Issue Number
214 December
8,
2000
CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE
- CDC publishes notice on outbreak of polio in the
Dominican Republic and Haiti
- CDC publishes article on U.S. influenza activity during
the 2000-01 season
- Online continuing medical education opportunity from
ATPM
- Dr. Martin Myers named director of the National Vaccine
Program Office
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(1)
December 8, 2000
CDC PUBLISHES NOTICE ON OUTBREAK OF POLIO IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AND HAITI
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a Public Health Dispatch titled "Outbreak of
Poliomyelitis--Dominican Republic and Haiti, 2000" in the December 8, 2000, issue of MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY
WEEKLY (MMWR). According to the article, between July 12 and November 18, 2000, 19 people with acute flaccid paralysis
(AFP) were identified in the Dominican Republic; 14 of the patients were unvaccinated and 5 were
inadequately vaccinated. In Haiti, one case of poliovirus type 1 was confirmed
in an inadequately vaccinated child aged 2. The report states, "The outbreak
virus is unusual because it is derived from oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) and
has 97% genetic similarity to the parental OPV strain (normally vaccine-derived isolates are greater than 99.5% similar to
the parent strain) and appears to have recovered the neurovirulence and transmissibility
characteristics of wild poliovirus type 1. In comparison, wild polioviruses normally have less than 82% genetic similarity to OPV."
The article notes that high vaccination coverage is the key factor in controlling
OPV-derived viruses and wild polioviruses: "Since 1991, no cases of polio attributed to
wild poliovirus have been detected in the Western Hemisphere. The current outbreak underscores the need for
polio-free areas to maintain high coverage with polio vaccine until global polio eradication has been
achieved. OPV is safe and effective and recommended for the eradication of polio."
It concludes, "Travelers to the Dominican Republic and Haiti who are not vaccinated adequately should be
considered at risk for polio. All travelers should be vaccinated fully against polio according to national
vaccination policies."
To view the complete text of this article online, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm4948a4.htm
For information on how to obtain a free electronic subscription to the MMWR,
see the information following story two below.
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(2)
December 8, 2000
CDC PUBLISHES ARTICLE ON U.S. INFLUENZA ACTIVITY DURING THE 2000-01 SEASON
CDC published an article in the December 8, 2000, issue of MMWR titled "Influenza Activity--United States, 2000-01
Season." It states, "Influenza activity was low during this period, and influenza virus isolates were reported
from 11 states. The viruses most frequently isolated were influenza A (H1N1)
and were well matched by the 2000-01 influenza vaccine strains."
For the complete text of this article, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm4948a1.htm
For information from CDC on the 2000-01 influenza vaccine supply, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/nip/flu-vac-supply
CDC's National Immunization Program (NIP) has produced
three health education flyers on the influenza vaccine:
IAC has developed a one-page checklist titled "Give These
People Influenza Vaccine" to help you decide who to vaccinate. To view it, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/2013flu.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 at: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr
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 arrive automatically by e-mail.
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(3)
December 8, 2000
ONLINE CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY FROM ATPM
The Association of Teachers of Preventive Medicine (ATPM) has posted a special immunization supplement to the online
Journal of Family Practice. "Vaccines Across the Life Span" highlights the recommendations of the
Teaching Immunization for Medical Education (TIME) Project for immunizing children and adults. The online supplement contains three
continuing medical education (CME) modules: Child Vaccination, Adult Vaccination, and
Haemophilus Influenzae Type B Disease. It also includes two other informative
modules: Vaccines Across the Life Span and Prevention of Influenza. Each module has been reviewed and each of the
CME modules are acceptable for up to 2 credit hours by the American Academy of Family Physicians. Follow
the instructions at the end of each of the three CME modules to obtain credit.
To view this special immunization supplement, go to:
http://jfponline.com/spec_feat.asp?year=4&month=9&supplement=9
(link discontinued)
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(4)
December 8, 2000
DR. MARTIN MYERS NAMED DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL VACCINE PROGRAM OFFICE
Dr. Martin Myers has been named Director of the National Vaccine Program Office (NVPO), Assistant Secretary for
Health and Surgeon General David Satcher announced. Dr. Myers, a highly respected herpesvirologist and
teacher, served as NVPO's acting director from February 2000 to October 2000, and as deputy director from March 1999 to
February 2000. As Director, he will report to the Office of Public Health and Science at the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services.
The NVPO is charged with coordinating, facilitating, and providing leadership
for the overall National Vaccine Program. This includes minimizing gaps that
occur in federal planning of vaccine and immunization activities.
To visit NVPO online, go to: http://cdc.gov/od/nvpo/
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