get tested
MMWR publishes report on 2009-10 measles outbreaks in Africa and progress toward measles pre-elimination goal
April is Autism Awareness Month
Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases course scheduled for September 27-28 in Tacoma
Reminder: Minnesota Coalition for Adult Immunization's 20th annual conference to be held April 8

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 921: April 4, 2011

All at IAC mourn the passing of our beloved colleague and friend, Becky Payne

Everyone at IAC is grieving the loss of Becky Payne, our dear friend and colleague, who passed away unexpectedly on March 25.

Becky came to IAC as its first office manager in 1994. Using her vast knowledge of office procedures, Becky established systems that IAC is still using today. Her ability to organize and bring order out of chaos was astonishing. She was the consummate professional and set the gold standard for how an office should be managed.

Becky soon became Assistant to the Director, Dr. Deborah Wexler. Answering Deborah's phone and email correspondence as often as she did, she became the "voice of IAC" for many callers and correspondents. And what a voice she was: Calm, funny, helpful, and knowledgeable, Becky represented the heart of IAC to thousands of people who knew her only by phone and email. Becky was even more winning in person. She was genuinely welcoming to every person who walked through IAC's front door.

As anyone who spent even a short time with Becky knows, generosity was her hallmark--her willingness to give appeared bottomless. She seemed to know what everyone on IAC's staff needed to be able to do their job better, and she often forwarded just the resource we required. She made our jobs more fun, too, downloading a cartoon and a joke every day and posting them on our kitchen wall, so we could get a laugh over lunch. She was without peer in making sure everyone in the office felt special and celebrated on their birthday, often writing personal rhymes for us that she termed her "dorky ditties." But they weren't dorky. To the recipient, they were as caring, dear, and incomparable as Becky herself.

Finally, it is imperative to say how vital Becky was to IAC. In addition to all of her considerable personal and professional qualities, her wise counsel influenced nearly every aspect of IAC. From fundraising to personnel issues, from corporate matters to outside communications, Becky played a key role in making IAC what it is today.

Becky's obituary and guestbook for online condolences are available at the Pedersen Funeral Home website at: http://www.pedersenfh.com/_mgxroot/page_10780.php?id=911872

Cards may be sent to the Pedersen Funeral Home, 101 South Atlantic Ave., Morris, MN 56267. Attn: Payne family.

More information about Becky and her family, and the opportunity to visit and write in a guestbook, are available at the CaringBridge website. Visit http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/beckypayne

CDC summarizes ACIP's recent votes on Tdap vaccination of healthcare workers, booster dose of Japanese encephalitis vaccine, and more

The feature article of the March issue of CDC's Immunization Works electronic newsletter summarizes votes taken at the February 2011 meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The article is reprinted below.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met in Atlanta on February 23-24, 2011. They voted on issues related to the following diseases/vaccines:

Pertussis/Tdap: Significant votes were taken regarding healthcare personnel (HCP). The ACIP approved a dose of Tdap for previously unvaccinated healthcare personnel regardless of age. This expands the recommendation to HCP older than 64 years regardless of the type of patient contact. ACIP also made slight changes to post-exposure prophylaxis recommendations for HCP who have already received Tdap vaccine. HCP who are exposed and are expected to have contact with persons at high-risk of severe pertussis disease (e.g., hospitalized neonates and pregnant women) need to receive post-exposure prophylaxis. For vaccinated HCP not in contact with at-risk patients, facilities have the option of providing post-exposure prophylaxis or monitoring exposed HCP for 21 days after pertussis exposure and treating at the onset of signs and symptoms of pertussis.

General Healthcare Personnel Recommendations: ACIP voted to approve a set of recommendations which will be published as a compilation of all vaccine-specific recommendations for healthcare personnel. This document updates the previously published 1997 report.

Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine: ACIP voted that providers may give a booster dose of vero-cell Japanese encephalitis vaccine (JE-VC) to travelers at high-risk of Japanese encephalitis who have already received a primary series, at a one-year interval, if the primary series was completed 1-2 years ago.

In addition to votes taken, the ACIP also discussed issues related to influenza vaccine, Tdap use in pregnancy, febrile seizures and vaccination, zoster vaccine, hepatitis B vaccine, and 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. Please visit the ACIP meeting web page (http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/acip/default.htm#mtgs) for additional information. The next ACIP meeting will be held June 22-23, 2011 (http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/acip/default.htm).

To access the feature article in the March issue of Immunization Works, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/news/newsltrs/imwrks/2011/201103.htm

American Nurses Association and eight other professional societies urge clinicians to follow CDC's new Tdap recommendations

On March 28, the American Nurses Association (ANA) announced in a press release that it is leading a coalition of nine nursing, pediatric, and physician professional societies in urging broader vaccination to protect infants from pertussis, including vaccination of all healthcare professionals. The organizations include the American Academy of Family Physicians; American Academy of Pediatrics; American College of Nurse Midwives; American College of Physicians; American Medical Association; Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses; National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners; and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Portions of the press release are reprinted below. A link to an advisory letter is given at the end of this IAC Express article.

The American Nurses Association (ANA) is urging healthcare providers nationwide to encourage patients who have any contact with newborns and infants to get vaccinated for pertussis to stem a nationwide outbreak, including several groups that previously had not been recommended for the vaccine.

ANA is spearheading a coalition of nine nursing, pediatric and physician organizations that is releasing an advisory letter to their member healthcare professionals today outlining new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations for pertussis immunization. The letter also encourages health care providers to get their own vaccination, and to use an accompanying dosing guide outlining vaccine type and schedule for various groups. . . .

To access the ANA press release, go to:
http://www.nursingworld.org/FunctionalMenuCategories/MediaResources/
PressReleases/Urge-Broader-Pertussis-Vaccination-for-Infants.aspx

To access the professional societies' advisory letter, which includes a pertussis vaccine dosing guide, go to: http://www.anaimmunize.org/Main-Menu-Category/Clinical-Tools/
Recommendations-and-Guidelines/Tdap-letter.aspx

HHS announces launch of a new consumer-focused immunization website--www.vaccines.gov

On March 30, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a press release announcing that it has launched a consumer-focused immunization website--vaccines.gov. Portions of the press release are reprinted below.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services today unveiled an innovative new website to help parents and other consumers learn about the most effective way to protect themselves and their children from infectious diseases and learn about immunization. Vaccines.gov brings together the best in federal resources on vaccine and immunizations to provide consumers with easy-to-understand health information specifically for their needs.

"Vaccines.gov puts the power of prevention at the fingertips of all Americans," said Dr. Howard K. Koh, HHS assistantsecretary for health. "We urge everyone to visit this site and learn more about how vaccines can protect the health of each family member as well as the entire nation. . . ."

The site includes content about vaccine recommendations, the diseases that vaccines prevent, important information for getting vaccinated, and tips on travel health. It also links consumers with resources in their states to learn about vaccine requirements for school or child care entry and local community information.

"This website will help ensure that Americans have accurate, Web-based information on immunizations," said Dr. Bruce Gellin, director of the National Vaccine Program Office at HHS, which led the creation of vaccines.gov. "It was developed with significant consumer input based on the public's feedback and is remarkably easy to navigate. It is designed to answer consumers' questions, educate them about diseases that vaccines prevent, and connect Americans with resources to keep themselves and their families healthy."

To visit the new vaccines.gov website, go to: http://www.vaccines.gov

To access the complete press release, go to: http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2011pres/03/20110330a.html

Minnesota Department of Health reports 15 confirmed cases of measles

On April 4, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) posted the following information on its website.

There have been 15 confirmed cases of measles reported in Minnesota. Twelve of the cases have been linked to a case that acquired infection in Kenya (13 total), one case acquired infection in Florida and one case acquired infection in India. Cases have ranged in age from 4 months to 51 years old. Five of the cases were too young to receive vaccine, six were of age but were not vaccinated, one was vaccinated and three have unknown vaccine status. There have been eight hospitalizations and no deaths.

To access information about the measles outbreak in the Twin Cities area and to read updated vaccination recommendations for all Hennepin County residents and Somalis living in the greater metropolitan area, go to the MDH website at: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/diseases/measles At this link, you can also subscribe to receive regular updates about the measles outbreak.

IAC updates its popular provider-education handout "Healthcare Personnel Vaccination Recommendations"

IAC recently revised a provider-education handout titled "Healthcare Personnel Vaccination Recommendations." It now reflects information on healthcare worker Tdap vaccination that was voted on at ACIP's February 2011 meeting. Go to: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p2017.pdf

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

IAC updates its "Do I Need Any Vaccinations Today?" adult patient screening questionnaire" and "Vaccine Handling Tips" for proper vaccine storage

IAC recently revised the following two handouts for healthcare professionals and their patients.

(1) IAC updated its adult patient screening questionnaire "Do I Need Any Vaccinations Today?" to reflect recent changes in CDC's recommendations for use of Tdap, HPV, varicella, and meningococcal vaccines. Go to: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4036.pdf

(2) IAC updated "Vaccine Handling Tips: Outdated or improperly stored vaccines won't protect patients" by adding new graphic elements that clearly indicate which vaccines should be frozen and which refrigerated. Go to: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p3048.pdf

IAC's Video of the Week features Somali-language videos developed to educate Somali-American parents

IAC encourages IAC Express readers to watch two Somali-language videos, each with English subtitles. An 8-minute video focuses on giving Somali-American parents general information about vaccines and vaccination. The second video, running 13 minutes, discusses autism, particularly as it relates to the Somali-American community. Both videos were developed by the Mayo Clinic Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine and the Somali community of Rochester, MN.

The videos will be available on the home page of IAC's website through April 10. To access them, go to: http://www.immunize.org and click on the image under the words Video of the Week. After April 10, access them directly on YouTube. For the general vaccine information video, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nn0LziFpPU For the autism information video, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBAmfskuMps

Remember to bookmark IAC's home page to view a new video every Monday. To view an IAC Video of the Week from the past, go to the video archive at http://www.immunize.org/votw

Spotlight on immunize.org: where you'll find information on upcoming immunization events and conferences

Looking for information about upcoming immunization-related conferences, meetings, courses, and webinars? Look no further. The Calendar of Events web section on immunize.org provides the details you need. For each event, the calendar listing includes the date, time, location, sponsor, and a link for additional information.

To access the Calendar of Events section, go to: http://www.immunize.org/calendar

If you have a conference you would like included on IAC's calendar, please email janelle@immunize.org with the details.

10.

National Infant Immunization Week is April 23-30; be sure to add your activities to the CDC website

National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) is an annual observance to highlight the importance of protecting infants from vaccine-preventable diseases. This year, NIIW will be held April 23-30.

CDC encourages all organizations that are planning an NIIW activity to fill out a form to share information about its plans with others. To access the form, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niiw/activities/activity-form.html

To read about other organizations' activities, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niiw/activities.html

Any health department or immunization coalition interested in promoting infant immunization within their community will find abundant useful information on the CDC's NIIW website. Resources include tools for planning events and promoting them through the media; listings of NIIW activities and events planned across the nation; and educational materials for providers and parents.

To access these NIIW resources, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niiw

11.

NCIRD announces National Immunization Conference will move to an every-other-year schedule; next conference to be held in Atlanta in 2013

On March 14, NCIRD Director Anne Schuchat, MD, wrote a letter to NCIRD grantees and partners about the 2011 National Immunization Conference (NIC), held March 28-31 in Washington, DC. The letter includes the announcement that NIC will move to an every-other-year schedule with the next conference to be held in 2013.

To access the letter, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/news/newsltrs/imwrks/2011/nic-grantee-partner.pdf

12.

ACIP updates U.S. vaccine abbreviations

On March 25, CDC posted U.S. Vaccine Abbreviations on its website. The standardized abbreviations are intended to provide a uniform approach to vaccine references used in ACIP Recommendations and Policy Notes that are published in MMWR, CDC's "Pink Book," the American Academy of Pediatrics "Red Book," and the U.S. immunization schedules for children, adolescents, and adults.

To access the chart of vaccine abbreviations, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/acip/downloads/vac-abbrev.pdf

13.

77 U.S. children have died from complications of influenza during the 2010-11 season--so please keep vaccinating!

CDC reported 6 influenza-associated pediatric deaths for the week ending March 19, for a total of 77 confirmed influenza-associated pediatric deaths so far this season. Remember, influenza vaccination is recommended for everyone age 6 months and older, so please keep vaccinating your patients.

14.

March issue of CDC's Immunization Works newsletter now available

CDC recently released the March 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.

Most articles in the March Immunization Works newsletter have been covered in this or previous issues of IAC Express.

To access the complete March issue, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/news/newsltrs/imwrks/2011/201103.htm

15.

CDC publishes results of 2001-2008 U.S. tetanus surveillance

CDC published "Tetanus Surveillance--United States, 2001-2008" in the April 1 issue of MMWR. A press summary is reprinted below.

Tetanus is a rare but life-threatening disease in the United States and it is caused by the toxin of Clostridium tetani, which is found in soil and animal excrement. Reported tetanus cases have declined >95 percent and deaths from tetanus have declined >99 percent in the United States since 1947. CDC analyzed tetanus cases reported to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS) during 2001-2008. The results show that 233 cases were reported during 2001-2008. The case-fatality rate was 13.2 percent among the 197 cases with known outcomes. Case fatality was higher among persons >65 years, diabetics, and among unvaccinated persons or those not up-to-date with vaccination. Tetanus is a vaccine preventable disease. Healthcare providers should ensure up-to-date TT [tetanus toxoid-containing] vaccination of all their patients, especially persons aged >=65 years, and diabetics. Children should receive a complete series of vaccine at ages 2, 4, 6, 18 months and then 4-6 years of age. A booster dose should be administered at age 11-12 years and then every ten years after.

To access the full article, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6012a1.htm

16.

CDC posts live meeting archive of the February ACIP meeting

The CDC website recently posted the live meeting archive of the February 23-24 ACIP meeting. To access it, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/acip/livemeeting-feb11.htm

17.

Award-winning DVD! "Immunization Techniques: Best Practices with Infants, Children, and Adults"--from the California Department of Public Health, Immunization Branch

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Immunization Branch, has 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. It includes instruction on the following:

Selecting, preparing, and administering injectable, oral, and nasal vaccines
Documenting immunizations
Making patients comfortable and educating them
Facilitating staff and patient communication

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/shop/toolkit_iztechdvd.asp

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

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

Note for healthcare settings located in California: Contact your local health department immunization program for a free copy.

18.

"Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines 2010" available in hard copy and electronic formats

Originally published in MMWR on December 17, 2010, in PDF and HTML formats only, CDC's "Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines 2010" is now available in hard copy and electronic formats.

To order hard copies of "Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines 2010," as well as wall charts and pocket guides, go to: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/pubs/dstdp.aspx

To access the eBook of "Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines 2010," for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/std/2010-ebook.htm

For additional information, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment/2010/?source=govdelivery%20

19.

April is STD Awareness Month; young people urged to get tested

CDC published "Announcements: STD Awareness Month--April 2011" in the April 1 issue of MMWR. A portion of the first paragraph is reprinted below.

April is STD Awareness Month, an annual observance to raise public awareness about the impact of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) on the lives of persons in the United States and the importance of discussing sexual health with healthcare providers and sex partners. This STD Awareness Month's focus is on the importance of young persons getting tested. . . .

To access the full article, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6012a6.htm

20.

MMWR publishes report on 2009-10 measles outbreaks in Africa and progress toward measles pre-elimination goal

CDC published "Measles Outbreaks and Progress Toward Measles Pre-elimination--African Region, 2009-2010" in the April 1 issue of MMWR. A portion of the press summary is reprinted below.

During 2001-2008, African countries made remarkable progress in reducing measles mortality and morbidity by increasing measles vaccination. However, since reaching an historic low of 32,278 reported cases in 2008, a resurgence of measles has led to multiple large outbreaks during 2009-2010. The 2009-2010 outbreaks highlight the need for full implementation of regional measles immunization efforts. . . .

To access the full article, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6012a3.htm

21.

April is Autism Awareness Month

CDC published "Announcements: Autism Awareness Month--April 2011" in the April 1 issue of MMWR. Portions of the announcement are reprinted below.

April is Autism Awareness Month. CDC's most recent report from the 11 sites that make up the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network identified 2,757 children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in a total population of 308,038 children aged 8 years, indicating a prevalence of approximately one in 110 (or 1% of children). . . .

CDC . . . is working with caregiver and professional groups through the "Learn the Signs. Act Early" health education program to improve early identification of ASDs and other developmental disabilities. CDC has resources and information for healthcare providers, including information on screening tools and free educational materials to give to patients. These resources are available at http://www.cdc.gov/actearly Additional information about autism and CDC's activities is available at http://www.cdc.gov/autism

To access the full article, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6012a4.htm

22.

Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases course scheduled for September 27-28 in Tacoma

The Immunization Action Coalition of Washington, Washington State Department of Health, and National Network for Immunization Nurses and Associates are sponsoring a two-day CDC course, Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases. It will be held September 27-28 in Tacoma.

Faculty from CDC's NCIRD will present a live, comprehensive overview of the "Pink Book." Sessions will cover the principles of vaccination, general recommendations, and specific information about vaccine-preventable diseases and the vaccines that prevent them.

For more information and registration, go to: http://cdc2day.eventbrite.com

23.

Reminder: Minnesota Coalition for Adult Immunization's 20th annual conference to be held April 8

The Minnesota Coalition for Adult Immunization will hold its 20th annual conference on April 8 at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska. The title of this year's conference is "Issues and Strategies in Adult Vaccine Preventable Diseases."

For more information, go to: http://www.stratishealth.org/events

Vaccine Topics

General Topics

Patient Safety Honor Rolls

IAC Express 2011

Issue number 921: April 4, 2011

About IZ Express

Editorial Information

Our Affiliated Sites

Support Our Work

Subscribe to IZ Express