Issue Number
130
December 3, 1999
CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE
- CDC publishes article on measles elimination efforts in
the Eastern Mediterranean Region
- Looking for national immunization and hepatitis B resources? IAC's
website tells you how to find them
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(1)
December 3, 1999
CDC PUBLISHES ARTICLE ON MEASLES ELIMINATION EFFORTS IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN REGION
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published an article titled "Progress Toward Measles
Elimination -- Eastern Mediterranean Region, 1980-1998" in the December 3, 1999, issue of the MMWR. The article
states that, in 1997, the goal to eliminate measles from the region by 2010 was
decided by the 23 member countries of the World Health Organization Eastern Mediterranean
Region (EMR).
The article's "Editorial Note" reads in part: "Eradication of polio is the highest
vaccination priority in the EMR, and measles elimination activities are being
phased in on the basis of the status of polio eradication in the country. In the
nine countries where polio is endemic or was recently endemic, measles remains a major cause of morbidity and
mortality. Only those countries that have evidence of interruption of indigenous transmission of polio for at least
3 years, based on high quality acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance, have
started measles elimination activities. Because of the proximity of countries
where polio is endemic, complete and timely surveillance for AFP cases should continue
until global eradication is achieved."
"Priority program activities for the 14 countries in the EMR now targeting measles elimination are 1) to maintain
high routine vaccination coverage (greater than or equal to 95%) with the first dose of measles vaccine; 2) to
achieve high coverage (greater than 90%) in catch-up campaigns in Lebanon, Morocco, and Palestine; 3) to either achieve and
maintain high coverage with a routine second dose of measles vaccine or implement timely
follow-up campaigns in those countries that have conducted catch-up campaigns; and 4) to
strengthen case-based measles surveillance and establish a regional measles laboratory network to support laboratory
diagnosis of suspected measles cases and virus isolation from all chains of measles transmission."
To obtain the full text version (HTML format) of this MMWR article, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm4847a2.htm
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 listed below. Select "Free
MMWR 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 automatically arrive in your e-mail box. To go to the MMWR website, visit:
http://www2.cdc.gov/mmwr
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(2)
December 3, 1999
LOOKING FOR NATIONAL IMMUNIZATION AND HEPATITIS B RESOURCES? IAC'S WEBSITE TELLS YOU HOW TO FIND THEM
If you are convinced that the "Pink Book," "Red Book,"
"Yellow Book," and "Green Book" are part of a literary series you read as a child, then you might
want to check out the "National Resources" page on the website of the Immunization Action Coalition (IAC). Here you will find
these and other immunization resource mysteries revealed, as well as brief descriptions of
each resource and details on how to order them. Videotapes of satellite broadcasts,
federal publications, and professional periodicals are just a few of the more than 100 resources listed.
Another compilation on IAC's website is a page called "Hepatitis and Immunization Sites" which lists website
links from across the nation and around the world. If you or your organization's resources are listed on either
of the pages described above, we need your help in keeping them accurate and up to date. Please alert us to any changes we
should make or additional resources/websites we should include by sending an e-mail message to:
elyse@immunize.org
To visit "National Resources for Immunization and Hepatitis A & B," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/news.d/resourc.htm
To visit IAC's list of Internet links, "Hepatitis and Immunization Sites," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/news.d/link001.htm |
